If you’ve ever thought starting AIP meant saying goodbye to your favorite comfort foods forever, this episode is for you.

In this Beyond the Recipe Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott continues the mini-series exploring how AIP recipes actually work in real life—not just on paper. These conversations go deeper than ingredients and instructions to unpack why certain recipes succeed, how to adapt them, and what makes them sustainable long-term.

Mickey is joined by Marie-Noelle Marquis, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, AIP Certified Coach, and founder of Urban AIP, to talk through one of the most surprising comfort food wins in the AIP world: Magic Chili.

This isn’t just a tomato-free chili. It’s a deeply savory, rich, red, nightshade-free meal that delivers comfort without beans, paprika, chili powder, or tomatoes—and somehow no one misses them.

Together, they explore how this recipe works from both a home kitchen perspective and at production scale through Urban AIP’s therapeutic meal delivery service, and why this chili has become a customer favorite.

This episode is about abundance over restriction: how to recreate nostalgic flavors, build depth without nightshades, and turn a single recipe into a flexible template for real-life healing.

1. Why comfort foods don’t have to disappear on AIP
2. How grated beet creates rich color and depth without tasting “beet-y”
3. The flavor architecture behind a nightshade-free chili
4. How caramelized onions, bone broth, oregano, and cinnamon build complexity
5. Why visual cues (like deep red color) matter in satisfaction
6. What changes when scaling a recipe from 6 servings to 100
7. How Urban AIP maintains quality and flavor at production level
8. Why chili is such a powerful comfort food during elimination
9. Easy protein swaps (turkey, bison, venison, lamb)
10. How to use the chili base as a template for other nightshade-free meals
11. What makes Urban AIP’s therapeutic meal delivery unique

Magic Chili Recipe – Full recipe from The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen

The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen Cookbook by Mickey Trescott

Urban AIP Meal Delivery by Marie-Noelle Marquis

Urban AIP on Instagram

00:00 – Rethinking chili without tomatoes, beans, or nightshades

01:19 – Introducing Marie-Noelle Marquis of Urban AIP

02:13 – Why Magic Chili belongs on the Urban AIP menu

05:02 – The beet base and building depth without tomatoes

07:36 – Scaling from home kitchen to commercial production

10:51 – Protein swaps and recipe versatility

11:49 – Urban AIP’s therapeutic meal delivery approach

17:42 – Final reflections on abundance and creativity in AIP cooking

Meditation is one of those practices that almost everyone recommends—especially in the autoimmune world. We know nervous system regulation matters. We know stress impacts inflammation. We know slowing down is important.

And yet, actually sitting down to meditate can feel surprisingly difficult. Instead of calm, you might feel restless. Instead of clarity, your thoughts get louder. Instead of relaxation, your body feels uncomfortable.

For many women living with autoimmune disease, this makes perfect sense. When your nervous system has been on high alert for a long time—monitoring symptoms, managing flares, juggling responsibilities—stillness can feel unfamiliar, even unsafe.

In this Mind-Body Minute, Mickey is joined by AIP Certified Coach, Qigong and yoga teacher Michele Spring to talk about why meditation feels hard, what’s actually happening in the nervous system when we try to slow down, and how to begin in a way that feels supportive instead of frustrating.

This conversation reframes meditation as a practice of building safety and awareness—rather than clearing your mind or doing it “perfectly.”

1. Why meditation can trigger anxiety instead of calm
2. How nervous system dysregulation makes stillness feel unsafe
3. What meditation actually is (and what it isn’t)
4. Why you don’t need to clear your mind to meditate
5. How moving meditation (like Qigong) can be more accessible than sitting still
6. A simple way to start with just 30 seconds
7. How to structure a meditation habit so it actually sticks

1. Free Guided Meditation – Michele’s calming nervous system meditation
2. Michele on Instagram – @ThrivingAutoimmune
3. Michele on YouTube – Michele Spring (Thriving Autoimmune)

00:00 – Why meditation feels so hard

01:26 – Meet Michele Spring

02:34 – Nervous system dysregulation and stillness

06:27 – What meditation really is (and common misconceptions)

10:13 – How to get started if meditation hasn’t stuck

11:57 – Structuring a sustainable practice

13:34 – Free guided meditation invitation

14:39 – Where to connect with Michele

What if IBS isn’t a true diagnosis—but a placeholder? What if bloating, cramping, urgency, constipation, diarrhea, and food reactions aren’t signs that your body is “too sensitive,” but clues that something specific and treatable is being missed?

In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Izabella Wentz, integrative pharmacist, bestselling author, and longtime leader in the root-cause approach to chronic illness. Many of you know her work in the Hashimoto’s community—but her newest book turns that same investigative lens toward digestive health.

Izabella’s latest book, Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, challenges the idea that IBS is a final answer. Instead, she reframes it as the beginning of a deeper investigation—one that considers bacterial overgrowth, enzyme deficiencies, nutrient depletion, intestinal permeability, medication side effects, food intolerances, thyroid dysfunction, and more.

This conversation is especially relevant for the autoimmune community. Many people who go on to develop autoimmune disease report years—sometimes even a decade—of digestive symptoms before receiving a diagnosis. We explore why that overlap exists, what IBS may be masking, and how improving gut health may shift the trajectory of long-term immune health.

1. Why IBS is often a “label,” not a root cause
2. The research showing most IBS cases have identifiable, treatable drivers
3. How IBS can precede autoimmune disease by 5–10+ years
4. The role of intestinal permeability in autoimmunity
5. When IBS may actually be SIBO, celiac disease, IBD, enzyme dysfunction, or something else
6. The difference between IBS and IBD—and red flags you shouldn’t ignore
7. How nutrient deficiencies like zinc, glutamine, thiamine, carnitine, and magnesium impact digestion
8. Why fiber works for some people—and makes others worse
9. How polyphenols, fermented foods, and microbiome balance fit into healing
10. Medications that can contribute to constipation, diarrhea, or gut lining damage
11. Foundational gut practices that support digestion for everyone

Izabella Wentz, PharmD

1. Website: https://thyroidpharmacist.com
2. Instagram: @izabellawentzpharmd
3. Facebook: Thyroid Lifestyle
4. Podcast: Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations

Book: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

00:00 – Is IBS a diagnosis—or a placeholder?

01:34 – Introducing Izabella Wentz

03:38 – Why IBS is often a label, not a root cause

11:07 – When IBS is actually something else

14:01 – Food reactions: IBS vs autoimmune sensitivities

18:35 – Why IBS and autoimmunity overlap

20:10 – IBS vs IBD: knowing the difference

23:09 – Nutrient deficiencies and digestive dysfunction

28:40 – Fiber, fermented foods & polyphenols

32:56 – Medications that contribute to IBS

35:08 – Gut health foundations for everyone

38:12 – Wrap-up and closing

When you’re navigating autoimmune disease and IBS at the same time, it can feel confusing fast.

You clean up your diet. You follow AIP carefully. And yet you’re still bloated, constipated, dealing with urgency, or wondering whether what you’re experiencing is an autoimmune flare, a gut flare, or something else entirely.

In this Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and AIP Certified Coach Mariu Cabral for a grounded conversation about what’s actually happening in real-life practice with clients who have both autoimmune disease and gut issues.

This is the first in a Practitioner Perspectives series focused on IBS — highlighting what’s showing up right now in the autoimmune community, what’s working, and where nuance matters most.

Together, they explore how autoimmune flares and gut flares often overlap, why mealtime habits can be just as important as food choices, and how to navigate AIP when common “healthy” foods don’t feel good in your body.

1. Why autoimmune flares and gut flares often happen together
2. How eating in a stressed or distracted state can trigger symptoms
3. Why chewing thoroughly can dramatically improve digestion
4. The difference between autoimmune trigger foods and IBS trigger foods
5. Why IBS triggers are often about quantity, preparation, and context
6. How cooking methods (like steaming vs. roasting) affect digestibility
7. How to personalize AIP when fibrous vegetables and ferments cause symptoms
8. Why the elimination phase can ultimately support gut healing
9. How to honor cultural foods while managing IBS and autoimmune disease
10. Why healing must include safety, identity, and joy around food

This episode is a reminder that struggling with digestion on AIP doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means your body needs personalization, not perfection.

Mariu Cabral Website: https://mariucabral.com

Follow Mariu on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariucabral

Follow Mariu on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariucabral

Mariu Cabral on Substack: https://mariucabral.substack.com/

00:00 – When autoimmune and gut symptoms collide

01:22 – Introducing Mariu Cabral

02:22 – What’s showing up in practice right now

04:18 – Why mealtime stress triggers gut flares

05:49 – IBS vs. autoimmune trigger foods

07:51 – Why fibrous vegetables can be tricky on AIP

09:43 – Cooking methods and digestibility

10:22 – Why AIP can ultimately support digestion

12:32 – Two simple digestion habits that change everything

14:26 – When Modified AIP may help

15:02 – Honoring cultural foods during healing

17:01 – Final reflections and where to connect

If you’re learning about the Autoimmune Protocol for the first time—or revisiting it after trying it years ago—one question almost always comes up during the Elimination Phase:

Should I start with Core AIP or Modified AIP?

It sounds like a simple choice, but for many people it feels loaded. Some wonder which version will “work better.” Others worry about sustainability, cost, cultural fit, or whether they can realistically maintain the structure long enough to see results.

In this episode of the AIP Deep Dive series, Mickey breaks down the key differences between Core and Modified AIP, explains why both versions exist, and walks you through how to decide which one is the best fit for you right now. Rather than framing the choice as a matter of willpower or commitment, this episode reframes it as a question of context, sustainability, and nutrient density.

Mickey also discusses who each version tends to work best for, what the research currently says (and doesn’t say), how Modified AIP evolved from real-world use, and how to transition between versions if needed.

1. Why the Core vs. Modified question exists today
2. What is removed on Core AIP and how it differs from Modified
3. Which foods are included in Modified AIP and why
4. Who Core AIP tends to work best for
5. Why Modified AIP is now the recommended starting point for most people
6. How accessibility, affordability, and cultural relevance factor into your decision
7. The research reality behind both versions
8. Why nutrient density matters regardless of which version you choose
9. How to transition from Modified to Core if needed
10. Why fit and sustainability matter more than perfection

Referenced Episodes:

1. Episode 53: The Elimination Phase Explained (Deep Dive)
2. Episode 55: Nutrient Density & Lifestyle Changes – Essential to All Phases of AIP

AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable food lists for both Core and Modified AIP, reintroduction charts, meal plans, and beginner tools.

The New Autoimmune Protocol (Book) – The first AIP resource built to reflect the updated Modified AIP framework while prioritizing nutrient density and therapeutic principles. Available for pre-order wherever books are sold.

00:00 – Core vs. Modified: why this question matters

02:16 – Elimination Phase overview at a glance

03:21 – What is removed on Core AIP

04:07 – What’s included on Modified AIP

05:09 – Timeline reminder & Foundation Series reference

06:21 – Why Modified AIP was created

08:30 – Who Core AIP tends to work best for

10:36 – Why Modified AIP is recommended for most people

11:38 – Accessibility & affordability considerations

12:27 – Modified AIP for vegetarians, active individuals & weight restoration

14:28 – The research reality: what we know and what’s next

16:22 – The biggest tradeoff: nutrient density

18:39 – What happens to existing Core AIP resources

20:47 – A note on known sensitivities

21:54 – Cultural relevance and making AIP your own

23:40 – Transitioning from Modified to Core

25:33 – Closing recap & book pre-order

If you’ve ever looked at a nourishing AIP-friendly recipe and thought, this sounds great, but I don’t have the energy for multiple pans and a sink full of dishes, this episode is for you.

In this Kitchen Confidence Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott continues the Beyond the Recipe mini-series—conversations that go beyond instructions to explore why certain recipes work so well in real life, especially on low-energy days, and how they help reduce friction around feeding yourself well.

Mickey is joined by her longtime friend Mary to talk through a comforting, one-pot favorite: Creamy Cilantro Chicken and Rice. Adapted from a New York Times Cooking recipe and reworked for Modified AIP, this Dutch oven meal is designed to be both deeply nourishing and genuinely doable. Together, they unpack why one-pot meals matter so much for people managing autoimmune disease, how rice fits into Modified AIP, and why simplicity often makes the biggest difference in consistency.

This episode is about more than a recipe—it’s about lowering the barrier to eating well, building confidence in the kitchen, and choosing methods that support real life, not perfection.

1. Why one-pot meals are a powerful tool for reducing decision fatigue
2. What makes Creamy Cilantro Chicken and Rice so supportive for Modified AIP
3. How rice can increase satiety and comfort without adding complexity
4. Why Dutch oven cooking builds confidence and flexibility in the kitchen
5. Tips for stovetop-to-oven meals with minimal cleanup
6. How to safely and confidently use cast iron and enameled Dutch ovens
7. Ideas for leftovers, reheating, and stretching meals across multiple days
8. How simple cooking methods support long-term consistency with AIP

1. The Recipe: Cilantro Coconut Chicken and Rice
2. Lodge Enameled Cast Iron
3. Staub Cast Iron
4. Le Creuset Cast Iron
5. The New Autoimmune Protocol – Pre-Order

00:00 – Why low-energy cooking matters more than knowing what to eat

01:13 – Introducing the Beyond the Recipe series and today’s dish

01:58 – Guest introduction: Mary and a long-standing Hashimoto’s friendship

02:44 – Visual walkthrough of Creamy Cilantro Chicken and Rice

03:38 – Why this recipe works in real life

05:10 – The role of rice in Modified AIP and satisfaction

06:52 – Dutch oven cooking: stovetop to oven confidence

08:45 – Cast iron brands, sizes, and accessibility

09:57 – Safety tips when cooking with Dutch ovens

11:20 – Cleaning as you go and reducing kitchen overwhelm

13:12 – Leftovers, reheating, and multi-meal planning

13:56 – Final takeaways on simplicity, confidence, and sustainability

Movement can feel complicated when you’re living with autoimmune disease—especially if your body no longer tolerates exercise the way it once did. Questions like how much is enough, what’s too much, and how to start safely can leave many people stuck between doing nothing and overdoing it.

In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, I’m joined by Beth Trimark-Connor, a licensed physical therapist, certified personal trainer, and lifelong athlete who specializes in helping people rebuild strength safely after illness, injury, and major life transitions.

Beth holds a degree in human physiology from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. She has completed extensive additional training in strength and conditioning, endurance coaching, nutrition, and evidence-based menopause coaching. Her work bridges the gap between rehabilitation and real-life strength, with a special focus on people navigating autoimmune disease, menopause, injury recovery, and fluctuating capacity.

Beth also brings lived experience to her work, managing her own celiac disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. That perspective deeply informs her compassionate, practical approach to movement—one rooted in safety, realism, and long-term sustainability rather than pushing through symptoms.

In our conversation, we focus on how to start a movement routine from scratch in a way that feels supportive and adaptable to real life. Instead of prescribing workouts, Beth shares a framework for reconnecting with movement through curiosity, capacity awareness, and gradual habit-building.

Download the worksheets mentioned in this episode!

1. How to begin a movement routine when exercise feels intimidating or unsafe
2. Why starting with your personal “why” matters more than specific exercises
3. How to assess real-life capacity, energy, and constraints
4. Why starting smaller than you think leads to better long-term outcomes
5. How to use perceived exertion to guide safe intensity
6. Why tracking data—not judgment—supports consistency
7. How autoimmune disease and menopause can overlap in the body
8. How to adapt movement on low-energy or high-stress days
9. Why movement should feel like a relationship, not a rulebook

1. Beth Trimark-Connor, PT: Website: https://gotrainingwithbeth.com, Instagram & Facebook
2. Autoimmune Wellness Movement Resources: Download Beth’s movement self-assessment, tracker, and companion worksheets.

Episode Timeline:

00:00 – Why movement feels hard with autoimmune disease

01:43 – Introducing Beth Trimark-Connor

05:50 – Step 1: Start with your “why”

09:54 – Step 2: Assess real-life capacity and constraints

12:27 – Step 3: Start smaller than you think

19:25 – Building a daily check-in routine

20:48 – Tracking data without judgment

26:30 – Pre-solving problems so life doesn’t derail you

30:55 – Recap, key takeaways, and next steps