The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast

Episode 61: AIP for Hashimoto’s — The Pioneering Abbott Pilot Study & Case Reports
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common autoimmune disease in the world—and yet many people continue to struggle with fatigue, brain fog, pain, and mood symptoms even when their thyroid labs look “normal.”
In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott continues the AIP Medical Research Review series with a deep dive into the very first clinical study ever conducted on the Autoimmune Protocol for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This community-supported pilot study, led by Dr. Rob Abbott and published in 2019, examined whether a structured AIP diet and lifestyle intervention could improve quality of life, inflammation, and symptom burden in adults with Hashimoto’s who were already medically stable.
Mickey walks through the full story behind the study—from the chance meeting that sparked the research, to the grassroots crowdfunding effort that made it possible. She breaks down the study design, participant profile, intervention structure, clinical measures, and results, including detailed case reports that offer rare insight into individual experiences.
This episode highlights a critical and often overlooked reality in Hashimoto’s care: meaningful improvements in how people feel and function can occur even when thyroid hormones and antibodies remain largely unchanged.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How the first AIP study for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis came to be
Why Hashimoto’s patients often struggle despite “normal” thyroid labs
Who participated in the Abbott pilot study and why that matters
What the AIP intervention looked like in a clinical research setting
How diet, nutrient density, and lifestyle practices were integrated
Which clinical measures were used to assess symptoms, inflammation, and quality of life
What the study revealed about fatigue, pain, mood, and daily functioning
Why improvements occurred even though thyroid hormones stayed stable
What happened with thyroid antibodies and systemic inflammation
Why some participants required lower doses of thyroid medication
What the individual case reports reveal beyond group averages
Why this study remains a milestone for Hashimoto’s research today
Practical takeaways for using AIP to support Hashimoto’s now

Resources:
Abbott Pilot Study (2019): Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet as a Part of a Multidisciplinary Supported Lifestyle Intervention for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable food lists, meal plans, and beginner guides.

Episode 60: Beyond the Recipe — Veggie-Packed Meatloaf Muffins with Ginny Mahar (Small Bite)
If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen thinking, I know what I should eat, but I just don’t know what to make, this episode is for you.
In this Kitchen Confidence Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott kicks off a new mini-series called Behind the Recipe—conversations that go beyond instructions to explore why certain recipes work so well for healing, how to adapt them, and what they teach us about cooking in a sustainable, real-life way.
Mickey is joined by Ginny Mahar, creator of Hypothyroid Chef and author of the newly released Thyroid30 Cookbook, to talk through one of those quietly powerful, repeat-worthy recipes: Veggie-Packed Meatloaf Muffins. Together, they discuss what makes this recipe so supportive for people navigating autoimmune and thyroid conditions—from batch cooking and freezing to substitutions, flavor boosters, and family-friendly design.
This episode is less about perfection and more about practicality: how to build meals that are nourishing, flexible, and realistic on both good days and hard ones.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why some recipes become long-term staples during healing
What makes the Veggie-Packed Meatloaf Muffins so supportive for AIP and thyroid health
How veggie-forward, protein-rich meals support energy and consistency
Tips for batch cooking, freezing, and reheating with minimal stress
Smart substitutions for meat, vegetables, and flavor boosters
How to adapt AIP recipes for families and mixed dietary needs
Why accessibility and simplicity matter when cooking with chronic illness
How flavor, texture, and portioning impact real-life sustainability
What inspired the Thyroid30 Cookbook and who it’s designed for

Resources:
Veggie-Packed Meatloaf Muffins Recipe – Full recipe from the Thyroid30 Cookbook
The Thyroid30 Cookbook by Ginny Mahar
Hypothyroid Chef Website
Ginny Mahar on Instagram
Episode Timeline:
00:00 – Why some recipes truly stick
01:18 – Introducing the Behind the Recipe mini-series
01:18 – Guest introduction: Ginny Mahar, Hypothyroid Chef
03:31 – Why this meatloaf muffin recipe works so well
04:04 – Visual description & real-life use
04:52 – Ingredients, binders, and flavor strategy
07:04 – Portioning, batch cooking, and meal pairing
09:05 – Freezing, storage, and reheating tips
10:57 – Substitutions and variations
15:14 – Serving ideas, sauces, and flavor upgrades
17:06 – Veggie-forward cooking and...

Episode 59: AIP for IBD — The Groundbreaking Scripps Pilot & Quality of Life Studies
For years, people living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have asked whether diet can meaningfully impact inflammatory bowel disease. Until recently, there was very little clinical research to help answer that question.
In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott kicks off a new AIP Medical Research Review series by walking through the very first clinical studies ever conducted on the Autoimmune Protocol. These groundbreaking studies—led by gastroenterologist Dr. Gauree Konijeti and her team at Scripps—examined the effects of AIP in adults with longstanding, active inflammatory bowel disease.
This episode reviews two landmark papers: the 2017 Scripps pilot study on AIP for IBD and the 2019 follow-up study examining patient-reported quality of life. Mickey explains how the studies were designed, who participated, what the AIP intervention looked like in a clinical setting, and what the results actually showed—both in symptoms and in day-to-day functioning.
Along the way, this episode clarifies why these studies still matter nearly a decade later, how they helped shape today’s Core and Modified AIP approaches, and what they reveal about the role of diet and lifestyle in autoimmune care.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How the first AIP research study began with a single ulcerative colitis patient
Why Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis fall under the IBD umbrella
Who participated in the Scripps pilot study and why the results were so striking
What the AIP intervention looked like in a clinical research setting
Which foods were eliminated and which nutrient-dense foods were emphasized
How lifestyle support and coaching were integrated into the study
What clinical remission meant in the context of these trials
How AIP affected inflammatory markers and gut-specific biomarkers
What the quality of life study revealed beyond symptom improvement
Why these findings helped pave the way for Modified AIP
Key safety considerations for people with IBD, including strictures
Practical takeaways for applying AIP to IBD today

Resources:
Scripps Pilot Study (2017): Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Scripps Quality of Life Study (2019): An Autoimmune Protocol Diet Improves Patient-Reported Quality of Life in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable guides and beginner resources

Episode 58: Kitchen Confidence — The AIP 3-Meal Safety Net (Small Bite)
When most people struggle with AIP, it’s not because they don’t care or don’t know what to eat. It’s because their food plan only works on “good” days—when energy is high, stress is low, and life is predictable.
In this Kitchen Confidence Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey introduces a simple, flexible framework designed for real life: the AIP 3-Meal Safety Net. This approach helps you stay nourished through fluctuating energy, stress, flares, and changing capacity—across every phase of AIP.
Rather than focusing on recipes, perfection, or willpower, this episode reframes kitchen confidence as having reliable options that work on your worst days, not just your best ones. Mickey explains how planning for different capacity levels reduces decision fatigue, lowers stress, and makes consistency possible over time.
This episode breaks meals into three practical categories—low capacity, medium capacity, and higher or supported capacity—and offers concrete examples of what each looks like in real life. The goal is not cooking more, but building a system that supports you when cooking feels hard.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why most AIP plans break down on low-energy or high-stress days
What “kitchen confidence” really means (and what it doesn’t)
Why AIP needs to be built for real life—not ideal conditions
How the AIP 3-Meal Safety Net supports fluctuating capacity
What low-capacity meals look like when cooking feels impossible
How to approach simple, repeatable meals on busy or tired days
Why medium-capacity meals carry most people through the week
How higher or supported cooking helps future you
Why freezer meals and leftovers reduce stress and decision fatigue
How to let go of guilt and build a sustainable AIP approach

Resources:
The New Autoimmune Protocol (Book) – Updated research, practical tools, recipes, and real-life strategies for sustainable AIP (available for pre-order).
AIP Certified Coach Program & Practitioner Directory – Professional training and a worldwide directory to find AIP-trained support.
Episode Timeline:
00:00 – Kitchen confidence & building AIP for real life
02:17 – Why AIP plans fail on “bad” days
04:51 – Introducing the AIP 3-Meal Safety Net
05:42 – Type 1 meals: low-capacity, no-cook options
09:03 – Type 2 meals: medium capacity, light cooking
12:17 – Type 3 meals: higher or supported capacity
16:08 – Recap: building a flexible, sustainable system
17:20 – Book announcement & closing reflections

Episode 57: AIP Community Update — Events, Advocacy & Research
Living with autoimmune disease is deeply personal—but the forces that shape diagnosis, care, and long-term outcomes extend far beyond any one individual. Research priorities, advocacy efforts, and community education all influence who gets seen, supported, and served within the autoimmune landscape.
In this first Quarterly Community Update episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott steps back to look at what’s happening across the broader autoimmune community right now. These quarterly episodes are designed to help listeners stay informed and oriented—without overwhelm, fear, or chasing headlines.
This episode introduces a new recurring structure focused on three areas that directly shape autoimmune care: advocacy, research, and community education. Mickey is joined by three regular contributors who bring both professional expertise and lived experience to these conversations.
First, Jamie-Nicole Martin, chronic illness advocate and founder of the AIP BIPOC Network, joins Mickey to discuss autoimmune awareness, systems-level advocacy, and community-based initiatives designed to improve equity, access, and representation in autoimmune care.
Next, Sybil Cooper, PhD, immunologist and AIP Certified Coach, breaks down recent research shaping the autoimmune landscape, including a major Mayo Clinic study on autoimmune disease prevalence and the significance of the 2025 Nobel Prize recognition of regulatory T cells (Tregs).
Finally, Jaime Hartman, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, host of the AIP Summit, and co-teacher of the AIP Certified Coach Program, shares updates from across the AIP community, including emerging education trends, Summit highlights, and professional training opportunities.
Together, these conversations highlight why systemic change matters, what the latest science is actually telling us, and how community-centered education continues to evolve to support people living with autoimmune disease.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why autoimmune care is shaped by advocacy, research, and education—not just individual choices
How Jamie-Nicole Martin and the AIP BIPOC Network support both personal healing and systems-level change
Upcoming advocacy events, including the ROCK Summit and ROCK Community Expo
How monthly AIP BIPOC Roundtables create safer spaces for dialogue and collective insight
Key findings from a large Mayo Clinic study explained by Sybil Cooper, PhD
The difference between prevalence and incidence—and why that distinction matters
Which autoimmune conditions are most common and how patterns differ by sex
Why having multiple autoimmune diagnoses is more common than most people realize
What the Nobel Prize recognition of regulatory T...