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Today we have something special for you! Shanna is joined by her 16 year old daughter and they are diving into motherhood and autoimmune disease. Being a mama bear and going through the experience of years of undiagnosed health issues, then hitting her rock bottom and starting her wellness journey is one of THE hardest things Shanna has gone through. Shanna personally knows how hard it is to be a mama with autoimmune disease, but today she is here to tell you that what may feel devastating and heartbreaking today CAN strengthen your family. In this episode Shanna shares some of her experience and asks her daughter to share her perspective as well. They laugh, they cry, and this episode will warm your heart!

Autoimmune Disease and pregnancy  Does one affect the other? Does your diagnosis impact your ability to get pregnant and sustain a healthy pregnancy? Is it possible to follow the Wahls Protocol or AIP during pregnancy? What about a post partpartum flare… are you at risk?  Hi I’m Alene and today, I’m opening up about my fertility journey and pregnancy at 42 years old living with Multiple Sclerosis.  It has been a long journey with a lot of doubts, fears, uncertainty and endless questions. Because let’s face it, the road to motherhood is not always easy when you have “perfect health” let alone living with a chronic illness. That’s why Shanna and I are opening up about our journeys with motherhood.  This week I’m answering all your questions about fertility and pregnancy, as I’m a new momma living with MS.  And next week Shanna will be back to continue the conversation on motherhood and autoimmune disease as she interviews her children to get their perspectives. As always we share our stories, not to suggest that we’re doing it the “right way” We share our stories because we know first hand how lonely this road with autoimmune disease can be… and how uncertain it can be.  And we want to open the conversation up and simply share our experience in hopes that it will help to bring comfort and perhaps some clarity on your journey.  Like you, I had many questions swirling around in my head about my dream to get pregnant and be an active mom.  And since sharing about this journey, you’ve been asking me these same questions about yourself.  So that’s what I’m answering for you today.  This session is for you whether you are... Newly diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and wondering what it means for your future plans of becoming a mother Actively trying to get pregnant, or Currently pregnant and wondering what’s ahead for you and baby. Whichever stage you’re at, I want to welcome you to this space where we can begin to answer the many questions that are likely running across your mind.

Here at the autoimmune besties podcast, farmer’s market season is one of our favorite times of the year.  We get to support our local farmers while enjoying fresh, local and seasonal produce.  But like any shopping adventure, there are always some tricks of the trade that can support you in making the best purchases for both your health, your taste buds AND your wallet. Today, Shanna and I are sharing our favorite tips for navigating the farmers market while following the Autoimmune Protocol and Wahls Protocol. Tune in to learn:  If someone is going to the farmer’s market for the first time, it can feel a little overwhelming. There are so many stands, so many food options, discover how we decide what we’re going to buy during a single trip to the farmer’s market? What’s something we learned about food by going to the farmer’s market?  Okay you loaded up your basket and now your kitchen is filled with all the fresh produce, how do you make sure that you actually use it before it goes bad?

Summertime is just about here! While summertime is such an exciting time for so many, along with the warm weather and longer days in the sun, it can bring a more difficult time for those with autoimmunity. In this episode, Alene and I are opening up and sharing: Our experiences with the hardest parts of living with autoimmunity in the summer Our top 3 summer survival tips What brings our hearts the most joy in the summertime. This summer CAN be full of joy, and we are so excited to share some practical tips to help you jump into this season prepared to support your autoimmune health! Tune in and be sure to share your thoughts on today’s topic below. We love to hear from you! And join the conversation on instagram with your fellow autoimmune besties at https://www.instagram.com/autoimmunebestiespodcast.

Flares.   They can feel like the looming storm on the horizon.    When will they strike and how much damage will they cause?    Let’s face it, living with an autoimmune disease is not easy.    But as we talk a lot about on this podcast there is so much you can do through diet and lifestyle to empower you on this journey.    Diet and lifestyle are not a cure.    There is no cure.    But they can help you to feel better and feel less vulnerable to the next flare.    Today, we’re talking about how to use food to prep, survive and recover from a flare.    And of course, it’s important to remember that we’re all on our own unique health journey so this is a conversation amongst, not a prescriptive plan.    As always we encourage you to take what resonates with you and leave what doesn’t.    Here at the autoimmune besties podcast we support your individual healing.   Tune into this episode to learn:  Alene and Shanna’s top 3 foods to have prepped for a flare What we eat when we have nothing prepped and get a flare. Coming out of a flare, the top foods to you prioritize Join the ongoing conversation on Instagram at the autoimmune besties podcast.

Are you wondering about lifestyle support for autoimmune flares? Well, on this episode that's exactly what we’re diving into.  We're going to walk you step by step through the process, and by the end of it you'll be able to learn some go-to lifestyle tips and strategies for overcoming a flare. Today’s episode highlights:  How to prepare / respond when you feel a flare coming on How to decide what level of activity, if any, is appropriate during a flare Outside of food, what tools / resources have you found helpful to support you during a flare Tune in and be sure to share your thoughts on today’s topic below. We love to hear from you! And join the conversation on instagram with your fellow autoimmune besties at https://www.instagram.com/autoimmunebestiespodcast.

Welcome to Season 3 of the Autoimmune Besties Podcast.  We are thrilled to be back with you and love to see this community growing so quickly. We’re reaching all corners of the world including the UK, Australia, Japan, South Africa, the United Arab, Switzerland, Spain, France, Morocco, Germany and so much more. Shanna and I want to extend a sincere thank you to each and every one of you who tune in and have hit subscribe to this podcast. When we created this podcast, it was always with the intention to unite autoimmune warriors around the world for a conversation with girlfriends who get it.  Everytime you tune in, you make this mission come true.  Everytime you hit subscribe, you strengthen this community. Everytime you write a review, you strengthen the voice of autoimmune warriors. Thank you. If this is the first time that you’re tuning in, we welcome you to catch the episodes in our previous two seasons.  And if you’ve been with us since the beginning, welcome back.  Whichever camp you fall into, if you’re listening to this podcast then you know first hand that autoimmune diseases are chronic illnesses.  But while we may carry the same diagnosis year after year, how we experience them can change throughout different seasons in our life.  That’s why to kick off Season 3 we decided to shake things up a bite for this episode.  Today we’re sharing with you a personal update on our journeys with autoimmune disease and life in general.  We share this not to suggest that we have it all figured out.  Quite the opposite.  We share this to remind you that we’re in this with you and to give you a behind the scenes look of your co-hosts.  So, grab your favorite healthy beverage and enjoy.  Today’s episode highlights updates from Alene and Shanna on:  Their personal journeys with autoimmune disease Because we consider ourselves family here in this community, they share a family update too  How has their diagnosis changed their for the better Tune in and be sure to share your thoughts on today’s topic. We love to hear from you! And join the conversation on instagram with your fellow autoimmune besties at https://www.instagram.com/autoimmunebestiespodcast. 

We can easily be consumed by the dietary changes that we need to make when following a therapeutic diet like the Autoimmune Protocol or the Wahls Protocol. There are a lot of foods to eliminate and add in, there’s supplements and then we want to prioritize sleep, movement and stress management.  So by the time we get to addressing our toxic load, we can feel like WE'RE on overload with recommendations.  Yet, this is not a step that we can overlook.  If this is a new topic for you, let me share some eye-opening facts about chemicals and our exposure to them.  In the United States alone there are approximately 86,000 chemicals registered for use.  This includes 62,000 chemicals that were grandfathered in when the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed.  This means 62,000 chemicals were given a free pass and an automatic presumption of safety without any requirement to actually test to see if they were indeed safe. 
 Most people believe that very small amounts of exposure to harmful chemicals are totally safe and are too small to have any kind of health effect. While this is true for many chemicals, or exposures, it’s not 100% true for every kind of chemical. 
 Chemicals that mimic our natural hormones can in fact be even more harmful at extremely low doses simply because our endocrine system responds to natural hormones in the body at similarly low levels. In fact, there are over 1,500 chemicals identified as endocrine disrupting. 
 Among many other things, fertility rates around the world are dropping; one key factor is likely the chronic exposures we are getting to reproductive toxins in our environment. We don’t have to do a complete overhaul, but it’s important that we’re aware of our exposure to toxins and start to reduce it.  For some people, this could be the missing link in their healing plan and why they haven’t experienced the symptom relief that they had hoped for.

Do you ever feel like you get stuck in a rut and tend to eat the same thing day after day?   Are you struggling to find AIP or Wahls Protocol meals that you actually enjoy?  Do you wish you could take a peek at your fellow autoimmune warriors’ plates just to get some new ideas? You are not alone, and this episode is for you! Today Alene and I are opening up and sharing what we typically eat in a day.  While what we eat changes, we are excited to dive into our favorite go to meals in hopes it inspires you to try something new and spice up your life! In this episode we share: How we navigate breakfast on the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) or Wahls Protocol Our favorite grab and go lunches What we love to make for dinner Our favorite sweet treats

It’s estimated that up to 80% of all patients diagnosed with autoimmune diseases are women. Of those diseases some may include symptoms like weight gain and others may cause weight loss.   It’s also estimated that approximately 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies in some capacity. This aspect or symptom of autoimmune disease can make the journey emotional and frustrating.  But it doesn’t have to be.  Today, we want to honor the real feelings you’re having around this aspect of autoimmune disease, help to remind you that you’re not in this alone and offer some encouragement to support you in navigating this part of your journey.   So, on this episode we’re opening this delicate conversation around weight management and autoimmune disease, because at the Autoimmune Besties Podcast we believe that open conversation is the best conversation.  Now if you feel this episode might be too triggering for you, we welcome you to skip this conversation and join us next week.  But we do hope that above all else, we all remember that our body has its own unique needs, and our focus is to support those unique needs to experience our optimal health.   Tune in as we discuss: Examples of how they’ve helped their community on the weight management journey Ways that Shanna and Alene were able to feel good in their body despite the symptoms of their diagnosis. Stories from their personal journey

Are you the only person in your family on an autoimmune protocol? Do you find yourself wondering how to even eat AIP or Wahls Protocol when your family doesn’t? Does the thought of figuring out how to cook AIP for your entire family feel overwhelming yet you know you don’t want to be cooking two separate meals each time you’re in the kitchen? Are you struggling with people in your life who don’t believe that an autoimmune protocol can REALLY make a difference? We want you to know that you are not alone and this episode is for you!  Today we are SO excited to empower you with practical tips on how to eat AIP when your family doesn’t as well as surround you with love and support as you face others who may not be as supportive of your journey as you’d hoped.  In this episode, we cover: Our own experiences with how to cook the foods that we need without having to cook separate meals for us versus the family What to do when family or friends don’t believe in what you’re doing / they don’t support you   If it’s even possible to get family onboard with following your diet Tune in and be sure to share your thoughts on today’s topic. We love to hear from you! And join the conversation on instagram with your fellow autoimmune besties at https://www.instagram.com/autoimmunebestiespodcast. 

Dating can be a tricky season in life under the best of circumstances. But when you're worried about having conversations around your autoimmune disease and therapeutic diet, like the Wahls Protocol or Autoimmune Protocol, it can be stressful. What’s the best way to approach that initial conversation?  How do you help your significant others understand the daily reality of an autoimmune disease and get onboard with our therapeutic diet and lifestyle?  What does it look like as you move into marriage? Today we’re flipping the script and I’m interviewing my husband, Brian, on what it was like from his perspective on dating and marriage with my MS diagnosis and commitment to the Wahls Protocol.  Tune in as I put him on the hot seat to discuss: What helped him understand this invisible disease when we first started dating His personal advice for someone who is sharing their diagnosis with a significant other for the first time Tips if/when your significant other is not onboard with your therapeutic diet. His thoughts on MS when we started talking about marriage in our relationship.