Jaime Hartman (00:04):
Welcome to the AIP Summit Podcast presented by AIP Certified Coaches. Hi, I'm Jaime Hartman from Ready Set AIP.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (00:12):
And I'm Marie-Noelle Marquis from Urban AIP. And our mission is to equip you with the tools, the knowledge, and the support you need to effectively use the Autoimmune Protocol, whether you're aiming to take control of your own autoimmune health or guiding others through it.
Jaime Hartman (00:27):
And today we're digging into what the research really says about autoimmune disease and cold weather, plus how to get ready for the season ahead. Welcome back listeners. It's just the two of us today, just me and Marie-Noelle. So grab something warm to drink and settle in while we talk about feeling your best even when the weather is at its worst.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (00:54):
Yes. A quick note before we dive in, we're both based in the Northern Hemisphere, so we're recording this as we head into fall and winter. And this episode is all about the colder months. If you're listening from the Southern Hemisphere where the seasons are flipped or if you live somewhere where heat is what's coming your way, we have not forgotten you. Check out episode 20 that's titled Hot Weather and Autoimmune Disease for the warm weather side of this conversation. And then you can bookmark this episode to come back to it when the cold season comes back around for you.
Jaime Hartman (01:28):
Yeah. For anyone who has already listened to that episode 20, you know that both of us have clear preferences about ideal outdoor temperatures. Needless to say, listener, if your body has ever had strong opinions about the first chilly morning of the year, you are in good company with us.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (01:45):
That is the truth. As we're recording this, it's the start of October here in Los Angeles, which is the hottest month of the year in LA, and it's truly my favorite part of the year. Okay, so in this episode, we're going to start by sharing what each of us notices in ourselves and our clients when the weather turns cold, and then we'll look at what the research does and doesn't show.
Jaime Hartman (02:10):
And then we'll get into some practical ways to stay comfortable and well. And we'll finish with a question we hear every fall, which is, is now a good time to start AIP or is it better to wait until later in the year?
Marie-Noelle Marquis (02:22):
All right, so first let's get personal. Jaime, what do you notice in your body during the cold months?
Jaime Hartman (02:28):
Well, I really, really dislike the cold, but be honest, my primary autoimmune disease is Crohn's disease and the symptoms of that just really don't seem to be that impacted by weather for me anyway. Even when I was experiencing a lot of joint pain as complications from that, I honestly can't say I saw any real seasonal pattern to that. But I also have Raynaud's and it has definitely gotten worse as I've gotten older, so I'm managing that. Last winter, it seemed particularly bad when I was here at home in Virginia. Interestingly though, I noticed that when I went to visit my mom in Wisconsin, it actually seemed better even though the temperature outside was even colder than it had been in Virginia. So that's interesting. I have some theories on the differences there. Maybe it has to do with the fact that the temperature when I'm in Virginia tends to fluctuate more, so you never really get adjusted to it.
(03:23):
Or it could be that the cold just comes with a dampness while in Wisconsin it tends to be just that dry cold. I also feel like the construction overall of buildings and housing in particular is just better there. It's less drafty. The walls seem to be better insulated so you don't feel that sense of cold radiating inward. Interestingly, my husband's family lives in Florida and I swear the coldest I have ever been in my entire life was one year when we were there over Christmas and they had a cold snap when the temperatures were near freezing. It just seems like I was just awful cold anywhere indoor, outdoor was just brutal. So anyway, bottom line, I just don't like being cold, which may not have really a whole lot to do with my autoimmune disease, but it definitely impacts my emotional wellbeing. How about you, Mari-Noelle?
Marie-Noelle Marquis (04:17):
Well, I couldn't agree more. You mentioned joint pain and for me, just hearing cold weather is coming makes my joints hurt. My joint hurts. So yes, I definitely, I agree too with you. I think damp winters, that any type of humidity really plays a role. So my primary autoimmune disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I am cold 99% of my life. Even as other symptoms will improve, cold is something that stays with me. So it's like I have very minimal ability to thermoregulate, honestly. And it actually, it totally drains me. So I used to live in Northern California where it is damp and foggy and my health really took a toll when I was there. You mentioned drafty, it seemed to be zero insulation in the houses over there and it's just so cold. And when I think I'm originally from Montreal and yeah, Montreal is technically colder, but you enter any building and it is warm, it's insulated.
(05:30):
Now that I live in Southern California, I think it's a little better because it tends to be drier, but I definitely agree. I feel like the type of cold makes a huge difference because actually if I go to Quebec and it's dry winter, I actually will enjoy an evening walk in the snow as long as you're of course bundled up. And even at Urban AIP, our freezer is minus five Fahrenheit, and again, with enough layers, it's actually really nice and peaceful. And even I would say it feels like anti-inflammatory. It's like cryotherapy with... It's bundled up cryotherapy, but it does feel like this anti-inflammatory effect about being in there. So I actually do enjoy that. But as soon as it's humid, I'm like an old farmhouse, I crack and I have pain everywhere. And for me also, as soon as the temperature drops, I live with a space heater by my side.
(06:32):
My bedroom is at 86 degrees, I know. And then I actually have a little space heater that I carry and wool sweaters. That's kind of my life. Jaime, what would you say are things that you notice in your practice? Are there patterns that you notice with your clients that you work with?
Jaime Hartman (06:55):
Well, definitely some report increased joint pain like you're talking about, and also more fatigue. I think when there is less daylight, it gets harder to maintain one's circadian rhythm or it gets hard to get going in the morning, which can definitely impact how you feel overall through the rest of the day, especially if that means that you're missing meals, maybe you're not spending as much time getting ready in the morning or getting that exposure to the morning sunlight that we always talk about. I think that will impact them. I also notice that people find it harder to just maintain and continue the overall healthy habits around food in particular. Those that are really prone to food temptations who find that to be a challenge, it just seems harder this time of year for them. And that makes me curious then, is there anything you notice in the ordering patterns of your Urban AIP subscribers that tracks with the seasons?
Marie-Noelle Marquis (07:48):
Yeah, I do. I mean, I feel like there's a natural desire to gravitate towards warmer, quote unquote, heavier dishes and meals that have cozy carbs kind of feeling. So I definitely think there's the seasonal nostalgia for sure, like you say. I feel like the end of the year for a lot of people, myself included, feels like it's a reward time. Okay, I've made it this year. It's a time that people want to feel included, again, normal, and they want to enjoy the fun of the trends and the traditions. And I think trends can be more of a problem than traditions because traditions like, "Oh, how can I make this?" But trends, you're like, "Ooh, I want to fit in how to do this." So that's actually something that we absolutely keep in mind for sure as we craft new dishes, both the traditions and the trends.
(08:48):
I want to talk about, let's jump into the research. So what research says about weather and autoimmune disease? Because it turns out to be more nuanced than most of us expect.
Jaime Hartman (09:01):
Yeah, it does. The bottom line that we found in the research is that cold weather on its own is actually a weaker trigger for autoimmune disease flares than a lot of people may assume. What does show up reliably is the issue of seasonality, meaning that the less sunlight there is, people's vitamin D levels tend to drop and you might be exposed to more infections in the winter, and those all can have health impacts for autoimmune disease, but it varies a lot by condition. The research highlights we're sharing in this segment come from published studies and the practical tips we share later come from experts in the field and we'll be putting links in the show notes to all of it. So anything that piques your interest as we're talking about it, you'll be able to dig deeper into later if you want.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (09:50):
Great. So let's take a quick tour of the research highlights starting with joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis. So many people do report experiencing more flares of RA and general worse joint pain in winter, but when researchers actually measure weather against daily pain, the results are actually mixed. There is this big study in the UK called Cloudy with a Chance of Pain.
Jaime Hartman (10:15):
Great name.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (10:15):
I know it's great name, right? So that found modest links between pain and humidity, pressure, and wind speed, but interestingly, temperature itself did not show a significant link. However, we should know that this study covered chronic pain broadly, not just autoimmune disease. And that doesn't mean, again, that your lived experience is to be discredited, of course.
Jaime Hartman (10:37):
Yeah, absolutely. Moving on now to multiple sclerosis and lupus, where we see that research shows that same mixed pattern. Some of the MS studies find that there are more relapses of MS in winter along with low vitamin D, while others find peaks happen in the spring and summer. And in lupus, one small study we found linked winter flares to low vitamin D, but some lupus features like the rash that sun exposure can trigger actually peak in spring and summer. So not a clear cut relationship with these conditions either.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (11:10):
For inflammatory bowel disease, the seasonal signal actually is quite weak. And you mentioned at the start that really impacts your Crohn's, so that's interesting too. There's a 2022 meta-analysis that found only a small correlation between seasons and flares. For thyroid, it's a little different. TSH tends to run higher in winter, but that is just a seasonal shift in the general thyroid function that's not necessarily the same thing as Hashimoto's flaring.
Jaime Hartman (11:41):
And then there's Raynaud's, which is the most direct cold connection. Anybody who lives with Raynaud's knows that definitely cold will cause their hands, maybe their feet to turn white and get almost in some cases quite painful. That also can be triggered by strong emotions, which is interesting, but cold is kind of a consistent thing. And that what's happening is that the blood vessels are spasming, and if you don't have Raynaud's specifically, it might be a secondary Raynaud's that's linked to conditions like scleroderma, lupus, Sjogren's, and RA. So I'm imagining a lot of our listeners have some familiarity with that.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (12:16):
So the change in season itself is really what ties it all together. One major review links the late winter and early spring dip in vitamin D to higher disease activity in several conditions, and in winter infections have been tied to flares in MS and lupus, but it's not universal. We've mentioned vitamin D a few times, but one study found no link between vitamin D levels and disease activity scores and RA.
Jaime Hartman (12:41):
So the practical takeaway for people managing their own health as well as for coaches who are supporting clients is that cold is not a universal trigger, but seasonal patterns are real for some people. An accurate way to say this is that some people notice patterns in the colder months and the research shows those patterns differ by condition. So tracking personal symptoms across seasons is really important. That's going to beat any day, making some general assumptions and assuming they apply to everyone.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (13:10):
Yes, it's all about bioindividuality. Side note, by the way, I always talk about bioindividuality and I think it's a positive thing, but I had a client recently say to me, "I hate bioindividuality because it makes me feel alone." And I thought that was really interesting. I never thought of that as an isolating thing before. So I don't know, it just got me thinking. Try to look at it as a positive thing. It's like that unique connection that you discover by yourself. All right, now let's talk about some tips and strategies for just getting through the colder months and feeling your best. So some of these tips have strong research behind them, some have real but limited support, and some are simply sensible practice. We'll be upfront about which is which, and we'll start with strategies that have the strongest support from the research.
Jaime Hartman (13:58):
All right, so first up is the importance of staying active year round. There's strong evidence that increasing physical activity improves symptoms, including symptoms of fatigue and pain. So one hypothesis to explain why some people experience an increase in those symptoms in the cold weather season is actually because they're just not as physically active as they are during the warm weather seasons. This is particularly true in rheumatoid arthritis and also translates to other autoimmune conditions. So it's really worth trying to make extra effort to keep moving, especially when it is cold outside. Now, general guidelines cite roughly 150 minutes of moderate activity per week spread over at least five days each week, though your healthcare provider may provide a different target, so be sure to double check and of course, definitely check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (14:52):
Right. So let's get practical about how to actually stay active when it is cold and gray out. So first warming up. Arthritis Foundation guidance suggests spending five to 10 minutes marching in place or walking on a treadmill at an easy pace, then stretching the major muscle groups so your core end joints are warm before the real work starts. And if mornings are the stiffest part of the day, schedule movement for later when your joints have loosened up. And then a warm shower first can help you too.
Jaime Hartman (15:25):
Yeah, absolutely. And dressing for the weather matters too. Some of this probably sounds like common sense, but we'll go through it. Loose layers that you can peel off as you warm up and then zip back on after are the way to go. It allows you to keep your core warm, which helps keep the blood flowing to your joints warm. One fun tip from the Arthritis Foundation is to toss your workout clothes in the dryer for five minutes while you're getting ready. I've never actually done that, but I love the idea and I may try it later this winter. And we want to make sure that we keep focused on staying hydrated when we're exercising because you do still sweat and lose fluid in the cold, but you might enjoy looking forward to a warm drink when you finish outdoor activities instead of that icy cold one that you might want in the summer.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (16:11):
I do that. I put my PJs in the dryer. I highly recommend it. All right, now let's talk about extremes and safety. So if it's icy, there's a risk of falling or it's just too cold, bring your movement indoors, open a window for fresh air, but walking on the treadmill or around the house, cycling or swimming, all of that work. And then lower impact options like walking and cycling tends to be easier on painful joints, of course. It doesn't have to be a formal workout either, right? Pacing, meaning matching activity to your energy rather than pushing through is a common way to manage fatigue and shorter sessions with rest breaks are one of the way to do that as well. In a small randomized trial of 21 adults with multiple sclerosis, a tailored pacing program increased activity levels without making fatigue worse.
Jaime Hartman (17:05):
Now, gentle indoor practices like yoga and tai chi are popular in the colder months, and some people report they definitely make them feel good, so I though it was interesting to see what the research said about that. An older Cochran review found Tai Chi, well, at least it didn't make the RA symptoms worse. It didn't really show much more than that. And a newer study was uncertain whether Tai Chi improved pain in a meaningful way. So there isn't a strong evidence for Tai Chi, but again, if you enjoy it, then that is a great way to be active. For yoga, a narrative review of RA and spondylothapy, studies suggest it may reduce pain and inflammation and improve quality of life, but there aren't many studies corroborating that. So again, tai chi, yoga, these can be good movement options if you enjoy them though. We should maintain modest expectations about how beneficial they will be.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (17:56):
And finally, another one with Raynaud's, a few extra steps help. So warming up at home first, even running up and down the stairs for a few minutes so the body is warm before heading out, pre-warming gloves, putting gloves in the dryer, socks in the dryers and layers. Wear thin liner gloves under outer gloves and then keep the core warm, like we mentioned. Afterward, cool down gradually and then rewarm slowly rather than going straight for very hot water.
Jaime Hartman (18:29):
Yeah. As somebody who lives with Raynaud's, it can be really tempting to want to just jump right into that really hot shower, and that's really not great for that recirculating process for your fingers or your feet, wherever's affected. Now, a quick note, if you want to go deeper on the topic of movement, we would encourage you to check out episode 51 that we recorded with Lana Butner. And again, for coaches who are working with clients, it's always important that we encourage clients to check in with their provider about what's right for them, especially if they're having a flare or when they're starting something new. Now, let's talk about vitamin D. You probably already know that vitamin D is considered the sunshine vitamin because our bodies produce it when the ultraviolet B rays from sunlight strike our skin. In the winter when less of our skin is exposed and the days are shorter, less vitamin D is then produced.
(19:20):
In a large randomized trial, a supplemental dose of 2,000 IUIs of vitamin D per day for five years lowered the rate of new autoimmune disease in older adults. But we should note that's all about prevention of developing the disease in the first place. It's not really relevant to us who already have autoimmune diseases in terms of preventing flares. So it's also good to know or important to know that this result was actually pretty borderline. So the general professional consensus on this is somewhat mixed, but a reasonable takeaway would be for all of us to get our vitamin D levels checked, talk with a provider about dosing rather than just guessing. And for more on sunlight and why just time outdoors matters, we'd encourage you to check out episode 39, which we recorded on the healing power of nature.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (20:14):
Another thing to be aware of is often there's a lack of humidity in the air in colder months, so experts suggest keeping indoor air at roughly 40 to 60% humidity in winter since dry air may weaken the airway's defenses. That evidence comes mainly from animal and mechanistic work though, so it's plausible rather than proven for autoimmune condition situation. And if you feel like the dry air bothers you, even using a humidifier when you sleep in the area where you sleep, that can be really beneficial, but make sure you clean it because they can easily be becoming breeding grounds for bacterias for sure if you're not diligent about it.
Jaime Hartman (20:53):
Yeah. And for people who experience stiffness of joints in the cold months, particularly in their hands, paraffin wax baths had some support in a Cochrane review of rheumatoid arthritis trials with a better range of motion, grip strength and stiffness after four weeks of use. The reviewers recommended pairing these paraffin wax baths with hand exercises. Now, to be fair, these were only really short-term benefits and these are lower quality older trials, so it would be something to explore, not a certain thing. Interestingly, in that same review, hot packs didn't show significant effects in a trial of heated mittens in hand osteo. Arthritis found no added benefits, so there must be something unique about the paraffin wax baths.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (21:44):
One important note on that, I'd never heard of this and it sounded wonderful, but then I looked into it and just like everything, paraffin is not right for everybody. It's not suitable obviously with open cuts and skin infection, and it's a particular concern for people also with numbness and poor circulation because of the risk of burns. So please don't just go out and buy a home kit like I was about to, do your research. Also asking an occupational or hand therapist whether it's appropriate for you, and if it is, then they can show you how to do it safely and pair it with the right hand exercises. Right.
Jaime Hartman (22:25):
And for any coaches who are listening, remember that hand therapists and occupational therapists can be really helpful care team members for clients who have autoimmune diseases that affect their hand function or their mobility in general. I frequently suggest my clients with such conditions, just talk to their doctor about getting a referral for an occupational therapy consult and see if that's going to be a useful thing for them.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (22:48):
A quick word on Raynaud's again, Jaime, let me know if that reflects your experience, but we touched on practical tips for dealing with this condition earlier, and the standard advice is to keep the whole body warm and manage stress, but a systematic review actually found no evidence to support or refute the benefit of behavior change programs directed at stress management for Raynaud's. So if you're trying your best and you're still having those symptoms, don't blame yourself.
Jaime Hartman (23:17):
Yeah, I appreciate that reminder because I've always latched onto that like it's about stress. If I could just manage my stress, I wouldn't have the flares, and it's really not that simple. We should also add though, this is really important, brand new Raynaud's symptoms are absolutely worth a conversation with a doctor since that can be an early sign of an underlying condition that should be checked out. So if you are experiencing a new onset of it, definitely talk to your doctor. And then there's one more thing worth keeping in mind this time of year, and that is that colds, flu, and other contagious illnesses just tend to be more common in the colder months. And earlier we mentioned that winter infections have been tied to flares in some conditions. This is relevant for everyone, but especially for people taking medications that suppress the immune system.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (24:06):
Right. And of course, everyday habits will help like washing your hands, often with soap and water, especially after being out in public before eating. Try to keep some distance from people who are sick, stay home when you're under the weather, everything we learned from the COVID period. And then some people will choose to limit the time in crowded indoor spaces, of course, during peak season, but check in with yourself if this is a behavior that you tend to do because connection is important and if you find yourself feeling down, you might need to put extra focus on bringing other ways or finding other ways to bring connection into your life.
Jaime Hartman (24:43):
Yeah, absolutely. Now, beyond the basics, the right extra steps for keeping yourself well during cold and flu season look different for each person depending on their condition, their medications, and their overall health. So this is another great topic to talk through with a doctor. That conversation might cover which precautions make sense, which symptoms are worth a call right away, and whether vaccines and possibly also a prescription for an antiviral medication might be a part of your personal plan.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (25:09):
One important note, please don't stop or change any medication on your own. Obviously, if you notice any signs of an infection like a fever, reach out to your doctor and let them guide you.
Jaime Hartman (25:21):
Yeah. Now, since we're talking about getting ready for the colder months, Marie-Noelle, let's talk about what's happening at Urban AIP this fall. What are you guys working on right now as you go through fall and look ahead to winter?
Marie-Noelle Marquis (25:34):
Yes. So not only do we change the menus with the season, I'll be honest, my own cravings is often what dictates the menu. And this year I'm all about bringing the seasonal classic. So we are right now in the midst of unveiling our new fall menu, and it is all about warm, cozy meals, nostalgic comfort food, soups and cozy breakfast, dinner of course, and desserts. And what we're doing is weekly releases instead of releasing everything at once, and that helps us because we are a small team, we do small batch cooking, and also gives everybody something extra fun to look forward to. We are also featuring new meals by Mickey Trescot, and we've made some very exciting fun things like pumpkin raviolis and mac and cheese, and it's very exciting to not only have... We're making it AIP, but we're looking at the nutrient density and making sure that it is a warm, cozy, comfy, AIP compliant, rewarding, nutrient dense and tasty classic favorite.
(26:46):
So we're very, very excited about sharing those dishes with everyone. And about Urban AIP, for podcast listeners that may not know, we are an AIP dedicated meal and snack company. We source organic and pasteurized ingredients, and all of our meals are chef-prepared. They follow the core elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol, and we ship everywhere in the US. So if you're listening to us in October, it's our birthday month, so we just turned three this month, and then we're offering special discount for our fall dishes when you order them the week that they are launched. And then we're also just about to announce our holiday meals towards the end of October, so that's going to be ready for pre-orders as well. Yeah, and then we'll have some extra fun discounts during the holidays.
Jaime Hartman (27:37):
That's awesome. And so people should just go to Urban AIP to find out more. We'll make sure the link is, of course, in the show notes.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (27:44):
Yes. And then when it comes to food, we know obviously there's a practical side and then there's emotional side to this, right? Practically, on a cold, very day, having a nourishing meal that's already prepared that you can simply heat and enjoy takes a real load off. And then emotionally, it's a warm bowl of something delicious that fits your protocol and it's comforting in its own right, right?
Jaime Hartman (28:08):
Yeah. And listeners should know that there is research behind the bigger picture of eating whole nutrient-dense foods even outside of the context of using the Autoimmune Protocol, specifically a randomized trial in rheumatoid arthritis found that overall, a Mediterranean style diet reduced inflammatory activity and improved function and vitality, and large observational studies have also linked higher ultra-processed food intake with a higher risk of developing lupus and RA. So this is just more support for the idea that what's on the plate really matters.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (28:42):
Right. Now speaking of what's on the plate, here's a question we know a lot of people wrestle with in the fall, and that is, is this a good time to start the AIP diet or is it better to wait until January or later?
Jaime Hartman (28:57):
And I definitely understand that question and the sort of temptation or the pull to want to wait for many people. The holidays that are coming up, the ones that we celebrate in the fall and the winter are just full of gatherings and food traditions and starting something new like AIP that can disrupt possibly your ability to fully participate in these can just feel like bad timing. But here's another way to look at it, and that is the reminder that the elimination phase of AIP is meant to be temporary and followed by a dietary expansion via controlled reintroductions. And if you start that process in the fall, like say in October, maybe when you're first hearing this episode, that first stretch of the elimination phase will actually be behind you, and you may even be reintroducing some of your favorite foods by the time the December holidays arrive.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (29:55):
Yes. Another really good reason to start now would be that it could give you hope of Feeling better by the time the coldest and darkest days of the years are actually upon us. In the studies that have been done so far on AIP, we see in one study that a majority of participants had reached clinical remission of their bowel disease by week six. And in another study, participants with thyroid disease reported improvements in symptoms and quality of life within roughly six to 10 weeks. So counting from late October, that window of timelines somewhere in between end of November and the end of December, right?
Jaime Hartman (30:31):
Yeah. Now, of course, we always want to be fair about this. The AIP research, what it does and doesn't show, we want to acknowledge that those studies are small, open label, they had no comparison group and they didn't actually test reintroductions. But we can say many people in those pilot studies reported feeling better within a couple of months. And for some, that could mean heading into the holidays further along, possibly already starting some reintroductions.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (31:00):
I also add that cold weather already pulls most of us indoors and into routines around food. So building a solid routine before the holidays hit, that's one way to head into the season feeling prepared. And if you want ideas for navigating the holidays themselves, you can check out episode 31 on having happy and healthy holidays with autoimmune disease.
Jaime Hartman (31:22):
Exactly. And for listeners who feel like they want to do this, but they need some structure and support in getting started with AIP, my program Ready Set AIP is designed just for that. You can actually start at any time and it guides you through a thoughtful transition, then 30 days of the elimination phase, and then provides guidance on starting reintroductions. You can always learn more at readysetaip.com. And when you register, be sure to enter discount code podcast for an exclusive discount.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (31:52):
And for the coaches listening, this is a helpful conversation to have with your clients who are hesitating to begin making dietary changes during this time of year. The answer isn't the same for everyone, but it's a question worth exploring for sure. So before we go, we want to leave you with a little homework. We talked about how cold on its own is a weaker trigger than many of us assume and how the research varies from one condition to the next. That means the most useful experiment may be your own. So over the next few weeks, jot down a few simple notes as the temperature drops such as how your joints, energy, your digestion, your sleep feel, and whether you've been sick. You don't need to track everything just enough to start seeing your own pattern. Then choose one idea from today's episode to put in place before the deep cold arrives, whether it's a warmup routine, an indoor movement plan, or a conversation with your doctor about staying well this winter.
(32:51):
And for the coaches listening, consider inviting your clients to try the same thing because the patterns they notice over the season gives you both something concrete to work with.
Jaime Hartman (33:01):
Again, we want to remind you that the Autoimmune Protocol is more than a diet. It is really a framework with multiple components and multiple ways to approach it. Through this podcast, AIP Certified Coaches aim to bring you resources so that you can feel confident about doing AIP on your own, but with the knowledge that you are not doing it alone.
Marie-Noelle Marquis (33:21):
We'll be back with a new episode in two weeks. You can find the AIP Summit Podcast in your favorite podcast player. So be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Jaime Hartman (33:30):
And if you'd like to leave us a rating and a review, it will help others find this podcast where we are committed to helping you use the power of the Autoimmune Protocol to elevate your wellness journey to new heights. The AIP Summit Podcast is a Gutsy By Nature production. Content presented is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
