#28 Stress-Driven Inflammation: How Stress Can Worsen Arthritis (and What to Do About It)

#30 Hiking with Autoimmunity: Mija Dropulić on Travelling with Lupus and Learning to Love Yourself (Volim Sebe)

Episode 30: The Live Well with Arthritis Podcast #30 Hiking with Autoimmunity: Mija Dropulić on Travelling with Lupus and Learning to Love Yourself (Volim Sebe) Wondering if you will ever hike again? Host Emily Johnson welcomes Mija Dropulić, Croatian journalist, editor, and storyteller with 20 years' experience in media/travel/lifestyle and the founder of Under Dream Skies. Mija lives with two autoimmune diseases, Sjögren's syndrome and lupus, and shares her journey of navigating chronic illness while figuring out how to hike, travel, and explore the outdoors. From a flare-up in Scotland, to rebuilding her strength, Mija opens up about diagnosis, daily reality, and the lifestyle shifts that have helped her. Whether you live with arthritis, lupus, or autoimmunity, this episode reminds you to love yourself again. Topics covered: Living with Invisible Illness * Two Diagnoses Navigating Sjögren's and lupus * 'Box of Chocolates' Different flare-ups * You Don't Look Sick How to navigate this Rebuilding the Body and Mind * Coming Back to Self From her lowest point to a multi-day hike * Anti-Inflammatory Living Diet, sleep, movement, finding triggers * Trusting Your Body But knowing rest is not failure Finding Connection and Joy * Community Feeling less alone via social media * Healing Outdoors Forests, fresh air, and feeling human * Volim Sebe Putting yourself first as an act of care About the podcast: With a focus on reducing inflammation and improving daily life, this podcast features expert interviews, science-backed strategies, and real stories from people living with all types of arthritis. Emily combines her 12+ years of lived experience and insights from healthcare professionals to offer practical, encouraging steps that help you feel healthier, happier, and less alone when living with arthritis. Emily is a bestselling author, certified coach, and founder of Live Well with Arthritis. Episode Links: Live Well with Arthritis Programme Waitlist: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist] FREE Workbook: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download] Mija Dropulić @mijad * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mijad [https://www.instagram.com/mijad] * Website: https://www.underdreamskies.com [https://www.underdreamskies.com] Emily Johnson @ArthritisFoodie * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/ [https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie [https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie] Further Resources: https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie [https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie]

#29 Your Body Isn't Your Enemy: Lily Earle on Rewiring Chronic Pain

Episode 29: The Live Well with Arthritis Podcast #29 Your Body Isn't Your Enemy: Lily Earle on Rewiring Chronic Pain Ever felt like you are at war with your body? This episode is for you. Host Emily Johnson welcomes Lily Earle, a life and chronic pain coach, creator of the Regrow podcast, and Making Sense of Chronic Pain masterclass. Lily works with those who have been uprooted by chronic pain, helping them to trust their bodies again and build a life bigger than their symptoms. Drawing on the latest pain neuroscience alongside her own lived experience of navigating a chronic migraine and six diagnoses, Lily shares the brain training and nervous system tools that drove her recovery. Whether you live with arthritis, fibromyalgia, or any persistent pain condition, this episode offers practical, science-backed strategies to break the fear-pain cycle and rebuild your relationship with your body. Topics covered: Rethinking Chronic Pain * Acute vs Chronic Why they need different approaches * Neuroplastic Pain Brain producing pain in absence of damage * Fear-Pain Cycle How this can fuel symptoms The Brain Training Toolkit * The Safety Stack Lily’s signature regulation tools * Inner Cheerleader Rewriting the way you talk to yourself * Mindfulness in Flares Calming the nervous system Building a Bigger Life * Rebuilding Trust with your body * Uprooted to Regrown Lily’s own story * Whole-Person Healing Why it matters About the podcast: With a focus on reducing inflammation and improving daily life, this podcast features expert interviews, science-backed strategies, and real stories from people living with all types of arthritis. Emily combines her 12+ years of lived experience and insights from healthcare professionals to offer practical, encouraging steps that help you feel healthier, happier, and less alone when living with arthritis. Emily is a bestselling author, certified coach, and founder of Live Well with Arthritis. Episode Links: Live Well with Arthritis Programme Waitlist: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist] FREE Workbook: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download] Lily Earle @lilyearleofficial * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilyearleofficial/ [https://www.instagram.com/lilyearleofficial/] * Website: https://www.lilyearle.com [https://www.lilyearle.com] Emily Johnson @ArthritisFoodie: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/ [https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie [https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie] Further Resources: https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie [https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie]

#28 Stress-Driven Inflammation: How Stress Can Worsen Arthritis (and What to Do About It)

Episode 28: The Live Well with Arthritis Podcast #28 Stress-Driven Inflammation: How Stress Can Worsen Arthritis (and What to Do About It) Have you ever noticed that when life is most stressful, your arthritis feels worse? This week, host Emily Johnson dives into why this isn't in your head, it's in your biology. Drawing on the latest research and her own 12 years of lived experience, Emily unpacks the powerful, two-way relationship between stress and inflammation, and why managing your nervous system may be one of the most therapeutic things you can do alongside your medication. From the HPA axis to the vagus nerve, from leaky gut to cortisol resistance, this episode breaks down the science and provides a practical toolkit to start calming your system today. This is for anyone who has ever felt betrayed by their body, or wondered why stress hits them harder than it seems to hit everyone else. Topics covered: * What Stress Actually Is The difference between helpful acute stress (eustress) and the chronic kind, plus the concept of 'allostatic load' * Stress and the Immune System Why chronic stress makes you both more vulnerable to infection AND more inflamed * The Stress–Inflammation Loop How TNF-alpha, IL-6, and other cytokines get turned up by chronic stress, and why inflammation in the brain produces brain fog, and low mood * Stress and the Gut The gut-brain axis, leaky gut, and the emerging "gut-joint axis" in rheumatoid arthritis, plus why Emily thinks the vagus nerve will be the next big focus in health * The Toolkit Practical, evidence-based ways to soothe your system that can be done from the comfort of your own home About the podcast: With a focus on reducing inflammation and improving daily life, this podcast features expert interviews, science-backed strategies, and real stories from people living with all types of arthritis. Emily combines her 12+ years of lived experience and insights from healthcare professionals to offer practical, encouraging steps that help you feel healthier, happier, and less alone when living with arthritis. Emily (Arthritis Foodie) is a bestselling author, certified coach, and founder of Live Well with Arthritis. Episode Links: Register for FREE Masterclass: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/mastering-inflammation-masterclass-registration [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/mastering-inflammation-masterclass-registration] Applications for the Live Well with Arthritis 12-week programme are open, Apply now: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist] Emily Johnson @ArthritisFoodie: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/ [https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arthritisfoodie/ [https://www.facebook.com/arthritisfoodie/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arthritisfoodie [https://www.youtube.com/@arthritisfoodie] Further Resources: https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie [https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie]

#27 Rheumatologist Recommends Reiki: Dr. Elizabeth Volkmann's Healing Blueprint

Episode 27: The Live Well with Arthritis Podcast #27 Rheumatologist Recommends Reiki: Dr. Elizabeth Volkmann's Healing Blueprint Host Emily Johnson welcomes Dr. Elizabeth Volkman, also known as the Holistic Rheumatologist, UCLA rheumatologist, and Director of the UCLA Scleroderma Programme. Dr. Volkmann researches how the gut microbiome, nutrition, and trauma shape autoimmune disease. With over 20 years of experience, she shares an evidence-based approach to integrating Eastern and Western medicine. Whether you live with arthritis, scleroderma, lupus, or any chronic inflammatory condition, this episode offers empowering strategies to create your own healing blueprint, alongside medication. Topics covered: Redefining Rheumatology * Whole Human Treating the person, not simply the disease * Supportive Tools Medication alongside nutrition and holistic therapies * Red Flags Spotting dangerous "cures" Gut–Autoimmune Connection * Leaky Gut Science of intestinal permeability * Truth on UPFs Findings from Dr. Volkmann's study * Probiotics Fermented foods vs supplements * Stool-Tests Microbiome diet myths Whole-Person Approach * Trauma Research How stress impacts autoimmunity * Breathwork as Medicine A free daily gut health habit * Self-Care Diaries Tuning into your body * CEO Mindset Be your own best advocate About the podcast: With a focus on reducing inflammation and improving daily life, this podcast features expert interviews, science-backed strategies, and real stories from people living with all types of arthritis. Emily combines her 12+ years of lived experience and insights from healthcare professionals to offer practical, encouraging steps that help you feel healthier, happier, and less alone when living with arthritis. Emily is a bestselling author, certified coach, and founder of Live Well with Arthritis. Episode Links: Live Well with Arthritis Waitlist: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist] FREE Workbook: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download] Dr Elizabeth Volkmann @the_holistic_rheumatologist * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_holistic_rheumatologist/ [https://www.instagram.com/the_holistic_rheumatologist/] * UCLA Scleroderma Program: https://www.uclahealth.org/ [https://www.uclahealth.org/] Emily Johnson @ArthritisFoodie * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/ [https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie [https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie] Further Resources: https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie [https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie]

#26 Immunity Within: How to Optimise Immune Health with Nutritionist Jenna Hope

Episode 26: The Live Well with Arthritis Podcast #26 Immunity Within: How to Optimise Immune Health with Nutritionist Jenna Hope In this episode, host Emily Johnson welcomes Jenna Hope (MSc, ANutr), registered nutritionist, founder of Jenna Hope Nutrition, and author of How to Stay Healthy: The Nutritionist's Guide to Optimising Your Immunity. Jenna has spent nearly 11 years helping individuals, leading brands, and corporate clients understand the powerful connection between food and health. In this conversation, she breaks down the science of immune optimisation, explaining why 'boosting' your immune system is not only misleading, but potentially harmful for those living with autoimmune conditions like arthritis, and offers a practical, no-pressure framework for building an anti-inflammatory lifestyle that actually lasts. Topics covered: Gut Health & Immunity * Gut-Immune Connection: And why it matters * Sugar Cycle: How blood sugar spikes cause inflammation Optimise, Don't Boost * Why Boosting Backfires: Why it can worsen symptoms * The Anti-Inflammatory Four: Vitamin C, magnesium, omega-3, and vitamin D * Depleted Nutrients: How stress and inflammation impacts us Real Life Nutrition * A Day in Jenna's Kitchen: Easiest first steps for an anti-inflammatory diet * Motherhood Chapter: Fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum * Case Study: From exhausted and wired, to sleeping well and thriving About the podcast: With a focus on reducing inflammation and improving daily life, this podcast features expert interviews, science-backed strategies, and real stories from people living with all types of arthritis. Emily combines her 12+ years of lived experience and insights from healthcare professionals to offer practical, encouraging steps that help you feel healthier, happier, and less alone when living with arthritis. Emily is a bestselling author, certified coach, and founder of Live Well with Arthritis. Episode Links: Live Well with Arthritis Waitlist: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist] FREE Workbook: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download [https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download] Jenna Hope @jennahopenutrition * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennahopenutrition/ [https://www.instagram.com/jennahopenutrition/] * Website: https://www.jennahopenutrition.com/ [https://www.jennahopenutrition.com/] * Book: How to Stay Healthy Emily Johnson @ArthritisFoodie: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/ [https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie [https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie] Further Resources: https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie [https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie]