Community Update – January 2017

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The monthly Community Update is where we give you a heads up on some great offerings in the way of podcasts, video series, and local in-person meet-up groups. If you have started a local support group on Facebook (no pages please), send the link to team@autoimmunewellness,com, and we will promote it monthly.

New Year, New Name!

We started 2017 with a big announcement: a new name! While we deeply appreciate our Paleo roots, we felt it was time to acknowledge more clearly the distinct AIP movement, and to recognize the opportunity we have to shape how autoimmune disease will be viewed in the future. Thus, Autoimmune Wellness was born. For more on why we made the switch and what we’ve got in store for the year ahead, read our full post.

Phoenix Helix Podcast

A bi-monthly podcast about autoimmune healing by Eileen Laird of Phoenix Helix, featuring interviews from experts in the field of health and nutrition as well as individuals living with autoimmunity. If you would like to visit the podcast archives, click here.

Episode 61: Healing Stories 4

This episode’s four guests share their experiences healing from Hidradenitis Suppurativa,  Type 1 Diabetes,  Sjogren’s Syndrome, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Raynaud’s Phenomenon and Alopecia.

Episode 62: Preventing Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Tom O’Bryan

Dr. Tom O’Bryan is an expert on the autoimmune spectrum, a framework that allows for folks without diagnosed autoimmune conditions to think about and address their symptoms. In this episode, he discusses how folks can intervene early in their disease progression to hopefully prevent symptoms from taking hold.

AIP Meetup Groups

Find a local networking group centered around the Autoimmune Protocol! Be advised that these are not disease-specific support groups, but are to facilitate in-person networking and support for those on or considering the Autoimmune Protocol. Each group has their own moderation and rules for membership, but generally they are private and supportive of those on their healing journeys. Know that this listing does not imply endorsement by Autoimmune Paleo, groups are not run by us, and your request to join and any information you may encounter in these groups is at your own risk.

If possible, please request membership in a group local to where you live — after all, the whole idea is to get together with others in your community who are facing similar challenges! Health coaches, practitioners, online marketers, and others trying to sell their products, know that many of these groups are well moderated and solicitation will not be tolerated. If there isn’t a group near you, consider starting your own and letting us know about it on our contact page!

UNITED STATES:

Western US:

Sacramento AIP Group
Portland AIP Group
Seattle AIP Group
SoCal AIP Group
NorCal AIP Group
Denver AIP Group
Boulder AIP Group
Fort Collins AIP Group
Alaska AIP Group
San Francisco Bay Area AIP Group
San Francisco AIP Group
San Diego AIP Group
Idaho AIP Group
Santa Cruz AIP Group

Northeastern US:

NE AIP Group
NYC AIP Group
Philadelphia AIP Group
Vermont AIP Group
Connecticut AIP Group
Massachusetts AIP Group
Midatlantic AIP Group

Southeastern US:

Mid-Atlantic AIP Group
North + South Carolina AIP Group
Alabama AIP Group
Puerto Rico AIP Group
Atlanta AIP Group
East Tennessee AIP Group
NE Florida AIP Group

Midwestern US:

Ohio AIP Group
Chicago-Midwest AIP Group
Iowa AIP Group
Minneapolis/St. Paul AIP Group
Kansas City AIP Group

Southwestern US:

DFW AIP Group
Central Texas AIP Group
Houston AIP Group
Arizona AIP Group
Northern New Mexico AIP Group

CANADA:

Canada AIP Group
Ottowa AIP Group
Vancouver B.C. AIP Group
Vancouver Island AIP Group

EUROPE:

European AIP Group
Netherlands AIP Group
Belgium/Netherlands AIP Group
London AIP Group
UK AIP Group
Finland AIP Group
Germany AIP Group
France AIP Group
Spain AIP Group
AIP Info Europe
Bulgaria AIP Group
Israel AIP Group
Serbia/Bosnia/Croatia AIP Group
Croatia (and Neighboring Countries) AIP Group

WORLDWIDE:

Australia AIP Group
New Zealand AIP Group
South Africa AIP Group
Egypt AIP Group

About Grace Heerman

Grace Heerman is a writer and website designer based in New York City. Through her business Said with Grace, she helps coaches clarify their message and create authentic websites that actually bring in business. Here at Autoimmune Wellness, Grace writes book reviews, manages blog content, and organizes Facebook publishing. She is an avid traveler and loves spending winters in Asia. You can connect with Grace and learn more about her writing and design work on her website, Said with Grace.

29 comments

  • Sue Ellen Harwood says

    I tried to access the group in Sacramento Ca and it’s a closed group. How do I gain access to that group?

    • Angie Alt says

      Sue-
      You just request to join and as the administrators of that group have time, they will approve your membership & you can join in there.

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Sue! All of the groups are closed to maintain privacy. You need to request to become a member and then become approved. Many groups don’t admit those who look like spammers or have a different location. You should be fine!

  • Hello Grace and everyone on the team at Autoimmune Wellness 🙂

    My name is Cheryl Sakurai and I am a half Filipina half Australian living near Mt. Fuji in Japan!
    After severe food poisoning about two years ago, my digestive system almost completely shut down, and I have been working hard ever since to keep moving forward on my journey to healing. There is a HUGE lack of resources here in Japan regarding autoimmune diseases and other diseases regarding the digestive system so I have been using your website as a great reference for cooking and my overall health. I would love to start a group here in my city Numazu (in Shizuoka prefecture) to help support those with problems such as mine. Please let me know what I need to do to start :)! Thank you~

    Cheryl

    • Angie Alt says

      Cheryl-
      Thanks so much for your enthusiasm & willingness to support others. These groups are not so much about what needs to be taught, you are not expected to teach anything, but just offer support to yourself and others in your area that are using AIP to heal. Starting a group is an simple as forming a page on Facebook for your area and inviting local friends who you know are also doing AIP. From there, your group can be added to our list & we’ll help others in your area find & join your group. You can plan potlucks and other events together as the group grows.

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Cheryl,
      We love this idea! Just get us the link to the FB group and we will be happy to share in our future updates.

  • Gregory Thomas says

    We have an autoimmune MeetUo just starting in Eugene/Corvallis Oregon: https://www.meetup.com/Eugene-Corvallis-Autoimmune-Paleo-Healing-Wellness-Group/

    Thanks, Gregory

    • Angie Alt says

      Thanks for the tip Gregory!

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Gregory! That is awesome! If you guys create a FB group for your meetup, we’d love to help promote.

  • Phyllis boyle says

    Can you add New Jersey to the list. I don’t see any meet ups here

    Thank you

    • Angie Alt says

      Phyllis-
      If NJ is not on the list, it may be that no local groups have yet been started. You could consider starting a group yourself or you could look into joining the Mid-Atlantic group.

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Phyllis! We need someone in New Jersey to start a group. Once you have the FB link post it here and we will promote in our monthly posts.

  • Kathleen Amico says

    I live in New Port Richey, FL, the Tampa Bay area of FL, the mid west section. The support group list doesn’t include a group in my area. I used to teach a class on “nutrition” (what I thought was nutrition) and I am very interested in starting a group in my city. Can you advise me how to begin & what needs to be voiced or taught?
    I was diagnosed auto immune 2 1/2 yrs. ago by an excellent consultant & educator at a local health store, though its obvious I battled the issues for about 8 yrs. I knew a regular MD would have no clue. I have a nursing background though I left the field to pursue health, prevention & healing.
    Thank you for your response & help.
    Kathleen Amico

    • Angie Alt says

      Kathleen-
      These groups are not so much about what needs to be taught, you are not expected to teach anything, but just offer support to yourself and others in your area that are using AIP to heal. Starting a group is an simple as forming a page on Facebook for your area and inviting local friends who you know are also doing AIP. From there, your group can be added to our list & we’ll help others in your area find & join your group. You can plan potlucks and other events together as the group grows.

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Kathleen! We need more people like you to step up and start a group in your area. All you need to do is start a private group on FB and get us the link. You will want to keep it private, so you can screen members who ask to join. You can usually tell the spammers and the fake sunglasses salespeople from their sketchy profiles 🙂 Other than that, setting up some guidelines about the intentions of the group, what is allowed and what is not, and you will be ready to go! I highly suggest using the group to set up in-person meetups, or share local food resources. It is a great way to build community!

  • FRAN Densmore says

    What happens when you dont do facebook, are you left out of thr koop?

    • Angie Alt says

      Fran-
      Often the best way to find real-life support is to begin with gathering info & starting relationships online. This is a great way to find out when there will be gatherings, help plan community events, etc. If Facebook in particular doesn’t work for you, you might look at sites like Instagram to learn about groups near you or sites like Meetup.com. Hope that is helpful!

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Fran! Unfortunately Facebook is a convenient way for most people to connect. I do know some who have profiles on FB without any of their private information that they use mainly for interacting in these types of groups.

  • Lynne N says

    Please add our small, but growing, group to your Community list. We are located in the Washington DC metro area (DMV = DC/Maryland/Virginia). We offer info on AIP. AIP is what saved me & has had a direct positive impact on keeping my health from tanking. Thank you!! Lynne

  • […] group or an online support group. Mickey Trescott and Angie Alt, from Autoimmune Wellness, keep an ongoing list of all the local AIP groups. They are all over the world! There is also the Autoimmune Paleo […]

  • Basmah Ali says

    I am so excited that there is an autoimmune group in Egypt! I have family there that I haven’t seen since before I went AIP. Funny, I don’t have bad reactions to most of the food there like in the U.S (bet I can get by with Paleo or Primal), but it would still be nice to visit and not worry about all of my choices. Thank you so much for sharing, and for the people participating in these groups!

  • Laura says

    Can you tell me where the Ohio AIP group is based? I live in Michigan and there is no group here. I would consider joining the OH group depending on location.

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Laura,
      Your best bet would be to join the group and ask the members. We don’t run the groups, they are put on by volunteers who live in the area.

  • Christie says

    I have a question for all of you…I started the AIP on April 3…have adjusted well, and really like the changes I have seen in my body and my Auto-immune disease…I have Psoriatic Arthritis. I take Methotrexate for my disease…I am tested quarterly right now for my liver…I hover around 20 for my ALT…I just took my labs thinking they would be extra fab since I am eating so well…and rarely an ibuprofen…maybe 4-6 ibuprofen a week when it was 3-5 a day. My ALT skyrocketted…to 76. Anyone else have this happen? (I do have a message into my doctor by the way.)

    • Angie Alt says

      Christie-
      So glad your adjustment to AIP and the changes w/ your psoriatic arthritis have been positive. As to your labs, I am sorry, but we are not medical doctors and cannot comment on what may be happening there. It’s great that you are consulting w/ your doctor to see what might be going on. Wishing you luck!

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hey Christie! Unfortunately since we aren’t doctors here we can’t really speculate why your lab values got worse, but I do think it is smart to get things looked into by your medical team. I would say that most people respond favorably to the elimination diet with their general markers as inflammation goes down. It could be coincidence, or perhaps something else in your life that you aren’t connecting – another medication, stress, or exposure? Hope you figure it out soon!

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