The State of the Autoimmune Protocol in 2026 and the Relaunch of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast

Below is the full transcript of Episode 50 of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast.
This transcript is provided for accessibility and reference.

Title: The State of AIP in 2026: Launching The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast! (Ep 050)

[00:00:00] Hello Again

Mickey: Hi everyone! It’s definitely been a while. If you’ve been a listener of this podcast in the past, you know that I’ve always believed deeply in the power of education and community when it comes to living well with autoimmune disease. For years, Angie and I shared stories, interviews and deep dive conversations in more seasonal bursts– those stretches where everything aligned, and we could pour ourselves fully into creating audio content that supported you and complimented the rest of our work.

As many of you know, Autoimmune Wellness has been under my solo direction since 2023, and over these past few years, something significant has been shifting, not just in how I approach this work, but across the entire AIP landscape.

The AIP community has grown, the research has grown, and the number of practitioners using AIP has grown. And honestly, the need for clear, current and compassionate guidance has never been greater, especially as more people search for answers in a space crowded with confusing or contradictory information. So today we’re beginning something new! Something that I am hoping is more connected and more consistent.

Today is the official relaunch of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast and the start of a new chapter in AIP education and support.

Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast. I’m your host, Mickey Trescott, and before we begin, a quick note that this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only, and not intended as medical advice. Make sure you consult your qualified healthcare providers before making any changes to your diet or treatment plan.

[00:01:48] About Mickey & The Podcast

Mickey: So let’s start with a quick reintroduction, especially if you’re new here or if you’ve found this show after some of the recent updates to the Autoimmune Protocol. My name is Mickey Trescott and I am a functional nutritionist with a Master’s degree in human nutrition and functional medicine, and I’ve been practicing as a health coach since 2013.

I’m the co-founder of Autoimmune Wellness and the founder and co-lead instructor of the AIP Certified Coach practitioner training program, which has trained over a thousand healthcare providers around the world in how to safely and effectively support people using the Autoimmune Protocol.

I’m also the author of four books about living well with autoimmune disease, including two cookbooks, a comprehensive lifestyle guide, and a research-informed overview of AIP that is coming later this year. Over the years I’ve taught workshops, lectured internationally, collaborated with researchers, and helped facilitate the medical studies that have shaped AIP into what it is today.

But at the heart of all of this, I’m also an autoimmune patient myself. I live with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and celiac disease, and more recently, I’ve received a third autoimmune diagnosis. After more than 15 years of unexplained symptoms layered on top of my existing conditions, finally having clarity on this one has been really grounding and eye-opening, and I know many of you have been on your own long and winding diagnostic journeys… I mean, isn’t that the classic autoimmune experience? That uncertainty, frustration, and the persistence it takes to keep looking for answers? Just know that I see you in that process, I deeply understand what it feels like to live with autoimmune disease, and it is absolutely why I am here and I do what I do.

If you’ve followed my work for any length of time, you know that I have always tried to meet this community wherever I can be most useful. Whether that’s through blogging, recipes, community support, professional training, research translation, or simply being someone who openly shares the real life ups and downs of managing chronic illness.

But one thing has become really clear over the past couple of years– the autoimmune community is hungry for clarity and connection more than ever before. So I’ve decided that instead of trying to do everything, podcasting is where I can give you that nuance. It’s where I can unpack the why, not just the what. And unlike social media, which to be honest has never been my favorite place to spend my time, podcasting allows me to slow down, to teach, to tell stories, and to create meaningful content that actually supports you in your real life. So if you’re here for the relaunch, thank you! I am genuinely excited to be back in your earbuds and I’m grateful to be doing this work alongside you.

[00:04:37] The State of AIP in 2026

Mickey: All right. Let’s get into one of the main reasons I wanted to relaunch the show with this episode, a 2026 State of AIP update. If you’ve been a part of this community for a while, you might remember that on Autoimmune Wellness, we used to publish a yearly State of AIP blog post every January 1st. They were our way of rounding up everything happening across the AIP movement, including new research, new resources, what was changing with the protocol, what was emerging and how the community was evolving.

The last time we shared one of these was way back in 2022, and now standing here in 2026, it feels like the perfect moment to revisit that tradition, because so much has changed and the momentum now is stronger than ever. So this section is your snapshot of where AIP is today, where it’s headed, and why this moment matters for all of us.

[00:05:30] AIP Has Entered Its “Maturity” Stage

Mickey: It is safe to say that AIP has officially entered its maturity era. When AIP first emerged around 2011, it was a little bit messy, it was very experimental, and it was mostly unformed. There were no books, no research, no official food lists. I mean, you guys, the Instant Pot didn’t even exist yet… things have changed so much.

What we did have was something incredibly powerful, a small but fiercely motivated group of autoimmune patients, sharing their stories online, documenting their symptoms and comparing notes about what made them feel even slightly better. In those early days, anecdotal evidence wasn’t just part of the movement, it literally was the movement. We were tracking foods in spreadsheets, writing blog posts about our trial and error experiments, and sharing deeply personal stories of flares, improvements, setbacks and small victories. It was imperfect, but it was completely community driven.

And now fast forward 15 years and the AIP movement is now in a completely different stage. Today, AIP is: one of the most widely-recognized, patient-led frameworks for dietary and lifestyle support in autoimmune disease. Supported by multiple published medical studies across several autoimmune conditions. Practiced by thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of patients, also used by doctors, dieticians, nutritionists, and health coaches all around the world. Backed by an international training program with providers certified in dozens of countries and speaking multiple languages. And increasingly recommended in clinical settings, especially gastroenterology and rheumatology, as more specialists become aware of the research.

And additionally, today, personalization is a core part of how people successfully use AIP. And we’re seeing that reflected across many autoimmune conditions. So groups navigating IBD, autoimmune thyroid disease, rheumatologic conditions, and various autoimmune skin disorders have each identified their own patterns in what tends to work well for them.

Over time, these shared experiences have created a kind of community-informed roadmap where people can learn from others with similar diagnosis while still tailoring the protocol to their own needs. This collective wisdom is a sign of how far the movement has come. AIP has grown into a truly flexible, adaptive framework that honors both individual biology and the lived experience of diverse disease communities.

So AIP is no longer niche. It’s no longer fringe, and increasingly, it’s no longer something people stumble into only after exhausting every other option. More and more people are finding AIP earlier in their diagnostic process, often because their doctor or someone on their care team has heard of it, has seen other patients improve, or because they’ve watched a family member or friend experience meaningful success with the protocol.

And that is an absolutely massive shift, and it speaks to how far this movement has come from those early anecdotal beginnings to a mature evidence-informed framework supported by real research and a global healthcare community.

[00:08:48] Modified AIP Has Been a Game-Changer

Mickey: One of the biggest developments, of course, has been the introduction of Modified AIP in 2024. I talked about this in depth on the podcast when the new version was first announced, but it’s worth highlighting again because its impact on the community has been significant. Modified AIP was developed after reviewing years of community outcomes, gathering extensive practitioner feedback from AIP Certified Coaches, evaluating published AIP research, and taking a close, honest look at which eliminations were truly essential, and which may be unnecessarily limiting for some people. The goal was to make AIP more accessible, affordable, sustainable, and flexible.

And Modified AIP has absolutely lived up to that promise. Now, two years in, feedback from both the general public and from AIP Certified Coaches has been overwhelmingly positive. Coaches are seeing high success rates, fewer early drop-offs, and better emotional and logistical sustainability, especially for people with limited capacity or those who felt overwhelmed by the original AIP framework.

Importantly, Modified AIP still aligns with the backbone of what makes the Autoimmune Protocol effective. The focus on nutrient density, reducing immune triggers, calming inflammation, and supporting balance before reintroducing foods, but with a more sustainable approach. And if you’re not entirely sure what Modified AIP means or how it differs from the original framework, don’t worry. I will be walking you through all of that very soon.

[00:10:23] Research Momentum: AIP Is Being Taken Seriously

Mickey: Another massive area of growth for AIP has been the medical research. Right now, as we head into 2026, we have: several AIP studies currently in process, additional papers in the queue that are waiting for publication, and new research projects under development or in the planning phases. I have two that I am personally working on and I hope I get to share more and involve the community soon.

It is safe to say that in addition to the seven already-published studies, this is the most research traction AIP has ever had, and there is a lot of breadth in the types of autoimmune conditions that are being studied. One thing I’m very excited about is the possibility of studying some of the more rare autoimmune conditions because those patients need information and support too.

Every study helps refine and deepen our understanding of how AIP works and for whom it works best, and that continually strengthens the framework that we use today.

[00:11:21] Practitioner Growth: A Truly Global Community

Mickey: Next, the AIP Certified Coach community has also grown into a vibrant, international network of practitioners. Over the last few years, something really striking started happening in the program– about half of our students were coming from outside North America. We now have coaches representing dozens of countries, speaking many different languages, and bringing cultural nuance and diversity into how AIP is understood and applied around the world.

This global diversity is invaluable. It shows that AIP is not a rigid one-size-fits-all model. It’s actually adaptable, scalable, and can integrate into a wide range of cultural, culinary, and practical contexts. The coach community continues to drive education forward, improve patient experiences, and make AIP more inclusive, accessible, and culturally relevant than ever before.

So if you’re a practitioner who wants to integrate AIP into your work, or if you are a patient and you have an AIP-friendly provider you’d love to share this with, our sessions run roughly every March and September, and we would absolutely love to have you.

And if you’re a patient looking for a provider who truly understands AIP, you can always check out our worldwide directory of AIP Certified Coaches at aipcertified.com to find someone aligned with your needs.

[00:12:41] The AIP Community Today: Larger and More Connected

Mickey: So what does the AIP community look like today? Compared to the early days of scattered blog posts, conflicting food lists, and everyone doing their best with whatever information they could find, today’s AIP landscape is clearer, more connected, and more supported than ever before. We now have clear and consistent guidelines based on the 2024 update. Strong practitioner support, including a global network of AIP Certified Coaches. Higher access to free education on how to implement AIP. A healthy emphasis on nutrient density and lifestyle, not just talking about elimination. A shift away from perfectionism, rigidity, and dieting, and a broad trend towards inclusion, sustainability, and personalization.

So if you’re brand new to AIP, you are arriving at an incredibly exciting time. If you’ve been in this community for a long time and are a part of the way back, as we like to call it, you’ve helped shape this growth more than you realize. Truly, high-five! And if you’re somewhere in between, I hope this podcast relaunch helps you feel anchored and informed as you continue your healing journey.

[00:13:54] What’s Coming on The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast

Mickey: Now that we’ve finished the State of AIP, let’s talk about where this podcast is going. Because the relaunch isn’t just about bringing the podcast back, it’s about re-imagining it as a long-term, high-value resource that supports you at every stage of your healing. Here’s what you can expect from me in the coming months.

[00:14:13] January is Deep Dive Month

Mickey: First, we’re kicking things off with a focus on AIP education and updates, and that’s going to come in the form of what I’m calling Deep Dive Month. All throughout the month of January, I’ll be releasing a series of detailed, structured, step-by-step episodes that walk you through the entire AIP framework as it exists today, fully aligned with the 2024 updates, and even some that have not been fully clarified yet.

These episodes will cover the completely new approach to the Transition Phase, the updated Elimination Phase, including both Core AIP and Modified AIP, the fully revised Reintroduction Phase, and a dedicated episode on nutrient density and lifestyle foundations, which are essential in every phase.

I decided to start the relaunch here because these updated foundations are the heart of everything we’re going to explore together on the podcast. You already know that AIP has evolved in some important ways, and I want to make sure that we’re all beginning from the same current, evidence-informed starting point.

Whether you’ve been using AIP for many years, or you’re hearing about it for the first time, having this shared foundation will make everything that comes next feel more grounded, more accessible, and a lot less confusing. And honestly, together this series is kind of like a free AIP course– a comprehensive, accessible guide to implementing the Autoimmune Protocol according to today’s best practices.

And for the first time, with a pretty steep learning curve for yours truly, every Deep Dive episode will also be available on YouTube, so you can choose to listen like you are right now or even watch along, if that works for you. These episodes will be released every Monday and Thursday throughout the month of January.

[00:15:59] A Preview of My Personal Health Update

Mickey: Also this month you’ll see a dedicated episode where I share a personal update on my own health. Like I mentioned in the introduction, I was recently diagnosed with my third autoimmune condition that explains some symptoms that I’ve been experiencing for the past 15 years. I’ll lay everything out in the episode, but having recently turned 40, I think that the shifts that came with perimenopause finally tipped the scales a little bit and helped uncover an autoimmune condition that was previously too subtle for diagnosis.

I’m not going to share all the details now, but in that episode I will talk about the scary new symptom that I started having, how it led to more testing and the new diagnosis almost eight months later, and how I’m integrating that into my care, and why even after more than a decade in this space, I am still learning and adapting as a patient myself.

So if you are someone who has been searching for answers for a long time, I hope that this upcoming episode will feel validating and encouraging.

[00:17:02] February is Science Month

Mickey: And then in February, we’re shifting from Deep Dive Month into Science Month. Every week I will be breaking down one or two of the published AIP medical studies– the methodology, the outcomes, the nuances, and what the findings mean for real people living with autoimmune disease.

For years, with my friend Jamie Hartman, you might know her as my partner and co-teacher in the AIP Certified Coach program and the host of the AIP Summit, we’ve been walking through each of these new studies with our current students and practitioner community as a part of their continuing education. And now I want to bring those insights to the public because understanding research is so central to how we evolve and use AIP responsibly. So whether you are a practitioner, a patient, or someone who just loves the nerdy side of healing, you’re going to love these episodes to be released in February, every Monday.

[00:17:56] Also in February: Introducing “Small Bites”

Mickey: February also marks the debut of a new series I’m calling Small Bites– short, informal episodes designed to bring more community inspiration and practical tips to the podcast. These episodes are going to include things like cooking tips, meal planning ideas, mini troubleshooting sessions, encouragement for staying the course, some myth busting, stories from the AIP community, like wins, challenges and personal insights, and more fun bite-sized content to help you feel supported throughout your week.

And an important update, I will be actively reaching out to all of you to feature your stories and ideas. So be on the lookout for ways to share your challenges, your wins, your turning points, and your breakthroughs. The AIP community contains so much wisdom, and I want this show to reflect that collective experience.

[00:18:48] Looking Ahead: Mixed Formats, More Connection, and Community Input

Mickey: Looking ahead beyond February, you can expect a blend of episodes designed to support you throughout the year. We’ll have interviews, Deep Dives on specific topics, research explainers, lifestyle focused episodes, and plenty of interactive community building segments.

You’ll also have opportunities to vote on topics, submit questions, and help shape the direction of the show as we go. I’m also going to be introducing something new, a quarterly update episode featuring key leaders in the AIP space. These conversations will include voices like Jamie Hartman from AIP Certified Coach and AIP Summit, Jamie, Nicole Martin, the executive Director of the AIP BIPOC Network and Sybil Cooper, who is a research immunologist, to explore current events in the AIP community, autoimmune advocacy, practitioner insights and emerging research. It’s a way to stay connected to the bigger picture of what’s happening across the community.

And I will be totally honest. It might take me a little time to fully find my groove again with podcasting, but I’m committed to showing up consistently and dedicating the time and energy needed to bring you high quality information that makes living well with autoimmune disease feel more manageable, intuitive, and connected, and I’m really glad you’re here for the ride!

[00:20:09] AIP Foundations Series & Wrap-Up

Mickey: As we move into this new season of the podcast, and really this new chapter of the AIP community, I want to make sure you have all of the support and resources you need. If you’d like to go deeper, you can sign up for my AIP Foundation Series, a free five day email course with over 60 pages of resources, food lists and beginner guides to help you get started with confidence. It’s been well loved in the AIP community for many years and downloaded over 250,000 times. Once you get your materials, you’ll be added to my newsletter, so you can stay up to date on new episodes, protocol updates, and upcoming events.

Sign up now at Autoimmune Wellness.com/foundations. And if you found this episode helpful, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the Deep Dive episodes coming your way. And if you know someone navigating autoimmune disease– a friend, a family member, a coworker– please share the podcast with them. These next few months are packed with high value information that can make a meaningful difference in someone’s healing journey.

You’ll also be able to watch all of the Deep Dive and medical research episodes on YouTube, and I would truly love to hear from you there. Leave me a comment about what resonated, what you’re curious about, or what topics you’d like to see in the future. Your feedback shapes upcoming episodes, and it really does help more people discover this work.

You can also connect with the show on Instagram @autoimmunewellnesspod or me personally @mickeytrescott, where I share episode highlights, behind the scenes updates and more ways for you to get involved with the community.

Thanks so much for joining me today, and I’ll see you in the next episode!