Episode 17: The Live Well with Arthritis Podcast

#17 Mind-Body-Gut: Mastering Inflammation with Nutritionist Eli Brecher

In this episode, host Emily Johnson welcomes Eli Brecher (ANutr), a registered associate nutritionist specialising in gut health, immunity, and inflammatory conditions.

Eli has lived with Crohn’s Disease since the age of 8 and brings a deeply empathetic and personal perspective to autoimmunity. She explains the impact of the Mind-Body-Gut Method, with her expertise in clinical nutrition and recipe development offers a practical bridge between science-backed principles and everyday living.

Topics covered:

Lived Experience

• Eli’s Journey: Crohn’s in childhood and finding remission
• Gut Health: How it impacts immunity and systemic inflammation
• Red Flags: Silent symptoms in the skin, joints, and brain that signal gut dysbiosis

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition

• Plate Additions: Why adding plants, Omega-3s, and herbs is better than cutting foods out
• Closed Kitchen Rule: Why finishing dinner 3 hours before bed matters
• DIY Nutrition: Easy, low-cost wins like making anti-inflammatory herbal teas

360° Healing Toolkit

• Sleep Science: Tart cherry juice, tryptophan, and morning sunlight to regulate your circadian rhythm
• Stress Management: Building a personalised toolkit that works for you
• Gut-Brain Axis: How nervous system regulation directly calms inflammation in the body

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

FREE Workbook: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download

Eli Brecher @elibrechernutrition

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elibrechernutrition/
• Website: https://www.elibrecher.co.uk/

Emily Johnson @ArthritisFoodie:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie

Further Resources: https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie

Episode 16: The Live Well with Arthritis Podcast

#16 Breathwork for Pain: Mastering Inflammation with Tim van der Vliet

In this high-energy episode, host Emily Johnson sits down with Tim van der Vliet, a former Amsterdam stock trader turned world-leading breathwork and cold exposure expert. After years in the high-adrenaline world of the trading floor, Tim discovered how to master his body’s stress response using ancient wisdom and modern science.

Tim shares his journey from burnout to becoming a breathwork nerd explaining how his TT Method (Tim’s Techniques) serves as a '£500 pill' for anyone living with chronic pain, inflammation, and arthritis.

Topics Covered:

Inflammation & the Science of Breathwork

• 3 Pillars of movement, cold exposure, and the TT5 technique
• How rhythmic breathing lowers pro-inflammatory markers and reduces pain
• Targeted breathing to optimise the gut-brain axis, where serotonin & dopamine are produced

Stress & Nervous System Regulation

• Using controlled stressors like ice baths and breath holds to reset the nervous system
• How 5 mins of targeted breathwork efficiently activates the parasympathetic nervous system more than 1hr of seated meditation

Practical Tools & Arthritis Case Studies

• Tim's arthritis clients regaining mobility, reducing medication, and even achieving full remission
• Demo of the 4-2-8 'Panic Reset' to instantly calm the heart rate, plus TT5 Signature

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

FREE Workbook: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/signup-free-download

Tim van der Vliet @tim_vandervliet

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim_vandervliet/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/timvandervliet
• Website: https://www.timvandervliet.com/

Emily Johnson @ArthritisFoodie:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisfoodie

Further Resources: https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie

Episode 15: The Live Well with Arthritis Podcast

#15 Social Inflammation: How Relationships Impact Arthritis and Why

Are your relationships inflaming your joints? This week, host Emily Johnson explores the powerful, often invisible connection between your social environment and chronic pain.

Drawing on the latest research in psychoneuroimmunology, Emily explains why 'Social Inflammation' is more than just a feeling, it is a biological reality. From the way chronic conflict triggers pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6, to the physical 'heat' of shame and the metabolic cost of self-censoring, this episode reveals how your immune system responds to emotional safety.

Emily shares her personal insights on the importance of authenticity, explaining why 'owning your truth' is a physiological necessity for anyone living with an inflammatory condition. Whether you’re dealing with 'biological incongruence' or looking for the anti-inflammatory power of a safe hug, this episode offers a roadmap to regulating your nervous system through connection and boundaries. And, how powerfully nourishing the right relationships can be.

Topics covered:

• The Nervous System & Biological Threat: Understanding the HPA axis and why your body can’t tell the difference between a predator and a difficult conversation.
• The High Cost of Self-Censoring: Why 'keeping the peace' might be fuelling your flares through biological incongruence.
• What is Social Inflammation? The science of how rejection and conflict 'turn on' pro-inflammatory genes.
• Support as Medicine: The role of Oxytocin in counteracting cortisol and relaxing 'muscle guarding.'
• The Power of Boundaries: Practical tools like the 'Exhale Hack', box breathing, and choosing proximity to peace.

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:

Live Well with Arthritis: https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist

Emily Johnson @ArthritisFoodie:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arthritisfoodie/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arthritisfoodie

Further Resources: https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie

References: PMC5442367 (Social Inflammation), PMC2820143 (HPA Axis and Inflammation), PMID: 24769019 (Oxytocin and Inflammation), PMC4391341 (Stress and IL-6), PMC5314421 (The Cost of Emotional Suppression)