Send us Fan Mail Have your joints started aching more as the weather has become colder? Although some people feel that they can sense changes in temperature or atmospheric pressure through their joints, the research remains mixed. Autumn also changes far more than the weather: we may move less, spend less time outside, experience different environmental exposures and enter one of the busiest periods of the year. In this Friday Five episode of The Autoimmune RESET Podcast, I explore five areas I would investigate when joint or tendon pain keeps returning. This subject is personal to me. Throughout my teens and twenties, I experienced significant pain around my wrists and hands, accompanied at times by itching, swelling and growing ganglion cysts. It was presented to me as tendonitis, despite the fact that I was also living with psoriasis. I cannot retrospectively diagnose what was happening, but I now wonder whether those apparently separate symptoms formed part of the same wider immune and inflammatory picture. I wish somebody had stepped back and asked what else was happening within my body. In this episode, I discuss: Why colder weather may not be the complete explanation for aching jointsThe difference between mechanical and classically inflammatory patterns of painWhy mechanical pain can still involve local inflammatory processesThe clues to notice, including morning stiffness, swelling, warmth and night painHow psoriasis, nail changes and tendon pain may sometimes be connectedWhy pain around the heel, Achilles tendon or sole of the foot can be relevantThe importance of looking beyond the joint at digestion, fatigue, skin, eye and mouth symptomsHow to build a symptom timeline and identify what changed before the pain beganThe potential influence of infections, stress, sleep, exercise and hormonal changesWhy joint pain during perimenopause should not automatically be dismissed as “just hormones”The roles of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and wider nutrient statusWhen thyroid function, iron, vitamin B12 and folate may be worth exploringHow gut health may fit into the picture without assuming that every joint problem begins in the gutWhy both avoiding movement and pushing through significant pain can be unhelpfulThe importance of matching exercise to your present capacity to recoverThe five areas to investigate The pattern of the pain: When does it appear, what makes it better or worse, and is there swelling, warmth or prolonged morning stiffness?What else is happening in the body: Consider skin, nail, digestive, eye and energy changes alongside the joint symptoms.The timeline: Look at infections, injuries, medication, stress, sleep, hormones and changes in physical activity.Nutrition and gut health: Is the body receiving, digesting and absorbing the building blocks required to support muscles, connective tissue and immune regulation?Movement and recovery: Has the exercise changed—or has the body’s ability to recover from it changed?This is an example of Symptom Intelligence™: not assuming that every symptom has one cause, but remaining curious enough to ask whether apparently separate symptoms may belong to the same wider story. Persistent joint pain should not automatically be dismissed as ageing, tendonitis or the weather. If you have ongoing swelling or warmth, prolonged morning stiffness, night pain, or joint and tendon symptoms alongside psoriasis or nail changes, speak to your doctor. A hot, suddenly swollen joint—particularly with a fever or feeling unwell—requires urgent medical assessment. Vote for VJ I have been nominated for a Flamingo Business Award in the Health and Wellness Warrior category. These awards recognise the impact we make through our work. If my podcast, articles or clinical work have helped you in any way, I would be incredibly grateful for your vote: Vote here: https://flamingobusiness.co.uk/fba-public-vote-2026 Thank you so much for your support. Important: This episode is for educational purposes and isn't intended to diagnose the cause of your hair loss. Sudden, unexplained or significant hair loss should be medically assessed, and suspected scarring hair loss requires prompt specialist assessment. 🧘♀️ Need nervous system support? → I personally use and recommend SONA, a vagus nerve stimulation device clinically shown to support immune balance, inflammation, and stress recovery. Use code VJ10 for 10% discount at checkout. 📥 New to the podcast or need a starting point? → Download my free The Autoimmunity Recovery Plan — a simple guide that outlines the steps I recommend to all clients as they begin calming the immune response and rebuilding resilience. Thanks for listening! You can join The Autoimmune Forum on Facebook or find me on Instagram @theautoimmunitynutritionist.
