VJ Hamilton: The Autoimmunity Nutritionist

VJ Hamilton: The Autoimmunity Nutritionist I'm VJ, and I am a Nutritionist and Autoimmune Disease Expert.

There’s something I’ve found myself reflecting on recently, particularly when I check in with past clients, and it’s som...
13/04/2026

There’s something I’ve found myself reflecting on recently, particularly when I check in with past clients, and it’s something that is often said quite casually, almost in passing, but it always stays with me afterwards.

They’ll say something like, “I still hear your voice in my head sometimes…” — and it’s rarely anything complex or overly clinical, it’s usually something much simpler and more foundational, like “have you actually eaten enough today?” or “maybe you don’t need to push through this” or “what would support your body right now, rather than deplete it?”

And I always pause when I hear that, because it speaks to something far more important than just following a plan or remembering a list of recommendations.
Because the reality is, this work was never about doing everything perfectly, or trying to hold onto every single detail. It was always about learning how to think differently about your body, how to interpret what it is telling you, and how to respond in a way that feels more supportive, more measured, and ultimately more sustainable.

What I have seen, both in clinic and in my own experience, is that it is very rarely the long list of interventions that creates change. Trying to do everything often becomes another layer of pressure. It is usually just a few things that truly land — a shift in how you nourish yourself, how you rest, how you pace your energy, how you make sense of your symptoms — and over time, those small shifts begin to compound.

And it is that compounding effect that changes things, not in a dramatic way, but in a way that gradually reshapes the internal environment your body is working within.

So when someone tells me that something has stayed with them in that way, I do take it as a quiet compliment. Not because it means they are relying on me, but because it suggests something has integrated and become part of how they support themselves day to day.

And often, that is more than enough.

You can download my free guide, The Autoimmunity Recovery Plan, via the link in my bio if you are ready to begin making those shifts today.

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One of the things I have come to really value in clinic is the ability to step back and look for patterns.When you work ...
10/04/2026

One of the things I have come to really value in clinic is the ability to step back and look for patterns.

When you work with enough clients over time, you start to see that certain themes come up again and again, even when each case initially feels very different.
Alopecia areata is a really good example of this.

On the surface, it can feel unpredictable and frustrating, especially when regrowth doesn’t happen as quickly as you expect. But when you start to look a little deeper, there are often underlying patterns that help to explain what might be driving that immune response.

These are some of the most common ones I see.

Not as isolated causes, but as contributing factors that can, over time, create the internal environment where hair loss is more likely to occur.

And this is where the work becomes much more targeted.

Rather than focusing only on the hair itself, I’m looking at what the body is responding to, where there may be ongoing stress or imbalance, and what might be keeping the immune system in that state.

It is about gradually drilling down into those contributing factors and building a picture of what is actually going on beneath the surface.

Because when you can start to address those pieces in a structured and consistent way, you move away from guessing and towards something much more personalised and sustainable.

If your hair isn’t growing back as you expected, there is usually a reason, it just may not have been fully uncovered yet.

If this resonates, comment HAIR and I will send you my free guide on how to optimise hair growth from the root.

For a long time, I genuinely believed that improving my health meant doing more. More supplements, more restrictions, mo...
08/04/2026

For a long time, I genuinely believed that improving my health meant doing more. More supplements, more restrictions, more effort, and more focus on trying to “fix” what felt like it wasn’t working.

But if I’m honest, that approach often left me feeling more depleted than supported, and it took me a while to recognise that it wasn’t actually moving things forward in the way I had hoped.

What I’ve come to realise, both through my own experience and now working with clients, is that it is very rarely the extremes that create meaningful change. More often, it is the consistent, often quite unremarkable things that begin to shift how your body feels over time.

Learning how to slow my body down, rather than constantly pushing through, was one of the first real turning points. Alongside that, eating simple, home-cooked meals on a regular basis — not perfectly, but consistently — made a far greater difference than I expected.

There was also a point where I had to consciously begin reintroducing things that made me feel like myself again, rather than waiting until I felt “better enough” to enjoy them.

Addressing my gut health properly, rather than guessing, was another key piece, and something I see time and time again in clinic. And finally, treating sleep as something essential — not something to fit in around everything else — created a foundation that supported everything else.

If you feel like you’re doing a lot and still not seeing the progress you expected, it might not be that you need to do more. It may simply be that your body needs something different — often slower, simpler, and more consistent.

If you’re not sure where to begin, you can download The Autoimmunity Recovery Plan via the link in my bio.

For a long time, I thought my skin was something separate from everything else.That it was just something I had to manag...
03/04/2026

For a long time, I thought my skin was something separate from everything else.

That it was just something I had to manage on the surface. I remember dreading certain times of year — particularly spring and early autumn — because I almost expected my skin to flare. Psoriasis, hives, irritation… it felt predictable, but I did not understand why.

Looking back now, it makes far more sense.

The skin is not just a surface barrier — it is an active part of the immune system. And as the seasons shift, so does immune activity.

In spring, pollen rises, histamine increases, and environmental load builds. This can stimulate immune cells, including mast cells, and increase inflammatory signalling.

If the system is already under strain — through gut imbalance, barrier dysfunction, or detox overload — this added load can be enough to tip the balance.

And this is often where skin symptoms begin to flare. What I have learned, both personally and in clinic, is that skin symptoms are rarely just about the skin. They are often a reflection of what is happening across the gut, immune system, liver, and nervous system.

Which is why topical treatments alone often fall short.

A simple place to start. Before your main meal, add something bitter — rocket, watercress, or herbs with olive oil. This helps stimulate digestion and bile flow, supporting how the body processes histamine and inflammatory load. If tolerated, you could include lemon — but this is individual.

If this resonates, you do not need to manage it alone. The Spring Reset is now running inside The Autoimmune Forum. Comment SPRING and I will send you the link to join.

If you notice your symptoms tend to shift or flare as the seasons change, it is rarely random.This is something I see of...
01/04/2026

If you notice your symptoms tend to shift or flare as the seasons change, it is rarely random.

This is something I see often in clinic, but it is also something I experienced myself for many years.

One of the things I remember dreading was that every spring — and often again as we moved into autumn — I would develop a new patch. It became a pattern I almost expected, even if I did not understand it at the time.

I remember one year in particular, a close friend was getting married in the spring. She had envisioned us all wearing our hair up, and I had to explain that this was going to be difficult for me, as I had patches at the back of my head.

Luckily, she arranged an incredible hairdresser who created a style that worked beautifully — but I still remember how it felt dealing with something that seemed so unpredictable.

Looking back, I can see this was not a coincidence.

As we move into spring, environmental load increases — particularly pollen — which directly stimulates the immune system. This can activate mast cells and increase histamine and inflammatory signalling.

In those with immune dysregulation, this heightened activity can disrupt immune tolerance.

At the level of the hair follicle, this matters.

Hair follicles are normally protected by immune privilege, but under increased immune activation, this protection can break down — allowing the immune system to target the follicle.

This is one of the mechanisms behind seasonal flares in alopecia. What feels random is often a system responding to increased load — without the resilience to buffer it.

And this is where things can begin to shift.

When you support immune balance, reduce inflammatory burden, and stabilise the system, the body becomes far more adaptable to seasonal change.

If this resonates, you do not need to go through it alone.

My Spring Reset begins today inside my Autoimmune Forum — a space designed to help you reduce reactivity and feel more supported through this transition.

Comment SPRING and I will send you the link to join.

Looking ahead, there are a few things I am genuinely looking forward to sharing with you, alongside a gentle shift in fo...
31/03/2026

Looking ahead, there are a few things I am genuinely looking forward to sharing with you, alongside a gentle shift in focus as we move further into spring and towards the summer months.

Over the coming weeks, I will be placing more emphasis on skin health — particularly in relation to autoimmune conditions such as eczema and psoriasis — as well as scalp health and hair growth for those experiencing alopecia. This is something that naturally becomes more relevant at this time of year, but also an area where, in clinic, I consistently see important pieces being overlooked.

I remember this shift in season very clearly myself. When the sun started to appear, instead of embracing it, I often felt apprehensive — choosing what to wear carefully in case it revealed my psoriasis, or managing flare-ups of hives that seemed to worsen with the heat. It is something I know many of you will quietly relate to.

What is often not spoken about enough is how the changing environment can subtly influence the immune system. As pollen levels rise and histamine load increases, the immune system can become more reactive. For those already navigating autoimmune conditions, this can be enough to tip the balance — leading to flare-ups or new sensitivities.

This week, I will be sharing more on how to support your body through this transition — including a new article, a podcast episode, and this week’s Friday Five focused on reducing allergy symptoms in a practical and sustainable way.

A quick note as well — for those who tried to join the live last Tuesday, I am so sorry we had a technical issue. My phone camera and sound stopped working entirely, but that is now being resolved.

I will be going live again on Thursday at 3:30 pm with Jenn Trepeck, and hosting a bonus live on Wednesday at 7pm (UK time) with Liz Roman — it would be lovely to have you there.

And if you would like more structured support as we move into this season, my Spring Reset begins tomorrow. Message SPRING and I will send you the link to join.

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Spring is often spoken about as a time of renewal — but for many people, especially those with autoimmune conditions, it...
30/03/2026

Spring is often spoken about as a time of renewal — but for many people, especially those with autoimmune conditions, it can also feel like a subtle shift in the wrong direction.

I have seen this both clinically and personally.

As the seasons change, there is often an increase in environmental load — particularly pollen. And whilst we tend to associate this with hay fever, what is actually happening is far more nuanced.

Pollen interacts directly with the immune system. It can stimulate immune cells, increase histamine release, and in some individuals, contribute to a heightened inflammatory response. There is also emerging research suggesting that pollen exposure can influence epithelial barrier function — including the gut and respiratory lining — making the immune system more reactive overall.

So if you notice that your symptoms flare slightly at this time of year — whether that is fatigue, skin changes, digestion, or even hair shedding — it is not in your head. It is often your immune system responding to a higher total load.

This is why spring is not just a time to “push harder” with your health, but to support your body more intentionally.

I shared five simple, science-backed ways to do exactly that in this week’s episode of The Autoimmune RESET Podcast.

You can listen on your usual platform — just search “The Autoimmune RESET Podcast” on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

And if you would like to go a step further, I am running a Spring Reset throughout April inside the Autoimmune Forum, where I will be sharing daily, practical tips to help you reset your health and support your body through this seasonal shift.

Comment SPRING and I will send you the details.

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I remember when I first experienced alopecia areata, and there was a constant underlying fear that more hair would fall ...
27/03/2026

I remember when I first experienced alopecia areata, and there was a constant underlying fear that more hair would fall out. I found myself checking everything.

My jacket was often the place I noticed it most, but I would also check my bed, the shower, and even my hands after touching my hair.

Even when it began to grow back, it took time for that sense of reassurance to return. If I am honest, it was probably a year before I truly felt settled again and had any real trust in my body and in my hair growth. I wish that part had been shorter, but this is the reality that many people quietly experience.

What this taught me, both personally and now through my clinical work, is how important it is to recognise changes early. With any aspect of health, the sooner you notice that something has shifted, the sooner you can begin to understand it and support it. You also have far more information to work with at that stage, which often makes the process feel less overwhelming.

Of course, some forms of alopecia can progress quickly, particularly alopecia universalis, and that is a very different and more complex picture. But for many people, hair loss begins with more subtle changes. A little more shedding than usual, a slight change in density, or simply a sense that something does not feel quite the same.

In those moments, it is worth taking a step back and asking why. Hair loss is rarely random. It is often feedback from the body.

If you would like some guidance on supporting healthy hair growth, I have put together a free guide. Comment HAIR below and I will send it over.

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Some of the most complex cases I see are the ones where everything looks “normal” on paper, and yet the person sitting i...
25/03/2026

Some of the most complex cases I see are the ones where everything looks “normal” on paper, and yet the person sitting in front of me feels anything but.

The fatigue that doesn’t lift, the brain fog that makes simple tasks feel harder than they should, the skin, sinus, or immune symptoms that come and go without a clear pattern.

This is often where I begin to consider the role of environmental exposures, particularly mould.

Mould toxicity is something I see far more frequently than people expect, especially in those navigating autoimmune conditions and hair loss. Not because it is always the sole cause, but because it acts as a persistent, often hidden stressor on the immune system.

At a physiological level, mould can drive chronic immune activation, keeping the body in a state of heightened alert where inflammatory pathways remain switched on. Over time, this can begin to erode immune tolerance, which is a key piece of the puzzle in autoimmune conditions.

It also places an additional burden on detoxification pathways, mitochondrial function, and nutrient status, all of which are foundational for energy, resilience, and hair growth.

This is often where I see the connection to hair loss. When the body is under chronic stress, it will prioritise survival over growth, and hair is one of the first processes to be affected.

There is also a strong link between mould exposure and increased susceptibility to mast cell activation (MCAS). The immune system becomes more reactive, and things that were once tolerated can suddenly begin to provoke a response.

So if you recognise yourself in these patterns, it may not be about doing more, but looking at what your body is being exposed to.

If you’d like to understand more about the connection between mould and MCAS, and how to begin exploring this, comment MCAS below and I’ll share more information, including ways to assess mycotoxin exposure.

Sick buildings don’t just make you feel a little “off”… they can quietly drive inflammation, immune dysregulation, and l...
24/03/2026

Sick buildings don’t just make you feel a little “off”… they can quietly drive inflammation, immune dysregulation, and long-term health issues.

There’s research suggesting Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) may sit within a wider autoimmune/inflammatory response (ASIA), where environmental exposures trigger immune dysfunction.

What’s striking is the overlap.

Symptoms seen in SBS—fatigue, brain fog, headaches, respiratory issues—mirror those seen in autoimmune conditions. In fact, 9 out of 10 key symptoms overlap.

And this is something I’ve lived through. When I was recovering from autoimmune symptoms and chronic fatigue, my workplace was undergoing renovation. Almost immediately, I developed chest infections, sinus issues, and a drop in energy.

Every time I went in, my body reacted. Looking back, it was a clear trigger for flares. I was lucky to work from home most of the week—but it still impacted my health, career, and relationships.

This is why I talk about this so much now. Healing isn’t just about food or supplements—it’s also about the environment your body is trying to heal within.

If you’re dealing with:
• unexplained fatigue
• recurrent infections
• sinus issues or headaches
• flares that don’t quite make sense

…it’s worth asking whether your environment is playing a role.

Simple shifts can help:
• Air filtration (HEPA, ventilation)
• Reducing mould, VOCs, dust
• Supporting detox pathways
• Prioritising time outdoors

Your body is constantly responding to its surroundings.

It can also trigger mast cell activation (MCAS), leading to histamine reactions, skin flares, sinus issues, and sensitivities.

Comment MCAS below and I’ll send you more details.

There is a pattern I see repeatedly in clinic.People come to me doing all the right things — eating well, taking supplem...
23/03/2026

There is a pattern I see repeatedly in clinic.

People come to me doing all the right things — eating well, taking supplements, trying to manage stress — and yet their symptoms persist. The fatigue lingers, the inflammation continues to percolate, and progress feels frustratingly slow.

And often, the missing piece is this: metabolic function.

Not metabolism in the sense we’ve been taught to think about it — calories in, calories out — but metabolism at a cellular level. The ability of your body to produce energy efficiently, to regulate inflammation appropriately, and to repair and regenerate as it should.

Because without energy, healing cannot take place.

Mitochondria require nutrients. Immune cells require fuel. Antioxidant systems require support. And when these systems are under-resourced — whether through nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, gut dysfunction, or ongoing immune activation — we begin to see a cascade of symptoms that can feel disconnected, but are often deeply intertwined.

Fatigue. Brain fog. Hair loss. Hormonal shifts. Inflammation.

They are not random. They are often reflective of underlying metabolic strain.
This is what Jenn and I will be exploring in tomorrow’s live — how metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress interconnect, and why supporting these pathways can be a pivotal step in moving forward.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but not seeing the progress you expected, this conversation will bring a different lens.

Join us live tomorrow on Instagram at 3.30 pm UK time, 11.30 am ET.

And if you have a question you’d like us to cover, leave it below — we’ll be answering them during the session.

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Integrated Health: Health, Nutrition and Humanity

I have always had a interest in health and nutrition which probably started when I was young as my Mum was conscious about eating healthy food and trained as a nurse when I was a child, so I was familiar with illness and disease, and the fact that a good diet and a healthy lifestyle could help support these conditions.

I went on to study a BSc Honours Degree in Biochemistry and Immunology where I focused my studies on Vasculitis, an autoimmune disease which affects the vessels in the body causing inflammation and systemic damage in the body – it’s a tragic condition and made my passion to help people live a healthier life more intent.

In my early twenties, my brother discovered after a short illness that he had Multiple Sclerosis – it was a scary time as a family, but luckily my previous studies helped us understand what this strange illness was and ways to try to manage the symptoms. 12 years on, my brother still struggles with his illness, but he has managed to stay strong both physically and mentally since his diagnosis and is an inspiration to me everyday.

I was then engulfed by the corporate world for the next 12 years, as a Chartered Accountant, but I always stayed in touch with the science and health industry attending events on autoimmune disease, cancer, heart health, medicinal mushrooms and many more…