I'm VJ, and I am a Nutritionist and Autoimmune Disease Expert.
05/08/2025
Over the years, I’ve reviewed hundreds of stool test results in clinic — and certain bacteria keep showing up again and again in people with autoimmune conditions.
When I went back and looked at my own old results from years ago, the same bacteria were in my gut too. And now? They’ve all gone. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
Some of these species are linked to autoimmune conditions because of molecular mimicry — where bacterial proteins look so similar to our own tissues that the immune system starts attacking both.
Others contribute to gut barrier damage (leaky gut), which allows more bacterial fragments and food particles into the bloodstream. This keeps the immune system in a state of constant alert — and in those with a genetic predisposition, it can tip the balance into autoimmunity.
The good news? If you identify these bacteria, there are targeted things you can do to reduce their numbers, rebalance the microbiome, and calm immune reactivity.
This isn’t about killing off “bad” bacteria completely — it’s about creating the right balance so your immune system can get back to doing its job properly.
If you’d like to know how to test for these bacteria — and how to start rebalancing your gut — comment BACTERIA below and I’ll send you my starter roadmap.
04/08/2025
The overlooked signs of candida overgrowth
(and why it might be more relevant to autoimmunity than you think)
Candida is often misunderstood. It’s not just about thrush, sugar cravings, or white-coated tongues.
In clinic, I see it show up in much more subtle — and systemic — ways: bloating, brain fog, itchy skin or ears, mood swings, fatigue that lingers, and flare-ups that don’t quite add up.
For those navigating autoimmune conditions, candida overgrowth is especially relevant.
When your immune system is already dysregulated, the gut becomes more vulnerable — and candida, which normally lives in small amounts in a balanced microbiome, can begin to take over.
It’s opportunistic. And when gut defences are low (post-antibiotics, high stress, steroid use, low stomach acid), candida can grow, release toxins, and contribute to more inflammation — which only fuels the autoimmune fire.
It’s one of those things that doesn’t always scream. Sometimes it whispers:
A white tongue. Strong wine or sugar cravings. Waking between 2–4am. Feeling puffy. Tingling. Hormonal flare-ups. Crashing after fermented foods. Brittle nails or fungal toenails. It all starts to make sense when you look at the bigger picture.
This is why I often run organic acid testing (like Metabolomix) and stool analysis (like the GI Effects) to check for yeast metabolites, dysbiosis, inflammation, and gut resilience markers.
The goal isn’t just to “kill the yeast” — it’s to create an environment where balance is restored and the immune system can calm down again.
📩 If any of this sounds familiar, message me candida and I’ll send you more details on how we assess and support it step by step — especially in the context of autoimmune health.
01/08/2025
Welcome to August.
For many of us, this is a month of mixed energy—part rest, part preparation. The pace might slow with holidays, family time, or long summer evenings... but there’s also that quiet sense of transition, a whisper that change is coming.
Whether you’re travelling, resetting routines, or simply taking a breath between chapters, August offers space. Not for pressure or perfection—but for tuning in to what your body truly needs right now.
This month inside The Autoimmune Forum, we’ll be focusing on:
– How to increase protein and amino acid intake to support immune resilience, energy, and repair—especially when digestion has taken a hit
– Spotlighting Psoriasis Action Month and sharing root-cause approaches to both skin and joint symptoms (including psoriatic arthritis)
– Sharing insights from my own clinical experience supporting hair regrowth in both children and adults with alopecia
– A special live Q&A on how to get started again—gently—if you’ve fallen out of rhythm with your health goals (join me Wednesday 27 August at 12:45pm UK)
On a personal note, I’m deep into training for my half marathon with SRUK ()—a cause that means the world to me—and also making space for joy. This month I’ll be seeing both Oasis and Mariah Carey, which feels like complete nostalgia from very different ends of the spectrum. But both remind me that joy is part of healing too.
And if you’re not feeling the pull to “reset” right now, that’s okay. You’re allowed to be still. You’re allowed to rest. This season is not just about doing more—it’s about doing what matters, and letting the rest wait.
💬 I’d love to know—what’s one thing you’re returning to or reclaiming this month?
30/07/2025
You’re eating enough protein… but is your body actually using it? 🧬
When it comes to autoimmune health, simply counting grams of protein isn’t enough. What really matters is your body’s ability to break that protein down, absorb the amino acids, and convert them into the raw materials it needs for healing, repair, and immune balance.
This process—protein synthesis—depends on far more than your daily intake. It relies on:
• Strong stomach acid and enzyme activity
• Key cofactors like B6, zinc, magnesium, and folate
• Low inflammation and oxidative stress
• And of course, the right types of protein
Even with a high-protein diet, I often see signs of low availability in clients with autoimmune issues:
• Ongoing fatigue
• Slow recovery from exercise
• Gut lining dysfunction
• Hair loss, brittle nails, or poor skin repair
• Increased infections or chronic inflammation
If your digestion is impaired—or your immune system is constantly on high alert—you may be using up amino acids faster than you can replace them.
In today’s post, I’m breaking down why protein isn’t just “one thing” and how this matters in autoimmunity. I’m also highlighting five essential amino acids I look at in testing, and why they’re so important for immune regulation, gut health, detox, and energy.
If you’d like to know which types of protein powders I recommend—or how to check your amino acid levels—send me a DM with the word PROTEIN and I’ll point you in the right direction.
The right protein, in the right form, with the right support—that’s when it really makes a difference.
28/07/2025
🏃🏻♀️ Running the Royal Parks Half for SRUK | 12 October
I’ve just started training—and 10k already felt like a slog.
Running doesn’t come easy to me, but I’m seeing it as a privilege. A privilege that my body can move, breathe, and keep going—even when it feels hard.
I’m running for SRUK ()—a small but vital charity supporting people living with Scleroderma and Raynaud’s. These are autoimmune conditions that most people have never heard of—but they can completely change someone’s life.
Scleroderma is not just “tight skin.”
It can scar the lungs, harden the blood vessels, damage the gut lining, affect swallowing, and cause relentless pain, fatigue, and sensitivity to cold. It’s an illness that often hides in plain sight—an invisible condition that’s misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and massively underfunded.
I work with many clients who are affected by scleroderma and Raynaud’s. Some are young, some are navigating flares while working full-time or raising families. All of them are incredibly strong—but they shouldn’t have to go through it unsupported.
So I’m running this half-marathon to raise awareness, raise funds, and honour the people who live with these conditions every day.
If you’re able to support, you can donate here:
👉 justgiving.com/page/vj-hamilton
Over the next couple of months, I’ll share how I’m fuelling my training, managing recovery, and staying motivated when it gets tough. Because I believe in the power of small steps to create big change.
Every bit of support helps—thank you.
25/07/2025
You can do all the “right” things—clean diet, targeted supplements, regular movement—and still feel inflamed, puffy, or reactive.
One piece that’s often missing in these cases?
Lymphatic flow.
Your lymphatic system is your body’s drainage network. It clears out waste, toxins, and inflammatory byproducts—but it doesn’t have a pump like your heart does. It relies on movement, hydration, breath, and nervous system balance to keep things flowing.
When the lymph becomes stagnant, your body struggles to clear what it’s reacting to—and that’s when you feel heavy, puffy, foggy, or stuck in a flare.
In clinic, I often see sluggish lymph contributing to autoimmune flares, histamine sensitivity, detox reactions, and gut-brain-skin issues. It’s especially relevant in clients with connective tissue disorders like EDS, where the vessels themselves may lack tone or elasticity.
Supporting lymph flow isn’t just about detox—it’s about restoring balance and flow across your whole immune system.
If you’ve been doing everything right but still feel off, it might not be about more—it might be about moving what’s already there.
📩 Message me “lymph” if this resonates and you’d like to explore support
📥 Or download The Autoimmunity Recovery Plan via the link in bio to start supporting your drainage and immune pathways today.
23/07/2025
When I worked in corporate, I used to push through everything.
I’d wake up with brain fog, sore joints, an eczema patch on my arm—and I’d tell myself, “Just get on with it.” I thought I could outwork the signs. I’d numb the fatigue with caffeine, push through the pain, ignore the flares… until I crashed.
And when you crash, it’s already too late. You’re too exhausted to make decisions, too inflamed to eat well, and too wired to rest.
That’s why I created a flare toolkit. Something I could lean on the moment I felt things slipping. Not a long list of to-dos, just simple actions that bring my body back into balance.
Now I haven’t had a full autoimmune flare in over 9 years. And I want the same for you.
Your toolkit might include:
– One or two calming supplements
– A meal you know helps bring inflammation down
– What to pause (like fasting or training)
– A simple sleep and rest reset
– A reminder that this is your body trying to protect you—not punish you
Today at 12:45pm UK time, I’m going live to walk you through this.
No fluff, just the practical things that work—for me, and for my clients.
📍 Live in The Autoimmune Forum (www.theautoimmuneforum.com)
🗓 Wednesday 23rd July
⏰ 12:45pm UK
If you’re tired of riding the flare rollercoaster, join me. We’ll build your toolkit together.
22/07/2025
Autoimmune but flare-free? It is possible — and I’m going live tomorrow to share how.
When I was first diagnosed with an autoimmune condition, I was told there was no cure. And that’s true — there isn’t. But what I’ve learned over the past decade is that there is a way to prevent flares and live symptom-free.
I haven’t had a full-blown flare in over 9 years. That’s not by chance. It’s because I’ve built a toolkit — one that helps me recognise early warning signs, take targeted action, and create an environment where my immune system feels safe. And this is exactly what I now support my clients with too.
If you’ve ever felt that moment of, “something’s coming, but I don’t know what to do,” or you’re constantly riding the rollercoaster of flares and recovery — this Q&A is for you.
🗓 Tuesday 23rd July
⏰ 12:45pm UK time
📍 Live in The Autoimmune Forum
I’ll be sharing:
— Why “no cure” doesn’t mean no control
— How I personally stay flare-free, even under stress or during travel
— What to include in a flare toolkit, and how to tailor it to you
— The key signs that a flare is coming (and what to do in that moment)
— How I help my clients build immune resilience, one step at a time
There will also be space to ask your questions live — whether you’re dealing with fatigue, eczema, thyroid flares, gut symptoms or food reactivity — bring them along.
This is a practical session. No fluff. Just the strategies that actually work.
If you can’t make it live, the replay will be available for 24 hours.
Hope to see you there.
21/07/2025
In clinic, I work with so many people who’ve been told their symptoms are “just anxiety,” “just hormones,” or “just stress.”
But when we start to piece things together — dizziness on standing, heart racing after meals, overwhelming fatigue — it often leads back to POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome).
POTS is a type of dysautonomia, where the nervous system struggles to regulate blood flow properly. It affects people of all genders and ages — often emerging after a virus, prolonged stress, pregnancy, mould exposure, or as part of a wider autoimmune or inflammatory picture.
What I often see is a body stuck in survival mode: fluctuating blood pressure, a heart that overreacts to the smallest triggers, and a nervous system that’s constantly on edge.
The signs can be subtle, scattered, and easy to miss — which is why many people go years without a diagnosis.
💉 Even blood tests can offer clues — like low ferritin, low total protein or sodium, or borderline low cortisol. Sometimes we also see high potassium, not due to excess intake, but because of low blood volume or adrenal dysfunction. When fluid levels drop, potassium can become concentrated — another piece of the puzzle pointing toward dysautonomia.
The good news?
Once we understand what’s going on, we can take steps to:
~ Increase blood volume and circulation
~ Calm the stress response
~ Support mitochondrial energy
~ Reduce immune and histamine reactivity
~ Rebuild the body’s resilience over time
📩 Message me POTS and I’ll send you how we test for it — and what support strategies I use to help clients feel steady, energised, and safe in their body again.
18/07/2025
“I’ve tried everything for my autoimmune condition… why am I still flaring?”
This is something I hear often in clinic — and it’s completely valid.
Because what most people are told is: “It’s your immune system. We need to calm it down.” But here’s the thing... your immune system doesn’t just “go rogue” on its own.
It’s reacting to something.
Often, the real issue lies upstream — in systems that support and regulate immune function:
→ The gut barrier that keeps unwanted proteins and microbes out
→ The lymphatic system that clears immune waste
→ Detox pathways that process hormones, toxins, and histamine
→ The microbiome that trains your immune cells
→ The nervous system that signals whether your body is safe or under threat
When one or more of these systems are under stress, the immune system gets confused — and autoimmunity can take hold.
This is why true healing isn’t about “suppressing” the immune response.
It’s about asking: why is the immune system so reactive in the first place?
In clinic, this is the lens I bring to every case — whether it’s Hashimoto’s, psoriasis, alopecia, or inflammatory arthritis.
And I’ve seen time and time again: when we support these foundational systems, the immune system calms down on its own.
Curious to know which systems might be driving your flares or fatigue?
Comment SYSTEMS below and I’ll send you a simple breakdown with practical steps to start supporting your body from the inside out.
15/07/2025
What’s your health focus this month?
Maybe you're tuning into your gut health, shifting your diet, or supporting your energy more intentionally — whatever it is, checking in regularly with your body is one of the best ways to stay flare-free and resilient.
This month, I'm focusing on gut barrier support after a recent test showed raised oxalic acid. That means low oxalate eating, citrate minerals to support detox pathways, and daily Nurosym sessions. My HRV has shot up and my sleep has been amazing — a reminder that small shifts can have a big impact.
Gut barrier support is something I come back to again and again in my clinic — it’s foundational for anyone with an autoimmune condition. When that barrier weakens, it can drive immune reactivity, food sensitivity, and systemic inflammation. And if oxalic acid is high, that irritation and stress on the gut lining can be even greater.
I’m also training for a half marathon in October with 🏃♀️ — so adrenal and joint support are on the menu too, alongside slow-cooked meats (great cold in summer!). These are rich in collagen, glycine, and amino acids that help repair the gut lining, support joints, and are gentle on digestion — a win-win for energy, recovery, and inflammation.
Are you proactively checking in with your health — or waiting until symptoms speak up?
Tell me one thing you’re focusing on for your health right now 👇
09/07/2025
There was a time when joint pain made even the smallest tasks feel impossible.
I struggled to open doors, couldn’t do weight-bearing exercises, and developed ganglions on my wrists. My body felt inflamed, stiff, and unpredictable.
That’s when everything changed.
I started eating real, whole foods.
I worked on my gut health.
And I discovered the incredible benefits of collagen—but not just any collagen.
💡 I learned that different types work in very different ways:
→ Type II collagen helps modulate the immune system in autoimmune joint conditions
→ Hydrolysed collagen peptides help rebuild and repair cartilage
→ Gelatin has its place, but it’s not a clinical tool on its own
This knowledge—and experience—shaped how I now support my clients with joint pain, autoimmune arthritis, and connective tissue issues.
You deserve this info too.
💬 Comment "collagen" and I’ll send over the exact practitioner-grade products I use in clinic for joint support and recovery.
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to VJ Hamilton: The Autoimmunity Nutritionist:
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…
Over the last couple of years I have rerouted my career and trained as a Nutritionist, Pilates instructor, and health writer – all the things I love.
I studied a DipION (diploma) in Nutritional Therapy at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in Richmond, London and I have completed the Comprehensive Pilates on the mat, reformer, ladder barrel, trapeze table and the Pilates chair at Polestar Pilates. I also write articles for Thrive Magazine on a regular basis as well as being a part of their team as a Thrive Expert. And I am a Dnalife Practitioner which gives me the tools to understand someone’s underlying genetic profile and the interactions these have with the environment (epigenetics).
Health, Nutrition and Humanity
My aim is to try and find solutions for those suffering with health issues, with a particular focus on autoimmune conditions, but so many illnesses including blood sugar regulation, weight management, gut issues and circulation have similar underlying causes. I would like to provide information, aspirations and other options to those who are not at their best – we can achieve better health with improvements to our diet and lifestyle, we just need to change our priorities and often perspective with some advice and coaching, we can all get there.
I also believe in movement, core stability and body alignment to help our bodies function properly which is so often overlooked. Our body is an energy system, communicating through nerve signals, so we need to ensure our pathways are free and aligned, and that our muscles are apportioned to support our skeletal system so that our bones stay strong and our nerves stay comfortable.
With an integrated health solution you can be the person you were meant to be in life – and my hope is to help those who are struggling get to where they would like to be in life whilst enjoying the experience of getting there.
