We map a clear path from medical leave to meaningful work, sharing the five-stage Career and Chronic framework and the skills that turn lived experience into authentic leadership. Practical scripts, capacity tools, and boundary strategies make work humane and sustainable.

• What career means when health reshapes life
• The five stages: off-ramp, on-ramp, the new, test and redesign, authentic leadership
• Emotional skills for the bed-based phase
• Boundaries without apology or battle
• Baseline versus optimal capacity and how to communicate both
• Reducing emotional labour at work and home
• Why these skills create trusted, empathetic leaders
• The chronic economy and the future of human capacity at work

Links:

Our previous episode - the emotional map: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1835170/episodes/13541520

Connect with Michelle:

http://careerandchronicillness.com/

https://www.chronicillnessatwork.com/

Career and Chronic Map: https://www.careerandchronic.com/career-map

The Cocoon (when not working): https://www.careerandchronic.com/the-cocoon

Work & Leadership Series https://www.careerandchronic.com/chronicleadership (Feb 2026)

Ambition Program (discussed in episode) https://www.careerandchronic.com/ambition

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

www.LongCovidPodcast.com
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I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

I sit down with Lily Spechler, a registered dietitian and long hauler, to unpack why weight change in Long Covid is a metabolic story, not a willpower issue. We map a safer path: fuel first, stabilise blood sugar and blood flow, then make tiny adjustments that your body can tolerate.

• Adding 10–15% above BMR to halt weight gain and calm stress signals
• Glucose spikes from standing and why compression and electrolytes help
• Why cutting calories can worsen dysautonomia and fatigue
• Protein-forward plates with modest carbs to flatten swings
• When weight loss is medically useful in MCAS, hypermobility and sleep apnoea
• Stabilise first, then small deficits from added calories
• Safe strategies for unintentional weight loss using high calorie, low volume foods
• Using CGMs to link symptoms to glucose patterns
• Practical supports: salt, fluids, compression, pacing and low histamine choices

Links:

Connect with Lily: https://www.longcoviddietitian.com/services-5

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

www.LongCovidPodcast.com
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I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

Welcome to a milestone episode! In the 200th episode of the Long Covid Podcast, Jackie Baxter rings in 2026 by sharing personal reflections on the journey so far and the evolution of the podcast from its origins during her own recovery from Long Covid.

Jackie explores:

• Lessons learned from recovery, including resilience, adapting to life’s unpredictability, and the importance of grace in setbacks.
• The difference between goals and intentions, with practical, science-backed advice on setting gentle, adaptable intentions to support healing and emotional well-being.
• A guided exercise to help you set your own intention for the day, with tips on grounding your intention and celebrating even small shifts.
• Gratitude for the vibrant community of listeners, guests, and supporters who have accompanied the podcast on this journey.

Plus:

• Jackie discusses the science behind intentions—how they can help filter what matters, regulate emotions, and encourage sustainable habits.
• She encourages listeners to reflect on and share their own intentions for the new year.

Action Items:

• Be sure to check the links below for free Insight Timer tracks for intention setting.
• Stay tuned for more inspiring guests and stories in upcoming episodes.

Thank you for being part of this journey! I wish you all a gentle January and a joyful 2026.

Connect:

• Share your intentions or feedback by commenting on social media, sending fan mail, or emailing via the links below.

Links:

• Setting an Intention for Healing (nature sounds): https://insig.ht/HtxqFUsWTZb
• Setting an Intention for Healing - shorter version with music): https://insig.ht/fcqF48xWTZb
• Quick intention setting (with gentle music): https://insig.ht/dPxkBUlWTZb

Subscribe for weekly episodes and join our community of support, learning, and shared humanity.

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook Instagram Twitter
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

Creativity doesn’t just reflect our lives; it reshapes them when everything else feels fixed. I close the year by handing the mic to artists, writers, and makers whose work was forged in the long shadow of Long Covid & ME/CFS —and whose voices light the way forward.

If you’ve been searching for proof that small creative acts matter, this collection is your sign. If a line, chord, or colour stayed with you, let me know which moment moved you most.

If you'd like to be part of next year's episode, get in touch!

Links:

Website Creativity Page

Join "Long Covid & ME/CFS Healing through Creativity" FB group

Kirsten Mallyon Website Substack Insta & FB

Fiona Lehn Website

Mateo - "Covid is Stoopid"

Long Covid Kids Choir Rollercoaster video

Paula Insta

Jasmine Laws Portfolio & Opening Extract

Gerben's documentary about grief & song video

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook Instagram Twitter
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

We go from theory to practice on beliefs and recovery, building a daily framework that protects mindset, reduces flare spirals, and turns small wins into lasting change. Practical tools include proof journaling, identity shifts, nervous system regulation, and curating what you let in.

• building a symptom and activity proof journal
• reframing setbacks as feedback not failure
• identity-based habits to support healing
• managing physiology first with breath
• countering nocebo and fear narratives
• curating social media and inputs
• progress not perfection through tiny choices
• making recovery actions feel good to repeat
• faster bouncebacks and long-term resilience

Part 1 of this discussion is HERE

Links:

CFS Recovery Stories: https://cfsunravelled.com/me-cfs-recovery-stories-patient-me-cfs-stories-with-a-difference/

ANS REWIRE Free Lessons: https://ansrewire.com/info-request/

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook Instagram Twitter
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

We explore how belief shapes behaviour, attention, and recovery in Long Covid and ME/CFS, separating grounded acceptance from resignation and linking science to daily choices. Stories, evidence, and small wins show why consistency and self‑compassion matter more than intensity.

• defining belief as evidence‑based stance that drives action
• antibiotics, diabetes, and stroke rehab as clear analogies
• neuroplasticity explained in plain terms
• acceptance for now versus resignation forever
• how negative narratives limit progress
• three layers of proof: rational, social, personal
• noticing micro‑wins via the brain’s filtering
• consistency over intensity in daily practices
• self‑compassion for missed days and resets
• teaser for part two on practical belief‑building

Listen to part 2 of this discussion HERE

Links:

CFS Recovery Stories: https://cfsunravelled.com/me-cfs-recovery-stories-patient-me-cfs-stories-with-a-difference/

ANS REWIRE Free Lessons: https://ansrewire.com/info-request/

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook Instagram Twitter
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

I'm joined today by Edmarie Guzman-Velez & Rudy Tanzi as we dig into a clinical trial of nicotinamide riboside for Long Covid, why NAD matters for cellular energy, and where the results show promise for fatigue, sleep, mood, and executive function. We share what worked, what did not, and the next steps.

• Overview of NAD, mitochondria, and energy in brain and immune cells
• Why Covid may deplete NAD and how NR restores it
• Trial design using intra-individual crossover with placebo run-in
• Dosing at 2,000 mg NR daily under IRB oversight
• Serial NAD blood measurements confirming a threefold rise
• Outcomes on fatigue, sleep quality, depressive symptoms, executive function
• Limits of small samples and reinfection attrition
• Safety, label guidance, and medical supervision for supplements
• Plans for biomarkers of inflammation and activity data from wearables
• Future research on symptom clusters, sex differences, and combinations

Links:

Full paper available HERE

More about Niagen Bioscience

Dr. Tanzi is paid consultant for, and equity holder in Niagen Biosciences.

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook Instagram Twitter
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

I am joined by Katie Brennan & Andrea Henkel Burke to share Katie’s Long Covid recovery, how nervous system work unlocked capacity, and why an Olympian’s playbook of pacing, breath, joint maps and cognitive drills can fit chronic illness. The theme is small, smart inputs that prevent crashes and build a stronger baseline.

• early symptoms, second infection and severe brain fog
• switching from push-through to deliberate pacing
• vagus nerve, breath and eye movement drills
• athlete mindset applied to recovery
• gentle mobility plus cognitive tasks for safer gains
• stacking tiny wins to raise baseline capacity
• diet shifts for gut health and lower inflammation
• redefining recovery through daily function and humour
• practical advice to start small and self-assess

Connect with Katie & Andrea:

ThriveNinety Website: www.thriveninety.com

Recovery Kitchen Essentials book: https://www.thriveninety.com/recovery-kitchen

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook Instagram Twitter
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**