Meet Lora Winseman | Autoimmune Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lora Winseman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lora, how does your business help the community?
Never in a million years did I think that when I first started posting pictures of the food I was eating to help manage my autoimmune disorder, that it would turn into what it is today. Exploring Autoimmune on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok is all about exploring the autoimmune life the way I LOVE to explore the outdoors. With curiosity and determination, we can reach new heights. I have now reached over 38k (on Instagram) people in the world. Creating a supportive online community for people with autoimmune disorders through relatable, humorous content. Living with an autoimmune condition can feel really isolating, so I focus on making my friends (followers) feel seen and understood through sharing my own experiences and challenges. Inspiring them along the way, that they too can get back to where they used to be and in some cases thrive to levels higher than pre diagnosis. I use humor to tackle tough topics and share practical tips about nutrition and movement in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming. Plus, I connect my community with other helpful resources and content creators who can offer additional support and relief strategies. At the end of the day, my work is all about helping people feel less alone in their health journey while giving them tools to feel better – all with a good ol’ dose of humor along the way to keep it light!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m definitely a right sided brain kinda girl. Ever since I was little I’ve used creativity and my emotional intelligence to navigate my way through life. When the door opened for me to be an Autoimmune Content Creator, my creative brain lit up like the 4th of July. Being able to use my creativity to make those living with autoimmune challenges laugh about our struggles, gives meaning and purpose behind my very own pain. Many other autoimmune content creators are very serious about the information/content they are sharing. This is a great tool for me and many others, however, sometimes we need to lighten the load by finding the humor in it. It can all be so heavy.

When I started my Instagram account back in 2019, I had no idea what I was doing. I’m not really sure what inspired me to start posting but one day I just started. In the beginning it was just photos of the food I was eating to help manage my autoimmune disorder. I would share in my stories how I made the meal and I also shared other things I was doing to manage my Rheumatoid Arthritis. Then, reels came along and I very quickly realized that I was a natural when it came to lip syncing. Who knew lip syncing would be my hidden talent? Definitely not me. As time went on my creativity started to thrive. I began creating my own skits and original content. I’ve continued to share my journey with diet, movement, mindset and so much more in my stories, always making sure that I am being vulnerable, honest and my weird quirky self. Often times Instagram is full of perfection. Perfect houses, lives, routines…that’s not reality. I encourage my friends to put down the measuring stick, try your best and give yourself grace when you don’t have the space to give any more.

Prior to starting my account, I had zero experience with social media, digital marketing or website building. As I started to make more and more content, my account started growing at a rapid rate. Brands started to reach out, DM’s started filling up and my technologically impaired, ADHD brain was struggling to keep up with it all.

I definitely did not get to where I am on this journey alone. I quickly found out that Google, Canva and Chat GPT are my new best friends. I’ve also made some other really good friends on Instagram that have helped me navigate this overwhelming journey. There are three people that come to mind when I think of the mentorship I received while creating this account. Without these three people I would be months if not years behind where I currently am. Thank the good Lord above for sending these three people my way. Leah @lymphloveclub, April @thesarcasticcookblog and Laura @lovecheflaura. These three ladies have helped me more than they will ever know. They taught me all the behind the scenes things like media kits, white listing, UGC, how to reach out to brands, build a website, community, what programs to use, how to create certain content – the list goes on. Yes, you can find most of this stuff online but my brain gets overwhelmed very easily and sometimes, I just need the voice of a real person to walk me through it. They’ve held my hand, guided me and not once has any of them ever made me feel like I was less than because I didn’t know something. In turn I am now able to help others with this information and boy does that feel good. I’ve created friendships with all three of these ladies (I’ve even gone on vacation with one of them, Hi Laura!) and hope to give the other two a hug in person to thank them someday.

With the help of these ladies, I have some exciting things coming in the near future with Exploring Autoimmune. I’m in the process of creating a website where it will be a one stop shop for all autoimmuners. A resource hub for recipes, podcasts, books, blogs, community and merch. The community membership will consist of a space where autoimmuners can connect with other autoimmuners to set and reach their goals together. A lot of us, when first diagnosed, know that there are changes we could make that would lessen our symptoms but getting there is hard. This will be a space where we can navigate it together with solid support. We will have monthly guest speakers that will teach us modalities of how to lessen our symptoms, a book club and weekly meetups/check-ins. I’m basically creating what I wish I would have had in the beginning of my journey and I couldn’t be more excited to offer this to the world.

A podcast is also something that is slowly in the works. When I was first diagnosed, I couldn’t stop absorbing information from the Podcast Phoenix Helix (check it out if you haven’t). Eileen Laird hosts this amazing podcast and dives deep on any and everything you could possibly think of when it comes to an autoimmune disease. I was devastated when I found out she was retiring from her podcast. It did inspire me though. What if I started my OWN podcast that was similar in the fact that it will educate/inspire people on ways they can navigate their journey, but with my Lora flair. This means: easily digestible information, humor and most definitely, probably, an eff bomb. Sorry mom.

Last but not least, something else that will eventually happen with Exploring Autoimmune (much later down the road) is a very big dream of mine coming to fruition – writing a book. A book that will make you both laugh and cry. A book that will inspire resilience. A book that will hopefully, transform lives. It will take time to create all of this though, but know that it is all coming!

Through all of this, I have learned to give myself grace and harness a hefty amount of patience. We live in a world of instant gratification. Meals immediately in front of your face, AI pumping out emails in 10 seconds, weight loss medications helping you drop weight in months instead of years, 3 second reels and you’re on to the next one. If I have learned one thing while on this journey it’s that things take time….like a lot of time, like a REALLY long time. Rarely does anything good come immediately without a negative side effect.

While you are navigating through that time and space, on your way to your goals you’re going to mess up. No living being is perfect and it’s just a part of the process. In the beginning, I used to beat myself up constantly, reaching for perfection. “Why can’t you do this, other people can” “You’re not trying hard enough”. So many negative things I would tell myself. None of which were true. The thing is, life isn’t linear. We are all in different spaces of life. Some of us have kids, some don’t. Some of us have money, some of us don’t. Some of us are limited in our capabilities and some of us aren’t. Put down the measuring stick. We need to learn to give ourselves grace during our times of transition and know that most things are happening, just as they should. Sounds cliche but, trust the process. You are exactly where you need to be and you’re doing great. Promise.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ugh. The dream. To have one of my besties (most of mine live out of town) come visit me and have a week long vacation/staycation! This has actually happened for me so I know exactly what we would do and where I would take them!

Because of my autoimmune condition my vacations/staycations often look different these days versus what they used to look like. In my past it would be night after night of going out, having drinks and dancing, some activities, sleeping in and lounging. While that still can be fun from time to time, I prefer a vacation of good sleep, food, movement, meaningful conversations, a large dose of pampering/relaxation with a splash of “fun” or naughtiness to keep the balance in life.

If it were here in the Denver area the days would look something like this: The day would start by taking my dog for walk in my neighborhood, talking about life as we know it. Meaningful conversations are a crucial part of my growth and I just love them. They often leave me feeling refreshed and inspired! Next we would head back to my house where I would make us some homemade breakfast, if I hadn’t already fallen too far off my diet, a trip to Get Rights Bakery would be in the itinerary. Next up would be some sort of movement or activity! A hike possibly – my go-to hikes in the Denver area are North Table Mountain (great quick hike that’s a booty burner) or Chief Mountain that’s right outside of Denver near Evergreen. This hike makes you feel like you’re on top of a 14’er but it only takes 3 hours instead of eight! If it’s summer time we might head over to Bear Creek/Soda Lake for some kayaking, with my dog Dallas riding along too! A massage at my favorite hole in the wall massage parlor, Miracle Touch & Reflexology could definitely happen. This is by no means a fancy spa experience but they give great massages and you can’t beat the price! A power nap would take place (my autoimmune self needs these for my brain and my feet). As for lunch/dinner we would definitely be hitting up some good, healthy and clean food. Nurture or Root Down are two of my favorites for this. If I’m feeling a little “naughty” my restaurants would be The Golden Mill, Benny Blancos Pizza or Lady Nomada for some Mexican. If I were feeling up to it, a stop at my favorite brewery would take place, New Terrain. Beautiful mountain views, laid back environment and the service is always great and friendly! They are also dog friendly so that makes my animal loving heart happy!

If we traveled outside of Denver but still in Colorado, my no fail, always a good, relaxing time, would take place in Buena Vista. The morning would start with a coffee/breakfast stop at The Blend at Buena Vista coffee shop (their lavender latte in amazeballs). Next up, a walk along the Arkansas River, near the Surf Hotel (I’ve stayed there and it’s my favorite place to stay FYI) or a hike up Agnes Vaille Waterfall trail. Mt. Princeton Hot Springs would be next on the list. It’s the perfect place to unwind with their amazing hot springs. The creekside hot spring (not available in the spring because of the water levels) and the infinity pool are my favorite up there. If it’s in the budget, a massage would be taking place in the middle of our soaking time. After we are all done soaking, we would head back into town for some good food. You really can’t go wrong with food in Buena Vista but some of my favorites are Simple Eatery, The Buena Viking and Wesley & Rose. With its breathtaking views, relaxation, good food, slow paced vibe and close proximity – Buena Vista is a 10 out of 10 in my book.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When I was first diagnosed with my autoimmune condition (Rheumatoid Arthritis) it felt like I was in the pits of hell, surrounded by lava with no ground to stand on. It was awful. Today, I am thriving, my mental and physical strength is stronger than it’s ever been and I have now created an account that is inspiring others living with an autoimmune disorder to take their dumpster fire and turn it into a cozy campfire. I always tell my friends on Instagram – there is no one thing that you can do or take that will get you feeling your best, it’s a combination of many things.

Just like an autoimmune journey, there is no one thing or person that has gotten me to where I am today in my health or in my career. But I will say that there is one thing and many people that have made a transformative impact on my journey. I know without a doubt I wouldn’t be where I am today, without having them in my life. Let’s give them a little shoutout, shall we?

First, is my family and friends. Surrounded by an autoimmune community on Instagram, I know that having support from your family and friends isn’t always the case. There are many people out there that struggle to find support within their family and friends and it’s heartbreaking. The people closest to you, the ones that should hold you through everything are often the ones that doubt your honesty, get tired of your emotions and simply put, can’t handle the daily life of someone trying to navigate their way out of their autoimmune pain. I feel deeply for these people. Because I know that you can hold two things at the same time (feeling heartache for them but fortunate for myself) it also leaves me feeling very grateful that my friends and family have always been the foundation of my autoimmune pillar. They’ve answered every phone call, wiped away every year, encouraged and inspired me when I was at my lowest, went to doctors appointments with me, they’ve done it all and I can’t thank them enough. There’s too many names to name but if you’re reading this – you know who you are. Thank you. I love you and am so grateful for your support through all of this.

Second would be a book called The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. This book changed and continues to change my life. I need to preface this with – everyone’s autoimmune journey is different because everyone’s bio individuality is different. What works for one person, may not work for another because our genetic makeup is all so different. To my knowledge, in a simple form you either have the autoimmune gene or you don’t and if you have it (passed down from one of your ancestors, thanks a bunch) like a hormonal teenager, that sucker can get triggered and turn in to a loose cannon. Intuitively, I know what got me into my autoimmune pickle. I was living a destructive life – staying up late, drinking too much, eating crappy foods and barely moving my body. I had severe past trauma that I had never dealt with and I was also under an extreme amount of stress from work, literally crying every day. My nervous system was shot and my fight or flight was in turbo boost mode ready to fire at any given moment. It was the perfect shit storm.

Now that you know that, here’s how this book has been such a game changer for me. That book took my life from a life of chaos to a life filled with new goals, habits, consistency and order. Prior to reading that book, I often felt out of control with my life, always knowing where I wanted to be but never able to actually get there. My life was filled with guilt and shame. Changing all of those things was crucial to me living my best life with my Rheumatoid Arthritis. The book gave me all the tools I needed to set me and my brain up for success. I am by no means perfect as there is no such thing but I will say that my life has changed dramatically. I get up early, workout/move my body, eat healthier, drink more water and get a good amount of sleep. I am consistent and my confidence is the highest it’s ever been. The new understanding that I have for the human experience has removed the guilt and shame I was carrying with me. I now understand that true change takes time, like, A LOT of time. I have learned to be kind and gentle to myself as I navigate these changes. I am consistent, yet flexible. For the first time in my life, I genuinely love who I am becoming. And I say becoming because if you are truly doing the human experience right (in my opinion), you never reach a destination. There is no final end result that you are then “done” with your growth. I will continue to grow, I will continue to change, I will continue to keep adding little nuggets of life to my backpack that bring me happiness along this journey. Autoimmune disorder or not, if you are wanting change in your life but are struggling to make it happen, I highly recommend the book The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. It really will change your life.

Website: https://exploringautoimmune.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/expolringautoimmune/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/exploringautoimmune

Other: TikTok:

TikTok.com/@exploringautoimmune