Thriving with Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases -with Dr. Diana Girnita cover art

Thriving with Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases -with Dr. Diana Girnita

Thriving with Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases -with Dr. Diana Girnita

Written by: Dr. Diana Girnita MD PhD
Listen for free

Thriving with Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases is an evidence-based podcast dedicated to helping people understand, manage, and live well with arthritis and autoimmune diseases. Hosted by Dr. Diana M. Girnita, MD, PhD, a double board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology with a PhD in Immunology, the podcast bridges modern rheumatology with lifestyle and integrative medicine.


The show covers a wide range of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, Sjögren’s disease, gout, and other inflammatory and immune-mediated disorders. Each episode provides clear explanations of diagnosis, lab testing, imaging, medications, biologics, and emerging therapies—alongside practical strategies for nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress regulation, and chronic pain management.


Listeners hear conversations with experts in rheumatology, immunology, nutrition, physical therapy, and mind-body medicine, as well as real patient stories that highlight the challenges of diagnosis, flares, remission, and long-term disease management.


Dr. Girnita brings over 20 years of clinical and academic experience, including advanced postdoctoral training at Harvard University and the University of Pittsburgh. She is widely recognized for combining rigorous scientific medicine with a whole-person approach that treats not just disease activity, but the person living with the disease.


An educator with a global reach, Dr. Girnita has accumulated over 30 million views across YouTube and social media, where she delivers clear, science-based education on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Medscape, and other major medical publications.

Thriving with Arthritis empowers patients to make informed decisions, navigate the healthcare system with confidence, reduce inflammation, prevent complications, and reclaim quality of life.


© 2026 Thriving with Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases -with Dr. Diana Girnita Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • Juvenile Arthritis in Kids: Growing Pains or Arthritis? Signs, Diagnosis & Treatment with Dr. Saumya Joshi

    Juvenile Arthritis in Kids: Growing Pains or Arthritis? Signs, Diagnosis & Treatment with Dr. Saumya Joshi
    Sep 28 2026
    Can children get arthritis? Yes. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic arthritis in children, and it is often dismissed as growing pains or a sports injury. Dr. Diana Girnita, MD, PhD, talks with pediatric rheumatologist Dr. Saumya Joshi, MD, MS, RhMSUS, founder of Joshi Pediatric Rheumatology.KEY POINTSGrowing pains vs. arthritis: growing pains hit the shins in the evening or at night and are gone by morning. JIA affects the joints themselves (knee, ankle) and is worst in the morning.What JIA is: "idiopathic" means no single identifiable cause. It is immune-driven joint inflammation, not wear-and-tear arthritis.Age and type: age shapes the type of JIA. Oligoarticular JIA (4 or fewer joints) affects toddlers and preschoolers and makes up about 50% of all cases. Enthesitis-related arthritis is more common in teens.Girls vs. boys: JIA is more common in girls, except enthesitis-related arthritis, which is more common in boys.Family history: a parent with autoimmune disease does not mean a 50% risk. Genes create susceptibility, not certainty.Triggers: no proven link between vaccines and JIA. Viruses such as EBV, CMV or parvovirus can trigger it in children who are already susceptible. Some medications, such as Dupixent, have been linked to arthritis.Early signs: a 3-year-old may never complain of pain. Watch for a puffy knee, a morning limp that improves through the day, and stiffness after sitting still.JIA vs. periodic fever syndromes: JIA is autoimmune and persistent. Periodic fever syndromes are autoinflammatory, and the child returns fully to normal between episodes.Uveitis: JIA-related eye inflammation can be completely silent, especially in young children, so regular eye exams are essential.Diagnosis: history and a careful physical exam come first, then X-rays and musculoskeletal ultrasound. Normal labs (ANA, RF, CCP, CRP, ESR) do not rule out JIA. A positive ANA flags uveitis risk, and a positive RF or CCP signals more aggressive disease.Treatment today: NSAIDs, joint injections, methotrexate, biologics such as TNF inhibitors, and JAK inhibitors. Remission is now realistic for most children.Methotrexate safety: the JIA dose is about 1/100th of a chemotherapy dose, backed by decades of safety data.Remission vs. cure: JIA can flare again, so "remission" is the right word. About 50% of children with oligoarticular JIA reach remission off medication.Into adulthood: roughly 30–60% carry JIA into adulthood. RF-positive polyarticular JIA most closely resembles adult rheumatoid arthritis. A planned transition of care is critical.Diet and supplements: vitamin D, iron and zinc are often low in JIA. Omega-3s are well supported. Diet changes must keep calories adequate for growth.Exercise and sports: activity does not worsen JIA, and early physical therapy prevents muscle weakness. Getting back to school and sports is the goal of treatment.Access to care: only a few hundred pediatric rheumatologists see patients full-time in the U.S., and six states have none. Dr. Joshi was once the only one in Arkansas.Telemedicine and direct care mean longer visits and less travel for families.CONNECT WITH DR. SAUMYA JOSHI – Joshi Pediatric Rheumatology Pediatric rheumatology telemedicine (direct specialty care) serving Nevada, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, New Jersey and Texas Website: https://www.joshipediatricrheumatology.com YouTube: @JoshiPediatricRheumatology Instagram: @joshipediatricrheumatology Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593301424288MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This episode is for general educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.Support the showMore info about Dr. Diana Girnita, MD PhDWebsite: https://rheumatologistoncall.com/Email: Contact@rheumatologistoncall.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@rheumatologistoncallLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-girnita-md-phd-07b57810/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rheumatologistoncall/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RheumatologistOncall/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3685130571554200
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Can Ozempic, Zepbound or Mounjaro Truly Transform Rheumatoid and Psoriatic Arthritis?

    Can Ozempic, Zepbound or Mounjaro Truly Transform Rheumatoid and Psoriatic Arthritis?
    Jul 17 2026

    Can Ozempic, Mounjaro, Zepbound and Wegovy calm inflammation — not just melt away weight? In this episode of Thriving with Arthritis, Dr. Diana Girnita, board-certified rheumatologist and PhD in immunology, sits down with Dr. Vishnuteja Devalla to unpack the fast-growing science of GLP-1 medications in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

    They break down how GLP-1 drugs actually work, why the same receptor lives on your immune cells, and what the latest evidence really shows for autoimmune disease — separating real science from the headlines and hype.

    In this episode:

    • What GLP-1 medications are and how they work (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound explained)
    • The key difference between semaglutide and tirzepatide — and why GIP matters for weight loss
    • How GLP-1 receptors on macrophages, neutrophils, and T cells calm inflammation
    • The surprising drop in TNF-alpha, IL-1, IL-6 — the exact targets of our biologics
    • What the UCLA study and PASI data reveal for RA and psoriatic arthritis
    • Why obesity fuels inflammation and drives worse treatment response
    • Will GLP-1s ever replace methotrexate or biologics? (The honest answer)
    • Microdosing GLP-1s for inflammation — lower cost, fewer side effects
    • The compounded-medication warning every patient needs to hear
    • How to safely reduce medication when you start feeling better
    • Where GLP-1 therapy is heading in the next 5 years

    ⚠️ This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always talk with your own rheumatologist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.

    Support the show

    More info about Dr. Diana Girnita, MD PhD

    • Website: https://rheumatologistoncall.com/
    • Email: Contact@rheumatologistoncall.com
    • Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rheumatologistoncall
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-girnita-md-phd-07b57810/
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rheumatologistoncall/
    • Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RheumatologistOncall/
    • Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3685130571554200


    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis Remission — Off Medication, and Up Kilimanjaro

    Rheumatoid Arthritis Remission — Off Medication, and Up Kilimanjaro
    Jul 1 2026

    Climbing Kilimanjaro with rheumatoid arthritis — off medication. Jon did it. And in this episode, his rheumatologist explains how.

    Most people hear "rheumatoid arthritis" and brace for a life sentence.

    Dr. Diana Girnita, a board-certified rheumatologist, sits down with Jon, a patient she guided from daily pain and methotrexate to drug-free remission — and, a few years later, to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

    Together, they walk through what that journey actually looked like, including the setbacks.

    You'll hear how a personalized plan — nutrition, targeted supplements, sleep, stress, and exercise — worked alongside medication rather than instead of it, and why coming off methotrexate was a slow, carefully monitored process, never a sudden stop. Jon also opens up about why methotrexate is so often misunderstood, what the "chemo drug" fear gets wrong, and what it felt like to taper down while his blood work stayed clean.

    This conversation is also about partnership.

    Jon was in Florida; Dr. Girnita was in California.

    They break down what made that telehealth relationship work, what to look for in a rheumatologist, and why the right doctor in your corner pays off not just this year, but over the next ten and fifteen.

    What you'll learn in this episode:

    • Why drug-free remission is possible for some people with RA — and what realistically has to be in place for it to happen
    • How lifestyle changes (nutrition, supplements, sleep, stress, exercise) work with medication, not as a replacement for it
    • Why tapering off methotrexate should always be slow, gradual, and guided by blood work — never a sudden stop
    • What the common "chemo drug" fear about methotrexate gets wrong
    • How to tell whether your treatment is actually working, and which markers your doctor should be monitoring
    • What to look for in a rheumatologist — and the questions that signal a true partnership
    • Why telehealth can work for chronic disease management, even across state lines

    A note on hope and honesty: Jon's drug-free remission is real, but it isn't the outcome for everyone, and his results don't replace individualized care. What his story offers is a different question to bring to your own treatment — what's actually possible for you, with the right plan and the right monitoring.

    If RA has ever left you feeling dismissed, overwhelmed, or resigned, this episode is a reset. Whether you were diagnosed last month or a decade ago, you'll leave with practical direction and a renewed sense of what thriving can look like.

    Jon's story proves that with determination, education, and the right medical guidance, an active, vibrant life is possible. So — what's your summit?

    Support the show

    More info about Dr. Diana Girnita, MD PhD

    • Website: https://rheumatologistoncall.com/
    • Email: Contact@rheumatologistoncall.com
    • Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rheumatologistoncall
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-girnita-md-phd-07b57810/
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rheumatologistoncall/
    • Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RheumatologistOncall/
    • Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3685130571554200


    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet