Autoimmune Alchemy

Description: Board-certified rheumatologist Dr. Aly Cohen joins Dr. Micah Yu to connect environmental exposures with inflammation and autoimmunity, then turn that science into practical, low-stress habits. From plastics and bisphenols to water, air, food, and personal-care choices, Dr. Cohen shares a simple framework to cut risk without overwhelm, and how she integrates these steps into rheumatology care and patient outcomes.

What listeners will learn:

• Learn what “toxic load” means in plain language and why Dr. Cohen is seeing more young patients with autoimmune issues in her rheumatology practice.
• Discover smart ways to cut plastic exposure at home.
• Learn Dr. Cohen’s “4 As” roadmap to reduce exposures step by step so people make progress without burnout.
• Discover high-impact upgrades for water and why simple filtration can be a game changer across a lifetime.
• Learn how to choose and wash produce to lower pesticide residues
• Discover where endocrine-disrupting chemicals hide in cosmetics and personal care
• Learn practical changes for the kitchen, such as ways to remove microplastics
• Discover how Dr. Cohen pairs lifestyle and exposure reduction with standard rheumatology treatments to improve inflammation and quality of life.

Short bio for Dr. Aly Cohen:

Dr. Aly Cohen is a board-certified rheumatologist and integrative medicine physician with more than two decades of clinical experience. Her work focuses on how everyday environmental exposures influence hormones, immunity, and inflammation, and on translating that science into simple habits patients can sustain. In practice and public education, she teaches practical steps for safer water, food, air, and personal-care choices, and how to layer these into rheumatology care to support symptom control and long-term health.

Dr. Aly Cohen’s Website: https://thesmarthuman.com/ 

Link to Dr. Cohen’s Book: “Detoxify: The Everyday Toxins Harming Your Immune System and How to Defend Against Them” 

Host Bio:

Dr. Micah Yu is a board-certified integrative rheumatologist who blends conventional care with lifestyle and nutrition to help people reverse inflammation and live well with autoimmune disease. He is board certified in rheumatology, internal medicine, and lifestyle medicine, completed his residency and rheumatology fellowship at Loma Linda University, and earned his MD from Chicago Medical School along with master’s degrees in biomedical sciences and health care administration.

He also completed fellowship training in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona. Dr. Yu co-founded Dr. Lifestyle in Newport Beach, California, where he sees patients locally and via telemedicine. He also co-hosts the Autoimmune Alchemy podcast with Dr. Melissa Mondala, bringing evidence, empathy, and practical tools to a global audience. His clinical perspective is informed by his own journey with autoimmune disease and by the results he has seen when patients pair targeted therapies with nutrition, sleep, movement, and stress resilience.

Website: https://myautoimmunemd.com/

In this episode, Dr. Micah Yu and Dr. Melissa Mondala discuss one of the most overlooked aspects of autoimmune disease: mental health. With depression and anxiety affecting more than half of all autoimmune patients, the conversation explores the deep connection between the nervous system, trauma, inflammation, and long-term healing.

Key Points:

• One in two people with autoimmune disease also has depression or anxiety.
• Mental health symptoms often appear years before autoimmune diagnosis.
• Emotional trauma, chronic stress, and neuroinflammation can all trigger or worsen autoimmune flares.
• The field of psycho-neuro-immunology explains how the brain, nervous system, and immune system interact.
• Childhood trauma (ACEs) significantly increases the risk of autoimmune conditions later in life.
• Early signs of depression and anxiety include sleep changes, appetite issues, mood swings, perfectionism, joint pain, rashes, and fatigue.

Root Causes of Mental Health + Autoimmune Disease:

• Chronic stress and trauma
• Hormonal fluctuations (e.g., PMS, menopause)
• Neurotransmitter imbalances
• Gut and microbiome dysfunction
• Environmental toxins and heavy metals
• Nutrient deficiencies (zinc, B vitamins, etc.)

Treatment Strategies:

• Nutrition: Whole foods rich in omega-3s, zinc, tryptophan, tyrosine, antioxidants
• Lifestyle: Daily movement, quality sleep, community connection
• Practices: Meditation, prayer, breathwork, vagus nerve activation (humming, singing)
• Supplements (under guidance): SAM-e, L-theanine, ashwagandha, tryptophan
• Psychotherapy, psychosomatic healing, and nervous system retraining

Featured Case Study:

A 60-year-old woman with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis saw dramatic improvement in pain, energy, and inflammation after focusing on nervous system regulation, sleep, and mental wellness. Her care plan included vagus nerve stimulation and lifestyle changes. Within 3 months, she was pain-free, off prednisone, and considering a return to nursing. Her recovery also positively impacted her son, who struggled with mental health issues.

Final Message:

Healing is possible — even after years of trying. When diet and medications aren’t enough, it’s time to address mental health, trauma, and the nervous system. This episode reminds us that what feels emotional is often physical, and that support, persistence, and the right tools can make all the difference.

Learn more or schedule a consult:

• Dr. Yu and Dr. Mondala’s clinic: https://myautoimmunemd.com
• Dr. Yu on YouTube: My Autoimmune MD
• Dr. Mondala on YouTube & Instagram: Dr. Melissa’s Kitchen

In this episode, Dr. Micah Yu and Dr. Melissa Mondala explore the rising epidemic of autoimmune disease. They unpack the root causes, early warning signs, and the whole-body approach needed for healing. They share personal clinical experiences, including a powerful success story using an anti-inflammatory protocol, and preview upcoming discussions on mental health, trauma, and psycho-neuro-immunology. The tone is both educational and hopeful, aimed at empowering patients and practitioners alike.

• 10% of the global population has autoimmune disease — and that number is rising.
• Autoimmunity affects multiple systems: rheumatology, neurology, endocrinology, GI, and beyond.
• These diseases are often missed or misdiagnosed, with patients cycling through many specialists.
• Women make up 80% of autoimmune cases.
• Autoimmune diseases include lupus, Hashimoto’s, RA, Crohn’s, type 1 diabetes, celiac, and more.
• Patients often develop multiple autoimmune conditions over time.
• Traditional medicine focuses on symptom suppression, not root cause resolution.

• Diet and lifestyle (nutrition, exercise, sleep)
• Environmental toxins (plastics, BPAs, PFAS, mold, heavy metals)
• Infections (Lyme, COVID, flu, mycoplasma, etc.)
• Medications and vaccines (as documented potential triggers)
• Genetics and epigenetics
• Chronic stress and trauma
• Psycho-neuro-immunology — the link between brain, immune system, and inflammation

• Fatigue and brain fog
• Rashes and joint pain
• GI issues (like bloody stools)
• Oral/nasal ulcers, dry eyes/mouth
• Hair loss

These signs are often subtle and systemic, making diagnosis difficult.

• Emphasis on a functional and integrative medicine approach
• Focus on Anti-inflammatory nutrition, Lifestyle changes (movement, sleep, stress), Avoiding or reducing toxin exposure, and identifying and managing infectious triggers
• Healing is possible with small, consistent changes — often starting with food and mindset

1. Lupus Diagnosis: A patient went 5 years misdiagnosed by 10+ doctors. Dr. Yu correctly diagnosed lupus using labs and clinical intuition.
2. RA Reversal with Diet: A long-term RA patient experienced a dramatic reduction in pain (from 9/10 to 1/10) in just one month using Dr. Yu’s anti-inflammatory protocol — no added meds or steroids.

• 50%+ of autoimmune patients struggle with depression and anxiety.
• Melissa introduces the concept of psycho-neuro-immunology: inflammation in the brain due to stress or trauma affects emotional regulation.
• Mental health support is crucial and will be discussed more deeply in the next episode.

• Dr. Micah Yu’s YouTube: My Autoimmune MD
• Dr. Melissa’s channel: Dr. Melissa’s Kitchen (healthy recipes)
• Clinic website: https://myautoimmunemd.com — based in Newport Beach, CA, offering telemedicine across the U.S.

“Our Story: Healing Autoimmunity, Medicine, and Each Other”

Here are the highlights from our very first episode!

• The origin story behind the podcast and why it’s deeply personal
• Dr. Micah Yu shares his journey with autoimmune arthritis, undiagnosed pain, and years of suffering through medical school and residency
• How nutrition, sleep, and lifestyle were missing pieces in traditional medical training
• The power of plant-based eating in reversing inflammation and chronic symptoms
• Dr. Melissa Mondala’s experience navigating the system as a doctor, caregiver, and seeker of integrative solutions
• Why their clinical training and personal pain fueled a passion for integrative, lifestyle, and functional medicine
• Reflections on medical culture, patient isolation, and the emotional weight of chronic illness
• What they wish every patient and doctor knew about healing from the inside out

Micah Yu, MD, MHA, MS, ABOIM, DipABLM, IFMCP

Dr. Micah Yu is a triple board-certified integrative rheumatologist who blends conventional medicine with holistic, nutrition-based healing to treat autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions. A patient himself, Dr. Yu brings a deeply personal perspective to his work, having reversed his own autoimmune arthritis through lifestyle and integrative medicine. He is certified in internal medicine, rheumatology, integrative medicine, lifestyle medicine, and functional medicine. As the founder of MyAutoimmuneMD and co-founder of Dr. Lifestyle Clinic, Dr. Yu empowers patients to address the root causes of illness and reclaim their health from the inside out.

Melissa Mondala, MD, MHA, MS, DipABLM

Dr. Melissa Mondala is a dual board-certified physician in Family and Lifestyle Medicine, with advanced training in Integrative Psychiatry and Integrative Medicine. As President of Dr. Lifestyle Clinic in Newport Beach—recognized by UC Irvine as a Public Health Site of Excellence—she pioneers a holistic, patient-centered approach to chronic disease. Dr. Mondala is a nationally recognized Lifestyle Medicine Intensivist, core faculty at Loma Linda University’s Preventive Medicine Department, and a passionate advocate for plant-based nutrition, mental health, and women's wellness. A sought-after speaker and educator, she combines cutting-edge science with deep compassion to empower lasting healing, especially for those silently suffering from autoimmune, mental health, and long COVID conditions. She shares practical inspiration for healthy living and cooking at @drmelissaskitchen.

For more information, please visit https://myautoimmunemd.com.