#421: Trauma SCIENCE: How Hidden Stress Hijacks Your Health (Autoimmunity, Brain Inflammation, and Unlocking Resilience) | With Dr. Aimie Apigian
3/17/20261 hr 13 min
Today, I'm joined by Dr. Aimie Apigian, an innovative leader in the biology of trauma, whose work bridges the worlds of science, medicine, and lived experience. In our conversation, Dr. Apigian opens up about her journey from conventional medicine—where symptom management was the norm—to uncovering the physiological roots of trauma and the crucial role our nervous system plays in resilience and healing. She shares how her own health struggles, her work with adopted children, and a relentless curiosity led her to re-examine everything she thought she knew about stress, autoimmunity, and capacity.
The 7-Day Somatic Healing for Stored Emotions - https://traumahealingaccelerated.mykajabi.com/a/2148170319/wdrhGYaY
21-Day Journey, a daily live session program that helps participants understand how much trauma their body may be holding - https://traumahealingaccelerated.mykajabi.com/a/2147704575/wdrhGYaY
Episode Timestamps:
Introduction, host's mission, and episode theme ... 00:00:00
Science behind trauma, limits of traditional medicine, and autoimmune experiences ... 00:06:11
Attachment, symptom management, functional medicine, and healing journey ... 00:08:17
Mold exposure, state triggers, brain inflammation, and capacity blocks ... 00:14:22
Medical gaslighting, trauma validation, and biological capacity ... 00:18:25
Safety, resilience, and chronic survival state effects ... 00:19:32
Misconceptions about chronic stress—emergency brake and vagus nerve ... 00:22:27
Attachment patterns, autoimmunity, and shrinking world ... 00:28:47
Chronic survival loop, exhaustion, coping strategies, and shutdown ... 00:31:11
Moving to repair: phases of healing and gentle approaches ... 00:34:08
Somatic practices, art therapy, and different expressions of trauma ... 00:39:01
Shifts in sleep, digestion, anxiety, and felt safety ... 00:42:06
Tracking nervous system state: strategies and awareness ... 00:46:41
Therapy limitations: biology and somatic integration ... 00:48:42
Retraining vs. managing symptoms, stabilization, and healing ... 00:54:53
Capacity, resilience, lessons from centenarians, and longevity ... 01:00:06
Trauma's impact on mitochondria, telomeres, and generational health ... 01:06:27
Gut microbiome and trauma: two-way connection ... 01:08:03
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Clips
Showing 10 of 11Transcript preview
First 90 secondsNatalie Niddam· Host0:00
[ on-hold music] Welcome to Longevity. I'm your host, Natalie Needham. I'm a nutritionist, a human potential and epigenetic coach, and I created this podcast to bring you the latest ways to take control of your health and longevity. We cover it all, from new technology and ancestral health practices, to personalized interventions, and a very special interest of mine, peptides and bioregulators. Enjoy the show. [ on-hold music] Hi, I'm Natalie Needham, your host, and we are back with another fantastic episode. In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian unpacks how trauma lives in your nervous system, how chronic stress isn't what you think it is, and why your body may just be stuck with the emergency brake on, no matter how hard you press the gas, and most importantly, how this may be showing up in your health. We get into autoimmune disease, brain inflammation, mold exposure, attachment patterns, and how your capacity, not your willpower, determines your resilience. This is science meets lived experience, and may help you or a loved one finally understand what your body's been trying to say. Dr. Aimie has a great new book out, The Biology of Trauma. If any of this episode resonate with you, I highly recommend getting your hands on it, and you can also go to thebiologyoftrauma.com to learn more and explore her programs for individuals and also training for professionals. Again, she does incredible work.