Autoimmune Alchemy6 Aug 2025

Welcome to the Journey

“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

About Your Hosts:

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.

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Episoder(53)

The 360 Approach to Mental Health: Trauma, Gut & Hormones with Kirkland Newman

What if the panic attacks, the insomnia, the depression you've been handed a prescription for are actually your body asking you to look deeper? In this episode of Autoimmune Alchemy, I sit down with K...

28 Sep 37min

CAR T-Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Disease Explained | Dr. Vaneet Sandhu

What if treating your autoimmune disease didn't mean a lifetime of infusions, but one? In this episode of Autoimmune Alchemy, I talk with Dr. Vaneet Sandhu, VP of Clinical Development at Fate Therapeu...

21 Sep 30min

Infertility & Autoimmune Disease: The Hidden Hormone Connection

Dr. Belinda Adams — a UK physician who traded the doctor's coat for the patient gown, going through six rounds of IVF before becoming a mother, and later founding Fertility Hero, an evidence-based sup...

14 Sep 42min

Berberine, Ashwagandha & LDN for Thyroid Healing

Your TSH is "normal" but you still feel exhausted, cold, and foggy — sound familiar? In this episode I sit down with Dr. Saadia Mian, a board-certified endocrinologist and functional medicine practiti...

7 Sep 41min

Why Anxiety Lives in Your Body, Not Your Mind | Dr. Russell Kennedy

In this episode of Autoimmune Alchemy, Dr. Russell Kennedy — physician, neuroscientist, and founder of "The Anxiety MD," who reframes anxiety as a felt alarm in the body rather than a problem to think...

31 Aug 57min

Forever Chemicals & Autoimmunity: What Your Fat Cells Are Hiding

Dr. Tamiko Katsumoto is a Stanford rheumatologist who also runs a rare Rheumatology Oncology Clinic, treating patients whose cancer drugs trigger autoimmune flares. We break down why fiber is her #1 p...

24 Aug 53min

Why You're Exhausted, Bloated & Anxious: A Naturopath Explains Burnout in Women

In this episode of Autoimmune Alchemy, Dr. Stephanie Cowie — a naturopathic doctor and psychotherapist who blends functional medicine with mental health expertise to treat burnout, gut dysfunction, an...

17 Aug 44min

Chrononutrition for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Autoimmunity: Timing Your Meals Right

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Beth Biggee, integrative rheumatologist, to explore how circadian rhythm — not just diet — shapes autoimmune health. We break down when to eat, exercise, and take ...

10 Aug 40min