#421: Trauma SCIENCE: How Hidden Stress Hijacks Your Health (Autoimmunity, Brain Inflammation, and Unlocking Resilience) | With Dr. Aimie Apigian
LONGEVITY with Nathalie Niddam
Vagus Nerve: Two Trains, Two Outcomes
Aimie explains ventral vs. dorsal vagal paths and how the vagus can enforce an emergency brake on the body.
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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