East Plus West Medicine: How a Rheumatologist Uses Herbs & Acupuncture to Treat Autoimmune Disease

Dr. Yousef Zarbalian — "Dr. Z" — a board-certified rheumatologist who combines Chinese herbal medicine, medical acupuncture, and therapeutic fasting to treat autoimmune conditions that conventional medicine struggles to address.

From a patient achieving 85% pain relief without pharmaceuticals to a hopeless fibromyalgia case turning around in just three weeks, this episode is packed with real clinical stories and practical integrative tools you won't hear anywhere else.

Key Takeaways:

• Therapeutic fasting (Buchinger-style: herbal tea + vegetable broth) can dramatically reduce autoimmune inflammation — one patient saw 85% pain relief without any pharmaceuticals
• Chinese herbal formulas treat patterns, not just symptoms, using 8–12 herbs together — frankincense, myrrh, and coix seed are among Dr. Z's go-to anti-inflammatory herbs
• Early intervention is key — the less structural joint damage present, the greater the opportunity to heal with integrative tools alone
• Low-carb, low-starch diets show the strongest evidence for spondyloarthritis and RA, but no single diet works for everyone
• Elimination and reintroduction beats food sensitivity testing every time — IgG panels can mislead more than they help
• Herbal medicine can reduce the side effects of DMARDs like methotrexate, making it a powerful partner to Western treatment rather than a replacement
• Thunder God Vine studied head-to-head against methotrexate showed non-inferior results — but sourcing and dosing still need careful attention

Chapters & Time-stamps

01:01 Meet Dr Z

02:11 Path to Integrative Rheumatology

04:30 Why Herbs Work

05:42 Personalized Medicine Limits

07:03 When to Use Drugs

09:15 Therapeutic Fasting Explained

17:34 Diet Strategies by Condition

21:21 Food Sensitivities and Testing

23:05 Herbal Formulas for Inflammation

26:11 Mixing Herbs with Meds

29:41 Surprising Patient Turnarounds

35:12 Mindset and Healing

36:04 Final Message and Where to Find Dr Z

About Dr. Yousef Zarbalian (Dr. Z):

Board-certified rheumatologist, herbalist, and medical acupuncturist. Founder of East West Rheumatology in Vienna, VA.

Connect with Dr. Z:

• Website: www.eastwestmd.com
• Instagram: @eastwestmd | @dr.youssef_zarbalian
• Facebook: East West Rheumatology

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.

About AutoImmune Alchemy Podcast

Mission: Blending science with soul to transform autoimmune struggles into healing alchemy

AutoImmune Alchemy is a podcast dedicated to the autoimmune community, offering hope, validation, and evidence-based solutions for those struggling with complex autoimmune conditions. Hosted by the dynamic duo Dr. Melissa Mondala and Dr. Micah Yu, the show features expert interviews exploring root causes like hormonal imbalances, leaky gut, and inflammation that traditional medicine often overlooks. Each episode empowers listeners to take proactive control of their health through lifestyle medicine, nutrition, and integrative approaches.

Connect with AutoImmune Alchemy

• Website:MyAutoimmuneMD.com
• Dr. Lifestyle Clinic:www.drlifestyle.org
• Instagram: @myautoimmunemd
• Facebook: @MYAutoimmuneMD
• YouTube: @myautoimmunemd
• Email: contact@myautoimmunemd.com

Subscribe & Review: Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. If this episode helped you understand environmental toxins and autoimmune disease, please leave a 5-star review!