129: The Biology of Trauma f. Aimie Apigian MD

In this episode of the Health Upgrade Podcast, we sit down with Aimie Apigian MD, to explore the biology of trauma. Dr. Aimie shares her personal journey, from adopting a foster child with severe trauma to her own struggles with burnout, chronic fatigue, and autoimmunity, which pushed her to uncover how trauma imprints itself on the body at a cellular level.

Together, we discuss how trauma differs from everyday stress, why unresolved trauma responses get stored in the body, and how this affects long-term health. Drawing on science, personal experience, and clinical insight, Dr. Aimie explains how trauma alters mitochondrial function, immune regulation, and even DNA repair. The conversation also touches on polyvagal theory, resilience building, and why recovery depends on learning to balance sympathetic stress responses with parasympathetic repair.

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Contact info

Dr. Navaz Habib

Email: podcast@healthupgraded.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrNavazHabib/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnavazhabib/
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/drnavazhabib

JP Errico
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevnsguy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jp-errico-097629aa

Aimie Apigian MD
Website: https://traumahealingaccelerated.com/about/