Board-certified rheumatologist Dr. Aly Cohen joins Dr. Micah Yu to connect environmental exposures with inflammation and autoimmunity, then turn that science into practical, low-stress habits. From plastics and bisphenols to water, air, food, and personal-care choices, Dr. Cohen shares a simple framework to cut risk without overwhelm, and how she integrates these steps into rheumatology care and patient outcomes.

What listeners will learn:

• What “toxic load” means in plain language and why Dr. Cohen is seeing more young patients with autoimmune issues in her rheumatology practice.
• Discover smart ways to cut plastic exposure at home.
• Why Dr. Cohen’s “4 As” roadmap to reduce exposures step by step so people make progress without burnout.
• How high-impact upgrades for water and why simple filtration can be a game changer across a lifetime.
• How to choose and wash produce to lower pesticide residues
• Where endocrine-disrupting chemicals hide in cosmetics and personal care
• Practical changes for the kitchen, such as ways to remove microplastics

Discover how Dr. Cohen pairs lifestyle and exposure reduction with standard rheumatology treatments to improve inflammation and quality of life.

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.