The central nervous system plays a crucial role in controlling the body and setting the stage for chronic illness development, with trauma being a key factor in illness persistence. Dr. Eric Gordon sits down with Dr. Aimie Apigian to discuss how trauma is not just the event itself but the five physiological steps that create lasting changes in the nervous system and cellular biology.

Dr. Apigian explains how the body transitions from startle response through stress physiology into trauma shutdown when capacity is overwhelmed, why sensitive children with biochemical imbalances like zinc deficiency or undermethylation are more susceptible to trauma responses, and how unresolved trauma keeps the nervous system stuck looping between sympathetic activation and shutdown states that block healing and detoxification, preventing recovery from chronic illness.

Episode Highlights:

• Trauma response has five steps from startle to shutdown, creating lasting cellular changes
• Adrenaline release matches perceived danger size; shutdown occurs when capacity is overwhelmed
• Zinc deficiency and undermethylation increase nervous system sensitivity to trauma responses
• Healing requires simultaneous somatic work, inner child therapy, and biological nutrient support

Listen in to learn more :
[0:03:52] Five-Step Trauma Cascade: From Startle to Shutdown

[0:08:54] Adrenaline Scale and the Capacity Cutoff

[0:31:20] Zinc, Undermethylation, and Super-Sensitive Nervous Systems

[0:25:00] Three-Pronged Healing: Somatic, Inner Child, Biology

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Resources

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About Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH

Dr. Aimie Apigian is a double Board-Certified Physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine, with Master's degrees in Biochemistry, Public Health, and specialized training in Functional Medicine. She is the founder of The Mind-Body-Biology Institute and trains practitioners in The Biology of Trauma®, a lens that addresses how the body holds fear, pain, and overwhelm, which make one sick and stuck.

Learn more about Biology of Trauma https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/

💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to info@gordonmedical.com)

Interested in Becoming A Patient?

Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.

** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

Breathing is the most fundamental thing we do, yet dysfunctional patterns like mouth breathing, shallow chest breathing, and breath holding can drive dysautonomia, POTS, and impaired tissue oxygenation in chronically ill patients.

In this episode, Dr. Eric Gordon sits down with Michael Roesslein to discuss how the way we breathe constantly signals either safety or danger to the nervous system, why low CO2 tolerance keeps oxygen locked in the blood rather than delivered to tissues, and how chronic diaphragm constriction from held emotions blocks lymphatic drainage and organ function.

They discuss why simple nasal diaphragmatic breathing practices can shift the body from protective overdrive into a healing state, and how breath awareness serves as a free, accessible tool for restoring autonomic balance.

Episode Highlights:

• Mouth breathing and shallow chest breathing activate sympathetic overdrive, signaling danger
• Higher CO2 tolerance pushes oxygen from the blood into tissues for delivery
• Diaphragm constriction from held emotions blocks lymphatic drainage and organ function
• Nasal belly breathing for 3-5 breaths retrains the nervous system toward safety
• Introduction to breathing: https://animasomaticself.com/

Listen in to learn more :

[0:00:34] Breath: The Most Overlooked Healing Tool

[0:05:00] Functional vs “Breathwork”: How You Breathe All Day Matters

[0:05:00] CO₂ Tolerance: The Hidden Key to Oxygen Delivery

[0:18:07] Diaphragm as a Second Heart: Pumping Lymph, Emotion, and Safety

[0:28:53] Adaptations, Not Failures: How the Body Protects with Dysfunctional Patterns

About Michael Roesslein

Michael Roesslein holds a Master's Degree in Exercise Science & Health Promotion and is a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and Advanced Facilitator of Biodynamic Breathwork and Trauma Release System, with additional training at the Luminous Awareness Institute and Dr. Gabor Maté's Compassionate Inquiry program. He is the founder of Rebel Health Tribe and has recently transitioned to Anima Somatic Self-Discovery, where he facilitates trauma-focused healing work for individuals and groups and hosts transformational retreats in Italy and beyond.

Learn more https://animasomaticself.com/

💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to info@gordonmedical.com)

Interested in Becoming A Patient?

Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.

** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

Ozone therapy has been used for 130 years but remains largely unknown in mainstream American medicine despite extensive safety data and published research. Dr. Eric Gordon sits down with Dr. Frank Shallenberger, who has practiced ozone therapy for 40 years and leads the American Academy of Ozone Therapy, to discuss how ozone works by donating electrons to cells, regenerating NAD from NADH, and stimulating mitochondrial function and endothelial healing.

Dr. Shallenberger shares clinical observations of rapid improvement in acute viral infections with high-dose protocols, explains how lower doses support chronic conditions by improving circulation and reducing inflammation, and introduces ozonated glycerin as an emerging approach for treating tumors and joint pain with sustained therapeutic effects.

Episode Highlights:

• Ozone donates electrons that regenerate NAD from NADH, restoring mitochondrial function and cellular energy production
• High-dose ozone protocols show rapid resolution of acute viral infections, and lower doses address chronic conditions over time
• Ozone therapy supports endothelial health by increasing nitric oxide, reducing inflammation, and upregulating antioxidant enzymes
• Ozonated glycerin shows promise for sustained therapeutic effects in tumors and joint pain with an extended half-life

Listen in to learn more :

[0:02:14] Ozone: Old Therapy, New Respect

[0:05:02] Crushing Acute Viruses with High-Dose Ozone

[0:11:52] How Ozone Supercharges Blood, Vessels, and Cells

[0:18:41] Zapping Pain by Fixing Mitochondria

[0:29:22] Ozonated Glycerin: A Forgotten Cancer Game-Changer

About Frank Shallenberger, MD, HMD, ABAAM

Dr. Shallenberger has been a pioneer in alternative/integrative medicine since 1978, revolutionizing anti-aging and preventive medicine by developing a method to measure mitochondrial function and oxygen utilization. He has written two popular books, The Type 2 Diabetes Breakthrough and Bursting With Energy, and has authored numerous papers in international peer-reviewed literature on ozone therapy and oxygen utilization. He is also the editor of Second Opinion alternative medical newsletter.

Learn more https://antiagingmedicine.com/

💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to info@gordonmedical.com)

Interested in Becoming A Patient?

Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.

** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.