Introduction

Dr. Siobhan Newman is an emergency medicine physician who shifted to cellular medicine after discovering that while she could save patients in crisis, they weren't actually getting better long-term. She brings over thirty years of experience and is now the founder of Newman MD Lifecare, where she focuses on healing at the cellular level. In this episode, she joins me to talk about how cellular dysfunction drives autoimmunity, chronic illness, and why true healing requires addressing root causes rather than just managing symptoms.

Episode Highlights

The Journey from Emergency Medicine to Cellular Medicine

Dr. Newman explains why she transitioned from the ER to cellular medicine after noticing patients never truly healed despite life-saving interventions.

• Emergency medicine is excellent for acute, life-threatening situations but doesn't address root causes
• Patients would survive the crisis but continue to get sicker with longer medication lists
• Her own menopause symptoms and husband's declining health led her to investigate cellular dysfunction
• Healing cannot occur in hospitals - recovery happens at home with proper cellular support

COVID's Impact on Autoimmunity and Immune Dysfunction

The pandemic revealed critical insights about cellular health, immune dysregulation, and the autoimmune epidemic.

• COVID created novel cellular hypoxia and cytokine storms that taught medicine about cellular responses
• Viral infections can reactivate dormant viruses like EBV due to immune dysregulation
• Long COVID symptoms mirror existing autoimmune conditions, bringing validation to these experiences
• The pandemic has significantly increased autoimmunity cases requiring new approaches to treatment

Understanding the Inflammatory Cascade and Mitochondrial Function

Dr. Newman breaks down how cellular energy production can go wrong and drive chronic inflammation.

• Mitochondria process glucose or fatty acids to create ATP energy for cells
• When electrons "fall off" during this process, they create superoxide - the start of inflammation
• The body uses enzymes like glutathione and nutrients like plasmalogens to neutralize these reactive molecules
• Fatigue is a critical warning sign that mitochondria are "underwater" and not functioning properly

The Three Dietary "Nos" for Cellular Health

Dr. Newman's foundational dietary approach focuses on eliminating three inflammatory ingredients from your diet.

• Seed oils: Inflammatory omega-6 fats that damage cellular membranes and drive inflammation
• High fructose corn syrup: Creates metabolic dysfunction and inflammatory cascades the body can't properly process
• Nitrates: Preservatives that cause cellular damage, especially in processed meats
• This requires reading every label and choosing whole foods over processed options

The Importance of Good Fats and Plasmalogens

Quality fats are essential for cellular membrane health and protecting against inflammation and neurodegeneration.

• Plasmalogens are specialized lipids that protect cellular membranes and can be measured in blood tests
• Low plasmalogen levels predict worse outcomes with infections and higher dementia risk
• Egg yolks contain phosphatidylcholine and choline - critical nutrients for brain and cellular health
• Animal fats, olive oil, and avocado oil support proper cellular function

The Recovery-First Approach to Healing

Many people with chronic illness need to focus on cellular recovery before attempting to build or optimize health.

• Assess metabolic state: Are they storing, wasting, or metabolizing nutrients properly?
• Some people need fasting protocols while others (especially those with autoimmunity) need higher nutrition
• Exercise can be harmful for people whose mitochondria are already compromised
• Cellular reserve must be restored before implementing building or optimization protocols

Peptides: Promise and Pitfalls

While peptides can be powerful healing tools, they require proper medical oversight and quality sourcing.

• Peptides are short chains of amino acids that facilitate intercellular communication
• GLP-1 agonists are examples of peptides that help regulate metabolism and inflammation
• Never purchase peptides online marked "not for human use" - quality and safety are critical
• Peptides should complement, not replace, foundational lifestyle changes

Notable Quotes from this Episode

You can't heal, you can't get healthy until you leave the hospital.
Dr. Siobhan Newman

If you don't put in the work and eat the right proteins and do the right muscle building things, you will lose muscle. And we can't get healthier if we're losing muscle.
Dr. Siobhan Newman

Fatigue is something super important to think about in your body every time you talk to somebody who has autoimmunity or neurodegenerative disease. It's the inability to recover, and that's just a sign that your mitochondria, that energy producing organelle in your cell, is underwater.
Dr. Siobhan Newman