Today's guest is the incredible Dr. Vincent Pedre — integrative physician, Medical Director of Pedre Integrative Health in NYC, founder of Happy Gut Health, and bestselling author of Happy Gut and The Gut Smart Protocol.
Dr. Vincent's personal journey from 20+ rounds of childhood antibiotics to healing his own IBS, eczema, and leaky gut is nothing short of transformational.
In this episode, we go deep into the gut-immune connection, the power of fermented foods, peptide therapy, mitochondrial health, and even the hidden toxins in your morning coffee. If you have an autoimmune condition, chronic inflammation, or just want to optimize your gut — this one is for YOU.
Chapters & Time Stamps
0:56 Introduction & Welcome
2:00 Dr. Pedre's Personal Gut Health Journey
6:02 Childhood Foods & Antibiotic Overuse
6:48 Discovering Functional Medicine & Diet Clean-Up
10:33 Going Gluten-Free & Building a Clean Home
11:27 Dr. Pedre's Books: Happy Gut & The Gut Smart Protocol
13:33 Fermented Foods vs. High Fiber Diet Study
14:21 Gut Microbiome Diversity Explained
18:54 Fermented Foods Win Over Fiber for Inflammation
20:29 How Fermented Foods Increase Gut Diversity
24:13 Pesticides, Glyphosate & Gut Disruption
25:08 Leaky Gut, Dysbiosis & Chronic Disease
26:18 Gluten, Dairy & Healing Food Intolerances
26:52 Peptide Therapy for Gut Healing
30:12 What Are Peptides & How They Work
31:21 GLP-1 Medications — Benefits & Cautions
32:34 Key Supplements: L-Glutamine, Zinc, Omega-3s
35:08 Mitochondria: The Next Frontier in Health
37:10 Mitochondrial Damage: Antibiotics, Toxins & EMF
40:15 Red Light Therapy & Mitochondrial Energy
43:23 GLP-1 & SIBO — What's the Connection?
45:37 Happy Gut Coffee — The Origin Story
48:53 Coffee's Hidden Dangers & Health Benefits
50:58 Where to Find Dr. Pedre & Happy Gut Coffee
GUEST DETAILS & LINKS
Dr. Vincent Pedre, MD Integrative & Functional Medicine Physician | Gut Health Expert | Author
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
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!
