General anesthesia is often described as “going to sleep,” yet the science suggests something far more complex is happening at the level of brain communication. When consciousness is chemically disrupted, neural integration can fragment, contributing to cognitive changes.

We dive deeper into this in the latest C3 Podcast: CODE Conscious Conversations episode with Dr. Sande Bargeron. We also chat about why anesthesia is not sleep, where consciousness goes under general anesthesia, and how surgery can fragment brain communication at a cellular level.

Dr. Sande Bargeron, BCDNM, PA-C, is a Board-Certified Doctor of Natural Medicine and Double Board Certified Physician Assistant and Anesthetist with over 20 years of experience bridging conventional and functional medicine. She holds a PhD in Natural Medicine and is the founder of Beyond Brain Health and creator of the BrainSafe Anesthesia Recovery protocols.

What's Discussed:

• (06:26) The “bait and switch” from physical diagnosis to disease-based medicine
• (10:08) Autoimmune flare after anesthesia exposure, stress, and immune suppression
• (12:47) Essential oils as a catalyst into functional and gut-focused medicine
• (16:48) A 10-minute anesthesia procedure preceding severe neurological decline
• (23:20) Microtubules, quantum frequency, and the proposed mechanism of consciousness
• (28:52) Why anesthesia is not sleep and how it shuts down brain function
• (31:29) Genetic factors like red hair and collagen disorders altering anesthesia response
• (36:14) Neuro-resilience, brain fragmentation, and preparing cognitively before surgery

Learn More About CODE Health:

Website: https://codehealthshop.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/codehealthshop

Learn More About Dr. Sande Bargeron, BCDNM, PA-C:

Website: https://beyondbrainhealth.com

Instagram: @beyondbrainhealth

Youtube: @sandebphd

TikTok: @drsande