Notes from the practice.

Allergy, sensitivity, intolerance, celiac — four different problems with food

Food allergy, food sensitivity, intolerance, and celiac disease are four different problems with different mechanisms and tests. Here is how to tell them apart, what a sensitivity panel can and cannot show, and why results should start an elimination plan, not end one.

Beyond the needle — cupping, electroacupuncture, and moxa

Cupping, electroacupuncture, and moxa are the other tools in an acupuncture treatment room, each chosen for a specific pattern. Here is what each one does, what cupping marks are and are not, when we reach for which, and who should avoid what.

The gut–thyroid connection — why we test both

Thyroid hormone sets the pace of digestion, and the gut shapes how much active thyroid hormone you have. Here is how conversion, nutrient absorption, stomach acid, and intestinal permeability link the two, and why we often test the gut in thyroid cases.

Reflux and the acid question — when the problem may be too little, not too much

Some reflux and indigestion patterns involve too little stomach acid rather than too much. Here is how that can happen, what low acid does to protein digestion and B12, iron, and mineral absorption, where H. pylori and stress fit, and which symptoms need prompt medical care.

Period pain is common — that does not make it normal

Painful periods and PMS are common, but pain that disrupts your life deserves a proper look. Here is how we tell primary from secondary period pain, what prostaglandins do, how Chinese medicine reads cramps and premenstrual mood shifts, and what we test alongside acupuncture and herbs.