The journal

Notes from the practice.

Functional medicine, Chinese medicine, the labs we run, and what 16 years of seeing patients no one else could figure out has taught us.

27 articlesUpdated monthlyWritten by Dr. Johanna Nazzar

Featured

Functional medicineApr 22, 20268 min read

Why your “normal” labs may be hiding the real story

Reference ranges were never designed to optimize health — they were designed to flag disease. Here is how functional ranges differ, and why most chronic patterns sit in the gray area between them.

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A single green seedling in a small clay pot on a sunlit windowsill beside a folded cream linen cloth and a plain ceramic cup.

Acupuncture · FertilityAug 22, 20267 min read

Acupuncture and fertility — what it can and cannot do

Most patients who come to us about fertility have already been trying for a year, or are mid-cycle in IVF and looking for anything that improves the odds. Here is the honest account of where acupuncture genuinely helps, where it does not, how the timing works around a transfer, and what we test alongside it.

A quiet kitchen counter in morning light with a bowl of whole foods, a glass of water, and a pair of light dumbbells resting nearby.

Peptides · Weight lossAug 20, 20267 min read

Coming off a GLP-1 — how to keep what you worked for

The hardest part of semaglutide and tirzepatide is not starting them — it is what happens after. Here is what actually changes when the medication stops, why so much of the weight comes back, and the plan we build with patients months before they taper.

A tidy, sunlit treatment room with a neatly made table, folded linens, and a chair beside a window.

Acupuncture · TCMAug 18, 20266 min read

Your first acupuncture visit — what actually happens

Most people who have never had acupuncture are quietly worried about one thing, and it is the needles. Here is exactly how a first visit goes at our clinic — what we ask, what it feels like, why the needles often go somewhere other than where it hurts, and how you will feel afterward.

A small clear vial on a calm bedside table in dim, warm evening light beside a closed book.

Peptides · Sleep & mindAug 16, 20266 min read

The quiet peptides — sleep, focus, and the nervous system

Selank, Semax, DSIP, and Epitalon get far less attention than the weight-loss and repair peptides, and the claims around them are considerably louder than the evidence. Here is what each one is actually studied for, what patients tend to notice and when, and why we always look for the cause first.

An overhead view of a shallow ceramic bowl of clear broth with fresh dill, a folded linen napkin, and a wooden spoon on a warm terracotta surface.

Acupuncture · DigestionAug 14, 20266 min read

A gut that will not settle — IBS, bloating, and the nerve behind it

The scope was clean, the bloodwork was normal, and you were told it is probably stress. Here is what acupuncture actually does for IBS, bloating, reflux, and constipation — why the nervous system is so often the missing piece, and what we test alongside it.

A small glass dropper bottle of botanical facial oil, a rolled white towel, and a sprig of fresh rosemary on a pale marble surface in dappled light.

Acupuncture · AestheticsAug 12, 20266 min read

Facial acupuncture — what it does, and what it does not

Cosmetic acupuncture is marketed as a natural facelift, which is both overselling it and missing the point. Here is the honest version — what the needles actually provoke in the skin, the result patients realistically get, how long it takes, and who should not have it done.