Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a condition in which mast cells inappropriately release chemical mediators — including histamine, prostaglandins, and cytokines — that may drive chronic multisystem symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues, skin reactions, and anxiety. Standard allergy and…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Standard autoimmune blood tests may miss ongoing immune dysregulation because they are designed to confirm diagnoses at disease thresholds, not to assess functional immune balance. Functional medicine interprets markers such as CRP, vitamin D, thyroid antibodies, and zonulin in context, evaluating inflammation, nutrient…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Chronic inflammation is a persistent, low-grade immune activation that may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions. Unlike acute inflammation, which resolves after healing, chronic inflammation can damage healthy tissues over months or years. Modifiable…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is a structured elimination and reintroduction framework that may help individuals with autoimmune conditions identify food triggers contributing to inflammation and immune dysregulation. Developed as a therapeutic variation of the Paleo diet, AIP temporarily removes grains, dairy, legumes,…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Functional Medicine is a whole-person, systems biology approach that identifies how genetics, environment, nutrition, lifestyle, and psychosocial stressors may interact to drive chronic illness. Rather than treating disease labels in isolation, practitioners evaluate patterns of dysfunction across interconnected body systems — including mitochondrial…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer GLP-1 receptor agonist medications such as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda) may reduce appetite and support short-term weight loss, but they do not address underlying gut microbiome imbalances, hormonal dysregulation, or metabolic dysfunction that often drive weight gain. Without comprehensive monitoring, their…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Coffee enemas are a detoxification technique that may increase hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity by up to 600% and small intestine detoxification by 700%, according to research by Max Gerson, MD. The palmitic acid in coffee can stimulate GST enzyme production, potentially raising…
