Dr. Riley Smith LAc, DACM

Dr. Riley Smith LAc, DACM Guiding patients on a model of self-care so they can feel like themselves again and thrive.

I learned my brain fog had inflammatory origins I could address. My story isn't unique—I pushed through exhaustion with ...
08/25/2025

I learned my brain fog had inflammatory origins I could address. My story isn't unique—I pushed through exhaustion with caffeine, survived the afternoon crash with sugar, and wondered why my mind felt increasingly cloudy despite doing "all the right things" for brain health.

What I discovered transformed my approach: our cognitive function isn't just about neurochemistry—it's fundamentally about energy. My brain fog, memory issues, and difficulty focusing weren't personality flaws or inevitable aging—they were metabolic problems. My brain cells simply weren't getting the consistent energy they needed to function optimally.

The breakthrough came when I realized my metabolic health was the foundation for my mental clarity. Our brains consume a disproportionate amount of our body's energy—about 20% despite being only 2% of our body weight. When our metabolic systems are dysregulated through blood sugar instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, or cellular inflammation, our cognitive function takes an immediate hit.

My healing journey began with addressing the metabolic foundations of brain health—stabilizing blood sugar to prevent the cognitive rollercoaster, supporting mitochondrial function for sustained mental energy, and reducing inflammatory triggers that were creating neural static. The transformation was profound—mental clarity I hadn't experienced in years, emotional resilience that had seemed out of reach, and cognitive endurance that changed how I approached my work.

This isn't about perfection or restrictive protocols—it's about understanding how your brain's energy systems work and supporting them consistently. Start with one simple practice: prioritize protein at breakfast instead of carbs alone, and notice how this affects your mental clarity throughout the morning.

I’m so glad you’re here ❤️
-Dr. Riley


08/24/2025

Falling in love is the easy part.

Growing in love is the good part.

These days it’s so easy to hit the eject button when s**t gets real. But true growth healing, and co-regulated development can only occur in partnership where a foundation of emotional safety has been fostered and intentionally curated.

Putting in the work to intentionally create the safe space is not just an act of love towards another, but perhaps the greatest act of self-care and self-love possible.

When we intentionally create safe space to come home to. literally and figuratively, we create the conditions necessary for us to be our authentic selves so we can continue to give to the world from a place of abundance.

I discovered my gut inflammation affected my mood more than I realized. For years, I experienced anxiety, mood swings, a...
08/23/2025

I discovered my gut inflammation affected my mood more than I realized. For years, I experienced anxiety, mood swings, and brain fog that seemed purely psychological. I tried therapy, meditation, and every mindfulness practice available, yet still struggled with emotional stability. What I didn't understand was how profoundly my digestive health was influencing my mental state.

The turning point came when I connected the dots between what was happening in my gut and what was happening in my mind. Those anxious mornings often followed digestive discomfort. The brain fog coincided with food sensitivities I hadn't identified. The emotional reactivity intensified during periods of gut inflammation.

This isn't coincidence—it's neurobiology. Our gut and brain develop from the same tissue in the womb and remain connected throughout life through the vagus nerve, creating a constant two-way communication system. Our gut microbiome produces neurotransmitters that directly influence our mood, while gut inflammation creates inflammatory cytokines that affect brain function.

My healing journey began with addressing both my gut health and emotional patterns simultaneously. I discovered that no amount of psychological work could fully resolve my anxiety while my gut remained inflamed. Conversely, no gut protocol could heal completely without addressing the emotional patterns that were disrupting my digestion.

Where might your emotional experiences be reflecting your gut health? How might addressing both simultaneously create healing neither could achieve alone?

I’m so glad you’re here ❤️
-Dr. Riley



You've swapped bread for kale bowls, upgraded to extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkled turmeric on everything short of y...
08/22/2025

You've swapped bread for kale bowls, upgraded to extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkled turmeric on everything short of your toothbrush---yet the morning puffiness, wired-then-tired crashes, and mystery joint aches keep hanging around.

Here's the plot twist most "anti-inflammatory" meal plans miss: food is only the first domino in a chain reaction that starts long before the fork hits your lips.

Why the Same Menu Lands Differently in Every Body
📌Timing Turbulence -- A flawless plate at 10 p.m. forces your liver to work the night shift instead of deep-cleaning; inflammation smolders while you sleep.
📌Tolerance Threshold -- Raw spinach is a phytonutrient hero---unless oxalates sandpaper an already leaky gut, turning hero into heckler.
📌State of the System -- Eat salmon while scrolling work emails and fight-or-flight shunts blood away from digestion; even omega-3s can't douse a cortisol bonfire.
📌Bio-Individual Wiring -- One person's garlic-and-almond power bowl is another person's histamine horror show; genes, microbes, and stress history decide the verdict.

The Bigger Picture Your Cells Care About
➡︎Nerve tone---can the vagus flip you into rest-and-digest before the first bite?
➡︎Gut-wall integrity---does that turmeric even cross the border?
➡︎Phase-II detox bandwidth---can the liver ship out yesterday's debris before today's meal arrives?
➡︎Mitochondrial charge---enough ATP to rebuild, or just enough to scroll for answers?
➡︎Blood-sugar glide path---smooth sailing or a roller coaster that flips on NF-κB every three hours?

Especially important if you're someone who gives perfect nutrition advice to others but struggles to nourish yourself consistently.

If you're eating like a textbook and still not feeling better, it's time to decode what your biology is really asking for.

Educational content only; not medical advice.

I’m so glad you’re here ❤️
-Dr. Riley


I had abandoned my inner child while trying to please everyone else. My journey from outer child protection to inner chi...
08/21/2025

I had abandoned my inner child while trying to please everyone else. My journey from outer child protection to inner child healing transformed everything. After my mother's passing, I saw how stress becomes physical illness, and I realized I was following the exact path that had cost my mother her health and ultimately her life.

As a child, I became the family's emotional thermostat—reading rooms with extraordinary precision, shape-shifting into whatever version of myself would maintain belonging. This hypervigilance served a purpose then, helping me navigate an unpredictable environment. But as an adult, this pattern had become a prison, creating chronic inflammation, hormonal chaos, and exhaustion no amount of rest could touch.

The breakthrough came when I connected my adult health issues to my childhood coping strategies. My digestive problems reflected years of "swallowing" my authentic expression. My hormone imbalances mirrored the dysregulation I'd experienced as a sensitive child in an unpredictable environment. My autoimmune tendencies revealed the confusion between self and other that began when my worth was tied to meeting others' needs.

Healing began with creating safety for my inner child—the part of me still operating from outdated protection strategies. I learned to recognize when my adult symptoms were actually expressions of my inner child's unmet needs for safety, acceptance, and authentic expression.

Where might your health challenges reflect your childhood protective strategies? What would change if you approached your symptoms with curiosity about what your inner child might need? Remember, healing happens not by leaving your inner child behind, but by bringing them with you into adult resourcefulness.

Ever notice how a tight deadline leaves your coworker a little cranky---but leaves you puffy-faced, brain-fogged, and on...
08/20/2025

Ever notice how a tight deadline leaves your coworker a little cranky---but leaves you puffy-faced, brain-fogged, and one step from a skin flare?🤷🏻‍♀️
That isn't weakness; it's wiring.

When stress hits, your brain pulls the fire alarm---cortisol surges, the gut lining loosens, and immune cells release cytokines. For some bodies, those cytokines whisper. For others, they blare like stadium speakers because:
📌Early-life "software." Childhood chaos sets stress receptors to hair-trigger mode, so adult challenges feel like DEFCON-1 to your immune system.
📌Flat-lined cortisol curve. If your morning rise and night dip look more like a speed bump, cleanup crews show up late and inflammation lingers.
📌Leaky gut gateway. Tiny breaches let bacterial fragments slip into blood, convincing immune cells a war is on---even if the battle is just a difficult conversation.
📌Dormant viruses on standby. Old pathogens (think EBV) love cortisol surges; they wake up, wave flags, and fuel more cytokine chaos.
📌Genetic volume k**b. Certain variants make your cells hear immune signals at full blast while everyone else gets elevator music.

Put all that together and the same stressor that gives your friend a mild headache can hand you bloating, achey joints, and PMS that feels like a plot twist.
Sound familiar if you're someone who absorbs others' emotional storms like a sponge?

🔑Key Takeaway: Calming the alarm isn't only breathwork and bubble baths (though they help). It's also blood-sugar stability, polyphenols that seal the gut wall, and bedtime habits that restore your cortisol rhythm---so your immune system learns the difference between a challenging day and an actual emergency.
Tap 💬 if stress turns into symptoms for you, too.
Educational content only; not medical advice.

I’m so glad you’re here ❤️
-Dr. Riley

I learned my body's inflammatory language through careful listening. For years, I treated my chronic skin issues, digest...
08/19/2025

I learned my body's inflammatory language through careful listening. For years, I treated my chronic skin issues, digestive problems, and fatigue as purely physical conditions requiring only physical solutions. I searched endlessly for the perfect supplement, diet, or practitioner who could "fix" these mysterious symptoms.

The breakthrough came when I realized my body wasn't broken—it was speaking a language I hadn't been taught to understand. My skin inflammation flared precisely when my emotional boundaries were crossed. My digestive issues intensified during periods of trying to "stomach" situations that weren't right for me. My fatigue was worst when I was giving from an empty cup.

This isn't about blame or suggesting it's "all in your head." It's about recognizing that our bodies are intelligent systems that respond to our lived experiences—both physical and emotional. When we experience chronic stress, boundary violations, or disconnection from our authentic needs, our bodies produce inflammatory responses as a way of getting our attention.

My mother's chronic anxiety eventually manifested as terminal cancer. This event opened my eyes to how intergenerational patterns of stress and trauma affect our bodies, relationships, and life choices. Our mental and physical health are directly linked. Chronic stress can materialize in unexpected ways when we don't address it properly.

The path to healing begins with curiosity rather than judgment about your symptoms. Instead of asking "what's wrong with me?" try asking "what might my body be trying to tell me?" This shift alone can create profound changes in your healing journey.

Your body isn't your enemy—it's been your most faithful messenger all along.

I’m so glad you’re here ❤️
-Dr. Riley



🔥Inflammation whispers long before it ever screams.Most people chalk up the scattered signals---📌puffy eyes here 📌a 3 AM...
08/18/2025

🔥Inflammation whispers long before it ever screams.

Most people chalk up the scattered signals---
📌puffy eyes here 📌a 3 AM wake-up there
---as "just getting older."

Yet behind those seemingly unrelated annoyances is the same biochemical fire: a slow-burn cytokine cascade that hijacks metabolism, hormones, and mood.

When you spot even two boxes checked on the chart above, you're already in the "silent" phase---where tissue damage begins long before labs spike.
The good news? These early sparks are the easiest to smother.

Here's the reframe I give my clients: inflammation isn't an enemy to fight; it's feedback to decode. Lower the signal, and the symptoms fade on their own. Stop chasing isolated problems---work upstream at the immune-metabolic interface and you'll see brain fog, belly fat, and PMS bow out together.🎉

Ready to turn down the flame instead of living on ibuprofen, ice packs and elimination diets? Let's shift from symptom management to system mastery---because the best time to act is before the fire alarm ever goes off.

Especially important if you're someone who's used to putting everyone else's needs first.

Educational content only; consult your practitioner for personal guidance.

I’m so glad you’re here ❤️
-Dr. Riley


I discovered my inflammation wasn't just physical—it was emotional too. For years, I pushed through digestive issues, sk...
08/17/2025

I discovered my inflammation wasn't just physical—it was emotional too. For years, I pushed through digestive issues, skin problems, and fatigue, believing they were purely physical conditions requiring only physical solutions. Meanwhile, I was abandoning myself emotionally—people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, and disconnecting from my authentic needs.

The turning point came when I realized my body was simply manifesting what my voice couldn't express. My gut inflammation flared precisely when my boundaries were crossed. My skin erupted when I suppressed my truth. My joints ached when I carried emotional burdens too long.

This isn't "woo-woo" thinking—it's neurobiology. When we experience chronic emotional stress, our bodies produce inflammatory cytokines, stress hormones flood our system, and our immune function becomes dysregulated. Our physical and emotional systems aren't separate—they're in constant communication.

My healing journey began when I started treating my emotional needs with the same seriousness as my physical symptoms. I learned that setting boundaries wasn't selfish—it was essential medicine. Expressing my authentic feelings wasn't dramatic—it was preventative healthcare.

What physical symptoms might be expressing your emotional needs? How might honoring your authentic feelings create healing in your body? Remember, your body isn't betraying you with these symptoms—it's trying to protect you by sending messages you've been trained to ignore.

Connection—first with yourself, then with others—truly is medicine.

I’m so glad you’re here ❤️
-Dr. Riley



You can care deeply about people without depleting yourself.This took me years to learn.I used to think caring meant giv...
08/16/2025

You can care deeply about people without depleting yourself.

This took me years to learn.

I used to think caring meant giving everyone the same level of emotional energy. If someone was struggling, I absorbed it. If they needed help, I dropped everything. In relationships, I gave my all immediately, thinking that’s what love looked like.

I called it compassion. It was actually closer to codependency.

Here’s what changed everything:

Universal compassion vs selective investment

Universal compassion = treating everyone with basic kindness and respect. This is renewable energy.

You can offer this freely.

Selective investment = your deeper emotional energy, time, and resources. This is finite.

Choose wisely.

The shift happened when I realized I was giving away pieces of myself to people who hadn’t earned that level of access to my inner world.

I can listen to a friend’s struggles without making their emotions mine to carry.

I can care about a coworker’s stress without losing sleep over their problems.

In dating, I can be genuinely interested without immediately over-investing in someone’s potential.

In romantic relationships, I can love someone deeply while maintaining my own emotional boundaries and not rushing into intense vulnerability.

I can offer support within limits that protect my well-being.

This isn’t about becoming cold. It’s about sustainable compassion.

You can hold space for others without losing yourself in their space. You can be present without being consumed.

Your caring heart is a gift. Protect it by being intentional about where you invest your deepest energy.

The people who deserve your selective investment will respect your boundaries, not test them.

This boundary isn’t selfish—it’s necessary for genuine connection and long-term emotional health.

I’m so glad you’re here
Dr. Riley




Feel like you cleaned up the kitchen (your gut) but the whole house still smells off? 👃That funk could be coming from th...
08/16/2025

Feel like you cleaned up the kitchen (your gut) but the whole house still smells off? 👃
That funk could be coming from the hallway nobody dusts: your lymphatic system---the body's silent sanitation crew.

Why the Lymph Matters
Picture 600-plus little car washes (lymph nodes) connected by rivers (lymph vessels). They haul away cellular trash, immune debris, and excess fluid 24/7. When those rivers slow---think dehydration, sitting marathons, tight waistbands---the garbage trucks idle and inflammation hangs around like yesterday's take-out boxes.

What a Traffic Jam Looks Like
📌Puffy pillow face in the morning → lymph pools under the eyes. 📌Cellulite that won't budge despite clean eating → stagnant lymph around fat cells. 📌Brain fog during back-to-back sessions → immune waste not draining from the glymphatic highway in your skull. 📌Sinus cement every spring (or... always) → lymph nodes in your neck working overtime with no exit lane.

Simple Ways to Re-Open the Road
✅Bounce it out. 2-3 minutes of mini-trampoline or jump-rope shakes fluid loose like hitting "refresh."
✅Sip, don't chug. Aim for half your body-weight (lbs) in ounces of mineral water daily; steady flow keeps rivers moving.
✅Diaphragm drill. Three slow belly breaths, exhaling twice as long as you inhale, act like a lymph pump in your torso.
✅Manual assist. Light dry brushing or a two-minute shower contrast (30-sec warm, 30-sec cool) signals vessels to contract and release.
✅Desk-job hack. Calf raises or ankle circles every hour---your calves are nicknamed "the second heart" for pushing lymph north.

🔑Key Takeaway:
If detox supplements make you feel worse, your liver might be unlocking toxins faster than lymph can haul them out. Open the drainage highways first---then the "gut fixes" finally stick.

Especially crucial if you're constantly processing emotional residue from your work.

Ever feel puffy, foggy, or stiff even after cleaning up your diet? Comment 🌀 if that's been you.

Educational content only; not medical advice.

I’m so glad you’re here ❤️
-Dr. Riley


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Acupuncture In San Diego

Welcome! You have a lot of choices when it comes to healthcare and I thank you for seeking me out. It is a privilege to work with my patients and it’s a sacred bond that I value deeply. I am indebted to thousands of trusting patients I have had the honor of treating over the years in my multi-year award winning practice. But most importantly, I want to congratulate YOU on taking a step towards health, wellness and getting the most out of your life.

Lets get real- we live in a hectic world and are bombarded by multiple roadblocks that sometimes make it challenging to live a balanced, healthy life. Whether you are seeking out acupuncture for stress reduction and general wellness, aches and pains or even if you’re a superstar athlete, you have come to the right place.

Perhaps you’re an experienced acupuncture patient or maybe completely new to acupuncture and “alternative” care. Either way I work with all backgrounds and I am happy to answer all of your questions. Acupuncture isn’t always a quick fix but it ispersonalized, intentional and specific. For many, it is the piece of the puzzle they have been missing.

I believe in removing the confusion and mystery from Chinese Medicine to make it an approachable, fun, realistic and rewarding part of your overall healthcare. At any time, you can contact me or go here to learn more about my treatment philosophy. Let’s do this!