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Wholesome Brain Medicine, 1239 Scott Street, San Diego, CA (2025)

09/26/2025

I’ve spent the last few days searching for the right words—words that honor both the complexity of this moment and the families who trust me with their most precious gifts.

The internet may be ablaze with debate, but beneath the noise, we’re united by something deeper: our shared commitment to the health and flourishing of the autism community, and our drive to understand the intricate dance between genetics and environment that shapes how our children develop.

As a doctor walking alongside families through biomedical approaches, I’ve never had the privilege of waiting for textbook certainty. Because waiting isn’t just academic—it’s a child’s window of opportunity closing. It’s a family’s hope deferred. It’s potential left unrealized.

Yes, the science is complex, sometimes contradictory, always evolving. But complexity isn’t an excuse for complacency. It demands something harder: the careful application of clinical wisdom, deep humility, and unwavering compassion as we pursue safe, evidence-informed paths toward healing.

What I witness in my practice leaves me in awe daily. I don’t speak from personal experience with autism, but it has become the work that defines me. These children and their families have shown me that love isn’t just an emotion- it’s fierce determined action. I don’t claim to have every answer, but I promise this: I will never stop learning, questioning, researching, and fighting for every child that walks through my door.

Here’s what I know to be true: families see their children clearly. When they tell me certain symptoms aren’t “just autism” but signs of underlying imbalances that can be addressed, I listen. Because this isn’t unique to autism—it’s the human condition. ADHD, anxiety, depression, diabetes, heart disease—every diagnosis represents the complex interplay between who we are genetically and the world we inhabit.

Our calling is to meet each person with radical acceptance and unconditional love—while having the courage to pursue every avenue that might ease their struggles and unlock their potential.

❤️❤️❤️

07/17/2025

🍽️ Picky eating can feel impossible to change. You want to help your child eat better, but the reality hits hard: “They literally won’t eat anything else.”

I sit with parents all the time who feel completely stuck. You’re caught between wanting better nutrition for your kid and knowing that even mentioning a new food triggers meltdowns, anxiety, or flat-out refusal.

But I’ve also worked with families whose kids went from living on Cheetos and Doritos to actually thriving on whole foods. 🥗 Not because it suddenly got easy. Not because their child woke up loving vegetables. But because we figured out what was happening in their body that was making food feel so rigid and scary and the parents were persistent in their efforts.

There’s no magic bullet here. It takes time, patience, and honestly—a lot of support. But when we address what’s going on with the gut, the brain, the immune system, and approach feeding with real compassion—things actually start to shift.

🍽️ Real change happens. Your child’s relationship with food can get better.

You’re not doing this alone, and there’s always something we can try next.

👇 If this hits home, drop a ❤️ to let others know they’re not alone and share your favorite tip!

07/10/2025

My 7+ year breastfeeding journey has officially come to an end.

For 2,631 consecutive days (minus 3 for a conference), I breastfed one or both of my children—day and night.

It’s hard to put into words what I’m feeling. A swirl of emotions: grief over the end of an incredibly special connection… gratitude for a body that carried me through… and profound awe at the gift of being able to nourish my children in a way that so many cannot—not for lack of desire, but because of challenges outside their control.

Breastfeeding wasn’t always easy, but it was powerful.

As a clinician who studies neurodevelopment, I’ve long known what the research says: Breastmilk isn’t “just food.” It’s neurological input. It’s immune signaling. It’s emotional regulation.
🧠 It fuels myelination. 🛡 It trains the immune system. 🤍 It co-regulates the stress response.

So in honor of this chapter closing, I want to share some of what I wish more people knew:
👉 That human milk doesn’t expire at 12 months.
👉 That it evolves with your child.
👉 That it’s immunologically active, neurologically protective, and emotionally regulating long after babyhood ends.

🙏 To every breastfeeding mother—whether your journey lasted 2 days or 2,000—you are doing incredible work. Your body is wise. Your intuition is real. Your effort matters.

🤗Send this to a breastfeeding mama you know, and let her know she’s doing incredible work!

07/09/2025

When the CDC says the DTaP vaccine is “100% effective,” it sounds like total protection. But that figure only applies to a very specific definition—preventing pertussis illness that lasts 21 days or more, and only during the first year after completing all 5 doses.

In reality, breakthrough infections can and do happen.

📊 According to the CDC’s 2024 pertussis surveillance report, the majority of children aged 6 months to 6 years who got pertussis—and whose vaccine status was known—had completed the primary DTaP series. 👉That means even fully vaccinated children can still get sick, especially as immunity wanes over time.
👉By 5 years post-vaccine, protection drops to about 70%, which helps explain why outbreaks continue—even in well-vaccinated communities.
👉And for families wondering about doing just 1 or 2 doses? Unfortunately, the CDC doesn’t offer clear U.S. data on how effective that is.

That’s why and I created the Vaccine Empowerment Program (VEP)—to help you:
✅Understand what vaccine efficacy really means
✅Support your child’s immune system before and after shots
✅Make confident, personalized decisions backed by science—not fear

✨ Comment “VEP” to get 50% off through midnight tonight and join hundreds of families already making empowered, informed choices.

07/09/2025

“Should I vaccinate? Delay? Decline?” We’ve been there too.

and I have navigated this same decision-making process as parents—looking at the data, weighing the risks, and asking hard questions like: ➡️ What am I optimizing for? ➡️ What’s my child’s individual susceptibility? ➡️ How do I protect their neurodevelopment—regardless of what I choose?

We weren’t satisfied with one-size-fits-all recommendations. But we also knew fear-based decisions weren’t the answer either.
That’s why we created the Vaccine Empowerment Program (VEP)—a comprehensive, science-informed resource to help you:
🦠Understand the real risks of each illness we vaccinate for 🧬 Identify which kids may be more vulnerable to vaccine reactions—and why 🗓️ Build an individualized, thoughtful approach to timing and support 💪 Learn how to prep, buffer, and recover if you do choose to vaccinate

This is about nuance. About protecting your child’s health both from illness and from overwhelm. And about having confidence in the path you choose.

💬 Comment “VEP” to join the Vaccine Empowerment Program—now 50% off for a limited time.

07/07/2025

Let’s talk about something that often gets missed in post-vaccine conversations: 
It’s not just about what went in—it’s about how the immune system responds. And in sensitive kids, that response can ripple far beyond the injection site.

❗️Vaccines work by activating the immune system—this is expected and necessary.
 But for some children with underlying neuroimmune vulnerability, that activation can tip into neuroinflammation.

Here’s what research shows: ➡️ Immune signaling molecules—IL-1B, TNF-alpha, IL-6—can spike during this immune activation ➡️ These cytokines increase blood-brain barrier permeability. ➡️ The chemokine CCL2 (also called MCP-1) acts like a beacon, drawing immune cells toward the brain ➡️ And here’s where it gets interesting: aluminum adjuvants can hitch a ride on immune cells—crossing the blood-brain barrier via this “Trojan horse” mechanism.
Once inside, immune cells and cytokines can activate microglia, the brain’s innate immune cells.
 Microglia play a crucial role in shaping synaptic connections and neurodevelopment—especially in early childhood.

So while we can’t say immune activation causes altered neurodevelopment in every case, we do know this sequence is plausible, biologically active, and repeatedly observed in the literature on autism, PANS/PANDAS, and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

The takeaway?
🧠 The goal isn’t to “detox” the vaccine. The goal is to support a balanced, regulated immune response—especially in kids whose neuroimmune systems are already working overtime.
Inside the Vaccine Empowerment Program, I break down exactly how to do that: ✔️ Before vaccines ✔️ In the days after ✔️ And when deeper support is warranted

Comment VEP below and I’ll send you the details (50% off for a limited time).

Because understanding the immune system’s role in brain development changes everything about how we care for our kids.

06/14/2025

I still remember the morning I knew.

Not as a doctor this time, but as a mom. The shift was subtle at first—then unmistakable. Where there used to be patience, now there were quick tears. Joy seemed harder to reach. The clinical part of my brain knew what I was seeing. But the mother in me felt something break.

Encephalitis isn’t just a word in a medical chart. It’s watching your child slip away while they’re standing right in front of you. It’s the raw emotions that seem to come from nowhere. It’s the meltdowns over things that never mattered before, and the sadness that settles in their eyes.

In my office, I see the same distress in parents’ eyes —the one that asks, “Will I ever get them back?”

Whether it’s a loss of joy and peace, new tic, a dramatic shift in behavior, or even a loss in eye contact and words—the child you’re grieving isn’t gone. They’re just asking for support.🙏

Sitting with parents in this space, helping them hold the weight of what’s been lost, is one of the most sacred parts of the work I do. And lately, it’s been on my heart to speak this truth more openly... Because this is far more common than most realize.

You are not alone in this heartbreak. ❤️And the light you see inside them? It’s still there. Never stop holding onto that hope. Because your belief, your presence, and your fight—that’s what helps bring them back.

06/03/2025

🚨 I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be speaking at the upcoming MAPS Functional & Translational Medicine Conference this fall in Phoenix, AZ! ⁣
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🎤 I’ll be presenting on “Using Genetics to Assess Neurodevelopmental Vulnerability in the Context of Vaccination”—a topic I care deeply about and one that bridges precision medicine, neuroimmunology, and pediatric care.⁣
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🧬 If you’re passionate about pediatric neurodevelopment, pediatric chronic illness, integrative medicine, or just want to deepen your clinical tools, this conference is not to be missed.⁣
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💥 Use my code CALHOUN20 for 20% off your registration!⁣
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📍September 4–6th | Phoenix, AZ
📚 Hosted by MAPS (Medical Academy of Pediatrics & Special Needs)
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💬 Comment “CONFERENCE” and I’ll DM you the direct link to register!
⁣
Let me know if you’ll be there—I’d love to connect with some of you in person! 💙⁣
⁣

05/19/2025

Doctor- Why don’t you discuss the role of genetics in autism risk? 🙋‍♀️

Let’s discuss!

Genetic mutations linked with Autism traits ARE growing, but within our conversation, we need to widen the lens.

🧬When we talk about genetics, most people think of inheritance. But some of the most impactful changes in a child’s DNA aren’t inherited at all.

They’re de novo mutations—spontaneous changes in the DNA of egg or s***m cells before conception.
 These aren’t passed down from parents… They’re a reflection of what’s happening to the DNA itself—in real time.

⚠️ And the rates are rising. Environmental toxins, oxidative stress, poor nutrition, mitochondrial dysfunction—all of these can disrupt germ cells and increase the risk of mutation at the very foundation of life.

📚 As Dr. Richard Boles notes in his 2024 whole-genome sequencing study on autism:
“68% of children with autism in our study had pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. Roughly half of these were de novo, arising in the parental germline.” – Boles et al., 2024, Neuroneeds Autism Sequencing Study

So yes, genetics matter.But we have to stop equating “genetic” with “inevitable.” Because many of these DNA changes are biologically mediated—and that means they’re modifiable.

‼️Preconception is prevention.‼️ We can’t control everything, but we can influence the quality of the DNA we pass on

05/12/2025

Motherhood - a part that’s been inside of me since as long as I can remember. It’s difficult to summarize my feelings about this role into words - it runs that deep for me. I know not everyone wishes for “mother” to define their identity, but for me? I truly don’t know that I could find anything more gratifying. The joy I experience in caring for my children and watching them grow and develop is simply unmatched by anything else I’ve ever done.

I often think this is exactly why God placed me in the role I have today. Working with mothers as they support their own children’s healing and blossoming feels like a natural extension of the love and care that’s been instilled in me as a mother.

And what’s so incredible about this day is knowing I share this experience with millions of women across the world. Our paths all look different, but the journey is the same… and that connectedness? It’s truly so heartwarming.

Deep down, I know that motherhood isn’t just something I do - it’s who I am. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So with that, Happy Mother’s Day to all of the Mama’s out there! I love that I get to share the joys of this day with you!

04/16/2025

It’s no longer rare.

‼️Autism now affects 1 in 31 children nationally—and here in California, it’s 1 in 19.
‼️For boys, it’s estimated at 1 in 12.5.

That’s not a future fear. That’s now. That’s classrooms today. Pediatric visits today. That’s your neighbors, your friends, maybe your child.

👉And nearly 40% of these children also have an intellectual disability. This isn’t just about social quirks or late talking. It’s about profound developmental struggles—and families navigating those challenges every single day.

As a doctor and a mom in California, I’m not surprised that so many families are nervous. ❤️Nervous during pregnancy. ❤️Nervous through the first year. ❤️Hyper-aware of milestones, of vaccines, of every fever, every shift in eye contact or sleep pattern.

And they’re not overreacting. They’re paying attention.
Because what used to feel “uncommon” now feels close. Too close.

In just a few years, California’s autism rates have jumped from:
👉1 in 26 (2018)
👉to 1 in 22 (2020)
👉to 1 in 19 (2022)
‼️That’s a 36% increase in four years.

We’re often told it’s just better awareness.
But when the numbers rise this fast, and when the severity is increasing too, we have to ask harder questions.

Why are so many children struggling with brain-based delays? Why are we seeing more immune dysregulation, more inflammation, more sensory overwhelm? Why are these trends accelerating—not just continuing?

California may lead in early identification, but it’s also become a front-row seat to something deeper.

This is not about panic. It’s about precision.
 Families deserve to understand the why—so they can make informed choices, find real support, and get to the root of what’s changing in our children.

And I’ll keep having that conversation. Because the families I meet every day aren’t imagining this. They’re living it.❤️

03/28/2025

I’ve sat with so many parents who’ve said:
“He was talking… and then one day he wasn’t.” “She was thriving until that fever.” “She hasn’t been the same since the antibiotics.”

And they’re usually told things like: “Sometimes you don’t notice autism symptoms until this age.” Or “She’s just going through a tough emotional phase.”
But what I see, over and over again, is something deeper: ➡️ A neuro-immune regression ➡️ A nervous system that’s overwhelmed, inflamed, and fighting for balance ➡️ A brain that was developing beautifully—until something disrupted that path

These regressions aren’t random. They often follow illness, fever, vaccine, toxin exposure, or gut disruption. And they’re not the end of the story.

I’ve broken down 4 main patterns I look for when a child suddenly loses skills, emotional regulation, or connection:

🧠 Microglial activation + glutamate overload ⚔️ Autoimmune neuroinflammation (like PANS/PANDAS) ⚡ Mitochondrial dysfunction ☠️ Gut and toxin-induced inflammation

Every one of these has a pattern. And every one has a path forward.

If this sounds like your child, I want you to know: ❤️You’re not imagining things. ❤️You’re not overreacting. ❤️And you’re not alone.

Comment Below:
👇Share your experience- There is hope for healing and comfort in shared experiences
👇Ask you questions- if we can help, we’d love to offer support!

Wholesome Brain Medicine

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