Dr. Catherine On Wellness

Your Body Is Screaming — Can You Hear It?

A 6 a.m. call with my college roommate turned into a reckoning: years of pouring everything into everyone else while our own bodies quietly broke down.

A Cooler Kind of Summer Eating: The Quiet Genius of Vegetables

Why eating your vegetables is the smartest way to survive a heat wave—cooling foods, phytonutrients, and the Chinese medicine wisdom behind staying cool this summer.

I Melted Down My Grandmother's Ring for My Daughter's 21st

On her daughter Ava's 21st birthday — a home birth in Providence, four generations of mother-daughter trauma, and a grandmother's ring remade into two pendants that rest over the heart.

Why Millet Is Your New Best Friend (Especially in Midlife)

Millet is gluten-free, low-glycemic, and nourishes yin in Chinese medicine — making it one of the most powerful breakfast grains for women in perimenopause and menopause.

Facial Acupressure Points: The Complete Guide to a Lifted, Glowing Face

A practitioner's guide to facial acupressure: the points, the real benefits, and a simple daily routine for brighter, firmer, calmer skin.

Is Your Bone Density Quietly Declining? What Every Woman Over 40 Needs to Know

Women can lose up to 20% of bone density in early menopause. Here's the honest, evidence-grounded guide to protecting your bones through perimenopause and beyond.

Acupuncture Demystified: What I Tell Every Patient Who Asks

What actually happens when an acupuncture needle goes in? A practicing doctor of Chinese medicine explains the TCM framework and the modern science—fascial planes, the interstitium, and what your b...

What Is the Estrobolome, and Why Not Pooping Is Jacking Up Your Hormones

The estrobolome is a collection of gut bacteria that controls how your body processes estrogen. Learn why regular bowel movements matter for hormone balance in perimenopause and menopause.

The Ancient, Fizzy, Slightly Slimy History of Kombucha

Kombucha traces back 2,000 years to ancient China, where it was called the Tea of Immortality. Here's its winding journey to your local grocery store.

Stuck Energy, Spring Body: The Ancient Science of Moving

Feeling stuck, angry, or restless this spring? Chinese medicine calls it liver qi stagnation — and movement is your best medicine. Here's why.

The Rocky Road to Hormone Balance — Even for Someone Who Should Know

Dr. Catherine shares her honest menopause journey — five doctors, patches, compounded hormones, and Chinese herbs. Why even a Menopause Society member struggles to figure this out.

The Sexual Wellness Conversation Women Over 40 Deserve

Your OB-GYN probably isn't asking about your libido. Here's what midlife women need to know about sexual wellness, from vaginal estradiol to finding the right provider.