Welcome to another episode of Autoimmune Alchemy, Dr. Micah Yu sits down with Dr. Kara Wada — board-certified allergist, immunologist, lifestyle medicine physician, Sjögren’s patient, and founder of The Immune Confidence Institute. Dr. Wada opens up about her long diagnostic journey with Sjögren’s, why so many patients are dismissed or misdiagnosed, and how clinical “gray zone” diseases like seronegative Sjögren’s, MCAS, dysautonomia, and chronic fatigue often fall through the cracks in modern medicine. She also shares the lifestyle changes, supplements, and clinical trial therapy (dazodalibep) that changed her health, plus the innovative lymph-node–targeted allergy treatment she now offers in her clinic.

Time Stamps

[0:00] — Welcome & Introduction
[1:07] — Early Symptoms & Missed Red Flags
[3:45] — Diagnosis Journey & Lab Findings
[6:12] — What Sjögren’s Really Is
[7:50] — Dryness Isn’t Always the First Symptom
[9:26] — Misrouted Specialists & Delayed Diagnosis
[9:50] — Full Symptom Breakdown
[14:16] — Lifestyle Changes That Helped
[15:30] — New Sjögren’s Drug Trial (Dazodalibep)
[18:10] — Future Treatments & Seronegative Gap
[19:39] — Supplements That Helped
[23:14] — “Clinical Ghosts” & Why Patients Are Dismissed
[27:17] — Rethinking Mast Cells & MCAS
[29:06] — ISLIT Protocol (Lymph-Node Immunotherapy)
[30:30] — Closing & Part 2 Teaser

Key Takeaways

Discover why Sjögren’s isn’t rare — only rarely diagnosed — and how normal labs can still hide the disease.

Understand why dryness doesn’t always appear first and how neurological issues, fatigue, migraines, and POTS often come earlier.

Learn how over-reliance on blood work leads doctors to dismiss patients whose symptoms don’t fit textbook patterns.

Uncover the deep neurological involvement in Sjögren’s, including dizziness, orthostatic intolerance, and chronic headaches.

Explore the lifestyle tools that helped Dr. Wada improve, including sleep optimization, stress management, and plant-forward nutrition.

Autoimmune patients can be overlooked — even when the symptoms are loud and life-altering. Dr. Kara’s perspective as both a physician and a patient brings clarity, compassion, and validation to a community that’s often dismissed. From redefining what Sjögren’s really looks like to exploring groundbreaking new therapies, this conversation offers hope and direction for anyone navigating immune-driven illness. #podcast #autoimmune

About Your Hosts:

Micah Yu, MD, MHA, MS, ABOIM, DipABLM, IFMCP
Dr. Micah Yu is a triple board-certified integrative rheumatologist who blends conventional medicine with holistic, nutrition-based healing to treat autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions. A patient himself, Dr. Yu brings a deeply personal perspective to his work, having reversed his own autoimmune arthritis through lifestyle and integrative medicine. He is certified in internal medicine, rheumatology, integrative medicine, lifestyle medicine, and functional medicine. As the founder of MyAutoimmuneMD and co-founder of Dr. Lifestyle Clinic, Dr. Yu empowers patients to address the root causes of illness and reclaim their health from the inside out.

Melissa Mondala, MD, MHA, MS, DipABLM
Dr. Melissa Mondala is a dual board-certified physician in Family and Lifestyle Medicine, with advanced training in Integrative Psychiatry and Integrative Medicine. As President of Dr. Lifestyle Clinic in Newport Beach—recognized by UC Irvine as a Public Health Site of Excellence—she pioneers a holistic, patient-centered approach to chronic disease. Dr. Mondala is a nationally recognized Lifestyle Medicine Intensivist, core faculty at Loma Linda University’s Preventive Medicine Department, and a passionate advocate for plant-based nutrition, mental health, and women’s wellness. A sought-after speaker and educator, she combines cutting-edge science with deep compassion to empower lasting healing, especially for those silently suffering from autoimmune, mental health, and long COVID conditions. She shares practical inspiration for healthy living and cooking at @drmelissaskitchen.

For more information, please visit https://myautoimmunemd.com.