What makes Functional Medicine different from what I’m already doing?

If at any point you were trying to get to the bottom of why you may be feeling fatigue, energy crashes, difficulty going to bed and then difficulty waking up, bloating, heartburn, eczema, acne, hormonal swings and menstrual pains, muscle aches or nerve pain that radiate to other parts of your body, difficulty keeping weight off despite doing the right things, allergies, headaches, emotional swings, or even just trying to find the right supplements but not finding the root cause and solutions for any of the above, then lab-based functional medicine can reveal the hidden sources of such health concerns. Functional Medicine utilizes specific lab testing to find the root causes of your health matters and understand your body systems as a whole.

Integrative Eastern Medicine is a mouthful. What is it?

Traditional eastern medicine also known as East Asian medicine is one of the world’s oldest forms of holistic medicine, viewing the mind + body as a coexisting whole in accordance with the natural world.  We are affected by climate and seasons, our internal emotions, lifestyle choices, nutrition, relationships, and nature of work.  Caring for our emotional well-being translates to physiological health, and caring for our physical bodies equates to emotional health.  You will often find your Acupuncturist (who also can be known as eastern medicine practitioner, integrative medicine practitioner) inquire about your stress levels, sleep quality, diet and nutrition, hormonal cycle, and emotion of the day.  All these factors are important and play key roles in your health and even with common concerns such as musculoskeletal pain.

I see pictures of acupuncture online. Can you tell me what to expect?

Acupuncture is the insertion of fine, single-use disposable needles into the skin and muscle tissue. The technique and depth depend on your condition of the day. It is not as painful as the hypodermic needle you may have experienced in the past. Ideally, you will feel a deeper sensation within your tissues and even a traveling sensation in your body conduits. Most people fall asleep during acupuncture and we fondly call this the “acu-nap.”

What can I do to have a better acupuncture treatment?

You will have a better experience for your first visit if you have eaten breakfast/lunch and are hydrated that day, and avoid coffee 2-4 hours before your appointment time. Feel free to wear a yoga type bra to access the upper back and loose shorts for the hips/low back.

How does acupuncture work?

Modern research has observed that needling acupuncture points stimulates both the central and peripheral nervous systems, creating signals throughout the fascia, muscles, brain, and spinal cord.  The cascade of signaling from acupuncture helps muscle tissue heal by improving blood circulation crucial for healing, reduce inflammatory markers, vasodilate dysfunctional muscle trigger points, and induce the body’s own analgesic chemicals.  In short, acupuncture promotes self-healing.  

With regular acupuncture, you may experience an improved response to stress, better sleep quality, sustained energy, less pain, and a more positive mood.  Acupuncture treats a multitude of conditions including and certainly not limited to: neck, shoulder, back, limb, and joint pain and dysfunction; sleep disorders; digestive troubles; fertility; endocrine and hormonal issues; allergies; and of course, stress.

The main body systems that acupuncture contributes to are the nervous system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and immune system.  Acupuncture can benefit you in many ways because it considers the body and mind as a whole.

Do you recommend any herbs to help me with you-name-it?

Herbal medicine is used to help balance today’s lifestyle equation. Mainly plant-based, the best tools are well-formulated herbal supplement plans that match your current condition and diagnosis. Your Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist specifies a formulation to treat both the root and branch of your condition. Essentially, the root cause needs to be addressed to avoid branch symptoms from reoccurring. Herbs work best when combined synergistically and pair excellently with your specific acupuncture treatment.

What did you do before this?

Sarrah previously enjoyed a professional career in digital marketing in the tech and consumer fields. Growing up in New York deeply connected to holistic medicine, she found that the precise combination of acupuncture and herbal medicine resolved her struggles with back pain, joint mobility, allergies, hormonal balance, among other health issues. Adding regular chiropractic care and physiotherapy to her frequent acupuncture care and plant medicines contributed to a stronger and happier mind and body. When health issues arose in her adult life, she added functional medicine with lab analyses to resolve issues that were not being fundamentally addressed by conventional offices. This life-long journey towards healing in a more natural and minimally invasive way deeply motivated her to change life course and share this ancient yet contemporary integrative medicine with as many people as possible.