I’m thrilled to announce that I am now offering custom herbal formulas for my patients. In addition to my background in nutrition and supplements prior to studying acupuncture, I just spent the last two years completing advanced training in traditional East Asian herbology. It’s been a long road, and this blog has been quiet for the last two years as I focused on my studies, but it has been well worth it. I am amazed by the benefits that my patients are already seeing as a result of incorporating an herbal formula here and there in addition to the acupuncture sessions. These traditional herbal formulas were developed thousands of years ago and recent medical studies confirm their efficacy.
The key benefits of herbology in conjunction with acupuncture are:
1. Speedy Results
In my approach to acupuncture, my goal is to treat almost every condition in 3-5 sessions rather than being dependent on acupuncture indefinitely. Because the body is self-regulating, once we get the bodily systems back into balance with a short series of acupuncture treatments, it tends to keep itself that way. Utilizing herbal formulas, only as needed, has accentuated the speedy recovery from illnesses and injuries.
In other words, strategic supplementation with custom-made prescription-strength formulas optimizes treatment outcomes and speeds up the healing process. My custom blends are often designed to work within a week or two, and the maximum amount of time I recommend staying on a formula is about 6 months. The synergistic effect of acupuncture with traditional herbal wisdom makes this combination extremely effective.
2. Wide Range of Applications
I have found herbal formulas to be indispensable in cases of chronic infertility as well as digestive disturbances. Furthermore, I have found them to be of great help in insomnia, tinnitus, and chronic sinus infections. I also utilize a variety of topical and internal formulations for pain and sports injuries. Particularly for competitive athletes who need to be in peak performance for scheduled matches, I find herbal supplementation highly beneficial. Topical formulas come in the form of lotions, liniments or patches applied to the area of concern, while internal formulas can be made into fresh teas, granules or powder to be mixed with water, or capsules. These are the three methods in the image above.
3. Very Affordable
Another component of the Vivacity approach is keeping costs lower. Herbal formulations are often by far more cost-effective than pharmaceuticals. Plus, because they are designed to take only temporarily they will not constitute a long-term expense. I only recommend custom formulas on an as-needed basis. I don’t try to sell my patients unnecessary supplements or keep them on formulas that they don’t need. The consultation required to develop a custom herbal formula are covered by many insurance plans as well.
