Bridging East and West: My Journey to Integrating Acupuncture and Functional Medicine at Root & Stem

Today, I want to discuss the intricate dance between two distinct medical approaches: acupuncture and functional medicine (I practice both). While you might think these fields seem worlds apart, they interlace beautifully. By looking at the big picture (your unique genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors) through a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and functional medicine lens, I can offer more effective tailored treatment plans and work with you to achieve outstanding results.

A Threefold Approach to Healing

At Root & Stem, I use a threefold approach combining comprehensive lab testing, the time-honored art of acupuncture, and functional medicine principles. It's a balance I've honed over time. I've come to appreciate the value of in-depth scientific analysis combined with acupuncture and TCM diagnostics and Chinese herbs for creating individualized paths to wellness for my patients.

So how does it all come together?

The Power of Modern Diagnostics

Every health journey begins with understanding. To bring the complete picture of your health into focus, I use modern lab tests (blood and saliva testing) as a critical first step in my functional medicine practice. These tests allow me to assess your health at a granular level, uncovering anything that may be causing imbalance or disease.

As a functional medicine doctor, I interpret test results through a unique lens. While your conventional doctor might look at the same tests and pronounce them "normal," my training allows me to see nuances and make inferences from small details and patterns traditional Western medicine commonly overlooks.

Tailored Treatment with Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine

Guided by these insights, I create a personalized treatment plan with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. I use acupuncture to address your specific concerns, rebalance the body's energy, or 'qi,' reduce inflammation, and help you relax and rejuvenate. When needed, Chinese herbal medicine comes into play to address imbalances and support acupuncture treatments.

Herbs like Huang Qi (Astragalus) to boost the immune system, Bai Shao (White Peony Root) for harmonizing the liver, or Ren Shen (Ginseng), to name a few, synergize with acupuncture to stimulate and enhance your body's inherent ability to heal.

As valuable as modern diagnostics are, they only provide part of the picture. This is why every acupuncture treatment begins with a traditional Chinese pulse and tongue diagnosis.

Lifestyle Guidance as a Pillar of Health

Functional medicine recognizes that our daily habits and choices are pivotal to our overall well-being and physical health. I offer customized lifestyle guidance to support and enhance your health journey. This might include suggestions for a nourishing diet, physical activity, stress management techniques, or restorative sleep practices.

In Practice: A Case Study

To elaborate: Let's say we have a Root & Stem patient grappling with chronic fatigue. Conventional medicine might prescribe stimulants or pain relievers, focusing on treating the symptoms without uncovering and addressing the root cause. I take a different approach.

For example, lab test analysis might reveal an imbalance in the patient's thyroid hormones (often the case in chronic fatigue cases). A detailed analysis of the patient's lifestyle might also uncover high-stress levels and poor sleep patterns.

In response, I would create a multi-pronged treatment plan: acupuncture to enhance energy flow and reduce pain and stress, targeted herbal remedies to support thyroid function, and lifestyle modifications such as stress management techniques and dietary adjustments to promote restful sleep and overall well-being. 

The goal isn't just symptom management but a comprehensive overhaul that helps the patient reclaim vitality and get back to feeling their best.

The Path to Wellness

My journey in both acupuncture and functional medicine is about stepping into your shoes so I can offer a well-rounded, empathetic perspective on health and well-being. I firmly believe that our bodies are complex symphonies, not isolated notes. By focusing on the interrelationships and balance between body systems and leveraging the therapeutic potential of acupuncture and Chinese herbs, my goal is to build resilience, diminish or eliminate discomfort, and guide my patients toward optimal health.

At Root & Stem, we're passionately committed to the principles of acupuncture and functional medicine. This integrated approach empowers us to offer you the most holistic and effective care possible.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive approach to health or struggling with a stubborn issue that conventional Western medicine has failed to address, book an appointment at our Oakland or Nevada City clinic and get started on your path to optimal health!

Immune Support with Chinese Herbs by Brooke McClelland, LAC

In Chinese Medicine, one way that pathogens enter the body is through an invasion of wind.  Wind is thought to be “the carrier of a thousand evils”—what Western medicine would identify as microbes like viruses and bacteria—and it brings in these bugs through the wind gates or immune system—areas of the body like the low back and back of the neck that are considered entry points for invaders. 
 
This past weekend, I started feeling some of the tell-tale signs of a wind invasion—a scratchy, uncomfortable throat, chills, a low-grade fever, tight shoulders and neck, an achy body, slight headache and fatigue.  I had felt fine earlier in the day, but then I recalled my mistake!  I had taken a shower and I tied up my wet hair and gone about my day, forgetting to blow-dry or air-dry my hair.  This is a no-no in Chinese medicine as the cold and damp sitting on my head for hours made me more susceptible to a cold or damp pathogen coming into the body.  I was also dressed for warm weather in shorts and t-shirt, but it was a bit breezy and I had the doors of the house open, letting in the wind.
 
When I started feeling sick, I sprang into action with the tenets I learned in Chinese medicine school for staving off a wind invasion.  Read on to find out what I did and what you can do in the very early stages of a cold or flu to kick the pathogen out.  I’m happy to say that just two days later, I feel right as rain!

1.Take a hot shower or bath
Even though I had already taken a shower that day, I got back in the shower to warm myself up.  I wanted to warm the channels and evoke a bit of a sweat if possible. In Chinese medicine, sweating is one way to expel an invading pathogen when it has only recently come in. I made sure to blow dry my hair and even spent some time with the hair dryer aimed on my upper back and shoulders to warm the wind gates. You can do this anytime you feel like you’ve gotten a chill.
2.Bundle up
I changed out of my summery clothes into warmer layers including a wooly hat and scarf!  I was feeling chilled at that point, so this felt good.  When I drank some hot tea, it also helped to induce a light sweat which is what we want.  When your throat feels scratchy, it’s important to keep it warm with a scarf and drink lots of fluids.
3.Gargle
The throat is where many pathogens incubate and proliferate once they come into the respiratory tract. It’s a good idea to gargle with something antibacterial and antiviral (not bleach!)  I use very salty, warm water as salt is both of those things and also pulls excess fluid from tissue that may be swollen.  My favorite trick is to brew a strong cup of black tea and add plenty of salt, let it cool, and gargle with that.  It sounds gross, but you won’t taste it.  Send it down the hatch for a gargle in the back of your throat, then spit out.  The black tea is astringent and pulls out any phlegm that has accumulated there.  The bitterness of black tea also clears heat if your throat is feeling hot and painful.
4.Take herbs
It’s handy to have some go-to Chinese herbal formulas for cold or flu on hand for times like these.  Consult with your practitioner about which formulas would be right for you.  I started Chinese herbs right away when I noticed symptoms and took them frequently for 48 hours until I felt better.  If you don’t have any herbal formulas with you, one home remedy you can make in the very early stages of a cold or flu is a tea of boiled fresh ginger and scallions.
5.Get plenty of rest
After all the previous steps, I took a long nap as I was feeling weary.  I bundled myself up and slept for 1-2 hours and when I woke, I felt a bit better.  It takes energy for the body to mount an immune system response, so it’s smart to give the body extra rest and allow this process to happen.
6.Get acupuncture
Just as we have Chinese herbs that are great at expelling wind invasions, there are acupuncture points for that too!  In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we ask that you not come in to the clinic if you have active symptoms, but a telemedicine consult would be perfect to get you the ideal herbal formula and to direct you to some acupressure points you can use on yourself.  Acupressure uses the same points as acupuncture, but with pressure from your fingers instead of needles.
 
I hope this Chinese medicine wisdom helps you when the time comes to nip a cold or flu in the bud!

Dealing with Chronic + Acute Pain through Acupuncture

One of the biggest reasons we are so adamant about offering sliding scale services, is to create greater access to chronic and acute pain relief. We believe so strongly in the power of this medicine and we know that it is key to guiding people out of unnecessary suffering. With little to no side effects, acupuncture is proven over and over again to be safe, effective and clinically relevant for pain management. A 2016 study found that 93% of 89,000 people reported successful treatment for musculoskeletal pain, Yet only 23% of patients with chronic pain found opiates effective, according to a 2006 survey by the American Pain Foundation and a recent review found that opioids at guideline recommended doses were not effective for low back pain.

With that said, come check out Brooke at our sliding scale clinic today from 3-8 at our @shopharborside location!!

Loving these eye pillows at Harborside!

@sswans really killed it with these new lavender scented hand stitched eye pillows for our @shopharborside location! We are so excited to add them to the relaxation list for our sliding scale Community Acupuncture treatments happening today from 2-8! Book now in our link!

#acupuncture #community #communityacupuncture #acupuncture #acupunctureforeveryone #communityacupuncture #rootandstem #dispensary #wellness #functionalmedicine #treatyourself #selfcare

A great day for acupuncture!

Another beautiful bouquet, another beautiful day for treatment @harborside_stores Wellness Center with @brookie.mackie!

We're offering Community-based sliding scale Acupuncture on Wednesdays and Fridays now!

#summerblooms #communityacupuncture #harborsideoakland #rootandstemchinesemedicine #acupuncture #oaklandacupuncture

Wednesday Afternoon Community Acupuncture

Another beautiful bouquet, another beautiful day for treatment @harborside_stores Wellness Center with @brookie.mackie!

We're offering Community-based sliding scale Acupuncture on Wednesdays and Fridays now!

#summerblooms #communityacupuncture #harborsideoakland #rootandstemchinesemedicine #acupuncture #oaklandacupuncture

Soak up the very tail end of summer!

Loving these end of summer tips this month from one of our fav nutritionists @lyssandra_nativepalms !!!

It's August and we're full on into Leo season 👑🌻🏖

••• have you fulfilled some of your health summer plans and goals liiike ••• eating summer fruits and vegetables, being active outside, sunbathing, swimming, resting, spending time with friends, taking naps, getting inspired

••• f e e l i n g c r e a t i v e

Soak it up! And come see us for an acupuncture nap soon 💛

Community Acupuncture : Wednesdays and Fridays at Harborside

Our lovely Brooke McClelland is at @shopharborside today! Her new Community Acupuncture hours are Wednesdays and Fridays from 2:30-7:30. Walk ins available for sliding scale acupuncture $45-60!! 💃🏻💪🏾🌟🌈

#acupuncture #community #communityacupuncture #acupuncture #acupunctureforeveryone #communityacupuncture #rootandstem #dispensary #wellness #functionalmedicine #treatyourself #selfcare

Facial Acupuncture Special Ends Soon!

Tomorrow is the last day of our July special for Facial Rejuvenation Packages!! Don't miss out!

🌞Summer Special 📍 💥Starting July 1st take an additional 10% off our Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture 6 or 12 pack💥 💆🏾‍♀️💆🏼‍♀️💆🏻‍♀️

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is a non-surgical method of reducing the signs of the aging process and is suitable for those with deep wrinkles, fine lines, bags under the eyes, sagging, puffiness, drooping eyelids, double chin, large pores, dry skin or acne.📑

A study in 1996 in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture reported that 90% of the 300 cases treated with Cosmetic Acupuncture had marked effects including the leveling of wrinkles, improved facial muscle elasticity and overall rejuvenation. ✔️Email us info@oaklandrootandstem.com or message us to get started ↖️

Summer Special - Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture starts July 1st!

🌞Summer Special 📍 💥Starting July 1st take an additional 10% off our Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture 6 or 12 pack💥 💆🏾‍♀️💆🏼‍♀️💆🏻‍♀️

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is a non-surgical method of reducing the signs of the aging process and is suitable for those with deep wrinkles, fine lines, bags under the eyes, sagging, puffiness, drooping eyelids, double chin, large pores, dry skin or acne.

A study in 1996 in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture reported that 90% of the 300 cases treated with Cosmetic Acupuncture had marked effects including the leveling of wrinkles, improved facial muscle elasticity and overall rejuvenation.

✔️Email us info@oaklandrootandstem.com to get started and learn more here.

Food, Lifestyle + Getting to the Root Cause of Diabetes

Something that really stuck out to me during my time as an acupuncture resident at Highland Hospital in 2016 was the conventional treatment of Type II Diabetes. 💉💊

I saw so many well-meaning docs and residents discussing pharmaceutical treatments with absolutely zero mention of food or lifestyle changes. 🤷🏻‍♀️ There are so many challenges in our health care system that make this a difficult reality for our conventional docs, but food as medicine should not be considered an “alternative” course of treatment for any issue. 🥗🍋🥒

Diabetes, according to Eastern and Functional Medicine, goes beyond a simple diagnosis of Type I or Type II. We call diabetes “Xiao Ke” or “Wasting and Thirsting disease”, and there are approximately 7 patterns that can cause this issue. 👣💭Since diabetes has an impact on every part of your body, it is important to try a therapy that takes a holistic approach to health. 📍

Acupuncture, along with other holistic health choices and lifestyle changes, can be highly effective, sometimes even making medications unnecessary. Really getting to the root cause of any issue will take time and effort, and changes that may seem hard at first!

➡️The best approach to controlling your diabetes is to work with a team of health care providers who can address the many aspects of diabetes.

Spotlight on Marya Vohryzek

We’re shining the light on practitioner Marya Vohryzek @rootandstem 💗

Marya specializes in working with people during chemotherapy and radiation. + Those who use acupuncture often say that it helps them feel relaxed and improves their overall sense of wellbeing. ✨ 📍

No matter what the diagnosis, acupuncture can help increase the quality of life for any individual, and find a sense of calm and peace during what can be a very stressful and painful process. The main areas of research show promising results for relieving symptoms of cancer and the side effects of chemo, such as nausea, insomnia, hot flashes, lymphedema, body aches, joint pain, depression, neuralgia, skin pain, and burns.

#acupunctureworks #acupuncture #acupunctureforpain #acupunctureforcancer #functionalmedicine #wellbeing #oaklandproud #rootandstem #cancersupport #chemotherapy #radiation #feelbetter

Prostate Spotlight

Prostate spotlight! 🍈 Symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a very common and great reason for men to seek out acupuncture treatment. 📍

BPH is the swelling of part of the prostate gland causing variable degrees of urinary obstruction. Night urination, hesitant or interruption of the stream, decreased size and force of the stream, sensations of incomplete emptying, dribbling after finishing, or complete urinary retention are symptoms of BPH. Here are some ways to help support the prostate and reduce symptoms: ✔️Maintain vitality and Kidney energy by avoiding overwork and stress ✔️Try to avoid substances which generate damp heat in the lower part of the abdomen like, spicy, fried foods, sugar, pork and lamb. ✔️Foods to include: pumpkin seeds (zinc!), and EFAs (salmon, flax seed, avocados, etc), High Vitamin C foods especially red bell pepper.

✔️Keep energy and Qi circulating: aerobic exercise 20 min per day, yoga, emotional stress reduction, and weekly acupuncture! . . .

#prostate #prostatehealth #menshealth #acupuncture #acupunctureworks #acupunctureforpain #oaklandacupuncture #bestofbayarea #rootandstem

Eating with the Seasons

Eating with the seasons doesn’t just taste good it’s good for YOU and the planet! 🌱🥕🥦🌎🌍🌏🍒🍑

Buy local and organic, from your farmers markets if possible or stores that sell foods from local producers! Right now we’re seeing herbs like cilantro, mint, parsley, and veggies like fennel, carrots, beets, radishes, cucumbers, the first summer squash and even peaches, nectarines and strawberries locally (and so many more goodies)!

Beautiful Flowers Inside and Outside Today

Beautiful flowers 💐 inside and outside today at Harborside Wellness. 🌞 So cool to see bumblebee 🐝 nectars on Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle) growing on the fence right behind the building! Jin Yin Hua is a Chinese herb used used to treat allergies and especially those itchy eyes! Come see Brooke for private or community acupuncture on Tuesdays and Thursdays 2-7pm. 🙏🏼💫

Do you know about Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture?

Do you know about Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture? 📍

It is a non-surgical method of reducing the signs of the aging process and has been shown to help with : * deep wrinkles

* fine lines

* bags under the eyes

* sagging + puffiness

* drooping eyelids

* double chin

* large pores

* dry skin or acne.

A study in 1996 in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture reported that 90% of the 300 cases treated with Cosmetic Acupuncture had marked effects including the leveling of wrinkles, improved facial muscle elasticity and overall rejuvenation. 💗

***INQUIRE FOR MORE DETAILS + PACKAGE PRICING AVAILABLE*** To book your session with Marya Vohryzek please visit our Book an Appointment page.

p.s. we do recommend at least 6 sessions for maximum results.

Connecting the Dots

One of the biggest dots 🔅that Functional medicine helps connect for people is the that we are seeing symptoms earlier than a conventional doctor. 📊📋👩🏻‍🔬

When your conventional doctor looks at lab work they are looking to see if you are in a diseased state. 🦠😦

We can have symptoms {before they are “abnormal”} and Functional and Eastern Medicine focus on preventing and reversing issues before the get out of control. 😃💪🏾💪🏼

✔️When we look at labs we are looking to see where your body is already in balance and where it needs support.

✔️We are looking to see if your body is absorbing enough nutrients, or getting enough electrolytes, and we can use food, acupuncture, and herbs/supplements to support your body’s ability to function as best as possible on its own.

13 Ways to De-Stress!

It’s time to de-stress this week! Do at least one of these today and you’ll thank us later. .

Plus we’d add acupuncture to that list 📍😀 Gratitude to @refinery29 for this reminder. 💗💆🏻‍♀️💆🏽‍♂️

✨You deserve peace of mind⭐️

Beneficial Foods for Spring!

I love this rundown from @phasesacupunture of all the beneficial foods for the spring time! . .
.
Here are 5 foods recommended to eat throughout the season of spring

🥬Green Foods: During spring, it is recommended to eat foods green in color and rich in chlorophyll that help accelerate rejuvenation of the liver. This includes things like alfalfa, spirulina, chlorella, parsley, wheat grass, kale, Swiss chard and collard greens.

🌿Spring Vegetables and Herbs: peas, watercress, asparagus, barley grass, and radishes-all of these help move liver Qi and open up the liver meridian.

🍋Sour Foods: lemons, limes and grapefruit are all good choices that help cut fats that may have been stored up in the body during the winter months, while also keeping the liver Qi moving smoothly. Other sours include dill, kombucha, pickles, vinegar, and kimchi. 

Naturally fermented sour foods are also beneficial as their live enzymes improve digestion.

🌱Pungents: Spring onions, garlic, scallions, turmeric, basil, cumin, fennel and pepper can help be the extra kick we need to get things flowing.

🥕A Little Sweetness: Think young vegetables such as young carrots and beets. This nourishes the blood and helps keep you vital during all the new activity. Just make sure you're cooking by stir fry or steam grilling in order to allow your body to easily digest all of the nutrients!

📍And acupuncture can help address any imbalance or health issues that are occurring due to diet, stressors, autoimmune disorders, or injury.

Face the spring with hope! ❤️ 

Insomnia Tips with Dr. Jessica Parker

Insomnia is weird and confusing. 😴

I think it’s really hard for our bodies to naturally just get a full 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. 💤This is something that has been introduced and basically forced since the dawn of electric lighting and it puts a lot of pressure on our poor parasympathetic system! 🏔💧🔥💎🌳The 5 Elements in Eastern Medicine can certainly shine a light on which organ systems need support depending on the time that we wake up in the middle of the night, but I also think that it is totally natural to have a regular witching hour (or 2). Our ancestors gave themselves a span of 10-14 hours to get those 8 hours, and it was very common for people to wake up, process thoughts from the previous day, get a snack, drink some water, have sex! They probably even gave themselves time to nap in the day! 💆🏽‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ This just isn’t as practical in our busy society and the overlap makes that middle of the night insomnia so stressful. How many times have you laid awake with anxiety about not sleeping? It’s the worst! It may sound easier said than done, but I’ve found that trying to just let myself have that awake time when it comes has totally changed my anxiety around sleep. 🐏

Counting sheep has never worked for me, but the more I just let my witching hour be a time for me to process rather than stress about not sleeping, I’ve actually found that I’m sleeping better and more soundly these days. ❤️ #sleep