I'm just so excited today for this interview with Tracy Ng, L.Ac., DAOM {Licensed Acupuncturist and Doctor of Oriental Medicine in Los Angeles}. Meredith had the opportunity to have a wonderful session with Tracy and to interview her as well. Please read below to hear all about her inspiring view on health and {eastern & western} medicine; what she eats for dinner and some very inspiring success stories. We are ALSO GIVING AWAY a free initial consultation, which includes an acupuncture treatment, to one of our readers today! ($230 value)
Also, for anyone that does not win, Tracy is offering 10% off initial consultations, which include an acupuncture treatment. Just mention PUREmamas.
Meredith: It was such a pleasure and gift to have an acupuncture treatment by you. I am personally familiar with the powers of acupuncture, and even though it has been a while since I was treated, the peaceful feeling and relaxation I get from a session is like no other. I’ve heard that you are one of the best in LA! At Puremamas we love to see amazing women completely rocking it out without losing the feminine touch- you qualify for sure! One aspect of my treatment that I really liked was your ability to listen. I felt like you heard every word I said, which was very therapeutic in its own right.
Tracy: Thank you so much! Often in this fast-paced world we live in, there is not enough listening being practiced. Many of us often contrive an answer before a full question is even posed. I am so happy to be present fully during my sessions with my patients, and this blossoms a trust and intimate space for my patient to truly be heard.
Meredith: I like your philosophy of combining eastern and western healing modalities. I think that taking all forms of medicine into consideration is really important in most facets of healing. What aspect of this concept inspires you the most? And why do you think it is important?
I believe that eastern or western medicine cannot be mutually exclusive and that there is not one medical philosophy that has all the answers. In many instances, such as emergency medicine, western medicine can save somebody's life. In other instances, eastern medicine can heal at the root of one's symptom or illness for a long-term cure. There is a need for each medicine in the right circumstance. This is why I believe it is important to practice integrated medicine.
I love working with western medical diagnoses and lab results and through acupuncture, nutraceuticals and herbal botanicals, I see drastic transformations and improvements! It is my patient's healing that is the fuel that keeps me inspired.
Meredith: You started to mention some pretty amazing success stories that you’ve experienced. Can you name a few?
Gosh, where do I begin. I have so many amazing patients and cases that have enlightened me. When I was first starting in private practice, I had a patient come to me with cancer. One of his organs had already been removed due to the cancer, and his medical doctor told him that he would have to have his other organ removed. He came to me desperately seeking another form of treatment. He bargained with his doctor for one month of treatment with me and then a re-scan to see if the cancer was still present. We began an intense treatment of detoxification and acupuncture, and spoke deeply about lifestyle shifts. One month later, he was ecstatic to report that there was no detectable cancer in his body and that he had sold his partnership in his business, and was pursuing a life-long dream of opening up a wellness store. In the state of California, acupuncturists cannot "treat cancer," so I must disclose that I did not treat his cancer, but treated the mental, lifestyle, and body toxicity that may have been contributing to his illness.
I recently had another girl come to me with a salivary gland stone. Yikes, it was the size of a marble under her tongue! Her neck was severely swollen and she was in such discomfort. She had been suffering with this for a month! I was very unsure whether I could help her but certainly told her we could try. After her first acupuncture treatment and some diet modifications, the stone disappeared, as well as the swelling in her lymph node in her neck. It was amazing.
OK, one last story. I had a young man come in with psoriasis all over his body. Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition. It was the worse case I had ever seen...head to toe in lesions. He was a gorgeous man, suffering extreme self-esteem issues. He had an outbreak of lesions for over a year. I told his mother and him that this would take a bit of time, and would require a lot of lifestyle and diet changes. She pleaded with me to do whatever I could to help him. After the first week of treatment, he returned to happily report that no new lesions were forming, and that the existing lesions were drying and less itchy. Within a month, the lesions were healing and his skin was returning back to normal. He was very honest and admitted that he did not make any lifestyle or dietary changes I had suggested, nor was he taking any of the herbs or nutraceuticals I had prescribed to him. I was surprised by his admittance, but even more in awe that it was just the acupuncture that healed him. I laugh because I honestly do believe in the medicine I practice! The healing powers just never cease to amaze me and I am constantly humbled by the medicine.
What should one look for in an acupuncturist?
It just has to feel right intuitively. I guess it really depends on what one is looking for. I am a very nurturing practitioner and provide a very loving and healing vibe to my patients. I make sure they are warm and comfortable. This may not be for everyone. One may feel more comfortable with a male...or someone who is more stern and more of a disciplinarian to help illicit lifestyle and diet changes. It's a very personal relationship, so I think the most important thing is to feel comfortable with your acupuncturist. A good way of finding an acupuncturist is by asking your friends or family for a referral. You will be surprised by how many people actually see or know of an acupuncturist! My practice is 100% referral based and it is the best compliment when patients refer me.
Meredith: How young can you start? Is acupuncture suitable for children?
I typically use acupressure on infants or very young children under the age of 5. I teach parents which points to apply pressure to with their fingers. Nutraceuticals and herbal botanicals can be prescribed very early on in infancy for many ailments ranging from acid reflux, anxiety, to immune issues.
Although acupuncture is suitable for young children, these little ones tend to be afraid of needles. So building a trusting relationship and engaging the child is important throughout the process. In infants and young children, needling is typically just in and out because they respond very quickly to treatment.
Acupuncture is a beautiful medicine because it can be involved in the whole process of the evolution of life. I have women who seek acupuncture to try to conceive. Once this is achieved, I treat the mother throughout her pregnancy to alleviate any symptoms such as back pain, nausea, acid reflux, or constipation. The needles help nourish and balance the body and prepare the body for childbirth. I am often called for acupuncture for labor induction. It is an honor that many parents attribute their child's calm and peaceful demeanor to acupuncture. Acupuncture seems to start playing its' role pre-birth.
Meredith: Ok. Because we love food on this site- I have to ask about that. In our session, I mentioned that I am cold all the time, and you recommend oat milk- which tells me you have a pretty good “food is medicine” sensibility. Do you mind sharing with us a little bit of your food philosophy?
Yes! Food is medicine! When possible, use food as your medicine! All foods have an energy to them. I know this may sound a bit woo-woo but it is true! Meats tend to be warm and hot in nature. Salads, cucumbers, and watermelon are cold in nature. I believe everything in moderation so I hardly ever say NEVER eat anything. However, I do suggest that women trying to get pregnant only sparingly eat salads or drink cold smoothies.
Salads are very cold in nature, and a woman trying to conceive needs to have a warm environment for her child. Those fighting inflammatory conditions such as skin or arthritic ailments can use tumeric and cumin, and many of those delicious Indian spices to help fight inflammation.
I am a big fan of vegetables and fruits. Although I am not vegetarian, I think one just has to eat a majority of vegetables and fruits to stay healthy. You can boost your liver's phase I and phase II detoxification by simply eating together, in a meal, cruciferous vegetables (such as brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli) with carotenoids (those beautiful orange red vegetables such as carrots, yams, red/yellow peppers). You can eat mushrooms to boost immunity, cranberries for urinary tract infections, cherries for gout...the list goes on and on. I believe that in general, it is absolutely possible for one to live a life without flu shots or antibiotics....and I suggest always eating organic vegetables, meats and dairy when possible.
What is one of your favorite dishes to make? Or what does your favorite dinner table look like?
OOoooh...you must feel the excitement oozing out of me. My husband I just absolutely love cooking and while we dabble in almost all ethnic cuisines ranging from Indian to Thai to Malaysian to French, perhaps one of our favorite meals is our Mediterranean/Middle Eastern feast, consisting of Greek chicken marinated in yogurt, lemon zest and spices, a Greek salad, beautifully roasted vegetables, Persian rice, lamb keftas, and zucchini zeftedes. Depending on the season, dessert may consist of a homemade dairy-free ice cream made from cashews, coconut milk, white nectarines, and agave nectar topped with mint, nectarines, and blueberries or warm honeyed apricots with shredded coconut and whipped coconut cream.
Our dinner table is always packed to the gills with too much food and a plenty of good friends old and new.
Meredith: Like many of us on this site – I believe you are mama to furry four legged creatures. Who are they are what are their names?
Our absolutely beloved four-legged very furry creature is Mushu. He is a 4 ½ year old Samoyed and was a gift from my father when he returned from a trip to China. We tried to give him a name that was somewhat authentic to his Chinese roots.
He contracted Parvo as a puppy, which is a deathly virus that eats away at the gastrointestinal tract. He stayed at the emergency room for several weeks on IV drip. The doctors all told us he was going to die. He went from 12lbs to 8lbs and could not keep anything down. He ran such a high fever that he had several alcohol baths a day. I went to the hospital every day, performed acupuncture, and syringed chinese herbal infusions and supplements in his mouth and held his paw for hours.
We often hear on the streets, "That is the biggest Samoyed I have ever seen." or "Oh my gosh, it's a polar bear!" Yes I do think he was Super-Sized by all the chinese herbs and supplements.
Meredith: What about pet acupuncture? Does that work?
Yes! Yes! Yes! We had a happy yellow lab named Sierra who all of a sudden became paralyzed in her back legs. Xrays showed fusion of her lower spine and the doctors said they could try surgery with no guarantee that it would help. I performed daily acupuncture and moxibustion (burning of an herb, mugwort, to warm the muscles and spine) on her, and she was 85% recovered in several weeks. The videos of her improvement day to day were amazing. Animal acupuncture is great for a many ailments ranging from seizures to any kind of musculoskeletal issues. Fortunately, living in Los Angeles, acupuncture is becoming quite readily available.
Meredith: You radiate wellness. Clearly you are doing something right! It was such a pleasure meeting you and I look forward to another session. And I'm so excited that somebody will win a FREE session with you!
If you're interested...enter the contest below to win a free session with Tracy.
CONTEST CLOSED!!
Winner: Congrats to Christine Lambotte
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