Supporting the Whole Person through mindful movement and personalized holistic healthcare

Life does not happen in a vacuum.

Chinese Medicine sees you as an interconnected person. No part of you exists separate from the other parts, and we never pretend that these parts can function independently. Your gut is absolutely connected to your lungs, and your brain, and your heart, and your muscles, and your eyes, and your hair, and your mood… well, you get the picture!

The current structure in conventional medical care is specialization. You may be visiting multiple doctors, each of whom may not know or understand the treatments you receive from the other specialists. As a result, you may have felt overwhelmed by side effects, confused by totally conflicting recommendations, or feeling frustrated that no one seems to see your problems as interconnected (even though these issues exist simultaneously in you!).

Using the lens of Chinese medicine allows us to see you as a combination of different things. You are totally unique. But we also know that your physical and emotional environments interact. Your stressful job or family dynamics influence how you feel just as your sleep habits and genetics do.

We welcome you to come and experience this effective medicine for yourself. Understand who you are and what is happening through a medical lens that has been proven effective for a vast number of issues. The World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends acupuncture and Chinese medicine for over 100 ailments, and the list keeps growing. Rheumatoid arthritis, headache and low back pain, gastric issues, painful periods, fertility issues, sexual disfunction, ulcerative colitis, and other complaints respond well to Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

We work in conjunction with your conventional medical team to help you feel your best.

Acupuncture is a system of treatment based on energy moving through channels of the body. Needles, pressure, or other stimulation are applied to specific points to influence that movement. Because pain or dysfunction are rooted in a lack of appropriate movement, acupuncture can alleviate symptoms by triggering your body to change its movement patterns.

The needles used in modern acupuncture treatments are very tiny. If your acupuncture treatment uses needles to stimulate the points, the sensation should be pleasant and relaxing. Many people fall asleep or into a state of deep relaxation. If at any time a needle is uncomfortable, please communicate it to your acupuncturist! Being relaxed is important for letting everything move and flow (blood, energy, lymphatic and immune fluids, etc.).

If you are afraid of needles, fear not! There are many ways to stimulate acupoints: moxabustion, pressure, massage, tuning forks, and essential oils can all be effective tools. Communicate your concerns with your acupuncturist.

Asian Bodywork is a collective name for different techniques that stimulate movement and flow of energy and fluids through your body. The most popular methods are cupping, gua sha, and tui na.

Cupping involves creating suction within glass or plastic cups, then applying them to the body. The cup then draws the flesh up into it, creating space between the layers of tissue and fascia so that optimal flow can be established. A tight muscle does not allow for movement - the reason it feels tight is because there is not adequate blood and fluid in the muscle. Cups can change that balance. Pressure can be adjusted to your preference, so that it feels pleasant. If cupping leaves marks on your body, it’s an indicator that your body wasn’t circulating blood and other fluids very well. We use cupping for sore muscles, pain, and upper respiratory infections, among other ailments.

Gua Sha involves dragging a smooth tool along the skin, which has a massage oil applied to enable smooth gliding. It is especially nice on the neck and other areas of the body which have a lot of tendinous attachments. Gua sha uses this light pressure and essential squeezes old blood and fluids out of these areas. Like dredging a canal that has become filled with silt, improved flow can be experienced immediately with gua sha. Again, darker marks on the skin tell us that the area has been suffering from slow flow for a while. If you have allergies, tight muscles or joints, or a cold, you might receive gua sha as part of your treatment.

Tui Na translates as “pinch and pull” and includes various types of massage that invigorate the body. It can be used on people of different ages to decrease pain and inflammation and boost many functions including digestion and immune response. Pediatric massage is a type of tui na that specifically targets areas of the body for ailments in our youngest patients, from constipation to cough to poor sleep.

Asian bodywork is remarkable in its efficacy and immediate response. You can book an appointment for Asian Bodywork as part of your acupuncture treatment, or separate from it. Come enjoy feeling your body and mind in better balance with itself!

Classical Pilates is rooted in the belief that all movement begins with your core. The exercises designed by Joseph Pilates focus on lengthening and strengthening the muscles in your body using spring resistance equipment.

The instruction and equipment help give you a better understanding of structural imbalances while increasing overall strength, balance and postural patterns, thus realigning your mind-body-spirit.

The answer is YES because Classical Pilates is for everyone, not just for those wanting to get fit. It can help older people, recent or soon to be mothers, athletes and even those in rehabilitation.

We help with:
postural alignment
core strength exercises
flexibility
balance
coordination
circulation
breathing habits for increased lung capacity
spinal flexibility
mind body health
fitness
sports conditioning
improving and maintaining mobility
increasing stability and body awareness to help prevent falls
lessening the effects (physical consequences) of debilitating medical conditions

All instructors at Westside Acupuncture and Pilates are classically trained on Gratz apparatus and have completed a 1000+ hour teacher training program. This rigorous certification program focused on hands-on instruction with practical expertise in evaluating and assessing the individual’s strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, every instructor can personalize and customize workouts designed to help individuals to feel stronger, more flexible and grounded in their body – for fitness or rehabilitation.

Your “core” is the center of your body and mind. Every muscle and movement pattern is connected, so learning and knowing how to move your limbs safely from your core can have a huge impact on your movement through everyday life.

Joseph Pilates believed that working your core using his “Contrology” system can reverse postural lifestyle patterns. In his own words: “Contrology is not a system of haphazard exercises designed to produce only bulging muscles.” It is an exercise and breathing regime that “develops the body uniformly, corrects posture, restores vitality, invigorates the mind and elevates the spirit.”