The Most Important Phrase We Share With Patients at Karma Zen Acupuncture: “If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.”
— Commonly attributed to author and educator Joyce Sunada
If you’ve been a patient at Karma Zen Acupuncture for very long, you’ve probably heard Dr. Katrina say this quote. In fact, she jokes that she sounds like a broken record because she repeats many of the same recommendations over and over again. But there’s a reason for that.
Some messages are simply too important not to repeat.
This quote has become more than just a saying—it’s a philosophy that guides how Dr. Katrina treats patients and how she strives to live her own life. In fact, you’ll find it at the bottom of many of her carefully written emails (occasionally accompanied by a typo or two… computers have never been her specialty. Thankfully, acupuncture is!).
Wellness Isn’t Something You Do When You Have Time
Long before she became an acupuncturist, Dr. Katrina understood the value of taking care of your health. As an observant child, she noticed it’s something many people overlook. It’s something she has continued to notice throughout her adult life and as she’s treated patients
The people who consistently cared for themselves through healthy eating, regular exercise, quality sleep, proper hydration, stress management, and preventive healthcare generally enjoyed healthier, more active lives. They recovered more quickly from injuries and illnesses, experienced fewer health setbacks, and often maintained their independence well into their later years.
She has seen this throughout her life—in family members, friends, and especially in her patients.
It’s not uncommon to meet someone in their 90s who has made healthy living a lifelong priority and is more active, energetic, and independent than someone decades younger whose health has been neglected.
Age certainly matters, but lifestyle often matters even more.
Your Health Is Built One Choice at a Time
Many people think about their health only after something goes wrong.
A sore back.
Constant headaches.
Poor sleep.
Digestive problems.
Stress and anxiety.
Joint pain.
Hormonal changes.
Chronic fatigue.
By the time symptoms become impossible to ignore, the body has often been asking for help for quite some time.
Health shouldn’t be an afterthought.
It should be a way of life.
The small choices you make every day create the foundation for the life you’ll enjoy tomorrow.
Acupuncture Is Part of a Healthy Lifestyle
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, treatment isn’t just about masking symptoms.
Acupuncture works by helping restore balance within the body and supporting its natural ability to heal. Traditional East Asian Medicine looks for the underlying patterns contributing to pain or illness rather than simply covering them up.
Whether someone is recovering from an injury, managing chronic pain, improving sleep, balancing hormones, reducing stress, or simply wanting to stay healthy, acupuncture can be an important part of a comprehensive wellness routine.
Herbal medicine and complementary therapies like cupping, gua sha, moxa, and infrared light therapy can further support healing and help the body function at its best.
Dr. Katrina Practices What She Recommends
One of the reasons Dr. Katrina so strongly believes in acupuncture is because she’s experienced its benefits firsthand.
After suffering a back injury, acupuncture helped relieve her pain while supporting her body’s healing process. Along the way, she also noticed improvements she never expected—better sleep, increased energy, fewer allergies, a stronger immune system, and an overall improvement in her quality of life.
Those experiences ultimately inspired her to become an acupuncturist.
Today, even while helping patients every week, she continues to prioritize her own health. She exercises regularly, practices yoga, eats well, stays active, and makes sure to treat herself with acupuncture.
Because taking care of others starts with taking care of yourself.
Don’t Wait Until Your Body Forces You To
Life gets busy.
There are always deadlines, appointments, responsibilities, and reasons to put yourself last.
But your health doesn’t pause while you’re busy.
Investing in your wellness today can help you enjoy tomorrow with more energy, less pain, greater resilience, and a higher quality of life.
Don’t let health problems define your future.
Define yourself by the choices you make today to live a healthier, happier, and more active life.
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, we’re here to help you make wellness part of your lifestyle—not just something you think about when you’re sick.
Because when you make time for your wellness, your future self will thank you.
