The Rise in East Asian Medicine in Healthcare
It’s the 21st century and more people are turning towards medicine that is over 5,000 years old in the form of East Asian medicine also known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This form of medicine encompasses therapies such as acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, moxibustion, and herbal medicine.
So why is TCM gaining increasing popularity in recent years? Is it because Western medicine has failed us? There’s a greater need and desire to utilize a more natural approach, that doesn’t involve numerous negative side effects. While East Asian medicine has spent thousands of years developing and refining its approach to treating people, the more recent advancements of biomedicine are relatively young and still under development.
In Western medicine, the approach involves understanding the specific biological responses of how the body functions and responds to various forms of treatment. In the development of biomedicine, various drugs and treatments have been discovered to have certain effects on the body without explanation. As a result, you have medications that are prescribed for off-label use, such as antidepressant medications like amitriptyline and trazodone, that are used to help people sleep. The medication known as Chantix is used to help stop smoking without knowing how the biological mechanisms work. Western medicine can’t fully explain all the biological effects of TCM, which has resulted in some skepticism while promoting research.
As TCM has proven to be effective in helping treat people, Western medicine has adopted the various TCM therapies, often with different names. Western medicine implements dry needling, myofascial release, Graston technique, myofascial decompression, and nutritional supplements. Dry needling uses the same type of needles, points, and some of the principles of acupuncture without all the theories developed over the centuries as acupuncture. The down side to dry needling is that it’s often a course requiring about a hundred hours of training versus over the three thousand hours that licensed acupuncturists receive over the course of about 4 years along with the completion of in-depth board exams. Myofascial release done with specialized tools and the Graston technique utilize the same techniques as gua sha, just using different style tools and without the same theories and extensive training that acupuncturists receive. Supplements or nutritional therapies make use of individual herbs and vitamins that have specific effects on parts of a person’s physiology, used in a similar manner as medications. Chinese herbal medicine utilizes herbal formulas that have been developed over centuries where all the herbs work synergistically to have an effect to treat the whole person, while addressing the underlying condition without a multitude of adverse effects of the body.
There is a considerable difference of how Western medicine and East Asian medicine view and treat people. When it comes to treating people, Western medicine looks at a fraction of the puzzle. This is seen in drugs that affect specific receptors and not addressing the other problems that are connected and even cause adverse side effects requiring additional medications. When even adopting TCM, biomedicine doesn’t fully understand it and uses pieces that they feel that they can explain and deem beneficial. East Asian medicine looks at the entire person. The explanations in TCM are philosophical in nature but provide explanations to certain connections and responses in the human body that biomedicine doesn’t understand. The principles and concepts of East Asian medicine can be addressed with a scientific mindset that accepts the information in terms of a scientific theory. While TCM can’t be fully explained by science, it’s a medicine that has withstood the test of time over thousands of years. There are explanations in TCM that connect various symptoms and processes that is not fully understood by science. Some herbs are used in the development of medications, biomedicine doesn’t connect the side effects of the medications where it makes sense according to TCM.
If TCM is so great, then why did biomedicine develop? There is a place for both medicines. It’s a matter of knowing when and how to use each properly. If there is an infection, it’s important to utilize proper antibiotics instead of allowing the infection to spread and cause more harm. Pain doesn’t always have to be managed with addictive medications. Acupuncture is well known and accepted in the Western medical community to help alleviate pain. The additional benefit of East Asian medicine is that it gets to the root of the problem instead of masking the symptoms. Acupuncture and Herbal medicine can readily strengthen the immune system. It is effective in preventing the onset and decreasing the duration and severity of a cold. The benefit of the rising use of East Asian medicine is that people can integrate the different medicines as needed with the goal of achieving optimal health and wellbeing. TCM can be used to treat a multitude of conditions, while also being used as a natural form of preventative medicine.
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Celebrate the Life You Have: Why Enjoying the Moment Matters for Your Health
Discover why celebrating life’s small wins, cultivating positivity, managing stress, and supporting your well-being can help you feel better and live better.
Life is not going to be perfect. There will be difficult days, unexpected challenges, disappointments, losses, stressful moments, and circumstances we simply cannot control. But there will also be birthdays, accomplishments, vacations, laughter with friends, quiet mornings, good meals, beautiful sunsets, exciting milestones, and countless little moments that make life worth living.
We only have one life to live, so we might as well enjoy it the best we can.
Celebrating life does not mean pretending that everything is wonderful all the time. It does not mean ignoring problems, avoiding difficult emotions, or forcing ourselves to be positive when we are hurting. Instead, it means allowing ourselves to recognize and appreciate the good moments when they come. When there is a reason to smile, it is okay to be happy. When something goes well, celebrate it. When you reach a milestone, acknowledge it. When you accomplish something that once seemed difficult, give yourself credit.
Sometimes we get so focused on what still needs to be done that we forget to appreciate how far we have already come.
Celebrate the Small Wins
Celebrations do not have to be elaborate. In fact, some of the most meaningful celebrations are the smallest ones.
Maybe you finally finished a project that has been hanging over your head. Perhaps you made it through a difficult week, started exercising, took a day to rest, made time for someone you love, or simply got out of bed on a day when that felt like an accomplishment.
Those things count.
We often reserve the word celebration for major milestones—graduations, weddings, anniversaries, promotions, and birthdays. But life is made up of thousands of smaller moments between those milestones. Recognizing those moments can help us pay attention to the positive experiences that might otherwise pass unnoticed.
Celebrating a small accomplishment does not make it insignificant. It means you are acknowledging that it mattered.
It Is Okay to Be Happy
There can sometimes be a strange tendency to feel guilty about being happy when other people are struggling or when life isn’t perfect. But happiness does not have to be earned, justified, or saved for a later date.
Of course, nobody is happy all the time—and nobody needs to be.
Human beings experience a wide range of emotions. Sadness, frustration, grief, anger, disappointment, fear, and stress are all part of being human. Trying to eliminate difficult emotions is neither realistic nor healthy. The goal is not constant happiness. The goal is to allow ourselves to experience positive emotions when they naturally arise without immediately finding something wrong with them.
If something good happens, enjoy it.
If you have a reason to laugh, laugh.
If you are proud of yourself, allow yourself to feel proud.
If you are surrounded by people you love, take a moment to appreciate them.
Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is simply stop and recognize, This is a good moment.
The Mind-Body Connection
There is growing scientific interest in the relationship between psychological well-being, emotions, stress, and physical health. Our thoughts and emotional experiences do not exist separately from our bodies. The brain, nervous system, endocrine system, immune system, cardiovascular system, and other parts of the body communicate continuously.
This does not mean that thinking positively can prevent or cure disease. Health is influenced by many factors, including genetics, environment, lifestyle, social circumstances, medical conditions, and access to healthcare. However, research has found associations between psychological factors such as optimism, positive affect, social connection, and stress and various measures of health and well-being.
One important pathway involves stress. Chronic stress can affect sleep, mood, energy, muscle tension, digestion, cardiovascular function, and many other aspects of well-being. Finding healthy ways to manage stress may therefore have benefits that extend beyond simply feeling more relaxed.
Positive experiences can be part of that equation.
A good laugh, meaningful conversation, time spent in nature, accomplishing something important, listening to favorite music, spending time with animals, or celebrating with people we care about can all give us opportunities to step away from constant stress and reconnect with what brings us joy.
In other words, how we feel matters.
And how we feel can influence how we experience our health and our lives.
Don’t Wait for Everything to Be Perfect
One of the biggest obstacles to enjoying life can be waiting for the perfect time.
I’ll celebrate when I lose the weight.
I’ll enjoy myself when work slows down.
I’ll take that trip when I have more time.
I’ll relax when everything on my to-do list is finished.
I’ll be happy when I finally accomplish ______.
But there will probably always be another item on the list.
Life rarely reaches a point where everything is perfectly organized, every problem is solved, and nothing needs our attention. If we continually postpone enjoyment until everything is perfect, we can miss a lot of life while waiting.
Celebrating life means learning to appreciate the good alongside the imperfect.
You can be working toward a goal and still celebrate where you are today. You can have things you want to improve and still appreciate your body for everything it allows you to do. You can be dealing with challenges and still laugh at something funny. You can have a difficult day and still find one small thing that went right.
Two things can be true at the same time.
Life can be difficult—and there can still be something worth celebrating.
How Acupuncture Fits Into Feeling Better
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, health is not viewed simply as the absence of a symptom. How a person feels—physically and emotionally—can have a meaningful impact on how they experience everyday life.
Acupuncture is commonly used to support people dealing with a variety of health concerns, and many patients also describe feeling relaxed, calmer, less stressed, or more clear-headed following treatment. While individual experiences vary, creating time to pause, breathe, and receive individualized care can itself become an important part of a person’s wellness routine.
When someone is dealing with ongoing pain, poor sleep, stress, tension, digestive concerns, headaches, or other health issues, it can affect much more than the specific symptom. It can influence mood, energy, concentration, motivation, relationships, and the ability to participate in the activities they enjoy.
When you don’t feel well, it can be difficult to fully enjoy life.
Supporting someone’s health may therefore involve more than addressing a particular physical complaint. It can also mean helping create space for relaxation, restoration, and a greater sense of well-being.
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, Dr. Katrina Giangarra, DACM, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M., takes a whole-person approach to care. Gentle acupuncture is used along with therapies complementary such as cupping, moxibustion, Gua Sha, infrared light therapy, and herbal medicine depending on an individual’s needs and treatment plan.
The goal isn’t to promise perfect health or eliminate every challenge life brings. The goal is to help people feel better so they can live better.
Give Yourself Permission to Celebrate
Maybe today is not a milestone day.
Maybe nothing particularly extraordinary happened.
That’s okay.
You don’t need a special occasion to appreciate your life.
Celebrate the cup of coffee that tasted especially good. Celebrate finishing something you’ve been putting off. Celebrate a good conversation. Celebrate a beautiful day. Celebrate your pet greeting you when you walk through the door. Celebrate moving your body. Celebrate getting through something difficult. Celebrate the people who make you laugh. Celebrate another year, another month, another week—or simply another day.
And when a genuinely wonderful moment comes along, don’t rush past it.
Be there for it.
Put down the phone. Take the picture. Laugh loudly. Hug someone. Eat the cake. Dance in the kitchen. Watch the sunset. Tell someone you love them. Be proud of yourself.
Life isn’t perfect, and it never will be.
But it is still worth celebrating.
We only get one life. We might as well make room for the good stuff.
Because when you feel better, you can live better—and living better isn’t only about adding more years to life. It’s also about finding more moments worth enjoying along the way.
September 25: Dolly Parton Day — A Life of Kindness, Courage, and Giving Back
September 25 is a day to celebrate Dolly Parton—and while her music, unmistakable voice, humor, and larger-than-life personality have made her a world-renowned celebrity, there is something even more remarkable about Dolly: the way she treats people.
Dolly came from humble beginnings in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. She grew up in a large family with limited financial resources, but she never seemed to view her beginnings as something to be ashamed of. Instead, her upbringing became part of the foundation of who she would become. She worked hard, pursued her dreams, and eventually built an extraordinary career. Yet despite achieving a level of fame and success most people can only imagine, Dolly has continued to demonstrate that success doesn’t have to change how you treat other people.
For Dolly, class has never been about money, status, or designer clothes. It’s about kindness, generosity, humility, and how you make other people feel.
And perhaps that is one of the greatest lessons we can learn from her.
Education Can Change a Life
Dolly has long understood the power of education and the importance of giving people opportunities to succeed. Through the Dollywood Foundation and other initiatives, she has invested in education and encouraged young people to believe that their circumstances don’t have to determine their future.
One of her most well-known efforts is the Imagination Library, which provides free books to young children. What began as a program inspired by her father, who couldn’t read or write, grew into an enormous literacy effort that has distributed hundreds of millions of books to children.
She has also supported education through programs that encourage students to finish high school and pursue their goals. Dolly has recognized something incredibly important: sometimes people don’t need someone to tell them what they can’t do. They need someone willing to say, “I believe you can.”
That belief can be life-changing.
Dolly’s generosity also extends to the people who work for her. She has supported educational opportunities for employees and encouraged personal and professional growth. Her actions demonstrate that investing in people isn’t simply about giving them something—it is about giving them an opportunity to become more of what they are capable of becoming.
Own Who You Are
Dolly has never fit neatly into someone else’s idea of what she should look like, sound like, or be.
And she didn’t seem particularly interested in apologizing for it.
Throughout her career, people have criticized her appearance, her personality, her style, and even the way she presents herself. Yet Dolly has consistently embraced who she is. She has used humor, confidence, and self-awareness to turn criticism into part of her story rather than allowing it to define her worth.
There is something powerful about that.
We live in a world where it can be incredibly easy to compare ourselves to everyone around us. Social media can make someone else’s life appear more successful, beautiful, exciting, or perfect. We can spend so much time worrying about whether we’re enough that we forget to appreciate who we already are.
Dolly offers a different perspective: Know who you are. Know your worth. Don’t allow someone else’s opinion to determine your value.
You don’t have to be Dolly Parton to embrace that lesson. You simply have to be yourself.
A Positive Mindset Can Create a Ripple Effect
Perhaps one of Dolly’s most enduring qualities is her positivity.
That doesn’t mean she has never experienced hardship, disappointment, criticism, or difficult circumstances. It means she has repeatedly chosen to approach life with humor, gratitude, optimism, and compassion.
And positivity isn’t simply about walking around pretending everything is wonderful. A genuinely positive mindset can mean choosing to look for what you can do rather than focusing exclusively on what you can’t. It can mean believing that tomorrow can be better. It can mean refusing to let negativity from someone else become your own negativity.
Most importantly, positivity can be contagious.
Think about what happens when someone is unexpectedly kind to you. Maybe someone lets you merge into traffic when you’re running late. Someone holds a door open. A coworker notices you’re having a difficult day and asks if you’re okay. A stranger gives you a sincere compliment. Someone takes a moment to listen.
These moments may seem insignificant to the person giving them.
But you never know what they mean to the person receiving them.
That is the ripple effect of kindness.
One small act can improve someone’s day. That person may then be a little kinder to someone else. That person may carry it forward again. We may never know how far our actions travel.
Your Wellbeing Matters, Too
There is another lesson worth taking from Dolly’s example: value yourself.
Your worth isn’t determined by your job title, bank account, appearance, age, accomplishments, mistakes, or someone else’s opinion of you. You are worth taking care of.
That includes your physical health, emotional wellbeing, relationships, rest, and the things that bring meaning and joy into your life.
Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. In fact, when you take better care of yourself, you often have more energy and capacity to care for the people around you.
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, we often talk about wellness as something we actively participate in—not something we wait to think about until our bodies demand our attention. Making time for yourself, managing stress, getting adequate rest, moving your body, nourishing yourself well, and finding healthy ways to relax can all be meaningful parts of a wellness routine.
And sometimes, taking care of yourself simply means giving yourself permission to slow down.
What Can We Learn From Dolly?
Maybe the biggest lesson isn’t about becoming famous, successful, wealthy, or admired.
Maybe it’s much simpler.
Be kind.
Be compassionate.
Work hard.
Value yourself.
Believe in other people.
Give when you can.
Don’t let criticism determine your worth.
And when you’ve been fortunate enough to succeed, look for ways to help someone else along the way.
Dolly Parton’s life reminds us that you can be incredibly successful without losing your humility. You can be confident without putting someone else down. You can be strong while still being compassionate. And you can make a tremendous difference in the world without ever knowing exactly how far your kindness will travel.
So, on September 25, let’s celebrate Dolly—not just for the music and entertainment she has given the world, but for the example she provided in her lifetime.
Embrace who you are. Value your worth. Take care of your wellbeing. Choose a positive mindset. And then take that kindness and pass it along.
Because you never know when the smallest act of caring you put into the world might become the beginning of someone else’s ripple.
Fall: The Season of the Lungs in East Asian Medicine
Discover the connection between fall and the Lung in Traditional East Asian Medicine and learn how seasonal changes, respiratory health, stress, and acupuncture may support wellness.
There is something special about fall. The intense heat of summer begins to fade, mornings become cooler, the days gradually become shorter, and the landscape begins its beautiful transition toward winter. Fall is a season of change—a time of letting go, turning inward, and preparing the body for the colder months ahead.
In Traditional East Asian Medicine, each season is associated with particular organ systems, energetic qualities, emotions, and patterns of imbalance. Fall is associated with the Lung system, making it an especially meaningful time to pay attention to breathing, respiratory health, the skin, immune defenses, and our ability to adapt to seasonal changes.
It is important to understand that the “Lung” in East Asian medicine is a traditional medical concept and does not correspond exactly to the anatomical lungs described by modern medicine, though there is some overlap in function. The traditional Lung system encompasses a broader set of functions and relationships than simply respiration.
Fall and the Lung System
In East Asian medicine, the Lung is considered the Yin organ associated with fall and is paired with the Large Intestine. The season’s qualities are often described as dry, contracting, and moving inward.
The Lung is traditionally associated with qi, particularly the movement of air and the body’s ability to take in what it needs and release what it no longer needs. Breathing makes this concept easy to appreciate. With every inhalation, we take something in, and with every exhalation, we let something go.
That idea of receiving and releasing extends beyond breathing.
Fall naturally invites us to consider what we are holding onto. Are we carrying unnecessary stress? Are we holding onto habits that no longer serve us? Are we having difficulty adapting to change? Just as the trees release their leaves, fall can be an opportunity for us to consider what we might be ready to release.
The Lung, Breathing, and Seasonal Changes
As temperatures drop and the air becomes drier, seasonal changes can be particularly noticeable for people who are sensitive to respiratory or environmental triggers. Changes in temperature, indoor heating, allergens, dust, and seasonal viruses can all affect how people feel.
In East Asian Medicine, the Lung is traditionally considered to have a close relationship with Wei Qi, often translated as “defensive qi.” While Wei Qi is not equivalent to the modern scientific concept of the immune system, the traditional framework describes a protective function at the body’s exterior.
Interestingly, there is also a traditional relationship between the Lung and the skin. From a modern anatomical perspective, the skin, along with structures such as the hairs lining the nasal passages and the mucus membranes of the respiratory tract, plays an important role in the body’s first lines of defense against pathogens and foreign materials. These structures help form protective barriers between the body and its external environment.
This provides an interesting example of where concepts from East Asian Medicine and modern anatomy have overlapping observations and functions, even though they describe them through very different medical frameworks. The traditional relationship between the Lung, Wei Qi, and the body’s exterior can be viewed alongside the modern understanding of how the skin and respiratory system help protect the body from the outside environment. Although these are different medical frameworks, both perspectives emphasize the importance of the body’s protective barriers.
Fall is a wonderful time to think about supporting your overall health rather than waiting until winter arrives and you’re already feeling run down.
The drier air can also be challenging for the skin. As humidity decreases and indoor heating begins, some people notice increased dryness, irritation, chapping, or sensitivity.Supporting hydration, using appropriate moisturizers, protecting your skin from harsh weather, and paying attention to your environment can all be helpful as the seasons change.
Fall Is Also a Season of Letting Go
There is another layer to the Lung’s association with fall that goes beyond physical health.
In Traditional East Asian Medicine, the emotion associated with the Lung is grief and sadness. That doesn’t mean that feeling sad during fall indicates a Lung imbalance, nor does it mean acupuncture can eliminate grief. Rather, traditional theory recognizes an interesting relationship between the physical and emotional aspects of wellbeing.
Fall itself can feel reflective. Summer’s activity begins to slow down. The days become shorter. Nature starts letting go.
Sometimes our bodies and minds need that same permission.
We live in a culture that often encourages us to keep going, keep producing, keep accomplishing, and keep moving. But constantly pushing forward without pausing can leave little room for processing emotions, resting, or simply breathing.
Fall can be a beautiful reminder that letting go isn’t always losing something. Sometimes letting go creates space for something new.
How Acupuncture May Support You During Fall
Acupuncture is one way people can incorporate seasonal wellness into their healthcare routine. Within Traditional East Asian Medicine, acupuncture treatment is individualized according to a person’s overall presentation rather than simply treating the season itself.
For example, someone may seek acupuncture during the fall because they are dealing with seasonal allergies, sinus congestion, headaches, tension, stress, sleep difficulties, or other concerns that tend to affect how they feel as the seasons change.
Acupuncture is also commonly used as complementary support for a variety of health concerns. Depending on the individual, treatment may focus on supporting relaxation, managing stress, addressing pain or tension, or helping someone feel more balanced as part of a broader wellness plan.
Many people find acupuncture treatments deeply relaxing. Some report feeling calmer, less stressed, or more clear-headed afterward. For someone whose health concerns are affecting sleep, energy, mood, concentration, or ability to enjoy everyday activities, addressing those concerns may also have an impact on how they feel overall.
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, Dr. Katrina takes an individualized approach. A treatment may include acupuncture along with complementary therapies such as moxibustion, cupping, Gua Sha, infrared light therapy, or herbal medicine, depending on the person’s needs and goals.
Give Your Body a Little Extra Support This Fall
Fall is a wonderful time to become more intentional about wellness.
Stay hydrated even when you don’t feel as thirsty as you do during the summer. Dress appropriately for changing temperatures. Get adequate sleep. Eat nourishing foods. Spend time outdoors when conditions are comfortable. Wash your hands regularly. Manage stress. Keep moving. And give yourself permission to slow down when you need to.
Most importantly, pay attention to how you’re feeling.
Your body doesn’t always wait for the calendar to tell you that something has changed. Sometimes increased fatigue, disrupted sleep, tension, headaches, congestion, digestive changes, or stress are reminders that it may be time to take better care of yourself.
Breathe In the Season
Fall reminds us that change is inevitable.
The trees don’t fight the changing season. They don’t try to hold onto every leaf. They simply transition.
Perhaps we can learn something from that.
Take a breath.
Slow down.
Release what you don’t need.
Make room for rest, reflection, and renewal.
Whether you approach fall through the lens of Traditional East Asian Medicine, modern healthcare, or simply as an opportunity to reset your wellness routine, it is a beautiful season to pay attention to your body and give yourself a little extra care.
This fall, take a deep breath, embrace the change, and make your health a priority.
Why Individualized Acupuncture Treatments Matter
Learn why individualized acupuncture considers your symptoms, health history, constitution, and presenting pattern rather than using a one-size-fits-all treatment approach.
Acupuncture treatments can differ from person to person because, in Traditional East Asian Medicine, the focus is on treating the person, not just the diagnosis.
In conventional medicine, a diagnosis often provides an important framework for understanding what is happening. In Traditional East Asian Medicine, the practitioner also looks at how that condition is presenting in the individual.
Because your experience of a health problem is uniquely yours.
Two people can both have headaches, for example, but their headaches may look very different. One person might experience headaches along with significant neck tension and stress. Another might have headaches accompanied by digestive complaints and poor sleep. Someone else might experience headaches that tend to occur around hormonal changes.
The complaint is similar.
The person is not.
And that distinction matters when developing an individualized acupuncture treatment.
Looking at the Whole Person
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, Dr. Katrina doesn’t simply look at a patient and see “back pain,” “migraines,” “knee pain,” or “insomnia.”
She sees the person experiencing those symptoms.
What else is happening?
How is the person sleeping? What is their stress level? How is their digestion? Are they experiencing muscle tension? How is their energy? What makes their symptoms better or worse? When did the problem begin? What was happening in their life around that time? What other patterns are present?
All of these details can help create a more complete picture.
Traditional East Asian Medicine refers to this as identifying the person’s presenting pattern. Rather than assuming everyone with the same Western diagnosis should receive the same treatment, the practitioner considers the individual’s signs, symptoms, history, constitution, and overall presentation.
This is why an acupuncture appointment isn’t simply a matter of finding a picture of the body and putting needles into the location where it hurts.
There is much more to it.
The Same Symptom Can Have Different Presentations
Consider two people with shoulder pain.
One person may have developed pain after repeatedly lifting weights. Their shoulder may feel tight and restricted, and certain movements aggravate the discomfort.
Another person may have developed shoulder pain gradually while dealing with significant stress and poor sleep. They may also have considerable neck tension.
The symptom is “shoulder pain,” but the overall presentation is different.
Individualized acupuncture allows the treatment approach to reflect those differences.
This doesn’t mean acupuncture ignores the painful area. Local points may be part of treatment. But the practitioner may also select points elsewhere on the body based on the person’s overall presentation.
That is part of what makes acupuncture fascinating.
The point where you feel the symptom isn’t necessarily the only place that matters.
Your Constitution Is Part of the Picture
Traditional East Asian Medicine also considers an individual’s constitution.
Constitution can be thought of as the person’s underlying tendencies and characteristics as viewed through the traditional medical framework. It is one reason practitioners don’t necessarily approach every patient in exactly the same way.
Your health history, patterns of symptoms, energy, sleep, digestion, emotional stress, and other characteristics can all contribute to the practitioner’s assessment.
The objective isn’t to put everyone into a single category.
It’s to understand your particular pattern at this particular point in your life.
And that can change.
The person who comes in today may not present the same way six months from now. A person dealing with acute pain may present differently after the pain has improved. Stress, sleep, lifestyle, injuries, illness, age, and many other factors can influence how someone feels.
Treatment can therefore evolve as the person’s presentation changes.
Acupuncture Can Address the Bigger Picture
This whole-person approach is particularly interesting when dealing with pain.
Pain can affect sleep. Poor sleep can affect energy and mood. Stress can increase muscle tension. Reduced activity can affect mobility and strength. All of these factors can influence how someone experiences their symptoms.
If treatment focuses exclusively on the painful location, some of the other pieces of the puzzle may be overlooked.
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, the goal is to consider the bigger picture.
Acupuncture may be combined with therapies such as cupping, moxibustion, Gua Sha, infrared light therapy, and herbal medicine when appropriate. These therapies can be selected based on the individual’s needs rather than being automatically included in every treatment.
And sometimes, the treatment itself provides something many busy people desperately need: time to stop and reset.
Many patients find acupuncture relaxing. Some describe feeling calmer, less stressed, or more clear-headed after treatment. For someone whose symptoms have been accompanied by poor sleep or chronic stress, that sense of relaxation can be an important part of the overall experience.
Again, these effects aren’t guaranteed, and acupuncture shouldn’t replace appropriate medical care when conventional evaluation or treatment is needed. Rather, they illustrate why an individualized approach considers more than a single symptom.
You Are Not Your Diagnosis
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that a diagnosis does not tell your entire story.
You aren’t simply “a migraine patient.”
You aren’t “a bad back.”
You aren’t “arthritis.”
You aren’t “insomnia.”
You are a person who happens to be experiencing a health concern.
That distinction is important because health problems don’t exist in isolation from the rest of your life.
They affect how you work, sleep, exercise, interact with people, spend your free time, and enjoy your day.
That’s why Dr. Katrina values the personal connection and individualized care that a smaller practice allows her to provide. At Karma Zen Acupuncture, treatment is designed around the person sitting in front of her—not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
Your Treatment Should Be About You
There is no universal acupuncture treatment that is right for everyone.
Your symptoms, health history, constitution, goals, and presenting pattern all matter.
Sometimes the treatment plan may focus heavily on pain. Other times, stress, sleep, digestion, tension, or other factors may also be important parts of the picture.
The goal is to step back and ask a bigger question:
What is going on with this person, and how can we support their overall health while addressing the reason they came in?
That is the value of individualized care.
Because ultimately, healthcare isn’t about treating a diagnosis on a piece of paper.
It’s about caring for the person who has to live with it.
And at Karma Zen Acupuncture, that’s exactly where the focus belongs.
Acupuncture for Pain: More Than Just Treating What Hurts
Discover how acupuncture may help manage pain, support relaxation, and improve quality of life as part of an individualized, integrative approach to pain management.
Pain can change the way you live.
An aching back can make getting out of bed difficult. A stiff neck can make working at a computer uncomfortable. Knee pain can keep you from exercising or enjoying a walk. A shoulder injury can make reaching overhead frustrating. Headaches can interfere with concentration and productivity. When pain becomes persistent, it can begin affecting much more than the area that hurts. It can interfere with sleep, movement, work, exercise, mood, relationships, and the activities that make life enjoyable.
It is no surprise that pain is one of the primary reasons people seek acupuncture.
Acupuncture has been used for centuries as part of Traditional East Asian Medicine, and modern research continues to investigate its role in pain management. A 2024 clinical update published in PAIN Reports reviewed research on acupuncture for pain and described evidence supporting its use for a variety of acute and chronic pain conditions. The review also discusses several mechanisms through which acupuncture may influence pain, including effects on the nervous system, endogenous pain-modulating chemicals, brain networks involved in pain processing, and pathways associated with inflammation.
That is important because pain isn’t simply a message coming from one isolated part of the body.
Pain is a complex experience involving the nervous system, tissues, inflammation, sleep, stress, emotions, previous experiences, and many other factors. Two people can have the same diagnosis and experience very different levels of discomfort or limitations.
Acupuncture may influence pain processing at multiple levels of the nervous system. Research discussed in the PAIN Reports review suggests that acupuncture can produce local responses at the needling site while also influencing signaling between the peripheral nervous system, spinal cord, and brain. Studies have also explored acupuncture’s effects on endogenous opioids and other biochemical mediators involved in the body’s own pain-regulating processes.
This doesn’t mean acupuncture eliminates every type of pain or works the same way for everyone. Pain has many causes, and the strength of evidence varies among conditions. However, the research provides an increasingly detailed understanding of why acupuncture may be useful as part of an integrative approach to pain management.
When Pain Affects More Than Your Body
One of the most frustrating things about ongoing pain is how quickly it can become a cycle.
Pain can interfere with sleep. Poor sleep can make it more difficult to cope with discomfort. Pain can make you less active, which can affect strength and mobility. Constantly thinking about pain can increase stress and frustration. When you’re tired, uncomfortable, and stressed, even ordinary daily tasks can seem much more difficult.
Eventually, you may find yourself planning your life around your pain.
Maybe you stop playing golf because your back hurts. Maybe you avoid taking the stairs because your knee is bothering you. Perhaps you don’t exercise because you’re afraid you’ll make something worse. Maybe you can’t sleep comfortably or find yourself constantly shifting positions throughout the night.
These aren’t simply numbers on a pain scale.
They’re pieces of your life.
That is why successful pain management should ideally be about more than reducing a number from an eight to a six. It should also be about helping you participate more fully in your life.
Acupuncture as Part of an Integrative Approach
Acupuncture doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach to pain.
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, acupuncture may be combined with complementary therapies when appropriate. Depending on the individual’s needs, treatment may include cupping, moxibustion, Gua Sha, infrared light therapy, or herbal medicine.
These approaches can complement acupuncture and provide different forms of stimulation or support as part of an individualized treatment plan.
Another benefit many people associate with acupuncture is relaxation. Patients commonly describe acupuncture treatments as calming and relaxing, and some report feeling less stressed, more clear-headed, or better able to unwind afterward. When pain has been interfering with sleep or creating ongoing tension and stress, being able to relax can be an important part of feeling better overall.
Of course, acupuncture isn’t a guarantee of better sleep, mood, or relaxation for every person. But when someone is dealing with persistent discomfort, improving one part of the pain-and-stress cycle may have meaningful effects on how they experience their day.
The Goal Is to Get Back to Living
Pain relief isn’t necessarily about achieving a completely pain-free existence.
Sometimes progress looks like being able to walk farther. Sleeping through the night. Returning to an exercise routine. Playing with your children or grandchildren. Getting through a workday without constantly thinking about your back. Going on vacation without worrying about whether you’ll be able to keep up.
Those improvements matter.
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, Dr. Katrina Giangarra, DACM, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M., uses Japanese-style acupuncture and complementary therapies as appropriate to create individualized care plans. The focus isn’t simply on where something hurts but on helping the person experiencing the pain.
Because pain may be the reason you walk through the door, but feeling better is what can help you get back to living your life.
And sometimes the best measure of progress isn’t a number.
It’s realizing, “I couldn’t do that comfortably a few weeks ago—and now I can.”
Acupuncture isn’t a magic cure, and it isn’t appropriate for every condition or every person. But for many people, it can be a valuable non-drug option to consider as part of a comprehensive approach to managing pain.
Because when you feel better, you can live better.
Resource Source:
Niruthisard S, Ma Q, Napadow V. “Recent advances in acupuncture for pain relief.” PAIN Reports. 2024;9(5):e1188. doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000001188.
September 11: Remembering, Honoring, and Coming Together
September 11th is a day that forever changed our nation and left an enduring mark on our collective memory. It is a day to remember the lives that were lost, honor the people who stepped forward to help, and reflect on the strength, courage, and compassion that emerged from one of our darkest moments.
On September 11, 2001, our country changed forever. Thousands of lives were lost, families were changed in an instant, and countless people experienced fear, uncertainty, and grief. Yet alongside the tragedy, something powerful happened: people came together. Neighbors helped neighbors. Strangers helped strangers. First responders ran toward danger while others searched for ways to help. Ordinary people showed extraordinary courage, compassion, and generosity.
We remember those who never made it home. We remember the firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel, military members, airline crews, office workers, and civilians whose lives were taken that day. We also remember those who survived but carried physical and emotional scars long afterward. Their stories, sacrifices, and lives should never be forgotten.
We should also take a moment to be grateful for the people who helped. There were first responders working tirelessly at the scene, medical professionals caring for the injured, volunteers offering food and supplies, people donating blood, and countless individuals simply asking, “What can I do to help?” In the days and weeks that followed, compassion seemed to appear everywhere.
Perhaps one of the most important lessons September 11th left us is that we are stronger when we stand together.
In the immediate aftermath, many of the things that normally divided us seemed much less important. People reached out to one another. Communities gathered. Flags appeared everywhere. There was a renewed appreciation for family, friends, neighbors, and the people who make up our communities. We remembered that while we may not always agree with one another, we can still care about one another.
That is a lesson worth carrying forward.
We cannot change what happened on September 11, but we can choose how we respond to the memory of it. We can choose kindness over hostility, compassion over judgment, and community over isolation. We can check on a neighbor who may be struggling. We can offer a helping hand. We can thank someone who serves our community. We can be patient with the person having a difficult day. Sometimes seemingly small acts of kindness can mean far more than we realize.
Coming together doesn’t mean that everyone has to think alike or agree on everything. It means recognizing our shared humanity and remembering that we are all part of something larger than ourselves.
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, wellness has always been about more than simply addressing an individual concern. Health and well-being are also influenced by connection, community, stress, rest, and the support we receive from the people around us. Taking care of ourselves allows us to be more present for our families, friends, patients, coworkers, and communities.
September 11th gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect. To remember those we lost. To honor those who helped. To express gratitude for those who continue to serve and support others. And perhaps most importantly, to remember the power we have when we choose to come together.
May we remember. May we honor. May we be grateful. And may we continue to look for ways to support one another and make our communities stronger.
Labor Day: A Reminder That Your Health Deserves a Break, Too
Celebrate Labor Day by honoring hard work while remembering the importance of rest and self-care.
Labor Day is often thought of as the unofficial end of summer—a long weekend filled with family gatherings, barbecues, travel, outdoor activities, and one last chance to enjoy the season before fall routines begin. But beneath the celebrations is a holiday with a much deeper meaning: Labor Day honors the contributions and achievements of American workers.
For generations, people have worked hard to build their careers, support their families, care for their homes, and contribute to their communities. Labor Day gives us an opportunity to recognize that work while also remembering something that can be easy to overlook: the person doing all that work needs care, too.
A Little History Behind Labor Day
Labor Day became a federal holiday in the United States in 1894, although the labor movement had been advocating for recognition of workers and improved working conditions for years before that. The holiday was established as a time to recognize the social and economic contributions of American workers.
Today, Labor Day has evolved into a day of rest, celebration, and spending time with family and friends. While we may not celebrate it in quite the same way as workers did more than a century ago, the idea of recognizing the value of work remains at its heart.
And perhaps there is another lesson worth carrying into the holiday: hard work is important, but so is taking care of the person doing the work.
You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup
It can be remarkably easy to put our own health aside when there is always something else that needs to be done.
There is work to finish, laundry to fold, groceries to buy, meals to prepare, errands to run, children or pets to care for, and a house that somehow never stays clean for very long. Even when we finally have some downtime, we may feel guilty about using it to simply rest.
But constantly pushing through pain, exhaustion, stress, or poor sleep doesn’t necessarily make us more productive. Sometimes it simply leaves us running on empty.
There is an old saying: “If you don’t take care of your wellness, you will be forced to take care of your illness.”
While it may sound simple, there is an important message behind it. Caring for your health before problems become overwhelming can be an important part of maintaining your quality of life.
Feeling Well Changes How You Experience Life
Your health affects far more than whether you have a particular symptom.
When you’re constantly dealing with pain, fatigue, headaches, poor sleep, digestive problems, stress, or other health concerns, everyday life can become more difficult than it needs to be. Spending time with family can feel exhausting. Playing with the kids may become something you avoid. Household chores can feel overwhelming. Work can require every ounce of energy you have.
Even things you normally enjoy can start feeling like obligations.
On the other hand, when you feel better, you have more to give. You can be more present with the people you care about. You can enjoy dinner with friends instead of thinking about your aching back. You can tackle household projects without feeling completely depleted. You can focus more effectively at work and have enough energy left over to enjoy your life afterward.
Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. It helps you show up more fully for the people and responsibilities that matter to you.
Rest Is Part of Wellness
Rest doesn’t always mean doing absolutely nothing. It means giving your body and mind an opportunity to recover.
That might mean getting enough sleep, taking a walk, practicing yoga, spending time outside, reading a book, enjoying a quiet morning, or simply giving yourself permission to slow down.
Self-care also means paying attention when your body is asking for help.
Persistent pain, recurring headaches, disrupted sleep, digestive problems, or ongoing fatigue shouldn’t necessarily be something you simply accept as part of getting older or being busy. Your body communicates through symptoms, and those signals deserve attention.
Make Acupuncture Part of Your Wellness Routine
Acupuncture can be a wonderful way to incorporate intentional self-care into your regular wellness routine. Instead of waiting until you’re completely worn down, regular acupuncture treatments can provide an opportunity to pause, relax, and give your health some attention.
Acupuncture is commonly used to support people dealing with concerns such as back and neck pain, headaches and migraines, joint pain, muscle tension, stress, anxiety, sleep difficulties, digestive concerns, hormonal imbalances, allergies, and other health issues.
Traditional East Asian Medicine takes a whole-person approach to health. Rather than looking at one symptom in isolation, treatment considers the individual as a whole and is tailored to their particular needs.
Acupuncture can also be combined with complementary therapies when appropriate, creating a personalized approach to care.
Your Weekly Appointment Can Be Your Time to Unplug
One of the things many people appreciate about acupuncture is that treatment provides something we don’t always give ourselves enough of: time to stop and reset.
For that period of time, the phone can be put away. The emails can wait. The laundry isn’t going anywhere. The workday can pause.
You get to lie down, relax, breathe, and let yourself be cared for.
For some patients, their regular acupuncture appointment becomes a much-needed weekly reset—a little time dedicated entirely to themselves and their well-being.
And sometimes, taking care of yourself means giving yourself permission to do exactly that.
This Labor Day, Celebrate the Work—and the Worker
As you enjoy your Labor Day weekend, take a moment to appreciate everything you do. The work you perform at your job matters. The work you do at home matters. Caring for your family matters. Supporting your community matters.
But you matter, too.
Don’t wait until you’re completely exhausted or your body forces you to slow down before giving your health the attention it deserves.
Rest when you need rest. Move your body. Eat nourishing foods. Get enough sleep. Manage stress. Stay connected with the people you love. And make your health part of your routine rather than something you only think about when something goes wrong.
Because wellness isn’t simply about avoiding illness.
It’s about having the energy, mobility, focus, and vitality to participate in the life you’ve worked so hard to create.
This Labor Day, take a break, enjoy the people you love, and remember to care for the person who makes it all possible: you.
Laughter Really May Be Good Medicine: The Health Benefits of Humor
Discover how laughter and humor may support health by influencing cortisol and the body’s stress response, promoting relaxation, connection, and overall well-being.
When was the last time you had a really good laugh? Not just a polite chuckle, but the kind of laughter that makes your cheeks hurt, your eyes water, and your stomach ache afterward? There is something wonderfully human about laughter. It can lighten the mood, bring people together, make difficult moments feel a little more manageable, and remind people not to take every little thing quite so seriously. As it turns out, there may also be some legitimate health reasons to make room for more laughter in life.
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis published in PLOS ONE looked specifically at whether spontaneous laughter could affect the body’s stress response. Researchers analyzed eight interventional studies involving 315 adults. The studies used different ways of encouraging laughter, including watching comedy videos, participating in laughter sessions, and using a self-administered laughter program. When the results were combined, laughter interventions were associated with approximately a 32% reduction in cortisol levels compared with control activities. Interestingly, even a single laughter session was associated with a reduction in cortisol.
Cortisol is one of the hormones involved in the body’s stress response. It is not a “bad” hormone—our bodies need cortisol—but prolonged activation of the stress response can have negative effects on physical and psychological health. The researchers noted that their findings suggest spontaneous laughter may help buffer the body’s stress response and could potentially serve as a complementary strategy for supporting overall well-being. At the same time, the researchers acknowledged limitations in the available evidence and noted that more research is needed to understand the longer-term effects of laughter and humor on specific health conditions.
And laughter may offer benefits that go beyond what can be measured in a cortisol sample. Think about how someone may feel after laughing with a friend, watching a funny movie, hearing a ridiculous story, or spending time with someone who makes them laugh. Their shoulders may relax. Their mood may shift. They may temporarily stop worrying about whatever was bothering them. Humor can also create connection, and social connection is an important part of overall well-being. Sometimes a good laugh doesn’t change the situation—but it can change how a person experiences the situation.
Having a sense of humor can be especially valuable during stressful or frustrating times. There will always be unexpected problems, difficult days, and situations that don’t go according to plan. Being able to find something amusing in the middle of all that doesn’t mean a person isn’t taking life seriously. Sometimes it simply means giving the mind an opportunity to breathe, step back, and remember that not everything has to feel so heavy all the time.
Dr. Katrina Giangarra, DACM, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M., has a personal connection to the idea that humor can be beneficial. Her mother was a psychiatric nurse who understood the value of humor when working with her patients. She incorporated appropriate humor into her interactions with them and demonstrated that laughter could sometimes help people feel more comfortable, connected, and human. Her example taught Dr. Katrina that humor doesn’t erase someone’s problems and certainly isn’t appropriate for every situation, but when used thoughtfully, it can help create a little light during difficult moments.
That lesson has stayed with Dr. Katrina throughout her life and has become part of her personality as an acupuncturist. Anyone who knows her knows that she enjoys laughing, telling jokes, and finding humor in everyday situations. Naturally, that sense of humor occasionally makes its way into the acupuncture treatment room.
After all, Dr. Katrina is pretty good at getting to the point.
And when someone says their acupuncture treatment was relaxing, perhaps it is needle-ss to say, music to her ears.
She also believes that sometimes it is important to keep things pointed in the right direction.
The needles may be serious business, but that doesn’t mean the treatment room has to feel overly serious. Creating a comfortable and welcoming environment is important. If a little humor helps someone smile, relax, or feel more at ease, that can be a wonderful addition to the treatment experience.
There is an interesting connection between laughter and the relaxing experience many people report during acupuncture. Research into acupuncture continues to explore how treatment may influence the nervous system and pain-processing pathways, while the laughter research suggests genuine laughter can influence the body’s stress response. These are different areas of research and should not be confused with one another, but both serve as reminders that health involves more than a single symptom or diagnosis. Physical experiences, emotions, stress levels, relationships, environment, and daily habits can all be part of the bigger picture.
At Karma Zen Acupuncture, Dr. Katrina takes a whole-person approach to care. Depending on the individual and their goals, acupuncture may be combined with complementary therapies such as cupping, moxibustion, Gua Sha, infrared light therapy, or herbal medicine. Acupuncture and these complementary therapies are not substitutes for appropriate medical care, and neither laughter nor a good joke can cure an illness. However, supporting relaxation, making time for enjoyable activities, nurturing relationships, and finding opportunities to laugh can all be meaningful parts of a healthy lifestyle.
Perhaps laughter should be thought of as more than something that is simply nice to have. It is one of life’s simple pleasures, and research suggests it may also have a measurable effect on the body’s stress response. Watching a funny movie, sharing a joke with a friend, telling a ridiculous story, or simply spending time with people who make someone smile can be an easy way to bring more laughter into everyday life.
Of course, life isn’t always funny. Some situations are difficult, painful, and deserving of serious attention. Having a sense of humor doesn’t mean ignoring those moments. Instead, humor can sometimes provide a little breathing room when life becomes overwhelming.
And perhaps that is one of the most valuable lessons Dr. Katrina learned from her mother: laughter doesn’t have to fix everything to still be helpful.
So go ahead and laugh at the silly joke. Share the ridiculous story. Watch the comedy that always makes you laugh. Spend time with the people who bring out your smile. And don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself once in a while.
As for Dr. Katrina, she’ll probably continue making acupuncture puns because, apparently, she just can’t help herself.
After all, that’s just a little extra point of wellness.
When you feel better, you can live better—and sometimes feeling better starts with something as simple as a good laugh.
Research Source
Kramer CK, Leitao CB. Laughter as medicine: A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies evaluating the impact of spontaneous laughter on cortisol levels. PLOS ONE. 2023;18(5):e0286260.
Happy Ginger Cat Appreciation Day!
Ginger Cat Appreciation Day: Celebrating the Orange Girls of Dr. Katrina’s Life
Some holidays are fun. Some are meaningful. And then there are the ones that are especially close to your heart. Ginger Cat Appreciation Day is definitely one of those days for Dr. Katrina.
Why? Because she is the proud owner of not one, not two, but three female orange tabbies: Esme, Isabella, and Opal. Over the course of about four years, these three girls each found their way into Dr. Katrina’s life. First came Esme, then Isabella, and finally Opal. Each has her own personality, quirks, and way of showing affection, but all three share something important: they are sweet, loving, affectionate girls who have completely stolen their mom’s heart.
And Dr. Katrina’s love of female orange tabbies actually started long before Esme, Isabella, and Opal. It began with her very first cat, Basty, whom she adopted while she was in college after someone had discarded her. Basty quickly became a beloved companion and, even as a kitten, seemed determined to look after Dr. Katrina. She was protective, affectionate, and deeply bonded with her human. In many ways, Basty set the standard for every orange girl who came afterward.
Yes, They’re All Girls—and That’s Pretty Special
If you’ve ever heard the stereotype that orange cats are mostly male, there is actually some truth behind it. Female orange cats are considerably less common than male orange cats. Estimates commonly place female orange cats at around 20%, although the exact percentage can vary depending on the population studied.
Which makes having three orange girls particularly special.
And don’t let anyone tell you that orange cats aren’t smart.
Dr. Katrina certainly isn’t buying it.
Her three girls are all intelligent, observant, and wonderfully individual. Esme is the sassy one. She has plenty of personality and isn’t afraid to let everyone know exactly what she thinks. Isabella is a living, breathing purring motor. If there is an opportunity to purr, Isabella is ready for the job. Then there’s Opal, who has a particularly sweet and comforting personality and, both in appearance and temperament, reminds Dr. Katrina quite a bit of Basty.
Three orange cats. Three completely different personalities. Three very spoiled girls.
And Dr. Katrina wouldn’t have it any other way.
Cats Have Their Own Kind of Healing
Anyone who has ever loved a cat understands that there is something remarkably calming about having one nearby. Cats have a way of making a home feel more peaceful simply by being there. Curling up next to a purring cat after a stressful day can be surprisingly comforting.
There is even scientific interest in the potential health benefits associated with the human-animal bond. Spending time with companion animals can promote relaxation and may help reduce feelings of stress and loneliness. The simple act of petting a cat, listening to her purr, or watching her peacefully sleep can encourage us to slow down and take a moment for ourselves.
And then there is the purr.
That familiar rhythmic vibration is one of the things cat lovers find especially soothing. While claims about the exact healing effects of specific purr frequencies are sometimes overstated, there is evidence that the frequency range of domestic cat purrs overlaps with frequencies studied for their potential effects on bone and tissue. More importantly, for many people, a cat’s purr creates a powerful sense of comfort and relaxation.
Sometimes the healing isn’t complicated.
Sometimes it’s simply having a warm, furry little creature curled up beside you, reminding you to stop, breathe, and enjoy the moment.
The Girls Are Unofficial Mascots
Although Esme, Isabella, and Opal don’t accompany Dr. Katrina to the clinic, they are very much part of the Karma Zen family. They remain at home and serve as unofficial mascots from afar.
And while cats may have their own unique way of providing comfort, Karma Zen Acupuncture has another form of relaxation available to its human patients: acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a gentle therapy that can support the body in addressing a variety of health concerns while also providing an opportunity to slow down and relax. Patients can take a break from their busy schedules, settle onto the treatment table, and give themselves some time to simply rest.
It’s almost like having your own version of cat therapy—only without the claws.
Purr Therapy vs. Catupuncture
Of course, there is one very important distinction.
Acupuncture is not catupuncture.
Catupuncture is what happens when a cat decides that your lap, arm, leg, or whatever other body part happens to be available is the perfect place to practice her own version of acupuncture—with her claws.
Esme, Isabella, and Opal have not been formally trained in acupuncture, and Dr. Katrina has no plans to let them near the treatment room with needles.
Their specialty is purring.
And occasionally, probably judging.
Fortunately, human acupuncture is performed with tiny, sterile needles and is designed to be gentle and carefully tailored to the individual. No claws required.
So while a cat’s purr may provide a soothing form of companionship and relaxation, acupuncture offers another way to intentionally make time for your health and well-being.
A Little Appreciation Goes a Long Way
Ginger Cat Appreciation Day is a fun excuse to celebrate orange cats, but for Dr. Katrina, it also brings back memories of the special cats who have been part of her life.
Basty was the beginning. Esme, Isabella, and Opal continued the tradition.
Each one arrived at a different point in Dr. Katrina’s life, and each has left her own paw print on her heart. From Basty’s protective nature as a kitten to Esme’s endless sass, Isabella’s constant purring, and Opal’s gentle, comforting personality, these girls have provided years of companionship, entertainment, and unconditional affection.
They may not understand acupuncture. They may not know what Traditional East Asian Medicine is. And they certainly don’t have any idea what a treatment plan is.
But they do know how to make their human smile.
And sometimes, that’s pretty powerful medicine.
So this Ginger Cat Appreciation Day, take a moment to appreciate the orange cats who bring a little more warmth, personality, and love into the world.
And if you’re lucky enough to have a female orange tabby in your life, give her an extra scratch behind the ears.
Meet the Acupuncturist: If I Could Pick Just One… Moxa!
Moxa, cupping, Gua Sha, or Tui Na?
That’s a tough question for an acupuncturist because each of these therapies has its own unique benefits and place within Traditional East Asian Medicine. But if Dr. Katrina had to choose just one, there would be no hesitation: moxibustion—better known as moxa—wins.
Her love for moxibustion stems from her extensive training in Japanese style acupuncture, where classes and clinic shifts went more in depth into applying moxa in treatments.
Japanese Acupuncture: Same Roots, Different Approach
Japanese-style acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine share many of the same classical roots and foundational texts, but the approaches can differ in how those principles are interpreted and applied. Dr. Katrina discovered that she particularly enjoyed the Japanese approach both when receiving acupuncture herself and when treating patients because those treatments yielded better results.
While earning her master’s degree, she specifically chose Japanese acupuncture electives and even audited the classes after completing them to strengthen her education. She trained under supervisors who specialized in Japanese acupuncture, attended seminars to expand her knowledge, and continued studying the techniques beyond the basic curriculum. She also served as a tutor while in school, helping fellow students better understand Japanese acupuncture as well as other areas of their education.
Throughout those classes and clinic shift, Dr. Katrina’s love of moxa as a therapy grew as she continued to develop her techniques and expand her knowledge.
What Exactly Is Moxa?
Moxibustion is a traditional therapy that uses the gentle, therapeutic heat produced by burning moxa, which is made from the leaves of mugwort, to warm specific areas of the body or stimulate acupuncture points. The herb commonly used in Chinese medicine is known as Ai Ye.
Moxa has been used for centuries throughout East Asian medicine, and there is a reason it has remained an important part of traditional practice. Depending on how it is applied, the gentle heat can help warm areas of the body, promote circulation, relax muscles, and ease discomfort.
Dr. Katrina also has a particular appreciation for the quality of the moxa she uses. She likes to joke that moxa is a little like fine wine—it gets better with age. High-quality moxa tends to burn differently from lower-quality material, while inexpensive or lower-grade moxa can be considerably smokier and less pleasant for both the practitioner and patient.
Because creating a comfortable treatment experience is important to her, Dr. Katrina prefers using high-quality moxa whenever possible.
Why Does Dr. Katrina Love Moxa?
There is something uniquely soothing about the warmth of moxa. Unlike many other therapies, moxibustion brings heat into the treatment itself. Depending on the technique and the individual patient, that warmth may help promote circulation, relax muscles, ease discomfort, reduce swelling, warm areas of the body, and support the body’s natural healing processes.
Of course, moxa isn’t appropriate for every person, every condition, or every treatment. The individual patient’s health history, presentation, treatment goals, and the specific area being treated all help determine whether moxibustion is appropriate and how it should be performed. Proper technique, careful monitoring, and experience are especially important because moxa involves heat and must be used with care and precision.
That’s part of what Dr. Katrina enjoys about it. Moxa isn’t simply one technique. There are numerous ways to incorporate it into a treatment, each providing a different therapeutic effect. The most frequent ways she incorporates moxa in her patients’ treatments are Tonetskyu (rice grain moxibustion), Chinetskyu (heat perception moxibustion) and Shintokyu (needle head moxibustion).
Rice Grain Moxibustion
As the name suggests, rice grain moxibustion uses very small pieces of moxa—approximately the size and shape of a grain of rice. The moxa is carefully formed and placed on specific areas or acupuncture points.
Because the pieces are so tiny, this technique allows Dr. Katrina to work with remarkable precision. A small amount of burn cream may be used to help secure the moxa and protect the skin. The moxa is then carefully burned then extinguished between her fingers, before the burning portion reaches the patient’s skin. This creates a brief, concentration of therapeutic warmth that penetrates the area.
It’s a tiny amount of moxa, applied to a tiny area, but it can be a fascinating and very precise traditional technique.
Heat Perception Moxibustion
This approach involves forming moxa into a cone shape, approximately the size of an almond. The cone is carefully secured to the skin with burn cream then burned close to the skin while the practitioner monitors the heat and the patient’s response. Before the burned portion reaches the skin or it starts to feel hot for the patient, the moxa is removed and placed in water or an ashtray.
This allows the warmth to be experienced over a broader area and can be particularly soothing when addressing areas of muscle tension or discomfort. It is extremely effective for swelling in certain areas, as well.
Needle Head Moxa
Another technique Dr. Katrina uses involves placing specially prepared, high-quality smokeless moxa cones on the ends of acupuncture needles. Moxa guards can be positioned around the needle to help support the needle and protect the skin.
As the moxa burns, the warmth travels down through the needle and into the surrounding area. Depending on the location of the needle and the therapeutic goal, this technique can provide deep warmth while helping relax muscles, promote circulation, and stimulate the acupuncture point.
And these are only a few examples. There are many other ways moxibustion can be incorporated into acupuncture treatments, which is part of what makes it such a versatile therapy.
There’s a Reason Training Matters
Moxa can look deceptively simple from the outside. But proper moxibustion requires considerably more than that. The practitioner needs to understand the material being used, the technique being performed, the patient’s individual presentation, the location being treated, the amount of heat being applied, and when moxa should—or shouldn’t—be used.
That’s why Dr. Katrina’s education and additional training in Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion are so important to her practice. The goal isn’t simply to use a traditional technique because it has been around for centuries. It’s to understand why you’re using it, how to use it appropriately, and how it fits into an individual’s overall treatment plan.
There’s a big difference between knowing about a therapy and knowing how to practice it safely and effectively.
For Dr. Katrina, moxa is one of those therapies that reminds her why she became so fascinated with Traditional East Asian Medicine in the first place. It combines centuries of tradition with the skill, precision, and individualized approach that she values in her practice.
So while she may have plenty of tools in her acupuncture toolbox, if someone puts her on the spot and says, “Pick one,” her answer is easy: Moxa.
Your initial consultation is free. Talk with our Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to learn more.
Or, just call 512-766-3049 and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
Read more about: Our Philosophy | Our History | Our Awesome Staff | Testimonials and Success Stories
* Individual results vary. No guarantee of specific results is warranted or implied and your results will depend on many factors (full disclaimer).
Your initial consultation is free. Talk with our Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to learn more.
Or, just call 512-766-3049 and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
Read more about: Our Philosophy | Our History | Our Awesome Staff | Testimonials and Success Stories
* Individual results vary. No guarantee of specific results is warranted or implied and your results will depend on many factors (full disclaimer).
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Don't allow the pain of nerve impingement keep you from enjoying the activities that you love.
Cervical Radiculopathy
Take control of the pain, numbeness, & tingling caused by cervical radiculopathy.
Neuropathy
Enjoy your day without burning pain, numbness, and tingling.
Lymphedema
Regain mobility and and don't get weighed down by fluid retention.
Bell's Palsy
Find your smile again.
Stroke Recovery
Regain your life back from the effects of your stroke.
Muscle Spasms
Be able to go about your day withou the pain of muscle spasms getting in your way.
TMJ
Alleviate the pain and discomfort of your TMJ disorder naturally.
Neck Pain
Don't allow neck pain to prevent you from enjoying the things that you love.
Urinary Incontinence
Regain control your bladder, so you can take back your life.
PCOS
Don't let the problems of PCOS impact your life.
Perimenopausal Symptoms
Prevent hot flashes and night sweats from keeping you up at night.
Endometriosis
Don't allow the pain of endometriosis keep you from time with your family and friends.
PMS
Your pain, mood swings, and fatigue can be controlled naturally each month.
Addison's Disease
Don't let the constant fatigue, nausea, & dizziness of Addison's disease prevent you from enjoying your life.
Adrenal Fatigue
Prevent the fatigue, pain, and aches of adrenal fatigue from controlling your life.
Cushing's Syndrome
Don't allow the fatigue, hunger, & excess sweating of Cuching's syndrome control your life.
Fibroids
The pain and heavy menstruation due to your uterine fibroids don't have to interfere with enjoying time with family and friends.
Fertility
Get the family you always dreamed about having one day.
Thyroid Disorders
Balance your hormones with natural medicine.
Insomnia
Be able to fall asleep and stay asleep with all natural remedies.
Restless Leg Syndrome
Don't let restless legs prevent you from being able to sleep.
Ulcerative Colitis
Take control over your ulcerative colitis symptoms.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Alleviate your digestive problems naturally.
Gallbladder Symptoms
Don't allow gallbladder symptoms to impact your daily life.
Crohn's Disease
Take control of the pain and digestive upset of crohn's disease.
Vertigo
Don't let the world continue to feel like it's spinning around you.
Salivary Stones
Don't let the pain and discomfor of salivary stones disrupt your day.
Weight Loss
Increase your energy and boost your metabolism.
Smoking Addiction
Take charge of your life and don't allow withdrawal symptoms to control you.
Cedar Fever
Don't let your allergies prevent you from enjoying the great outdoors.
Immune Support
Boost your immune system naturally and effectively, so you don't get sick or recover quicker if you already are sick.
Rosacae
Allow your true complexion to shine through.
Facial Rejuvination with Microneedling
Allow your inner beauty to shine outward even more.
Your initial consultation is free. Talk with our Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to learn more.
Or, just call 512-766-3049 and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
Read more about: Our Philosophy | Our History | Our Awesome Staff | Testimonials and Success Stories
* Individual results vary. No guarantee of specific results is warranted or implied and your results will depend on many factors (full disclaimer).
THIS STUFF WORKS.
Our unique blend of holistic medical therapies gets ALL your body's healing resources going in the same direction...
Acupuncture
Calms stress, clears neuroendocrine pathways, affects neurotransmitters, and promotes circulation.
Cupping
Promotes microcirculation, relieves tension, and helps release toxins.
Herbal Therapy
Transmits nature’s intelligence to heal damaged cells and tissues.
Gua Sha
Breaks up scar tissue and connective tissue, reduces inflammation, and improves circulation.
Moxibustion
Promotes circulation, alleviates tension, and helps reduce inflammation and swelling.
Relaxation & Stress Reduction 
Focus on calming the mind and emotions to maximize your body’s healing resources.
Microneedling & Nanoneedling for Facial Rejuvination
Helps rejuvenate the skin by encouraging the formation of new, healthier skin tissue.
Red Light Therapy (LED Light Therapy)
Uses light to boost skin rejuvenation and address specific skin concerns.
Serums for Microneedling & Nanoneedling
Serums complement microneedling & nanoneedlingby delivering targeted ingredients to promote skin rejuvenation and improve its appearance.
Your initial consultation is free. Talk with our Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to learn more.
Or, just call 512-766-3049 and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
Read more about: Our Philosophy | Our History | Our Awesome Staff | Testimonials and Success Stories
* Individual results vary. No guarantee of specific results is warranted or implied and your results will depend on many factors (full disclaimer).
OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF IS PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WE DO
You'll always feel welcome and cared for here.
Dr. Katrina Giangarra, DACM, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.
Licensed Acupuncturist, Founder, & Clinic Director
Isabella (aka Izzy, aka Fluff Nugget) Giangarra
3rd Unofficial Mascot
Calliope (aka Callie) Giangarra
Unofficial Mascot
Esme (aka Ezzy or Ezzers) Giangarra
2nd Unofficial Mascot
Your initial consultation is free. Talk with our Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to learn more.
Or, just call 512-766-3049 and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
Read more about: Our Philosophy | Our History | Our Awesome Staff | Testimonials and Success Stories
* Individual results vary. No guarantee of specific results is warranted or implied and your results will depend on many factors (full disclaimer).
Located in Spicewood
Karma Zen Acupuncture is located in a serene spot off of Highway-71 between the entrances of Sweetwater in the Bee Creek Business Park. Whether you live locally in Spicewood or in the surrounding areas of Briarcliff, Marble Falls, Lakeway, Bee Cave, Austin, or Dripping Springs, we are happy to provide a peaceful and relaxing environment as we help you on your path to better health. The location is a hidden gem as it’s great for those locally, not wanting to travel far, and for those wanting to escape from the more chaotic and busier areas.
Your initial consultation is free. Talk with our Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to learn more.
Or, just call 512-766-3049 and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
Read more about: Our Philosophy | Our History | Our Awesome Staff | Testimonials and Success Stories
* Individual results vary. No guarantee of specific results is warranted or implied and your results will depend on many factors (full disclaimer).
