ACUPUNCTURE. CHINESE HERBS. MEDICAL QIGONG. YOGA

Do you accept health insurance?

We do not bill health insurance.  Instead, we can provide you with a receipt that may be submitted to your insurer for possible reimbursement, or may be filed with your medical and dental expenses on federal income taxes subject to IRS limitations.  Therefore, payment is due at the time of service.  We accept cash, and check.  The returned check fee is $60.00.   

We are an out-of-network provider with the following insurance companies:  Aetna, Florida Blue, and United Healthcare.

We accept Health Spending Accounts (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) cards.  If your HSA, FSA or HRA provider does not offer reimbursement cards, we can provide you with a receipt upon request that may be submitted to your HSA, FSA, or HRA provider for possible reimbursement.  Therefore, payment is due at the time of service.  We accept cash, check, and credit cards.  The returned check fee is $60.00. 

Are Chinese herbs safe?

We only offer the finest herb products.  These Chinese herbs meet rigorous standards of testing and clinical effectiveness.  Our herb products are selected from companies that comply with Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) standards, or International Organization for Standardization (ISO) requirements.  

Can I take Chinese herbs while I am taking medication?

Chinese herbal practitioners design customized formulas while taking into consideration any possible contraindications with prescribed Western medicines.  

How are Chinese herbs different than Western medicines?

Chinese herbal formulas tend to be gentler than Western medicine; work to relieve symptoms; and help the body to come back into balance and health so that the herbs are not always needed.  For this reason, Chinese herbal formulas are often adjusted and modified as treatments progress, and the body's needs change.  

How does Qigong affect the immune system?

In general, medical qigong therapy and prescriptions strengthens the immune system by enhancing one's protective qi, cell and organ metabolism, and cellular energy.  Additionally, medical qigong augments the lymphatic system resulting in an increase in the production of white blood cells.  It should be noted that qigong supports the circulatory system and one's blood pressure.  While the circulatory is different than the immune system, white blood cells which are a key aspect to the immune system inhabit, are stored, and circulate in the blood and lymph fluid.  In addition, as a result of qigong exercise the body creates heat and allows the connective tissue to loosen.  This allows the intercellular fluid of the cells all the way to the organs to be cleansed.  As a result, more oxygen is available to the body which improves the concentration of oxygen in the blood.  This allows the blood to move more easily.  Thereby the white blood cells and the immune system have an enhanced circulation.  In the end, this also strengthens the body's ability to fight off pathogens and maintain a stronger immune system.  

Can I receive acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Medical Qigong or telehealth treatments if I am pregnant?

During pregnancy, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and telehealth can be effective for the treatment of morning sickness, nausea, and vomiting.  Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can also help relieve other discomforts from pregnancy including sciatica, back aches, and depression, and improve energy level.  Additionally, acupuncture and a technique knows as moxibustion can help turn breech babies to head-first presentations.  Moxibustion uses long sticks of the herb moxa (also known as mugwort or Artemisia vulgaris) to produce a gentle, warming sensation to an acupuncture point on the little toe.  

When a woman is pregnant, she can enhance her health through qigong.  This supports the child's development and their prenatal constitution including their congenital immunity.  Only certain Medical Qigong and telehealth treatments can be engaged in during pregnancy.  These specific Medical Qigong treatments should be performed by a Medical Qigong Practitioner with specialized pregnancy training.  

What is telehealth?

Telehealth represents the use of telecommunication technologies to provide healthcare services, and client and professional health-related education.  Virtual appointments are available using video conferencing.  These virtual appointments allow the client to receive care from the practitioner when an in-person session is not required or possible.  These healthcare services may include:  the consultation, treatment, and monitoring of a client.  More recently, we have seen the integration and use of Telehealth due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Is telehealth secure?

Although privacy and confidentiality extend to communications by text, email, telephone, video conferencing and other electronic means with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance considerations, practitioners cannot guarantee that those communications will be kept confidential and / or that a third-party may not gain access to such communications.  With electronic communication, there is always a risk that communications may be compromised, unsecured, and / or accessed by a third-party.

To help maintain confidentiality when engaging in electronic health services and education, it is important that all sessions be conducted in a confidential place.  This means that clients agree to participate in telehealth only while in a room or area where other people are not present and cannot overhear the conversation.  Do not have sessions in public places.  

Sessions may not be recorded and clients must seek written permission before recording any portion of the session and / or posting any portion of the sessions.  

What are the main branches of yoga?

Hatha yoga represents the yoga of physical well-being.  Most forms of yoga that are practiced in the United States fall under this category.  "Ha" in Sanskrit represents "sun", and "tha" represents "moon".  Therefore, Hatha yoga unites the polarities or opposites within ourselves.  This is accomplished by combining asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breath), and meditative relaxations.  

Karma yoga is a yoga of selfless action or service.  Those that follow Karma yoga are not driven by reward or personal grandeur.  Instead, their focus is on performing acts with love and for the betterment of those they serve.

Raja yoga means royal yoga.  It is the yoga of meditation, and includes the teaching of hatha yoga.  Raja yoga uses an eight-stepped approach known as Ashtanga to obtain self-realization.  This eight-stepped approach is outlined in the Yoga Sutra by Patanjali.

Bhakti yoga is the yoga of devotion.  Those that practice bhakti yoga focus on a heart-centered approach to life.  Bhakti yoga incorporates rituals of devotion, prayers, invocations, and chanted mantras to connect with heart-centered universal love. 

Jnana yoga represents the yoga of knowledge and wisdom.  Through this yogic practice, one seeks to understand their true self, mind and spirit through the pursuit of knowledge.  This wisdom is acquired by studying scriptures and other writings.  

Kundalini yoga is a yoga of energy.  This practice uses various techniques to raise and unite kundalini energies from the base of the spine to the crown of the head to achieve spiritual elation.  Due to the powerful nature of kundalini yoga, this practice is not recommended for most individuals in the West.  Traditionally, this path requires complete withdrawal from the responsibilities of functional, rational, and societal life.