East-West Natural Medicine

09/22/2026

There's no need, really, to advise you that "now might be a good time to stock your immune-boost pantry", but here we are again at Fall (Happy Equinox 🍁!) and we're seeing cold (and covid) rates rising already!

There are a few really important pieces of advice (free!) that we'd offer right now:

1) The season is changing. Officially. Staying warm (ankles, chest, neck, head) is really important so that your body can conserve energy. That means socks on feet, warmth on chest, scarves or beanies for evening walks if needed.

2) It's a great time to do what you feel like doing already-- eating warmer foods, especially those which cooking renders more easily digestible! Think soups & stews first; hot breakfast cereal with a poached or hard boiled egg for protein; warm leftovers for lunch.

3) And of course, we advise everyone to access the great gift of herbal medicine, including especially Chinese Medicine formulas such as Yu Ping Feng San (Jade Windscreen Powder), Gan Mao Ling (Common Cold Effective Remedy), and Initial Defense (by Kan Herbs, Santa Cruz). These formulas are very effective ways to prevent colds and also reduce the severity of any "wind-cold" or "wind-heat" invasion. 😓

We don't give medical advice over social media, of course, so please consult your practitioner if you have any concerns or before taking these herbal supplements, especially if you have existing medical conditions. ❤️

09/02/2026

Evil Bone Water! W𝐞 𝐥o𝐯e t𝐡i𝐬 𝐬t𝐮f𝐟!
If you've been in pain & here for a treatment, it's likely that we've applied this versatile liniment on you. Made in the USA by a Veteran-Owned company in Florida, Evil Bone Water is top of our list for easy-to-apply topicals that really help with pain management and recovery.
We offer it retail too (at a great price $)!
Comes with a spray top for easy application. 💦
📸: Canva AI image generator (it's fun for now!)

08/18/2026

Is this the best fruit season? We think so...

Pears, 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒊𝒏 apples, peaches, plums..the list goes on...🥰
Late-summer fruits are perfect for hydrating your body and nourishing the organ systems that can dry out during this time.

Traditionally, these are the Lungs, Large Intestine, and the Heart.

A client told us yesterday it's traditional in Chinese culture to boil or steam pears to make them more digestible and nourishing. An excellent idea with cinnamon and dried ginger for dessert!

What's your favorite fruit this time of year? 🧐

📸: Clay Daulton, "Fruits around the neighborhood"; 2025

07/28/2026

We're in late-July in Santa Rosa, which means long, hot days and 𝒃𝒊𝒈 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚. In Chinese Medicine, this is the Fire element season -- when our Heart energy and spirit (the Shen) are most active.

In balance, that's joy, connection, and clarity. Run a little too hot and it can tip into restless sleep, irritability, indigestion, or feeling overwhelmed.

A few simple ways to cool the fire:

𝑯𝒚𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒔 -- cucumber, watermelon, mint or chrysanthemum tea

Go easy on alcohol, spicy food, and the midday sun between 11am and 3pm

Try a little gentle qigong in the early morning, or go for a nice walk in the cool am or later pm hours.

Acupuncture helps here too -- it calms the nervous system and eases the stress that heat piles on. If summer is showing up in your body, come in for a tune-up.

We are delighted to offer a 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓-𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 to increase treatment frequency and give you a total reset, opening Mondays starting August 3rd. And yes, those are dreamy zero-gravity massage chairs.

07/27/2026

Big news from the clinic! We're opening our new Community Acupuncture lounge on Monday, August 3rd from 1 to 7pm.

Community-style acupuncture is a lower-cost way to come in more often and keep your healing momentum going -- the steady, consistent care that lets deeper progress take hold.

We're also thrilled to welcome Dr. Steven Cartacki, DAHM to the team. Steven is an AIMC Berkeley graduate who specializes in sleep, nervous system and mood regulation, and pain management -- and he'll be leading our new Community room on Mondays.

Appointments are open now. Call Meredith at (707) 978-4293 to book your spot.

07/17/2026

We've dedicated a beautiful space opening Monday, August 3rd to 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚-𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆 𝑨𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆.

This is a place for you (and a friend) to come and get a personalized acupuncture treatment for a fraction of the cost of a private appointment.

You'll get the benefit of more acupuncture + a dedicated healing environment supported by others healing with you. Lux massage chairs and a spa-like amenities deepen your relaxation.

Current clients can book online at east-westnaturalmedicine.com and new folks can book calling (707) 978-4293. Questions always welcome.

We look forward to serving you!

07/15/2026

06/23/2026

Welcome to 700 College Avenue! The new home of Santa Rosa's established group Acupuncture and total wellness practice, East-West Natural Medicine!

06/11/2026

All-stars ⭐️.
That's how we describe our staff and practitioners.
Our collective experience in East Asian medicine is over 35 years, including dynamic, deep training in Western biomedicine (Deena's an RN, after all).
We are building a practice of profound community benefit as East-West Natural Medicine begins it's next 15 years.
We look forward to introducing you to each of them over the coming month.
And if you can't wait, you can discover more about each of them here (minus Meredith, our front desk guru- who needs her own profile!): https://www.east-westnaturalmedicine.com/about-us.html

06/09/2026

The bathroom-- yes, the new bathroom!
Have you ever seen such a beautiful "powder room"? 😍
We are so excited to welcome you to the new office at 700 College Avenue starting June 22!

(We are closed Tuesday June 16- Sunday the 21 for moving)