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My Path to Becoming a NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR
While growing up, herbal concoction was a common medicinal practice in my family. My very first memory of holistic medicine was when my grandma took me to an herbalist by piggy back ride to an apartment complex in the midst of San Francisco Chinatown to treat my high fever. Intrigued by the use of acupuncture and herbal medicine, I knew I wanted to practice medicine. But what kind of medicine became clear when my godfather (who practices qi-gong and herbal medicine extensively) introduced me to Naturopathy, aka Naturopathic or Natural Medicine.
Throughout my medical school years and in the mist of two decades of practice, I developed Hypothyroid Hashimoto Thyroiditis while recognizing the demands of my three children facing food allergies, eczema, colds/flus, etc. All of which challenged and made me into a better Naturopathic Doctor and also placed me in the patients’ or parents’ shoes so I can truly and deeply understand what they experience.
As some question what Naturopathy is, I am often asked: “What do you do? Is a Naturopathic Doctor like an acupuncturist or chiropractor?” I am also often mistaken as a homeopath or osteopath, which I am not. I am a Naturopathic Doctor, or some would say, a Functional Medicine Doctor. Both of which utilize laboratory tests (conventional and complementary) and natural medicine, such as lifestyle modifications in diet, sleep, exercise, stress, and implement evidence-based and professional medical grade nutritional, herbal, homeopathic remedies and even some form of physical medicine like the NAET/allergy desensitization therapy, Wellness Pro, Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST), and Self Controlled Energy Neuro Adaptation (SCENAR) in restoring one back to optimal health.
Two decades of practice have allowed me to specialize in quite a few conditions. I started out as a general family alternative medicine doctor. And as more pediatric patients came in for NAET to treat for food / environmental allergies, eczema, constipation or diarrhea, my practice evolved to treating more patients with IBD – Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s). With such debilitating autoimmune conditions, typically other organ systems are also affected such as the adrenals for anxiety, depression, insomnia and thyroid for fatigue and women’s health for irregular cycles and menopause. Interestingly, as many conditions resolve or go into remission, many patients eventually convert to prenatal care. It is absolutely rewarding to see a once debilitated patient blossom into a vital, healthy individual. Some even started their own families and I, eventually, started caring for their little ones too.
Now that you have read my story, I would love to hear yours. If you so choose or even have a slightest inquisitiveness, please feel free to take the opportunity of the 15min complimentary phone consult. I would be delighted to share the gaining esteem of Naturopathic Medicine and the tremendous rewarding outcome it has to offer.
Credentials:
- Board Certified by North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE)
- Naturopathic Doctorate from Bastyr University
- Bachelor in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology & minor in East Asian Studies from UC Santa Cruz