Intrigued by the world of Naturopathic Medicine? Join MysticMag and dive into our exclusive interview with Sarah Hung, a seasoned practitioner, as she demystifies this holistic approach to health and wellness. From the fundamentals of Naturopathic philosophy to the intricacies of Korean Facial Acupuncture, Sarah shares her journey and insights into the transformative power of natural medicine.
For people unfamiliar with it, can you explain what Naturopathic Medicine is?
Naturopathic medicine is a way of viewing health and bringing the body into a state of balance. While specific conditions and their underlying pathology are certainly recognized as a part of our work, Naturopathic medicine views each person as an individual and takes every aspect of his or her health into account, both physical and emotional. Rather than treating or “fixing” a disease, Naturopathic medicine seeks to create the conditions for health by addressing the nutritional status and underlying stressors of each person. By addressing these underlying factors or stressors, we are providing the body with the conditions it needs to heal. Additionally, Naturopathic medicine seeks to support weakened or compromised systems of the body with the use of whole plant herbs and medicinal foods. Recognizing emotional health, stress, and its impact on different organs or systems of the body is very important at this stage as well. Finally, Naturopathic medicine recognizes the importance of and utilizes higher interventions such as pharmacological and surgical interventions, but only as a last resort.
In terms of education, Naturopathic Doctors (or ND’s) are a bit different from traditional Naturopaths and must attend a four-year Naturopathic medical school to become board-certified. While he or she not only learns about creating the conditions for health by correcting imbalances via nutrition, herbs, and homeopathy, he or she must also become well-versed in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pathology, immunology, diagnostics, bloodwork, and pharmacology. Therefore, you could say that we are very well-rounded in our approach and can offer lots of great insights to our patients.
How did you get into this field and what sparked your interest in it?
My interest in Naturopathic medicine began with my family. My grandfather was a chemist and became interested in nutrition early in the 1960’s, which eventually led him to found a chain of health food stores and a nutrition company that still exists today. Growing up, we were always taught that rather than taking aspirin or anti-allergy medicines, vitamins, teas, and herbal supplements were what led to good health. There always seemed to be a natural cure for any ailment we may have had and a healthy alternative to every type of junk food. I have many great memories of making “healthy candies” in my grandparents’ kitchen and accompanying them on trips where we would pop into health food stores and chat with the owners there. Additionally, my mother was a labor and delivery nurse and I’ve always looked up to her-I think that is where I may have been specifically attracted to healthcare and helping patients directly.
My own experiences with natural medicine later in life were probably the biggest factors into going into both Naturopathic and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I was first exposed to Acupuncture and Chinese medicine when I was living in China for a year. However, I did grow up eating some traditional Chinese foods and herbs as a part of my upbringing, thanks to my Dad. Over time, I have been able to completely resolve several mental health issues and a severe ankle injury with a combination of Naturopathic medicine, Acupuncture, and Chinese herbal medicine, and feel that everyone should know about, and be able to utilize natural medicine therapies.
How is Korean Facial Acupuncture different from other forms of facial acupuncture?
Korean facial acupuncture differs from other forms of acupuncture in the fact that it specifically addresses facial rejuvenation and increases collagen production. While all acupuncture needles are small and thin, Korean facial needles are less than an inch long and most have a diameter of between .12-.16 millimeters (this is around the diameter of a human hair and is less than a cat whisker). While it most commonly is used to decrease fine lines and reduce other signs of aging, it is also commonly used for headaches, TMJ issues, trigeminal neuralgia, and Bell’s Palsy.
Other forms of traditional acupuncture, on the other hand, tend to take a whole-body approach and seek to address imbalances in the body detected in a tongue or pulse reading, or by bringing blood flow specifically to painful or imbalanced parts of the body. Both physical and emotional imbalances are addressed and taken into account.
You also offer herbal medicine services. What can you tell me about that part of your work?
Herbal medicine is a huge part of my practice and is recommended to most of my patients. As both a Naturopath and licensed acupuncturist/herbalist, the practice uses a mixture of both Western and Eastern herbal philosophies. Therefore, when recommending a single herb or herbal blend, not only the biochemical properties but also taste, temperature, and energetic properties are taken into consideration when recommending or prescribing. Some of the herbal mixtures come in premixed forms and will either include Western blends to support specific organs or systems that need support or Chinese medicine formulas that have traditionally been used for centuries. Other times, I directly formulate herbal tinctures for patients with handpicked herbs to create an individualized blend. Overall, the process is very customized, and just like in other aspects of Natural or functional medicine-no two people are treated exactly the same way.
How does Cranio Sacral Therapy work?
Some people mistakenly believe Cranio Sacral is a cross between gentle massage and chiropractic techniques. Actually, craniosacral is a very gentle fascial palpation technique used to reduce sympathetic arousal by modifying body rhythms and to support the body’s function and capability of self-regulation by relaxing physical and mental structures. Treated areas not only include the area between the cranium and sacrum but also joints, muscles, fascia, cardiovascular structures, and organs. Because Craniosacral Therapy often acknowledges the role of emotions and the way they impact the body, it can additionally be a very effective treatment for mental health wellness.
Is there anything else about your work that you’d like to share that we haven’t covered?
One other thought I’d like to share: In addition to Chinese medicine having a strong effectiveness as a natural treatment, it’s also an expression of my heritage and culture on my dad’s side-and I’m very excited to be able to share that with others. Likewise, I feel that practicing Naturopathic medicine is a way of continuing my family’s passion for nutrition and natural health and I feel very lucky to be able to do that, to encourage and uplift others in a positive way.
To learn more about Sarah and her work, you can visit wholeheartednaturopathic.com
