Practitioner

Dr. Tamara McClure, DAOM, LAc., Dipl. OM, is your acupuncturist and herbalist at Meridian Acu Health. She is a native San Diegan and received her Bachelors degree and K-8 teaching credential from San Diego State University in 1997, and 1999, respectively. She earned her Masters of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 2014, and her Doctorate of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 2017. She specializes in traditional Japanese meridian style acupuncture based on the classics (e.g., the Su Wen, Ling Shu, and Nan Jing). She completed her Japanese meridian therapy instruction under the tutelege of Elizabeth Talcott, DAOM, LAC. and KC Conover, LAc., whose styles are based primarily upon the teachings of Masters Ikeda Masakazu Sensei and Shudo Denmai Sensei of Japan. She also specializes in Othopaedic Sports Acupuncture. She is currently Assistant Professor at Pacific College, (since 2017).

 

Acupuncture​

Acupuncture (Chinese: 针灸; pinyin: zhēnjiǔ) is the use of sterile, single-use fine needles (filaments) inserted into specific parts of the body to bring about balance to the body's internal organs, musculo-skeletal, nervous, cardio-vascular, endocrine, and immune systems. This therapy has been used for over 2500 years throughout the world. Today, modern science is beginning to understand and explain just how the therapy of needle insertion helps the body bring about homeostasis. In an official report, Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials, the World Health Organization has listed the following conditions to be treated effectively through acupuncture: Infections, Internal disorders, Musculo-Skeletal and Neurological disorders, Eyes-Ears-Nose-Throat disorders, Dermatological disorders, Genito-Urinary and Reproductive disorders, and Mental-Emotional disorders.

 

Moxibustion (Moxa)​

Moxibustion (Chinese: 灸; pinyin: jiǔ) is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing. Moxibustion has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years; in fact, the actual Chinese character for acupuncture, translated literally, means "acupuncture-moxibustion." The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of qi, and maintain general health

 

Gua Sha

Gua sha (Chinese: 刮痧; pinyin: guā shā), is a healing technique of traditional East Asian medicine. Sometimes called ‘coining, spooning or scraping’, Gua sha is defined as instrument-assisted unidirectional press-stroking of a lubricated area of the body surface to intentionally create transitory therapeutic petechiae called ‘sha’ representing extravasation of blood in the subcutis.

 

Tui Na

Tui na (/ˌtwiː ˈnɑː/, Chinese: 推拿; pinyin: tuī ná), is a therapeutic form of Chinese manipulative therapy often used in conjunction with acupuncture, moxibustion, fire cupping, Chinese herbalism, t'ai chi, and qigong. This Chinese therapy makes use of rhythmic compression techniques along different energy channels of the body to establish harmonious flow of Qi throughout the body and bringing it back to balance. It works deeply with the positive energy of the body.

 

Cupping

Cupping (Chinese: 拔罐; pinyin: bá guàn) is a therapy in which heated glass cups are applied to the skin along the meridians of the body, creating suction as a way of stimulating the flow of energy. Generally, cupping is combined with acupuncture in one treatment, but it can also be used alone. The suction and negative pressure provided by cupping can loosen muscles, encourage blood flow, and sedate the nervous system. Cupping is used to relieve back and neck pains, stiff muscles, anxiety, fatigue, migraines, rheumatism, and even cellulite. This treatment is also valuable for the lungs, and can clear congestion from a common cold or help to control a person's asthma. Respiratory conditions are one of the most common maladies that cupping is used to relieve. In the earliest Chinese documentation of cupping, it was recommended for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis three thousand years ago.

 

Nutritional Counseling

Confucius, the wise and venerable scholar of mid sixth century China, emphasized that one should eat not for pleasure but in order to increase strength and preserve life. Confucius’ basic message about diet and nutrition is that one should follow the ‘middle way.’ This approach means that while food is to be enjoyed and savored, its fundamental purpose is to nourish us and to maintain good health. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dietary therapy contributes to remediation of an illness or disease, assists you in establishing a healthy diet from varied sources of whole foods, and helps you select foods for your specific needs and physical constitution. Optimal health begins and ends with a healthy lifestyle, which includes diet, exercise, mental, and emotional well-being. Every food and herb has a specific taste, temperature, directional quality, and pertains to the five elements Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood) as well as the 12 meridians of the body. Based on the relative imbalances of these in the body, dietary recommendations can be made to help you get back into harmony.