Let Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Guide Your Body to Healing with Kate Wargin, L.Ac.

Let Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Guide Your Body to Healing with Kate Wargin, L.Ac.

Amidst a time of change, many of us are finding that we are coming home to who we are physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. We are becoming more in tune with ourselves. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine provide natural modalities for guiding our body to heal itself. With a new awareness of ourselves, I thought it would be a good time to explore the world of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine and the healing properties within ourselves. A mutual friend introduced me to local acupuncturist Kate Wargin, L. Ac. who practices in Chicago. Take a little time to meet Kate and learn about her mission and the world of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine:

How did your journey lead to becoming an acupuncturist?

I have always been interested in medicine, specifically the diagnostic process. I find it fascinating! But, I was not always pleased with my own experiences with western style treatments, so I did not pursue a career in western medicine. After my undergraduate studies in French, I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career. I very much like to see where experiences take us and signs we can gather along the way. I nannied for an acupuncturist for about a year in Wisconsin where I grew up and then decided to move to Nashville for an entirely new life experience in hopes of figuring my life out. I still needed a job, so I went through a nanny agency there (an experience I had never done before) and was paired with a family where the mother was also an acupuncturist! I took it as a sign that this was something I needed to explore. I only lived in Nashville for a year before enrolling in graduate school for Chinese medicine in Chicago--it was very much meant to be! I cannot imagine myself doing anything else for a career.

Meet Kate Wargin, L. Ac.

How would you describe your mission?

My mission is to empower people on their healing journey, to be a guide for them. The way Chinese medicine works, specifically acupuncture, is that I am reminding their bodies how to heal itself. Many variables can throw our bodies off balance and sometimes we need a little push to get us back on track. I am not forcing anyone's body to do anything it does not want to do, I am just stimulating their own healing capabilities--so when people get better, it's a reminder of how powerful their own bodies are.

What would you like potential patients to know about acupuncture?

You actually do not have to have an illness or disorder in order to get acupuncture! It's a preventative medicine as well. Many patients find that even if their issues have resolved, they still want to continue treatments, even if it's once a month or a few times a year-it can help keep us balanced during the ups and downs of life. Our bodies can also register imbalances before any issues become serious or apparent. Acupuncturists look at the body very closely and the way we use the pulse as a diagnostic tool is very detailed. As a perfect example, I referred a patient back to his internist for a cardiology referral and it turned out he had Atrial Fibrillation even though he had no symptoms! But he was able to receive the proper care he needed early on, just because I spent a few minutes feeling his pulse and knowing something was not right.

Learn more about Kate and her practice at Kate Wargin, L. Ac.

Welcome to healing at Kate Wargin, L. Ac.'s clinic.

What issues can acupuncture address that people may not know about?

I think a lot of people associate acupuncture with mostly pain management, which of course it is wonderful for. But because acupuncture stimulates a person's own healing capabilities, I can treat most issues, even if it's supportive care in their western medicine treatments. This can be emotional disorders and trauma, hormonal imbalance, chemotherapy support, immune system disorders, digestive disorders and many more.

What would you say to someone that is new to the healing properties of herbs?

Chinese herbal medicine has been used successfully for thousands of years, which is part of what makes Chinese medicine an evidence-based medicine. Most herbs come from various parts of the plant, such as roots, barks and leaves. There are minimal to no side effects with Chinese herbal medicine which makes them safer than most pharmaceuticals. However, they can be used successfully alongside most prescription medications as well. Just make sure you are only taking herbs prescribed from a practitioner who is board certified in Chinese herbal medicine-they are still medicine after all, and just because they are more natural, does not mean every herb is appropriate for everyone. You can have two people seeking treatment for anxiety, but need entirely different herbal formulas.

Kate Wargin, L. Ac. explains about Chinese herbs: "Chinese herbal medicine has been used successfully for thousands of years, which is part of what makes Chinese medicine an evidence-based medicine." Image credit Kate Wargin, L. Ac.

Is there a particular herb that seems to stand out from others?

I think Chinese cinnamon stands out a lot because it is used in a lot of classical Chinese formulas that I prescribe. The pin yin name is called Gui Zhi and it's in formulas that I have given to patients for treatment of a cold or flu, sleep issues, anxiety, pain, etc. But what makes it really stand out is how I group it with other herbs--pairing it with another particular herb will treat a cold or flu, but with two different herbs it will treat anxiety and variation of dosages for the herb will change what it does as well. Chinese herbs are rarely used alone, they really do their magic when grouped into a larger formula.

Do you have a mantra that guides you?

"What is meant to be will be." Learning to trust in the timing of things and giving up control in certain life situations is a major source of guidance in my life and it's a never ending process. I catch myself needing to say that when I feel overwhelmed with life.

Where do you go for some moments of peace?

Anywhere in nature. I feel I connect with the deepest parts of myself when I surround myself in nature and it helps me stay grounded and centered. This can be in the middle of the woods, or near a body of water, or even just on the deck in my backyard, surrounded by trees and birds chirping.

Thank you so much, Kate, for spending some time introducing us to your mission and practice! For more about Kate's practice in Chicago, please see Kate Wargin, L. Ac. or head over to the Kate Wargin, L. Ac. Instagram page.

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.