Acupuncture for Fertility, Pregnancy, Women’s Health and Wellness in Oakland, CA

Ginseng. One of the most powerful tonic herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine and one of the most misused in the Western supplement market.

During my training in Hangzhou I studied with Dr. Fang, China's preeminent ginseng expert. His full practitioner course runs 100,000 RMB, roughly $14,000 USD. We were only his second cohort of American students. What he taught us in a single afternoon changed how I think about this herb entirely.

The most important thing to understand about ginseng: wild ginseng grows 0.3 grams per year. Cultivated ginseng grows 0.8 grams per year. Most people reach for the larger piece. Dr. Fang says do the opposite. Smaller means slower growth, more concentrated active compounds, and higher clinical value.
Swipe through for the full breakdown of what ginseng actually is, the different types, what it treats, how to evaluate quality, and how to use it properly.

📍 City Pulse Acupuncture | Oakland CA
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#ginseng #renshen #TCM #chinesemedicine #hangzhou

Come with me to He Fang Jie in Hangzhou, China 🇨🇳 to learn about ginseng.

Dr. Fang is China’s preeminent ginseng expert. His full ginseng course for practitioners runs 100,000 RMB, roughly $14,000 USD. He is in a category of his own. We were only his second cohort of American students.

The most important thing to understand about ginseng starts with the Chinese character itself. Ren Shen contains a radical indicating a slow growing plant. Wild ginseng grows 0.3 grams per year. Cultivated ginseng grows 0.8 grams per year. Most people reach for the larger piece. Dr. Fang says do the opposite. Smaller means slower growth, more concentrated active compounds, and higher clinical value.

He also taught us how to evaluate ginseng by the shape of its root tail to determine fiber versus carbohydrate concentration. Then he took us into the shops on He Fang Jie and quizzed us on everything he had just taught us.

This is what it looks like to learn from a master.

📍 City Pulse Acupuncture | Oakland CA
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#ginseng #renshen #TCM #chinesemedicine #hangzhou

We're honored to be nominated in Oakland Magazine's Best of Oakland 2026!
✨ Best Acupuncture Practice
✨ Best Alternative Medicine Practice
✨ Best Wellness Center
If City Pulse Acupuncture has supported you or your family, we'd be grateful for your vote.
Voting is open through June 14, 2026.
Vote through link in bio.
Thank you for your support! 💜

Your scalp is not an afterthought. It is where hair growth begins and where several important TCM meridians run.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the Du, Bladder, and Gallbladder channels all traverse the scalp. Stimulating these pathways through massage and combing improves circulation to hair follicles, supports lymphatic drainage, releases tension, and has measurable effects on sleep and mood. Scalp health in TCM is not a beauty concern. It is a health concern.

Combing therapy, known as Shu Fa, is one of the oldest scalp practices in TCM. The Yina Meridian Massage Comb was designed specifically for this practice, handcrafted from sustainably sourced water buffalo horn with wide rounded teeth that stimulate scalp acupressure points while nourishing hair strands with keratin. I have two of them and use mine every day.

Swipe through for the full breakdown of why scalp health matters, what professional scalp therapy does, how combing therapy works, and what an at-home scalp care routine looks like.

Use code CITYPULSE for 15% off at yina.co. Link in bio.

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. I only recommend products I personally use and trust.

📍 City Pulse Acupuncture | Oakland CA
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#scalphealth #scalpcare #hairgrowth #hairloss #meridiancombing

Come with me to Hand 🖐️ Feather 🪶 in Hangzhou, China 🇨🇳 for a scalp therapy treatment.

Hand Feather is a specialized scalp therapy clinic whose technicians communicate through sign language. The name itself reflects that; hand and feather, the lightness and precision of signing.

Scalp therapy combines deep cleansing, exfoliation, steam, and specialized massage techniques designed to stimulate circulation, support follicle health, and address scalp conditions. It is not a standard hair wash. It is a therapeutic treatment for the scalp itself.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the scalp is traversed by several important meridians including the Du, Bladder, and Gallbladder channels. Stimulating the scalp stimulates these pathways, supporting circulation, reducing tension, and improving sleep, mood, and hair health.

After the treatment we were served a dessert soup of pear and tremella with goji berries and jujubes. Tremella mushroom is one of TCM’s most celebrated beauty ingredients, it deeply nourishes yin, plumps the skin by supporting the body’s natural hyaluronic acid production, and has been used for centuries as a longevity and skin health tonic. Pear clears heat and generates fluids. Goji berries nourish the Liver and brighten the complexion. A beauty treatment in a bowl served after a beauty treatment.

📍 City Pulse Acupuncture | Oakland CA
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#scalptherapy #handfeather #hangzhou #TCM #chinesemedicine