Zhiling Trowbridge MD

I spent some time today doing acupuncture treatments for the staff and giving a lecture on medical acupuncture. Here you see me doing the NADA protocol in the ear to support relaxation for one of the hardworking staff members ☺️.

Herbs from the garden:
(From second picture, named from bottom to top)

Tulsi - adaptogen, calm, lower stress, improve focus. Use as a tea

Rosemary - cooking spice and commonly used as an essential oil. EO form known for improvement of memory as aromatherapy and support hair growth when placed topically

Oregano - spice, antioxidant properties and supports digestion. In essential oil form known for its antibacterial properties. Can also be used as a tea.

Lemon balm - mint family, lower anxiety, support digestion. Use as a tea

Integrative medicine can play a powerful role to support the hormonal transitions that occur in females and its influences on the mind, body, energy, and mood.

In addition it’s not all about the hormones, 80% of patient’s diagnosed with an autoimmune disease are female. Autoimmune disorders account for the top 10 causes of death for young and middle-aged women. An example of autoimmune diseases is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, with a 7:1 and up to 10:1 diagnosis compared to men.

We are also frequently dismissed within the medical system by the way we present with our problems, an example of which is 70% of women who seek help for menopausal symptoms do not receive care in a conventional medical setting.

If you have found our clinic in order to experience a more holistic approach to healthcare or out of simple frustration these data points above probably make a lot of sense to you.

IWGR physicians and naturopathic doctors are here to help bring more clarity to what’s going on with your mind-body and give you back the reigns to your health, to support you be the best you.

Follow link in bio to read our full newsletter about PMS, menopause, hormonal migraines, and fertility.

https://voyagemichigan.com/interview/hidden-gems-meet-zhiling-trowbridge-of-integrative-wellness-grand-rapids

Hidden Gems: Meet Zhiling Trowbridge of Integrative Wellness Grand Rapids - Voyage Michigan Magazine Today we’d like to introduce you to Zhiling Trowbridge Hi Zhiling, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? I’m a family medicine physician and graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine. I received my Bachelor of Arts at Swarthmore College. I st...

Lower back pain and experiencing a sense of depression or loneliness? I’m pressing on the area at the base of the thumb called the thenar eminence. It is associated with the acupuncture point Lung 10. It is considered a fire point of the lung meridian. If the area is tender it is considered “stuck” energy along the lung channel that runs up the inner arm towards the chest.

The lung meridian can influence the breath and skin. It has a close partnership with the kidney meridians. It can also cause tightness in the quadratus lumborum which can feel like a bilateral or unilateral tightness in the low back. Lu 10 can also influence and improve libido.

Supercharge! Often patients come into an acupuncture appointment worn out or exhausted from an underlying chronic condition, i.e. joint pain, back pain, insomnia, headaches, stress, etc.

Regardless of the etiology, a wonderful technique to boost the bodies natural healing powers and lower fatigue is to support the kidney meridian or kidney jing energy. The kidneys are considered foundational energy that charge up the rest of the bodies function.

Here are acupuncture points placed in the lower back of this patient at the Bladder 23 and GV4 area. The patient is also receiving moxa treatments to elevate the activity of the needle.

This is a great way to experience a pick-me-up in energy and improve underlying fatigue.

Learn more via link in bio for my acupuncture clinic.

Fire cupping is the use of fire to create a vacuum within a glass jar or cup. When placed over the skin, it leads to suction on the skin and fascia underneath.

Cupping can be used for: low back pain, neck and shoulder pain, plantar fasciitis, hip pain, headaches.

Taking time to cook for yourself, where an easy buy item, becomes an afternoon of exploration and learning can be worth it!

This is one of many of my attempts at focaccia bread. Yes, I think this one could be fluffier 😅but it turned out to be a fun cooking project for me and my little kids. I had them each try the dried rosemary from the bottle and both of them thought it tasted pretty good. Surprising!

We mixed the dough all together and they learned about what makes up a bread - flour, water, yeast, a little honey. I gave them each small pieces of dough to practice kneading with and then I worked with the larger portion.

My 5 year old enjoys covering the bowl of dough up with a tea towel and we say “It’s taking a little nap,” as it takes its time rise over an hour or so.

In the end, the bread is rolled out placed in the oven. It seems the anticipation is key as this bread was finished up within a day!

I got this focaccia recipe from the “Moosewood Cookbook” by Mollie Katzen. She has multiple wonderful books on vegetarian cooking.

Another one of my favorite focaccia recipes comes from Alice Water’s “The Art of Simple Cooking.”

Smoked salmon and soba noodles. This is a fairly simple cold salad dish that is best served on a warm night alongside of miso soup.

Serves 2-3

Noodle and Toppings:
100-200g soba noodles
Handful of cilantro chopped
1 small cucumber chopped
4-6oz smoked salmon cut into thin slices

Sauce:
1 shallot or 1 clove garlic minced
1/2 inch ginger minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons of sugar / agave nectar / other sweetener
1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions:
1. Cook soba noodles based on directions. The soba packs usually come in individually rolled packets in the packaging and I take about 2 of the individually rolled packs out to cook enough for 2 people.

2. Mix together the sauce or better yet blend them up in a vitamix

3. Chop the other topping ingredients and toss together and add sauce when ready to serve

4. Variations: instead of wild salmon you can replace with shrimp, tofu, protein of your choice. I also sometimes throw in edamame or sliced carrots. You can also sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Reishi, 灵芝 lingzhi, is considered the mushroom of immortality in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is a medicinal mushroom that is typically used as an adaptogen. Its properties include support for stress and resiliency. It is known for it’s abilities to strengthen and adapt the immune system and decrease severity of illness. It can also be considered a calming agent to be used in the evening to support deeper rest. Ganoderm Lucidum in scientific research demonstrates anti-oxidant effects. It may be considered an adjunctive therapy (used alongside conventional care) for certain chronic illnesses such as hepatitis and or chronic fatigue syndrome. Please consult prior to use with your physician if considering regular use of reishi.

Reishi comes in teas, tinctures, and capsules. It may be taken alone or found in combination herbal products.

Our April Newsletter is out! Meet the Integrative Wellness Grand Rapids Team. Please feel free to sign up for our quarterly newsletter or forward to a friend!

Integrative Wellness GR April Newsletter: Healthy Sleep! Learn Improved Sleep Techniques Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email Integrative Wellness Grand Rapids | (within the Holistic Health Collective), 741 Kenmoor Ave SE STE B, Grand Rapids

This mini bloom on my Jade plant happened a couple months ago. Surprise! A surprise because I had never actually seen a Jade plant in bloom before. My grandma always kept a jade plant in the front window of the Chinese restaurant my family owned while I grew up. She would occasionally pour her left over morning coffee into the dirt. I’ve continued to do the same and it seems to keep the leaves a little perkier.

This instant pot coconut carrot soup recipe is simple and quick.

2lb bag of baby carrots of diced carrots
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 inch of ginger sliced
2 cloves of garlic diced
2 tsp curry powder
Salt pepper to taste
1 can of coconut milk
3-4 cups of vegetable broth
Tsp of vegetable oil

Place tsp of vegetable oil in instant pot and place on sauté setting. After the oil is heated add chopped onions and ginger and sauté. Then add some salt and pepper, and curry powder. Place carrots and garlic in pot and sauté for 1-2 mins. Then add veggie broth. Switch instant pot over to pressure cook, high pressure. Set for 8 mins. When done release pressure and pour in coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to purée. Then switch back to sauté to heat to preferred temp. Spice further if necessary.

2024 Japanese Structure Acupuncture reunion at the AAMA! Met-up with Dr. Joe Audette, acupuncture mentor, and fellow preceptors past and current of the structural acupuncture course!

*Congratulations to Dr. Audette on being nominated as the next American Academy of Medical Acupuncture president!

Adventures in Chinese Scalp Acupuncture. I’m taking a half day seminar today to further my skills in treating chronic musculoskeletal ailments and neuropathy. Some potential new approaches for post stroke, neck pain, back pain, vertigo, balance, peripheral neuropathy.

Ever wondered about cupping? It is an ancient healing art that involves the use of glass or plastic cups. Traditionally a glass cup is heated internally using alcohol and a cotton swab which creates a short term vacuum. The cup is then quickly placed on the skin (minus fire 🔥!) and creates a vacuum seal. Modern plastic cups utilize a manual or electrical pump that can also create a seal within the cup and can be placed directly on the skin.

Most patients experience cupping as a deep massage sensation or a tugging. Cupping can be used for multiple conditions including: neck and upper back pain, hip and low back pain, upper respiratory infections, asthma, migraine headaches, TMJ, and emotional clearing. It is based on the acupuncture theory of blood stagnation. Qi moves through blood but can also become stagnant. Cupping helps relieve the stagnation and “toxin” build up. Not all areas that get cupped will alter in color. Some will change to a light pink (mild stagnation) while others will turn a dark blue or purple (moderate to severe stagnation). Other symptomatology seen during cupping can also include spotting with redness or dampness with production of water droplets on the cup. Cupping can be both therapeutic and diagnostic to provide more information about the patient’s current constitution.

Cupping can be done as a stand a lone treatment or combined with acupuncture in a single session of acupuncture.

Photo credits

Yes there are so many fads in nutrition it’s hard to follow what’s good or bad for you now a days. However, don’t undervalue some great superfoods such as kale. It has an ANDI score of 1000. ANDI score is based on a scale of 0-1000. The higher the score the higher the likelihood for that food to be rich in: micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.

Kale is particularly rich in calcium, vitamin A, iron, B vitamins, and lutein+zeaxanthin (a powerful antioxidant for eye health).

Kale is best eaten chopped and slightly sautéed. The chopping helps break down the plant cell walls releasing the enzyme myrosinase. This leads to the production of building blocks that the body can use to create a powerful antioxidant glutathione.

Ways to eat it: salad with lemon juice and smashed avocado, potato, bean and kale soup recipes, sautéed with garlic and onion. I like to sauté it with chopped mushrooms, onion, ginger, throw in some curry powder with soy sauce.

Bonus tip: Kale is in the dirty dozen list so it is ideally bought organic.

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The Rainbow Diet is the practice of choosing foods that are naturally colored and have as many of those types of foods on one plate. You are trying to get to as close to 5 main colors (red, orange, yellow, green, purple) as possible. When you see this variety it becomes a simple and healthy way to decide if you are eating a well balanced meal.

Many of us who don’t cook regularly for ourselves or do regular grocery shopping will lack an appropriate amount of fruits, vegetables, and micronutrients in our diet. Variety and color is key! The larger the variety of natural color the greater the density of various phytonutrients. This can provide a multitude of health benefits including antioxidant protection, immune balance, cardiovascular regulation, eye health, brain function , and memory support.

Examples:
🌈Color - 🌟phytonutrient associated - 🥦 food
Red - Lycopene - Tomato
Orange - Beta Carotene - Carrot
Yellow - Lutein/zeaxanthin - Yellow Pepper
Green - Folates - Romaine Lettuce
Purple - Flavenoids - Blackberries

Challenge: See how often in one day your plate contains all 5 colors of the rainbow 🌈

Recent patient testimonial for acupuncture: “I’ve been living with sciatic nerve pain for about six years, despite regular exercise and several rounds of physical therapy. Through a friend who is a doctor I learned about Dr. Trowbridge. She is professional, relaxed and kind. My expectations were somewhat low given my past experiences, but after several visits I feel much less pain. When walking, running, stretching I am still looking for the pain because I cannot quite believe it is lifting...also the treatments leave me feeling happy, that sounds weird, but I am experiencing a level of contentment that is a wonderful bonus.”

Why get ear acupuncture? There’s several reasons why some patients may benefit from receiving ear acupuncture. The ear is actually a holographic representation of the whole body. It has cellular origins associated with embryonic layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. It is also highly innervated by the vagus nerve. This triumvirate of biological information located in the ear makes it an amazing location to treat many different ailments.
Common treatment possibilities:
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Stress
Generalized Anxiety
Depression
Food Cravings
Acute or Chronic Pain of various musculoskeletal locations
Sciatica or Low Back Pain
Nausea
Migraines/Headaches

How does acupuncture work? I often get asked what is acupuncture actually doing to the body when needles are placed. Acupuncture needles can act at both the local level where the needles are placed but also at the level of the central nervous system. Needles will interact with the connective tissue and activate fibroblast cells to change shape and change the local structure of connective tissue within several centimeters of the needle. The fascia or connective tissue is highly innervated so it will also activate brain centers. In chronic pain, the brain activity observed in fMRI studies will demonstrate changes pre- and post- treatment showing lower intensity and signaling in areas of the brain commonly associated with pain processing such as the thalamus and somatosensory cortex based on location of the pain.

Have you ever done physical therapy or gotten a massage and noticed you have improved range of motion and or have less knots in your muscle but you are still experiencing pain or discomfort?

This may be associated with a central nervous system change where you have active centers in your brain such as the thalamus, somatosensory cortex, and cingulate gyrus which is still processing pain sensation in that part of your body.

You may feel pain somewhere but the actual experience of pain is created in the brain!

Acupuncture is derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which utilizes the concept of 12 meridians of the body, which are considered energy pathways that traverse the body from head to toes and chest into hands. These energetic lines can influence our vital organs, moods, and physiological function.

Modern science has found connections between the location of acupuncture points and connective tissues planes and peripheral nerve locations, which can lead to local physiological changes, along with influencing brain function.

Acupuncture can change the intensity of pain by altering how the brain processes pain. fMRI studies have been able to document these changes in brain activity in real time which relates also to patients recovery after receiving an acupuncture treatment.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
Mindfulness, meditation, regular exercise, and healthy eating. Most of us know how each of these things can do amazing things for our health and improve our stress. Sometimes the biggest barrier to change is taking the one step forward!
Who said you had to go on the 1000 mile journey alone? Text a friend and see if they’d be willing to do a wellness challenge with you? Keep it in a specific time frame or leave it open. Set up some self care prizes along the way or just witness and appreciate the effects in the present moment. Journal about it and better yet share your experience with your close friend (:
Here’s some real-time texts of myself and a friend — encouraging each towards some more regular self care through mindfulness exercises.

Here’s another quick meal idea for those that are trying to eat healthy and working towards finding creative ways to get your greens. This is the collard green roll-up!

1. Take a collard green leaf and rinse
2. De-stem
3. Take 1 part of the remaining leaf and spread with preferred nut butter, ex. almond butter
4. Place half a banana and roll up

Makes for quick and simple breakfast wrap or midday snack.

Patients who require a multidisciplinary approach may feel like a pinball in a pinball machine. Sometimes it is easy to get referred to specialist after specialist and still not get any definitive answers, and at worst continue to have very few solutions for your medical issues.

It is important to view the healing of the body not just from a microscopic approach following diagnosis or lab results one after the other. Instead, seeing the person as a whole and creating a holistic plan may be the first step to healing.

It is important to take the time to see how stress, environment, genetic predispositions, hormonal balance, nutrition, and gut health to name a few may all play a role in a patient’s presenting symptoms.

I like to counsel patients often on determining whether their health issue is part of a tree branch or trunk or root issue. It’s important to care for the root of the issue and then with time the rest of the tree can flourish.

I’ve spent many a consult session learning about the dynamics of a patient’s family, work stress, how they perceive food plays a role in their lives, and previous health events as important influences on current chronic health struggles.

It sometimes helps to actually piece together a story of their ✨current✨health journey before making plans for their new one. You need to know where you came from before you can know where you are going.

This is the heart of integrative and holistic care. Listening and learning from the patient and then utilizing medical skills to partner with a patient to find reasonable solutions that emphasize a mind-body-spirit approach.

Acupuncture reduces frequency of migraines as well as most prescription drug prophylaxis. Evidence Rating A - American Family Physician Journal, 2019; 100(2); 89-96.

Migraines can be a frustrating acute or chronic disease for many individuals. Migraines affect about 10% of individuals worldwide. It is about 3 times more common in women than in men. It costs American employers over 13 billion dollars a year because of missed work.
Common migraine prophylaxis include: propranolol, topiramate, amitriptyline to name a few.
Common supplements patients take may include riboflavin, magnesium, and fish oil.
How does acupuncture help migraines? It likely benefits migraines sufferers because it can provide a holistic approach. Migraines can be influenced by multiple causes including muscle tension, hormonal fluctuations, altered NAA levels, sleep deprivation, stress, alcohol, food triggers, environmental toxins, etc.
Acupuncture tends to treat the whole person through action on all 12 meridians of the body. It can help improve stress levels, promote restful sleep, improve hormonal balance, relieve muscle tension, and improve digestion. It also is able to decrease the frequency and severity of migraine headaches in of themselves and can do it as well as some prescription prophylactic medications.
Interested in learning more about acupuncture for headaches? Check out my link in bio to set up an appointment or a free 15 minute consultation.