Functional Medicine, Proactive Healthcare
Jim Chialtas, DACM
The Hermit Crab and His Shell

A new name, a new location! Evolving my practice to better serve you.

The Hermit Crab and His Shell
Jim Chialtas, DACM
Laurel Acupuncture is Open!

My services qualify as an essential service, so I am able to remain open to the public. I have been doing phone consultations as often as I can, and when appropriate for the service at hand, can always be reached for a consultation in this way. But I have also been seeing a few acupuncture patients in-clinic. I made it a point not to abandon my patients during this difficult time. At the end of the day I am a medical professional and things like sciatica pain have not magically gone away. Nor have migraine headaches, or neck pain. Autoimmunity certainly has not gone away! In fact many of these concerns have worsened. In Chinese Medicine there is a saying which translates into, “Where there is stagnation there is pain.” Worry, fear, anger, isolation, and/or stress all stagnate Qi.

Laurel Acupuncture is Open!
Jim Chialtas, DACM
My New Degree, and What That Means to My ...

I have new letters after my name! What do they mean? Why did they change? And what else will change? Find out here!

My New Degree, and What That Means to My Practice
Chronic conditions
Jim Chialtas, DACM
Brain on Fire: Neuroinflammation and What You ...

If you’ve ever had a day where nothing seems to go well, or a day where you just aren’t able to do the things that you otherwise accomplish, this is a day where you are living with impaired brain function. It could be that you have neuroinflammation, or to be more picturesque, a brain on fire. Please read on and I will explain four possible different scenarios that might ring true for what you could be experiencing every day.

Brain on Fire: Neuroinflammation and What You Can Do
Proactive Healthcare, Personal Stories
Jim Chialtas, DACM
My Trip into Hellhole Canyon – A piece about ...

Goal setting can be self-sabotaging if not done carefully and mindfully.  My much-needed solo trip to the desert ended up filled with valuable lessons about that. I hope my story sheds some light on this very important concept.  It easily applies to those of you looking to set healthcare goals or major life changes. 

My Trip into Hellhole Canyon – A piece about goal setting for ultimate success

female hair loss

Autoimmunity: Early Detection Can Change Your Future

Autoimmunity: Early Detection Can Change Your Future

There is a good chance you will find some degree of autoimmunity in any random person off the street - one out of five Americans currently suffer from autoimmune disease.  Their immune system loses the ability to determine self tissues from non-self tissues and launch deliberate attacks against them.  This can come in many forms such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis, to name a few. Some simple tests can help you stop or slow the progression.  If you have concerns about your status or have a family history of autoimmune disease, this article is for you!

The Estrogen / Thyroid Connection

The Estrogen / Thyroid Connection

I want to describe to you a rather obscure tidbit pertaining to estrogen and its relationship to thyroid function. Low thyroid function is something that I talk a lot about because it affects a great many people weather they know it or not. Indeed the thyroid gland is very misunderstood and is certainly mistreated through the mainstream approach. But the thyroid gland itself aside, this article is focused on how thyroid hormone activity (not thyroid hormone production) can be hindered due to imbalances in the sex hormone estrogen.

Hair Loss in Women: Stress or Something More Masculine?

Hair Loss in Women: Stress or Something More Masculine?

It is quite astonishing really the number of women I hear of complaining of hair loss these days. It may not be massive hair loss mind you, but this is something that we tend to pay attention to. It is something that a great many men end up looking forward to if they like it or not, but for women, it is a whole other thing completely. Hair loss in a woman when it is bad can be a significant source of anxiety and poor self image. So what is going on? Why do I hear about it so often these days? Well, like many other medical conditions, hair loss has a lot to do with our lifestyle. It may just be possible that you are contributing directly to your hair loss every day without knowing it.