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

Fitbit Captures Patient Recovery

Fitbit Captures Patient Recovery

I wanted to take a moment and share a recent case study that I find to be particularly interesting.  Most of the time when I work with a patient we start with a set of symptoms or even a known medical condition.  Some tests are ordered, results observed and a plan of action is set in motion.  An improvement in symptoms, and/or a follow up test weeks or months later tells us if our efforts were effective.  But an interesting thing is starting to happen.  My patients are coming in wearing a Fitbit or some other handy device that measures all sorts of things about their daily physiology.  This provides for both of us some powerful feedback in real time as to how the strategies we are employing are actually working.  The basis of this piece is in regards to just such a patient experience. 

A Fresh Look at Cholesterol and Vascular Health

A Fresh Look at Cholesterol and Vascular Health

Vascular Disease continues to be the number one killer worldwide.  At the same time Statins (cholesterol lowering medications) are being prescribed in higher and higher amounts every year.  With millions of people taking Statins every day, one would think that vascular disease would be on the decline.  However, these medications are having a very small impact on the incidence of heart attacks.  Why is that?

The SIBO Curse

The SIBO Curse

Have you ever known anyone who, no matter what they eat, they blow up like a balloon and suffer painful and uncomfortable gas and bloating?  Perhaps you even experience this yourself?  You may have been to every doctor in town and tried every probiotic with no avail.  A lot of your friends, who pay attention to natural medicine, all feel that you most definitely have the dreaded candida (yeast) curse!  I end up hearing so much about candida from my patients that it is surprising really.  So you go on a radical diet, take probiotics and a bunch of anti-candida herbs.  Nothing works.  And in fact you think that it might have made you worse!  Okay, what already?  What could be causing so much discomfort?