acupuncture, cosmetic acupuncture, people, acupuncturist, points, wellness, acne, needles, japan, women, botox, bit, skin, Tokyo, face, started, Chinese medicine, Japanese, Japanese mafia, practice
Megan Swan, Amrit Singh
Welcome back to energetically you where we talk about optimal wellness, abundant mindset and wellprenrship. I'm your host Megan swan, a wellness mindset and integrated wellness business coach and the founder of the Sustainable Integrated Wellness approach. I help high performance women read more wellness into their lifestyle so that it becomes a way of life and not a checkmark on their to do list I design custom approachable lifestyle strategies because there is no one size fits all wellness today. I'm so excited to interview emirate Singh. She is a registered acupuncturist and health care professional OF THE YEAR notable award winner. She has been working with women and their health for over a decade. Through her experience as an acupuncturist focusing on cosmetic acupuncture, fertility and digestive issues. Amrit began to see the impacts of how lifestyle societal expectations relationships and workplace environments were taking a toll on women's health, self esteem, stress and mental health. Over the past five years, she noticed how keeping up was increasingly affecting women's health. She also says hiding fertility appointments or pregnancy from coworkers trying to maintain looking perfect and professional dating apps diet trends. All these things were stressing out women affecting their health and in turn their skin and I wanted to do something about it. Determined to create a space where women can share be celebrated, inspired, honored and connected to community. Amrit created six babe beauty through her social media workshops and specialized acupuncture treatments. Amrit wants every woman to feel like six babe strong, successful, healthy, beautiful woman inside and out. Amrit began her acupuncture journey by completing a Diploma of acupuncture at the Institute of traditional medicine in Toronto, after which she extended her studies in Beijing, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York and London, UK. She has taught numerous workshops for aspiring acupuncturist on cosmetic acupuncture and completed the amazing cosmetic cosmetic acupuncture system, act through region cosmetic facial acupuncture and medical micro needling programs, micro derma abrasion and skincare certificate and interned with a facial acupuncturist in Tokyo, Japan. Emirates is fully insured registered acupuncturist with the College of traditional medicine, Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturist of Ontario, and is certified in clean needle technique. So looking forward to diving right in to all of this welcome emirate. I'm so excited to have you here today. I really appreciate you taking the time and sharing all of your wisdom. How are you?
Thanks for having me. I'm doing really good. It's been really busy lately, but I'm happy especially after the past couple of years we've had Yeah,
I understand. So take us back. How does a girl from Winnipeg become so passionate about acupuncture?
Yeah, good question. It's really strange, because actually, I don't think a lot of people know this. But my previous career is in the music industry, like the business side doing artists management and special events and marketing and that kind of thing. So I actually had a bad back injury in Winnipeg, where I fell on the ice, because the city is like covered in ice sometimes, as you know. And you know, I was in a lot of chronic pain for a long time. And I was really young. So I think I was only like 22 or 21 or 22. And then I moved to Toronto to work in our Toronto office and be in the industry here. And just kind of like came across this acupuncture place. And I was like, you know, I'm willing to try anything. And there and I didn't really know that. That's what they did there. So I told them what happened. They're like, we think you should do acupuncture. And I was like, I don't know what that is, but okay. And I had an ascent but didn't really know. And then I tried it and it helped me immensely. And I was like, This is so weird. And I went home and read about it and I'm like, I'm quitting my job. I didn't know I was going to become an acupuncturist, but I knew I wasn't going to continue in the music industry at that moment.
Yeah, well, I mean, I think so often these things start with a personal story. Yeah, and Actually, I without, you know, I started seeing an acupuncturist, just because she had been recommended more to seek like an overall balance. You know what I wasn't going to her for infertility, infertility, but after having three, four, I mean, it was even five sessions. A few months later, after not being able to get pregnant for two years, I got pregnant. So whether it's like wrecked thing, I personally think it definitely influenced it. And I was so interested to hear that that's one of the things that you focus on. You tell us a little bit about I mean, I, I know that it's a much more widely. You know, I think it's I looked at some stats depends on who you asked between one and six, or one in five women, like it's not an uncommon problem, yet. There's a lot of, you know, it's kind of a taboo topic, or it's not something we talked about openly, there's a lot of shame, I think around it,
because because, you know, I remember, I used to work in the financial district, my practice was there for many years. And these women are like, you know, highly successful type a women that had to leave the office three times a week for appointments. You know, that's really stressful, because you're wondering, are people questioning why you're leaving is something wrong with you, they're gonna start questioning your work performance. And then the worst thing that they were worrying about is, I don't want people to know I'm getting pregnant because or trying, because maybe I'm not going to be up for the next project, or raise, or the next job promotion, like so it's really, it's a really stressful situation to not be able to try to get pregnant in peace. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, and
I don't think people appreciate just even that factor could be your number one. inhibitor, the stress surrounding it, instead of it being this joyful, you know, bringing a life into the world type vibe.
Yeah. So because you're hiding it from people, my tribe to be taking you down, like that's a really harsh energy.
Yeah. So in your current practice, is that like, you kind of have different streams of clients? Or do you feel like there's a lot of overlap?
I do mainly cosmetic acupuncture. Now, but I still I'd say secondary is fertility, and then I with a mix of digestive and maybe some mental health as well, I'd say that's what I see people the most for.
Okay, well, I wanted to pick your brain a little bit about Botox. Okay, because it is just everywhere. I feel personally and more recently, a few people in my industry, quote, unquote, wellness that, you know, I'll speak for myself, I personally don't fit it into a category of something that I would consider under holistic wellness. And I think there's just a lot of misinformation out there. I think, you know, you could definitely make arguments that it has its place, but for you, do you see it as like a, an either or, or, you know, where would you sort of maybe potentially recommended to someone versus cosmetic acupuncture.
I don't think I would ever recommend it. On the same page, yeah. But at that same time, I'm not against it. Meaning that everybody can do whatever they want, right? It's their bodies, their life. And so I do have patients that come and see me and they have done Botox, and then they stopped Botox, they are happy with cosmetic acupuncture, or I have people who also continue with Botox, and maybe they go half as often and also do half as much because they just don't need as much because of cosmetic acupuncture has picked up the slack. So I definitely wouldn't put it in the wellness category at all. It is a neurotoxin that paralyzes a muscle, there's nothing wellness about that. Any natural cultural medicine that's been around for hundreds or 1000s of years any, you know, traditional family thing that might be like within a one family unit for a few generations. Everything is always about moving. Nothing is about paralyzing. Right? Like it's the opposite.
Yeah, I love that. You bring that up. Yeah. So tell us you know, sort of what is what do women come? I mean, they come for a very specific thing like fix this detail on my face or to most of your clients come like sort of with a more overall? I don't know like with a wellness perspective, the movement, the circulation.
Yeah, I think some people come in and they're just like, if these are my lines, what can we do what what Can we reverse? What can we reduce? And some people also come in and they're like, I have anxiety, you know, I have this digestive issue, I have a knee injury, can we work on my knee at the same time? Because people will do cosmetic acupuncture properly always do body points, right? Like we still do the full health history, there's still body points. It's really like the accurate the facial acupuncture is a two in one treatment. It's not ever just the face. If anybody goes, if anyone's listening to this, and you go to someone, and they're just treating your face, like that's just not it. Like, that's not the way to do it. So it's a combination of why people come in some people don't know that, actually. So they'll come in, they're like, Oh, I thought you were just reading my face. I'm like, nope. We're working on you from the inside out.
Yeah, well, let's drill down on that a little bit. So can you kind of spread out? Like, why is it so important to treat the whole organism?
Yeah. So if you there's a couple of reasons if you treat just the face, so let's just talk physically, for a second, you were bringing a lot of blood and Chi upwards to the head and to someone's face, and it's very imbalanced because nothing is coming down. So someone who has anxiety, somebody who has low blood pressure is somebody who gets dizzy, easily low iron, any kind of like, anxiety, depression, anything that's also up the mind is gonna get exasperated, because you've brought too much blood and energy without any grounding points. So that's the first thing. And you can cause dizziness. Like I've done that on myself. I've tested it, like where I'm like, Okay, I'm gonna do two treatments myself this week. And I, let's say I'm doing it late at night. And I'm lazy and I don't do any body points. I'll get dizzy. In the day I vague like I set up vaguely, I clearly, remember testing that on myself. When I was at work, probably this would've been 2018 or 2019. I'm like, oh my god, I'm getting dizzy. Why? I'm like, Oh, I'm doing cosmetic acupuncture without body points. It's just, it doesn't make any sense. The meridians also on the face connect and go through the whole body, they go down the arm, they go down the abdomen, they go down to the feet. So if you want to work on the face, you have to support the rest of the body. To us. It's connected. It's not a separate thing.
Gotcha. So when you say grounding points, that would be like needles that you put lower down in the body.
Yeah, yes, yeah, exactly. needles that are down on lower on body, maybe a couple of feet, ankles around the ankles, but also points that are involved with more grounding energy, more Yin energy. So think points that have to do more with blood. So spleen six is a common one a little bit above the ankle, involves the kidney, the liver and the spleen. And it's a very important point for women. Kidney point, kidney is like the most Yin of all the organs. And so by working on the kidney, it's always bringing the energy down. So So you have a balance, you have all this energy coming up to the face. So you have to have a nice balance to bring the energy down. It's really kind of like, an artistic form to balance that out visually and energetically.
Mm hmm. I love that. Can you tell us a little bit more about the training because I know I have several friends that have done this, you know, it is no joke to become certified is so in depth. So paint the picture a little bit of sort of the history of the practice, which I know is very far in history, maybe some key points or you know how they currently use it in China and Japan, I'd love to hear a little bit about your experience interning in Tokyo, I'm sure you have some really great takeaways from that. And and just like how, because you in your bio, you have like a very long list of certifications. And from my, you know, somewhat ignorant knowledge on just it's a very in depth training to become certified in these things because you have multiple facets of anatomy, like there's just so much information that you're holding.
Yeah, so it depends where you practice so let's say like in California and New York State for America, I would say are very strict. In Canada, it's less strict because it's less known so BC and Ontario I'd say are probably the most strict provinces but here we can. In California and New York for example, I'm you can't just be an acupuncturist you have to acupuncture and Chinese herbs are in Canada and bc I don't know for sure. But like in Ontario, you can choose. So for example, I'm only an acupuncturist. I didn't take Chinese herbs. So if you want to do like a full Chinese medicine practitioner certification, like that's like full years, four years Full Time, acupuncture, you could do two years full time. But you're right, like if that's all you're doing for two years is acupuncture, Chinese medicine, physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, like you have to understand some basics Western medicine. And then everything else you do is acupuncture. And the reason why I'm making that differentiation so clear is that that's what differentiates us from chiropractors, physios, naturopaths, for example, that just do acupuncture, but are not acupuncturist. And there's still a lot of education that you had around that. These are people who do classes and acupuncture, you know, maybe a month, few weekends and a year or something like that. But when you go to an acupuncturist, you're talking to somebody who's at minimum two years of just acupuncture straight, lots of clinical hours, lots of practical.
Yeah. So could tell us a little bit about about Tokyo and why you chose there of all the places.
Yeah. So when I was in school, the school I went to was cool, because they would always bring people from all over the world. So you know, if Chinese medicine was your vibe, but you kind of were drawn to other things, you probably were going to come across some kind of person from all cultures, like we did everything. And a Japanese acupuncturist came in and I was, like, blown away, it really spoke to me, I'm like, Oh, this is, this makes more sense. To me, this feels more comfortable to me than more the traditional Chinese medicine route. And so it just stayed in my mind. And then after I graduated, I booked a trip to Japan, this is lined up really nicely for me. And before that, my school offered a continuing education course on Japanese acupuncture for kids. So it's called Show nation, just called like, Japanese pediatric. So I took that, and that teacher was really cool. And she had interned in Japan a lot. And she was like, if anyone's ever going to Japan, please contact me, I can put you in touch with people. And I was like, Oh, I'm going in like two weeks. She's like, it was so perfect. And so she put me in touch with her teacher. So yeah, I interned in some clinics in Tokyo, and in Osaka as well. And it was really cool, because none of two of the three of the teachers didn't speak in English, but it didn't matter. I learned so much from them. And it was really a beautiful thing. And it's like the same thing when I've gone traveling, and I've done yoga. And like Portugal, for example, I bet I very much remember that. Like, I didn't know what they were saying. But like you just kind of like we're all speaking the same language. It's your body, it's your energy, like you just follow along. So being in Tokyo with at Osaka with them was really cool. And they're very kind and very hospitable. And, you know, it's just part of life there. Everybody was coming in kids were coming in elders were coming in adults, people were really sick people were just doing maintenance. I'm sorry, I know this is getting long. But one of my favorite stories is a yakuza. I don't know if you know what that is. But like Japanese mafia, like a Yakuza clan member came in. And I'm like, we're gonna treat like a Japanese mafia that like this guy's coming in for acupuncture. Is this for real? And it was real. I was like, Wow, I'm like, Japan is just like on another vibe.
Yeah, well, can you? Can you maybe explain to us like, why you immediately click like, what was it about the way they practice it? That's unique? Um,
I think, okay, so there's a lot of history here. So when Communists came, communism came in the true traditional, traditional way of doing acupuncture was pretty much abolished, those people had to leave China, right? Because they were educated, they knew how to help people. That wasn't communism vibes. So they went to Taiwan, they went to Japan, Korea, and a lot came to America and Canada. And they brought acupuncture with them. So that was a migration of acupuncture. And then, you know, the government realized, oh, no, we need this actually, because it does help people and our people are sick. So then they kind of when we say TCM, that is really like, kind of like a modern, traditional way of doing Chinese medicine, a regulated way of doing Chinese medicine. Here are the points. Here are what we do like more kind of an organized less spiritual lesson to sort of way of doing it. And I don't think a lot of people know that because it has the word traditional in it. So the more spiritual and intuitive parts of it, really were outside of China, unless you were super Rural. And so the Japanese kept active. So what they did is they separated everybody. So you the acupuncturist, refined acupuncture, the people who did herbs, they did herbs and the people who did Moxa, which is like that warming herb, I don't know if you've ever seen that. They, they were a different type of practitioner. And when you really specialize in something, you become great at it. And that's what they did. And also, there were a lot of stories about your hottie practitioners in Japan, and they were visually impaired practitioners. So in Japan, historically, if you were visually impaired, you either did shiatsu or you were an acupuncturist. And I just thought that was so interesting. Mm hmm. So there was just this like whole other world that opened up to me. And I was just like, and there needling technique was more gentle. And I don't know, I just felt like it spoke to me. I'm like, This feels more right. And so that's why I, I did go there. That worked out. But I also later on specialized further and Japanese acupuncture, and I find it very effective, because I don't do herbs. So my acupuncture has to be on point. I can't rely on herbs. I don't know how to do them. I don't administer them.
I love that history. Thank you for Yeah, yeah, of course. And so then, at what point did you decide to specialize in cosmetic acupuncture? What was that catalyst?
Oh, yeah. So I graduated school. And I don't know what happened, my skin went crazy. I will actually I relapsed with colitis, which I didn't have throughout all of school like nothing, not one sign, I thought it was finally done with it. And then I graduated, boom, colitis, relapse. And I don't know, like there must have been an infection, something must have happened. physically, spiritually, who knows. And my, I started with cystic acne very bad. And it was really hard for me because I was so excited. I was really good in school, I graduated. And then, you know, I all of a sudden was getting cystic acne. And it made me very insecure. I lost all my confidence in myself and how I looked, but also in myself as a practitioner. So like, nobody wants to come and see me if I have acne, they're not going to think that I know how to be healthy for myself. So how am I going to help them? So this was the basis of how I started my career, it was really hard. And then one of my friends who I went to school with, she looked a bit further out, and she told me, she did cosmetic on herself to help with her acne. And I'm like, Oh, my God, I forgot, we learned that. And so I just started doing it on myself. And I was like, oh, it's helping, it's killing it faster, my skin's getting brighter. Of course, didn't get rid of it. It took years, doing one round of cosmetic acupuncture is not going to be enough. It's really internal like that. And so I just kept with it. And I was like, wow, this really helps people. Maybe I should you share it. So I did it on a couple of friends. And then it just kind of grew. And then people started asking me about it, because it was this really interesting time where social media was picking up. I mean, I know we always talk about this family, but they are so incredibly influential, the Kardashians has such an influence in society, selfies became a thing, Instagram became a thing. And Botox became a thing. And all of these things are places and there was this, and still is this huge vacuum of a market for people who want to look better, but naturally. And so it just kind of happened on its own. I really didn't think I was ever gonna have a cosmetic acupuncture practice. That was never my plan. Ever. Yeah, so there you go. It just happens, I guess.
Can you talk a little bit about because it means the same in my practice with wellness, you know, like, it's not a fast pill solution, you know, like, it's as long and maybe even longer as it took you to get into the current state of health, it's going to take you at least a fraction of that time to get back to a better balance. And it's a practice. So what I mean first, maybe like, what would you recommend to someone in terms of, of how many sessions and how frequently? What's the timeline you give to clients?
Oh, yeah. So our full course of treatment is 10 sessions. Ideally, you want to do them weekly. So you're constantly building collagen on collagen. And then maintenance is once a month. And then annually, you just do your 10 again, and that's it. Some people don't do the full 10 Some people do five, you know, and they do get some results and they're happy with it. It depends, right? So it's time it's money for people but you can get some really solid work done if you if you commit to 10 weekly. I mean, I'm doing my 10 on myself right now again, once a week, but that would be
someone who doesn't have like, let's say Acne are like some major problems, right? I mean, that's what someone,
even with acne, I recommend people come once a week, unless it's really bad. Maybe at the beginning, they might need to do twice a week for two weeks, but generally once a week is okay, because it gives some healing time.
Yeah. So can you explain that a little bit? What do you mean by the what's the healing that's going on? Yeah, so
like with ACC, the it's so you know, people are going to come in and you're disrupting the cycle of the acne, acne can take a long time to heal. So when you use the cosmetic acupuncture, you're putting needles in the face, and you're boosting the immune system, and you're boosting, you know, blood and chi and reducing heat and inflammation, the needles around the acne, like, like talking about that, physically, you are stimulating blood flow to that area, and white blood cells that are going to eat the bacteria, that's all under there, right? That's what the past is, is bacteria. And so the blood cells have to eat that and then slowly, they'll eat that, and then the acne will start to heal, and then you come back for Cosmetic Act that can take four to five days, then you come back for cosmetic acupuncture again, and then we're boosting that again. So whatever the body was already worked on glue, like kickstarting it again, and then again, and then again. That's why it's it's bad. Sometimes twice a week at the beginning is better. But at once a week, you're just constantly kickstarting the cycles. It's like imagine you were like, you know, climbing something. And like every few steps, someone was like, helping push you up. And then you climb a little bit, and then they push you up. Like it's just constantly feeding and supporting slowly, right. So the body understands what's going on. As opposed to like coming in with Yeah, like microneedling, nothing against it's, it's harsh, but it works. I haven't had it done because I think it's too much for me. But like, you know, micro needling is intense, and then says kind of like you do that. And then you just kind of like leave your skin alone, or cosmetic acupuncture is this constant build are constantly building from inside are constantly healing and working on your face.
And micro needling just means that there are many more needles, but they're smaller.
micro needling is like when you have it's like this pulsing pen. And there's like maybe five to six needles on the end, like kind of like tattooing obviously less intense. And it's pulsing and like it's gracing the skin. So they put numbing, Keweenaw numbing cream on, and then the needles are pulsing, and it's like, and you're just like, it's like going on the skin. So it's penetrating loss of micro trauma
to your skin. And it's only treating the face right back to ya. There's
nothing on board. But it works from a physiological perspective. It's doing the same thing. You're breaking the skin barrier, you're stimulating blood circulation, white blood cells coming in T cells white, everything's coming up again. But then, yeah, you're missing the holistic part.
Yeah, I really relate to your acne story. I had acne as well. But you know, I went to a dermatologist and I think it was 15 or 16. And I was on accutane for years. Like it was such a harsh medicine and yeah, obviously, at this point in my life, I would have never signed up for that. But back then it was just it was such a everything you talked about self confidence, just all and I also had, you know, like Coke bottle thick glasses and braces, like it was just yeah. Not not the the things that you want when you're going into adolescence and all of those teenage years. So can we circle back a little bit because I have heard increasingly young women looking to like baby Botox is a thing and like, how do you or what would you suggest in terms of cosmetic acupuncture? I mean, you said in Japan, like even kids come so there's really like, no age that you recommend starting or
Yeah, cosmetic acupuncture. preventatively like then you could start at like 2223 Because what all that's gonna happen is you're boosting up a lot of your collagen. So when your collagen starts to deplete depend, everyone there's so many different sets, I was like 1% at 25 and then some people say 1% at like 20 and then some people say 1% at 30. I think it depends on your culture, your background, your like personal genes, your lifestyle. I don't think that's that can be said across the globe. But it is a fact that collagen does deplete over time. So let's say you start at 23. You are building so much extra collagen year in year, year after year after year, that by the time you're 30 And when it does start to deplete knowingly, your reservoir is so much higher than everybody else. So you will dramatically slow down your aging process because you've worked. So preventatively, you just boosted more collagen. That's way better than doing baby Botox and you know, again, freezing muscles in your face, your face isn't done changing, when you are hitting your 30s, you're gonna lose fat pads in your face, I remember when I turned 30 to 33, my face changed dramatically because I lost fat in my face. And people actually thought that I had gotten work done. So it was a combination of losing fat in my face, and that I was doing consistent acupuncture, and my skin was starting to clear up. But when you do Botox, you're those muscles are not moving. And so then you're gonna hit your 30s and then your muscles, you're gonna lose fat in your face and your face will change, but you have no muscle tone. So your muscles aren't going to move with you. And then what's going to happen. So then let's say you're gonna be 40. So for 20 years, potentially, let's say even 15, you didn't move certain muscles in your face, that is wild, you can only do so much Botox. Everybody knows that. Even an injected
that I really I mean, first of all, like if you actually calculated or like planning on doing it for six years, and you calculate like how much you're gonna spend. It's just insane. Yeah. And to what you're speaking to that, it just doesn't make sense that you can not have those muscles do anything for a decade, and then there's somehow going to serve you later in life. I mean, I know post two babies like my face completely changed again. Yeah, of course. I'm sure that's a relatively common thing to for Absolutely.
Absolutely. Your hormones change, your blood levels have changed. You've gone through pregnancy delivery, of course. Breastfeeding, so many changes. You know, it's I think PR people are not thinking long term and the baby Botox thing. Really? You know, it's Oh, it's hot baby Botox. It's cute. Like, No, you're not cute. It's not cute. You're so young. It's this. No. Yeah, yeah.
Oh, so tell us a little bit about what you're working on. Long term. Is this kind of like what you see yourself doing? For, you know, in the near future? Are you doing courses at any point? Like how are you thinking potentially, of expanding your impact?
Yes, I really, really, really want to get online more and teach more. My practice is so busy and somehow it's gotten busier and like the past few weeks, I don't know what happened. But I'm going with it. But at the same time, I'm like, well, they want to write my courses and teaching is okay. Being an acupuncturist is my destiny. I know that it's part of my purpose on this planet. But I really, my truer, my more real purpose on this planet is like, also sharing acupuncture like sharing the education about Chinese medicine. That's my more true purpose. So I've been doing living my purpose by being in the practice one on one with my patients. But you know, and COVID showed me this that you can do a lot more work online. Like I've helped a lot of people online that I disliked by people messaged me ago, I stopped doing this because you said this and this happen. I'm like, wow, you didn't even come in. I don't even know you. So, yeah, like teaching is a very big passion of mine. So yes, eventually, look out for some classes, I just need the time to like, sit and write them and figure all that kind of stuff out. But that is something I really, really want to do.
Yes, you definitely should I'm signing up if you do. So, before we sign up, can you maybe share some you know, what are the things that clients tell you, you know, how you're changing lives and maybe ways that you wouldn't think cosmetic surgery or acupuncture might?
Um, I think, like, women self esteem, like the way I've heard women speak about themselves, and they come into my office, like, Oh, I feel so old and I feel unseen. I'm just like a blah, and I'm like, What are you? I'm like, what I'm like, You are a beautiful person. Like, it just, it actually breaks my heart, like how women like I see maybe generally over 40 All of a sudden don't feel beautiful anymore. And so, you know, they come in and then you know, we're boosting their energy. We're changing, working with their emotions. get acupuncture just does it naturally. You know, and then they just feel better. And then their skin's better, of course, and we're working on the lines and stuff. And so that happiness it brings them or that joy brings them is like, I think amazing. I feel like people should already be there. But you know, our society makes people feel certain ways about themselves. Everyone goes through these kinds of things. So I think that that's one of my favorite things about my practice is like the joy that cosmetic acupuncture brings to women that's been stolen from them for no reason. Yeah, well,
because you're in the sort of trenches of it. Do you have any insight? I mean, I'm guessing social media plays a huge part. But you know, how that's shifted relatively recently, where, you know, we hit a certain age and then it's a definitely drop in self confidence or self worth.
Yeah, I think it's always been there. And then I think got exasperated in social media. And then also, I think, by being online and being on Zoom more, you know, I heard this and there are articles about it to people getting more work done dentistry, work done. injectables, facials, whatever. Because there, this has been a time where we've never looked at ourselves this much, especially in the pandemic. Like seeing yourself on Zoom like six, eight hours a day, like people who have like those kinds of jobs, like when you wouldn't see yourself in your, in your meetings at your desk. We have never been rough. Our images have never been reflected to us so much as a now and they're not always the they're not true images. It's a city laptop. Camera.
Connection. Yeah, like
like a connection. Your your screen isn't set up like it's a flattering angle, because you're at your desk at your kitchen table. Do you know what I mean? It's not your lighting like it's just these so then we're comparing these kinds of images of ourselves to people who are like, have white like Photoshopped images on Instagram like know the discrepancy is too vast? Yeah. I think that's just it's played such a big role that people I've just heard it too. They're like, I was on Zoom. And I'm like, don't even pay attention to that. It's not real. That's how much you look like.
Totally. Well, I love following you and your reels are so informative on Instagram and it doesn't surprise me at all that you're on tick tock, what's your tick tock experience been so far?
Oh, God, tick tock is a whole other world people do not hold back. You will get love on Tik Tok, like you'll get on Instagram, but you will also get a lot of hate. Wow. Yeah. Like people just will say anything to you on there. And it's just like, you don't know what you're talking about. Or you're not Chinese or you like you are not experienced enough to be talking to you about this. And like, well, I've just been an acupuncture for almost 15 years of my life, you know, and like, I'm like, also didn't claim to be Chinese. I'm like, I'm talking about Chinese medicine as what I've learned as a practitioner. Like people are just like saying all kinds of wild things all have I've been called lots of interesting names. Not swearing or anything, just like really interesting insults. Like Yeah, so like, fun. Like I like Tik Tok better than Instagram. Yeah,
maybe I should give it another chance. I kind of like, go in and out. Yeah, so I'm curious when you already brought it up? Is that like a thing in general, where you kind of get the Chinese culture is kind of resistant to people outside Chinese culture, kind of running with this wisdom? And, you know, natural technology, if you will.
That's a big topic. In my experience, I would say the elders so let's say 5560 Plus, seem very that I've spoken to seem very excited about how facial quassia Cosmetic acupuncture acupuncture general is getting more popular. I would then say people who are of East Asian descent in America, Canada, and maybe some in Europe, I haven't seen many European East Asians talk about it as much, but here for sure, Canada and states that are like have been practicing, like adults, you know. Talk more about the appropriation of it. So it seems like the elders maybe like they don't, they're just like, Oh, it's getting popular. Okay, cool. And then it's more so I'd say like the newer practitioners, you Station practitioners, maybe Western practitioners who are more conscientious about things that are talking about the appropriation of it. And so and then there's it's a very layered thing, because you have people who are still in Asia, you have people who have immigrated here. So that's a big topic. When I came back from Japan, I remember people saying to me, Oh, my God was such a big deal that you got to be in clinics in Japan. I'm like, why? Like, what was the big deal? Like everybody was so nice. It was, oh, they don't Japanese are very homogenous society, they don't like to share. And I was like, Oh, I did not have that experience at all. And obviously, I'm not East Asian. I mean, I'm Indian. So I'm from Asia, they didn't seem to care at all. Like I didn't feel slighted or that they didn't want to share with me, but apparently, that's some kind of a sentiment, but I've never experienced that. So I don't there's a lot going on there. It's a big topic. Okay.
Well, thank you for touching on that aspect of it. Would you say that kind of goes the same way for in terms of the elders are sort of more excited about it evolving? And the, you know, younger generation that sort of wants to protect it or interested in protecting it in every sense, not only in terms of who's practicing it, but it becoming, you know, a tick tock?
Yeah, yes, yes. Yes. That's a good like, yeah, so the people like in my age group, the practitioners now Are ya wanna protect it? We're obviously happy that it's getting popular, but we don't like the appropriation of it. Right, like, and so, the, I think the elders when they're looking at it, because it must have been, it's so much harder for them. Right? They would have been practicing and doing stuff in like the 70s when people thought it was like pure witchcraft. So for them, if they're sitting on ticked off, they're like, Oh, my God, this is cool. I guess I don't know, right? And then you have people like in our generation, and we're like, Yeah, it's cool. But like, it's not because they're actually like, misleading the public. And they're, then they're using this as motivation to sell things, or to just be popular. And that's not cool. And completely leaving, you know, Chinese medicine out of it and the culture out of it. It's like, my, it's my, I relate, I think the reason why I understand that sentiment so much is that's how I've always felt about yoga. And, and the popularization that's coming out to of our Vedic medicine, and like, what, whatever Starbucks or whatever calls like tumor, golden milk lattes, or whatever. And I'm just like, Oh, we've been drinking that for like, 1000s of years. This isn't new. Like, you know, like, stuff like that. Yeah. Gotcha. Yeah, it's, you're right, I'd say the younger people are more. Let's popularize it with education, and and protecting it. That's a good word. And I think the elders are like, oh, cool, because they are coming from a different place. Yeah, right. Yeah.
So one last question. I'm gonna be you mentioned guasha. And I know you do a lot of videos on that. Can you just give a short comparison of you know what doing using a guasha stone on yourself versus cosmetic acupuncture might give you or not give you or?
Yeah, fill facial guasha I would say it's more of was rooted in Chinese medicine. So it moves blood and Qi and stimulates blood and she did a face. But I would say it's more of a sculpting tool, a daily sculpting tool that can help relax the muscles in your face, tone the muscles in your face. Cosmetic acupuncture does that also in a stronger way where it's building collagen, and like really honing in on the fine lines and wrinkles? Together, they work incredibly, like incredibly, if you come in for cosmetic acupuncture, and you do squash on yourself even three times a week while you're doing your treatment plan. Oh, that's so solid. It's so good. So they both have their their play squash as a great sculpting tool and a good maintenance tool for the skin. For sure.
Incredible. Is there a place that people can go like I know you're based in Toronto, but if they want to find a cosmetic acupuncturist where they are, is there a good place to search for that? Or is more?
Oh, yeah, there's no like cosmetic acupuncture database. I think people will just ask, like I get asked, that's one of my most common questions. Oh, I'm in Oregon. Do you know somebody here, Washington, Calgary, you know, whatever. Like out maybe in Barrie, like further out from Toronto. But unfortunately, there's no database. I think people just search and I know a few but I only recommend that people that I know are going to be growing massively If, indeed Yeah,
well, I really hope I get to experience this session with you one day and in the meantime, we'll share in the show notes your your accounts on tick tock and Instagram. Is there another way to contact you? Or if someone's in the Toronto area? How do they book?
Yep, you can go on my website six babe. beauty.com So six the number BAP e beauty.com. And then I pretty much live online so Instagram same thing 6k beauty. Tick tock is babe face skin.
Beautiful. Well, any any sort of last little bit of advice or thought you want to start off with today?
try acupuncture and be open minded to it. I think it's one of like, the most incredible things you can bring into your life I took a it's, there's so much for you that you wouldn't even know and it's a great maintenance tool. And it's just so helpful on so many levels. Yeah. So that and don't drink too much cold water No, we did it. I know. But it's all over my Instagram like weekly don't drink cold water.
I mean, I know from an Ayurvedic standpoint, why Yeah.
Yeah, it's exactly alright. Without your digestive fire and waste all your energy. Yeah.
Yes. Yet pure when my kids have noticed here in Canada every since it's ice water. Rice, always.
Yeah. Yeah.
Well, thank you so much for your time and today. I really appreciate you and we'll be in touch.
Thank you. Thanks for having me.