Dr. Laura Capina, Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, LAC

Born and raised in Latvia, a country diverse and rich with plants and herbs, my mother and the generations before her well-understood the healing properties that nature surrounded us with. From the powerful Chaga mushroom picked from the sides of birch trees, to the fresh bilberry’s that were well-known for improving eye sight, nature provided us with answers to any of our ailments. But, it wasn’t until I came to the United States that I began my research on the treatment of disease.America was different than my homeland in many ways, but most surprising to me was the high number of afflictions people were suffering from: Allergies, Migraines, Autism, ADD/ADHD, and most notably obesity. These conditions were near non-existent in Latvia. Of equal surprise to me was the enormous amount of processed food, fast food, and prescription drugs being consumed. After a trip to India, I began studying Eastern Medicine, where acupuncture and herbs offered alternatives to prescription …pharmaceutical drugs. I became a licensed acupuncturist in California and traveled to Hangzhou China for an internship in Chinese Medicine. Now armed with alternative treatments for existing conditions, I then turned my focus to the “cause” of disease, which had been apparent since my arrival into the U.S.  Diet and stress were critical components. While studying Eastern Medicine, my own benefits from yoga led me to become a Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor so that I could share it’s benefits with others as a mechanism for reducing stress and bringing balance into life. I later won the top award from my university for my dissertation on stress and the impact it has on our health. The final, and arguably the most passionate part of my research and treatment programs have been in the area of nutrition.As a long-time vegetarian I was already well educated, but it was not enough. I have continued my formal nutritional education with some of the world’s leading nutritionists including David Wolfe, Dr Colin Campbell, and Dr Robert Marshall, with a focus on plant-based Nutrition and superfoods. Wellness is the result of a comprehensive approach to both internal and external factors that create spiritual and chemical balance in the body. It includes the treatment of disease causes, as well as  preventative nutritional diet and lifestyle. I have dedicated my professional life to sharing this with my patients.