Booking an Appointment at Elixir Lifestyle Medicine
We look forward to working with you! Before your first appointment, please choose either “Functional Medicine Visit” or “Traditional Chinese Medicine Visit” and then complete the appropriate form(s).
IMPORTANT: For Functional Medicine, you must send completed forms and any ordered tests five (5) working days before your appointment. For Traditional Chinese Medicine visit, bring the completed forms with you on the day of your appointment, so we can start collaborating to meet your health objectives.
Please be sure to complete these steps and arrive on time so we can provide you the best care possible.
Traditional Chinese Medicine visit:
Your first appointment will be 1.5 hours. This includes your intake consultation, which will include a thorough conversation regarding your chief complaint and other health concerns, as well as an acupuncture treatment. You may receive several modalities of intervention during your treatment which can include: moxibustion, cupping, therapeutic body work, electrostimulation and infrared heat, in addition to acupuncture.
During your acupuncture session, sterile, superfine needles are placed in points that correspond to your diagnosis. Each needle is one time use only and is disposed of immediately upon removal. Don’t worry—many people feel no discomfort at all with insertion of needles.
Most people are surprised at how relaxing acupuncture can be and often take a “needle nap” once the needles are gently inserted.
Follow-up visits are generally one hour. Because acupuncture and TCM works by enabling the body to heal, it may take up to 6-8 visits for a problem to begin to resolve. This is a gentle medicine that guides the body back into balance. You will be given instructions on how to continue to “hold” your treatment between sessions.
Functional Medicine Visit:
For your initial Functional Medicine appointment, please make sure we have all of your paperwork one week in advance. Prospective patients should understand that meaningful functional medicine interventions rely upon accurate information analyzed IN ADVANCE of your first appointment. For this reason, we must receive your completed paperwork at least five days before your initial visit.
Your first appointment will be approximately two hours in length and during this time we will review the information you have submitted, including your food journal and lab results. All aspects of your lifestyle will be discussed and recommendations regarding nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, further testing and supplements may be explored.
PLEASE NOTE: acupuncture treatment is not included with Functional Medicine appointments.
Follow up treatments may be 30-60 minutes long, depending on additional lab test results and your identified individual needs.