Acupuncturist Tara Anderson discusses the numerous benefits of acupuncture and alternative healing

Tara Anderson of Acupuncture & Optimum Health Clinic

Tara Anderson, the owner and a seasoned acupuncturist at the Acupuncture and Optimum Health Clinic in Waterloo, Iowa, shares her expertise on acupuncture, wellness, natural remedies, and Chinese medicine. Check out her interview below.

Vol 82: What can you tell me about your acupuncture clinic in Waterloo, Iowa?

Tara: I operate the Acupuncture and Optimum Health Clinic, which I opened in 2002. I offer acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Acupuncture is a modality of traditional Chinese medicine. I also provide cupping and gua sha services.

Vol 82: That's awesome. You've been up and running for a nice length of time now. What made you go into this profession?

Tara: Actually, every single service that I offer, I received the services as a patient first! I got acupuncture, which helped a lot with some conditions I was having, and then I decided to go to school for acupuncture. Then, years later, I was having some heart problems—heart palpitations and shortness of breath, and high stress. So then I decided to get nutritional response testing (NRT), and it helped me so much that I decided to go to school for it, and now I offer it as well.

Vol 82: What is NRT?

Tara: It's a complete health analysis that gets to the root problem of ill health. We test for food sensitivities, chemical sensitivities, immune deficiency challenges, and metal toxicities, and we check all organs to make sure they're working to their fullest capacity. If not, we prioritize them. At my clinic, I also record heart sounds with the NRT, which measures the heart rate, rhythm, and tone.

Vol 82: It sounds like a lot, but this procedure also seems really beneficial. What do your patients do once they get that test?

Tara: If you have any food sensitivities that would come up, or any environmental toxins, those would show up in the test. Then, we'd give the remedies to help.

Vol 82: That's amazing. A lot of times, people think that practitioners who are in the field of natural medicine or any holistic healing are anti-doctors and anti-western medicine. What can you say about that?

Tara: We kind of meet people where they're at. There are definitely people who are totally "natural" minded who come in. And some people aren't on that page, so we really work with everybody, but we also want to offer natural remedies too.

Vol 82: For instance, you don't discourage your clients from having six-month check-ups with their doctors?

Tara: Oh no! As I said, we just meet people where they're at. We have people of all ages, and everyone is at a different place...The NRT is a complete health analysis. We offer other things, like checking your mitochondrial levels.

Vol 82: Tell me a little more about that. I remember learning about it in biology!

Tara: The mitochondrial level deals with things on a cellular level. When you deal with things on a cellular level, you're getting more in-depth. It helps with overall energy and vitality. Once you get your mitochondrial level to where it's supposed to be, everything else (in your body) starts to work better.

Vol 82: So, can the mitochondria supplement help to heal ailments?

Tara: Yes, definitely. When your mitochondrial levels are where they're supposed to be, your body can adapt to toxins and heal at a steadier rate.

Vol 82: Does boosting the mitochondria level allow people to heal from certain viruses and certain types of cancers?

Tara: Yes. Mitochondrial levels are going to help with overall vitality, and they're gonna help the brain and the heart. If you have viruses, it's gonna come up in the NRT. Mold, heavy metal toxins, or parasites-those are all immune deficiency challenges, and we're able to help you overcome those things as well.

Vol 82: This information is so valuable! Natural healing is becoming increasingly popular, and we see much more coverage about it on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Tara: Yes. That's why I really like NRT, because it relates to everyone's specific body. There are so many different things out there. There are a lot of good products, and some not quite as good. And just because a product has many benefits doesn't mean everyone needs to take it. So, I always say "we don't guess, we test!"

Vol 82: Once you test a person to see what their ailments and issues are, how do you move forward to help them relieve the symptoms and clear illnesses from their bodies?

Tara: Once someone tests positive for something, they would take specific products until their body no longer shows positive for those ailments. And then, when your body no longer tests for those things (the NRT no longer shows a positive for the condition).

For instance, if a bacteria or flu virus would come up in the testing...And maybe the patient isn't actively having symptoms, but they did at some point, and it's still in their body, they have that underlying deficiency that's gonna keep recurring unless they treat it. So then you'd take something to treat that, and once your body no longer tests for it, that particular bacteria, virus, or whatever is completely gone from your body.

Vol 82: Ok! That's awesome. Back to your acupuncture, what are the main benefits of regular treatments?

Tara: Acupuncture is effective for so many things. It really is! It treats imbalance in the body. It's more about identifying why you're having specific symptoms and treating them accordingly. We see a lot of fertility and gynecological issues, and acupuncture and Chinese medicine shine on that. PMS symptoms, hormonal imbalances, perimenopause, menopause—it's very effective for those things. It also helps with headaches, allergies, fatigue, and insomnia. We see a lot of clients for pain, too.

Vol 82: I personally know you do a lot for people with pain. Some people shy away from the treatments, because they say "you're gonna poke me with needles, how is that gonna help me with pain?" Can you explain how acupuncture helps with pain?

Tara: So, when people come to the clinic for an acupuncture appointment, you fill out paperwork, and we ask several questions about (sleep, digestion, specific symptoms, vision, etc). I'd also look at your tongue and feel your pulse. The organs are geographically mapped out on the tongue, so the tongue's color, coding, and shape indicate what's going on inside the body. There's also a pulse diagnosis on each wrist, so from there, I'm able to tell why you're having the symptoms that you're having.

For instance, if you have pain, it could be from something we call (Qi and blood stasis), where your energy and blood aren't flowing properly, and we need to get that blood flowing properly to alleviate the pain...It could be an organ deficiency...Kidney deficiencies can cause lower back, knee, or foot pain. So, it just depends on the color and coating of the tongue, as well as the pulse and the specific descriptive words you give us, also help indicate what's going on inside your body. (The needles are then inserted into the affected areas of the body for treatment).

Vol 82: That's Awesome! At this point in your career, have you ever studied abroad in Asia?

Tara: I did an internship in Guangzhou, China, when I was going to school. That was a really good experience. Over there, I learned Chinese medicine firsthand. I'm glad I had that opportunity. Since then, I've studied in different places throughout the U.S.

Vol 82: Wow. How long did you stay in China? What was that like?

Tara: I was there for about a month. I studied at a university hospital...They have different conditions in China than we do because the weather and diet is different...When we go to the doctor, we go to a Western medical doctor. If you go to the hospital in China, you would get acupuncture treatments. You get herbs intravenously...It's a big part of their culture.

Vol 82: Do they still bring in a medical doctor?

Tara: Yes. For example, when I was there, MRIs were a newer thing. So, you'd get a Western diagnosis from an MRI or a CAT SCAN, but then for the treatment, you would get acupuncture and herbs. (For example, the top diagnosis would be a Western medical diagnosis, like carpal tunnel, but then the Chinese medical diagnosis would be listed as what was causing the carpal tunnel).

Vol 82: Are there specific herbs that you always keep on hand for customers?

Tara: I definitely do have some Chinese herbs that I will always have! I also have a foot soak to break up bone spurs and heel spurs, which is very beneficial. And now I'm into homeopathy and other supplements too.

Vol 82: Do you have any product recommendations for people to keep in their lives to help them stay balanced and keep their homeostasis?

Tara: I have some products for emotional balance, stress, and well-being, such as Field of Flowers for anxiety and Relax Tone for muscle tension. Calm Five is also good for emotional support and well-being. Drainage Tone keeps drainage pathways open. It's also good for sinus congestion, or if you're coming down with the cold or flu, it will really help with that, too. These things can be ordered online from Tara Acupuncture or at the clinic. Simplex M or F are good overall products as well.

Vol 82: Do you offer over-the-phone consultations for patients who aren't in the area?

Tara: Yes. I use Quantum (remote) testing for the nutrition response testing, for patients who can't come to the clinic. I have patients in Texas, Canada, and all over!

Vol 82: Anything else?

Tara: My philosophy is "nature first," with drugs and surgery as a last resort. And we really have answers for everyone, and we're willing to work with everyone and meet people where they're at!

Vol 82: That's awesome!

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