"I have a much more balanced life," says she. Redding firmly believes in this form of medicine, receiving the needle treatment herself once a week.

It wasn't until Redding was playing basketball and studying kinesiology at Simon Fraser University that she began to learn more about her body and ways of caring for it. "I was playing basketball and dealing with injury so it was nice knowing what was going on with my body," she said.

Redding discovered she preferred a more natural approach to treatment than pharmaceuticals. "What I really like about it is the holistic approach, how it looks at the mind and body," Redding said.

Working six days a week offering acupuncture treatment and manning the herbal dispensary, Redding treated physical ailments like colds and flu, back injuries, heart problems, and diabetes, as well as with emotional trauma, alongside Beijing doctors. And her services were welcomed by both patients and doctors, she said. "I think they were impressed we were interested in a medicine that was rooted in their culture," she said.

Redding was also impressed by how the Chinese have merged their traditional form of treatment with Western medicine, and she hopes to bring that fusion to the North Shore by showing people that acupuncture in particular can be an alternative treatment for many conditions - from aches and pains to allergies, common colds, depression, and addiction.

"I definitely feel like I'm playing a large educational role," said Redding of her duties as an Acupuncturist. And that secret Redding knows but is more than willing to share? "The needles don't hurt."

Posted by Nancy_lbn