"A Journey in Chinese Medicine"
by Cheryl Warnke, L.Ac., Dip. N.A.O.M., D.N.B.A.O.

I was honored to be asked by BioHealth to be one of the women health care practitioners on the newest addition to their website: "For Women by Women." As a Chinese Medicine practitioner and acupuncturist I am excited to participate in this exciting new forum which focuses on women. In this, my first article, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself on a more personal note as well as share a little about my profession.

I was born on a small farm in Nebraska, eldest of eight children. I remember being intrigued by the Orient even as I began high school. I was equally interested in herbs, and nutrition. Because of my interest in Oriental philosophy, I eventually studied the martial arts including several Chinese and Korean styles. In the spring of 1989, I moved from Phoenix to San Diego to go to acupuncture school shortly before the time I would've taken my black belt test in Tae Kwon Do martial arts.

From the first semester in acupuncture school many things came together for me. I had always been drawn to Eastern thought, and the concepts of Chinese Medicine were an easy and exciting transition for me. It was then, from early on that I realized that to be a true Chinese Medicine practitioner one had to see the patient from the largest possible perspective. One had to treat the entire person to effect a change: treatment had to be "Wholistic" in nature. To that end, many parameters must be considered in regards to the patient's health: inherited traits, medical and personal history, mental state, home and work environment, and diet, to name a few.

Now, going into my ninth year of a busy practice, the ancient pillars of thought such as balance of Yin and Yang, are ever more primary to me as I continue to learn. Although I would like to consider myself more of a Traditional Chinese Medicine "Doctor" in that I use acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Formulas, I also understand that Chinese Medicine is, and always has been in a constant state of change and transformation. Over the thousands of years of Chinese Medicine history many, many changes have been incorporated into what is broadly called Traditional Chinese Medicine (or Oriental Medicine). Today, there are as many different forms that Chinese/Oriental Medicine has taken as there are dialects in all of China!

I am forever striving to become a more effective practitioner within the parameters of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and utilize new information and diagnostic procedures as they become readily available. Efficacy not only depends on clinical expertise, but emotional and personal investment on my part. Over time in building my practice and acquiring the bedside manner to work with people, I have also come to realize that all healing is self healing. Ultimately, there is no room for ego in the treatment room . . . ego on the part of the practitioner does not serve in the healing process of the patient.

Also, to become a better diagnostician, I have worked with BioHealth Diagnostics. I find that "functional medicine", a term used to describe the purpose of BioHealth testing, fits within the diagnostic ideals of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This unique lab test program provided through BioHealth is designed to treat the individual as a whole, and to find the root cause of illness, which coincides with my approach to healthcare. When I am explaining the lab tests I want to run on a particular patient, I will use the term "Wholistic Lab Testing" to best describe my thought process.

As a final note, I find myself returning again to the place of gratitude. I have given my heart and soul to this profession and to those who come to me for help. Ultimately, although I am happy to have helped people, I have discovered in this process that I am the greatest recipient of this work.