Chinese Medicine is all the rave and if you joined us at the Hoboken Girl Wellness Crawl this spring, you know exactly why. Tucked away on Fourth between Wash and Bloomfield Streets, Nurturing Life Acupuncture + Wellness is all about the mind, body, and spirit {balancing the yin and the yang}. If you’re curious about this local gem, HG contributor Danielle recently visited and she’s sharing her full experience with us:
The Faces Behind Nurturing Life
Bill and Yuriko, owners of Nurturing Life, made their home in Hoboken in 2015. After working as an acupuncturist in New York City, Bill decided to open Nurturing Life in the Mile Square last December. Located at 106 4th Street {formally Ariele’s Apothecary}, Bill, Tanvi, and Debra work together to share their expertise in Chinese Medicine to restore balance in your life.
What can be treated?
Such methods of Chinese Medicine treat the whole body, as opposed to western medicine, which focuses on individual symptoms. Thinking from a holistic standpoint, these methods heal the mind, body, and spirit and promote overall wellness. A great number of clients, both men and women, visit Nurturing Life for fertility, pain, anxiety, depression, digestional issues, and overall health concerns. The idea behind these practices is to balance the different systems in the body so that they function together in harmony.
READ: Trigger Point Massage in Hoboken: Health in Hands Uptown
Other Services
At Nurturing Life, clients can choose to partake in acupuncture, reiki healing, cupping, and moxibustion. Using these methods in conjunction with each other has added benefits. Your practitioner will advise which methods will be best for your body and needs. In the future, Bill hopes to move towards incorporating acupuncture into meditative practices right in house.
Our Experiences at Nurturing Life
We were lucky enough to try out the different services offered here and are excited to share our experiences with you!
As soon as we walked into Nurturing Life, we felt a sense of calm. Essential oils, handcrafted by the practitioners, are diffused into the air {and are available for purchase}. The relaxing, cool colors and capiz wind chimes helped us to zen out even before starting. Teas and homemade treats dashed with different essential oils {compliments of Yuriko} are waiting for us upon arrival. We tried Acupuncture, Reiki Healing, Cupping, and Moxibustion and had wonderful experiences with each.
Reiki Healing
Debra, the Reiki Master at Nurturing Life, lead me into a serene room and onto a heated table. Debra explained that Reiki is energy healing where the patient’s energy flows are aligned and blockages in the body’s energy network are released. She began by holding an intention specific to my needs and continued to work with my energy flows. Though my eyes were closed, I felt, at times, that I was floating. I saw different colors and felt sensations in my hands, legs, and feet. At the end of the practice, Debra brought me back to reality and for the rest of the day I felt calm + euphoric.
Acupuncture
Both Bill and Tanvi are the acupuncturists at Nurturing Life. Tanvi worked with me during my session. Before needling, she reviewed my medical concerns and talked to me, in great detail, about my hopes for the sessions. If the thought of needles in your body seems intimidating, take a deep breath and relax. The needles are gently placed at the surface of the skin and feel virtually painless. She put the needles throughout the different meridians of my body and even used moxa to heat specific areas as part of the practice. Following the session, I felt relaxed and more balanced.
Cupping
After explaining to Tanvi about my back issues — scoliosis and TMJ — she used cupping to help alleviate pain and inflammation in my back and shoulders. She, first, used sliding cups, which were painless, and almost felt like a massage as they moved up and down my back. Following that she used stationary cups and let me rest for a few minutes. After, my back and shoulders felt much more relaxed and less tense. If you choose to do cupping, you most likely will experience red circular bruises on your back. This is completely normal and will go away within a week.
See More: Spa in Jersey City: om.life Wellness
Payment + Insurance
Nurturing Life is considered an out of network provider to most insurance companies. However, if a patient’s insurance plan covers acupuncture treatment and the deductible requirement is met, then Nurturing Life will collect the co-insurance amount {typically 20-40% of the session fee} and then submit a claim for the rest. The staff at Nurturing Life will be happy to check your insurance coverage for you.
Final Sentiments
All in all, our experiences at Nurturing Life Acupuncture and Wellness were positive and beneficial. We will definitely be heading back for more sessions, that’s for sure. Stop by to see if their practices fit your lifestyle. We are sure you will feel relaxed, rejuvenated, and in overall better health.
Have you ever been to Nurturing Life Acupuncture & Wellness? Share your experience with us below!
Have you joined our Facebook group yet? Request here to gain access to even more local tips, and connect with fellow Hudson County residents.
