Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Zelina.
Hi Dr. Zelina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Los Angeles, Highland Park to be exact. Family life wasn’t exactly pretty and life at school was also rough. Where I felt free was in my arts classes. I studied music, dance, theater and more and dreamed of being an artist someday.
I think most kids that grew up in the 80’s, we kind of raised ourselves and each other. I always knew I was different from everyone else, even from my own family.
I was completely indecisive on what I wanted to do when high school was over. Actually, I knew that I wanted to dance and act, but my parents discouraged it and said I had to find a “real job”. So I enrolled at FIDM and studied the business of Fashion. I thought that was an even compromise; art and business.
However, despite working successfully in the fashion industry for over 10 years, I didn’t love it and I was unhappy.
I also had years of complex trauma behind me that started creeping into my life and I coped with drugs and alcohol. That lifestyle of working hard and partying hard eventually caught up to me and I ended up with a full-blown addiction and getting diagnosed with Lupus.
I was in a health crisis and I almost died.
I was told I would be in pain for the rest of my life, I couldn’t have kids, and I’d die if I didn’t’ take the medication they prescribed.
I researched and back then everyone with Lupus was suffering with the condition, plus the side effects. It seemed that the medication offered no relief.
So I didn’t take the medication.
Instead, I went the holistic route and embarked on a life-changing healing journey.
Nutrition, Meditation, Prayer, Acupuncture, Fitness, Plant Medicine and Indigenous Medicine was on the menu. Every day. It took me years.
I no longer have Lupus.
I’ve been symptom free for over 12 years now, had a baby with zero complications, completed 2 triathlons and decided to become a doctor to help others like me.
So I went to school. Got my Masters. Got Licensed. Became a Doctor.
Started Acuvida. And here we are.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not. Lol.
Some of my struggles included going back to school when I was still suffering with Lupus. I felt tired ALL the time. So it took me 10 years to get my Masters, when it took most people 4.
The healing journey itself was fucking grueling.
Changing my lifestyle, getting sober, trying new things, getting completely pushed out of my comfort zone, facing my traumas head on and on my own mostly, all the plant medicine ceremonies, crying A LOT, having no friends.
See, nowadays it’s easy to find a community of health conscious individuals, but 20 years ago, it was unheard of.
Then school…
Studying for exams all the time, preparing for presentations, memorizing anatomy, herbs, formulas, acupuncture points, it’s like a whole new language.
There’s never a dull moment. You’re always working on something.
Medical school is not for the weak and then you criticize yourself for not getting good grades, not being smart enough…it really tests you.
When you pursue your Doctorate, getting your Masters feels like a piece of cake. The standards are so much higher. It’s quite intimidating when you come from a family and even community, where you’re the only that went to college.
But I couldn’t think about it like that for too long, I just had to keep going without stopping.
I also finished up my doctorate when I became a mama. All at the same time. It was wild times…
Starting a business and maintaining a business has been especially difficult in these times. There are so many costs and it never feels like enough. Not enough time, not enough money, not enough effort, it’s a lot.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Acuvida?
As a practitioner, I believe people have the innate capacity to heal themselves. I also believe in empowering others to become active participants in their recovery. I bridge the gap between spirit and science for total healing and transformation. I am trauma-informed and certified.
I work by discovering and treating the root cause(s) of disease, which in many cases is/are due to a mind-body-spirit disconnect. Trauma stuck in the body often manifests as pain, discomfort or other health conditions. I often work with women recovering from trauma, autoimmune conditions, women’s health issues, mood imbalances and more. I like to combine different practices that target the Mind-Body-Spirit connection such as guided meditation, food, lifestyle medicine and anything else I feel someone needs.
It is important to understand that healthy is a lifestyle. You matter and how you move through life matters.
I am not your typical doctor, I like to listen and I devote my time to you and your healing journey. I meet you where you are. I have gifts to share and my work is unlike anyone else’s. My goal is to help you look and feel great, to remind you of your POWER and to make you feel seen and heard. I lead with compassion and care, while motivating you to level up.
I work in person and virtually and my services include: acupuncture, cupping, ozone therapy, Microneedling, health mentorships and so much more.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think that more people will need my services. We are discovering that conventional medicine works wonders in emergencies and for diagnosing. However, when it comes to prevention, chronic illness and more, a holistic or integrative approach is best. I think that we will see an increase in more holistic practitioners of many disciplines. We will see more use of psychedelics in mental health settings. It will be a merging of ancient wisdom with modern approaches.
People will need more doctors that can bridge science with spirit. More doctors like me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.drzelinamedina.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drzelina_acuvida/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrZelinaAcuvida
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zelinamedina/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrZelina_Acuvida
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/acuvida-acupuncture-south-pasadena
- Other: https://acuvidaacupuncture.com
Image Credits
Andrea Sixtos
