Dr. Jen has been helping people around the world with holistic medicine

(Originally published in 2021)

Dr. Jen Kralowetz is no stranger to medicine. Although Dr. Kralowetz is new to the team at Evergreen Medical Acupuncture, she's been treating patients for a decade. Now she is serving patients in Evergreen on Saturdays (our most requested day!). Jen's journey into helping people overcome all sorts of health challenges began over 10 years ago. She took Chinese Medicine classes when she was doing her undergraduate degree in anthropology. Her interest in college was focused heavily on religious studies, and during these classes, she was able to learn all about Eastern religions including the most profound, Daoism. If you aren't familiar with it, it's less of an organized religion and more of a philosophy and way of life. The premise is to live in harmony and balance in accordance with nature; that humans are a continuation of the natural world, and there is an understanding of divinity. Daoism is rooted in the principles of Yin and Yang which, in nature, is the idea that everything will ebb and flow. Take our seasons for example: we have heat in the summer and cold in the winter; the rain brings the life of crops and the sun brings nutrients.

After getting a well-rounded education on cultural influences, Jen decided to focus her niche in medical anthropology and the study of how people used medicine and treated illness across different cultures. She was able to fully experience the power of holistic medicine by applying some of these principles to herself during her own medical struggles with women's health and hormone imbalance. Frustratingly, she would see a medical doctor with her complaints and would either be dismissed or told to just get on medication that would ultimately not help her symptoms. Holistic medicine made her feel more body autonomy and empowerment in her own health. It seems intuitive to her to treat the body as a whole unit as opposed to individual parts. What's the saying? "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." How is it possible that what you're eating, which gets metabolized through your digestive tract, doesn't affect everything else? It seems impossible that when one physiological process is suffering—let's say, dehydration causing an electrolyte imbalance and altered kidney function—that other organs and tissues wouldn't also suffer that depend on these electrolytes. The more scientific research that is coming out is confirming this. For example: When there is gallbladder disease, there is a clear correlation to brain health or disease. Or that teeth and gum health can impact your cardiovascular risk. And many people with a lot of digestive issues frequently also suffer with dermatological problems. This isn't coincidence and Jen sought to learn more.

After undergrad, Jen moved from her hometown outside of Boston, Massachusetts to San Francisco, California to begin her Master's of Traditional Chinese Medicine. During her master's curriculum, she was able to travel deep into the Amazon at Iquitos, Peru in 2011. Here, she worked for a nonprofit called Healer to Healer. She studied under a traditional doctor called a Shaman. People would come by boat who had never seen a doctor in their entire lives. She treated them with acupuncture and herbal medicine. One of the most profound experiences that happened while in Peru was a woman coming to their clinic and Jen delivering her baby in the middle of the night by candlelight.

The following year, in 2012, Jen studied in Hangzhou, China. She did rotations at different hospitals seeing patients for stroke rehab, Parkinson's, herbal rotation, gynecology and injections. She wasn't able to administer injections in California, so she was so fascinated with their integration with acupuncture. This inspired her to get certified to do injections once she moved to Colorado where injections are in the scope of practice with extra training.

While in acupuncture school, Jen worked as a massage therapist. Here, her interest in orthopedics and physical pain patterns arose. She did deep tissue and TuiNa (traditional, clotheson, Medical Chinese Massage), ART (active release technique) and trigger point therapy. After graduating with her acupuncture degrees, Jen took continuing education with Matt Calison, who is the founder of AcuSport (sports medicine acupuncture) in San Diego, CA. She learned physical exam and practical applications of injuries of all types.

Jen also holds a Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. This is an extra two-year degree for existing licensed acupuncturists to become advanced Doctors of Acupuncture and integrative medicine. This extra degree is gaining in popularity but currently only a small number of licensed acupuncturists hold both a master's and a doctorate in the field.

We are so fortunate that Jen has joined Evergreen Medical Acupuncture as an associate acupuncture doctor. She brings huge value to our team as an orthopedic specialist and stress/emotional management practitioner. Our other providers include (myself, owner) Dr. Christina Fick, specializing in advanced injection techniques and functional medicine; Dr. Jill Zundelevich, specializing in women's health, fertility and pregnancy as well as cosmetic acupuncture and microneedling. Our wellrounded team continues to bring great value to our foothills neighbors!