“Food and herbs constitute an important tool in the construction and maintenance of a healthy life.”
Zhongling Zhang’s first exposure to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was during childhood. When her mother was ill she would always take herbs, so Zhongling was able to witness firsthand the effectiveness of traditional Chinese herbal medicine. When she was in high school she had a neighbor who was an acupuncturist, and during summer vacations she would observe acupuncture treatments in her neighbor’s clinic and at the hospital: “It felt fitting when I would walk into her clinic.” These early experiences strongly influenced Zhongling to pursue TCM studies so that she could help people: “To be able to help people, to have compassion and to hear about people’s problems, is very satisfying, and I am happy that I am able to use acupuncture and Chinese herbs to help them feel better.
Zhongling’s specialties include pain management, women’s health, emotional balance, and wellbeing. She has a particular interest in helping women with their health during periods of transformation, such as childbearing, menstruation, and menopause. According to Zhongling, “every patient is different in how they are transformed; with different problems, the main goal is that the patient is healthier than when they came in. And we get to see this every day, with every patient.” She also has a lot of experience, both personal and clinical, in treating seniors with symptoms relating to aging. She spent several years in China taking care of her elderly parents and in-laws, using acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and diet therapy to help them with their issues.
Zhongling brings both compassion and good listening skills to her practice at AOMA. For just about every patient in the clinic she makes recommendations and suggestions for nutrition or diet: “Find the source, the cause of imbalance and then bring balance. It seems simple, but it’s the core of TCM,” she says. “Things don’t always have to be complicated.” She spends a lot of time talking to her patients about their issues and emotions, offering multiple strategies for support, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, and diet therapy.
Outside of her practice, Zhongling likes to cook for family and friends, often creating her own healthy recipes. “Food is really important. Lifestyle, including exercise and food… it’s how we create balance,” she says. She also likes to walk outdoors in the sunshine. She is active in church and Bible study, and she likes singing hymns. She also regularly speaks to senior groups at her church, educating them on the benefits of acupuncture and TCM. She is happy to live here in Austin with her husband, and her grown son works in Austin too.
pain management
women's health
menstrual health
menopause support
elder care
