Get to know board-certified and licensed acupuncturist Qianiei Li
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Americans are known to live fast-paced, high-stress jobs and the ancient practice of acupuncture is extremely beneficial in treating a number of issues that many of us deal with on a daily basis.
While Americans readily embrace Western medical practices, Eastern medicine that has been relied on for centuries is not as commonly accepted in this country. As a board-certified and licensed acupuncturist since 2020, Qianiei Li is a firm believer in the practice’s beneficial qualities. “Growing up in China, where both my parents are renowned Chinese medicine doctors, I witnessed the effects of Chinese medicine and acupuncture from an early age,” she says. “While obtaining my Master’s degree in Biochemistry at Georgetown University, I was involved in NIH research on herbal extracts and Alzheimer's disease. This experience inspired me to pursue Chinese medicine and follow in my parents' footsteps. I then obtained graduate degrees in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and returned to China for my residency at an integrative hospital.”
“Growing up in China, where both my parents are renowned Chinese medicine doctors, I witnessed the effects of Chinese medicine and acupuncture from an early age."
- Qianiei Li
After her return to the US, Li worked at several acupuncture clinics and integrative doctors' offices, where she witnessed the rapid results experienced by patients through acupuncture and TCM. “I was surprised by how people in the US perceived acupuncture and TCM, recognizing the vast potential that was not yet fully appreciated in the Western world,” Li notes.
Li opened her own private practice in Alexandria in 2023. “My goal is to offer acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in the same way as Chinese hospitals and herbal masters, educating the public on the full benefits of TCM,” says Li of her practice at Nature’s Gift Acupuncture. “This approach aims to help more people feel better from their nagging health issues and free unnecessary medications.”
Nature’s Gift Acupuncture offers TCM services including acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine consultations and prescriptions, cupping therapy, moxibustion and TCM dietary and lifestyle consultations. “Acupuncture has numerous benefits, including pain relief, stress reduction, improved circulation and enhanced immune function,” Li explains. “It can treat a wide variety of conditions such as chronic pain throughout the body, migraines and headaches, digestive issues, mental health issues including anxiety and depression, menstrual irregularities and fertility issues as well as insomnia and other sleep disorders.”
As a health provider in Alexandria, Li feels that she is giving back to the community by offering solutions to common issues. “The Alexandria community often juggles multiple responsibilities, leading to stress, headaches, fatigue and a lack of energy, impacting their ability to enjoy life fully,” she says. “Many also have busy schedules and health goals, seeking treatments that enhance overall well-being to perform at their best. Almost all patients leave my office feeling relaxed and refreshed, with reduced pain and in a better mind space to tackle everything on their plate.”