8 Questions with Our Newest Full-Time Acupuncturist, Jessica Carvajal LAc

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with Jessica Carvajal, LAc, book online anytime at nsevhealing.com.

1. What is your origin story, and how did you land in Miami Beach?

My mother migrated from Cuba to Miami Beach in the late 1970s, and my father was brought from New York to Miami Beach to recover from some health challenges he had as a child. Years later, my parents met on Pinetree Drive and 41st Street. I was born just a few blocks away, on that very same street.

I’m a beach baby to my core. My birthplace, elementary school, middle school, and high school are all within a one-mile radius of the NSEV Healing & Acupuncture clinic where I now work. Being able to serve the community and give back to the place that shaped me, with the medicine that healed me, is one of life’s full-circle gifts.

2. How did you get involved in acupuncture and TCM?

I struggled with cystic acne starting in the 6th grade. For over nine years, the breakouts were painful and deeply impacted my self-esteem. I tried everything -- countless topical treatments, visits to dermatologists, and eventually even a round of Accutane. Deep down, I knew there had to be another way. My mother told me about a friend whose son had found relief through acupuncture. At the time, I was skeptical. I remember thinking, there’s no way that stuff actually works. But after nine years of frustration, I was desperate. I decided to try it anyway. Three months later, for the first time, my skin transformed.

That experience changed my life. Acupuncture didn’t just clear my skin, it opened a door to healing that Western medicine hadn’t offered me. Coming from a Cuban household where natural remedies and community care were always part of our culture, discovering Chinese medicine felt both new and familiar. After undergrad, I realized I wanted to dedicate my life to helping others find the kind of healing I had experienced with acupuncture.

3. What's it like working in an acupuncture team at NSEV? What are your favorite parts about your practice here?

Becoming part of the NSEV office was one of life’s beautiful coincidences.

I visited Orion Herbs for the first time in 2017 after a friend told me about it. Years later, during the height of COVID, I was in my second year of acupuncture school and looking for a job. I remembered Orion Herbs and decided to reach out. To my surprise, I was hired and began working there while the clinic was still shut down. A few months into working at the shop, I started meeting Jeffrey, then Shiva, and finally Dan. Slowly, the puzzle pieces began to fall into place. Unbeknownst to me, I had stepped into the heart of the NSEV clinic. I had studied Dan’s teachings in school and was familiar with the NSEV lineage. I knew him as a respected figure in the field, someone whose contributions had helped shape how acupuncture is practiced and taught in the U.S. And now, he had become my mentor.

I’m incredibly grateful to have found myself in this space. I’m surrounded by experience, wisdom, and heart. Everyone in this office has supported me, taught me, and genuinely rooted for me. It’s a truly special place, a hidden gem in Miami Beach.

4. Whats your favorite herbal formula from Orion Herbs?

This is a tough one because there are so many great formulas to choose from. “Free and Easy Wanderer” is one I come back to often. It’s a foundational formula in many of the custom blends I create in the clinic. Known for nourishing the Liver and Blood, it also has the flexibility to both supplement and move Qi. Because of this, it can be used to support a wide range of conditions, including gynecological disorders, digestive issues, pain, dizziness, night sweats, allergies, skin conditions, and more.

5. Where do you go to connect with nature?

I love taking a weekday sunset cruise through Biscayne Bay. Weekdays are the best time to be out there, because it's so much quieter and more peaceful. I grew up on the water, so it always brings a sense of nostalgia. It takes me back to a time when Miami moved a little slower and life felt more laid-back.

6. Where do you go for a healthy meal on Miami Beach?

I don’t eat out often, so I usually bring meals from home. One of my favorites to bring to the office is avocado toast. It’s a quick and easy way to get a balanced mix of healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates. I start with sourdough bread, then add smashed avocado, and top it with spring mix or arugula, a hard-boiled egg or sliced turkey, and cherry tomatoes or thinly sliced carrots. Lately, I’ve been drizzling it with high-quality olive oil and a sprinkle of Tajín which is my go-to combo. Garlic powder or even just a bit of salt and pepper also make great finishing touches.

7. What are your personal pursuits and interests? 

I recently started playing tennis! Learning to play at a high level is especially challenging when you’re someone like me, picking up a racket for the first time in your 30s.

8. What are you passionate about treating?

I enjoy holding space for women at all stages of life. Whether we are navigating high school or college, motherhood, careers, home life, women take on a lot, and we often forget to take care of ourselves throughout the process. I focus on treating mental health, fertility, PMS, menstrual disorders, PCOS, stress, anxiety, and more. Acupuncture was life-changing for me when I was in my early 20’s, so I find it especially fulfilling to work with younger women.

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with Jessica Carvajal, LAc, book online anytime at nsevhealing.com.

Lightbeam for Lymphatic Healing by Jeffrey Prol, LAc.

Lightbeam for Lymphatic Healing by Jeffrey Prol, LAc.

The Vital Role of the Lymphatic System in Health and Immunity

The lymphatic system is a crucial circulatory network, essential for immune defense and metabolic waste removal. It is even more extensive than the venous system, comprising a network of vessels and over 600 lymph nodes. This system is responsible for transporting disease-fighting cells to sites of infection, carrying away dead germs and cellular waste, and returning protein-rich plasma fluid to the bloodstream. When the lymphatic system becomes congested or blocked, our ability to fight pathogens is compromised, and inflammation can arise.

Understanding Lymphatic Congestion

In our modern environment, we are consistently exposed to toxins and pollutants. These elements can disrupt cellular function, causing proteins to clump together and bind with water. This process can overburden the lymphatic system, leading to stagnation. The resulting pain and inflammation are contributing factors in various chronic degenerative conditions.

Lightbeam Generator: A Tool for Lymphatic Support

The ST-8 Lightbeam Generator utilizes extremely low-current, negatively charged light photons to support lymphatic function. The technology is designed to deliver compatible frequencies to areas of blockage. This assists cells in correcting their out-of-balance condition and helps disassociate the binding agents responsible for swelling. By promoting the movement of waste material within the cell, the ST-8 enhances the delivery of toxins to the organs of elimination, thereby helping to re-establish healthy lymphatic circulation and create a less toxic internal milieu.

An Integrated Approach: Acupuncture and the ST-8 Protocol

Our clinic offers a unique, integrated methodology that combines the ST-8 Lymphatic protocol with appropriate acupuncture treatments, specifically those utilizing the NSEV Extraordinary Vessels.

This combination creates a powerful synergy:

  • Acupuncture works to move and harmonize Qi, blood, and body fluids according to ancient principles, addressing systemic imbalances.

  • Lightbeam Lymphatic Treatment directly vitalizes the lymphatic system at a cellular level.

Together, they provide a comprehensive method for resolving stagnation, supporting the body's innate healing capacities, and addressing issues associated with long-term health and vitality.

If you’d like to experience a lightbeam lymphatic healing treatment for yourself, book an appointment with acupuncturist Jeffrey Prol at nsevhealing.com.

What’s In Orion Herbs's Fall Medicine Cabinet

What’s In Our Fall Medicine Cabinet by Orion Nevel, Clinical Herbalist

Fall has arrived, and with it so has cooler weather, a return to school, and cold and flu season! Now is the time to prepare our bodies for the onslaught of bacteria and viruses that will be visiting us in our homes soon. Eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting the appropriate amount of rest and sleep create a foundation that will really help the body defend itself.

In addition to those pillars, there are quite a few supplements and herbs that can fortify your defenses and reduce the severity and length of cold and flu symptoms. Let’s dive into the items I am going to keep on hand this fall to keep me feeling my best.

(By the way, AI was NOT used to write this, so please excuse any imperfections and signs of humanity, LOL.)

Immune Support

  • Elderberry Syrup – Elderberries have been used for hundreds of years to maintain the body’s natural defense system and promote overall wellness. Yummy and easy for the whole family to take!

  • Probiotics – So much of our “immune function” is rooted in our digestive system. Keep it populated with beneficial bacteria, especially after high stress or antibiotics.

  • Medicinal Mushrooms – An easy addition for everyone, taken as a liquid or pills. These helpful fungi can make a difference. The extracts we carry are top quality dual-extracts.

  • Custom Formula – The best herbal supplements are customized to your exact needs. Come by the clinic and get an herbal formula with your exact constitution in mind! Book your appointment at nsevhealing.com.

  • Medicinal Honey – We recently partnered with Paradise Farms to infuse local raw honey with immune supporting herbs. The sweetest way to bolster your support system!

Digestion Support

Respiratory

  • Great Throat Spray – Your upper respiratory tract’s first line of defense. This formula helps your body’s natural immune function to protect your sinuses, throat and lungs against exposure to pathogens.

Mood

  • Emotional Ease – Fall can bring about melancholy emotions that can lead to sadness. For such cases, it’s a good idea to pour yourself a glass of warm water and dose it up with this soothing emotional support elixir.

Everything I’ve mentioned is a great tool to keep you happy and healthy. By combining them with the building blocks of wellness: sleep, diet, and exercise you will be in a great position to enjoy your Fall. This time of year, is packed with a ton of events and fun traditions that no one wants to miss out on. Enjoy!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

8 Exercises to Fix Your Tech Neck

Fix Your Tech Neck! by Shiva Schiff, Doctor of Chiropractic

While technology has made our lives much more convenient, it has come at the cost of our physical health. As a chiropractor at NSEV Healing & Acupuncture, upper back/neck tension is the biggest side effect I see.

The strain on our bodies from hunching over our phones or sitting at computers leading to everything from headaches, jaw tension, and even pain radiating from our neck and shoulders. When we are in these prolonged positions, certain muscles in our body become more contracted, while others become weak.

I am offering eight simple exercises to stretch the tight muscles and strengthen the weak ones. These will help balance out your skeletal structure to ease tension and reduce pain. They are quick, simple, and can be done in the office or at home.

For each stretch exercise, hold it for one or two deep breaths.

For the strengthening exercises, complete sets of 10 or 15. You can do three rounds of all eight exercises.

1) Stretching your shoulders with your arms above your head

2) Stretching your shoulders while your bicep is parallel to the ground.

3) Stretching your shoulders while your arm is lower than your chest.

4) Standing against the wall with your butt, back, and head touching the wall, laterally bend your head to the side with one arm helping

5) A gentle row at chest level, making sure to bring the shoulder blades together.

6) Same style of rowing but at head level. 

7) A reverse “fly” making sure to keep your palms up and elbows straight, as well as bringing the shoulder blades together

8) Bring the Thera band behind your head like a hammock, stand against the wall, and extend your arms. Hold this position for 10 or 15 seconds.

Come Swallow the Moon with Me!

On April 1st of this year, I will be facilitating a new moon healing retreat at the remarkable Chozen Retreat. We have named this retreat “Swallow the Moon” after one of the profound cultivation practices we will experience throughout the weekend. Yes, we will swallow the moon, and in doing so, we will come to know her in a deeper and more profound way than ever before. 

Retreating with awareness and curiosity into the new, mostly dark moon can revive and develop our instinctual and intuitive relationship to the entire world and to ourselves.  It can create a direct experience of the cyclical nature of time, and in doing so, our relationship to time’s ebb and flow. 

When hanging out with the moon our vital functions and other exterior inputs are quieted. As we retreat, we explore, we engage, and we cultivate our archaic consciousness. It is here we can notice the pulse at the center of the stillness.  It is here we can experience the universe giving birth to itself through us.  It is here that we foster the primordial, undifferentiated wholeness, the limitless love, that lies at the core of our existence. 

This cannot be experienced by reading blogs or books or studied with equipment or measured or dissected. It is the domain of connection, compassion, and love. It is a descent into the slow, still dance of the Dao. 

Nurturing our relationship to the moon can assist in assuaging our modern anxiety. When quiet and curious we can learn from the whispers of the ancient wise ones that exist on the deepest level of our consciousness.

The moon also teaches us the beauty of the constancy of change and graces us with a way to truly understand our place in the cosmos.

Moon can connect us in the most conscious way possible to ourselves. It can clarify our thinking, expand our imagination, enhance our senses, ease our embodied emotions, and connect us to our breath and spirit. 

The moon has been a common experience for Earth beings throughout all of our existence, comforting and connecting us to the continuous flux that is our shared human existence here on Earth. 

When we pause and take notice, the moon will likely plunge us deep below our superficial desperations and into the essential core that perfumes us with a positive attitude and awareness that is the foundation of a happy, holy existence. 

Many misinterpret the concept of keeping a positive attitude during our life’s journey as a message to avoid all emotional content. Love is at the very core of our being. It is there to be dropped into at any moment. It is the template on which all human struggles occur. Our emotions, the anger, the fear, the grief, the worry that surge to the surface during our struggle with our challenges, our illnesses, and our physical and emotional selves provide an opportunity for expression and assimilation that when wholly engaged can be healing. 

The deep healing process plays out simultaneously on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels. Struggling with illness is difficult but also allows us an accelerated opportunity for healing and embracing the totality of the human experience in a heightened way. 

A retreat, especially one held with the moon in a space so consciously and lovingly created as the Chozen Sanctuary, allows a similar opportunity to engage this deep healing process. 

Of course, a retreat is a conscious decision and under our control in a way that illness is not. But there is something to be said for the choosing as well. To consciously and intentionally retreat to a place, both internally and externally, with a shared group is a challenge to our ordinary selves living our ordinary lives. The radical shift in the external environment allows for profound and deep internal exploration of all the processes that make us human. To collectively and individually explore and engage the moon through a myriad of meditation and cultivation practices provides the grace and space for the harmonious transformation of the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual for each of us as individuals and for the group as a whole. 

What ultimately animates me about the retreat process is the unknown that will provide unique opportunities for our collective and individual journey.  The mystery of our internal and external cosmos that unfolds and enfolds us all provides an extraordinary opportunity to connect deeply with my whole self, with the whole self of others, and with the wholeness that exists outside of all of us. It is through this deep connection that we can plant the seeds of lasting change in how we embrace the certainty and uncertainty that is the constancy in our lives and the life of our precious Earth. 

Click here to find out more about the retreat!

We still have a few spaces available for the retreat in the Safari Camp! Wake up in nature with our off-the-grid glamping experience, including a well-appointed safari tent and all the programming, activities, meals, and the extraordinary grounds of the Chozen Sanctuary.

Safari Camp: Glamping at Chozen Retreat