Yumi Ridsdale R. TCMP, R.Ac, M.A.
Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
& Registered Acupuncturist

“When you realize that you are part of nature, Chinese Medicine makes so much sense. “  

Yumi is a Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and a Registered Acupuncturist. She is also licensed in Five Elements Acupressure, Thai Yoga Massage, Foot Reflexology and Yoga Instructor. 

She graduated from Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine Academy with Honours in Toronto. After she became a Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner, she sought further training under Dr. Suzanne Robidoux to learn Classical Chinese Herbal Medicine (Jing Fang) and Classical Acupuncture techniques, which she found the most practical and effective.  

Prior to her Chinese Medicine study, she obtained a Master’s degree in Pacific and Asian Studies at the University of Victoria in Victoria BC, and learned the social equality and inequality in Modern China.  After graduation, she worked at a research company for several years. In her free time, she enjoys studying Classic Chinese philosophies of Lao Zi, Confucius, and Mencius. 

Chinese Medicine and Sustainability 

Yumi is deeply concerned with current environmental matters, and believes that the future of us and of the Earth together only lies when we all participate in sustainable practices, whether large or small. Chinese Medicine sees the law of our health and the law of nature is the same. What happens in nature happens in the body. Thinking about what is happening on the earth and equivalent symptoms in the human body, Yumi strongly believes in the need to act and practice as sustainably as possible. The followings are a few things Yumi does to ensure a sustainable business. 

• Yumi uses needles from a bulk pack. All needles she uses are sterile and one-time use only. Most of acupuncture needles come with a guiding tube and blister plastic package for each needle. Yumi’s uses bundle type in which 10 new sterile single-use needles are packed together with a single guiding tube. The carbon footprint of plastic is about 6kg CO2 per kg of plastic. That means roughly 5000 needles are equal to 6kg of CO2. That is approximately 330 Acupuncture patients.  By using the bulk package, she can significantly reduce the use of plastic.                                                                
• Yumi dispenses raw herbs for two reasons. One is that the raw form of the herb is the most efficient and can achieve the best result. The other is that processed herbs, such as granules, comes with plastic containers and packages. Also processing the herb itself requires the use of resources.  A typical granule that contains dosage for 3 weeks comes with 75g of plastic bottles and wrapping. Those 13 bottles are equal to 6kg CO2. In a busy clinic, one can easily dispense that many of granule herbs in one day. However, by dispensing the raw herb in a brown paper bag, the size of CO2 footprint is next to nothing. 
• Yumi uses cotton linens and towels, and avoids using polyester and microfiber as they are  derived from petroleum and other synthetic materials. They do not break down and accumulate as landfill garbage for a long time. Also when these fabrics are washed, a micro size small fiber is released to the water, which then gets eaten by fish and causes serious damage to those fish. Using cotton linens is one way to  participate in sustainable practice. 

What Does an Initial Consultation look like?

The Initial Consultation with Yumi is about 60-90 minutes. During the appointment, Yumi will take detailed information about your health including relevant questions about your main concerns as well as seemingly irrelevant questions. Chinese Medicine does not treat one specific symptom; rather it treats the pathological patterns that cause the symptoms. Yumi looks for the pathological patterns in each individual patient. 

After that, she will take the pulse of both wrists as Chinese Medicine practitioners monitor 12 pulses, 6 in each wrist. Then she will examine the tongue, which indicates her your digestive condition. After taking all the information, and if it is applicable, acupuncture treatment follows. Acupuncture treatment may not be applicable if the patient is too weak. Needles are inserted for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the patients’ age, severity of illnesses as well as the season and the weather.  While the patient has the needles in, Yumi will prescribe and dispense herbs if the patient agree to take herbs. Herbal treatment is often recommended especially when the illnesses involve Internal issues. 

How Much Do Sessions Cost?

• Initial Consultation including Acupuncture treatment 60-90 min – $120
• Follow up Chinese Medicine Acupuncture treatment 60 min (adult) – $75
• Follow up Chinese Medicine Acupuncture treatment 80 min (adult) – $105
• Follow up Chinese Medicine 30 min (child-youth) – $50
• Initial Herbal Consultation (without Acupuncture) 60 min – $100
• Follow up Herbal Medicine 30min – $60 including herbs
• Deep Tissue Acupressure Massage 55 min – $80
• Chinese Medicine Foot Reflexology 55 min – $80
• Initial Distance Consultation with herbal prescription over email and phone – $75
• Price of Herbs for one week – $30-40

Please note:  Yumi Ridsdale is an independent contractor. The services listed on our website does not signify a joint venture, partnership,  employer/employee relationship or any other relationship between Yumi Ridsdale and Nature’s Vibe, except that of two independent contracting parties.  Yumi Ridsdale agrees that she is not and shall not represent herself to be an employee of Nature’s Vibe for any purpose and shall not incur any obligations nor make any promise or representation on behalf of the same.