About Luriko

As a small child, I always knew I enjoyed helping people and making them feel better.  It was at a Japanese supplements company that further cultivated my passion for Eastern health philosophy and nutrition, and I decided to heed the calling into healthcare.  I chose Chinese medicine as my craft since its holistic, nature-derived philosophy and focus on prevention deeply resonated with my own perspective on health and wellness.  Turning my back on corporate employment, I enrolled full-time at Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and graduating with honors four years later in 2007, I’ve never looked back.

I  have benefited tremendously from the medicine I practice, by getting very regular acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine initally while at acupuncture school and now even as a private practitioner.  I have an integrative approach to maintaining my own wellness using acupuncture & Asian Medicine, exercise, Food as Medicine, chiropractic care, meditation, qi gong, and enjoying my time with my family and friends.   In addition to my private practice since 2008, I also run a 1.9k Acupuncturist FB group born out of the pandemic, leading the group to provide a space for acupuncturist to learn all we can about the evolving nature of COVID19, and contribute many volunteer hours at my son’s school on the Health and Safety Committee as well as the DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice) Committee.

Since becoming a mother after getting my license, it’s also led me to a remarkable journey of self growth and healing, as many parents can attest, our children come into our world to teach us lessons.  My son has been one of my biggest teachers in love, compassion, patience, perseverance, and joy, and having him in my life has opened the doors for me to become a pediatric acupuncturist.  It is my resolve to help make a difference in our future by treating children, because by helping to heal one child, it causes a ripple effect of positive change in the family, the community and ultimately the society we live in.

From Practice To Practitioner

Now, as a practitioner, I continue to receive regular Asian medicine care to maintain my well being so that I can be at my best for myself, my patients and for my family.  To further improve my health, I have also been following a gluten-free, primarily vegetable-and-protein diet for about 5 years and have seen the tremendous positive effects this diet has had on my digestive health and overall well being.  I also continue to deepen my understanding of this vast and beautiful medicine by studying under masters in Traditional Japanese Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine — Masakazu Ikeda sensei, Edward Obaidey sensei, Dr. Mikio Sankey, and Dr. Hua Bing Wen — and Dr. Mazin Al-Khafaji in Chinese Medicine Dermatology.  For Pediatric Acupuncture and Asian Medicine (PAM), I have studied with masters Efrem Korngold, L.Ac., Steve Cowan, MD, Robin Green, L.Ac, Soma Glick, L.Ac., and Raven Lang, L.Ac.

In addition to English, I am fluent in both Spanish and Japanese, and offer care to Spanish- and Japanese-speaking patients.  I have been very fortunate to have had a very international upbringing – Bogota, Colombia, Tokyo, Japan, and Chicago and Los Angeles.  I attended an international school in Tokyo, attended public schools in Chicago, and graduated from UCLA with a BA in World Arts and Cultures. These diverse cultural, linguistic, educational and social experiences has gifted me with an intuitive understanding of human behavior, needs, and sufferings, and only enhanced my professional training in the medical field, which is about alleviating human suffering.

My husband, son and I live near LAX.  We love to explore the diverse beauty that is Los Angeles both in terms of landscapes and its people, and taste the wonderful authentic ethnic foods available throughout this big metropolis.  You might easily find me eating at a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant in the San Gabriel valley as well as high-end foodie restaurants (for those special occasions!) in the city.  Bon appetite!

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