Private consultation for functional medicine
Nutritional and Herbal Products:
- Dragonfly Acupuncture2890 Pio Pico Dr. suite 104,
Carlsbad, CA 92008858-344-0889 - Mon10am - 6pmWed10am - 6pmSat1pm - 6pm
- Dragonfly Acupuncture1012 Camino Del Mar, suite 212,
Del Mar, CA 92014858-344-0889 - Thu10am - 6pm
Availability:
Tuesday - Friday- Testimonials
Ananda at Dragonfly Acupuncture is hands down one of the most amazing people I know. I’ve been seeing her for years and she never ceases to astound me with her insight and kindness. I was nervous about acupuncture the first time, as I don’t do well with needles, but now I hardly even notice them.
Ananda is gentle and accurate. Her office is small, intimate, and clean. It doesn’t feel like a sterile medical facility. It feels like a little... Read more »
I believe that the art and science of acupuncture and/or acupressure is a valuable health tool. My wife and I first became acquainted with acupuncture when our neighbor, a semi-retired pediatrician and a former head of an American Military Hospital Pediatrics Department in Germany applied it in the rehabilitation of our son who had become a non-verbal quadriplegic the night before he was to start college as a result of an auto accident in which he was a passenger.
Our... Read more »
Nancy Ananda Stevenson, L.Ac, is a highly trained health practitioner with extensive experience in acupuncture and other healing methodologies. She has facilitated improvements at different times and helped to rejuvenate my health system. She will focus on various aspects of different issues and address them as they appear.
From my first treatment in 2009 until the present, her treatments have corrected and resolved various conditions for me: some related to digestion and infection, others to circulation, inflammation reduction, and pain... Read more »
I have seen Ananda Stevenson for acupuncture treatments for several years. She has a classic training from a Chinese Master that enables her to effectively address any medial concerns. She has a positive and healing spirit that I would recommend to anyone. Ann W
Ananda has been a trusted confidant since the moment I walked into her office a year and a half ago. Her intuitive abilities, experience both personally and professionally, along with her perspective makes her a tremendous resource who I’m so blessed to have in my life. Ananda has allowed me to look at things in a different way which has allowed new learning, possibilities and freedom.
-Kelly
My name is Howard Minkin. Ananda is treating me for stenosis, and atrial fibrillation, and other related issues. Under Ananda’s care my pain is becoming reduced along with lower use of meds to control pain. My heart rate is becoming more steady along with lowered swelling in the feet from taking herbs she prescribes. Her manner is warm and reassuring engendering trust within myself for her care . I am a Kaiser member and being treated simultaneously by them for... Read more »
“She gets results, when there was no one else who could figure out how to help me.”
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Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture as a Supportive Therapy in Cancer Care
Anyone going through cancer treatment remembers certain milestones; diagnosis day, first/last day of chemo, and hopefully the eventual all clear appointment. First, the focus is on survival. But as the weeks pass, it isn’t just cancer that patients are fighting. It’s the nausea that lingers for days, the bone-deep fatigue, the sleepless nights, and the anxiety that creeps in quietly when the room is dark.
Oncologists often warn that, “Treatment can be as challenging as the disease itself.” What no one often realizes is that support can come from unexpected places, including through adjunct therapies like acupuncture. The integration of acupuncture into cancer care is not to replace conventional treatments, but to support patients through them. continue reading
Can Acupuncture Bring Relief Between Multiple Sclerosis Relapses?
A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) can change life in an instant. One minute you’re seemingly fine and the next you find yourself in a neurologist’s office. Symptoms can creep in over a few months. Symptoms like tingling in the hands, unexplained fatigue that sleep doesn’t fix, and moments where your legs feel like they don’t belong to you.
MS is a chronic neurological condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective covering of nerves, disrupting communication between the brain and body. Symptoms vary widely and include fatigue, pain, mobility issues, bladder dysfunction, and cognitive challenges, but what unites many patients is unpredictability.
Conventional treatments helped manage disease progression, but the day-to-day symptoms can remain. Many people with MS explore complementary therapies, not as replacements, but as support. And that’s where acupuncture comes in. continue reading
Acupuncture for Stress and Anxiety: A Research-Backed Guide to How and Why It Works
Stress and anxiety have become defining health concerns of modern life. Fast communication, demanding schedules, and constant stimulation keep many people in a near-continuous “fight-or-flight” state. Over time this activation can disrupt sleep, digestion, mood, immune function, and cardiovascular health.
While conventional treatments such as psychotherapy and medication can be highly effective, many individuals seek complementary approaches that regulate the body rather than simply suppress symptoms. One of the most studied integrative options is acupuncture, a traditional East Asian medical therapy practiced for thousands of years and increasingly validated by modern clinical research. continue reading
How an Ancient Therapy Supports Modern Reproductive Health
Infertility affects millions of couples worldwide, and for many, the journey to conception involves more than medical testing and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) like IVF. Increasingly, patients and clinicians are exploring integrative care, combining conventional medicine with evidence-informed complementary therapies. Among the most studied of these is acupuncture, a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practiced for more than 2,000 years.
Today, acupuncture is not viewed simply as an “alternative” therapy, but as a supportive physiological intervention that may influence hormonal regulation, blood flow, stress response, and reproductive function. While research findings are mixed and nuanced, a growing body of clinical evidence suggests acupuncture can play a valuable adjunct role in fertility treatment and natural conception efforts. continue reading
The Benefits of Gua Sha: Ancient Technique, Modern Science
For centuries, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have used Gua Sha to promote healing, circulation, and balance in the body. Think of it as a scraping therapy performed with a smooth-edged tool. Today, it has evolved from a full-body therapeutic practice into a global wellness and skincare ritual used by acupuncturists, massage therapists, estheticians, athletes, and everyday consumers.
But beyond the viral beauty videos and jade tools lies a growing body of research exploring what Gua Sha does physiologically. Surprisingly, many of its claimed benefits like pain relief, improved circulation, reduced inflammation, and lymphatic movement, now have measurable biological explanations. continue reading
Meridian Theory: The Ancient Map of the Body
For thousands of years, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have described the human body using a very different “anatomy” than modern Western medicine. Instead of nerves, vessels, and organs alone, they spoke of an energetic network or a communication system linking every structure, function, and sensation.
This network is called the meridian system. Today, interest in acupuncture, fascia research, bioelectric signaling, and integrative medicine has brought Meridian Theory back into scientific conversation. Researchers are now asking: Are meridians symbolic or do they represent real physiological pathways? continue reading
What Is Moxibustion?
Moxibustion is a traditional therapy rooted in East Asian medicine that involves the application of heat to specific points on the body using moxa, a dried form of the herb Artemisia argyi (commonly known as mugwort). The goal is simple but powerful: warm the body, stimulate circulation, and support the natural flow of energy, often referred to as qi, to promote healing and overall well-being. continue reading
When Your Next Meal is Part of the Treatment Plan
For many chronic health issues, everyday exposures matter most. Food isn’t only fuel. It’s raw material, signaling molecules, and a daily set of “instructions” your body reads repeatedly.
The idea of food as medicine isn’t new. It shows up in traditional healing systems, in public health, and increasingly in modern clinical research. The most useful way to think about it today is practical and evidence-based:
- Food can reduce risk (primary prevention).
- Food can support treatment alongside medical care (adjunct therapy).
- Food can change symptoms by affecting inflammation, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, the gut microbiome, and even brain signaling.
It won’t replace necessary medications or procedures. But in many cases, it can meaningfully shift the trajectory of health and sometimes quickly. continue reading
Cupping + Acupuncture: More Than the Sum of its Parts
Do any of these scenarios sound like your life: a stubborn knot between the shoulder blades, a low-back flare that keeps returning, or a neck that feels “stuck” after long hours at a desk? Acupuncture needles can calm the nervous system and change pain signaling and cupping can mechanically decompress tight tissue and improve local circulation. Used together thoughtfully and safely they’re often paired to help pain move from “sharp and guarded” to “dull and workable,” and then to “resolved or manageable.” continue reading
Chinese & Japanese Acupuncture: Two Traditions, One Lineage
Both Japanese and Chinese acupuncture spring from the same classical East Asian medical roots, yet they diverged over centuries into distinct clinical styles. In Japan, techniques evolved toward gentler, highly tactile methods. And in China, the practice of acupuncture tended to emphasize stronger needle sensation and standardized point prescriptions within Traditional Chinese Medicine, also known as TCM. While some have their preferences, neither is “better” than the other. The right choice often depends on the patient’s condition, sensitivity, and their goals. continue reading