I began my study of Chinese medicine in the late 1980's. I was first drawn to the vast richness and depth of Chinese medicine through my practice of classical martial arts. Over the decades, I learned various methods of hands-on therapies for the treatment of injuries that would occur during training. I also learned how herbal medicine has been safely and effectively used for millenia to support athletic training. After completing my undergraduate degree and working for a few years as a translator I realized my true calling was in the study and practice of Chinese Medicine.


I received my Master of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 2001 and completed a sports medicine and orthopedics internship treating collegiate athletes at the University of California, San Diego. After obtaining my California State Acupuncture license in 2002, I began to actively study Classical Chinese Medicine under Dr. Jeffrey Yuen, an 88th generation Daoist physician and priest. I continue to study with Dr. Yuen to this day with the belief that it is my responsibility to keep growing as a physician for the sake of my patients. The rich tradition that Dr. Yuen teaches has allowed me to successfully help many patients with difficult neurological complaints, autoimmune disorders and a wide range of functional diseases.

I have personally experienced the shortcomings of the conventional medical system which primarily focuses on the suppression of symptoms and the disempowerment of patients. This motivated me to devote my practice to empowering my patients to take back control of their health and break free from their dependency on medications.

I use a combination of acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutraceuticals, tui na, qi gong, and dietary therapy integrated with functional medicine (customized lab work) to decipher the mystery of each unique patient. Although it is a challenging path, I find it immensely rewarding and cannot imagine doing anything else.


I have practiced and taught classical Chinese martial arts and health practices in the US and internationally for decades. A student at heart, I spend much of my free time reading or thinking about how to be a better physician for my patients. My goal is ultimately to help unlock the miraculous healing capacity that is contained in every individual.


Since beginning my practice in 2002 I've worked closely with many primary care doctors, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists and gasteroenterologists to provide heart-felt care to thousands of patients.

Marcia Nogueira, M.S., L.Ac. has been practicing acupuncture since 2004 and has been in her Thousand Oaks location for the past 7 years. She is a graduate of Samra University of Oriental Medicine where she received her Master's degree in Oriental Medicine. She completed her undergraduate education at UCLA where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychobiology. She is a California board licensed acupuncturist and currently practices both Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. She has traveled to China to further her studies of Eastern Medicine and completed an internship at the International Acupuncture Training Center in Beijing.

Sandee Wellness Center has been established by Dr. Chalaiporn, M.D., M.S., L.Ac who has over 10 years experience in the field of acupuncture and herbal remedies. Our entire staff each have over 5 years experience in the field of massage therapy.
Our goal is to help you become well and stay well in every way. Using a personalized combination of Acupuncture, Massage & Chinese Herbs are able to help individualized and
effective programs.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, disease contains two parts analogous to the roots and branches of a tree. The symptoms are like branches, and if you only treat them, the same roots will soon grow the same symptoms again. To effectively heal, one must address the root cause of the of illness so the tree may grow healthy branches. Additionally, two people may both experience a similar disease but have very different underlying root causes. Likewise, two others may have very different diseases but have the same root cause. At Rooted Medicine, Andrea Hingst L.Ac. MSOM, draws from experiences in integrated hospitals and private practice to combine traditional Chinese therapies with modern functional medicine to identify each individual’s unique foundational imbalance to heal from the roots up.

Sarah became interested in acupuncture as a career during high school. She chose to study physiology at the Lyman Brigg's School of Michigan State University. After undergrad, Sarah continued her education at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, OR. She spent 3 full years learning Chinese Medicine, including anatomy, physiology, Chinese medical theory, western pathology, acupuncture, Chinese herbology, nutrition, shiatsu massage, taichi,
and qigong. She also completed a 1 year internship in her last year of school, where she studied under both Chinese and Western acupuncturists and herbalists. She completed her qigong training with a certification to teach 1000 Hands Buddha Qigong.

Sarah has continued expanding her acupuncture knowledge by taking many continueing education courses. These include Chinese medical theory, the treatment of stress, anxiety, and pain, women's health, GI disorders and allergies. She has studied balance method with Dr. Tan, the Mei Zen Cosmetic acupuncture system, the Battlefield Acupuncture protocol for pain management and Chinese language. Most recently she has completed a 3 weekend intensive training in Sports Medicine Acupuncture and is working on completing the ABORM exam for certification in reproductive medicine.