Ela Pękalska - Zest Acupuncture & Wellness

01/09/2025

Hi,
I'm excited to announce that I am now booking consultations starting from September 3rd.
You can schedule your appointment here:
zestacupuncture.neetocal.com
For complex health issues, please select "Initial Consultation and Acupuncture".
zestacupuncture.neetocal.com/initial

For a minor issue or pain in a single area, please select "Acupuncture".
zestacupuncture.neetocal.com/acupuncture
Every session is personalised.
If you are nervous about needles, I offer a needle-free approach. Instead of acupuncture, your session can include acupressure combined with visceral therapy and massage along the meridians zestacupuncture.neetocal.com/noneedle
I almost always combine acupuncture with elements of massage, visceral therapy, breathwork, and more. For example, thanks to Chinese Tuina massage—aspects of which I integrate into my treatments—my twins are now healthy, despite a very difficult start in life.
I've been through all hardships concerning most illnesses, be it emotional, mental or physical..
I've seen transgenerational trauma, emotional burdens, and many other aspects.
If you are for a transformation instead of accepting the same stuckness, I am here to help you change.
Move towards well-being.
I look forward to working with you!
Ela

24/07/2025

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24/07/2025

CONTEXT IS A PART OF TERRITORY (AS WELL AS YOUR BODY IS)
Why don’t I create "5 acupressure points against migraine" or "2 magic exercises for health" posts?
I am not making videos or posts with generic advice like “five acupressure points to fix migraines” or “two exercises to heal your body.”
Why?
Because the chance you’ll actually use them is slim, while the chance they’ll truly help you is even slimmer.
My life's purpose is to touch and transform. I'd rather write occasionally about something beneficial than do daily generic how-tos.
It’s not that acupressure points don’t work.
They do.
The problem is that techniques and protocols offer superficial solutions without addressing the root cause.
Techniques, such as acupressure protocols, breathing protocols, or even herbal formulas, can provide temporary relief. But it’s like taking painkillers for a broken leg instead of setting the bone and letting it heal.

Real healing requires more than cookie-cutter procedures.
What is more important is the CONTEXT.
Your CONTEXT.
Understanding the context behind your problem—how you live, what you eat, how you think, how stress accumulates in your body, or even the state of your gut microbiome.
Recognising that migraines, chronic fatigue, digestive pain, panic attacks, or alcohol dependence aren’t random dysfunctions. They’re symptoms of deeper imbalances in:
- Lifestyle (chronic stress, lack of recovery, toxic relationships)
- Environment (pollution, poor diet, overeating, or even too much fibre)
- Mental habits (repressed emotions, perfectionism, living in “fight-or-flight” mode).
You could massage LI4 point (that can be used against migraines) every day for a month, but if you don’t ask, “Why is my body creating this pain in the first place?”, the migraine will return.
THE CONTEXT is your Territory, together with your BODY.
Whatever advice you take and whatever you do, you need to ultimately take the territory into account.
"5 Acupressure Points against Migraine" is a generic map.
It may have nothing to do with your Territory.
The Real Solution is to understand and explore your Territory and balance the opposites.
Eastern medicine has known for millennia that health is about harmonising contradictions:
- Activity and rest
- Control and surrender
-The rational mind and the body’s innate wisdom
EXAMINE YOUR CONTEXT
So, to find a solution to your health issue, you are called to
examine your context:
- How do you work? Sleep? Eat?
- How do you handle stress?
- What do your relationships look like?
- Are you happy? What can make you happy?
This isn’t about generic “life wheel” coaching - it’s about your unique reality.
You become conscious of what is.
Of the patterns.
Example: If you work mentally (e.g. at a computer), it is beneficial if your diet prioritises fats and protein, and moderate carbs—with low to moderate fibre. Excess fibre can aggravate obsessive thoughts or even contribute to hiatal hernias, requiring acupuncture or visceral massage to correct. So, overeating on carbs and sitting a lot - will make you stuck - physically, which will transfer to you being stuck mentally (obsessive worry).

PATTERNS
Identify your patterns:
Do headaches strike after conflicts? Sleepless nights? Hormonal shifts? This takes honest self-observation.
OPPOSITES
Integrate opposites.
If you’re overly controlling, you may need spontaneity.
If you’re chaotic, you might need structure.

So...
Instead of just pressing migraine points you may start by becoming aware and asking yourself questions.
Am I dehydrated?
Eating processed foods?
Suppressing anger?
Instead of just meditating on stress, you may ask:
Is my job slowly killing me?
Do I need a change?
Do I need rest?
Instead of just taking probiotics and supplements in pills, perhaps the real issue is to quit them and eat real food: eggs, butter, and vegetables.
You see...
Healing isn't about techniques, wonderful supplements, the best exercises,
it is about you becoming conscious and transforming.
I’m not saying to abandon acupressure or breathwork.
But if you keep doing them and nothing changes - or if relief lasts only a month before symptoms return - you’re still missing the point.
SYMPTOMS are messengers.
Treating symptoms is like pulling weeds, it helps briefly. True healing means changing the soil they grow in.
So ... instead of chasing another “magic method,” start observing, listening, and balancing opposites.
See what BLOCKS you in the flow of life -
- your blood in the blood vessels
- your lymph nodes
- your edema
- your constant allergies
- your abdomen as a stone
- your freezing feet
and remove the blockage in the free flow of emotions and blood. When you do, the migraines won’t just disappear—your entire life will shift.
If you need help to remove blockages,I am back in September.

BUT...
if you want online sessions in August to help you understand your context,

write to me zestacupuncture @ gmail.com
Ela

16/07/2025

"THE BODY IS A GARDEN"
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https://somaticconsciousness.carrd.co/
It's a well-known metaphor, but reflecting on it can yield some interesting insights.
My clients usually fall into two categories:
TYPE 1:
Those who "take nothing"—no supplements, herbs, vitamins, or functional medicine—just prescribed medications (e.g., antidepressants or statins).
TYPE 2:
Those who self-experiment with "everything"—loading up on supplements, detox protocols, probiotics, minerals, and adaptogens.
The latter often struggle with digestive and emotional-mental issues while consuming complex blends.
For example:
Products like Better Greens, with 50+ ingredients per dose:
- Moringa, chlorella, spinach, broccoli, kale, green tea...
- Vitamins A, B, C, D3, E, K2, minerals (zinc, selenium, magnesium)...
- Digestive enzymes (amylase, protease, lipase)...
- Ashwagandha, ginseng, maca, shiitake...
Or Wellwoman Vitabiotics, with an ingredient list straight out of a chemistry textbook:

Microcrystalline Cellulose, Starch (Pregelatinised Maize Starch) & Potato Starch, Magnesium Oxide, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Tablet Coating (Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, Polydextrose, Talc, Medium Chain Triglyceride, Colours [Iron Oxides & Calcium Carbonate]), L-Carnitine Tartrate, Niacin (as Nicotinamide), Ferrous Fumarate, Zinc Sulphate, L-Methionine, N-Acetyl Cysteine, Vitamin E (D Alpha Tocopheryl Acid Succinate) (from Soya), Anti-Caking Agents: Magnesium Stearate, Stearic Acid, Silicon Dioxide & Purified Talc, Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, Guarana Extract, Thiamin (Vitamin B1 as Mononitrate), Citrus Bioflavonoids, Ethyl Cellulose, Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCl), Betacarotene, Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium Salt), Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol), Manganese Sulphate, Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin), Riboflavin, Green Tea Extract, Copper Sulphate, Vitamin K1 (Phytomenadione), Coenzyme Q10, Folic Acid (as Pteroylmonoglutamic Acid), Chromium Trichloride, Sodium Selenate, Potassium Iodide, Biotin.
Science confirms these ingredients are beneficial! You could also add:
- Omega-3
- NAC
- Creatine
- Probiotics
- Collagen
- Herbs like nettle, turmeric + black pepper, cinnamon, garlic...
Occasional parasite or liver detoxes...
But wait—
THINK OF YOUR BODY AS A GARDEN.
Plants thrive best on natural compost—broken-down organic matter that has been processed by microorganisms. Sometimes, targeted fertilisers help (e.g., for tomatoes), but only in the right doses.
Each plant has unique needs:
- More or less water
- Acidic or alkaline soil pH
- Specific nutrient balances
(Potatoes prefer pH 5.5–6.5; parsley thrives at 6.5–7.5.)
If you mix fertilisers haphazardly, nothing grows well.
Overwater? Fungi and parasites take over.
Gardening is the art of observation.
You don’t water during a rainstorm! If it’s too wet, you plant species that absorb excess moisture.
YOUR BODY IS THE SAME.
If you dump 50+ ingredients into it just because they’re "healthy," what happens?
People rave about supplements—but do you actually feel better?
New studies hype NAD+, omega-3s, or the latest probiotic strain—but were they tested on people with your genetics, microbiome, or climate?
If you live in Poland or the UK, but the research was done in Texas, how relevant is it?
Your tongue is a window to your oral and gut microbiome.
A thick white/yellow coating (dampness syndrome) means greens and dairy might worsen your condition—they’re "cooling and dampening."
Who promotes them? Often, people from hot, dry climates, that these foods make sense. However, in humid regions (such as the UK), they can exacerbate imbalances.
In my practice, I see desperate people with severe digestive and mental issues, chugging multi-probiotic-mushroom-elixirs because "everything helps."
Supplements are trendy—"Can’t hurt to try, right?"
But how do you measure results?
Do you have clear criteria to track their impact?
I’ve spent 15 years studying health approaches.
Before Chinese medicine, I worked in data analysis—I know how to scrutinise research.
I review studies, attend functional medicine lectures, and even test protocols on myself.
Yet, I’ve never found a supplement that helped me more than precision-prescribed herbs or medicinal mushrooms.
When clients arrive with 5-6 supplement "combines" (20+ ingredients each), I ask:
"How can the body’s garden thrive when we throw in opposing forces?"
HEALING STARTS WITH SUBTRACTION.
We remove unnecessary supplements (ideally, all of them, gradually).
We align diet with the body’s signals.
We retrain the nervous system and fascia.
Then—breakthroughs happen.
Health is body awareness, or somatic consciousness.
A well-functioning digestive system.
A body that heals itself when we remove obstacles.
I prefer Chinese medicine because it simplifies nutritional and herbal choices based on:
Symptoms & Tongue analysis, Your unique context (microbiome, stress, sleep, climate).
No one else can do this work for you.
Understanding your body’s needs and dysfunctions is key.
I’ll gradually share:
- Insights from Chinese medicine practice
- Online programs on tongue analysis (for you/your kids)
- How to tailor food and herbs to your issues
- Stress reduction techniques
- How to live simply and healthily
Sign up for the newsletter:
https://somaticconsciousness.carrd.co/
Less guessing.
More observing.
Better health.
Ela

P.S. Want to start?
Check your tongue in the mirror.
Thick coating? Maybe skip that green smoothie today..

15/07/2025

MIND IS A MAP.
BODY IS THE TERRITORY.
Most often, they don’t align.
If I had to choose a metaphor to describe the context of my work, it would be these words:
Map and territory.
Two distinct realities, though we assume they describe the same thing.
Different languages.
Two ways of experiencing the world.
And a whole lot of miscommunication between them.
We live in a culture that teaches us to trust the mind above all. We think, analyse, judge, plan, control...
Meanwhile, the body... the body simply is.
It is a matter.
A dense form.
It has its own wisdom.
- When the mind says, "Everything’s fine," the body may experience knots in the stomach.
- When the mind insists, "I can handle this," the tension in the shoulders and tight trapezius muscles scream, "Enough!"
- When the mind promises, "This time will be different," the viscera still remember old wounds.
I AM A GUIDE who helps:

1) Prepare the territory for a garden—creating structure, clearing weeds, enriching the soil, and planting seeds.
AND
2) Align the map with the territory.

I USE
A) ACUPUNCTURE
It removes blockages in the fascia, aberrations in the nervous system, noise, and sensory overload.
In this metaphor, it’s clearing weeds, levelling the ground, enriching the soil, and ensuring proper hydration.
I work with:
- The nervous system (sympathetic & parasympathetic)
- The digestive and circulatory systems
- The myofascial pathways that connect body areas with emotions and organic functions
EXAMPLE:
- Tension in the liver or gallbladder meridians often links to stress, trauma, or suppressed anger.
- Blockages in the stomach meridian (front of the body) may relate to excessive worry, poor digestion, or dysfunctions like Oddi sphincter issues.
B) FASCIA WORK – Untangling the stories stored in the body.
Fascia is an intelligent connective tissue network with piezoelectric properties.
- It remembers injuries (even years later)—mechanical (falls, accidents), distortions from sudden emotions or sensory overload.

- It reacts to stress (forming adhesions and tension).
- It connects distant body parts in surprising ways. (Everything is linked through fascia.)
My hands read these stories—not to dwell on them, but to release them, freeing the body from pain and old patterns.
In the metaphor, this is structuring the garden—balancing sunlight and shade, ensuring good soil pH and quality, and proper hydration.

C) AWERENESS & WORDS OF CHANGE
The body is the soul’s temple—and also its most tangible expression.
In the metaphor, this is adjusting the map to match the territory.
When we release physical blockages—tightness, spasms, tension, mental clutter, overthinking—deeper shifts often follow:
- Releasing chest tension can unearth grief or help anchor ideas in the body, making them actionable.
- Relaxing the pelvis often unlocks creativity.
- Working with the diaphragm restores breath and digestion, building resilience and self-confidence.
WHAT DO YOU GAIN FROM WORKING WITH ME?
- Coherence – Your map and territory reflect reality.
- Authenticity – You stop pretending, even to yourself.
- Freedom – From patterns etched in your body.
- Joy – In being present within yourself.
How does it look in practice?
You come in with back pain.
I observe your tongue, ears, and pulse.
I listen.
I am fully present.
I touch. I palpate.
Only then do I know the next step.
Under my hands, we might discover:
Spinal muscles hard as stone.
Breath stuck at the diaphragm.
The left hip is noticeably heavier, lower.
Pain around the iliac crest.
Tension in the neck and around the liver area.
Oddi sphincter dysfunction.
Uneven gait.
An "apologetic" voice.
Pale complexion.
Irregular breath.
Tense & rapid pulse.

We begin the work.
Touch.
Pressure.
Acupuncture.
Space.
Movement.
Music.
Words.
Memories may surface.
Sometimes tears.
Sometimes insights.
Sometimes, a deep understanding.
The breath deepens.
Digestion recalibrates.
Your back begins to breathe.
You feel calm.
The mental chatter quiets.
Your body softens.

Slowly, the pain dissolves, and you...
will become the still surface of a lake.
Simply being.
Yourself.
You say: "I feel like I’ve dropped heavy stones. I live in my body now."
This isn’t magic.
It’s returning to balance.
The map begins to match the territory.
Each body holds wisdom.
Each body knows how to heal.
Sometimes, it just needs a guide to help remove the blocks along the way.
If your map and territory feel like separate realms—Iet’s find their common language.

Ela
Appointments: zestacupuncture.neetocal.com

09/07/2025

➡️ Gentle Healing Without Needles: A Soothing Holistic Session 🌿
Perfect for sensitive souls - whether you’re a parent seeking natural care for your child, a teen navigating stress, or someone who prefers needle-free therapies.
This session blends:
- Soothing touch to ease tension
- Precise acupressure to restore flow
- Meridian massage
- Visceral therapy (abdominal massage) to support deep healing
It may also include elements of cupping or gua sha, depending on the needs.

IDEAL FOR:
- Kids & teens (gentle yet effective)
- Needle-free seekers (all the benefits, no discomfort)

MEANT FOR:
✔ Stress, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation
✔ Nervous tension, fear, worry, OCD
✔ Digestive issues
✔ Asthma, hay fever, allergies
✔ Pain
Let’s work with your body’s wisdom—no needles needed.
It has always been there as a possibility, but I'm making it more explicit.

Make an appointment here: https://zestacupuncture.neetocal.com/noneedle

Ela

08/07/2025

"Healing is Reduction. 🌀

Healing isn’t about adding - more exercises, supplements, running, yoga — it’s about undoing.
Your body knows how to thrive when we simply remove what’s in the way:

→ Tension trapped in muscles
→ Stress locked in the nervous system
→ Stuck fascia restricting flow
My quick acupuncture sessions focus on reduction—gently dissolving these blockages with minimal needles (1-4) to restore ease, motion, and vitality.
No force, just precision.
Less resistance = more you.
Ready to unblock?
Let’s work with your body, not against it.
30min sessions -
https://zestacupuncture.neetocal.com/quick-acu

Ela

07/07/2025

📍 Introducing Quick Acupuncture – a streamlined 30-minute session designed for busy lifestyles.
Using only 1-4 needles, this focused treatment delivers profound results in minimal time.

Perfect for:
- First-time clients wanting a try-out
- Stress, overwhelm, or chronic fatigue relief
- Single site pain
- Nervous system dysregulation
- Those with packed schedules
Each session includes:
- 7-10-minute consultation & diagnosis
- followed by 15-20 minutes of acupuncture for efficient, effective care.
Please book it here:
https://zestacupuncture.neetocal.com/quick-acu

05/07/2025

Of course!
I have also helped people in all stages of many diseases.
Chinese medicine can offer a lot.

Kate Middleton said that she had acupuncture during her recovery from cancer, according to a new report about her meaningful visit to Colchester Hospital.

03/07/2025

The Polyvagal Theory
This is Stephen Porges' triune theory of the vagus nerve (also discussed by Gabor Maté). It proposes that the parasympathetic vagus has two distinct branches: a supradiaphragmatic (ventral) branch and a subdiaphragmatic (dorsal) branch.
The ventral branch is linked to the medulla oblongata, where the vagal nuclei (of cranial nerves IX-XII) reside. These nuclei have two core components on each side:
-The inner (ventral) nucleus → is associated with social engagement and calm states.
- The outer (dorsal) nucleus → is linked to immobilisation and shutdown responses.
Porges suggests that during trauma or shock, stimuli activate the ventral vagal pathway, triggering a freeze response. Essentially, the system becomes overwhelmed, leading to prolonged immobilisation.
To "exit" this frozen state, the sympathetic branch of the nervous system must be reactivated—hence therapies like somatic shaking or breathwork.
Recently, some researchers argue that Porges' theory lacks scientific rigour. That may be true (or not), but as a Chinese medicine practitioner, I find it clinically valuable.

WHY?
Trauma is stored in the Body.

In trauma, the ventral vagus is overloaded, manifesting as tension in the diaphragm, visceral plexus, and mesenteric vessels and plexus.
The vagus nerve intertwines with arteries, organs (liver, pancreas, stomach), and fascial networks. People who experienced trauma often exhibit chronic abdominal rigidity and tension.
Their abdomen feels "like stone" to palpation.
Or there is a sensation of pain even with a touch.
Under threat, blood flow shifts away from the gut (toward the brain and limbs). A sudden shock may cause excessive smooth muscle contraction in arteries/fascia, leaving the body "stuck" long after the threat passes.
A Muscle Spasm Analogy
Think of a calf muscle cramp: after injury or overuse, motor nerves misfire, causing pain and dysfunction. Similarly, trauma "locks" visceral and vascular tissues via vagal dysregulation.
HO I WORK WITH TRAUMA
I use acupuncture and palpation to release these somatic holding patterns:

1) Assessment: I identify dysfunctional nerve pathways (e.g., sciatic, radial, or tibial nerves—somatic nerves that influence autonomic tone).

2) Intervention: Precise needling (often just 1-4 needles) regulates:
- Gas exchange (CO₂/O₂/NO/ CO/ H₂S balance).
- Fascial and vascular tension.
- Vasodilation
- Enkephalin release

3) Outcomes: Clients report:
- Abdominal softening (pain disappears under pressure).
- Quieted "inner chatter"
- Pain release
- Deep relaxation.
People leave toxic jobs/relationships within weeks as their nervous system resets.
My Own Trauma Story
My healing journey began after a traumatic twin pregnancy and C-section (a 20cm scar left me feeling "bisected" for years). Dedicated acupuncture released this physical-emotional gridlock, culminating in a 2-week euphoric state—proof of nervous system repatterning.
LESS IS MORE
Standard 10+, usually 20+ needle protocols often miss the mark. Targeted work yields deeper autonomic shifts.
Palpation > Talk Therapy:
I don't ask about trauma history. The body shows me where tension lives.
Emotional Baggage = Physical Pain: While acupuncture can relieve pain alone, resolving emotional charge consistently resolves chronic pain.

Is Polyvagal Theory Perfect?
Perhaps not.

But it bridges Western neurology and Eastern medicine, explaining why body-based interventions (like acupuncture) can rewrite trauma.
Final Thought:
Science may debate Porges, but clinical results speak for themselves. When the nervous system unwinds, people transform—not just physically, but in their capacity to live boldly.


Ela

25/06/2025

Neoclassical NEXUS Masterclass - the group of advanced acupuncturists from the whole world, training in Santiago.
If you are afraid of needles, this may be for you!
Another masterclass in acupuncture – NEXUS level.
Nexus means connection, a link.
In a moment: Expert-level problem-solving with just ONE NEEDLE.
(Though after 10 years, I am an expert in acupuncture—I’ve mastered many styles and approaches.)

This is another leap for me, even though I’ve been training in this for a while (2 years now).

Some physical issues call for more needles and a Western medical acupuncture approach.
But for others - especially stress and overwhelming emotions - I use just 1-2 needles.

I often combine this with:
- Visceral therapy,
- Gua sha,
- Touch,
- Fascial work.

Choosing where and how to place that single needle comes from years of study: reading the body’s signals - palpation, ears, tongue, touch - and understanding the connections.

That one needle (that is really important) has a profound ripple effect, triggering deep healing shifts in the body.

If you dislike needles, this approach is PERFECT for you.
Imagine a keystone holding up an arch - remove it, and the whole structure collapses.
That’s the power of the precisely chosen needle: it unlocks cascading transformations.

Ready to take a GIANT LEAP toward healing?
Book your session.

If you have multiple problems (e.g physical pain and emotional upsets, and insomnia) or need a walk-through and a discussion,
I suggest a 2h initial session:
https://zestacupuncture.neetocal.com/initial

If you are strictly after acupuncture, choose this appointment:
https://zestacupuncture.neetocal.com/acupuncture

18/06/2025

I possess a rare ability: the skill to uncover the core of any problem.
Trained as a scientist, I’ve spent years analysing patterns and data (PhD cm laude and postdoc in pattern recognition, machine learning & statistics).
Now, I blend that rigorous approach with the wisdom of Chinese medicine.
What sets me apart is my capacity to detect issues others miss, because:
- I think "outside the box"
- Explore with both depth and breadth


MY recent review:

"Having had various physio sessions over many years with moderate success, I decided to try an alternative route and that is when I met Ela...

She has identified the issues that no one else had and after my first session there was a marked improvement. after 3 sessions, I felt better than I had in years.

Ela, is a highly intelligent, informed and skilled practitioner and I would HIGHLY recommend her to anybody looking to get pain free."
THANK YOU!
Ela