Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Hingst.
Hi Andrea , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a Licensed Acupuncturist and nationally recognized practitioner of Chinese Medicine with over 15 years of clinical experience helping patients reclaim their health and vitality.
My journey began at Michigan State University, where I earned my undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. During that time, I conducted four years of laboratory research in the field of medical genetics, earning grants and publication. There, I discovered epigenetics—the study of how behaviors and environment influence gene expression without altering DNA—igniting a lifelong passion for understanding how lifestyle can deeply impact health.
Inspired to support several close family members with various autoimmune conditions, I witnessed first hand how simple dietary and lifestyle changes could lead to profound symptom relief—where pharmaceuticals and surgeries had fallen short. This experience shifted my focus from pursuing a conventional medical path to studying a more holistic and systems-based approach to healing.
I went on to earn a four-year medical degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from National University of Health Sciences near Chicago, Illinois. I chose this program for its strong integration of Western biomedical science—including lab diagnostics, pharmacology, and surgical fundamentals—knowing that many of my future patients would come to me with this background. After completing over 2,000 clinical hours and graduating as valedictorian, summe cum laude, I moved to Xi’an, China for a two-year hospital residency, focusing on neurological conditions. In addition to seeing hundreds of patients daily in the hospital setting, I had the rare honor of studying with several multigenerational Chinese Medicine doctors—some from lineages spanning up to 16 generations.
Upon returning to the U.S., I practiced Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in integrative clinics alongside MDs, DOs, and naturopathic doctors throughout the Chicago area. In 2018, I returned to Michigan to be closer to family and founded Flow Wellness in Southfield, where I now serve the metro Detroit community.
My approach blends the precision of modern biomedicine with the deep wisdom of East Asian medicine to offer highly individualized, whole-person care. My guiding principle is simple: right medicine, right dose, right time. I take the time to deeply understand each individual’s unique constitution and story, so that treatments are not only effective—but also compassionate, empowering, and sustainable.
Whether working hands-on in the treatment room or offering thoughtful guidance on lifestyle and self-care, I aim to support long-lasting wellness and an optimized quality of life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
“My career has definitely been more of a steady mountain climb than a smooth road—and I’m grateful for that. Practicing medicine and building a successful business require the same qualities: consistent discipline, resilience, and a willingness to keep learning. Over time those small steps turn into real progress.
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that medicine is really about people. You can know every technique and every formula, but healing happens through trust. Each patient interaction teaches me how to communicate clearly, set shared expectations, and truly hear the person in front of me. In Chinese and holistic medicine especially, understanding someone’s daily life, habits, emotions, and environment is just as important as any diagnosis.
A modern challenge in healthcare is helping patients navigate the overwhelming amount of wellness marketing and social-media trends. There’s a huge push toward ‘one-size-fits-all’ solutions, which creates a kind of ‘magic pill’ expectation. Many people spend a lot of money—and a lot of digestive energy—on products that don’t actually match what their body needs.
This is where Chinese medicine’s systems-based approach is powerful. Instead of asking, ‘Does this trend work?’ we ask, ‘For whom might this work, and under what conditions?’ Take turmeric, for example. It’s been marketed as a universal anti-inflammatory, and while it’s a wonderful Chinese herb used successfully in formulas, it’s cooling and drying. That means it’s not appropriate for someone with loose stools from weak digestion or for a dry-heat constitutional pattern. The treatment has to fit the person, not the trend.
So the road hasn’t always been easy—but the challenge has shaped me into a better practitioner, a better communicator, and a better business owner. And I love the work more today than when I started.”
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Flow Wellness: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine?
At my practice, I specialize in helping patients heal complex and chronic conditions through a combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and evidence-informed integrative therapies. My focus is not just on relieving symptoms, but on understanding the deeper patterns that cause them. Many of my patients have tried multiple treatments or feel like they haven’t been fully heard elsewhere. My goal is to change that experience.
What sets my work apart is the personalized, systems-based approach. Instead of “one-size-fits-all” treatments, I focus on the unique constitution of each person—how they eat, sleep, think, move, and respond to stress. Chinese medicine gives us an incredibly detailed lens for understanding the whole body: the nervous system, hormones, digestion, immune function, circulation, and emotional wellness are all interconnected. I look for the root cause, not just the most visible symptom.
I’m especially known for working with patients who struggle with chronic pain, hormonal changes, migraines, autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, and complex multi-system symptoms that haven’t improved with conventional care alone. I bring 15+ years of clinical experience, advanced training in chronic illness and neurological disease, and a background in Western medical research, which allows me to bridge holistic and biomedical perspectives in a way that’s grounded, clear, and effective.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of creating a space where patients feel safe, understood, and empowered. Healing can’t happen when someone feels rushed, dismissed, or overwhelmed. Every treatment, formula, and conversation is tailored to the individual—the right medicine, in the right dose, at the right time.
What I want readers to know is this: healing is not linear, and it’s not the same for everyone. If you’ve been told that your symptoms are “just stress,” “just age,” or “something you’ll have to live with,” there are still options. The body has an incredible capacity to rebalance when it gets the right support. My work is about helping people reconnect with that possibility and giving them tools that make daily life easier, healthier, and more joyful.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I owe tremendous gratitude to everyone who has helped shape my path. First and foremost, all of the practitioners who came before me—teachers, physicians, herbalists, and scholars of Chinese medicine across generations. We’re a relatively small community in the world, and yet we carry forward one of the most sophisticated, compassionate medical systems known to mankind. Their dedication, intelligence, and spirit make it possible for practitioners like me to continue this work, innovate, and serve our patients with integrity.
I am also deeply grateful to my patients. They are the heart of everything I do. Each person who has trusted me enough to share their story, their vulnerability, their history, and their hopes has shaped who I am as a clinician. Healing work requires courage on both sides, and I’m honored to walk beside people on that journey—through pain, through breakthroughs, and through transformation. My patients teach me every day to listen more deeply, think more creatively, and show up with empathy. They are my greatest teachers and my biggest motivation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flowchinesemedicine.com
