Sometimes a patient needs to heal an entire lifetime. Take, for example, the all too typical patient that I see at the clinic: in their 60s, overweight, struggling with high blood pressure, and seeking acupuncture for joint pain. Upon consultation, I listen to the story of a lifetime of poor choices that include eating the standard American diet of nutrient-devoid, toxic food; overconsumption of alcohol; a high-stress job; being sedentary; and getting less than adequate sleep. This archetypical patient has been deteriorating over the last few decades, culminating in a diagnosis of osteoarthritis in a hip joint. The “solution” is total joint replacement, but the hesitant patient decides to investigate other options. After a tour of the offerings of physical therapy and chiropractic care, the patient hobbles into our office, desperate for pain relief. I have a lot of compassion for this patient. I tell them—as I tell all my …