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Acupuncture advocate transforms holistic health care in Greenville

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Sharon Johnson-Eby, owner of An Medi-Zen, poses for her portrait in Greenville, Miss., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

GREENVILLE – Sharon Johnson-Eby, a former respiratory therapist with 30 years of experience in the medical field, founded An Medi-Zen, a holistic clinic in Greenville, Mississippi, this year.

Sharon Johnson-Eby uses cupping therapy on her client, Myesha Stovall, at her business, An Medi-Zen, in Greenville, Miss., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

Johnson-Eby integrates Eastern and Western medicine to address local health disparities, offering services such as acupuncture, cupping therapy and herbal medicine.

Sharon Johnson-Eby uses cupping therapy on her client, Myesha Stovall, at her business, An Medi-Zen, in Greenville, Miss., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

Inspired by the success she found with acupuncture for her own asthma and acid reflux, Johnson-Eby earned a master’s degree in 2018 and a doctorate in 2019 from Northwestern Health Sciences University in Chinese Medicine.

Sharon Johnson-Eby uses cupping therapy on her client at her business, An Medi-Zen, in Greenville, Miss., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

“I got treated in the beginning of that first year of grad school for asthma and acid reflux,” Johnson-Eby said. “It basically changed everything for me.”

Sharon Johnson-Eby uses cupping therapy on her client, Myesha Stovall, at her business, An Medi-Zen, in Greenville, Miss., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine in La Jolla, California. She is licensed in Minnesota and Mississippi and is board-certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Sharon Johnson-Eby uses cupping therapy on her client, Myesha Stovall, at her business, An Medi-Zen, in Greenville, Miss., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

“I love Chinese medicine because we treat mind, body and spirit, and that’s something Western medicine might be missing.”

She moved from Bloomington, Minn. to Greenville in 2023 to be closer to her aging mother.

Sharon Johnson-Eby’s tools are in place for her acupuncture and Chinese medicine business in Greenville, Miss., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

Supported by Delta State University’s Women’s Minority Business Incubator Program,  Johnson-Eby emphasizes community outreach and education. At a wellness fair, she discovered that the local school district’s health care plan did not cover acupuncture and has since advocated for its inclusion with the insurance company.

Sharon Johnson-Eby’s tools are in place for her acupuncture and Chinese medicine business in Greenville, Miss., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

“I’ve been working to highlight not just the benefits of acupuncture, but also its potential to improve overall health outcomes and reduce long-term health care costs. It’s about ensuring that everyone has access to the full spectrum of care they deserve.”

Sharon Johnson-Eby, a former respiratory therapist, transitioned to acupuncture and holistic healthcare, founding An Medi-Zen in Greenville, Miss., in 2022. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

Johnson-Eby’s specialties include respiratory health, dermatology, mental health, and overall wellness using Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques. Driven by a childhood aspiration to become a doctor and in memory of a late friend, she plans to develop a comprehensive wellness center to integrate holistic practices into mainstream health care and address issues such as obesity, hypertension, and mental health.

Sharon Johnson-Eby, owner of An Medi-Zen, bids Myesha Stovall farewell after their session in Greenville, Miss., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

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