1. THE JOURNAL RECORD
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 www.journalrecord.com $1.00 • Vol.115, No.131 • Two Sections
No ordinary clinic
BY APRIL WILKERSON
THE JOURNAL RECORD
OKLAHOMA CITY – For 15 years, Dr.
Amit Gumman has built his alternative
medicine practice in an Oklahoma City
office space. Soon he’ll break ground on
his new Harmony Healing Center, which
he plans to be an oasis on the corner of a
chaotic intersection.
Gumman, who practices acupuncture,
naturopathy, ayurveda and other alterna-
tive medicine approaches, bought two lots
on the southwest corner of N. Portland
Avenue and Northwest Expressway. The
three other corners of the intersection are
commercial; Gumman envisions his space
as a holistic haven for mind, body and
spirit.
Gumman sees about 20 patients a day
on the seventh floor of an office building
nearby. His new center is designed with
the same number of exam rooms, but with
much more space for a kitchen, yoga area
and other rooms where patients can learn
a healthy lifestyle.
“We want to practice what we preach,”
Gumman said. “It will be less clinical envi-
ronment and more of a holistic healing
environment. The building also will be
eco-friendly.”
Gumman holds a doctor of medicine
degree and an array of other degrees and
training in alternative medicine. He
earned his master of public health from
the University of Oklahoma Health
Sciences Center and a doctorate of
acupuncture in Sri Lanka. His interest in
alternative medicine began when he was
in high school and his grandmother
reluctantly tried the approach after
struggling with diabetes and having
bypass surgery.
“In 40 days, she got off her insulin,” he
said. “I thought that was pretty cool and
was what I should do.”
When he established his private prac-
tice in Oklahoma City after working in
India, Gumman initially found the work
challenging. Acupuncture wasn’t nearly as
well-known in Oklahoma 15 years ago, and
people were skeptical. But his patients
served as his advertising vehicle: as more
people felt better after treatments, their
word of mouth built his practice, he said.
Physicians have increasingly referred
patients to him, he said, and doctors come
to him with their own medical issues.
Gumman also is bringing a partner
into his practice in the next few weeks. Dr.
Richaritha Gundlapalli is also a medical
doctor who has infused her family medi-
cine and pediatrics practice with alterna-
tive medicine. Their approach, she said, is
not about choosing to treat only with
alternative or conventional medicine, but
combining the best of both.
“We believe in having the wisdom to
know what works at the time,” she said.
“It’s not only acupuncture, but how to
integrate so the patient will benefit more
with less side effects. It helps at the whole
mind-body-spirit level. It’s not conven-
tional medicine only or alternative medi-
cine alone. It’s trying to put things togeth-
er and having the wisdom to know which
kind of medicine to use. The key is not to
take sides, but to put it together.”
Acupuncture can be used to treat
everything from pain and neurology prob-
lems to stroke rehabilitation and infertili-
ty issues. Last week alone, Gumman treat-
ed a woman with fertility problems, a
pregnant woman who needed her labor
induced and another pregnant woman
with a breach baby. In each case, acupunc-
ture can make a difference, he said.
They also practice naturopothy, or
lifestyle medicine. Their new facility
will give them the space to teach people
how to prepare healthy foods, learn
therapeutic yoga poses and avoid chemi-
cals and environmental toxins.
Naturopathy also includes using herbs to
treat symptoms.
“We call it a ‘kitchen pharmacy,’”
Gumman said. “We grew up with Indian
spices like turmeric and ginger to take
care of cough and colds.”
Kay Evans of Edmond is one of
Gumman’s patients who has found help
with several problems, including knee and
lower back pain, stress and the symptoms
of menopause. She said she simply arrived
at a point in her life where traditional
medicine wasn’t the answer.
“The concept that acupuncture treats
the whole of a person was very attractive,”
Evans said. “I was looking for a different
direction and one that would allow some
room for personal growth as well.”
For more information about Harmony
Healing Center, visit www.harmonyok.com
Alternative medicine
center expanding
Dr. Amit Gumman and Dr. Richaritha Gundlapalli check on their patient Kay Evans before
starting acupuncture therapy at Harmony Healing Center on Tuesday. PHOTO BY MAIKE SABOLICH