Meet the Heart Behind Loquat Health
What began as a life-changing experience with acupuncture became a lifelong passion for helping others feel their best. Meet Olivia and discover the story and philosophy behind Loquat Health.
Meet Olivia Baker, L.Ac FABORM
I found acupuncture at a turning point in my own life. I was recovering from a serious illness and trying to get my energy back, and at the same time I was at a crossroads in my career. I knew I wanted to work with people in a meaningful way, but I hadn't found the path yet. My first acupuncture treatment was an epiphany. I knew in that moment this was how I would connect with and help people.
That led me to Five Branches University in Santa Cruz, where I earned my Master's in Traditional Chinese Medicine. During my training I interned at China Medical University in Taiwan, studying different acupuncture styles and deepening my understanding of the medicine. After graduating, I began my career at one of the leading fertility acupuncture clinics in the Bay Area, and fell completely in love with helping people create life; a passion that led me to become a Fellow of the Acupuncture and TCM Board of Reproductive Medicine.
Over the past ten years my practice has grown. I now support women through every stage of life, from puberty to menopause and everything in between. Balancing hormones and helping women feel like themselves again is some of the most rewarding work I do. I also treat chronic and acute pain, sleep issues, anxiety and stress, and digestive concerns, because Chinese medicine is whole-body medicine and I love meeting patients wherever they are.
I hold a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Denver and completed the ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training Program with Chris Kresser, which lets me bring both Eastern and Western perspectives to your care. I am a California State Board Licensed Acupuncturist and a Nationally Certified Diplomate of Oriental Medicine.
When I'm not in the clinic, you'll find me soaking up everything Santa Cruz has to offer — at the beach in summer, on the ski slopes in winter, and outdoors hiking, camping, or traveling with my husband, daughter, and our dogs whenever I get the chance.
I can't wait to be part of your journey.
Rooted in Meaning
The loquat tree carries centuries of meaning in Chinese culture. With its golden-orange fruit, the loquat has long been associated with gold and wealth — its color alone made it a symbol of prosperity, often placed among the fruits gathered to represent good fortune and abundant blessings. Because the fruit grows in dense, heavy clusters, it also came to symbolize a bountiful harvest, continuous good fortune, and abundance.
The tree holds a place in Chinese herbal medicine as well. Its leaves, known as Pi Pa Ye, have been used for generations to support respiratory health — a plant valued not only for what it symbolized, but for what it could genuinely do for the body.
That dual meaning is why the name felt right for this practice: a symbol of abundance and prosperity, rooted in a plant with real, lasting healing traditions behind it. A loquat tree grows in my own backyard, so the name carries a personal root as well as a symbolic one — the wish for wellness, and the wealth of health itself.
Book a Free Consultation
Ready to take the next step in your health journey? Complete the form below to share a little about yourself, your health concerns, and what you’re hoping to achieve. We’ll use this information to better understand your needs and determine how Loquat Health can best support you.