From ‘Karate Kid’ to Red Dragon Acupuncture

Red Dragon is located inside Roots & Legends, 3209 Washington Ave. There, Garofalo practices acupuncture and other exotic, Eastern treatments.

“I grew up with an Eastern influence through martial arts,” said Garofalo, 34. That fed his fascination with those philosophies and practices. 

For example, about the name Red Dragon, he explained, “I do Chinese astrology, and my sign is the red dragon because I was born in 1976.” 

Compared with Western beliefs, Garofalo said, Far Eastern philosophy is “much more internal; everything is an extension of the self. It really appeals to me because it’s empowering, and everyone should have power over their own health.”

Garofalo was introduced to martial arts at age 5 in Decatur, Ill. His walk to and from school took him past a karate studio where he would stop to watch the stocky, middle-age Asian instructor teach, rain or shine. “I would stand there and watch him ... every single day, nonstop.”

Often, older boys harassed him, Garofalo continued. One day, when three boys had thrown his backpack — and then him — into a creek, Garofalo entered the karate studio for the first time.

The instructor, who’d seen Garofalo daily at the window, invited his tormentors inside. 

“He asked if they liked fighting, then he put them in the ring with his own students, and (the students) just whupped them,” Garofalo said. “And he told his students to keep their eyes out for me.”

The harassment vanished.

His parents couldn’t afford karate lessons then. But Garofalo started tae kwon do at age 10 in Appleton and quickly excelled. He was ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin from age 12-17 and competed nationally during high school.

But by the time he was out of college, Garofalo had painful psoriatic arthritis and was on strong drugs. 

“The doctors said, ‘You can’t do (martial arts) anymore,’ and my prognosis was not good. They said it was possible I’d be in a wheelchair by age 30.”

But then someone recommended an acupuncturist, which changed his life. After a few treatments, he saw several “profound” physical improvements. “(Acupuncture) is not about one thing — it’s about the whole system,” Garofalo said.

Now, recently graduated from Midwest College of Oriental Medicine, 6232 Bankers Road, he’s on the other end of the needle.

Besides acupuncture, Garofalo uses other Eastern practices. One is suction-cupping — based on an ancient Korean practice — which draws blood to the skin’s surface.

“A lot of pain is from deep bruising,” Garofalo said. “What that means is, your body is not healing itself.” 

Helping it do that is his ultimate goal.