Aging Gracefully: How Functional Medicine Helps Women Over 50 Feel Their Best

Aging is inevitable, but how you age? That’s something you have more control over than you might think. At Balanced Thistle, we believe in supporting your body as it evolves—without forcing you to take a hundred supplements just to get through the day. We combine the best of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with research-backed Functional Lab Testing to create a truly personalized plan for your graceful aging.

As you age, your body goes through changes that can affect your energy, sleep, hormone balance, and overall well-being. Our functional medicine approach addresses the root causes of common concerns like fatigue, joint pain, stress, and insomnia. Through targeted nutrition, acupuncture, and advanced lab testing, we create solutions that help you feel stronger, more energized, and in tune with your body. Instead of simply managing symptoms, we focus on restoring balance, improving resilience, and helping you maintain long-term vitality.

Here’s the thing—you deserve healthcare that prioritizes your vitality, not just symptom management. Functional medicine helps us take a deep dive into what’s actually happening inside your body so we can target the root causes of fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and hormone imbalances (because yes, those hormonal shifts are still happening in your 50s and beyond). The goal? To help you feel like yourself—energized, strong, and thriving.

Why Functional Medicine (Done Right) Works

Functional medicine can be incredibly effective—but only when done with a personalized approach. We’ve seen too many patients bogged down by excessive supplements and one-size-fits-all protocols that completely ignore individual needs. That’s not how we do things at Balanced Thistle. Here’s our philosophy on using functional medicine to help you age with ease:

1. Food First, Always

Targeted nutrition based on lab results can work wonders. Instead of an overwhelming supplement regimen, we focus on getting as many nutrients as possible from food. (No offense to supplement companies, but real food wins every time.) When necessary, we add high-quality supplements strategically, not just for the sake of it.

2. A Plan Made for You (Not a Generic Protocol)

If you say the word “protocol” around here, you might get an eye roll. No two women are the same, and no two wellness plans should be either. We run comprehensive lab panels based on your specific goals, analyze the data thoroughly, and create completely tailored recommendations that address your unique needs—whether that’s hormone balance, energy levels, or inflammation management.

3. Acupuncture is a Key Piece of the Puzzle

Functional medicine is fantastic, but acupuncture? It’s the real MVP. Acupuncture enhances circulation, supports hormonal balance, reduces inflammation, and keeps stress levels in check. Plus, regular acupuncture visits mean we can monitor your progress, adjust your plan, and keep you on track toward your goals. That’s why we structure our lab panels with acupuncture in mind—because the combination is that good.

Our Functional Lab Panels

Want to know what’s really going on inside your body? Functional lab testing provides clear insights so we can address imbalances before they become bigger issues. Here’s what we offer:

General Wellness Panel

This comprehensive baseline assessment helps evaluate important markers like blood sugar, thyroid function, iron levels, and inflammation. It provides a snapshot of your overall health, allowing us to detect any early imbalances and create a personalized plan to support your vitality and well-being.

Basic Women’s Hormone Panel

This panel dives deeper into your hormone health, testing key hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. It’s perfect for managing perimenopause, menopause, or simply understanding why you may be feeling out of sync. The insights from this test allow us to tailor a hormone-balancing protocol that addresses your specific needs.

Fatigue Panel

If you’re constantly feeling drained, this panel evaluates your thyroid function, nutrient levels, and key stress hormones to uncover the root causes of your exhaustion. By understanding the underlying factors behind your fatigue, we can provide targeted support to restore your energy and overall well-being.

Advanced Fatigue & Adrenal Panel

For those dealing with burnout, chronic stress, or adrenal fatigue, this panel offers a comprehensive hormone assessment along with a 24-hour cortisol mapping test. These results help us pinpoint the specific causes of your fatigue and stress, enabling us to craft a customized plan that supports your body’s recovery and resilience.

Advanced Women’s Hormone & DUTCH Cycle Mapping Lab Package

Hormonal shifts can play a significant role in how you feel physically and emotionally. From fatigue and brain fog to mood swings and sleep disturbances, changes in hormone levels can impact overall well-being. That’s why this comprehensive testing package provides a deep, personalized look at your hormone balance throughout the entire cycle, giving you the clarity and insights needed to address underlying imbalances.

This package includes a range of lab tests that assess key markers related to thyroid health, metabolic function, and overall wellness. Additionally, we dive deep into cycle-specific hormone testing. The standout component of this package is the DUTCH Cycle Mapping test, which helps identify imbalances and guides us in tailoring treatments to restore balance, whether you’re dealing with perimenopause, menopause, or other age-related hormone concerns.

How to Get Started

If you’re ready to start feeling better, booking a New Patient Appointment is the first step. We’ll take a full health history, discuss your goals, and create an acupuncture treatment plan ideal for you and your personal health concerns.  This is also where you start if you’d like to order functional lab testing. From there, we’ll go over lab options and design a plan that makes sense for you—without the overwhelming supplement pile.

Aging gracefully isn’t about “anti-aging.” It’s about feeling your best at every stage of life. Let’s make it happen—on your terms, with your body’s wisdom leading the way.

Book Your Appointment Today

Gua Sha Facials: A Holistic Remedy for Cold Weather Skin

The Power of Gua Sha for Winter Skin Care

Winter brings challenges for your skin—dryness, dullness, and irritation are common as temperatures drop and indoor heating rises. Enter Gua Sha, a time-honored practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. Known for its gentle yet powerful effects, Gua Sha can be your secret weapon for revitalizing your skin and maintaining a radiant glow during the cold season.

Gua Sha uses smooth, flat tools—often crafted from jade or rose quartz—to perform a gentle scraping motion along the skin. This technique stimulates circulation, promotes lymphatic drainage, and helps to release tension in the facial muscles.

A skilled practitioner can tailor your Gua Sha facial to target your specific skin concerns. Ready to try it? Learn more about Holistic Facials here. 

Benefits of Gua Sha Facials in Cold Weather

Boosting Circulation and Lymphatic Drainage

Does your skin look dull and tired during the colder months? You’re not alone—winter weather can wreak havoc on circulation, leaving skin lifeless and puffy. A Gua Sha facial is your cold-weather savior. This ancient practice stimulates blood flow to your face, bringing vital nutrients and oxygen to the surface. Enhanced circulation means more than just a rosy glow—it rejuvenates your skin from within, promoting cellular renewal and health. But Gua Sha doesn’t stop there; it also supports lymphatic drainage, gently removing toxins and reducing puffiness for a sculpted, revitalized complexion.

Combating Dryness and Dullness

The harsh combination of cold temperatures and indoor heating strips your skin of its natural oils, resulting in dullness and irritation. Gua Sha facials go beyond surface-level hydration. By combining this technique with nutrient-rich facial oils, your skin absorbs moisture more effectively, restoring softness and suppleness. The gentle scraping motion creates micro-stimulation, allowing hydrating ingredients to penetrate deeply and lock in moisture. Your skin feels nourished, looking dewy, and glowing despite the dry winter air. 

Relieving Tension and Promoting Relaxation

Winter is often a season of stress—holiday planning, shorter days, and colder weather can take a toll on your body and mind. Gua Sha facials offer a soothing escape. The technique works wonders for releasing tightness in facial muscles, relieving tension that contributes to wrinkles and fine lines.

This relaxation isn’t just skin-deep. As your facial muscles unwind, your body naturally shifts into a state of calm, reducing stress and enhancing overall well-being. It’s the perfect way to nurture yourself while caring for your skin.

Gua Sha as Part of a Holistic Winter Skin Care Routine

Gua Sha facials shine brightest when integrated into a comprehensive winter wellness routine. Pairing this treatment with other holistic practices, such as acupuncture or herbal remedies, amplifies its benefits. 

To learn more about building a holistic skincare routine, read our blog post, Unveiling the Secret to Radiant Skin: Holistic Cosmetic Care.

Conclusion: Embracing Gua Sha for Radiant Winter Skin

Gua Sha facials are more than a beauty treatment—they’re a gateway to healthier, glowing skin during the harsh winter months. By addressing circulation, hydration, and relaxation, Gua Sha offers a comprehensive solution for winter skin woes.

Our team of highly trained professionals blend ancient, tried and true medicinal methods with more modern techniques and evidence-based research to approach your individual concerns with customized precision

Achieving radiant skin is not just about the products we use on our skin, but also about supporting our overall health and well-being. At Balanced Thistle, we offer a range of holistic cosmetic services that not only address your skin concerns but also support your overall health. By combining these services with a balanced diet and lifestyle, you can achieve the radiant skin you've always wanted. 

So why wait? Book an appointment with us today and experience the Balanced Thistle difference.

The Power of Acupuncture and BBT Tracking for Optimizing Ovulation

Boosting Ovulation Naturally: The Role of Acupuncture and BBT Tracking

At Balanced Thistle, we get it: fertility can feel like a complicated and overwhelming journey. But, like everything else we do, we believe in simplifying the process and making it feel approachable. If you're looking to optimize your ovulation naturally, acupuncture and Basal Body Temperature (BBT) tracking are two holistic methods we use to support your reproductive health. Whether you're looking to regulate your cycles or enhance your chances of conception, these two tools can make a huge difference in your fertility journey.

Understanding Ovulation and Its Role in Fertility

Before we dive into the details, let's briefly talk about ovulation. This is the phase in your cycle when your body releases a mature egg from the ovary, making it ready to be fertilized. If the egg isn’t fertilized, it dissolves and is absorbed by your body, leading to your period. But if you’re not ovulating regularly, or if ovulation isn’t happening at all, conception can be tricky. That's where acupuncture and BBT tracking come in to help you get back on track.

The Benefits of Acupuncture for Ovulation

So, how exactly does acupuncture play a role in boosting ovulation? Let’s break it down:

Hormonal Balance: One of acupuncture's key strengths is its ability to regulate hormones. By targeting specific points, acupuncture helps balance the hormones responsible for regulating your menstrual cycle—like FSH, LH, and estrogen—helping to promote regular ovulation. This is especially important for women with conditions like PCOS or irregular cycles.

Improved Blood Flow: Acupuncture is a great way to promote circulation, particularly to your reproductive organs. Better blood flow means better oxygenation and nutrients for the ovaries and uterus, creating a more favorable environment for ovulation and conception.

Stress Reduction: Let's be honest—stress can really mess with your hormones. And if you’re trying to conceive, stress is one of those pesky things that can get in the way. Acupuncture helps calm your nervous system, reducing stress and supporting a more balanced hormonal environment, making it easier for ovulation to occur.

How BBT Tracking Supports Ovulation Monitoring

Now, let’s talk about another powerful tool: BBT tracking. If you’re not familiar with it, BBT is your body’s temperature at rest, taken first thing in the morning before you even get out of bed. It fluctuates throughout your menstrual cycle, giving you valuable insights into your fertility. Here’s how it can help:

1. Tracking Ovulation: Your BBT shifts slightly after ovulation, so by tracking it daily, you can identify when you’ve ovulated. Once you know your ovulation window, you can plan accordingly if you're trying to conceive.

2. Pinpointing Your Fertility Window: Since sperm can live in your body for up to 5 days and the egg is only viable for 12-24 hours after ovulation, knowing your BBT helps you identify your most fertile days—giving you the best chance at conception.

3. Tailored Acupuncture Treatments: When you track your BBT, you can take your data to your acupuncturist (like us!) so we can better understand your cycle and personalize your treatment plan. This way, acupuncture and BBT tracking work hand in hand to optimize your ovulation.

We explored BBT tracking more in depth in our blog post How to Chart your BBT and Know When You’re Ovulating. Check it out!

Combining Acupuncture and BBT Tracking for Optimal Ovulation Support

When you combine acupuncture with BBT tracking, you're setting yourself up for success. Here's how:

• Synergy Between the Two: Acupuncture supports the hormonal balance and physical environment needed for healthy ovulation, while BBT tracking helps you understand exactly when ovulation is happening. Together, these two methods create a comprehensive approach to optimizing fertility.

• Personalized Treatment: At Balanced Thistle, we love to tailor everything to your unique needs. With regular BBT tracking, we can adjust acupuncture treatments to match where you are in your cycle, making our sessions even more effective in promoting ovulation.

• Patient Success Stories: We’ve worked with many women who’ve seen amazing results by incorporating both acupuncture and BBT tracking into their fertility plan. These tools help our clients achieve regular cycles, pinpoint their ovulation windows, and enhance their overall fertility health.

Conclusion

If you’re struggling with irregular cycles, ovulation issues, or just looking to boost your chances of conception, acupuncture and BBT tracking are two natural methods that can help. At Balanced Thistle, we blend science and holistic approaches to empower you with the tools and support you need on your fertility journey.

We know how personal and challenging this process can be, but we're here to help, and we truly believe in the power of these natural methods to support you. If you’d like to learn more about how acupuncture and BBT tracking can help boost your ovulation naturally, schedule a consultation with us today!

Next Steps

Ready to start your fertility journey with acupuncture and BBT tracking? Contact us to schedule a consultation, or learn more about how we can support your health at Balanced Thistle. We’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Got questions? Reach out to us!