Summertime is on its way, and in Chinese medicine while Spring is all about new growth, Summer is about flourishing and reaping the benefits of new growth. Nature exemplifies this when flowers bloom and vegetables and fruits are harvested in abundance. Being the hottest time of the year, summer is also known in Chinese medicine as the most “yang” time of year. What we call “yang” in Chinese medicine can be described as intangible activity and the driving force behind growth. It allows things to move, grow, and provides warmth.

Pregnancy is a unique period of time in a woman’s life and even if it’s not her first baby, often times the experience from pregnancy to pregnancy is quite different. One of the things we encounter in clinic that can be disheartening is when our mama’s express to us that they feel lost, confused, or unsupported by their medical team. Of course this isn’t always the case, but it isn’t uncommon for a mama to express gratitude for the prenatal support we’re able to offer because she simply felt she wasn’t given this level of guidance elsewhere.

Taking birth control for period pain or other menstrual and hormonal issues is about as ubiquitous as taking tums for a stomach ache. It is commonly prescribed not just to prevent contraception, but often for irregular cycles, painful menstruation, heavy bleeding, migraines, and even acne. While many women are told to take birth control to “regulate their cycle and/or hormones” this is a common misconception and a bit of a misleading statement.

We thought it was time to talk about some of the issues that women face with menstruation, whether or not they’re trying to conceive. Two of the most common menstrual disorders that acupuncturists treat around the globe include Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (known as PCOS). One of the important things to note as a clinician and patient when it comes to these two conditions is that they are very, very different.

How often do you hold in what you would really like to say? This all affects our jaw muscles. When tense, these effects have a trickling effect. It may cause headaches, neck tension, trouble eating and or sleeping. These are just a few. It houses many unseen imbalances; visually, it holds stagnation in the skin and prohibits proper lymphatic movement. The trickle-down effect is the muscles in the neck carry the burden and literally can pull down our face and change the shape.

Today, we’re going to take a small glimpse into just one of the contributors to that long list of possibilities: Autoimmune disease. These disorders can certainly play a role in reproductive issues and may especially play a role in unexplained cases of infertility and recurrent miscarriages.

We’ve officially seen yoni steaming sets being sold on Urban Outfitters.com, which must mean it is officially a new trend. It’s no surprise that it’s gaining in popularity, as we talked about in our previous post, yoni steaming can provide numerous benefits to women’s health. Our western culture is certainly catching on to several traditional medicine techniques that have survived the test of time and are very beneficial, especially for our girly bits.

Have you heard of yoni steaming? Unless you grew up going to Korean spas, it is most likely something you aren’t totally familiar with. It isn’t very popular here in the States- but has long been a traditional healing practice used by several cultures around the globe.

Yoni steaming, or vaginal steaming, is a method of delivering medicine via steam to the vagina, perineum, and womb. A woman sits on a stool, or a chair, and underneath lies a steaming pot of herbs. Often, a sheet is placed around the lower half of the waist for draping purposes and to lock in the steam.

What is facial acupuncture and how does it work?

Cosmetic acupuncture utilizes a holistic health approach to achieve healthy, glowing, and vibrant skin. It can be used to optimize skin health and aging without the use of injectables or fillers, which are not necessarily everyone’s preferred options.

You might have noticed that chiropractic care is becoming an important part of birth preparation for many pregnant women these days. These women are realizing the benefits of regular chiropractic adjustments as they prepare for safer, easier birthing for both themselves and their babies. Chiropractors have actually cared for pregnant women for many years. Recently, however, with the increased interest in natural birthing, and in an effort to avoid having a C-section, a growing number of mothers have incorporated chiropractic into their prenatal care.