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Is Acupuncture Safe During The First Trimester? Here’s The Evidence…

Many women who are newly pregnant ask me whether acupuncture is safe during pregnancy- specifically during the first trimester. They really want to try or continue acupuncture for a variety of reasons, but are quite mindful of avoiding anything that could put the pregnancy at risk.  I can say it is safe without hesitation, not only from my nearly 10 years in practice but from all the years of experience of my teachers and mentors. However I completely understand that women, their doctors and midwives want more than just anecdotal evidence. So without further ado- here are the studies which I feel should put your mind at ease. Read more

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Special Event: Acupuncture To Benefit Planned Parenthood

On Saturday, March 25th from 11-3pm, you’ll get a relaxing acupuncture treatment at my midtown office in exchange for your donation to Planned Parenthood. The recommended donation is $50-$150 per session.

Event FAQ’s:

Sign me up! How do I get on the schedule?

Awesome! Click here to make an appointment. I’m expecting that all slots will fill up, so unfortunately won’t be able to accept walk-ins that day.

How do I make my donation?

I won’t be accepting donations directly- instead, you have a few options:

  1. Go to my Planned Parenthood Fundraiser page and donate online. I’ll be able to see that you donated, and you will then be all set for the day of your acupuncture session.
  2. On Saturday the 25th, I will have donation forms that you can fill out at the office. You can write in your credit card info OR bring a check, and I will mail all these forms together to Planned Parenthood.

Since you are making the donation directly to Planned Parenthood, you are able to get a receipt from them for tax purposes.

I can’t make it for an appointment that day, but still want to donate!

Thank you! Please go to my Planned Parenthood Fundraiser page where you can donate online.

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Acupuncture For Sciatica And Low Back Pain in Pregnancy

In my practice, I see a lot of women who are experiencing either sciatica or lower back pain in pregnancy. It’s a very common condition, and it’s actually one of my favorite things to treat using acupuncture because it works so well! Acupuncture can help you to take the focus off of being in pain, and instead enjoy the last few months of pregnancy while gathering your strength for the birth.

Sciatica refers to pain which is usually in the glute and to some extent radiating down the back of the leg. Read more

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Listen Up: Your Cervical Mucus Is Trying To Tell You Something

Vaginal discharge, cervical mucus, leukorrhea- it all refers to the same thing. Hereafter I’ll refer to it as “CM” (cervical mucus). It seems that generally speaking, women I see in my practice either are quite unaware of what changes in their CM mean or are worried that any CM is a sign of infection.  I hope this article will help to de-mystify your discharge and, just maybe, make you feel a little amazed by it. Possibly even happy to see it? By knowing what to look for and what it all means, you can feel more empowered and make better decisions. Read more

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One Small Change That Could Make Mornings More Relaxing

Calling all smartphone addicts: do you wish your mornings felt more relaxed and less rushed? I’ve recently made a small shift that has helped me dramatically- and truly anyone can do it. *If you’re one of the lucky few who doesn’t consider yourself addicted to your smartphone, you can stop reading now- the following tip won’t apply to you.*

On a typical morning, I would wake up via my smartphone’s alarm clock. Then of course I immediately checked email, social media, the weather, the news, etc. Before I knew it, on some mornings anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes had passed. Then I realized I was running late and felt rushed, not to mention stressed out at all the emails and generally depressing news I had just read.

Something had to change. It was a terrible way to start my day.

So, I moved my cell phone charger to the kitchen, and got a good old fashioned battery-powered alarm clock. The change has been huge. Imagine waking up and actually being able to check in with your body for a moment, stretching and breathing. Instead of thinking about the email that was sent to you at 4 am from a needlessly freaked out coworker, you’re thinking about what you’d like for breakfast or your goals for the day. You might even use that extra 20 minutes to go for a quick jog.

Since moving my phone charger to the kitchen, it feels a little less urgent to look at my phone even when I am up and out of bed. I’m doing a lot more before work that makes that time feel like it belongs to me, and what I do with my time feels like a much more purposeful choice.

If you’re someone who starts your mornings with smartphone time, I encourage you to ask yourself if you’re prioritizing activities that make you feel the way you want to. For some people that really might be emails and social media, which is fine. However I think for a lot of us, it’s exercise, preparing a healthy lunch or time for connection with your roommates or family members that really sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Would things shift for you if you simply moved your phone charger?