Posts Tagged: Chinese Medicine

Treatment and Diagnosis of PCOS: New Updates

March 07, 2016

What is PCOS?

PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Some experts believe it should be re-named as the “polycystic” part implies multiple cysts on the ovaries, which now are known not to be true cysts!

PCOS is an endocrine (hormonal) disorder characterized by infrequent or absent periods, multiple follicles on the ovaries and high levels of androgens (such as testosterone and DHEA-S), which for some people leads to excess facial and body hair, hair thinning or male pattern baldness and acne. Many PCOS patients have insulin resistance, which means that your body isn’t able to properly absorb and process sugars and other carbohydrates, which leads to weight gain and can result in a diabetes diagnosis. Other complications include depression, self-esteem challenges, type 2 Diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and difficulty becoming pregnant. Read more

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Cold And Flu Season: 5 Ways To Naturally Boost Your Immunity, Not Including Hand-Washing

January 07, 2016

Patients frequently ask me how they can increase their immunity this time of year. Everyone knows to wash their hands more frequently, so I won’t bore you with that lecture!

In Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, our bodies have a type of Qi, or energy called “Wei Qi”. Wei Qi is our protective Qi and is located on the surface of the body. You can think of Wei Qi as the immune system- its job is to keep out invaders such as harmful viruses and bacteria. Here are a few things you can do that you may not have realized can improve your immune system…

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What Is A Pulsatility Index, And Why Is It So Important For Fertility?

September 24, 2015

If you’re trying to get pregnant, you should care about your Pulsatility Index. What? One more thing to keep track of? By the way, what in tarnation is a Pulsatility Index?

A Pulsatility Index (PI) is a measurement of the blood flow through your arteries- specifically, the ones going to your ovaries and uterus. Read more

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BBT Charting, Fertility and Acupuncture: What’s The Connection?

August 26, 2015

Whenever a woman comes to acupuncture looking to increase her fertility, in most cases I ask for BBT charts (or recommend she start charting). If you’re asking what a BBT is, click here for an explanation. BBT charts are clinically useful to me as an acupuncturist for many reasons. First, if there is a clear temperature shift midcycle, I know the woman is ovulating, and on which day ovulation is taking place. If the length of the follicular (pre-ovulatory) phase is consistently between 12-20 days, and if the luteal (post-ovulatory) phase is consistently between 11-16 days, I’m fairly confident that things are normal and any fertility issue is not with ovulation. In addition, the basal body temperatures should be within a certain range. If they are significantly lower or higher than I typically see, it could indicate a thyroid dysfunction which should be checked out by a physician.  Read more

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The Menstrual Cycle According To Traditional Chinese Medicine

August 11, 2015

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a really fascinating way of looking at the menstrual cycle- the time from the start of your period to the start of the next one. It is a view that is guided by nature, Daoist principles and yin/yang theory. These principles are based on eating and living according to the rhythms of the seasons and your body’s own unique qualities, which leads to greater health and balance. By being mindful of how your cycle’s rhythms mirror the ebb and flow of the natural world, you can achieve a deeper, more intuitive understanding of your body. Read more