Posts Tagged: Women’s Health

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

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?

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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Just The Basics: BBT Charting

What if I told you there’s science-backed method to reliably prevent pregnancy- without being on the pill? Also-using this method you can predict the exact day you’ll get your period- two weeks out? Yes indeed, no more mid-meeting surprises or ruined white pants! It’s technically called FAM, or Fertility Awareness Method, but is more commonly referred to as BBT (Basal Body Temperature) Charting. It’s incredibly easy and takes no more time than popping a birth control pill every day. Here are the details: Read more

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The Menstrual Cycle According To Traditional Chinese Medicine

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