How Do You Know If Your Period is 'Normal'?

Mention to a friend that your unbearable period pain and it’s not unusual to be met with a response like ‘me too’ or ‘I have some painkillers if you need them’.

If you were experiencing multiple days of pain in any other part of your body - your abdomen, your leg or head - you would be promptly seeking help to get to the bottom of it.

Period pain, on the other hand, tends to be brushed aside with a dose of over-the-counter pain medication, a hot water bottle or a prescription for an oral contraceptive pill.

While acupuncture may not be for everyone, it is an often-unexplored pathway to a healthier menstrual cycle and body. It is important to be educated about alternative options to conventional medical approaches to women’s health.

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Creating the Space for a Baby

Are you always in a rush? Do you miss breakfast or grab something to eat on the move? Maybe you go from one activity to the next without taking a break? Do you eat lunch at your desk? Or get home late from work and feel so exhausted that you don’t have enough energy to cook, exercise or socialise?

This kind of busy energy can put your body into a state of chronic stress. You’re not in full flight or flight, but you’re not relaxed either. It feels like you’re always on. Always in stress mode. There’s always tension in your body. You might have stiff shoulders, headaches or period pains. These are all signs that you’re too busy.

This kind of busy energy means that you constantly produce stress hormones, which disrupt your sex hormones and can stop you from getting pregnant.

If you want to change this pattern, look at how you can slow down and create space.

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Endometriosis Demystified ...

The most common go-to treatments are contraceptives (which are a band-aid at best) or a laparoscopy. This can create additional scar tissue and ultimately add to the issue. Did you know that studies show that acupuncture and herbs combined help to reduce the pain and inflammation of endometriosis, as well as regulate the menstrual cycle and improve anxiety and tension.

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Why A Diagnosis of Premature Ovarian Failure is not always what it seems ...

I have just finished treatment with a 31-year-old patient who was told by more than one doctor that she was in Premature Ovarian Failure (essentially early menopause) and would need donor eggs.

Since starting treatments in October 2019 she's had 2 periods and has ovulated twice according to her ovulation predictor kits...

...once in Nov, and once in Dec.

Apparently, her ovaries weren't "failing" at all.

And, because she is still relatively young (based on my 10+ years' experience in this realm), I'm predicting she'll be pregnant within 3-6 months at the MOST.

So what happened? Read more …

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How to Sail through Menopause

The change’, ‘the time of life’ – call it what you will, it is an unavoidable fact that all women go through menopause. However, for many women this natural process is a time of anxiety and distress due to the various symptoms that can accompany it. Some menopausal changes can also be brought about by treatments for cancer, including chemotherapy, ovarian ablation and hormone therapy. What can acupuncture and Chinese medicine do to help you sail through this transition with energy and vitality.

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