Posts tagged uterine health
Pain During Sex - WTF?!?
Pain During Sex - WTF?!?

The medical term is dyspareunia, which means difficulty, discomfort, or pain during intercourse. It's a condition I see quite frequently in my clinic and while many people who experience this symptom cross their fingers and hope it will go away on its own, that's not the reality for everyone.

As confusing and frustrating as dealing with painful sex can sometimes be, I find there are only so many causes. If we work our way through the list we can typically get to the bottom of what's actually going on. In many cases I've seen my patients find relief and actually heal from experiencing pain during sex, I'll explain how.

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Cycle Health, Hormonal ImbalancesJacqueline Gabardysex, sexually transmitted infections, pain, chronic pain, uterine health
The Benefits of Raspberry Leaf Tea
The Benefits of Raspberry Leaf Tea

Raspberry leaf, aka Rubus idaeus or Fu Pen Zi in Chinese medicine, happens to be one of the most common herbs I use myself and prescribe to my patients. It is a gentle yet powerful uterine tonic, it is safe in pregnancy, and when brewed as tea or an herbal infusion it's a good source of dissolved minerals.

And, you don't have to be pregnant or even a woman to benefit from this amazing herb. It also has benefits for digestion, skin, lungs, and gums. In fact, for many of it's benefits you don't even have to drink it, you can use it as a soak or add it to your bath. I'll explain how.

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Food + Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Uterine Health, PregnancyJacqueline Gabardyraspberry leaf, uterine health, menstruation, menstrual cramps, pregnancy, postpartum, early pregnancy, digestion, inflammation
What is the Pre-birth Protocol?
What is the Pre-birth Protocol?

As an acupuncturist who specializes in women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and postpartum, I get asked often if I attend births. I just as often surprise people to let them know that actually I don't.

It's not because I don't want to, rather, it's because I've found I can be of most use to my patients during the weeks leading up to their birth. With acupuncture, herbal medicine, and moxibustion (a Chinese medical heat therapy,) I have developed a process I call the Pre-birth Protocol - through which I help women to prepare for vaginal or surgical labor, so that when the time comes they are ready and the process moves along smoothly.

The Pre-birth Protocol is a holistic method of preparing the body for labor, but that doesn't mean you have to be a totally crunchy hippie to use it. No matter if you've planned a birth at home, in birth center, or hospital, no matter what you're feelings are about pain medications or pitocin, no matter if you're delivering with a midwife or OBGYN, you can still use the Pre-birth Protocol to help prep for your experience. Here's how.

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PregnancyJacqueline Gabardypostpartum, labor prep, pre-birth, pre-birth protocol, uterine health