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You Can’t JUST Get Rid of Your Hot Flashes: Why A Holistic Approach Is Better During Perimenopause

March 10, 2019

When I set out to write this article, I intended to pick one symptom of perimenopause and give tips on managing it. But then I thought, “You can’t just pick one symptom and  get rid of it alone. What women need is help with minimizing hormonal fluctuations so that ALL of the symptoms improve”.

So that’s what I’m doing in this article. It’s not a totally exhaustive guide to all herbal remedies or possible treatments, but I’ll give you ideas that are easy to implement, that are backed by studies and that will help you now as well as 5 years down the road. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is always an option from your doctor, but for some women it doesn’t make sense and others would prefer to avoid medications.  These ideas are a holistic approach to hormone-balancing and can help you feel like yourself again. Read more

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Acupressure Points To Help With Breastfeeding

January 28, 2019

I recently wrote a guest blog post for Boober, a fantastic service here in NYC which provides on-demand lactation consultations. It’s so important for new parents to get help as quickly as possible when issues pop up. The sooner you can get help, the more likely you are to be able to breastfeed in the way that you had hoped.

Acupressure can be a very useful addition to your treatment plan, but above all I recommend consulting with a lactation professional for one-on-one help.

Read the article for three of my favorite breastfeeding points- one for milk let-down, another for after-pains and the last one for anxiety, insomnia and relaxing the chest.

Check out the article on the Boober Blog!

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What Nobody Talks About During Pregnancy: Your Postpartum Health

August 31, 2018

Prenatally, we tend to focus on mom and how she can optimize her health for her benefit and the benefit of the baby. However in the postpartum period, our culture seems to completely focus on baby and mom’s well-being is forgotten. This attitude is also reflected in postpartum medical care in the USA. Generally, the baby goes for their first pediatrician visit just a few days after birth, but mom’s first visit with her OB isn’t until a whopping 6 weeks after the delivery!

Thankfully, recently there has been more media attention to this problem (see this great guide in the New York Times). The American Academy of Pediatrics has even recommended that new moms be screened by their child’s pediatrician for postpartum anxiety and depression. In my and many others’ opinion, this is a positive step, but more support for new moms is needed. Until healthcare systems in the USA begin providing appropriate levels of support to new parents, you must develop a plan for your postpartum health during pregnancy. After the baby is born it will likely feel much too overwhelming. Read more

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Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Turning Breech Babies: An Update

March 04, 2018

My Approach As a Practitioner…

In my practice I’ve had really good success with turning breech babies using moxibustion in combination with acupuncture. It’s something that I see very regularly and I’m always happy that women and their health care providers are becoming more aware that moxa can help, and recognize the importance of using any intervention possible to try and turn the breech baby and increase chances of a vaginal birth. When a woman comes to me with this issue, on the first visit I perform an acupuncture session to try and facilitate movement and space in the hips and pelvis as well as address any other issues such as anxiety, insomnia, back pain or digestive issues in pregnancy. After the acupuncture comes moxibustion. I teach the patient in great detail how to perform this technique and send her home with written instructions and the moxa sticks. 4-5 days later, she returns for another acupuncture session to try and help the process.

This is something that’s great to try before your doctor attempts an ECV Read more

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

January 21, 2018

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