New Clinic Open + Full Script Sale Starts Tomorrow
I opened my clinic August 1st! You can now find me at the 550 Water Street complex near Dig Gardens in Midtown Santa Cruz.The dust is still settling - more art, plants and furnishing are coming but I am open and loving my new space. In the next month I will be stocking my lending library with books that you can borrow, books from my home library that I acquired 20-30 years ago to current resources I recommend on a weekly basis to my patients in the realm of hormone health. I am super excited to have the space to offer this lending library :).
I wanted to share my new clinic with you last month, but I was waiting for all the pieces to come together. I wanted the space to look done and perfect before I announced my opening. It's such a common feeling for me, and maybe for you too, this feeling of wanting a project to be wrapped up in a nice neat bow, to relish a plateau. One thing I keep relearning in my life, and that I often learn from my patients, is that there is no plateau, we have to decide to stop and acknowledge where we are and what it's taken to get there. I want you to know that I honor and soak in our conversations. Beyond the treatment plans there is the space where you share about how hard your journey has been, the challenges of juggling career, purpose and parenthood, debating whether or not to have an operation or to proceed with a certain treatment. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for trusting me in your care. Ultimately my biggest reason for being in practice is YOU. If I wanted solely to dive into the biology or energetics of a diagnosis I would have been a researcher. I really enjoy being with you, a whole human. Thank you!!
On the Horizon- The Vaginal Microbiome and Sperm
With the biggest effort of getting my new clinic off the ground behind me, I am taking a deep dive into two topics that need a lot more attention in the hormone and fertility realms - the vaginal microbiome and sperm health. I have been doing my own research with patients on two vaginal microbiome tests, Evvy and Juno Bio at-home tests. Both tests are about $150 and deliver a wealth of information. Early research suggests that the vaginal microbiome may impact ongoing pregnancy and endometriosis. Sperm health is an area that is often overlooked in the fertility journey, even in the IVF setting. There is a profound amount of research that is not finding it's way to clinical practice and I'm diving in this fall and next year to bring the best information forward to my patients who are trying to conceive. Stay tuned for my upcoming newsletters and social medial posts on these two topics. If you have questions about either, feel free to send me an email, I'd love to hear from you!
PCOS Inspired My Practice 20 Years Ago
September is PCOS Awareness Month and I am reminded that PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is a huge reason why I began specializing in women's health. In 2000 I started my acupuncture training and it was around this time that three dear friends of mine were diagnosed or suspected that they had PCOS. PCOS can look different for different people but two of the most common symptoms are long, irregular or missing cycles and "male-pattern" hair growth (hair loss on the head but more course hair on the face or abdomen). Very quickly in acupuncture school I witnessed the wonderful way in which acupuncture can get someone's period back on track, and I learned that a classic Chinese herbal formula called White Peony and Licorice can lower testosterone that often runs high and causes the stubborn male-pattern hair growth. My friends were curious and hopeful that there were options to help them with their symptoms. One of my first patients in 2002 was a woman, Julie, who's periods were coming every 40-60 days. She had migraines several times a month and was prone to intense frustration and anger. After working with her for 6 months in my school's clinic, Julie's period was coming every 30-32 days, her migraines were gone and she was feeling more emotionally stable and like her old self again. This was one of the moments that inspired me to specialize in women's health and hormone-related issues.
More than twenty years later I see PCOS cases every day in my clinic. The two most important tools I've added to my practice over the years for PCOS are testing blood sugar - including fasting insulin - and the at-home urine test called DUTCH for fine-tuning what estrogen and testosterone are up to in the PCOS picture. If you or a friend is looking for more support for PCOS, I offer free 15-minute consultations for prospective patients and I can share more about my approach. One of my go-to resources is Aviva Romm who offers a wealth of information in articles and podcasts. If you don't know Aviva Romm, she is an OB/GYN who went to medical school after practicing midwifery and herbalism for decades. Head over to her podcast page and you will find many resources for PCOS.
FullScript Supplement Sale - September 13-14
Have you been to my online pharmacy through Fullscript? Fullscript carries thousands of supplements I trust from reputable brands. If you are a patient of mine you likely already have an account. Anyone, patient or not, can create an account and receive 10% of supplements from their entire catalog. Beginning Wednesday, Fullscript is offering additional savings on all products. Create an account here or sign into your existing account to browse the catalog and to see my cold & flu products (go to "Prescriptions" then "Shared Protocols"). You will receive Fullscript emails on their upcoming promotional event.
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