Many women who are trying to become pregnant assume that if they’re having regular periods, they’re good to go. However, while having a regular period is a good thing, the quality of your period also has some something to say about your fertility—specifically implantation, which is when an embryo nestles deep into the … [Read more...]
Clomid Vs Letrozole: What’s the Difference?
In a perfect world, deciding to become pregnant should be easy, but in reality, getting pregnant doesn’t always go as planned. If you are contemplating or undergoing fertility treatments, you may be prescribed fertility drugs as a part of that process. Over the past 40 years, the most commonly prescribed drug prescribed for … [Read more...]
Healing Chrysanthemums
I love chrysanthemums (mums) because they bloom late in the summer and into the cool days of fall, when most other flowers are done for the season. Mums add all kinds of color to the fall landscape—red, white, yellow, orange and purple—and they stay colorful until the first hard frost. Despite their beauty and hardiness … [Read more...]
Cardamom a Delicious Spice or a Chinese Herb?
You may be familiar with the spice cardamom. It’s a little bit exotic and aromatic. Cardamom is used in Chai tea, Indian cooking, curries, basmati rice and in baking recipes from Nordic countries. But did you know that cardamom is also the basis for a couple of Chinese herbs? It’s true. Two different species in the … [Read more...]
The Hidden Side Effect of Infertility Treatments: Stress
Many women undergoing fertility treatments hear about medications and their side effects, various procedures, timing and possible outcomes. However, a topic that is equally important when it comes to assisted fertility procedures is stress. While it’s possible to go through fertility treatments without experiencing a great … [Read more...]
The Hidden Benefits of Hemp Seeds
Cannabis has been legal in Canada since October of 2018, the second country after Uruguay to legalize marijuana. Many people have taken advantage of the recreational aspects of legal pot, but many have also discovered the medicinal benefits of this herb. It’s a little bit ironic that the part of the plant that is most … [Read more...]
Acupuncture, Help for the Side-Effects of Fertility Medications
Your pregnancy journey is different from that of every other woman. Ideally, it will be easy and trouble-free, but the reality is that though some women are able to conceive with little problem; others may take longer and need help in the form of medical intervention or assisted reproductive techniques. That help often … [Read more...]
Did you know that Watermelon is Medicine?
There are a number of Chinese herbs that you might find in your spice cabinet, including cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. However, there are also herbs in the Chinese formulary that are actually foods. This includes a group of herbs that belong to the melon family. One of the most common and appealing foods in the Chinese … [Read more...]
Why Choose Bioflex Cold Laser Therapy?
I first learned about Bioflex laser therapy at a fertility conference I attended in Vancouver. Often these professional conferences have vendor booths, and this one was no exception. A colleague put her name into a draw at the Bioflex booth for two admissions for a training in Vancouver—and she won! I was lucky and she … [Read more...]
Did you Know that Chinese Dates are Not Dates?
The Chinese date is a useful medicinal herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It’s called Da Zao in Chinese, which translates into big date. Chinese dates are also called red dates or jujubes. And most interestingly, they are not actually dates! True dates are brown in color and grow on palm trees, called date palms. In … [Read more...]
How the Heck was Acupuncture Invented
Sometimes my patients ask me how acupuncture was invented, how it works, who thought it up and other questions about the history of acupuncture. And who the heck was the first person to agree to have an acupuncture treatment! While there is no single or simple answer, we have a lot of clues as to how this ancient system of … [Read more...]
Tinnitus? Try Black Sesame Seeds
For many people, their only exposure to sesame seeds are those that are sprinkled on top of a sandwich bun or a bagel. However, you may be interested to learn that sesame seeds are so much more than a garnish. They can offer a nutritional boost and be good for your health too. Sesame seeds come in two colors; black and … [Read more...]
Is Acupuncture Legit? Common Myths about Acupuncture
Let’s face it; acupuncture is an unfamiliar treatment option for many people. Coupled with its ancient beginnings and foreign feeling, many myths arise surrounding acupuncture. I’d like to take this opportunity to address some of the most common misunderstandings I’ve encountered with facts about this incredible system of … [Read more...]
Sharpen your Vision with Chinese Herbal Medicine
Goji berries are a Chinese herb that’s gained some mainstream popularity in recent years, to the extent that they’ve even been called a superfood. Called Gou Qi Zi in Chinese, but also known as Chinese wolfberry fruit, Goji berries are small, elongated red berries that grow on shrubby plants that are native to China. Gou … [Read more...]
To Drink or not to Drink?
With the coming of the New Year, many of us take a look at our lifestyle and health habits and think about making changes. Some may decide to be more physically active, tweak their diet or try to get more sleep in the coming year. However, another subset of people may choose to redefine their relationship with alcohol. In … [Read more...]
What Does FABORM Mean, and What Does it Have to Do With Fertility?
I have these professional designations after my name including R. Ac for Registered Acupuncturist and Dr. TCM for my doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, I also carry the designation FABORM, which may be unfamiliar to many people, but also might be really important, especially if you’re trying to become … [Read more...]
When is Acupuncture Right for Me?
Acupuncture may feel unfamiliar to some people, especially when compared to Western medicine. That’s because in the past, you went to your family doctor only when you were sick. While this is changing and Western medicine is moving toward preventing disease, the most common doctor’s calls are made when you’re sick. So it’s … [Read more...]
Holiday Recipes
Winter is officially here. The season of getting cozy, comfy, and bundled up is upon us. As we adjust to our hibernative states, our preferences for certain types of foods change as well. You may find yourselves craving more hearty, warming and comforting foods these days. We've created six new recipes to help you satisfy … [Read more...]
Keeping It Together During the Holidays
Whether you love them, hate them or are somewhere in between, it’s clear that the holidays can be really stressful and they can derail your plans for staying healthy. And this year may be even more so—or at least different. After almost three years of isolation, working from home and curbing travel, it seems like the gates … [Read more...]
How Does Acupuncture Help Fertility?
Many people are discovering that acupuncture can be an effective therapy to support your fertility, whether you’re trying to get pregnant naturally or with the help of assisted reproductive technologies. For some, just knowing that acupuncture can help increase your chances of becoming pregnant is enough to give it a try, … [Read more...]
How the Heck Does Your Acupuncturist Know What Points to Use?
For many people, acupuncture can seem a bit mysterious. You may think your practitioner is needling random places on your body, and being on the receiving end may leave you wondering why. Why did they choose this place and not that? Why did they do these points last session, but different ones today? How does your … [Read more...]
Common Pregnancy Discomforts and How We Can Help
Your pregnancy is often a time of great excitement and anticipation. It’s a journey of transformation and wonder, until…it’s not. Your body is changing to accommodate the growth of your baby and upcoming labour, delivery and breastfeeding. Sometimes uncomfortable stuff crops up that can put a damper on your excitement, but … [Read more...]
Chinese Herbal Medicine to Clear Phlegm and Improve Lung Health
In Chinese medicine, the flavor of an herb or food tells you something about its actions. That’s because, each flavor; sweet, salty, pungent (spicy), bitter and sour all have a different effect on your body and the organ systems affected. In general: Sweet affects your Stomach and Spleen, and is often used to help your … [Read more...]
Why Should You Care About the Adrenal-Thyroid Connection?
Most people don’t want to talk about glands—they’re complicated and kind of gross, even the word is kind of gross. However, your glands are important to good health! They’re a part of your endocrine system, which controls the production and secretion of hormones. Some of the major endocrine glands in your body include the … [Read more...]
How Many Acupuncture Treatments Do You Need?
Sometimes when I’m out in the world, I have heard people say, “I tried acupuncture once and it didn’t do a thing.” To me, that’s like saying I tried exercise once and didn’t get any fitter, or I took one piano lesson and couldn’t play a concerto. Acupuncture is a therapy, and it almost always takes more than one treatment … [Read more...]
