Ovarian cysts are small fluid-filled sacs that develop in a woman’s ovaries. Most cysts are harmless, but some may cause problems such as rupturing, bleeding, or pain; and surgery may be required to remove the cyst(s). In Traditional Chinese Medicine cysts are considered an accumulation of phlegm and/or blood stagnation. This is predominantly a Yin [...]
A recent article in the New York Times explored impurities in a few poor quality herbal supplements that supposedly aid in weight loss and low libido. We are saddened that these products exist and are giving Chinese herbs a bad reputation. We would like to reassure our patients that purchasing herbal products and supplements appropriately [...]
Jan was a 35 year old woman who came to see me because her periods were so heavy that she had been diagnosed with anemia. Carla was a 45 year old woman whose abdomen protruded so much that her friend had mistakenly thought she was pregnant. Lauren was a 39 year old woman who was [...]
Do you suffer from brain fog or a cloudy mind? Are you forgetful and absent minded? Do you sometimes feel detached or unfocused? If you do, you’re not alone. Here at the YinOva Center a lot of our patients tell us that they worry about their brain power and ask if Chinese medicine can help [...]
How do you tell when spring has arrived? For some it’s when the birds start singing, or the trees start budding. For others it’s when the crocuses emerge from hibernation and peek through the ground. Here at the YinOva Center in New York City we can tell spring is in the air when our patients [...]
Today’s Blog is by YinOva massage therapist, Nicole Kruck LMT. “In the old days we couldn’t just up and run to the doctor for every little ache and pain” my grandma Viola used to say. “There weren’t hospitals or doctors near enough”. So what did they do back then? In this day and age when [...]
Overnight one of my patients “facebooked” me to let me know she’d had her baby – a happy reminder of all the reasons I love my job. Helping couples to conceive is rewarding and interesting work. When a patient first consults me I ask lots of questions, some of which may seem off-topic, but together [...]
Whilst studying Chinese medicine I was introduced to the the idea that our bodies are in tune with nature and that we can and should adapt our behavior in response to nature. At the time this was news to me but over the years I have appreciated the wisdom of taking my cues from the [...]
“It started with a few extra strands on my hair brush and before I knew it there were patches so thin you could see my scalp” Diana is a beautiful woman in her mid-thirties who was understandably devastated when her hair began to fall out. She had tried a variety of medicines before coming to [...]
Years ago doctors used to tell their patients to take extra B vitamins when using oral contraceptives. Like many pieces of medical wisdom this advice has fallen by the wayside and women often don’t know that their birth control pills can be causing vitamin B depletion. At the YinOva Center we advise all our patients [...]
Today’s blog is written by YinOva acupuncturist Laurel Axen Carroll I was in my local soup shop yesterday, reading an article in Cookie Magazine about postpartum anxiety, when I realized that I see more women suffering from postpartum anxiety than postpartum depression. The need for women to wear so many hats is definitely taking its [...]
We treat a lot of teenagers at the YinOva Center and it makes me so happy that they feel comfortable coming in to see us and are able to use Chinese medicine as a way of taking care of themselves. As a mother I know, first hand, that teenage girls can be sensitive and vulnerable [...]
Are you sick of your pre-natal vitamins? One of our lovely YinOva “Moms-to-be” emailed me with this great suggestion. She has developed a taste for belly-bars from a company called Nutrabella. These tasty snacks are fortified with all the nutrients women need when they are trying to conceive or pregnant. When I looked at them [...]
For most of us the New Year is a time to think about the changes we want to make in our lives. Many of us resolve to drop some bad habits or pick up some good ones. Here at The YinOva Center we hear from a lot of people who are trying to give up [...]
Although people often refer to a UTI as a bladder infection, any part of the urinary system, including the kidneys, can become infected. The most common infection, however, is in the bladder and urethra and accounts for 8.3 million doctor visits each year. A UTI is more likely to affect women than men, for anatomical [...]
As acupuncturists who specialize in women’s health, we meet plenty of women who suffer from menstrual cramps. Dysmenorrhea is the technical term for the dull throbbing abdominal pain that some women experience during their periods. It can range from a mild annoyance to the kind of severe pain that can ruin several days each month. [...]
Happy New Year. I hope that you had a fun and festive New Year’s Eve and that 2009 brings you everything you wish for. New Year’s Day seems like a good time to mention an old Chinese remedy called Curing Pills. This traditional formula comes in vials containing tiny pellets which are designed to relieve [...]
At this time of year so many of us seem to be sniffling. The common cold is a viral infection that affects the nose and throat. There are more than 200 viruses that can cause a cold so symptoms vary a bit. It takes about 7-10 days to recover from a cold but in our [...]
This is the season when many of us eat and drink a little too much. With that in mind I thought I’d share a useful Chinese herbal formula for a condition known in Chinese medicine as food stagnation. This is another way of describing indigestion from over-indulging in rich foods. The formula is known as [...]
Last week I cut myself whilst cooking Sunday lunch and reached for a Chinese powder called Yunnan Baiyao which stops bleeding when sprinkled on a cut. This reminded me to share with you some natural non-toxic Chinese herbal medicines that make a great addition to your first aid kit. All of these products are available [...]
As many of you have pointed out to me morning sickness is a bit of a misnomer because in real life a wave of nausea or vomiting can strike pregnant women at any time of the day or night. Between 60% and 80% of pregnant women experience some nausea and vomiting although for most women [...]
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and so we have been focusing on this disease here at The YinOva Blog. Last week I wrote about breast cancer prevention and the week before I wrote about a new study that shows how helpful acupuncture can be to women who are undergoing breast cancer treatment. I thought [...]
Whenever I talk about breast cancer prevention I am very conscious of my patients who are currently dealing with this illness. I want to avoid making them feel as if they did something wrong. Too often cancer patients beat themselves up for things they did and things they wished they’d done. I don’t want to [...]
The credit crunch, the bail-out, the war, the presidential election…it seems like a good week to talk about stress and anxiety!
