Women’s Wellness

Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of body weight. People with anorexia place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that tend to significantly interfere with activities in their lives. To prevent weight gain or to continue losing weight, people with anorexia usually severely restrict the amount of food they eat. They may control calorie intake by vomiting after eating or by misusing laxatives, diet aids, diuretics or enemas. They may also try to lose weight by exercising excessively. Physical effects of anorexia include:

• Severe mood swings or depression
• Lack of energy and weakness
• Slowed thinking; poor memory
• Dry, yellowish skin and brittle nails
• Constipation and bloating
• Tooth decay and gum damage
• Dizziness, fainting, and headaches
• Growth of fine hair all over the body and face

Furthermore, anorexia can affect the health and function of many organ system potentially causing problems such as severe nutrient deficiencies,, anemia, low blood pressure, palpitations, heart failure, kidney stones, kidney failure, amenorrhea and infertility, poor immune function, and electrolyte and blood sugar imbalance. Research suggests that a genetic predisposition to anorexia may run in families. If a girl has a sibling with anorexia, she is 10 to 20 times more likely than the general population to develop anorexia herself. Brain chemistry also plays a significant role. People with anorexia tend to have high levels of cortisol, the brain hormone most related to stress, and decreased levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, which are associated with feelings of well-being. In addition, protein, vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as thiamine and zinc linked to anorexia affect appetite, mood balance, and ability to handle stress.

Helping to improve appetite, reduce stress and regulate brain chemicals by restoring nutrient and protein status with a healthy, whole-foods diet and nutritional supplementation is an important part of treating anorexia. Anorexia is not a one step process, but with the help of acupuncture and naturopathic medicine along with a qualified therapist and/or spiritual counselor, patients will be allowed a safe space to process their emotions, identify the emotional root of their eating disorder, and improve their self-esteem and self-worth. In addition, acupuncture, dietary and lifestyle counseling, herbal and nutrient supplementation, meditation and stress reduction techniques are beneficial in treating symptoms of anorexia because it can help calm the nervous system, regulate digestive problems and prevent detrimental health problems associated with anorexia.

Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of binge eating, followed by compulsive efforts to avoid gaining weight. Bulimia involves physically eliminating the food from your body by throwing up or using laxatives, enemas, or diuretics. Binging and vomiting can trigger waves of the potent brain chemicals called endorphins. The release of these natural heroin-like brain chemicals helps establish the powerful compulsions that bulimics experience to binge and purge. Studies also show that brain chemicals particularly serotonin play an important role in affecting mood, self-esteem, stress, weight management and appetite control. Tryptophan, an amino acid found in protein along with other important vitamin and mineral cofactors, such as B-6 and magnesium are needed to produce optimal levels of serotonin. Low tryptophan levels have been linked as a possible contributing factor to bulimia. In one study, bulimics were deprived of the single protein tryptophan. In reaction, their serotonin levels dropped and they binged more violently, ingesting and purging an average of 900 calories more each day. In another study, adding extra tryptophan to the diet reduced bulimic binges and mood problems by raising serotonin levels. Most recently, an Oxford researcher, Katherine Smith, reported that even years into recovery, bulimics can have a return of their cravings and mood problem after only a few hours of tryptophan depletion. She concluded, “Our findings support suggestions that chronic depletion of plasma tryptophan may be one of the mechanisms whereby persistent dieting can lead to the development of eating disorders in vulnerable individuals.”

From a naturopathic perspective, the physiological triggers for bulimia can be assessed by checking neurotransmitter levels, cortisol and adrenal function, thyroid function, genetic health, and nutrient and amino acid status. Bulimia can be addressed with clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, lifestyle and dietary counseling, meditation and stress reduction exercises along with acupuncture to balance brain chemicals, optimize endocrine function, support self-esteem, reduce stress, and calm the nervous system to prevent reflexive binging. We work integratively with physicians, nutritionists, and therapists to break the binge-purge cycle by helping you monitor your eating habits, avoid situations that trigger binges, cope with stress in ways that don’t involve food, eat healthy and regularly to reduce food cravings, and fight the urge to purge. In addition, we help you identify and change unhealthy thoughts and dysfunctional beliefs patterns about weight, dieting, and body shape. You explore attitudes about eating and rethink the idea that self-worth is based on weight. Finally we support your exploration into identifying and resolving the emotional issues that contributed to the eating disorder. Guidance from a therapist and/or a spiritual counselor to help heal relationship issues, underlying anxiety and depression, low self-esteem, and feelings of isolation and loneliness are essential.

Menstrual cycles generally occur every 28 days and are considered abnormal when they consistently occur less than 21 days or more than 35 days or more than three periods are missed in a row. Examples of menstrual irregularities are amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea.

• Amenorrhea is a condition in which a woman’s periods have stopped completely. The absence of a period for 90 days or more is considered abnormal unless a woman is pregnant, breastfeeding, or going through menopause (which generally occurs for women between ages 45 and 55). Young women who haven’t started menstruating by age 15 or 16 or within three years after their breasts begin to develop are also considered to have amenorrhea.
• Oligomenorrhea refers to periods that occur infrequently.

Many factors can affect menstrual regularity such as stress, significant weight gain or loss, travel, infections, poor diet, nutrient deficiencies such as iron deficiency anemia, and hormone imbalance associated with premature ovarian insufficiency, luteal phase defect, pituitary disorders polycystic ovarian syndrome, peri-menopause, menopause, and thyroid disorders. Medications such as oral contraceptives, hormones and steroids may also cause menstrual irregularities.

A thorough medical work-up that includes history taking, physical exam, laboratory testing, and imaging helps identify the causes of menstrual irregularity. Treatment recommendations with dietary and lifestyle counseling, herbal and nutrient supplementation, bio-identical hormones, stress management, and acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are offered by our practitioners to help effectively restore menstrual regularity and healthy hormone balance. Acupuncture can help balance the menstrual cycle, regulate the menstrual flow and ease pain. From a Chinese medicine viewpoint, the Liver and Kidneys meridians and organ systems are responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle. Stress can disturb the flow of energy in the Liver meridian and overwork and busy lifestyle can deplete the energy of the Kidneys which will in turn lead to irregularities of the cycle. Acupuncture can help restore energy and blood flow associated with these energy systems to regulate menstrual cycles.

Dysmenorrhea, commonly referred to as painful menstruation affects over 50 percent of menstruating women. Several factors contribute to causing dysmenorrhea. These include behavioral and psychological causes; lack of blood flow to the uterus; and increased production and release of specific types of prostaglandins that cause uterine contractions and pain. Menstrual cramps may also be due to a specific abnormal pelvic condition such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, adhesions, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, congenital malformations, or polyps.

Symptoms of menstrual cramps include abdominal bloating, frequent and intense cramps, pain below the waistline, or a dull ache that may radiate to the lower back or legs. There may also be symptoms of headache, nausea, diarrhea or constipation, frequent urination, and, occasionally, vomiting. A qualified naturopathic practitioner or acupuncturist will help identify the underlying causes to your menstrual cramps by taking a comprehensive history, performing a physical exam, and ordering the appropriate lab and imaging tests. Once the cause is identified, the appropriate treatment recommendations can be made. These treatment recommendations may include appropriate dietary changes, vitamin and mineral supplementation, herbal medicine, and acupuncture to decrease uterine spasms and muscle tension.

Premenstrual Syndrome is a recurrent condition experienced by women during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Typical symptoms include fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, irritability, depression, headache, breast tenderness, low back pain, abdominal bloating, food cravings, and swelling of fingers and ankles. No clear cause has been identified, however hormonal changes likely contribute to PMS symptoms.

Our natural treatment approach for PMS is comprehensive, incorporating proper nutritional intake and dietary changes, regular physical activity, botanical medicine, and acupuncture to help balance hormones, enhance serotonin and endorphin levels, and alleviate the symptoms of PMS.
In November, 1997, NIH’s Office of Alternative Medicine issued a consensus statement that reported that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of menstrual cramps, and some of the other symptoms of PMS. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, PMS is very often due to blocked Qi (energy) and blood in the body. This blockage can manifest as emotional blockage (frustration, irritability, anxiety, tension, impatience) and/or physical blockage (pain, breast tenderness, water retention etc.). Acupuncture stimulates the circulation of Qi and blood throughout the body and helps to unblock the pathways of energy in our body by inserting tiny thin needles into specified acupuncture points.

Unnecessary weight gain can be stressful for many patients and is commonly due to stress, poor eating habits and physical inactivity. Weight gain can be categorized as a weight increase over one’s average body mass index margin. Aside from an unhealthy or sedentary lifestyle, there are many causes of weight gain such as high cortisol levels, abnormal leptin and ghrelin hormones that affect hunger and satiety, low thyroid function, imbalanced serotonin, medication side effects, hormonal changes in menopause, poor digestive function, food sensitivities, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes that can be identified and addressed for effective weight loss. We offer laboratory testing to help identify the root causes of weight gain, measure your waist and body circumference, and provide body composition testing to assess and monitor your body mass index, lean body mass and fat mass levels.

A successful program for weight loss may include a customized dietary plan that is balanced in healthy fats, protein and complex carbohydrates, adequate exercise, a positive mental attitude, stress reduction, acupuncture, B-vitamin injections and supplementation with nutrients and herbs to help promote metabolism and digestion, balance hormones, regulate blood sugar, and normalize appetite. We focus on improving your lean body mass, reducing unhealthy fat mass, and preventing chronic conditions associated with weight gain such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes to help you achieve your weight loss goals.