Masculine Feminine Workshop Masculine & Feminine Workshop Join Dr Ilana Sowter (Chinese Medicine) & yogi Shannon Rokis and for our most popular and inspiring  Masculine Feminine workshop that will change your life! Yes it is for both women and men. Online Sunday 18th October, 2020 10am-12pm AEST (2 hours) $50 AUD The holistic whole of …

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Tissue Salts Melbourne What Are Tissue Salts? Tissue Salts are essential minerals to life. They are also called Biochemic Cell Salts or Cell Salts. These twelve Tissue Salts are found in your body; and so are critical for maintaining good health. Tissue salts aim to treat ailments by correcting imbalances by nourishing cellular deficiencies. This …

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Gua Sha Benefits & Actions Gua sha fa (Chinese: 刮痧; pinyin: guā shā) translates to “scraping sha-bruises”. Gua Sha Fa Essentially, is a key treatment in traditional Chinese medicine where a tool firmly strokes the skin. This releases toxic heat from the body. Here at Femme Vital we prefer to use crystals like Jade and …

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Raw Egg For Fertility Eggs and fertility, well they go together like a horse and carriage! Think spring, eggs, easter and the cycle of life. Spring brings new growth and so does eggs.  Especially while you are getting your acupuncture to optimise the benefits of your treatments. Eating raw eggs is a great way to …

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Five Ways Support Period Pain Naturally Support Period Pain Naturally Would you like to support your period pain naturally? Yes, it is possible. How Common Is Period Pain? A study by the University of Modena in Italy found that over 84% women suffer from period pain. Dysmenorrhoea or period pain is a common complaint women come to …

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Will You Survive Day 1 Spring Detox? Spring Detox You may be in lockdown and who knows when it will end? After last night’s announcement, you may not be able to control what is happening in Melbourne but you certainly can be in control of how good you think and feel. However, let us consider …

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Abundant Kidney Energy This article explains the importance of your Kidney energy in Chinese medicine for your health.  Kidney Energy The Kidney energy stores your Pre-Natal Essence and Original Qi. Your Pre-Natal Essence is the genetic health and vitality that was passed on to you by your parents. Original Qi is a mixture of Pre-Natal …

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Chinese Medicine & Morning Sickness Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine for Pregnancy in Inner North of Melbourne Pregnancy is a wonderful time for many women, and it is common to suffer from nausea and vomiting in the first trimester. This article explains the different energetic imbalances involved with morning sickness and how to support it from …

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Moxa For Breech Baby Moxibustion For Breech Baby A classical Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment is moxibustion. The theory suggests that acupoint Urinary Bladder 67 is the beginning and ending of all channels in the body. This point is to be stimulated with yang (heat) in order to activate the qi through the body. When …

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Acupuncture First Trimester Congratulations Congratulations to you, this is a wonderful time to nourish yourself, your growing baby and take positive steps to having a healthy pregnancy and birth. Pregnancy Acupuncture Melbourne You may not know it, but having acupuncture treatment can be very beneficial for mother and baby during the first trimester and throughout …

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Tissue Salts Melbourne What Are Tissue Salts? Tissue Salts are essential minerals to life. They are also called Biochemic Cell Salts or Cell Salts. These twelve Tissue Salts are found in your body; and so are critical for maintaining good health. Tissue salts aim to treat ailments by correcting imbalances by nourishing cellular deficiencies. This …

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Gua Sha Benefits & Actions Gua sha fa (Chinese: 刮痧; pinyin: guā shā) translates to “scraping sha-bruises”. Gua Sha Fa Essentially, is a key treatment in traditional Chinese medicine where a tool firmly strokes the skin. This releases toxic heat from the body. Here at Femme Vital we prefer to use crystals like Jade and …

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Raw Egg For Fertility Eggs and fertility, well they go together like a horse and carriage! Think spring, eggs, easter and the cycle of life. Spring brings new growth and so does eggs.  Especially while you are getting your acupuncture to optimise the benefits of your treatments. Eating raw eggs is a great way to …

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Masculine Feminine Workshop Masculine & Feminine Workshop Join Dr Ilana Sowter (Chinese Medicine) & yogi Shannon Rokis and for our most popular and inspiring  Masculine Feminine workshop that will change your life! Yes it is for both women and men. Online Sunday 18th October, 2020 10am-12pm AEST (2 hours) $50 AUD The holistic whole of …

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Five Ways Support Period Pain Naturally Support Period Pain Naturally Would you like to support your period pain naturally? Yes, it is possible. How Common Is Period Pain? A study by the University of Modena in Italy found that over 84% women suffer from period pain. Dysmenorrhoea or period pain is a common complaint women come to …

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Will You Survive Day 1 Spring Detox? Spring Detox You may be in lockdown and who knows when it will end? After last night’s announcement, you may not be able to control what is happening in Melbourne but you certainly can be in control of how good you think and feel. However, let us consider …

Will You Survive Day 1 Spring Detox? Read More »

Abundant Kidney Energy This article explains the importance of your Kidney energy in Chinese medicine for your health.  Kidney Energy The Kidney energy stores your Pre-Natal Essence and Original Qi. Your Pre-Natal Essence is the genetic health and vitality that was passed on to you by your parents. Original Qi is a mixture of Pre-Natal …

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Chinese Medicine & Morning Sickness Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine for Pregnancy in Inner North of Melbourne Pregnancy is a wonderful time for many women, and it is common to suffer from nausea and vomiting in the first trimester. This article explains the different energetic imbalances involved with morning sickness and how to support it from …

Chinese Medicine & Morning Sickness Read More »

Moxa For Breech Baby Moxibustion For Breech Baby A classical Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment is moxibustion. The theory suggests that acupoint Urinary Bladder 67 is the beginning and ending of all channels in the body. This point is to be stimulated with yang (heat) in order to activate the qi through the body. When …

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Acupuncture First Trimester Congratulations Congratulations to you, this is a wonderful time to nourish yourself, your growing baby and take positive steps to having a healthy pregnancy and birth. Pregnancy Acupuncture Melbourne You may not know it, but having acupuncture treatment can be very beneficial for mother and baby during the first trimester and throughout …

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Stress & Fear During Isolation Stress & Fear in Isolation Is life really stressful or have you lost control and let it take over your life? The current situation means you are stuck in your house. Being stuck physically translates to emotional stagnation; where being with your thoughts all day long, could lead to an …

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Black Ginger Tea For Cough With Phlegm Immune health is everything at the moment. In Chinese medicine, healthy immunity relates to Lung Qi. Lung Qi is the energy that governs the the upper chest area. If you have good Lung Qi you will have good function of: Governs overall energy Allows energy to descend in …

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Asthma Chinese Medicine Asthma Chinese Medicine Asthma Chinese Medicine: understanding a deeper holistic meaning of the imbalance. Essentially, asthma is a respiratory condition affecting the airways of the lungs. Signs and symptoms include episodes of wheezing, breathlessness and chest tightness. It can be a serious, life-threatening disease. Living with this condition is challenging, especially for …

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Late Summer Seasonal Foods Melbourne Just as the romantic, balmy evenings wane and summer romance ends, so does the beautiful produce that graces our tables. Before you resign yourself to the autumn that ensues; remember to savour the last of late summer produce that tends to be sweet and juicy to moisten our bodies in preparation …

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Natural Killer Cells Acupuncture I am passionate about supporting women for Natural Killer Cells Acupuncture. Natural Killer cells have recently been associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. This can happen as early as within a few weeks to later stages of pregnancy. Hi, I’m Ilana Sowter (Doctor of Chinese Medicine) and I’m a Fertility Acupuncturist in …

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Creating Healthy Boundaries Creating Healthy Boundaries Is Important If you do not have these in your life they can cause you a myriad of issues and deep unhappiness. Often you will not have been taught how to maintain boundaries. Having firm boundaries of who you are and what you need can allow you to live …

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Chinese Herbs For PMS Is PMS a physical or psychological symptom? Up to 85% of reproductive age experience it and it can severely impact your life as a woman. Here we discuss PMS and Chinese Medicine. PMS is Before the Period Not During That’s right, contrary to belief a woman can experience Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) …

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Acupuncture Birth Preparation Preparing to bring your baby into the world is a new and exciting time, every time! In your last trimester there are some great ways for you to strengthen and nourish yourself physically and mentally for the wonderful roller coaster ride that awaits you! Be Flexible It would be wonderful to plan …

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Spring Cleanse Spring Detox Season You live a crazy, busy life entailing long hours, lots of chemicals & toxins in our food. Not to mention the environment, alcohol, caffeine, drugs to poor nutrition and so on. In Chinese Medicine, it is your Liver energy that is bogged down with the stress, toxins  of your body …

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Moxibustion What Is Moxibustion? Moxibustion (commonly referred to as moxa) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy. It uses the downy substance of a dried herb known as mugwort;  Artemisia vulgaris. In Japanese it is called mo kusa, meaning burning herb. This treatment is very warming and nourishing when lit. It warms specific areas of your body. Instead …

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Best Mother Baby Natural Products Your baby is so special of course you only want the best baby natural products for him or her! What exactly do you need and not need when you are expecting? Shopping for baby products can be like heaven for a woman! You suddenly have this strong maternal urge that …

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Chinese Medicine Children Chinese Medicine Children The Melbourne winter has hit and it seems like everyone, especially kids are getting sick! At winter time, children are prone to fever, cough and ear infections. This article reflects on my studies as a Chinese Medicine practitioner. It aims to educate you on how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) …

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Raw Egg For Fertility This article is all about acupuncture teeth, diet for teeth and other holistic aspects. In the post-partum of my second baby, my teeth were über sensitive and sometimes hurt…ouch! A visit to the dentist indicated that my teeth needed a few small fillings. This was very strange to me considering I keep in generally good health …

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Chinese Medicine & Fertility Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a holistic health system founded in China thousands of years ago. It is renowned as a natural medicine given its long history in efficacy. Its evolution as a health system is mostly retained. Many people choose TCM as it has little side effects, is gentle and …

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Acupuncture For Wounds Acupuncture For Wounds Before I begin my tale, I do want to let you know that acupuncture for wounds can support stubborn wounds that will not heal. You know the kind of wounds which harden and then seem infected? There may be pus, pain or redness around the area. Before seeking acupuncture …

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Low Libido Acupuncture Low Libido Acupuncture Low Libido Acupuncture? In Chinese Medicine, sex drive is related to the Kidney energy. The Kidney energy naturally declines with age. It is the powerhouse of the body. Additionaly, it supplies reserve energy to any organ running low on Qi (vital force). The partner organ is the bladder. The …

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Post-Partum Acupuncture Post-Partum Acupuncture Most women would have no idea about it. But receiving post-partum acupuncture after having a baby can be so wonderful. I remember the incessant body aches after my first baby. Uterine pain as the uterus cramped down to normal size. Feeling out of sorts and exhaustion. Perhaps lastly, the most obvious pain …

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Mens Fertility Mens Fertility A man’s lifestyle (his stress, sleep, alcohol, caffeine and dietary habits) all take a toll. Essentially, this affects mens’ fertility. Not only on his body, but his swimmers too. It is very common for women to focus on their fertility. The truth is it a fifty fifty partnership. It is certain that …

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AMH Test: Accuracy To Metaphysics The wonderful season of Easter is approaching. So I felt it was appropriate to talk about eggs; Female Reproductive Eggs Everyone presumes that men can father children well into old age. But it’s very different for women. On average, between the age of 45-55 a woman undergoes a normal and …

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Top 10 Fertility Foods Chinese Medicine Chinese medicine has been treating infertility for over a thousand years with references dating way back to the oracle bones. This subtle and natural approach lies in slowly building the body’s precious substances such as blood, qi and essence. The Importance of Diet for Fertility Ideally this can be done through diet, especially …

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How To Keep Healthy During Your Period Fifty Percent Of Women Suffer From Period Pain Have you ever dreamed of having a normal, healthy period? As a woman, you have a one in two chance that you will suffer from period pain. In fact most women have experienced this excruciating and potentially debilitating experience. Why …

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Natural Fertility Looking for Fertility Acupuncture in Melbourne? At Femme Vital, Ilana is very experienced in supporting men and women with fertility concerns, including IVF and pregnancy support. Wanting to Improve Your Fertility Naturally? Then you have found the place to support natural fertility. Holistically with the ancient wisdom of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs, and …

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Natural Support for Uterine Polyps Natural Support for Uterine Polyps, here you are provided with a complete holistic analysis. Uterine Polyps from a Holistic Perspective Listen to all you need to know about Natural Support for Uterine Polyps! Yes we have in clinic Chinese Medicine & online Holistic Health Coaching consultations available. Uterine Polyps are …

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Iodine Melbourne: An Essential Micronutrient Iodine Melbourne. You know your body needs all the essential minerals and vitamins to thrive. Much of your food today is devoid of real nutrition. One of the essential micronutrients that affects you and most people when deficient is Iodine. The Thyroid Your thyroid is a small, butterfly shaped organ …

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Divine Feminine Woman Divine Feminine Woman. Tell me, what happened to you? Confusingly, I look around in this modern world and it is a mish mash of gender scramble. Which is fine, if that’s who you are and what you want. Interestingly, The Victorian Government recently launched a They Day which got much attention world-wide. …

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Blood Deficiency, Fertility & Diet What Is Blood Deficiency? Blood Deficiency is common with infertility. So Blood is very important for your health as a woman. This article explains what Blood Deficiency is. It is a vital substance and your Blood can be improved through dietary changes. In Chinese Medicine, the spleen (digestive energy) transforms …

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A Systematic Review Assessing The Safety & Efficacy of Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) Reducing Menopause Symptoms Menopause & Chinese Herbal Medicine Research It is still uncertain whether Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms in menopausal women is effective or safe. Menopausal women are seeking natural therapies due to concerns associated with …

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Life’s Too Hard Can’t Afford I’m Sick & Affirmations For Change Affirmations are important for a good life. Think of your attitude. My God I’m absolutely sick of this!!! You’ve probably heard yourself cry out many a time. It’s that feeling of being stuck with a situation if life and it never gets better, in …

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The Yin & Yang of Drugs Drugs have their own energetic properties and are classified as cold, hot, warm and dispersing in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It’s amazing! Drugs can be yin or yang and have energetic effects on your body! Each drug has its own energetic property and can change the yin and yang …

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How To Find Relevant Research On Chinese Herbal Medicine For Menopause It can be confusing when you are going through menopause as to know what is happening, what is normal and what you can do. When I was studying for my Chinese herbal medicine masters thesis, I finally decided that the only research I would …

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Prepare For Winter With Chinese Medicine It’s been an awesome summer in Melbourne, and now the mornings and evenings are cooling and the dryness is arriving. Autumn brings shorter days, the harvesting of crops and preparation for winter. How do you give yourself the best chance of a healthy autumn and winter? Start Preparing Now – The …

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How To Research Health Conditions With Natural Therapies Natural Therapy Research Recently, I have been non-stop researching databases for a final Masters subject (yay!) and wanted to share with you, how you can find high quality articles on a reputable database such as PubMed on the internet. This article explains how you can do a …

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Endometriosis Acupuncture What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis occurs when endometrial cells migrate and grow outside of the uterus thus inducing a chronic, inflammatory reaction that may cause health complications and increase a woman’s risk of infertility amongst other issues. The endometrial cells may colonise (hence become stuck) any adjacent cells or organs including the pelvic peritoneum, …

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Menopause Natural Support What is Menopause? Menopause is defined as the cessation of reproductive ability and cyclic production of ovarian sex steroids due to loss of ovarian function in a woman that produces vasomotor, somatic, sexual and psychological symptoms (Gartoulla, Islam, Bell & Davie, 2014). Causes & Symptoms of Menopause Although Menopause is a natural …

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How To Choose A Good Fertility Acupuncturist Fertility Acupuncturist With so many different practitioners out there how do you really know if your Acupuncturist knows what they are doing when it comes to fertility? Fertility is a sensitive and special area of treatment. How To Know If Your Acupuncturist Understands Fertility They have no idea …

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What To Expect To Feel After Acupuncture Treatment How May You Feel After Acupuncture Treatment Feel After Acupuncture? Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for many conditions, as the principles of Chinese medicine aim to restore the body back to balance, usually this is in a gentle way but sometimes can be felt stronger …

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Living An Inspired Life How many times have you asked yourself what am I meant to be doing with my life? Or how did I end up in my current life and situation? Last night, I attended a public talk by Dr John Demartini; an inspirational speaker, teacher and writer. My dad (thank you, Dad!) …

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Natural Fever Reducing Treatment For Children Panadol and neurofen should be a last resort when treating a fever. These medicines only reduce the fever, they do not treat the true cause of the fever which is usually infection. Fever phobia is widespread today where all parents fear their children’s fevers due to the slight risks …

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Research Review Of Chinese Herbs For Endometriosis INTRODUCTION Literature review: Medical and Chinese medicine Endometriosis is an under-diagnosed, under-reported and under-researched illness affecting women of all ages and ethnic groups. In order to best treat our patients with Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), we need to acknowledge the full scope of this illness. This study covers …

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Pregenvy & The Fertility Journey Pregenvy (def): strong emotional jealousy and desire to conceive which is aggravated by people falling pregnant around you at the drop of a hat. This is what I reckon and coin the term as. A strange thing occurs when you finally surrender to that maternal urge that you are ready to …

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Cosmetic Acupuncture A Botox Alternative? Are you feeling and looking, haggered, worn out? Have you noticed how so many shops that in every suburb, including Ivanhoe, Northcote and Fairfield, are full of beauty salons! So many of us prioritise beauty and how we appear above everything else. If you are looking for a natural alternative to …

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Wild Rose For Pain, Beauty & PMS Admiring this stunning rose today made me think of the herb mei gui hua or dried rose buds (rosa rugosa) that are used in Chinese Herbal Medicine often for women’s health, periods and fertility. Rose is a herb, and the young, wild buds are used in Chinese medicine. …

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Natural Support For Miscarriage Causes of Miscarriage Miscarriage can occur for different reasons; a blighted ovum, genetic deformities, hostile uterine environment and even a cold uterus that fails to provide the warmth and nourishment to the baby. As a woman you will have a choice to have a D&C (dilate & cutettage) where the products …

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Chinese Medicine Healthy Pregnancy Tips How to take care of you and your growing babe in utero? During pregnancy increased mineral and nutritional demands are placed on the body. Here are some ways to be healthy naturally during pregnancy and minimise the baby from robbing all the goodies out of you. Tips For A Healthy …

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Sex, Connection & Fertility With so many struggling with fertility we can delve back to the roots and origins of this. How did something as connecting, loving and fun like having sex with your partner ever get so difficult, especially when trying to conceive? Firstly there is the relationship to consider, if there are unresolved …

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Natural Teeth Care For Women 2 Now on to the fun stuff, so what do we do to prevent gum and tooth problems in these changed hormonal states? First of all, you need a good dentist and hygienist. Having your teeth cleaned and removed of calculus every six months can prevent tooth decay and gum …

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Natural Teeth Care For Women 1 The old adage goes you lose one tooth for every baby… what! Unfortunately when a woman goes through any major hormonal change, this affects her gums and teeth. Changes in the natural or artificial production of oestrogen and progesterone can increase or reduce blood flow to the gums thus changing …

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Indoor Plants For Qi & Energy My darling friend is a big fan of indoor plants, her house is full of clambering ivy and propagated succulents. Did you know that by having indoor plants in your home or office, air can be recycled and cleaned? I always encourage my Acupuncture patients to explore some of the …

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Traditional Therapeutic Uses Of Whiskey In Chinese Medicine Whiskey is a type of alcohol or spirit, and like most spirits is strong, warming and when consumed in small amount can be beneficial to health. Wine is discussed in The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine, an ancient text of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for moving blockages …

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Acupuncture Birth Induction Many women in Melbourne are aware of the benefits of acupuncture during pregnancy, such as preventing miscarriage, keeping mother and baby relaxed and calm along with treating mild side effects that occur throughout. I am always amazed at how aware mothers are today regarding the importance of preparing their body for birth. …

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Acupuncture: Pregnancy Swelling & Fluid Retention Why Do Pregnant Women Retain Water? Oedema or fluid retention is a common side effect of pregnancy. It’s a given with a baby pressing on all your vital organs and lymph nodes along with all the excessive blood the body makes. The fluid is bound to eventually accumulate. Chinese …

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Acupuncture For C-Section Scars Improve Healing & Reduce Numbness Having a caesarean section (c-section) can be a traumatic experience, especially if has been an emergency. Learn more about having a more gentle caesarean here. The good news is that you can help your body to heal well afterwards. Along with resting, eating nourishing foods, doing …

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