The blog.

Labor is a mysterious, intense, and beautiful process. There isn’t actually a lot of concrete information about what causes labor to start, but research has shown that once the baby is ready for life outside the womb they release a protein that stimulates the hormonal cascade in the mother that leads to labor. So there’s a lot of truth in

You may have been trying for years, or it may have been a total surprise. Either way, getting that positive pregnancy test is usually a very memorable moment. Many midwives and doctors don’t schedule the first prenatal visit until after 10 weeks. Coming into the clinic in that interim time can help you feel seen and supported during early pregnancy.

IVF (in vitro fertilization) is one of the most common fertility treatments today. IVF refers to the process of fertilizing an egg outside ofthe body then inserting a healthy embryo back into the body to initiate pregnancy. Chinese medical therapies date back to 2000 BC, while IVF technologies became popular in the 1980s. Combining the wisdom of the time-tested medicine

Having a menstrual cycle is a wonderful opportunity to tune into the body, and menstruation can be a beautiful time for rest and release. Far too often, though, menstruation is preceded by a host of uncomfortable or at times debilitating symptoms that make it difficult to appreciate the body’s wonder. Premenstrual symptoms have become the norm, but there are actionable

In Five Phase theory which comes from the ancient Chinese medical perspective, each season is associated with a particular element, organ system, and emotion. Understanding the seasonal associations can be a helpful way to understand ourselves as connected to the environment around us, and shed light on common themes that you may notice coming up for yourself and those around

Fertility was a hot topic for ancient Chinese medical doctors. The earliest recorded Chinese medical text (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine) includes information about various diseases leading to infertility along with treatment strategies. The Chinese medical approach to bolstering fertility considers the human as an aspect of the macrocosm, and the question of what factors are leading to

Although aging is inevitable, there are certainly ways to slow the process that doesn’t involve surgery, botox, or unnatural fillers. Chinese Medicine is a 3000 year medical practice that relies on the wisdom of what a balanced lifestyle can achieve not only for the physical body, but also the mind and spirit. While seemingly uncomplicated at first in terms some

Fertility, monthly cycles, and menopausal years can each be supported through acupuncture, herbs, botanical-based point injection therapy, and nutrition. Ballard Acupuncture Center is excited to announce that we will be hosting a 3-part workshop series this upcoming Fall on all things related to the various transitions that women enter in and out of throughout their life.  The series will begin

Navigating the food world can be tricky for many, especially since there always appears to be so many rules and suggestions around what to eat, when to eat it, and how much is too much. There are also the various cultural components that are much more personal and community specific, along with work and family obligations many have to balance.

As many people know, pain can greatly affect our quality of living, keeping us apart from the very people we love and away from the activities that make us feel ourselves. While we are a clinic that is focused on Women’s health, we also support a variety of other conditions, one of those being pain. Whether it be pain in