For couples who experience recurrent miscarriages, recent research has found that men have twice the level of DNA fragmentation in their sperm and 4 times higher levels of reactive oxygen species in their semen, which can cause DNA damage to sperm, than men whose partners didn’t have a history of miscarriage. In couples with recurrent pregnancy loss, the men also had reduced sperm mobility and morphology, compared to their peers.

In this fast paced, over stimulated and stressed out environment, anxiety and depression continue to impact the masses. Anxiety can show itself in many forms and can affect people differently. As these numbers rise, anxiety disorders are becoming one of the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older.

Although acupuncture and Traditional East Asian medicine (TEAM) for the treatment of infertility has been practiced for thousands of years, the combination of acupuncture with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) has emerged in recent years as an effective method for improving pregnancy and live birth rates.

As a doctor of Chinese medicine specializing in fertility, pregnancy, and women’s health, the majority of my patients come to see me when they are trying to conceive, and while many of patients continue care throughout their pregnancy and beyond, others fall off, seemingly unaware of how much acupuncture is able to help throughout the three trimesters and in preparation for labor and birth. Some women have even been told by their western medical doctors not to come in for acupuncture when they’re pregnant, even if they previously recommended it for fertility!

Jordan’s passion is to connect with others and increase their energetic vibration to guide them towards their true self. Her goal is to assist clients in reaching inner peace, harmony, and balance in their daily lives. Jordan loves performing soul healing and energy work for individuals who suffer from emotional and spiritual imbalances, which can manifest into common ailments and diseases. She views each person as a canvas that deserves individual attention and specialized treatment.

At Phoenix Rising Acupuncture, we support women through the entire pregnancy journey, from conception and fertility to pregnancy and postpartum. Dr. Monica Dayanand is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, a licensed acupuncturist, a women’s health and fertility specialist, and a certified postpartum doula who offers postpartum support and healing home visits.

At Phoenix Rising Acupuncture, we are here to support you physically and emotionally during this next step in your journey to parenthood. Acupuncture during pregnancy has significant health benefits for both mom and baby, and we recommend treatment throughout your entire pregnancy.

Phoenix Rising Acupuncture offers a specialized curated herbal pharmacy, which includes remedies for women’s health, anti-aging, pain management, allergies, fertility, weight loss and more. All of the products are organic, fair trade, and green for clean living and clean beauty.

Although many women have been known to be able to give birth to breech babies vaginally, most doctors these days have little to no experience with this type of delivery and feel more comfortable performing an external cephalic version or scheduling a cesarean section if a baby is not in an optimal position (vertex, or head down) towards the end of a pregnancy; however, the good news is that there are natural ways to turn breech babies that have been used successfully for centuries.

Millions of women worldwide rely on birth control pills. Not only to prevent pregnancy but for cycle regulation, flow reduction, endometriosis and even hormone related acne. While many take the pill, it is important to note there are a variety of side-effects that every female should be aware of before taking birth control pills. These side-effects of birth control range from mildly annoying to potentially life changing issues.

Infertility is defined as the inability of a sexually active, non-contracepting couple to achieve pregnancy in one year, but very few men or women are truly infertile. Most couples who have been given a diagnosis of “infertility” are merely out of balance, and from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, are entirely treatable. For the 1 in 8 couples experiencing infertility each year, acupuncture and TCM may be just what the doctor ordered. In fact, it has been shown that acupuncture boosts fertility rates for couples by enhancing both male and female fertility.

Anxiety is among the most prevalent mental disorders in the United States. The Anxiety and Depression Society of America reports 40 million adults, or 18.1% of the population suffers from some sort of anxiety driven disorder. While anxiety is common, only 36.9% of anxiety sufferers seek treatment for their illness.

Endometriosis is an often painful gynecological disorder in which the uterine lining (the cells of the womb) begin to proliferate outside of the womb itself, like the bowels, the abdomen, and in rare cases even the brain and lungs, which can lead to severe and sometimes fatal events. Luckily, acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary modifications, and other natural remedies can be immensely beneficial in the treatment of endometriosis.

Pssst….PMS is not normal, but there are natural remedies for PMS, including acupuncture.

I recently conducted an informal poll on social media, which went out to hundreds of women, asking questions about symptoms related to their cycle. What I discovered is that 100% of women experience at least one PMS symptom during the time of their cycle. Most women (about 80%) experience some cramping, whether it was mild, moderate, or severe. About one-third experience headaches, nearly half experience breast tenderness, breast swelling, bloating, and food cravings, and nearly all admitted to moodiness. The most alarming statistic was that every woman who responded who was not a Chinese Medicine practitioner believe that there was no long-term relief, and this was their fate to suffer. (Hint: there is an answer. Read on…)

Natural skincare is important when doing facial acupuncture treatments, and the facial serums and the rest of the line by Wild Grace Apothecary are available at Phoenix Rising Acupuncture in Houston, Texas.

Written by Katie Grace: When I first started learning about herbal medicine, my favorite things to make were solar-infused oils. There's something alchemical about how the Sun, plants, and oils come together, transform and transmute to create a potion that captures the essence of all three.

“The power of acupuncture is to harmonize and strengthen the body systems before a disease stage, but the power of Esoteric Acupuncture is to work with expanding consciousness and strengthen the root, which is our Higher, Inner Spiritual Heart Center.” Dr. Mikio Sankey

This year has been a year of decluttering, simplifying, and going green, and as a result, I had some surprising farewells in my life. This was done all in the name of staying emotionally and physically healthy. I started with common items that were inevitably negatively affecting my health. The first to go? Plastic.

The Phoenix is a legend as ancient as any, but through the ages, it’s meaning and relevance has remained undiluted for tens of thousands of years. The story woven through its wings comes and goes, crossing boundaries of time and distance, emerging and expressing through cultures from Ancient Egypt and Arabia, to China and Japan.