Women’s Health
A Holistic Approach to Women’s Health
Historically, many women’s health conditions have been treated with band-aids - focusing on symptoms rather than addressing the root cause.
Naturopathic medicine for women’s health seeks to identify the source of health issues, finding ways to both prevent and alleviate symptoms like pain, irregular periods, fertility issues, weight gain, and more.
Women’s Health Conditions Dr. Lana & the DLW Team Specialize In
PMS/PMDD
Periods don't have to be a painfully miserable monthly time frame year after year. Balancing hormones naturally through nutrition, lifestyle modifications, cleaning up your home/skincare products, and incorporating supplements during specific phases of your cycle all tremendously impact the pain levels, cramping frequency, and mood swings. In fact, Dr. Lana swears by incorporating regularly scheduled acupuncture appointments throughout the month to focus on supporting various hormonal functions and fluctuations during each phase of the menstrual cycle.
Irregular Periods
In most cases, irregular periods are not an illness in itself but a symptom of another underlying issue. Team DLW uses practices like acupuncture, botanical medicine, and nutrition to treat irregular periods. We work to manage factors such as stress, lifestyle, and weight control that may be impacting your menstrual cycle and may recommend supplements and vitamins that help to regulate the menstrual cycle. With every individual, Team DLW focuses on identifying the underlying issue that may be causing the irregularity and addresses the root cause of the issue to help you better regulate your periods.
PCOS
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, also known as PCOS, is a common health issue caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones along with mismanaged blood glucose and insulin levels, ultimately leading to issues within the ovaries. PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility, impacting many women during their childbearing years. Team DLW specializes in hormone balancing and consults with patients on how to make diet, lifestyle, and supplementation changes that will help rebalance their hormones, lower inflammation, support stable blood sugar, and encourage ovulation.
Fibroids
Most women will develop fibroids in their lifetime. However, they are not always large enough to cause an issue or any pain/discomfort. Fibroids impact 26 women annually and can range in size from a pea to a melon. One of the complexities of fibroids is the variation in size as well as the multitude of symptoms that come along with them, such as irregular periods, heavy bleeding, blood clots, anemia, pelvic and back pain, the appearance of pregnancy, pain with sex, GI distress/discomfort, cramping, impacting the quality of life and desire or ability to go out and do things/work. Depending on the size of your fibroids as well as your symptoms, there are many options for treatment. A great deal of relief and healing can come from nutritional interventions, supplementation, and acupuncture.
Perimenopause/ Menopause
Menopause is a natural biological process that all women go through, however the physical and emotional symptoms of menopause can impact emotional health, lower your energy, and disrupt your sleep. Team DLW can help you find ways to alleviate menopause symptoms with supplementation, nutritional interventions, and lifestyle changes. While it can be difficult and exhausting going through the changes of menopause, Team DLW’s focus is helping you get through these life stages more comfortably.
UTIs
Urinary tract infections are an underrated annoyance and surprisingly painful irritant in the women’s health world. They are also one of the main reasons women have been prescribed antibiotics in their recent medical history, which dramatically impacts gut health and the balance of healthy vaginal probiotic flora and pH. There are a variety of supplements that can help alleviate UTI symptoms and keep them at bay going forward. Additionally, there are specific dietary changes that should be made during flare-ups, and acupuncture sessions help to move the infection along quicker so that symptoms can lessen and resolve fully in a shorter amount of time.
Sexual Health: HPV, HSV, ETC
HPV and HSV1, and HSV2 are highly common viruses, often transmitted sexually, that can take a toll on your immune system and cause unnecessary anxiety, frustration, and overwhelm. At DLW, each of our practitioners is highly equipped to help patients to move through this process physically and emotionally and keep flare-ups and outbreaks at bay. This is done through the use of antiviral herbals, immune-supportive foods, blood sugar regulation, and acupuncture sessions. Take back control of your health and sexual confidence with Team DLW.
Post Birth Control Syndrome
More and more women are looking to take their health back into their own hands by getting off of unnecessary pharmaceuticals; the pill is no exception. Dr. Lana and the rest of the DLW team will support you during the time you come off the birth control pill and will continue to support your body afterward as it works to regain hormonal homeostasis. Our goal is to help prevent post-birth control symptoms such as acne, mood swings, weight fluctuations, and other hormonal aggravations.
Dysmenorrhea
Dysmenorrhea refers to extremely painful periods; cramps, GI motility muscle contractions, nausea, and vomiting occur due to the rise and release of large amounts of prostaglandins from your endometrium during menstruation. Prostaglandins promote the contraction and, thus, the shedding of your uterine lining. Dr. Lana focuses on balancing prostaglandin levels through nutrition, herbs, and physical support with acupuncture and cupping.
Endometriosis
Your endometrium lines your uterus and grows thick and rich in blood vessels to prepare for egg implantation. When not implanted with an egg, this lining sheds every month and is referred to as your period. Endometriosis involves the migration of this endometrial tissue to areas outside your uterine cavity, such as your abdomen or rectum. You may experience a great deal of chronic pain in your pelvis and severe pain during menstruation during the shedding process of this misplaced tissue. As endometriosis depends on estrogen, Dr. Lana focuses on regulating your body’s estrogen levels through diet, supplements, and lifestyle modifications.