Why am I Spotting?
Why am I Spotting?

If you’ve ever spotted before then you know it’s not like a regular menstrual flow. Spotting is very light vaginal bleeding, typically so light it doesn’t even require more than a pantyliner, if that. Sometimes it’s so light the only sign it’s even happening is a pink tinge when you wipe after peeing.

It can happen at the beginning or end of a regular period, or it may occur randomly during any other part of the cycle. For some it may even happen during pregnancy. Some spotting may be normal, while other types of spotting can be indicative of hormone imbalance or certain conditions. I’ll explain what’s going on and, if needed, how to manage your spotting.

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Cycle Health, Fertility, Hormonal Imbalances, Uterine Health, Vaginal HealthJacqueline Gabardytrauma, spotting, uterine bleeding, polyps, fibroids, cysts, implantation, early pregnancy
What is the Candida Cleanse?
What is the Candida Cleanse?

Candida is a specific type of yeast (or fungus) that lives in our bodies, which is weird, I know.

Most of the time this yeasty little hitchhiker doesn’t cause any problems because it’s kept in check by our immune system and plenty of probiotics, which are the “good” bacteria that live in our gut. Unfortunately, under certain conditions candida can overgrow and cause symptoms that range from frequent vaginal yeast infections, urinary tract infections, oral thrush, fatigue, digestive issues, or even sinus infections.

Because our bodies normally keep candida in check with our immune system and healthy gut flora, undergoing a candida cleanse is a common treatment for anyone prone to overgrowth of yeast. The cleanse includes avoiding sugar, simple starches, gluten, yeast/mold/fungus-containing foods, and other gut irritants, while eating plenty of veggies, lean proteins, and probiotic-rich foods.

It can feel overwhelming to take on any kind of cleanse, but it’s actually a fairly simple plan to follow and only takes a few weeks to reset your system. Plus, most my patients who do the candida cleanse love the effect it has on their digestion, mood, energy level, and skin clarity.

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Food + NutritionJacqueline Gabardycandida, yeast infection, vaginal health
Fertility Hormones: which to test + what they all mean
Fertility Hormones: which to test + what they all mean

Blood work is a valuable tool to quantify hormone levels and fertility markers, which together give insight as to how our ovaries are functioning and the quality of the eggs they contain. If you are currently trying to conceive or thinking about getting pregnant in the next few years, testing your hormones can give you a lot of helpful information that will assist you in making informed decisions about your family planning.

If you’re new to learning about these hormones then all the abbreviations and numbers are enough to leave you feeling dizzy, but I’m going to explain what they mean for your health and fertility, and let you know exactly how you can test them yourself.

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Fertility, Hormonal ImbalancesJacqueline GabardyAMH, FSH, hormones, blood work, fertility, infertility, ovarian reserve
Foods for Hot Flashes
Foods for Hot Flashes

Hot flashes suck, it’s hard to understand if you’ve never experienced one before. They can stop you in your tracks or send you running home for a change of dry clothes. If you’ve been dealing with hot flashes, whether from menopause or other hormonal imbalances, then you’re probably desperate to find something that works.

Luckily you’re in the right place, because I treat them all the time, in people of all ages. In many cases diet and herbs can majorly improve hot flashes and hormonal imbalances if you know what to look for, I’ll explain how!

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Hormonal Imbalances, Food + NutritionJacqueline Gabardyhot flashes, yin deficiency, menopause
Period Problems? How to Deal
Period Problems? How to Deal

Does your period suck? Well then we should talk, because I hated my period for a very long time, and now me and my period are friends. We can hang once a month when she comes to town and it doesn't destroy my whole damn life.

My journey of healing my cycle is what made me so passionate to learn all the ways Chinese medicine can help those who menstruate, and to share this knowledge with anyone who will listen. I believe it's our birthright to have a period that’s manageable, if not enjoyable. And honestly? It’s really not as complicated as it's all made out to be.

Depending on why your periods or cycles suck, whether they are painful, emotional, or totally irregular, I’ll walk you through exactly what you can do to feel better each month.

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Hormonal Imbalances, Fertility, Cycle HealthJacqueline Gabardymenstrual cramps, PMS, Irregular cycles, scanty periods
Natural Ways to Boost Milk Supply
Natural Ways to Boost Milk Supply

If you are currently breastfeeding and experiencing difficulty, that situation can range from frustrating to devastating. Luckily, there are lots of natural options that can improve your supply and make breastfeeding a lot easier. From diet and herbs, to acupuncture and lactation consultations, I’ll break down exactly what’s what and how to boost your supply in no time.

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Women's HealthJacqueline Gabardypostpartum, breastmilk, breastfeeding
How to Make an Herbal Sitz Bath
How to Make an Herbal Sitz Bath

If you don’t know already, a sitz bath is a bath you can sit in, so it’s typically used for healing the perineum, anal area, and vulva. It can clean, soothe, and reduce inflammation or irritation of these areas in cases of hemorrhoids, perineal swelling, irritation or the anus or vulva, general uterine health, and postpartum recovery.

You can do a simple sitz bath with plain water, or some people add epsom salt, sea salt, and/or essential oils. I tend to prefer using brewed herbs to boost healing and gain the benefits of whichever botanicals are used.

If you’ve never used a sitz bath before there can be a bit of a learning curve to getting it right, especially when adding herbs into the mix, but it’s actually not that complicated. I’ll explain exactly how.

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Herbal MedicineJacqueline Gabardyhemorrhoids, perineal healing, postpartum, sitz bath, herbs
What is the Fertile Window?
What is the Fertile Window?

I always joke with my patients about the myths of ovulation, one of the main ones being - “today is the day, we’ve got to have sex right NOW!” There’s an episode of Friends with Monica and Chandler that comes to mind.

In reality, that’s not really how it works. Many people are surprised to find out that sperm can survive for up to 5 days in the female body during the fertile window. And because fertilization happens within 24 hours of ovulation, the full fertile window is actually 7 days long.

Let’s talk about how to figure out when your fertile window starts and ends.

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Cycle Health, FertilityJacqueline Gabardyfertile window, fertility awareness method, fertility, infertility
My Favorite Cycle Charting Apps
My Favorite Cycle Charting Apps

Most of my patients opt to chart their cycle with cycle charting apps, whether they are just keeping track of when their period starts and ends, or they’re going all out and charting basal body temperature and taking ovulation tests.

Apps can be a simple way to keep track of cycle data, carry it with you wherever you go, and in some cases these apps can even play a crucial role in helping to determine when ovulation happens, when the fertile window starts and ends, and other common patterns that may be effecting your period or fertility. I’m going to walk you through some of my favorite cycle charting apps and why each may be a good fit for you.

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Cycle Health, FertilityJacqueline Gabardycycle charting, BBT charting, ovulation, apps