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The holidays are coming, and though for many that means family gatherings, good food, and joy, it can also mean extra stress. For people who have autoimmune disorders, stress may be a trigger. Should you expect flare-ups during the holidays?

Going to the doctor is a necessarily vulnerable experience, and far too many women walk out of their doctors’ offices feeling dismissed or even belittled. A different kind of care is possible. Here’s what you need to know about cooperative care.

Hot flashes and moodiness are expected during menopause. But some are less well-known, and one of those is heart palpitations. When your heart begins racing while you’re relaxing, it can be alarming. Here’s what you need to know.

Almost everyone has experienced the dreaded afternoon slump. You have a busy day, and you’re making great progress—then at some point after 1 pm, you’re just so tired it’s hard to get on with your day. Why?

Maybe you feel like you’re too old to get pregnant. Maybe your periods have become irregular. Does that mean you can stop using birth control?

Insomnia is distressing, and it can affect your physical health, mental health, and overall quality of life. But medication to help you sleep can have major drawbacks. Biofeedback could be a better solution. 

Chronic stress has a real impact on your health and well-being, and women are often in particularly stressful situations that aren’t easily resolved. Learning which stress management techniques work best for you is a path to improving your wellness.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is both severe and incredibly common. It could be causing extensive damage, yet causing no symptoms. Here’s what you need to know about your blood pressure.

One of the most unexpected and disturbing things that can happen during perimenopause is brain fog. Feeling like you can’t think clearly is frustrating and can even be scary. Here are some simple ways to cope.

You don’t have to be in a crisis to benefit from supportive counseling. Counseling can help you manage times of transition, stress, anxiety, or depression. Often, the benefits of counseling are far more valuable than you think. 

In your 40s and 50s, a cluster of factors can raise your risk of heart disease, and menopause is one of them. You can take some specific steps to counter those rising risks and protect your heart.

Your thyroid gland may be small, but it’s mighty. The hormones your thyroid gland produces regulate your metabolism, and if it’s over- or under-active, you may experience uncomfortable symptoms. 

Do you dread the so-called change of life? By preparing ahead of time, you may find nothing to dread, and you may find that menopause brings about a new and exciting phase of life.

Some women may coast through menopause without much upheaval to their daily lives, but many struggle with a host of irritating, even debilitating symptoms. Fortunately, there are treatment options, including hormone replacement therapy. Read on to learn mo

Taking care of your breasts is one element of living a healthy life. You may wonder what, exactly, that involves. We suggest some simple habits that can keep your breasts healthy.

At your last OB/GYN visit, your doctor said it was time for your pap test. The results came back abnormal. Should you be worried? What happens now?

Hormone replacement therapy has been through ups and downs, and lots of women are confused about what’s safe, what their options are, and what the risks may be. We sort through the confusion and bring you the facts.

All your life, you’ve heard the cliche, “You are what you eat.” Nutrition plays an outsized, often under-appreciated role in your health. Good nutrition can prevent chronic health problems, especially with expert guidance.

Nearly everyone experiences periods of feeling down or blue, but a significant number of people suffer from clinical depression. Women, though, are far more likely to be diagnosed for a variety of reasons. 

Is getting a physical every year really necessary? The answer is yes, and here’s why. From early detection of common health issues to mental health care, your annual visit gives you the support you need to thrive.

The Open Payments database is a federal tool used to search payments made by drug and device companies to physicians and teaching hospitals. It can be found at https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.”

Our recent Mini-Medical School on Home Remedies was our first as an online meeting. It is available here as an audio file. Dr. Taylor discussed natural approaches to enhance immunity,...

Before you can attend our conference, I need to add you to our group list (Mini-Medical School 2020).

There have been several stories in the local newspapers about the Blue Zone initiative for Monterey County.

The term Epigenetics means a change in the expression of the DNA, often due to changes in the environment of the organism.

The Next Mini-Medical School, October 5, 2019, will be on Energy Medicine. Summary: Energy Medicine has been used worldwide for thousands of years. All the Asian medical practices understand life energy, which is variously called Prana or Qi/Ki.

This is a massive topic, but we will start with the familiar and countable, and then review a small sample of the many nutrients that missed being on the label. 

Stress Survey Results. Clearly, responses to stress cannot be crafted without a clear understanding of the current stressors. The results of the Stress Survey were overwhelming and incredibly heartwarming.

Supplements are an addition that adds to or compliments something when added. For our purposes, we will discuss vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements.

What the insurance policy covers-specifics are in the contract and are not negotiable. Medications, radiology and procedures are often covered but may need special permissions before coverage is activated.

Although an apparently civilized society, we often know remarkably little about our family history. The availability of affordable genetic testing has opened a new area of personal discovery.

Celiac disease is an absolute gluten intolerance. It is cause by an immune reaction to wheat proteins, ....

“Simples” are defined as the use of a single herb or plant in a medicinal way. The use of simples pre-dates the written record and continues in wide use today.

The Precision Medicine Initiative is a National US research program that is different than anything we have seen before.

Fitness historically referred to the ability to complete a task. What we now mean by “fitness” has no formal definition and it is highly context dependent.

Knitting, crochet and quilting: Our mission is to use knitting and other therapeutic creative activities to improve wellbeing generally, but also to complement medical treatments in the self-management of long-term health conditions.

The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his (her) patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” Thomas Edison

Rather than focusing on more product for less price, we must focus on replenishing the soil.

Mindfulness is attending to the present. There is nothing foreign, difficult or exotic about mindfulness.

Navigating the Health Care System with Stephanie Taylor MD PhD. Introduction: The basis of integrative health is the harmonious union of mind, body and spirit.

The holiday season is a very special time of the year and there are very special foods associated with holiday celebrations.

More than twenty years ago Dr. William Dement gave a Community Hospital Grand Rounds on Sleep Medicine. Dr. Dement is one of the founders of the field.

“I have reached an age when, if someone tells me to wear socks, I don’t have to.” Albert Einstein (1879-1955). Healthy aging is the most popular topic in the Mini-Medical School Series, and for good reasons.

Definition of a spice: A spice is “edible, aromatic and dried”. Our second Mini-Medical School focused on another aspect of healing with whole foods, namely Spices! These rare and tasty items were revered as medicines in the not too distant past.

Who are the Microbiome? Currently, all the bacteria that live on and within you. Very soon, this definition will also include viruses and parasites. As of 2016, 10,000 bacteria types have been identified comprising eight million genes.

History of genetics: Many of you are familiar with Gregor Mendel, who lived in the mid-19th century. He was an Augustinian friar who did significant genetic research.

Are you confused about the conflicting recommendations for breast cancer screening? Here is a quick summary of the issues.

If you are interested in some background material on the upcoming Mini-Medical Schools, I have included a short annotated bibliography.

For our third Mini-Medical School of 2015, Cynthia Johnson, Medical Librarian for Natividad Medical Center spoke on searching the Internet for medical information.

Our special invited speaker for the second 2015 Mini-Medical School, Dr. Joanne Perron, presented a massive amount of evidence on environmental contaminants that affect human health as well as clear actions you can take to protect yourself and your family.

Sharon Farr was our most wonderful guest speaker for the final Mini-Med session of 2014.

A definition of Cancer: A cell becomes a cancer when it shows unregulated cell growth and the ability to colonize other tissues.

There is a great deal of political “conversation” about Obamacare and we at Woman”s Wellspring have hosted two seminars on the topic.

We are getting many questions about the new Covered California website. Several of you have received notices that your insurance will be cancelled at the end of 2013 and you are starting to shop for a new policy.

Michele gave an authoritative tour de force of plant medicine from both the Chinese and Western Medical Traditions. Michele is a highly skilled herbalist with more than twenty years of teaching experience.

Our second Mini-Medical School was a rousing and informative investigation into the world of organic and fermented food.

Welcome to 2013, described by some of our best philosophers as “The Great Turning”.

The recent publication of a study suggesting that mammography is over detecting breast cancer is very confusing to women.

I sometimes hear this question when someone is frustrated by the financial barriers to health care.

The Supreme Court decision this week on the Affordable Care Act makes it even more important to control health insurance rates.

Our Tenth Tai Chi for Health Workshop took place June 11-17, 2012 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Our second Mini-Medical School was Saturday, May 19th at 12:30, at our usual location, Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove.

Womanswellspring exited the insurance world January 1, 2010. We set fair rates for our services and patients pay at the time of service.

Our first Mini-Medical School of 2012 produced a lively discussion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Good food is the foundation of health and we are blessed with a great diversity of foods here in Central California.

The Holiday Season can be filled with joy as family come together to celebrate another year. It is also a time of some worry, since holiday foods can add weight that will require a New Year’s Resolution!

We are offering our wonderful Didgeridoo Workshop and Concert again Sunday, September 25th, 2011.

Have you thought about taking a news holiday just to give yourself a rest? There is plenty of distressing news every evening, but there are also a lot of very good things happening that are not reported.

Our week long Tai Chi Workshop will be held in Terre Haute, Indiana from June 13-18th, 2011.

Mother’s Day is May 8th, and as you would expect that is a major holiday in our office!

I know many of you are concerned about radiation leaking from the nuclear power plants in Japan. I would like to give you the best links to current and unbiased information.

An important part of sustaining community is the opportunity to gather in groups and do something fun.

Our first Mini-Medical School lecture of 2011 will be Saturday, January 8th at 12:30. Location Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove.

Please join us this Winter for six weeks of Tai Chi Classes: Starting January 8, 2011

The Gulf oil spill has focused our attention on the chemicals in our environment and the long term consequences of chemical exposures.

Should I still get a yearly mammogram and Pap smear? This question is frequently asked during the office day.

What is Tai Chi? Tai Chi is a martial art from China. Strictly translated, it is “The Supreme Ultimate”.

Please join us for six weeks Tai Chi Classes: Aug 14, 21, 28 Sept 18, 25 Oct 2.

The longer I practice medicine the more I understand that many of the common diseases are caused by poor nutrition. Since eating good food is delightful, why would this ever be a problem?

Do you ever wonder what the best supplement is for you? The choices are overwhelming. There are so many claims and counter claims.