Astrology: study of the positions and movements of the stars and its effects on the natural world and its inhabitants.
Bath Ball: a device used in the bath tub to make the water used for a bath less harsh and reduces surface water tension.
Chinese Medicine: a complete medical system dating back more than three thousands of years that restores health through balancing the body’s natural energies. It contains its own system of diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment methods. Methods include: acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet, massage, exercise, breathing therapy and lifestyle recommendations. Utilizing a holistic approach, resolvement of health issues and preventive care are central goals.
Cloth Pad: pads that are used to catch bleeding from menses or postpartum that can be washed and reused, thus making it a more environmentally friendly and sustainable choice.
Contraception: the intentional use of methods to prevent pregnancy as a result of sexual intercourse.
Cosmological: the study of the origin and evolution of the universe.
Ecosystem: a community of organisms, their relationships and complexities, and the environment that it takes place in.
Family Planning: the practice of regulating the number and spacing of children through birth control.
Five Element Theory: theory that all phenomena in the universe can be understood via the change and moment of the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water
Integrative Medicine: the combination of mainstream medical treatments with CAM (complimentary and alternative medicine) for which it’s safety and effectiveness is proven through high quality scientific methods.
Menarche: the first event of menstruation
Menses: blood and any other matter released from the uterus at the time of menstruation. It can also mean menstruation itself.
Menstrual Cup: feminine hygiene product placed internally in the vagina to catch menstrual blood during menstrual cycle. It is bell shaped, typically made of medical grade silicone and considered to be an environmentally friendly choice as it may only need to be replaced annually, though it is based on the use and preference of the user.
Midwife: trained professional in assisting women to have healthy pregnancies, ideal births and postpartum recovery. The care that they provide is holistic in taking in to account the varying aspects of a woman, including physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and cultural needs.
http://mana.org/about-midwives/what-is-a-midwife
Ovulation: the portion of the female menstrual cycle where pregnancy is possible due the release of a mature egg from the ovaries to the fallopian tubes.
Qi: energy, life force responsible for vitality, a key aspect of Chinese Medicine. It has many translations including air and breath of life.
Qi Gong: cultivation of the vital life force known as qi through the use of “intention, meditation, relaxation, physical movement or posture, mind-body integration, and breathing exercises.”
Sitz Bath: also known as a “hip bath”, it is a bath where only the buttocks and genitals are submerged in water. The bath may be just water, or contain agents for assisting the body like herbal medicines.
Topical: medicine that is applied to the external part of the body.
Well Women’s Care: care provided in annual general check up including breast exam, pelvic exam and pap smear. Provided by midwife, gynecologist, or obstetrician.
Yin and Yang: In Chinese philosophy two key ways to categorize phenomena. Dual, yet complimentary to each other, yin is the feminine principle and yang is the masculine. They each have many correspondences, including yin as related to earth, coolness, darkness and relative stasis. Yang, can be understood as heaven (or the sky), heat, light and activity.
