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Talking Women’s Health with Dr. Christina Captain
by Mary-Elizabeth Schurrer
M
ay is recognized as National Women’s Health Month, and in this current landscape, it’s more crucial than ever for women of all ages to make both their physical and mental well-being a priority. This includes nutrition, hormone balance, detoxification, stress management, sexual or reproductive health, and other lifestyle factors that contribute to optimal functioning. For an insider’s take on how women can be their own wellness advocates—both during Women’s Health Month and even all year round—I sought the expertise of Dr. Christina Captain. As a nationally 22
Sarasota/Manatee Edition
board-certified Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, as well as the founder of Sarasota Center for Acupuncture and Nutrition, Dr. Captain offers a breadth of knowledge and experience on the topic, as outlined in our conversation below.
Natural Awakenings: What are some key facets of a comprehensive healthcare plan for women’s bodies, and how does your practice address them? Dr. Christina Captain: It’s all relative, depending on each person’s needs, as well as the phase of life. For adolescent girls, it’s all about making sure their menarche experi-
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ence (the first occurrence of menstruation) is manageable, and their subsequent cycles are regular and painless. Nutrition and acupuncture are both major components of this. As women move into their child bearing years, I focus on both fertility and pregnancy health. Targeted nutrition and acupuncture play a significant role here as well, then labor induction and postpartum care are next. Later in life, I emphasize healthy aging and hormonal balance. Sometimes this means dealing with the effects of medications, life challenges such as cancer, or treatments such as chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). In the later years, I also address menopausal symptoms, sexual health maintenance, and the deterioration of joints, organs, and other body parts (e.g. incontinence or vision issues), so that women feel assisted and supported in the limitations of an aging body. My treatment protocol during all of these life phases is uniquely tailored to the patient, but frequently includes nutritional planning, acupuncture, detoxification (mental and physical) and target supplementation based on laboratory analysis. The main focus is on whole health—looking at all aspects of wellness and making specialist referrals where necessary. This team approach is the best for the patient, and one I also utilize for myself.
NA: As a woman in the healthcare profession, what do you want other women to know about being empowered to advocate for and take control of their own well-being? Dr. Captain: Women are the bedrock of their families, so it often falls on them to seek out positive and effective healthcare solutions for each member of the family. During my 21 years in practice, I have been honored to treat generations of families, and with each patient, I utilize education to facilitate empowerment. We all need to ask questions and challenge the “why” behind a treatment or procedure. I encourage my patients to inquire about alternatives and know all the options available before they make a healthcare de-
