Written by Leslie M. Dill & Dr. Izabel Farynick, LAc

Tech is moving fast - women's healthcare has historically moved slow. What happens when the two collide? Somewhere between a wellness app notification and a viral Tiktok diagnosis, women are supposed to figure out their own health. We've spoken with several healthcare professionals actually in the room to understand their thoughts on the flood of technology reshaping their field - and their patients' expectations in our new wellness series "Tech's Side Effects."

In our first installment, we spoke with Dr. Izabel Farynick, LAc. - a nationally board-certified acupuncturist and clinical herbalist specializing in chronic illness, hormone health, gut health and pain management. Dr. Farynick holds a Doctor of Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine from Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts and a Masters of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine from AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine. (credentials cont'd below)

After years of battling her own chronic health challenges stemming from horseback riding injuries, Dr. Farynick found profound healing through Chinese medicine and made it her life's mission to help others reclaim their health when conventional medicine falls short. The intersection of Western and Eastern medicine, coupled with emerging health technologies is important for her to address, as she is passionate about equipping women with the information and tools to empower and individualize their own health journeys. 

Dr. Izabel Farynick, LAc
DAHM, MAcCHM, Dipl. OM, AOBTA-CP

Q: What technological advancements have you seen that perhaps have a different impact on women than on men?

Dr. Farynick: I love using the Oura ring, Whoop and other health trackers to gain additional insight into the menstrual cycle, ovulation, sleep patterns and overall hormone health. Menstrual cycles are an incredible vital sign  to understand how your body is functioning! It has been wonderful to get real time data to then link to symptoms patients are feeling in real time. This allows me, as a doctor, to be able to more efficiently treat my patients, as I can see what's happening with their hormones even before they begin to menstruate. Most health trackers at the minimum test for temperature, which we can use for insight into ovulation. Others can even sync the data with software like Natural Cycles that is FDA approved for birth control and can be used for conception. A new tracker I've started to use with patients is called Mira. It is a daily, urine-based test that tracks estrogen, LH, Progesterone and FSH. This has been my favorite tracker to implement in the clinic so far as we can receive daily data on how hormone levels fluctuate, depending on where a patient is in the cycle.

"In the end, data still does not negate someone's lived experience."

In the end, data still does not negate someone's lived experience, but I still appreciate the data and trends. As women, we have cyclical bodies and by balancing the cycle, we are able to optimize and live happy, healthy lives. Many of my patients including myself, live very busy lives and it can be nice to have another resource other than our memory to track progress and symptoms. I appreciate technology for helping us identify trends and patterns, but the goal should be using that information to better understand the body, not become disconnected from it.

Q: Have you noticed your interactions with patients change at all due to the increase in misinformation online/on social media?

Dr. Farynick: Absolutely! First, I want to recognize that I love how patients are becoming more interested in learning about their bodies and taking an active role in their health - but I also recognize the online space can be incredibly confusing to navigate. Anyone can share health information online, regardless of their education or clinical experience. Many are doing so with authoritative language and this can create a false sense of accuracy of any information. Most of all, patients are often exposed to conflicting advice, unrealistic expectations or fear-based content that leaves them feeling overwhelmed. During my initial appointments, I often spend time helping patients understand what's normal, what isn't, and what realistic healing looks like. Education has become a very important part of patient care and I see it as a vital component to my role of being their doctor. 

"Patients are often exposed to conflicting advice, unrealistic expectations or fear-based content that leaves them feeling overwhelmed."

Q: With various medically-driven technological advances, do you see larger strides being made for men's or women's health in particular?

Dr. Farynick: Historically, most healthcare research and medical advances were centered around men because male physiology was considered easier to study within the traditional Western research model. Women's health has been significantly under-researched for a long time. I'm excited that we're finally beginning to see more innovation, funding and research specifically focused on women's health. There's still a long way to go, and men's health still has more established research overall, but women's health is beginning to catch up! It's encouraging to see women's hormonal, reproductive and cyclical health becoming more prioritized in both medicine and technology.

Q: If you had any advice for women in terms of their own health, taking into account the amount of misinformation or misguidance present online and by word-of-mouth, what would it be?

Dr. Farynick: I really want people to check in with their bodies when they are feeling overwhelmed. Nervous system dis-regulation is a huge contributing factor to disease. Even if we have good information, if we are overwhelmed, we need to stop and turn off the screen. From an information standpoint, a good thing to look at is whether or not the source is licensed. When reading opinions from medical professionals, always look for evidence of formal training and credentials governed by a formal body - then there are more checks and balances and a certain standard of care. (Of course, there are always exceptions.) Cross-referencing multiple sources is a good practice to use- especially when it comes to medical information.

The biggest thing I'd encourage women to do, is to check in with their nervous system when they are consuming information and to take a break when they start feeling overwhelmed. Even good information can become harmful if we are consuming it from a constant state of overwhelm, stress or anxiety. Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is step away from the screen and reconnect with your body. Technology and online education can be incredibly helpful, but they should support your health, not create more fear around it!

(Dr. Farynick is licensed to practice in New York and Texas and is a proud member of the Texas Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Acupuncturists Without Borders and the American Society of Acupuncturists.)

If you'd like to contribute to the AWT blog please contact PR Director Leslie M. Dill .