Dr. Ashley Davis, LAc, DACM - Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine

04/13/2026

I'm excited to share a wonderful new community initiative led by our office's Dr. Lynnelle Flores with Tamgowy Health Direct Care — a local chapter of Walk with a Doc.

This FREE, doctor-led walking group is a simple, powerful way to support your health while connecting with others in the community. Each event includes light health education followed by a relaxed walk at your own pace — no pressure, just movement, fresh air, and good company.

📍 Location: Willow Stream Park, Buffalo Grove
🗓 When: Every 3rd Saturday of the month
🕘 Kickoff: April 18th at 9:00 AM

Whether you're looking to get more active, learn more about your health, or just meet some great people — this is a perfect place to start. All ages and fitness levels are welcome!

✨ Let’s support this amazing local effort to bring health, connection, and movement to our community.

👉 Learn more or RSVP here:
https://walkwithadoc.org/join-a-walk/locations/buffalo-grove-il/

03/18/2026

The top sweeteners in terms of health benefits are allulose, followed by monk fruit, then stevia and raw honey. High fructose corn syrup is the worst and should be avoided.

www.AshleyDavisAcu.com

Zero calories doesn’t mean zero metabolic impact.

Allulose gets a 12. Studies show lowers blood sugar after higher carb meals by blocking carb-digesting enzymes in the gut. Tends to trigger GLP-1 release. Stops fat buildup in the liver. Makes fat cells waste energy as heat. Legit a net positive.

Monk fruit edges out stevia. Both zero calorie, zero blood sugar impact. But monk fruit lowers post-meal glucose 10-18% and insulin 12-22% in trials. Stevia is good but lab data shows it may harm beneficial gut bacteria but seems negligible and that research is hard to translate. Most store-bought stevia is cut with maltodextrin or dextrose that spike blood sugar on their own. Check your labels.

Raw honey at 8.5. Compared to plain sugar it raises blood sugar way less in diabetics, lowers inflammation markers, and feeds good gut bacteria. Darker raw honeys like buckwheat have a much lower glycemic index. Personally I’m a Manuka fan. The Antioxidants and polyphenols in honey change the game here.

Sucralose at 3. That relatively new 10-week human study showed it raised insulin, worsened blood sugar response, tripled a harmful gut bacteria strain, and lowered a protective one. A 2024 study found it reduced insulin sensitivity in healthy people by disrupting gut bacteria. Bottom line is that it’s fine in moderation, but wouldn’t live on the stuff.

Surprisingly, Aspartame is quite benign in comparison. Not that I’m a super fan, but I’d take it over sucralose any day.

Agave at 3.5. Sold as a health food but 70-90% fructose. Goes straight to the liver via the portal vein. Higher rate of de novo lipogenesis than others. Same process that makes HFCS bad, but with a “natural” label. Gram for gram worse than table sugar.

HFCS gets a zero. More fructose than regular sugar. More liver stress, more uric acid, more metabolic issues in high amounts.

03/02/2026

I’m happy to share that my office will reopen on March 24th!!

Online scheduling is now available at:
www.AshleyDavisAcu.com⁠

If you’d prefer, you can also message or email me directly to schedule 😊

I’m looking forward to returning and seeing you all again!!

See you soon ✨
Dr. Ashley Davis-Staten, DACM, LAc, DiplOM

02/18/2026

Wow — how time flies! This month I’m incredibly grateful to celebrate my office’s 7-year anniversary!

This past year has been the busiest year yet — thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet some of the most amazing people and support them on their journeys toward health and wellness. It is truly an honor to walk alongside you during such meaningful chapters of your lives.

Thank you to this incredible community for your trust, your referrals, your kind words, and your continued support. I never take for granted the privilege of helping others feel better, heal deeply, and improve their quality of life.

Seven years ago, this office was simply a vision. Today, it is a thriving practice built on connection, compassion, and commitment to integrative, natural medicine.

Soon I will create a separate post for this - but I would like you to know that my office will reopen after maternity leave on March 24th 😊 I have reopened online booking at www.AshleyDavisAcu.com and you can also message or email me if you'd like to schedule!

Thank you for allowing me to do what I love every single day,
Dr. Ashley Davis-Staten, DACM, LAc, DiplOM

02/14/2026

Popular bread options with low or high levels of glyphosate toxicity 🍞

Earlier this month, Governor Ron DeSantis, First Lady Casey DeSantis, and State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo announced new food safety results as part of the Healthy Florida First initiative. Certified lab results detected glyphosate, a widely used agricultural pesticide, in several bread products.

View the full results to make informed choices for your family at https://exposingfoodtoxins.com/bread/

01/28/2026

While we are still patiently awaiting the arrival of our little son 🥰 (okay, impatiently if I'm being honest haha), I wanted you all to know that Novana Naturals, our natural, plastic-free body care brand has officially launched on Amazon Prime 🥰

Please don't feel obligated to buy anything -- I just wanted to say thank you for all of the support and feedback that I got from all of you along the way ❤️❤️❤️

Please like or follow the Novana page for more info about our products and if you'd like to keep having input on future products and projects!!

I appreciate all of you!! Thank you!!
- Ashley

I didn’t set out to start a personal care brand.
I was simply tired of choosing between products that “worked” but had ingredients that weren't healthy — or products that were natural and healthy but didn’t work at all.

As a clinician, a mom, and someone deeply aware of how much our bodies absorb, I wanted better. Thoughtfully formulated. Actually effective. Plastic-free.

Novana Naturals was created with one guiding principle: make the highest-quality personal-care products possible — with good intentions and no shortcuts.

Every formula, every ingredient, and every decision is intentional. Nothing is included for convenience, cost-cutting, or marketing appeal.

We believe that if we’re creating products people use on their skin every day, they should be made with care, integrity, and respect — for both the body and the world we live in.

Plastic-free packaging isn’t a trend for us. It’s a responsibility. If better options exist, we feel an obligation to choose them.

Novana is about doing things the right way — created with care for the body, responsibility toward the planet, and respect for the people who use our products every day.

No trends. No compromises. Just honest, well-made essentials.

This is just the beginning❤️
- Dr. Ashley Davis-Staten, DACM, LAc, DiplOM

More info about our company - www.novananaturals.com
Organic and Natural Lip Balm on Amazon - https://amzn.to/3NLerJP
Long-Lasting Certified Natural Deodorant on Amazon - https://amzn.to/3ZqKSjd

01/02/2026

Dr. Lynnelle Flores from our office is offering a free webinar starting next Tues, Jan 6th 😊 check it out!!

12/02/2025

This little boy is getting ready to make his debut in January!! 🥰 To any clients who would like to stock up on their herbal formula or make an appointment before my maternity leave, just message me or book online at www.AshleyDavisAcu.com 🥰 thank you!!

10/16/2025

A new client came in with a knee injury from working out, 7 out of 10 on the pain scale. After 3 acupuncture treatments, the pain was gone.

For more information about how acupuncture and natural medicine may help you or a loved one, please visit www.AshleyDavisAcu.com

Thank you so much for reading!

10/13/2025

A new female client in her 30s hadn't had her monthly cycle since starting chemo in 2023. After 3 acupuncture treatments, her cycle had started again for the first time in over 2 years.

For more information about how acupuncture and natural medicine may help you or a loved one, please feel free to reach out or book online at www.AshleyDavisAcu.com

Thank you so much for reading!

10/04/2025

🎃✨ It’s Pumpkin Spice Season! ✨🎃

And it doesn’t just taste good - these spices are good for you too!

Pumpkin spice isn’t just a flavor… it’s a blend of warming, aromatic herbs that have been used for centuries in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and modern natural health for their healing benefits -

🌿 Cinnamon (Rou Gui / Gui Zhi)

Blood sugar regulation → may improve insulin sensitivity and lower fasting glucose.

Anti-inflammatory & antioxidant → reduces oxidative stress.

Antimicrobial → inhibits bacteria and fungi (including Candida).

Cardiovascular support → mild blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering effects.

🌿 Ginger (Sheng Jiang / Gan Jiang when dried)

Anti-nausea → highly effective for motion sickness, morning sickness, chemotherapy nausea.

Anti-inflammatory → reduces pain in arthritis and sore muscles.

Digestive aid → stimulates gastric emptying and reduces bloating.

Circulatory stimulant → enhances peripheral blood flow.

🌿 Clove (Ding Xiang)

Analgesic → eugenol is a natural topical anesthetic (used for toothaches).

Antimicrobial → effective against oral bacteria and fungi.

Digestive stimulant → enhances gastric motility.

Anti-inflammatory → reduces oxidative stress and cellular inflammation.

🌿 Nutmeg (Rou Dou Kou)

Digestive aid → carminative, reduces gas and bloating.

Mild sedative → can support relaxation and sleep (though large doses are toxic).

Antimicrobial → inhibits certain bacteria and fungi.

Antioxidant → protects against free radical damage.

Together, these spices help strengthen your digestive fire, warm your circulation, and uplift your mood — perfect for the cool autumn months. 🍁

So enjoy that pumpkin spice latte (or better yet, try sprinkling these warming herbs into oatmeal, tea, or baked goods) knowing your body will thank you! ☕💛

Thanks for reading!

www.AshleyDavisAcu.com

10/01/2025

Weird vibes in clinic this week...

• One client came in with intense discomfort in her legs that nothing else had helped. After just 3 treatments, her discomfort was nearly resolved — but she said it was time for her to accept that “nothing will ever improve.”

• Another client spent the first 5 minutes of the appointment complaining that one of the acupuncture points felt achy for a few hours after last treatment… before begrudgingly admitting that every single one of her chief complaints had improved since the last session.

• A client with stubborn chronic pain had a 30% improvement after her first treatment — and then canceled her follow-up because she didn’t think acupuncture was working.

• One client feels noticeably better when taking a natural supplement… but she just doesn't take it.

• Another canceled her appointment because she had a headache — one of the very conditions acupuncture is most effective for.

• And the list goes on.

Here’s the thing:

-- Practitioners can help as much as we are able.

-- Treatments, medicine, supplements, or tools can work.

-- But ultimately, we can’t change your attitude, your beliefs, or your actions. That job is yours.

Thank you for reading.

www.AshleyDavisAcu.com