Spotlight on Fertility and Acupuncture: A Real-Life Patient’s Journey
Sara had been trying to get pregnant for two and a half years. She had been pregnant about a year and a half prior, but unfortunately she lost the baby in the 8th week, they tested the tissue and found no genetic issue. Her and her husband had been trying to conceive naturally since then. They had also recently considered seeking out a reproductive endocrinologist to discuss intra-uterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Sara came to us to get her body back into balance and to support her fertility, whether naturally or alongside Western support through IUI or IVF. Like most of our fertility challenged patients, she was healthy overall, but there was some minor things that needed balancing. She ovulated monthly, but her cervical mucus didn’t match up with ovulation and her periods were a little short at 25-27 days, our aim is 29 days. She experienced some low back pain, some slight digestive discomfort once a week, a little fatigue, stress and sleep problems; she woke in the middle of the night with her head spinning with thoughts. In Chinese medicine, each symptom we experience is a clue for the practitioner and tells us what organ system might be out of the balance and causing a barricade around the door to fertility. One organ system that needed support was her Liver. Almost everyone has some degree of Liver imbalance and each person displays that imbalance with a different set of symptoms. For Sara, it caused tightness and impeding circulation into her uterus, which was compromising implantation. So often, we believe that a patient is conceiving, but implantation is where the issue lies. After acupuncture twice a week, a Chinese herbal prescription taking three times a day and relaxation techniques, Sara got pregnant in 6 weeks. She is now in her 27th week and everything is smooth. Both acupuncture and herbal medicine were mandatory for her and she needed to be diligent. She also discontinued coffee and her excessive bootcamp workouts. Essentially, we needed to relax the body allowing her to become more grounded in her lower abdomen, which would bring more circulation to the area. Her treatment plan also provided her with an increase in energy, deeper sleep and digestive harmony.
Healthy Holiday Eating for Pregnant Women
Healthy Holiday Eating for Pregnant Women Being pregnant over the holidays can be tricky to navigate. Holiday parties display a whole feast of yummy goods, some that we typically only see at this time of the year. Here are some tips for you (or your pregnant friends) when preparing, serving or eating holiday foods. Turkey and stuffing: Cook the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (use a meat thermometer to check it). If you’re preparing stuffing, cook it outside the turkey in a separate baking dish to 165 degrees F. The inside of a stuffed turkey’s cavity doesn’t get hot enough to kill off harmful bacteria. Unpasteurized juice and cider: If hot or cold apple or other fruit cider is served, make sure it’s pasteurized. Unpasteurized juices, including cider, are unsafe during pregnancy because they can contain bacteria like E. coli. Almost all juice sold is pasteurized — and unpasteurized juice sold in containers is required to carry a warning label. “Freshly squeezed juice,” is usually not pasteurized Unpasteurized soft cheeses: Fruit and cheese platters are a party staple, and a relatively healthy way to fill up, but stay away from soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. Unpasteurized soft cheeses may contain listeria, which is killed during the pasteurization process. If you’re at a party — avoid blue cheese and soft cheeses (including Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, feta, and Roquefort) and Mexican-style cheeses like queso fresco, queso blanco, and Panela. If you’re not sure which cheeses are safe, stick with hard cheeses like cheddar and Swiss, and semi-soft cheeses like Monterey jack and mozzarella. Cream cheese and pasteurized processed cheeses like American are also safe. Carving stations: If your party features a carving station with roast beef or turkey, make sure the meat is cooked well-done and is still steaming hot. Unless you’re sure they’re well cooked, avoid sauces like bearnaise, hollandaise, and aioli, which can contain uncooked eggs. Eggnog: Homemade eggnog is off-limits, because it’s usually made with raw, unpasteurized eggs and alcohol. But you can make a virgin, pregnancy-safe version at home with a pasteurized egg product or an egg alternative like Egg Beaters. Or try store-bought eggnog — just check the label to make sure the eggs are pasteurized. You’ll also want to avoid desserts that may contain raw or under cooked eggs, like some custards and mousse, and homemade ice cream. Fruitcake and other alcoholic food items: Fruitcake and other desserts that use alcohol as an ingredient are generally okay, because most of the alcohol burns off during cooking. If the fruitcake has been soaked in rum or other liquor after being baked, however, little of the alcohol will have evaporated, and you should probably avoid. With Love, Tao to Wellnesss
Tips to Balance Emotions in Chinese Medicine
Tips to Balance Emotions in Chinese Medicine What emotion do you gravitate towards when things are challenging? Do you tend towards being angry, sad or are you a worry wart when times are tough? Listed below are emotions, the organ system that rules that emotion, other symptoms that MAY occur when that organ system is out of balance and some tips to get things back into balance. Anger and Depression: Liver Migraines, PMS, menstrual discomfort, high blood pressure, dizziness, insomnia (mostly trouble staying asleep), pain in the ribs, red eyes, constipation, acne. Milk Thistle, fish oil, apple cider vinegar, watercress, onions, vinegar, lemon, honey. Avoid: Alcohol and nicotine Tip: Take a martial arts or kickboxing class to move the angry out, don’t simmer in it! Worry: Spleen Low energy, paleness, fibromyalgia like muscle pain or weak muscles, flatulence, bloating, bowel issues, (mostly soft or loose stools, but can be constipation), poor appetite, Astralagus Tea, ginger, rye, amaranth, corn, millet, pumpkin, chamomile, pau d’arco Avoid: Overeating, gluten and too much raw, cold food Tip: Let go! Dance! Sadness and Grief: Lungs Shallow breathing, chronic cough, phlegm in the throat, lowered immune system, allergies, asthma, skin diseases, urination issues. Astralagus Tea, garlic, pears, banana, licorice root. Tip: Singing is wonderful for the Lungs! Fear and Anxiety: Kidney Sore and weak low back, frequent urination, premature ejaculation, ringing in the ears, constipation, nightsweats, chronic dry throat, Gou Qi Zi Berries or Wolfberries, lamb, squash, sweet potatoes. Tip: Meditation can ground you back to your Kidneys and add some healthy fire to your spirit.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Play the Gratitude Gab Game!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Play the Gratitude Gab Game! “Gratitude Gab” – This game is guaranteed to get your guests talking! For the guests that have more to say than just, “I am grateful for food”, this is the perfect game! Get a jar or bowl and have a few questions or topics on folded pieces of colored or festive paper. As the meal progresses, have everyone pass around the jar and take turns pulling out a piece of paper and answer the question or sharing the experience the paper asks. Instead of just saying one thing they are grateful for and moving on, these questions will provide conversations and stories that will enrich the lives of those present, deepen you feelings of gratitude, and nourish the heart while you feed your body! I have included a few sample questions below, feel free to use these or come up with your own. Describe something lucky that happened to you last year and how your life improved. Describe a peak experience from the year, what made it special, and why you are grateful for it. Describe a special favor you received, how it helped you, and how it touched you. Describe a special gift or talent you have, how you use it, and why you are grateful for it. Name someone you know who makes your life better and why. Think of something you used today that other people make take for granted. What do you appreciate the most about the person sitting next to you? Describe something you are particularly grateful for in your life and why. Describe something that you do often that makes you happy and why. Describe something that happened this past week that you are grateful for and why. Describe something you have done that you are particularly proud of and why. Have a wonderful, special day with your family and friends! Much love, Christina “Mei Wen” Martin, L.Ac., Dipl.AC, MTOM, FABORM. christina@berkeley-acupuncture.com Christina Martin is the founder of Tao to Wellness. She is an Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist and Teacher and has been in practice for fifteen years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is a fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine. Christina entered Acupuncture school without ever having an Acupuncture treatment. She simply felt it was her calling.
5 Tools to Surviving the Holidays!
5 Tools to Surviving the Holidays! The holidays are a joyous time full of family, friends and loved ones. The same people that just may drive you nuts! There’s the rushing around, excessive buying, excessive eating, excessive everything! Needless to say, things can get hectic. So, let’s turn the volume down from 11 and simplify things… here are 5 tools you can use to recharge, revitalize and rejuvenate so you can be your best self. Exercise! Exercise creates happy endorphins, it moves stagnate energy (Qi), assists in digestion, improves circulation and regulates hormone and brain chemistry. Go for fast walk, pull up a YouTube exercise video on your laptop, check out a local yoga or kickboxing class. OR jump online and see what gyms are nearby, most of them (like 24 hour fitness or NYSC) have a 5 day free gym pass, use the ‘rents address and you’re all set! Five glorious days of you and a kettle bell Take a bath (and add Epsom salts)! Some people LOVE baths! I’m not one of them, but I totally understand why; dim lights, candles, hot water, maybe Spotify some Joshua Radin or just Spa Radio? You can also add some Epsom salts that you can purchase at ANY drug store; Walgreens, Duane Reade, CVS, Rite Aid. Don’t be shy, pour it in… at least a few cups! The Epsom salt acts as a natural detoxifier and regulates the lymph system, this is great any time but especially with the excessive drinking and eating that come with the holidays. Calgon take you away! Meditate! Meditation is purely a fancy word for sitting quietly, breathing deeply and clearing the mind. Many, many of us have trouble staying focused, here’s a great little helper to get a sense of how slow and deep you should be breathing. Take a nap! Who doesn’t love naps? Even if you’re not exactly tired you can just go lie down for 30 minutes, who knows maybe you’ll fall asleep and if you don’t, you can always resort to #3. Ask yourself, “What is it that I need right now?” I’m a firm believer that everyone has the answers, sometimes these answers live deep down inside, but they are there! Just ask and maybe you’ll be surprised what comes up… maybe it’s a nap, maybe it’s one hour of “The Real Housewives” or maybe it’s a shot of wheatgrass (or whiskey!) or maybe a slice of warm apple pie. Go for it, whatever it is, just do it! You might be thinking, “Am I being selfish?” Nope. Think of it this way, whether you’re being selfish or selfless, it’s still all about you! So, why not pace yourself so you can be in a better state of mind to be amazing for your family and friends. Does this make you a ‘bad’ person? Nope, not one bit, when we take care of ourselves, we are silently inspiring others to do the same. Last year, one patient who took my advice later said, “I went to take a nap and it seemed like everyone was grateful to pull back, take a break and do their own thing. It made the rest of the day smoother!” Happy holidays everyone and may the force be with you! Christina Martin, L.Ac.,Dipl.Ac., FABORM
13 Ways Acupuncture Can Change Your Life
13 Ways Acupuncture Can Change Your Life It will open your mind. Acupuncture requires us to think about health in entirely new ways. In this day and age, we are heavily influenced and encouraged to put all of our faith in Western Medicine, a system that is more reaction based than preventative based. The concepts of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture is foreign to many, yet with a little explanation and experience, these ancient healing practices begin to make a lot of sense. It will make you less stressed. Acupuncture takes the edge off. Lets face it. We could all use less stress. Most of us are so wound up so tight, that we do not realized just how incredibly stressed we are! By mellowing out the nervous system, acupuncture will help you feel less affected by and better equipped to manage the stressful aspects of life. It will inspire you to get outside more. Things like weather and seasonal shifts factor significantly into acupuncture diagnoses and treatment plans. When you start thinking about health in this way, realizing the intimate relationship that humans have with nature, it inspires a desire to get outside and commune with your natural habitat. All parts of life are deeply connected. It will give you more energy. Although it’s common to find yourself in a somewhat dazed, blissfully relaxed state—immediately following Acupuncture Treatment, the after effect is usually increased energy. Many people report having more energy in the hours, days and even weeks after acupuncture treatment. You can’t put a price on that! Forget the Energy drinks, boost and shots…there is no comparison between toxic man made energy and real energy itself. It will clear your head. Many people notice improved mental clarity after acupuncture. They’re able to make decisions faster, with greater confidence. They feel more motivated and resolute about tackling items that have been lingering for months on their to-do lists. It’s as if the mental cobwebs have been cleared out. And just like that, life becomes much easier. It will allow you to give yourself a break. Something we all very much need. Just the act of laying down for an hour in a cozy room listening to soft music can relax all aspects of your body and mind. Throw in the deeper relaxation aspects of the Acupuncture treatment itself and you will find yourself on a mini healing retreat. It will help you sleep. Insomnia is one of the most common complaints seen by acupuncturists, and acupuncture can be highly effective at resolving it. But even in people who do not recognize or mention sleep as a problem, acupuncture has a tendency to produce more restful nights. It will get you thinking differently about food. Whether you’re Paleo, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, or free of any restrictions, acupuncture will lend some interesting perspective to your food choices. In acupuncture, foods often are thought about in terms of temperature. Some people, because of their constitutions or root imbalances, need warming foods while others need foods that cool. And this can change significantly based on the seasons. Everyone is different. Acupuncture dietary theory sheds light on why some people can eat certain foods and feel unaffected while others can’t even look in their direction. It will give you something to talk about at parties. Move past that awkward moment where everyone is standing around uncomfortable, unsure of what to say…Mention that you’ve recently had Acupuncture and the conversation will take off! People love hearing firsthand accounts about Acupuncture. Did it hurt? How big are the Needles? Did you cry? Do they put like a hundred of them in you?! Keep in mind that you are also giving them the gift of your experience. You are helping normalize a healing practice that everyone can benefit from. Much love, Amanda Self Amanda Self wears a variety of hats at Tao To Wellness. From Social Media to Medical Billing, she brings healing energy to all that she touches. Amanda is a Reiki Master, a jeweler and is currently studying Herbalism, both in the classroom and out in the fields.
Unintentional Meditation: You’re Already Engaged!
Accidental Meditation: You are already doing it! Beginning a new year always brings a desire for change & creating ourselves anew. Exercising, eating well and putting down old habits usually always top the list of New Year’s Resolutions. Beginning a meditation practice is often on those long list of new habits we would love to adopt. It’s typically one of the last practices that we get to due to our busy lifestyles and a very common theme of just not having enough time. Great news! You will be pleased to know that you may already have a strong meditation practice in place. You know that feeling when you are taking a shower, and the warm water pours over your body, and you forget what you were rushing to get ready for? Time disappears for a moment, and when you step out of the shower you snap out of it. Maybe you’ve driven down a long empty road with no traffic, and suddenly you’ve hit the next town. This feeling of time lapsing and your thoughts flowing freely happens all the time: on walks or runs, in the moments before you fall asleep, when you are staring out a bus window, or daydreaming in a waiting room. When accidental meditations happen, the left brain is occupied with a repetitive task that’s familiar enough that it doesn’t require a full engagement. Showering, walking, or figuring out where to put your foot in a yoga class can give your analytical left brain something to do, which frees up the right brain to have a physical, present-moment experience. Even forms of classical meditation, like repeating a mantra over and over in your mind, are essentially techniques for occupying your left brain so that you can slip into a different state. Much love, Amanda Amanda Self wears a variety of hats at Tao To Wellness. From Social Media to Medical Billing, she brings healing energy to all that she touches. Amanda is a Reiki Master, a jeweler and is currently studying Herbalism, both in the classroom and out in the fields.
Men, Low Sperm Count and Acupuncture… (Berkeley Acupuncture)
Men, Low Sperm Count and Acupuncture… (Berkeley Acupuncture) An excerpt from a London lifestyle magazine. London – Ciaran Hannington and his wife Jennifer had been trying for a baby for a year without success, so decided to go to their GP for help. They were expecting to be told the problem was due to Jennifer having polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition associated with abnormal hormone levels that can affect fertility. However, just to be on the safe side, the GP said they would also carry out tests on Ciaran. ‘I remember being told there wouldn’t be any problems,’ says Ciaran, a 27-year-old trainee teacher who lives with Jennifer, a health visitor Acupuncture Center 27, near Milton Keynes, Bucks. In fact, Ciaran’s sperm count was so low he was told he was subfertile. ‘I don’t think it really sank in at that point,’ says Ciaran. ‘I just said: “Right then, OK.” It was only later that I sat down and thought about it and realised the severity of the situation. I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve cried over it. And I have wondered if I will ever be a dad. It’s difficult because there are things that can be done for Jennifer’s condition, but nothing that can be done for me.’ Since learning about his fertility problems last year, Ciaran has undergone a series of checks, including gene tests to discover why his sperm count is so low. ‘They couldn’t find a reason and have said it’s just one of those things,’ says Ciaran. ‘It does seem strange because I come from a big family – I’m from a family of four, and my mum and dad come from reasonably big families, too. London – Ciaran Hannington and his wife Jennifer had been trying for a baby for a year without success, so decided to go to their GP for help. They were expecting to be told the problem was due to Jennifer having polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition associated with abnormal hormone levels that can affect fertility. However, just to be on the safe side, the GP said they would also carry out tests on Ciaran. ‘I remember being told there wouldn’t be any problems,’ says Ciaran, a 27-year-old trainee teacher who lives with Jennifer, a health visitor who is also 27, near Milton Keynes, Bucks. In fact, Ciaran’s sperm count was so low he was told he was subfertile. ‘I don’t think it really sank in at that point,’ says Ciaran. ‘I just said: “Right then, OK.” It was only later that I sat down and thought about it and realised the severity of the situation. I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve cried over it. And I have wondered if I will ever be a dad. It’s difficult because there are things that can be done for Jennifer’s condition, but nothing that can be done for me.’ Since learning about his fertility problems last year, Ciaran has undergone a series of checks, including gene tests to discover why his sperm count is so low. ‘They couldn’t find a reason and have said it’s just one of those things,’ says Ciaran. ‘It does seem strange because I come from a big family – I’m from a family of four, and my mum and dad come from reasonably big families, too. A lot of times, men in Ciaran’s position try to figure out what contributed to their low sperm counts… food, wine, recreational drugs, mountain biking? The truth is… it doesn’t matter. We can do a full Chinese medicine intake at Tao to Wellness and start treating the problem NOW! With Chinese medicine, we can use different points and herbs to affect sperm count, motility and morphology depending on what the problem is. We also have different lifestyle, diet and supplement recommendations. True, it takes time… much like women, a man’s sperm takes about 88 days to mature in the epidydemis so the sooner we get started the better. Christina “Mei Wen” Martin, L.Ac., Dipl.AC, MTOM, FABORM. Christina Martin is the founder of Tao to Wellness. She is an Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist and Teacher and has been in practice for over fifteen years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is California state licensed and a nationally certified Diplomat of Acupuncture. She is also a Fellow of the American Board of Reproductive Oriental Medicine.
A real life patient spotlight: Teenage hormones, headaches and acupuncture
A real life patient spotlight: Teenage hormones, headaches and acupuncture Zoe is a sweet, sixteen-year-old girl. She’s like most kids these days, overbooked and overworked. She’s got tennis on Mondays, violin and soccer on Tuesdays, French lessons and volunteer work on Wednesdays and so on and so on. Zoe gets headaches almost every day, at least 4 times a week. They occur around 5pm and last until she goes to bed, luckily, she doesn’t wake up with them. They get much worse a few days before her period and on the day before her period she usually gets a migraine with nausea that leaves her not able to function. Also, her PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) has become full of mood swings, she feels sad, depressed and angry almost a full week before her flow. Zoe is very much like so many of our young patients at Tao to Wellness. Teens these days have a lot on their plate, they’re dealing with stress level comparable to adults. In Chinese medicine, when too much stress impacts the body things become out of balance. We get symptoms like headaches, insomnia, emotional mood swings, etc. It happens to all of us. The interesting thing about treating younger people is for some reason they respond faster to acupuncture, meaning they get faster results! In most cases, the younger a patient is the faster they get better, because the body isn’t impacted with age and deterioration. My youngest patient to date was 3 days old… the baby got his arm stuck while coming out of the vaginal canal during delivery and somehow it twisted resulting in what is called, an herb palsy. One treatment fixed his ‘broken wing’ so we called it. So, Zoe came in and felt immediate relief after her first acupuncture session. Her headaches were about half of what they used to be. I continued to see her for acupuncture only (no herbs) weekly for about two months. Once her body was able to hold her sessions longer, I saw her every two weeks and still do. Zoe says, “I don’t think I would be able to function in life if I didn’t have acupuncture, it resets my whole body so I can accomplish the things I want to do and feel like a normal teen.” Much love, Christina “Mei Wen” Martin, L.Ac., Dipl.AC, MTOM, FABORM. christina@berkeley-acupuncture.com Christina Martin is the founder of Tao to Wellness. She is an Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist and Teacher and has been in practice for fifteen years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is a fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine. Christina entered Acupuncture school without ever having an Acupuncture treatment. She simply felt it was her calling.
Pain After C Section
Pain After C Section In this day and age, women are choosing a variety of ways in which to give birth. Some want to give birth at home with a midwife by their side, some choose giving birth to their baby underwater, some want to experience a natural childbirth in a hospital with no pain medication and some want all the pain medication they can get! In the past Cesarean section births were only used in cases of emergency. These days, a lot of women are asking to go that route. Last year, four of my closest women friends, one being my sister, gave birth to beautiful healthy babies. I was amazed at how different their pregnancies were- from beginning to end, they each had entirely different experiences. However, pain is one thing that they all had in common. Research has shown that Acupuncture significantly reduces pain after c section. In one study, published in the Chinese Medical Journal in 2009, researchers from Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan assigned 60 women who had undergone C-sections either to a control group or to a group that received pain treatment via acupuncture or electro-acupuncture. They found that compared with the control group, women in the acupuncture group had significantly lower pain scores in the two hours following surgery, requested morphine an average of 10 minutes later, and used 30 to 35 percent less morphine within the first 24 hours after surgery. They also experienced significantly fewer opioid-related side effects. Indeed, the Cesarean study is not the first to link acupuncture to lower painkiller use following surgery. A study conducted by researchers from Duke University and presented at a 2008 conference of the American Society for Anesthesiology reviewed the results of 15 separate clinical trials involving the use of acupuncture either preceding or following surgery. Whether undergone before and after surgery, acupuncture led to significantly lower pain levels and use of painkillers in post-surgical patients. Less painkiller use also meant fewer side effects. Participants who had not received acupuncture were 1.5 times more likely to experience nausea, 1.6 times more likely to experience dizziness, and 3.5 times more likely to experience urinary retention problems related to painkiller use. Whatever you are going thru, no matter how painful or challenging, Acupuncture is a powerful ally to have on your side! Much love, Amanda Self Amanda Self wears a variety of hats at Tao To Wellness. From Social Media to Medical Billing, she strives to bring healing light to all of her endeavors. Amanda is a Reiki Master, a jeweler and is currently studying Herbalism, both in the classroom and out in the fields.
