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Breast Cancer - One of our YinOva patients tells her story.
Breast Cancer – One of our YinOva patients tells her story.

Well, hello to you all!! My name is Suzanne, and I am a patient at the YinOva Center and nine-year survivor of breast cancer. I represent a demographic that is, unfortunately, becoming much more common – a young, pre-menopausal woman diagnosed with breast cancer. I was 32 at the time of my diagnosis… and a [...]

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Our Annual YinOva Cleanse - April 2012
Our Annual YinOva Cleanse – April 2012

  It’s that time of year! Here at the YinOva Center, for the past six years, we have celebrated the transition into Spring with our annual YinOva Cleanse. Every spring we shake off the sluggishness of winter and get in shape for an active summer with a month-long cleanse that targets specific organs in a [...]

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DIY V-Steam
DIY V-Steam

A vaginal steam (V-Steam) is an effective and relaxing way to promote reproductive health. The V-Steams are ph balanced to help the body naturally cleanse the vaginal and uterine linings in a safe and gentle way. The warm steam and natural essential oils from the plants nourish and tonify the vaginal and uterine tissues. While [...]

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10 Tips for Reviving a Flagging Libido
10 Tips for Reviving a Flagging Libido

Birds do it… bees do it…. sometimes my patients feel as if the only person who isn’t doing it is them. Time and time again women confide in me that they rarely feel in the mood for sex. They miss the connection that sex gives them and feel guilty that they have let this part [...]

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Self-help strategies for women with uterine fibroids
Self-help strategies for women with uterine fibroids

Jan was a 35 year old woman who came to see me because her periods were so heavy that she had been diagnosed with anemia. Carla was a 45 year old woman whose abdomen protruded so much that her friend had mistakenly thought she was pregnant. Lauren was a 39 year old woman who was [...]

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How to grow your own sprouts.
How to grow your own sprouts.

  Sprouts not only taste good, they’re full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and enzymes. Their nutritional benefits were discovered by the Chinese thousands of years ago. In Chinese medicine a seed is considered to be yin and it’s offshoot is considered to be yang, so the ancient Chinese recognized that as a seed sprouts, [...]

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8 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Circulation
8 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Circulation

Do your hands and feet ever get noticeably colder than the rest of you? Maybe you wake up before your extremities do.  Perhaps you get pins and needles if you sit for too long. These are all signs of mild circulatory problems that many of my patients ignore or dismiss as a minor inconvenience. However [...]

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Do you have PCOS?

Over the past few years I have noticed a rise in women coming to the YinOva Center for acupuncture and herbal medicine to treat polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS. These women usually have irregular periods or in many cases no periods and are looking to regulate their cycles in a natural way.

What is PCOS?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (abbreviated PCOS or PCO), also known clinically as Stein-Leventhal syndrome, is an endocrine disorder that affects approximately one in ten women. PCOS affects all races and nationalities and is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age.

The principal features of PCOS are lack of regular ovulation and/or menstruation, weight gain and excessive amounts or the effects of androgenic hormones. While the causes are unknown, insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes are all strongly correlated with PCOS. There is also a strong genetic component. One of the main clinical signs of PCOS is the observation of numerous follicles in the periphery ovaries, often referred to as having the appearance of a “string of pearls”. Interestingly polycystic women ovulate much more frequently when they are underweight which might be an evolutionary trick to keep the population going in times of famine.

Symptoms of Typical PCOS:

  • Oligomenorrhea (irregular menstruation), amenorrhea (no menstruation)
  • Hirsutism (excessive body hair)
  • Dyspareunia-pain during intercourse
  • Acne
  • Dark patches of skin
  • LH: FSH ratio 2:1 instead of 1:1
  • Insulin resistance
  • Prolonged PMS

If you have read Jill’s book you would identify this pattern with Waterlogged, Tired and/or Stuck. Usually when I treat classical PCOS I immediately reduce all sugary foods and simple carbohydrates. Women are much more likely to ovulate with a reduction in weight, just a 5% reduction can help tremendously. Additionally I strengthen the Spleen and Kidneys and provide herbs to induce ovulation by reducing dampness and phlegm.

How Typical Ovulation Works:

At about cycle day three Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is released from the brain that sends a message to the ovaries to grow an egg. Many eggs “hear” the message and grow in response to the hormone. As the eggs grow they secrete estrogen. The bigger the egg, the more estrogen it secretes. Once one egg gets large enough and secretes a high enough level of estrogen it turns off the FSH. This prevents the body from releasing too many eggs in one cycle. At this point Lutenizing Hormone (LH) is secreted and the egg ruptures from the follicle causing ovulation. The corpus luteum that surrounds the egg begins to secrete progesterone and more estrogen.

PCOS and Anovulation:

Women with PCOS usually have a cluster of cysts in the ovaries as detected by transvaginal ultrasound in addition to a set of symptoms. This little cluster of eggs secretes enough estrogen to tell the body to turn off the follicle stimulating hormone but they are not large enough to ovulate. This creates a stalemate between the ovaries and the brain and no ovulation occurs. In this situation there is an abundance of estrogen and testosterone floating around the system but very low levels of progesterone.

“New PCOS”

Lately I have seen a rise in women diagnosed with PCOS as determined by cysts on their ovaries but they do not have the aforementioned symptoms. Interestingly this group presents entirely differently from the original PCOS group that I have both studied and treated extensively.

This “new” group appears entirely different. These women tend to be very thin (not anorexic thin, as low leptin and fat levels can also inhibit ovulation), just typical “New York thin” if you will. Another remarkable factor is long-term birth control pill usage. I usually discover that the women had regular cycles before going on the birth control pill but after taking the pill for 10-18 years consecutively they are having difficulty ovulating after stopping the pill.

Commonly observed new PCOS:

  • Observable cysts on the ovaries
  • Long term birth control pill usage
  • Prolonged PMS
  • Digestive complaints like reflux, IBS
  • Post-nasal drip
  • Light or no flow on the BCP
  • Anxiety
  • Poor sleep

I find myself tapping my pencil about this on a weekly basis… Did the birth control pill have the effect on the ovaries or was the condition already present but masked due to years of anovulatory cycles? Have the ovaries been trying to ovulate for 10+ years?

The findings seem to suggest that there is a link between the birth control pill and polycystic ovaries in cases where the hormone levels are normal and there are metabolic issues such as sensitivity to glucose.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Typical PCOS:

As always we treat conditions based upon the symptoms in addition to information gleaned from ultrasounds and lab work. This “New group” is already thin and in our medicine, I find them to be Blood Deficient, Yin Deficient and Stagnant aka Pale Type, Dry Type and Stuck Type. Treatment is geared towards nourishing and moving Qi and Nourishing Blood and Yin.

Typical solutions are providing an herbal formula to help regulate progesterone and estrogen levels. Vitex Chastetree is a singular herb that I prescribe to take daily. I also do a lot of acupuncture points and herbs to clear stagnation and help rid the body of the excess estrogen floating around. Another good way to do this is by adding Probiotics to make sure the colon is clearing out excess estrogen.

I have had a lot of success helping women resume ovulatory cycles. Depending on the severity of the condition it can take a 3-12 months to regulate a cycle. If you are looking to get pregnant quickly, PCOS responds very well to Assisted Reproductive Technology and can be a effective way to get things moving. We do however suggest three months of treatment to help adjust the hormone levels in the body so the eggs that are stimulated are more hormonally balanced.

 

May 16, 2012 | Categories: PCOS, Women's Health | Leave A Comment »

Do You Know How to Breathe?

Is there a “right” way to breathe?

While there is not a singular “right” way to breathe, taking a look at what muscles you are using to breathe will tell you a lot about where you hold tension. And yes, there are more efficient ways to breathe that minimize excess tension and stress.

The diaphragm is the major muscle involved. A large, dome shaped muscle that lays horizontally separating the stomach and intestines from the heart and lungs. When the diaphragm contracts, the dome pulls downward and, in cooperation with the intercostal muscles of the ribs, this allows the lungs to expand resulting in a large inhale. Exhaling releases the diaphragm and relaxes the ribs back down.

As simple as that sounds other muscle players want to bring themselves into the mix. The most common are the muscles of the neck/shoulders and the elevators of the collar bones. Take a deep breath right now. Did your shoulders lift? If they did, you are most likely relying too heavily on those accessory muscles instead of the diaphragm. Being able to keep the neck and shoulders relaxed as you breathe will help decrease muscle tension.

Lay down on the floor and put your feet up on a chair so that your lower back is relaxed. Close your eyes and keep your arms down by your sides with your palms turned up. Now focus on your breath. Don’t try to change anything, just take note of what is moving, where your tension lies and how deep/shallow or fast/slow you are breathing. After a few minutes redirect your focus on your belly. On the inhale, let your belly expand and on the exhale let it fall down. Soften your throat, neck and shoulders. Imagine your shoulders gently falling open, widening against the ground.

Now let your rib cage expand wide as you inhale deeply. Then,  forcefully exhale while engaging the deep abdominal muscles pulling them up and in, toward the front of the spine. Take a few more deep breaths like that, feeling the expansion and contraction of the ribs and the rise and fall of the belly. Diaphragmatic breathing allows the lung to absorb more oxygen which in turn allows the heart to slow down and the blood pressure to decrease. The opposite of belly breathing would be quick shallow breaths. This sort of breathing automatically speeds up the heart rate and raises blood pressure to ensure there is enough oxygen getting to the rest of the body. Shallow breathing also leaves one feeling anxious and on-edge where as slow, deep breaths promotes calmness and centering.

In Pilates, diaphragmatic breathing is used in combination with a technique called posterolateral breathing. The goal is to really allow the rib cage to expand wide so that the abdominal muscles are able to stay engaged while taking deep breaths. This is important to be aware of while you are exercising. The Pilates movements all heavily rely on use of and initiation from the core muscles. If you were only using diaphragmatic breathing  you would have to let go of the abdominal tone and compromise the exercises.

The best way to benefit from this type of breathing is to practice. In the morning, before bed, or whenever you get a few spare minutes during the day, take a moment to sit quietly and focus on your breath. You’ll be surprised at how calming it can be. Hopefully the next time your “fight-or-flight” response jumps in remember to take a few deep breaths to calm yourself down and battle whatever comes at you with a clear head.

May 03, 2012 | Categories: Exercise | Leave A Comment »

Emotional Healing by Susan King

We are so honored to have renowned Intuitive Counselor, Susan King, at the YinOva Center from May 7th to the 19th (her schedule varies so please call the Front Desk for an appointment). Susan has a loyal following worldwide and only makes it to the United States a few times a year, so this is a real treat! In anticipation of her visit, Susan wrote a blog just for us!

Most of us have experienced some sort of emotional pain in our lives. Emotional pain may be a warning that our relationship with our feelings is faulty. If we ignore this pain, and do not deal with it, it will intensify. Emotions are our essence – they reflect who we are inside; we refer to them and they have an affect on us each and every day. Unfortunately, we have been conditioned not to be “soft” or “so emotional” and to get on with it. But, nothing is more important than how we feel. If we feel good, we have hope, drive, energy – our inner light, if you will. If we experience emotional pain and we suppress these feelings, then we suffer in silence.

In general, pain may manifest itself in many ways. If we cut our finger, break a leg, or hit our head, the end result is physical pain. We see this happen to someone and we say,”Oh, are you ok? Can I help you?” But what about the pain trapped inside our heart, our souls? How can anyone see that? Who offers comfort? It is very difficult when our pain is not seen. But all pain can be given healing, even the emotional pain. First, it must be recognized and then, slowly removed.

Once we identify the emotion, we can attempt to understand it. And only then, could we learn how to manage it. Emotional pain can be caused by so many different things: perhaps it’s the hurtful words of another, or the loss of a loved one, divorce, or pressure at work or with finances. But there is way to heal this pain, to face it and to manage it.

I have spent the last 20 years trying to help people heal. A large part of my work gives people relief, hope and emotional release. I have discovered many ways to help; through my work I give new perspective to what may be troubling or confusing to you. Some would say I have a gift for this; I would say I do, but I also have the knowledge, understanding, and insight that I have learned along life’s path.

Very soon I will spend some time working from the YinOva Center, which I consider an honor. I look forward to helping the YinOva community in the healing process wherever I can.

All you need is an open heart and mind and the willingness to listen.

 

Apr 28, 2012 | Categories: Emotional Issues | Leave A Comment »