This is the third part of a series of articles about pregnancy by YinOva Acupuncturist and Obstetric Nurse, LAURA SCHEURER.You can read other articles in this series by clicking HERE.

My last blog in this series covered changes and self-help suggestions for problems arising in the upper gastrointestinal tract namely morning sickness and heartburn. Today we move south through the gastrointestinal tract to the other end, which may present some issues as well.

Changes in regularity are thought to be caused by a number of factors:

• Hormones of pregnancy contribute to a relaxation of smooth muscles including those of the large intestine.
• Some iron supplements can cause constipation as a side effect.
• Lack of dietary fiber.
• Drink less water than optimal, causing stools to become dry and difficult to pass.
• During the third trimester, your growing baby causes the uterus to rise out of the pelvic cavity, displacing organs and putting pressure on the colon which slows down movement through the bowels.
• After delivery of your baby, your bowels may be sluggish as your abdominal muscles, having been stretched during pregnancy, exert less pressure while moving your bowels.
• If you have stitches to the perineum after delivery or a small hemorrhoid, you may feel uncomfortable and anxious about opening your bowels. Resisting your body’s natural urge only adds to the problem of constipation.

During your pregnancy your midwife or Doctor may suggest a bulk forming stool softener as laxatives are not recommended at this time.

From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, we seek out your particular underlying pattern while taking into consideration pregnancy induced changes occurring in your body that lead to constipation.  There are about four frequently seen patterns that emerge contributing to sluggish bowel function.  After a brief description of each energetic pattern, self-help suggestions follow.

1. Blood Deficiency – there will be dry stools that are difficult to pass, as well as pale lips and complexion.
2. Kidney Yin Deficiency – in addition to dry stools that are difficult to pass, you might experience dry mouth and sensations of heat that are worse in the evening, or night sweats.
3. Liver Qi Stagnation – the stool may not be dry, but stools will be pebble shaped or thin ribbons.  You may also be feeling bloated, cranky, irritable or depressed.
4. Stomach Fire Blazing – there are dry stools, thirst for cold drinks and constant hunger.

Self-help suggestions:

Acupuncture is a gentle and effective way of promoting a bowel movement, so seeing your acupuncturist may be helpful in getting things going.  If you are experiencing morning sickness or heartburn, these issues need to be addressed first.  After that, the primary focus is on your diet.

Some suggestions:

• Increase your daily intake of fresh and dried fruits (apples, raisins, figs, apricots or bananas) and vegetables.
• Incorporate flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and nuts into your daily routine. Sprinkle them over cereal and salads, or carry a mix of raisins and nuts to snack on during the day.
• Drink ½ your body weight in ounces of water daily. In other words, if your weight is 130 lbs. your daily intake of water should be 65 oz.  Sufficient water is necessary to soften stool and will help create bulk if you are adding nuts and seeds to your diet. Warm or room temperature water is best, especially first thing in the morning.
• Take a cup of warm prune juice or lemon in hot water ½ hour before meals.
• Take 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses before bed.
• 4 oz. each of freshly juiced carrot and spinach.
• Remember to take time to eat your meals in a relaxed nurturing environment. Thoroughly chew your food as digestion begins in your mouth.
• Get daily gentle exercise. Long walks after meals, swimming and prenatal yoga all encourage the smooth flow of Qi which in turn will encourage smooth movements.

We think these  gentle, natural suggestions will be helpful to you not only during your pregnancy but at any time when constipation is an issue.

Lots of us enjoy trying something fresh for the New Year.  And since many of you have been buzzing about going gluten-free, we thought we’d explore it further.  If you feel like you don’t understand all the fuss, you are not alone.  With so much media attention, going gluten-free is quickly becoming a fad diet that people are just latching onto.  Many people believe that if they just switched to gluten-free foods, they will lose weight.  While this is not entirely true, we do find a lot of our patients benefit from a gluten-free diet and some have a legitimate gluten sensitivity.  If you are sensitive to gluten (99% of gluten sensitive people are not aware of it), removing it from your diet will change your life!  If you are not gluten sensitive, replacing foods with gluten-free junk food may actually be adding to a weight problem, as many of these foods are highly processed and high in calories, carbs and fat.

Do you know what gluten is?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and oats.  Gluten is not inherently bad, it is only when our body reacts negatively that it can cause problems.  And these problems can be completely unrelated to digestion.  That being said, digestive problems like irritable bowl disease, chronic constipation or loose stool, and inflammatory bowl diseases like ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease can all be associated with or exacerbated by food sensitivities.  The New England Journal of Medicine lists 55 other seemingly unrelated conditions associated with gluten sensitivity including: osteoporosis, anemia, rosacea, chronic fatigue, restless leg syndrome, canker sores, rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, eczema and psoriasis, multiple sclerosis (MS), and almost all other autoimmune diseases.  It can also be linked to depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, dementia, migraines, epilepsy, neuropathy, and autism.

Gluten sensitivity historically has been thought of in the medical world as Celiac Disease.  It was rarely diagnosed, and was often only considered in children who had chronic diarrhea.  But we are discovering symptoms appearing to be unrelated to a digestive imbalance can actually be cause by eating something as normal as a piece of bread.

Why this sudden increase in gluten intolerance?  It is likely due to the genetic modification of wheat and other grains recently introduced in our agriculture and diet.  Almost all wheat flour in America has been genetically modified to have a much higher gluten content than ever before, making our breads doughy and fluffy.  The down side of all this gooey dough is that many of us who may have a minor sensitivity to gluten are reacting much more intensely than before.

If you’ve been suffering from chronic fatigue, MS, depression or any of the above mentioned symptoms and haven’t been able to find relief, it might be worth it to try a gluten-free lifestyle.  There are many drugs and treatments available to treat the manifestations of gluten sensitivity, but the only way to truly cure yourself, if this is indeed your problem, is to completely avoid gluten.

The real problem with consuming gluten when your body is sensitive is that the reaction creates inflammation in the body.  Inflammation is at the root of all the major killers in our medical system including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.  Recent studies have come out showing you don’t have to have full blown celiac to be at risk for complications associated with gluten sensitivity.  Even just having the antibodies circulating, without inflammation in the gut or testing positive for celiac, increases risk of death from cancer, heart disease, and other related inflammatory diseases by up to 35%.

Discovering whether or not you are sensitive to gluten can be done in several different ways.  The simplest and cheapest is to completely remove gluten from your diet for at least two (and up to six) weeks.  If after 2-6 weeks some of your symptoms have disappeared, or if you notice you feel more energized and clear headed, you may have a sensitivity to gluten.  You can test your theory by adding it back into your diet and seeing how you feel in the following days.  If you notice your symptoms returning, you are sensitive to gluten and would benefit from avoiding it most of the time.  If you are keeping track on your own, it is helpful to keep a food journal to record what you ate and how you felt afterward.  A doctor who is well acquainted with gluten sensitivities can also test your blood and/or saliva for antibodies related to gluten or for the genes associated with celiac.

Some tips to follow when adapting a gluten-free lifestyle:

• Avoid any product made with wheat, barley, rye, kamut or oats (bread, pasta, crackers, cereal, pastries, cookies, pretzels, flour tortillas, pie crusts, etc.)

• Hidden sources of gluten include the following: soy sauce, BBQ sauce, “meat-free” meat, couscous, beer, whiskey, envelope and stamp adhesive (!), some lipsticks, and soups thickened with flour.

• When in doubt at a restaurant, mention to your server that you are gluten sensitive and ask for guidance with the menu.

• Try products made with brown rice, corn, amaranth, millet, potato, tapioca starch, soy, garbanzo bean flour, and quinoa.

• Try wheat-free tamari sauce instead of soy sauce and thicken your soups with corn starch.

• Look for the “gluten-free” label, but keep in mind that just because it’s gluten-free, doesn’t make it calorie free.

This is the second part in a series of articles about pregnancy by YinOva Acupuncturist and Obstetric Nurse, Laura Scheurer.You can read other articles in this series by clicking here.

Morning sickness, one of the most common of complaints in pregnancy, can vary widely from person to person.  One might experience a mild aversion to aromas that previously were perceived as pleasant and not much more.  In another, the mere thought of food can induce a wave of nausea accompanied by dry retching and or vomiting.  It may not come as a surprise to hear that “morning sickness” can occur at any time of the day.  For some it is first thing in the morning only, for others it may be present constantly, even waking some women during the night.

Although no one is really clear as to the cause of nausea during pregnancy, it is thought to be due in part to an increase in estrogen levels and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced by the developing embryo after conception and later by the placenta.  Theories about other contributing factors include high stress levels and fatigue before conception and in early pregnancy.  Some believe emotional factors play a part as well.

Regardless of the cause, it is considered a “normal” side effect of pregnancy that is generally time-limited and will pass by the 12^th to 14^th week.  Conventional treatment usually involves reassurance and possibly an anti-emetic (medicine to stop the nausea and vomiting).

From a Chinese medicine perspective, there are very dramatic and profound changes occurring  during pregnancy as the Conception Vessel and the Penetrating Vessel are now redirected from supporting a menstrual cycle to nourishing a growing fetus.  These extraordinary vessels traverse the front and center of the body.  The Penetrating Vessel (the sea of Blood) communicates with both the uterus and the Stomach.  It is said that when the Penetrating Vessel is disordered, it interferes with the descending action of the Stomach, causing a rebellious rising of Qi, leading to nausea and vomiting.

Acupuncture has been used effectively offering great results in the treatment of morning sickness, providing a real alternative to just putting up with feeling sick all the time.

Treatment with Chinese medicine recognizes nausea and vomiting to be caused by one of a number of imbalances.  Some may sound familiar to you such as Stomach Qi deficiency, or Stomach cold, Spleen Qi deficiency, accumulation of phlegm or Liver Qi stagnation invading the Stomach.  These differential diagnosis, assist your acupuncturist in devising a treatment plan specific to your particular imbalance.

Once you have received acupuncture and are on the road to recovery, we have some very helpful self-care suggestions that will help keep those nauseating episodes at bay.

Fluids

• Avoid dehydration, even mild dehydration can make any nausea worse.  Dry lips, feeling thirsty, and decreased urinary output with dark concentrated urine are signs that your fluid intake is inadequate.
• Suitable fluids start with water, water, water.
• Teas, such a chamomile, peppermint or ginger tea are settling to the stomach.  For ginger tea, shave a thumbnail size of ginger into your cup, pour hot water over the ginger, add honey to taste, let steep for 10 minutes.  Limit the ginger tea to no more than 2 cups a day so as to not create heat in the Stomach.
• Ginger ale, is helpful for those who feel some relief after burping.
• Mineral water with lemon is refreshing and hydrating.
• Some women find that a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of hot water with a bit of honey to taste, settles an upset stomach.
• If there are no symptoms of cold, ice pops and watery fruits like watermelon will keep you hydrated, and may be all you can tolerate for the time being.
• Soups and broths are a great way to maintain hydration and supply some nutrients.  Potato soup, miso soup, chicken broth are all nourishing, in addition to providing hydration.

Foods

• When thinking about what you can eat, think of what you would feed a 9-month old baby – bland, easy to digest foods.
• Baby rice, porridge, potato, pasta, yogurt, peaches and pears, go down easily and are not difficult to digest.
• Frequent, small meals encourage blood sugar levels to remain stable.
• Avoid sweet, sugary treats as they will cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate contributing to nausea.
• High protein snacks throughout the day and before bed, and a carb based breakfast may be helpful during this time.

Smells

• Sometimes just a whiff of an odor or an aroma that was previously inoffensive, now triggers a wave of nausea.
• A little essential oil on a hankie can save the day.  Try peppermint, lemon, or vanilla.

Acupressure Bands

• Worn on both wrists, pressure is applied to an acupuncture point known as PC-6 or Neiguan (inner gate) as it is the empirical point for the treatment of nausea.

Heartburn

It is thought that the rising hormone levels of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy, relax the smooth muscle of the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach causing acid to counter-flow from the stomach into the esophagus.  Acid reflux, or heartburn can occur at any time during pregnancy, but most often at the end, in the last trimester when the gravid uterus rises up into the diaphragm.  The degree of discomfort can vary from very mild to severe pain with vomiting.  It is usually worse when in a reclined position and better when sitting upright.

A Chinese medicine differential diagnosis may include Stomach Fire Blazing with strong thirst for cold drinks, or Food Stagnation, with a sensation of abdominal distention and belching.

Acupuncture points on the foot, lower leg, wrist or mid-abdomen can be helpful to redirect the flow of digestive juices to their proper place.  Sometimes we can send our patients home with ear press needles to be applied to the webbed area between the 2^nd and 3^rd toe as an adjunct to weekly treatments.

Self-help suggestions

• Small frequent meals as opposed to fewer larger meals makes more sense for you now.  As your baby grows, your internal organs are displaced smaller meals are processed easier than a large meal, especially when space is limited.

• Learn to recognize and avoid the foods that trigger heartburn.  Some common culprits are highly seasoned rich foods, fried or fatty foods, processed meats, chocolate, coffee, alcohol and often times commercially prepared yeast containing products.

• Antacids are generally safe to take, but avoid sodium bicarbonate since the sodium is absorbed into the blood stream causing a potential for other issues.

• A safer alternative is an herbal antacid, hai piao xiao, or cuttlefish bone is a simple formula that also contains gan cao (licorice).

• Read our blog for more detail on what foods to eat and what to avoid during pregnancy.

We think you will find these suggestions easy to incorporate into your daily routine and quite effective.

Please see Part I of Laura’s series, Conquering Pregnancy Fatigue.

This blog was written by our YinOva massage therapist, Nicole Kruck. Although Nicole offers many styles of massage her specific specialty is in women’s medicine.

Have you ever wondered why you get cramps, crabby or dark brown blood with your period?  Most of us never got the real story of what our periods are really supposed to be like.

A period should be like a finely tuned orchestra.  Maybe a little warm up for about an hour with a bit of pink spotting and very mild cramping, to let you know it’s on its way.  After that, your blood should be a pinky red or cherry red  (not burgundy or brown).  You should have a nice full flow of about 3 to 4 pads, (organic) tampons, or diva cup, changes per day.  You should not be passing clots.  After 3 to 6 days, your period should slow down and simply end without any brown blood.

If this is not your normal experience don’t worry, you can tune up your periods.  You may have been told you have a tilted or misplaced uterus or cervix, that your uterus is retroverted or antiverted, or it’s simply misaligned.  They all mean the same thing, your uterus and cervix are out of place in your pelvis.  You may wonder why or how this happens.  Most likely this migration started at a very young age.  We hardly ever think about the falls, accidents, and extreme amounts of exercise we had as children.  The countless hours we spent playing and the normal bumps and bruises we have long since forgotten can play a role.  This also includes very active women who run or play high impact sports, as well as anyone who has had pelvic surgeries.

The effects of those impacts still remain in the form of scar tissue (especially to the sacrum), adhesions, emotional trauma, but most importantly, they can cause the over stretching of the uterine ligaments.  When the uterus loses its support, like the elastic in your pants, it wanders.  It can fall forward on the bladder causing frequent urination like when we awaken in the middle of the night to urinate, or the tee-hee pee-pee’s when you laugh, cough or sneeze.  The uterus can also have a retroversion laying on the large intestine causing constipation.  The uterus can migrate to the right or left side, blocking the fallopian tubes and impeding the ovaries’ functioning.  In the worst case scenario the uterus can actually prolapse out of the vaginal canal which only happens in very long term conditions, complications of delivery or other rare accidents.

The uterus has the amazing ability to go from 4 to 6 ounces after your period all the way to 7 to 8 ounces just before your menstruation.  Imagine a lemon sitting on a blood vessel that transports nutrition and is the diameter of a strand of hair.  Talk about restrictive!  Unlike the ligaments in your knee or shoulder, these ligaments have a lot of contractile (muscle tissue).  This allows the uterus to go from 4 ounces to 15 pounds or more when you’re pregnant, and then, shrink back to 4 ounces.  This can happen multiple times with each pregnancy.

Ever wonder why you get cramping with your period?  One of the main reasons is Anatomy 101.  When your uterus is in place at the end of the cycle, the cervix opens and the lining sloughs off with gravity.  When the uterus and cervix shift, the lining has to first go up against gravity and then out.  This creates muscle contractions (cramps) to move the lining out.  When you get brown blood at the beginning of the period it means that the last few periods did not full evacuate, if there is brown blood at the end of the cycle it means it is a chronic problem.  When the uterus is brought back into alignment painful periods and brown blood, along with stop-start periods just magically go away.

In other countries uterine health awareness is passed down to young women by family or other women in her community.  They use therapies like: vaginal steams, nutritive teas, massage and faja’s (belly bands, not Spanx).  They are also educated in the rhythmic cycles of their bodies and nature.  They learn when to be more restorative or more active, and how to be observant of changes in their menstrual flow.  Women’s bodies are meant to follow the cycles of the moon.  The first half, called the the follicular phase, is the time of the new moon; this is the time for more physical activity.  It is also our creative time.  The second half, known as the luteal phase, is a more inward time.  Our hormones are at their peak and we draw our energy inward to prepare for conception.  For women, as the moon gets full, this is the most intuitive and reflective time.

So....What can you do to change your periods?

• Vaginal steams are very therapeutic (if you are not trying to conceive that month)

• Learn and practice the techniques Mayan Abdominal Massage

• Get acupuncture and try supportive Chinese herbs

• Give up a cup of coffee for a women’s blend tea including nettles

• Find alternatives for high impact aerobic exercise until your uterus is in optimal placement

• Breathe into your belly more

• Try more restorative exercise like Tai Chi, Chi Gong, Yoga, or walks in nature for more oxygen

Like many of you, I’m increasingly worried about the amount of chemicals we are exposed to.  From talking to our YinOva patients, I  am clear that many of us want to take sensible steps towards a less toxic lifestyle. Personally, I’ve changed my diet, eliminated toxic household cleaners, made different make-up choices and even found a natural deodorant that works (Dr. Hauschka).

In the past I’ve eyed organic tampons in the health food store and dismissed them as too expensive. However, as a someone who specializes in the care of women, I know that the membranes inside the vagina are thin, sensitive and more porous than our skin. The average woman uses about 11,000 tampons or sanitary towels in a lifetime, so it makes sense to look closely at what these products are made of. When I researched the chemicals in most commercial sanitary products I knew that this was another change I needed to make.

Dioxins

In our book, Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility, Dr David and I discussed the adverse effect of dioxins on fertility and you can find out more about them here on the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website. As you can see from the link the EPA has confirmed that dioxins are known to cause cancer in animals and are suspected of contributing to human cancers too.

Tampons are made of cotton and rayon which are bleached because we, the consumers, associate white cotton with purity and cleanliness. This bleaching process produces dioxins, although the FDA assures us that they are present in tampons in very minute levels and are therefore safe.  However the risk from dioxins increases with repeated exposure because dioxins have a long half-life. What this means is that the dioxins stay active in the body and don’t break down for many years.  In fact it may take 50 years or more for them to be completely eliminated from the body. Dioxins therefore build up over time, and each exposure increases the amount of the chemical in the body. According to the EPA, there really is no “acceptable” level of exposure to dioxins. The real danger lies in repeated contact and I think we’d all agree that using about 5 tampons a day, 5-7 days a month, for about 40 years means we definitely have repeated contact with this dangerous chemical even though the levels are very low.

Pesticides

Did you know that cotton is one of the crops that is most heavily sprayed with pesticides? I didn’t either. Not until I started to look at the research and found out that 10% of the all world’s pesticides and 22.5% of insecticides are used to grow non organic cotton. Five of the top nine pesticides used on cotton in the U.S. are known to be carcinogenic and all nine of them are classified by the EPA as Category I and II chemicals, meaning the most dangerous and likely to cause harm. Again the residues in tampons are small but given the repeated exposure are they small enough to be harmless? We don’t know and personally I’m no longer willing to take the risk.

Fragrances

Fragrances are a new addition to feminine hygiene products. We’re supposed to want them in order to smell better “down there”, but I consider them a marketing tool that preys on our insecurities to sell us something we don’t need. These fragrances are considered to be trade secrets so tampon manufacturers do not have to tell us what chemicals they use. They are simply required to list them as “fragrance”. However among these hidden chemicals we may be being exposed to phthalates which are a class of chemicals known to disrupt hormones and affect fertility. Why take the risk?

So what’s a girl to do?

Tampons

There are plenty of organic tampons for sale in health food stores and online. They’re more expensive than ordinary tampons and it is cheaper to use reusable pads or a cup, however they’re convenient and if you can afford to make the switch they may be a good option. Trusted brands include Seventh Generation and Natracare.

Disposable pads

Look for sanitary towels that are made with organic cotton and are not bleached with chlorine. Both Natracare and Seventh Generation make pads that are widely available.

Reusable pads

Our granny’s generation used reusable pads which involved belts and safety pins. Thankfully the modern versions of these pads are much less cumbersome. Check out the ones made by Lunapads, which are convenient to use and well designed.

Cups

Menstrual cups are a type of barrier worn inside the vagina, just below the cervix, to collect menstrual fluid. I like these! I didn’t think I would, but whilst doing my research, I tested the Diva Cup and found it to be a comfortable alternative to tampons. It’s made of medical grade silicon and contains no chlorine, dyes or additives. It does require access to a clean water supply to cleanse the cup and the manufacturers recommend using a mild, unscented soap to clean it regularly. Diva cup sell a cleanser for just this purpose.

So are tampons toxic?

The answer is we’re not sure. Some of the more extreme internet myths (such as the one where tampons have been found to contain asbestos) have been discredited. The chemicals in tampons seem to be low level but they are known carcinogens and hormone disrupters. Given the vulnerability of vaginal tissue and the repeated, regular exposure feminine hygiene products require, it seems sensible to limit our exposure to these chemicals by switching to natural brands of tampon or the many alternatives that are now on the market.

That’s what I’ve decided to do and it’s the advice I’ll be giving my daughter.

The recent Dutch study revealing a possible link between IVF and borderline ovarian tumors has caused some panic amongst our patients.  I’d like to set everyone’s mind at ease.

This was a large and long term study comparing ovarian cancer rates in nearly 20,000 women who received IVF with about 6,000 infertile women who had not.  Sixty-one women in the IVF group had ovarian tumors. 31 of these were considered “borderline ovarian cancer” and 30 were invasive cancer.  Those who had IVF had about double the likelihood of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer compared to those who did not over the course of the 15-year study, which was published in the Journal of Human Reproduction.

To the casual reader this all sounds very scary but let me break down the facts for you.

• Firstly, borderline ovarian tumors are NOT cancer and the study of 26,000 women found no increase risk of ovarian cancer in women who undergo IVF.  Borderline ovarian tumors are not fatal and may never become malignant, but they usually require surgery.

• Secondly, less than one woman in 100 (0.45 percent of women) will get ovarian cancer by the time they reach the age of 55.  If the results of this study are true, this risk increases to 0.71 percent for women who have IVF treatment.  This is a very small risk increase.  To help put this into perspective, the risk of heart disease is 1 in 5, the risk of being injured in a motor vehicle accident is 1 in 100, and the risk of breast cancer is 1 in 9.  The increased risk of a borderline ovarian tumor is 7 in 1,000.

• There was no additional risk of ovarian cancer for women who had repeated courses of IVF treatment compared with women who had just one treatment.  This might indicate that the hormonal stimulation drugs are not what are causing the increase in borderline tumors.  Some other factor could have accounted for the difference — especially since the risk didn’t continue to rise in those who had higher hormone doses.  Also, women who had been treated with fertility drugs before going on to have IVF treatment did not have a higher risk of a tumor than those who had not.

This study creates a lot of questions that need to be further investigated.  As Jill and Dr. David pointed out, in Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility, all medicine is about weighing up risks and benefits and no one should be taking fertility drugs unless it’s absolutely necessary. However, this study reveals that the increased risk of  ovarian cancer associated with IVF is small and, in my opinion, this should not stop someone from using IVF as an option for having a baby.

Ovarian cysts are small fluid-filled sacs that develop in a woman’s ovaries.  Most cysts are harmless, but some may cause problems such as rupturing, bleeding, or pain; and surgery may be required to remove the cyst(s).

In Traditional Chinese Medicine cysts are considered an accumulation of phlegm and/or blood stagnation.  This is predominantly a Yin Pathology where fluid is accumulates due to an overabundance of water and phlegm.  In treating cysts, the main treatment goal is to tonify the kidneys, transform dampness and phlegm and move blood stasis.

Yang energy is required to encourage the break up of cysts.  Yang is the warming and moving aspect of life.  To boost Yang energy and decrease the sinking, heaviness of Yin energy, acupuncture, herbs and dietary therapy are employed.

Acupuncture Therapy

Certain points along the meridians tonify Yang.  There are many ways to do this.  Many treatments are aimed at nourishing the Kidneys especially when the person is susceptible to cold, has back problems, weight gain, phlegm and fatigue.  Others treatments are geared towards raising the Spleen Qi especially if the person has digestive issues, insomnia, bruises easily and feels fatigue.  Additionally, it is important to move blood in order to disperse stagnation.  I often use a heat lamp and castor oil packs on the abdomen to facilitate movement.

Herbal Therapy

Traditional Chinese Herbal formulas are a synergistic interplay of 5-20 herbs.  Some warming herbs include Cinnamon bark and spices such as Tumeric, Cardamom, Cayenne Pepper and Saffron. Some herbs that help eliminate phlegm and dampness include Barley and Orange Peel.

Dietary Therapy

Dietary therapy is an intrinsic element to Traditional Chinese Medicine.  If you are trying to reduce the growth of cysts it is imperative to reduce or eliminate phlegm producing foods such as:

* cheese
* ice cream
* soy
* wheat
* sugar

There are many different types of cysts.  The following list is from the Mayo Clinic:

• Follicular cyst: This type of simple cyst can form when ovulation does not occur or when a mature follicle involutes (collapses on itself).  A follicular cyst usually forms at the time of ovulation and can grow to about 2.3 inches in diameter.  The rupture of this type of cyst can create sharp severe pain on the side of the ovary on which the cyst appears.  This sharp pain occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle, during ovulation.

• Corpus luteum cyst: This type of functional ovarian cyst occurs after an egg has been released from a follicle.  After this happens, the follicle becomes what is known as a corpus luteum.  If a pregnancy doesn’t occur, the corpus luteum usually breaks down and disappears.  It may, however, fill with fluid or blood and persist on the ovary.  Usually, this cyst is found on only one side and produces no symptoms.

• Hemorrhagic cyst: This type of functional cyst occurs when bleeding occurs within a cyst.

• Dermoid cyst: This is a type of benign tumor sometimes referred to as mature cystic teratoma.  It is an abnormal cyst that usually affects younger women and may grow to 6 inches in diameter.   A dermoid cyst can contain other types of growths of body tissues such as fat and occasionally bone, hair, and cartilage.

• Endometriomas or endometrioid cysts: Part of the condition known as endometriosis, this type of cyst is formed when endometrial tissue (the lining tissue of the uterus) is present on the ovaries.  It affects women during the reproductive years and may cause chronic pelvic pain associated with menstruation.

• Polycystic-appearing ovary: Polycystic-appearing ovary is diagnosed based on its enlarged size – usually twice that of normal – with small cysts present around the outside of the ovary.

Although Traditional Chinese Medicine is highly effective you need to allow time for the treatments to work.  Even if you see an immediate improvement in energy, sleep, mood, etc. it often takes at least three months of regular treatments to change existing patterns of disharmony.

Endometriosis is one of the leading causes of pelvic pain we see here at the YinOva Center. It can seriously affect a woman’s ability to conceive and can also cause uncomfortable, heavy or irregular periods. Sometimes there are no symptoms associated with endometriosis and it is only discovered when a woman seeks treatment for infertility.

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue that normally lines the uterus (the endometrium) grows outside the uterus and sticks to various pelvic organs such as the the ovaries, bowel, rectum, bladder and the delicate tissue lining the pelvis. Occasionally, but rarely, this tissue can stray even further and can be found outside the pelvic region in other areas of the body.

This misplaced endometrial tissue behaves just like the uterine lining itself in that it responds to the interplay of hormones during the menstrual cycle. Consequently tissue and blood slough off the endometriosis during the period, just as the uterine lining sloughs off every month. The difference is that the tissue in the pelvic cavity has no means of being discharged, so over time it builds up and can form masses and lesions which can affect organ function. The cyst-like masses are called pseudocysts, and usually appear dark blue to brown, the latter being called “chocolate cysts”.

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?

The primary symptom of endometriosis is pelvic pain often worse during the period. Pain during or after sex is also common, as is pain associated with a bowel movement or urination. Other common symptoms are heavy bleeding during the period or uterine bleeding between periods. Occasionally endometriosis can also cause nausea, bowel movement changes and fatigue. Its worth pointing out that the severity of the symptoms does not reflect the severity of the endometriosis itself. In my career I’ve seen women with very mild endometriosis who have debilitating symptoms and some with very severe endometriosis who have no symptoms whatsoever.

What causes endometriosis?

The cause of endometriosis is unknown, but there are a number of theories. The most likely explanation is that there is a back flow of menstrual blood during the period and endometrial cells travel through the fallopian tubes and into the abdominal cavity. However some researchers have suggested that bits of endometrium are already in the abdominal cavity at birth or that the cells lining the abdominal and pelvic cavities are descended from embryonic cells and have the potential to specialize and become endometrial cells. However, no one knows why these cells would suddenly change and fulfill this potential.

We do know that endometriosis has a genetic link because women with a mother or sister who suffer from endometriosis are 6 times more likely to have the condition themselves. It’s also more common in women who have never given birth or became pregnant for the first time later in life.

How is endometriosis diagnosed?

If your doctor suspects you have endometriosis she may do a pelvic exam and order an ultrasound but the only way she can be absolutely sure is to do a minor surgical procedure called laparoscopy. That way she can look for endometrial implants and may even be able to remove some during the surgery.

How does conventional medicine treat endometriosis?

Conventional treatment for this condition varies depending on the severity of your symptoms, the location of the endometriosis and whether you are trying to get pregnant. Treatment options include medications to relieve pain and inflammation, hormonal therapies to stop the endometriosis from getting worse, surgery and as a last resort hysterectomy.

Can Chinese medicine treat endometriosis?

Yes and no!

Yes…Chinese medicine is a great help when it comes to relieving the uncomfortable symptoms associated with endometriosis.

Yes…Chinese medicine can help limit the proliferation of endometriosis.

No…Chinese medicine does not make current endometriosis disappear (although it may be able to reduce it).

At the YinOva Center we often see fertility patients for whom the endometriosis is getting in the way of a successful conception and a healthy pregnancy. We advise these patients to follow their MD’s advice and if their doctor deems laparoscopic surgery necessary we support them through this process. Then we use Chinese medicine to help with recovery and to slow the rate the endometriosis returns.

It’s often effective to combine Chinese medicine with conventional medical treatment. In Chinese medicine endometriosis is seen as blood stagnation however to treat it properly a good practitioner will also diagnose and treat the root cause of the blood stagnation. The most common patterns we see in our clinic are :-

 
• Qi stagnation with blood stagnation
• Yang deficiency with blood stagnation
• Qi sinking with blood stagnation

There are other, rarer Chinese medical diagnoses associated with endometriosis so it’s always a good idea to meet with a practitioner who specializes in OB/GYN to get a full explanation of your particular case. At the YinOva Center we’re always happy to explain how your particular pattern works, how we came to our diagnosis and what our treatment strategies are designed to achieve.

In 1980 researchers at the Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Shanghai First Medical College conducted a clinical trial using Chinese herbs to treat endometriosis. 156 endometriosis sufferers were divided into three groups based on the diagnoses above and then given a herbal formula that addressed blood stagnation as well as their underlying condition. According to the report, 82% of the women saw their symptoms mostly or entirely alleviated, while 18% of the women had either no effect or any beneficial effect was very short term and was lost when the herbs were discontinued.

To me what this research means is that Chinese herbs are effective in the treatment of endometriosis but only if a full diagnosis is made and if treatment is specifically tailored to fit the patient’s individual pattern.

How does acupuncture treat endometriosis?

According to current research acupuncture seems to promote blood circulation and regulate hormones. It also seems to have an anti-inflammatory effect and is effective for pain relief because of it’s effect on blood chemistry and in particular endorphin levels.

In December 2002, The Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine published a study of 67 women diagnosed who were suffering from dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis. Half of this group received ear acupuncture whilst the other half did not have treatment. In the acupuncture group 81% of the women had less painful periods after receiving the acupuncture treatments.

At the YinOva center we use a combination of ear points and systemic body point aimed at improving blood circulation, clearing inflammation, relieving pain and treating the patient’s underlying condition.

Which Chinese herbs treat endometriosis?

As the study from Shanghai showed herbs are most helpful when they are part of a formula specifically designed by a skilled and trained herbalist to treat a patient’s individual pattern. However some of the herbs most commonly used at our center to treat endometriosis are as follows:-

Stop excessive bleeding

• Pu huang – bulrush
• San qi – pseudoginseng

Reduce pain

• Yan hu suo – corydalis
• Tao ren – persica
• Mo yao – myrrh

Reduce masses

• E zhu – zedoaria
• Zao ci – gleditsea spine
• Mu li – oyster shell
• Xia ku cao – prunella

Moves qi

• Chai hu – bupleurum
• Xiang fu – cyperus
• Chi shao – red peony

Improves blood circulation

• Chuan xiong – cnidium
• Dang gui – Tang kuei
• Dan shen – salvia

Warms

• Gui zhi – cinnamon
• Gan jiang – ginger
• Xu duan – Dipsaci

Relieves Inflammation

• Mu dan pi – moutan
• Zhi zi – gardenia
• Gui ban – turtle shell

How can I help myself?

• Regular acupuncture can improve blood flow, reduce inflammation and decrease pain.
• Chinese herbs prescribed by a board certified herbalist have been shown in clinical trials to reduce the pain associated with endometriosis and may also prevent further proliferation of the tissue.
• Arvigo Mayan Fertility Massage™ is helpful for relieving symptoms and promoting pelvic organ function. You can read more about it here.
• A warm caster oil pack on the lower abdomen brings relief for many of our patients.
• Although we know that the back flow of menstrual blood may not be the whole cause of endometriosis, at the YinOva Center we still feel its important to avoid counter flow of menstrual blood wherever possible. To that end we advise our patients not to do yoga inversions during their period.
• Regular exercise promotes blood flow and in our clinic we have noticed that our endometriosis patients who exercise frequently respond better to treatment and show marked symptomatic improvement.
• As endometrial tissue is affected by estrogen it is helpful to avoid a  condition called “estrogen dominance”. The liver is responsible for metabolizing excess estrogen and so supporting good liver function is an important part of a holistic strategy to treat endometriosis. Because of this we advise our YinOva patients with endometriosis to limit their alcohol consumption and avoid caffeine. You may also want to discuss with your practitioner ways of using liver supporting herbs such as dandelion, milk thistle and burdock root as part of your herbal regimen.
• Many women find that adopting a low fat, high fiber, mostly plant based diet helps relieve some of the symptoms associated with endometriosis.

For further advice about pelvic pain see this YinOva Blog article from our archives about 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 having difficulty conceiving.

All the above names have been changed to protect the privacy of our patients.

What all these women had in common were uterine fibroids which are benign tumors of the uterus which can cause pelvic pain, abdominal swelling, abnormal uterine bleeding and infertility. They are made of smooth muscle and fibrous tissue. They can be located either outside or inside the uterus. They range in size from a pea to a melon, but they are usually between the size of an orange and a grapefruit.

In my practice I see them very regularly which is not surprising as an estimated 20 – 30% of women aged between 35 and 50 suffer from fibroids making them the most common structural abnormality of the uterus. Some women have them and never know but for many women, such as the one’s described above, they do cause problems.

Herbs and acupuncture can help reduce the size of fibroids but in my experience are unlikely to make them magically disappear altogether. With this in mind its important to consult your GYN and use Chinese medicine as an adjunct to what she recommends. That having been said, I have had very good results using Chinese herbal formulas such as Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan to reduce the size and unpleasant side effects of uterine fibroids.

Fibroids grow in response to excess estrogen in the system which means that you need to reduce your exposure to external sources of estrogen and support your liver whose job it is to process estrogen for you. In Chinese medicine fibroids are related to blood stagnation and so promoting the circulation of blood in the pelvic area is recommended. There is often an emotional element to fibroids and it can be helpful to explore and address that. So when developing your self-help regimen you should focus on these areas.

1. Limiting your exposure to eternal estrogens
2. Supporting your liver
3. Moving blood in the pelvic area.
4. Exploring the emotions associated with your fibroids

1. Limiting Your Exposure to Exogenous Estrogens

Controlling how much estrogen you take in is difficult in our estrogen-laden environment. The problem is that chemical estrogens have ways of entering our food and water supply. Agricultural chemicals and pesticides mimic the activity of estrogen, provoking heightened estrogen receptivity on estrogen receptor sites. Urine, contaminated with high levels of residual estrogen from birth control pills, can seep back into water supplies through inadequate sewage treatment procedures. Plastic wrap can leach estrogen-like compounds into our food. Obviously, estrogen replacement therapy at menopause or the contraceptive pill can worsen uterine fibroids due to increased levels of circulating estrogen.

What to do:

• Many women find that adopting a low fat, high fiber, mostly vegetarian diet is helpful.
• If you are overweight, lose a few pounds – excess fat increases the amount of estrogen in your system.
• Avoid hormonally treated meat and dairy
• Eat as much organic produce as you can
• Avoid refined and hydrogenated oils
• Eat cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflour, kale and brussels sprouts. These contain a phytonutrient called diindolylmethane (DIM) which supports the activity of enzymes that improve estrogen metabolism. Scientific research shows diindolylmethane increases the level of “good” estrogens (2-hydroxyestrogen) while reducing the level of “bad” estrogens (16-hydroxyestrogen).
• Soy and soy products are a controversial issue. Many alternative practitioners suggest that phytoestrogens (from plants) bond with receptor sites in the body and stop the uptake of more harmful xeonestrogen (from chemicals). This theory makes sense intuitively but over the years I have seen enough women whose fibroids have grown under the influence of phytoestrogens in herbs and foods to suggest avoiding these foods especially processed soy products. Flax seeds, which are also phytoestrogens, seem to be much gentler and I have never seen them produce an adverse effect

2. Supporting your liver

One of your liver’s many jobs is to break down estrogens. It has a much harder time doing this if it is detoxifying all the other substances that it is expected to tackle on a daily basis.

What to do:

• Avoid alcohol.
• Avoid coffee.
• To stimulate the liver you can use lemon juice, and put bitter greens such as dandelion greens, endive and raddichio in your salad.
• You can take liver-supporting herbs including dandelion root, milk thistle, burdock, artichoke and turmeric.
• B vitamins also aid the liver and are recommended. They can be added in the form of whole foods (such as lentils, rice bran, and blackstrap molasses) or supplements. Vitamin B6, in particular, enhances the breakdown and removal of estrogen from the body.
• At the YinOva Center we sell a month long herbal detox made by Blessed Herbs which we find to be very helpful as part of a detoxification strategy .
• Flax seed oil improves liver function and although it contains phytoestrogens does not seem to cause the same problems as processed soy products.

3. Moving blood in the pelvic area.

In Chinese medicine impeded blood circulation in the pelvic area over time can lead to denser and denser tissue eventually resulting in fibroids.

What to do:

• Make sure to include omega 3 fatty acids in your diet which prevent abnormal blood clotting. You can do this by eating fatty fish and if you want to learn more about beneficial fats please see my blog entry on the subject.
• Apply a caster oil pack to the lower abdomen during the 5 days before your period and during the period itself. The only exception to this is if you are trying to get pregnant when you should only use the caster oil pack during your period. The pack invigorates the blood and helps the lymphatic system move debris. Apply caster oil to your abdomen, cover the area with plastic wrap them place a heating pack or hot water bottle on top. This should be warm not scalding. If it is too hot place a towel between the hot pack and the plastic wrap. Do this twice a day.
• Regular moderate exercise – helps improve circulation.
• Regular warm baths can be helpful especially if you add essential oils such as frankincense and lavender.
• Regular acupuncture can promote blood flow in the pelvic area and thus help reduce fibroids.

4. Exploring the emotions associated with your fibroids

Over the years I have noticed that women with certain emotional issues are more prone to fibroids. For instance women whose fibroids bleed profusely are often overwhelmed and unable to cope with their workload. Dr. Christiane Northrup says that fibroids represent creativity that was never birthed. She talks about dead-end jobs and relationships, and conflicts about reproduction and motherhood. Although not always the case I have noticed this enough to flag it up with my patients and urge them to address their overwhelming lives and explore areas where they feel unfulfilled.

What to do:

• Learn to meditate
• Take up yoga
• Hire a therapist or life coach and explore the ways in which you feel blocked
• Learn to say NO

For more information about how we can help you with your fibroids please feel free to contact us at The YinOva Center.

Today’s blog is written by YinOva Massage Therapist, Nicole Kruck.

Last year an  L.A. Times article on “Vaginal Steaming” caused much comment on the internet and many of our YinOva Center patients asked us about it.  Most giggled a bit with embarrassment and some were intrigued but it seems that what women want to know is — should they steam their uterus?

Known in Central America as Banjos (ba-hoes) or in Korea as Chai-yok, these baths have been used around the world for centuries to foster good uterine health.  I do V-Steams personally and prescribe them to many of my clients.  Those who do them find the experience relaxing and they see improvements in their vaginal health.  Steams are especially effective for people with a misplaced uterus which can lead to symptoms such as dark menstrual blood, cramping, periods that stop and start, as well as repeated yeast and other bacterial infections.  They are also helpful for cervical dysplasia and they can enhance fertility, supporting natural cycles and increasing the efficacy of assisted reproductive techniques.  Some women may think of their lower bodies as separate, especially if there has been some type of trauma (physically, emotionally or spiritually) in the pelvis.  This treatment helps them pamper themselves “down there” and reconnect with their bodies.

Think of a V-Steam as a facial for your vagina.  It creates the same effects as a facial but it does so internally for your uterus and vaginal canal.  What do you think women used before store bought (unnnatural) douches?  They used plants, clay, garlic and other home remedies.  Honestly, I wish I knew about this in my younger years.  All those awful symptoms I endured during my menstruating years – this would have been such a welcome relief!  Thankfully, I learned early enough to, at least, find relief in my peri- and (now) post-menopausal years.  Unlike using chemicals and pharmaceuticals, there are no adverse side effects.  The steams are pH balanced and the herbs I use are all organic.

Since many women come to The YinOva Center to enhance their fertility, we are excited to offer the V-Steams as another tool in our fertility program – along with abdominal massage and regular acupuncture sessions.  They are ideal for increasing blood flow and circulation to the uterus.  The steams are PH balanced and they contain natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.  Truly a wonderful complement when preparing the uterus for conception.  Used 24 hours before retrieval or transfer, doctors and patients have found they enhance the ease and and efficacy of these procedures.

The YinOva V-Steam is a private one-hour session including a short abdominal massage treatment.  We recommend this session in conjunction with your regular Maya Massage and acupuncture treatments.

It should not be used to replace a regular Initial Arvigo Massage (formally known as Maya Fertility Massage) session.

Today’s Blog is by YinOva massage therapist, Nicole Kruck LMT.

“In the old days we couldn’t just up and run to the doctor for every little ache and pain” my grandma Viola used to say.  “There weren’t hospitals or doctors near enough”.

So what did they do back then? In this day and age when most Americans have access to 24 hour medical care complete with a pharmacy around the corner, most of us would be lost if couldn’t get an expert opinion and packaged prescription.

My grandma Viola was brought up to use the medicines she found in the backyard or in her case along the wagon trail along with fellow travelers. The knowledge of how to use herbs and other plants to treat common illnesses, passed down for generations, is largely lost to us or is considered obsolete as we turn to packaged pharmaceuticals for our aches and pains. Grandma Viola still rubs her sore legs with Tishners mouthwash which main ingredient is arnica and alcohol to release inflammation.

Now…imagine a whole pharmacy in your own backyard, window box, farmers market or local neighborhood park.   Whether you live in a house or an apartment the plants you need can be close by to help you heal. These helping plants, many be sprouting up locally in empty lots, cracks in the ground. Usually they get overlooked, stepped on, sprayed, plucked, or weed wacked because many people don’t know what they can do.

My teachers, teacher Don Elijio Panti was a famous Traditional Healer in Belize . He healed his people with prayers and plants he found in his backyard (the rainforest). Don Elijio would say “you burned down that forest today and the next day you’ll see that man will be knocking at my door looking for a plant to heal his sick child, but it will be gone because he burned down the forest that contained the plant he needed to put up track housing.”

Do you know what some of these powerful “weeds” can do? I live in New York City and some examples of healing plants thriving in unexpected places are -

Plantain which helps heal the bumps, bruises and cuts found gowning through the cracks in every playground in the city and gravel area,

Evening Primrose also found across the street from my apartment in Riverside Park which use when I needed some help balance a hormonal problem I was having,

Echinacea- supports and boots the immune system,

Roses- some types of growing on your balcony can stop bleeding,

Dandelions- support liver function and can be found as easily as a chinese resturant in New York City,

Milk Thistle- counteract the negative effects of radiation and are found in most vacant lots and overgrown park areas.

As a massage therapist for over thirteen years I have treated many different types of injuries and conditions. I have found that treating the body with a holistic approach is the most effective. Massage and acupuncture work in great harmony in this paradigm. However, when adding plants and sometimes other traditional remedies such as castor oil packs, green clay, homeopathy and Epsom salts bath the healing is supported on an even greater level.

A great way to learn about traditional medicine is by asking the elders in your family to share what they used growing up, check out some of the books on herbal medicines, begin to notice some of the plants in your local area and find out more information about them.  Find a local weed walk or class in your area. Talk with your practitioners and get their comments.

An important aspect of traditional medicine is to find out why they work. Note that when you do research to also find out what the contraindications are along with dosage or application.  Traditional medicines may not cure every modern day illness but many remedies may work on a much more holistic level. It is also a wonderful way to preserve a very important piece of family history for generations to come.

Overnight one of my patients “facebooked” me to let me know she’d had her baby – a happy reminder of all the reasons I love my job. Helping couples to conceive is rewarding and interesting work.

When a patient first consults me I ask lots of questions, some of which may seem off-topic, but together they give me a picture of their internal landscape and from there the detective work begins. Sometimes I manage to spot something very simple that may be getting in the way of conceiving and an example of this is a luteal phase defect.

Your luteal phase is the time from ovulation until your period starts. A normal luteal phase should be 14 days which gives a fertilized egg enough time to implant and start to signal to your body that it’s there. A luteal phase lasting less than 12 days is too short for this to happen and the uterine lining begins to slough off before a fertilized egg has had a chance to implant and initiate the hormonal changes necessary to sustain a pregnancy. This is a common endocrine disorder and is present in many of the women I see who are having trouble conceiving. Researchers estimate that more than 1/3 of women who are suffering from early pregnancy loss have a luteal phase disorder.

Another indicator of a luteal phase defect is low progesterone in the second half of the cycle. It’s possible to have a completely normal 14 day luteal phase and still have low progesterone levels which mean that the endometrium can’t develop and function properly and a fertilized egg will have problems implanting and being sustained. A short luteal phase or spotting before your period could be a sign of low progesterone and it is a good idea to contact your doctor for further testing.

In our book Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility Dr. David suggested the following tests for women who think they may be suffering from luteal phase defect.

• Testing serial progesterone levels during a single cycle – 7, 9 and 11 days after ovulation.
• Testing prolactin levels – elevated prolactin can lead to inadequate progesterone
• Testing thyroid function – hypothyroidism can lead to low progesterone
• Checking for polycystic ovarian syndrome – low progesterone levels commonly occur in women with PCOS

If progesterone levels are low your doctor may prescribe supplemental progesterone or a follicle stimulating drug in the follicular phase on the grounds that a strong follicular phase can lead to higher progesterone in the luteal phase.

In Chinese medicine we interpret luteal phase defect as an imbalance of the whole cycle, not just the luteal phase. Western medicine recognizes this too which is why doctors sometimes combine intervention in the luteal phase (progesterone supplementation) with support in the follicular phase (clomid). The luteal phase is governed by yang energy, which develops from yin energy which is dominant in the follicular phase. The transformation of yin to yang happens through the movement of qi and blood at ovulation. An interruption in the flow at any point in the cycle can show up as a luteal phase defect. This is where the detective work comes in and as an acupuncturist I try to identify the root cause of the problem as I make my Chinese diagnosis.

• Too little yin in the first half of the cycle can lead to too little yang in the second half of the cycle. This would be termed yin and/or blood deficiency in Chinese medicine.
• Stagnation at ovulation can affect the hormonal transition and thus the transition of yin to yang. This would be termed qi and/or blood stagnation in Chinese medicine
• Too little yang can affect both the hormone transition at ovulation and the quality of the luteal phase. this would be termed yang and/or qi deficiency in Chinese medicine.

Based on these different diagnoses I adapt my acupuncture treatments and create a specially tailored herbal formula for each patient, which along with any treatment suggested by the patient’s doctor can significantly improve or correct a luteal phase defect.

Often all it takes for conception to occur is bit of detective work combined with Eastern and Western medicine working together to correct a small but significant imbalance. Then before I know it I’m waking up to baby pictures on Facebook and the satisfaction of seeing another patient become a Mom.

“It started with a few extra strands on my hair brush and before I knew it there were patches so thin you could see my scalp” Diana is a beautiful woman in her mid-thirties who was understandably devastated when her hair began to fall out. She had tried a variety of medicines before coming to see us at the YinOva Center on the advice of a friend who had used Chinese medicine successfully to treat alopecia.

More and more women are suffering from hair loss according to the American Academy of Dermatology who estimate that at any given time 30 million women in the USA are affected by alopecia. Certainly at the YinOva Center we are seeing an increasing number of women who are struggling with this issue and seek our help. Chinese medicine has a long history of treating hair loss in both sexes and can often be very helpful both for stopping further hair loss and for supporting regrowth.

In Chinese medicine healthy hair relies on a good flow of qi and blood to nourish the scalp. This flow and be interrupted by either a deficiency of qi and blood or a stagnation of qi and blood either of which can mean that insufficient nourishment reaches the scalp. Blood and qi deficiency are often caused by either poor diet or poor assimilation of nutrients where as qi and blood stagnation is often caused by stress or a hormone imbalance.

Acupuncture can improve the flow of qi and blood in the scalp and can help hair to regrow and Chinese herbs can nourish qi and blood to stop more hair from falling out. At the YinOva Center we usually use both acupuncture and herbs together along with nutritional suggestions and lifestyle changes to help our patients who are suffering from hair loss.

Here is the advice we give our YinOva patients who are suffering from hair loss

• Regular acupuncture can stimulate hair regrowth by encouraging the flow of qi and blood to the scalp.

• Chinese herbs have been used for hundreds of years to stop hair loss. One herb in particular is known for it’s ability to treat alopecia. He shou wu (Polygonium Multiflorum) is included in almost all the formulas we write for women who are losing hair. It is a blood tonic in Chinese medicine. In several studies over 60% of people who had hair loss experienced hair regrowth within 3 months after taking He Shou Wu.

• Make sure you have a broad diet and are not missing out on important nutrients. Omega 3 fatty acids are particularly important for a healthy scalp and can be found in salmon, walnuts, flax seeds or taken as a supplement. Iron deficiency can often contribute to hair loss. At the YinOva Center we are particularly impressed by the iron supplement Floradix which comes in an easy to absorb liquid form. Vitamin B12 is essential to healthy hair and is found in eggs, poultry and meat. If you are a vegetarian it may be helpful to take B12 as a supplement. Biotin is another B vitamin that helps hair to regrow. It’s hard to get enough of it from food so here at the YinOva Center we usually suggest people take it as a supplement.

• A daily scalp massage can help stimulate the scalp to aid with hair regrowth. We usually suggest rubbing the scalp gently for 5 minutes morning and night.

• In 1999 a team of researchers at Aberdeen university discovered that an essential oil blend applied to the scalp can help with hair regrowth.  86 patients were divided into two groups and over a seven-month period one group massaged an essential oil blend onto their scalps daily for two minutes while another group did the same thing with only the carrier oils jojoba and grapeseed. At the end of the study, 19 of the 43 patients in the active group demonstrated significantly improved hair growth while only six of the 41 patients in the control group showed improvement. One man in the active group grew a full head of hair after being completely bald. The recipe used in the study is as follows.
  • atlas cedarwood essential oil – 2 drops
  • thyme essential oil – 2 drops
  • rosemary essential oil – 3 drops
  • lavender essential oil – 3 drops
  • jojoba carrier oil – ½ teaspoon
  • grapeseed carrier oil – 4 teaspoons

Using a small glass jar mix the jojoba and grapeseed oils together first. Then add the essential oils one at a time and place the lid on the jar. Shake the oils together to mix them together.

Today’s blog is written by YinOva acupuncturist Laurel Axen Carroll

I was in my local soup shop yesterday, reading an article in Cookie Magazine about postpartum anxiety, when I realized that I see more women suffering from postpartum anxiety than postpartum depression. The need for women to wear so many hats is definitely taking its toll on our sanity. Women are waiting longer to have babies and requiring more and more assisted reproductive technology. On top of that we are supposed to have thriving careers, perfect bodies and clean homes…how can we do it all?

In Chinese Medicine birthing is considered the biggest drain on a woman’s essence or jing.

Jing is basically your battery reserve of strength for life. Everyone is born with a certain amount at birth and the levels are steadily used to sustain life. Jing essence is exceedingly difficult to replace (some ancients believe that qi gong, meditation and a few supplements like cordyceps can do so).

Jing is drawn steadily from the kidneys to support the aging process and is burned rapidly through stressful events, medications and stimulants that tap the adrenals. It is far better to pull the energy you need from the food you eat and sleep you get than use your reserves.

In order to do everything that you can to preserve Jing traditional culture recommends rising with the sun and sleeping with the setting sun, resting during the menses, avoiding intercourse during the menses and refraining from stimulants.

Postpartum anxiety is a syndrome where the mother is overly anxious and may even suffer from paranoid thoughts or obsessive compulsive behaviors. Some anxious new Mom’s have sleep disorders and physical issues like palpitations or a sense of panic. Many women are stressed about the well-being of the baby and some may even fear that they could harm their baby. If you feel like this and your condition persists for more that two weeks or you have thoughts of harming your baby, you should to speak with your Dr immediately.

From a TCM point of view postpartum women are extremely blood deficient. The body’s blood volume has practically doubled throughout pregnancy to support the fetus; the hair gets luxurious, nails long and strong and little wrinkles disappear. Postpartum is a different story. Childbirth itself is pretty bloody-especially if you have had a C-section. Nursing also depletes the bodies fluid levels. When blood and fluid levels get low there is a phenomenon in Chinese medicine called Liver Blood or/or Heart Blood/Yin Deficiency. This can manifest as disturbed sleep, palpitations, dry mouth, agitation, anxiety, trouble concentrating…

Chinese medicine treats postpartum anxiety really well. There are many classical herbal formulas to address both the root and symptom of postpartum anxiety or if you are concerned about taking herbs and nursing acupuncture alone may be the way to go.

Dietary therapy is helpful as well. I always make sure a woman is taking:

• Fish Oil
• Floradix: veggie iron supplement
• Eating foods that nourish the Kidneys (home to Jing Essence): black beans, fish, black sesame seeds, molasses, seaweed
• Also consider: dandelion and nettles (easily available in tea form) to boost iron and calcium.

Mood swings, tender breasts, food cravings, fatigue, irritability, skin problems, bloating and depression….

Many women dread the last week of every cycle because of how irritable and miserable they feel. Chinese medicine has been treating premenstrual symptoms for thousands of years and here at the YinOva Center we have drawn on this traditional wisdom to help modern New Yorkers address their PMS simply and effectively. Many of our patients are surprised and thrilled to find out that PMS can be solved and that they don’t have to put up with feeling moody and uncomfortable every month.

Recently Parents TV came to our center to interview me and talk to one of our patients about using Chinese medicine to treat PMS and below you can see the video

In Chinese medicine uncomfortable symptoms before the period are related to Liver Qi Stagnation and by this we mean that stress and fatigue cause qi and blood to circulate less well and our livers to function sluggishly resulting in hormonal transitions that are not smooth. At the YinOva Center we use a combination of weekly acupuncture to move qi combined with a natural herbal formula to help balance hormones, gently and safely. Your herbs can be specially tailored to suit your particular symptoms so, for instance, if you suffer from breast tenderness we can add qing pi (Tangerine Peel) which can really help. Likewise if abdominal bloating and gas is a problem we can add mu xiang (Costus Root) to help move qi in your abdomen.

Most of our patients find they need to take the herbs for three months to bring their body back into balance after which we wean them off and, like Suzanne in the interview above, they usually find that their premenstrual symptoms are much more manageable. Likewise we suggest weekly acupuncture for the first three months followed by a treatment once a month for a further two months and as Suzanne says in the interview this is usually enough to make a permanent change.

There are also plenty of things you can do to help yourself. Here is the advice we give our YinOva patients about tackling their PMS :-

• Get regular exercise. This moves qi and blood and smooths hormonal transitions.
• Eat plenty of vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables and leafy greens.
• Prioritize unsaturated fats such as olive oil and whole grains such as brown rice and oatmeal.
• In the week before your period avoid alcohol, coffee, salt and processed foods.
• If you feel irritable take Vitamin B6 (50 – 100 mg)
• If you suffer from breast tenderness take Vitamin E (400mg).
• If you suffer from bloating take take Magnesium (400mg)
• If you feel weepy take Calcium (1200mg)