A HEART FELT WISH THIS VALENTINE'S 2016

OUR HEARTS CONNECT ON A DEEPER LEVEL…..

Cultivating Heart Health with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Eating for Health, and Qigong | TCM...

What are the signs of heart health according to TCM? You may be surprised as to how the Heart can benefit from certain tastes, colors, even emotions!

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Inositol and PCOS

Inositol and PCOS

Even if you do not have PCOS, Myoinositol is proving to be beneficial for Fertility. Between stress and the modern American diet, we all have degrees of subclinical Metabolic syndrome. Most of us love our carbs. Even on a Paleo regimen, when you have waited too long to eat and your body is screaming for food but your too famished to prepare that protein satisfying, dish with vegies, you may find yourself like me, grabbing an apple with almond butter because lo and behold you waited too long to eat, despite a quick energy pick up that is never sustaining, so you just eat more quick carbs. This use to be my trend of eating. Hence relying on carb support for energy, creating an underlying set up for more insulin output, leading to more insulin resistance or poor insulin receptivity within the cells. For me this led to my gum disease. Had I continued eating this way and not found Paleo, I might even have diabetes by now. Dont' be fooled that eating natural sugars like fruit, honey, stevia or natural maple syrups is better. In fact, fructose is sometimes harder on the liver if eaten in excess. Lesson most of us Americans need to learn, to prevent this cycle, is, don't wait to eat and do not skip protein, fat rich meals so you do not get to the point that your blood sugar is dipping. Yes, I said fats cause they are what really sustain your hunger, like bone broth. And be sure to include plenty of water soluble greens and root vegetables as your best source of carbs. Prepare ahead of time. You will feel less burnt out and more balanced. Even hypo-glycemia can lead to pre-diabetic issues. Perhaps Myoinositol can help with the cascading events that can lead to subclinical or full fledged clinical issues of PCOS and other ovarian issues of infertility and insulin resistance but I always say start with diet first.


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Acupuncture Catching Up With Massage for Relaxation

I often muse how long it took massage to catch on here in Tampa back in the early 1980's when I was first doing massage and you had to specify it was a "Therapeutic Massage". Now everyone gets massages, loves them. So, I think it may be that way for acupuncture here, where people are still skeptical of the relaxation and health benefits of it. I hear comments like, "is it going overboard for what I need with my fertility or health?" Or RE doctors saying you can "try it, won't hurt". And yet in CO, CA, NY it is hot, people seek it out as a first option for their health maintenance and fertility. Why? It is less invasive, good for you, cheaper in the long run.
I recall one of my fertility patient's telling me Dr. Schoolcraft in CO requires women, especially over 35 to get acupuncture for 3 months before even coming to see him. I believe he said Chinese Herbs and supplements as well too.

Spring Salads

Spring Salads are a wonderful way to feel the freshness of spring and to enliven your body with minerals and vitamins.    This one was created out of whatever I had left in the fridge and so I remembered reading about an avocado, orange salad and thought okay I can add some extra color with strawberries and radishes, cucumbers and fresh herbs and hidden believe it or not is some steamed collards.  I splashed some balsamic vinegar over it and yum, after one bowl I wanted to devour another but couldn't quite do it.   So I have another bowl for lunch today.   Salads like this nourish our body's yin and blood and hence superb for good egg quality.  Whereas the Winter Stews because of their warming nature support spleen and kidney yang and help with keeping progesterone levels and the luteal phase of the cycle.

Pregnancy Loss and Miscarriage

Recently I have been consulted to write a chapter for a book on Fertility, Pregnancy Loss and Miscarriage and as I was reviewing my patient files I became aware of how many of my women have had a previous history of miscarriage.  Not just one but even three.  Miscarriage typically occurs before 13 weeks.  Often women will miscarry early as in week 5 or 6 with no heartbeat, others will get a heartbeat at 6 or 7 weeks and then by 9, no heartbeat and they will begin spotting to eventually getting their period.   I see so many at 9 weeks; the woman is delighted to have gotten the ultrasound heartbeat, it was good and strong, only to find out by 9 weeks there is no heartbeat or she will begin spotting or bleeding.  Devastating to say the least.   Most of the women receiving acupuncture after they had a prior history of miscarriage do not miscarry again.  However, if they have never gotten pregnant but they do conceive after receiving several weeks of acupuncture and then miscarry it is a sign their Qi or Blood was not quite strong enough yet, but they did conceive and that is the key.   Now, it is essential they maintain their treatments for the first 12 weeks especially with a history of miscarriage, because the likelihood is always greater with a previous history whether it be miscarriage or any of the list of adverse events that can occur during Pregnancy, this is also true for those with the tendency toward Preterm labor (anything after 20 weeks but before 37 weeks).  Acupuncture helps to contain the QI, calm the fetus, quiet the spirit of the mother and support the spleen whose role it is to transport and transform the food we eat so our blood and yin our nourished better, this is why it helps with miscarriage.

Gonal F Meds @ a Reduced Rate

One of my dear patients asked me the following; so any of you looking for gonal F meds, at a reduced rate, let me know or Janice. Thanks, below is her e-mail to me. Good Luck and I hope someone out there on the web will benefit from her meds at such a reduced rate!!!
Hi Carolyn,
How are you? We are doing well. I am about 22 weeks now and progressing along fine, definitely getting bigger and I am feeling the baby moving on a daily basis now which is makes it all a little more real. I am usually exhausted at night and my feet are beginning to get a bit sore, and the nausea seems to be less now, although I am still taking the Zofran as needed but trying to get through the day without it.
I have a question for you. I have 25 syringes of Gonal-F Rff 75 iu left over from our IUI treatments. The expiration date on them is Apr 2010, so I won't be able to use them in time, but I was wondering if you know of anyone else who might be able to? I know I could donate them to my Dr's office to give to patients, but I would like to try to sell them to someone to see if we can get our money back. The cost of the medication without insurance was $2748.50 ($109.94/syringe), but luckily, our insurance had only a 30% co-pay, so we ended up paying approximately $824.55. I am trying to find someone who doesn't have RX coverage for these kinds of meds to sell them to since it would be a great savings to them and we could get our money back from what we paid (I don't want to make anything, just cover what we paid) and then I will put that money towards this baby's cord blood banking. I thought I would contact you to see if you might know of anyone or if there was anyone you might be treating who could benefit from this...I don't know anyone else who is going through fertility treatment at the moment.
Anyways, if you can think of anyone, let me know.
I hope all is well with you and you are enjoying your summer. I will keep you posted on any baby updates. My next appointment is Fri the 31st....just a general check up, no ultrasound.
Hugs,
Janice & Kaitlyn too :o)
By the way, the website and blog look great. It has been a while since I was on it and you have done a lot of changes. I was especially touched to see a bit of our story posted and in reading your little note you posted way back in February. That was the first I had seen of it and was very touched by your thoughtfulness....it brought tears to my eyes! You are such a wonderful and caring person Carolyn and you just put so much of your self into all of us you treat and get to know so personally. You truly are one of a kind!
xo,
Janice

The Spleen and it's role in reproduction

The Spleen in Western terms plays a role in the production and destruction of blood and immune cells. In Chinese Medicine, the spleen system includes the pancreas and governs most energetic processes in the body. The spleen transforms food into usuable nutrients and Qi to produce blood. So if we want a healthy menstrual cycle then we better eat good to have healthy blood. The Spleen is responsible not only for overall energy production but also for hormones such as the thyroid hormone, aspects of progesterone production, and immunologic systems. If the Spleen is weak, thyroid abnormalities, autoimmune processes, allergies, digestive disturbances and bleeding disorders can all occur. Menstrual difficulties can also be caused by its imbalance.

Excessive sugar and refined carbohydrates damage the Spleen and damp, greasy foods clog up its works. When the Spleen is weak we feel tired especially after eating lunch and or are muscles and whole body can ache. Often one has loose stools. In the menstrual cycle, if there is spotting before the period this is a sign of Spleen weakness.

Worry is the emotion associated with the Spleen. Also excessive use of the mind in thinking, studying, concentrating, memorizing over a long period of time tends to weaken the Spleen. This also includes "brooding". Exercise is beneficial. More on the spleen later after I get some nourishment myself. Above is Vals baby, Rachal who is now 3 months old what a cutie! Val had PCOS and worked with me for 6 months.

Fertility Reading

Angela Wu talks about before you enter her clinic, empty your cup of all preconceived thoughts...this story tells it so well.


To all my fellow clients, I love this story about one's cup overflowing...so empty your cups so you can take more in...not easy sometimes.

The student traveled far to consult with the wisest of teachers. Atop the highest mountain, in a humble shack, the student found the sage. "Tell me the purpose of your visit," said the teacher, pouring the student a cup of tea.
"I have apprenticed myself to the world's best instructors, read volumes, memorized every lesson, and tested my skills against the brightest minds," the student replied. "I know the laws of nature, man, and the universe. What can I learn from you -- an old hermit?"
As the student spoke, the teacher poured...and poured...and poured...until the tea overflowed onto the table, then the floor.
"Stop!" cried the student. "Can't you see that the tea is overflowing?"
"Yes, I see," said the sage, "that I cannot serve you, because your cup is already full."