Last week, I went to a new acupuncture provider’s office for a session. I have done acupuncture once before, although I am pretty sure that the person who treated me that time is not licensed, but more about that later. I find the whole process of having fine, hair-like needles poked into my skin calming and oddly pleasant, but what I liked most about this new provider was her spot-on diagnosis of what was going on with me, holistically- “You are having trouble with transitions, and you just need some help.”
YES! I love the philosophy of acupuncture! No judgements, no shame – quite simply and clearly, I need some help. Why is that so difficult for so many of us as we get older? Asking for help, feeling ok with needing help with the things that supposedly, when they finally happen, will magically fall into place smoothly – like partnering, marrying, parenting, etc. But you are stumped when they do not. And you feel like a loser for having such a hard time adjusting.
How come no one ever talks about this stuff Am I the only one having such a difficult time transitioning to life as part of a couple?
A quick update to reassure you i didn’t go wandering off into the cosmos after the acupuncture appointment yesterday. It’s nice that i don’t have any needle aversions, but i think i would’ve been just find even if i did. It didn’t hurt at all – one spot on my ankle was a little more pinchy than the rest, but nothing i would call “pain.”
So ok. I gave her the rundown about how i’m, you know, not pregnant. And would like to be. She took a pretty complete medical history – that’s fine, i’m not particularly worried about her running around with the information. So she decided to start with a “balancing” treatment yesterday, to put us on a nice, clean slate. Ok, truthfully, i don’t have a clue what that translates to. What i do know is that even if i only manage to make progress towards my goal of relaxing more, i’m happy with that.
She put me on what i guess is basically a massage table – the kind with a hole for your face so you can lie on your stomach, which is what i did. Then she did the needles on my back, my ankles, my wrists, and my scalp. Yup, scalp. Didn’t feel a thing. She put some heat lamps over my back and feet (nice!) and left me in a fairly dark room with new-agey piano music for 25 minutes. I wasn’t even remotely tired when i went in and when she first left the room i started thinking “25 minutes? You want me to lay here like this and do absolutely nothing for 25 minutes and not actually stress out more!?” And then… i seem to have fallen asleep. Seriously. I was in that weird semi-conscious dreamstate before you really fall asleep and was certainly startled when she opened the door.
So she sent me home with some herbal supplements i’m supposed to take over the coming week that will do something, apparently, for my uterus, and a list of foods i can add (more of) to my diet. I told her at the beginning of the appointment that i’m pretty skeptical about all of this, but am willing to try things outside of my comfort zone at this point. She said that she hears that all the time – people always come to them when they’ve tried everything else and are kind of desperate. Yup, that’s me! She said she loves it because of the chance it gives her to show people that chinese medicine really works. Well, damn. If it does, i will gladly swallow my pride in exchange for a baby!
Curently listening to a beekeeping podcast. Tonights topic is Bee Acupunture, also known as Apitherapy. Therapeutic bee stings, also known as Bee Venom Therapy. To listen in you can log onto the below link: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/16456
What is Apitherapy? Here are a few web sites on, what is Apitherapy:
1. http://www.apitherapy.org/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apitherapy
3. http://www.beevenom.com/
All of the Wildlife Pro Network Beekeeping podcast are recorded. So, if you miss tonights podcast you can always listen to it by following the below link: http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/beekeeping-podcasts/ The Wildlife Pro Network Beekeeping podcast is on and live every 2nd Thursday of every Month. It is always informative and always enjoyable…it is also interactive. Interactive, because you can become part of the podcast. Talkshoe.com is the website that this podcast is made possible. Talkshoe.com is a free service where you set up a user Id and your phone number. When you join a podcast you actually call in and listen, (I usually mute my phone, while the speaker is talking), and you can ask questions by phone, or by typing your question in the text box, during the question and answer period. Sometimes the question and answer period is during the podcast, instead of at the end of the speakers presentation.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient Asian system of healing that focuses on achieving internal balance. TCM practitioners use methods such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet and lifestyle counseling and massage to restore the flow of Qi or vital energy (pronounced ‘chee’) and balance to the body. Chinese Medicine seeks to find the root of the problem and treats imbalances from there. TCM views health as a state of harmony and balance between mind, body and spirit.
Acupuncture is a branch of Chinese Medicine that involves inserting fine needles through the skin at specific points to treat various health problems. Acupressure uses the same theory and points as acupuncture, but uses pressure for therapeutic benefit instead of needles and can be practiced by an individual in the comfort of their own home.
The classic Eastern explanation for how acupuncture works is that channels of energy or Qi run in regular patterns through the body and over it’s surface. These channels or meridians are like rivers flowing through the body to nourish the tissues and organs. Along these channels are various points each associated with a different part of the body and each has a specific function. An obstruction or blockage in the movement of Qi or energy creates imbalance and/or pain in the body and can lead to dis-ease. By applying pressure to the acupuncture points on a regular basis you can help balance and strengthen your body, increasing your vitality, refresh yourself when you’re tired, boost your immune system, reduce stress and feel better!
Helpful points:
Pericardium 6 – For nausea, Insomnia, Anxiety
Located on the inside of the forearm, three finer widths directly above the wrist in the middle of the arm.
Apply pressure downwards and in a small circular motion twenty times
Liver 3 – to help smooth emotions, calm irritability and reduce anxiety
Located in the web between the big and second toe approximately 1-1.5 inches up from the start of the web. A tender spot should be felt.
Massage and hold for 30-60 seconds and repeat
Large Intestine 4 – For pain (headaches, toothache, abdominal pain, etc.), use with Liver 3 to help balance the emotions, reduce stress and calm the mind
Located between the thumb and index finger in the high point in the web. A very tender spot should be felt.
Note: do not use if you are pregnant
Kidney-27 - For energy and mental clarity
Place your fingers on your collarbone, slide them inward toward the center and find the bumps where they stop. Drop about an inch and slightly outward. Most people have a slight indent here that their fingers will naturally dip into.
Tap and massage the points firmly while breathing deeply. Continue for about 20 seconds.
Stomach 36 – To improve your energy, boost your immune system and strengthen your digestive system
On the outside of the leg, approximately four finger widths below the bone that protrudes just below the knee. Massage or knead it twenty times.
Note: Do not be too concerned with finding the precise location of each point. If you use several fingers to tap or massage in the vicinity described, you will hit the right spot
This article explains how rhinovirus during a child’s faster years may be full of an affect next to how asthma may develop.
Preliminary trial, doubling salt intake for one month led to a undersized growth in airway reactivity in men with asthma, as well as in non-asthmatics.10 Several double-blind trials enjoy provided limited demo of clinical restoration following a instance of sodium restriction.11, 14 It is bad-tempered to compare the grades of the studies because they used different amounts of sodium curbing.
Double-blind research shows that fish oil partially reduces reactions to allergens that can trigger attacks in some asthmatics.57 Another double-blind study showed that fish oil supplements prevented exercise-induced asthma attacks in people with asthma.58 A few other researchers enjoy reported undersized but meaningful improvements when asthmatics supplement with fish oil,59, 60 but reviews of the research concluded that most fish oil studies showed slight or no benefit.61, 62 It is possible that some of the trials poor to viewing an restoration because they did not ending long ample to give you an idea about an effect.
Israeli researchers reported that 64 mg per morning of innate beta-carotene for one week in a double blind investigation fortified ended half of a crew of asthmatics that experienced attacks as a ending of exercise.73 More research is needed to authenticate this promising finding.
It remains indefinite how effective picrorhiza is for people with asthma.
It is because the extracts block the action of platelet-activating factor, a mixture the body produces that in unit causes asthma symptoms.
Placebo-controlled trials using sham acupuncture, enjoy been quite contradictory, various of them showing a strong placebo effect that is not significantly improved upon by real acupuncture.114, 117 It is possible that needle insertion in non-acupuncture points has a stimulating effect that benefits asthma.
In Reference to
Allergy, asthma, and immunology from infancy to adulthood, Charles Warren Bierman, 1996
Asthma, A. J. Wardlaw, 1993
Genetics of allergy and asthma, Malcolm N. Blumenthal, Bengt Bjrkstn, 1997
Approved Links Asthma Asthma Asthma Asthma Info Breathing exercises for asthma Asthma
Tuesday/ transfer day, was a good day. Which is such a relief because it can be fraught with difficulties and anxieties.
My gorgeous husband had the whole day off to join me for the transfer, to drive me to my appointments and then to look after me in the afternoon.
Firstly I had an appointment with Dr. Doug my acupuncturist at 8.15am. They came in early just so I could have acupuncture and then get to the IVF clinic in time. It was great, it helped calm my growing anxiety. A night of little sleep and the vague nerves of ‘what if’s’, it was good to just take the time to relax and breathe. After the acupuncture he massaged my legs and feet while a vibrating massage machine rested on my belly – sounds a little kooky but I guess it stimulates blood flow. I then put my feet on some little metal plates and held 2 little metal bars that hooked up to the electric pulse machine while Dr. Doug massaged my back. He assured me there was a science behind this (science fiction my husband would say), that it helped to get my chi flowing through my body. It felt good and I left feeling happy and calm.
We arrived at the IVF clinic right on time. My husband is hilarious and always makes lots of jokes, even more so at the clinic. I think it’s his way of lightening the situation and of keeping me smiling. Not everyone has a sense of humour though and that just makes things even funnier, so we giggled through the whole process.
Starting from when the nurse looked at my file – “‘oh allergic to Sulphur drugs – well no need to worry – no one will be going near you with sulphur today.’ Husband – “unless of course the embryo is the devils spawn”. Me – “well it is from you!” Nurse – wan smile.
Our embryo had defrosted well, we are lucky – so far they always have.
In the transfer room a different nurse tells me to disrobe form the waist down and hop up into the chair. MY husband hops up onto the chair (yes he is a child, and I wouldn’t have it any other way) The nurse looks bewildered and he tells her – “we thought we’d try swapping it around for a while” as I slap him on the arm and shoo him out of the chair.
Legs up, dignity aside. The doctor’s voice from the other side of the curtain – “knock, knock”. My husband – “who’s there?”. Luckily the doctor has a sense of humour, laughs and smiles as he sticks his head between my legs. My husband wonders if when he get down there he thinks ‘ahhh yes now I remember this patient’.
So a bit of shuffling with the ultrasound – my bladder is nice and full (tell me about it – I am dying to go to the bathroom!) so the uterus is shoved back out of view a little. Insert the catheter thingo then in shoots the embryo. It is so quick, weird, uncomfortable but SO quick. It’s amazing really.
Then back to Dr. Doug for more acupuncture. Relaxing. And just to add to the silliness of the day I need to leave the acupuncture pin in my head for 24 hours. Yes, there were lots of jokes at home that night about tv reception.
I spent the rest of the day relaxing, dozing. And the following day. I am lucky that my boss is understanding and caring.
Now I’ve been back at work for 2 days. It’s hard to concentrate and I feel tired. This waiting part is truly so difficult.
What’s going on in there??? Are you sticking in little embie?
Am I tired and a bit seedy because it’s working or is that just my brain playing little tricks?
I’d really like this to be the one – because this whole process is soooo tiring and draining.
As a specialty of Acupuncture, Aetna acutally has NO acupuncturist network, at least in Virginia, Washington DC area.
Aetna only has one acupuncture discount rate network through ASH, say, American Specilty Health Acupuncture network. So, it means any acupuncturist has to accept a discount fee if he/she join the ASH network,if treating Aetna patient.
But, sometime, if the patient has Aetna Acupuncture benefit, Aetna may pay the acupuncture provider at a out-off network fee schedule–see, accoding to the rule, Aetna should have a acupuncturist network, then Aetna could pay the provider treating its HMO/EPO patient, but Aetna may refuse to pay,because the acupuncturist is out-of-network.
While most microcurrent treatments are specific to painful or dysfunctional parts of the body, sometimes it is valuable to spread the subtle currents throughout the body for general balancing and toning. This is especially valuable when patient’s meridians are weak and the pulse is hard to read. Here are some methods for doing that with the Acutron system:
Here are several ways to get the microcurrent to spread out throughout the body:
1) Using microlight probes – select Probe preset #2 and place the + probe on an upper body area such as head or upper back. Place – probe on lower extremity or feet acupoints. Select color to match need of patient – red for increasing Yang energy, Blue for calming, Green for balancing, Violet for deeper calming, Magenta for emotional balance, etc. I have often done this to connect GV 20 (Du 20) on the head with + probe to GV (Du) 1 with the – probe – very profound effects.
2) You can do the Voll quadrant treatment – Use uA Pad preset #1 (default is 10 Hz frequency, 50 uA, biphasic polarity), place 2 pad electrodes on the two palms of hands using Channel A, let current run for 10 minutes. You can also do this on the two soles of feet. Make sure they drink lots of water with this one. Boosts all meridians at the 10 Hz.
3) You can purchase an optional brass foot plate for patients to put their bare feet on using the red hand mass cable connection. Then use the trigger probe with color to treat scalp acupoints or other upper body major points. Great for neurological post stroke patients.
Acupressure is an ancient Chinese medicine derived from acupuncture. Instead of using needles to stimulate certain points it utilizes the pressure of the fingers, elbows, or various devices in order to stimulate different points along the meridians to release blocked energy. When the energy flows properly our health in general is improved and we can get relief from physical aches and pains as well as psychological disturbances. We can also do self acupressure in order to help various pathologies when we don’t have time to get to a professional or when we need treatment on the spot. Below you will find a suggested treatment that can ease lower back pain and help treat sciatica.
Before you start a self-acupressure session it is important to find a quiet place where you will not be interrupted for about 20 minutes.
Self-acupressure treatment for lower back pain and sciatica:
1. At waist level, place the knuckles of both hands in your back and hold a pressure here for about 1 minute. This maneuver can be done sitting on a chair or by lying down on the ground.
2. Wrap your hands around your waist placing your thumbs in your back at about 4 finger lengths away from the spine. Once you have found this spot, apply pressure for about 1 minute.
3. Take 2 fingers and place them horizontally beneath the naval. Below these 2 fingers directly under the navel you will find your next spot. Press into this area while talking deep breaths. Work it for about 1 minute.
4. Place your knuckles half way between the base of the buttocks and the top of the hip bone about 4 fingers lengths away from the spine. Move your fingers to work the area for about 2 minutes.
5. Finish by pulling your knees in towards your chest. Hold this position for about 1 minute.
Taking time to do self acupressure can be important tool in helping you get some relief from your lower back pain and sciatica. I hope this will be helpful.
This article is for information purposes only and not intended to replace medical treatment. Those who are pregnant or that have health problems should check with their doctors or a trained professional before treating themselves.
Aromatherapy for Aches and Pains Acupuncture for Back Pain
I just came across this page on the web, Femoral Artery Massage, it’s something I’ve never heard of before in all the time I’ve been researching infertility.
Although my acupuncturist has definitely put pressure on this area but I just thought he was feeling for the pulse or something…I’ll ask him more next week.
I found it quite intersting and if I don’t get BFP this month it’s def something I’ll try next month… well it’s free and everything is worth trying is it not?!!
Heartbreak. Yes, many patients come in after a relationship break-up or other big emotional letdown for acupuncture treatment. I see symptoms which include intense saddness, situational depression, and insomnia, One patent described feelng “numb inside” for months after his relationship ended. Acupunture is effective because it stimulates neuotransmiters, such as serotonin which restore calm and welbeing naturally. In the language of Chinese Medicine, the treatment helps the individual restore a sense of “balance” helping to heal the broken heart.
I recently got a gig writing for the great music/culture/etc magazine Death + Taxes. I’ve already written a few articles that are on the website if you take the time to mosey around on it. One of the interesting ones can be found HERE, and it’s a fairly savvy way to get acupuncture on a very small budget. They have a “Happy Hour” about once a month, and it had some incredible effects on my state of mind for only $10 (it woulda been just $5 if I brought a friend!). That’s less than the price of a movie ticket, or two beers or whatever comparison you might make.
Check out the article, as I go into a bit of depth as to what the experience of acupuncture is truly about.
As I entered the waiting room and called her name, I was shocked by the person who stood up to greet me. She couldn’t be much beyond my thirty odd years of age. Laura* was tall, beautiful and impeccably dressed. She beamed a welcoming smile like she was seeing an old friend despite the association she had with acupuncture, an adjunct therapy as she underwent chemotherapy and radiation for one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer. Immediately upon greeting her she spoke of how acupuncture ‘was the thing that got her through the chemotherapy and radiation treatments.’ Both believers and skeptics of acupuncture alike can easily equate tremendous value to any practice that provides a person with the internal strength to face life’s greatest obstacles, equivalent in nature to Buddhist chanting of Nam-Myo-Renge-Kyo to fortify one’s resolve.
As she laid the on the table with needles emerging across the outline of her body, a needle was inserted in the mid-abdominal region, a point that influences the qi, or energy, of the entire body, and she burst into uncontrollable tears. Immediately, the apologies began to flow from her mouth, “I am so sorry. I don’t know why this is happening. It is so weird.” In the chanting of Nam-Myo-Renge-Kyo in Nichrien Buddhism, the word renge symbolizes the lotus flower, representing the simultaneity of cause and effect. With every cause, whether it is created by our thoughts, words or actions, it creates an effect that reverberates throughout the deepest levels of life. No apology necessary Laura. Just like the natural process of cause and effect that occurs throughout life, this process naturally occurs within the human body. Sometimes we keep a tight lock on the inner effects created by our thoughts and experiences. And then sometimes the conditions are just right for us to release them.
In the practice of acupuncture needles are inserted into strategic points of the body to affect the flow of subtle energy and to stimulate the body’s own self-healing mechanisms. In Chinese the subtle energy is called Qi.
What about the needles?
Acupuncture needles are very slender and not at all like the needles used by doctors to give shots. When the needle makes contact with the Qi, there is a sensation that can feel like an ache or sometimes a tingle. Many people have apprehension about the needles but the vast majority of clients look forward to treatment because the needles become associated with wellbeing and relaxation.
Do you use disposable needles?
Yes, all needles used are sterile and individually wrapped. They are used once and properly displosed of after the treatment.
Is Acupuncture safe?
In 1997 an NIH Consensus Conference concluded that acupuncture is effective and the occurrence of adverse effects extremely low. The Conference stated that acupuncture ” has a substantially lower incidence of adverse effects than many drugs or accepted medical procedures used for the same conditions.” And further, that “the data in support of acupuncture is as strong as those for many accepted Western medical therapies.”
Acupuncture is the process of inserting thin (very thin) needles into specific points to have a therapeutic purpose. The body has points along meridians in the body; these points are selected by diagnosis and therapeutic action. People experience acupuncture differently, but most feel no or minimal pain as the needles are inserted. Some people feel energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed.
Practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years, acupuncture is one of the key components of traditional Chinese medicine. In TCM, the body is seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and yang. Yin represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited, or active principle. According to TCM, health is achieved by maintaining the body in a “balanced state”; disease is due to an internal imbalance of yin and yang.
Acupuncture has been practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years.
Scientists are studying the efficacy of acupuncture for a wide range of conditions.
Relatively few complications have been reported from the use of acupuncture. However, acupuncture can cause potentially serious side effects if not delivered properly by a qualified practitioner.
I’m back on the acupuncture train today! I couldn’t be happier (unless it was free, of course ).
I have missed having dozens of needles stuck in me every couple of weeks. I originally started acupuncture (and TCM herbs) in 2007, about 6 months after my very first lap. After my surgery, my doctor told me that it was imperative that we do medication before trying to conceive again, and then she would only give me 2-3 months to “try” before she’d want me back on meds. She wanted to put me on lupron, which I refused. Instead, we went with some progestin-only bcp taken every day to avoid a period. HUGE mistake. (I had brought up natural progesterone, and my doctor had assured me that I’d never be able to get enough progesterone with the cream to make a difference. HA. I feel like mailing her my latest test results just to say, “IN YOUR FACE!”. But I won’t, because I’m an adult. Sort of.) The progestin bcp’s made me an awful person. I’m talking, raaaaging bitch. My sister was living with us at the time, and I can’t even count the number of times I thought about kicking her out of the house with nowhere to go. I yelled at my husband constantly. I yelled at my boss (this was back when he hadn’t yet turned into a selfish, money-grubbing, asshole). I generally wanted to murder someone all the time. After three months of that, I called the dr. crying and said TAKE ME OFF of this crap. She put me on another bcp – this one with estrogen. I immediately gained 10 lbs, had breakthrough bleeding and abdominal pain which was just as painful as pre-surgery. I lasted only a month on that one and demanded a new medication. At this point, my doctor (or her PA rather) was on the phone just reading down a list of medication. She said, well, we’ll just keep trying ’til we find the right one. WHAT?! I ended up trying Nuva.ring, but after 8 weeks of bleeding stopped that as well.
And that’s when I said, no way, no how, am I doing any more hormones. Obviously, as the endo girls know – bcp’s are NOT the cure for endo. I was so sick and tired of taking this crap that made me feel horrible and wasn’t doing any good! And my doctor had the nerve to tell me that the reason the endo was going to “come back” was because I wouldn’t cooperate and stay on the meds. I wish I would have known enough at the time to tell her that the reason it would “come back” was that she didn’t remove it in the first place! She made me feel like I was a complete idiot.
My friend Tanya was in TCM school in Victoria, BC at the time, and she and the dean of her school offered to treat me long-distance with herbs if I would see a local practitioner at some point to do acunpuncture. I think I started the herbs in October, and acupuncture in November. By February 2008, I had ovulated and had a normal-length cycle for the first time in years! Unfortunately, the endo pain was still there and getting worse, as my dr. had only done “ablation” of endo and drained the endometrioma instead of excising it. She in fact hadn’t “removed” anything, just burned the surface. Despite being thrilled that I had true signs of ovulation, and my once-long cycles were starting to shorten, I was still in a lot of pain. I continued acupuncture through my next surgery (by the way, acupuncture is awesome for relieving nausea!) and into September. Once again, the surgeon had not excised the endo – in fact, he didn’t TOUCH the endo, which I wasn’t aware of until much later. He only removed my right ovary and tube and then closed me back up again. Jerk.
After my second surgery, I continued to have pain, although it was lessened since my giant grapefruit sized ovary was gone. I changed acupuncturists, and did acupunture weekly instead of every two weeks. My shorter cycles became even shorter (28-30 days, finally!), and much more consistent. Unfortunately, acupuncture alone couldn’t “cure” my endo, so I was back in surgery in March of this year. And apart from one post-surgery appointment for nausea relief, I haven’t done acupuncture since then.
Now that the endo is in the background, and infertility is in the forefront with nothing competing for my body’s attention, I’m excited to get back into acupuncture. One of the reasons I quit before (the main reason really) was the expense. Weekly treatments were just too costly, and my husband wasn’t thrilled about paying for continued treatments after we had to shell out over $3k for another surgery. The arrangement I had my acupuncturist at the time was that I’d pay for treatments if I got pregnant, and not if I didn’t. Obviously, he didn’t want to shell out another chunk of change if we got pregnant. That’s the time when the newly endo-free body is supposed to give you the best changes (according to some doctors anyway), and he just didn’t believe that if we got pregnant, it would have been because of the acupuncture. I wonder if I had continued the acupuncture anyway, would I have gotten pregnant last summer? I don’t know…and it’s not worth dwelling on.
Well, I wasn’t planning on writing a novel today, and this post has run away with me, so let me just end with a “fun” Face.book story.
I don’t know why I continue with Face.book – I quit over the summer and only recently rejoined, leaving just a select number of friends and family as “friends”. I don’t like Face.book, never have, and generally think it’s ridiculous to post those messages screaming for attention like “so and so wishes she could have seen this change coming” and “I have a secret, and if you ask me nicely…” and other crap like that.
Yesterday, one of my friends from Korea – another Army wife – posted a status update. “Looks like we are having a baby boom in my family. Cousins X, Y, Z…and now me. Who’s next?”
Sure, it’s probably one of the less obnoxious ways people could announce a pregnancy on FB, and I am nothing but happy for her because she is a really nice person and was a good friend. But, the part that got me was the comments underneath. Apparently, she just found out on Sunday (but hey, she has two other kids, so why would she be hesitant to share a BFP immediately?), but that’s not what floored me. It was her husband’s comment – “That’s what conjugal visits get you. I come home on leave for ten days and two weeks later…BAM, my wife’s two weeks pregnant.”
Wow. Just in case I’d forgotten how easy it is for some people, there it is like a punch right to the gut.
She and I were in TKD together in Korea, volunteered together for the soldier’s fundraisers, and lived in apartment buildings right next to each other. We started TTC about 3 months before she did. I remember that it took them about 6 months to conceive – it was at the point where I was offering to teach her how to chart when she got pregnant (she wasn’t interested in charting, btw). She might be the one friend that started trying at the same time that I did. My other friends that were getting pregnant then either already had a kid or had an “oops” pregnancy. They now have 2 kids with a third on the way.
For some reason, that news made me do something completely irrational. I went upstairs and pee’d on a cheapo dollar store test. As I was doing it, I was telling myself how stupid it was. I haven’t taken one of those in a LONG time. Of course it was negative.
Feeling lethargic, fuzzy headed, or having trouble concentrating? Fatigue is a common problem that can often be the first symptom of more serious imbalances. Western medicine has no remedy for fatigue other than stimulants like caffeine or prescription amphetamine-class drugs. While these substances certainly do make you feel more alert and awake, they don’t fix the underlying problem of fatigue, in fact, in the long run they might make it worse. In this article we will discuss some of the common causes of fatigue and some simple remedies that may help you feel more awake and alert.
Fatigue is so tricky to treat because it can be indicative of numerous health issues. Thyroid disfunction, depression, viruses, adrenal insufficiency, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lymes disease, and even food allergies can all cause fatigue. But often fatigue is just a sign that our bodies are run-down. If the simple remedies in this article don’t help, or if your fatigue is interfering with your work, see your doctor to rule out more serious disorders.
Sleep: My patients hate it when I tell them to get more sleep. But the truth is, this time of year especially, our bodies need more sleep. It is not uncommon to need 10 or more hours of sleep in the fall or winter. It is only very short time in human history that we have developed the capacity to extend our productive hours into the night-time. Our bodies haven’t evolved to keep up with modern technology. Traditionally we relied on this time of year to re-charge our batteries and prepare for next spring and summer. If your body is needing to sleep more, let it. Even getting an extra-hour of rest can make a world of difference. Don’t push your body to act the same way it does in spring and summer, let it go at a slower pace. Your body will thank you come spring. If increased need for sleep is the only sign of fatigue you have, then don’t read any further, you just need to give your body the sleep it craves.
Exercise: In the fall and winter we need to tone down our exercise routines, but not stop them all together. The body naturally wants to conserve energy during the winter, letting it do so is healthy, but we still need to move. Why not switch your normal workout to yoga, tai-chi, or walking? Let your body warm up to the point of breaking a gentle sweat, and then slow down. Try to strike a balance between complete inactivity and pushing yourself too hard. After the solstice in late December, you will naturally feel your body wanting to pick up the pace.
Herbal Support: Herbal support to help with fatigue often focuses on revitalizing the adrenal glands. Herbs that have been used for centuries to give energy and vitality are Ginseng, Eluthero, Astragalus, Cordyceps and Licorice. There are several formulations out there that can be helpful fatigue like the Chinese remedies Si Jun Zi Tang, or Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. Unlike caffeine, which alleviates the symptoms of fatigue, but leaves you more tired in the end, these herbs help you feel more awake as they replenish your body. Some of these herbs actually help you sleep better too by balancing the body’s circadian rhythms and adrenal cycle.
Acupuncture: This gentle therapy helps to balance the body’s system by stimulating points along the skin with thin needles. In a typical acupuncture treatment, your whole health will be assessed to determine the pattern of imbalance that is causing fatigue. Acupuncture can work regardless of any western medical diagnosis you may have, and it is often a great adjunct therapy to western treatments. Acupuncture, like any other physical form of therapy, works best when it is used regularly. For a problem like fatigue, you may need a series of treatments to really solve the problem. Your practitioner can best help you determine a time-line for your treatment.
Diet: Diet plays an important part in your overall energy. If you suffer from fatigue it is essential that you avoid sweet, greasy and starchy foods. These foods have a sedating affect on the body. Also in the winter months, it is wise to consider avoiding too many raw or cold foods. According to the theory of Chinese Medicine, the digestive process is compared to a furnace, food is the fuel and your energy is the fire that burns the fuel. Too much greasy, cold or raw food is like putting wet wood on a fire, it’s harder to burn and it doesn’t burn clean, as a result, your body has to work harder and this drains you of energy. Try switching to lighter meals consisting of whole grains, steamed or sauteed veggies, fish, chicken or grass-fed red meats, and good fats like olive oil, fish oil and flax oil.
Food Allergies: You may want to talk to your health practitioner about food allergies if your fatigue is also accompanied by indigestion, gas, or chronic diarrhea. Your naturopath or acupuncturist can help guide you through an elimination diet to see if your symptoms are caused by food. This is a lengthy and often difficult process, so try the remedies listed above first, before you suspect a food allergy, and it is best to work with a professional during an elimination diet.
Most of the time, fatigue will remedy itself if you take proper care of your body. If these simple remedies don’t alleviate the fatigue, please think about seeing your doctor, or a natural-health practitioner, to rule out more serious disorders.
The Pulse diagosis is one of main methods in Chinese Medicine. Traditionally, the evaluation impression could be reached after four style of disgnostic methods. So, patient’s pulse is important in this pressecc.
Traditionally, doctor consider the pulse reflect patient’s constitution and patient’s illness manifestation. However, it may be affected by many other condition, such as exercise,medications.
The medications affect patient’s pulse very much, for example, if patient uses Progesterone, the pulse is slipery and like already get pregnanted.
The beta-blocker could decrease the pulse rate and force, so the pulse may be weak and slower than should be; The anti-hypertension drugs also affect patient pulse depending on specific style of action.
Some medications may be in-directly affect the pulse. For example, some antibiotics may hurt patient’s stomach, causing gastritis and pain, which may cause patient has a string pulse.
An acupuncturist, a Reiki teacher, and two artists who work with chi and creativity and chi gung will present their healing arts on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 2-4 p.m. at Berkeley Public Central Library in downtown Berkeley. This is the second author panel in the free series Get Well! Alternative Practitioners Talk With You About Healing, sponsored by North Atlantic Books and Berkeley Public Library.
Moderator for the Nov. symposium is Lindy Hough, Co-Founder and Publisher of North Atlantic Books in Berkeley.
The panelists:
- Kaleo and Elise Ching, Chi and Chi Gung;
Authors of Chi and Creativity: Vital Energy and Your Inner Artist
- Don Beckett, Reiki healer;
Author of Reiki–The True Story: An Exploration of Usui Reiki
- Robert Johns, Acupuncturist;
Author of The Art of Acupuncture Techniques
Authors will describe their practices and theoretical framework and read from their books. Audience questions will be followed by a book signing.
Kaleo and Elise Ching live and practice in El Cerrito, Robert Johns practices in Berkeley, and Reiki teacher Don Beckett is from Mesa, Arizona.
“We’re interested in helping people understand how these modalities work and how effective they are. Hearing how our authors, who are also practitioners, treat different diseases helps people see whether a given modality might be helpful with their own troublesome conditions or something a loved one is struggling with.” Most people who don’t use alternative medicine find it hard to distinguish how these different systems work. “The goal of the November panel is to have the audience come away with a clearer idea of how chi energy works in Reiki, acupuncture, chi gung and creative work,” Hough said.
“The Berkeley Public Library is excited to be working in partnership with North Atlantic Books to better serve the interest in mind/body/spirit their readers are seeking,” said Douglas Smith, Deputy Director of the Library. “We’re pleased to be expanding our programming, outreach, and collections in these important directions.”
ALL ABOUT CHI
Get Well! Alternative Practitioners Answer Your Questions About Healing series
Saturday, November 21, 2009
2pm-4pm
Berkeley Public Central Library
3rd Floor Community Meeting Room
2090 Kittredge Street
Berkeley, CA 94704
Wheelchair accessible. To request a sign language interpreter, real-time captioning, materials in large print or Braille, or other accommodations for this event, please call (510) 981-6107 (voice) or (510) 548-1240 (TTY); at least five working days will ensure availability. Please refrain from wearing scented products to public programs.
Waiting for January for our first insemination is proving to be difficult. I feel like I need to do something to get my body ready and hopefully improve my chances to conceive. A couple of weeks ago I had blood tests done and it was hard to wait for the results to come back. Everything came back normal including my cholesterol, but my thyroid is on the high end of normal. My doctor thought about putting me on medication, but I really don’t like that idea. I want my body to regulate itself without putting unnatural things into it. So I decided to do acupuncture as a way to treat the thyroid and help ready my body for pregnancy.
Yesterday was my firs appointment with the acupuncturist. I’m really fortunate to have insurance that values alternative medicine. My appointments only cost me $10 and the clinic is within walking distance, although it’s raining a lot so I don’t see me doing that at the moment. I went into the clinic, filled out some paperwork, and was offered an assortment of teas and water while I wait. The acupuncturist, who I was scheduled with, walked into the clinic wearing brown knee high boots, red skirt, dark orange sleeveless top, and long black dreadlocks. She led me into another room with a wicker chair and a massage table. The walls were painted in a light brown color with the tan ceiling. We talked for a half hour about my long cycles, the thyroid, and hormones. She looked at my tongue a few times and commented on how thick it was. I felt very comfortable with her and remember thinking how happy I was that I had chosen this place to do treatment.
After she inserted the needles, turned on some Chinese ting-dong music, and left the room, I thought about my dad. A little over two years ago, I had my dad do acupuncture to fight the fatigue and pain he was feeling. The A. doctor kept saying that there was something wrong with his liver, but we didn’t really pay that much attention since that was not were the pain was. We went to my dad’s lung specialist (he had lung cancer a year or two before, which led to a small part of his lung taken out, but no chemo) because the pain wasn’t getting any better. I was just about to start grad school, finishing up my B.S degrees (yes, 2 of them) when we learned that he had several tumors throughout the body, including the liver. Lying on that table with the needles sticking in me brought me back to what he must have been going through when he was having acupuncture. If I could have traded places with him I would have, to take all the cancer out of his body and place it in me. It was hard to get married without him physically being there, but I know he was there in spirit. I have a whole new life that he’s not here for. He never met my wife and she feels sad for that. She says that she thinks about him every now and then.
Anyway, the acupuncture was great and I look forward to doing it again next week. I’m still trying to remember to take the prenatal vitamins and I have modified my diet to be healthier. Like I might have already said, we don’t eat any red meat, no fast food (which was hard for me to break that habit), and we even make our own bread thanks to my sister-in-law for that wedding present! I’m committed to exercising 3 days a week and I’ll build up to more as time goes on. I’ve been told not to go on a diet because that could mess up the hormone levels and my cycles. I’m definitely overweight with a high BMI, but my doctor assured me that just losing 10 pounds by January would help increase my chances, though it’s not necessary. Since I have seen her, I have lost almost 5 pounds with doing nothing more that eating healthy and moving a bit more.
I recently got a gig writing for the great music/culture/etc magazine Death + Taxes. I’ve already written a few articles that are on the website if you take the time to mosey around on it. One of the interesting ones can be found HERE, and it’s a fairly savvy way to get acupuncture on a very small budget. They have a “Happy Hour” about once a month, and it had some incredible effects on my state of mind for only $10 (it woulda been just $5 if I brought a friend!). That’s less than the price of a movie ticket, or two beers or whatever comparison you might make.
As I entered the waiting room and called her name, I was shocked by the person who stood up to greet me. She couldn’t be much beyond my thirty odd years of age. Laura* was tall, beautiful and impeccably dressed. She beamed a welcoming smile like she was seeing an old friend despite the association she had with acupuncture, an adjunct therapy as she underwent chemotherapy and radiation for one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer. Immediately upon greeting her she spoke of how acupuncture ‘was the thing that got her through the chemotherapy and radiation treatments.’ Both believers and skeptics of acupuncture alike can easily equate tremendous value to any practice that provides a person with the internal strength to face life’s greatest obstacles, equivalent in nature to Buddhist chanting of Nam-Myo-Renge-Kyo to fortify one’s resolve.
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