Acupuncture and Reproductive Health
Current statistics state that one in five couples
over the age of 30 have difficulty conceiving after one year of trying. Many
of these couples are turning to acupuncture and Oriental medicine for a
safe, effective and natural solution to have a healthy baby.
Oriental medicine has a long history when it comes to enhancing fertility
for both men and women. In fact, evidence that acupuncture and herbal
medicine have been used to aid fertility can be found in early medical
literature dating back to 3AD.
Fertility treatments were first recorded by Zhang Zhong Jing, a famous
physician from the Han Dynasty, in his discussion of diseases in women in
the Jin Gui Yao Lue or Essentials of the Golden Cabinet.
How Acupuncture Can Enhance Fertility
According to the principles of Oriental medicine, a person's health is
determined by the quality of Qi, the vital life energy, and blood circulating
through the body. When Qi and blood are circulating properly, the body is
properly nourished and functioning optimally which, in turn, enhances
fertility.
Researchers have confirmed its benefit in the following areas:
1. Regulate menstrual cycle.
2. Improve sperm count and motility.
3. Reduce stress and anxiety associated with infertility.
4. Normalize hormone and endocrine systems.
5. Improve blood flow in the uterus.
6. Decrease chance of miscarriage.
7. Increase the chance of pregnancy for women undergoing in vitro
fertilization (IVF).
Fertility treatments vary from person to person, but are usually scheduled
for at least three consecutive cycles (twelve weeks). Treatments can
include acupuncture, customized herbal therapy, stress reduction and
dietary counseling. Treatments work alone but are an excellent addition to
any Western intervention.
Please call for more information of to schedule a consultation.
Acupuncture Increases IVF Success by 65%
Women undergoing IVF were 65 percent more likely to
become pregnant when they combined the procedure with acupuncture, a recent
study has shown.
The remarkable success rate occurred across seven acupuncture trials
involving 1,366 women in a systematic review and meta-analysis published in
a February, 2008 issue of the British Medical Journal.
Acupuncture was delivered either just before or just after embryo transfer
– a step in the process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) whereby one or
several embryos are placed into the uterus.
The research was carried out by scientists from the University of Maryland
in the United States and the VU University of Amsterdam in Holland.
It is thought that acupuncture stimulates the neurotransmitters that
trigger the production of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone, which controls
the menstrual cycle and a woman's ovulation.
Acupuncture is also thought to stimulate blood flow to the uterus and boost
the production of endogenous opioids, inducing the body to relax.
Source: British Medical Journal, February 2008
Acupuncture Improves Sperm Quality
A study published in the July 2005 issue of the
journal Fertility and Sterility found that acupuncture helped
infertile men by apparently helping improve sperm quality in their semen.
In the research project, 28 men received acupuncture in addition to
traditional infertility treatments, while another 12 men received only the
traditional treatments. All of the men were diagnosed with infertility of
unknown origin.
Acupuncture was associated with fewer structural defects in the sperm of
men who received it, although it had no effect on other abnormalities, such
as sperm immaturity or premature death.
Previous studies have shown a link between acupuncture and improved sperm
production and motility.
Source: Fertility and Sterility, July 2005
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In This Issue
·
Acupuncture
and Reproductive Health
·
Acupuncture
Increases IVF Success by 65%
·
Acupuncture
Improves Sperm Quality
·
Foods for
Fertility
Foods for Fertility
"Your body is like a garden... As in all
gardens, the seed we hope to plant in our bodies grows best when we
cultivate the ground and plant and nurture the seed in harmony with the laws
of nature. You wouldn't put a tender plant in clay soil without first
tilling and amending the earth - at least not if you wanted to give that
plant its best start. You wouldn't plant in the dead of winter, or in the
dry season without water, or in a sunless place. Likewise, if we tend our
bodies, minds, and spirits with an awareness of the laws of nature, we
improve our chances of welcoming the gifts of Quan Yin, the fertility
goddess." Angela Wu, L.Ac., author of Fertility Wisdom.
Black Beans
According to Oriental medicine, the energy of the Kidney system is
important for reproduction and fertility enhancement often starts with the
Kidneys. A good example of a food that nourishes the Kidneys and promotes
fertility is black beans.
Health Benefits of Black Beans
From an Eastern perspective, black beans are warming in nature. They are
thought to tonify the Kidney Qi and nourish Yin and Blood.
From a Western perspective, black beans are an excellent source of protein,
folate, iron and fiber and are rich in antioxidants.
Loaded with Antioxidants
Research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry
indicates that black beans are as rich in antioxidant compounds called
anthocyanins as grapes and cranberries, fruits long considered antioxidant
superstars.
When researchers analyzed different types of beans, they found that, the
darker the bean's seed coat, the higher its level of antioxidant activity.
Gram for gram, black beans were found to have the most antioxidant
activity, followed in descending order by red, brown, yellow, and white
beans.
Overall, the level of antioxidants found in black beans in this study is
approximately 10 times that found in an equivalent amount of oranges, and
comparable to that found in an equivalent amount of grapes or cranberries.
Source: Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, November 2003
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