This is one of the most common questions I get from women who are interested in starting a family.

My first answer is that bringing the body back to its natural, balanced state is a key factor in successful conception. And acupuncture is the essential component in achieving that balance.

Many factors can cause a disruption to our body’s natural balance: they include STRESS, physical and emotional TRAUMA, lack of exercise, POOR DIET, accidents, OVEREXERTION, even the normal stresses of working.

Acupuncture can help people wanting to conceive and become pregnant in achieving that balance. Acupuncture treats a wide range of the conditions that throw off your mind and body, and make it difficult to conceive. Many factors can cause a disruption to our body’s natural balance: they include STRESS, physical and emotional TRAUMA, lack of exercise, POOR DIET, accidents, OVEREXERTION, even the normal stresses of working.

“Tell me more specifically about the way acupuncture works to support conception.”

1. Increases circulation and blood supply to the uterus and reproductive organs while supporting a healthy ovarian follicle.
2. Regulates and normalizes hormones that regulate ovulation, a common issue in patients with PCOS and amenorrhea.
3. Reduces stress and anxiety by decreasing cortisol levels and bringing one  back to their optimal state of “rest and digest,” also known as the parasympathetic nervous system (meditation, yoga and breathwork are also great for bringing us into this state) .
4. Great support and complement to IVF and ART treatments.
5. Clinical research demonstrates that acupuncture in conjunction with IVF increases the success rate by 50%, compared to IVF without acupuncture treatments. It also works great alongside fertility drugs in helping to manage any side effects.

Acupuncture plus herbal medicine assists with many gynecological conditions:

Amenorrhea, DECREASED OVARIAN RESERVE, Ovarian Cysts, Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, HORMONAL IMBALANCES, Uterine Fibroids, ENDOMETRIOSIS, IVF Support, Irregular Menses, Male Factor Infertility, Luteal Phase Defect, RECURRENT MISCARRIAGES, & UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY are just a few examples.

• Eat Mindfully and Dietary Choices – We are all so accustomed to eating on the go, everyone is busy. Plan to sit down and really enjoy your food and chew slowly. You will be amazed by the difference this will make, and it will carry on into other areas of your life. Being present and really focusing on each bite as you eat is mindful and helpful. How? Eating slowly allows the digestive enzymes to start working yes they begin in your mouth 🙂 It helps with overeating. There is a delay from the stomach to the brain letting it know that you are full.
  Eat your colors– instead of taking away food (try to reduce processed/fast foods), try incorporating a variety of nutrient dense variety of colorful, healthy options to your meals. Example, red (tomatoes), yellow (squash), green(kale to broccoli), purple(cabbage to plums), blue (blueberries)
  Swap out some of your go to foods for healthier options such as swapping regular fries for sweet potato fries, white sugar for stevia, white bread for sprouted or gluten free, morning coffee for an almond milk green tea latte, and even butter for an avocado or garlic spread. These are just a few examples and I promise, you will feel lighter with more energy.
  Supplement with not just a multivitamin but also important vitamins that we lack as women: Magnesium, Vitamin D, Omega 3’s, a probiotic at night  which is the best time for absorption.  (Tip:Thorne and Metagenics are great brands, also Now and Gaia, a little less costly)
• Take up Yoga 1-2x week if you aren’t already. Why, yoga not only helps with relaxation via purposeful breath but also via its positioning/techniques helps stimulate your internal organs, helps with blood flow and circulation as well.
• Incorporate meditation, breathing techniques and visualization to help calm stresses and engage the mind body.  Stress can not only affect hormones but also help to facilitate inflammation, increase blood pressure impact sleep quality and more all of which can impact the physical body functionality. Tip there are a lot of excellent free resources online from relaxing earth sounds to guided meditation and breathing videos on youtube to countless websites. (simply search “free audio meditation)
• Try a Castor oil pack on your liver with a warm heating pad.
  * do not do packs during ovulation or if pregnant without guidance/approval of your md/alt therapy practitioner.
  
  How do castor oil packs help you with your fertility and wellness? These beneficial packs have been used for ages actually thousands of years!  Internally to help with constipation to topically in help with skin to packs to assist with detoxing the lymphatic system . Did you know that body movement, warmth, massage, stretching is what stimulates lymphatic movement unlike the circulatory system which has the heart aka, its own pumping system.
  In the liver specifically it helps with stimulating the processing of  lymphatics toxins and hormones in which sometimes the liver gets stagnant. The castor oil pack with heat can assist in helping the liver to decongest at the same time encouraging the circulatory system to help nurture the reproductive organs health and wellness.
  
  How To: Soak a flannel cloth saturated but not dripping with 100% pure, cold-pressed castor oil.  – Note you can store soaked cloth in a glass jar after for reuse.
  Common is once a day for 3 days used followed by 3 days off.
  Place castor oil  soaked cloth on your liver (right side, lower rib cage) and cover with plastic wrap to t rap heat. Put another cloth/thin towel on top of the plastic then apply the heating pad or a hot water bottle .  Relax for 30-45 minutes then wash off the skin afterwards.

  Detox Symptoms: If  you’ve been sedentary or have never received a deep tissue massage or detoxed before, most likely there is a build up of toxins and waste that your body has been holding on to. Initially it is not uncommon to feel a little unwell afterwards but don’t worry, your not getting sick, this is a good sign that your body is working to clean out the junk. But with a little pre preparation you can help minimize the potential.  Begin by eating cleanly (eliminate the junk) fiber rich and nutritious.  Your skin is your biggest assistant!  Dry brushing the skin before showering and bathing (stimulating , movement encouraging lymphatics) helps before a detox and after too. Drink a lot of water before and after. (remember the pack is helping the liver flush pent in lymphatics and waste) can also add a squeeze of lemon too.  Sweating, and movement will help eliminate toxins too.   A epsom salt bath can further help you before and after a detoxing as well.

• Diffuse essential oils throughout your home and keep a blend on hand with lavender which has calming effect or a scent that you like.

At San Diego Fertility Acupuncture We, Believe That:
A naturally balanced body and mind through acupuncture, lifestyle, diet and herbal support can help you on your journey of conceiving and starting a family.