A Natural Path to Parenthood: Acupuncture for Fertility and Pregnancy Support
Navigating the journey to parenthood can be filled with challenges and uncertainties. For those exploring natural approaches to enhance fertility and support pregnancy, acupuncture offers a very promising solution. This ancient practice has been gaining modern acclaim for its potential to boost reproductive health and support women and couples on their path to conceiving and maintaining a healthy pregnancy. In this blog, we delve into how acupuncture can be a key component of your fertility and pregnancy strategy. Enhancing Fertility with Acupuncture Acupuncture, rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, involves the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the body to balance the flow of energy or Qi. For fertility, acupuncture works by improving blood flow to the reproductive organs, which can enhance ovarian function and promote a healthy uterine lining. This increased circulation provides better nourishment to the ovaries and uterus, creating a more favorable environment for an egg to be nourished and carried to term. Moreover, acupuncture is known to help balance hormones, which can be crucial when addressing conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and irregular menstrual cycles—common obstacles in the path to pregnancy. By moderating the endocrine system, acupuncture can help regulate menstrual cycles and improve ovulation patterns, thereby increasing the chances of conception. Supporting Pregnancy with Acupuncture Once conception occurs, acupuncture continues to be a valuable support tool during pregnancy. It’s used to alleviate common pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and back pain. Furthermore, it has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, which are particularly prevalent during pregnancy. By promoting a calming and relaxing effect on the nervous system, acupuncture can help expectant mothers maintain a peaceful state of mind, contributing to healthier pregnancy outcomes. Preparing for Labor and Delivery As the due date approaches, acupuncture can also prepare the body for labor and delivery. Specific acupuncture points are targeted to help soften the cervix, enhance muscle endurance, and boost energy levels. This preparation can lead to a smoother, more natural labor process. Additionally, regular sessions in the weeks leading up to delivery can help position the baby correctly and potentially reduce the duration of labor. Postpartum Recovery and Care The postpartum period is an essential time for new mothers to recover and rebalance their bodies. Acupuncture can aid in this recovery by helping to restore and balance the body’s energy, reduce postpartum depression symptoms, and enhance the overall recovery speed. For breastfeeding mothers, it can also help increase milk supply and reduce lactation issues, making the transition into motherhood a little easier. How Traditional Chinese Medicine Enhances Your Reproductive Journey At Tao to Wellness, we are dedicated to supporting your journey to becoming a parent through specialized acupuncture treatments for fertility and pregnancy support. Our practitioners provide personalized care tailored to your specific reproductive health needs. Whether you are just beginning to plan for a family or are already on your pregnancy journey, our treatments are designed to enhance your fertility, support a healthy pregnancy, and aid in postpartum recovery. Embrace the integrative path to parenthood with Tao to Wellness. Let us support you with the gentle, effective power of acupuncture, guiding you towards achieving your dreams of family and wellness.
How to Be in Harmony with Summer!
How to Be in Harmony with Summer! As of June 21st it is officially summer 2024 and the season of ABUNDANCE! Summer is the fullest expression of Yang, it’s hot, dry, daylight, it’s active and fiery. Yin is the opposite and is cool, fluid, nighttime, meditative. In these hot summer months, it can sometimes be a challenge to keep the two balanced. In Chinese medicine, each season has a set of paired organs that are associated with it, but for the season of summer, there are actually four! Heart The Heart governs the blood and is responsible for the Shen or Spirit. Pericardium The Pericardium is called the ‘heart wrapper’ and protects the heart from external influences like a temperature change or a pathogenic invasion. Small Intestine The Small Intestine receives food and fluids from the stomach and then separates it into pure and turbid, this also applies to emotions in the sense of making the distinctions between positive and negative thinking. San Jiao The San Jiao is a Chinese organ and is translated as the Triple Burner or Triple Heater. It’s closely associated with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th chakras or energy centers of the body. The San Jiao is a bit of a mysterious organ with it’s main job being a conductor for spreading energy throughout the body. All of these belong to the Fire element, the emotions are Joy or Agitation, the taste is bitter and color, of course, is red. How to Attune to the Season So, now that we are in summer, how do we attune or make friends with the season? Here’s some tips: To be in circadian harmony: Awaken very early in the morning preferably at sunrise. Hey, 5am clubbers! To find comfort: Drink hot liquids and take warm showers, which will open the pores and bring on sweating! Quite the opposite of what we usually think for summer- cold drinks, ice and what not actually blocks the heat from releasing. Not too cold: Try not to overdo raw, cold foods. Combining too much cold food (Ice, ice cream, raw fruits and vegetables) with summer heat can weaken the digestive organs since cold contracts. Practice moderation! To find balance: Depending on how hot it is in your area, you may want to consider adding a mineral supplement to your regimen in the hot summer months. Since we have a tendency to sweat more, we could be losing minerals which can weaken the system. Cooking Tips! The main rule of thumb is to cook things on high temp and for a very short period of time. It’s a great way to warm the food up a bit while also maintaining all of the nutrients. Some cooling fresh foods to incorporate into your diet are salads, sprouts like mung, soy, or alfalfa, fruit, cucumber, tofu, watermelon, lemon, and limes. Also mint, chamomile or chrysanthemum teas are great for the summer heat! One more note, don’t feel like you need to shy away from spice, because they are actually considered helpful in warm weather. Spices will help bring body heat to the surface, open the pores thus allowing the extra heat to be released! This will help you attune to the heat and will help you to feel less affected by it. This Year’s Summer Recipe Pick! We all love watermelon, it’s sweet and cooling and actually can be fabulous as a salad! Of course, if you’re watching your sugar intake, be sure to portion this out accordingly because it can be quite addictive! This is a take on a salad that I had once at Flora in downtown Oakland (RIP Flora) that left such an impression on me. I never forgot it and every time I serve it, people just go bananas for it. It’s a no recipe – recipe, so amounts are really how you like them. Watermelon Feta Salad INGREDIENTS Watermelon Kalamata Olives, chopped. Feta Cheese or if you’re dairy free, vegan feta works just as well Figs, chopped Pine Nuts or any small, soft nut you prefer, like crushed pistachios Mint, chopped, small amount to just give the salad some lift! A simple dressing of Champagne Vinegar and Olive Oil (Good quality) Approximately 3 tablespoon olive oil to 1 tablespoon of champagne vinegar. DIRECTIONS In a large bowl add watermelon, chopped olives, chopped figs, pine nuts and chopped mint. Mix well. In a smaller bowl, mix the olive oil and champagne vinegar. Pour it over your salad and then add the feta over the top. Delicious and refreshing with bursts of flavors! Enjoy the summer and we hope to see you soon!
2017 Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list released!
2017 Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list released! If you never read any of our posts all year, read this one! The yearly release of the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen report is a list of which foods have the most and the least pesticide residue and will save you money all year. Who doesn’t love that? Since I’m in New York so often, I’m constantly assaulted by organic food prices here. And when I say assaulted, I really mean assaulted! $8.99 for organic blackberries? $4 for one organic avocado? $5 for one head of organic cauliflower? And even if I did spend $4 for that sad looking bunch of kale– four wilted leaves won’t get me far. “The Environmental Working Group released the 2017 edition of the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, also known as the “Dirty Dozen.” The guide is based on analysis of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program report. “Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is essential no matter how they’re grown, but for the items with the heaviest pesticide loads, we urge shoppers to buy organic,” Sonya Lunder, EWG senior analyst, said in a news release. The group identified the following items on its “Dirty Dozen” list of produce with the most pesticide residue: Strawberries Spinach Nectarines Apples Peaches Celery Grapes Pears Cherries Tomatoes Sweet bell peppers Potatoes The group also identifies the “Clean 15” or items in the report with the least likelihood to contain pesticide residue: Sweet corn Avocados Pineapples Cabbage Onions Frozen sweet peas Papayas Asparagus Mangoes Eggplant Honeydew Kiwifruit Cantaloupe Cauliflower Grapefruit” Of course, if you can buy organic all the time it’s ideal, but sometimes it’s just too much money, like I always say pick and choose your battles. Here’s to the day New York City produce looks, tastes and costs just like the produce at Berkeley Bowl! In Health, Christina Martin Tao to Wellness 809 Hearst Ave Berkeley, California 510.883.0383
Fertility Boosting Foods!
Fertility Boosting Foods! At Tao to Wellness we’ve mastered the science behind baby making through acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and nutritional support. Foods have properties just like herbal medicine. When a patient eats certain foods at certain times of their cycle, there is an impact… sometimes positive and sometimes negative. Since we want to give patients the best case scenario when they are under our care, we compiled a list of what foods support the two main phases of the cycle. Below you’ll find foods broken down into Follicular, which is from the end of the period until ovulation, this is a building phase for the lining and the nourishing phase of Yin. And Luteal, which is from ovulation until the period happens. The temperature warms, there can be a possibility of implantation and this is a time of Yang. An * is a food that is extremely strong and highly recommended for this time of the cycle. FOLLICULAR phase of your cycle: Fruits Apples, Apricots, Banana, Blueberry, Fig, Grape, Mango, Pear, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Watercress Vegetables Asparagus, Beets, Dandelion, Kelp, Leafy greens*- including kale, spinach (best with a splash of citrus), Lemon, Microalgae, Millet, Mulberry, Nettle*, Parsley, Pea, Seaweed, Spinach, String Bean, Sweet potato Grains Barley, Millet, Sweet rice Meats: Beef*, Bone Marrow- Bone Broth*, Cheese, Duck, Liver, Oxtail*, Pork, Sardines Other: Black sesame*, Honey, Royal Jelly* LUTEAL phase of your cycle: Fruits Citrus Vegetables Cabbage, Kale, Onion, Leek, Chive, Parsnip, Parsley, Mustard Greens, Winter Squash Grains Lentils, Quinoa Meats Anchovy, Lamb, Trout, Salmon (check with Seafoodwatch.org for sources) Nuts Chestnut, Pecan, Pistachio Spices Aniseed, Basil, Caraway, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Cumin, Dill Seed, Fennel Seed, Garlic, Ginger*, Nutmeg, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Star Anise, Thyme To enjoy ANYTIME throughout your cycle! Avocado, Pineapple, Beans (Aduki, Black, Kidney), Cashews, Cherry, Dates, Eggs* and Walnuts Keep in mind Organic when possible Fruits and veggies that are in season In Health, Christina Martin, L.Ac. Tao to Wellness Acupuncture Berkeley, California 510.883.0383
Four foods for FERTILITY!
Four foods for FERTILITY! Four foods that are not to be overlooked that will support and assist your journey to parenthood! Raspberries Not only do raspberries register as the lowest fruit on the glycemic index, they are also extremely beneficial for boosting fertility in men and women! They contain high levels of Vitamin C (key in sperm health) and Magnesium (key in production of testosterone). Raspberries also protect sperm from oxidative stress. For women, antioxidants can decrease the risk of miscarriage and is great source of folate which is important in embryo development. Pineapple core Is this myth true? We don’t know. Will it hurt? We don’t think so… the active enzyme in pineapple is bromelain, which is more concentrated in the core of the pineapple. Bromelain is said to decrease inflammation in the body. So to us, it does make sense. On some level that’s what acupuncture is doing anyway! The prescription is one whole pineapple cut into 5 portions consumed the day after timed intercourse, IUI or IVF transfer for the next 5 days. Avocado An avocado a day… doesn’t keep the doctor away, hopefully it ends up with a doctor’s appointment. The scientists believe that monounsaturated fats, which are well known both to the heart, can increase fertility by decreasing inflammation in the body. Again, isn’t that what acupuncture is doing? Other sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, sunflower oil, nuts and seeds. Stick to the avocado though, we think it’s more bang for your buck. Poultry Chinese medicine categorizes herbs and nutrition by taste, temperature, property, meridians it enters and indication. Poultry has an interesting relationship with the uterus in that it tonifies this organ, thereby creating an upward energy. This is instrumental in implantation and your first trimester, since a downward motion of Qi in the uterus could indicate miscarriage. Chinese practitioners worldwide recommend eating poultry (turkey, chicken and duck) daily after ovulation and timed intercourse. Aside from nutritional guidelines, acupuncture for fertility is what most of our patients come to us for. Check out our Fertility page and Video for more information. Or email me with any questions you may have! In Health, Christina Martin christina@berkeley-acupuncture.com Tao to Wellness
One Minute Prep: Brussels Sprouts
One Minute Prep: Brussels Sprouts Tao to Wellness, Berkeley Acupuncture You’ve heard of “4 hour chef”, how about “one minute prep”! I like things done fast and with no fuss, no muss. I’m efficient and impatient, a constant teetering between positive attribute and annoying anxiety, for pete’s sake someone give her a Xanax! Just kidding, I’ve never had a Xanax in my life. When it comes to cooking, the prep time kills me, the chopping, the mincing, the slicing, the dicing, my most hated task is the chopping of onions (I cry enough in real life) and garlic because my fingers smell for hours or sometimes the whole day! When it comes to the baking for an hour or the simmering for 2 hours, ironically I don’t mind it in the least, I can go do something else while I’m waiting and somehow that to me screams efficiency, one of my strong suits. Here’s the quickest brussels sprouts you’ll ever make… Swear! Prep: 1 minute Bake: 30 min (or until they get crispy) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Buy organic already shaved Brussels Sprouts, open the bag, toss it in a bowl. Boom! Pop 6 garlics out of the tray, toss them into the bowl! Boom! Coat the Brussels lightly with olive oil, learning to eyeball things is a good trait, go with your gut! Add some maple syrup, maybe about a third of the amount of olive oil you used, the sugar helps them caramelize! Add a sprinkle of truffle sea salt and ground pepper. (I use Sabatino Truffle Salt) Stir it up and throw it into a cast iron skillet In 10 minutes, your garlic should be soft enough to blend into the brussels sprouts. Bake for another 20 minutes and then enjoy! Quick and easy and the clean up is a breeze since you’ve used one cast iron skillet, one bowl and one spoon! Yours, Speedy Gonzalez Tao to Wellness Berkeley, California 510.883.0383 Christina Martin is the founder of Tao to Wellness. She is an Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist and Teacher and has been in practice for almost twenty years. After having studied with the late great master, Dr. Richard Tan for her whole career, she is considered an expert in musculoskeletal issues, including sports medicine, and all aspects of internal medicine with an emphasis on gynecology and fertility. She is a fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine and she is part of the Northern California Fertility Group. In addition to her private practice, she teaches meditation and is repeat guest lecturer at Symposia Medicus (a continuing education organization for Western doctors and nurses), UC Berkeley and Laney College.
Warmth and Fertility Boost: Discover Something Special!
Something to warm you up and boost your fertility at the same time! A little chilly outside? Here’s a fantastic recipe that I got from Integrative Fertility who heads the acupuncture program at Pacific Fertility Center in San Francisco. A yummy little twist on Mom’s chicken soup! Sweet Potato, Cilantro Chicken Soup INGREDIENTS: Serves 4 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed 2 tablespoons butter or ghee 1/2 onion, sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock 1/2 roast chicken, shredded 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped! juice of 1/2 lime 1/2 ripe avocado, sliced Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste DIRECTIONS: 1 Bring some water to a boil in a medium saucepan at medium heat and add the cubed sweet potatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the sweet potato is tender. Drain the water and set the sweet potatoes aside for later use. 2 In a large sauce pan over a medium-high heat melt the butter or ghee. Once melted, add the onions to sauté. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently to prevent the onions from burning. 3 Add the garlic, cumin as well as salt and pepper to the pot. Mix well and cook for another minute. 4 Add the stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add in the shredded chicken, followed by the tomatoes, lime juice, cooked sweet potatoes and cilantro. Immediately remove from the heat. Allow the soup to sit for at least 5 minutes prior to serving to allow the flavors some time to blend. Serve warm topped with the avocado slices. Much love, Christina “Mei Wen” Martin, L.Ac., Dipl.AC, MTOM, FABORM. christina@berkeley-acupuncture.com Christina Martin is the founder of Tao to Wellness. She is an Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist and Teacher and has been in practice for fifteen years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is a fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine. Christina entered Acupuncture school without ever having an Acupuncture treatment. She simply felt it was her calling.
