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Past Article of the Month
Originally Published 06/05/2010
East Meets West in Treating Infertility
By Eric Hollander, L.Ac
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<b>Simple Tips to Enhance Fertility Naturally</b>
If you are trying to conceive, a few simple tips to improve the health of your eggs and balance your hormones can help boost your fertility naturally.
<b>Consider Chinese Dietary Therapy:</b> If your daily meals resemble the typical American diet, chances are that the foods you are eating run counter to what Eastern medicine would consider the optimal diet for fertility. Many American women consume a diet loaded with cold, sweet drinks, raw salads, excessive fats and maintain an irregular eating patterns. This can create a sluggish, bloated digestive system, excessive mucus, poor circulation and coldness in the uterus conditions inhibiting fertility.
<b>Cut down on coffee:</b> Drinking coffee can overstimulate the kidneys. In Chinese Medicine, the strength of the kidneys plays a vital role in the health of the overall reproductive system. Green tea is an excellent substitute for coffee containing a much smaller amount of caffeine. In addition, you avoid all the milk and sugar normally consumed in a latte.
<b>Exercise:</b> If you are gaining weight and fatigued, you will benefit from a moderate exercise program. Exercise moves the blood, increases energy levels, and improves sex drive. Obesity has been linked to higher incidences of infertility.
<b>Proper rest and relaxation:</b> Give yourself time to recuperate your reserves so you have the extra energy needed to promote pregnancy and bring a healthy baby to term. Relaxation means taking some downtime from frenetic daily activity, both physical and mental. Tai chi, yoga, doing hobbies you enjoy, and reading are very beneficial in calming and balancing the nervous system.
<b>Develop a positive mental outlook:</b> Having a history of fertility problems usually brings with it a fair amount of mental baggage. It can be difficult to avoid the monthly mental roller coaster and not succumb to depression if the cycle ends without a pregnancy. However, it is vital to view fertility enhancement as a long-term project like preparing for a marathon rather than a monthly mission of sprints in order to avoid burnout. Mental states such as anxiety, obsessive thinking and depression have a counterproductive effect on the balance of the hormones and the nervous system.
<b>Start acupuncture treatments:</b> Acupuncture is a useful tool to relax and decrease stress. Physiologically, acupuncture increases blood circulation to the ovaries for improved quality eggs and thicker uterine lining for embryo implantation. It can be used whether youre trying to conceive naturally or with medications using IUI or IVF.
<i>Eric Hollander is a licensed acupuncturist working at Chang Acupuncture & Associates, Inc. He specializes in fertility enhancement using a number of natural methods including acupuncture, herbal supplementation, nutritional therapy and lifestyle adjustment. He can be reached at (858) 495-0771 or at www.changacupuncturesd.com.</i> 
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