Laughter for Fertility

We all know it is true what they say about laughter being good for the soul. Well, now it seems to be a good medicine, especially for those struggling with fertility.

Humorist Demetri Martin

It may sound like of those 'easier said than done' statements, when you are faced with month after month of heartbreaking disappointment, but bringing a bit of humour into your day to day could make all the difference.

A recent study by Dr Shevach Friedler looked at the stress levels in women undergoing IVF shows a 16% increase in success rates for women who had laughter therapy after an embryo transfer compared to those who  had a 'comedy free' recovery.

This percentage increased to close on 50% once factors such as age, reason for IVF treatment and number of embryos transferred were taken into account.  A good reason as any to take the day off after an embryo transfer and enjoy your favourite comedy, or relax by reading a light hearted, uplifting book.

LOL Cats

Other studies looking at the stress and anxiety levels of those struggling with fertility show that   elevated levels of the stress hormones cortisol, adrenlin, alpha-amalayse and prolactin are likely to play a major role in unexplained infertility. While it can seem flippant to put the cause of infertility down to stress, these hormones effect the female reproductive system at every stage of the cycle.
For example, higher levels of cortisol can disrupt the LH surge inhibiting ovarian function, resulting in untimely release of the egg and a poorly developed corpus luteum. It can also reduce the secretion of oestrogen, limiting cervical mucus production and the development of the endometrial lining.

Poor corpus luteum development can result in lower progesterone levels and consequently luteal phase defects. This interferes with implantation and has been shown to negatively affect immune tolerance in the early stage of pregnancy, an important process responsible for preventing the mothers immune system from rejecting the implanted embryo.
In a different study of American women who had not menstruated for six months or more, for no known reason, were all found to have high levels of urine cortisol levels. Interestingly most of the women reported not to rate themselves as being under stress but researchers noted 'these women have unrealistically high expectations of themselves and and others. They think they can get more done in a day than what is normally possible and their sense of worth depends on  achievement'. After therapy focusing on creating perspective, stress management and self worth 80% of women started menstruating within 5 months compared to  25% of women who did not receive therapy.

These finding go to show that by being kind to yourself and looking at ways of reducing possible stressful situations in your daily life will help improve your natural fertility.

While every day doesn't need to be a super happy, enthusiastic day your stress levels will benefit by giving yourself the time and space to do things that make you happy. Sign up for that class you've been wanting to do, get outside for some exercise, read a good book or watch a comedy. Get offline and meet up with supportive friends for a cup of peppermint, rose or camomile tea. And don't forget your regular acupuncture or massage sessions, they will immediately clear those stress hormones and help brighten your mood.

Change of Season

Spring  -  Time for Renewal 

Photo by Bron Hradsky, Creswick VIC

According to the philosophy of Chinese medicine we are all part of the makeup of the natural universe, intricately connected to the flux of the season. Whilst winter was a time to conserve energy and rest, spring is a time of sudden growth and regeneration.

Spring corresponds to the Wood element, which in turn is related to the Liver and Gallbladder energies. It is the changeover point from Yin in to Yang. The beginning of a new cycle of life. One day the trees are bare, the next they are fluorescent with new growth.

We naturally start to put our winter dreams into action, drawing from the season's invigorating energy helps us to find the inspiration we need to achieve our goals. Exercise is easier and pregnancy rates seem to soar  - at our clinic anyway!

Spring is a windy season in anyone's book, in Chinese Medicine the spring winds can stir up old ailments and injuries, carry pathogens and disrupt our bodies exterior defenses. It directly impacts the Liver energy and can disrupt its function of instigating movement and regulating body functions. 

If the Liver energy becomes stagnated stress, anger and depression will rise. If the Liver energy is healthy and flowing smoothly these emotions are calm and the spring winds are cleansing and uplifting, however if the Liver is constrained Spring can bring much suffering.

Keeping with the belief that by harmonizing oneself with the seasons we stay healthier through the prevention of disease there are many things we can do to help our bodies ride through this tumultuous time.  

Eat lots of leafy greens! Eating young plants - fresh greens and  sprouts can assist the Liver's function of regulating Qi flow. Think bitter foods for natural detoxification including romaine lettuce, asparagus, amaranth, rye, quinoa,  kale, parsley, and collard greens. Try these lovely salads: 

Mung Bean Noodle Salad 

Kale Spinach Detox Salad

We all know fluids are an important part of the elimination and cleansing process. Drinking small amounts water regularly, will help us keep well hydrated. Starting the day with a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water will stimulate your liver and  bile production helping flush out toxins.  This is especially good practice for those who can not stomach, or don't have time for breakfast first thing in the morning.

Be active Now is the time to exercise outdoors, the fresh air helps invigorate Liver Qi flow. In the warmer weather take the opportunity to walk when possible, meet up with friends outside, or  sign up to a couch-to-5k challenge (it's great for us non-runners!) Whatever form of exercise you choose relax and enjoy the expansive energy of Spring.

Using Chinese Medicine to Treat Colds and Flus

Chinese Medicine treatments for winter ailments.

Winter has well and truly descended on us here in Melbourne and some of you might have started feeling sniffly and run down. Now, more than ever, we have to pay particular attention to our health and it’s worth looking to Chinese medicine to provide support in preventing and treating colds and flu.

If you have seen these posters around town you will be aware of the campaign to stop the use of antibiotics for treatment of cold and flus. www.nps.org


The cold weather leaves our immune system vulnerable to viral infections and several Chinese herbs are renowned for their anti-viral properties.

Prevention being better than a cure supporting the immune system is always beneficial.  Yu Ping Feng San is a classic defence formula comprised of Huang Qi (Astragalus), Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes) and Fang Feng (Ledebouriella Root). Huang Qi can be tracked down at asian supermarkets and used in your cooking. Andre recommends adding it to a big pot of nourishing chicken soup – warming as well protective. Weekly acupuncture treatments also helps strengthen the body’s immune system.

Chinese herbal remedies can also help treat the common symptoms of colds and flu. Chinese medicine views colds and flu as an invasion of wind – wind-cold, wind-heat or wind-damp. The symptoms you exhibit will indicate the type of invasion of wind your body is experiencing and your practitioner will prescribe the necessary herbs.

If you’re experiencing just minor symptoms, you might recover very quickly with acupuncture alone. If you have more severe symptoms like swelling, sore throat, respiratory problems, headaches, chills, fatigue, a herbal remedy will give you relief within a couple of days.

Slow down and take extra good care of yourself this winter. Get plenty of rest, avoid stress, stay warm and eat plenty of nutritious seasonal vegetables and fruits.

Winter Solstice

According to the philosophy of Chinese Medicine winter represents the upmost of Yin.

In it's very nature winter is a slow, dark, cool, inward moving season, all things Yin. It is associated with the water element and the energy of the Kidney, Bladder and adrenals. It is a time to slow down and conserve our energy, consolidating our Qi in preparation for the flurry of spring. It is a time of reflection, replenishment and rest.

In Chinese Medicine theory the Kidneys hold our body’s most basic and fundamental energy known as jing or essence. This is our inherit vitality, intricately involved in reproduction and ageing and is something we tend to burn at a rate of knots in our modern lifestyle. 

It is believed that by harmonizing oneself with the seasons we stay healthier and prevent disease, balancing our internal organs energy with the energy that surrounds us. As such winter is a good time to strengthen the Kidneys. Rest is important, being in bed by 10pm, sleeping in, working less. Practising nourishing forms of exercise such as Tai Chi, Qi Gong or yoga. Calming the mind with meditation and taking pleasure in creative activities such as writing, cooking, sewing or knitting all help to connect to the Kidney energy. It doesn't mean to say we can't go for blustery walks along the beach or excursions to the snow, it just means the scales tip more in the favour of rest.

‏This theory naturally extends to our diet, eating seasonally and locally will help nourish the Kidney essence. Winter foods include squashes, potatoes and all other root vegetables, winter greens, mushrooms, bay leaves, coriander, fennel, leek, nutmeg, pine nuts, rosemary, spring onions, apples, pears and citrus. Hearty meats (specifically lamb), black beans, kidney beans, walnuts, black sesame seeds, chestnuts and cinnamon are all excellent at nourishing the Kidneys.

‏In winter, our bodies need warming foods like soups made with hearty vegetables and rich bone stocks. This Lamb Shank and Barley Soup is a fabulous Kidney tonic.

Method:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan and brown 6 trimmed lamb shanks. Remove and set aside. Add chopped onion, crushed garlic, carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Return the shanks to the pan and add stock, water,  pearl barley, thyme, bay and rosemary. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.

‏For those not into meat so much try this Mushroom, Lentil and Chestnut Stew. It's one of my favourites.

(For how to roast chestnuts visit here: www.thehealthychef.com)

 Method:

Cover the porcini mushrooms with 250ml freshly boiled water. Leave to soak. 

Warm the olive oil in a deep heavy bottomed pot on the hob.  Saute the garlic, leek, carrot, celery and mushrooms for ten minutes on a low heat to lightly soften.

Add the ground coriander, lentils and barley and sauté until the coriander is fragrant. 

Add the remaining ingredients including the porcini mushrooms with their water. (If the porcini's are looking too big chop them up a bit before adding to the pot.)

Bring to the boil then simmer on low, stirring frequently, until you have a thick glossy stew. It can be ready to serve in 1/2hr to 45mins, but the longer you let it cook the richer it becomes. You may need to add more water or stock if it starts looking too dry.

To serve ladle into a bowl and top with a soft poached egg and chopped fresh herbs. 

Enjoy!

The Fat Monk, A True Daoist

Daoism is a philosophical, ethical and religious tradition of China. 

It permeates every way of Chinese life, including it's traditional medicine. One of Daoisims core teachings is to live in harmony with all of those around us and the universe at large, a simple enough statement but surprisingly difficult to carry out. 

Being Chinese Medicine practitioners we all have varying degrees of understanding when it comes to the Dao, I personally have taken to it in fits and spurts, however one of our esteemed colleagues by the name of Xiaoyao Xingzhe has spent much time following and walking the Dao. He has written a series of articles for The Lantern (one of our Chinese Medicine journals) which he has now compiled together on a wordpress page. 

If you have any interest in the Dao or are just after some lighthearted, entertaining articles to read click on this link, it will be well worth your while : http://thefatmonk.wordpress.com

Happy Year Of The Horse

January 31 2014 marks the beginning of the Year of the Wooden Horse in Chinese astrology.

By all accounts it should start with an explosion of bright ideas and enthusiasm as the exuberant Horse energy comes in. People tend to work well together in Horse years, co-operation and team work will be the way to achieve goals. It should be easier to find common ground  and interesting  solution to problems while even having a little fun in the process!
It will be interesting to see how this plays out on a global scale with the advent of social media and the ever reducing size of the global village.

With all this fresh optimism it's easy to be impulsive and somewhat impatient, two big lessons for the Horse year, but with Wood energy encouraging  slow growth and practical solutions it should be easier to temper these impulses.
This year seems to be about embracing life in its fullest, taking chances and enjoying yourself. It promises to be a lighter year. Its all about love and respect, building and moving forward.

If your expecting, or expecting to be expecting, this year your little one will be energetic, warm and intelligent. If they don't like something they will kick up one hell of a fight but they will love you wildly.  Its hard not to think of my sister as I write this. She is born in the year of the Horse and is definitely happiest when let to run freely doing her own thing.  She will stomp her feet, toss her mane and get in a right royal huff when  she feels she's being made to do something she doesn't want to.


Change began early at Quiescence with three of our practitioners leaving for some of the different opportunities that life presents. Stephaine has moved to the bluer waters of Port Macquarie while Keren will be welcoming her second child into the world soon and Sophie is embarking on a new business venture setting up her own clinic. I am very sad to see them go, but with change bring new opportunity as we welcome 3 new practitioners to the fold.

Daniel Saulwick has 20 years of experience under his belt, he is sharing his time between us and his clinic in Castlemaine. Andre Tse comes to us from Portland, Oregon. He has recently spent the past five years working at the Kamalaya Koh Samui Wellness Sanctuary specialising in weight loss and burn out. And Rose is our newest recruit, some of you may have of met her at the IVF Support Clinic where she can been seen helping out over the past few years. They are all very lovely people and excellent practitioners who are looking forward to get to know you.

Ovarian Reserve

How useful is the AMH blood test?

There was a very interesting article in The Age that we though would be good to share. It’s about the anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) blood test and its accuracy. AMH is a hormone produced by the developing follicles on a woman's ovaries. Recently specialists have been using the levels of AMH detected in the blood to give an indication of how many follicles, and consequently eggs are being produced during a monthly cycle. Low levels of AMH (<14pmol/L) indicate fewer developing follicles and fewer eggs. It is also linked to higher FSH levels which can be a problem for those undergoing IVF treatment.

In this article Dr Clarke (the medical director of Sydney based IVF clinic Fertility First) says that the blood test is an unreliable indicator of ovarian reserve due to it being sensitive to a number of factors including having been on the pill.

It makes me happy to read this as we have long believed this test causes undue panic, primarily as its something we have found improves with Chinese Medicine treatment (as do high FSH levels).

Have a read of the article here: http://www.theage.com.au/national/unreliable-fertility-tests-are-misleading-wannabe-mums-20131123-2y2s1.html

If you have been diagnosed with low AMH I would highly recommend asking for an antral follicle count for a more accurate indication of your ovarian reserve.

Plus concentrating on your lifestyle, herbs and acupuncture treatment to improve those results!