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Studies Show Acupuncture Can Help Couples Conceive

Mary Gazze, National Post  Published: Tuesday, November 10, 2009


Can sticking needles in your face or body help you get pregnant?

Jinglan Li of the positive Chinese Medicine inc. in Markham, Ont., and some medical studies say, yes.

Jinglan treats up to 200 couples a month at her clinic in Markham, Ont. who have had no luck in conceiving naturally or through In Vitro fertilization (IVF), and hope Chinese medicine may be the answer.

"People need to know there is alternative," says Jinglan, who has studied both western and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). "Acupuncture and herbs can assist IVF and IUI (intrauterine insemination). you can avoid IVF or IUI in the first place by doing acupuncture."

A series of studies published last year by the University of Maryland School of Medicine found acupuncture can increase the chances of conceiving from 35 per cent to 45 per cent if it is done the day before or after an IVF treatment. A small German study six years earlier had similar results.

In acupuncture, patients are poked with hair-thin needles that are left in the skin for about an hour. Needles are inserted only a few millimetres under the skin so the process is normally painless. it has been used to treat health problems like headaches, nausea, and chronic pain.

Jinglan  treats patients with a combination of acupuncture and up to 20 traditional Chinese herbs which can be taken in a tea. people in North America are generally not familiar with the names of the herbs, but she says they are safe to use.

"Acupuncture and TCM, we have been using this for so long so it's not something we have to combine with IVF," she says. She explained the therapies can be so effective that in her over 20 years of practice, she has seen a number of couples who have struggled to get pregnant suddenly conceive naturally after as little as two months of treatments.

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Jinglan explains that TCM doctors believe electrical energy, or "Chi," flows through the body like a train route and needles are inserted into different spots, which are like a train station.

Despite the fact that infertility occurs in the abdominal area, needles are inserted in different parts of the body because of these spots.

The goal of TCM is to restore balance to the body, making it stronger by boosting the "Chi" so it can better fight health problems.

"We do prepare the soil before you plant your seed," she said.

Studies done by western doctors' show that acupuncture eases stress, relieves indigestion, and improves blood circulation which could help create a successful pregnancy. they have also found that TCM treatments can regulate hormones naturally, prevent ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages and improve egg quality.

The doctor who led the Maryland study suggested acupuncture helps because it increases blood flow to the uterus, making it easier for the embryo to take hold in the womb.

Jinglan says TCM avoids hormone treatments, which is another advantage, considering their long-term effects are not yet known.

Anyone who is seeking to use TCM in combination with IVF should start getting TCM treatments 2-3 months in advance and the benefits start immediately

"People can feel it right away," she says. "you have more energy, you can sleep better, periods become less painful, cramps are gone, headaches are gone, and PMS is gone."

Acupuncture treatments in Ontario can run for between $60 and $80 each and are recommended twice a week. Herbs cost between $200 and $300.

Canadian provincial health plans normally do not cover the costs but British Columbia will partially pay for acupuncture treatments for patients with certain health conditions.

Jinglan suggests those who choose to go the TCM route should use a doctor who has a minimum of five years experience. She said patients should also check if a doctor is a member of a provincial acupuncture association, although that doesn't mean they are necessarily qualified to treat infertility. Some provinces are still in the process of putting regulations on acupuncture into place so couples should do their homework to find a qualified TCM doctor.

Jinglan says quizzing a potential doctor on what kinds of hormones are often used in fertility treatments and whether they actually understand IVF procedures can be one way of making sure the doctor is capable in treating fertility problems.

 

 

 

Balance energies to fight cold

Michael Power

Published on Feb 01, 2008

During cold and flu season, people draw from many schools of thought to help get better including Eastern medicine and homeopathy.

Sure, when you catch cold you can reach for the cough syrup.

Your doctor might prescribe some antibiotics to fight a particularly nasty virus.

For comfort, you might whip up a bowl of chicken soup to sip when you are under the weather.

But have you ever wondered what other treatment — perhaps a little less well-known — exists to treat the bug?

A sore throat, runny nose, congestion, coughing and sneezing are symptoms of acute viral nasopharyngitis, or acute coryza, what people know as the common cold. People suffering from it can also experience muscle aches, fatigue, headaches and other symptoms.

According to traditional Chinese medicine everyone has a different body constitution and reacts differently to illness, says Jinglan Li, a practitioner in Markham.

Some people catch colds easily while others stay healthy depending on how strong each person’s chi, or energy, is, says Jinglan, who has practised traditional Chinese medicine for 24 years. As well, a healthy balance between the properties of yin and yang will help keep colds and other illnesses at bay.

A common Chinese remedy for colds is tea containing green onion, ginger and brown sugar, she says. Those vegetables have properties that help cleanse the body when someone is ill, she notes.

A massage people do themselves also helps prevent colds and treat symptoms such as a runny nose and headache, Jinglan said. The massage focuses on pressure points at the sides of the nose, back of the head and at the temples.

Perhaps not surprising, getting enough rest, eating well and exercising can help keep you healthy, Jinglan said.

“The best treatment is prevention,” she said.

Another option to treat a cold is homeopathy, which shares similarities with traditional Chinese medicine, said Asha Frost, an Aurora-based homeopathic practitioner.

Homeopathy believes symptoms represent imbalances within a person and must be dealt with by treating the entire individual. Treatment involves giving a patient diluted substances from plants, minerals and animals. If your cold comes with teary eyes, for instance, homeopathy uses a remedy from allium Cepa, made from onion.

And rather than mask symptoms with treatments such as cough syrup, homeopathy aims to treat the whole patient at once.

“We can heal ourselves and it’s not about suppression,” she said.

In a pinch, you can get an over-the-counter homeopathic cold treatment called oscillinum at most health food stores, Ms Frost said.

Vitamins, minerals and supplements can also be used to fight the common cold, said George Hildebrandt, owner of Remedies Clinic and Health Store in Woodbridge.

Mr. Hildebrandt is also a practitioner of orthomolecular medicine, which uses those substances to treat patients.

For example, vitamins C and D can help a cold, he said. But simply taking more of certain substances might actually harm rather than help, he said.

“You have to be very careful,” he said. “Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s safe for everybody.”

Best to consult an orthomolecular medicine practitioner trained to know which supplements might interfere with others, Mr. Hildebrandt said. A practitioner will come up with a specific prescription — called a protocol — tailored to each patient, he said.

In terms of food, ensuring you get a good variety of colourful fruits and vegetables will help keep your immune system healthy, says Lori Liggesmeyer, a public health nutritionist and dietitian with York Region Community and Health Services.

“Especially the colourful ones,” Ms Liggesmeyer says. “All the bright colours have the antioxidants.”

Look for dark green, orange, red, white and yellow vegetables to help keep your immune system healthy, she says.

Omega 3 fats found in fish such as salmon, sardines and trout will give your immunity a boost. As well, try foods high in zinc, such as meats, lentils, pumpkin seeds, yogurt and whole grains.

And sorry, there’s nothing special about chicken soup in fighting a cold, Ms Liggesmeyer said. Unless that soup contains plenty of vegetables, of course.

“There’s nothing in the chicken that will help,” she said.

And whatever treatment you choose, hand washing and hygiene remain important, says Tara Cretney, a public health nurse also with York Region Community and Health Services.

Make sure to clean your hands after you touch your face, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing and after visiting the washroom, Ms Cretney says.

Try to keep frequently touched areas clean, such as door knobs, computers and telephones. 

 

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