When focusing on conception and fertility

• Avoid NSAIDS (Advil, Motrin, Aleve) – especially in the follicular phase of the cycle - as they can inhibit ovulation.
• Have intercourse every 2nd day (or about 3 times a week). There is no need to have intercourse every day, and in fact, sperm regenerates every 48 hours. Shoot for having intercourse on day 9, 11, 13 and 15 your cycle (but make adjustments for when you are actually ovulating). It’s important to have intercourse before ovulation. Sperm can live in the uterus for up to five days.
• Did you know that not all lubricant is baby-making friendly? Use a sperm friendly lubricant. Pre-Seed  or Conceive Plus are options. The natural ingredients in Yes Baby Organic are my favorite. These lubricants actually help to keep sperm alive for longer in the vagina. This helps because when ovulation occurs, the sperm is there waiting.
• Limit caffeine. Excessive caffeine impacts cortisol levels, which can throw off the hormones necessary for fertility. One small (12 ounce) cup of coffee in the morning may be fine, though if you struggle with anxiety or insomnia I'd suggest cutting this out. Switching to green tea can be a good option for some women, as it has only a small amount of caffeine and also has a calming substance called L-Theanine. Men should watch caffeine consumption as well.
• Strictly limit alcohol consumption. There is a link between alcohol consumption and difficulty conceiving. Zero to 1 drink a week for women is probably fine. Men can probably have 1 to 2 drinks per week (men process alcohol more efficiently than women).
• Men: avoid heat from laptops and hot tubs/hot baths in the groin area. Heat can damage sperm. Do not keep your cell phone in your front pocket as there is some evidence that the transmissions from cell phones can damage sperm.
• Make stress management a priority. Again, the stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline can impact the balance of your female sex hormones. Avoid overwork and over-exercise (moderate exercise is good and recommended). Finding activities that you enjoy that are calming and rewarding such as yoga, painting, walking in nature, meditation, etc. are all great ideas. Treatments such as massage and acupuncture are of course supportive too.
• Avoid chemical exposures, including synthetic fragrances. Cigarette smoke, dry cleaning chemicals, plastics, new cars, air fresheners, scented personal care products or new household furniture or carpets are all common sources of toxins. These chemicals are known hormone disruptors.
• Another note on plastics--use glass or stainless steel containers for your food and water. Plastic containers can leach chemicals into your food and water. This is especially true if you are heating foods in plastic. If you occasionally can't avoid eating or drinking from plastic containers, look for BPA free labeling.

 
 
Getting the Most of Acupuncture for Fertility

• Consistency is key with acupuncture for fertility. You’ll need to come at least once a week, and in some cases, twice a week. Your acupuncturist will make a recommendation for you depending on your specific needs.
• Both partners should be treated if possible. It takes two the make a baby!
• Certain supplements for fertility are recommended. These are generally strong antioxidants that enhance egg quality. Ubiquinol, NAC and PQQ are some favorites. Making sure you're taking folate instead of folic acid is also recommended. We can give you more specific recommendations when you come in depending on your case. Chinese herbal medicine may be prescribed depending on your presentation.
• Implement Seed Cycling as recommended (see next page).
• Enhance your nutrition! Eating whole foods, fruits rich in antioxidants like berries, dark leafy greens, seeds are especially important: emphasize pumpkin and flax seeds, especially in the first half of the menstrual cycle. Another blog will come with more specifics on fertility nutrition.
• Practice stress reduction techniques: deep breathing, gratitude, massage, meditation/prayer, yoga, coloring, walking, etc.

These are so yummy and have veggies and fruit hidden in them! They are high in protein from the chickpea flour and almond flour which makes them very filling and satisfying. The chocolate flavor makes them feel decadent but they are still so healthy. They are gluten-free, dairy-free and plant-based. Using a food processor makes these muffins super easy to make and clean-up.

Ingredients
1 large zucchini, shredded or processed in a food processor
1 large banana
1 cup chickpea or besan flour
2 Tbl ground flax seed
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup maple syrup (could use date syrup)
1/3 cup water or non-dairy milk
1/3 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup walnut in small pieces (optional)

Directions
1.) Set aside your shredded zucchini in a large bowl.
2.) In a food processor, combine all banana, water or non-dairy milk and maple syrup. Blend to combine well.
3.) Add all other ingredients except walnuts and raisins (if using). Blend to combine well. Batter should be thick but not too thick. You can add more water or milk if needed.
4.) Add batter to the shredded zucchini and mix well. Add in walnuts and raisins if using.
5.) Place batter in lined muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees. Start checking doneness at 35 minutes. Insert a toothpick and it should come out clean. You may have to bake another 10 minutes depending on your oven.

The ground flax seed and the tapioca flour make these moist and they stay together well without being too crumbly. Enjoy on their own or with a glass of plant milk!

This salad is delicious and refreshing. It is oil-free, high in plant protein, high in calcium from the kale, vegan and can be easily be made soy-free.

Salad Ingredients:
1 bunch curly kale, chopped finely
1 large cucumber, sliced into bite sized pieces
1 large carrot, grated
1 package tempeh, chopped into bite sized pieces or 2 cups garbanzo beans for soy-free
1/2 onion, diced, or 1.5 Tbl diced dried onion

Dressing Ingredients:
1 lemon, juiced
2 Tbl maple syrup
1 Tbl tamari or coconut aminos for soy-free
2 tsp ume plum vinegar
1 Tbl tahini
2 Tbl sesame seeds
1/4 tsp ground dried ginger
1/4 tsp chipotle powder

Instructions:
1. Boil water in a medium pot and add tempeh. Boil tempeh for 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Technically you can eat tempeh raw because the soybeans are already cooked before it it fermented, but boiling it this way softens the tempeh.
2. Combine all vegetable salad ingredients and add dressing ingredients. Combine well and massage kale with the dressing to soften. Add the cooked tempeh and toss well.
3. Let the salad sit overnight for the best flavor. I topped mine with stokes purple sweet potatoes to serve.

Salad Topped with Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes

This is summer salad is simple to make has has few ingredients, though it boosts complex and herb-y flavors. Serve is as a side, or put it over lettuce and add some beans and maybe avocado for a hearty main-meal salad.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Dried Black Rice (Forbidden Rice)
1 Cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1 Medium Cucumber or 2-3 Small Cucumbers, cut into small pieces
Generous handful of fresh herbs of choice (I used fresh basil and mint from my garden)
Sprinkle salt to taste

Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 Tbl raw honey
1 Tbl tahini
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

To make:
1.) Cook black rice - bring two cups of water and black rice to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover, cooking approximately 35 minutes. Let cool.
2.) Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined.
3.) Once rice is cool, combine all salad ingredients and cover with dressing. Chill and allow flavors to meld before serving.

As a business providing essential health care services, we are planning for a limited re-opening on Monday, May 4th. Here are the changes we're putting in place to keep all of us safe:

• When you arrive, please wait in your car. Text us at 904-990-3228 and let us know you're here. We'll text you back to let you know when you can come in. We're having everyone wait in their cars instead of the waiting room.
• No one may come in for a treatment who has been experiencing signs of illness resembling Covid-19 (most notably fever, cough or shortness of breath) in the past 14 days, or has been in contact with anyone with these symptoms. We'll be screening each patient thorough an online survey that you'll have to complete before coming in. If you've gotten sick and need guidance on herbal and nutritional remedies that can help, we can provide you with a virtual visit.
• We'll do a temperature check with a no-touch thermometer when you come in.
• Sanitization of treatment rooms and major touchpoints will occur after every treatment. We wash sheets in hot water and each patient gets a new sheet and face cradle cover.
• We will be wearing a mask for the duration of your treatment and we ask that you do so as well (though if you're face-down on the table, you will need to take the mask off). This is to keep both of us safe.
• As an added precaution, we'll be diffusing antimicrobial essential oils in the treatment rooms. These oils smell pleasant and have been shown in studies to kill many different types of viruses and bacteria (but of course they have not been tested on the novel coronavirus). This is considered an extra precaution.

It may only be in the low 80's, but autumn has arrived in Jacksonville! Cold and flu season is just around the corner. Here are some of my top tips for boosting your immune system and shoring up your defenses.

• Clean up your eating and focus on whole foods and emphasize lots of veggies and fruits. Fresh produce has a plethora of immune-boosting and viral fighting nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Zinc. Also, emphasize warm, cooked foods and foods that don't produce excess mucus. Some of the worst offenders for foods that promote phlegm are dairy products, processed foods and sugar.
• Wash Your Hands (of course!)
• Take the food-based herb elderberry daily for prevention. One of my favorite elderberry products for this is Herb Pharm Alcohol-Free Elderberry Tincture (we carry this in the clinic). Take one full dropperful daily for prevention this time of year. If you feel like you're coming down with something or if you know you've been exposed (like on an airplane or in a child's classroom) take 1 dropperful three times per day.
• Reduce stress and make sure you're getting enough rest. As you know, stress and lack of sleep tank the immune system. Get back to the basics of stress management and make sure your immune system doesn't have any unnecessary taxation.
• Drink immune-boosting herbal teas. Some of my favorites are echinacea, rosehips, lemongrass and astragalus (don't drink astragalus if you're already sick though, this is just for prevention).
• Eat high fiber foods and foods rich in probiotics. Gut health is very important to our immune system. High fiber foods feed good bacteria in the GI tract. Aim for 35 grams of fiber per day. You can also eat traditionally fermented sauerkraut for a wonderful food-based probiotic. You'll find this sauerkraut in the refrigerated section and the ingredients will just be vegetables (usually cabbage, sometimes with other veggie additions), water and salt (no vinegar). Some of the most common brands are Bubbies and Farmhouse Culture. Locally here in Jax we also have Olive My Pickle which produces traditionally fermented products.
• Diffuse essential oils like cinnamon, clove, sage, rosemary, eucalyptus and lemon at your home and office. These have known anti-pathogenic properties and can help viruses from spreading.
• Boost your defenses with acupuncture. In Chinese Medicine theory we have something called our "Wei Qi." Wei Qi loosely translates as our body's defense system and there are certain acupuncture points, that when stimulated, can protect from unwanted invaders like viruses. There are several good acupuncture points for this, two of which are Large Intestine 10 and Stomach 36. When used together, these two points are called the "Inner 4 Gates" and are especially effective for boosting the immune system, as well as providing an energy boost.

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Here's to a healthy season!

Here are Be Well Family Acupuncture, we are passionate about helping the women of Jacksonville, FL find optimal health, naturally. We work with women through all stages of the lifespan, from puberty - to childbearing years - to menopause and beyond. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can assist in so many areas of women's health. Below we've detailed the top ten health concerns women come into our clinic for.

We are also proud to have our offices located inside Full Circle Women's Care - a full service obstetrics and gynecology practice with an emphasis on a balance between holistic and allopathic medicine. We are firm believers in the integration between modern medicine and traditional eastern medicine, so we are happy to be located within this setting where patients can receive the best of both worlds.

The Top 10 Reasons Women Receive Acupuncture Treatment:

1. Anxiety and Stress Relief - This first reason may surprise you, because, hey, don't men have stress and anxiety too? Sure they do, but, unfortunately women are just more likely to suffer. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that "From the time a girl reaches puberty until about the age of 50, she is twice as likely to have an anxiety disorder as a man. Anxiety disorders also occur earlier in women than in men." Luckily, acupuncture is amazing for treating anxiety because it deeply calms the nervous system and studies show it actually reduces stress hormones.

2. Fertility Challenges - Very often women seek help in our clinic for fertility challenges. Acupuncture can be used to assist regulating hormones so that a woman can get pregnant naturally or it can help when a woman is going through IVF treatments (a recent study suggests acupuncture doubles the chances of success with IVF). Acupuncture is helpful for fertility because it increases blood flow to the reproductive organs, balances hormones and regulates the menstrual cycle. It's important to note that while a woman's health is vitally important to achieving a healthy pregnancy, it does take two to tango, so to speak. In many cases, having the male partner come in for treatment can greatly increase the odds of conception because acupuncture has been shown to increase sperm count, motility and morphology. 

3. Menstrual Pain - Cramping, pain and PMS around the monthly cycle has become very common. Young women go on birth control pills at a young age to manage pain and many more have to take pain medications at "that time of the month." However, increasingly, women are looking for non-hormonal and natural options to dealing with menstrual pain. Acupuncture can really help alleviate these symptoms and there are also some very safe herbal formulas that we use that can assist with this as well. Often, women who have had cramps for years and are miserable on a monthly basis are surprised with their period starts with no warning at all - symptom free!

4. Prenatal Symptoms & Health Concerns - Acupuncture is so useful in pregnancy. Acupuncture is a completely drug-free way to treat multiple symptoms that arise during this amazing time in a woman's life. Some of the most common symptoms that women seek treatment for are: nausea and food aversion, fatigue caused by hormonal shifts, headaches caused by hormonal shifts, back pain, round ligament pain, pubic symphysis pain, hemorrhoids, digestive complaints like acid reflux and constipation and can assist in preventing preeclampsia. Read more on our webpage about prenatal acupuncture.

5. Cervical Ripening and Labor Preparation - Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to naturally encourage labor to commence. In our experience acupuncture, is best used for cervical ripening, and recent studies show that acupuncture promotes cervical ripening. Cervical ripening refers to the cervix becoming soft, thinning (becoming effaced) and opening up (becoming dilated). Cervical ripening needs to happen before a woman can go into labor naturally. In our experience, one or two treatments when a patient is overdue and her cervix isn't ripe really isn't the best use of acupuncture for labor preparation (though sometimes it is still worth a try if a woman is really wanting to avoid a chemical induction). To really allow acupuncture to work at it's best, a woman should begin treatments at week 36 and receive two treatments per week to ripen her cervix and prepare for labor. In our experience and in the experience of the doulas and birth professionals we work with, this is the best use of acupuncture to encourage labor and a smooth childbirth experience.

6. Depression - Again, depression is one of those things where we say - "wait, don't dudes get depressed too?" Of course, they do, but unfortunately about twice as many women as men experience depression. Women also suffer certain types of depression that are unique to their gender, including premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD--a much more severe form of PMS), perinatal depression (depression during pregnancy or after pregnancy) and also depression during peri-menopausal time (as a woman approaches menopause). Acupuncture is very effective for generalized depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and these hormonal influenced depressions that women experience. Acupuncture can be safely combined with medication for depression and many studies have shown that acupuncture boosts the effects of drug therapy for depression​.

7. Headaches and Migraines - Headaches and migraines are another one of those things that women get more than men. So while we've treated many men successfully with head pain, women are more likely to seek our care of these symptoms. The most common types of head pain we see in women are either tension related pain coming from the neck and shoulders or hormonal related headaches and migraines. In some cases, it's a combination of both tension and hormonal headaches. In both cases we see great results. For tension headaches, we often combine cupping with acupuncture to help loosen tight neck and shoulder muscles. Migraines and headaches are often associated with PMS, and as we've discussed above, acupuncture is amazing for smoothing out symptoms from hormonal changes.
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8. Endometriosis, Cysts and Fibroids - We can use acupuncture to reduce symptoms of endometriosis, ovarian cysts, chocolate cysts and fibroids. With the addition of Chinese herbal medicine we can often reduce the size and sometimes even completely put into remission these conditions within about 3-4 months. The principle we use to treat these conditions is restoring proper blood flow in the reproductive organs.

9. Menopause Symptoms - Hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes - these can all be helped with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. We can use herbs to restore the "yin" of the body. In Chinese medicine yin is a substance in the body that is cooling, nourishing and moistening. It is related to estrogen in the body. We can use natural, safe herbs and acupuncture to restore this cooling substance to the body without the use of hormone therapy.

10. Breech Presentation in Pregnancy - If your baby is in a breech or transverse presentation, acupuncture and a special herb called moxa can be successful to help baby go head down. Generally this takes two acupuncture treatments and a course of self-moxa treatment at home (we give you the tools and educate you on how to do it). This method can safely be used in conjunction with an External Cephalic Version (ECV) and other methods such as chiropractic adjustments and tools from the website Spinning Babies.

​How To Improve Digestion and Energy with Warm Foods

Chinese Medicine has a branch of treatment that is called dietary therapy. As a refresher, the other treatment methods in Chinese Medicine are acupuncture, herbal medicine, bodywork (tuina massage) and therapeutic breath/movement. Eating warming foods is one of the chief tenants of Chinese dietary therapy. According to Chinese medical theory, our stomach and other digestive organs are like a big pot of soup, boiling over a fire. We put food into the soup pot to be "cooked" and digested. When we digest properly, the nutrients from the food are distributed to all of the organs in the body through the bloodstream and energy is brought to the organs so they can function and be healthy. However, if we are constantly throwing cold foods into our digestive "pot," the fire can't work as efficiently and it needs to constantly heat up again. When digestion is compromised in this way, the distribution of nutrients is not ideal and therefore our organ function and overall health is diminished. This is why Chinese Medicine considers digestion as paramount to our overall health.

It is especially important when it's cold outside to eat warm foods, but it's even important year-round so that you keep that digestion cooking the best as possible. So, what should you eat?!

Foods to Eat Regularly:

• Cooked foods (boiled, steamed, roasted, baked, stir-fried - all good!)
• Soups and stews are particularly good
• Warm foods (make sure to reheat leftovers)
• Warm drinks and herbal tea

Foods to Minimize:

• Raw salads (if you are going to have a salad, have some cooked protein and/or veggies on top to warm up the raw stuff)
• Smoothies and cold juices (I recommend trying egg muffins on busy mornings when you can't cook a proper breakfast - just reheat it!)
• Ice water and other iced drinks
• Cold desserts like ice cream, milkshakes and cheesecake, etc.
• Lots of raw and cold fruits (these should be eaten more in the summer, or cooked or baked fruits are a good option in winter)

In Chinese medicine, warm foods can also be warming from their nature or energetic quality, not just their physical temperature. Incorporate these often, especially in winter. Some of these warming foods are:

• Spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, black pepper, curry, garlic, and cardamon 
• Herbs such as parsley, chives, fennel, dill and cilantro
• Veggies such as squash, bell pepper, leeks, onion, radish, sweet potato
• Meats such as roasted, stewed or stir-fried chicken, turkey, lamb, beef and bison
• Grains such as quinoa and rice
• Chai tea

I hope you enjoy more nourishing, warming foods in your diet this winter to enhance digestion and health! Also remember, it's not all about WHAT we eat, but HOW we eat. Take time to eat your food without distractions. Try sitting down at the table instead of eating in front of the TV, standing up or in the car. It doesn't take too much time to sit down and eat a meal. You'll be amazed when you start to do this how much more you enjoy your meals. Happy eating!