Archive for September, 2014

3 Roles Acupuncture Could Play In Your Pregnancy

The female endocrine system is vast and delicate. Our hormones can respond to the most- subtle changes in our modern lives. We women often feel like our hormones regulate us – and not the other way around. But, the truth is, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine offer tools that help us understand our hormones and take an active role in regulating our hormones. The science of acupuncture helps elucidate our bodies’ delicate hormone balance and provide a blueprint for lasting symptom relief and optimal fertility.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the insertion of ultra-thin, sterile needles into specific points on the body which reside on channels or meridians. Acupuncture improves blood flow and circulation to the reproductive organs and glands. Blood carries oxygen, hormones and nutrients to the developing follicles in the ovaries, uterus and testes; and to the hypothalamus and pituitary glands - thus regulating the hormones these organs secrete, and promoting healthier cycles, egg quality, endometrial and sperm health.

Acupuncture and The Menstrual Cycle

According to Chinese Medicine, the only symptom of a woman’s period should be regular bleeding about every month and not the pain, bloating, acne, and other symptoms that most women experience. Menstrual discomforts arise from hormone imbalance. This imbalance can be caused by a host of reasons, but environmental, lifestyle and stress are usually at the top of the list. What Chinese Medicine strives to do is find the first domino in the symptom chain – and offer individualized therapeutic treatment with acupuncture, herbs, nutrition and lifestyle suggestions to bring the body back into balance and reduce our hormonal “side effects”. It can be extremely helpful in regulating a variety of hormone imbalances – such as: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome; Amennorrhea; Annovulatory Cycles; Endometriosis and Pre-Menstrual Symptoms (PMS).

Acupuncture & Fertility

Chinese Medicine is a proven therapy for treating cases of functional infertility, such as irregular ovulation or idiopathic sperm factors. The most effective way for Chinese Medicine to be used as a ‘primary’ treatment in functional fertility is in adjunct to Basal Body Temperature (BBT) charting. Usually within three menstrual cycles of weekly acupuncture, visible changes in follicular, ovulation and luteal phases can be seen. Within six cycles, pregnancy can be achieved. For male factor, elevated results in sperm count, motility and morphology tests should be expected after three consecutive months of regular treatment. The optimal time to begin using a modality like Chinese Medicine for optimizing fertility is 3-6 months before you’d like to become pregnant. This can resolve cycle imbalances without the stress of timed intercourse and “trying to conceive,” and also lay the groundwork for a healthy pregnancy If you have already been trying to get pregnant for some time, Chinese Medicine can still support you. Treatments can begin immediately wherever you are at in your cycle. Appropriate herbal formulas that are safe for conception can also be provided, along with stress relief and symptom management. Wherever you are at, holistic modalities like herbal medicine, acupuncture, Mayan abdominal massage or reiki can be incredibly supportive throughout the whole process – and improve pregnancy outcomes.

Acupuncture and IVF & ART

Acupuncture can also be used as an adjunct to IVF & ART as it can improve pregnancy outcomes, alleviate stress and reduce side-effects associated with hormone therapy. It is cost- effective, minimally invasive, has no side-effects and will not negatively interact with other forms of treatment. Optimum recommendations for acupuncture during IVF & ART are one- three months before cycling to improve egg quality; pre- and post-embryo transfer to improve pregnancy outcomes; and post-transfer through week 13 of pregnancy to prevent miscarriage. Of course, as with all treatments, consult with your health care provider first.

Erin Borbet is a Licensed Acupuncturist, Board Certified Herbalist, Labor Doula and Founded Grow Wellness Acupuncture in 2008, a Holistic Health Clinic specializing in the treatment of Women’s Health Concerns. She secured her Masters in Oriental Medicine from Pacific College and has trained all over the world, including a year clinical rotation at a TCM hospital in Hangzhou, China. Erin and her team offer gentle and effective treatments through the use of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine and Nutrition consultations at their Midtown Office and through Skype Consultations. Grow Wellness Acupuncture: grow-wellness.com Email: [email protected]

 

 

Labor + Delivery Options: Give The Birth You Want

You will make a series of important decisions during your pregnancy, but none greater than choosing where and how you’ll welcome your child into the world. Sure, family members, friends and even strangers will want to share their childbirth stories and opinions with you, but remember that every childbirth experience is different. Here’s a brief guide to educate you on typical locations to deliver, as well as common childbirth options:

Where To Deliver Your Baby

Hospital: A hospital, the most common place to deliver a child in the United States, will provide you with standardized care led by an OBGYN and/or a midwife. You will deliver your baby and then be placed in the hands of a team of caregivers for, on average, a period of one to five days, depending on your childbirth experience and insurance coverage.

Birthing Center: Led by a midwife, your labor and delivery experience at a birthing center will include more personalized care, including coaching both during and after childbirth. The use of interventions and anesthesia are not commonplace, and most birthing centers cannot provide for emergency care, so it is vital that you have a back-up hospital notified, in case a transfer is necessary.

Home: The least common of all three locations, but rising in popularity, is within the home. Similar to a birthing center, your labor and delivery will be led by a midwife, who will provide you with specific, personalized care. Delivering at home appeals to expectant mothers who seek a comfortable labor and delivery experience, in addition to a natural transition for baby from womb to world. Again, it is essential to have a back-up hospital notified, for neither medication nor emergency care can be given within the home.

How To Deliver Your Baby

Natural Birth: Free of all pain medication, a natural, vaginal birth is achievable with the support of a physician, labor coach and/or partner. You will power through the discomfort by focusing on deep breathing, visualization and body positioning learned during prenatal childbirth classes, thus making you an active participant in your labor and delivery experience.

Medicated Birth: Given during labor, an epidural is regional anesthesia injected into the lower back to provide pain relief from contractions and delivery. While many expectant moms plan for a natural birth, some laboring moms will ultimately decide that anesthesia is necessary. You will have the option to change your mind up to a certain point in your labor; so don’t feel bound to what is documented in your birth plan.

Water Birth: For a planned water birth within a hospital or birthing center to be approved, expectant moms must meet specific medical criteria. Once approved and when the times comes, you’ll labor in a large tub of warm water to help reduce contraction pain. When the urge to push begins, you will remain in the water allowing your baby to experience a gentle, calm transition as he or she enters the world. A physician and/or a mid-wife will be present to aid in the process, especially after childbirth to ensure that your baby is healthy.

Cesarean Section: Although sometimes planned, most C-sections are recommended as a solution to an emergency situation where either mother and/or child(ren) are in distress. A C-section is a surgical procedure used to deliver your baby through a primary incision in your lower abdomen and a secondary incision in your uterus. If no complications arise for either you or your baby, you can expect to stay in the hospital for at least three days post surgery. You’ll feel discomfort at the incision site for many days and/or weeks following your C-section, so try to avoid heavy lifting and bending.

To make the best childbirth decision for you and your child, you must be informed. Keep this information with you as you interview caregivers, visit potential locations for delivery, and create your birth plan. As always, remember to consult with your healthcare provider before making any final decisions!

Indoor Action

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

One new mama puts 6 at-home postpartum workouts to the test.

Call me crazy or naïve, but I thought squeezing in a solid workout after having my first baby was going to be a breeze. Man, was I mistaken. Not only is it a major challenge to find 30 minutes in a row where you can get your burn on, but uncovering what feels good after the ultimate workout — giving birth — takes many trials and even more errors.

With NYC temperatures below freezing levels, walking outside with your little one for exercise may be put on hiatus. Here is roundup of workouts you can do from the comfort of your own home during the different phases of your postpartum recovery.

6 Weeks Out from Birth
A few workouts to try out once your doctor gives you the green light to workout.

Ballet Beautiful Total Body Workout
What I love about this workout is it is divided up by body parts, and each section is approximately 10 minutes – which is perfect if that is all you have before your baby starts crying, or if you fall asleep on the mat after a sleepless night. No equipment is needed, and the soothing music relaxes you (and may even lull your baby to sleep) as you begin to rediscover your body (hello long-lost abs).

Tracy Anderson The Pregnancy Project
Tracy Anderson begins the video by talking about her own experience of getting back into shape after baby, which is inspiring and at times, a bit intimidating…how does she look like that?! She eases you into the workout and includes a great stretching sequence that feels amazing.

3 Months After Birth
Although probably still sleep-deprived, you are starting to feel like your old self and may be ready to take your workouts up a notch.

Physique 57 Cardio Sculpt
A high-energy workout that helps strengthen your entire body. The 30 minutes go by in a flash, and muscles you have not felt in a while burn a bit to remind you that they are still there. Plus, you can download this (along with a variety of other great workouts) to do anywhere – perfect for when you are on the go.

Mom and Baby Fitness
Working out with your baby is a sure way to get some adorable smiles in from your 3-month-old. The only challenge is he also has to be in the mood for working out…otherwise it may be cut short. This edition includes two DVDs: one for a young baby and another to use with a toddler. At times it may seem a bit slow paced, but I woke up sore the next morning and had a blast with my lil’ one.

6 Months
You may be ready to go full force with your workouts, so you can keep up with your baby as she starts to get ready to move on their own!

Focus T25
Although only 25 minutes, you will feel like you worked out for an hour. This high-intensity video series provides you with a 5-day program that challenges your entire body. You may find that you prefer certain videos over others, but whatever you choose, you will end the workout feeling accomplished and maybe even brave enough to try on your pre-pregnancy jeans.

YogaDownload.com – HardCORE Yoga with Weights
You may not be able to do all of the poses and have to put down the weights during certain points, but this workout helps to open and tone your entire body. I had never done yoga with weights before and loved the challenge – perfect for strengthening your upper body as you baby gets heavier to pick up!

This article is by Kori Peters courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

Cravings Made Healthy: Sweet Potato Falafel

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

Vegan chef Jenné Clairborne shares a simple recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.

We should always be nourishing our bodies with nutritious food, good sleep, exercise, and love, but it’s even more important during pregnancy. Fitting it all in can seem daunting, especially for the modern pregnant New Yorker. Sometimes what you need is a shortcut to nourishment––I must admit, I’m not aware of any shortcuts for sleep, exercise, or love. However, limiting your time in the kitchen, and sitting down to a fantastic meal is totally doable––as you’ll see with my yummy sweet potato falafel recipe!

This sweet potato falafel is perfect for lunch or dinner. For maximum pregnancy appeal, serve the falafel in a romaine or lacinato kale leaf, or over chopped greens, with tahini sauce, and your favorite falafel fixin’s. Sweet potato falafel are one of my favorite recipes. You’ll want to make these over and over again!

Sweet Potato Falafel
Optional expansions: add 1 tsp of smoked paprika, 1 tsp lemon zest, topping the falafel with sesame seeds before baking.
serves 2-4
1 medium sweet potato, baked or steamed in the skin
14 oz can chickpeas, rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350° and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor, and pulse until the ingredients are combined. Be careful not to over blend or puree. The ingredients should hold together, but maintain their texture. Use a cookie scoop (about 2 tbsp) to scoop falafel balls and place directly onto the baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Also, check out my new digital book 5 Ingredient Vegan which was written with women like myself in mind. We want to eat healthy, but aren’t willing to sacrifice on flavor, and spending hours in the kitchen is just not going to happen. The book is also for the woman who wants to cook amazing plant-based dishes, but would rather not start by making complicated 20 ingredient recipes.

This article is by Jenné Clairborne courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.