Does High Stress Equal Infertility

 Many of my patients already suspect that stress is a factor in their fertility and their ability to get pregnant. Now it looks like there is real evidence that this is indeed the case.

British scientists have found evidence of this from the saliva samples of 400 fertile aged women. The samples measured alpha-amylase, an enzyme in the saliva that may be used as an indicator of the body's response to stress. Higher levels indicate higher stress levels. Women with high levels of alpha amylase were found to be about 12 percent less likely to get pregnant.

Acupuncture has been shown to significantly reduce the stress response with great success. This is very promising for  women whose fertility is being affected by stress. Before trying other more invasive and expensive methods of increasing chances of conception why not try fertility acupuncture first. It is low cost by comparison, very pleasant and relaxing and it will likely greatly increase your chances of conception.

Are We Losing Our Fertility?

Based on the numbers of women that seek help in getting pregnant you might say yes. The growing use of IVF to aid women in achieving pregnancy suggest that there is a growing rise in infertility. How can we account for this?

Partly it is due women delaying pregnancy until older ages. In the past people began their families while in their 20s. Now many wait until they are in their 30s or even 40s. Most women are aware that fertility declines as we get older, but many are not aware of the age markers for that decline.

As we listen to the news and hear about celebrities in their 40s having babies we think, no big deal, I can wait a little longer to have my baby. After all women are having babies all the time in their 40s. This is not necessarily true. Some women can become pregnant after the age of 40, but many cannot. Fertility drops first at age 35, then again more significantly at age 40. Another decline comes around age 43 after which it is very difficult to achieve pregnancy, but not impossible.

The good news is that there are things you can do to preserve your fertility, and to enhance it even if you are in the older range. Chinese Medicine offers many ways to preserve and enhance your fertility. From herbs and acupuncture to special supplements and lifestyle guidance I help women on a daily basis to enhance their fertility, to achieve the dream of pregnancy.

Based on a 75% success rate of achieving pregnancy for my patients this year, I would say, no we are not losing our fertility!

Acupuncture for Infertility

There are many ways to improve your chances of success in becoming pregnant and acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, improved diet, reduced stress are some of those ways. Next week is National Infertility Awareness Week, and it is my job as an acupuncturist/herbalist to let as many people know as possible, that Traditional Chinese Medicine has a fabulous track record at improving fertility in women and in men.

Whether you are looking to conceive naturally or if you are working with your doctor or a reproductive endocrinologist, acupuncture can help in many ways. It helps to reset your hormonal balance, it reduces stress, it improves blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, it regulates menstrual irregularities and many more benefits. Used along with herbal therapy I have helped many women who thought they would never become pregnant achieve success.

For any woman or couple who has been trying for a long time to become pregnant or who has had a history of miscarriage, acupuncture can help.

In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week I am offering free phone consultations for anyone who wishes to learn more, or to find out if acupuncture is right for you.

I can be reached at 310-367-1564

Reduce Hot Flashes with Acupuncture and Herbs in Los Angeles

I am frequently asked if the menopause symptom of hot flashes can be reduced with herbs and acupuncture. The answer is most definitely YES. In the majority of cases women will experience substantial relief of symptoms of menopause with regular acupuncture treatments and herbal therapy.

Many women would prefer not to take hormone replacement therapy and acupuncture and herbs are a very successful replacement. In my Los Angeles office I see women on a regular basis to help in the relief of menopause symptoms.

What causes hot flashes and how do acupuncture and  herbs help the women of Los Angeles? In Traditional Chinese Medicine we seek to balance the body and organ systems. We need to maintain a balance of yin and yang within the body. When symptoms such as hot flashes appear it is because the body's yin and yang are out of balance. As we get older our yin diminishes as part of the natural aging process. Yin is the cooling aspect and yang is the warmer aspect. When the yin is low and can no longer balance the yang, the yang or warm symptoms appear, creating the hot flashes.

Acupuncture helps by regulating the flow of yin and yang in our bodies. Herbs help by supplementing the deficient yin. By bringing the two back into balance we bring our bodies back into harmony and reduce and eliminate the menopausal symptoms, including those nasty  hot flashes.

If you would like more information on this safe and natural way to eliminate hot flashes and other menopause symptoms, I offer free telephone consultations for your convenience.

You can reach me at my Los Angeles office at 310-367-1564.

Acupuncture and Herbs Helpful for Menstrual Pain

In the news this week is a new drug in clinical trials to combat menstrual pain. It could be some time before this drug is approved by the FDA. We also don't know what kind of side effects will come along with this new drug. What we do know is that acupuncture and Chinese herbs have successfully been helping women overcome menstrual pain for thousands of years, with no side effects.

This is good news for the reportedly 50% of women who have monthly menstrual pain. You don't have to wait several more years for the experimental drug to be released, you can get help now. By getting regular acupuncture treatments and taking herbs to help balance your body and your hormones, most women can be relieved of all levels of menstrual pain, from mild cramping to severe, disabling discomfort.

No woman should ever have to dread the suffering of her menstrual period every month.

To find out how Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and herbs can help, call 310-367-1564 and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have. It is my mission to make sure every women who wishes it, has a pain free monthly period.

Acupuncture for Depression During Pregnancy

A new Stanford University study shows that acupuncture can be as effective as traditional means of treatment for depression. This is very good news for the many women who do not wish to take anti-depressant medications during pregnancy. The study is published in the March issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The study followed a small group of pregnant women with major depression who were randomly selected to receive either acupuncture specifically designed for depression, general acupuncture or Swedish massage. After eight weeks of treatment, nearly 66% of the women who underwent depression-specific acupuncture demonstrated at the least a 50% reduction of their symptoms, compared with the women treated with either massage or regular acupuncture.

In my clinic I often successfully treat women for depression, this of course includes pregnant women and postpartum. Acupuncture is also very successful at treating many problems of pregnancy including; nausea, fatigue, low back pain, headache, insomnia and more.

If you would like to know if acupuncture can help you in your pregnancy please call 310-367-1564 for a free phone consult.

Acupuncture Proven Helpful for Hotflashes in Recent Study

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In a recent study acupuncture has shown safe and effective in reducing hot flashes in women undergoing long term antiestrogen therapy after breast cancer treatment. The study also showed that acupuncture had no side effects and even boosted libido and improved mental clarity.

The study compared acupuncture with the use of venlafaxine (Effexor) which is currently a standard therapy for relieving hot flashes in breast cancer patients. The study included 50 women 82 % of whom were postmenopausal.25 women were given venlafaxin and 25 were given acupuncture. Both groups experienced significant reduction in hot flashes.

However, after two weeks of treatment, the group taking venlafaxine began to experience significant increases in hot flashes, whereas the acupuncture group's incidence of hot flashes remained low. Women in the group taking venlafaxine had side effects including nausea, dry mouth, headache, dizzines and trouble sleeping. The acupuncture group had no side effects but had increased energy and a sense of well being.

This study was published online 12/28/2009 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.2009.

This is good news for not only breast cancer survivors who wish to avoid taking the anti-depressant venlafaxine and seek relieve from hot flashes, but for all women who experience hot flashes as a result of the hormonal decline experienced in menopause.

For more information on how acupuncture can help in menopause or for breast cancer survivors please visit, www.bethanymuhl.com.

Or call, 310-367-1564 and I will be happy to answer any questions.