Following on from our last newsletter on fertility and nutrition, today we look at acupuncture, herbal medicine and reflexology, all of which enjoy an excellent reputation for helping couples conceive longed-for babies.
According to a UK National Fertility Survey from 2007, fertility has declined dramatically over the past 50 years (see here). Acupuncture, herbs and reflexology counteract the trend towards infertility. While some couples genuinely are unable to conceive, many couples actually belong in the ’sub-fertile’ zone, where the magic toolbox of natural intervention can work wonders to boost overall health and retune the body to reproduce.
Acupuncturist John McLoughlin, Master Medical Herbalist and Iridologist Erica Murray and Reflexologist Ruth Wallace agree that cleansing and nourishing the body and relieving emotional stress are key to restoring reproduction. The reproductive system is a subset of the wider body-mind. Bringing the body and psyche into balance in the three to four months prior to conception can optimise fertility, enhance the health of the child, ensure a more comfortable pregnancy and reduce the risk of miscarriage.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). According to TCM, living beings possess vital energy (Qi) that flows through 12 invisible energy lines (meridians) on the body. Each meridian is linked to specific organs and hormonal secretions. Disease begins when the flow of Qi is unbalanced due to stress, chemicals, lack of exercise, bad food, or emotional excess. Inserting acupuncture needles into specific points along the meridians brings harmony to the flow of Qi and thus to organs and glands. Dietary and lifestyle changes are key too. By balancing body and mind, good functioning is restored to all bodily systems.
Dublin-based acupuncturist John McLoughlin has been practising TCM for over 30 years. He has long experience of helping couples conceive. It is vital to get professional help when trying for a baby, as reasons for sub-fertility are highly person-specific. According to John, physical and emotional factors must be addressed. We each inherit a complex pattern of being from our ancestors and respond differently to the challenges of the world, so we need to be treated as individuals.
John sees both potential parents, not only because it takes two to tango and mutual support is crucial but also because sperm defects can account for 35-40 per cent of infertility. It goes some way to explaining why a one-night-stand with a new man can do the trick, while years of nights with a long-term love have not. In a trial published in Fertility and Sterility (2005), acupuncture treatment increased normal sperm formation, reduced structural defects and improved sperm motility … all of which win the love of a good egg.
Acupuncture calms stress. When stress hormones are released, blood is diverted away from the reproductive organs towards the stress-causing adrenal glands, a detour that, in women, can cause irregular cycles, lack of ovulation and infertility. Acupuncture releases Mother Nature’s morphine, beta-endorphins, which reduce stress and anxiety. Blood then flows back to the ovaries and uterus, which enhances fertility and regulates the cycle. Beta-endorphins also influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and control hormones that regulate ovulation and fertility. As ovarian function improves, more follicles are created, leading to better egg production. Egg quality is enhanced too, especially if the woman eats an optimum diet tailored to her needs.
Acupuncture and diet in tandem increase the probability of conception and decrease the risk of miscarriage, as Ma Nature is a wily old bird who plays Survival of the Fittest to the max and healthy genes are her currency. Acupuncture also increases blood flow to the uterus, warming and relaxing it; this – along with immune enhancement, hormone regulation and stress reduction – lessens the chance of miscarriage.
Many TCM practitioners use herbs but John uses diet as a form of herbal remedy. In general, he encourages both partners to bin junk food, dairy, smoking, caffeine and alcohol and adopt a diet based on grains, beans, veggies, some hormone-free meat and an abundance of greens. Spinach and members of the cabbage family, such as broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, support the secretion of oestrogen and regulate the menstrual cycle. He may also suggest supplements, depending on individual needs.
Apparent infertility can be caused by odd things. One of John’s clients was doing everything right, or so they thought. But no bundle of joy. When John reviewed her diet, he found the culprit: her dreams were being dashed by daily orange juice! The insidious citrus, fine for some women, unbalanced her particular system. Once John put it on the list of banned substances she fell pregnant easily, highlighting both the force of individuality and the need to work with a practitioner who is alert to subtle influences.
Herbal medicine
Herbal medicine also enjoys a long tradition of helping couples conceive; it is, after all, the original medicine. Master Medical Herbalist and Iridologist Erica Murray (sounds familiar … do we know her from somewhere?!) emphasises the importance of building general health before trying for a baby. Superior health means healthy eggs and sperm. Cleansing and nourishing the body and de-stressing the mind are key.
Erica adopts a commonsensical, hands-on approach to healing. She also treats both men and women. When a couple attends her practice, she goes through diet, lifestyle, medication, the woman’s cycle and her mother’s childbirth history, looking for factors that might tip the balance. (Past use of the Pill can be a huge factor in sub-fertility.) She then uses iris diagnosis to identify inherited physical and emotional hotspots (e.g. a predisposition to stress, or to prolapsed organs, etc.) Iridology allows her to fine-tune herbal, dietary and lifestyle recommendations to the individual.
It is important that couples partner each other, says Erica, but do not develop obsessive hang-ups about infertility, as the stress of over-focus can make things worse. Their expectations and circumstances must be judged individually. The strain of caring for an elderly parent or falling out with a sister, for example, can have a negative bearing on fertility, as can resentment and rigidity. Helping people develop insight into their own lives, however, can lead to positive change.
Physically, decongesting the pelvic area by bowel cleansing with herbs, diet and castor oil packs is the first step on the road to restoring balance. Cleansing frees up energy for healing. Erica then prescribes nervine herbs (e.g. passion flower, motherwort and many others too numerous to mention here) to ease the anxiety that can climb into bed with you; nutrient herbs (e.g. nettle or raspberry leaf) to nourish body and mind; and herbs specific to the reproductive system (e.g. partridge berry). Herbal bottles are based on individual assessment. Don’t try mixing herbs at home; professional help is vital to get it right for you.
A good diet is also crucial. Erica advocates a mucusless diet as recommended by Master Herbalist Dr John Christopher. It is essentially vegan: rich in greens, sprouted foods, veggies, nuts, seeds and whole grains; a small amount of fruit; and no (or very little) flesh and dairy food. Animal products are too acid-forming to ensure healthy blood and contain unfriendly chemicals. Farmed chicken is particularly foul; the poor birds are stuffed full of hormones that disturb human ovulation, so chucking chicken is a must unless it is organically certified.
A vegan diet, brimming with nutrient-dense sprouted plant foods, lays the basis of good health. Optimum health optimises hormone production. Uncooked living foods are rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, oxygen, enzymes and life-force and impart energy to all who feed on them. Raw greens cleanse and nourish the blood. Pukka Clean Greens powder is a good place to start. It is convenient and can be stirred into water or juice. Chlorella is also excellent. It oxygenates the blood and ensures the good distribution of nutrients, as well as hormones.
Good sperm quality depends on good nutrition too, so men need to eat well and say bye-bye to caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. Herbs such as saw palmetto, false unicorn, ginseng and sarsaparilla can help jog healthier sperm production. Again, herbal remedies need to be tailored to individual needs to be effective and safe.
Once a woman is pregnant, herbs can be helpful to nourish the baby in the womb and prevent threatened miscarriage. Some herbs are supportive in pregnancy and some are dangerous to the foetus; likewise, some forms of herbs are safe and others are not, so professional guidance is mandatory.
‘The body has an extraordinary innate ability to heal itself and find its own balance,’ says Erica. ‘Herbs help to re-establish the body’s natural balance. [They] have an innate intelligence.’
Reflexology
Reflexology is a variant of acupressure. It feels like (and is!) a relaxing foot massage but it can also relieve pain and stimulate healing. The therapist applies controlled pressure to pre-defined points on the feet. Each point is connected to an organ or gland via the nervous system. Problems in specific body parts are felt as crystals in the corresponding point on the foot. Breaking up the crystals helps to balance the organ or gland and stimulate it to function correctly.
Performed properly, reflexology alleviates stress, pain, chronic fatigue and other conditions. It can also help couples conceive by diminishing stress, balancing male and female hormones and indicating when a woman is ovulating. Like acupuncture and herbal medicine, reflexology has a high success rate in treating sub-fertility.
Reflexologist Ruth Wallace works on every aspect of body and mind to help couples conceive. Initially, she ensures that both partners get a good night’s sleep to relax physically and mentally. She then works on balancing the female hormone cycle and releasing energy blocks.
Ruth works with the pituitary, the master gland that controls all hormones. Balancing the pituitary harmonises reproductive and adrenal hormones. She gets to know the woman’s cycle and normalises it by working on points that connect to the reproductive organs. She also works on the spinal nerve points on the feet, which link to every organ and gland. Clearing this area helps to clear the reproductive system too. A balanced female cycle is vital (a) to determine fertile days and (b) because it produces stronger, more viable, eggs.
Like John and Erica, Ruth prefers to see both partners. ‘It’s a relationship,’ she says, ‘and it’s too much for one person to hold and too much responsibility for one person to carry.’ Balancing both bodies is important. She advocates lifestyle changes for men and women that include stress reduction; regular exercise; quitting caffeine, alcohol and tobacco; and dietary improvement.
Men should also avoid steaming hot baths before making love, as heat lessens sperm count in the semen. Too much sex weakens sperm count too, so making enough love to make a baby but not enough to imperil its paternal component is crucial…!
Reflexology aids relaxation, always good for bringing babies into the world! Once a woman is pregnant, says Ruth, it is important to stay with the treatment that brought her to that point to help her hold the pregnancy and reduce or avoid morning sickness, sciatica, shortness of breath, heartburn and water retention. (NB: Swollen fingers and/or ankles can indicate hypertension and require medical attention.) Reflexology during pregnancy is comforting and helps the body find its new ‘pregnant’ balance. It is good around the due date too, or if the little one is luxuriating in the floatation tank and ignoring the bell to get out!
Practitioners
Acupuncture
John McLoughlin Lic.Ac. Member of Acupuncture Council of Ireland T.C.M.C.I Ltd
Insurance: Members of the TCMCI are approved by Hibernian Aviva Health, VHI, Quinn Healthcare and HSA for Out-Patient insurance purposes.
M: 087 2461938
Addresses: 46 Elmwood Avenue, Lower Ranelagh, Dublin 6 until the end of July 2010, when his practice is moving to 22 Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 4.
Fees/Duration: €80 per session. Duration 90 mins. Initial session may last longer.
Herbal medicine
Erica Murray B.Soc.Sc., CQSW, MH, Ir. Member of The Irish Association of Master Medical Herbalists
M: 086 3384752
E: EricaMurrayHerbalist@gmail.com
W: www.castlewoodclinic.ie, www.iammh.com and www.NationalHerbalCouncil.com
Address: Castlewood Clinic, 19 Castlewood Terrace, Rathmines, Dublin 6
Fees/Duration: First consultation (90 mins) is €80 + herbs, which run to approximately €55. Total €135 approx. Subsequent consultations (60 mins) are €60 + herbs ditto. Total varies, depending on herbs required, but less than above.
Reflexology
Ruth Wallace MIRIL ITEC Member of the Irish Reflexologists’ Institute Limited
Insurance: Registered Reflexologist with Aviva, Quinn Healthcare and VHI
M: 086 4000997
Address: 411 Orwell Park Drive, Templeogue, Dublin 6W
Fees/Duration: Present fees (June 2010) are €60 per consultation. Duration usually 60 mins. However, first consultation usually takes about 90 mins.
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