Preconception Strategies. No. 2: Avoid Coffee

Western medical research has shown that coffee consumption has negative correlation with female fertility. Consumption of one to one and a half cups of coffee per day in one study and about three or four cups per day in other studies has been associated with delayed conception in women trying to get pregnant. Caffeine consumption equivalent to more than two cups of coffee per day has been associated with an increased incidence of infertility due to tubal disease or endometriosis. In another study, women who consumed more than one cup of coffee per day had a 50% reduction in fertility, compared with women who drank less coffee.

Traditional Chinese medical theory also stipulates that coffee is injurious to reproductive health. TCM says that using coffee as an energy boost is simply robbing Peter to pay Paul. The extra movement and boost of qi is the result of stealing from one's deeper energetic reserves (reproductive qi) in order to gain the short term energy boost. Over time this will result in depleted "essence" and the loss of reproductive resources.

Preconception Strategies. No. 1: Give Yourself Some Time

A significant amount of my time in the clinic is in treating for fertility related issues. While Chinese herbs and acupuncture are potent modalities in treating female and male infertility, there are also some practical and sometimes necessary strategies that can people implement regardless if they are trying to conceive naturally or are contemplating IVF or other assisted reproduction technologies. In this series of posts I will list 10 such strategies.

Allow yourself 120 days before trying to conceive.

There is a common misconception that egg and sperm quality can not be improved. In fact, it is possible to improve the quality of your egg and sperm however, it takes 120 days. This is because it takes approximately 120 days for eggs to mature and sperm to develop. During the generation and maturation of gamete cells -- sperm and ovum -- that form an embryo, everything that you and your partner ingest, inhale or are exposed to will influence the health of your eggs and sperm for better or worse, and the ultimate quality of the genetic building blocks you pass onto your child.

Sperm disorders contribute to 40% of infertility cases. Woman who suffer from recurrent miscarriages often have partners with low sperm counts and visually abnormal sperm. Therefore both partners should follow an appropriate diet, avoid reproductive toxins, and take advantage of Chinese herbs and acupuncture therapy.

Acupuncture and PCOS

Exercise and electro-acupuncture treatments reduce sympathetic nerve activity in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), according to a new study. The finding is important because women with PCOS often have elevated sympathetic nerve activity, which plays a role in hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

The study also found that the electro-acupuncture treatments led to more regular menstrual cycles, reduced testosterone levels and reduced waist circumference.

Exercise had no effect on the irregular or non-existent menstrual cycles that are common among women with PCOS, nor did it reduce waist circumference. However, exercise did lead to reductions in weight and body mass index.

"The findings that low-frequency electro-acupuncture and exercise decrease sympathetic nerve activity in women with PCOS indicates a possible alternative non-pharmacologic approach to reduce cardiovascular risk in these patients," said one of the researchers, Dr. Elisabet Stener-Victorin of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The findings regarding menstrual cycles and decrease in testosterone levels in the low-frequency electro-acupuncture are also of interest, according to the researcher.

The study, "Low-frequency electro-acupuncture and physical exercise decrease high muscle sympathetic nerve activity in polycystic ovary syndrome" was conducted by Elisabet Stener-Victorin, Elizabeth Jedel, Per Olof Janson and Vrsa Bergmann Sverrisdottir, all of the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden and the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. The study is in the online edition of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, published by The American Physiological Society.

Acupuncture and Fibromyalgia

A recent study from the Mayo Clinic found acupuncture helpful in treating the fatigue and anxiety commonly experienced by fibromyalgia patients.

In the trial, patients who received acupuncture to counter their fibromyalgia symptoms reported improvement in fatigue and anxiety, among other symptoms. Acupuncture was well tolerated, with minimal side effects.

In the double-blind study, Mayo Clinic doctors gave 25 fibromyalgia patients acupuncture, and 25 "sham" acupuncture treatments. Patients received six treatments during the two- to three-week study. Those who received acupuncture treatments reported less fatigue and anxiety one month following after treatment than did the "sham" group.

Summertime

Chinese Medicine, with it's Taoist roots, has always found wisdom in living with an understanding of the cycles of nature. In the "Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine" the following advice is given:

In the three months of summer there is an abundance of sunshine and rain. The heavenly energy descends and the earthly energy rises. When these energies merge there is intercourse between heaven and earth. As a result plants mature and animals, flowers, and fruit appear abundantly.

One may retire somewhat later at this time of year, while still arising early. One should refrain from anger and stay physically active, to prevent the pores from closing and the qi from stagnating. Emotionally, it is important to be happy and easygoing and hold not grudges, so that the energy can flow freely and communicate between the external and internal. In this way illness may be averted in the fall..Problems in the summer will cause injury to the heart and will manifest in autumn.

Acupuncture for Lung Cancer Patients

Evidence-based guidelines published by the American College of Chest Physicians in September of 2007 recommend acupuncture for lung cancer patients experiencing fatigue, dyspnea, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, or to soothe symptoms of pain or nausea and vomiting. Massage therapy is recommended for patients experiencing anxiety or pain.

The new edition of these standard guidelines represent the first time complementary and integrative medicine has been addressed in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, causing more fatalities than the next four most common types of cancer combined.

The new guidelines were developed and reviewed by 100 multidisciplinary panel members and have been endorsed by the American Association for Bronchology, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American College of Surgeons Oncology Group, American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Asian Pacific Society of Respirology, Oncology Nurses Society, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the World Association of Bronchology.

A Case of Chronic Hives

I recently treated a patient for her chronic hives. These are her remarks:

"I found Dennis through an internet search. (www.DennisBarrow.com). I was looking for someone who practiced Chinese medicine in Washington DC who could help me with both hot flashes and chronic hives. The last time in the past 14 years when I was free from chronic hives is when I went to a medical clinic in China. That was in 2003 and the improvement lasted for 6 months.

After meeting Dennis we first worked on my hot flashed and then on the hives. We did weekly treatments for about 2 months. The intensity of the hives abated. Dennis then prescribed Chinese herbs. Today my hives are 98% reduced. I rarely feel them now. After exercise, I can look in the mirror and still see that I have some red spots. However, they are much better. Before I couldn't even move in hot weather without getting hives and I had to give up exercise completely. Now I walk a mile and a half to the metro every day. I only experience hives when I experience extreme anxiety and then only slightly. I am so thankful to Dennis and his willingness to work with me through this."

Speaking Engagement at the Spasmodic Dysphonia Support Group

I will be speaking to the DC Spasmodic Dsyphonia Support Group on March 26, 2009 at the George Washington University Medical Center. The topic will be the application of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in the treatment of spasmodic dysphonia.

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD), a focal form of dystonia, is a neurological voice disorder that involves involuntary "spasms" of the vocal cords causing interruptions of speech and affecting the voice quality. SD can cause the voice to break up or to have a tight, strained, or strangled quality.

I will be discussing how the diagnostic methodology of Traditional Chinese Medicine would be applied to a patient presenting with a western medical diagnosis of spasmodic dysphohia and how treatment would be provided using both acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

Please feel free to contact me if you or anyone you know would like to attend this presentation.

Breast Cancer: Tamoxifen and Acupuncture

This study was recently reported on WebMD.com regarding the use of acupuncture in the treatment of tamoxifen induced menopausal side effects for breast cancer patients.
Acupuncture eases the hot flashes and night sweats common in women taking tamoxifen and Arimidex after breast cancer treatment.

In a clinical trial, acupuncture helped hot flashes as much as Effexor, the antidepressant currently prescribed for women suffering the menopausal side effects of anti-estrogen drugs.

Effexor itself has troubling side effects, but acupuncture doesn't, says study leader Eleanor Walker, MD, a radiation oncologist at Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital.

"With acupuncture you can get a treatment for those hot flashes that can alleviate them equal to drug therapy -- without side effects and with improved quality of life," Walker tells WebMD.

Happy New Year !!! The Year of the Ox.

Acupuncture to Induce Labor

I just received this email from a patient I worked with last week who was hoping to avoid the chemical inducement of her past due pregnancy:

Hello Dennis!

You’ll be excited to hear that I believe the acupuncture treatments worked! I saw you last on Thursday morning and contractions started that evening around 7pm…by 12:14am Friday I was holding my new baby girl. It was a very very fast labor with zero complications and I did it without any augmentation or pain medication. All natural, just as I had hoped.

Thank you so much for your treatments, advice, and support!

Crohn's Disease and Acupuncture.

A study completed at the University of Nuremberg has shown that acupuncture is statistically more effective than "sham" acupuncture for the treatment of Crohn's disease. The real acupuncture group showed a significantly greater benefit, including less bowel inflammation, a benefit which persisted when all patients were reassessed after 16 weeks.