Hey Everyone!
I listened to the most amazing show on NPR the other day. Krista Tippet interviewed the researcher Doris Taylor is the director of the University of Minnesota department of the Center for Cardiovascular Repair... Doris is doing amazing things in the lab, and maybe you have heard of her. She is the woman who was able to rebuild a cadaver heart with the help of stem cells and eventually got it to beat!
Here's what she and her team does in a nutshell...they take the cadaver heart or organ and wash it with a simple soap solution. This soap will wash away the original muscle cells while leaving the framework of the heart behind. She says it looks and feels like jello. Stem cells are added to this framework and a new beating heart is, well, born.
One thing that Doris is understandably enthusiastic about is stem cells. There seem to be a lot of misinformation about them. for one thing, stem cells are in humans at all ages, not just fetuses. These stem cells vary in number, decreasing as we age, but they play a vital role in repairing the body as we age or are injured.
One thing that she found is that stress can decrease stem cell numbers and effectiveness. Probably no big surprise. But she also found that meditation can increase stem cell numbers! Although it hasn't been proven, I would bet my hat that acupuncture will increase stem cell numbers and effectiveness as well.
Stress not only damages the body, but it also effects it's ability to repair itself. A one-two punch. She mentioned our presidents as an example. The stress that they have been under is so easily apparent when you see the photos of presidents from the beginning of their terms compared to those of the end.
Very interesting.
Here's a video of Krista Tippet holding a heart; http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2010/stem-cells/video_pigsheart.shtml
Here's a link to the interview, if you're interested; http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2010/stem-cells/
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Stress decreases pregnancy rates and acupuncture can help!
Hi everyone!
We have had a very exciting month at the clinic, with 4 of our patients becoming pregnant! It is easily one of the most exciting aspects of my job. One thing that I love the most about my work is that Chinese medicine helps the body to heal itself, so it can not only help the woman become pregnant, but it can also help her have a healthier pregnancy! How great is that?
I recently read a great article about the negative effect of stress on fertility. I know from personal experience that it can be frustrating to be told to, "just relax and you will get pregnant"....especially when you have been trying for a while, but science is beginning to find that the link between high stress and decreased fertility to be real.
The great news is that there are many, many resources out there that can help. Anything from meditation, to yoga (make sure your teacher knows that you're trying to get pregnant), tai chi, qigong, to just spending time with friends and loved ones who make you smile. Whatever makes you laugh, and lightens your load! Oh, and don't forget acupuncture!
These are great skills for a lifetime of health! (Stress isn't only detrimental to pregnancy rates!) As a parent of a two year old, I can say that deep breathing really comes in handy!
Blessings and health!
Joi
P.S. Here a a few studies that you might find interesting.
Reduction in stress and depression can improve conception rates
Rodriguez et al.,1983
Women with unexplained infertility who went through an 8-week program of relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, and self-instructional management were significantly more likely to conceive than a control group who receive no training. Within the 2-month study period, 4 out of 7 experimental subjects conceived, whereas none of the 7 control subjects conceived.
http://www.mindbodywellnessla.com/pdfs/relax_fertility.pdf
We have had a very exciting month at the clinic, with 4 of our patients becoming pregnant! It is easily one of the most exciting aspects of my job. One thing that I love the most about my work is that Chinese medicine helps the body to heal itself, so it can not only help the woman become pregnant, but it can also help her have a healthier pregnancy! How great is that?
I recently read a great article about the negative effect of stress on fertility. I know from personal experience that it can be frustrating to be told to, "just relax and you will get pregnant"....especially when you have been trying for a while, but science is beginning to find that the link between high stress and decreased fertility to be real.
The great news is that there are many, many resources out there that can help. Anything from meditation, to yoga (make sure your teacher knows that you're trying to get pregnant), tai chi, qigong, to just spending time with friends and loved ones who make you smile. Whatever makes you laugh, and lightens your load! Oh, and don't forget acupuncture!
These are great skills for a lifetime of health! (Stress isn't only detrimental to pregnancy rates!) As a parent of a two year old, I can say that deep breathing really comes in handy!
Blessings and health!
Joi
P.S. Here a a few studies that you might find interesting.
Reduction in stress and depression can improve conception rates
Rodriguez et al.,1983
Women with unexplained infertility who went through an 8-week program of relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, and self-instructional management were significantly more likely to conceive than a control group who receive no training. Within the 2-month study period, 4 out of 7 experimental subjects conceived, whereas none of the 7 control subjects conceived.
http://www.mindbodywellnessla.com/pdfs/relax_fertility.pdf
Increase your fertility with acupuncture!
Hello Everyone!
I have had an absolutely wonderful week at the clinic, and I hope that you have too!
We found out this past week that 2 of our patients are pregnant! One of the women was told by her Doctor that she would need western medical intervention, but her body was able to do just fine. It just needed a little help from the needles and herbs to fix itself.
I cherish the opportunity to work with women in their attempt to become mothers. Although I know that parenting isn't for everyone, it has been such an rich experience for me, that I love to help other women begin this journey.
One of the toughest lessons that parenting has taught me is that we are not in control. For many couples, their experience with the difficulty getting pregnant is their first real experience with that fact. Let's face it though, once you get pregnant, this message will continue....and amplify! We have no control over a whole host of things from it's eye color, height, gender, and disposition to it's more importantly it's health. We can't control the birthday, or once it's born...WHEN IT WILL JUST GO TO SLEEP... Our lessons just continue to flow like a river...
I have seen again and again that the time before a pregnancy can be a very fertile time for women and couples. It can be a sacred time, if they let it. In many cases, their bodies are saying that it needs some TLC, and let me tell you, this may be the last time for them to really be able to focus on themself for some time. Instead of being a difficult time, that might make one give their bodies to someone else to fix out of fear, it can be a very "fertile" time where she can increase or create a strong connection with herself through mind quieting activities like meditation, yoga and journalling. Believe me, this will come in handy as a mother!
It is an exceptional opportunity to really work on her health - physical, spiritual and emotional. I have seen Chinese Medicine do wonders in this area!
Let's face it, just as chinese medicine focuses on the whole you, I am focused not just on helping you to get pregnant, but helping you to create a life that is more rich and nourishing. I want to help support you in Motherhood. That can start before pregnancy, just as it will continue all your life after the birth of your child.
Blessings and health!
Joi
I have had an absolutely wonderful week at the clinic, and I hope that you have too!
We found out this past week that 2 of our patients are pregnant! One of the women was told by her Doctor that she would need western medical intervention, but her body was able to do just fine. It just needed a little help from the needles and herbs to fix itself.
I cherish the opportunity to work with women in their attempt to become mothers. Although I know that parenting isn't for everyone, it has been such an rich experience for me, that I love to help other women begin this journey.
One of the toughest lessons that parenting has taught me is that we are not in control. For many couples, their experience with the difficulty getting pregnant is their first real experience with that fact. Let's face it though, once you get pregnant, this message will continue....and amplify! We have no control over a whole host of things from it's eye color, height, gender, and disposition to it's more importantly it's health. We can't control the birthday, or once it's born...WHEN IT WILL JUST GO TO SLEEP... Our lessons just continue to flow like a river...
I have seen again and again that the time before a pregnancy can be a very fertile time for women and couples. It can be a sacred time, if they let it. In many cases, their bodies are saying that it needs some TLC, and let me tell you, this may be the last time for them to really be able to focus on themself for some time. Instead of being a difficult time, that might make one give their bodies to someone else to fix out of fear, it can be a very "fertile" time where she can increase or create a strong connection with herself through mind quieting activities like meditation, yoga and journalling. Believe me, this will come in handy as a mother!
It is an exceptional opportunity to really work on her health - physical, spiritual and emotional. I have seen Chinese Medicine do wonders in this area!
Let's face it, just as chinese medicine focuses on the whole you, I am focused not just on helping you to get pregnant, but helping you to create a life that is more rich and nourishing. I want to help support you in Motherhood. That can start before pregnancy, just as it will continue all your life after the birth of your child.
Blessings and health!
Joi
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