Recurrent miscarriage can be treated effectively!

One of the most difficult health issues that both Stephanie and I face in the clinic is recurrent miscarriage.  For some women, it can be difficult to fall pregnant, and for others it is very easy, but in both cases they have difficulty holding on to the baby.  After several miscarriages or more it can become difficult to even get excited or trust a positive pregnancy test, let along get emotionally committed to the possibility of parenthood.

There can be many diagnoses in Western medicine, or sometimes frustratingly there can be no reason found.  In some cases, once the bleeding begins, little can be done to save the pregnancy.  Women are told to rest and hope that the body will stop the bleeding.  In some cases, the bleeding will stop, and the woman will go on to have a healthy child, but in some cases, it will be the beginning of the end of that pregnancy.  Miscarriage is fairly common with rates around 10-20% in cases where pregnancy has been confirmed.  5% of all couples will have 2 concurrent miscarriages, 1% will have more than 2.

Although there may be little information from Western medicine about why these miscarriages are happening for some couples, or there may be little that can be done with Western medicine after bleeding starts, Chinese medicine can contribute a lot to these women.

There are many herbal formulas that are fantastic at helping women to stop bleeding and also correct the underlying issue which is making pregnancy difficult.  When there are multiple miscarriages that always indicates a significant imbalance, which should be addressed to help future pregnancies hold, to help future pregnancies be healthy and help the baby to grow strong and healthy.

I have seen many, many cases which have astounded me.  Chinese herbs and acupuncture can be so effective in this area that if you are concerned about this issue I strongly encourage you to give it a try!  You will be healthier and happier to boot!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone!

We just wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Red Cricket Acupuncture!  Enjoy lots of great time with friends and family, and spend some time reflecting on everything that you are grateful for.  We are certainly grateful for all of our friends and family, and also for each and every one of you!  Warm wishes to all, and safe travels to those who will off to visit others for the holiday!

Cheers :)

A closer look at one of my new favorite herbs: Gou Teng

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share my latest adventure! Recently I have found that I am constantly using Gou Teng in formulas.  It is a wonderful herb- a type of Uncaria.  It helps to bring rising energy and heat in the body back down to alleviate some very frustrating symptoms!  I have had great success in using it for certain types of headaches.  In addition, it can help reduce dizziness and vertigo, muscle twitching, and even lower blood pressure!  As energy becomes more stable and the body cools off a bit, there is a spirit-calming effect too.  Gou Teng is a safe herb with no real toxic effects noted.  

If you are interested in trying out Chinese herbal formulas at your next visit- just let us know and we will be happy to find just the right formula for your individual needs!  

Yours in health,

Stephanie

Healthy and Gentle Detox!

    Do you feel tired and unfocused a lot?  Do you have achy joints?  Maybe even dry, skin or new skin spots?  These are all signs of toxic overload in your body.  Others include fungal infections, constipation, allergies, and more.  These toxins build up over time from pollution in our environment, chemicals in our body products and foods, medications, drugs and alcohol, sugar, and even from lifestyle- negative thinking, lack of exercise and sleep, and so on.  Stress is also a huge factor in toxicity.  Stress causes our bodies to stay in "fight or flight" mode, pumping out extra cortisol into our bodies.  This decreases the body's immune responses so it becomes hard for the body to release toxins on its own. 
    So what can we do about it?  We can do a gentle detoxification program to cleanse our bodies and regain proper functioning.  It's best to ease into it over a period of a couple weeks so your body doesn't go through an intense withdraw.  Gradually cut down or eliminate caffeine and alcohol from your diet.  Try your best to avoid cow's milk products and wheat as they are common food allergens.  Cut out sugar and any fried or processed foods, and reduce salt and carbohydrate intake in general.  Increase the amount of fresh veggies and fruits (the good carbs!) you are eating- focusing more on the veggies, to help make your body more alkaline (pathology develops in acidic environments).  Eat lean meats and sources of proteins like fish and eggs.  It is also very important to drink lots of water to help flush toxins out of the body as you are detoxing.  Keeping a food journal is a good idea as well, so you can keep track of which foods bother you after the detox is over and you reintroduce foods like dairy or wheat back into your diet. 
    You can further strengthen your detox by getting regular exercise and fresh air, which will improve your circulation, and your body's ability to eliminate wastes, as well as lower stress levels.  If you really want to up the ante on your detox program, you can take a few supplements such as milk thistle and dandelion root to support liver function, and green drinks to increase the body's alkalinity.  Getting adequate sleep and relaxation time is key too.  Finally, there is always acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas to help the body detox!  Feel free to stop by anytime and let us know how we can help you on your way to finding better health! :)

~Stephanie

Check out this book:   Detox:  The Process of Cleansing and Restoration, by Sara Rose.  I primarily used it as my resource for this blog.  It's an easy to read, and easy to understand guide in detoxing for the beginner.

Oct 12th: Time to Brew Kombucha!!

Are you interested in learning about Kombucha? How about brewing it yourself?

It's time to fortify your health and take on this fall's cold season! Check out our class flyer by clicking below:

Help Manage PCOS On Your Own!

Here at Red Cricket, we have a passion for improving women's health, especially when it comes to boosting fertility.  One of the most common issues I have seen women come into my office with is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  Women with PCOS often have a very hard time trying to conceive.   I have found one book in particular to be very helpful in my practice in helping my clients overcome their PCOS.  The book is called The Infertility Cure, by Randine Lewis.  I will summarize her main points about PCOS here (and add a few tid bits of my own), but definitely check out her book if you or anyone you know has any issues with PCOS or anything else related to fertility.  She writes in a very easy to understand manner, and gives some great tips!

Very often, PCOS is due to what we call "dampness" in Chinese medicine.  Signs and symptoms of this can include:  feeling tired and bloated after eating, mucous in the menstrual blood, sticky stools, recurrent yeast infections, being overweight, and cystic acne, among others.  In Western medicine, this can show up as insulin resistance.  Therefore, it is imperative to improve the diet so that blood sugar is balanced better, allowing dampness to decrease in the body.  Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are great for regulating a woman's cycle and managing the PCOS, but if diet is changed too, the results will be even better and faster!

The main dietary change is to cut out all refined sugar and carbohydrates.  Also avoid other sugar sources like sodas and fruit juices, or high glycemic index fruits.  When you do eat fruits, aim for berries, which have the added bonus of building up blood for a healthy pregnancy.  It is also good to eliminate greasy food, alcohol, and dairy products from the diet too, as they increase dampness in the body.  If you must have dairy, at least avoid anything with cow's milk, as it is the most common offender for lactose intolerance.  Cutting down diary will also have the added benefit of helping to clear out your sinuses if you are dealing with congestion from allergies or a cold.  Be sure to add back in lots of lean protein like chicken and wild caught fish.  You can have as many good green veggies as you can eat too- just be sure to cook them, as raw veggies and salads make the body and digestion work harder which can add to dampness!  Soups and stews would be a great choice.  Also, try have more frequent, but smaller meals instead of 3 large meals a day.  Overall, focus on a high protein and veggie diet with minimal carbohydrates.  In addition, try cooking with the following spices:  ginger, orange peel, nutmeg, cardamom, fennel, and cloves. 

One last tip is to make sure you are getting regular exercise, as this too helps regulate blood sugar and metabolism, and reduce dampness in the body.  Good luck!!!

~Stephanie

Lovely, Amazing Cinnamon

Cinnamon is such a commonly used herb (especially now during apple season!) that it might be difficult to believe that it can have profound results in the clinic.   An amazingly skilled practitioner named Huang Huang, has found that there are certain body types which have an affinity towards certain herbs. 

Cinnamon is one of the most important herbs that he uses, and I thought that its' story may give you a new found respect for this sweet powerhouse that is in practically every home (and coffeehouse!).

Because cinnamon is a warm, sweet and pungent herb it can be especially helpful for people that are cold and need nourishment.  These people are very thin and muscular, but the muscles have a sort of weak quality to them.  Although their muscles are tight, they don't like to be touched, and they may be overly ticklish.

The formula that is most commonly used is called cinnamon twig decoction (Gui zhi tang) from a book called the Shan Han Lun, which was written about 1800 years ago.  It is amongst the oldest complete clinical textbooks in the world.  At the time the author, Zhang Zhongjing was confronted with many thin or emaciated warriors who recuperated and eventually thrived through the use of Gui zhi tang.  

Back then, wars were very hard work.  Since there were no cars or planes, soldiers would have to walk on foot to battle.  Sometimes that journey would take months and months.  During that time, there would be little food and it would be of poor quality, and they would be constantly exposed to the elements so their immunity would be greatly weakened.  They were usually very cold and hungry!

Ultimately...think of this... they would arrive at the battle to fight for their lives!

After that battle or several battles they would head home - again on foot with little food or shelter, but this time probably grappling with what we would now call post traumatic stress disorder from all of the terrible things they had seen.

Zhang Zhongjing found that many of these poor men were not only suffering physically and in need of nourishment for their bodies, but also in need of sweetness for their hearts and spirits.  The pungent quality of cinnamon would both help to clear out any unwanted colds they may have caught, but also awaken their hearts.  Then, the sweet nature of the herb would soothe and warm their hearts - almost saying, "I know you've been through an unbearable situation, but now it's safe to heal."  Isn't that beautiful?

I don't know about you, but when I visit my Mom, and she's just made one of her amazing apple pies and the whole house is filled with the smell of apples and cinnamon I would swear that it tells me just that... That any of my worries or concerns that I was carrying into her home aren't important, that all is good, I am safe...