Having worked in fertility acupuncture clinics for many years I have seen many stressed, worried and emotionally fragile women come through the doors. Clearly this stress impacts on their health and these women (and their partners) need extra love and support! And most importantly they need to switch off the stress response in their bodies which may be impacting on their fertility health. The modern world throws us daily stresses that did not exist 50 or 100 years ago. If enough stressors are thrown at us homeostasis is disrupted.
Let's have a quick look at the science of it all: Homeostatic balance is managed by the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis. The regulatory functions of the HPA axis also govern reproduction. Chronic stress activates the HPA axis resulting in increased cortisol in the blood. In response a whole range of events occurs in the uterus and ovaries which in simple terms are not good for fertility. Check out the diagram below:
Even without all the scientific talk and evidence, most women I've helped in clinic are instinctively aware that stress is affecting them negatively. That's probably why they've landed in my fertility acupuncture clinic while trying to get pregnant!
So let's be practical and have a look at what we can do to minimise the harm that may come from this stress? Here's my top 3 simple ideas and suggestions to instantly improve your life quality:
* Fresh air and movement. Natural light and nature is healing and relaxing without a doubt. This cannot be overstated. We are all spending too much time indoors in front of screens. Get out for a breath of fresh air and stretch right now!
* Get adequate sleep & Eat a healthy diet: not to little, not too much. Dietary supplements can be of assistance in some situations. Best to go to someone who knows which ones are best for you.
* Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine. More studies are coming through now showing the effects of acupuncture on lowering cortisol and helping with relaxation. It's about time!
Acupuncture is a brilliant way to manage stress so your body can rebalance, heal, repair and relax! Acupuncture Bunbury provides calm relaxing sessions that offer a snippet of time out from your everyday stresses. Most people carry that relaxed feeling with them for days after their appointment.
We are honoured to provide fertility acupuncture for the Bunbury community and hope to help more couples achieve their baby hopes and dreams. At Acupuncture Bunbury we love helping women and couples improve their health and fertility and give them the support the need throughout the process. I love to make sure our clinic is relaxing and people have a genuinely calming time in their sessions. Judging by the feedback from patients - they love it too! We often continue to provide acupuncture during pregnancy for many of our patients once they are pregnant.