DAAN Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture

One woman’s story about using herbs and yoga to conceive a child:

“She first got worried about her fertility when she had been off the birth control pill for 15 months but was still experiencing cycles as long as 84 days.

In a step recommended by local fertility expert Dr. Stephen Hudson, she drank many a “disgusting concoction” of 10 to 15 Chinese herbs such as dang gui to normalize her menstrual cycles. She also underwent several months of acupuncture treatments at Elements of Health costing $70 apiece.

The 31-year-old childcare consultant was initially skeptical, but open enough to try it. Last fall she became pregnant.

“Part of me thinks it’s hocus-pocus, but it also worked. I’m a believer now and I’ve recommended it to other people.”"

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Herbs for relief of PMS symptoms:

“The use of natural herbs and herbal remedies for PMS can help relieve many of the symptoms accociated with PMS; as herbal PMS supplements naturally balance hormonal fluctuations in the woman’s monthly cycle.

The term, premenstrual syndrome or PMS, incorporates a variety of symptoms that occur in the two weeks before a woman has her monthly period.

Most women at some time during their reproductive life will experience the discomfort associated with premenstrual syndrome. The most popular medicinal herbs for PMS relief are listed below:

Natural Herbs for PMS Relief

Chaste tree berry (Vitex agnus castus)

Chaste tree is widely considered the most important herb in treating PMS. Since the days of Hippocrates, 2500 years ago, chaste tree has been used to treat a variety of gynaecological complaints in women. Many herbalists today prescribe chaste tree to relieve symptoms of PMS, specifically painful breasts prior to menses, oedema, depression, diarrhoea/constipation and headache associated with PMS. Studies into this plant’s safety and effectiveness have been numerous in recent years, where chaste tree has shown itself again and again to be a safe, effective treatment for PMS. One recent German study of over 1600 women experiencing PMS, showed 93% had a reduction or cessation of their PMS symptoms, after taking chaste tree. The principal action of chaste tree is in regulating ovarian hormones by stimulating the pituitary gland.

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

Black cohosh is well documented and is becoming increasingly popular as a herbal treatment for PMS when combined with chaste tree to act as a hormonal balancer. The anti spasmodic action of black cohosh is helpful in relieving menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhoea).

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) is high in an essential fatty acid, called gamma linoleic acid (GLA). Women who are low in GLA are known to be more sensitive to the hormone, prolactin, which is believed to cause breast tenderness (mastalgia). Supplementing with EPO is effective in reducing the symptoms of PMS, however, it is advised that symptoms may reduce gradually for some women over two to three cycles.

Borage/Star Flower Oil (Borago officinalis)

Star flower oil is not as well known as evening primrose, but gram for gram has significantly higher concentrations of gamma linoleic acid (GLA).

Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis)

For centuries dong quai has been prescribed for hormonal imbalance. In traditional chinese medicine(TCM), dong quai is called “Women’s Ginseng”, and is considered to be an overall tonic for women’s sexual health. In relieving symptoms of PMS, dong quai is often helpful in relieving pre menstrual migraine.

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa)

The phytosterols found in wild yam also help precursors to oestrogen and progesterone in the body. It is thought that some of the symptoms of PMS are associated with a dominance of oestrogen in the second half (luteal phase) of the menstrual cycle. In treating PMS, the progesterone in wild yam is helpful in addressing this imbalance.

St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

The small yellow flowers of this ancient herb reflect the mild action of this antidepressant. St John’s wort is also a gentle sedative that assists with moderate depression, anxiety and insomnia. The St John’s wort’s flowers contain hypericin, and hyperforin both considered to be vital components in this herbs mood lifting action.

The Use of Herbal Supplements for PMS Symptoms Relief

Herbal supplements for PMS essentially act as hormonal balancers. And in addition to using herbs for PMS relief, diet and nutrition can help ease the severity of PMS. Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) and Vitamin E combined with a quality Multivitamin that includes magnesium and chromium help combat fluctuations in blood sugar.

Essential Fatty Acids can also be added by using flax seed (linseed) oil and by taking star flower oil or evening primrose oil capsules. A good herbal PMS remedy will include vitamins and minerals to assist with relieving PMS symptoms. ”

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I read with dismay your article on herbal medicine, which could unnecessarily discourage women from seeking such treatment for fertility problems (Herbal remedies ‘may hinder IVF treatment’, July 5).

“Infertile women who supplement their fertility treatment with alternative medicines may be harming their chances of becoming pregnant,” you reported. A year-long study “found that those who turned to complementary therapies … while having IVF treatment were at least 30% less likely to become pregnant than women who did not.” You didn’t mention, though, that there is a body of research evidence to contradict this study. One, Measuring the Effectiveness of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Improving Infertility (Wing & Sedlmeier), showed that Chinese herbal medicine, when prescribed correctly, actually increases fertility - 56% of the sample group were pregnant within six months of starting their final treatment. Another, The German Study on Acupuncture and ART (Paulus, Zhang, Strehler, El-Danasouri and Sterzik), demonstrated that acupuncture improved pregnancy rates during IVF - with 42% of the acupuncture group pregnant within six weeks, compared to 21% of the control group.”

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Couples are turning to Acupuncture in treating infertility.

“Couples experiencing the heartbreak of infertility will try almost anything to get pregnant. Now, some San Antonio women are turning to acupuncture to help them conceive.

Armed with a batch of needles, Kirsten Karchmer, an acupuncture therapist at the Texas Center for Reproductive Acupuncture, 7870 Broadway, is performing an age-old therapy to help fertility patient Shannon Freiley.”

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Some woman suffering from endometriosis have been helped with Chinese herbs. Now a study is being conducted to determine it’s effects:

“Endometriosis, a gynaecological problem affecting between 5 and 15 per cent of women, occurs when cells from the lining of the womb, the endometrium, migrate and grow in other parts of the body, often causing extreme pain, particularly around the time of menstruation. Conventional treatments, such as hormone tablets, tend to bring only short-term relief and can have side-effects such as a temporary menopause.

But now a new research study aims to prove that Chinese herbal medicine can help. People with endometriosis have long criticised doctors’ lack of awareness of the condition. It was diagnosed in Harrison in 1999, two years after she had first complained of pain. After an investigative operation she had laser treatment to burn off the areas of endometrial tissue in her abdomen that were proving troublesome, but the pain continued. The doctors recommended that she take hormone tablets, but she decided against them because they could cause weight gain and mood swings. The pain continued.

Then, five years ago, she found relief. Contacting her local complementary therapy clinic, she asked which treatments might help and she was assigned to Andrew Flower, a practitioner in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture. “He was brilliant. He accepted that I did have an illness, that I had not imagined it and that it was as debilitating as I said it was,” says Harrison. “Within two weeks of taking the first batch of herbs I felt incredible relief. I could move without pain and do the gardening again. The feeling that my pelvis was solid and blocked disappeared.”

“For the first few months I saw Andrew every few weeks. He tried various mixtures of herbs, which I took in powder form with hot water once or twice a day. Recently I’ve been getting them already made up in liquid form, which makes it much easier. They have a distinctive smell, which I love, but my family find disgusting.”

Many women have reported anecdotally that herbal medicines help their endometriosis, and several trials have taken place in China, but until now there has been little rigorous scientific research. Flower is involved in the first clinical trial of Chinese herbs in the West using boiled herbs and conducted under rigorous Western protocols. These demand that neither patient nor doctor knows which patients are receiving the herbs and which have been given a placebo mix. “I looked at 55 Chinese papers in which herbs had been used to treat endometriosis and spoke to 11 practitioners in this country,” says Flower, who is conducting the trial under the auspices of the complementary medicine research unit at Southampton University.

“The Chinese have been using these treatments for hundreds of years and don’t feel they have to prove that they work, but their research is strongly suggestive that herbs can have an impact on endometriosis. Given that endometriosis is not well treated by Western medicine and that up to 44 per cent of women experience a return of their symptoms within a year of laser surgery, the treatment was worth investigating.” ”

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For couples having trouble conceiving, infertility treatments get a boost from acupuncture and other Chinese medicine techniques.

A lot of women dream of the day that they’ll become a mom, only to discover after months or even years of trying to become pregnant that there’s a problem. Facing the prospect of infertility can be stressful, frustrating, and worrisome–and that kind of anxiety can make conception even more difficult. Two local organizations have teamed up in a unique partnership that combines the best of eastern and western medicine to help couples boost their chances of baby-making.

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Couples having difficulty conceiving are using acupuncture and Chinese medicine in addition to or to complement western fertility treatments:

“Infertility affects more than 6 million women and their partners in the United States, or about 10 percent of the reproductive-age population, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

While most infertility cases, 85 percent to 90 percent, are treated with conventional therapies like medicine or surgery, some women are also starting to turn to acupuncture either alone or in conjunction with Western therapies.

Smith’s acupuncturist, Nicole Jurkovic, said in the three years since she opened her practice in Asheville, about 30 percent to 40 percent of her clients have been women with infertility problems.

“People are wanting answers and a different way of looking at infertility that hasn’t been explored enough,” Jurkovic said.
A holistic approach

Both Jurkovic and Whittle subscribe to the practices of Chinese medicine, which takes a holistic approach to diagnosing and treating patients.

Traditional Chinese medicine sees the body as a balance of two opposing forces: yin, or cold, and yang, or hot. Health is achieved through the maintenance of a balance of yin and yang, which practitioners balance through a patient’s diet, lifestyle, nutritional and herbal supplements, and acupuncture treatments.

During treatments, an acupuncturist uses a small, metallic needle on a series of acupuncture points that connect channels of energy in the body. The needles are used to regulate the flow of qi, or vital energy, through the body. A blockage of qi leads to an imbalance of yin and yang.

For women dealing with infertility, the process helps to balance their hormones, increase blood flow to the uterus, boost the immune system and relieve stress, all helping their body to conceive, Jurkovic said.

“I was a little bit skeptical at first because we’ve been through so many treatments before,” Smith said. “After seeing the results, I feel like we’re on the right track.”

Smith said while she isn’t pregnant yet, the acupuncture treatments and herbal supplements have given her more energy, helped to regulate her menstrual cycles, alleviated pain in her neck and helped her to feel more relaxed.

Rebecca Piersma had been trying to have a baby for nine months when she started acupuncture treatments with Jurkovic last fall. She is now three months pregnant.

“I feel like it is a really positive thing because it takes into account everything going on in your life,” said the 25-year-old Fairview woman. “I realized I had to give my body time.””

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Some good advice for skin care:

“As Chinese medicine becomes more popular in the U.S., we gain the benefit of their ancient skin care secrets: While Westerners run to the stores looking for the latest dry skin or anti-aging products, many of which contain harsh chemicals that actually exacerbate the situation, the Chinese generally use the same medicine they’ve been using for hundreds or thousands of years – medicines that address the internal problems so the skin can heal itself. Shielding lotion, a breakthrough in topical dry skin care treatment now recommended by thousands of doctors, follows along the same line in that it also allows the skin to heal itself, but knowing some of the Chinese remedies will also provide the internal boost you need.

A doctor who specializes in Chinese medicine heals skin problems by observing the skin’s specific characteristics, relating them to the health of the fluids – known as the ‘yin’ - and functions – known as the ‘yang’ - within the body. If the skin is dry and has fine lines, the yin is treated, if the skin is sallow, sagging and pale, the yang is treated.

One of the staples of Chinese medicine for dry skin care is the wolfberry – the fruit of two species of boxthorn. Wolfberries nourish and tone the fluids of the liver, kidneys and blood and although the name might not be familiar to us, the ingredients are: anti-oxidants, Vitamin C, linoleic acid, thiamine, beta-carotene, riboflavin and trace minerals. Wolfberry comes under several names: Chinese Wolfberry, Duke of Argyll’s Tea Tree, Matrimony Vine and Goji Berry. The latter is the most common and is available in many health food stores in both liquid and dried forms.

Interestingly enough, other recommendations would include some of the same products considered beneficial by natural skin care aficionados in the West: plain yogurt, walnuts, cherries and aloe juice.

However, no matter how healthy you are on the inside, you also need a topical dry skin care treatment to protect you from the harsh, irritating chemicals and environmental conditions that cause most dry skin – which is where a shielding lotion comes in. A good shielding lotion bonds with the outer layer of the skin to form a protective layer that keeps moisture in and chemicals out. As with Chinese medicine, the skin can then heal itself.

I can’t guarantee that the Chinese approach to skin care explains why many Chinese look almost the same at 65 as they did at 25 but along with the shielding lotion for dry skin care and prevention, it will definitely help give us a more beautiful complexion.”

Daan carries a number of good skin care products, including:

Drula Soft Moisture Cream

Drula Special Intensive Cream

Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin and Hair Cream

Perfect Balance Skin Wash

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Acupuncture can relieve some pregnancy-related pain for some women:

“Acupuncture is effective at relieving pelvic pain during pregnancy, a study says.

Pelvic girdle pain is common among pregnant women with one in three affected suffering severe pain.

Researchers found acupuncture was better at easing the pain than standard and specialised exercising.

The team from Gothenburg`s Institute for the Health of Women and Children said the medical profession should be more open to using acupuncture.

Report co-author Helen Elden, a midwife at the institute, said according to BBC report: “The study shows that methods other than structured physiotherapy may be effective in treating pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy and that acupuncture represents an effective alternative.”

It [acupuncture] is good because it does not involve any drugs, which women have to be careful about taking during pregnancy And she added: “A combination of several methods is probably even better.”

The team studied the effect of three six-week treatment programmes on 386 pregnant women suffering from pelvic girdle pain, which it is thought is caused by hormones affecting ligaments and muscles.

One group were given a standard home exercise routine, a second received the exercise routine and acupuncture, while the third had a specialised exercise regime aimed at improving mobility and strength.

Pain levels were recorded every morning and evening and assessments were done by an independent examiner.

The women using acupuncture experienced the best results, followed by those who underwent the specialised exercise programme. “

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Some couples are finding success with using acupunture to treat infertility:

“The countdown has begun for “Jessica,” 40, and her husband. The couple is blissfully expecting their first offspring, twins, this June after several attempts at natural conception. When the old-fashioned method wasn’t working, they pursued invitro fertilization (IVF).

That wasn’t working either, so Jessica turned to acupuncture to nudge her into the family way.

“I was having problems getting pregnant,” she says. “My fertility doctor couldn’t find anything wrong. One day I woke up and decided to check out acupuncture. I did some research on the Internet, just read up what people had to say. I also have migraines, and I needed some help with that as well.”

Jessica made a visit to Hong Yan, an acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine specialist at Southcentre Chinese Acupuncture. After an extensive assessment and a customized treatment plan, the new mother-to-be said she noticed a difference.

“Hong was very good, very relaxing,” she says. “After two months of having pins stuck in you, I’d had enough of it, but I felt great afterwards. I think it woke my system up. Once we started the second IVF treatment, I got pregnant right away.”

Yan, who originally honed her skills in China as a physician, has been practicing acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine for 13 years. While many people come to her for pain and stress relief or alleviation from chronic illnesses, she’s found the method has worked effectively for couples who want to conceive.

“Most want to try a natural process, and some of them are on waiting list for fertility clinic specialist,” she says. “Then some people have already tried IVF, didn’t succeed and they want something more natural.”

Yan says she immediately checks to see if there are any medical impediments to prevent a woman from getting pregnant. Then she helps them track their basal body temperature, which is commonly used the rhythm method. The evidence collected helps her determine where to apply the acupuncture needles as well as which herbs to prescribe.

“With every phase of a woman’s cycle, there are particular levels of hormones and temperatures,” she says. “I find what is wrong with the hormones I will try to add some new protocols with acupuncture and Chinese herbs to help regulate the temperatures.”"

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