Learn

If you are trying to conceive via IVF, and your clinic advises freezing the embryo/s, what else can you do after egg retrieval to improve the odds of your frozen embryo implanting?

Here’s 5 natural things you can do:

1. Take a good prenatal. What’s a good prenatal?

– One that contains natural folate or methylfolate. This is preferred over poorly absorbed synthetic folic acid.

– One that contains active forms of Vitamin B6 and B12

– One that contains Iodine and Selenium. Minerals that are important for fertility and are not always included in prenatal supplements.

Or simply take a recommendation from your practitioner at Freedom Chinese Medicine. We stock 3 different quality prenatals in the clinic.

Having adequate levels of these vitamins right from the start of pregnancy is important for the health of the baby.

2. Take Vitamin D.

Refer to our supplement guide or your practitioner for dosing.

Vitamin D is important for reducing the risk of miscarriage and preterm birth.

3. Take Vitamin E 600mg daily.

Studies have used 900IU, which is a fairly high dose. To get close to that level, you could take 2 capsules per day in the month before embryo transfer.

In 2019, a study of women with repeated implantation failure found that supplementing with Vitamin E significantly improved lining thickness. Vitamin E boosts blood cell numbers in the uterine lining and promotes the development of new blood vessels.

4. Take L-arginine 6g daily.

Not recommended before egg retrieval as it may compromise egg quality. It has been found that L-arginine can endometrial thickness was 6 grams per day, divided into 4 doses

L-arginine dilates blood vessels thereby improving blood flow.

5. Have acupuncture!

Acupuncture is surprisingly relaxing. Research has consistently found that in women undergoing IVF, acupuncture reduces the level of the stress hormone cortisol.

After transfer, you can stop the Vitamin E and L-arginine, but continue with Acupuncture, Vitamin D and your prenatal until you get a positive test.

If you are trying to conceive naturally, here is information on supplementation for you.

Written by Dr. Elaine Hickman

B.H.Sc.TCM (Acupuncture), Cert.Cl.Ac. (Beijing)

Elaine has trained and worked in various settings, both in Australia and China.  She has over 22 years experience in treating many health problems.  Elaine loves to provide a health care experience for people that is respectful, effective, empowering and enjoyable.  Elaine has particular expertise in Women’s Health, Children’s Health, Family Medicine and Wellness promotion. She brings extra understanding and knowledge to the table having been through infertility herself.

Elaine is available in clinic in Ivanhoe, Melbourne or via Telehealth/ phone or video chat.

Book Your Appointment TODAY

References

1. Hashemi Z, Sharifi N, Khani B, Aghadavod E, Asemi Z. The effects of vitamin E supplementation on endometrial thickness, and gene expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and inflammatory cytokines among women with implantation failure. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2019 Jan;32(1):95-102. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2017.1372413. Epub 2017 Sep 12. Update in: J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2022 Dec;35(25):6841. PMID: 28847198.

2. Takasaki A, Tamura H, Miwa I, Taketani T, Shimamura K, Sugino N. Endometrial growth and uterine blood flow: a pilot study for improving endometrial thickness in the patients with a thin endometrium. Fertil Steril. 2010 Apr;93(6):1851-8. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.12.062. Epub 2009 Feb 6. PMID: 19200982.

3. So EW, Ng EH, Wong YY, Yeung WS, Ho PC. Acupuncture for frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Reprod Biomed Online. 2010 Jun;20(6):814-21. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2010.02.024. Epub 2010 Mar 4. PMID: 20382081.

Dr. Elaine’s top tips for stress relief

It’s that time of year when life can seem to speed up, get much busier. Do you feel more stressed this time of year? Here’s 8 things that you can do to help.

First, accept it; there is no need to fight with stress. It can be used as a creative energy. Accept the feeling, it is perfectly okay. Stress is simply an indication that the body is getting ready to fight with the situation. Enjoy the challenge! There is no need to be worried. Work it out, use the energy that is coming up: walk up and down, go for a run, go for a long walk. Plan what you want to do, what the mind wants to do. Rather than trying to relax, which is sometimes not possible. In fact if you have worked through the stress totally you will come to relaxation automatically; you can go on only so far, then the body automatically relaxes.

If you are overwhelmed, having trouble focusing on what you need to do to next to work through the stress, try these:

1. Stop & breathe, even for 30 seconds. Stop what you’re doing, focus on your breath, elongate your breath out, ideally make it twice as long as your breath in. Breathe through your nose if you can. This one of the quickest ways to decrease your sympathetic (excitatory) nervous system activity.

2. Be present. Focus on one thing at a time and give it your full focus. Let yourself be immersed in this one task, letting go of the feeling that you need to quickly rush through it, that you need to get on to the next task. There will always be a next task — the nature of task lists is that they’re never-ending. So let those other tasks come later.

3. Make space between appointments. Rushing is a common stress trigger so minimise rushing by allowing space between appointments. Allow time for the unexpected to come up, as it often does. Be a master of your time, not a slave to it.

4. Laugh. It’s one of the quickest ways to get those happy chemicals flowing. And it’s fun. Take 5 mins to watch a funny video. Ask the person next to you to tell you a joke. Try laughing at yourself or the ridiculously busy day you have planned. It can be liberating:)

5. Rest if you’re tired. Ah so simple but we often find this one challenging. “But I’ve got so much to do” says our programming. The simple truth is that you’ll be able to complete any task much more efficiently after you’ve had even a 5 minute rest.

6. Take a brief walk. When things are getting stressful, take two-three minutes to take a walk and clear your mind. A short walk does wonders.

7. Let go. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with tasks, work out what you can delegate or simply drop it for now. Ask yourself~ does it really matter right now?

8. Drop the sugar. Seriously. Sugar is a stimulant, will send your blood sugar high which will soon come back down, this can affect our mood and stress response.

You can also come in for a relaxing Acupuncture or  Massage session 🙂

Feeling anxious? You’re not alone. Everybody experiences anxiety from time to time. Anxiety is a normal part of responding to challenges and dangers in life. Sometimes anxiety can become a persistent or debilitating experience.

Persistent anxiety can present differently in different people. Some people find themselves thinking rapidly and their mind leapfrogs from one fear into another, some take themselves to the Emergency department because they believe themselves to be experiencing a heart attack, and some need to go to the toilet – every ten minutes.

Acupuncturists are often asked “How effective is acupuncture for anxiety?” or “How many Acupuncture sessions will I need to treat my anxiety?”

Physiologically, acupuncture can treat anxiety because it interacts with and calms the sympathetic nervous system to take us out of the flight-or-fright response. Because of this many people feel calmer during their session.

But there is more to it than that. As Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners we look at the person as a whole and ask the question “Why is this person experiencing anxiety in this way?”.

What happens during the consult?                       

During your consultation, your practitioner will ask what your experience of anxiety is. This means we will ask you how it manifests physically, mentally and emotionally. We take your pulse and look at your tongue, and ask a number of seemingly unrelated questions that help us to gauge what happened to keep you stuck in a heightened state of worry, fear or negativity.

It can sometimes help to know the circumstances that led to the anxiety. But what we are really interested in is what happened, or is happening inside of you. We are interested in where the imbalance occurred to wear down your resilience and prevent you from moving forward. Out of the fight-or-flight response.

Different ways anxiety affects people

Symptoms we might monitor from week to week are broad, and can include:

• Inability to relax, circular thinking, aversion to social situations
• Irritability, anger, obsessive thinking, fears and phobias
• Heart palpitations, sweaty palms, chest tightness, breathlessness
• Insomnia, restless sleep, nightmares
• Pain
• Irritable bowels (diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, indigestion)
• Urinary frequency and incontinence
• Hair loss, fatigue, social withdrawal

How many acupuncture sessions required to treat anxiety

We usually recommend a course of 4-6 sessions for significant improvements.

Each session usually takes between 30-45 minutes. Patients usually feel more relaxed during and immediately after each treatment. We often find that that relaxation extends for longer periods after each session.

Patients report “feeling like themselves again”. A little bit at a time, people start to access optimism and confidence. They smile more often and laugh more genuinely.

Generally, patients find that looking after themselves (eating well, exercise and setting boundaries) becomes easier when the feelings of anxiety are reduced.

How effective is acupuncture for anxiety?

Ongoing studies continue to show that acupuncture is significantly useful in reducing anxiety across a broad range of situations and conditions.  “Overall, there is good scientific evidence encouraging acupuncture therapy to treat anxiety disorders as it yields effective outcomes, with fewer side effects than conventional treatment.”¹

Studies looking at women undergoing IVF[i], patients heading into surgery[ii] and students heading into exams[iii] all benefit from acupuncture for anxiety. Results were based on anxiety surveys, heart rate, blood pressure and skin electrodermal activity. Acupuncture results were significantly better than sham acupuncture in all cases.

Special Offer – $20 0ff your initial session with any Acupuncturist at Freedom Chinese Medicine until end of August 2022. Click here to book. You must mention this offer to receive the discount.

T&C: For New Patients only. Not transferable. Not available with any other offer. Not redeemable for cash.

Written by:

References

1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29705474

[i] Isoyama D, Cordts EB, de Souza van Niewegen AMB, et al

Effect of acupuncture on symptoms of anxiety in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: a prospective randomised controlled study Acupuncture in Medicine 2012;30:85-88.

[ii] Klausenitz C¹, Hesse T¹, Hacker H¹, Hahnenkamp K¹, Usichenko T¹.

Auricular acupuncture for pre-exam anxiety in medical students: a prospective observational pilot investigation. Acupunct Med. 2016 Apr;34(2):90-4. doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2015-010887. Epub 2015 Oct 5.

[iii] Shayestehfar M¹, Seif-Barghi T², Zarei S³, Mehran A³. Acupuncture Anxiolytic Effects on Physiological and Psychological Assessments for a Clinical Trial. Scientifica (Cairo). 2016;2016:4016952. doi: 10.1155/2016/4016952. Epub 2016 Apr 4.

 

The Paul Keating interview hyperlink:

https://www.facebook.com/AACMA/posts/10155364681999557

 

Both men and women can optimise their chances of conceiving by following a healthy eating regime that stocks up a range of important nutrients in the body.

It’s also important for both men and women to stop smoking and drinking coffee¹ before trying to conceive to give their bodies the best possible chance of producing healthy eggs and sperm and, of course, a healthy baby.

What about my diet? Eating a variety of wholefoods, fresh vegetables, healthy fats and protein is essential. If you or your partner need help quitting smoking or eating better, we can help. Then there’s the question:

Do you really need to supplement in pill form?

The short answer is yes. To ensure that you’re getting sufficient folate for example. Vitamins such as folate are not only critical for preventing birth defects, but may also make it easier to get pregnant, by restoring ovulation and boosting egg quality. Some vitamins can also reduce the risk of miscarriage. For all these reasons, it is important to take a good quality prenatal vitamin supplement early – ideally at least 3 months before trying to conceive.

There is a great deal of evidence on the benefits of supplements for fertility. Check out the reference section for the research articles. When it comes to fertility, there is often no time to wait. This is particularly true in the context of IVF, where women might only have one or two chances before running out of financial or emotional resources.

Studies show that women who take a daily multivitamin are much less likely to have infertility due to ovulation problems.²

It is recommended that you have a nutritionally trained professional check your supplement plan. Your medical history and other medications need to be taken into consideration.  Here is a basic plan to get you started:

The Bare Essentials: – Supplements recommended if you’re healthy, below 35 years old and have trying to conceive for less than 12 months (with no miscarriages or failed IVF cycles)

• Folate –  In the form of methyl-folate is best, as it’s better absorbed. At least 800 micrograms
• Iodine. Iodine deficiency is common. Women with iodine deficiency may have a more difficult time conceiving.
• Vitamin D (if your levels have been low in the last 2 years).  If your Vitamin D levels are below 100 nmol/L or 40ng/ml, consider supplementing with 4000-5000IU per day for 3 months. If you’re taking this dose long term, checking your blood calcium levels is wise. If you have significant deficiency, you can start with 10,000 IU per day for 2 weeks.

(a good prenatal will contain all of the above, we stock such at Freedom Chinese Medicine in Ivanhoe, Melbourne)

• Iron (if your levels are currently low)
• CoQ10 consider adding this daily supplement to enhance energy production inside developing eggs and possibly prevent chromosomal errors. The most effective form of CoQ10 is ubiquinol or Bio-Quinon, and the basic dose is 200mg, preferably taken in the morning with food.

Extra Support: – recommended if you’ve had some fertility issues, like trying for more than 12 months, or miscarriages.

• A prenatal multivitamin containing at least 800 mcg of methylfolate.
• Ubiquinol 400mg daily. One 200mg tablet with breakfast, one with lunch.
• Iodine. Iodine deficiency is common. Women with iodine deficiency may have a more difficult time conceiving.
• Iron (if your levels are currently low)
• Vitamin D (if your levels have been low in the last 2 years).  If your Vitamin D levels are below 100 nmol/L or 40ng/ml, consider supplementing with 4000-5000IU per day for 3 months. If you’re taking this dose long term, checking your blood calcium levels is wise. If you have significant deficiency, you can start with 10,000 IU per day for 2 weeks.
• Additional Vitamin C– 500mg benefits our immune system and improves egg and sperm quality.
• Vitamin E– 200 IU.  An antioxidant nutrient helpful for egg and sperm quality.
• Alpha-lipoic acid or N-acetyl cysteine if you need a stronger anti-oxidant boost (if you have MTHFR mutation or autoimmune problems)

Optimal Support: – recommended if you have a diminished ovarian reserve, age-related infertility or you need to pursue IVF or IUI for any other reason, you have the most to gain from an aggressive plan to improve egg quality.

• A prenatal multivitamin containing at least 800 mcg of methylfolate.
• Ubiquinol 400mg daily. One 200mg tablet with breakfast, one with lunch.
• Iodine. Iodine deficiency is common. Women with iodine deficiency may have a more difficult time conceiving.
• Iron (if your levels are currently low)
• Vitamin D (if your levels have been low in the last 2 years).  If your Vitamin D levels are below 100 nmol/L or 40ng/ml, consider supplementing with 4000-5000IU per day for 3 months. If you’re taking this dose long term, checking your blood calcium levels is wise. If you have significant deficiency, you can start with 10,000 IU per day for 2 weeks.
• Additional Vitamin C– 500mg benefits our immune system and improves egg and sperm quality.
• Vitamin E– 200 IU.  An antioxidant nutrient helpful for egg and sperm quality.
• R-alpha-lipoic acid 200-300mg – preferably at least 30mins before a meal
• N-acetyl cysteine 600mg – anytime.
• For IVF only; melatonin, 3mg at bedtime, starting 2-4 weeks before egg retrieval
• Consider also taking a DHEA supplement (if your DHEAS and testosterone levels are low). For 2-3 months before your next IVF cycle. Typical dosage is 25mg, 3 times per day, although you may require less.

 

What about him?

If there is a him on the scene, his nutrition certainly counts. Contrary to popular belief, male infertility contributes to nearly 50% of all cases in which a couple has difficulty conceiving³ Here’s what he can take to improve your chances of conceiving:

• a daily prenatal multivitamin containing methylfolate
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Zinc
• Selenium

(a good male prenatal will contain all of the above, we stock such at Freedom Chinese Medicine in Ivanhoe, Melbourne)

• Ubiquinol or BioQuinon – at least 200mg daily
• Alpha-lipoic Acid if known sperm quality issues, recurrent miscarriage or failed IVF cycles
• Fish Oil/ Omega 3s
• L-carnitine

Each of these supplements is backed up by clear scientific evidence. For example, a study found that when men took Alpha-lipoic acid each day for 12 weeks, there was a significant improvement in sperm count, sperm concentration, and motility levels.4

 

We stock all the above supplements at Freedom Chinese Medicine in Ivanhoe. In high quality form. We also offer practitioners who hold exceptional knowledge & experience in helping people conceive. We’d be happy to help you, so feel free to contact if you have any questions or need extra help.

 

Written by:

References:

1 Maternal caffeine consumption and pregnancy outcomes: a narrative review with implications for
advice to mothers and mothers-to-be. Jack E. James. 10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111432

2 Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. Use of multivitamins, intake of B vitamins, and risk of ovulatory infertility. Fertil Steril. 2008 Mar;89(3):668-76. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.03.089. Epub 2007 Jul 10. PMID: 17624345; PMCID: PMC2366795.

3 Esteves SC, Agarwal A. Novel concepts in male infertility. Int Braz J Urol. 2011 Jan-Feb;37(1):5-15. doi: 10.1590/s1677-55382011000100002. PMID: 21385475.

4 Salas-Huetos A, Rosique-Esteban N, Becerra-Tomás N, Vizmanos B, Bulló M, Salas-Salvadó J. The Effect of Nutrients and Dietary Supplements on Sperm Quality Parameters: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Adv Nutr. 2018 Nov 1;9(6):833-848. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmy057. PMID: 30462179; PMCID: PMC6247182.

Kuehn B. Iodine Deficiency May Impair Fertility. JAMA. 2018;319(8):760. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.1291

Czeizel AE, Dudás I. Prevention of the first occurrence of neural-tube defects by periconceptional vitamin supplementation. N Engl J Med. 1992 Dec 24;327(26):1832-5. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199212243272602. PMID: 1307234.

Rudick B, Ingles S, Chung K, Stanczyk F, Paulson R, Bendikson K. Characterizing the influence of vitamin D levels on IVF outcomes. Hum Reprod. 2012 Nov;27(11):3321-7. doi: 10.1093/humrep/des280. Epub 2012 Aug 21. PMID: 22914766.

https://www.thebump.com/a/vitamins-you-need-to-conceive

http://natural-fertility-info.com/multivitamin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of us are raging internally at the moment. Mainly due to this prolonged lock down. I get it. But how can we constructively deal with our anger? It’s best to express it. Let it out. Check out these 5 tips:

1. Do more vigorous exercise than usual. Pound the pavement. Pull out some tough weeds. Try not to hurt yourself of course! The endorphins can really help.

2. Punch a pillow, a punching bag or similar. Not the cat! Listen to some punk music first if you really want to get into it 🙂

3. Scream. So simple. Vocalising rage & anger (ideally not at someone else) can really help.  I’m thinking screaming whilst walking in the park alone might wake up some people – in a good way:)

4. Create. Depict your anger on canvas. Write to your local member of parliament. Write for yourself. Do some pottery. Create whatever you like. Expressing anger in any way is better than keeping it inside us.

5. Laugh.  Use humor to release tension. Watch some dark comedy. It can diffuse the anger. Help you realise that it’s temporary. Like all of our feelings..

Stay sane, if you can..

 

Written by Dr. Elaine Hickman

Elaine has trained and worked in various settings, both in Australia and China.  She has over 20 years experience in treating many health problems.  Elaine loves to provide a health care experience for people that is respectful, effective, empowering and enjoyable.  Elaine has particular expertise in Women’s Health, Children’s Health, Family Medicine and Wellness promotion.

Preparation tips for everyone who plans to get the COVID-19 Vaccine

1. The night before your appointment, make sure to get a good night’s sleep—it will help your immune system work to its fullest potential. If you have a choice, get the vaccine on a day before you have time off from work so you can rest the following day also.  If your appointment is around a mealtime, you should also eat beforehand and drink water—don’t go to your appointment hungry or thirsty.

2.   Make sure your stools are moving regularly. If not, they can’t cleanse and detox the body.

3.   Eat a clean diet the days leading up to the vaccine. Try to avoid refined sugars and artificial sweeteners as these can cause inflammation.

4.  Do not take the vaccine if you are actively sick.

 

 

 

 

5. Take supplements:

Vit D

Vit C

Probiotics

+

Glutathione or N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)

Glutathione acts as an important antioxidant in your body by combating free radicals (molecules that can damage your body’s cells). Glutathione and NAC play an important role in many reactions in your body as they help you detox chemicals from drugs and pollutants as well as the ones your body creates naturally. Glutathione and NAC also help make DNA, support enzyme production and increase immune function. Although there is no thimerosal or other preservatives in the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, the oxidative load of the replication of the COVID 19 virus itself is enough to warrant detoxification support. There are also many studies confirming that the use of glutathione and NAC decrease the harmful symptoms of COVID 19 making it in your best interest to take these as soon as possible up to four weeks after your final vaccination.

We have all of the above supplements at Freedom Chinese Medicine in Ivanhoe, Melbourne.

 

Written by:

Suffering with a sore throat? Dealing with a congested, heavy head? We understand that it’s not fun.  Here are some ways to help you recover quicker:

1. Get more sleep & rest – simple right? Not always I know, but you’ll get back to full functioning quicker if you rest well.

2. Drink 2 litres of water daily when you’re sick. Increased water intake can help reduce nasal symptoms by flushing/diluting mucous and histamine. Water is also needed for metabolic processes that can increase with fever.

3. Try to keep your temperature stable. Not easy with our heated buildings. But you can dress warmly for outside and take off layers when in a heated room. Avoid overdressing in bed.

4. Reach for the salt water. If you have a sore throat, a simple saline gargle can help. And if you have blocked sinuses, regular saline rinsing (ie. A saline nasal spray like Fess) can help.

5. Inhalation can also clear congestion. Whether it’s the head over a bucket of steam variety. Adding some Peppermint or Eucalyptus oil to a hot shower, or your pillow case. Inhaling Vicks, Tiger Balm, or Woodlock Liniment can also help.

6. For a dry, irritated cough, taking honey can help. Raw, Organic honey is best as it has more anti-bacterial potency.

7. Apply white Tiger Balm. The Vicks of the East – without the petroleum products. Apply to your temples for a headache, under your nose to clear your nasal passages. Apply to your chest for a cough.

8. If you have a fever below 38ºC, don’t suppress it by taking Panadol or similar. A fever is your body’s way of fighting any invading microorganisms. A fever stimulates your immune system into producing more white blood cells, antibodies, and a protein called interferon, all of which work to protect your body against harmful microorganisms. By raising your body’s temperature a few degrees, a fever makes it harder for invading bacteria and viruses to survive and flourish. The higher your core body temperature is, the harder it is for harmful microorganisms to survive in your body. Click here for more info.

9. For Sinusitis or a headache with a cold, press on Acupoints Colon 20, Colon 4 (Li4) & Gall Bladder 20.

GB 20

 

 

Haven’t got sick? Great. Here‘s some tips on how to keep your immune system robust. Prevention is better than cure right?

B.H.Sc. TCM (Acupuncture), Cert.Cl.Ac (Beijing)
Registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine

@ Freedom Chinese Medicine
Email: Elaine@freedomchinesemedicine.com
https://www.facebook.com/freedomchinesemedicine