Arvigo Maya Fertility Massage: Working Wonders

Time for a belly rub! If you are willing to try anything, take a stab at this one:

Arvigo Maya Massage is an abdominal massage for the reproductive and digestive systems that has been practiced for thousands of years. The non-invasive technique helps guide the internal reproductive organs into their proper position and relieve tension in the diaphragm since organs that have shifted have restricted flow of blood, lymph nerve and chi.

This technique was developed by Dr. Rosita Arvigo, who moved to Belize from the US in 1981 and worked as a naprapathic doctor (a branch of chiropractic care). She met one of the last of the traditional Maya shaman, Don Elijio Panti and was taken on as his apprentice. (Panit passed away in 1996 at the age of 103).


As with any other natural healing, Arvigo Techniques seek to restore the body to its natural balance. Though the techniques are shown to have positive results for gynecological and gastrointestinal issues, the main results have been a boost to fertility.


According to Dr. Arvigo's website, the work is best known for the correction of the prolapsed, fallen, or tilted uterus and for the prevention and treatment of benign prostate enlargement in men, and for relief of many common digestive disorders.

Benefits for Women
Normally the uterus leans slightly over the bladder in the center of the pelvis, about one and a half inches above the pubic bone. It is held in this position by muscles, the vaginal wall and ligaments that attach it to the back, front, and sides of the pelvis. Uterine ligaments are made to stretch to accommodate a growing fetus inside and to move freely when the bladder or bowel is full. The ligaments and muscles can weaken and loosen, causing the uterus to fall downward, forward, backward or to either side.

A uterus in any of these positions is called tilted or prolapsed. Modern medicine has little or nothing to offer women with this problem. Options may include using the birth control pill, muscle relaxants, or surgery and women are generally told, "your uterus is tipped, but that is normal and don't worry about it." Yet women have a laundry list of physical and emotional symptoms that can be addressed and prevented with these simple, noninvasive massage techniques. When reproductive organs shift, they can constrict normal flow of blood and lymph, and disrupt nerve connections. Just a few extra ounces sitting on blood and lymph vessels can cause havoc throughout the different systems in the body. By shifting the uterus back into place, homeostasis, or the natural balance of the body, is restored in the pelvic area and the surrounding organs. Toxins are flushed and nutrients that help to tone tissue and balance hormones are restored to normal order. This is essential for healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

Old adhesions from invasive treatments to the pelvic and abdominal area, including fibroid tumors, endometriosis, and cesarean delivery are diminished when addressed by uterine massage. In addition, digestion, urinary and bladder problems can be helped.

Check out Dr. Arvigo's site for more info. She also has a link to practitioners in your area here.

 I found out about this therapy from an article my mom sent me from Oprah.com. Daphne Oz (daughter of  -- you guessed it -- Dr. Mehmet Oz), wrote about her experience with the massage. You can read that story here.

New Year, New Day!

A year-ago this month I was in a "starting fresh" mood. I was ready to make more life changes in hopes of getting pregnant and having a baby with the only man I would ever want to do that with. I started the year talking about a detox plan and cutting gluten from my diet. Not much changed on that front, still no baby.

But a year later, I am mentally OK and that, ladies and gents, proved to be the biggest challenge of 2010. I started that year without a full-time job after the financial sector crumbled, along with my job. But things got better and I finally got a new job that brought me into a fairly new sector where I met new people, and I like what I am doing. I knew that changing my focus from trying to get pregnant to just living each day and focusing on my marriage would be hard, and holy shit did it suck. But, I am finally in a place where trying to conceive isn't the only damn thing on my mind.

Guys always joke about how trying to get pregnant is fun bc of all of the practicing  you get to do. Yes, at first it's totally fun. Then after a while, not so much. One of my friend's husbands said to my husband, you must be like a porn star. Yes, if porn is like this:
Me: "I am ovulating"
The Hubz: "Oh Ok"
Me: "I am tired, can we do it now"
Hubz: "Ok"
Several minutes later...
Me: "Hand me those pillows so I can prop my butt up"
Hubz: "Ok. I going to go change my teams" (if your husband plays fantasy football/baseball you know what I am talking about :)

Needless to say we are NOT in that place anymore - thank god. But keep in mind, I have been on an extended break from trying to get pregnant --  in terms of using any methods of intervention with a doctor or holistic health professional. I am not sure if I needed this time to get my sanity back, or if I am fooling myself. The future holds all of the cards and I am not sure if I have a full house or not.

One thing I do know is that I have become more comfortable with not having kids than I thought I would. I cherish my uninterrupted sleep and ability to do whatever I want, when I want. That is part of being in a moment and being in my marriage, instead of being in the future of my marriage.

I was reading another infertility blog today and the writer was so insightful. You can tell she is getting to a place of maturity and dealing with life that takes some people two lifetimes to get to. But she is doing it with class and style. This couple is choosing Plan C - life without a child after struggling with infertility and IVF.

In her year-in-review post she wrote that her biggest achievement of 2010 was surviving infertility with her marriage and sanity in tact.  I second that achievement, which pretty much sums up my 2010. If you are reading this and are in the depths of despair with all that comes with infertility, things will get better, no matter what choice you make or stage you are at.

Here's to growing and evolving some more in 2011!

xoxo

What's in the bottle? Not all water is created equal!

The purest of pure may not be so clear-cut when it comes to bottled water. The Environmental Working Group is always doing its best to keep consumers aware and companies liable for their products.

Released last week was the EWG's 2011 Water Scorecard, which breaks down companies with the best and worst rating for being transparent with where they source their water and how it's filtered.

EWG said companies that sell bottled water, which costs up to 1,900 times more than tap water, are keeping secrets about where the water comes from, if and how it is purified and if testing has revealed any contaminants.

Of 173 unique bottled water products surveyed by EWG, 18 percent of bottled waters fail to list the source, and 32 percent disclose nothing about the treatment or purity of the water. Much of the marketing nonsense that drew ridicule last year can still be found on a number of labels, EWG said.


EWG recommends that you drink filtered tap water. You'll save money, drink water that’s purer than tap water and help solve the global glut of plastic bottles.


The top performers -- products with the "best" labels and received a "B" rating -- were:
Gerber pure purified water
Nestle Pure Life Purified Water
Penta Ultra-Purified Water

Topping the "C" rating with "better" labels were:
Walgreens Pure Drinking Water
Acqua Panna Natural Spring Water
Alhambra Crystal-Fresh Purified Water

Products that fell into the "murky label" category with a "D" rating included:
365 Everyday Value Spring Water (The brand sold at Whole Foods)
Aquafina Purified Drinking Water
Deer Park
Kirkland
Poland Spring
S. Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
Volvic

Products with the "murkiest" labels and given an "F" rating included:
Stop & Shop Acadia
(Walgreens) Drinking Water
Archer Farms
Ciao Acqua
Crystal Geyser
CVS Gold Emblem
Eco Choice
Ethos Water
Glacia
Trader Joe's
Voss
Wegmans Spring Water
Whole Foods Italian Still Mineral Water

From the "Other" Side

When I am in the bubble of infertility, I never think that anyone else is thinking about my problem. But what I've come to learn recently is that it's not just about me (duh!). I know that a lot of my family and friends are pulling for me but I didn't know the full extent.

I have a super sister-in-law who is thoughtful and sincere and just plain awesome! She lost her father suddenly a few years ago. I cannot imagine the pain associated with losing a loved one so suddenly and I think about my sister-in-law and her dad often.

From time-to-time her father has visited her in her dreams. One dream in particular was more than a year ago when my sister-in-law was wondering if I was pregnant or would ever get pregnant. She told me that her father told her in the dream that I wasn't pregnant but I would be -- the timing just wasn't right.

Fast forward to present time and my sister-in-law found a medium (yes, a psychic) and asked for a reading. She asked the medium to speak to her father and ask him about my chances of getting pregnant. I have to stop here for a second to say that my sister-in-law could be asking her dad a ton of other things about herself and her immediate family but she asked about me...this is what makes her so special <3.

The medium sent her reply in an email and told my sister-in-law that basically I am not ovulating at the time that I think I am and should be attempting to conceive at an entirely different time of the month than what I have been doing.

Below are excerpts from the medium: (her words are in parenthesis and my sister-in-law's father's answers are in quotes as relayed through the medium)

(I ask if he can tell us anything about why Alison cannot get pregnant after all the years of trying and testing, etc.)

"She ovulates more at the beginning of the cycle--the hormones don't seem to be indicating this--she needs to focus more on the beginning of the cycle--not so much into the middle."

(Do you think she will be able to get pregnant)

"I do believe that if she focuses on what I'm telling her she will be able to achieve this. She should resume her natural hormonal cycle and follow the advice I have given. It's often the simple things that seem so unclear to people--the doctors focus on looking for major things and often neglect the natural rhythms of life. There are no other physical challenges that I know of."

(What can Alison do to help herself)

"She needs to be still in her mind--stress and worry won't help this situation. She needs to return to her own natural cycle--using procedures and natural means to alter the hormones is fine, but the cycle will then continue to keep fluctuating based upon what she is doing at the time--let it settle into it's own pattern once again so that she can pinpoint ovulation. Sometimes it is not good to go against your own natural construct--everyone is different and forcing her body to follow the same pattern as others will not work for her."

(Are you able to tell us a more specific time that she ovulates)

"Very soon after the menstrual cycle--she should focus on this time--perhaps even before it is completed. This would not be the norm, yet for her it is."

(Can you tell if Alison will become pregnant)

"This may take some months of trying, but I do believe this will be achieved."

Lots of love to SMC and her Dad! xoxo

For more information on the medium, JoAnne DelVecchio, click here.