Hello follies...looking lovely today

Well I am laying the ground work for a fertile ground  in my uterus and as you can see (sort of)...all is good in mah belly. Those are follicles on one of my ovaries and since all looks good I've started my stimulation meds a few days early and am on my way!

I did my first shot of follistim last night and I feel really good today...the only minor side effect I've noticed so far is... crazy, hardcore balling at the site of anything, constant hunger, happiness followed by misery, hugging followed by screaming at my husband, my dog, my cat, my postman (he was caught off guard) and any poor telemarketer who calls my house...

Hehehe...just kidding! Really I've had no side effects (knock on wood) yet except a little bit of hotness at night and I don't mean the sexy kind. But nothing that keeps me up. My dreams have been a little out of control but I've always been that way so nothing new there.

I did have a little breakdown on Sunday night and Monday morning..I was not feeling my optimistic self and things felt very heavy and crappy. My bright spot and my rock is my husband who has given over all to a higher power and reminds me to do the same because good things are to come! I do believe that but get shaken from time to time. I know how lucky I am to have a man like him, who picks me up and carries me when I am down.

I was looking through an old box of my stuff a while back and found some letters that my grandmother had written me when she was alive. She always wrote me letters throughout my life. The one I happened to read was so timely and about when life is hard and you are discouraged just give all over to god to handle.

It made me feel such relief to read it. I don't think there are coincidences, I think Grammy G was there to make sure I read her note at that moment, just like when I saw a rainbow and knew it was from her after she died.

All is good today and I am ok with today...living in this moment feels great, so I'll take it!

So I will know more later this week on how those follicles are progressing! Until then I am continuing acupuncture twice a week along with taking my vitamins and trying to stay active.

I've skipped out on the gym but have been walking Ollie a lot...of course he is way happy about that!

Happy Birthday St. Gerard!!

Lots of us pray to him and wear him around our neck...but on Friday, April 6 it's his birthday!

St. Gerard , the Patron Saint of Motherhood, was born in 1726 in a small town in the south of Italy called Muro. Funny enough, the website I searched for his info used to give out free prayer cards and medals but the response has been overwhelming so they stopped handing them out for free! Ha!


To read more about St. Gerard, click here.


In honor of St. Gerard's birthday, St. Lucy's Parish in Newark, NJ will have an annual mass on April 15 at 12:30 pm.

Gratefullness, polyps and more....

Love life and it will love you back....

I recently had a chalk board put into my kitchen...my awesome husband bought chalkboard paint and cut some nice molding and make a lovely place for me (and him) to write whatever we like. The quote above has been on the board for a week or so and I have been feeling the love big time. Not just how much I get but in what I also give out.

I am a few weeks into my first IVF cycle and things are going well....no major side effects with the injections or steroids. I went for my first intralipid IV at SIRM in NYC yesterday. It was painless and calm and I just read my book for two hours.

That's my HUGE hand in the front :)

I was happy and not scared or worried...just grateful. It really overwhelmed me. I was grateful that I could be in a position to get the care I need with a doctor I trust with caring and knowledgeable nurses. I was grateful that my insurance is picking up the cost of many things and I can afford to get a treatment like intralipids.

I definitely wasn't in a place of "why me?" It never crossed my mind. I am just happy and grateful to be able to get excellent treatment and have a family sometime soon! I am also extremely grateful for the tremendous support system I have from my family and friends, especially my "Panera Girls" :)

I feel calm and collected and as cool as a cucumber. I do know that might change as I move along in this month and have more hormone injections but for now, since I love being in this moment, I am loving it big time.

Last week, I had to do a saline sonogram, which is required before doing the IVF. My doc, Dr. Tortoriello at SIRM, found a couple of polpys in my uterus. This was surprising and something I have never been checked for before...so needless to say, I am not sure how long then have been hanging around.

I had a hysteroscopy a few days later to remove the polyps...Dr. T said they were large and hanging there like a chandelier. He used a teeny-tiny scissors to snip them off. I woke up in recovery and was really cramping but overall I bounced back quickly and feel great today.

I had asked if this was the cause of my infertility (even though I know it would be hard to answer) and Dr. T said pretty much that, it's hard to say but could be a contributor.

Even still, I am happy that my uterus is a clean and happy place now...and all ready for baby!!

Happy International Women's Day!!

This is a day to celebrate women and how awesome we are!!!! Wooo-hooo!!


In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements. The first national Women's Day was in 1909 and we have come a long way, although there is still a ways to go! Find more info here.


We are amazing creatures and in the spirit of this blog on health and wellness, I am sharing some info to make your purdy, purdy lips even more beautiful and of course, healthy!


Check out: 

5 Things That Should Never Be In Your Makeup by Rodale 

and...

Lipstick and Lead: Questions and Answers by the FDA, which gives an analysis of lead in your lipsticks, which ones have it and how much. Scroll down to see the list of offenders :)

Lots of love to all my ladies on this special day!

xoxo

March-ing forward...

So it's official, we are moving ahead with IVF and are on the road to making things happen!

I am excited and scared at the same time. I have been reading "In vitro fertilization: The ART of Making Babies" written by Dr. Geoffrey Sher, the founder and executive medical director of the Sher Institute for Reproductive Medicine, or SIRM. The book has a lot of info and really takes you through all of the steps (physically, emotionally and financially) of the IVF process.

I found out about SIRM when I was researching unexplained infertility and had been thinking about immune issues related to that.

I wrote this blog piece at that time and part of the IVF that I am doing at Sher will include treatment that will suppress my immune system (intralipids) so that implantation can occur. Really, at this point only god knows why it hasn't happened yet so we are taking a shot in the dark at this. An expensive shot!!

Isn't this all just so romantic? I wonder if candles will be lit in the laboratory? Will the embryologist put on some smooth tunes to set the mood? Hopefully my girls will be receptive to his boys!

At this point, I am trying to stay positive and attempting to not to think too far ahead (I mean I already have my son/daughters wedding planned :) So I need to simmer down and be in this moment.

The next moment to happen will be in about an hour when I walk to the east side of Manhattan to meet with a nurse to talk about what comes next.

And off we go!!
xoxo

P.S. For those of you who know me personally, please keep anything you read on here between us :) I am very open about my situation but want to tell my family on my own time. Thanks!

Good luck charms...

Rockin' my St. Rita and Chakra bracelets today!

St. Rita is the patroness of impossible cases and in my support group she is our mascot!!

The orange Chakra bracelets (made by my mom)  represent the second chakra, which is the sacral chakra located at your sacrum or tailbone and its function is desire, pleasure and procreation. Its color is orange and its celestial body is the moon. Balancing this chakra is associated with sexual vitality, physical power and fertility!

Chakras are each of the centers of spiritual power in the human body, usually considered to be seven in number.

Update: February is the shortest month but it has been dragging FOREVER!

So goes the saying...you won't realize the distance you walked until you take a look around and realize how far you've been.

I am still on this journey and was thinking about all of the other women I know who are also on this journey to motherhood and how far all of us have gone and how slow this journey feels. But still, we wake up in the morning and still say, we will try again.

I have been on this baby journey for more than four years...it has not been four years of major procedures (although we have done a couple) but of a re-vamp of my life, an evolving and changing life, one that had lows of depression and highs of just happiness for being alive and grateful for what I already have.

I am getting ready to see a new fertility doctor on Feb. 29. I am excited and nervous but also don't want to put too much on just one person to "fix" my situation. I haven't been to a fertility doctor in about 2 years...since that time I had a lot of life changes that needed to happen. Timing is everything and although I HATE to say that and accept it, it was the case for me. (it doesnt mean I didnt kick and scream for a lot of it :)

In all of the testing we have done in all these years, there has been no definitive answer as to why I have not gotten pregnant, not once. In my gut, though, I always suspected it may be an immune issue.

Recently, I had a Lyme disease test that came back as borderline...which is even more frustrating. I have been exposed but no one can say for sure if I had a mild case of it, if that's even possible.

As a precaution, my family doctor put me on 21 days of antibiotics, the same thing we did to treat my dog when he had Lyme.

I wouldn't think too much of the Lyme test but I have an unexplained joint pain for about two years and joint pain in a symptom of Lyme. Around the same time the joint pain started, I was living in PA in a wooded area with lots of ticks. Also my mom has Lyme and is still being treated for it.

After Googling things, which we all know can be a bad idea, I read that you can pass Lyme to a baby if pregnant. So I am freaked out.

I found a doctor who treats Lyme in NYC and tried to figure out all of this with him. He re-tested my blood, sending it to the Stonybrook Lyme Lab and then had me repeat an MRI on my left wrist, which is the source of my joint pain.

The Lyme test showed that I was exposed to Lyme, but according to the CDC guidelines, I didn't test positive for Lyme. My MRI showed a swollen bone in my hand  and fluid in my wrist (same as the MRI did that I had in 2010). But really, no straight forward answer as to why I have the pain. I wasn't in an accident and had no trauma to my wrist.

Another test my doc did was the Antinuclear Antibody test, or ANA, which is the first test done to see if you have an auto-immune disease. Mine was at the top of the normal range.

Your immune system normally makes antibodies to help fight infection, according to the Mayo Clinic. In contrast, antinuclear antibodies often attack your body's own tissues - specifically targeting each cell's nucleus.

In most cases, a positive ANA test indicates that your immune system has launched a misdirected attack on your own tissue -- in other words, an autoimmune reaction.

In the past I've had an NK cell test, which tests for natural killer cells, and it was pretty high. This test was done when I went to the Sher Institute in PA in 2010. The thinking is that your body attacks an embryo as if it were a foreign object in your body. (**This thinking is pretty controversial in the fertility world and I found Sher Institute when I was researching immunity/infertility. So not all REs agree with this.)

So several questions remain about my Lyme and ANA tests...is the borderline Lyme test causing a high ANA reading? Is the joint pain a symptom of the Lyme or is the Lyme exaggerating something that was already there? Is the high ANA reading a cause of my infertility? Do I have another autoimmune disease that I am not aware of yet?

I am hoping to get closer to answering these questions next week...on Tuesday I am seeing an infectious disease doctor about the Lyme test then on Wed off to the Sher Institute in NYC to see if Dr. Tortoriello can put it all together for me.

I am not sure if I am more confused now than before, or if I am getting closer to understanding the cause of my infertility.

Only time will tell...in the meantime I am heading to Vermont this weekend to make this month, which has been the slowest damn month ever, move along nicely and do some relaxing (and drinking) before I get serious next week.
Will keep you posted!
xoxo

Keep your Valentine healthy...

Just in time for Valentine's Day (or any day for that matter)...the Environmental Working Group is making sure your honey-bunz is not inhaling harsh chemicals on this day of love.

Here, EWG breaks down in detail about the hidden chemicals in "fragrances" and how a loophole in a federal law allows fragrance manufacturers to hide potentially hazardous chemicals. They also list products that made the  grade when it comes to your health and wellness

Don't let your lover be exposed to harmful things...make sure if it smells good, it comes from a good source!

Hormone disruptors....air fresheners and fake fragrances

If you like the smell of vanilla wafting through your house...you might want to consider what that lovely fragrance is made of. 

Not to throw a wet towel on anyone's burning scents but you might want to think twice about what is in your favorite candle or air freshener since synthetic-fragrance ingredients,  researchers say, can interfere with reproductive hormones. And we all know that messing with your reproductive hormones is a BAD, BAD idea.


Hormone disruptors, otherwise known as endocrine disruptors, interfere with your hormone system and can cause a host of health issues from tumors to development disorders. And to be specific, the critical time between the transition from a fertilized egg into a fully formed infant, can also be adversely effected by these endocrine disruptors.


Here are some of the most well-known offenders:

Bisphenol A is commonly found in plastic bottles (including many baby bottles), plastic food containers, dental materials, and the linings of metal food and infant formula cans. Another exposure comes from receipt paper commonly used at grocery stores and restaurants, because today the paper is commonly coated with a BPA containing clay for printing purposes

Phthalates are found in some soft toys, flooring, medical equipment, cosmetics and air fresheners. They are of potential health concern because they are known to disrupt the endocrine system of animals, and some research has implicated them in the rise of birth defects of the male reproductive system.

If you are into making your own candles/scents..check out this article from Rodale on 4 all-natural air fresheners. Or try using soy-based or beeswax candles with natural fragrances...just remember to read the labels! If you cannot pronounce it, then move on!

Drink until you see Pink...

I met a group of awesome ladies at a support group meeting a few weeks ago and one of the girls said that funny line and I am most certainly living by it!

Little Ruby and a lovely bottle of wine

A little vino before bed, with dinner, with lunch, after lunch, before dinner, during the day just for kicks, when I shower..ok, ok just kidding. I am not developing an addiction but am happily doing things that I can before I cannot for 9+ months :)

I am keeping the optimism going...although sometimes I get weighed down by time going so slowwwwww. I am uber excited for my doctor appt at the end of February but it feels like it's years away. My patience is being tested, again, as it has been for more than four years of all this waiting and waiting and more freakin' waiting. I also calculated that when I go to see the RE doctor at the end of Feb, I will be on day five of my cycle so the month of March (when I turn a year older..ugh!) will be a wash. I am a little down in the dumps.

So I will instead indulge in things I cannot do while pregnant like eating sushi, drinking alcohol...jumping on a trampoline (well maybe just my bed instead), break dancing and eating moldy cheeses.

Supplements and other goodies...Swanson Vitamins

I am not a paid spokesperson (sometimes I wish I was..so if anyone wants to throw some money my way...I will not refuse :) BUT I like to share any and all things I am doing with my health and wellness to all of my readers :)

I've been ordering my vitamins from Swanson Vitamins and have been really happy with their quality and prices of their own brand as well as the others they offer that I use like New Chapter Organics.

I've ordered everything from vitamins and shampoo to spices. I just put an order in today. So there's no better time to let you know my daily regimen:

Here ya go:
-Vitamin D-3 (10,000 IU/day - liquid)
-Vit B-12 (sub-lingual)
-Fish oil (omega 3, 6, 9 in liquid)
-Folate (lots of times your pre-natal vitamins doesn't have enough of these things)
-Magnesium citrate (calms me down and helps me sleep)
-Vit C
-Probiotics
-Ubiquinal (CoQ10)
-Pre-natal-multi
(I also just ordered some Maca for my hubby, who is also taking a man's multi, saw palmetto, l-carnitine and ubiquibal)


Some other good supplements to take to boost your fertility are:
-Chaste berry (400 gm 2x/day) (boosts progesterone, which is key in maintaining a pregnancy)
-Red raspberry leaf (strengthens your uterus and can be taken in tea form)
-Evening primrose (helps maintain hormonal balance..if you have too much or too little it helps even that out)
**Of course these herbs/supplements could interfere with fertility treatments/drugs so always check with your doctor first if you are in treatment**

One more thing I wanted to mention...

Ladies, if you are not using organic cotton tampons/pads...you need to make that change ASAP. There are several types that use organic cotton, with no chlorine, no perfumes and no synthetic materials. They are a fraction of the cost on Swanson when compared to Whole Foods and Wegmans. Also, you can almost always get coupon codes for Swanson for free shipping, etc so what are you waiting for???? Our insides need to be happy too :)

Ducks in a row...

Some things have been on my mind and I like being able to finally tackle them... especially as I prepare to go back to the RE and have a new look at my fertility.

First - I've had pain in my left wrist for about three years. Had an MRI and went to a wrist surgeon about 2 years ago. He said I had some fluid in my wrist and told me to just "stop doing yoga." He was, and I am sure still is, a moron. He gives doctors bad names, a few of which I would have liked to have called him. 

I suppose if you can't "fix" my issue without surgery then you just can't help me. Thanks Pal!

Anywho...I was concerned the pain/weakness may have to do with an autoimmune disease and also might be affecting my fertility (when you have this much time to think about things...well, your mind wanders). Turns out, I do not have an autoimmune disease so that's a relief since I have been worrying for a while that I may have lupus. 

I am still waiting on a Lyme Disease test and one for celiacs (just cause I am a worry-wort these days). I'll know by Monday. 

Second, as you know if you have read earlier posts, I have constant sinus issues that goES from bad to worse in a short time. I went to an allergist and after poking my arms 38 times then re-doing about 28 of those with syringes, I am allergic to the follow:

-Dust mites

-Several trees (mainly that pollinate in the spring)

-Grass (the kind on your lawn, not the kind you smoke :)

-One outdoor mold (again, something that comes out in the spring)

-Cats (this wasn't a huge one but still there and given that I have two cats, well not so great for me. But the cats are 11 and I will not be giving them away, so I'll have to deal with those cute faces).

So basically I have seasonal allergies, which I already know about. The cats, not so much. The doc gave me some nose spray and allergy pills, which turn me into a walking zombie even though I take them before bed.

I am making some headway on this issue but still not much has changed in terms of my symptoms. I am going back to the allergist in a couple of weeks and should know more then.

All in all, I want to go back to the RE knowing that I don't have any other lingering issues that I need to deal with. It's spring cleaning for your body!

Paula Deen is a bad example for everyone

This article on MINDBODYGREEN sums it all up. 

Paula Deen, you are an excellent example of the many things wrong with our society and a poor role model. Take your twinkie cake and shove it.


4 Reasons Why Paula Deen Totally Blew It

By Jason Wachob

You've probably noticed that we avoid negative posts here at MBG. But with Paula Deen's recent Type-2 diabetes announcement (which she hid for three years while she promoted the very food responsible for her illness!) and subsequent deal with a diabetes drug company -- well, that was just too much to ignore.

Why is this so upsetting?

More...

Breakfast of Champions...green juice

I started my day off with a green juice to get my own juices flowing. I've had a nasty sinus/chest infection since Saturday and I am not a happy camper!

Today's recipe:

Kale (of course!)
Dandelion
Cucumber
Green apples
Celery
Lemon
Beets
(I ran out of parsley, which I've been adding to this one!)

According to juicing/wellness warrior guru Kris Carr of Crazy Sexy Life, juicing is freaking awesome!! See what she has to say below:

Hands down the best way to increase our alkalinity and detox our purdy bodies is to consume a diet full of sunlight aka liquid chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll contains a powerful blood builder that’s said to increase red blood cells, improve circulation, ease inflammation, oxygenate the body, and counteract harmful free radicals. By eating (and drinking) a diet high in chlorophyll (raw fruits and veggies, especially leafy greens), we dine on liquid oxygen, the very substance we need to stay alive and thrive.

To read more about Juicing vs. Blending...go here!

May the juice be with you my fertile readers!
xoxo

Health update...

Here is a little background on what I did in 2011...

MAY: We went to see a naturopath to do a fertility work-up. It resulted in some blood work and tweaking but nothing too major on that end. My hubz was checked for a varicoscele (see definition here), which he did not have and is A-OK.

As for me, I had a low Vitamin D level (29) and some other minor things like an elevated homocysteine level. It is an amino acid, which, when elevated may be associated with a number of health problems including heart disease and infertility. I wasn't out of the range of normal but a little too high for my naturopath's liking. High homocysteine is associated with low levels of vitamin B6, B12, and folate. My CO-Q10 levels were also on the low side.

I was given some supplements including: adrenal support (for energy), Vit-D3 (10,000 IU/day), Homocysteine support (which is a combo of vitamin B6, 12, folic acid and betaine) and ubiquinol (CoQ10).

After that, not much really happened...just checking in with the naturopath and talking. Finally, my naturopath said to me that she believes that I had convinced myself that I could not get pregnant. While I agree with that, I don't think it's the only reason why I have not gotten pregnant in almost five years of trying. But like I said...going down a road leads you to another. She sent me to my current doctor/wellness guru Dr. Vastola and that was a great move!

AUGUST: Here is what began a new look at my life. I did biofeedback with Dr. V along with EFT (see previous posts), therapy, releasing of energy and work that got me back on an airplane without being drugged. I removed a lot of weight from a very heavy backpack and left feeling lighter.

Dr. V also upped by Vit D-3 supplement to 30,000 IU/day (liquid) and also added liquid vitamin K&D. He also added some Bach Flower remedies to my regimen, which is liquid you drop into your drink and it helps balance emotional issues. I am using Rock Rose, which adds courage and presence of mind in the face of terror or extreme fear. Honeysuckle, which helps put memories of the past into proper perspective if you are feeling homesick or overly nostalgic and also Oak, which allows the naturally strong to take a break rather than struggle on without rest.

SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER: During this time I was taking my supplements, doing EFT with Dr. V as well as other emotional release techniques. He was also doing the biofeedback with a cold laser. Also, I was gearing up for a flight to Chicago for business. I am NOT a good flyer and seemed to be getting worse an worse. Let's just say on a flight to London over the summer, I was highly medicated and a little drunk...meaning I was barely conscience when I got on the plane at JFK. The way back was no better, plus I was alone on that flight. At least on the way to London I could freak out in the presence of a friend :).  Anyway, before going to Chicago I worked hard with Dr V and really got to the root of my flying fear and can say I went on my flight WITHOUT meds or drinking. My husband was there to witness it and I did even better on the flight back to NY. WOO HOOO!!

Also during this time my husband and I both started going to acupuncture regularly and it's been a really good experience and something we will definitely continue to do.

DECEMBER: Just chilled out this month. Just for kicks we bought a fertility monitor. It's by Clearblue Easy and its one that gives you a great reading of your fertile days. So we've been following that.
I also did another blood test to update from April.
Vitamin D levels moved from 29 to 70 so that's awesome! Everything else looks great too. My thyroid is working nicely and all else was groovy.

And now into 2012:

JANUARY: I decided to make an appt with Dr. Tortoriello at Sher Institute in NYC. I've been to Sher before in the Lehigh Valley and saw Dr. Peters who I really liked, but we moved out of that area (went on a break) and never did any treatment with him. But I want to move forward and see if there is anything else that Dr. T can shed light on with my unexplained infertility. So the appt is set for February 27!
Wish me luck!

xoxo

In with the new...a year of living life to the fullest!

Happy Fabulous New Year to my  fertile readers!! I want nothing but happiness, health, joy and much love to all of you and your loved ones!

There is no better time than now to reflect on a year past and put out goals for a fresh, new one!

Here are a few things I learned this year:

1. When dealing with forgiveness, take time to also forgive yourself
2. Friends can be the best support group in the world and a support group can be your closest friends
3. You can never have enough patience and it's ALWAYS being tested. Stop fighting it and just let it be.
4. Be your biggest advocate and be in control of your health and wellness
5. Unconditional love from animals can cure bad moods
6. Meditation will keep you sane, so will EFT
7. Even if a road on this path seemed like the wrong one, it will take you to another, so keep the faith!
8. Making new friends who are awesome is an amazing thing and something to be cherished.
9. Crying is A-OK...get it out and take another load off of your back
10. Look your fears in the face, stick your tongue out at them and kick butt!
11. Dancing around your house like no one is watching is revitalizing!
12. Check your control at the door. I know, easier said than done but understanding that you cannot control the world, takes the weight off your shoulders...so be lighter my fertile-grounders!!!

My goals, hopes and dreams for 2012:

1. To write a book and start a health revolution that will take my career on a new path
1. To have more patience. Did I mention that one already? Well it must be important
2. To juice more!
3. To help someone else realize their dreams
4. To realize my own dreams (I will be pregnant this year! I am not giving up!)
5. To be more understanding, smile more and give more hugs
6. To get one person to look at health and wellness differently, with new eyes
7. To keep reading, researching and talking to people so I can pass on the knowledge to live a healthier life, with YOU in the drivers seat.
8. To be healthier...I talk the talk and need to keep walking the walk
9. More random acts of kindness (thanks Dr V!)
10. To spend more time with my pups...they get me through hard times and deserve more belly rubs and runs in the park!
11. To love harder and kiss my hubby more, just for the fun of it.
11. To live for today!

So cheers to that!! Here is to a new year filled with the potential to be extraordinary!!

I am toasting with some green juice...the elixir of the gods :)

Get your Kombucha on....

It is a strange smelling, weird looking drink but many say the benefits outweigh any doubts about drinking something that has floating gooey stuff in it.

It's called Kombucha and it's a tart sparkling fermented tea with roots in the Himalayas that began one hundred generations ago (although some debate that).

Ok, don't get grossed out...it is only fermented tea. Yes, fermented. But it's good, I swear! Although --- full disclosure -- not all agree.

But today I am going to do it...I am drinking the green one:

Don't get me wrong, I like my greens. I probably am more tolerant than the average person but still, it looks daunting. I am used to my kale, beet, cucumber, apple, lemon and carrot concoction I make in the morning...so this should be a breeze with its blue-green algae and spirulina!

Ok so here is the breakdown of what kombucha supporters say the benefits are of this ancient brew:

*Probiotics – healthy bacteria


*Alkalize the body – balances internal pH

*Detoxify the liver – happy liver = happy mood

*Increase metabolism – rev your internal engine

*Improve digestion – keep your system moving

*Rebuild connective tissue – helps with arthritis, gout, asthma, rheumatism

*Cancer prevention

*Alleviate constipation

*Boost energy – helps with chronic fatigue

*Reduce blood pressure

*Relieve headaches & migraines

*Reduce kidney stones

*High in antioxidants – destroy free-radicals that cause cancer

*High in polyphenols

*Improve eyesight

*Heal excema – can be applied topically to soften the skin

*Prevent artheriosclerosis

*Speed healing of ulcers – kills h.pylori on contact

*Help clear up candida & yeast infections

*Aid healthy cell regeneration

*Reduce gray hair

*Lower glucose levels – prevents spiking from eating

According to the Mayo Clinic, health benefits attributed to kombucha tea include stimulating the immune system, preventing cancer, and improving digestion and liver function. However, there's no scientific evidence to support these health claims.
There have, however, been reports of adverse effects such as stomach upset, infections and allergic reactions in kombucha tea drinkers. Kombucha tea is often brewed in homes under nonsterile conditions, making contamination likely. If ceramic pots are used for brewing, lead poisoning might be a concern — the acids in the tea may leach lead from the ceramic glaze.

So be careful if you are brewing at home!

If you want to check out many sides of the story read A Strange Brew May Be a Good Thing By Malia Wollan of the New York Times.

She quotes Dr. Andrew Weil, a doctor and leader in alternative health from his Web site: “I don’t recommend kombucha tea at all. I know of no scientific studies backing up the health claims made for it.”

 He goes on to warn of home brews contaminated with aspergillus, a toxin-producing fungus, and cautions pregnant women, the elderly, children and anyone with a compromised immune system against drinking it.


So do your homework first! As for me, I am happy with buying it at the store.

Off I go to drink the green machine....

The V-Steam....if you know what I mean

I am willing to try anything....and in the spirit of trying new things I am sharing a recipe with you, albeit an unconventional one.

It's a steam for your lady bits and it's quite soothing. So thank you to LC for sharing it with me.

The point, ladies, is to pull all the bad toxins from your uterus and help strengthen the lining of your uterus! In other words, it helps to get rid of the old blood and make room for the new! If you notice when you start your period it is very dark, that is left over from the previous month.

It's called the V-steam and it's just that time of the month for me to try it out again (I am feeling slightly blah so I know my lovely period is coming).

So I share it with you!

The "V-steam" directions!


Take 6-8 cups/handfuls of fresh herbs and steep in boiling water. Dried herbs work just as well.

Place about 3 cups of this "tea" into a small bowl and place it into the toilet bowl. The small bowl will sit in the toilet  and the water will cool it.

Make a skirt or tent and cover yourself as you sit on the toilet for 12 minutes. The steam will gently rise up in gentle, comfortable waves- very relaxing actually!
Word of caution!  Do NOT sit on anything that feels too hot! This is certainly not worth burning your privates over! It should feel relaxing. Repeat this twice in one sitting...and rest.

It's best to do it a few days before and after your period!

Happy Steaming!!

Stick a pin in it...

The hubby and I have been going to acupuncture for about a month now...I really like my acupuncturist...her energy is healing and soothing and you can tell how much she cares for her patients.

Beyond treating us for fertility reasons she is working on both our backs and my sinuses of course.

The ongoing battle of my nose continues...is it a food allergy? Is it amplified hay fever? Am I just snotty? I don't know at this point but I am going to try as many things as I can.

It has been well documented that acupuncture, when done in conjunction with an assisted reproduction technique, can increase your chance of success.

According to my acupuncturist at Art of Acupuncture, acupuncture increases infertility and IVF success by 40-60%.

Chinese medicine can help improve the success rate of IVF in a number of ways:

-Improve the function of the ovaries to produce better quality eggs

-Regulate the hormones to produce a larger number of follicles

-Increase blood flow to the uterus and increases the thickness of the uterine lining

-Relax the patient and decrease their stress

-Prevent the uterus form contracting

-Lessen the side effects of drugs used in IVF

-Strengthen the immune system

-Improve semen to create better quality and quantity of embryos

-Decrease chances of miscarriage

Approximately, four to six months prior to the IVF procedure (or without IVF), it is recommended that the patient receive acupuncture and herbal treatments to regulate the body’s functions and make IVF more successful. Sometimes after just four months, the patient regains a normal menstrual cycle and is able to become pregnant naturally.

After the Thanksgiving Feast...balancing the body

Here are some tips for balancing your blood sugar:

4 Top Ayurvedic Herbs for Balancing Blood Sugar

By Dr. Isaac Eliaz

 

Ayurveda refers to the traditional health and healing system of India. In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda consists of the words ayus, meaning "longevity," and veda, meaning "science" – together meaning the "science of life." The core philosophy is guided by in-depth understanding of the five great elements as recognized by Ayurvedic teachings: air, space, fire, water, and earth. Achieving balance and order in connection with these elements is considered crucial to health and wellness on all levels of being - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

 

Click here to read more