Acupuncture Denver Blog

By Lindsay Stenson, Acupuncture Denver Staff 

Are gluten-free foods all the rage or I’m just paying closer attention? Walking the aisles of the grocery store or sitting down to eat at a local restaurant, I have been pleasantly surprised by the increasing number of gluten-free options. It is during these times that I ask myself, should I go gluten-free too? While I don’t recommend going gluten-free if there isn’t a need (don’t fix what isn’t broken), I do think that some people may have gluten sensitivity and not even realize it. Gluten is the protein portion in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut and oats. So why eliminate gluten from your diet? A gluten-free diet is necessary for those who have intolerance to gluten. When these individuals consume gluten they may get symptoms that include abdominal discomfort, bloating, pain, diarrhea, constipation, gas, weight loss, skin rash and fatigue. Celiac disease is a condition in which the immune system responds abnormally to gluten. This can cause damage to the lining of the small intestine, leading to malabsorption of vital nutrients. It is important to note that some people can have sensitivity to gluten without testing positive for celiac disease, but both are treated with a gluten-free diet.

Many people walk around with digestive discomforts thinking it is normal, but find that when they exclude gluten from their diet they feel better. If you fall under this category, eliminating gluten from your diet may be worth a try. While this diet modification can be difficult, as many foods contain gluten (hello bread, pasta, cereal and baked goods) acceptable alternatives include rice, sorghum, soybean, buckwheat, arrowroot, flax, millet, tapioca, quinoa, corn, and potato.  Be sure to read labels carefully, as many processed and packaged foods contain gluten-containing grains. Look for products marked gluten-free. In fact, I find myself throwing gluten-free products into my shopping cart because they look good, and end up coming back for more because they taste good! There are a lot of tasty gluten-free products out there to choose from. Some brands that I favor are Canyon Bakehouse bread, Tinkyada Pasta, Udi’s, Pamela’s Products, Bob Red Mill, and Amy’s Kitchen.

As many of you know, we recommend the “Spleen Qi” fertility diet for most of our patients. This is a gluten-free, cow dairy-free whole foods diet that is part of traditional Chinese medicine. But more and more, Western medical research correlates unexplained infertility with gluten intolerance. We have seen the gluten-free diet not only improve our patients’ fertility outcomes but also the quality of their daily lives!

For those of you wanting an easy, gluten free muffin recipe, here’s one to try:

Easy Gluten-Free Banana Muffins*

1 c. Sweet Sorghum flour

1 c. Rice flour

½ t. Baking powder

1 t. Baking soda

¾ T. Cinnamon

¼ t. Nutmeg

1 ½ c. Apple juice

2 Ripe bananas (mashed)

1 Egg

¼ c. Honey

1/3 c. Brown sugar

½ c. Raisins

Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Combine dry ingredients and slowly add liquid ingredients until well mixed. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners and fill muffins two-thirds full. Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. *From University of Northern Colorado food sciences textbook. 

By Alyssa Beiss, Acupuncture Denver Staff

In my quest to find more natural ways to quiet my mind, I've come across a significant body of research linking consumption of Omega-rich foods with lower levels of stress and anxiety. We've all heard fish referred to as “brain food” and I think I finally understand why. I recently upped my dosage of EPA/DHA (fish oil) to over 2000mg daily and I have quickly noticed an improvement in my overall mood, mental clarity and ability to maintain focus. These are all things that I've struggled with in the past, so to experience some improvement without having to turn to pharmaceuticals has been such a relief!

While it is well-known that fish oil can support cardiovascular health and studies are finding a strong correlation with its benefits for mental health, it’s currently being studied for a host of other ailments as well. Everything from Alzheimer’s disease, autism, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, lupus and multiple sclerosis have shown some benefit from increased EPA/DHA use. Some research is pointing to the high fish consumption by Eskimos as (at least part of) an explanation for their low incidences of illnesses including rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. It’s also been shown to be important for proper brain development and possibly immune development of babies during pregnancy. Bottom line: everyone should take it! And, if you’re concerned with the “fish burps” that sometimes accompany taking fish oil supplements, we carry Pharmax capsules which have essential oil of orange added to mask the taste.  

By Vanessa Weiner, Massage Therapist

While walking to work today I was noticing the dry windy Colorado breeze, and how my sinuses were pretty stuffy.  It’s the time of year when allergies and hayfever can start becoming a nuisance.  Did you know that Lymphatic Drainage Massage (LDM) is a very effective way to help combat this? When one is suffering from allergies the body’s immune system kicks into over drive while reacting to pollen, dust and mold spores resulting in inflammation of the sinuses. LDM specifically applied to the sinuses can remove, filter and relieve congestion.

The first place viruses enter our bodies is through our mouth and nose; this is why we have so many lymph nodes in our face and neck. Keeping these lymph nodes drained can result in fewer sicknesses, less allergies and sinus problems. LDM allows the bodies system to heal itself and do what it’s intended to do.  Adding a 30 minutes of LDM to any facial or massage this season is a great way to keep your allergies at bay and your immune system boosted! 

Today is the winter solstice (when I wrote this; not necessarily when you get it!), which marks a turning point as the darkest day of the year and the start of the returning light. Even as the demands of the holiday season (shopping, parties, obligatory events) tend to draw us outside of ourselves, this time of year is a great time to turn inward and reflect on what has enriched us in the past year. I spent a great deal of time in 2011 delving into Brene Brown's work on shame and wholeheartedness. Looking at some of the darker parts of myself has been challenging but ultimately more liberating than any other inner work I've done. I highly recommend her books, her TEDx talk, and her online classes.  

Welcome to the second installment of Coping With Infertility during the Holidays. You can find the first installment in a prior post.  At this point the holidays are in full swing, and no matter what your take is on them, there is no avoiding them now…houses are covered in lights, stores are filled with kitschy red and green décor, Christmas music is piped into malls, commercials are dominated by images of happy families opening gifts, and Santa is everywhere.

While this can be a joyful time for many, for those who are experiencing infertility it can be a nightmare. I know that for the years I spent longing  for a child the holidays were particularly painful since my first pregnancy loss happened in late January and I had found out I was pregnant (and hopeful! and expectant! ) the day after Thanksgiving. I remember being nauseous as I did last-minute shopping at the Cherry Creek Mall in December. I remember getting our first Christmas tree as a couple since we felt more like a family.  I remember thinking we’d have baby at Christmas next year. Sadly, that wasn’t the case, so for the next two years the remembrance of that loss hit me full force during the holidays. And it sucked. As much as I probably tried to hide my sadness and feelings of alienation from the joy of the season, I cannot deny that it was there. Luckily, I did find some ways to enjoy myself during that time….so I’ll share what I can about what helped (or kind of helped).

For the first holiday after our loss, we actually moved into a new house (in the midst of one of the decade’s biggest snowstorms and a bout of bronchitis for me) on Christmas eve. I found myself weepy and sad (thinking I had buyers’ remorse but in fact it was the loss and grief of the previous winter bubbling up). So that strategy, while distracting, wasn’t necessarily healing or happy. Which brings me to tip #2 for coping with infertility during the holidays:

2. Take an awesome trip to a tropical adults-only all-inclusive and drink pina coladas in the hot tub as much as possible. Our second Christmas (when we were in the midst of our adoption wait) was spent at an adults-only all-inclusive in Cozumel. Much better choice. If you have the opportunity to get away and go somewhere relaxing, rejuvenating, and fun, by all means scrap the idea of family obligations and get away!  You deserve it! I think even earmarking some cash for a vacation is a great plan to have when going through fertility treatments/adoption/hope/fear. While one big struggle of going through infertility is a sense of uncertainty about the future, I’ve found that it’s also a gift in that uncertainty invites us to fully embrace the present moment. Not knowing what tomorrow will bring is a great reason to enjoy today…so take that vacation you have always wanted, even if it’s just to a B&B a few miles away. No doubt you deserve it!

A few more ways to cope during the holidays:

3. Find ways to give back. I like to spend some time during the holidays giving back to worthy charitable organizations, especially those that support causes close to my heart. Becoming aware of someone else’s suffering is always a good way to open your heart to the universal connections we share and enlarge your perspective. It’s also a great way to really change the world and give birth to goodness, hope and empowerment. I would recommend checking Charity Navigator to find a good non-profit. If you cannot give money, consider volunteering your time to a soup kitchen, shelter, battered women’s home, food drive, etc. There is always a need for service as well as funding at most non-profits. Again, personally I have found that being mindful of the needs of others has always kept my own suffering in perspective. Not that it precludes the need to nurture ourselves, but it can open our hearts in ways that are unexpected and empower us to make a positive impact in the world.  You can also find some great non-profits on our Giving Back page.

4. Treat YO-SELF! Similar to the idea of taking an indulgent vacation, just taking time out for pampering (like getting a massage, pedicure, spa service, haircut) can bring much-needed joy and happiness in times of sadness and grief. None of us (women especially) take much time for ourselves or even feel we deserve to treat ourselves. So during this holiday season, make a commitment to taking some time just for you. Not to shop for gifts, not to get fertility treatments or google about your condition, but just to do something that makes you feel beautiful, happy, relaxed, pampered, and worthy. Even consider getting yourself a gift only you know you really want. Something you wouldn’t normally buy for yourself because it seems like too much. You are worth it!

Wow. All of this is starting to sound materialistic! But the point I am trying to make is that it’s OK to escape a little bit, over-indulge yourself a little bit, and put yourself first a little bit. After all, not getting what you really want (a baby) month after month or year after year is really a drain on the body, mind, and spirit. So take some time to re-fill yourself this holiday season.  And if you do have to spend lots of family time, I would highly suggest setting boundaries around how much you want to share with family and friends in order to maintain your sanity. For those you are closest too, I would recommend sharing Jody Earle’s incomparable piece: Helping Friends and Family Understand Infertility. It’s one of the most articulate, right-on examples of speaking from the heart I have ever read. It is a great way to educate friends and family about your feelings in a way that will help them support you.

So while these simple tips won't be a cure-all for everyone or necessarily make your holiday season merry and bright, hopefully they will give you some ideas about how you can take care of yourself and ease the pain of infertility during a time when it's easy to feel isolated, misunderstood, and alone. Please feel free to contact me if you need a few extra words of support this year and know all of us at Acupuncture Denver are here for you (acupuncture is also pampering!) and wish you love, happiness, health, prosperity, peace and joy in this holiday season. 

by  Shanna Grimes, Acupuncture Denver Staff

With the crisp winter air comes the inevitable host of viruses and pathogens known to cause colds, flu and other illnesses. Stress, excessive working, poor nutrition, and a lack of sleep can make our bodies especially vulnerable to these bugs. In addition to staying well-rested and practicing good hand washing, below are some simple things you can do using the time-honored wisdom of Chinese Medicine to strengthen your body's natural defenses and shorten the duration of common winter illnesses:

Eat a diet rich in root vegetables. Root vegetables are known in Chinese Dietary Theory to strengthen lungs and increase immunity. Try incorporating beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips and turnips into your diet on a regular basis. Other therapeutic foods include cruciferous and leafy vegetables, Asian mushrooms, berries, brightly colored peppers, onions, garlic and goji berries.

Decrease sugar and alcohol intake. Several studies have been done to show that both of these substances impair immune function.

Cover your neck. Chinese Medicine states that illnesses (or the "evil qi") invade the body through the back of the neck. Get in the habit of wearing a scarf to protect this vulnerable area of the body against drafts and chilly weather.

Get seasonal acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture is well known to regulate immune function by increasing natural killer cells and regulating white blood cells, helper cells and suppressor T cells.

Take immune-boosting herbs. There are several beneficial Chinese immune formulas known to strengthen immunity, prevent colds and flu, or reduce the severity and duration of illnesses. Ask us if you are interested in purchasing a formula customized just for you.

Take probiotics regularily. 75% of immune function takes place within the digestive system, making beneficial bacteria one of the body's strongest lines of defense. Acupuncture Denver carries a high-quality refrigerated probiotic from Pharmax called HLC intensive, which sells for $30 for a 30-day supply.

Rest, stay home and take good care of yourself when you are sick. At the onset of a cold or the flu, try taking a hot bath infused with fresh ginger to stimulate your immune system. Eat warming and nutritious foods, and drink plenty of warm, non-caffeinated teas and other clear liquids to stay hydrated.

We recommend an Immune Boosting Cocktail of Probiotics (HLC intensive), Muco Coccinum (Unda's Cold/Flu homeopathic product), and Vitamin D. We keep this combo in stock and have seen great results with it!

We wish you a healthy and restorative fall and winter!

By Alyssa Beiss, Acupuncture Denver Staff 

It’s widely accepted that stress during pregnancy can have long term negative impacts on the baby. Low birth weight is a common marker for prenatal stress that can lead to increased risks for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease later in life. Cortisol (our main stress hormone) also easily passes through breast milk, raising baby’s cortisol levels and causing similar increased risks. Though not quite as well-researched, there is much evidence linking prenatal stress with an increased risk for psychological disorders later in life as well. ADHD, depression, emotional disorders and even severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia have all been linked to prenatal and neonatal exposure to high levels of cortisol. Yikes!

Are you scared yet? Take a second and breathe... all hope is not lost! If you’re pregnant and experiencing high levels of stress or depression, consider integrating acupuncture into your prenatal and postpartum self-care regimen.  Acupuncture has been shown over and over again to relieve stress and anxiety and a 2004 study found it to be particularly helpful with depression symptoms during pregnancy. Though more research is needed, this study also indicates that effective treatment of depression during pregnancy may reduce the risk of postpartum depression. Read it for yourself here.  

Both Jane and Merry have many years of experience offering women safe, effective prenatal acupuncture. Acupuncture is not only great for stress in pregnancy, but also for morning sickness, back pain, indigestion, fatigue and many other pregnancy related symptoms. 

So for all of you expecting and new mamas out there, take it easy and try to keep stress levels to a minimum. Easier said than done, I know, but clearly very important both for you and your baby. Meditate, do some yoga, and come get acupuncture! Your baby (and your brain) will thank you.

With the holidays upon us, it's hard not to anticipate the onslaught of questions, feelings of alienation, and grief that can come up when we add family, friends, and parties into the already complicated mix of the fertility struggle. Not only is it hard to attend gatherings that revolve around the concept of family and children, but it's also hard to witness another year passing, as the holiday and New Year can feel like milestones in time. Even though I'm past the hardest parts of my own fertility struggle, I still cringe at the comments I get from my family of origin around our  pending second adoption and their utter lack of understanding or support. Having just visited them for Thanksgiving (um, next time remind me to go on a tropical vacation instead), I realized just how out of touch they have always been throughout my family-building journey. So while I will opt for complete avoidance of my family as a future strategy, I know this is not possible for those of you who live within driving distance of your loved ones or feel obligated to spend the holidays with them! In these cases, having a plan for coping can be a really good idea. So I'll be highlighting several recommendations for coping with infertility during the holidays over the next few weeks. Here is recommendation #1: 

1. Find an empathetic support person and have their phone number on speed dial.  One of the gems I got from studying the work of Brene Brown was learning to discriminate when it comes to who has "earned the right to hear your story." Not everyone can lend an empathetic ear to our grief, sadness and shame. Sharing our deepest emotions with the wrong person can leave us feeling worse than we did in the first place. So seek out friends who can understand the fertility struggle and make a pact to support one another, especially during the rocky holiday season. There is currently a Resolve support group that meets at Acupuncture Denver one to two times monthly. I am so grateful this peer-led support group can use our space. It is a great, free resource where you can connect with others who understand and may even find life-long friends. One of my proudest accomplishments was my role in connecting a specific group of women in my yoga classes who have been an amazing support system to each other for over three years now. These amazing women who connected at my Fertile Ground Yoga class in 2008 still meet regularly and have supported each other through IVFs, pregnancies, failed cycles, babies, second IVFs, and more. It's a beautiful thing to witness the love and connection that grew out of their shared struggles. 

Having at least one confidante who can understand your journey is a must-- make an effort to find someone to confide in if you don't already have one. In addition to the Resolve support group and Fertile Ground Yoga program here, we offer Fertile Soul workshops almost quarterly and plan to start a Fertile Soul sharing circle and group treatment session in the New Year (still in the works) modeled after the powerful group sharing/treatment that happens at Randine Lewis' Fertile Soul retreats.  Also, REMEMBER: you are not alone. There are empathetic and understanding people out there to support you during this difficult time. Reach out, connect, and open your heart to someone who can bear witness to your struggle. More tips for surviving the holidays are coming over the next couple of weeks...so stay tuned.

We are excited about our upcoming One-Day Fertile Soul retreat which happens on Sunday, October 2 from 9:00AM-7:00 PM. This day-long workshop has proven to be one of my favorite experiences to share with my patients and other attendees. The presentation is full of information, the work is deep and heart-centered, and by the end of the day everyone feels supported, uplifted, and hopeful. I invite anyone who needs a day of nurturing, connection and healing to attend. You can read more about the workshop here or simply register here. One of the participants at our last workshop graciously shares her experience below. Please also feel free to call or email us if you have any questions about the day. We hope you can join us!

The One Day Fertile Soul Retreat opened my way of thinking, acting and being about the different aspects of the fertility journey.  I was at a point of "giving up" and was encouraged to consider "letting go" instead. 

In sharing our journeys, we were encouraged to listen to one another and hold each others' journeys without trying to comfort or alleviate feelings. So often on the fertility journey, we are comforted by others with good intentions, but not allowed to experience our own feelings for what they are.  This type of sharing is healing and strengthening - I found it to be instrumental in allowing myself to feel the many aspects of the fertility journey that I had suppressed. 

There is so much to learn about, do, and not do when it comes to fertility that it begins to feel like another job.  Having a day of retreat to put the different pieces into practice with others who understand the journey helped me to find the courage to take care of myself first.

The retreat started a "reclamation of life" process for me.  Trying to conceive had taken over my life and left me feeling broken and not good enough.  In retreating to spend time with others on a similar journey, I was able to clear a space in my soul so that I could emerge from a path of despair to start a journey on a path of self-healing. 

I am forever grateful for this opportunity, and hope that all persons on this path who wish to find peace in the journey have the experience to retreat with others. -SB.

We are excited to be offering another one-day Fertile Soul Reclaim Your Fertility mini-retreat on Sunday, October 2nd. This day-long workshop proves to be inspiring, rejuvenating and empowering for all who attend. After the last workshop, one of the participants shared her experience with me in an email:

I was checking out your website when I saw the One Day Fertile Soul Retreat info and I knew I would be going! That day was one of the most amazing days I have had in a very long time. I have a few friends that have had infertility problems but most don't share their stories. As I was listening to the stories of the other ladies in the workshop I was feeling every emotion you can think of. It was like an eye opener for me. If these ladies have gone through all of this pain and suffering of not being able to conceive or to carry their baby full term, I'm definitely not alone, and I don't have to go through this alone. The sharing circle was very rewarding to me and I will never forget the stories. I really enjoyed the yoga and meditation also! I really enjoyed learning about the diet, the herbs, and the massage/acupressure. The whole day was fantastic! The story you read was amazing. It brought me so much peace. When you were reading it, I felt like a huge weight of stress and sadness had been lifted and I have not felt this great in a very long time!

I'm not sure if it was the experience of the whole day and being so stress free, but I started my period on my way home that day. I hadn't had it since the beginning of April. I was so giddy! I want to thank you again for having this mini retreat! Without you and Randine's book, my dreams of becoming a mommy would probably not come true!
-C.D.

Donna and I are always honored to share Randine's powerful work during this transformative one-day mini-retreat. Every time we offer the workshop, it gets better and better. If you are interested, I encourage you to register soon since we have limited space available. We also offer a couples option, so feel free to bring your spouse! If you want to learn more about The Fertile Soul Method and to connect with others who understand the fertility struggle in a safe, nurturing space, this workshop is perfect for you. Let us know if you have any questions about the workshop. And feel free to email me anytime.