Acupuncture Denver Blog

By Alyssa Beiss, Acupuncture Denver Staff

I am consistently amazed and inspired by the women that come to see Jane and Merry. Many of their journeys toward motherhood have been filled with pain and loss and yet they continue to come to the office week after week with strength and hope. Though I can’t speak from my own experience, I have spoken to enough women to know that, for many of them, this is the most difficult thing they have had to face in their lives. I was lucky enough to spend all of last weekend with a group of these incredible women (and one man) at the Fertile Soul retreat right here at Acupuncture Denver. Since I started working here almost two years ago, I have heard about how powerful these retreats are and how amazing Randine Lewis is, and they both far exceeded my expectations. Randine’s knowledge and wisdom is astonishing and her warm, comforting presence put me at ease, even while stirring up some extreme and uncomfortable emotions. It was an incredibly healing and transformative weekend full of information that, while intended for women struggling with fertility challenges, can be applied to most any struggle in life. I will certainly be coming back to it often for my own health and healing.

Towards the end of the retreat, Randine commented, “The moments of your life prepare you for the moments of your life.” Thank you, Randine, for all of the moments you shared with us last weekend. And thank you J, E, S, R, I, M and S for having the strength and courage to come to the retreat and share your stories. You’re all an inspiration to me and I am incredibly grateful to have been able to share that space with you.  

The Fertile Soul retreat is coming up next weekend, 10/12-10/15, and there is still space for people to sign up! I have included some words from Randine below about what we'll be covering this weekend and what others have said about the retreat. I can say that in my own fertility journey, retreats were key to accessing healing, peace and happiness again. This will be a unique, intimate retreat experience in which Randine will cover body-mind practices, meditations, and the eight extraordinary meridians. We'll have several hours of time with Randine which is a great opportunity to have face-to-face contact and access to her expertise, experience and compassion.  Deep discounts are available for all Acupuncture Denver patients and payment plans are available. Don't let finances get in the way of coming to this amazing gathering!  Go to The Fertile Soul website to sign up online or call 866-688-4344 to speak to someone about payment options and details. If you're still on the fence about coming, here are some words from Randine and former retreat attendees on why you should join us:

What do we get for the cost of retreat?

"This is probably the most frequently asked question of prospective retreat participants, because retreat cost is not cheap. While it’s challenging to quantify intangibles, the best answers come from those who have attended retreat. These don't include the testimonials of those who are pregnant and flowing over with gratitude:

This is by far the best money I have ever spent.

The retreat far exceeded my expectations and changed my life.

I have spent many tens of thousands of dollars on unsuccessful IVFs.  If only I would have attended retreat before my IVFs, we would have saved in the long run.

I have been to three retreats; each one has opened me up to a new level of healing that I haven’t found anywhere else.

This isn't just about having babies, is it?!

My intention for retreat participants is to facilitate an energetic shift that opens them up to life. The amount of time, energy, and my life’s work that has gone into such an intensive process is not easy to put into a monetary value. It is different for each person and every one gets as much as I have to give during the retreat. You cannot know the power until you immerse yourself in it.

I don’t think most practitioners of Oriental medicine know the potency of this type of healing. It is rarely witnessed in a clinical setting. It requires an intensive process that I have only been able to practice on retreat. This was the way our medicine used to be practiced, and still can be. But not for an hour a week, and not simply in receiving the tools we utilize; it requires courage and a commitment to change ones life. It is not in the diagnosis, the needles, the herbs, the diet, or supplements. It is not just in the supportive care that retreat participants get from each other and us. The power is found in that place in the soul where true transformation takes place; where miracles occur, where the seeds of one’s destiny lie. It is difficult to quantify. But we have never found anyone we haven’t been able to help." -Randine Lewis

Many of you already know that Jane will be traveling to Ethiopia in November with the non-profit organization, Mudula Water. This amazing group has been working to bring clean water to the rural town of Mudula so that women and girls can spend less time fetching water and more time at school and with their families. They are also working to provide scholarships to women in the area to attend midwifery school so they may return and provide care in this town that currently has no trained midwives or obstetricians. The fantastic Denver restaurant, Parallel 17, has so graciously made Mudula Water their charity of the month and will be donating 10% of all of tonight's food sales to benefit them! The entire staff of Acupuncture Denver will be there at 8:00 tonight and we would love it for more people to join us. Or go there anytime today to show your support. If you can't make it today, Street Kitchen Asian Bistro will be donating 10% of their food sales if you eat there next Tuesday, 9/25. Eat at either of these places anytime during September, and they will donate $1 if you check in on Facebook.

We are all so excited to be partnering with Mudula Water to help such a wonderful cause that is very near and dear to our hearts. And we are incredibly grateful to Parallel 17 and Street Kitchen Asian Bistro for their support. Please come out and join us tonight for great food with great friends for a great cause!

I am excited to have so many wonderful upcoming events this fall at Acupuncture Denver! The most amazing event will be the October Fertile Soul Retreat with Dr. Randine Lewis, author of The Infertility Cure, founder of The Fertile Soul, and my dear friend and mentor. I am just thrilled to be hosting this weekend retreat right at the clinic. We'll start on Friday night, October 12th and end on Monday morning, October 15th. To learn more about the retreat process, check out this page. It's a great opportunity to be part of an intimate group as registration will be limited to 12 participants (couples welcome!). I cannot say enough about how life-changing these retreats with Randine are. I was introduced to The Fertile Soul Method as one of the earliest Fertile Soul retreat interns several years ago. Ever since, I've been passionate about sharing Randine's unique approach to fertility. It has also been a guiding principle in my own personal life and work.  If you are feeling like you fertility challenges have left you out of sorts and disconnected from your joy, passion and spirit, this retreat will be a wonderful way to get your life back. The healing that happens at these retreats is beyond words and as I've witnessed at several retreats, many participants feel like they have unburdened themselves of a heavy weight by the end. They often share that they came expecting to learn the answer to "curing" their infertility, but instead they leave with a sense wholeness, well-being and peace.  And the connection that can happen between participants is also amazing. There is nothing like sharing our story in a group of people who are truly empathetic and who have "earned the right to hear it" as Brene Brown says. This retreat is also a great opportunity for Denver area folks to come to a retreat without the added costs of travel or lodging. Please join us!

Other upcoming events include Andrea's Inner Explorations Yoga series starting up on Monday, September 17th, Sare returning for another round of Fertile Ground Yoga starting September 15th and another (after summer hiatus) free Meditation Sunday session on September 30th. Also, if you haven't checked out Andrea's Wednesday night Yoga Nidra class, it's truly amazing (and on-going!!). Ask Alyssa at the front desk about it-- she's addicted!!

Please join us for some of these great body-mind-spirit offerings. We love to open our space for classes and workshops like these to promote connection, healing and rejuvenation. Take time for yourself. You are worth it!

I got to spend part of this past Sunday with an amazing group of women who have supported each other through their respective fertility journeys for the last four years after having met at my Ferrtile Ground Yoga class. When I was about to go on maternity leave and had to put the class on hold in the summer of 2008, five women who met there decided to get each others’ contact info and stay in touch. That led to emails, dinners, baby showers and a beautiful circle of support that has gotten them through fertility challenges (as well as IVF cycles, pregnancies, losses, births, trying for #2, etc) ever since. Bringing women together to share their stories and support one another is actually one of the “accomplishments” I’m most proud of when I reflect on my work over the years. It is so touching to be in a group of women and feel such enduring love and unconditional support. We were all there yesterday for a baby shower being held in honor of the person who was probably the glue that held together that group of women in many ways. After many years of treatments, losses and bumps in the road along the way, her babies finally arrived (at just about 27 weeks). Since they came so early, I know the coming weeks while they are in the NICU will be difficult. But knowing that a circle of support is there to surround this new mom and her family is amazing. It has been such an honor to witness the understanding, compassion and connection that can grow out of the pain of infertility and loss. It’s truly a beautiful thing. So here’s to Paola, Christine, Dana, Shelby and Kitty…thanks for being such strong, open-hearted and inspiring women. You are all amazing!  

By Lindsay Stenson, Acupuncture Denver Staff

Being pregnant can be such an exciting time but the morning sickness that can come along with it may not have you feeling so excited. Loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting are common pregnancy symptoms making it difficult to cope with everyday tasks. Food aversions and smells can leave you feeling less than optimal so here are some things that may help you cope with the queasiness!

• Keep something in your stomach at all times—try eating small, frequent meals throughout the day to help curb nausea. Stick with high protein, high carbohydrate foods to help keep blood sugar levels balanced. Try almonds, whole wheat bread or crackers, cereal, and pretzels.
• Keep some food such as crackers next to your bed so that you can get something in your stomach as soon as you wake up.
• Eat what sounds good to you--go for foods that you can tolerate such as bland foods that are easier on your stomach.
• Ginger is known to help with morning sickness. Try ginger tea, ginger ale or high quality ginger candies to ease the stomach.
• Vitamin B-6 supplements have been known to help with nausea—or some foods that contain vitamin B-6 include fish, nuts and dairy products.
• Acupuncture, acupuncture, acupuncture! Once a week acupuncture sessions have also been known to provide relief for morning sickness.
• Keep away from greasy, fried foods.
• Take your prenatal vitamins with food or try taking them at night before you go to bed.
• Stay well hydrated—drink plenty of water or try drinking sparkling water.

 
Independence Day celebrates breaking free from the control of the motherland. We eat, drink, gather with friends and family, and watch the sky fill with fireworks. The day ends, and we go back to our lives, unchanged., having just given our energy to another past moment in history.
 
Rather than focusing on the past story, I like to think about the meaning of independence, making it relevant today. We can recognize those aspects of our lives where we might feel dependent or stuck in unhealthy patterns from the past. Are you stuck in your fertility struggles? Stuck hearing depressing statistics from your doctor? Stuck in unfulfilling jobs or relationships? Who or what has control over you? Where do you need to free yourself from patterns that no longer serve you? We utilize a powerful process  on retreat for breaking out of patterns that keep us stuck, liberating our energy so we can move forward with new strength and hope.
 
Judy felt stuck in her life, professionally and personally. She held an extremely high powered position on Wall Street, and spent most of her down time preparing for procedures at a reproductive clinic she couldn't stand going to. Yet, she saw no way out. The story she told herself was that she couldn't leave her job - she needed the money to support her lifestyle and pay for the medical procedures she felt she needed. This wasn't true; she just couldn't see her way out of it. During her retreat process, it was revealed how she could free herself from both. Within months, her entire life had changed. She was liberated. They did not even have to downsize. Two daughters later, they are thriving.
 
It takes courage to change your life, but you can be liberated from your infertility, from areas in your life where you feel stagnant or held back. The results are miraculous. 

By Alyssa Beiss, Acupuncture Denver staff

Like most Westerners, my yoga practice began as a physical one. After a serious injury and the surgery that followed, I looked into ways to help improve and speed up my recovery. Someone told me to try yoga and soon after I dove right into what I think to be one of the most challenging posture practices. Hot yoga in the Bikram tradition is a series of postures performed in a room heated to over 100 degrees. Anyone who thinks yoga is easy has certainly never been to one of these classes; I’ve heard multiple people say this was the most difficult exercise they had ever done. After my first class, I was hooked and started practicing regularly. Soon after, I began trying out other styles ranging from gentle restorative practices to classes that incorporated weights and cardio exercise.

As I continued to practice and learn about yoga, it began to shift to more of a spiritual and mental practice than a physical one. I learned that the posture practice that we think of as yoga is actually only a small component of yoga. More and more my practice became one geared toward meditation and relaxation. Restorative classes with guided meditations and gentle movements became my favorite and I would leave them feeling refreshed and renewed.

Now I’ve got a new type of yoga to add to my list of favorites, Yoga Nidra. Acupuncture Denver has just started offering Yoga Nidra, led by Andrea Briggs, RYT. I had heard of this practice before but only just took my first class with Andrea on Wednesday night and I love it! Andrea describes Yoga Nidra as true relaxation in a place between sleep and fully awake and I left there on Wednesday feeling as rested as if after a full night of deep sleep. There is no movement involved so for those of you looking for an intense workout, you won’t get that here. What you will get is Andrea’s warm presence and soothing voice leading you to a place I can only describe as magical. There were multiple moments when I could hear Andrea’s voice but felt like it was far away. As she took me on a journey through grassy fields and to the top of a mountain, I could see the places she described so vividly, as if I was there and she was talking to me from the clouds. I left the class feeling renewed and inspired and these feeling stayed with me for the rest of the evening.

I am so excited that Yoga Nidra will be offered every Wednesday at 6:15 at Acupuncture Denver, right after I’m done working! If you’re interested in joining me for the most relaxing and rejuvenating way you can spend 75 minutes, you can sign up here. I’ll see you there! 

I am so happy to announce Acupuncture Denver's recent decision to partner with Mudula Water to sponsor one of the midwifery students they will be sending to Hamlin College of Midwives for the next four years. As some of you know, my son is from the Mudula area of Ethiopia and it is such an gift to be able to give back to the people there. Since 95% of all births in Ethiopia are unattended, there is a very high rate of maternal death and ongoing health issues due to complications of childbirth. The midwives who are sponsored through this program will commit to going back to the Mudula/Tembaro region to serve the families after they finish their education. Read more about the program here. I am also excited to be going to Ethiopia this fall with a group from Mudula Water! Hopefully, I'll be able to meet "Tigist," the student we will be sponsoring, when I go. We'll also be touring some of Mudula Water's other projects, visiting the fistula hospital, and meeting with birth families when we are there. I cannot wait to see all of the amazing work the Mudula Water team has been doing in Ethiopia and also to get back there for a visit. Please check back for updates on this project and to learn more about Tigist's progress at the school. I am so excited to be part of this good work and feel fortunate that we have the opportunity to give back to a cause we believe in! 

by Merry Reasons L.Ac., Acupuncture Denver Staff 

Your heart is full of fertile seeds, waiting to sprout. -Morihei Ueshiba

The seeds that were planted in the fall, which rested and germinated through winter, are now starting to bloom with the outward expression of spring. Winter asked us to go inward and relax, reflect, and rejuvenate.  Now spring asks us to blossom with new beginnings, growth, and transformation. Those seeds planted – ideas, new love, new life – can be awakened in the spring.

Spring welcomes the Wood Energy in Chinese Medicine.  It represents our vision and the desire to manifest our truest self.  Just as a tiny acorn becomes a beautiful oak tree, our Wood energy holds the blueprint for our path – we must open our eyes and heart to it’s foundation, and be flexible in our journey as we continue to grow. This expansive energy gives us confidence, creativity, and direction to follow our dreams.

What have you planted deep within that is ready to blossom?  What areas of your life feel stuck that you want to push through and transform?  Can you breathe into your foundation and trust that you have everything you need right now? 

Ways to nourish the Wood energy:

• Go for a walk and enjoy the abundance of new beginnings blooming all around you. 
• Spring clean!  Get organized and let go of what is not allowing you to move forward.
• Get a massage to release any tension that has been caused by stress and anger or resentment to open to the flow of abundance in the moment.