Not a subscriber?
Unsubscribe
Update e-mail address
July 2012 [Volume 11, Issue 7]
To Your Health is brought to you by:
In this issue of To Your Health:
By Joni Renee Zalk
A woman wakes up and walks to the bathroom, her pregnancy test kit waiting by the bathroom sink. She waits impatiently for the magical indicator showing that she is pregnant, and feels her throat swell when it shows she is not. The last time she was checking for pregnancy was two decades ago when she was in college. The relief at not being pregnant then was as overwhelming as her desire to be pregnant now. She had no idea that it would be this hard to conceive. She is exasperated that she spent so many years and so much money on birth control when she probably couldn't get pregnant anyway! Practically everyone around her simply had to look at their partners to get pregnant. "Many people have children and don't even want them," she thought. She wanted to scream.
Many women seeking fertility assistance are, with respect to this one issue, emotionally unbalanced. Their desire for offspring reaches so deep, it affects everything in their lives: their romantic relationships, their work, and their friendships. They fear never being able to have a baby, and feel time is running out. Will their partner think less of them? By the time these women reach out to an acupuncturist, they are consumed with wanting a child. They would do almost anything. The ticking of her biological clock is so loud that they can barely hear anything else.
Herb of the Month – Seaweed (hai zao)
What is seaweed? What is it used for?
While many people consider kelp and seaweed to be synonymous, this is actually not the case. Kelp is technically a type of seaweed, but other forms of seaweed are not kelp. Sea weed is the name given to various forms of algae, which range in color from red to green to brown.
Most seaweed grows in shallow water (less than 150 feet deep), although some also grow in tidal areas. The type of seaweed that grows in a coastal area's high-water mark is different than the type of seaweed that grows at lower levels.
Although they are also grown in China, seaweed is extremely popular in Japan; in fact, most varieties of seaweed are known primarily by their Japanese names, such as nori, arame, dulse, kombu and wakame. The most well-known of these is nori, which turns dark green when cooked, and is used world wide in sushi making. Other forms of seaweed are used in soups and salads.
In addition to its culinary uses, seaweed is an important medicinal. Most seaweed is high in vitamin B12 and iodine. Other minerals found in seaweed include copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and zinc. Because seaweed contains all of these nutrients, it is sometimes referred to as "nature's treasure chest."
Seaweed has salty and cold properties, and is associated with the Liver, Stomach and Kidney meridians, according to the precepts of traditional Chinese medicine. It helps to treat skin and glandular conditions such as iodine deficiency, goiter and scrofula; reduces the incidence of edema; and is effective against bronchitis and coughs. It also helps blood cells to coagulate, and may inhibit the growth of some types of cancerous tumors.
How much seaweed should I take?
The amount of seaweed to be taken depends on the condition being treated. Generally, many practitioners will recommend between 4.5 and 15 grams of dried seaweed, ground up into a decoction with boiling water.
What forms of seaweed are available?
Seaweed is available in a wide variety of forms, ranging from thin, dried sheets to powders, pills and capsules. It can be purchased at most supermarkets, along with nutrition stores, herbal shops and Asian markets.
What can happen if I take too much seaweed? Are there any interactions I should be aware of? What precautions should I take?
Seaweed appears to counteract the properties of licorice root. As a result, seaweed and licorice root should not be taken together or combined as part of a larger herbal formula. In addition, it should be used with caution by patients diagnosed with deficiency of spleen qi or stomach qi.
Because seaweed appears to help blood cells coagulate, it should be used with caution by patients taking blood-thinning medications. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking seaweed or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.
Question about Acupuncture for Premature Ovarian Failure: I have been diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure. I get periods only if I take medicine. My FSH shows 194. It is very high and I am scared. Doctor said I have to go in for a donor egg. I wanted to get pregnant on my own. I wanted to know whether acupuncture treatment will reduce my FSH and get my period normal and if it will also help me get pregnant naturally with my own eggs. How many months of treatment will I need to take?
Answer: First you need an examination by an acupuncturist familiar with treating for fertility. He/she can say if treatment is possible for you. In general, you need to take Chinese Medicinal herbs with your acupuncture treatments. Most cases will show some improvement within eight weeks. Have an examination first because not all cases of elevated FSH can be treated with acupuncture and Chinese Medicinal Herbs.
Unsubscribe
Thank you for subscribing to To Your Health. If you have received
this newsletter in error or wish to unsubscribe, you may remove your name
from our e-mail subscription list at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/unsubscribe.php.
Update your e-mail address
To update the e-mail address your newsletter is sent to, click here.
If you have any questions regarding your subscription, please complete this form at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletterhelp/TYH.