I have been a huge enthusiast of bone broth especially when cooked with Chinese herbs to enhance immune and endocrine function, strengthen connective tissue, improve digestive function, strengthen blood, qi and bones.
ingredients: ren shen, dong quai, huang qi, hong zao, lycii berry, chuan xiong, and dang shen.
Soon to come, I will be making ginseng (with other essential herbs) bone broth for order. Will be available in quart sizes.

A staple of the human diet for thousands of years, bone broth is enjoying a resurgence of interest due to its powerful health benefits. Bone broth is easy to incorporate in your diet as a base for soups, stews and legumes. Follow our recipe below to make your own fortifying and replenishing broth.

Top 5 Reasons to Eat Bone Broth:
1. Nourish Your Gut
Bone broth is full of gelatin and collagen, which soothes the intestinal tract and helps heal leaky gut, aka intestinal permeability. With stress, diet, alcohol, caffeine and NSAIDS wreaking havoc on our intestines, anything and everything we can do to help repair the gut is beneficial, as a healthy intestinal tract is essential to overall good health.

2. Boost Your Immune System
Yes, Grandma was right about chicken soup. A traditional folk remedy for colds and flus, bone broth provides a rich array of nutrients (especially gelatin) which support your immune system. Cysteine, an amino acid found in chicken, helps to thin mucus so it can be expelled more easily. When fighting a cold, make a chicken broth with added spices or peppers to make it spicy to help keep the mucus moving.

3. Increase Bio-available Minerals
As a result of soil degradation, the mineral content of our foods is reduced, and many of us have compromised absorption due to poor gut health. Yet minerals are critical to so many bodily functions and impact everything from our bones to our mood and our sleep. Supplying calcium, magnesium, potassium, silicon, sulfur and phosphorous, bone broth provides an excellent means of boosting your mineral intake. 

4. Promote Healthy Skin
A rich source of skin-supporting amino acids glycine and proline, along with collagen, the ultimate skin food, bone broth can improve skin elasticity and fight wrinkles.

5. Reduce Inflammation
Glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, and gelatin support your joints, bones, and reduce inflammation throughout your body.

How to Make Bone Broth
Broth is forgiving so exact measurements are not required for success. The essential ingredients are simply bones, water and vinegar, which draws the minerals out from the bones. Vegetables (carrots, garlic, onion), sea salt and herbs improve the flavor and can be added towards the end of the cooking time, if desired.

Ingredients:

• 2 – 4 lbs bones – from poultry, fish, shellfish, beef or lamb (pastured, organic, and grass-fed)
• 1 gallon water or enough to cover bones (approx. 2 cups of water per 1 pound of bones)
• 3 – 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (or other natural vinegar)  

Pour water and vinegar over raw or cooked bones in a large pot (e.g. the remains of a roasted chicken) and let sit for 30 – 60 minutes. Heat the pot and bring the water to a boil. Skim any scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat and allow the broth to simmer gently. Cook on low for at least 6 hours or overnight, to extract the most gelatin and nutrients from the bones. Use your slow cooker if you have one. After several hours of barely simmering, remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve, strainer or cheesecloth. Use as a base for any type of soup, or drink one cup a day for a health-promoting tonic.


Written by Be Well Health Coach Laura Kraber.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

I came across a very important article on how to lessen PMS symptoms and discomfort or symptoms of menopause. It is important to treat menstruation as trauma, as an illness that requires rest. During menses, don't engage in any physical activity, no work, no exercise, no intercourse, no cold showers, or any exposure to cold.
Personally, I notice a lot less discomfort during my cycle when I rest the first two days.
Spend as much time as needed in bed, with emphasis on drinking hot broths.
We are definitely unhealthy when it comes to our reproductive cycle, let's adopt some of these principles and witness the change.


For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Massage or any other hands on modalities should not be given to a woman during menstruation. Nor should a masseuse or other hands on practitioner give treatments during her own menstrual period. Elimination is a function of the skin, and if some of the menopoison is on the hands of the practitioner, it will enter the pores of the recipient's skin, which obviously is not going to help that person feel any better.
Menstruation is a house-cleaning process: female reproductive organs are meant to accept an embryo. If the ovum does not become fertilized, a reduction of the ovarian hormone progesterone occurs, and the mucous membrane and other tissues of the uterus rapidly disintegrate into a poisonous substance. Nature provides for its elimination through the menstrual flow and it is the reason menstrual blood does not clot.
Experiments in Europe revealed that when rats were injected with extractions of the tissues and glandular fluid from menstrual blood, they died within ten minutes.
Hence the name "menopoison".
It was also well known in Europe that women in menstruation could not make bread- the dough did not rise because the yeast was apparently affected during kneading by the menopoison emitted through the skin.
Massage and all other hands on therapies speed up the release of menopoison into the blood stream, and all organs are adversely affected by it.

This was an excerpt from the book  "Mirror of the Body".


For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease

Breast tissue is composed of fat and milk producing glands that are controlled by a monthly cycle. During the month, hormonal changes often cause the milk glands to swell and retain fluid. Small cysts may form and are especially prevalent in the lymph nodes under the armpits. Fibrocystic lumps feel like small balloons filled with fluid and seem to float when pressed. The swollen enlarged tissue is often painful.
Fibrocystic breast lumps are benign breast tissue. They are as normal in some women as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. They are a typical characteristic of the hormonal changes we experience each month. They are generally easy to detect because they become more painful and inflamed a few days before menstruation begins, and disappearing shortly after menstruation is over.
It can be a signal that our hormones are out of balance. Excess estrogen production can cause the tissue to swell and hold water. A deficiency of essential fatty acids can also contribute.

Recommendation for treatment:
You will need to consider herbs to cleanse the blood and lymphatic.
Eliminate sugar, white flour, and refined foods.
Eliminate all caffeine- coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, black and green teas.
Eliminate red meat, which is a source of exogenous estrogen.
Decrease fats, especially animal fats. Replace with unsaturated vegetable oils which are high in unsaturated fatty acids.
Decrease dairy products which are sources of exogenous estrogen. Yogurt-plain and cultured milks are acceptable.
Increase foods that are high in vitamin C, E, and selenium. These are antioxidants and help increase the detoxification of estrogen.
Avoid soy products, or any type of hormone replacement therapy- including birth control pills.

Partially adopted from Herbal Healing for Women, by Rosemary Gladstar.



For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

You need an adequate supply of essential fatty acids. Begin incorporating the following foods into your diet: avocado, buckwheat, garbanzo beans, millet, miso, oats, olives, brown and sweet rice, soybeans.

Eat the following nuts and seeds (get them organic and freshly shelled): almond, hazelnut, pecan, pine nut, pumpkin/squash seed, sesame seed, sunflower seed, walnut. They are all excellent sources of essential fatty acids.

Twice a day take 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed (Bob's Red Mill is a good brand) on a large cup of boiling water and let it seep, covered for 5 minutes. Drink like a tea.

Improve quality of all oil sources; switch from refined, rancid, and hydrogenated oil to unprocessed plant sources of essential fatty acids -whole grains (unmilled, freshly milled, or sprouted), legumes and their sprouts, fresh nuts and seeds, dark green vegetables and micro-algae. Use oils rich in both linolenic and alpha-linolenic fatty acids such as flax-seed, pumpkin-seed, and chia-seed oils. Use these oils only if they are recently cold-pressed and unrefined.

Strong kidneys are very important to maintain fertility. Incorporate the following foods that are beneficial to the kidneys: millet, tofu, string bean, black bean, black soybean, mung bean and its sprouts, kidney bean and most other beans, kuzu root, watermelon and other melons, blackberry, mulberry, blue berry, huckleberry, water chestnut, wheat germ, potato, seaweeds, spirulina, chiorella, black sesame seed, sardine, eggs, cloves, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, anise seeds, black peppercorn, ginger, cinnamon bark, garlic, onions, chives, scallions, leeks, trout, salmon, parsley, wheat berry, sweet rice.

Eat Blood building foods: all deep green, red, and purple vegetables.
Incorporate at least one serving of animal protein a day, non hormone or antibiotic fed beef, chicken, turkey, or wild caught fish.

Avoid all genetically-engineered foods.

Avoid birth-control pills, antibiotics, and intoxicants such as alcohol, cigarettes, and coffee.

During menstruation, treat your body as if you were recovering from a surgical procedure, eat hot soups, light foods, avoid exercising, sexual contact, cold showers, swimming. Less activity and a lot of rest is essential for a healthy cycle.

Avoid the cold, drinking or eating cold foods is not beneficial. Food that are warm are nurturing your body. Avoid entering the cold waters especially if you are trying to conceive at age 40 plus. Avoid strenuous workouts, like jogging, weight lifting, etc. Engage in more harmonious exercises like yoga and tai chi.


For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

New research finds acupuncture benefits the ovaries by regulating sex hormones. Investigators conducted a laboratory experiment and documented important medical benefits induced by the application of acupuncture. According to the research, acupuncture facilitated “the normal transformation of ovarian androgen to estrogen” and restored normal endocrine system functions.
Acupuncture demonstrated several remarkable effects on the PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) rats in this laboratory experiment. The PCOS rats demonstrated pathological changes in ovarian tissue including abnormal thickening of the coating, thinning of the granular cell layer, mitochondrion swelling, enlargement of the endoplasmic reticulum and oocyte disappearance. After acupuncture, a significant and dramatic improvement of the ovarian physical structure was evident. Acupuncture effectively improved both morphology and ultrastructure of the ovaries.
The researchers discovered important biological mechanisms responsible for the improvements. Acupuncture effectively regulated hormones and restored normal levels of many endocrine secretions. Excess androgens are responsible for acne, excess hair growth and the cessation of ovulation. Acupuncture successfully restored conversion of these excess androgens to estrogens. Acupuncture also regulated cytochrome P450 (CYP), an oxidative enzyme. In abnormal concentrations, CYP causes dysfunction relating to oxidation and metabolism. In this study, acupuncture successfully and significantly regulated CYP expression. 
The acupuncture points needled in the study were CV4 (Guanyuan) and CV3 (Zhongji) for 20 minutes per day for 14 consecutive days. Electroacupuncture was applied at 2mA, 2Hz. An electron microscope measured improvements in ovarian tissue and structure as a result of acupuncture treatment. Blood tests tracked CYP, estradiol, estrone, androstenedione, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and other related substances. Electroacupuncture significantly regulated blood substance levels to improved medical states. The researchers note that acupuncture’s ability to regulate biochemicals within the blood directly caused the improvements to the ovarian tissue.
Related research published in the American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism concludes that electroacupuncture improves menstrual frequency and balanced sex steroid levels in women with PCOS. Hyperandrogenism is a primary symptom of PCOS and is characterized by excess hair growth on the face, balding, deepening of the voice, increased muscle mass, acne and menstrual irregularities. The sex steroid levels in the electroacupuncture group improved significantly and acne markedly decreased. The study measured improvements in a wide range of endocrine variables. The researchers concluded that electroacupuncture may help induce ovulation in women attempting to conceive since participants showed significant improvement in monthly menstrual frequency. Infertility is a major side-effect of PCOS and acupuncture demonstrates the ability to medically address this dysfunction.
Acupuncture was applied to CV3, CV6, ST29, SP6, SP9, LI4 and PC6. Thirty minutes of 2Hz electroacupuncture was applied to acupoints CV6, CV6, ST29, SP6 and SP9 at each acupuncture session. Intensity was adjusted to induce local muscle contractions at a comfortable level. Acupoints LI4 and PC6 were manually stimulated every 10 minutes to evoke deqi. Acupuncture was administered twice per week for two weeks, one time per week for six weeks and once every other week for eight weeks for a total of 14 acupuncture treatments over a 16 week period. 
Another study concludes that both electrical and manual acupuncture “improve menstrual frequency and decrease circulating androgens in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).” Manual and electroacupuncture groups showed normalization of estrogen activity and a decrease in androgens. In addition, the electroacupuncture group showed changes in the central opioid receptors of the hypothalamus suggesting that electroacupuncture may be “mediated by central opioid receptors….” The manual acupuncture group showed changes in the steroid receptors of the hypothalamus suggesting that manual acupuncture “may involve regulation of steroid hormone/peptide receptors.”

References:
Sun, J., J. M. Zhao, R. Ji, H. R. Liu, Y. Shi, and C. L. Jin. "[Effects of electroacupuncture of" Guanyuan"(CV 4)-" Zhongji"(CV 3) on ovarian P450 arom and P450c 17alpha expression and relevant sex hormone levels in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome]." Zhen ci yan jiu= Acupuncture research/[Zhongguo yi xue ke xue yuan Yi xue qing bao yan jiu suo bian ji] 38, no. 6 (2013): 465-472.
Elizabeth Jedel, Fernand Labrie, Anders Odén, Göran Holm, Lars Nilsson, Per Olof Janson, Anna-Karin Lind, Claes Ohlsson, and Elisabet Stener-Victorin. Impact of electro-acupuncture and physical exercise on hyperandrogenismand oligo/amenorrhea in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 300: E37–E45, 2011.
Electrical and manual acupuncture stimulation affects estrous cyclicity and neuroendocrine function in a DHT-induced rat polycystic ovary syndrome model. Yi Feng1,2, Julia Johansson1, Ruijin Shao1, Louise Mannerås Holm1, Håkan Billig1, Elisabet Stener-Victorin1,3 . Experimental Physiology. DOI: 10.1113/expphysiol.2011.063131.

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

A study recently published in JAMA Neurology suggests that mothers with multiple sclerosis who breastfeed their babies exclusively during the first 2 months after giving birth could increase their chances of a 6-month reprieve from the disease.
A new study has found breastfeeding may have benefits for mothers with MS.Perceptions of multiple sclerosis (MS) have changed radically over the last 60 years. The National MS Society describe how, until 1950, women with MS were advised not to become pregnant, in the belief that the disease would worsen as a result.

On the contrary, the majority of research now not only shows that this is untrue, but it indicates a reduction in relapses during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters, according to the Society.

Indeed, conception, pregnancy and delivery do not seem to be affected by MS. On the other hand, the chance of relapse in the first 6 months after giving birth is well documented.

During pregnancy, the body produces increased levels of corticosteroids as well as proteins that act as natural immunosuppressants. After giving birth, these natural benefits are reduced as hormones return to their pre-pregnancy levels - all of which contribute to a number of effects, including, for women with MS, a 20-30% chance of relapse within the first 3-4 months after delivery.

Now, new research suggests that exclusive breastfeeding for the first 2 months after giving birth could reduce the risk of relapse.

Exclusive breastfeeding reduced risk of MS relapseA team in Germany, led by Dr. Kerstin Hellwig of Rhur-University Bochum, surveyed 201 women over a 4-year period from 2008 to 2012.

The volunteers, who were registered with the German national MS and pregnancy registry, had expressed their intention either to breastfeed exclusively for 2 months after giving birth (59.7%), not to breastfeed or to breastfeed with regular supplementary feeds.

The findings showed that only 24.2% of the breastfeeding mothers suffered a relapse within the first 6 months after giving birth, in contrast with 38.3% of mothers who either did not breastfeed or did so only partially.

It seems that the mothers who breastfed their babies exclusively for the first 2 months increased their own chances of wellbeing for the first 6 months of motherhood.

Those who did not suffer a relapse at this time did seem to experience a return of symptoms in the second 6 months after giving birth, as they introduced supplemental feeding for their infants and as menstruation returned.

While commenting that the positive effect of breastfeeding "seems to be plausible," the authors of the report recommend that "women with MS should be supported if they choose to breastfeed exclusively," since at the very least, exclusive breastfeeding appears not to increase the chance of a relapse; indeed, they suggest that it may positively offer some relief from the disease at a time when new mothers most need it.

Dr. Hellwig told Medical News Today:

"I think these are very helpful and optimistic findings, as they clearly show that breastfeeding is not harmful [for MS patients]."

Limitations of the study include the fact that the participants had registered voluntarily, and that most of them had been using disease management treatments prior to becoming pregnant.

While breastfeeding is known to be beneficial for infants, a study recently reported by MNT found the practice may also expose infants to toxic chemicals known as perfluorinated alkylate substances (PFASs).

Written by Yvette Brazier
Reference: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/298961.php

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

What is something that every woman has to endure in her lifetime? You got it, a menstruation cycle. On average a woman will have her period once a month, for about 5 days, for around 40 years of her life! During this time, we need to use various products stay clean and fresh. There has got to be a market in there! The Tampon and Pad industry is a $718 Million dollar market, and tampons and pads are necessities. This got me questioning the production and ethical value behind these products.

They are mass-produced, and heavily marketed and cheaply made, out of bleached rayon and plastics. Why is it that we never see ads for the much safer alternatives such as cotton products, reusable washable pads and menstruation cups? Any of these alternatives are much more economical and are about a gillion times safer for the environment. Up until a few months ago, I didn’t even know that there were alternative products, or even think that there was any potential risk from using generic menstruation products.

Almost all sanitary napkins and tampons are made with bleached rayon, cotton and plastics, how safe do you think that material is to be inside or very close to your Vagina? Not to mention these products leave behind fibers in your vagina that can cause bladder, vaginal infections, and Toxic Shock Syndrome. Tampons are also known to absorb the natural fluids and bacterias that the vagina produces to stay clean and healthy.

Let’s look at the #1 ingredient in generic tampons and sanitary napkins: Rayon. Rayon is a fiber that is made from cellulose fibers, cellulose is a natural fiber, but to produce Rayon chemical procedures are needed that include: carbon disulphide, sulfuric acid, chlorine and caustic soda.

Side effects from exposure to too much Rayon can include: nausea, vomiting, chest pain, headaches and many others. Rayon is not just found in tampons and pads, but a lot of clothes are made from it as well. Sanitary napkins also contain quite a bit of plastic, which does not allow sufficient air flow ‘down there’ so in turn can also cause an array of infections. Tampons and pads are also bleached using chlorine, which results in the production of dioxin, which is linked to breast cancer, endometriosis, immune system suppression and various other ailments.

A menstrual cup is my first choice for a tampon/ pad alternative. It is a flexible silicone cup that is inserted into the vagina. Essentially this cup catches all the blood and you empty it every 12 hours during your cycle and reinsert it. I know what you are thinking… gross. That’s what I thought too; my initial thought was that this sounded so disgusting that I would never use it.

I guess that changed as I researched all of the positive effects that came from using a cup. If it is properly inserted and taken out there is no reason that you should ever have to actually touch blood, but even if you do, what’s the harm? Just wash your hands, you big baby.

It may take a few cycles to get the hang of how to use one of these cups, but once you do you will wish you had started a lot sooner! I recommend that you continue to use pads or liners until you have mastered the insertion technique, just in case. Not only will you save a lot of money using a menstruation cup, but you will be doing a huge favor to the environment as well.

Think about it, If an average women uses about 17,000 pads or tampons during her entire menstruation period, x that by 3.5 billion women in the world, and yeah, you do the math…. Another great thing about using menstrual cups is that many women have reported to having less severe cramping during their period! I know that alone would encourage some women to making this change. Some brands of menstrual cups are: ‘DivaCup,’ ‘MoonCup,’ ‘Ladycup’ and ‘Lunette,’ among many others.

There are also reusable pad products are made of safe materials that come with washable highly absorbent inserts to suit all different levels of flow. These would be a great option to women that do not like to products that you have to insert. These reusable ‘pads’ are made with safe breathable materials to keep your area healthy, and leak free! Some brands that are available today are: ‘Luna Pads,’ ‘Glad Rags,’ ‘Pleasure Puss’ and you can also make your own.

Now, if you are just not so keen on ever having to really see blood or wash your products, or don’t like these options there is another option, sit in a lake for your entire cycle. You will eventually come out very cold and wrinkled, but at least you won’t be throwing away tons of crap into the environment and you don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals being leached into your body…. Just kidding!

OK, there is one last alternative to generic tampons and pads. There are some companies that make natural organic cotton products that do not leach chemicals, and do not leave synthetic materials behind. These can still absorb your natural fluids and they are still not the best things for the environment, but at least cotton is a more natural substance that can biodegrade much quicker and safer. Some brands of these products are: ‘Seventh Generation,’ and ‘Natracare.’

So there you have it! I hope that this article opened up your eyes to the health effects and environmental hazards that are associated with using pads and tampons, and made you reconsider what products that you are using. There are many websites that provide information with reviews on all of these products, do your research and find what’s best suited for you and your lifestyle.

Reference: http://lunapads.com/ – http://www.natracare.com/Default.aspx – http://divacup.com




For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Acupuncture combined with moxibustion and herbs is more successful for reducing menstrual pain and cramping than ibuprofen. The results were published in new research of a randomized investigation of patients with primary dysmenorrhea, painful menstruation. Data points were taken at three, six and nine months after the beginning of treatment. The long-term positive clinical outcomes for patients having received acupuncture, moxibustion and herbal medicine was significantly superior to patients having taken ibuprofen.

Research conducted at the Affiliated Hospital of Hubei College of Medicine and Pharmacy involved a trial of 90 patients with primary dysmenorrhea. They were randomly divided into two study groups. Group 1 received acupuncture, herbal hot compresses and moxibustion. Also referred to as moxa, moxibustion is the burning of herbs near the skin to produce a penetrating and warming sensation. Group 2 receiving oral administration of ibuprofen at 300mg per dose, three times daily. The treatment lasted for three menstrual cycles. 

During the course of treatment, dietary restrictions were applied to both group 1 and group 2. Patients were advised to avoid eating raw, cold, pungent or very spicy foods. Patients were advised to increase their consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits. In addition, patients were advised to avoid prolonged exposure to cold conditions on the lower abdomen. The total curative effect observed in the acupuncture group was much higher than that in ibuprofen group.

Let’s take a closer look at the acupuncture and herbal medicine procedures employed in the study. The hot compresses were applied to the umbilical region and local regions of pain in the lower abdomen. The herbal medicines in the compress were Dan Shen 10g, Yan Hu Suo 10g and Yi Mu Cao 30g. Yan Hu Suo is a standout in the compress selection in that it is commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the relief of pain in both internal and external applications. The herbs were decocted for one hour and strained. A 10cm X 15cm flannel cloth was soaked in the decoction, removed and squeezed to remove excess fluid. The cloth was applied to the patient. One hot compress treatment lasted for fifteen minutes.

In TCM, herbal medicines are ascribed specific properties and functions. Dan Shen (Salviae miltiorrhizae radix) is an invigorate the blood category herb. Dan Shen, salvia root, is slightly cooling and bitter. It enters the heart hand Shaoyin, pericaridum hand Jueyin and liver foot Jueyin meridians. Dan Shen eliminates blood stasis, stops pain, clears heat in the blood and ying levels and calms the spirit. Common indications for the use of Dan Shen include dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, abdominal masses, tumors and breast abscesses. Other uses include the treatment of chest pain, high fever due to blood heat, insomnia, irritability, palpitations, mental restlessness and angina pectoris. Dan Shen is contraindicated for internal use during pregnancy.

Yan Hu Suo (Corydalis rhizoma) is another invigorate the blood category herb. Yan Hu Suo is warming, pungent and bitter. It enters the lung hand Taiyang and stomach foot Yangming meridians. Yan Hu Suo invigorates the blood, stops pain and promotes the circulation of qi. Yan Hua Suo is indicated for the treatment of generalized pain, abdominal pain, abdominal masses, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, uterine bleeding, hernia, chest pain and headaches. Yan Hu Suo is contraindicated for use during pregnancy. This is herb found in formulas such as Jin Ling Zi San, Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang and Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang. 

Yi Mu Cao (Leonuri herba) is also commonly referred to as Chinese motherwort. The term Yi Mu Cao is translated as benefit the mother grass. This herb enters the heart hand Shaoyin, liver foot Jueyin and urination bladder foot Taiyang meridians. Yi Mu Cao invigorates the blood, eliminates blood stasis and promotes menstrual flow. As such, this herb is contraindicated for use during pregnancy. Yi Mu Cao promotes urination and clears heat and toxicity. Yi Mu Cao is indicated for use in the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, lochia retention and postpartum abdominal pain. Other uses include the treatment of angina pain, edema, painful urination, hypertension, chronic nephritis and skin disorders such as eczema, pruritus and non-healing sores. This herb is notable for appearing in the famous herbal formula Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin.

Customization of acupuncture points was applied according to TCM differential diagnostics. Primary acupuncture points used in the study were: 
Sanyinjiao (SP 6)
Zusanli (ST 36)
Guanyuan (RN 4)
Qihai (RN 6)

In cases of excess, the following were added:
Taichong (LR 3)
Diji (SP 8)

For cases of deficiency, the following acupuncture points were added:
Xuehai (SP 10) and Geshu (BL 17)

Reinforcing and reducing acupuncture needle manipulation techniques were applied until a deqi sensation was achieved. Moxa was applied to needles. The needles were withdrawn after the use of 3-5 cones of moxa. The approximate treatment time was 30 minutes. Acupuncture, moxibustion and hot compresses were applied once daily for a period of six days. The treatment started one week before the menstrual period began and ended by the first day of the menstrual cycle. The treatment resumed before the next menstrual period. One course of treatment comprised one menstrual period and the entire treatment lasted for three courses. The acupuncture group significantly outperformed the ibuprofen group at three, six and nine months after the beginning of treatment. The results indicated that acupuncture combined with moxibustion and herbal compresses is safe and effective for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.

Reference:
Zhou, Juan. “Acupuncture and Moxibustion plus Herbal Hot Compress for Primary Dysmenorrhea.” Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion 60.2 (2014): 11-13.

- See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1317-acupuncture-herbs-best-drugs-for-menstrual-pain-and-cramps#sthash.Lv6Givm8.vK2RypXA.dpuf


For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

A study on the link between the birth control pill and Crohn’s disease has led a team of doctors to suggest that women with an already genetic predisposition to the chronic gastrointestinal disease may be three times more likely to develop the condition if they have used "the pill" for at least five years.

The study, led by Harvard University gastroenterologist Dr. Hamed Khalili, followed 230,000 American women who were enrolled in the large U.S. Nurses Health Studies I and II from 1976 to 2008, Health News reported. Khalili and his team then compared the gastrointestinal health of women who have used the pill for long periods of time with women who never used birth control pills. As it turned out, of the original 230,000, there were 309 cases of Crohn’s disease and 362 cases of ulcerative colitis.

Results showed that there was no link between oral birth control and increased risk for developing ulcerative colitis. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Crohn’s disease. “If you took oral contraceptives for more than five years, you have a three-fold increased risk of Crohn’s disease,” Khalili explained, as reported by Health News.

Although not confirmed, Khalili believed that it was the hormones inside birth control pills that explained the increased risk for Crohn’s disease. Previous animal studies have shown estrogen’s effects on the colon. As reported by MedpageToday, estrogen is thought to both affect the colon’s permeability and may affect gut immunity. Khalili also believes that excess amounts of the hormone can affect the “healthy” bacteria residing in our gut. Although the “morning-after pill” emergency contraceptive was not included in the study, due to the similar composition, Khalili suggested that women who use this drug may be at a similar risk, since it has even stronger doses of hormones than those found in the pill.

Although there seems to be a link between the birth control pill and gastrointestinal problems, Khalili was adamant that one did not definitely cause the other.

“What’s very clear is that Crohn’s is not caused by oral contraceptive use by itself,” he told The Daily Mail. “It’s a combination of oral contraceptive use among individuals with a strong genetic predisposition to Crohn’s.”

Crohn’s disease is a serious, incurable, and largely debilitating condition. Once more, the number of women experiencing this condition has inexplicably risen two- or three-fold in the past 50 years, The Mail reported. Khalili’s study cannot explain the overall rise in the number of Crohn’s patients, but his findings will hopefully be of use to women who have a genetic predisposition to gastrointestinal conditions.

The birth control pill is the most widely used form of contraceptive in the United States, but there are many more forms of birth control available and women should be well informed of the risks associated with each before deciding which is best for them.

Source: Khalili H, Higuchi LM, Ananthakrishnan AN, et al. Oral contraceptives, reproductive factors and risk of inflammatory bowel disease. Gut. 2012.

Correction: An original version of this story wrote that the "morning after pill" has stronger doses of estrogen than the "the pill." Emergency contraception in the U.S. does not contain estrogen but rather the hormone progestin or ulipristal acetate, a selective progesterone receptor modulator.



For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Acupuncture can increase the chances of getting pregnant for women undergoing fertility treatment by 65%, a review of the evidence concludes today.

Acupuncture, which involves inserting fine needles under the skin at particular points in the body depending on the condition being treated, has long been used in China to help with a range of diagnoses, including regulating female reproduction.

To establish how effective the treatment is, doctors in the US collated evidence from all relevant, well-conducted studies and published their conclusions in today's British Medical Journal.

Eric Manheimer, research associate at the centre for integrative medicine at the University of Maryland school of medicine and colleagues looked at seven studies. All had been published in English since 2002 and conducted in four different western countries. The trials involved 1,366 women undergoing in vitro fertility treatment - where eggs and sperm are removed and mixed in the laboratory and one or more resulting embryos returned to the womb.

In the trials some women were given genuine acupuncture, others "sham" acupuncture, such as putting needles in the wrong places, and some no treatment at all. Overall the genuine acupuncture improved a woman's chances of pregnancy by 65%. All the acupuncture took place within a day or so of embryo transfer. Not all the pregnancies would have resulted in a live birth. In trials where the clinic's pregnancy rate was already high, there was a smaller, non-significant increase. Manheimer said the results were not necessarily a reason for every infertile woman to seek out acupuncture. 

"I think the findings should be regarded as somewhat preliminary," he said. "Acupuncture can improve the rates of pregnancy and live birth. Some couples might want to choose acupuncture but others might want to wait until further research has been done." 

But Edzard Ernst, professor of complementary medicine at the Peninsula medical school, Exeter, urged caution. "IVF may not seem to be 'placebo-prone' but it probably is: if women expect it to be helpful they are more relaxed, which in turn would affect pregnancy rates."

Manheimer argued a placebo response was unlikely, arguing that acupuncture may stimulate the body to produce neurotransmitters which influence the menstrual cycle, ovulation and fertility.



Reference: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2008/feb/08/health.healthandwellbeing


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