With the arrival of the Winter weather (deep sigh), you may have noticed a few more people coughing, or blowing their nose lately. Perhaps you have school aged children and you can sense that the spread of colds and flus is on the way. Now is the right time to give your immune system a boost. That’s where the acupuncture point Lung 7 comes in.

Lung 7 is located on the thumb-side edge of your wrist. To find it, make a thumbs-up sign. When you do that, you’ll see a depression at the base of your thumb (referred to as the anatomical snuffbox). From that depression, Lung 7 is located approximately two finger widths up your arm. Slowly glide your finger up until you feel a slight depression between two tendons (see picture below). That’s Lung 7.

Lung 7 is a key acupuncture point for treating early stage cold and flu symptoms, including cough sore throat, chills and fever, nasal congestion, headache, and stiff neck. Better yet, it is ideal for keeping your immune system strong so you can win the battle over the ever present cold and flu viruses.

As an Acupuncturist, I will frequently add this acupuncture point to treatments at this time of year to help keep my patients strong and healthy.

The good news is that now that you know where this point is, you can boost your own
immune system with self-acupressure. Just press the point firmly with your finger or the blunt end of a pen, holding for 1-2 minutes (remember to repeat on the other arm). Repeat 2-3 times per day, or hourly if you feel like you’re getting sick. This point works best when you’re just starting to feel a little tired or run down. If you have a full blown cold or flu, then Lung 7 is not strong enough and it’s best to come in for an acupuncture treatment and herbal prescription. If you have a stiff neck associated with the early stages of a cold or flu this is your go to point. That’s because Lung 7 is also a command point for the neck.

What else do we use Lung 7 for? Because of where Lung 7 is located, it is a great point for
treating thumb and wrist pain. Do you text too much or have wrist pain due to repetitive strain? Massage Lung 7 regularly to keep pain at bay, and keep your thumbs and wrists in working order.

As you can see, Lung 7 is an important point frequently used in the clinic for various reasons. But it does not replace a healthy lifestyle. As hard as it may be, try to keep your sugar intake low during the holiday season to keep your immune system functioning at full steam. Nothing replaces eating and sleeping well, getting exercise and fresh air. Enjoy the good things in your life and our immune system will love you for it!

Be well!

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Why Women Need Traditional Chinese Medicine

By Amy Lipsett, R.Ac, R.TCMP, FABORM

Of all the women’s health issues that are successfully treated by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), three repeatedly walk through my clinic doors; fertility issues, pregnancy, and menopause.

Fertility issues plague many couples trying to conceive. The process of getting pregnant can filled with medical interventions, hormone therapy, financial loss and emotional turmoil. Acupuncture and TCM help couples conceive naturally, and can boost the effectiveness of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Studies have shown that conception rates increase when acupuncture is performed both before and after embryo transfer. Now, many fertility clinics offer
acupuncture services.

The goal of Chinese medical therapies is to not only improve the chances of conceiving, but to improve a women’s overall health. Whether the barriers to conception are irregular periods, high FSH, endometriosis, PCOS or recurrent miscarriages, TCM treats the underlying causes of infertility by improving circulation to reproductive organs, balancing hormones, and regulating the menstrual cycle. Increased stress levels are common when undergoing conventional fertility treatments. However, high stress levels are known to reduce fertility. Acupuncture naturally decreases stress hormones, boosts immune function and provides women with a greater sense of calm and relaxation.

Pregnancy and Acupuncture is a match made in heaven. The benefits are plentiful and the risks are minimal. Acupuncture is a safe, non-pharmaceutical way to alleviate the common issues suffered by women in the first trimester, such as morning sickness, heartburn, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia and headaches. Simple dietary changes, acupuncture and homemade ginger tea is often all that’s needed to alleviate nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. As a pregnancy reaches the third trimester, the focus of treatment shifts to alleviating body aches and pains, turning breech babies, labour preparation and induction. Acupressure can be taught to patients and their partners to facilitate labour, and ease pain
during delivery.

Menopause is a natural process of changing hormone levels and the cessation of a women’s menstrual cycle. Some women sail through shifting hormone levels virtually symptom free, while others suffer through mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, depression, palpitations and weight gain. Diet and lifestyle changes can help reduce symptoms, while acupuncture and Chinese herbs can safely regulate hormone levels, ease insomnia, and slow the signs of aging. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and anti-depressants, sometimes prescribed to ease menopausal symptoms, come with some significant risks. Professional custom formulas with herbs such as rehmannia, moutan, anemarrhena and dioscorea can be taken with little risk of side effects, to ease the transition of menopause.

From adolescence to menopause and beyond, Traditional Chinese Medicine offers women symptom relief, safe alternatives to pharmaceuticals, and time tested advice. So, what are you waiting for?

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6 Ways Acupuncture Can Improve IVF Treatments

With Mother’s Day having just passed, it struck me how often we as a society can take for granted the miracle of conceiving a child. Infertility, and difficulty getting or staying pregnant is an increasing problem. In Canada approximately 16% of couples struggle to create a family and many look to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) technology to help. Anyone who has used

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) can attest, that this is not an easy path to conception. IVF is an expensive, time consuming, stressful and at times physically demanding procedure. However when successful, it is simply amazing! Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can be used with ART and specifically IVF to improve fertility and optimize outcomes. Here are 6 ways Acupuncture may help you on your fertility journey, along with some links to research articles.

1.Reduce stress and anxiety

The stress and anxiety that couples feel as they navigate IVF treatment is real and acute,
and in part inherent in the process. All steps necessary should be taken to help lower
this natural stress response to IVF treatments which may include regular exercise, yoga,
meditation and mindfulness practise and increased family support.
Acupuncture is good at down regulating the nervous system, creating a greater sense of
calm, improving sleep quality, and levelling out the emotional highs and lows that go
along with fertility treatments.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2904299/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24043383

2. Improve your body’s response to IVF medications

This is especially true for women of advanced maternal age, or who have diminished
ovarian reserve. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine used as a pre-treatment to
IVF may increase your ovarian response to fertility hormones and medication. This is
best done 3-6 months in advance of starting IVF. Creating a healthier environment and
increased blood flow to the ovaries assists in the early stages of egg development and
can increase sensitivity to hormonal influences.

3. Reduce the side effects of medications

Common medication side effects such as headaches, bloating, fatigue, lower abdominal
pain, and digestive upset can be diminished with the use of Acupuncture. This is a safe
form of treatment that does not negatively interfere with the IVF process. Herbal
medicine is not commonly combined with IVF medications but specific diet and lifestyle
recommendations may be used to reduce negative side effects.

4. Improve uterine blood flow and uterine lining thickness
A thick, receptive endometrial lining is key to a successful embryo transfer and
implantation. A trilaminar (three layered) 8+ mm uterine lining is optimal, and
acupuncture has been shown to increase blood flow to the uterus and assist in creating
a thick juicy lining. Multiple treatments often with electro-acupuncture are necessary to
affect growth of the uterine lining. Herbal medicine in addition to acupuncture may
improve results as well.
http://www.lotuscenter.com/pdf/pcrs07.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=chinese+herbal+medicine+uterine+liing

5. Increase chance of a live birth

It seems obvious to say that at the end of fertility treatments you want a take home
baby. However, it is not uncommon for women to narrow their view towards a positive
pregnancy test, and stop seeing the whole picture. I have seen many women go ahead
with an embryo transfer when their uterine lining was marginally thick enough, when
their stress levels were through the roof, and they felt exhausted and unwell.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have a long history of safely caring for
women in early pregnancy and optimizing health and well being. Healthy Mom and
healthy baby is the goal!
https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(14)01755-5/abstract?code=fns-site

6. Reduce miscarriage rates

Miscarriage rates vary based on age, with rates increasing with advanced maternal age.
Women under the age of 40 years have a 12-26% miscarriage rate. Genetic
abnormalities with eggs and sperm increase with age, which is one of the main reasons
for increased infertility, and miscarriage rates (38-52%) in women over 40 years of age.
Approximately 50% of miscarriages are due to genetic abnormalities which generally
take place in the first trimester. Many factors can lead to miscarriage and acupuncture
is showing promising results in reducing miscarriage rates that are not due to genetic
abnormalities.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture can be used in preparation for IVF treatments.
How many treatments recommended in advance of an IVF cycle will vary with each individual,
however, as a general rule 3 months of preparation is ideal. In addition, many fertility clinics
have an onsite Acupuncturist to provide pre and post-embryo transfer treatments, which have
been shown to significantly increase IVF success rates.

To find out more about how Traditional Chinese Medicine can support you in your quest to create a family, contact Amy Lipsett, R.Ac,
R.TCMP.

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