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Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treat all aspects of health, with a holistic approach to wellness. The ancient Chinese scholars and doctors became specialists in specific areas of wellness, including fertility. The treatment of fertility in TCM was highly studied starting around 206 BC. Gynecological health was integral to menstrual regulation and healthy pregnancy, necessary in a growing population.
Read more about Chinese Medicine and fertility in our latest blog.
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The Blossum Formulas are a series of four formulas designed to regulate menses, before during and after the period, to help set the stage for pregnancy. Once the period is regulated, the fertility and eventually pregnancy, can begin. |
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The first part of your menstrual phase starts on day one of your period. The menstrual blood or menses is the shedding from the lining of your uterus, the endometrium. A period lasting between three and seven days is considered normal. The typical protocol during this phase is to invigorate the qi and blood, regulate water passage, and calm the mind by moving the liver qi.
Blossum Phase 1 formula is effective during this phase of the menstrual cycle.
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The Follicular phase of the cycle begins the week after finishing menstruation when the body is working to grow the tiny follicle into a healthy, viable egg. During this phase, estrogen increases causing the endometrium of the uterus to thicken to receive a fertilized egg. The increase of another hormone, FSH or follicle-stimulating hormone, stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles. The surge in estrogen which is helping to thicken your endometrium also triggers a spike in LH or luteinizing hormone which causes the follicle to rupture and release an egg precisely when ovulation occurs.
In Chinese medicine the follicular phase of the cycle requires the body to have strong energy reserves, and a sufficient supply of blood and bodily fluids. These tend to decline with age, overwork, lack of nourishment, and overexertion over a long period of time. Blossum Phase 2 can help manage the symptoms of this phase.
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The ovulation phase occurs when a mature egg, an ovum, is released from the follicle and in to the nearest Fallopian tube. If two eggs are fertilized this may result in twins. The increase in LH triggers ovulation and the egg travels into the uterus. Ovulation occurs somewhere between 11 to 16 days before your period. Most eggs live only 24 hours so fertilization must happen within 24 hours of ovulation. It then takes three to four days for the egg to travel toward the uterus and begin its implantation process.
In Chinese medicine the ovulatory phase is the time when the kidney yin is turning into yang and there is a peak in temperature and ovulation occurs. To assure a smooth transition we need to tonify the kidney yang for the transition, replenish the kidney jing (or energy reserves) for quality, and move the blood in the lower Jiao to encourage the journey to the endometrium. Blossum Phase 3 will facilitate this process.
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The ovulation phase can go two different ways which makes it a little more difficult to treat. if you are taking precautions to avoid getting pregnant then we can use a clear strategy. However if you are trying to conceive it becomes more of a challenge.
After ovulation, the follicle becomes a hormone-producing structure called the corpus luteum. The cells of the corpus luteum produce estrogen and large amounts of progesterone to stimulate the growth of the uterine lining for implantation of a fertilized egg. If you don’t become pregnant, the corpus luteum dies about two weeks after ovulation and progesterone levels drop causing lining to shed as a new menstrual cycle starts.
If you become pregnant, fertilization occurs within 24 hours of ovulation. Three to five days later, this fertilized egg enters the uterus and becomes embedded in the lining, eventually becoming the placenta and producing the “pregnancy hormone”, HCG. The menstrual cycle is interrupted through continual stimulation of the corpus luteum to produce progesterone, preventing the shedding of the endometrium.
The luteal phase is the period of time when PMS symptoms like bloating, breast distension and irritability occur. All of these are signs that the liver is not moving blood and lymph through the body effectively, causing you to feel these symptoms. Blossum Phase 4 can help!
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After childbirth, deficiencies in the body occur due to blood loss and diversion of nutrients to the developing baby for the past 40 weeks. The Postpartum formula is useful for women with fatigue and missed periods as a result of childbirth. Its foundation is the Eight Treasures Decoction (Ba Zhen Tang), the classic formula for tonification of Qi and blood. Added to this are herbs to reinforce the building of Qi and blood, nourish blood, yin, and jing, stop deficiency bleeding, and treat abdominal pain. Three herbs, salvia, leonurus, and rubia are included to invigorate blood, dispel stasis and expel the placenta. They also act to contract the uterus and return it to normal size.
The Postpartum forumula is safe to take while nursing.
This formula can be used for abdominal surgery recovery as well as after childbirth. In the Acupuncture by Andrea clinic we do a lot of post-surgical lymphatic massage for abdominal and other surgeries. Ask about this formula to speed your recovery and aid in healing.
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Dr Danti will be out of the office April 7-14 for continuing education classes and a little bit of R & R!
Schedule now for appointments in late April and the month of May.
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When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe
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