Exploring the Many Benefits of Incorporating Chinese Medicine When You're TTC
Whether the idea of starting a family is a twinkle in your eye, or the luster has already worn off from unsuccessfully trying to conceive, incorporating a holistic approach into your efforts has a myriad of benefits to offer. Chinese medicine, in particular, provides a framework for caring for yourself and your future or current pregnancy on a parallel path with your regular prenatal care.
The great thing about Chinese medicine is that it’s so much more than acupuncture alone. A properly trained practitioner can guide you towards optimal health through nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle adjustments to help you manage stress, anxiety, and other emotions that commonly arise while TTC. There are lots of things you can do with just a bit of guidance, things that can make a big difference!
The basis of eastern medical philosophy is one of holism, meaning that all things are connected and valuable when it comes to living in harmony with ourselves, and with nature. We are called upon to view ourselves as microcosms of the world around us, the macrocosm. This is an especially important idea when it comes to conception, pregnancy, and ultimately parenthood, as we can no longer ignore the macrocosm in our pursuit of personal opportunities. The state of the environment requires us to consider how we plan to bring the next generation of children into a healthy and sustainable world, so incorporating lifestyle practices that reduce toxic exposure and pollution is very much aligned with a holistic mindset.
Eastern medicine provides a beautiful framework through which to view the human body, abandoning the notion that our symptoms exist in isolation from the sum of our parts. By re-envisioning ourselves as a part of the macrocosm, and using that mindset to adjust our lives to be aligned with a holistic approach, we can begin to heal our whole selves and set the stage for bringing a child into the world from a place of optimal health and wellness, inside and out.
While working directly with a practitioner to help you curate your holistic regimen is ideal, it’s not always in reach. Not to worry, there are many ways that you can begin to incorporate the principles of holistic health into your life and lifestyle through a few tweaks and changes.
Here are a few:
Think of your digestive system as the factory for making healthy blood, the lifeline of all of your cells. Your blood carries nutrients to every cell in your body, so try and make it your priority to treat this system of your body with as much nutritious food as you possibly can. Some of the things that can be done to improve your digestion include: avoiding ice cold drinks and frozen food as much as possible. Instead, opt for warm drinks, like herbal teas, or a nourishing cocoa drink over ice cream. When it comes to veggies, opt for steamed and roasted over raw, and try to incorporate mineral and bone broths daily. Enjoy a balanced diet that includes well-sourced proteins, root veggies, greens, fermented foods, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Supplements like digestive enzymes and herbs to support digestion are a great addition to your healthy diet.
Commit to managing your stress levels in a healthy way. It takes practice and discipline to incorporate stress management techniques into your daily life, and that’s made even more difficult when life itself is super stressful (or is it just me?). Start with the things you can control, like keeping your blood sugar stable throughout the day and trying to move your body, take walks or meditate daily.
Get enough sleep! Sleep is the key to balanced hormones and a healthy outlook. The rest we get between 10 pm and 2 am is supercharged, so try your best to get to bed on the early side.
Do what you need to do to poop on the regular. Like every day regular. Hydrate, eat plenty of fiber-rich foods and use prunes or fiber supplements as needed. Taking a daily probiotic is also a good idea, eating lots of fermented veggies is even better! Elimination is so important for your body’s ability to detoxify itself, so don’t let this part of you go unattended.
Tend to your emotions. No matter where you are on your fertility journey, this process can get real, fast. If there are things you and your partner are struggling with, or if there are unresolved issues from the past, do what you can to work through them so they don’t pile up on you. Think of your heart and uterus as one, and take care of them as such.
Setting out to start your family can be fraught with so many different emotions. Finding the guidance and support you need makes the process much less daunting, and incorporating a holistic approach will pay dividends as you navigate your way to your baby.
I am honored to offer a few different ways to learn my methods and work with me directly.
Training to Conceive- my six-module course teaches you how to optimize your health for fertility, pregnancy, and parenthood
1:1 Consulting: As a holistic fertility specialist, I work with people around the world to help them uncover the reasons for their fertility challenges, and to come up with an individualized, integrative plan to get you where you need to be to achieve your goals. It is my pleasure to continue to work with you through your pregnancy and the postpartum period as a doula, mentor, and holistic healthcare provider.
In-person care: I provide acupuncture and onsite herbal medicine prescriptions in my West Los Angeles Office.