Cupping Therapy

What is cupping, and why is it suddenly so popular? Well when a bunch of Olympic athletes show up with salami-like circles all over their bodies people start asking questions. Cupping is the answer.

Acupuncture for IVF-related anxiety

People who are trying to conceive commonly report higher than normal levels of anxiety, and this is true for both females and males. Anxiety levels in people going through IVF are considerable. This is an area that should receive more attention because not only does it impact on quality of life, it is one of the reasons often given for deciding to discontinue Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART). The conclusion drawn by the authors of this study is that acupuncture is a low-risk therapy with benefits for reduction of anxiety, and to support couples going through IVF.

Acupuncture for Endometriosis Pain and Fertility

Acupuncture for Endometriosis Pain and Fertility

There is now an accumulating body of research supporting the use of acupuncture to reduce pain and other symptoms in women with endometriosis. Many of these studies also report significant improvements in quality of life outcomes in women using acupuncture compared to those not given acupuncture (Giese & Heirs, 2022).

Easy Rainbow Salad

We’re always talking to our fertility and IVF clients about increasing their essential fatty acid (good oil) intake, and choosing rainbow foods for their antioxidant content. With the weather hot again this week we thought you might like some quick and easy dinner inspiration with some of these ingredients.

My best friend is pregnant

Infertility is hard. You start with a heart full of hope and just a tingle of excitement as you decide that the time is finally right.  As time goes on, spontaneity is replaced with planning, measuring and counting.   Later still and your vocabulary is full of acronyms like IVF, IUI and ICSI, and you know that the words egg pick up don’t necessarily have anything to do with the supermarket.  Even social media hashtags like #ttc and #2ww have become a comfortable second language.

Infertility, IVF and the Festive Season

The festive season can be a particularly difficult time if you are having trouble conceiving or have experienced pregnancy loss. Being surrounded by people, focussed on family, friendships and celebrations can be tough going when you are feeling disappointed and sometimes really sad.

Meet The Practitioner: Heather Valente

Heather Valente – Acupuncturist

If you ask Heather what the most important thing in her world is, she’ll very quickly tell you it’s family. She’s an amazing mum to two gorgeous kids aged 10 and 8, and with the support of her wonderful husband Morrie she manages to juggle everything around some long days in clinical practice.

Acupuncture for birth preparation

Acupuncture is commonly recommended as a method of starting the birthing process moving for women who have passed their due date in pregnancy. With a reputation for being able to gently encourage the body to begin it’s work, the popularity of acupuncture as an induction method is rising. 

Plant Based Eating and Pregnancy

Plant-Based Eating and Pregnancy – 4 Steps to a Healthy Bub

A plant-based diet is a diet based on foods derived from plants (e.g. fruit, vegetables, nuts, wholegrains, legumes) and generally contains little, if any animal products. Recent research has highlighted the health benefits of a plant-based diet, including its link with reducing risk of chronic disease, diabetes and some cancers. However there can potentially be some nutritional and health risks with following this eating pattern during pregnancy.

Walk like a Gorilla

Walk like a Gorilla

How well do you know how your body’s going? I don’t mean: are you a bit tired, a bit sore, a bit stiff? I mean: when was the last time you mentally scanned your body to see how each area, each muscle is? How many of your body’s muscles do you know the ‘feel’ of – that is, how that muscle feels when firmly pressed with a finger (as in, after a tough workout saying “I’m sore in muscles I never knew I had”)? And what’s all this got to do with a complaint like lower back pain? Or gorillas??

Banish the Bloat

Banish the Bloat: How to get rid of stomach bloating

Stomach bloating is a common problem which can range in severity from mild discomfort to severe pain. It is an extremely familiar sensation to people who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and often occurs with increased wind, burping/belching and changes in bowel habits (diarrhoea, constipation or a mixture or both). Many people find bloating gets worse over the day and becomes most severe in the afternoon and evening.

Acupuncture & IVF Research: Part 1

Acupuncture and IVF Research Part 1: Blinding and ‘Sham’ Acupuncture

Recent media has reported on a research paper published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) concluding that acupuncture does not increase live birth rates for women undergoing IVF treatment[i].  As with most media, the tendency to sensationalize the headline over the substance means that the real story behind the research has been overlooked.  Over the years research on acupuncture and IVF has returned mixed results[ii],[iii].  Many research studies on acupuncture and IVF have actually demonstrated statistically significant benefits from including acupuncture.  Whether or not the effect comes from the acupuncture itself or some effect surrounding the application of the acupuncture is important from a scientific perspective, but may be less relevant from a clinical perspective. The positive response to acupuncture seems to be enhanced in women who are regarded as ‘poor responders’ to IVF making it even more important for this group. In comparison to the cost of an IVF cycle, the cost of acupuncture is small.  Just because we don’t yet understand what creates the effect doesn’t negate the fact that there are very positive effects from combining acupuncture with IVF treatment.