"To conceive, the conditions must be just right…not too hot, not too cold, not to still and not to mobile.”

Fertility issues are increasingly more common in the United States. There are several options available for those wanting children with heavy price tags. The prime age to conceive is from 18 to 25 years old. After the age of 25, a women’s fertility begins to decline slowly. At the age of 35, that process declines more rapidly. By the age of 40, a woman’s chance of getting pregnant becomes very problematic with many complications. However, being technical, women can get pregnant as long as they are ovulating and having a menstrual cycle.

Men are different as far as fertility goes. Their fertility is very high until their late 30’s, by their 50’s men begin to see drastic drops in fertility. Even so, two thirds of men will not see a drop in fertility until they are much older than that (look at Larry King). The perspective from Oriental Medicine on fertility issues extremely differs from Western Medicine. The approach of Western Medicine is to over stimulate hormone production, which in Oriental Medicine’s view, rides a high rate of miscarriage. Even in the approach of in vitro fertilization, a female’s body may not strong enough to support carrying a child which could be a reason the women could not organically conceive. The view in Oriental Medicine on fertility lies in the same concepts of overall health. Balance. A good barometer to measure in fertility standards is the menstrual cycle. Delayed or heavy cycles make conception prolonged. Short or missing cycles stand the risk of miscarriage. High levels of pain during a menses indicate that energetically something is blocked and not moving properly in the body. That blockage can not only create pain, but obstruct the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and egg production. Some of the reasons behind the obstruction of the reproductive system can be · Dietary Factors · Not at a healthy weight (obesity or anorexia) · Trauma from previous miscarriages or surgeries · Beginning the menstrual cycle later (later then age 14) · Alcohol · Stressful lifestyle · Emotional factors (anxiety, fear or sadness)

Out of anything that you can do to improve your chances of conception, food choices top the list. Our food supplies, manufacturing methods and components of food have drastically changed over the last 20 years. We are faced with genetic modification, gene splicing, pesticides, prepackaged, frozen and poorly cooked meals. Food can be used medicinally or it can be part of the problem. Heavy foods cause dampness in the body, blocking reproductive organs. Foods that are filled with pesticides and are genetically altered lower the immune system. Some healthy food tips: · Eat organic as much as possible · Eliminate dairy, red meat and soy · Don’t buy anything that comes in a box, tub, can or plastic container · Avoid using the microwave as a method of cooking One if the essential in conception is avoiding alcohol. Alcohol affects every tissue in the body and disrupts the flow of blood, energy and movement in the body by “knotting” or “binding” up qi. This prevents a smooth transfer during conception. Additionally, alcohol raises the core basal body temperature, making conditions excessively hot throughout the body. It takes approximately 3 days to re-regulate the internal temperature of the body. For somebody that has a few drinks per week, the effects can be endless. The procedure of trying to conceive does not have to be complicated or expensive.

Making healthy food choices and acupuncture are powerful weapons. Oriental medicine is more balanced then other methods, without erratic side effects, invasive procedures or over stimulating hormonal balance and wiping out the adrenal functions. The approach of Chinese medicine in conception is simply balance.