In general, women can achieve healthier breasts (less pain and lower cancer rates) by limiting several environmental pollutants:

• PAHS (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons)
  Present in:cigarette smoke, air pollution, auto exhaust, diesel fuel, smoked and grilled foods.
• PBCs ((Polycholorinated biphenyls)
  Banned in the US in 1979, we are still exposed to this through accumulation in rivers and industrial areas, fish and HUMAN BREAST MILK!
• BPA (Bishenol A)
  Present in plastic and epoxy resins, plastic wrap, plastic bags, storage containers, canned foods.
• Dioxin
  Produced through chemical processes involving chlorine such as pulp and paper manufacturing, dioxin has now contaminated many food sources such as milk, fish and meat.

So, what can you do? Not eat, breath or sleep (mattresses commonly contain pollutants as well)?

This is a sound, but not practical solution. You can avoid canned foods, know where your food is coming from, adjust some habits and be proactive. For example, use glass containers to store food, avoid canned foods, always bring a reusable bag to the grocery store. When at the grocery store be mindful of where your food came from. Is it organic? Was it imported from Mexico or other places where there are fewer laws and regulations regarding the use of chemicals in agriculture? Is it local, or did it come here from from across the country on a diesel truck? Get involved, support environmental groups.

Keep your liver healthy!. Your liver is responsible for breaking down and excreting toxins. There are specific breast support formulas available to support breast health, endocrine balance (which these chemicals disrupt) and provide antioxidants.

GET HELP!

Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine has a long history of successfully treating breast pain! From cyclical breast pain to cancer related breast issues, you can feel better!

When working with menstrual cycle induced breast pain or cysts I combine dietary therapy with acupuncture (no, the needles do not go in the breasts) and herbal prescriptions. Often, when women get up off the treatment table, their pain is alleviated. Liver support is essential for these individuals, along with herbs that promotes circulation through the breasts and discourage the formation of fibrous tissue. Many women with this problem also find their menstrual cycles also improve. Common side effects of treatment are: a reduction or eradication of PMS, regular menstrual cycles, more energy, better sleep and an increase in well being and quality of life.

Here are just a couple of studies showing the benefits of acupuncture on breast health and cancer recovery:

Acupuncture in breast diseases. How, when and why?

Acupuncture improves health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) and sleep in women with breast cancer and hot flushes.

Afraid of needles?

How many times have you tried to refer a friend for Oriental medicine treatment and they cut you off with, “Oh no, I’m terrified of needles!” You try to explain to them that acupuncture needles are like hairs but it doesn’t matter. Maybe they have had a bad experience with shots as a kid. Maybe they had a negative experience with acupuncture as we are not all created alike!

If they are concerned about their breast health, suggest lymphatic massage! They can receive this treatment from Sarah, then receive a nutritional/herbal/lifestyle consultation with me!

Lymphatic massage for breast health

“Lymphatic massage is a gentle and therapeutic form of soft tissue mobilization that enhances lymph formation and promotes drainage within the superficial and deep systems of the vascular network.  My use of lymphatic massage is to specifically enhance the immune system, treat post-surgical edema and medically uncomplicated lymphedema, general detoxification, and to work gently with cancer patients at risk for lyphedema.  Especially for clients with a history of breast cancer or lymph node removal, lymphatic massage is an excellent way to promote lymph decongestion and support detoxification of the tissues.”–Sarah

If you or someone you know is experiencing breast health issues or wants to do all they can to prevent problems, make an appointment so we can talk about specific strategies and breast support formulas.Online Appointment Booking

Nothing makes me happier than following up with a patient who became pregnant under my care. For example, yesterday Isaw a patient who I haven’t seen since her first trimester. Now she is in her 36th week. She wrote of her experience during her first trimester:

I am research scientist, and I have always been a little skeptical about acupuncture and other non-western medical practices.  After my experience with Dr. Rozenn, however, I enthusiastically recommend her for the treatment of fertility issues. My husband and I were trying to conceive for the second time and after a year, we saw an M.D. specialist in infertility.  He explained that Western medicine had no easy answer for my particular issue (my cycles were  short and he suspected I was ovulating before my eggs were mature), and recommended that I try meditation or yoga as a first strategy.  He also mentioned that there was a program available that combined standard infertility treatment with acupuncture.  After talking to a friend of mine (who recommended Dr. Rozenn), I decided to try acupuncture alone for three months and then reassess my options. Dr. Rozenn was willing to work with me either with or without parallel treatment from my M.D. and was positive but realistic about my chances of conceiving.  I appreciated that she did not discount the role of Western medicine in infertility treatment, but I opted for a non-parallel approach.  I decided to follow all of her recommendations to the letter so that I would have no doubts at the end of three months that I had given the process my all.  I changed my diet, took herbal and other supplements, saw Dr. Rozenn on a weekly basis and opted for abdominal massages from Brianna Brownfield (Dr. Rozenn’s assistant, whom I also enthusiastically recommend).  I noticed changes in my cycle within one month of starting my treatments, and within two cycles my standard headache (a hallmark for 12 years), did not accompany my period.  During my third cycle since start of treatment, I ovulated on day 14 for the first time in 7 years, and I am now thrilled to say that I am 11 weeks pregnant.  I am entirely convinced that it was the treatment program that I pursued with Dr. Rozenn that enabled my husband and I to conceive this baby. If you are in a similar situation, I encourage you to consider Dr. Rozenn and acupuncture as a treatment option.  I am so grateful that I was able to conceive without risking multiple births or spending enormous sums on IVF.  This experience has convinced me to consider acupuncture among the practices I typically pursue to maintain my general health. Thank you, Dr. Rozenn and Brianna!

Now, in her 36th week, she is beginning a cycle of 4 “Pre-Birth” acupuncture treatments. This is a specific protocol routinely practiced in Germany. The practice was incorporated by midwives in Germany because of research showing that these four treatments can:

• Promote an easier delivery
• Reduce the duration of labor
• Reduce the pain of labor

When my fertility patients get pregnant, it is so exciting! But that is only part of the journey. Depending on their circumstances they may come in during their first trimester for morning sickness or to help hold the pregnancy. Later on, they may receive treatment for back or stomach pain. Then, at the end of the third trimester they begin the Pre-Birth acupuncture series. Occasionally patients will seek to promote the onset of labor or strengthen/regulate contractions.

I have had several patients bring their children in for treatment for colds, colic, pre/post immunization care, etc. It is such a joy to be a family doctor.

I feel so fortunate to be the only acupuncturist from the Santa Cruz area who has done a preceptorship at RMFC, the fertility clinic with the largest database of acupuncture + IVF patients in the world. During this training I observed artificial reproductive medicine techniques (ART) such as IVF, IUI, and ICSI (a fertilization technique used to combine sperm and egg during IVF). It was an amazing view into the world of Western reproductive medicine. While I have been using Oriental medicine for several years to enhance fertility naturally and in combination with ART, like the great majority of acupuncturists, I have never actually SEEN these procedures.

Being a researcher as well as a clinician, my second objective during my week-long stay was to write a prospective research study on acupuncture and IVF. In retrospective  study of over 800 patients the Cridennda/Magarelli Acupuncture Protocol (CMAP) has been shown to:

• Increase the number of pregnancy rates AND  healthy babies
• Decrease the number of miscarriages
• Decrease the number of birth complications
• Normalize key stress/reproductive hormones
• This protocol helped all patients, but especially “poor responders” who are women over 38 whose partners have poor sperm quality

Now we want to know if the changes in stress hormones in the blood of these patients reflect changes in stress hormones in the follicular fluid (the fluid in which the egg grows in the ovary). This could lead us to a better understanding of how the CMAP improves IVF success rates.

I started providing the CMAP to my patients undergoing IVF because of the research behind this protocol. It has made such a difference in so many of my patient’s lives. In my clinical experience, combining the CMAP with IVF improves outcomes dramatically. This motivated me to add to the significant bank of data behind this protocol, so I went to Colorado to write a study.

Our study was submitted to the Internal Review Board and we are now waiting for their decision, cross your fingers!

What Acupuncture is used for during Cancer Treatment

Acupuncture provides a total approach to health care for people with cancer. It can be used to address many of the concerns that come up during and after chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy and surgery.

According to the National Cancer Institute, acupuncture may cause physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland, and parts of the brain. These responses can cause the body to release proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that control a number of body functions. It is proposed that, by these actions, acupuncture affects blood pressure and body temperature, boosts immune system activity, and causes the body’s natural painkillers, such as endorphins, to be released.

Areas that acupuncture has shown the most promise include:

Chemo-Induced Nausea Study

Effect of Acupuncture on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

According to the National Cancer Institute, of all the investigated effects of acupuncture on cancer-related or chemotherapy-related symptoms and disorders, the positive effect of acupuncture on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is the most convincing.

Numerous studies have consistently shown acupuncture to be effective in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting as well as as postoperative and morning sickness nausea and vomiting.

A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial investigated the effect of electro-acupuncture on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in 104 patients with breast cancer who were undergoing a highly emetogenic (causes vomiting) chemotherapy regimen. The patients were randomly assigned to receive low-frequency electro-acupuncture at classic acupuncture points for nausea and vomiting once daily for 5 days, minimal needling at control points with mock electro-acupuncture on the same schedule, or no adjunct needling. All patients received concurrent antiemetic drugs (prochlorperazine, lorazepam, and diphenhydramine) and high-dose chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, and carmustine).

The main outcome measures were the total number of emesis (vomiting) episodes and the proportion of emesis-free days occurring during the 5-day study period. The data revealed significantly fewer emesis episodes in the electro-acupuncture treatment group compared with those in the minimal needling and drug-only control groups.

Source:Shen J, Wenger N, Glaspy J, et al.: Electroacupuncture for control of myeloablative chemotherapy-induced emesis: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 284 (21): 2755-61, 2000.

Source: National Cancer Institute. www.cancer.org

and no, its not just because you think it will…

The following is an abstract from a very interesting study conducted in Germany. It has been well established that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicinals can dramatically improve semen parameters. But why? Is it the “placebo effect”? Not according to this groundbreaking research, the Correlation of psychological changes and spermiogram improvements following acupuncture.

The following is an abstract of this research study:

The purpose of the study was to find the correlation between the effect of acupuncture on fertility and psychological effects. To investigate its influence on male subfertility, 28 patients received acupuncture treatment after informed consent. We evaluated subjective parameters by written psychological tests, while objective parameters consisted of measuring concentration, volume and motility in the spermiogram before and after acupuncture. There was a significant increase in sperm quality in all parameters but volume. The psychological test showed no change caused by acupuncture. Hence, we believe, that the effect of acupuncture on sperm quality is not caused by placebo-mechanisms.

Dr. Rozenn has extensive training and experience working with male fertility and erectile dysfunction. She has taught doctoral students to improve virility with herbal formulas, acupuncture, nutritional supplements and lifestyle/nutritional counseling. Click on Schedule Appointment at the top of this site to get started!

]]> http://acupuncturesantacruz.net/acupuncture-improves-sperm-counts-and-motility/feed/ 0 http://acupuncturesantacruz.net/acupuncture-ivf-research-update/ http://acupuncturesantacruz.net/acupuncture-ivf-research-update/#comments Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:07:26 +0000 Dr. Rozenn http://acupuncturesantacruz.net/?p=960 I just got back from teaching Chinese Medicine and IVF–East-West Synergy in Yo San University’s Doctoral of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) program. The class focused on helping women (and men) have a successful IVF cycle with Chinese medicine. It also included a synopsis of current research, some of which is so powerful I feel compelled to share it with you.

In a blinded, controlled clinical trial which lasted 7 years and included over 800 patients, researchers in Colorado Springs found that

the specific “Cridennda-Magerelli Acupuncture Protocol” dramatically improved IVF success rates in the following ways:

• Significantly higer rates of healthy babies
• Less ectopic pregnancies
• Fewer miscarriages
• Fewer multiple pregnancies
• Normalization of FSH, prolactin and cortisol
• Improved blood flow to the uterus, which is essential for embryo implantation
• Couples where the women is 38 or older and the man has poor sperm quality showed dramatic improvement

These results are amazing! I had the opportunity to speak at length with Dr. Magarelli about his study and he and I are planning to conduct further research into how acupuncture corrects imbalances in key reproductive hormones in women going through IVF. 

I am happy to provide the Cridennda-Magarelli protocol for patients going through IVF. Simply click on “Schedule Appointment” at the top right corner of the website to get started!

1.   Don’t realize how many of their friends, family and co-workers struggle with the same problems

2.   Feel alone, helpless and embarrassed

3.   Don’t know that Chinese medicine can be incredibly effective in treating these conditions

Digestive disorders range from hemorrhoids to “heart burn” to loss of appetite, and everything in between. One common Western diagnosis given to people with chronic diarrhea, constipation or abdominal pain is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This complex disorder that afflicts up to 20% of the world’s population!  You may have heard IBS be referred to as an “incurable disease” by your physician.  Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can offer a safe, effective, natural, and drug-free way to address IBS and other digestive disorders by getting to the root of the problem.  My goal is to assess the entire constitution of the patient – considering physiological, psychological, and lifestyle aspects. Digestive symptoms may be triggered by stress, diet, emotional factors, hormone levels, and medications so it is important to conduct a through medical history and physical exam to discover the origin of these symptoms.

An initial visit includes:

·      A through medical history

·      A physical exam

·      An acupuncture treatment

·      A comprehensive treatment plan outlining recommendations for acupuncture, herbal formulas, massage, dietary/lifestyle changes and nutritional supplements

·      Plus, laboratory tests if applicable such as:

o     Food Allergies and Sensitivities Testing

o     Digestive Analysis

o     Microbiology and Parasite Tests

You don’t have to keep suffering!

·      A study from the Guangxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine concluded that acupuncture was effective in the treatment of chronic gastritis, resulting in a 95% effective rate!  

·      An Australian study published in 1998 in the Journal of the American Medical Association lends strong scientific support to treating IBS with Chinese herbs.   

Click on Schedule Appointment or call 831. 426. 1093 today!

http://www.aborm.org/_research/research.html

March 1 2009, Five Branches University held its first graduation ceremony conferring the degree Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, upon 36 graduates.  Keynote speaker, Marilyn Allen, M. Sc., Editor of Acupuncture Today, announced that this first graduating class has become Traditional Chinese Medicine’s  “Ancestors”  in the West.   While Five Branches University has offered a Masters in Traditional Chinese Medicine for 25 years,  co-founders Ron Zaidman and Joanna Zhao recognized a need to offer a higher degree.

According to a new government survey, 38 percent of adults and 12 percent of children use Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).  The survey results released in December 2008, in a National Health Statistics Report by the National Center for Health Statistics, NCHS a of the CDC, are based on data from more than 23,300 interviews with American adults.

The increasing use of alternative medicine calls for the highest level of training.   The extraordinary student body was composed of long time clinicians, professors, authors and a local health talk-show host.  Graduates included the co-founders of Five Branches University,  Zaidman and  Zhao.  Alameda acupuncturist and host of the Balancing Point weekly health radio show, John Nieters, delivered a poignant speech on behalf of his fellow graduates.   Dr. Nieters spoke of the great honor to be among this group of classmates and to have had the opportunity to study from the giants and innovators in this field, many of whom were flown in from China.

Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine which represents the highest degree available in the United States, includes a 1280 hour program and relies on partnerships with Stanford University and Zhejiang Medical University in China.  Drs. Rozenn and Nieters are also pursing PhDs in the exciting field of Integrated Western and Chinese Medicine through Zhejiang University. The modern integrative curriculum offers students an opportunity to glean the best from East and West.

Media note: For the full report and downloadable graphics  of the CAM survey visit http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats/.