I have a patient -- let's call her "Lucy". Actually she WAS my patient, and now she is again. This is because about 6 months ago she started seeing me for fertility issues. A couple of months later she drifted off as she did not conceive and she and her husband finally decided to move forward with the adoption process.
When we first started working together, I told her that I just KNEW she could get pregnant, despite all the doom and gloom she had received from her fertility doctor at the time. I have a lot of fertility doctor friends, and they know that I am not talking about them. :-)
She was so wound up, anxious, and upset about her seeming inability to get pregnant. I knew this was a main issue. She was also overweight. So, as I often do, instead of making the focus about fertility, I told her we just had to help her lose weight, and she would be fine, hoping this would at least get her to focus on something else for a while.
That didn't work though, which is fine. Life, and Vital Energy, have their own way of moving, and each individual needs the freedom to choose how they move with it. So, she never was able to really extricate her mind from the darkness of her fertility struggle.
Her husband also came to see me. Actually, he had a more significant issue with his fertility than she did. I knew this. I worked with him aggressively with nutrition, herbs, acupuncture, etc. All parameters of his fertility improved significantly, but it wasn't enough to change the outcome. By January of this year, as I mentioned above, they decided to move on and start the adoption process.
They did the home visit, met some potential foster kids, and even prepared the rooms. I can only imagine how excited they were starting to feel. "Finally, we are going to have our family." That heart-opening, receiving energy is so beautiful and deep.
And, Lucy's back at my clinic -- because she's pregnant. She's floored about it, but I'm not.
What happened is easy to explain. First off, they conceived about 120 days since her husband completed his treatment program with me. That's about the timeframe it takes for a complete turnover of sperm.
Second, they started MAKING SPACE in their lives for a child. This is something that I sometimes have to work with people on -- a LOT.
Third, they stopped trying so hard. Sometimes trying hard actually blocks the result. We've all heard "stop trying so hard", but that's not so easy to do. Yet, when we relax and allow natural flow to whatever we do, things work a lot more easily. So, they simply had fun, had sex, and voila!
I see a lot of women that are working 50 hours a week, pushing themselves very hard to ascend the corporate ladder. Lucy did not fall into this category, but the end result was similar. With Lucy, the constriction and lack of space was being caused by her anxiety and obsessive worry. Whether it is psychological or lack of time doesn't matter. Your body simply KNOWS when there's no room for a baby.
I love these kinds of stories. In a world where we attempt to force everything into a little logical box, with chemicals, hormones, and cells, it is good to be reminded that the true spirit of life is more than the sum total of all of that. Chemicals and hormones can describe a little piece of the puzzle. But, there is so much that lives beyond the world of numbers, logic, and analysis.
So, if there's something you want that you're not getting, stop and ask yourself: Am I making space for it?
Chris Axelrad, M.S.O.M., L. Ac., FABORM, director of the Axelrad Clinic for Natural Women's Healthcare, is a recognized expert in women's health, natural treatment of hormone imbalance, and fertility enhancement using Traditional Chinese Medicine integrated with conventional medical knowledge. He is known for his easy-going manner and sincere compassion for his patients. Mr. Axelrad provides coaching and support to patients across the country via his remote treatment programs, and he also maintains a busy full-time specialty clinical practice in Houston, TX. Visit the clinic website to schedule your free 30-minute initial consultation.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Physics of Horomonal Balance (or Lack Thereof)
In medicine, and in life, we have the concept of the "vicious cycle". A vicious cycle is a pattern that feeds on itself, continually increasing and increasing its momentum.
A hurricane is, in a way, an example of a vicious cycle. Convection begins at a focal point. That convection then feeds more and more until we have a vast, spinning air mass. The hurricane, in essence, creates itself by an ever-increasing, self-perpetuating spin.
But, a hurricane CAN be broken. It depends on sea water temperature because warmth/heat = movement/activity. So, heat is the one core factor that can break the vicious cycle of a hurricane - without it, the cycle no longer feeds itself.
Hormones operate under the same law of physics, actually. And, hormones are just as capable of winding up and up and up until a storm ensues. Those storms always have a factor that, if adjusted, can begin the wind-down process. There's no one factor that applies in every case, though. That's the difficult thing when trying to solve these storms.
What we forget sometimes is that a hurricane at one time starts as a small mass of warm air that starts spinning. That's it. That's all it takes before, several days later, we end up with the big mass of wet, windy, destructive atmosphere we call "hurricane".
Hormonal "storms" -- unrelenting and worsening fatigue, insomnia, appetite issues, depression, anxiety, menstrual issues, you name it -- start in similar fashion. Something as seemingly infitesimal as one meal with too much sugar, or one night with a little too much to drink, or one episode of uncontrolled rage, can launch a cascade of events that, if not reharmonized and managed correctly, end up becoming a vicious cycle that feels worse, and worse, and worse.
Until one day you end up feeling very sick.
So, the question is, are you winding up into a vicious cycle that is taking you in a destructive direction? If so, here are three simple tips to help your body start to unwind itself fast:
1. Drink 3 - 4 liters of water daily.
2. Stop all sugar and alcohol consumption for 2 - 4 weeks.
3. Get 8 hours of sleep (minimum) every night of the week.
If you don't feel better after these three steps, seek help from a qualified practitioner. Often they are able to pinpoint the "breaking factor" that will break the cycle and start you heading in the other direction -- a healthy cycle that feeds itself and leads to more vitality, health, and happiness.
Chris Axelrad, M.S.O.M., L. Ac., FABORM, director of the Axelrad Clinic for Natural Women's Healthcare, is a recognized expert in women's health, natural treatment of hormone imbalance, and fertility enhancement using Traditional Chinese Medicine integrated with conventional medical knowledge. He is known for his easy-going manner and sincere compassion for his patients. Mr. Axelrad provides coaching and support to patients across the country via his remote treatment programs, and he also maintains a busy full-time specialty clinical practice in Houston, TX. Visit the clinic website to schedule your free 30-minute initial consultation.
A hurricane is, in a way, an example of a vicious cycle. Convection begins at a focal point. That convection then feeds more and more until we have a vast, spinning air mass. The hurricane, in essence, creates itself by an ever-increasing, self-perpetuating spin.
But, a hurricane CAN be broken. It depends on sea water temperature because warmth/heat = movement/activity. So, heat is the one core factor that can break the vicious cycle of a hurricane - without it, the cycle no longer feeds itself.
Hormones operate under the same law of physics, actually. And, hormones are just as capable of winding up and up and up until a storm ensues. Those storms always have a factor that, if adjusted, can begin the wind-down process. There's no one factor that applies in every case, though. That's the difficult thing when trying to solve these storms.
What we forget sometimes is that a hurricane at one time starts as a small mass of warm air that starts spinning. That's it. That's all it takes before, several days later, we end up with the big mass of wet, windy, destructive atmosphere we call "hurricane".
Hormonal "storms" -- unrelenting and worsening fatigue, insomnia, appetite issues, depression, anxiety, menstrual issues, you name it -- start in similar fashion. Something as seemingly infitesimal as one meal with too much sugar, or one night with a little too much to drink, or one episode of uncontrolled rage, can launch a cascade of events that, if not reharmonized and managed correctly, end up becoming a vicious cycle that feels worse, and worse, and worse.
Until one day you end up feeling very sick.
So, the question is, are you winding up into a vicious cycle that is taking you in a destructive direction? If so, here are three simple tips to help your body start to unwind itself fast:
1. Drink 3 - 4 liters of water daily.
2. Stop all sugar and alcohol consumption for 2 - 4 weeks.
3. Get 8 hours of sleep (minimum) every night of the week.
If you don't feel better after these three steps, seek help from a qualified practitioner. Often they are able to pinpoint the "breaking factor" that will break the cycle and start you heading in the other direction -- a healthy cycle that feeds itself and leads to more vitality, health, and happiness.
Chris Axelrad, M.S.O.M., L. Ac., FABORM, director of the Axelrad Clinic for Natural Women's Healthcare, is a recognized expert in women's health, natural treatment of hormone imbalance, and fertility enhancement using Traditional Chinese Medicine integrated with conventional medical knowledge. He is known for his easy-going manner and sincere compassion for his patients. Mr. Axelrad provides coaching and support to patients across the country via his remote treatment programs, and he also maintains a busy full-time specialty clinical practice in Houston, TX. Visit the clinic website to schedule your free 30-minute initial consultation.
Is Your Body Arguing With Itself?
Hormones are the language our body uses to communicate with itself. The brain sends out hormones to tell organs and tissues what to do. Some of those organs in turn create other hormones that in turn convey additional information to our cells. These hormones eventually make their way back to the brain, which secretes other hormones based on the information.
And, the cycle goes on and on.
Hormones have the power to increase and decrease function in the body. They also have the ability to compete with, augment, and cancel each other out. Just like a conversation between a group of coworkers in a meeting.
How we eat, feel, think, and act has a great deal of influence on our internal hormonal conversation. If what we are eating, doing, and thinking is creating stress and conflict, our hormones reflect this as they do their best to sort out the competing signals and compensate for the stress of unstable chemicals. As coworkers, our cells and organs begin fighting and screaming at each other as they try to cope. The end result is poor response to stress, disease, inflammation, and other "business" the body must constantly take care of.
If we are consciously creating less stress by eating well, acting and thinking positively, and exercising regularly, our internal hormonal conversation is more harmonious. The "meeting of the minds" between our organs and cells goes smoothly, and the result is a body that is efficient and effective at handling the challenges of life.
My Next Seminar Is All About Hormones...
In my upcoming seminar, The Tao of Hormones, just one of many things I will teach you about is how to optimize your diet around hormonal wellness, and how to optimize your ability to create and respond to your own hormones using natural, non-invasive, low-risk techniques.
This, and the other information you receive, is based on the principles I use with my patients every day -- principles that combine the best of biomedical knowledge with ancient Chinese Medical holistic wisdom.
Today and at the seminar, you have the opportunity to sign up for a free, 30-minute consultation at my clinic. At that consultation, we will discuss your hormonal concerns, and how a series of acupuncture treatments and personalized coaching might be your best way to get you back into balance.
Chris Axelrad, M.S.O.M., L. Ac., FABORM, director of the Axelrad Clinic for Natural Women's Healthcare, is a recognized expert in women's health, natural treatment of hormone imbalance, and fertility enhancement using Traditional Chinese Medicine integrated with conventional medical knowledge. He is known for his easy-going manner and sincere compassion for his patients. Mr. Axelrad provides coaching and support to patients across the country via his remote treatment programs, and he also maintains a busy full-time specialty clinical practice in Houston, TX. Visit the clinic website to schedule your free 30-minute initial consultation.
And, the cycle goes on and on.
Hormones have the power to increase and decrease function in the body. They also have the ability to compete with, augment, and cancel each other out. Just like a conversation between a group of coworkers in a meeting.
How we eat, feel, think, and act has a great deal of influence on our internal hormonal conversation. If what we are eating, doing, and thinking is creating stress and conflict, our hormones reflect this as they do their best to sort out the competing signals and compensate for the stress of unstable chemicals. As coworkers, our cells and organs begin fighting and screaming at each other as they try to cope. The end result is poor response to stress, disease, inflammation, and other "business" the body must constantly take care of.
If we are consciously creating less stress by eating well, acting and thinking positively, and exercising regularly, our internal hormonal conversation is more harmonious. The "meeting of the minds" between our organs and cells goes smoothly, and the result is a body that is efficient and effective at handling the challenges of life.
My Next Seminar Is All About Hormones...
In my upcoming seminar, The Tao of Hormones, just one of many things I will teach you about is how to optimize your diet around hormonal wellness, and how to optimize your ability to create and respond to your own hormones using natural, non-invasive, low-risk techniques.
This, and the other information you receive, is based on the principles I use with my patients every day -- principles that combine the best of biomedical knowledge with ancient Chinese Medical holistic wisdom.
Today and at the seminar, you have the opportunity to sign up for a free, 30-minute consultation at my clinic. At that consultation, we will discuss your hormonal concerns, and how a series of acupuncture treatments and personalized coaching might be your best way to get you back into balance.
Chris Axelrad, M.S.O.M., L. Ac., FABORM, director of the Axelrad Clinic for Natural Women's Healthcare, is a recognized expert in women's health, natural treatment of hormone imbalance, and fertility enhancement using Traditional Chinese Medicine integrated with conventional medical knowledge. He is known for his easy-going manner and sincere compassion for his patients. Mr. Axelrad provides coaching and support to patients across the country via his remote treatment programs, and he also maintains a busy full-time specialty clinical practice in Houston, TX. Visit the clinic website to schedule your free 30-minute initial consultation.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Fathers Get Postpartum Depression Too
Postpartum depression is an issue usually associated with new mothers, but a new study has found that a significant number of men also suffer a form of this condition. Researchers found that about one in 10 new fathers experience postpartum depression, and that three months after the birth of their child, 25 percent of men met the criteria for depression.
From: http://ping.fm/QsePV
From: http://ping.fm/QsePV
This Sunday's Live Seminar: The Tao of Hormones
This month's seminar: The Tao of Hormones. Sunday, May 23rd, 3-5 PM at Niamoves in the Houston Heights.
For more information and online registration, visit our event page.
Chris Axelrad, M.S.O.M., L. Ac., FABORM, director of the Axelrad Clinic for Natural Women's Healthcare, is a recognized expert in women's health, natural treatment of hormone imbalance, and fertility enhancement using Traditional Chinese Medicine integrated with conventional medical knowledge. He is known for his easy-going manner and sincere compassion for his patients. Mr. Axelrad provides coaching and support to patients across the country via his remote treatment programs, and he also maintains a busy full-time specialty clinical practice in Houston, TX. Visit the clinic website to schedule your free 30-minute initial consultation.
For more information and online registration, visit our event page.
Chris Axelrad, M.S.O.M., L. Ac., FABORM, director of the Axelrad Clinic for Natural Women's Healthcare, is a recognized expert in women's health, natural treatment of hormone imbalance, and fertility enhancement using Traditional Chinese Medicine integrated with conventional medical knowledge. He is known for his easy-going manner and sincere compassion for his patients. Mr. Axelrad provides coaching and support to patients across the country via his remote treatment programs, and he also maintains a busy full-time specialty clinical practice in Houston, TX. Visit the clinic website to schedule your free 30-minute initial consultation.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Fish Oil Lowers Risk of Endometriosis
A study that presents compelling evidence that diets high in Omega fatty acids (like those contained in fish oil) reduces endometriosis risk. Something like this always intrigues me because I view most, if not all, chronic diseases as inflammation gone awry. We know that the main effect of fish oils, and the beneficial fatty acids they supply, is to balance the body's innate inflammatory response so that it does not spin out of control.
Food for thought -- reduce systemic inflammation, reduce endometriosis. In other words, the hormones and hormonal treatments currently used in conventional medicine only stop the growth. If the inflammatory cascade is not addressed, it will likely just come back. And, I have seen this time and again with patients who come to me for treatment after one or more rounds of Lupron and/or surgery that only ends up being a temporary fix for the pain, heavy flow, and other symptoms that often accompany endometriosis.
From: http://ping.fm/PlMYX
Food for thought -- reduce systemic inflammation, reduce endometriosis. In other words, the hormones and hormonal treatments currently used in conventional medicine only stop the growth. If the inflammatory cascade is not addressed, it will likely just come back. And, I have seen this time and again with patients who come to me for treatment after one or more rounds of Lupron and/or surgery that only ends up being a temporary fix for the pain, heavy flow, and other symptoms that often accompany endometriosis.
From: http://ping.fm/PlMYX
Friday, May 14, 2010
Speaking tomorrow at The Fort Bend Church
I'll be speaking tomorrow at 10:30AM to a small women's group at The Fort Bend Church. I'm really looking forward to it! http://www.thebend.org/
Friday, May 7, 2010
Maybe You're Not "Running Out of Eggs" After All!
A recent research study is casting doubt on the whole "running out of eggs" theory that many doctors use to explain why a woman is having trouble ovulating: http://ping.fm/kDSlX
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Translating the Language of Your Body
I am amazed at what the human body is capable of communicating about itself. So much of what I do is about helping reflect back to my patients what their bodies are imploring them to do. Stomach pain may be a request for less or more of a certain food group. Frequent headaches can be the body saying that more space needs to be created in the schedule for downtime. Irregular cycles may be the body saying that other aspects of life have become too stressful and reproduction is no longer a priority.
One essential requirement for the body to express, or speak, health and balance is an abundance of nutrients that support that balance. When I listen to a patient's story and their answers to my questions, I am listening to what her body is asking for. Then I recommend the foods, supplements, and treatment schedule that best answers the needs that are being expressed. Additionally, I will speak back to the patient to help her understand what her body is saying in plain language, so that she can begin to align her actions with the body's requests.
The results are often nothing short of amazing. I have seen years-long struggles with migraines, insomnia, infertility, and pain resolve in weeks or even less. This is because once the body knows it has been heard, and it begins to receive the answer it is looking for, its healing intelligence is amplified beyond any limit previously thought possible. I no longer just believe this. I see it as fact.
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