The Galvanic Current by Amy Galvan DOM

Routine Ultrasound Often Misses Endometriosis

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:54:01 GMT

Learn More about Ultrasound Recommendations to Improve Detection of Superficial and Deep endometriosis, and Endometrial Pelvic Scar Tissue Adhesions

Endometriosis has been associated with infertility and subfertility, affecting up to 50% of patients with fertility issues. [1]

In recent years, increased understanding of the disease has suggested that endometriosis is associated with infertility and subfertility affecting up to as many as 90% of patients with fertility issues. [2]

In the U.S., there is an average over seven-year delay between the onset of symptoms and a diagnosis of endometriosis. [3, 4]

In the U.S., at the time of this writing, endometriosis diagnosis can only be confirmed by a surgical procedure--typically a minimally invasive laparoscopy; however, doctors often recommend doing medical imaging first.

Routine Pelvic Ultrasound for Endometriosis

The first line of medical imaging used to identify endometriosis is routine pelvic ultrasound. However, it often misses the most severe form of endometriosis--that is, hidden endometriosis growing inside pelvic organs instead of outside them. This most severe form of endometriosis can extend to any depth beneath the peritoneal surface [5], and is known as deep endometriosis (DE) and deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE).

Another common sign of endometriosis commonly missed on routine pelvic ultrasound is adhesions. Adhesions, often simply referred to as scar tissue, cause pelvic organs to be tethered or fused together. Tethering and fusion of organs often impairs their proper movement and function. Common organs affected by endometrial fusion and tethering include the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, bladder, colon, and appendix . . . along with muscles and nerves.

Other than the visualization of an endometrioma, sonologists who perform routine pelvic transvaginal ultrasound for pelvic pain are often not identifying endometriosis. [6]

In one retrospective study published in 2020, simple routine ultrasound was performed on 150 women with chronic pelvic pain, and nothing abnormal was detected. However, follow-up laparoscopy confirmed that 20% of these women indeed had endometriosis . . . and another 7% had other pathologies not visible on routine pelvic ultrasound. [7]

Failure to identify signs of deep endometriosis (DE) at routine ultrasound likely contributes to diagnostic delay. [8]

Improving Pelvic Ultrasound Protocols for Endometriosis

Initial improvements to endometriosis transvaginal ultrasound protocols were recommended in 2016 by the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis (IDEA) group. [9] There were key problems with implementing these improvements: They involved an expert experienced physician sonologist (gynecologist or radiologist) who obtains numerous additional images that are outside of (a) the current interdisciplinary guidelines, (b) the typical time allotted for pelvic imaging, and (c) health insurance reimbursement models.

To improve endometriosis detection on ultrasound for symptomatic patients at typical risk for endometriosis, new methods of performing ultrasound were recommended in 2024 by the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound.[6]

These methods are simple techniques, take very little extra time, and increase the diagnostic sensitivity for endometriosis on pelvic ultrasound--especially for deep infiltrating endometriosis.

Only a few centers in the U.S. use these recommended techniques to screen for deep endometriosis. Barriers to using these methods include lack of awareness that they exist, limitations in scan protocols, and lack of studies to demonstrate the validity of these techniques (with follow-up diagnostic minimally invasive laparoscopy).

Video Instruction for Improved Protocols in Endometriosis Ultrasound

Video instruction to train in these methods is provided by the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound. Video instruction is available on YouTube on the channel Fertility and Sterility, in a video entitled Ultrasound Findings in Endometriosis: Avoid Hidden Surprises.

Reasons to Undergo Specialized Pelvic Ultrasound for Endometriosis

When pelvic ultrasound is part of an endometriosis workup, it is best performed by someone with specialization or competence in endometriosis. This is especially beneficial to mapping the disease location and assessing the severity of disease prior to medical therapy or surgical intervention.

For example, when the pelvic Pouch of Douglas (POD) obliteration is indicated by competent transvaginal ultrasound, and on-call bowel surgeon may be added to the surgical team pre-emptively. This is because the risk of bowel endometriosis is three times higher than in patients without POD obliteration. [10]

Finally, competent expert endometriosis ultrasound is also useful in monitoring and managing the endometriosis disease over time.

Learn More about Ultrasound Recommendations for Endometriosis

To learn more, please refer to the consensus statement published in the professional journal Radiology. This consensus statement is published under the lead author's name Scott W. Young MD, Diagnostic Radiology Consultant, Division of Ultrasound, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.[6]

Questions to Consider Asking your Ultrasound Radiologist

Will you be using a standard consensus protocol for endometriosis detection, such as the 2016 four-step assessment suggested by the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis (IDEA) group [9], or the 2024 recommendations to enhance detection of deep endometriosis put forth by the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) [6]?
How many ultrasounds have you performed using this method?
Will you be focusing in on soft markers such as site-specific tenderness, where I tell you when I feel pain or discomfort?
Will you be performing dynamic maneuvers of external manual manipulation to identify indirect signs of adhesions, such as the uterine "sliding sign," or the "question mark sign," or the "kissing ovaries sign"?
Will you be visualizing the anterior and posterior compartments for DE nodules?
In the event that nodules are found, will they be measured in three planes for length, width, and thickness?
In the event that nodules are found on the rectum or colon, will further examination be done on the colon to identify additional nodules, given the fact that in roughly 50% of these cases, additional nodules are present requiring additional planning for surgery?
If this is an augmented pelvic ultrasound (APU), do you use the observational 4-category grading and reporting system (APU-0, APU-1, etc.) which was developed in 2024 by the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) for enhanced ultrasound detection of endometriosis?
Will there be use of color doppler, saline or gel contrast, rectal water contrast, or other advanced techniques you can inform me of in advance?

References

Tanbo T, Fedorcsak P. Endometriosis-associated infertility: aspects of pathophysiological mechanisms and treatment options. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2017;96(6):659-667.
Nezhat CR, Oskotsky TT, Robinson JF, Fisher SJ, Tsuei A, Liu B, Irwind JC, Gaudilliere B, Sirota M, Stevenson DK, Giudice LC. Real world perspectives on endometriosis disease phenotyping thorugh surgery, omics, health data, and artificial intelligence. NPJ Womens Health. 2025;3(1):8.doi:10.1038/s44294-024-00052-2. Epub 2025 Feb 6. PMID: 39926583; PMCID11802455.
Nnoaham KE, Hummelshoj L, Webster P, et al. Impact of endometriosis on quality of life and work productivity: a multicenter study across ten countries. Fertil Steril 2011;96(2):366-373.e8.
Hadfield R, Mardon H, Barlow D, Kennedy S. Delay in the diagnosis of endometriosis: a survey of women from teh USA and the UK. Hum reprod 1996;11(4):878-880.
International working group of AAGL, ESGE, ESHRE and WES; Tomassetti C, Johnson NP, et al. an international terminology for endometriosis, 2021. J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2021;28(11):1849-1859.
Young, Scott W., et al. Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Consensus on Routine Pelvic US for Endometriosis. Radiology RSNA. Published online:Apr 9, 2024. doi.org/10.1148/radiol.232191.
Tempest N, Efstathiou E, Petros Z, Hapangama DK. Laparoscopic outcomes after normal clinical and ultrasound findings in young women with chronic pelvic pain: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020;9(8):2593. PMID 32785173.
Chen-Dixon K, Uzuner C, mak J, Condous G. Effectiveness of ultrasound for endometriosis diagnosis. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2022;34(5):324-331.
Guerriero S, condous G, van den Bosch T, et al. Systematic approach to sonographic evaluation of the pelvis in women with suspected endometriosis, including terms, definitions and measurements: a consensus opinion from the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis (IDEA) group. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2016;48(3):318-332
Khong, Su-Yen et al. Is pouch of douglas oblieration a marker of bowel endometriosis? Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Volume 18, Issue 3, 333-337.

New Science Behind How Acupuncture Works

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 14:36:20 GMT

Acupuncture and the Human Body

Modern technology including Functional MRI and understanding of the nervous system, immune system, and neurohormones like serotonin and dopamine . . . has been factored into studying what acupuncture does to the human body.

Acupuncture is effective for pain, autoimmune conditions, and other chronic health problems such as infertility--and this research explains how.

Can You do IVF and Be Pro-Life? An REI Fertility Doctor Speaks Out

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:22:02 GMT

An Eye-Opening Look at IVF Practices & Choices

Listen to Dr. Lauren Rubal, M.D. - board-certified OBGYN and Integrative Medical Physician share her evolving knowledge about IVF and Regenerative Reproductive Medicine alternatives.

Hear Dr Lauren Rubal explain why she believes the following: Every human life that is created — no matter the method — has inherent value and dignity. Children conceived in IVF do not deserve to be destroyed or frozen indefinitely.

In Vitro Fertilization results in the creation of children and is touted by many as pro-life, even among those who oppose abortion.

Although the IVF process involves creating life, it also involves discrimination and the sometimes intentional destruction of innocent human children as a means of fulfilling the wants and desires of adults.

Dr. Lauren Rubal, M.D. - board-certified OBGYN and Integrative Medical Physician - spent years helping couples to conceive via IVF. Now she shares the devastating harms of IVF and natural, wholistic alternatives for fertility treatment.

0:00 - Struggling With Infertility

1:35 - How In Vitro Fertilization Works

2:12 - Every Human Being Has Inherent Dignity

2:44 - Death Toll Of IVF

3:44 - Frozen & Abandoned Embryos

4:01 - Health Risks Of IVF To Mother & Child

4:34 - Alternatives To IVF

Basal Body Temperature Charting: A BBT How To for Taking Control of Your Fertility Naturally

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Wed, 31 May 2023 22:54:12 GMT

Learn the Free & Easy Way to Monitor Your Fertility Hormones---and Stop Wasting Money on Daily Testing!

I first learned about BBT in 1997 by reading the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. Today I can find no better resource on how to use BBT tracking to explain how to monitor your fertility---for conception or birth control---than her landmark book.

For those of you who don't have time to read a whole book, check out this blog that gives you the main idea so you can get started today! It's a great summary written by Rachel Guruvich RN on the website Very Well Family under the topic Getting Pregnant. [Keep in mind you can use the same technique to AVOID getting pregnant, too!]

Please follow a few simple rules when charting BBT:

Take Your Temperature . . .

At the same time every morning
10 minutes before you wake (set an alarm)
After at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep
Using a special Basal Temperature thermometer.

You can buy a basal temperature thermometer at your local drug store, or from your favorite online place to shop.

A Doctor of Oriental Medicine can look at your temperature chart for patterns such as Yin Deficiency, Yang Deficiency, Liver Qi Stagnation, Heart Qi Agitation, and other common infertility signs. These are treatable with acupuncture and prescription-grade pharmaceutical herbal medicines that typically have no side effects.

You can look at your chart to discover your fertile window, and when your period is going to start--even if it changes each month. That 's something your app cannot do.

You can also use your chart to determine if you might have a luteal phase deficiency, if there was ample time for implantation before deciduation, if you are trying to ovulate on time but can't, or even if you are likely to be pregnant--even before you take an early pregnancy test.

Other benefits to BBT charting is helping to identify underlying hormone problems, like low estrogen (or high FSH), low progesterone, low or high thyroid hormone, or a disconnect between your brain-to-ovary signals (the HPO axis). These can be addressed by a functional medicine doctor.

I have a special chart I use that highlights normal temperature ranges, and normal windows for fertility, implantation, and deciduation. It also has rows to mark fertile mucus, coitus, cervical signs, and lifestyle influences on fertility such as acupuncture, fertility foods, diet and exercise, and dates you started supplements or herbs to aid fertility.

I encourage ALL my patients to track basal body temperatures (BBT) for fertility awareness so they can get pregnant faster and with more confidence. It's simple, easy, and FREE.

Yin Care Vaginal Compress for Toxic & Damp Heat TCM Patterns

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 22:17:05 GMT

Video Tutorial Instructions

Toxic Heat and Damp Heat TCM patterns in the lower Yin orifice can cause pain, inflammation, itching, and odor in the vagina, urethra, and rectum. Commonly caused by infection or yeast, this herbal medicine treatment will help alleviate not only the symptoms, but the cause. Learn to make a vaginal compress with a (chlorine-free) tampon and Yin Care medicated wash to make your problems go away--and stay away!

Yin Care Medicated Herbal Wash by Yao Company is prescription strength and provides immediate relief. Click the image to start the video tutorial.

Promising New Research on Endometriosis Solutions for 2021

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 17:14:02 GMT

While there is no cure for endometrial pain, this world renowned researcher finds hope for lasting pain relief with acupuncture and herbal medicine for some women, in lieu of medication and repeated surgical interventions.

Listen to Dr Mike Armour of New Zealand talk about his current research and preliminary findings on acupuncture and herbs for endometriosis. He describes different strategies for treatment frequency and duration, percentage of pain relief, and whether or not it lasts. Find out if one of these protocols will work for you!

What If Your PCOS Infertility Testing and Treatment Is Missing Critical Health Markers---That Help Prevent Miscarriage?

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 23:41:36 GMT

Meet Dr Mark Perloe, an REI who helps women with PCOS have babies---65% of the time without medical intervention.

Dr Perloe practices in Atlanta, Georgia, and teaches ABORM fellows what to test for in PCOS that conventional medicine misses. Why? To avoid implantation failure, miscarriage, and health problems that infertility treatments miss.

A diagnoses of PCOS comes with testing in only 3 categories: male hormones, ovarian cysts, and ovulation problems. Although infertility treatment can help a woman get pregnant, it often misses the testing and treatment needed for healthy pregnancy, healthy baby, and healthy living after the baby comes.

Make sure you are getting the tests you need to help prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, blood clots, and later development of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hormone imbalance, high cholesterol, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, stubborn weight problems, and more.

Let Dr Perloe tell you how testing and treatment for conditions underlying PCOS have resulted in spontaneous pregnancy without medicated cycles---as often at 65% of the time.

What Happens When an Ob/Gyn Uses Chinese Medicine to Improve Fertility Success Rates?

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Sat, 15 May 2021 11:13:57 GMT

Couples Get the Best of Both Worlds When East Meets West through a Pioneering Reproductive Endocrinology Infertility Specialist from ABORM

Learn how to get pregnant using an integrative approach of advanced reproductive technology, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine principles from Laurena White MD, Ob/Gyn, REI, DOM, L'Ac.

Dr. Laurena White has over 15 years of service and experience in the field of women’s health ranging from birth doula to medical doctor, including acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Dr. White integrated her practice by incorporating both allopathic and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment modalities in order to bridge the gaps in women’s healthcare.

Dr. White facilitates the transformation of complex women’s health and fertility challenges. By helping women and couples address the underlying root cause of their condition, her patients begin to flourish without taking unnecessary pharmaceutical medications or having fruitlessly invasive surgical procedures.

What If Sperm Analysis Is Missing the Big Picture---and How You Can Get Better Answers

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Sat, 15 May 2021 10:29:05 GMT

Infertility Can Be Male Factor, Despite Sperm Analysis Being Good. Find Out Why.

A single sperm test is not enough to rule out male factor infertility. Learn how testing parameters have changed, how unreliable a single test is in providing an accurate picture of sperm quality, and other insights affecting male fertility. Even if a sperm analysis is good, men can still help to significantly contribute to a couple's chances of conceiving.

Men's Health: What Men Need To Do Before Considering IVF and ICSI

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Sat, 15 May 2021 08:58:55 GMT

Improve sperm vitality with simple lifestyle changes---that will save you money, too!

ABORM Reproductive Urologist Paul Turek MD shares some common sense approaches to improving sperm quality before you spend money on IVF and ICSI. These solutions will benefit both fathers and their future sons.

An Integrative Approach to Recurrent Pregnancy Loss and Implantation Failure

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Mon, 03 May 2021 04:38:59 GMT

Advice on when to use acupuncture, herbs, and IVF---from a doctor who does them all!

Made for fertility patients, this video contains an interview with international doctors of integrative fertility. Dr Ursula Ritz is a medical doctor specializing in reproductive endocrinology infertility, who also practices as a doctor of Chinese medicine.

Dr Ritz explains in this interview when to do Chinese herbal medicine, when to do acupuncture, and when to do IVF and assisted reproductive technologies. She addresses male and female fertility treatments to do in the clinic and at home.

What You Can Do Now to Improve Egg and Sperm Quality Before IVF

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Mon, 03 May 2021 04:01:24 GMT

Galvan Precision Wellness YouTube Channel

Click on the image for a YouTube video from my mentors with the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine.

Dr Paul Magarelli is an OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinology Infertility specialist (REI) who has pioneered the integration of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for decades.

Dr Magarelli's integrative strategies have helped couples have babies faster, healthier, and with significantly less cost. This video excerpt was created for patients.

Periods & Pregnancy 101

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 03:10:02 GMT

What is a Period?

A period is a normal discharge of blood from the uterus that naturally occurs in an ovulatory menstrual cycle.

A menstrual cycle is more than just your period. A menstrual cycle is defined from the first day of menstrual bleeding (called cycle day 1 or CD1) of one menstrual period to the first day of menstrual bleeding of the next. An average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, but is considered healthy in Chinese medicine if it is within 26 to 32 days.

In a healthy natural menstrual cycle, an ovary matures follicles which mature eggs (ova). This is called the follicular phase. One follicle will take the lead and release one egg (ovum). This is called ovulation. This is followed by the empty follicle producing a yellow form called the corpus luteum, which makes progesterone. This is the luteal phase. It continues until the next period bleed.

In an average menstrual cycle of 28 days, the follicular phase can vary in number of days, but the luteal phase typically does not. To calculate ovulation, it occurs about 14 days counting backwards in time from the start of the FOLLOWING period. It is NOT measured from the PRECEDING period. That is, you cannot calculate ovulation until after it happens. Anything else is just a guess.

Once again, the timing of ovulation each month (follicular phase) can be uncertain or fluctuate; what IS consistent is the number of days (usually 14) between ovulation and the start of the NEXT menstrual period (luteal phase).

Because ovulation is calculated AFTER THE FACT by counting days backward from the last day of the cycle, NOT counting days forward from the first day of your cycle, it can be difficult to predict when ovulation will occur. To help you predict when ovulation occurs, you can use indicators such as basal body temperature (BBT) or ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) or counting days (an app), but you cannot confirm ovulation occurred until a week later with a progesterone test.

O vulation does not confirm the health of the egg or how long it is viable.

After the egg is released, it moves down the fallopian tube to the uterus. The tubes must have the ability to move freely to catch the egg when it is released into the pelvic cavity. The tubes have fine moving hairlike structures (cilia) to wave the egg down the tract of the tube. The tubes must have fluid or mucus in the proper consistency to help the egg slip along the tract without getting stuck.

After the egg is released from the follicle with the help of luteinizing hormone (LH), the remaining follicle starts producing progesterone hormone. When the follicle is spent, progesterone levels drop and the period starts again.

If the egg is fertilized, progesterone levels remain high with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and the period is absent.

What is a Healthy Period?

A typical period lasts 2 to 7 days, with the heaviest bleeding in the first 3 days. In Chinese medicine, the first day (CD1) should begin in the morning with light fresh red flow, and progressively get heavier by CD2 before tapering off.

What is Not a Healthy Period?

Your periods were regular each month and then they stopped being regular
Your period comes more often than every 21 days
Your period comes less often than every 45 days
Your periods come more than 90 days apart, even for one cycle
Your period lasts more than 7 days
Your periods require changing a pad or tampon every 2 hours

Menstrual cycles in teens often are irregular, especially in the first few years after they start. Having an irregular cycle means the number of days between your periods changes a lot from month to month. There may be a problem if:

You are 15 or older and have never had a period
It has been 3 years since your breasts developed and you have never had a period
You are 14 or older, have never had a period, and you have an eating disorder, exercise a lot, or have hirsutism (excessive body hair growth)

In Chinese medicine, the following conditions are considered unhealthy and treated with herbal medicine or acupuncture (not birth control). These are relevant even if your Ob/Gyn did a workup and found no underlying medical problem.

brown, black, purple, or pink color
spotting before or after your period
heavy bleeding
passing clots
passing tissue from uterine lining
cramps
pain (back,ache, headache, genital pain)
PMS
bowel changes with periods

When Can I Become Pregnant?

An egg can survive in the fallopian tube for about 24 hours after ovulation. A man’s sperm can survive inside a woman’s body for about 3 days (and sometimes up to 5 days) after sexual intercourse. You can become pregnant if you have sex anywhere from 5 days BEFORE ovulation until 1 day AFTER ovulation. Your chance of pregnancy is highest when live sperm are present in the fallopian tubes when ovulation occurs.

To increase the egg survival rate after ovulation, it needs a good supply of energy inside the cell. This energy is supplied by structures inside the egg cell called mitochondria. Eggs can have 200-500 times MORE mitochondria than other cells of the human body. Production of mitochondria is part of egg cell development in the follicles. You can increase the number of mitochondria with dietary supplements.

To increase the sperm survival rate after ejaculation, a good supply of fertile cervical mucus produced by the woman is helpful. Eggwhite quality mucus nourishes sperm and helps them move faster toward the fallopian tubes.

What is Fertility Awareness?

Fertility awareness is knowing and recognizing when the fertile time (when a woman can get pregnant) occurs in the menstrual cycle. If you are practicing fertility awareness as a birth control method to PREVENT pregnancy, you need to avoid having sexual intercourse or use a barrier of birth control, such as a condom, during the fertile period. Sexual activity apart from sexual intercourse is also safe if there is no opportunity for sperm to enter the vagina.

If you are trying to get pregnant, you should have sexual intercourse on your fertile days, ideally every day or every other day. Fertile days are 5 days before ovulation and 1 day after ovulation.

What Is Fertility Awareness Method (FAM)?

There are a variety of fertility awareness methods used to help influence becoming or avoiding becoming pregnant. These include

Standard Days (rhythm) method
Cervical Mucous (CM) method
Basal Body Temperature (BBT) method
Symptothermal method

If you are interested in learning fertility awareness, I recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. If you do not learn well from books, then it may be best to learn the method from a qualified teacher or group. Look for one through your church, healthcare provider, state or county health department, or an online search to find a teacher. Tools such as smart phone apps and web sites also are available to help you record information about your menstrual cycle and predict (but not guarantee) your fertile periods.

Pros and Cons of FAM

Pros: Fertility Awareness Methods cost very little to use. Many women like the fact that fertility awareness is a form of birth control that does not involve the use of medications or devices.

Cons: Fertility Awareness Methods take time to learn and implement with confidence. They do not help protect against sexually transmitted infections like barrier methods can. Not everyone can rely on FAM. If you cannot control sexual behavior, or cannot discern periods from midcycle bleeding, or cannot discern fertile mucus from vaginal discharge occurring throughout your cycle due to a health imbalance.

Other: You can combine FAM with OPK urine tests at home to help get a clearer picture of when your fertile time is. If you are trying to conceive (TTC), using BBT will help you see signs of pregnancy (continued high BBT) before a pregnancy test can be taken.

References

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)

The Foundations of Chinese Medicine text by Giovanni Maciocia

Stuck Type TCM Patterns: Diet and Lifestyle Tips

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 01:18:27 GMT

What Is the Stuck Type?

You may have Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patterns that fit the Stuck type if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Craving freedom of movement without restriction, whether it is in the body, in traffic, or in work flow. Stress causes body symptoms such as tension headaches, TMJ, IBS, blood pressure spikes, irritability, hot temper, abdomen tender to pressure, poor circulation, spider veins, varicose veins, age spots, liver spots, tingles, muscle tics, alcohol cravings, irregular cycles, PMS, painful periods with clots and cramps, mittleschmerz, painful sex, dark purplish tongue. Symptoms feel better with exercise, travel, sex, coffee, alcohol, and recreational substances.

These are just a sample of symptoms, and certainly not all of them. A complete medical history, physical exam, and clinical signs from a Chinese medicine workup will help identify your pattern diagnosis fits a Stuck type.

TCM patterns that fit the Stuck type may include Qi Stagnation, Blood Stasis, Liver Qi Stagnation, Liver Yin and Blood Deficiency causing Stagnation, Liver Blood Stagnation, Heart Qi and Blood Stagnation,

Consult with a qualified doctor of Oriental medicine to confirm your pattern diagnosis.

The following information is generalized and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional who knows your health history before following any advice.

Lifestyle Tips for the Stuck Type

Reduce stress! Develop an arsenal of relaxation techniques that work for you and use them in regular practice throughout your day. Stress affects your health more than other pattern types. Consider deep breathing, guided meditation, mantras, or whatever works for you. Explore guided imagery and visualizations to reduce stress. You may never be able to control stressors, but you can learn to control how you respond to them.

Alleviate physical tension and mental tension. Find healthy ways to express bottled up emotions. Consider journaling, art, exercise, therapy.

Laugh good hard belly laughs. Avoid people or situations you find especially frustrating or annoying. Practice belly breathing, allowing your belly to expand during the inhale.

Focus on achieving work-life balance.

WOMEN: Do not have sexual intercourse on your period. Do not use tampons to sleep in; they can block your flow causing more stagnation if you have clots. These lifestyle tips are especially important when the hormone cycle pivots at ovulation and at onset of a period, to avoid problems.

Try acupressure self massage. Ask your acupuncturist which acupoints will help you most.

Foods to Eat for the Stuck Type

Prioritize unprocessed, whole foods.

Don't stress your liver with chemicals and processed foods. Shop the perimeter, not the aisles. If it sits on a shelf, you probably should not be eating it.
Eat enough fiber to move the bowels regularly.
Eat cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli sprouts, and cabbage. These metabolize excess estrogen and can tame PMS.
Calcium rich foods help replenish calcium lost during stress, Foods rich in Vitamin A, D and C will help your calcium absorption.
Chew your food well. Do not rush through a meal because you don't have time for it. If you struggle with IBS, indigestion, gas or bloating, then eat sitting down.

Specific Chinese food therapy to move Liver Qi in Stuck types focuses on flavor, not foods per se. It includes limiting sour foods to small amounts only, such as vinegar, pickles, and citrus. Enjoy aromatic spices and foods such as horseradish, wasabi, mustard, basil, mint, and garlic. Add bitter flavors to your diet such as black coffee (decaf, too!), dark chocolate, dark leafy greens, bitter melon, citrus peel and zest, As a digestive aid, take a spoonful of Swedish bitters or Agnostura bitters.

The best foods to Soothe Liver include liver pate, liverwurst, foie gras, beets, beet greens, and stirred greens.

Foods to Avoid for the Stuck Type

Overeating, eating fast, or eating again before your last meal is digested.
Eating on the run, on your feet, or when upset.
Preservatives, chemicals, additives, and ingredients you cannot pronounce
Pesticides and hormones in your food
Too much caffeine. One cup is usually acceptable
Foods that make you bloated.
Fried or fatty foods, especially bar food
Excess alcohol. Limit to less than one drink at a time, if at all. Find new ways to unwind in herbal teas, yoga, exercise, or meditation.

Exercise and Movement

Regular moderate to intense exercise such as aerobics, running, or HIIT. Practice repetitive, rhythmic types of exercise to calm the mind, such as swimming laps or jogging through a park. Find a swing at a local park, or hang a tire swing at home.

WOMEN: During your period, do not sweat or do high impact exercise. Reduce exercise by half when on your period. Never swim in cold water. It harms the uterine function and movement of blood. Reduce exercise as much as possible after TTC, until pregnancy is confirmed.

Learn More

The Stuck type TCM patterns often co-exist with other patterns. Be sure to check out my articles on lifestyle tips for other general pattern types including Tired , Pale , Dry , and Waterlogged . Stuck types often are a result of any of the other patterns, but can occur as the only pattern.

Tired Type TCM Patterns: Diet and Lifestyle Tips

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 01:18:24 GMT

What Is the Tired Type?

You may have Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patterns that fit the Tired type if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Lethargic, run down, needing motivation, puffy eyes, brain fog, catches colds easily, sweats easily, hangry, craving carbs, digestive problems, tired or bloated after meals, low sex drive, urinating in the night, diarrhea in the morning, waking tired, sweats easily, back pain, knee pain, ovulation cramps, vaginal discharge, delayed periods, periods with back pain and bearing down pressure, tongue is pale swollen with a fine tremor and teethmarks.

TCM patterns that fit the Tired type may include Qi Deficiency, Yang Deficiency, Upright Qi Deficiency, Spleen Qi Deficiency or Sinking, Kidney Qi Deficiency, and possibly Liver Qi and Blood Deficiency causing these patterns.

Consult with a qualified doctor of Oriental medicine to confirm your pattern diagnosis.

The following information is generalized and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional who knows your health history before following any advice.

Lifestyle Tips for the Tired Type

Conserve your energy! Do not overdo it with work. Practice saying No. Set limits that leave you with energy left over at the end of the day. Limit stress. Learn stress reduction techniques that really work for you! Get plenty of rest and more than enough sleep. Keep warm. Wear socks, slippers, and dress for the weather. Keep a regular routine, with a regular bedtime routine and mealtime routines (like a baby!) Write down your goals and devise a plan for how to attain them. Make space in our life for fun and laughter. Protect the weak areas of your body---especially your back and knees. Do guided imagery exercises to restore your wellbeing. Do self massage or acupressure point stimulation as directed by your acupuncturist. Women should keep their energy conserved by resting, especially during menstruation and after TTC.

Foods to Eat for the Tired Type

Prioritize simple, well-cooked foods.

Complex carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits, vegetables) for 50% of each meal.
Easy to digest, warming, slow cooked foods such as soups, stews, casseroles.
Lightly cook vegetables; avoid raw vegetables.
Regular mealtimes
Eat slowly, without stress, and chew your food very well!
Home cooked meals with real ingredients; avoid restaurant and processed foods.
Search out foods with lots of freshness and vitality. Shop local, farm fresh produce and free-range pastured meats from farmer's markets.

Specific foods to Tonify Qi and Yang include

Produce: pumpkin, squash, radishes, celery, watercress, alfalfa sprouts
Legumes, lentils, adzuki beans, kidney beans
Whole grains only, including brown rice, white rice, quinoa, barley, oats
Warm spices: ginger, cinnamon, clove, cumin, cardamon, fennel, rosemary, nutmeg
Seeds and seed butters like sesame tahini, pumpkin, sunflower
Foods with warm properties: meats, oatmeal, parsnips, onions, leeks, lamb, beef, chicken, stewed fruit compotes.
Seaweed and kelp if you have tested negative for autoimmune thyroid antibodies
No cold beverages. Hot teas such as chai masala, ginger, or cinnamon teas are best.

Foods to Avoid for the Tired Type

Dairy
Wheat
Fruit juice
Junk foods
Sweets and artificial sweeteners
Eating on the run
Overeating
Raw foods, cold foods, frozen foods, iced drinks
Fried foods
Stimulants such as caffeine or energy drinks. (If you feel sluggish, you need to rest or do light exercise.)
Excess salt
Alcohol, especially beer
Indigestion. Avoid foods that disagree with you, or take digestive enzymes with meals to help.

Exercise and Movement

Pace yourself and do not overexert yourself. Do not let yourself be sedentary; you need to pump your blood a bit. Get regular, moderate exercise every 2-3 days. Work up to 30 minutes, 3-4 times per week. Do exercise that leaves you energized, not exhausted. No high intensity interval training (HIIT) Build endurance gradually. It is better to do 10 min daily than 60 min once per week. Women: Do not exercise during your period, and exercise only moderately after TTC.

Learn More

The Tired type TCM patterns often co-exist with other patterns. Be sure to check out my articles on lifestyle tips for other general pattern types including Stuck , Pale , Dry , and Waterlogged . Tired types often are the foundation for the other pattern types developing; they can coexist with a number of different pattern types. In this case, talk with your provider to determine which pattern to focus on first.

Pale Type TCM Patterns: Diet and Lifestyle Tips

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 01:18:21 GMT

What Is the Pale Type?

You may have Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patterns that fit the Pale type if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Pale skin, hair loss, chapped lips, brittle nails, dry hair, blurry vision, poor night vision, insomnia, light headedness, shaky, free floating anxiety, strained tendons and ligaments, heart palpitations, malnourished, vegan, malabsorption, anemic, pale tongue. Women: PMS tearfulness, pale watery or scanty menstrual blood, heavy periods, delayed ovulation, late periods, worsening symptoms after period.

TCM patterns that fit the Pale type may include Blood Deficiency, Spleen Blood Deficiency, Circulation Impaired, Heart Qi-Yang Deficiency.

Consult with a qualified doctor of Oriental medicine to confirm your pattern diagnosis.

The following information is generalized and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional who knows your health history before following any advice.

Lifestyle Tips for the Pale Type

Use lists and notes instead of trying to remember everything. Develop time management skills. Develop work and study habits. Take a warm bath before bed to help you fall asleep. Stay hydrated. Avoid excess sweat in saunas and hot tubs. Use an essential oil diffuser to relax your mind. Try not to worry about things you cannot do anything about. Practice letting go. Try guided imagery relaxation practices Use acupressure massage on points your acupuncturist recommends. Women should rest during their period.

Foods to Eat for the Pale Type

Focus on increasing protein intake, preferably from non-plant sources.

Get a minimum of one serving of animal protein daily, if not two. This includes seafood, fish, eggs, poultry, bone marrow, and red meat.
If you are vegetarian, lean on highly bioavailable proteins and check for anemia and B-12 levels.
Iron-rich foods such as blackstrap molasses, egg yolk, liver and kidneys. Vitamin C foods to absorb iron, such as citrus, kiwi, dark leafy greens, black currants.
Marinate and slow cook your meat.
Use bone broths made from scratch and add to soups, arborio rice, and polenta.
Never skip meals
Consider digestive enzymes to benefit absorption of nutrients from food
Correct any digestive problems you may have.

Foods to Avoid for the Tired Type

Caffeine, which inhibits absorption of iron
Drinking water with meals, which dilutes digestive enzymes needed to absorb nutrients into blood
Don't overdo it on dairy, but choose full-fat dairy when you use it.
Cold foods, straight from the fridge or freezer (like ice cream).
Raw foods and too much fiber which can CAUSE constipation and bloating in Pale types, not help it
Dieting
Eating while stressed, walking around, or driving.

Exercise and Movement

Limit exercise to 30 minutes, three times a week. Engage in regular exercise with a meditative component such as yoga, tai chi, qi gong, fencing. Do not warm up by stretching first; before stretching, elevate your heart rate to increase blood flow and prevent injury such as strained tendons and ligaments. Avoid sweating in excess. Go for a protein shake or branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) after workouts.

Learn More

The Pale type TCM patterns often co-exist with other patterns. Be sure to check out my articles on lifestyle tips for other general pattern types including Tired , Stuck , Dry , and Waterlogged . Pale types often can have coexisting Tired and Stuck pattern types.

Dry Type TCM Patterns: Diet and Lifestyle Tips

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 23:48:44 GMT

What Is the Dry Type?

You may have Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patterns that fit the Dry type if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Dryness of the skin, eyes, hair, nails, mouth, nose, throat. Fidgeting, restless nervous energy, thin body, red cheeks, overworking, burnout, dark circles under eyes, thirsty, sipping cold drinks, hot flushes, night sweats, body runs warm, restless sleep, heart palpitations, racing pulse, constipated with dry hard stool, PMS pimples, erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness with redness, rashes, or dry itch, short or long menstrual cycles. Peeled red tongue or cracks in tongue surface.

TCM patterns that fit the Dry type may include Kidney Yin Deficiency, Deficient Heat, and Lung Yin Deficiency with Kidney patterns.

Consult with a qualified doctor of Oriental medicine to confirm your pattern diagnosis.

The following information is generalized and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional who knows your health history before following any advice.

Lifestyle Tips for the Dry Type

Get enough good quality sleep. Avoid smoking and recreational drugs. Even just a little will severely challenge your pattern. Do not use weight loss stimulants; they burn out your metabolism. Spend time outdoors in fresh air and natural environments; avoid stale indoor building air. Limit the time you spend near electronics, including computers because you are more susceptible to EMFs. Avoid toxic fumes from air fresheners, paints, dry cleaners, construction, etc. Stay cool. Avoid saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, hot baths. Moisturize your skin. Reduce your stress level. Find stress reduction strategies that work for you. Lead a sensibly paced life with leisurely downtime. Reduce partying and social demands. Cultivate pastimes that are the antidote to a hectic life: reading, knitting, scrapbooking. rest especially during the follicular cycle between your period and ovulation. Establish a consistent routine for mealtime and bedtime routines. Avoid overstimulation such as loud parties, scary movies, and adrenaline rushes. Be patient, especially over age 35. It takes time to balance this pattern. Ask your acupuncturist for acupressure massage points to stimulate at home.

Foods to Eat for the Dry Type

Prioritize nutrient dense foods and healthy fats.

Eat 5 small meals and one larger meal at regular times of the day.
Eat small portions of protein throughout the day, especially prior to ovulation if you are a woman.
Add flaxseed (freshly ground) and soy for a phytoestrogen boost if you are low in estrogen, or high in xenoestrogens you need to block out.
Eat lightly cooked foods, steamed or stir fried rather than roasted or deep fried foods.
Enjoy some salads and cold foods
Seafoods or oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies
Seaweeds in your stews and soups, or spirulina and chlorella in your smoothies
Foods rich in folate, B vitamins, and Vitamin E such as eggs and wheat germ
Hydrate with mineral water throughout the day. While hydration is important for everyone, it is especially important for your type.
Enjoy cold and frozen foods in moderation, including iced mineral water or chilled spa water infusions.

Specific Chinese food therapy to moisten, lubricate, and nourish Dry types includes seeds, nuts, beans, mung beans, sardines, bone marrow, wheat, oats, rice, millet, celery, spinach, swiss chard, cucumbers, lettuce, radishes, asparagus, eggplant, cabbage, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, alfalfa sprouts, squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, beets, mushrooms, apples, pears, bananas, blueberries, blackberries.

Foods to Avoid for the Dry Type

Alcohol, because it creates heat and dehydrates. It is especially important for women to avoid alcohol during their periods because it can increase the flow to worsen the Dry condition. Women should avoid alcohol until ovulation is confirmed.
Rich fatty foods that have a cream base
Stimulants, coffee, and even herbal stimulants
Sugar
Late night eating
Low calorie diets, or controlling what you eat
Spicy and hot foods such as chilis, curries, wasabi. This is especially important if you have heavy periods, restlessness, fitful sleep, or hot flushes.

Exercise and Movement

Choose energizing, revitalizing exercise that is replenishing and meditative. Yoga, tai chi, qi gong, swimming, or walking in nature are ideal. Avoid exhausting exercise like stairmaster, running, or aerobics. Avoid sweating, saunas, and Bikram yoga. Balance weightlifting with stretching and flexibility. Avoid sports drinks, energy drinks, and caffeine. Instead hydrate with spa water infused with fruits and herbs.

Learn More

The Dry type TCM patterns often co-exist with other patterns. Be sure to check out my articles on lifestyle tips for other general pattern types including Tired , Stuck , Pale , and Waterlogged . It is possible to be Dry in the upper part of the body, and Waterlogged in the lower part of the body.

Waterlogged TCM Patterns: Diet and Lifestyle Tips

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 22:57:31 GMT

What Is the Waterlogged Type?

You may have Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patterns that fit the Waterlogged type if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Sluggish, overweight, puffy, swollen, brain fog, dull headaches, dull aches in joints and muscles, weather makes symptoms worse, DOMS, craving sweets, cystic acne, pustular acne, itchy skin, allergies, runny nose, post nasal drip, phlegm in throat or chest, cloudy urine, sluggish pasty stool, daily vaginal discharge, mucus in stool or menstrual blood, tongue coat is greasy or thick.

TCM patterns that fit the Waterlogged type may include Fluid Dysregulation, Qi-Yang Deficiency, Spleen or Kidney Qi-Yang Deficiency, Damp Pouring Downward, Damp-Phlegm Stagnation, and others.

Consult with a qualified doctor of Oriental medicine to confirm your pattern diagnosis.

The following information is generalized and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional who knows your health history before following any advice.

L ifestyle Tips for the Waterlogged Type

Avoid dampness in your home. Consider a dehumidifier, or consult with an HVAC specialist to optimize reduction of humidity and condensation. Avoid mold exposure. This includes yard waste as well as areas around sinks and plumbing. Learn which foods are often prone to unseen microscopic mold contamination such as coffee and peanuts. Use a HEPA filter in your bedroom and on your vacuum cleaner. Use digestive enzymes or chew on herbs such as hawthorne flakes or fennel seeds after meals. Try guided imagery exercises to reduce stress. Do acupressure point stimulation on acupoints recommended by your acupuncturist. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle.

Foods to Eat for the Waterlogged Type

Lean toward low glycemic index and low carb foods.

Eat living foods that are fresh from the farmers market, or live cultured and lactofermented.
Eat whole grains to reduce sugar absorption and insulin resistance.
Replace refined sugars with natural sweeteners such as agave nectar and monkfruit.
If you tolerate gluten, eat barley. It is a natural diuretic.
Drink green tea. It is low in caffeine, high in beneficial nutrients, and a diuretic that will help you lose excess weight.
Combine complex carbs with proteins, not fats. Never eat carbs alone.
Avoid rich, gooey foods as well as cream-based sauces and soups.
Choose fermented dairy such as yogurt, kefir, labneh, and quark.
Add cardamom and cinnamon to your yogurt.
When choosing dairy, choose products made from sheep and goat milk.
When choosing non-dairy milk or cheese, avoid soy and flaxseed products if you have True Estrogen Dominance. These phytoestrogens are beneficial if you only have Relative Estrogen Dominance, however.
Ironically, push water hydration. It will move stored fluids and flush out toxins.
Avoid hot spicy foods but mildly spicy or carminative herbs are beneficial.

F oods to Avoid for the Waterlogged Type

Overeating any food
Raw or cold foods
Greasy or deep fried foods
Hot spicy foods
Alcohol (because of the sugars and Heat
Foods that create mucus (dairy, citrus, pasta)
Processed foods
Artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup
Overabundance of wheat products (bread, pasta)
Fermented foods that promote yeast infections and candida overgrowth in the gut. Examples are beer, champagne, bleu cheese, sourdough, wine, vinegar, soy sauce, mushrooms
Excessive salt, often in processed foods
Fast foods
Pork and rich fatty meats such as sausage and pepperoni

Exercise and Movement

Keep your body in motion to move fluids and blood, to prevent build up and cysts. Set exercise goals and make a plan for achieving them. Choose exercise that makes you sweat hard, and then you need to rehydrate to push those fluids through and prevent the problems that stagnant fluids cause in Waterlogged patterns. Aerobic exercise is best, but only for 30 minutes so you have energy to do it daily. Do not try to get all your exercise in once or twice a week. Do not do exercise that is too intense and leaves you exhausted. Fatigue inhibits minimal circulation of blood and fluids throughout the day. If you are too exhausted, do a brisk walk (not leisurely) with both arms swinging (no dogs on leashes that immobilize one arm). This will help pump your lymphatic system, with lymph nodes concentrated in the underarms and inner front hips (inguinal area).

Learn More

The Waterlogged type TCM patterns often co-exist with other patterns. Be sure to check out my articles on lifestyle tips for other general pattern types including Tired , Stuck , Pale , and Dry .

Homocysteine Levels and Fertility: Should You Test?

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 17:31:34 GMT

New research you need to know about if you are planning to get pregnant but suffer from inflammation.

You want your baby to get a secure attachment to grow in the womb. Homocysteine is a key lab marker to assure your baby can!

Homocysteine is a marker for inflammation. Inflammation compromises blood circulation—-particularly the MICRO circulation needed inside the endometrium where the baby attaches.

Inflammation is common in women with PCOS, endometriosis, insulin resistance or diabetes, autoimmune conditions (Hashi’s, RA, Crohn’s, etc), recent surgical procedures, MTHFR gene variants, leaky gut, and other common health problems.

HERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS

Your homocysteine level is easy to check on a blood draw!

Under normal conditions, it does not exceed 15 μMol/L. Doctors want it to be below 17 μmol/L. Anything higher significantly increases the likelihood of a micro blood clot that can block blood flow to the embryo—-which is easy to correct, by the way!

Keep in mind that this is a new area of study. Individual doctors set their own limits based on clinical experience and your health history.

Rest assured that it’s fairly simple to reduce your homocysteine level with supplements if it is too high.

Of course, you might also want to determine the CAUSE of why it is elevated (so you can remove it), not just take supplements.

Using B Vitamins to Lower Homocysteine Levels for Fertility

In a study of 48 women undergoing IVF who had homocysteine levels above the safer level of 17, half were treated with B vitamins until their levels dropped below 17 for 2 weeks steady. Their pregnancy rates after embryo transfer were 47.8%. Women without treatment had a pregnancy rate of only 17.3%.

Sadly, of those 17.3% pregnant women who were NOT treated for elevated homocysteine, 50% lost their pregnancy while only 18.2% of women treated with B vitamins suffered pregnancy loss.

Safe Dosing of B Vitamins to Lower Homocysteine Levels for Women Trying to Conceive

B vitamins are generally safe because they are water soluble. That means if you take too much, your body should naturally eliminate the excess through your urine.

For correct dosage, individual considerations must be made based on diet, lifestyle, nutrigenomics, and if your body is using B Vitamins heavily for metabolic challenges such as stress, detoxification of chemicals and hormone therapy, or other conditions.

The right B vitamins at the right dose can help reduce elevated homocysteine levels, reduce inflammation, open micro circulation in the uterine lining, AND help your body reduce stress.

Let’s help your baby get a secure attachment in the womb!

PMID: 17763935

PMID 27775595

DIY Food Sensitivity Testing

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 13:37:37 GMT

Want to test food sensitivity for free? Four simple steps you can do in three weeks using The Elimination Diet.

Before you invest in food sensitivity lab testing, consider becoming your own best expert on your body by getting very clear on the way it communicates with you when you eat food. Simple guidelines to use are below!

The Elimination Diet is a useful tool for diagnosing adverse food reactions, whether true allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity.

To get started, eliminate the following foods for three weeks. After three weeks, you can reintroduce the foods to your diet one at a time.

gluten (barley, rye, oats, wheat, spelt)

dairy

corn

beef

pork

eggs

soy

peanuts

shellfish

refined and artificial sweeteners

Because wheat, corn, and soy are commonly added to many processed food products, we are often not aware of the extent of these foods in our diets.

Rules for Reintroduction of Problem Foods

Choose just ONE eliminated food at a time.

Eat it 2-3 times in one day.

Wait 48 hours.

Tune in to your body signals.

Body Signals When A Food Is Problematic

Joint aches

Muscle aches

Headache

Sinus pressure

Nasal congestion

Chest congestion

Skin problem

Fatigue

Insomnia

Kidney or bladder symptoms

Digestive or bowel symptoms

What You Should Know about Foods to Avoid

Food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances each mean something different.

Allergies cause severe symptoms immediately after a trigger food is eaten. These are IgE reactions and can be life threatening. Examples are tree nut allergies.

Food sensitivity reactions may be delayed by hours or even days. Food sensitivities are usually an IgG, IgA, or IgM reaction from the immune system due to a problem in the digestive system. These are common in intestinal hyperpermeability or "leaky gut" which is often a precursor to autoimmune disease.

Food intolerances can be the result of reactions to certain chemicals in food (e.g., MSG, sulfates or naturally occurring histamines). They can also occur when a person lacks an enzyme necessary to digest the food, such as bile salts to break down fat, or lactose which is needed to digest some dairy products.

Treatment for Problematic Foods

It is best to avoid foods your body tells you are a problem. Talk to your healthcare provider about targeted strategies to identify and correct the underlying problem, and retest. Many times you will be able to eat your forbidden foods again, once you have corrected the Root Cause.

Additional Benefits to The Elimination Diet

The Elimination Diet reduces inflammation. In so doing, it also fosters an improved immune response to allergies, chemicals, and pathogens so we are sick less often.

This information is adapted from the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) expanded patient guide to The Elimination Diet that I use in my practice.

The Importance of Reproductive Health---Even If You Don't Want a Baby!

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 21:57:37 GMT

Hormones are not just for having a baby!

Hormones are communication messengers involved in virtually every bodily function: sleep, energy, digestion, appetite, metabolism, mood, focus, detox, immunity, structure, appearance, and more.

If you have problems in any of these bodily functions, what do you do to fix it? Suppress the symptoms? But what if these symptoms were communicating important data regarding hidden, underlying breakdowns in your health that will get worse over a lifetime—even if medicated? That would be like shooting the messenger! Because what if those underlying problems could be addressed? And you could actually restore your health?

I s your health solution just doctor prescription pills and procedures, because you do not know how to restore your health?

What about holistic treatments (like herbs, acupuncture, vitamins and supplements)? Why do they work sometimes but not always? And how do you know if they will work for you?

We can probably tell you all those answers!

G alvan Precision Wellness unravels your body’s hidden codes to support optimal health.

Your body tells you what it needs to be healthy—in codes. The codes are symptoms, genomics, chemistries, and clinical signs (like Chinese pulse diagnosis). Sometimes the codes are recurrent thought patterns, feelings, dreams, and gut instincts to be verified. Sometimes interpretation of the codes are found in functional medicine, or conventional medicine, or Chinese medicine.

We teach you how to listen to your body, how to decode the signals, and how to help your body get what it needs to restore healthy balance.

These are such powerful keys to reversing health problems, that you will probably never want to be without them again! Your body will no longer fail you, hate you, or hurt you with signs and symptoms that drive you to the doctor; instead these signs and symptoms will become your best ally in directing you how to live your best life!

I magine being an expert in your own health

We invite you to join with us in learning to interpret the hidden codes your body holds to healing.

We will share with you how to interpret your body’s signals using the wisdom of ancient Chinese medicine, the knowledge of new functional medicine, the artistry of holistic mind-body connections, and the philosophy behind Oriental psychology.

For data junkies, we will touch on the cutting edge science of lab testing for gene SNPs, organic acids, and antibodies to learn how to manage the way your body is affected by hormones, specific foods, chemicals, heavy metals, molds, hidden infections, and more.

Within the pages of this website, we will enter a world of discovery about how the body tells us what it needs. You will find articles, video, reports, and lots of goodies we are putting together, absolutely free.

W hat’s the catch?

Why am I giving away so much of what I know for free on this website? Why am I not telling you to book an appointment if you want my expertise?

Firstly, we are not always able to treat everyone in the clinic. Sometimes we don’t need to. Sometimes we just need to do some lab work, which we can do without an office visit. When you learn some of the basics of what we do, you might be able to care for yourself better. That makes life easier for all of us!

Secondly, our services and classes will work better when you add your expertise and knowledge. That makes a win-win situation for all of us. So let’s work together! Learn with me.

At Galvan Precision Wellness clinic, we have plenty of clinical treatments, classes, and workshops that you may like to pay for to increase your healing and knowledge, but the website information is free. The newsletter emails are free. There is no catch. You never have to buy anything. You will continue to get great content for as long as you are a subscriber.

If you are wondering how much you can learn to heal yourself beyond what your medical doctor can do with pills and procedures, listen to what these satisfied clients have to say.

W ords from Clients

"The information I learn from you is worth as much as a treatment itself---if not, more!" ---Dianne G.

"After two devastating diagnoses in 2013, I was at a loss of what to do to get better. Physically I was suffering and mentally I was in pieces. When my doctors couldn't help me, I searched for alternatives. Luckily someone referred me to Amy! I am thankful every day for Amy. I refer all my friends and family to her and everyone is always impressed with her skills and healing presence." ---Name Withheld for Privacy

"I had several issues that prescriptions were just masking. Learning about Chinese medicine and how we are made up of dominant elements in different parts of our bodies is an experience in itself. This has been such an incredible experience for healing but also of self discovery." ---Tatania S.

"I have experienced great healing the body can accomplish when assisted in the proper methods."---Loretta S.

Is it safe to go outside of conventional medicine to treat my health problems?

Practicing safe medicine is important. There are consequences and side effects to conventional medicine that natural medicine does not have, and vice-versa.

Only a medical doctor or pharmacist can advise you on taking (or not taking) prescription medications or medical procedures. However, their formal education is focused on management of disease, rather than restoration of health. You may find you know more about taking vitamins than your medical doctor. You may find that taking Vitamin B6, magnesium, zinc with copper, and inositol go a long way to reversing PCOS and infertility than synthetic hormones can, with less side effects . . . Or you may find that you are not a good candidate for that treatment. The more you learn, the safer you will be.

Many people use both conventional medical care AND restoration of health at the same time. While you may never become an expert in health sciences from reading material, you do know more about your body at any given time than anyone else. You have your own expertise on your body; why not make it better by learning to heal yourself.

W hat makes Galvan Precision Wellness different?

At Galvan Precision Wellness, we don’t just treat you; we teach you to be an expert in your own health.

Because your health needs are not just like everyone else’s. Because you deserve more than a prescription based on a reference chart made from calculated averages. Because when it comes to diagnosis and treatment, one size does not fit all.

Your medical health professionals are experts in disease and disease management. Your medical doctor is typically not a health expert. If you want to do more than live with a managed disease, you need to learn to heal yourself. No one can do it for you. But we can help teach you how.

My clients often learn more than their doctors about restoration of health, and we routinely reverse infertility, autoimmune disease, and chronic debilitating pain and fatigue—often without medications or medical procedures.

H ow you can start your healing journey

I invite you to start your healing journey by doing one simple thing---and it costs nothing: Keeping in Touch! When you sign up for my email list, you receive special offers, valuable health tips, and reliable uncensored healthcare information via email. As my thank you, I will give you a FREE copy of my eBook, Chinese Medicine: How an Ancient Medicine Can Help You in a Modern World.

Please subscribe below!

Period Week Care: 6 Ancient Chinese Secrets to Practice During Your Period—and Alleviate “The Curse”

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 21:18:40 GMT

Learn what to do (and what NOT to do) during period week to foster female health and wellbeing.

Have you ever dropped your cell phone in the water? Yikes! As soon as you pull it out of the water, what should you do? Check if it’s working? No way. Turn it OFF. This protects the circuitry. Water only damages your cell phone when electricity is running through it.

Like a cell phone dropped in water, period problems come from not protecting your circuitry when the fluid moves through it. We are talking about the circuitry of your body and mind.

The Chinese knew that even the strongest and most highly functioning women have delicate circuitry that is vulnerable when not cared for properly! They devised six practices I will share with you here, for proper care during the week of your period. These six practices will go along way to help keep your body and mind running smoothly. The Chinese knew the balance of a woman’s wellbeing—and her future health—depends on it!

Your body is electric!

Your body conducts electricity. But too much of a good thing is not a good thing! That’s why you have been taught since childhood not to play with electricity. High voltage will go right through you, because your body conducts it.

We can measure the low levels of electricity running through your body easily. We use an EKG (ECG) for the heart, an EEG for the brain, and a lie detector machine for the mindbody connection.

This electricity flows through channels

In Chinese medicine, they map out how the electricity moves through the body. It is mainly through circuitry they call channels (or meridians).

There are 5 main channels that control your period, along with blood, like a control panel. In Chinese medicine, these controls are known as the Blood, and the Ren, Chong, Liver, Kidney, and Spleen Channels. Sometimes the Heart channel plays a significant role, also.

What damages the flow?

In your cell phone, the electrical flow gets damaged when it runs through water. The water acts like a pathogen. In a woman’s body, the flow of her period (and her healthy functioning circuitry of the bodymind) is damaged by 5 different pathogens. Not by water, but by what the Chinese call Cold, Sweat, Counterflow, and the 5 Internal Pathogens: Anger, Fear, Worry, Grief, and Over-excitement.

Undoing “The Curse” of the monthly flow

You don’t have to hop on birth control or wait for menopause! To alleviate “the curse,” the Chinese had certain practices to protect against these pathogens. This protection keeps women feeling great during their periods—and healthy throughout their reproductive life.

I will detail these practices here for you. But first, a very significant clue to how these work is revealed in translation. The Chinese don’t refer to periods “the curse.” In fact, they call it something quite the opposite! Allow me to explain . . .

Having heavenly monthly cycles

We might call a menstrual cycle “the curse,” but not the Chinese. They have a different view of where periods come from, and how they should pass. Suffering (or medication) is not a culturally acceptable part of the process.

What we call a period, the Chinese call Tian Gui, or “Heavenly Waters.” Wow. Let’s break that down.

“Heavenly” refers to the sky or the divine, the sacred place where babies came from. “Waters” refers to the form taken when the sky or heavens above descends down to earth, like rain from clouds.

The ancient Chinese didn’t consider menstrual blood to be like any other blood in the body. It was special. When it stopped flowing, babies were formed. No other congealing blood could do that.

Because the menstrual cycle was a sacred event of a woman’s body opening at the cervix to let heaven’s rain pour down, it was a time to protect her. These traditions protected a woman’s energy, mood, reproductive health, blood flow, and fertility. In essence, you could call it her circuitry.

Can anyone do this?

This is not just for Chinese women, of course. All women can practice these habits, from their first period to their last. If you have normal periods, you should practice these habits to maintain health and prevent health imbalances. If you have problems with your cycles, you really need to follow these guidelines strictly the week of your period, and see about getting some acupuncture and Chinese herbs for three months to correct your period problems.

Are you ready for these? Let’s go!

6 Ancient Chinese Medicine Practices for the Week of Your Period

R ule #1: No Exertion

No exertion, no overexercise, no heavy lifting. Got it? You can exercise half as much as you normally do, no more. Period week is a time for rest! No moving furniture.

Why? The Spleen Qi (the function of the Spleen Channel)is responsible for holding blood in the vessels, preventing heavy bleeding, holding everything up and in, digestion, and the transportation and transformation of fluids in the body. During your period, it needs to prioritize its job on regulating blood flow.

When you strain it with exertion, holding heavy weights up and in, holding your body up and in with exercise, straining your core---sometimes just being on your feet all day---you are using up a lot of Spleen Qi. It gets compromised. It has less energy to do its other jobs. As a result, you may end up with heavy periods, bloating, diarrhea with onset of period, and post-period migraines and muscle cramps from the loss of blood. You may become more prone to a weakened cervix in pregnancy, or vaginal prolapse in your later years.

Rule #2: No Sweat

Avoid any fluid loss when bleeding. In Chinese medicine, Fluids are the mother of Blood. As your blood is lost, the fluids must fill in. If you lose both at the same time, you suffer symptoms that mimic heavy period Blood Deficiency patterns such as migraine, cramps, and anxiety. So conserve your fluids! This means no sweaty exercise (even if you are not overexerting). No hot yoga, no saunas, no steam room, no jacuzzi. (Hot baths are fine as long as your head doesn’t sweat.) No working outside in hot humid weather.

R ule #3: No Hanky-Panky

After hearing no sweat and no exertion, you may have wondered about sex. Well, here is the rule. No sexual arousal for the woman on her period, but it’s okay for her partner. [Wink!] As for going solo, you have to practice abstinence even from self-pleasuring. Sorry!

Why? Counterflow Qi. The energy that moves the period must go DOWN. Sexual arousal goes UP. When your body wants to flow down, but you generate sexual energy up, the Qi and Blood flow gets all tangled up and stuck. Once Qi flow gets stuck, it can contribute to painful periods, cramping, difficulty starting and stopping the cycle, and other gynecological problems.

Even worse than Counterflow Qi getting stuck, the Blood can get stuck. Qi commands the flow of blood. Imagine not just your Qi energy going up (as in sexual arousal), but your actual blood flowing up. It can happen if you have uterine contractions with an orgasm while on your period. The uterus can squeeze the blood out forcefully—not just down and out, but also up through the fallopian tubes and out into the pelvic cavity. This could later develop into blocked fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis, or an autoimmune condition. Trust me, you don’t want to risk any of these!

Rule #4: No Cold

No cold. This is a big one, so focus in on this one.

Cold obstructs flow, and puts things to a stop. Think of icing a sore spot. It stops pain, stops nerve signals, and stops inflammation by stopping blood flow. Too much cold with frostbite? It stops life. Now think about the opposite. How does your body naturally fight cold? You got it: movement and shivers. The body doesn’t want your flow obstructed. It must MOVE.

When you are on your period, the uterus is OPEN and Cold easily invades—-like a pathogen! To prevent Cold Invasion to the Uterus, here are the THREE PLACES cold gets in, and how to stop it.

No Cold Foods and Drink

There is a channel called the Chong Mai that links the stomach to the uterus. (And now you know why women get morning sickness in pregnancy!). When the uterus is open during the period, you must avoid eating cold foods and drink that will conduct the cold from the stomach to the open uterus. If you do eat cold food or drink, combine it with something warm or hot to neutralize it. You especially need to follow this rule if you have a weak Spleen. How do you know? You know your Spleen is weak if you bruise easily, have digestive problems, or worry too much! Cold is very hard on the Spleen Channel, which is responsible for Holding Blood in Vessels. When the Spleen is weak from Cold, it results in heavy period flow, and period flows that trickle for days instead of stop.

N o Cold Feet

There is a channel called the Kidney Channel that connects the soles of your feet to the uterus. When the uterus is open during the period, you must avoid walking on cold floors or having cold feet. If you do, wear socks and slippers on your period! You especially need to follow this rule if your Kidney Yang is weak. How do you know? Well, the Kidney Channel is also responsible for moving Ming Men metabolic Fire and Warming the Uterus during pregnancy with sustained progesterone and HCG hormones. When it is weak, your metabolism is sluggish, your body feels cold, you experience urinary difficulties, or you may have PMS from low progestrone or estrogen dominance.

No Cold Seats

Cold easily moves from your seat to your uterus without any channels needed! It goes right into the Yin Orifices (the openings where you pee, poop, and bleed), through your pelvis, and into the uterus. When the uterus is open during your period, you must avoid sitting on cold metal chairs, bleachers, or benches. Also avoid sitting around in a cold wet bathing suit. If you must, bring a cushion, blanket, or warm towel to prevent the cold from traveling into your uterus. You especially need to follow this rule if your body temperature is cooler when you touch below your belly button than when you touch above it.

Rule #5: Special Foods

You already might consume special foods and drinks after a workout or when you are sick. You can do the same for your period. In China, women eat soups and porridge (called congee) to benefit the channels that support healthy menstrual cycles (the control panel mentioned earlier). Once again, those channels are the Chong Mai, Ren Mai, and Channels of the Spleen, Kidney, Liver, and sometimes Heart.

Here is an easy recipe with a flavor a bit like Sweet and Sour Chicken, but in the form of an Egg Drop Soup. It only takes 5 minutes to make. You boil a cup of water with a tablespoon of sugar and three tablespoons of rice vinegar and/or lemon juice. It will taste like sweet and sour. Instead of chicken, you just whisk in two eggs. So it’s like sweet and sour egg drop soup. How funny is that? It’s no gourmet dish, but it tastes just fine. You can add a dash of salt or soy sauce if you have a weak Kidney channel or crave salt.

Please contact me if you want recipes for congee made in crockpots.

Rule #6: Mindset

And here we come to the mental emotional piece of the equation. Yep! We saved the best for last!

At the beginning of this article, we discovered that your body is electric, and the flow through your reproductive circuitry can be damaged during your period by Cold, Sweat, Counterflow, and the 5 Internal Pathogens: Anger, Fear, Worry, Grief, and Over-excitement.

The week of your period is a time to avoid triggers that promote strong emotional feelings of anger, fear, worry, grief, and over-excitement. Don’t suppress emotions—but do avoid stirring them up.

If you find yourself MORE emotionally reactive during your period than usual, you will appreciate the rule of avoiding emotionally triggering moments when you are on your period.

So grab your favorite herbal chill pill from your acupuncturist, and tell the drama you are not available this week.

When should I do these practices?

Do these from Day 1 of your period flow, to the last day you bleed. It should only be 3-5 days. If it’s longer, talk to your acupuncturist about getting your flow under control, and practice, practice, practice!

And if I don't?

Women who do not care for their bodies and minds during their periods are much more prone to develop ob/gyn problems over time. They are more vulnerable to develop difficult periods, painful periods, painful sex, endometriosis, cysts, uterine fibroids, fibrocystic breasts, tumors, cancer, infertility, or morning sickness during pregnancy. These things take years to develop, so no rush . . . But know that taking care of yourself properly during the week of your period can really help your overall reproductive health.

A woman moved from China to the West and guess what happened?

Xiaolan Zhao is a Chinese medical doctor who never experienced period problems in her life, until she moved from China to Canada. She writes about it in her book Ancient Healing for Modern Women. While living in China, she followed the guidelines above, as did her mother and grandmother before her. Even her father made her special food for period week! However, when she moved to Canada, there was no culture supporting her healthy habits during her period week. With high stress from immigration, culture shock, and a demanding job, she experienced period problems for nearly a year until she realized the importance of Chinese habits. It was a real life lesson on how significant self care is during the week of your period—with the consequences being a radical loss of women’s health.

A swimmer's story

Women swimmers are a great example of what NOT to do the week of your period. Women swimmers spend a lot of time in cold water, sitting in cold wet swimsuits, doing sweaty conditioning workouts, overexerting exercise, and eating special foods for everything but their reproductive health. They do not change their routine just because they get their periods. I have treated three female swimmers in 10 years, and all three have had debilitating female health problems that took years to reverse naturally. But you don’t have to take my word for it. You can see it yourself if you look at pictures of swimmers who have had therapeutic cupping.

You can see the cupping marks left on swimmers are the most dark purple spots you will ever see on someone getting cupping treatment. This is because Cold Invasion, along with chlorine that causes Blood Stasis (reduced flow) has congealed the blood so much that they cannot have the healthy response to cupping—which is no marks left at all. You can imagine how it blocks their flow in the reproductive organs. The solution for women swimmers is to take a break from routine during period week, and to take countermeasures to drive out Cold Invasion.

Let’s summarize the main points

Your body flows with electricity, blood, and energy for wellness and function. Damage to the flow will harm your health, creating pain and disease.

Your period is a special monthly flow that requires special care to prevent the development of pain and disease. Westerners typically refer to this monthly flow as “the curse” while the Chinese call it “heavenly waters.” This is because westerners do not take care of their bodies during period week using ancient Chinese secrets to make it problem-free.

To keep the flow strong and moving downward, do not burn out your energy doing exhausting physical activity, sweating, or engaging in sexual arousal or orgasm. These create counterflow and low energy, which can damage the downward flow.

When your period comes, your uterus is open. It is vulnerable to invasions of Cold that lock up and damage the flow. These invasions come from food, drink, cold floors, and cold seats. Avoid these things.

Treat your body to period-friendly foods that can be incorporated into soups and crockpot dishes. Don’t eat cold foods or drink cold beverages during your period.

In Closing

Periods should not be harmful to your body any more than water to a cell phone. The real damage occurs when you are not doing the right thing at the right time. Whether it’s turning off your cell phone as soon as it gets wet, or changing your weekly routine as soon as you start your period, the power is in your hands to protect your circuitry.

I hope that practicing these ancient Chinese secrets during your period week can be really helpful to you—much like a waterproof OtterBox is to your cell phone!

Written with love

Amy Galvan, DOM, L'Ac, FABORM

How A Very Simple Daily Habit Can Make All The Difference In Your TTC Journey---And In Your Life!

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 00:38:43 GMT

When you are fighting infertility, you need to beat the odds. We know a great strategy to make that easier in our fertility acupuncture clinic in Jacksonville.

The class bully’s eyes were fixed upon me with fear, rage, and threats of failure and defeat. Her body was trembling and her brow began to sweat. I did not falter. I held my scrawny little body in position on the chin up bar next to her, to beat her in this year's chin up challenge as part of our 7th grade Presidential Fitness test. Tracy was favored to win, being the toughest girl in school---and yet she fell to the floor in a collapse of tears after about 45 seconds. I chose to remain holding my chin above the bar for another 5 seconds, just to prove a point:

Don't underestimate me.

Scrawny though I was, I had a chin up bar in my hallway at home growing up. Every time I walked down the hall, I would pull myself up on the bar and hold. With frequency and repetition, I went from sure to be defeated, to sure to win against all odds. And you can, too, to overcome infertility.

Let's talk about a simple habit you can do with frequency and repetition to build your fertility and overcome the odds.

Don’t worry. There are no chin up bars involved!

I s it an apple a day?

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." This is a favorite old adage. You might have your own daily habits for health. You might have even changed a bad habit (like too much coffee) to a good habit (like bulletproof coffee). What if there were a daily habit as easy as bulletproof coffee in the morning that could help you have a healthy baby (and keep you energized without the caffeine no-no when trying to conceive)?

W hat's better than an apple a day?

Medicinal herbs. That's right. I didn’t ask what TASTES better than an apple a day. But oftentimes, prescription herbal medicine botanicals for fertility WILL keep the doctor away! In fact, herbs may be your best ticket to freedom from a fragile fertility state. In fact, when some couples are turned away from IVF clinics (or recommended to use an egg or sperm donor), a few months of herbs can turn around the IVF outcomes completely!

E ven better than acupuncture?

Yes. I am about to tell you why. But first, keep in mind that herbs won’t work at all if you forget to take them! Unlike acupuncture, you need to take your herbal treatment daily. Every day. Twice a day. Three times a day. According to your prescription. And if that’s too much, do the method from my chin-up story above: dissolve an entire daily dose in a glass of water on your counter, and every time you walk by . . . Do a chin-up! I mean . . . Take a sip!

Make sure to check with your practitioner about the best time to take your herbs. And on which days of your cycle you should take them.

6 Reasons why there is no substitute for herbal medicine for infertility

Properly prescribed, prescription strength, pharmaceutical grade Chinese herbs for fertility are so powerful, they can often be a stand-alone treatment for reversing infertility.

1 . Hormonal Building Blocks

What is the difference between a hormone and a hormone building block? PLENTY! Your body determines how much of each hormone to make on any given day according to it’s innate biofeedback mechanisms (think of it like a chemical checks and balances system that governs your body). When your hormonal balance is off, sometimes you don’t need to take prescription hormones as much as you just simply need the building blocks to make them. It’s as though your body were a hormone factory, and the factory ran out of raw materials.

Herbs supply the raw materials to build with. Herbs typically alter your hormones indirectly, safely; as opposed to directly like a prescription bioidentical hormone. Taking an actual hormone can be tricky if your body changes and the prescription does not change with it. Herbs have leeway. They allow your body to ramp production up or down, in accordance with your daily needs, stress, cycle, moon phase, or whatever your body seems to respond to.

2 . Mitochondrial Egg Quality

Research has shown how the right botanicals, in the right combination, can safely double or triple the number of mitochondria in your eggs. Mitochondria are organelles in the egg cell (oocyte) that provide the energy that keeps the fertilized egg alive until implantation. Want to help your embryos to make it to Day 5 transfer? Want to help your embryos to survive the 5-day freefall journey down your fallopian tubes to the womb? Take your herbs.

3 . DNA Quality

Egg and sperm each contribute one half of the DNA strands that will make up that first cell of your baby. The DNA strands come from many cycles of cell division (meiosis) during the 3-7 months it took to mature that egg (oogenesis), and the 2-4 months it took to mature the sperm (spermatogenesis) before conception. If something goes wrong, you get a chromosomal abnormality in the DNA that could result in miscarriage, Down’s syndrome, congenital birth defects, etc. So to help support a more flawless oogenesis and spermatogenesis, take your herbs.

4 . Improved Blood Quality and Circulation

The baby is fed by the quality and quantity of blood that nourishes it. If blood is too weak (dilute, not carrying enough nutrients), or the flow is too much (or too little), then the developing embryo is at risk. Your period is a great indicator of your blood quality and microcirculation pathways of the uterus. If you have had period problems in the 3 months prior to conception, you have added risk to having the healthiest baby possible. Periods are so significant, that it has been accepted as the new vital sign (just like heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure) by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

5 . Stress Reduction

Numerous studies have shown how herbal medicine reduces stress. If a cup of chamomile tea has ever soothed your raw nerves, imagine what a concentrated dose of 10x that amount would do—with a prescription botanical that is much stronger than chamomile. If the military veterans with PTSD say it works, you can feel pretty confident that it is going to help calm your stress, anxiety, and depression when it comes to your trying to conceive TTC journey. And reducing stress has been clinically correlated with increased pregnancy rates in infertile women.

6 . Cost Savings

Did I get your attention? Each dose of herbs counts as a treatment you do yourself, for pennies on the dollar. Taking herbal medicine for fertility, thirty days, three times a day, is 90 treatments in one month—for the price of around $100. That’s about as much as you pay for ONE acupuncture treatment. For some men and women, there comes a time when herbs for fertility are all they need to correct infertility (lucky people!). Of course, if you need herbs AND acupuncture to turn your fertility around, you can get much more amplified results from acupuncture when simultaneously taking herbal medicine . . . And you might even be able to afford more flexibility in how strictly you have to schedule acupuncture appointments to stay on track.

A litany of other reasons

Taking prescription herbal medicine botanicals for infertility is . . . easy, quick, simple, effective, safe, convenient, harmless, painless, non-bruising, and not scary at all! It is also helpful, for many things like . . .better sleep, better digestion, better bowels, better metabolism, better eyesight, better periods, better skin, better hair and nails, better mood, better libido, better thinking, better focus, better peace of mind. . . .less headaches, less back aches, less neck and shoulder pain, less anxiety, less worry, less nervousness, less overeating, less nail biting, less insomnia, less PMS, less bloating, less memory problems, less painful periods, less fatigue . . . You get what I’m sayin’? Just sayin’!

Not many daily disciplines you do in 5 seconds or less can make you feel that great—and increase your fertility!

But there IS one very important reason NOT to take herbs:

If they are not PHARMACEUTICAL GRADE quality!

H ow to avoid the dangers of herbal medicine

Herbs can be dangerous if you buy them over the counter. Dangerous to your health, your future baby’s health, and to your wallet . . . not to mention they are not dosed nearly high enough to get good results.

To take a high enough dosage of herbs you buy over the counter, you would often need up to 10x the recommended dosage . . . swallow up to 10x the pills . . . and pay up to 10x the price. Retail price! Let’s face it. You need to buy at a deep discount. That means buying from your doctor, not from a slick advertising brand that makes it’s living solely off selling herbs rather than treating patients in a clinical setting. Please don’t waste your time on the garbage.

Let’s talk REAL DANGERS of the garbage I don’t want you falling for.

How do you know if what you are buying over the counter is what it says it is? What if it lacked authenticity, purity, consistency from pill to pill, or had contaminants? Contaminants can be mold, fungus, spores, heavy metals, bioceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and debris! How do you know the ingredients were cared for with quality standards for resourcing, storing, and processing? I’ll tell you how in three little letters: GMP.

When a manufacturer allows a third party in to certify their products are not in violation of the above, they earn the certification of Good Manufacturing Principles (cGMP). This means they are tested by the highest technological advancements using mass spectrometry and other means to verify authenticity, purity, consistency, and other quality standards for resourcing, storing, processing, and contamination. This is especially important for fertility botanicals! You are supposed to be taking these when you get pregnant!

Most prescription herbal medicine for infertility uses ingredients that are so strong, they are regulated FOR PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY. They are not for sale over the counter. They would be dangerous if you took them incorrectly.

In my practice, I pay a premium price for herbs that meet cGMP standards and even higher: PHARMACY STANDARDS. The herbs are grown under the right conditions, harvested properly at the correct time, and tested for effectiveness against THE SAME STANDARDS USED FOR PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS.

You will love your herbs . . . but it will probably be in a love-hate kind of way. Why love-hate? Well, let me warn you . . .

They are most effective when you take them in a tea form, not pill form. And . . .

Herbs can taste pretty bad. Bitter. Bitter as widow’s tears, as they say. Like the first time you had black coffee, or beer, or your first sip of whiskey that was a rude awakening. It can be a rough start. But you know what else can be pretty bad? Changing dirty diapers. Months of sleepless nights after the baby comes. And stretch marks. Right?No! Of course not!

In the big picture, it’s not so bad. It’s a gift! Totally worth it! You would probably do anything to have a baby—and drinking medicinal tea is not so bad. So take a second thought about how bad the herbs might taste, and love to hate those herbs. Just do it every day! Be disciplined. Chin up! You will thank me for it later . . . With a selfie of you and your baby!

M elanie’s Success Story

Melanie (whose name is changed here for privacy) was a patient of mine in her early 40’s. Her FSH levels were elevated to 45.5 suggesting she was not ovulating. Her periods were problematic, and she had been unable to conceive. Melanie disciplined herself to taking her herbs daily, three times a day, and changing the formula every week to synchronize with each phase of her cycle: follicular, ovulatory, luteal, and premenstrual. Melanie made taking herbs a simple daily habit she practiced with frequency and consistency. After only 3 months of herbs (and no acupuncture), her menstrual cycles became regular, problem free, and her FSH levels dropped to a more normal level of 12.3 to indicate she was likely ovulating again!

A nother Ova-Achieva!

Cathy (whose name is changed here for privacy) was referred to me by a former patient with stage 3-4 endometriosis whom I had helped successfully overcome IVF-related ovarian hyperstimulation. Cathy was 35, with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), and her reproductive endocrinologist (RE) expected only 4 eggs in her IVF cycle. To compensate for the low estimate, the RE recommended three rounds of IVF to increase her chances of conceiving. Prior to her DOR workup however, Cathy had taken fertility herbs 3x/day for 3 months. It can take 3-9 months for those herbs to result in better test results, so I was not surprised that they found DOR. I was also not surprised that months later, even off the herbs by then, the time investment made on those follicles in the 3-9 month span had paid off! On her first IVF cycle, Cathy had 13 eggs retrieved (not 4), with 9 fertilized, and 5 making it to Day 5 blastocyst. This was enough to put off the next IVF cycles if she chose to. Both Cathy and the former patient who referred her are both mothers now!

What have we learned so far?

There are huge payoffs for practicing a simple habit with frequency and repetition every day—- whether it’s chin ups or raising a glass of properly prescribed herbal medicine for fertility. These things can make even the weakest, beat the odds!

Herbal medicine for fertility can . . .

help your body manufacture its own hormones.
Help your eggs build mitochondria to live 5 days until implantation.
help prevent chromosomal abnormalities.
help prepare the womb for a secure embryo attachment.
Help reduce stress, which correlates with successful pregnancies.
Cost pennies on the dollar for fertility treatments
Provide a litany of health benefits.
Be easy, safe, and effective.
Taste bad if not in pill form, but it’s not so bad in the big picture.

A Final Word

The TTC Journey can be challenging at times. It’s definitely harder than a presidential fitness test from the 7th grade! But what makes for a successful outcome is the same thing: a simple daily discipline that yields startling results over time.

On your TTC journey, you might wrestle with inner fears that the odds are not great, or that things might go wrong, or that you might not have what it takes. When you hear that inner voice of doubt telling you that your ability to have a baby is uncertain, recognize that voice as your Inner Bully. Don't be influenced by her fearful threats. She doesn’t know you have the advantage over her from practicing a simple habit with frequency and repetition that makes all the difference in the end game. Just pull your chin up, raise your glass of herbal medicine, look her sweaty trembling face in the eye, and tell her, "Don't underestimate me."

Written with love by

Amy Galvan, DOM, L'Ac, FABORM

What Every Woman Coping with Infertility Should Know About Functional Medicine for Fertility

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 21:49:58 GMT

Our Functional Fertility Clinic Offers New Hope for Unexplained Infertility, Poor Responders to IVF, and Complex Infertility Cases in Jacksonville, Florida

At our infertility clinic in Jacksonville, we believe in treating the root cause of your infertility. That means we don’t believe in limiting your reproductive health workup to your reproductive system alone. Your body functions as a whole. And we believe your body should be treated that way: as a whole.

Your reproductive system is linked to so many systems in your body that influence it: your immune system, your brain and mood, your gut, your liver and detox pathways, your circulatory system, and more.

What If There Were More to Infertility Than Your Reproductive System Alone?

What if your difficulty having a baby had to do with a dysregulated immune system? An autoimmune condition? A thyroid problem? What if your difficulty having a baby were due to a gene mutation that prevents you from processing folic acid? Would you know?

What if you had a MTHFR gene variant that actually aggravated homocysteine levels and teensy subclinical blood coagulation that caused repeated pregnancy loss---but once it were identified, it could be addressed to not only help you have a baby, but also fix your inflammation, pain, mood, and make you feel healthier than ever?

That is a functional medicine approach. We are looking at the whole picture, not just your reproductive organs and hormones.

That’s why we are passionate about functional fertility medicine. We are one of Jacksonville’s only functional medicine fertility clinics. Moreover, we are one of the only functional medicine fertility clinics in the Jacksonville area that combines heartfelt patient care with 60-minute visits with the doctor . We use this time to empower you with understanding, knowledge, and collaboration on lifestyle and treatment protocols that make sense to you——and fit your lifestyle.

Because we are a functional medicine fertility clinic, we perform lab tests your conventional medicine doctor might not. We use the latest and most advanced testing for autoimmunity, brain function, nutrigenomics, complete hormone panels, and organic acid tests to look at how your body is using hormones and nutrients (or not).

We strongly believe functional medicine represents the future of medicine. And we practice modern conventional functional medicine, as well as the most ancient form found in holistic Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

What Exactly Is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine takes a 30,000-foot view of your health in its entirety, to see how all of your symptoms and health problems are CONNECTED. More specifically, where the ROOT CAUSE or causes are.

More specifically, it is guided by the principle that in order to heal one part of the body, all parts must be considered. All parts interact, rely on each other, and balance each other.

Then we look at how all your body systems are interacting with the environment. Your environment includes chemicals (your exposome), natural elements (light, temperature, humidity), foods and nutrients (and if you are using them effectively or not), and relationships (some can have unhealthy repercussions and need help adjusting).

Functional medicine is a new model of diagnosis and treatment. It is a combination of the best elements of ancient holistic models, and modern scientific lab-driven models. It is integrative care, but all in one doctor!

How is Functional Medicine Different than Conventional Medicine?

The holistic thinking of functional medicine is often ignored in conventional medicine, because conventional medicine is focused on diseases and their specific location in the body.

In conventional medicine, you see a doctor based on a body part. It divides the body up into pieces, and treats only the piece. That is why you end up visiting a specialist for each part of your body: a gastroenterologist for your digestion, a dermatologist for your skin problems, a gynecologist for your hormone imbalance, a rheumatologist for your fibromyalgia or migraines, a cardiologist for your heart palpitations, and a psychiatrist for your anxiety or depression.

None of these specialists are looking at the body as an interconnected whole to the degree that a functional doctor would. Your gynecologist is not asking detailed questions about your digestion the way your gastro does; your psychiatrist is not asking detailed questions about your skin problems; your rheumatologist is not asking detailed questions about your estrogen dominance or PCOS. Each specialist has a detailed picture of only a piece of you.

What Exactly Is Functional Medicine for Infertility? And More Importantly, Can It Help You Have a Baby at Our Jacksonville Clinic?

Fertility is the natural state of a healthy body , when all systems are healthy and balanced. It is more than just the health of the reproductive system alone.

While it is common for infertility to have it’s root cause in the reproductive system, there are two reasons that addressing the reproductive system might not be enough.

One reason is if there are complicating health problems besides infertility. These may be diagnosed and supposedly controlled health problems such as an overreactive immune system, or hypothyroid, or systemic inflammation compromising blood flow to the uterus, or other blood and circulation problems.

The second reason is subclinical health problems . These are health problems that are not identified as a disease condition by conventional medicine because they are not severe enough to trigger on a test result, but are identified as early signs in functional medicine. This occurs when you feel like something is not right, but your labs come back “normal.” These early signs can impact fertility.

A great example is “normal” thyroid labs, which ignore Reverse-T3 (RT3) and thyroid autoimmune antibody testing—both of which can have implications for repeated pregnancy loss in different ways. In the first case, a high RT3 is common with high stress. (If your life is stress-free, it can still occur due to unresolved trauma from the past causing low grade constant internal stress). RT3 interferes with using your thyroid hormone. So although you are producing thyroid hormones, your use of them is blocked at the cellular level. In the second case of autoimmune thyroiditis such as Hashimoto’s, you can be prescribed thyroid hormone to make up for it, but there may be other autoimmune conditions developing that are subclinical and interfering with pregnancy. We would look for autoimmune antibodies attacking your ovaries preventing healthy egg maturation, or systemic inflammation causing impaired microcirculation to the uterine lining, or most common in autoimmune is a leaky gut. A leaky gut may have no symptoms, but despite a good diet, it would cause poor nutrient absorption so you cannot deliver nutrients to the baby when it starts growing bigger. Leaky gut can also lead to excess toxins in the blood causing problems in microcirculation to the uterus needed for the implantation of the embryo.

Functional medicine for infertility is passionate about looking at the whole of your body---because when the whole body is functioning well, nature favors fertility.

Why you should consider our Jacksonville Functional Fertility clinic approach to treating infertility

At GALVAN Precision Wellness clinic, we are fortunate to have a doctor of Oriental medicine, one of the oldest functional medicine systems in the world, who is also certified by the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) in Applied Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice. Amy Galvan DOM, L’Ac, FABORM believes that a functional fertility approach offers her patients the best opportunity to recover their reproductive health.

At our Jacksonville functional fertility clinic, we take the following approaches to restoring ferility:

Investigative. We look beyond WHAT is the problem, and look for WHY is the body experiencing that problem?

Holistic. We look at the connections between body systems, between the body and mind, and between you and your environment.

Safe. Treatments are natural, generally without side effects, and have no Black Box warnings.

Effective. We are results oriented, and use clinical research and leaders in the profession to guide our way.

Patient Centered. We do what works for YOU. Every patient experiences their health problem differently, even if they all have the same health problem. That is why we don’t focus on treating the problem but on treating YOU.

Collaborative . YOU are a part of the healthcare team. You are treated as the ultimate expert in your condition. We respect you, and we partner with you to empower and educate you. We expect you to play a significant lead role in your healing, with us as your guidance and information resource.

Integrative . We combine the best of modern and classical medical models, experience, and technology.

Restorative . We don’t just fix the problem. We repair the damage done by the problem that remains after the problem is eradicated. This is especially true in helping women come off birth control! Birth control easily alters the gut and other systems of the body that need a reset even after monthly cycles return.

Preventive. We don’t just mean early diagnosis, but real prevention. If you have patterns that indicate that you will have problems years down the road conceiving a second child (but not the first), we want to change the direction your health is moving in so your future will be as bright as your present can be, too.

Evidence Based . Not just based on what the research says works, but also based on what YOUR body says is working. If we are treating infertility, we are treating your WHOLE body. You should notice improvements in sleep, metabolism, stress management, digestion, skin, mood, and other indicators long before you are pregnant. Your experience counts as real evidence, not just what experts say has worked for others.

"After 2 devastating diagnosis in 2013 I was at a loss of what to do to get better. Physically I was suffering and mentally I was in pieces. When my doctors couldn't help me I searched for alternatives. Luckily someone sent me to Amy! Since my first visit she has kept me healthy both mentally and physically! She helped me achieve my dream of being a mom! I refer all my friends and family to her and everyone has always been impressed with her skills, patience and her calming and healing presence. I am thankful everyday for Amy and I would be at a loss without her! If you are deciding which acupuncturist to see, your search is over. Amy is IT! And she is worth any new patient wait time! I am eternally grateful. "

---Name Withheld for Privacy

Who Is The Typical Patient We See for Functional Fertility in Our Jacksonville Clinic?

Our patients are often referred by their reproductive endocrinologist, OB/gyn, or a patient who experienced success in our care.

Some know exactly what the “WHAT” of their problem is: diminished ovarian reserve, IVF support, or PCOS for example.

Some infertility patients come to our clinic due to “unexplained infertility.” We take a deep dive into figuring out what the block is to their health that they are experiencing infertility.

A few patients come who do NOT want a baby yet, but want to make sure they are healthy enough in the future to have a baby on their time line. Many of these women are coming off birth control and wanting help correcting menstrual problems that put them on birth control in the first place.

Often our patients have certain traits in common.

They are incredibly frustrated with the healthcare system as it is now. Often they have been let down by conventional care AND alternative care. They are exhausted from trying to learn enough to diagnose and treat themselves. They have spent countless hours, dollars, and resources at lab tests, supplements, and books that never seem to help enough.

If this describes you, you are in the right place. We want to help you. That’s because at our functional fertility clinic serving the Jacksonville area, our specialty is complicated, nuanced health problems that require a deep dive investigation and understanding. We practice a functional approach that is western and eastern in tradition, modern and ancient.

"Dr Amy is incredible and I'm so lucky to have her as a care provider. She helped us get pregnant twice and have healthy, successful pregnancies! I'm always amazed at what she can tell me about my body without me even mentioning symptoms that I may be experiencing. I've always felt so loved and cared for, and cannot recommend Galvan Acupuncture enough!

---Amanda Redinger, Gainesville FL

Which Infertility Problems Are Treated Using Functional Fertility?

As a functional medicine and fertility specialist in Jacksonville, Amy Galvan DOM, L’Ac, FABORM is able to treat a wide variety of health problems.

Hormone Imbalance : p rimary amenorhea, s econdary amenorrha, e arly menopause, p erimenopause, e strogen dominance, t estosterone excess, l ow testosterone, l ow progesterone, l ow estrogen, E1/E2/E3 balance, p oor estrogen metabolism, h igh FSH, h ypothyroid, h yperthyroid, a drenal fatigue, i nsulin resistance, l eptin resistance, m elatonin deficiency, c ortisol steal, l ow HCG, n eurohormone/neurotransmitter imbalance, PMS, PMDD, PCOS, h irsutism, a cne, m ore.
Gynecological Problems : i nflammation of the fallopian tubes, restricted movement of fallopian tubes, water accumulation in the fallopian tubes, thin uterine lining, endometriosis, Irregular cycles, vulvodynia, painful intercourse, vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy, heavy bleeding, painful periods, menstrual migraine, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), premature ovarian failure (POF), embryo transfer, Day 5 embryo survival rates, more
Pregnancy Concerns : morning sickness, malposition of fetus, repeated pregnancy loss, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, restless fetus, back pain, sciatica, premature labor, labor induction, threat of miscarriage
General Health Threats to Having a Healthy Pregnancy : high stress, anxiety, poor sleep, poor metabolism, weight management, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, bowel problems, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ehlers-danlos syndrome, Graves disease, vitiligo, IBD, Crohn's, endometriosis, lupus (SLE), and more.

In addition to the list above, Amy has particular experience and expertise in treating autoimmune conditions with fertility concerns, and helping with the emotional support component of infertility, anxiety, grief, depression, as well as the social and soulful complexities of processing unwanted pregnancy, adoption, and past sexual trauma.

How Do You Work With Infertility Patients?

Amy Galvan DOM, L’Ac, FABORM uses three principles in collaborating with infertility patients in our Jacksonville Functional Fertility clinic services.

Respect. Your voice and your choice are always respected.

Mastery : Amy is constantly working toward mastery in her areas of expertise. She is an active member of professional organizations, attends conferences, and subscribes to professional peer-reviewed journals for research findings.

Results : We go for results, whether they are found in the book or found by clinical experience. Dr John F Shen is famous for declaring “Book wrong!” A cookbook approach to medicine does not always work. “I am the asterisk,” said one patient, “When a treatment works on everyone---and there is an asterisk, which takes you to the fine print of when it doesn't work? That's me. I am the asterisk. " If we don’t get results, we will refer you to another professional who can try something new. Never give up!

Should you have a condition that cannot be changed, we will help you live your best life in spite of that condition.

Learn about how Amy works with patients in her 3 Steps to Wellness here .

"My experience with Amy has been phenomenal. I have been seeing her since May of 2018 and she has done wonders for hormonal balance, GI issues, neck pain, skin breakouts and other ailments (yes I had several issues that prescriptions were just masking)."

---Tatania Salazar-Fehrenbacher

Jacksonville’s Premier Functional Fertility Clinic

If you feel like you want to have a healthy baby but are at a loss for how to do it because of health challenges, you’re in the right place.

Welcome to GALVAN Precision Wellness—The Premier Functional Fertility clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

We serve patients in Duval County, St John County, St Augustine, and Gainesville with services for IVF support, fertility acupuncture, natural women’s reproductive health, and functional medicine.

We have an herbal compounding pharmacy and dispensary on site, along with an online dispensary for your convenience.

We offer lab tests for complete hormone panels, autoimmune screening, and nutrigenomics genetic testing for optimal health.

If you have specific questions, [please contact us here].

At GALVAN Precision Wellness clinic,our specialty is chronic, hard to treat health problems that interfere with your reproductive health. We use functional fertility medicine and infertility acupuncture in our Jacksonville clinic to help patients increase their odds and reach their goal of having a health y baby.

The FABORM Difference for Jacksonville Fertility Acupuncture

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 21:12:58 GMT

Serving the Greater Jacksonville Area with Fertility Acupuncture, Board Certified by the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine

If you’re looking for Jacksonville Fertility Acupuncture, GALVAN Precision Wellness clinic is the place to find the most highly credentialed and integrative fertility acupuncture clinic conveniently located in Jacksonville’s medical corridor.

Our fertility acupuncture clinic was designed to feel like a special place for you to begin your fertility journey—especially if you have never had acupuncture.

We know you want to find the best fertility acupuncture clinic for you. You are here. Welcome!

To consistently deliver incredible results for patients, Amy Galvan DOM, L’Ac, FABORM, has taken the ancient wisdom of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and combined it with peer-reviewed clinical research and functional medicine, to create a natural system of holistic medicine that outperforms typical fertility acupuncture services.

How Is the Fertility Acupuncture at our clinic in Jacksonville different from other clinics?

Not all acupuncture is created equal.

Acupuncture is very different from one doctor’s office to the next, depending on the practitioner’s training. Credentials are the mark of an acupuncturist’s training. This is especially important with specialties.

To gain the deepest level of understanding needed to treat the most challenging fertility issues—and get the results the fertility acupuncture research promises—Amy Galvan pursued Board certification by the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (ABORM). Fellows of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (FABORM) are highly skilled Board Certified clinicians and researchers pioneering best practices in integrative, evidence-based care for infertility and reproductive health specialties.

In addition to a 5-year academic program and internship in Chinese medicine as a general practitioner, FABORM certification requires an additional year of intense exclusive study of reproductive medicine practiced today—-from the profession’s leading medical doctors, reproductive endocrinologists, and internationally renowned fertility acupuncture specialists. These rigors are in addition to travel, clinical practice, conferences, professional peer groups, and all-day board exams.

New to Jacksonville since May 2020, Amy Galvan DOM, L’Ac, FABORM is the only fertility acupuncture specialist in Jacksonville (and one of only a dozen in Florida) who is a Board Certified Fellow specializing in fertility acupuncture.

Aside from Credentials, Is the Fertility Acupuncture at Our Clinic in Jacksonville the Best Based on Experience, Results, and Reputation?

Aside from knowledge, there experience. As the former clinic director for 10 years in of one of Gainesville’s best acupuncture clinics, Amy Galvan served thousands of patients and supervised half a dozen acupuncturists (two specializing in infertility). She has also taught at the local acupuncture college. Amy has also worked 3 years at an Ascension Health hospital Healing Arts Center as a Reiki energy healer on staff. Amy brings to Jacksonville a body of clinical experience over 10 years that adds value to each patient who walks in the door.

Amy Galvan is trained in the following acupuncture modalities:

Contemporary Oriental Medicine
Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Five Element Acupuncture
Classical Chinese Medicine
Auricular (Ear) and Battlefield Acupuncture
Laser Acupuncture
Tan Balance Method for Pain Relief

Using her in-depth knowledge of acupuncture, Amy is able to create custom treatment protocols based on your unique needs.

Jacksonville has a wide selection of acupuncturists, including practitioners who offer acupuncture as a complement to physical therapy, chiropractic, or medical practice.

However, if you’re looking for a dedicated acupuncture physician in Jacksonville, Amy Galvan is one of the most highly trained and experienced in the Jacksonville area.

If you feel like fertility acupuncture is a very important decision to make, and you are at a loss for where to go, you’re in the right place.

"My easiest pregnancy by far. I've been going to Amy for about a year now, for what started as migraine pain. She's fixed that and more: helped me get in better shape, I have more energy, I enjoy better moods, I even lost weight without trying (!), and she's now helping me through my third pregnancy, which is my easierst by far in spite of being older and busier than I was before. She always makes time for me when I need to be seen, and always makes me feel better. Thank you, Amy!"

Gillian Ward
Gainesville FL

Which Infertility Conditions Does Amy Galvan Specialize In?

Amy uses 5 styles of needling in her Jacksonville acupuncture fertility clinic:

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

hormone imbalance
irregular monthly cycles
birth control withdrawal
infertility
endometriosis
PMS/PMDD
menstrual pain, headache, migraine
repeated pregnancy loss
fibroids
PCOS
fatigue
labor induction
malposition of fetus
menopausal symptoms
other gynecological problems
underlying chronic disease that interferes with reproductive health such as hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and more.

Contemporary Oriental Mecicine (COM)

psychological mindset
psychological resilience
past emotional trauma
stress
10 types of anxiety
13 types of sadness,depression, and grief
other Oriental psychological conditions recognized by Amy's mentor Leon Hammer MD, world-renowned in psychiatry and Chinese Medicine

Battlefield Acupuncture (Auricular acupuncture specialty)

post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD)
pain, including back pain, sciatica, and lingering post-surgical pain.

Five Element (5E)

holistic mind, body, spirit
build upon your strengths
reduce your weaknesses
internal balance within
external balance with lifestyle, relationships
remove blocks to treatment progress

Classical Hun Yuan Acupuncture

advanced maternal age (over 35)
infertility over age 40
diminished ovarian reserve (DOR)
premature ovarian failure (POF)
poor responders to IVF
IVF support acupuncture

Laser acupuncture (no needles)

children
immunosuppressed patients
nerve pain
needle phobia

Amy will use your initial visit at our Jacksonville fertility acupuncture clinic to determine which styles of acupuncture are best suited for your needs. She will then create a treatment plan made just for you.

If your condition is not listed above and you’re wondering if fertility acupuncture can help you, send us a note . If your needs align with Amy’s skill set, we will let you know. If they don’t, we will provide you with a list of practitioners who are adept at treating your condition.

"Amy helped me achieve my dream of being a mom! After 2 devastating diagnosis in 2013 I was at a loss of what to do to get better. Physically I was suffering and mentally I was in pieces. When my doctors couldn't help me I searched for alternatives.

Luckily someone sent me to Amy! Since my first visit she has kept me healthy both mentally and physically! I refer all my friends and family to her and everyone has always been impressed with her skills, patience and her calming and healing presence. I am thankful everyday for Amy and I would be at a loss without her! If you are deciding which acupuncturist to see, your search is over. Amy is IT! And she is worth any new patient wait time!

I am eternally grateful. "

Name Withheld for Privacy

Gainesville FL

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

No, not really. Acupuncture would not be gaining in popularity if it hurt like a doctor’s needle. You won’t need any numbing cream or anesthetics for acupuncture! We have techniques for painless acupuncture if you want no sensation at all (but a tingling sensation is preferable).

Acupuncture needles are micro-engineered to glide into the body without cutting like a doctor’s needle, and small enough to avoid hitting nerves that cause pain. Amy has put needles in sleeping patients, and in babies and children who do not notice.

There are different sensations you might feel when the needles are inserted into your body. Many people feel nothing at all, but sometimes people feel heaviness, a dull ache similar to a toothache but milder, a radiated tingle, warming, itching, or lightness as if that part of your body were now made of air. Occasionally you will feel a zing! It can feel electrical and exciting for a moment. One person described it as little tingles dancing up and down her legs.

Most people find acupuncture to be relaxing. Quite a few fall asleep!

When we are treating for big results, or for instant pain relief, we do want to use a more noticeable sensation. This sensation can feel like tweezing a single eyebrow hair: fast, momentary, but tolerable.

How Big Are Acupuncture Needles?

Small. Very small. Approximately 30-40 acupuncture needles will fit inside a medical hypodermic needle. Acupuncture needles are so fine, they are the thickness of a human hair.

Amy Galvan elects to use some of the most expensive needles at her Jacksonville fertility acupuncture clinic. A higher quality needle is micro-engineered to significantly reduce any discomfort you might experience. Most patients remark that they do not feel the needles like they have in the past with other acupuncturists.v

How Safe is Acupuncture?

There is very little risk to acupuncture, since the needles are as thick as a human hair—and hair coming through your skin is not a puncture wound. The needles create such a tiny hole that it is often immediately closed when the needle is taken out. Needles are only put in to a safe depth so as not to injure any nerves or blood vessels or organs. Special care is given where the body has been altered by injury, surgery, implants, hernias, etc.

Clean Needle Technique with sterile surgical steel needles are used for patient safety. In Florida, only disposable needles are used. Needles are used once, and then disposed of in a sharps container never to be re-used again.

Are Needles Necessary? What About Acupressure?

Should you want to avoid needles completely, we have alternatives to stimulate the points. These include laser, magnets, seeds, and acupressure. These can take longer, or can be more expensive, depending.

How Many Treatments Does Acupuncture Require?

The minimum number of treatments showing clinical significance is ONE---at embryo transfer (ET). For better results, do acupuncture from ovulation to ET. However, if you are looking for more than the lowest level of help in beating the odds and increasing your chances at having a healthy baby (not just getting a chemical pregnancy), more treatments WILL help.

How many more? This depends on whether your condition is acute (began less than 3 months ago, such as the start to IVF, preconception, or birth control withdrawal) or chronic (existing longer than 3 months, such as diminished ovarian reserve, PCOS, or endometriosis). While there are always individual variations, in general acute conditions improve in 3-5 visits with follow-up visits to maintain. The duration for chronic conditions is estimated on a case by case basis.

To help determine how long treatments will take, we can do a Rate of Response test to see how your body responds to acupuncture. We can see if you are a fast responder, slow responder, or average responder. We can also see how much momentum is gained or lost between treatments to determine how often you need to come.

Amy’s general rule is that if you are not noticing a significant change in your health within 3-6 visits, more visits are probably NOT the solution. She would give you some recommendations to follow, and then have you return in a few months to see if your body has become more responsive to acupuncture with those recommendations. Amy will also likely refer you to another provider in the Jacksonville area who may be better suited to treat your condition.

The number one priority at our Jacksonville fertility acupuncture clinic is that you get healthier and improve your chances of having a healthy baby. We are results-driven. We are also driven by word of mouth referrals from doctors and patients who have had incredible results. If you are not getting incredible results, we will help you find someone who can help you more.

We are not in business to sell appointments. We are in business to help you get results!

"In July my FSH was 45.5. Today my labs are normal with 12.3 FSH. It's been only 3 months. My periods are perfectly regular and on time. Chinse herbs work! I am so happy! You know what you are doing Dr Amy!"

M.M., Gainesville FL

"I am feeling so much better already, and it's only been less than a month. Dr Amy is so knowledgeable and explains everything as we go along. She understands the systems of the body, and how they work with our mind and spirit.

Cynthia Wonders Winterrowd

Who Is the Typical Infertility Patient We Treat at Our Jacksonville Fertility Acupuncture Clinic?

Our Jacksonville fertility acupuncture clinic serves patients with a wide variety of reproductive health problems—not just infertility.

Some of the more common infertility health problem s Amy treats are

IVF support
ovarian hyperstimulation prevention
poor endometrial lining
endometriosis
polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
diminished ovarian reserve (DOR)
high FSH
birth control withdrawal

The underlying conditions affecting infertility and hormonal imbalance which Amy has a great deal of experience treating are

stress
overwork
burnout
chronic pain and fibromyalgia
autoimmune diseases such as

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis,
multiple sclerosis (MS)
vitiligo (precursor to Hashi's)
Reynaud syndrome
ehlers danlos syndrome (EDS)
rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s

In general, patients who do best under Amy’s care at our Jacksonville fertility acupuncture clinic have certain values that support their commitment to natural treatments for infertility:

They don’t want to rely solely on medical interventions, procedures, or medications as a solution
They’re interested in being in their best health possible, rather than minimal health required to get pregnant
They’re willing to make dietary and lifestyle changes to support their overall health and wellbeing
They’re interested in the connection between stress, emotions, and physical health
They’re willing to do whatever it takes to improve their chances of having a healthy baby—including eating a fertile foods diet and taking fertility herbs and supplements every day without forgetting.

In general, our patients believe that the effort required to achieve their dream of having a healthy baby is much more involved than following medical procedures or taking a “wait and see” TTC approach. They believe that a combined approach of conventional, functional, and Chinese medicine—along with customized diet and lifestyle changes—will each play an integrated role in improving their chances of having a healthy baby.

The Premier Fertility Acupuncture Clinic in the Jacksonville Area

Our clinic is located in the heart of the medical corridor in Jacksonville, minutes from Jacksonville Beach on the 202 JTB expressway, and conveniently located to local areas of Orange Park, Nocatee, Jacksonville Beaches, and the Greater Jacksonville area. We serve patients in Duval County, St Johns County, St Augustine, and Gainesville with services for IVF support, fertility acupuncture, natural women’s reproductive health, and functional medicine. We have an herbal compounding pharmacy and dispensary on site, along with an online dispensary for your convenience. We offer lab tests for complete hormone panels, autoimmune screening, and nutrigenomics genetic testing for optimal health.

If you have specific questions, please contact us here .

At GALVAN Precision Wellness clinic,our specialty is chronic, hard to treat health problems that interfere with your reproductive health. We use infertility acupuncture in our Jacksonville clinic to help patients increase their odds and reach their goal of having a healthy baby.

"I can't thank Amy enough. Not only is she extremely knowledgeable and an excellent practitioner, but she is also caring, patient, and kind. Oh, I almost forgot, "funny!" She always makes me laugh! It's so much fun to visit with her---I look forward to it every time. She is truly a blessing in my life!

---Trish

"I started seeing Amy 3 years ago . . . it has changed my life! Highly recommend!"

---R. Simmers

"As a 3+ year patient of Galvan Acupuncture and Herbal medicine, I can testify, without a doubt, to my improved health and the increase in my well-being. Dr Amy Galvan is top notch, listens to your issues, and addresses all of your needs. I'm forever a fan of Galvan Acupuncture."

---Carla S. Hill

7 Proven Ways Women Can Use Infertility Acupuncture to Help Have a Healthy Baby---With or Without IVF

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 02:40:03 GMT

Does it feel like it's time already to have that baby? I mean, it's really, really time?

Maybe you have been waiting for this baby for some time already, and it is just not happening soon enough . . .

At least, not yet .

And maybe you are weary of waiting . . . impatient . . . frustrated . . . worried . . . anxious. Perhaps in your mind the clock is ticking and the time is NOW. And you are wondering,

How Can I Help Make This Baby Happen?

You are not alone. Many women like you want to know how to increase the chances of having a baby---a healthy baby---that will become a welcome, essential, and loved part of their family.

Or perhaps you have no problem getting pregnant---but staying pregnant is the difficulty. Pregnancy loss can be just a challenging as infertility. For some women with repeated pregnancy loss, the ability to get pregnant is no consolation.

Can Acupuncture Help?

Maybe you have heard that acupuncture might help. Maybe you are considering acupuncture yourself. If you have not already heard it from a reliable source, please allow me.

Acupuncture Can Help

Your next question might be, How much can it help? Good question! Again, you are not alone. Researchers want to know, too. Here is what they have found. The results are significant.

Proof Positive: 7 Research Findings

While acupuncture cannot guarantee results , studies do show it dramatically increases the results for most couples . In some cases, it can nearly double the effectiveness of IVF .

You can imagine how it can improve the odds for someone who does not need IVF.

But let's just focus on the IVF acupuncture studies first.

Current research shows that in an IVF cycle, Chinese medicine can help in the following ways.

Increase ovarian response
Increase estrogen levels (if low)
Enhance follicle and egg QUALITY
Increase follicle and eqq QUANTITY
Improve sperm vitality
Alleviate side effects of drugs
Increase endometrium thickness (if too thin)
Increase embryo implantation rates
Increase maternal egg mitochondria

Would you like to see some highlights from this research? Let's take a look, based on the priorities women are seeking in acupuncture treatment.

1. Embryo Transfer (ET)

Acupuncture 25 minutes before and after embryo transfer increased six-week pregnancy rates to 42.5% compared to a congrol group without acupunctre which achieved only 26.3% pregnancy rates (1) .

What about ongoing pregnancy rates?

Acupuncture 25 minutes before and after embryo transfer resulted in an increased ongoing pregnancy rate of 36% in women who got acupuncture, versus 22% in women who did not (2) .

2. Egg Quality

What about doing more than just 2 acupuncture visits for embryo transfer?

In addition to before and after embryo transfer, when acupuncture is done during the cycle when eggs are maturing, the pregnancy results had an even higher statistical relevance than just doing acupuncture before and after embryo transfer.

How many studies were done to prove this? This conclusion was based on not just one study, but based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of multiple published studies on acupuncture and infertility (3) .

3. Advanced Maternal Age

In a break down by age groups, acupuncture was particularly effective in achieving higher rates of pregnancy for women in the group of women aged 35 to 39 . It was also particularly effective in women over 40 , with an all-age average of 44.6% rate of pregnancy (4) .

4. Poor Prognosis

Some conditions indicate an infertility case will be more difficult to overcome. This is what is called poor prognosis.

Poor prognosis included conditions of elevated peak FSH , longer history of infertility , and poor sperm morphology .

In patients with poor prognosis for achieving pregnancy, acupuncture helps them achieve pregnancy rates equal to patients who had good prognosis without acupuncture (5) .

Acupuncture and electro-acupuncture helps produce more eggs per cycle for collection in women who had previously been poor responders to high FSH stimulation cycles (6) .

5. Improved Blood Flow to Uterus

In preparing for pregnancy, acupuncture helps ready the uterus for a secure implantation of the embryo. A secure implantation helps reduce pregnancy loss later.

Acupuncture increases blood flow to the uterus with just 8 treatments (8) and increases the uterine lining to the fertile 10 mm thickness in ALL infertile women whose uterine linings were below 8 mm, even when medication failed (9) .

6. Reduce Stress, Improve Wellbeing

Acupuncture helps reduce stress and increase overall wellbeing when trying to conceive (TTC).

Specifically, patients report reduced anxiety, increased capacity to deal with stresses of IVF procedures, relief of symptoms and side effects related to IVF, increased energy, increase in relaxation and calmness, reduction in pain reliever use, quicker recovery from surgical procedures, increased self awareness and wellbeing 352-278-7963 . reduced stress is believed to play a role in increased pregnancy rates (12) .

7. Restore Resiliency and Hope

It is very common for infertility treatments to fail in the beginning. The key to success is being able to try again. You increase the odds when you increase the number of times you are willing to try.

But trying again isn't always easy when you have had a failed cycle or a pregnancy loss.

When pregnancy fails, acupuncture improved the resiliency of patients according to an investigation by Hinks and Coulson in the UK. These patients were more likely to try again with IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies (ART) . . . and thus increase their ultimate chances of successfully having a baby (13) .

Does Acupuncture Always Work for Infertility?

Acupuncture can help, but not always. Sadly, like IVF, acupuncture will not always work. Many studies show that while getting acupuncture is better than no acupuncture, it can only increase your chances. It cannot guarantee.

There are studies that show acupuncture only helps a little, based on mathematical computations that determine the increased positive pregnancies and live births . . . are "not statistically relevant."

You can be your own judge.

In fact, after 20 years of research finding success in acupuncture with infertility, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) documented the failure of acupuncture to work in the treatment of infertility (14) .

In this study, acupuncture may have failed to have statistical relevance for a very obvious reason: It was performed with an approach I like to call "Physician as Magician."

I call this failed technique "Physician as Magician" because it consists of the administration of just a few "magic bullet" treatments (in this study, three 25-minute treatments) which were expected to radically reverse years of infertility. It failed.

Well, my friend, you probably know what I'm about to say next.

Acupuncture doesn't work like that. Acupuncture is not magic. There are not magic bullets, or magic needles. Let's leave the magic for once the baby arrives; you will get plenty of magical moments once you are holding that baby!

How to Get the Best Results

"The extraordinary results achieved with acupuncture fertility treatments are due to the rigorous application of Chinese medicine," says world renowned expert Jane Lyttleton in her seminal work The Treatment of Infertility in Chinese Medicine (15) .

So . . .

What exactly does she mean by "rigorous"?

Rigorous treatment is about getting a correct Chinese pattern diagnosis, and then applying the correct Chinese treatment.

Unlike studies designed for research, each patient needs a unique treatment for optimal results.

They also need to be treated for the correct duration of time .

Speaking of time, I know your biological clock is ticking! Let's take a look at how long treatment time could take.

How Long Will Treatment Take?

This is an important question to ask. It is especially important for women of advanced maternal age. This helps you determine if you need acupuncture alone, or IVF, or IVF with acupuncture combined.

It often takes more time than research studies imply. But it depends on things YOU can control ---such as what you put your body through 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In other words, it depends on your health and lifestyle .

It also depends on the complexity of your case, and your history.

Putting Beginner's Luck aside, it is likely going to take more than three treatments that were done in the JAMA study. Acupuncture could be a waste of time if that is all you are willing to do. Keep in mind, most studies have women participants who are prequalified. If you don't meet their selection criteria, results could take longer. Most commonly, it takes three months of regular menstrual cycles before it works best---and acupuncture helps make that happen!

Most women are committed to completing a treatment plan of acupuncture for fertility. Some women will quit before three months of weekly visits. For them, I sometimes recommend that it is not worth starting if you cannot finish the treatment program.

It Often Takes 3 to 9 Months of Weekly Treatments

Much like the rigorous approach used in IVF, with all its technological advances, acupuncture is not different in its rigors. Acupuncture rigors are simply less costly, less invasive, and often actually pleasant when they are a viable option.

3 Month Example: Unexplained Infertility

A typical course of treatment for a woman diagnosed with Unexplained Infertility (infertility with no known cause), is 2 visits per week for 30 minutes each, for 3 to 4 months . There may be more or less visits depending on a particular phase of the monthly cycle needing attention (follicular, ovulatory, luteal, or menstrual).

Typically the monthly cycle will become regular and without symptoms in the first month (sometimes second month), and should remain consistent for at least two more months before trying to conceive .

Women typically become pregnant in the first month or two they try to conceive, once we have reached three consecutive normal, symptom-free menstrual cycles.

If you think your cycles are already normal and symptom free, you might benefit from a discovery session with an acupuncturist to learn otherwise. We look at far more signs and symptoms than your OB/Gyn or Reproductive Endocrinologist. We look at signs your body provides throughout your 28-day cycle to determine if you are symptom free, including how your cycles affect your bowels, sleep, headaches, and more. Usually infertile women are not symptom free.

How to Rush Things Along

Of course you could rush the process, get pregnant sooner, and end your treatment program. However, this risks a successful outcome of a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby.

A less-than-healthy pregnancy or baby can have effects that last a lifetime---for you, the family, and your child. We prefer waiting until your body shows signs that it can provide for a healthy full term pregnancy, not just a positive pregnancy test.

When Do You Want to Deliver Your Baby?

Here is an awkward question. It is just to make an illustration.

Let's say you are pregnant. You are past the first trimester. You are past the second trimester. You really just cannot wait to hold that baby in your arms.

Would you have the baby delivered at 7 or 8 months? Of course not. The baby is not ready yet. Just because you want something so much, does not mean it is a good idea to rush it.

Please give your body the time it needs to become healthy and stable, before rushing into pregnancy.

A Rose About to Bloom

I am reminded of a little girl who was given a budded out rose. She could not wait for it to bloom fully. Its petals were starting to open more fully each day. She was so excited, she could not wait any longer. She decided to help nature along. She used her fingers to help pry the petals open.

I think you know what happened next. The petals broke off. The entire rose bud fell to pieces, and there was no putting it back together again.

There may always be another rose, another chance, another opportunity to practice patience. But going AGAINST nature has consequences. Working WITH nature has its benefits.

6 Month Example: Ovulatory Problems

Patience is especially important for women with ovulatory problems such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome, or anovulation. Acupuncture fertility treatments take longer in these cases. Let's see why.

It takes 9 months to mature a baby. How many months does it take to mature an egg?

If you are thinking one month---or more correctly, 14 days during the follicular cycle---you are NOT QUITE correct.

It takes 4 months to initially mature an oocyte form the primordial stage to the follicular stage.

The it takes another 2 to 3 months to mature it from the follicular stage to the antral follicle stage, to be released that month as an egg.

That is up to 7 months . Some sources say it can take as long as 9 months to ripen an egg, just like it takes 9 months to mature a baby to full term inside the womb (16) .

The egg you want to get pregnant with this month, took about 6 to 8 months of maturing. If it doesn't mature into a healthy egg, we need to consider how far back in time the egg maturation process began failing. That will help us determine how many months of treatment you need to make a healthy egg.

It could take just 1 to 2 months, if your follicles need just a little boost to get the job done right. If your follicles need more support, it could take up to 6 months or even 9 months to get your best quality eggs to prevent miscarriage. We determine this with as assessment of Chinese patterns you have, not what your Ob/Gyn or RE has determined.

Eggs Are More than Genetic Material

Besides having chromosomes to make a baby, your eggs need to have other things inside them to ensure a healthy baby. They need maternal mitochondria and other cytoplasmic material to sustain embryonic growth---especially those 5 or more days after fertilization, before implantation.

Research on some Chinese herbs found some will triple the number of mitochondria present in the egg, helping more fertilized eggs to live to Day 5 blastocyst, ready for transfer or vitrification.

PCOS

PCOS is much more than a problem with the reproductive hormones and ovaries alone. The underlying conditions like insulin resistance need to be corrected for a healthy pregnancy. In some cases of PCOS, it may take up to a year to mature and release a healthy fertile egg.

Treating the WHY, Not the WHAT

Maybe WHAT the cause of your infertility is, is DOR. Or PCOS. Or unexplained infertility. Or something else. That's what we call the WHAT of the problem. Your medical doctor will makethat diagnosis.

What makes one woman's western diagnosis different than another woman's with the same diagnosis? It is the Chinese pattern behind it. It is the WHY. Your acupuncture physician will make that diagnosis.

In acupuncture fertility, we are not looking at the WHAT of the problem. We must diagnose and treat the WHY of the problem. We determine the WHY by looking at Chinese patterns. When we know WHY, we can formulate the HOW: how we can try to reverse the pattern, if at all.

For example, three women with PCOS might get three different Chinese pattern diagnoses, and consequently three different treatments. One pattern might be Kidney Yang Deficiency. One might have a Phlegm Damp Accumulation. One might have a Kidney Yin and Yang Deficiency, with Kidney Qi and Spleen Qi Deficiencies. They would get different acupuncture points and different herbal medicine prescriptions. This is the ultimate in individualized care.

AcuBabies from My Practice

Let's look at some inspirational success stories from patients I have treated.

Patient #1

This patient had advanced maternal age (38 years old) and a crippling autoimmune condition. Her medical doctors told her it was likely impossible for her to have a baby.

My mentor, Leon I. Hammer MD, has a wonderful reminder of how acupuncture works, just for patients like this one. He says, "The difficult is done at once. The impossible takes time. Miracles are by appointment only."

This woman was all in. It took us almost 3 years, but we did the impossible. She got her menstrual cycles back despite starting with an elevated FSH of 55. Within two years and the integration of IVF with acupuncture, she had a successful pregnancy the first try. Her pregnancy continued full term. Her precious child was worth the 3 year wait. He has no health problems, no hyperactivity, no growth and development problems. He is a dream child, so sweet and even tempered. And although her doctor warned her that having a baby could push her health past the edge into a crippling condition due to her autoimmune disease, her health only improved.

Patient #2

This woman I treated suffered from the most common autoimmune condition, Hashimoto's thyroiditis. She had suffered repeated pregnancy loss. Both her hypothyroidism and emotional pain from miscarriages were contributing to her stress and infertility. We worked on healing her body and heartbreak. Once those were healed, she was able to sustain a pregnancy. It took about a year, and then she delivered a healthy baby full term with no complications, no pre-eclampsia. But the story of growing her family did not stop there.

A few years later, something new happened that affected her fertility---and actually threatened her health. Doctors found slow-growing cancer nodules on her thyroid. She chose to treat it without conventional intervention: no chemotherapy, no surgery, no radiation. Her outcomes were very uncertain. She had an uphill battle, nevermind concerns about being able to conceive again. She was closely monitored by her medical and naturopathic doctors. After six months, her tumors stopped growing. Then they began to shrink. Then her menstrual cycles returned. Then, with no further interventions and not even acupuncture, she conceived without trying! Despite cancer, autoimmune disease, and a history of infertility, she delivered another full term healthy baby. Years have since passed. Her cancer has not grown; only her family has grown.

Patient #3

Some patients are not seeking pregnancy yet, but simply to correct their infertility so that they can have the option of having a child later, or to simply correct their reproductive health. In one case of high FSH, it took three months to reduce it from 45.5 to 12.3 and establish regular, pain-free menstrual periods.

Patient #4

This patient had elevated FSH in the 50s. Her doctor told her she was infertile and in premature menopause. With acupuncture and herbs (and no hormone medication), she began getting her periods regularly again. Her OB/Gyn insisted she could not possibly be fertile, but a quick uterine ultrasound showed her uterine lining was thick enough to support implantation of a fertilized egg, which happens from elevated estrogen (with lower FSH).

Healthy Mommas Make Healthy Babies

In Chinese medicine for fertility, we are not just having healthy babies. We are having healthy mommas, healthy eggs, healthy sperm, and healthy babies. We work with nature to get healthy. We cannot rush the process. Natural medicine is not the magic of western medicine, but it has plenty of miracles of its own.

Do I Have to Get Healthy First?

If you do not wish to correct a health problem, you do not always have to. The way to work around a health problem is western medicine. If you want to get pregnant despite your health problem, your best option is IVF.

IVF will typically increase your chances of getting pregnant by 30%. If you combine it with acupuncture, that number usually goes up. And your baby might be born sooner than later.

Although there are rate cases that advanced reproductive technology (ART) can improve your health (open a blocked fallopian tube, for example), generally speaking IVF will not improve your health. Sometimes it makes it worse because it is very demanding on your body and mind. It will also not reduce the risk of health consequences your baby inherits from you beyond simple genetic testing.

Now It's Your Turn!

Are you ready to take advantage of acupuncture fertility treatments? You might be curious about how long it would take YOU to benefit from acupuncture fertility treatments to have a healthy baby. This is what we do to figure it out.

I typically do a workup "discovery session" plus 3 acupuncture visits to see how your body responds to acupuncture . Since very few people get pregnant after 3 visits, we cannot measure if acupuncture is working based on pregnancy. Instead, we are watching for (1) changes in your body , such as improved mood, sleep, digestion, and other markers. Then we are watching for (2) how long those changes last . This helps us to determine if you are a slow, fast, or average responder to acupuncture .

Then I draw up a treatment plan based on your response, history, goals, and complicating factors.

Rx for Self Care

Sometimes I do not do any treatment after the initial workup "discovery session." Instead, I send you home with a Do It Yourself plan for fertility foods, herbs, supplements, and lifestyle recommendations. After two months, we reassess to see if further treatments are needed. Sometimes women get pregnant with just this little bit of guidance.

One Size Fits All---In Theory

Not every acupuncturist creates an individualized treatment protocol. Often they use textbook protocols, or only protocols developed and proven in research studies. Some patients and doctors prefer sticking to the book than customizing care. In Chinese medicine, the best protocols are often customized rather than "one size fits all."

Your Takeaway

Your treatment options in acupuncture fertility are many. So are the benefits. Now you can take some time to talk with your acupuncturist to determine what you can do to help increase your chances of having a healthy baby---with or without IVF.

I wish you the best!

Yours very truly,

Amy Galvan

REFERENCE LIST

Paulus WE, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertility and sterility. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/352-278-7963. Published April 2002. Accessed March 29, 2020.
Westergaard LG, Mao Q, Krogslund M, Sandrini S, Lenz S, Grinsted J. Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial. Fertility and sterility. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/352-278-7963. Published May 2006. Accessed March 29, 2020.
Shen C, Wu M, Shu D, Zhao X, Gao Y. The Role o f Acupunctue in In Vitro Fertilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Gynecology obstetric investigations. https://www.ncbi.nih.go/pubmed/. Pusblished May 16, 2015; 79(1):1-12. Accessed March 29, 2020.
Dalton-Brewer N et al. Use of acupuncture before and after embryo transfer. Human Fertility 2010 Vol 12 No 352-278-7963. https://familytreeacupuncture.com/au. Accessed March 29, 2020.
Magarelli PC, Cridennda DK. Acupuncture and IVF poor responders: a cure? Fertility and sterility. https://doi.org/352-278-7963/j.fertnstert.352-278-7963 Published April 2004 Volume 81, Supplement 3, page 20. Accessed March 29, 2020.
Emmons S, Patton P. Acupuncture treatment for infertile women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). https://www.willowtreeclinic.com Published Spring/Summer 2000 in Medical Acupuncture: A journal for physicians by physicians. Volume 12 Number 2 Aurum nostrum non est aurum vulgi. Accessed March 29, 2020.
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Ho M, Huang L, Chang Y, Chen H, Chang W, Yang T, Tsai H. Electroacupuncture reduces uterine artery blood flow impedance in infertile women. https://www.doi.org/352-278-7963/S352-278-7963-X. Taiwanese journal of obstetrics and gynecology. Published June 2009 Volume 48 Issue 2 Pages 352-278-7963. Accessed March 29, 2020.
Stener-Victorin E, Waldenstrom U, Andeersson SA, Wikland M. Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture. Human Reproduction. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/352-278-7963. Published June 1996; 11(6);352-278-7963. Accessed March 29, 2020.
DeLacey S, Smith CA, Paterson C. Building resilience: a preliminary exploration of women's perceptions of the use of acupuncture as an adjunct to in vitro fertilization. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/352-278-7963. Published 12 December 2009 Article number 352-278-7963.
DeLacey S, Smith C. Understanding women's views towards the use of acupuncture while undergoing IVF treatment. In Press FSA Conference. https://acupunctuurvandekerkhof.be/ivf/ Accessed March 29, 2020.
Balk J, Catov J, Horn B, Gecsi K, Wakim A. The relatioship btween perceived stress, acupuncture, and pregnancy rates among IVF patients: a pilot study. Complement Ther Clin Prac. Published Aug 2010; 16(3); 352-278-7963. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/352-278-7963. doi: 352-278-7963/j.ctcp.352-278-7963. Epub 2009 Dec 24. Accessed March 29, 2020.
Granne I, Cox J, Child T, Sargent I. Human Fertility. Volume 13, 2010 - issue sup1, pages 3-21. Published online 26 Feb 2010.
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McGee EA, Hseuh AJW. Initial and cyclic recruitment of ovarian follicles. Endocrine reviews. Published April 2000. https://www.academic.oup.com/edrv/article/352-278-7963. Volume 21, Issue 2, Pages 352-278-7963. https://doi.org/352-278-7963/edrv/352-278-7963. Accessed March 29, 2020.

7 Reasons Why We Prefer Microcurrent Non-Surgical Facelift

amy.galvan@agaom.com (Amy Galvan) — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 11:22:13 GMT

Get Your Face Back!

Your face is more than just skin.

That's why your anti-aging skin regimen cannot eliminate sags and deep wrinkles.

Your skin is merely the surface covering the muscles. It is the muscles that govern the shape of your face. When muscles are too tight, they cause deep wrinkes. When muscles are too weak, they cause the face to sag.

What can you do when skin care is not enough?

You must work the muscles to fight the aging process of sags and deep wrinkles in the face. You can work the muscles of the face just the same as you work the muscles of your body, toning and stretching like at the gym. This can be done with facial exercises you do at home . . . but who has time for that? Besides, it is not much fun to do when there is a better option.

Instead, you can have a microcurrent device do the work for you!

In just 25 to 50 minutes per week, a microcurrent device exercises the facial muscles for you. It tones where muscles are flabby (around the eyes, jawline, neck, and mouth), and releases where they are tight (lips, crow's feet, forehead, and between the eyes "the elevens").

Microcurrent non-surgical facelift treatments are relaxing and painless. It is like taking your face to the gym!

Look Fresh, Not Frozen!

You have no doubt seen unnatural results on people who got too many injections, fillers, or cosmetic surgeries. Sometimes there procedures work great, but not always.

Often these unnatural procedures have undesirable consequences. These include horse lips, puffiness, and frozen facial expressions.

A microcurrent non-surgical facelift does not alter your face to look different than it has in the past. It simply restores the original shape and movement of your youthful face.

What's even better? No one will detect you had "work done." Everyone will not ice you simply look younger, healthier, more vibrant, and refreshed!

Better than Handheld Devices

Your at-home handheld microcurrent device can give you some improvements to facial tone, but it cannot deliver the high current, frequency, or patented waveform that a professional device offers.

Your at-home device also cannot deliver the moment-by-moment monitoring of current delivery that a computerized professional microcurrent system can.

To deliver professional results, you need a professional device---used by a trained professional.

Computer Aided Delivery System

Every aspect of your microcurrent non-surgical facelift treatment is controlled by a computer.

This ensures that your muscles are absorbing the maximum amount of current that they can, without overdoing it and "blowing them out."

Have you ever started at the gym on weights that were too heavy to lift? You cannot build muscle through reps that way, because our muscles give out. However, over time, with lighter weights, your arm and leg muscles build in strength, shape, and tone. Eventually you can lift more weight with more reps, and get a more intense workout. You get more intense, longer lasting results, too!

Your facial muscles are the just the same. It starts with a light current that contracts and exercises your muscles. This tones them and restores their shape. As you continue with treatments, your facial muscles can take a stronger current for more intense, longer lasting results.

The computer monitoring advantage makes sure the machine is tightening and relaxing your facial muscles exactly as needed for maximum results over time.

Hollywood and British Royal Treatment

J. Lo and Jennifer Aniston have a secret to looking so young and natural into their 50's. They use the very same computer aided cosmetology instrument for microcurrent non-surgical facelift that we use with our clients.

This device has a patented waveform of current that works better than any other microcurrent machine on the market. Originally these machines were too expensive for the average person. They were used only by the British Royalty such as Meghan Markle (okay, former royalty now) , European and Hollywood celebrities.

Today, you can take advantage of the same technology with professional treatments, and it will not cost you the price or risk points of surgery and injections.

Tsunami Waveform

The patented tsunami waveform looks like a tornado. It spirals in wider and more intense cycles the deeper it goes. This helps ensure the least amount of current is wasted being absorbed by the skin at the surface. The majority of the current is absorbed in the muscle layer.

Experience for yourself the difference of a tsunami waveform.

Results are instantaneous and long lasting. Be sure to ask about our guaranteed results so you can try it risk free!

The Economical Solution

You may select a single treatment for a special event or photo shoot .

Clients who get the best results, however, purchase a package of 6 to 12 visits at a discount.

Treatments build in intensity, just like when you go to the gym regularly. We will provide the best package for your needs, ranging from $120 to $2,400.

Bonus Add-Ons

We offer you skin care options to add on to your microcurrent non-surgical facelift. These include photofacial collagen induction with red light therapy, ultrasonic guasha exfoliation, facial cupping, lymphatic drainage cupping to reduce puffiness, herbal medicine to reduce age spots, microneedling, and cosmetic acupuncture . Please ask your therapist for more information!

The Galvanic Current by Amy Galvan DOM

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Homocysteine Levels and Fertility: Should You Test?

New research you need to know about if you are planning to get pregnant but suffer from inflammation.

Inflammation is common in women with PCOS, endometriosis, insulin resistance or diabetes, autoimmune conditions (Hashi’s, RA, Crohn’s, etc), recent surgical procedures, MTHFR gene variants, leaky gut, and other common health problems.

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References

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I s your health solution just doctor prescription pills and procedures, because you do not know how to restore your health?

G alvan Precision Wellness unravels your body’s hidden codes to support optimal health.

I magine being an expert in your own health

W hat’s the catch?

W ords from Clients

W hat makes Galvan Precision Wellness different?

H ow you can start your healing journey