Meditation & Acupuncture

Meditation is a practice in which an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or as an end in itself. (Wikipedia)  In my research, I found many studies that stated the use of mediation helped an IVF cycle be successful.  It decreases stress which in turn decreases cortisol levels in the blood.  There are many issues stress will create in your body but it will especially effect fertility in the following ways according to ivf.ca:

1. Impairs follicle health and development. Stress reduces the secretion of estrogen from the follicle which reduces the thickness of the endometrium and the fertile mucous
2. Reduces the secretion of progesterone from the corpus luteum in the luteal phase, and thus affects implantation. Stress can cause luteal phase defects.
3. Affects the surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland which is responsible for stimulating ovulation.
4. Increases prolactin secretion by the pituitary gland, which inhibits ovarian function
5. Affects the part of the immune system responsible for preventing miscarriage in early pregnancy
6. Negatively impacts many other health concerns which may impair fertility, such as thyroid health, autoimmune conditions, allergic conditions, pcos, endometriosis, and gastrointestinal concerns.

Since this may be our one and only shot with IVF, I am taking every precaution and trying every little thing to do my best at making this cycle successful.  The best part about meditation is that it can be done anywhere for any length of time.  You can meditate while laying in bed, sitting in a chair in your back yard, or out in nature.  I have practiced meditation on occasion in the past, but it wasn't until recently that I absolutely fell in love with it.  I decided to take my practice out into nature by one day listening to one of my newly purchased audio tracks while out on my walk.  It just so happens that we have some beautiful trees and areas that the cities have left natural right in the middle of neighborhoods.  One of these places isn't too far from us but I had never walked through it.  It was on that day that I decided to take my meditation into this natural area.  

And all I can say is "WOW!"

It was as though the trees came alive in the warmth of the sun.  Everything was more vibrant and loving.  It was an experience that I highly recommend to EVERYONE.  I have since made it a part of my daily routine (as best I can).  I now run to the location.  Sit on an amazing dock that is built right in the middle of the natural reserve and meditate for about 15 minutes, and then while listening to calming music/sounds, I walk back; breathing in the cool, crisp air and noticing all of the beauty around me.  In case your wondering where to get a meditation track of your own, there are tons of places to find them; Amazon, iTunes, Audible, etc.  The specific tracks that I listen to are for infertility and IVF (Zita West MP3s).  I highly recommend mediation to everyone.  It is very calming and relaxing.

Now on to Acupuncture.  Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific acupoints along the skin of the body involving various methods such as penetration by thin needles or the application of heat, pressure, or laser light (Wikipedia). According to the Fertility Clinic, "Integrative acupuncture can increase IVF success and take-home baby rates. Research studies show acupuncture, in combination with IVF can increase pregnancy rates, increase implantation rates, reduce the risk of miscarriage, decrease the occurrence of ectopic pregnancies, and reduce stress."

I personally have been debating whether I will add this practice into the mix.  I have heard great things about an acupuncturist that is actually associated with the fertility clinic I go to (SRM).  I still have a month until my treatments start, so who knows what I'll end up deciding.

I found this cool video, showcasing SRM and it's acupuncture practice.