A review by the Cochrane Collaboration has examined a number of previous reserach studies looking at whether having acupuncture can increase the pregnancy rate of IVF. It concludes that having acupuncture around the time of embryo transfer increases the chance of an IVF success from one-in-five to one-in-three.
 
I treat a variety of women going through IVF. Some elect to have acupuncture just around the time of embryo transfer and many choose to have acupuncture to support them before and during their IVF. Women have said that acupuncture can help them to relax and often my patients' find that acupuncture appears to help boost their uterus lining.
 
The findings have been widely reported in the press:
 
The Guardian 
The Telegraph 
Daily Mail

You may be familiar with me talking about foods which help your digestive energy help build blood. I may have suggested that you avoid ‘damp’ foods or ‘hot’ foods that are literally burning you up. There are basic guidelines which can be useful for us all. I urge you to try some of these ways of eating and then listen to what your body is trying to tell you.

Many of us have lost the connection between our stomach and our brain. We listen to the message that we are hungry but then either ignore it until it is convenient for us to eat or feed it food that we don’t really want. Ask yourself, do you feel better in yourself after eating a pizza or burger or a warming casserole or home-cooked dish?

In this article from The Independent, food experts Patrick Holford and Ian Marber act as judge and jury on Chinese dietary habits and debate ten suggestions of a better diet:

1. Stop counting calories
2. Think of vegetables as dishes
3. Fill up on staple foods
4. Eat until you are full
5. Take liquid food
6. Bring yin and yang into your kitchen
7. Raw power? not necessarily
8. Use food to keep fit
9. Drink green tea
10. Take restorative exercise

For an interesting and delicious tomato, lentil and caraway soup recipe check out the fantastic HappenUpon Blog.

Do you suffer from neck and shoulder tension caused or exacerbated by your office or PC work?

I have a lot of patients who complain of these problems and who crave a neck and shoulder massage to ease out the tension.

Personal trainer Kieran at Diligent Health understands that it can be difficult to avoid the problem and offers some straight-forward advice on how to counter the pain you may be in and prevent future discomfort. Kieran has produced an article with photos which demonstrates in a really clear way how to do particular exercises and stretches.

Kieran can also offer tailored 1:1 training to suit your unique needs and advise on diet and fitness.

Download the article (PDF).

Visit Diligent Health website for more advice and to make an appointment

Qi Gong (pronounced chee-gung) is a gentle way of exercising to maximise good health, well-being and vitality. In China, it is often practised as part of a healthy lifestyle and helps to prevent symptoms of ill-health occurring. It is seen as an important way of looking after yourself, so you would be less likely to become unbalanced and then need acupuncture...

It is made up of gentle but focused movements which suit all levels of fitness. Learning to do the precise movements in a mindful way is its own unique challenge and qigong is an excellent way to leave stress behind.

Sue Dunham is starting a qigong class in September on Thursday evenings at Horsforth School.  The cost is £22 to register for the autumn term and then £2 for each class attended (£1.50 per class for concessions). Ring Sue on 0113 269 8778 for further details. Numbers will be kept low so I recommend enrolling early.

For more information on Qi Gong visit Chis-UK website.

I treat a number of women who have  been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovaries and who do not have regular menstrual cycles and do not ovulate.

Many come to me acupuncture in order to try to induce ovulation and regulate their cycle as they are trying to conceive.

Latest research suggests acupuncture could indeed help with this area. Read more on Emax Health website.

Also read Claire's testimonial about coping with this condition and how acupuncture helped.