By Julie Segall, Lic.Ac., Dipl.CH.
(look for Part Two)
Balance is a concept that I constantly strive for. I feel the need to find balance between motherhood and career, I try to eat balanced meals, I even try to balance adequate “couch potato time” against my activity level. As a practitioner of Chinese medicine, it is something that I hope to achieve within my patients.
Chinese medicine is founded on the principle of balance. As long as there is balance between the energy meridians, then there is health. When imbalances occur then the body lets us know by exhibiting a symptom. It could be headaches, insomnia, digestive issues, anxiety, irregular menstrual cycles, etc. Any symptom is a sign that an imbalance is present. Acupuncture is one way of restoring balance to the body by redirecting the flow of qi (pronounced chee), or energy within. Areas that are blocked are moved, areas that are depleted are strengthened and so on. As the body regains its strength and free flow of qi, the symptoms fade away.
I have been in private practice for more than ten years, specializing in women’s healthcare. Without question, the greatest percentages of women I see are seeking help for fertility. Based on what I see in my practice, it is apparent that the idea of balance is missing even in conceiving a child; there is no balance in the endeavor to become pregnant. Couples who seek Western medical advice are subjected to various tests to determine the problem. For men, a sperm analysis and blood test. For women, the tests are much more invasive and uncomfortable. The woman is the one who bears the weight of the fertility medications, the injections, the blood tests, the inseminations, etc.
What happened to the balance?
I see women and men in my practice who are feeling the stress of the fertility path. They are feeling that it is their bodies which have let them down. They are unsure how they can support each other in the process. Many men feel frustrated when they see all that their partners must go through in the process and are unsure where they fit in.
To be continued…
The more balanced a couple is, the greater the odds for conception. Within my practice I have seen wonderful results for fertility with the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, I see the greatest results when there is balance in the endeavor to become pregnant. For more information, please visit www.healinggroundtcm.com, or call 847-604-1480.