Achieving PCOS Acupuncture Success

For women who are diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), addressing the many symptoms this condition causes can be a real challenge. The irregular periods, anovulation (no ovulation), and weight gain associated with polycystic ovaries as well as bouts of depression can be overwhelming. However, these symptoms associated with PCOS are treatable. You just have to find what works for you. Experts believe that many factors can contribute to PCOS. Genetics, dietary and lifestyle choices, stress, and underlying endocrine issues, like pituitary or adrenal tumors, have all been linked to the symptoms of PCOS. Regardless of what might be causing your PCOS, acupuncture can help. But how can you achieve PCOS acupuncture success?

Acupuncture regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which balances stress hormones and sex hormones. Regular acupuncture sessions normalize menstrual cycles, support ovulation, and improve insulin sensitivity making it easier to lose weight. 

How does acupuncture help women with PCOS balance hormones?

PCOS can cause and be caused by hormonal imbalances, which are also metabolic and lead to a variety of fertility issues.

Women with PCOS often deal with high levels of androgens. This group of hormones includes testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and is associated with male characteristics. It’s worth noting, though, that some women with PCOS have normal androgen levels, but relatively high or low levels of estrogen or progesterone.

The conditions that may contribute to PCOS are many, and, frankly, not fully understood yet. Some women are given a diagnosis of PCOS because they experience metabolic symptoms and hormonal swings that look similar. What we do know, though, is that acupuncture can help women with PCOS achieve hormonal balance, regardless of what might be the primary cause of their condition.

Acupuncture’s primary benefit is that it regulates the HPA axis, which is the biofeedback loop responsible for controlling stress levels. In this fast-paced world, most of us have an overactive fight-or-flight response. Acupuncture gently stimulates the nervous system, exerting a calming effect on the HPA axis, and reducing stress hormone levels, which includes DHEA.

At the same time, acupuncture also regulates sex hormones, bringing elevated levels of testosterone down. This is something all women with PCOS should aim for, whether they’re trying to get pregnant or not. By bringing testosterone levels back into range, acupuncture can help with the symptoms associated with high androgen levels, like acne, irritability, and hair loss.

Furthermore, research shows that acupuncture raises estrogen and progesterone during the follicular stage of the menstrual cycle, and regulates follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). This encourages healthy menstrual cycles that are between 28 and 35 days. It also increases ovarian function and induces ovulation.   

Can acupuncture make it easier for women with PCOS to lose weight?

Another symptom commonly seen in women with PCOS is insulin resistance. Chronically elevated blood sugar is associated with high levels of androgens and stress hormones, both of which may lead to weight gain — and particularly the development of visceral fat. So it’s not uncommon for women with PCOS to struggle with weight loss.

Because acupuncture regulates sex and stress hormone levels, this alone can drastically improve the way your body uses food for energy. But acupuncture can help your weight loss efforts in another way, and that’s by promoting insulin sensitivity.

Acupuncture has long been used to treat hyperglycemia and other metabolic conditions. It does so by altering nervous system activity, making insulin receptors more sensitive, and encouraging the body to use fat for fuel, rather than storing it.

Aside from improving insulin sensitivity, acupuncture also supports liver function. Hormonal imbalances can alter liver function, leading to weight gain. So scheduling regular acupuncture sessions is a great way to boost your metabolism and make it easier to lose weight.

How often should you get acupuncture for PCOS?

How often you’ll need acupuncture to successfully manage your PCOS symptoms depends on the severity of your underlying hormonal/metabolic issues, as well as the intensity of your symptoms.

For some women, the symptoms of PCOS are constant. For others, their PCOS symptoms may be mild most of the time, but “flare up” occasionally, getting worse during periods of stress, for example. This is something we need to consider when creating a customized acupuncture protocol for you.

That said, we generally recommend twice-weekly sessions for 2 to 4 months. Getting acupuncture for PCOS over the course of several menstrual cycles gives your hormones a chance to balance out. It also supports ovulation.

Every woman is different, and every case of PCOS is different. So how your body responds to acupuncture, and what, if any, underlying issues surface during your treatments is difficult to predict. Some women see an improvement in their symptoms very quickly. For others, it takes a bit longer. In some instances, we may rely on additional therapies to restore your mental, physical, and spiritual alignment.

What other therapies can benefit PCOS patients?

During your first appointment at Integrative Healing Arts, we’ll ask about your health history, and take the time to understand which factors may be contributing to your symptoms. This way, we can approach your condition appropriately.

With its powerful sexual health-supporting properties, acupuncture will make up the backbone of your treatment plan. However, there are several therapies we can utilize in addition to acupuncture.

Herbal medicine is an excellent adjunct therapy for many women dealing with hormonal imbalances. Traditional Chinese herbs like Bai Shao and Sheng Ma are often used to treat PCOS thanks to their ability to support hormonal balance. (Note: Herbs can be powerful! Herbal medicine should never be taken without the skilled guidance of a professional herbalist).

Stress management is also critical when it comes to restoring healthy hormone levels. We’ll help you figure out what might be stressing your body, and help you come up with ways you can mitigate those stressors, like journaling or meditating. A good massage never hurts, either!

Book your first appointment today

Don’t let the symptoms of PCOS stand in your way. Look to acupuncture to balance your hormones and overcome your symptoms, so you can achieve all of your wellness goals.

At Integrative Healing Arts, we have more than 20 years of experience in holistic medicine. We’re dedicated to helping each of our patients achieve total mind, body, and spiritual wellness.

If you’re ready to find out firsthand how acupuncture can help you, contact our office today to book an appointment. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Why You Should Use Acupuncture After IVF Transfer

For our clients scheduled to begin IVF treatments, we advise them to start acupuncture sessions a minimum of 2 to 3 months ahead of time. This is a great way to manage stress levels and help the body “focus”, so to speak, on fertility. Acupuncture is incredibly helpful for improving fertility, so it’s a popular complementary therapy for women undergoing IVF. But acupuncture can also play a critical role post IVF, by boosting the odds of a successful implantation. If you’re still not sure if acupuncture is right for you, here are a few good reasons why you should consider using acupuncture after IVF transfer.

Getting acupuncture after embryo transfer increases circulation to the uterus, which encourages implantation and alleviates pain and cramping. Additionally, acupuncture can help reduce stress and support hormonal health after your IVF treatment.

Acupuncture after embryo transfer increases circulation to the uterus

Good circulation to the reproductive system is critical after embryo transfer. Adequate blood flow provides the uterus with oxygen and red blood cells, which it needs to function optimally. Improving circulation with the help of acupuncture tones the uterus, and makes it more receptive to embryo transfer.

Because acupuncture directs blood flow to the reproductive tract, it can also enhance ovarian function. Acupuncture can be used during the stimulation phase of IVF treatments to support ovulation. Studies show acupuncture can increase ovarian reserve, even in women who have hormonal issues that may contribute to diminished ovarian reserve, like PCOS.

It’s also worth noting that acupuncture has a calming effect on the nervous system. If you’ve ever had acupuncture before, you know just how relaxing it can be! Getting acupuncture shortly after your procedure reduces stress levels, which are often high in IVF patients. This helps prevent uterine contractions that could prevent a successful transfer.

For best results, we recommend getting acupuncture within 24 hours of your embryo transfer, with a follow-up session a few days later. This will help support good circulation to the uterus during this critical period, and boost your chances of a successful IVF transfer. 

Acupuncture nourishes the embryo

Just as better blood flow nourishes the uterus and ovaries, it also nourishes the newly transferred embryo, further increasing your chances of success with IVF. Because acupuncture boosts circulation to the uterus, it can help thicken the endometrium.

A healthy endometrium supports your growing baby. It also protects them from microbial invasion during your pregnancy, ensuring you carry your baby to term and minimizing the risk of complications. Although the endometrium isn’t talked about as much as it should be when it comes to fertility, especially compared to other factors like ovulation and hormonal balance, its importance cannot be overstated.

The endometrium supplies the embryo with oxygen and nutrients, both of which are essential for your baby’s development. If you’ve struggled to conceive due to a thin endometrium, acupuncture can help thicken the lining of the uterus to make it a more suitable environment for the embryo after transfer.

If you’re on your second, third, or fourth round of IVF treatments, or if you have suffered miscarriages in the past, getting acupuncture after your embryo transfer can provide your body with additional support so you can finally find success with IVF.

Acupuncture reduces pain associated with embryo transfer

Egg retrieval is probably the most painful and intense part of IVF treatments. This procedure involves using a needle to puncture the wall of the vagina and enter the ovaries to harvest eggs. Although patients are usually sedated, egg retrieval can cause significant discomfort afterward.

By contrast, embryo transfer is typically the least physically painful part of IVF, and many women don’t even require sedation. But even though the procedure itself is relatively pain-free, IVF embryo transfer can cause some side effects later on, including abdominal cramping and spotting. While physically the process is relatively tolerable; emotionally the stakes are higher than ever as the next few weeks are a waiting game.

It’s worth noting that it’s not unusual to experience these symptoms after an embryo transfer. They’re normal. However, they can also be uncomfortable. Fortunately, we can use acupuncture to our advantage. A well-timed acupuncture session shortly after your embryo transfer can soothe your pain and help you relax, easing any symptoms you may have.

Acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphins, powerful neurotransmitters that intercept the pain signals nerves send to your brain and raise your pain threshold naturally. Acupuncture also supports healthy muscle function, again, reducing uterine contractions to ease cramps caused by IVF. 

Acupuncture After IVF promotes hormone health

We talked about stress briefly earlier. Let’s circle back to it now. Stressors are everywhere. Between work, school (if you’re a student), and other responsibilities, we all deal with stress. But pile fertility struggles and expensive fertility treatments on top of your pre-existing stressors, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Stress management is of utmost importance during IVF to boost your chances of success.

It’s not at all unusual for women undergoing IVF treatments to feel overwhelmed. But, unfortunately, this tells the body to produce more stress hormones and fewer sex hormones. Chronic stress can block conception by exerting a negative effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. On the plus side, acupuncture can be used to mitigate the stress response and restore healthy sex hormone levels.

Acupuncture regulates the HPA axis, calming the nervous system, and effectively telling your body that everything is fine, and there’s no need to panic. Acupuncture’s soothing effect encourages the body to “switch gears” and go from fight or flight mode to optimizing fertility.

Acupuncture has been shown to regulate the production of estrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH). All of these hormones play an important role in conception, and in sustaining a pregnancy. Acupuncture’s ability to regulate sex hormones also makes it a helpful therapy for addressing many of the symptoms women struggle with postpartum, including weight gain and pelvic floor dysfunction.

Contact Integrative Healing Arts today

No matter what stage of IVF treatments you find yourself in, acupuncture can be utilized as an adjunct therapy to support you as you seek to enhance your fertility and expand your family.

If you’re ready to learn more about how acupuncture can make your IVF treatments more successful, and schedule an appointment for after your embryo transfer, contact our office.

At Integrative Healing Arts, we’ve helped countless women address their unique fertility issues and finally welcome the baby of their dreams. Get in touch today to get started.

The Benefits Of Acupuncture During IVF Stimulation

Before your fertility specialist can transfer an embryo, they must first have a healthy embryo to transfer. To get a healthy embryo, your fertility specialist will use certain medications and hormones to help your body ovulate and produce more eggs for them to retrieve. This process is called IVF stimulation. The IVF stimulation process is all about encouraging your body to produce more eggs and increase viable eggs, which means supporting your fertility is paramount to success. One of the ways you can enhance egg production is by using acupuncture. But what are the benefits of acupuncture during IVF stimulation?

Acupuncture supports ovulation by increasing blood flow to the ovaries and promoting sex hormone production and balance. Studies have shown acupuncture can improve egg quality and increase egg quantity, making it an invaluable complementary therapy during IVF stimulation. 

Acupuncture supports ovarian health

One of the primary benefits of using acupuncture for fertility is its ability to increase circulation to the reproductive organs. When it comes to IVF stimulation, acupuncture can be used to direct blood flow to the ovaries, which nourishes them and supports healthy ovarian function.

Good blood flow to the ovaries is essential for ovulation. But acupuncture supports ovarian health in another way, and that is by promoting sex hormone production. Acupuncture raises estrogen and progesterone to support ovulatory menstrual cycles. It also regulates the production of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH), three hormones that stimulate ovulation and promote egg maturation.

Acupuncture is so effective that it can promote ovulation even in women who have underlying hormonal issues that make ovulation difficult. One study showed that twice-weekly acupuncture sessions for a period of 10 to 13 weeks lead to significant changes in LH pulsatility, resulting in increased ovulation in women with PCOS.

On top of all of this, acupuncture also helps reduce stress levels. When you feel overwhelmed, this tells your body to prioritize producing stress hormones over sex hormones, at the expense of your fertility. There is evidence to suggest that chronic stress can prevent ovulation, but acupuncture modulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, calming the nervous system and reducing cortisol levels. 

Acupuncture can boost your ovarian reserve quality

Supporting ovulation makes the IVF stimulation process easier. But you also need to be proactive and take measures to boost your ovarian reserve. That way, your fertility specialist has more quality eggs to choose from when they retrieve them to grow an embryo for you.

If you struggle with ovulation or have been diagnosed as having a diminished ovarian reserve, you may feel like there is nothing you can do to make a difference. But acupuncture can be used to increase the quality of ovarian reserve, boosting your chances of getting pregnant with assisted reproductive therapies.

In a study, acupuncture was shown to increase ovarian reserve in women with a poor ovarian response. Acupuncture is safe, yet effective, and can be used as a complementary therapy alongside controlled ovarian hyperstimulation therapy. For some women, acupuncture alone may be enough to support quality egg production.

Acupuncture can even increase ovarian reserve quality in women over the age of 37. In another study, women who were 37 or older who underwent acupuncture along with their IVF treatments had a significant increase in the number of mature eggs harvested. So no matter what is contributing to your reduced ovarian reserve — whether it’s hormonal imbalances or age — acupuncture can enhance the quality and quantity of your eggs, thereby boosting your chances of success with your IVF treatments.

Acupuncture reduces egg retrieval pain

Establishing ovulatory cycles and supporting your ovarian reserve before egg retrieval is half the battle when it comes to IVF. Next comes the actual egg retrieval. It’s a necessary step in the IVF treatment process, but many women are concerned about the procedure. After all, isn’t it painful?

Egg retrieval is performed vaginally, and involves using a needle to puncture the vaginal wall and enter the ovarian capsule. Patients are sedated for this invasive procedure, so you won’t feel pain as your fertility specialist retrieves the eggs. Once the egg retrieval is done, however, you may feel residual pain and swelling, as the procedure itself is quite invasive and can traumatize the surrounding tissue.

Patients typically report mild to moderate pain with pain medication following oocyte retrieval, but for some women, the pain can be more severe. The procedure causes minor trauma to the ovaries and surrounding tissue, which can lead to cramping, pelvic pain, abdominal pain, and swelling as well as, back pain. For women wishing to avoid NSAIDs and other pain medications, acupuncture is a fantastic complementary non-drug treatment for alleviating the pain and reducing inflammation.

Acupuncture changes the way your body responds to pain, altering the pain response, and raising your pain threshold naturally. During acupuncture, the body releases endorphins, neurotransmitters that act as pain-relievers, attaching to the opioid receptors in your brain and numbing the pain response. Acupuncture’s soothing effect on the nervous system can make egg retrieval less painful, so you can rest comfortably following the procedure. 

Acupuncture prepares the body for embryo transfer

Because acupuncture relieves stress and promotes hormonal balance, and because it increases blood flow to the uterus and pelvic floor muscles keeping them nice and toned, that means that acupuncture can also be used to prepare the body for embryo transfer.

Multiple studies have shown that acupuncture increases the chances of a successful IVF embryo transfer. Getting acupuncture the day before and the day after an embryo transfer makes the uterus more receptive to implantation. So it’s no surprise that acupuncture can boost IVF success rates by 65%.

If you’ve undergone IVF treatments in the past to no avail, implementing acupuncture as part of your fertility treatment strategy could be a game-changer for you. We often advise our patients to begin twice-weekly acupuncture treatments 2 to 3 months before IVF treatments begin, to help the body prepare for the process.  

Contact our office today

Whether you’re still looking into IVF or have already begun treatments, it’s never too late to start reaping the benefits of acupuncture.

Get in touch with our office today to book your first appointment. At Integrative Healing Arts, we have years of experience in alternative medicine and can create a customized acupuncture fertility support plan for you that also includes other helpful therapies, like massage and herbal medicine.

We’re ready to help you as you embark on your fertility journey, from the start of your IVF treatments until the moment you hold your new baby in your arms for the first time.

IVF Acupuncture Success Rates

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has helped countless couples overcome their fertility struggles and finally expand their families. With the rise in popularity of IVF, more and more people are turning to acupuncture to support them throughout their fertility treatments. Acupuncture has many benefits to offer men and women undergoing assisted reproductive therapies. It reduces stress, balances hormones, and, for women, helps prepare the body for implantation. If you’re still on the fence about using acupuncture during IVF, prepare to be won over — IVF acupuncture success rates are nothing short of impressive.

Research shows that acupuncture increases pregnancy success rates in women who receive IVF treatments by 65% compared to women who do not receive acupuncture. Furthermore, acupuncture can be used to support a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

Acupuncture prepares the body for pregnancy

Let’s face it, IVF treatments are expensive. You can expect to pay anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 for a single round of IVF treatments. If you are considering IVF, it only makes sense to do everything you can to increase your chance of a successful and healthy pregnancy. Acupuncture can help you improve your odds of IVF success so that you do face multiple IVF cycles.

In a systematic review, acupuncture was found to increase the chances of clinical pregnancy by 65%. Given that the success rates of IVF treatments alone are between roughly 20% and 35%, acupuncture treatments have the potential to boost those odds significantly. Scheduling acupuncture appointments before and after your embryo transfer is a great way to maximize your chances of success.

Acupuncture before IVF prepares the body for implantation. Acupuncture increases circulation to the uterus, reducing tension and improving tone. This makes the uterus more receptive to the embryo. Good blood flow to the uterus is so critical for successful IVF that it can be used to predict the outcome of IVF treatments.

Acupuncture is just as critical after IVF and for the same reasons. Good circulation nourishes the uterus and signals to the body that it has the resources it needs to sustain a pregnancy. Once an embryo has been transferred, an acupuncture session within 24 hours will ensure a steady flow of blood to the uterus, increasing the odds of implantation.

Acupuncture reduces stress and balances hormones

Fertility struggles are one of the most stressful experiences, and when you raise the stakes by spending thousands of dollars on IVF treatments, the stress can become overwhelming. And that’s a huge problem because stress can make it incredibly difficult, and in some cases impossible, to get pregnant.

If there’s one thing acupuncture is excellent at, is regulating the nervous system and relieving stress. Acupuncture modulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, regulating cortisol levels and triggering the release of endorphins, serotonin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), three neurotransmitters that play a significant role in enhancing your sense of well-being and reducing anxiety. 

At Integrative Healing Arts, we often recommend our clients begin weekly acupuncture treatments 2 to 3 months before IVF. This gives the body a chance to reset the nervous system and reduce inflammation and stress levels so you feel more prepared for your treatments. Regular acupuncture sessions also help balance sex hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and luteinizing hormone (LH), which are critical for fertility. 

Acupuncture is believed to support the body’s ability to auto-regulate the production of hormones needed during pregnancy. So getting acupuncture several months in advance of your IVF treatments is a fantastic way to enhance your fertility naturally, and boost your chances of a successful transfer even more.

Acupuncture supports a healthy pregnancy and delivery

Acupuncture plays a key role in stress management, which is essential during IVF treatments. But acupuncture can be just as useful throughout pregnancy. Acupuncture can be used to alleviate the many symptoms of pregnancy, all while supporting a healthy pregnancy, and preparing your body and your baby for delivery.

For many women, especially those who have undergone IVF treatments, pregnancy is a special time. But it can come with a variety of unpleasant symptoms. Acupuncture is great for reducing the muscle and nerve pain expecting mothers often develop as they progress through their pregnancies. It can even be used to treat morning sickness, and, of course, it’s very helpful for promoting sleep — which can be hard to come by when you’re pregnant.

In addition to treating the symptoms associated with pregnancy, acupuncture supports healthy muscle function, keeping your uterus toned and in tip-top shape. A healthy uterus can cut down on time spent in labor. It also makes it easier when it comes to delivering the placenta and returning to its original size after pregnancy.

Interestingly, acupuncture can influence your baby’s position, as well. Getting acupuncture as you near your due date gently stimulates the uterus, enabling it to turn your baby into the correct position, with its head facing down. Acupuncture has even been used to successfully turn Breech-positioned babies to get them ready for delivery. 

Acupuncture can play a crucial role in postpartum care, too!

The stress-fighting and hormone-balancing effects of acupuncture are just as beneficial after labor. Being a new mom can be stressful. Couple this with the dramatic shift in hormones that naturally follows pregnancy, and it can feel like you’re riding an emotional roller coaster. Acupuncture gently supports the body to re-balance your stress and sex hormones so you feel better and can enjoy your time with your newborn more fully.

It’s worth noting, too, that acupuncture can help restore healthy pelvic floor function. During pregnancy, the muscles in the pelvic floor stretch with the weight and development of your growing baby. This can lead to problems with bladder and/or bowel incontinence later on. Acupuncture helps keep these muscles strong and flexible during pregnancy, and supports healthy muscle function postpartum to promote optimal pelvic floor function.

Let’s talk about weight loss, too. For some women, the pounds seem to melt away after childbirth. But for others, losing the baby weight is more of a struggle. Acupuncture enhances postpartum weight loss by boosting the metabolism, making it easier to return to a healthy weight after pregnancy. 

Contact our office to learn more

Fertility treatments can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to go through them alone.

At Integrative Healing Arts, we’ve seen countless women deliver healthy, happy babies with the help of IVF treatments and acupuncture. Let our 21+ years’ worth of knowledge and expertise guide you through this important time of your life.

Contact our office today to learn more about the benefits of using acupuncture for fertility, and to schedule your first appointment. We’ll create a customized acupuncture protocol that supports your body throughout your IVF treatment journey.

Acupuncture For Postpartum Weight Loss

If you have a healthy BMI, the range of weight gain is roughly 25 to 35 pounds by the end of your pregnancy. However, there is often too much focus on the number of pounds gained during pregnancy versus what a healthy pregnancy looks like. For women that have a history of eating disorders, pregnancy and weight gain can be triggering, and contribute to a higher risk for postpartum depression later on. Every woman is different, and every pregnancy is different, and it’s not uncommon to gain a bit more weight than you expected while carrying your child. The problem is that the weight can be difficult to shed once you welcome your bundle of joy into the world. Using acupuncture for postpartum weight loss can help.

Acupuncture helps bring the body back into balance after pregnancy by improving hormone levels and boosting the metabolism, making it easier for you to lose the baby weight.

What causes weight gain during pregnancy?

The primary reason you gain weight when you’re pregnant is that you’re growing a human being. Your body increases its blood volume by 40-60%, and the size of your heart also increases to accommodate pumping more blood as the baby grows, you gain weight. It’s basic math. But, baby aside, what causes the body to gain weight during pregnancy, and why do some women gain more weight than others? The answer is hormones.

Hormones control a variety of bodily systems and processes, including mood, sleep, blood pressure, and appetite and metabolism. During pregnancy, your hormone levels rise to help your body accommodate your growing baby. One side effect of rising hormones is food cravings, which can result in significant weight gain if left unchecked.

When it comes to your diet, there’s nothing wrong with indulging a bit during pregnancy. Your body needs extra nutrition, and cravings are how your body communicates to you which kinds of nutrients it needs. But, for some women, the pregnancy cravings don’t stop after childbirth. Even though it’s commonly believed that the weight will melt away during breastfeeding, that’s not always the case, either.

It’s incredibly difficult to shed pregnancy weight when you’re constantly fighting food cravings caused by wonky hormones. And, even if your hormonal imbalances aren’t contributing to food cravings, hormones themselves can alter the way your body stores weight. Increased levels of estrogen, progesterone, and/or cortisol can all contribute to unwanted weight gain during and after your pregnancy.

Acupuncture reduces stress and restores hormonal balance

Having a newborn is exciting, but it can also be an unexpectedly overwhelming experience. Many moms struggle with postpartum anxiety and depression. Putting your needs aside, running on little sleep. Caring for your new baby can be a stressful time, and it can be made all the more stressful when you’re also putting pressure on yourself to lose the pregnancy weight.

When you’re experiencing stress on a constant basis, which comes with being a new parent, this does nothing to help hormonal balance. When stress hormones like cortisol are high, sex hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, the body is in a constant state of fight or flight. This creates a vicious cycle of being unable to lose weight or gaining even more.

Stress is often overlooked as a culprit if you’re trying to lose weight. One of the reasons acupuncture is so effective at supporting weight loss in new mothers is because it helps manage stress. Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system, tapping into the body’s natural healing mechanism, resulting in releasing tension held deep in your muscles, it improves sleep and you feel a sense of well-being from the inside.

Acupuncture influences the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, soothing your body’s response to stress and encouraging hormonal balance. Bringing your hormones back into alignment will help you in so many areas. You’ll feel better mentally, you’ll get better sleep, your appetite will normalize, and you’ll have a much easier time releasing pounds. 

Acupuncture normalizes blood sugar and hunger cues

Sometimes, even when you are on a healthy diet, you can still struggle with sugar and food cravings. Pregnancy can significantly alter your metabolism and eating patterns. However, some women don’t experience any extreme food cravings during pregnancy at all. Post-pregnancy, your metabolism will continue to shift, adapting to what your body really needs to stabilize hormones, breastfeed, and heal. Hunger and craving sugar can indicate missing nutrients, poor absorption, or blood sugar fluctuations.

Acupuncture has been found to normalize hunger cues. By influencing the hypothalamus and stimulating the vagus nerve, acupuncture increases satiety. It’s also believed that acupuncture triggers the release of endorphins, which support appetite regulation.

If you feel that you are an emotional eater and/or have stress cravings, acupuncture can help with that, as well. Acupuncture upregulates the production of feel-good neurotransmitters, like dopamine and serotonin. These two “happy hormones” enhance your mood naturally, and acupuncture’s ability to improve serotonin and dopamine activity is why it’s often used to treat postpartum depression. 

Acupuncture boosts the metabolism

Many women are too hard on themselves for not being able to shed the baby weight after pregnancy. They count calories and track their steps, but the scale doesn’t budge. It’s easy to become disheartened, but rather than feel guilty (which will only cause more stress), just take this as a sign that your body needs a different approach.

It’s important to remember that increasing weight during pregnancy is a normal and healthy process. And being unable to lose weight is not a personal failing, it simply means that your body needs some help readjusting. If you feel you are struggling to normalize your body weight, acupuncture can help you reset.

Acupuncture is highly effective when it comes to regulating the metabolism. Using acupuncture to stimulate certain trigger points can improve your BMI and body fat percentage after giving birth. Furthermore, acupuncture stimulates digestion, improves glucose metabolism, and re-sensitizes the body to insulin, all of which enhance your metabolism and make it easier for you to lose weight.

Acupuncture is especially helpful if you have an underlying hormonal condition that already predisposes you to weight gain. Women struggling with PCOS often have a difficult time with weight and shedding the pounds after pregnancy. Regardless of which conditions may be influencing slowing your metabolism down, acupuncture is a safe supportive therapy that can help make your diet and exercise program more effective.

Book your first appointment today

At Integrative Healing Arts, we’re passionate about helping women find inner balance with the healing powers of acupuncture. No matter how long it’s been since you had your baby, we’re happy to be a part of your postpartum wellness plan. 

If you’re struggling to lose your post-pregnancy weight and you want a healthy solution, contact our office today to find out how acupuncture can help you. We’ll answer any questions you may have and help you figure out which treatment options will work best for you.