Getting Stuck, The Sequel

Needles again today, although for a different reason.  I'm starting a series of acupuncture appointments again.  In the fall, I did acupuncture for several months and it helped with some of my cycle issues a great deal.  There's also quite a bit of research that suggests acupuncture can increase the chances of a successful IVF cycle, so I'll be going once a week here in Kansas City for the next month or so, then during my time in St. Louis, and then again for a few weeks here. 

I love my acupuncturist - she has her Masters in Oriental Medicine and studied for years in China.  Also, her name is Shamayne...which is just pretty much exactly what you would expect an acupuncturist to be named, isn't it?!  Not only can acupuncture help with fertility and IVF, but it's a great stress management technique.  I feel so calm after a session...more so even than after a massage.

I've become increasingly in favor of holistic medicine over the past couple of years.  I'd say up until 2007, I had a reasonable diet, exercised well and took my multi-vitamin, but that's pretty much it.  Since then, I've become what I would consider a 'flexitarian' as I only eat red meat or poultry maybe once a week (although having a family with championship BBQ ribs does tempt me more so than not), I've started using acupuncture and massage regularly, we now eat mostly organic foods, I've started taking a variety of supplements and in addition to regular exercise, I also practice yoga.  Oh, and in addition to my Primary Care Physician, I also occasionally see a naturopath.  All of these decisions work well in concert with the Western medical advice I've gotten and I feel better than I ever have. 

It's interesting, I've had a lot of conversations with girlfriends around my age and almost all of us have become very health-conscious, more into holistic practices, and much more concerned about everything we put in our body (food, drugs, chemicals, etc.)  None of us remember even thinking twice about any of this five years ago...I think it's a generational consciousness thing.   One friend, in particular, is tackling her own fertility issues completely from a holistic standpoint (hi, B!).

That said, there have been the occasional mishaps along the way (quinoa meatloaf was a disaster of epic proportions) and although I'm fairly certain the Sarah of five years ago would have considered the Sarah of today a 'crunchy, granola' type, I'm okay with that. :) 

I'm not going to stop shaving or wearing deodorant, though.  In case you were wondering.