Pin Cushion

Yesterday I went to my first ever acupuncture appointment. I was a little apprehensive about what was going to happen but all that worrying was for nothing. It was a great experience. I was only stuck with 10 needles and it ended up being a very relaxing experience. The acupuncturist was so nice, very knowledgeable and specialized in fertility so he gave me lots of good information.

Things I learned:

Food:
There are certain foods that are important to eat (not only if your TTC, but in general):

Blueberries:
- contain high levels of antioxidants and fiber
- fresh and frozen are the same. No nutrients are lost in the freezing process.

Apples:
- Adding an apple to your diet everyday is an easy way to increase your fiber intake

Sweet Potatoes:
- You need to eat sweet potatoes with a fat (butter, olive oil, etc.) in order for your body to absorb the most nutrients

Supplements:
I was taking a multi-vitamin and took an extra folic acid supplement. He recommended a prenatal vitamin and an additional homeopathic supplement

Prenatal Vitamin: Rainbow Light Complete Prenatal System

Supplement: Royal Jelly

- "Royal jelly is modified pollen fed only to the reproducing queen bee, whose job it is to produce more infant bees. This nutritive tonic might be considered the bee equivalent of fertility drugs. Rich in amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes, royal jelly helps the queen lay millions of eggs and live longer than the worker bee."

If it works for bees I thought why not give it a shot, it is after all only one more pill I have to take in the day.

Exercise:
One of the biggest issues surrounding fertility is blood flow. That is why exercise is so important.

Even though this doesn't seem very "exercisey" to me, he recommended 3-4 times a week laying with your back on the floor with your butt pushed against the wall with your feet and legs raised up along the wall. Then lay like that for 5min (I found putting a pillow under your lower back makes this more comfortable). This is one of the best exercises for increasing blood flow to the uterus. Just don't do this exercise when you're on your period.

My next appointment will be around my next ovulation so I won't go back for a month. I'm really looking forward to my next visit!