Apr
3
Silent Infertility
Posted by admin at 05:30 | Filed In News you can Use, Uncategorized | 2 Comments
Written by Fran Meadows
One in eight couples struggle with the disease known as infertility. Some couples struggle through secondary infertility which is much more common now. Infertility in simple terms is a couple that is having unprotected sex for six months to a year without conceiving. Women who can get pregnant and have had multiple miscarriages can also be infertile. There is also the male fertility factor; does your man have good swimmers? There are so many other medical conditions that can attribute to infertility that are usually found once testing or treatments have begun. When couples begin treatment your doctor will run blood tests, will do an extensive medical history consultation, and also do vaginal scans, as well as semen analysis for the man. Other miscellaneous tests may be run too. Once the test results are in they will determine which treatment is necessary or if any other medical problems have been discovered.
Intrauterine insemination known as IUI is the placing of the sperm into a woman’s uterus when she is ovulating. This procedure is used for couples with unexplained infertility and minimal male factor infertility. IUI is a quick procedure that is performed in the doctor’s office without any anesthesia. It should not be painful; some women describe it as feeling like a pap smear.
In vitro fertilization known as IVF is a timed procedure that involves removing eggs from the woman’s ovary, fertilizing it with semen, incubating the cells in a laboratory dish, and then transferring the embryo back into the uterus at the appropriate time, usually three to five days after the egg retrieval. IVF is a procedure that involves many medications taken orally, vaginally, as well as injections and hormone patches. The process of IVF usually includes Ovulation Induction, Egg Retrieval, and Embryo Transfer.
Every couple’s experience with fertility treatments are not the same. Results and side effects from medications vary and so do the emotions. Many people who go through these treatments end up successfully conceiving and giving birth. However, for some who do not achieve these same desired results, they may choose to change their path for having a child. This does not mean they have not succeeded, it just means they have changed their focus of energy onto another means of successfully beginning or expanding their family. For instance, they may opt for a donor egg, embryo donation, surrogate or choose the path of adoption instead. There are so many options, and for some that might even mean choosing to no longer try having children, but instead be content living within a happy, healthy relationship with their spouse or partner. Whatever the choice may be, many people do grow up envisioning becoming parents someday and it is my belief that everyone does deserve that chance.
For someone going through this journey be prepared when you begin fertility treatments; it is a commitment. You need to stay strong and be prepared for all things that are thrown at you. It is important to stay grounded in your relationship with your partner because it can be a strain, even on a very healthy relationship. Many people that go through this road of uncertainty seek therapy to open up and speak about what they are experiencing and feeling.
For those people who have gone through this struggle, they can relate to what I have written. For those that don’t know about infertility, then please don’t judge, but instead find out more information as to why people may need to go under treatment. Infertility is not something to be embarrassed about. We are all people, whether we are everyday couples or celebrity couples this is a real issue that can affect anyone of us, and so it is worth being educated on. Also emotionally supporting those who are going through this type of obstacle can help to alleviate their stress. A simple smile or hug can help to give a sense of hope.
My name is Fran Meadows and I am a thirty-eight year old woman that struggled with unexplained infertility for several years. When I first heard that my husband and I needed to go through treatments I was devastated and skeptical, thinking that maybe if we just continued trying it would happen naturally. I took the silent road…I kept my struggle from my family and from my friends. I did not share any part of my journey with them. My husband and I dealt with the silence together. At times I wished I would have opened up but when going through infertility there are many choices brought in front of you and this was our choice. It doesn’t mean it was the right choice. Eventually, I did seek therapy to get my emotions out about it. Therapy was a positive place for me to go and open up without feeling that I was being judged by anyone. This was very helpful for me. When I was going through the treatments I thought I was the only one, but then I found out after struggling for so long, that I was not alone! I’ve lived it, I learned from it, and now I’ve gained a sense of strength from the struggle.
During my time of going through these treatments I began to keep a journal and just recently released a self -published book entitled, The Truth Behind The Secret “Infertility” A personal diary of my journey to motherhood. The book details my experiences going through treatments, the good times, the bad times, and the overall success through my struggle.
I did become pregnant through IVF twice, although the first time I was devastated with the loss of a child at twenty five weeks pregnant. I had delivered a still born. Unfortunately, this is another chapter in my journey. One that I wish I could erase. The pain from the loss of a child whether through a miscarriage or still born experience it is something that nobody should have to experience. Support through infertility and loss of a child is a very important part of healing yourself. Thankfully though I recovered from that sad experience and I conceived again through IVF, but this time with the successful birth of my now four year old son!
I now wish to help other couples out there with my book, by giving them a sense of hope with a humorous flare and some tears. I will continue to raise infertility awareness and be heard. My advice is stay with it; everyone deserves a family! Even if you have assistance, don’t be embarrassed because you’re not alone! Let the great doctors and nurses’ help you get you there. Keeping my infertility silent was my choice, not saying that it is for others but now I speak out loud letting others know about how I made it through infertility. Life is not predictable, move forward with confidence!
Oct
4
Inspired by Life: Would You Paint Your House Pink?
Posted by admin at 05:30 | Filed In Uncategorized | Add a Comment
by Jana Royer-Morian
So, you most likely know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), right? With all the pretty pinkness around it’s kind of hard to miss. But do you know why we celebrate in October, and how all of the pretty-in-pinkness came about?
Well I am here to tell you; NBCAM was founded as a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries (now part of AstraZeneca, maker of several anti-breast cancer drugs). In October of 1983 the “Race for the Cure” was held for the first time in Dallas, Texas, where nearly 800 people participated. According to the organizers, by 2002 the number of participants reached 1.3 million and the event was held in over 100 US cities.
And now to all of the pretty pink stuff;
In 1993 Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of Estee Lauder founded The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and established the pink ribbon as its symbol. However, this was not the first time the pink ribbon had been used.
In the fall of 1991, the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons to participants in its New York City race for breast cancer survivors. These days we see this pink everywhere from world famous landmarks illuminated in pink light to draw attention to the importance of mammography screening to our NFL players who show support by wearing pink gloves, cleats, captain’s patches, and other apparel during games.
SO how do we stay on top of protecting ourselves and loved ones? The American Cancer Society recommends these screening guidelines for most adults:
- Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health
- Clinical breast exam (CBE) about every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over
- Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care provider. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s.
At Inspired Wellness Center we will be kicking off October by participating in the Denver Race for the Cure and making it a family affair! Almost everybody knows someone who has been touched by breast cancer so we hope you’ll join us in celebrating this month and the people who have had to deal with this terrible disease. You can join the fight by donating money, volunteering to do something nice for a survivor, participating in local events, encouraging loved ones to commit to scheduling their screenings or do what one local Denver woman did- paint your house pink for the month of October! (ok-the last one might be a little extreme, but you get the idea!)
Aug
21
Inspiration Where you Least Expect it
Posted by admin at 19:45 | Filed In Inspired Wellness Center, News you can Use, Uncategorized | Add a Comment
*Helps with Fatigue
*Increases your Energy
*Sick and feeling like your body is fighting to get back on track
*Surgical patients benefit from Lymphatic Therapy because helps to
remove proteins and waste products from the affected area and reduce
the swelling. This helps reduce pressure on cells and allows them to
reproduce faster to heal the body.
*Lymph node removal–such as breast cancer surgery–can cause limbs to
swell. Severe limb swelling needs the attention of a medical team, but
in milder cases, lymphatic massage alone may be enough to prevent or
even treat the swelling.
*Fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome benefits because it’s so
gentle, it is well tolerated by these patients, who are often
experiencing sore trigger points throughout the body. And by
encouraging lymph flow and removing waste products, this gentle form
of bodywork can help restore immune function and improve vitality.
*Recovering from a sports injury, Lymphatic Therapy can promote the
healing of fractures, torn ligaments, sprains and lessens pain.
*Detoxification of the entire body
*Restores hydration of the skin and stimulates the overall skin
*Reduction in fluid retention and edemas (swelling) of various origins
*Helps with post-cancer treatments including Radiation therapy
*Regeneration of tissue, including burns and wounds
*Reduces swollen ankles and legs during pregnancy.
Inspired Wellness Center is located in Arvada, Colorado and serving the surrounding Denver Metro Area. For additional information visit: www.inspired-wellness.com
Jul
26
INSPIRED BY LIFE - The most powerful story of ALL time
Posted by admin at 05:30 | Filed In Inspired Wellness Center, Jana's Journey to Wellness, Things on Jana's Mind, Uncategorized | Add a Comment
This week’s Inspired By Life comes from a patient I treated recently and is one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever heard. This woman was coming into Inspired Wellness Center for Acupuncture because of severe back pain. Now, I like to chat while doing a treatment, this is why so many of my patients become good friends… when you spend 45 minutes in a room with someone, you tend to learn a lot about them. This woman was relatively young (65 I think) and she told me that she needed her back to get better because she was going on a trip and wanted to be able to get around. Ok, I understand that, nothing extraordinary there. She went on to tell me that she suffers from a terrible form of Glaucoma (an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently damaging vision in the affected eye(s) and progressing to complete blindness) and was about 80% blind and doctors had promised she would lose the rest of her vision in the next 6 months.
-Let’s stop story time and really sit with that for a minute…
What would you do if you knew you would be blind 6 months from now?
What would you miss?
What would you want to see before it was too late?
Would you travel?
Would you spend all of your time with family while you could still see their expressions, watch them laugh?
Would you mope and feel sorry for yourself?
-Ok, back to the story. She was at a family function and was talking to her son and he asked the very same question I’m asking you. What do you still want to see? She said she had always regretted never going to Spain but now it was too late, she’s “too old” (her words, not mine!), her back hurt and she couldn’t hardly see anymore anyways. Two weeks later her son called and said, “How would you like to go to Spain with me?” It turns out that her son took out a $25,000 second mortgage on his house and bought first class tickets to everything he could think of for the tourist who wants to SEE Spain. When I met her, I had only 8 days to get her feeling as good as possible and then they took off for 18 days to travel, shop, eat, tour and SEE Spain. I’ve continued to stay in touch with this woman, and the doctors were right, the “lights eventually went out” and she lost all sight. I’ve never heard her say one thing that sounds as though she feels sorry for herself, she is only grateful for the time she did see. The smiles, the tears, the destinations, the family, the sunsets, the rainbows… she said she still see’s it all and is luckier than anyone because she can see them whenever she wants to. 
It was a powerful story and a beautiful message. What would you do for the ones you love if they were in a similar situation? When was the last time you took time to really notice the beauty of the world we live in? What is on your “bucket” list and what are you waiting for!!! Why do we wait until we have some kind of impending deadline to do the things we’ve always wanted to do. Let’s all learn from this family… be generous to the ones we love, accept and find gratitude in every situation no matter what. Let’s all get out there and do the things we’ve always wanted to do!
Inspired Wellness Center is located in Arvada, Colorado and surrounding cities of the Denver Metro Area. For more information visit: www.Inspired-Wellness.com
Blog by: Jana Royer-Morian
Jul
6
Mama Mia These Herbs are Awesome!
Posted by admin at 05:30 | Filed In Inspired Wellness Center, Jana's Journey to Wellness, News you can Use, Uncategorized | Add a Comment
There are so many different foods that we are told to stay away from. It sometimes feels like every other article I read is about how horrible this or that is for me, and if I eat to much of this or that more bad things will happen. I am here to tell you about something you should eat: Marjoram, Basil & Oregano. If you have ever made or eaten Italian food then I know you have heard or used these three herbs. They are most commonly used spices in Italian cooking and all three do great things for you. 
Marjoram helps to lift the spirits. It is spicy and intoxicating while adding flavor to rich savory dishes like meats and sauces. Marjoram bolsters insulin activity, which stabilizes mood swings causing blood sugar to spike. The scent increases the body’s production of feel-good serotonin by 90% and is a great muscle relaxant which helps to relieves body and joint discomfort. It is also antibacterial, anti-fungal, and a vasodilator that helps to lower blood pressure, promote intestinal peristalsis, expectorant, mucolytic and soothes the digestive tract. Marjoram can be used for arthritis/rheumatism, muscle/nerve pain, headaches, circulatory disorders, respiratory problems, infections, menstrual discomfort/PMS, fungal infections, ringworm, shingles, sores, spasms, and fluid retention.
Basil was used by Italian women to attract possible suitors. Basil is a powerful antispasmodic, anti-viral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxant and that also can rev up the metabolism. It can help melt belly fat in two ways: Its calcium stores suppress output of the fat storing hormone calcitriol, while its manganese keeps blood sugar levels stable to help wipe out cravings. Basil also can be used for migraines, throat/lung infections and insect bites.
Oregano is a wonderful herb with a great bite. It helps with anti-aging, anti-parasitic, powerful anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and an immune stimulant. Oregano can be used for arthritis/rheumatism, respiratory infectious diseases, infections/tuberculosis, digestive problems and pasta sauce. LOL 
These herbs are not just great to eat but also in essential oil form, too. So not only can you cook with them, but you can take them as supplement, inhale them and also apply these herbs on your skin (use caution and follow the direction of a Certified Aromatherapist). Apparently, the Italians know how to cook and take care of the body at the same time. So go out and use these herbs either by eating some great Italian or in essential oil form (which I do both) and sit back and heal baby! Now, who’s having spaghetti tonight?
Gina Dane, massage therapist and aromatherapist @ Inspired Wellness Center