| The Holistic Approach to Pregnancy | | | | experienced doctor of Chinese medicine, it is important |
| The miracle of birth is one of the wonders of life, yet | | | | to find a reliable supplier. Many large cities have a |
| many families are denied this joy. The primary cause | | | | "Chinatown" district downtown; while the expense of |
| of female infertility in the Western world is physical in | | | | travel may seem prohibitive, the alternative -- relying |
| nature, yet conventional allopathic medicine cannot | | | | upon herbs of questionable quality -- can have dire |
| adequately cure a significant minority of these cases. | | | | effects. When searching the Internet to source an |
| This is not a fault of nature, rather a failing on the part | | | | herbal remedy, evaluate the credibility of the retailer: |
| of traditional medical science: Chinese herbalists and | | | | one is better safe than sorry. |
| practitioners have long known the secrets to a healthy | | | | The Secret of Qi |
| natural pregnancy. The fundamental problem is one of | | | | Eastern religions have long known mind as body as |
| scientific approach to the human body: Western | | | | unity. The physical body creates an electromagnetic |
| medicine analyzes isolated symptoms; traditional | | | | field of biochemical energy which surrounds and |
| Chinese medicine understands that body and mind are | | | | permeates it, and interacts with the fields of others: the |
| one. | | | | Taoist interpretation of this knowledge underlies all |
| Increasing Fertility Naturally | | | | Chinese medicine. While methods of cultivating qi vary, |
| The way to become pregnant fast is to prepare the | | | | from physically oriented practices such as t'ai chi, to |
| body to carry a baby to term. The womb is a | | | | the meditations of monks and philosophers, there is a |
| subsystem of the female anatomy, with its own | | | | simple, time-tested, and reliable means of raising the |
| nutritional needs. The importance of diet and exercise | | | | energy level: |
| cannot be overemphasized. Increasing fiber intake, | | | | 1. Sit comfortably in a chair and relax the body. |
| reducing saturated fats, consuming "healthy" fats such | | | | 2. Close the eyes. |
| as nuts and olive oil in moderation, and relying upon | | | | 3. Focus the awareness on the breath. |
| lean sources of protein such as fish and poultry are | | | | 4. Inhale slowly to a count of eight, placing the hands |
| recommended. Additionally, the Chinese developed | | | | upon the lower abdomen. The diaphragm muscles |
| sophisticated regimens of herbs to supplement the | | | | should expand. |
| body's natural production of hormones. An important | | | | 5. Hold the breath momentarily, and then exhale to a |
| consideration is "balance." Holistic pregnancy is a | | | | count of eight. |
| causal result of the unity of body and spirit; the fertility | | | | 6. Repeat the cycle of inhalation and exhalation, |
| of the natural world absorbs easily into the | | | | continuing for a period of about ten minutes. |
| bloodstream with careful use of appropriate herbal | | | | 7. Open the eyes, stretch the body, and enjoy the |
| remedies. | | | | sensation of energy and renewal. |
| Using Natural Herbs Safely | | | | While performing the above exercise, it is important |
| In China the use of herbs -- roots, leaves, stems, and | | | | simply to relax, to return the mind to the breath if it |
| seeds -- to stimulate fertility naturally is simply a part of | | | | should wander, and to allow the life-force of the |
| the culture. Apothecaries study the proper way to | | | | universe to restore the body to its natural state of |
| prepare herbs, blending complex formulae often | | | | health. While the hectic pace of modern life often |
| comprised of more than fifteen individual plants; thus, | | | | precludes daily practice, performing the breathing |
| their pregnancy supplements are reliable, if not | | | | exercise four times a week suffices to balance the |
| pharmaceutical in precision. Unfortunately, the | | | | body, and release the accumulated toxicity of stress |
| understanding of the proper use of herbal fertility aids | | | | and worry which prevent the body from nurturing new |
| has yet to "catch on" in most Western cities. | | | | life. Be well! |
| Therefore, not only is it necessary to find an | | | | |