What is a BBT chart? BBT stands for basal body temperature. This is the temperature of your body when it is at rest. By charting this information for several cycles you can determine when and possibly if you are ovulating. After a few cycles you will be able to predict the approximate day of peak ovulation. Also the BBT when charted can identify any potential issues in your cycle like luteal phase defect.

If you have been unsuccessful in getting pregnant don’t worry. Help is here. By having a baseline chart a well-trained acupuncturist will be able to home in on the root cause of your condition.

After an initial intake and/or questionnaire the acupuncturist can then arrive at a pattern differentiation of your unique presentation of symptoms. This means that by asking you specific questions about your health and symptoms along with tongue and pulse diagnosis, the root cause can be identified. With this information he/she can then come up with the best treatment plan for you. Keep in mind that to regulate the hormones normally takes several months especially if you’ve been taking fertility medications or birth control pills to manipulate your cycle.

If you are dealing with infertility issues it is best to give acupuncture up to 12 months to get the desired results, especially if you’ve been trying for several years. Of course there are many instances where couples have achieved success within a few months. The good news is that there is hope even if you have been told by other doctors that your chances are “low to impossible” or “look into donor eggs.” Read about my personal journey at http://www.lifegateacupuncture.com/about/our-story. Your doctor may not always be right!

When to take your BBT:

Your temperature should be taken after at least three hours of consecutive sleep and must be taken before any activity.  First thing in the morning is the best time to take it and it is best to take it roughly at the same time every day.

You may be able to confirm that you are ovulating with additional evidence like using an ovulation predictor such as ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor.

You’ll be amazed at how accurate BBT charting can be!

Empower yourself by taking control over your fertility and start charting today. Download a free printable BBT chart from my website at http://www.lifegateacupuncture.com/download-patient-forms.

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine have been shown to have a profound effect in relieving stress, anxiety and depression. As such, modern research has demonstrated its effectiveness in regulating a women’s menstrual cycle, balancing hormones, increasing blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, and even improving sperm quantity and quality.

If you are reaching this page because you’ve already read the article in Natural Awakenings then you are already on the path towards great health. Since you took the time to read the article I’d like to offer you a free no-obligation consultation and 20% off your first visit. Why wait? Call today to schedule an appointment. Also please take some time to read more about me and the services offered Lifegate Acupuncture.

If you’re reaching this page just by surfing the web then enjoy the article below and feel free to post some comments. Yes, of course you also get the free consultation and 20% off your first visit.

Here is an article I wrote for the December edition of the Palm Beach Natural Awakening Magazine. You get to read it here first!

Taking Control of Your Health – The natural approach

Discover the tremendous healing potential that exists within you.

Why “alternative” medicine should be considered first and not as an alternative.

Have you ever stopped to think about the modern health care practices in our society today? We live in such a fast-paced society based on instant gratification that the answer to the above question may be  no. Not feeling well? Take a pill. Side-effects? Take another pill. It’s sad, but that’s our culture.

Most people are looking for the quick fix and would rather avoid being accountable for their own health.

“It’s easier to take a pill” is what I hear from a lot of people in casual conversations about health.

When we’re young our bodies are generally capable of maintaining good health. But after many years of abuse by eating heavily processed foods, lack of exercise, environmental toxins, medications and stress the body can no longer cope. Our internal healing mechanisms begin to break down and lose the ability to defend and repair the body. Now what? Take a pill right?

I know plenty of individuals who are taking at least 5 or more prescription meds daily. Fortunately most of my patients are now looking to get off their medications. If these individuals we more proactive with their health they probably could have avoided going on the medications in the first place. I don’t blame them for going on the medications. They have been programmed to think and behave this way. This is the result of our modern health care system. Now more than ever people are becoming fed up with the status quo of our health care system. They are realizing it is not health care but sickness care. They are becoming more and more educated when it comes to health options.

What if there was a way to regain or maintain health safely and naturally? There is and has been available for over 5000 years. The way I am referring to is Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM. TCM is a holistic approach to healing. Chinese medicine is an extension of the Dao or the “way.” Dao is the way of life. What we eat. How we sleep. How we conduct ourselves in our daily lives. It is our lifestyle and the environment in which we live. The key is to live in harmony and balance within our environment. Many people don’t live this harmonious way. They are too busy rushing to get to the red light. Eating fast food in the car on the way to work while texting. The patients who come to see me are learning about how create their unique “way.” One that has them travelling down a path of balance and harmony. Now they’re not rushing to get to their appointment at my office while eating fast food and texting in the car on the way.

There is a major shift evolving in the paradigm of proper health. The good news is that it’s not too late to align ourselves with this shift. It will take some time but eventually most of these patients will be able to significantly reduce or eliminate their dependence on the pharmaceutical medications. They will become healthier and enjoy the quality of life that they deserve.

Recently one of my patients, who has a history of sinus infections, was told that she would need surgery since her sinuses had become completely blocked. She was repeatedly put on courses of antibiotics and surgery was the only other option presented by her physician. She didn’t want to go through an invasive procedure and asked if I could help. I treated her 3 times per week with acupuncture and herbal medicine. After 3 weeks her sinuses opened up naturally! During this time we also made changes to her eating habits which were contributing to her chronic condition. Since then she has remained healthy and has gotten back to her passion of running; an activity she was not able to do for quite some time.

Perhaps you or someone you know suffers with stress, allergies, joint pain, asthma, fatigue, digestive issues, sleeplessness, mood swings, weight gain, skin conditions or even fertility issues to name a few. These are all just signs that the body is out of balance. All of these conditions can be treated effectively and safely using natural methods.

The reason why alternative medicine is considered as an alternative is because only a few insurance plans cover acupuncture or related health services. As such people tend to go with the conventional approach. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine should be considered as a primary treatment modality in my opinion. This type of medicine is safe and highly effective. You may be able to avoid unnecessary surgeries and dangerous pharmaceutical medications with nasty side-effects.

Consider this… A few years ago only Whole Foods carried the majority of organic products sold in grocery stores. Now you can find organic foods in Walmart, Target and even Costco. You know why? Because more people are buying organic. They are making wiser choices for healthier options. Organic food may be considered an “alternative” to conventional food just as “alternative” medicine is considered an alternative to conventional medicine. It’s a choice we make.

Perhaps we might achieve something similar with providers of health insurance or government sponsored health programs  by choosing “alternative” medicine. Maybe the major insurance carriers will catch on and stock these “items” on their shelves for the masses like the superstore chains?

By maintaining your health using “alternative,” natural methods not only will you achieve long-term health benefits but you may have less out of pocket costs long-term as well. My patient above would have spent thousands of dollars if she went through with the surgery. Not only did she save money she saved herself from a potentially risky surgery and downtime following, not to mention the antibiotics she would have had to take pre and post surgery.

This type of medicine was not designed for the quick fix. It was designed to achieve long-term, sustainable results. Don’t give up if you don’t get the results you are looking for immediately. If you’ve had a negative experience with one alternative health practitioner then try another one. You will be able to connect with the right one for you.

What’s keeping you from enjoying your passions? Why wait for January 1^st to change your life when you can start today.  Don’t begin a New Year’s resolution begin a New Life revolution now.

Lifegate Acupuncture and Wellness Center of Boca Raton is here to help you achieve your goals.

Dr. Jeffrey Zurawin is a dedicated practitioner who understands your needs. Many years ago acupuncture changes his life. Now his greatest desire is to help others experience the gifts that this ancient healing art has to offer. For questions or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Zurawin contact Lifegate Acupuncture at 561.921.LIFE (5433), info@lifegateacupuncture.com or www.lifegateacupuncture.com/napb. Check out Lifegate’s listing in the Community Resource Guide section of Natural Awakenings.

http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/features/ancient-art-of-infertility-treatment

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/23/earlyshow/

saturday/main631441.shtml

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,154472,00.html