My Fight Against Fibroids

Part II : Acupuncture and the Treatment of Uterine Fibroids

2008-05-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

Part II : Acupuncture and the Treatment of Uterine Fibroids

Please join Dr. Jen Clemons for part 2 of 4 of our women's health
series. Dr. Clemons will b discussing the fundamentals of Chinese
medicine and how uterine fibroids are diagnosed in eastern medicine.
She will also explain the different diagnosing terms used in chinese
medicine related to the condition of fibroids. Lastly she will review
treatment options with acupuncture and other chinese healing
modalities.

$5 May 5th 6:30pm @ The Herb Shoppe

--
Dr. J.J. Pursell ND, LAc., Certified Herbalist
Owner
The Herb Shoppe
2410 E. Burnside
Portland, OR 97214
503-234-7801
Hours: Mondays 10-5
Tuesdays-Saturday 10-6
Sundays 12-5

When I was a child I had a very positive experience with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. I can't wait to learn about how it could possibly help with the Treatment of Uterine Fibroids!

The Herb Shoppe Hosts Lectures On Fibriods

2008-04-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

Meet with other local women who have Uterine Fibroids. Learn more about uterine fibroids, treatment options, and connect with others who also have this disease. Beginning Monday April 28th - 4 consecutive Mondays At 6:30 PM. A $5 donation per lecture per person. Meetings to be held at The Herb Shoppe 2410 E. Burnside, Portland, OR 97214 Phone Number 503-234-7801.

> April 28th - Dr. J.J. Pursell - Physiology, Questions, Botanical Medicine and Fibroids and discussion of line-up
> May 5th - Dr. Jen Clemons - Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Perspective
> May 12th - Dr. Sarah Wylie - Mayan Abdominal Massage and Fibroids
>May 19th - Dr. Heather Krebsbach - Nutrition and Supplementation for Fibroids.

Spring Term Lectures at The Herb Shoppe

2008-04-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

The tulips are up and spring is official here. And so is thebeginning of our Wednesday night lectures for the spring term. Belowis the schedule - but I'll be sure to email out weekly reminders as towhat is coming up.Look forward to upcoming weekend workshops - Urban Plants Walks andfree acupuncture Saturdays.Here's to health and the wisdom of the plant medicine.

April 9th - Allergies! - dr. Amanda Anderson
April 16th - Naturopathic Forum -
April 23rd - Herbs for Fertility - dr. Molly O'Neil
May 7th - Blending Herbal Teas - dr. Jen Clemons
May 21st - Elderberry School of Botanical Medicine Presents
June 4th - Cooking with Medicines From Your Backyard - Felicia Ferruzza
June 18th - Digestion, Heartburn and Ulcers - dr. Brian Vaitkus

Lecturs begin at 6:15 - Wednesdays - Open to all
--
Dr. J.J. Pursell ND, LAc., Certified Herbalist
OwnerThe Herb Shoppe
2410 E. Burnside
Portland, OR 97214
503-234-7801
Hours: Mondays 10-5
Tuesdays-Saturday 10-6
Sundays 12-5

IF YOU SUFFER ENDOMETRIOSIS......

2008-04-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

Then Endo Resolved is a great site to find advice, information, support, motivation, encouragement, and hope.

I love this site. It stuffed full of helpful information and links to other great sites. It has articles on the treatments of endometriosis including alternative treatments.

Is Diet Effecting Your Fertility?

2008-04-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

I was wondering if diet had any effect on fertility and found some informative articles:

Diet And Lifestyle Changes May Help Prevent Infertility From Ovulatory Disorders ScienceDaily (2007-11-04) -- Women who followed a combination of five or more lifestyle factors, including changing specific aspects of their diets, experienced more than 80 percent less relative risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to women who engaged in none of the factors, according to an article in Obstetrics & Gynecology. ... > read full article

Fat, Carbs and the Science of Conception Newsweek (2007-12-10 issue) -- In a groundbreaking new book, Harvard researchers look at the role of diet, exercise and weight control in fertility. Guarantee: you will be surprised.

Trying to conceive? Time for a fertility diet

According to my doctors even with the fibriods you can still get pregnant, however you may not be able to carry full term. I don't think I'm fertile because of my inflamed fallopian tubes. I am working on dealing with the fact that because of my age and health problems I may never give birth to a baby. I am going to see a fertility specialist but I got to mentally prepare for the worst case, so that I don't break down like I did with the fibriod diagnosis.

Does Vitalzym Work?

2008-03-31T00:32:00.000-07:00

Shrinking Fibroids Naturally: Vitalzym

I was thinking about taking expensive enzymes to treat my fibriods. However they were to expensive and I had concerns about their efficacy. The two that I was thinking about taking are Vitalzym and Nepriol. They both claim that they have Serrapeptase the most powerful proteolytic (protein eating) enzyme. According to the Vitalzym page, Serrapeptase is an enzyme that is produced in the intestines of silk worms to break down cocoon walls. Besides reducing inflammation, one of Serrapeptase's most profound benefits is reduction of pain, due to its ability to block the release of pain-inducing amines from inflamed tissues. One of the venders for Vitalzym has a message board.

According to Natural Products Industry Insider Vitalzym is being sued. Read the following excerpt.

Marlyn Decision Underscores Need for Support in Advertising:
“A new enzyme product utilizing “a 21st century systemic enzyme”, “produced with enterically-coated enzymes”, developed by “leading enzyme researchers”, vegetarian safe, without any “animal derivatives”, “just as safe” as the largest selling enzyme product in the United States but works “[three] times faster with much smaller doses”, and is “anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, [an] immune system modulator, blood cleanser, circulatory system unclogger and connective tissue strengthener, lowers cholesterol and greatly speeds healing”. The product is endorsed by a Ph.D. and doctor who “has utilized systemic enzymes in his practice for the past 15 years.” With that background, why did a federal jury in Phoenix award Marlyn Nutraceuticals Inc., dba Naturally Vitamins, $5.3 million in its claims against World Nutrition and its product Vitalzym? Because none of the claims World Nutrition was making were true.”

If had money to burn I still might try one of these products. However I’ve been feeling great with the treatment I’ve been on so I’ll bench Vitalzym and Nepriol for a while.

I want to add that I take whole Foods "Wholezyme". It contains a similar list of the enzymes/ingredients that Vitalzym has except Serrapeptase, Amla, Rutin and some of the other ingredients. Vitalzym ingredients: "Proprietary blend contains: Protease, serrapeptase, papain, bromelain, amylase, lipase, rutin and amla. For a full description of these ingredients, see the Ingredients page. Other ingredients: Cellulose, maltodextrin, silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, riboflavin, and chlorophyllin"

I found some sites that sell Serrapeptase supplements. It may be worth a try to add Serrapeptase to my regimen.

http://www.vitadigest.com/serrapeptase.html?gclid=CKL3qNSuuJICFQm6PAodUDJlLQ

http://www.physicianformulas.com/store/Scripts/prodview.asp?idproduct=93&name=Serrapeptase

These supplements are much less expensive than Vitalzym or Nepriol, however I am not sure yet if they are cost effective due to the amount of pills you have to take. Based on the Vitalzym Suggested Use when in the activation phase you take up to 15 pills a day.

Naturopathic Medicine Blog: Case Studies & Tips

2008-03-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

"Quackery" - Are ND's Quacks? Am I a Quack?!

Naturopathic Medicine Blog: Case Studies & Tips

2008-03-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

"ThinkBaby Bottles: BPA Free, Lead Free? Or are they..."

National Uterine Fibroids Foundation

2008-03-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

Here are some websites and blogs with resources and information about healthy living and for people with fibroids and endometriosis.
National Uterine Fibroids Foundation http://www.nuff.org/

Center For Uterine Fibroids http://www.fibroids.net/
http://www.fibroids.net/resources.html

Medline Plus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/uterinefibroids.html

Obgyn.net http://www.obgyn.net/fibroid-resource-center/

Meet Up http://uterinefibroids.meetup.com/

You Are What you Eat http://parentunderground.wordpress.com/

Yahoo Groups http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/uterinefibroids/

CCHS ua library
http://cchs-dl.slis.ua.edu/patientinfo/gynecology/uterinedisorders/fibroids.htm

Sex Lies and Uterine Fibroids http://www.uterinefibroids.com/

Shrinking Fibroids Naturally http://shrinkingfibroids.blogspot.com/

Mind Mart http://mind-mart.com/

The Fit Shack - Weight Loss Food Addiction Motivation Mind-Body Connection Healthy Diet http://www.thefitshack.com

Naturopathic Medicine Blog: Case Studies & Tips http://www.healthegoods.com/blog.html

Hysterectomy - the Experts Speak Out: Fibroids: you never need a hysterectomy for fibroids

2008-03-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

Hysterectomy - the Experts Speak Out: Fibroids: you never need a hysterectomy for fibroids

Glamour Magazine: Find a better birth control

2008-03-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

Found an article on birth control in a recent copy of Glamour magazine. It covers Barrier Methods, Hormonal Methods, and Long-Term Methods of birth control with reviews from women who use them.

I have not used hormonal methods of birth control for several years. Not using the pill may have made me more susceptible to developing uterine fibriods. Read: Risk Factors for Uterine Fibroids Same as Those For Endometrial Cancer, New Pill Study Finds. After my diagnosis of uterine fibriods I was put on the pill in the hopes that it would stop the bleeding. I asked and was told the the pill would not effect the size of my fibriods. I was on the pill for about six months and not only did the bleeding not stop it got worse. Also I could feel and see (as my abdomen area started to expand, like I was pregnant) my fibriods getting bigger! I have been off the pill for about 3 months now, doing my regimen, and I've seen marked improvement. I am not advocating any particular method. By not using hormonal birth control I am doing what I think is best for my body right now.

Here is another article on Birth Control Pills and Uterine Fibroids. It has a better list of hormanal birth control side effects however in regards to the pill promoting the growth of existing uterine fibriods it says this:

Birth control pills, also called oral contraceptives, control the body's estrogen and progesterone levels (progestin is a synthetic form of the body's progesterone). Even though estrogen and progestin have a role in uterine fibroid growth, birth control pills do not affect the size of fibroids. However, birth control pill use improves heavy menstrual bleeding, which can be caused by uterine fibroids.

Todays Top 6 Articles on Uterine Fibriods

2008-03-19T12:56:00.000-07:00

On March 19, 2008, I did a Google News search and here are the top 6 articles:

Embolization a Nonsurgical Way to Treat Fibroids

2008-03-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

Here is an article published on March 18, 2008 regarding Uterine Artery Embolization, as a nonsurgical way to treat uterine fibriods.

During 2007 the only treatment my doctors mentioned for my fibriods was a Hysterectomy. Luckily my mother mentioned UFE. I did an internet search and found that in Portland, Oregon the Oregon Health & Science University was conducting UFE. Unfortunately in December 2007 after an appointment with the OHSU Interventional Radiologist, I was told that I was not a good candidate for their program. Shortly after receiving this information I decide to attempt to shrink my fibriods with holistic treatments in the hope that I could become a good candidate for UFE.
Check out this except from the article:

"But Lipman suspected that -- despite the procedure's efficacy -- many women aren't being made aware of UAE. In his study, the Emory researcher interviewed 105 women being seen at an Atlanta-area fibroid practice to assess whether or not they had been told by their gynecologists that uterine artery embolization was an option. Lipman pointed out that gynecologists don't perform UAE, interventional radiologists do. So, if women were not informed about the procedure by their gynecologist, Lipman asked how they learned about UAE.
He found that only 33 percent of the women were given uterine artery embolization as an option, and most of these patients were referred from a single health-care organization -- one that requires doctors to present all options. The most common way that the remaining women found out about uterine artery embolization was eitherfrom radio advertisements or the Internet"

Not to bash doctors, but we can not rely only on doctors to give us information. When it comes to our health, we need all the facts and information we can get so that we can make an informed decision. That is why I created this blog and that is why you should pass the information on to your friends and family.

Spring Detox Week!

2008-03-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!Spring is here! Can you feel it all around you? Well - now is the perfect time to not only clean house - but clean your internal house -your body! Spring is the time of the liver - and by utilizing the spring energy momentum - this week is designated spring detox week here at The Herb Shoppe. Wednesday night free lecture - Spring detox - we will talk about Detox tea and the many herbs that support and nourish our bodies elimination organs as well as the herbs that stimulate the process. Wednesday night - 6:15 Saturday - March 22nd - 9am -11am - a two hour class dedicated to herbal detox. Learn about types of detox and fasting and which is best for you. $30 Please call to register. Happy Spring and be well!

Dr. J.J. Pursell ND, LAc., Certified Herbalist
Owner
The Herb Shoppe2410 E. Burnside
Portland, OR 97214503-234-7801
Hours: Mondays 10-5
Tuesdays-Saturday 10-6
Sundays 12-5

Estrogen dominance is it real?

2008-03-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this site Cure Zone, Educating Instead of Medicating while looking up info on Hormones in our foods. It seems to be a collection of blogs, articles and forums. There is some stuff there that I think is quack, but there is also some good information. I found these articles on Estrogen Dominance and on MILK - The hidden toxins that I thought was interesting.

Look Younger, Feel Stronger - Wednesday Night Lecture

2008-03-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

"Look Younger, Feel Stronger: Learn Five Ways to Help You AgeGracefully"Wednesday March 12th - 6:15pmEvery day you hear about all the harmful effects of stress:heart disease, weight gain, early aging, even cancer has beenlinked to long-term stress. Just reading about stress and itsdamaging effects causes a stress response! Dr. Teresita Martineztalks about how stress, and other, less obvious insults may beleading you down a path to early aging.
--
J.J. Pursell ND, LAc., Certified Herbalist
Owner
The Herb Shoppe
2410 E. Burnside
Portland, OR 97214
503-234-7801
Hours: Mondays 10-5
Tuesdays-Saturday 10-6
Sundays 12-5

Botany for Herbalists & Plant Walk

2008-03-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

March 9, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
The Herb Shoppe @ 2410 E. Burnside
Accompanying Neighborhood Plant Walk after the Botany Class will lastfrom 12:00 -2:00 pmJoin Gradey Proctor from the Arctos School of Herbal and BotanicalStudies on March 9th for a little botanical investigation followed bya stroll through the neighborhood. This will be the first in a seriesof three such classes that meet as the seasons progress.We will meet in the Herb Shoppe at 11am to learn some practical botanyto help us identify plants in the field. Then from 12pm to 2pm we willvisit some of the neighborhood plants and weeds that we can use forfood and medicine.Take both the Class and Walk for the suggested donation of 5 to 10 dollars.Gradey Proctor is a botanist who studies the flora of Oregon's forestsand wildcrafts medicinal and edible plants for his community. He hassurrounded himself with plants in many aspects of his life, from yearsof nursery work, to working on a CSA farm, from monitoring timbersales with Bark, to teaching at the NW School of Herbs and the ArctosSchool.Visit Arctosschool.org to learn more about our work.
--
Dr. J.J. Pursell ND, LAc., Certified HerbalistOwner
The Herb Shoppe
2410 E. Burnside
Portland, OR 97214
503-234-7801
Hours: Mondays 10-5
Tuesdays-Saturday 10-6
Sundays 12-5

Free Acupuncture Treatment - This Saturday!

2008-02-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

Casey McGuire LAc. will return this Saturday March 1st from 3:30-5:30to offer free information and provide demonstrations of chinesemedicine and acupunture. If you have ever wondered how chinesemedicine works, what acupuncture feels like, or what benefits it canhave for you - this is a great way to try it out - and it's free!
Come sit and relax and feel the power of your Qi - join Casey this Saturday.
Please call the shoppe - no pre-registration is necessary - stop byanytime between 3:30 and 5:30.
Be well and be happy!
--
J.J. Pursell ND, LAc., Certified Herbalist Owner
The Herb Shoppe
2410 E. BurnsidePortland,
OR 97214503-234-7801
Hours: Mondays 10-5
Tuesdays-Saturday 10-6
Sundays 12-5

More On BPA And Other Toxins

2008-02-21T11:13:00.000-08:00

I brought up the bad news about plastic and Bisphenol A (BPA) but I did not bring up any solutions. The best course of actions seems to be gathering information and avoiding toxins. According to The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) plastics with the recycle symbols 3, 6, and 7 should be avoided. For more specific information go to IATP's website and read the following PDF's: Smart Plastics Guide, Smart Meat and Dairy Guide, Smart Produce Guide, and Smart Fish Guide. Here is another article that I thought was informative Plastics and Children: Friend Or Foe.
I'm starting to feel like chicken little, but I think it's worth passing on the information. I am making a move back to all natural, organic, hormone free ect. Being in the field of Cosmetology I am also taking a look at my cosmetics. What I have found so far is not encouraging. Did you know that none of the cosmetics that we use has to be approved for safety by the FDA before hitting the market? There is a searchable cosmetics safety database called Skin Deep where you can research your cosmetics ingredients and see if and how toxic they are. Also you might want to check out these books: Not Just A Pretty Face the Ugly Side Of the Beauty Industry, Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What's at Stake for American Power and the Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients: Complete Information About the Harmful and Desirable Ingredients Found in Cosmetics and Cosmeceuticals.
I don’t know for certain if there is a direct cause and effect between environmental toxins and my getting fibroids. However I do believe that constant exposure to toxins might pose some health ricks for me and that putting effort into reducing my exposure to toxins could over all be good for my health.

Obesity and Fibriods

2008-02-19T11:42:00.000-08:00

Since about 2004 I had been leading a sedentary life style. Because of that I gained a lot of weight. I had at least two jobs and worked several graveyard shifts on top of a regular 40 hours a week day job. I ate whatever I wanted anytime I wanted to and I justified it by telling my self that I worked hard. I “treated” myself to a lot of fast foods and sweets. I don’t drink carbonated drinks like soda, I don’t smoke, I rarely drink alcoholic beverages, and I was not using birth control pills.

In 2006 I started to feel very tired all the time. I had joint pain, and I would have these wicked leg cramps. I was hungry all the time. I was stressed out. I could eat and eat and never feel satisfied. My periods started wigging out. I went from no cramps, no PMS and 4 days of light bleeding to 7 to 9 days of cramps, acne breakouts, PMS, and heavy to moderate (including blood clots) bleeding. Over time my period got worse, i.e. heavier and longer to the point where I became anemic. I was depressed and tired all the time. I tried dieting to lose weight, but it was so hard or harder than usual. I lacked the energy to exercise, and my hunger and craving were overwhelming. I’m telling you all this because I think my excessive weight (my FAT) and my completely non-nutritious diet was a direct contributor to my fibroids. In effect I feel as though I was poisoning myself, and I was not listening to what my body was telling me. It wasn’t until the Doctors told me that they wanted to take my uterus and maybe my ovaries out of me, that I woke up.

Obesity seems like a ticking time bomb that is fueled by our diets and sedentary lifestyles. For me (so far) my bomb was fibroids, but obesity can manifest in our bodies in all kinds of nasty ways. There are so many articles about obesity and hormone imbalances, obesity and cancer, obesity and infertility, obesity and heart attacks, the list goes on. Check out the links below.

Counsel Patients on “Weight Loss For Life” To Prevent Obesity Effects

Medical Complications of Obesity
Obesity FAQ’s;
Some studies show obese women are at increased risk of having fibroids;
Obese Women, Reproductive Problems, and Infertility;
Obesity has closer association with infertility menstrual and reproductive abnormalities;

Obesity and Cancer;
Facts About Fibroids;
Obesity 'fuelling cancer timebomb';
Heart attack

Cortisol Connection: Tips on Managing Stress and Weight

OHSU Research Reveals The Complexities Of Obesity/cortisol Interactions
It is shear luck that I stumbled across a book that got me thinking that maybe I had other options besides surgery. My holistic regimen is about taking control of what I put and do to my body, understanding my body, balancing out my hormones (i.e. my estrogen to progesterone ratio) and supporting/healing my liver (so that it can do it’s job of removing/detoxing excess estrogen and other toxins) with lots of reading and talking to medical professionals, an anti-inflammatory diet, supplements and herbs. I know there are lots of overweight and skinny women who are perfectly healthy, and I’m glad for them, but I had to listen to my body I had to empower myself. I do all this so I can hopefully keep my uterus and ovaries. I eat right to live right; to live longer and healthier, I eat right to keep myself whole, intact and healthy. Crazy as it might sound so far its been working.

To sum it up: Being, fat, over weight, sedentary, obese, however you want to put it….FAT is BAD. Estrogen overload is BAD. Not listening to your body, ignoring signs like menstrual and reproductive abnormalities, can lead to BAD things.

Bisphenol A: Something Else to Worry About

2008-02-15T11:20:00.000-08:00

Bisphenol a came up during the lecture at the Herb Shoppe By Dr. Wylie. The next day I did a search and...WOW. Ok so the skinny on uterine fibroid growth (and some other abnormal growths) is that they feed on excess hormones, i.e that they are estrogen-dependant. The use of Progesterone to treat uterine fibroids is confounding, so I’m going to leave that alone for now. The bottom line is according to Life Extension’s book on Disease Prevention and Treatment

“That women with uterine fibroids should attempt to lessen the entry of exogenous estrogen substances into their systems.”

Life Extension goes on to say that

“Control of estrogen is difficult in our estrogen-laden environment...Various agricultural chemicals MIMIC the activity and structural description of estrogen, provoking heightened estrogen receptivity on estrogen receptor sites.”

So where does Bisphenol A (BPA) come in? Well if you do a google search you find a lot of information and a movement to have this stuff banned. According to an article on The Green Guide website written by Catherine Zandonella, M.P.H, BPA “mimics naturally occurring estrogen, a hormone that is part of the
endocrine system, the body's finely tuned messaging service. "These hormones
control the development of the brain, the reproductive system and many other
systems in the developing fetus," says Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D., a
developmental biologist at the University of Missouri. Endocrine-disrupting
chemicals can duplicate, block or exaggerate hormonal responses. "The most harm is to the unborn or newborn child," vom Saal says.”
Trying to avoid BPA might be a little tricky, the article goes on to say “Plastic water and baby bottles, food and beverage can linings and dental sealants are the most commonly encountered uses of this chemical. Unfortunately,it doesn't stay put. BPA has been found to leach from bottles into babies' milk or formula; it migrates from can liners into foods and soda and from epoxy resin-lined vats into wine; and it is found in the mouths of people who've
recently had their teeth sealed. Ninety-five percent of Americans were found to
have the chemical in their urine in a 2004 biomonitoring study by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”
Also

“BPA was thrust into the spotlight by a laboratory mishap. In August 1998,geneticist Patricia Hunt, Ph.D., now at Washington State University in Pullman,noticed that chromosomal errors in the mouse cells she was studying had shot
up—from 1 or 2 percent to 40 percent, as published in the April 2003 Current
Biology. Hunt traced the effect to polycarbonate cages and water bottles that
had been washed with a harsh detergent. When her team replaced all the caging
materials with non-polycarbonate plastics, the cell division returned to
normal.”

And

“Meanwhile, new studies continue to reveal the potential for harm. A January 2006 study indicates that BPA may enhance the risk of developing Type II diabetes. Angel Nadal, Ph.D., and his team at the University of Miguel Hernández de Elche in Alicante, Spain, found that BPA altered the function of mouse pancreatic cells, which produce insulin. Unhealthy diet, a lack of exercise and a genetic predisposition are the main factors in triggering diabetes, says Nadal. "However, our feeling is that these factors could be exacerbated by the presence of environmental pollutants such as bisphenol A."”

If you can deal read the rest of the article by clicking here.

Feeling Good & Not So Crazy!!

2008-02-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

It’s been about 35 days since I first wondered into the Herb Shoppe and met JJ. Since beginning my regimen, the almost constant bleeding (menorrhagia) has stopped. I’ve lost about 10 pounds. My color came back. My abdomen is no longer tight, bloated and distended. When I press on my abdomen area I can no longer feel the hard spots which I assumed were my fibroids. My face, hands and feet are no longer bloated. My teenage acne that turned in to adult acne just went away. I have treated my acne with everything from retinal, to tetracycline, to Acutane. None of which worked as well and with out negative side effects. I have more energy and can now exercise. My insatiable hunger has gone away and I eat much less and much more healthier. My cravings are manageable so it is easier for me to make healthy food choices. I am not depressed, I feel happier and more like myself. I sleep well. I am no longer constipated and I don’t have to pee every ten minutes.

When I first went into the Herb Shoppe I was on day 4 of my menstrual cycle, which means I was on the placebo/sugar pills of my birth control pack. I did not start the pill again so effectively I stopped taking the pill without any problems. My period started exactly on the 28th day of my menstrual cycle. My period was totally manageable with no large blood clots. The bleeding was nowhere close to what it was. The cramps were milder and were manageable with my cramp relief tincture. The Castor Oil Packs feel great anytime but were especially comforting when I was cramping. I take that as a good indication that my hormones are balancing out.

I feel great so far. I still want to incorporate systemic enzyme therapy into my regimen. I am doing research now and will post what I find out. I also still want to try acupuncture and message. I was thinking about Reflexology by the Mayan Message sounds interesting. One of the things that I should be doing but have not yet is Alternating Sitz Baths. According to Herbal Healing Secrets:

"Sitz bathes help to move blood into the pelvic area, which improves circulation and relives the stagnation that contributes to the development of uterine fibroids."

I haven’t because of time and space to do it. Well see maybe down the road, after my next ultra sound in a few months.

I don't feel crazy anymore for taking this holistic approach.

Heavy Periods & Informative Forum

2008-02-13T13:08:00.000-08:00

My cousin sent me some information on a non hormonal treatment for heavy periods called Novasure. Also while doing research she came across the website http://www.steadyhealth.com/index.php which has a forum on Womens health-> Reproductive Organs -> vaginal Problems. The Forum has post from people about their medical problems. Also there are articles that I found very informative. Like do you know what POF is, I didn't. It's Premature Ovarian Failure. The more you know....
The forums and articles are not a substitute for medical advise and diagnosis from a licensed professional. However they are useful in gathering information to ask and/or talk to your doctor about.

Professional Referrals In Your Area

2008-02-13T11:25:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a naturopathic physician and/or a licensed acupuncturist in your area, the National College Of Natural Medicine (NCNM), Portland Oregon has a Professional Referrals page where you can conduct a search. Super Cool!!

Herbs for Women - Wednesday Night Free Lecture At The Heb Shoppe

2008-02-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

Join Dr. Sarah Wylie ND, Licensed Midwife, this Wednesday February
13th for a lecture on herbs and botanical medicine for women. Dr.
Wylie is very knowledgeable on the varies herbs used to support and
nourish the female reproductive system. She is also a trained
professional in the mayan abdominal massage. The focus of this lecture
will be herbs to balance and support the uterus, menstruation and
reproductive health.

Wednesday February 13th - 6:15

--
J.J. Pursell ND, LAc., Certified Herbalist
Owner
The Herb Shoppe
2410 E. Burnside
Portland, OR 97214
503-234-7801
Hours: Mondays 10-5
Tuesdays-Saturday 10-6
Sundays 12-5