East/West Acupuncture
Scottsdale, Arizona
Dasha Trebichavska, L.Ac.,RN, M.S.
Available Modalities
Acupuncture Herbal Medicine Nutritional Support Chi Nei Tsang Homeopathy Photonic Therapy
East/West AcupunctureScottsdale, ArizonaDasha Trebichavska, L.Ac.,RN, M.S.
Available ModalitiesAcupuncture Herbal Medicine Nutritional Support Chi Nei Tsang Homeopathy Photonic Therapy
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Traditional Chinese Medicine Has a Long Tradition of Successfully Treating Gynecological Issues."Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos--the trees, the clouds, everything." Thich Nhat HanhRE: infertility issues: "Make sure your endocrine function (thyroid, insulin, cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, FSH, DHEA, testosterone levels) are thoroughly tested by an endocrinologist before you engage with infertility clinics. Many clients undergo IUI, IVF, etc. cycles and fail due to undiagnosed endocrine malfunction which can often be corrected." |
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| Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Hormone Therapy Dangers, What Are Hormones |
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| Fibroids--Shrink Uterine Fibroids with Chinese Herbal Medicine |
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| Natural Hormone Therapy/Self Assessment--Hormone Testing (estrogen, progesterone, thyroid) |
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Though many of us are taught otherwise, menopause in not a disease; it is a normal physiological transition in a woman's life from a reproductive to a non-reproductive age. The main problems a woman is likely to experience with menopause, with varying degrees of severity, are: tiredness, lethargy, irritability, anxiety, nervousness, depression, insomnia, inability to concentrate, hot flushes, vaginal dryness, and sweating.
The severity of the problems a woman will experience during menopause depends on her lifestyle, dietary habits, and constitutional strengths and weaknesses. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) demonstrates high efficacy in treatment of many gynecological problems, including menopause. It can reliably offer relief to those women who are experiencing a rocky transition in their menopausal years.
TCM practitioners treat every woman according to her specific physical, mental and emotional signs. From the standpoint of Chinese Medicine, menopausal symptoms are generally due to a decline of kidney essence. There are many variations of approaches, based on which specific organ system is most instrumental in creating disharmony (liver and kidney yin deficiency, heart blood deficiency, excess fire, etc.) A skillful TCM practitioner can recognize these patterns and treat them accordingly--with acupuncture or/and herbs.
If the woman is on hormone replacement therapy, treatment with Chinese herbs is not contraindication because the two work in significantly different ways. HRT could be stopped without dangerous reactions. Although the symptoms of menopause might return, well-tailored Chinese herbal formula could help to ameliorate them. The following symptoms could be alleviated with Traditional Chinese medicine: hot flashes, irregular menses, fatigue, decreased sexual desire, night sweats, insomnia, mood swings, urinary incontinence, irritability, UTI, heart palpitations, forgetfulness, memory loss, indigestion, dizziness, headaches, and more.
Many women in their mid 30's start experiencing a decline in their endocrine functions. Signs of this decline include: frequent tiredness, low libido, night sweating, feeling excessively hot and/or cold, blood sugar imbalance (gaining weight easily), water retention, anxiousness, depression, and irregular periods. Women with these signs will most probably enter their menopausal years early and their symptoms will be severe unless they balance their organs with nutrients, herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture or other types of natural therapies. Taking synthetic hormones such as estrogen or progestin, as many doctors suggest, only helps to put out the fire temporarily and poses other health dangers such as blood clotting, high cholesterol, and an increased risk of cancer. (A recent government study showed that adding progestin to estrogen did not protect the women from getting cancer). There are other options available. A woman ask can her gynecologist to prescribe bio-identical hormones, such as estriol and progesterone, which do not produce side affects like synthetic hormones do (their molecular structure is identical to women's own hormones). The other source of hormones are plants (phyto-hormones). The phyto-hormones vary in their strength and therefore should be prescribed and monitored by a trained practitioner such as acupuncturist, naturopath, osteopath, etc. Remifemin is a product often use in Europe. It is a source of plant estrogen from black cohosh and long term studies have shown no negative side affects. Warning: plant hormones, especially when concentrated could be as potent and potentially harmful as pharmaceutical hormones and women with history of cancer should be cautious. The bests approach is to regulate endocrine function (by strengthening adrenal, thyroid, pituitary functions) with homeopathy, diet, yoga,etc. rather than supplementing with natural or synthetic hormones. Hormones are very powerful cellular modulators and should be used with caution.
For a woman who manifests the signs I mentioned above, I would recommend:
- using a good diet: reduced carbohydrates-pastas, breads, sugars, sufficient intake of protein and good oils (olive, flax, fish--omega-3), organic source of vegetables and fruits; using specific nutrients and herbal remedies to strengthen her liver, adrenal glands, thyroid, and digestion--organs which tend to become hypo-functional with age (consult an acupuncturist, nutritionist, naturopath, etc).
-resorting to natural hormones for a short period of time if her symptoms are strong and unbearable while balancing her body with homeopathy, dietary and lifestyle changes.
An article published by the San Francisco Chronicle on June 25, 2003 talks about two studies which found a marked increase of breast cancer in menopausal and pre-menopausal women who took combination hormone therapy of estrogen and progestin. The Women’s Health Initiative research found that women who took the estrogen-progestin combination and had their uterus were more likely to develop breast tumors that were larger and more advanced than those who took a placebo. Both hormones cause thickening of breast tissue and make mammograms cloudier which hide early signs of cancer .The second study done at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center also reported a marked increase in breast cancer risk in women who took combination hormone therapy regardless weather they took progestin continuously or with a break. The second study did not report an increase in breast cancer in women who took estrogen only. Many doctors now believe that the progestin part of the combination hormone therapy is causing most of the health problem.
Why is it that menopausal women who take combination hormone therapy (estrogen and progestin) have an increased risk of breast cancer? And why does incidence of breast cancer increase specifically with progestin? My theory is that the hormones women take must have a different effect on breast tissue than the hormones their bodies produce. Initially mostly estrogen was used in treatment of menopausal symptoms. Over the years many studies have shown its’ strong mitogenic effect in human breast tissue. It has been found that oestradiol (commonly prescribed form of estrogen) could increase breast cancer risk and some of its metabolites might cause direct DNA damage (1). Progesterone was thought to be a hormone that would oppose estrogen and therefore protect the breast tissue. Researches found that progesterone did not affect proliferation of breast epithelial cells either alone or after E2 priming (2) and no mitogenic effect was seen in human breast tissue in mice after administration of progesterone (3). At the end, the combination therapy failed to protect women from breast cancer. Why? According to D. Boomsma and J. Paoletti (4), cancers develop in epithelial cells which have finite life span. When stimulated by estrogen, the BCL2 gene causes breast cells to grow rapidly and prevents cell death. Progesterone induces apoptosis—a cell death by up-regulating the P53 gene. Synthetic progestins occupy the progesterone receptor site and inhibit the binding of endogenous progesterone to the receptor. Synthetic progestins do not produce the P53 gene. This could increase the risk of breast cancer because the BCL2 gene is upregulated by estradiol and its’ action is unopposed by P53.
Resources:
Be aware that not every woman needs hormone replacement therapy and therefore become dependent on the outside source of hormones for a prolonged period of time. The healthy body makes all the necessary hormones in the right amounts needed for the whole duration of woman's life. Therefore, most women need to practice prevention and overall health maintenance to avoid hormone imbalance. If a sign of hormone imbalance is strong, women may first consider treating her health issue with herbs, nutritional support, balanced diet, and exercise. Hormone replacement should come in a second place and last maximum 5 years.
Hormones are chemical substances that possess regulatory effects on tissues in the body and are important for our feeling of well being. They are produced by tissues and endocrine glands like thyroid, ovaries, pancreas, adrenals, pituitary and are carried by blood to the target organs where they help regulate cellular functions. The two hormones primarily involved in women's health are estrogen and progesterone. Other hormones that play important role in woman's health are testosterone, thyroid, and insulin.
Modern women are exposed to many environmental and lifestyle challenges that alter the function of their endocrine glands and therefore change the production of hormones. The overload of stress and chemicals in our environment and foods are the main contributors to today's epidemic of menopausal symptoms, PMS, cysts, fibroids, cancers, and other conditions. Both estrogen and progesterone are out of balance in today's women and may need to be restored in proper ratio and in their natural forms. Women in western societies have a tendency to excess estrogen and lack of progesterone (due to unovulatory cycles in many women), and also have thyroid and insulin imbalance, all of which manifests as PMS, obesity, cysts and fibroids, heavy menstrual cycles, migraines, hot flashes, mood swings, breast and other cancers.
The first step towards balancing your hormones is to change your diet and use herbal medicine to help you balance your endocrine system. If this approach fails, or your symptoms of hormone imbalance are severe, try to incorporate hormone therapy. Usually, topical creams can help restore mild hormonal imbalance and occasionally oral high doses of both hormones are needed to correct gynecological imbalance (in case of severe hot flashes, insomnia, sweating, irritability, miscarriages, etc.). One has to be aware that long term studies of hormone replacement therapy have not been conducted and thus it is advisable to be on a conservative side when using hormones (including "natural" = bio-identical). The current suggested time limit on hormone use is 5 years.
Bio-identical hormones match the body's own hormones (have the same molecular structure); they are synthesized from a plant (yam or soy) and work in the body in the same way one's hormones do (wild yam is not bio-identical since the body has to synthesize it into a progesterone molecule). In addition, bio-identical hormones do not interfere with one's own hormone production. Women have to take a sufficient amount in order to feel the desirable effect. Premarin, Provera, Progestin, etc. are synthetic hormones prescribed by most doctors. These hormones mimic the function of natural progesterone and estrogen and often create undesirable side effects.
breast stimulation, salt and fluid retention, increased fat in the body, depression and headaches, interferes with thyroid hormone, increased blood clotting, decreases libido, impairs blood sugar control, increased risk of breast cancer, causes endometrial cancer, reduced oxygen levels in all cells, prevents loss of bone slightly
protects against breast fibrocysts, natural diuretic, helps use fat for energy, natural anti-depressant, facilitates thyroid hormone utilization, normalizes blood clotting, restores libido, normalizes blood sugar levels, restores proper cell oxygen levels, prevents endometrial cancer, helps prevent breast cancer, stimulates boned bone building, necessary for survival of embryo, precursor of cortisone and sex hormones.
To take an armpit temperature you
need: a glass or basal thermometer (available in drug stores). You will take
your temperature the moment you wake up without getting up from your bed for 10
minutes (at least 4 mornings) and not when you feel sick or near the ovulatory
phase of your (woman's cycle--the 12th day of a 28 day cycle). The temperature
readings should be above 97.6 F to indicate normal thyroid function.
is a puzzling hormonal and immune disease. The tissue that lines the inside of the uterus and builds up and sheds each month in the menstrual cycle is found outside the uterus where is causes inflammation of tissue and pain and subsequent scarring. Western medical treatment is with hormones that stop the menstrual cycle and pain killing medication. The alternative treatments include correction of immune function (improved blood and lymph circulation, eliminating allergies, and treating for Candida albicans.)
Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) describes a series of emotional and physical symptoms occurring before a woman's period. These symptoms vary in intensity from very mild to extremely serious. Factors such as dietary habits, workload, sexual activity, exercise, and emotional strain play a big role in PMS.
Acupuncture and herbs can provide enormous relief from PMS. In TCM, the main locus of disharmony is the liver and spleen organ systems. The liver is in charge of storing blood and moving chi (energy), while the spleen controls creation of the blood in the body. The predominating cause of PMS is chi stagnation. Acupuncture and herbs can help release the stagnation and ease the symptoms. It usually takes a few menstrual periods to regulate the cycle completely.
Complications arising from PMS can occur if symptoms stay untreated for many years. Chi stagnation leads to blood stagnation which leads to lumps, cysts, lesions, and even cancerous tumors in the breasts and uterus. So it is important to deal with PMS as soon as possible.
is the inability to conceive children due to structural and/or functional blocks. Both men and women equally contribute to the infertility problem . The most frequent infertility cases are women that have unovulatory cycles and those who cannot produced high enough amount of progesterone to keep the fetus implanted in the uterus, which often leads to bleeding and miscarriage. Dr. Lee uses natural progesterone frequently to correct this one cause of infertility--high doses of progesterone can help a woman who habitually miscarried to maintain her pregnancy. The other hormone that is crucial for normal pregnancy is thyroid--even mild, sub-clinical hypothyroidism could hinder the process of getting pregnant--all T3, T4, TSH and TRH should get tested.
are solid lumps of muscle and connective tissue, typically benign (non-cancerous) that grow in the uterus. Complications result in hemorrhaging and/or miscarriage. Fibroids create problems for up to half of women that have them and they grow too big, they have to be surgically removed, they shrink after menopause (due to natural hormone decline). There is a strong evidence that fibroids have a genetic and hormonal connection. (dominant estrogen and or hormone damage on genetic level seem to a play role in development of fibroids). According to Dr. John Lee, the author of What Doctors May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer and other books, when treating small fibroids, one should consider keeping estrogen low, when treating large fibroids, both estrogen and progesterone should be kept as low as possible. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture has shown good results for treatment of small size fibroids.
You do not have to wait until menopause for fibroids to go away or have them removed surgically. Both the Chinese and Japanese have used successfully herbal patent remedy called Kuei-chih-fui-ling-wan for fibroid therapy. A study was conducted on women with fibroids with 10 cm and less in diameter. The women were treated with 22.5 grams per day of the mentioned remedy for twelve weeks or more. The formula improved 47 out of 110 cases, and normalized 21 for women ranging from 27-52. It is often used for ovarian cyst removal as well.
are fluid filled sacs that form on or in the ovaries. They often produce no symptoms, but if they get large, they may create a sensation of pelvic pressure and fullness. If there are many small cysts in an ovary, the condition is called polycystic ovaries. Some of the signs are irregular menstrual cycle, pelvic pain, nausea, painful intercourse. The causes are a combination of hormonal imbalance (hypothyroidism, excess estrogen), dietary factors, genetic predisposition, cigarette smoking, etc. According to Dr. John Lee, ovarian cysts result from a failed or disordered ovulation due to hormonal imbalances. Unless the cyst is malignant or too big which could lead to a rupture, there is no need for a surgical removal of the cyst. Regulating the menstrual cycle with acupuncture, herbs, and healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways of treating ovarian cysts. PCOS manifests as a set of symptoms such as: excess facial hair growth, amenorrhea (no menses due to high testosterone), excess weight and insulin resistance, and many cysts on the ovaries. This syndrome could be successfully treated with use of homeopathic and herbal remedies.
bone is a living tissue undergoing a cycle of bone resorption (bone loss) and bone building. The equilibrium between loss and gain has to maintain stable otherwise osteoporosis arise (a result of bone loss). Some of the causes of osteoporosis are: hormonal imbalance, poor calcium, vitamin D and mineral intake and absorption, hyperthyroidism, conventional drugs, lack of exercise, cigarette smoking, alcohol, fluoride, environmental toxins, etc. In women, estrogen suppresses excessive bone loss and progesterone stimulates new bone formation, therefore these two hormones have to be in balance. Dr. Lee points out that it is the presence of progesterone that brings about the change in osteoporosis, thus advocating the use of natural progesterone for osteoporosis.
beginning around menopause or even earlier, women start experiencing decline in sex drive. It used to be that estrogen was the main hormone prescribed for this condition, but today research points to two other hormones that may play more important role: progesterone and testosterone. The ratio of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone again is very crucial for maintaining healthy libido and overall health. And both progesterone and testosterone have to be used in proper amounts since more hormones for libido improvement does not mean better.
Since this is a huge topic, I prefer to refer patients out to other practitioners. If you are looking for an top notch alternative practitioner, refer to Isaac Cohen, an acupuncturist who specializes in this field and who has been involved in UCSF research on breast cancer for a long time. He is in Berkeley, California at 510-843-7370. For nutritional support, go to
Go to articles on PMS, HRT, cancer therapy, infertility, etc.
Go to Pregnancy Care and Infertility
Treatment Modalities and Special Protocols
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Phone: 415-420-3750 Fax:
480-237-5436, Scottsdale |
