Fertility Book Reviews to Celebrate National Infertility Awareness Week 2010

In an effort to celebrate National Fertility Awareness Week from April 24th through May 1st, the following two book reviews provide some great reading and education on the subject of fertility. The titles, Taking Charge of Your Fertility, and The Infertility Cure, assist women with one of the most important wishes that many women have – to be fertile, conceive and have children.

Taking Charge of Your Fertility, The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health by Toni Weschler, MPH.  Harper Collins Publishers. Her website is: www.TCOYF.com ISBN: 978-0-06-088190-0 -
This book is available online, click here to visit our Webstore.

Taking Charge of Your Fertility (TCOYF), by Toni Weschler, presents a clear explanation of a woman’s menstrual cycle and teaches strategies to achieve pregnancy by using the reproductive program that she developed called the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM). Toni Weschler explains the three key factors relevant for any woman who wants to learn about her fertile time each month. This entails: 1) taking her waking body temperature, 2) checking her cervical fluid, and 3) checking the position of her cervix on a daily basis.

The Fertility Awareness Method allows a woman the opportunity to understand her “personal data” so that she can determine when she may ovulate and thus, know when she is most fertile so that she can try to conceive at that time. Ms. Weschler shows how to take a woman’s waking temperature known as Basal Body Temperature (BBT) – the first step in FAM – and how to chart it over a month’s time. Weschler displays this method with extensive charts so that anyone wishing to learn this method may do so easily. Ms. Weschler also provides photos and descriptions of cervical fluid and cervixes (steps 2 and 3 of this method) to show women the changes they go through on a monthly basis.

Although the title itself and FAM may be most applicable to women who want to become pregnant, FAM is also effective in allowing women to know their fertile time to avoid becoming pregnant. Thus, it truly is a book about “taking charge” to achieve the outcome of making a conscious choice to become pregnant or not.

The Infertility Cure, The Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies, by Randine Lewis, Ph.D. Little, Brown & Company Publishers. Her website is: www.TheFertileSoul.com. ISBN: 978-0-316-15921-2 This book is available online, click here to visit our Webstore.

Our second book on fertility is The Infertility Cure, by Randine Lewis, Ph. D. In this book, Dr. Lewis reveals how she uses Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as an acupuncturist and herbologist to assist women in becoming fertile. She uses an integrative approach of Eastern and Western medicine. Her protocol is called The Fertile Soul Method that employs acupuncture, Chinese herbal remedies, vitamins and supplements and daily yoga practice to achieve optimal fertility. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) may be used in conjunction with her program. She recommends her method for women and their partners for a 90-day period before attempting to conceive. Dr. Lewis also offers hope through the use of treatment strategies to overcome some of the toughest diagnoses in fertility: endometriosis and fibroid tumors, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure (POF) and “unexplained infertility.” Dr. Lewis shares numerous case studies of women and couples whom she has treated who conceived and now have children. In many instances, these couples had been trying to conceive for years, or they may have been told that they would not be able to conceive.

These two well-written books dealing with issues of fertility will educate and perhaps inspire you to recommend them to other women trying to conceive. Each book has a slightly different focus: Taking Charge is thorough and educational and teaches a woman to understand the fertility signs of own her body, instills confidence in doing so, and allows her the opportunity to choose if and when she wishes to conceive. The Infertility Cure is designed for women to become educated in a wholistic approach to fertility, to become pregnant, and have healthy babies. Both books are a “good, easy read” and ultimately, go “hand in hand.”

We carry both books at all CNY Healing Arts locations in the retail areas as well as online at our webstore. Please ask for either book title the next time you stop in!

Shelley Szymko-Carroll, L.Ac., treats women for fertility and pregnancy at Rochester CNY Healing Arts. She uses an integrative approach through use of the Fertility Awareness Method and the Fertile Soul Method developed by these two authors. Please e–mail her with any questions at: Sszymko-carroll@cnyhealingarts.com.

Free Class for a Friend

Save the Date! Girl’s Night Out in Latham in May!

Join us at CNY Healing Arts & Fusion Medspa in Latham, NY on May 6th, Thursday, 6:00-8:30PM

Join us for a fun evening sampling some of our great spa treatments. Grab your friends and family who have never seen our beautiful spa!  You can sample the following services: acupuncture relaxation points, 10 minute hot stone massage, 5 minute chair massage, foot reflexology, nail polish change, paraffin hand dip, Clarisonic facial sample, makeup touch up and Pi/Yo and Zumba Demo sample class.

There will be representatives from Sherry Lynn’s Gluten Free Bakery in Latham and Kristi Fish from Madison Handbags, where you design your own handbag choosing from 18 different styles and over 90 designer fabrics. See Kristi’s display and design your bag! What a great way to mix and mingle with your friends in our state of the art Spa.

NOTES: A pre-registration fee of $25 is required to reserve your spot. Dress comfortably.  Space is limited. Please email Cheryl at canderson@cnyhealingarts.com to sign up.

Celebrate Earth Day!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. Earth Day is celebrated in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Many communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues.
In the United States, Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22. There are many events and celebrations in your local communities. Find a way that is appropriate for you to celebrate our Earth.

In honor of Earth Day, Yoga Journal Magazine has put their latest issue online, for free!  You can find the magazine at the Yoga Journal website here. They also have a Bonus Offer, you can download the Latest Issue from their Sister Publication Vegetarian Times, also for Free! You can view these magazines on your computer or from your iPhone.

Centering practices such as yoga and meditation are great ways to connect, renew and become more balanced. What better time to try these out than during the Earth Day/Week Celebration. See our class schedules on our  CNY Healing Arts Calendar.

Class Schedule Changes for Latham Healing Arts Center

We will no longer be holding the Pi/Yo class on Fridays. Tuesdays class will continue as scheduled  (same time 12 noon). We have a new Zumba early riser class is on Fridays at 6:15am – this starts Friday, April 16th. (next Friday is canceled – April 23rd). Also, the final class schedule change – we will have no classes on May 6th due to our Girl’s Night Out event.

The Importance of Vitamin D

In today’s world, people are busy, busy, busy.  Often, one of the first area’s of their life to suffer is their diets.  What many people don’t know, is how detrimental not eating right can be to their overall health.  Take vitamin D, for instance.  Not much was known about this vitamin until recently.  Previously what was common knowledge was that vitamin D was called the “Sunshine Vitamin”, and our bodies could produce it by spending a few minutes a day in the sun.  But recent studies have shown that there are more benefits to this sunny vitamin than once thought, and more importantly, a deficiency can wreak havoc in multiple areas, including fertility.  The best way to ensure that you are getting enough of this vitamin, and all the other vitamins and minerals, is to consult with a registered dietitian.  I work out of the Syracuse area CNY Healing Arts.  Not only do we provide nutritional counseling, but yoga, massage, acupuncture and skin care (among other things).  We provide a whole body experience!

Now, back to that vitamin D…Vitamin D is necessary for a variety of reasons, including calcium absorption, a healthy immune system and making sure a fetus grows properly.  The best way to get vitamin D is through the sunlight.  However, with the risk of skin cancer it is not safe to over-expose yourself.  5-10 minutes is all that is needed daily.  But what can you do in the winter, or a rainy day?  Make sure you are getting vitamin D from food sources as well as from sunlight.  Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, and mackerel) are great sources.  And, it is safe to have a 4-ounce serving 3 times a week.  You can also eat fortified yogurt and drink fortified orange juice, milk and soy milk.  Another option is to take a vitamin supplement twice a day-preferably one with at least 400 IU’s of vitamin D and 500 mg of calcium (vitamin D and calcium work together so your body can absorb them properly).

So if you are not pregnant or planning on getting pregnant, vitamin D is still necessary for decreasing the risk of fractures, decreasing the risk of depression, and for calcium absorption.  If you are a woman who is trying to get pregnant or is pregnant, make sure you are getting enough vitamin D.  It is extremely important for strengthening the fetal immune system, helping the lungs to mature and developing the nervous system.  Your baby will thank you.

Heather Neely, RD, CDN
CNY Healing Arts Center
hneely@cnyhealingarts.com
(315) 671-5755

Join me on April 17th, 1-2:30pm, to learn about different ways you can change your diet to increase fertility. She will focus on several key nutrients, offer you helpful nutrition information and share some delicious recipes. We will meet in the Yoga Studio at CNY Healing Arts, Syracuse, NY. Event offered at no cost. Space is limited.
*Please RSVP to CNY Healing Arts at 315.671.5755

Zumba Zumba at CNY Healing Arts in Latham, NY

Zumba Zumba is the latest most popular exercise class here at CNY Healing Arts in Latham! Check out our class dates/times below:

Mondays 4:30-5:15pm, Currently
(time change on 4/26/10 to 5:00pm-5:45pm)

Wednesdays 7:15pm-8pm

Fridays- early riser class at 6:15am-7am Starting this Friday April 9th!

Starting Sundays May 2nd-9:15am-10am. Please call CNY Healing Arts and Spa to reserve your spot! $8 walk-in rate
or purchase a 10 class pass for $70. Classes fill quickly so call now! (518)-724-5750

See you soon,
Cheryl Anderson, Spa Manager

Becoming and Feeling your best Through Massage and Reiki!

So, just how good do you want to feel?  How great is your capacity for peace, joy, love and expansion?  Have you considered these questions lately and do you believe it’s possible to feel out of this world fantastic in body, mind and spirit?  Massage, Reiki and Energy Healing are just a few of the time honored healing modalities that might be the answer to setting you on this path. At CNY healing Arts Center, you will find highly skilled and caring Massage and Reiki practitioners ready to help get you started.

It all begins with you and making the decision to commit to loving yourself and giving yourself what you need to feel really good and be at your absolute best!  When you feel good, no bodily aches or pains and light in your heart, your capacity for the higher vibrating emotions of joy, love and peace are far greater.  We feel more at ease in the world, more positive and effective.  And guess what?  You are not the only one who will benefit from these feelings—yes the ripple effect is real.  Your good feelings will be felt by others.

It makes a considerable difference when you make a commitment to including regular sessions of Massage, Reiki or energy healing a part of your self-care routine.  When received regularly, you will find the effects to be cumulative and feelings of well-being become more sustainable.  How often you receive healing work is really up to you and what’s happening in your life at the time.  In times of a life crisis, extreme emotional stress or in physical pain, weekly massage is recommended while bi-weekly sessions are recommended for maintenance.   Many people also seek out healing to support their personal and spiritual growth— helping to shed layers of the old and renewing their vitality and sense of self.

So how will these wonderful healing modalities help you?  Massage Therapy is a form of therapy that most people understand.  It directly affects the health and function of the physical body, decreasing painful sensations due to stress or injury and restoring flexibility and structural balance. This helps us feel better and function better.  Massage affects us positively on the emotional and spiritual levels as well.  When we receive loving touch, our whole being relaxes and those feel good brain chemicals are released for your enjoyment and health.  Massage also helps to soften us emotionally as the tension from guarding against painful experiences is melted away.  A sense of expansion and receptivity ensues, opening you to new experiences and ways of being.

Reiki is a healing modality that presently still remains a mystery to most people. That’s changing however as its gentle power continues to be embraced by the mainstream.  We see more Hospitals today integrating this modality into their protocol for healing.  This is a great sign that we are, as a society, embracing and integrating the power of both allopathic and natural forms of healing.

So about Reiki– Reiki means spiritually guided life force energy.  It’s a very ancient Tibetan laying-on of hands healing technique which channels this life force energy into the recipient for healing on all levels.  It is a simple, gentle, effective and powerful method of natural healing that creates a feeling of being held in the most gentle and loving arms.
A Reiki practitioner has received a special attunement from a Reiki Master which enables them to tap into this unlimited source of energy and transfer it to whomever they place their hands on.  The energy has a wisdom within it which guides it to wherever it is needed for healing and balancing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels of one’s being.

Reiki is always performed on a fully clothed person in a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.  A treatment usually takes about an hour and leaves one with a blissful feeling of relaxation and well-being.

Reiki is often recommended for a range of conditions and is especially helpful during times of acute emotional stress and vulnerability.  Reiki may also be integrated into a massage session by a trained practitioner.

So what are you waiting for? Life can be and feel out of this world fantastic. The staff at CNY Healing Arts are ready to help you find the right combination of therapies to suit your needs and get you on your way to feeling and being your best.  For the month of April enjoy a 25% savings on Reiki sessions.

Lynne Potteiger is a NY State Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Master and meditation teacher practicing at CNY Healing Arts in Syracuse, NY.  For an appointment, please call 315-671-5755.

Spa Time for Teens and Pre-Teens

CNY Healing Arts Wellness Center and Spa, located in Latham, New York offers a wide variety of services to meet the needs and desires of women of all ages. Among the ages, it is an amazing place to bring your teen or pre-teen daughter. Whether you’re looking for some mother/daughter bonding time, you want to reward your daughter for a job well done, or you would like to help her celebrate a special occasion, CNY Healing Arts Wellness Center and Spa is the place to be. If you would like to spend a quality, relaxing day with your daughter, or any special young lady in your life, where you can have one-on-one time without the pressures of your day to day life, or if your daughter needs recognition for a great report card or for making excellent choices, or if you would like to celebrate a sweet 16 birthday or any other special occasion, it is their pleasure to make your day a memorable one. Spend a couple hours having your nails done, either a manicure or a pedicure in the spa’s gorgeous nail studio, or having a massage or facial in one of their private, comfortable treatment rooms. It is a perfect opportunity to bond with your special someone. CNY Healing Arts is also a great place to bring your teen for some professional skin care advice. The spa doesn’t have to be all about indulgence, but it can be a comfortable environment where a young woman can learn many techniques to take care of her skin and an opportunity to take pride in her appearance.

CNY Healing Arts Wellness Center and Spa offers a beautiful, serene atmosphere with lovely décor, soothing music, relaxing cushy chairs, calming candlelight, and fireplaces in many of the treatment rooms and lounge area. CNY Healing Arts offers special packages for these types of events and hopes to make your experience an unforgettable one. Bring your daughter and her friends in for a couple hours of pampering to celebrate her special occasion. They will be given robes and slippers to wear throughout their visit. The package can include a variety of services such as facials, manicures, pedicures, paraffin hand dip, light makeup application, and massage.

I recently brought my daughter along with 3 of her friends to celebrate her 13th birthday. The girls felt like royalty and they each had questions for the esthetician who gave them skin care advice. While they were relaxing, they chatted with me about friends, teachers, and boys. An excellent opportunity to communicate with your daughter and learn about what she may be experiencing in her teen years. Nothing could compare to the smile on my daughter’s face and the quiet time spent with her and her friends. I will definitely be bringing her back for more mother/daughter quality time.

Every girl likes to feel special, and every mom likes to have bonding time with her daughter. Take her to the spa at CNY Healing Arts, not only will you both feel like royalty, but you will be getting that much needed quality time with her. For information or to book an appointment please call 518.724.5750.

Stephanie Niles, MT
Andrologist/Endocrinologist
CNY Fertility Center

50% Off Laser Hair Removal at CNY Healing Arts in Syracuse