Alternative and Modern Medicine Can Treat Infertility.

Couples who are having trouble conceiving should see an in ertility specialist.  But even before and while you'reworking with the specialist, consider using alternative emedies to improve your chances of having a baby.

"Combined   conventional  and   alternative   medical  approaches are the best ways to treat infertility," says Roger C. irsh, O.M.D., a doctor of Oriental medicine and specialist inherbal medicine in Beverly Hills. And, he says, some of the most powerful alternative methods are from the ancienthealing system of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).


Using TCM to Enhance Fertility
The first and most important step is to restore general health to the man and woman through a dietary regimen, herbal decoctions, and acupuncture. Even if you and your spouse can't see a TCM practitioner to help boost your fertility by restoring health, though, the following home remedies can be extremely helpful.

ACUPRESSURE: Stimulate the Conception Vessel
Acupuncture points can be stimulated with finger or palm pressure to regulate the chi, or life-energy, as it circulates throughout the body in currents along pathways called meridians.
In men, the best acupressure area for increasing fertility is called CV4, located four finger-widths directly below the navel. It balances and enhances the kidney meridian and reproductive essence in the pelvic cavity. This area is most important to the health of the reproductive organs. To stimulate the point, cover it with the palm of your right hand, then, with your left hand on top of the right, press and rub 100 times in a clockwise direction. Use about 5 to 7 pounds of pressure (to determine how much pressure that is, press on your bathroom scale with your hand).

Women also can benefit from acupressure on this point. Stimulating the liver meridian, however, which spreads the energy in the chest, helps the emotional awareness that plays such a major rule in conceiving a baby. Dr. Hirsh recommends using the same palm-rubbing technique on CV17, which is in the center of the chest directly between the nipples

FOOD: Make The Abdomen Happy
"A woman needs a nice, warm, cushy environment in the uterus for the egg to implant," Dr. Hirsh says. The way to produce this environment is to emphasize "warming" foods rather than "cooling" foods such as salads.
Dr. Hirsh recommends a protein-rich diet of cooked foods in which small portions of meat, such as lamb (which, in TCM, is said to warm the uterus) and other lean meats are used as condiments with tofu, grains, beans, cooked vegetables, and other whole foods. Other high-protein items include fish, seafood, milk, and eggs.

Although fruit is cooling, it's good for sperm production, since too much heat damages sperm. Sperm count and motility (movement) are generally enhanced by a cool environment. Therefore, for men, whole fruit and fruit nectars are useful for increasing sperm count and the amount of ejaculate.
Herbs can also be helpful. For recommendations, it's best to see a qualified herbal practitioner. To find out who is licensed, contact your state medical board, says Dr. Hirsh.

SEXUAL TECHNIQUE:
TCM suggests that both partners should achieve orgasm together to create the ideal opportunity for conception, Dr. Hirsh says. When the man ejaculates, he should use his consciousness to direct the ejaculate to the center of his partner's brain to effect hormone stimulation. During her orgasm, the woman should "embrace the Earth with her being."
For the man, "aiming" helps encourage the sperm to be deposited high in the uterus, where it has the greatest chance of traveling up the fallopian tube for conception, Dr. Hirsh says. For the woman, bearing down during orgasm and relaxing afterward helps the cervix draw more sperm into the uterus.


KEGELS: Build Your Prostate Health
"In men, good prostate health is important for fertility because the sperm travel as ejaculate on prostatic fluid," Dr. Hirsh says. One way to tone and encourage your prostate health is with Kegel exercises, in which you repeatedly pull up and tighten the root of the penis in the same way you would to stop the flow of urine in midstream. This will strengthen ejaculate power.
Dr. Hirsh recommends doing 30 Kegels three times a day. For each Kegel, inhale and pull up for three counts, hold for one count, then exhale for three counts while you relax.

Nutrition Advice for Women
The most important alternative approaches for conception are nutritional, says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., a physician in Annapolis, Maryland. Here's his advice for women.

BEVERAGES: Avoid Your Enemies
Some common drinks might be considered birth control in a glass. If you're trying to get pregnant, Dr. Teitelbaum recommends that you stay away from the following beverages.

• Coffee. Drinking more than four cups a day—and possibly consuming any amount can decrease fertility.
• Caffeinated soda. Just one drink of caffeinated soda a day can decrease your chances of becoming pregnant.
• Alcohol. If your infertility is caused by problems with ovulation, one drink a day can increase the difficulty of becoming pregnant by 30 percent. Having two drinks a clay more than doubles the difficulty.

IRON: A Deficiency Could Be the Problem
The typical blood test for iron includes a measurement of ferritin, a protein in the body that stores iron. While a woman may have ferritin levels that are high enough to prevent anemia, her levels may still be low enough to cause infertility, Dr. Teitelbaum says. He cites a study in which half of the women with low ferritin levels quickly became pregnant when they began taking iron.

If for some reason you can't have your ferritin levels checked, Dr. Teitelbaum says to take iron supplements for at least 4 months while trying to get pregnant. He recommends taking one tablet, or 50 milligrams, a day of the product Ferro-Sequels. You should take iron on an empty stomach, and don't take it within 6 hours of taking thyroid hormone, says Dr. Teitelbaum.

VITAMIN C: Women Should Cut Back
One study found that doses higher than 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C a day can cause infertility in women, says Dr. Teitelbaum. He recommends that you take no more than 500 milligrams a day.

VITAMIN B6: If You Have Irregular Periods
In women who have irregular or absent periods, extra vitamin B6 can boost fertility, Dr. Teitelbaum says. He recommends 50 milligrams a day.

MULTIVITAMIN/MINERAL SUPPLEMENT: A Must for Both Sexes
Taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement is essential for optimum fertility, Dr. Teitelbaum says. He recommends My Favorite Multiple, manufactured by Natrol.

Nutrition Advice for Men
Men can cause or contribute to infertility due to a low sperm count or poor sperm motility that is, slow, sluggish sperm that are less likely to fertilize an egg. Here are Dr. Teitelbaum's nutritional suggestions for correcting those problems.

VITAMIN C: For a Better Sperm Count
Supplementing the diet with vitamin C is thought to increase the number and speed of the sperm. Take 500 milligrams twice a day, Dr. Teitelbaum says.

ARGININE: For Healthier Sperm
This amino acid can improve sperm count and motility, says Dr. Teitelbaum. If the problem is low sperm count, he recommends taking 4,000 milligrams a day. If the problem is poor motility, take 8,000 milligrams. Either 1-arginine or free-form arginine is effective, he says.
Do not take arginine unless under the supervision of a knowledgeable medical doctor. Do not take it if you have genital herpes or if you are also using lysine supplements.

ZINC: Another Way to Boost the Count
Low sperm count can also be improved with the trace mineral zinc, Dr. Teitelbaum says. He recommends 30 milligrams a day for 4 months.

ASTRAGALUS: More Motility
The Chinese herb astragalus can improve sperm motility, says Dr. Teitelbaum. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label.