My personal life changed in the late summer of 2016. Suddenly I found myself alone on a Sunday something I had never experienced before then. The first Sunday was spent crying on the sofa, feeling sorry for myself, missing my children so much it physically hurt. Then something remarkable happened. Actually I should change that to someone remarkable turned up on my door step the following Sunday and opened my eyes to all the wonderful things I had always wanted to do but somehow had never found the time.
 
Emily my co worker and dear friend turned up at my door and instructed me to wear some wellies and off we headed up to the woods. I am incredibly lucky to now live surrounded by woods of Beech, Oak, Chestnut and Pine trees. When we reached the large forest Emily told me to go and hug a tree. I hesitated and laughed nervously thinking that she had finally gone mad. Then I stood by a magnificent beech tree and lost my inhibitions and hugged it. I managed to quieten my mind for a few moments and started to tap into this strong tree and its energy. As an Acupuncturist my job revolves around reading, moving and feeling energy of humans. This was a completely different type of life force energy. Its gentle vibrational energy subtly started to affect my own energy and I felt grounded, strong and at peace. When I got home I started to research tree hugging and discovered (much to my left hand side of my brains delight) that there is lots of scientific research to prove that trees really can affect biological behaviours. I discovered that Qigong Master Chia worked with trees to mediate explaining that trees are natural processors that can help you transform your body’s sick and negative energy into positive vital life force energy (Qi).
 
Then I thought back to my childhood the one place I always went to when I was sad, or needed some space alone…I would walk to a wonderful old oak tree in Dorset.
 
Now I was starting to discover how our outside environment around us can be utilised and harnessed into our own healing, helping us on our paths towards self discovery.
 
Slievenamon is a mountain here in Tipperary. She is known as Sliabh na mBan meaning the mountain of the women. This modest mountain has been my backdrop for well over a decade. I watched her from afar, always admiring the way the colours changed as the sun rose and set. This mountain stands 721m tall and whilst she is smaller than many of her neighbouring mountain ranges, her history is steeped with folklore and legends, hence her name.
 
This mountain was my second Sunday adventure, again with Emily. Whilst I had admired this mountain for many years, I never found the time to climb her. So with a brand new pair of walking boots off we went. I am quite fit I run a bit but running on the flat isn’t quite the same as climbing up a hill/mountain my calf muscles kindly told me this as we started our ascent. I found it challenging to begin with my heart rate was up and I found myself stopping to admire the view a lot! Once we reached the top it was breathtaking.
 
How do mountains benefit our own individual energy? Picture a mountain; energetically they represent strength, balance and stability. The energy created to manifest a mountain is incredible, each mountain is different and I believe has a different affect on you. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view when you walk up a mountain (or steep hill) the emotions that will really benefit from this experience would primarily be the Heart and Lungs and Kidney energy. In TCM the heart emotion is Joy, many of us have suffered heart ache, and being up a mountain can bring the Joy back into balance. Moving to the lungs where the emotions of anxiety and grief can be held, with each breath of air (providing you’re not climbing Everest) starts to move stuck energy, helping to clear the anxiety many of us carry in our shoulders, neck and face.
 
I have found lots of milky quartz and clear quartz crystals as I climb these crystals alone can have a powerful affect on our energy.
 
To summarise I have discovered a lot from being outside and tapping into the energy of mother nature,  something many people already know and that’s healing starts from within. In order to do this we must often have to move out of our individual comfort zones. Challenge our bodies and work with the emotions that come from this. Do what truly makes you happy. For me I found Mother Nature and being surrounded by her and all her beauty helped me start to heal. Many of my patients come to me having lost the battle to balance life and work. It is incredibly easy to get to this point at this time. Many of the mothers that come to me have lost themselves in the process of giving everything they have to their children. I have learnt that in order to be the best mother, therapist and friend I must look after my emotional and physical health. 
 
Try for yourself if you haven’t already. Go for that walk in the woods. Climb up a hill, then go for it and experience the energy of those mountains, but be warned… the mountains will call you back again...
 

The middle of August signifies the summer holidays are drawing to a close. Many of our children embark on a new school year, some for the very first time. It is really important to help prepare them for this transition, to allow it all to flow as smoothly as possible. By doing this it makes their and in turn your lives easier in the process.

During the summer months routine tends to fall by the wayside. Late nights become a regular occurrence in many homes. I believe this is good as we tend to, especially in the western world put our children under a lot of pressure to conform to busy time tables. Structure is a necessity to get to school/work on time, but at any age being constantly hurried along, living in our go, go, go age can be both physically and emotionally draining on our children

Whilst many breathe a sigh of relief when the first day of summer holidays start. It gives us all a chance to stop and recharge. Now that the summer holidays are starting to draw to a close it really helps to bring some of these tips into play for an easier transition back to school life: 

1. At least a week before school starts back try to get a regular bedtime routine in place. The more sleep our children get the better they can function when they get back to school life. At our Clinic we see too many children suffering from lack of sleep, often not going to sleep until 10.30pm. Ideally a 6 year old should be getting between 10-12 hours a night. A teenager needs between 9 – 9.5 hours a night. However many don’t even get 7 hours of good quality sleep per night. It can be very hard to break late night habits as children get older, but this is vital for your children’s energy.
2. Reduce Screen Time – Here is one way of helping with sleep as well. Too many teens sleep with their phones literally attached to their pillow! This is not only bad for their energy, but also far too tempting to check snap chat, messenger etc. This habit is a tough one to break, but tough love here is vital. We all need time out from our virtual existence. Getting your child to see that they will feel physically better with less screen time in the evenings can help.
3. Exercise – Make the most of the long evenings in the late summer. Try and encourage exercise in the early evening and early morning. These are both great times in terms of increasing energy. Walking is great for all ages; it requires nothing other than a comfortable pair of shoes. Studies show that children of all ages when given exercise routines on a regular basis, have greater attention spans than those who lead more sedentary lives.
4. Keep them hydrated – This one is so important. Children under 10 need 5 – 7 cups of water a day. 10 – 18 yr olds need up to 11 cups. All children are different, but introducing water into their diets regularly before going back to school helps them get into a healthy water habit. We expect our kids to function in classrooms that are often stuffy. Many parents come to us concerned over how little their children drink in school. Try if you can to get them to drink plenty before school, this gives them a chance to empty their bladders before the school bell rings.
5. Diet – What we put in we get out – It really is that simple. Food is energy…Our children are growing, their brains developing, they are like sponges constantly learning. It’s incredible how much they take in and yet what do many of us feed our children? I will put my hands up and admit that my once organic vegetable eating 6 year old now eats very little at school. I often unpack his lunchbox and find most of the original contents still in there!! He says he gets very little time to eat. Now I give him a high protein breakfast, he loves eggs. Also I make sure as soon as I pick him up he gets a healthy snack in the car and water. Try to reduce sugar in lunch boxes; this includes natural sugar in fruit juices. These can cause their blood sugar levels to drop post sugar rush. Sustainable wholegrain carbohydrates can be hard to introduce into their diets if they’re not used to them, but keep trying. Make lunch as colourful and exciting as possible. Fresh food is full of energy, ready made, processed foods contain little to no energy.
6. Essential Oils – Many children can start to get apprehensive in the weeks coming up to the new school year. It is a huge ask for them to adapt to a new teacher, or for some a new school. Also if we as parents are apprehensive, our children will often pick up on our anxiety. Adding 5 drops of lavender oil into a bath can help calm a nervous child, as well as boost their immunity. Chamomile oil mixed with carrier oil such as coconut, or grape seed oil can be rubbed gently in the pulse points of the wrists, neck and also a great place is the soles of their feet. This is an expensive oil, but a little drop goes a long way, also a brilliant oil for ear infections, and digestive problems. Orange oil is uplifting and mood-enhancing for those kids in need of a boost in confidence.
7. One of my personal favourites is to start my children on a pro-biotic before they head back into the classroom. Our immunity comes from our gut. A healthy gut full of good bacteria helps boost their immunity and aids digestion. There is a lot of recent research between the link with behavioural problems and lack of good gut flora in the intestines. I find a chewable tablet easier for my children to take. Many health food shops store a wide range. Vitamin D is also vital. Get some elderberry on stand by for the autumn too.

I hope your children have a wonderful first term back at school. My biggest tip however is this….Look after yourself, make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating right and having as much fun as possible. Our children are mirrors of ourselves....

KatIe Murphy Lic Ac MTCMCI 

This blog is not intended to replace the advice of a medical doctor. 

I have always loved Christmas. Perhaps one of my favourite memories being when my sister Claire and I decided to set a "Father Christmas Trap" one Christmas Eve. It involved a bean bag and a bean pole by the bedroom door, if my memory serves me correctly. We went to bed so excited - well I did, my sister I believe was humouring me, being 5 years older. I was convinced I heard the reindeer's hooves tapping on the roof, and hid under my duvet to hear a huge amount of swearing as the bedroom door opened and "father Christmas" fell over the trap. I couldn't believe he would swear like that! My poor Dad.

Now a days Christmas starts so early, we are brain washed by images of happy families gathered around a perfect feast. Children laughing, playing, and couples in love. So how does this time of year feel for someone trying for a baby? Or for a couple having had a miscarriage? I can only share with you my personal experiences. I had two miscarriages right before Christmas. The first was by far the worst namely because it was my first pregnancy, so we were completely unaware of all the booby traps that can lie in wait when you are pregnant.
We were so excited. I was dragging my Irish husband kicking and screaming to his first English Christmas in Dorset. So very excited, we were celebrating after a long week at work. That's when it started to go wrong, noticing that small show of blood. Resulting in a D&C. The next day we were meant to be celebrating Marc's Fathers birthday before we left to the UK. I will never forget the numbness. Being surrounded by such joy, everyone celebrating, yet inside I was completely numb. Being given the most beautiful diamond bracelet, seeing our beautiful pregnant friend, still so very numb.

At the airport on Christmas Eve, we stood waiting to check-in. I remember seeing the most adorable little girl, probably aged 3, dressed in a pretty red coat. She wouldn't stop smiling at me, twirling around to show me her curls. My heart broke and yet it melted all at once. That was the moment I decided we would get our baby, whatever it took. I wanted to see that love in my babies’ eyes. 

I can't remember anything about that Christmas Day I must have gone into auto robot mode. On Boxing/St Stephen's Day my eldest sister Sarah dragged us to some beach on the Dorset Coastline, normally one of my favourite places. It was freezing cold, blowing a gale. My husband stood dumbstruck, I had forgotten to warn him about my families’ crazy rituals around Christmas time. Marc took me to a tiny pub nestled by the sea, he told my sister I wasn't up to the hike up the cliff. What was strange was that a lot of healing happened that day. We sat by a beautiful log fire, drinking too many hot whiskeys. We talked, proper communication something that really can stop when you are trying for a baby for so long.

This Christmas I have two beautiful angels (most of the time)! Who are so excited, the absolute joy and innocence on their faces when they wake up on Christmas Day is something I will treasure forever.

If you are reading this blog and dreading this Christmas don't give up on your heart’s desire. I wish I could wave a magic wand for you. But for now try and have a peaceful Christmas X.
Katie Murphy Lic Ac MTCMCI
​

I can’t tell you why, but in my 20’s I started to get an inkling that babies weren’t going to come easy to me. Maybe it was because I was studying Tradition Chinese Medicine, and had begun to realise I had quite a few syndromes. There was also the fact that I hadn’t exactly been careful when I first met my soon to be husband, and yet nothing had ever happened.
When we got married, we were in the middle of building our house, in the good old days of the boom. We were living above a local pub, finding married life quite stressful.  The transition from engaged to married didn’t seem to be as smooth as others. Perhaps we were both trying to hold on to our independence.
Living above a pub wasn’t the healthiest environment to be in, I am a diabolical drinker, but I was smoking at the time, my new husband enjoyed the Guinness on tap downstairs! I got pregnant 5 months after we got married, and I was delighted, gave up smoking, and took the pregnancy very seriously, but looking back, I was so unready to be a mother, as a couple we had a lot of sorting out to do. My life revolved around my work, work and more work. An incredibly un-stressful job, but a very hard one, energy wise, I remember looking back at the diary the day I lost that baby, and I had 8 sports massages in, what the hell was I playing at?
So from that moment, lots of things changed, the joy of getting pregnant personally for me was lost forever. A miscarriage takes away all your joy, it strips it from your heart. Before you have a miscarriage, you begin to love a treasure, this little person growing inside you. We even had a name, I was certain it was a boy. But when you realise that actually you are at the hands of fate. Every pregnancy after that moment can be terrifying, and joyless.
I remember I was waiting for the D&C, it was the day before Christmas Eve, and for some reason I was left waiting in the store cupboard, by the operating theatre, in my gown and manky boots. I was crying until a lovely doctor came in horrified that they’d left me wait in there. Put in the theatre, the nurses were discussing how many miscarriages they had had that week, then what they were hoping to get for Christmas.
I think something in my brain after this decided that I never wanted to go through that experience ever again, so we didn’t conceive for 3 years after that. Looking back I don’t like regretting moments in my life, but those 3 years I really wish I hadn’t put my life on hold, I wish we had gone on more holidays and had more fun, I wish I had stopped thinking I was pregnant every bloody month.
I got pregnant again, finally, but I didn’t feel it was quite right. I think as women we have incredibly strong intuition, if we choose to listen to it. My sister was working with me, we were having a great time, I remember we were going to go to Kildare Shopping Village to go Christmas shopping, I had had a dream I wasn’t pregnant anymore, and that morning I started bleeding. Turned out my dream was right, the scan showed an empty sac. I was remarkably calm, after this, until my dad rang me, and I will never forget the sadness in his voice as he cried on the phone for what his baby of our family, had lost. I balled after that.
Life moved on as it does, oddly I grew stronger as a person and a therapist. I had empathy and a deep understanding when treating fertility. I played polo cross, got help with work, gave up the physical therapy part of my work. My sister was due her baby at the end of that summer, and asked me to be her birthing partner, in the Uk. I was so excited and distracted. I had started to go for counselling with a wonderful woman, and as a couple we were incredibly strong. I conceived that month. I will never forget it, it was the only month in all those years I took my eye off the ball!!! I was sat in the hospital watching my sister in labour on my 3rd really strong coffee, thinking god this tastes rotten,,,bingo!
We have two gorgeous children, Josh and Heather; Heather came as a surprise 18 months after Josh. I have gone on a journey that millions of women have treaded before me. We are pretty amazing really. I meet women that blow me away, with their courage and strength every day.
 

Acupuncture has a profound effect on both mum and baby. I am so passionate about the importance of expectant mothers receiving acupuncture and reflexology during pregnancy. We have been treating pregnant women here at the Centre for over 10 years now, in that time it always amazes us how, generally speaking, our mums have a healthy, happy pregnancy, tending to go very close to their due dates. Acupuncture can be given at all stages of pregnancy. Reflexology is usually given after 12 weeks, although our Reflexologist specialises in Pregnancy and happily treats in the first trimester.
In Chinese Medicine there is a acu-point called “Beautiful Baby” Point, Kidney 9  (Zhubin) It is located on the Kidney channel, we use this point around 9 and again at around 15 weeks of pregnancy. In Chinese medicine the point is thought to calm the mind, tonify Blood and qi. We have found that this point really seems to bring a really happy baby into the world!
How can Acupuncture & Reflexology help during pregnancy?

1. Morning Sickness (or all day sickness if you’re unlucky) - Acupuncture helps relieve morning sickness, best started at 6 weeks for full benefit. Whilst in western medicine morning sickness is seen as a good sign, in Chinese Medicine (TCM) it suggests that the mother to be’s Spleen and Stomach Qi need to be balanced. Also if the pregnancy has come after a miscarriage, the fear of losing again brings their Qi further out of balance. Our job is to keep mum as calm as possible and re-balance her energy. The relief is usually immediate and very welcome!
2. Insomnia – Both Reflexology and Acupuncture used during pregnancy have a huge effect on promoting a peaceful night’s sleep. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the Liver energy tends to alter sleep patterns especially around 15-16 weeks of pregnancy. Some women report being completely wide awake at 2-3am (Liver Time) in the morning. We help by again re balancing the subtle changes that take place. I have also found that women on progesterone support, such as cyclogest pessaries tend to be more susceptible to disturbed sleep throughout the pregnancy.
3. Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) -  During pregnancy your body produces a hormone called relaxin, which softens your ligaments to help your baby pass through your pelvis. SPD is a common painful condition during pregnancy resulting from the pelvic joint becoming more unstable. Acupuncture works quickly to relieve pain considerably.
4. High/Low Blood Pressure - We get many referrals for help in treating blood pressure during pregnancy. Whilst HBP is closely monitored especially if there is a history of pre-eclampsia, acupuncture is perfect to treat HBP, We have found that patients that combined acupuncture and reflexology throughout their pregnancies had normal blood pressure compared to previous pregnancies where their blood pressure was very unstable.
5. Constipation - Increased Progesterone hormone especially in early pregnancy can really slow bowel activity right down. Acupuncture and Reflexology are simply amazing to get the bowel working efficiently again.
6. Migraine, Headaches and Sinusitis - With all the changes taking place in the expectant mother’s body, those with a history of migraines can find pregnancy triggers them again. Acupuncture works at re-balancing the gallbladder and liver channels helping to relieve symptoms quickly. Acupuncture for pregnancy sinusitis is a successful treatment in helping to prevent the infection and inflammation of the sinus cavities, and relieving many of the symptoms.
7. Stress and Anxiety - Pregnancy can be a very vulnerable time for any woman. Especially if the pregnancy is long awaited, or has come after a previous miscarriage. Stress unfortunately has a knock on effect to sleep, and energy levels. Every single expectant mother we have ever treated here have reported a huge sense of calm after each session, be it Acupuncture or Reflexology.
8. Oedema -Swollen Ankles, Feet & Hands - Normally around 20 plus weeks expectant mums can start to experience swollen feet, ankles and even their wrists and hands. Working women with jobs that require them to stand for long periods of time are especially susceptible to this. In TCM we work on the Spleen meridian an acupuncture point Sp9 (Yinlingquan) is a bit of a miracle worker. Reflexology given monthly from 20 weeks is also a perfect treatment to really help keep the swelling down.
9. Haemorrhoids (piles) - Any pregnant women who has suffered from haemorrhoids pre and post birth will understand how painful these little blighters can be. We have had pregnant women ringing us in tears of joy after one session of acupuncture to help haemorrhoids. The relief they received was incredible. In TCM we use a selection of acupuncture points that really help. BL57 (Chenghan) is one of my personal favourites!
10. Back Pain - The added weight of carrying what can feel like a huge sack of potatoes around every day can have a huge impact on the expectant mothers spine, especially the lumbar spine (lower back). Sciatic pain, that usually starts with a sharp nerve pain travelling down the leg can be treated quickly with a few choice needles. We use a combination of acupuncture and massage for full benefit. I love using essential oils as well.

We can also help turn a Breech baby using Moxa, this is used on a acupuncture point known as Bl67 (Zhiyin). This is a completely pain free and highly effective method used for many years.
As I am writing this Blog I realise there are so many more benefits both acupuncture and reflexology can offer to mum and baby. At 36 weeks of pregnancy we usually treat our pregnant ladies more frequently getting their bodies ready for the big event!
If you are expecting a baby and have never tried acupuncture or reflexology before, please do. Always make sure the practitioner has experience with treating pregnancy. Enjoy the wonderful benefits that both you and your growing baby will receive.

Katie Murphy Lic AC MTCMCI
 

Here at Clonmel Acupuncture & Therapy Centre we work with ingredients that work with your own cycle. In Chinese Medicine we like to use warm foods at this time of your cycle. This is the luteal phase of your cycle (after ovulation) and beta-carotene-rich foods are the important ingredient to include in your diet during this time. The corpus luteum (the ruptured ovarian follicle that produces progesterone to thicken the womb lining, close the cervix and maintain a pregnancy) contains a high level of beta-carotene. This nutrient is a powerful anti-oxidant that helps protect your cells from damage.
Here is one example of an ideal lunch or after work supper you can make really quickly. Ideal for those during the two week wait of an IVF/IUI cycle.
Our Luteal Phase Fertility Soup is naturally quite sweet, due to the high content of orange vegetables, so fell free to add some celery or any other vegetable that you like. We try to use all organic ingredients, locally sourced if possible
RECIPE:-

• 1 Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes
• 2 Carrots, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 Sweet Potato, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
• ½ - 1 red onion sliced
• 2 garlic cloves (leave out if you’re not a fan)
• 1-2cm of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of turmeric
• 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil or Rapeseed Oil
• 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs, (thyme, parsley, sage etc) or dried
• 1-2 pints of vegetable stock (fresh or use organic MSG free cubes)
• Handful of pumpkin seeds toasted
• Optional extra 100 ml coconut milk

Steps
Place all the sliced veg, ginger, onion, garlic onto a shallow roasting tray, drizzle Olive Oil, herbs, season with salt and pepper sprinkle with turmeric, Bake in oven 180 centigrade/Gas mark 4 – 40mins or until tender and cooked through.
Place cooked veg into sauce pan add stock, heat through, blend to a smooth soup, adding more stock if needed. Here you can add coconut milk for a richer taste. Season to taste and add more fresh herbs, we used fresh oregano; add toasted pumpkin seeds just before serving.
This soup can be frozen, also is great for men, beta-carotene rich vegetable’s help protect sperm from free radical attack, rich in Vitamin A important for sperm maturation. So you can both enjoy this recipe!

We tend to focus on the female when trying for a baby, this is possibly due to the fact that we have the menstrual cycle, as women we get used to our bodies monthly rhythms. So it’s us that tend to get checked out first.
However recent studies show that Male fertility is the cause of 35-40% of infertility in couples. Many of our patients find a stumbling block when we mention that we would like the man to get his semen analysis done. This is often the case when perhaps the woman wants to actively try for a baby, and the man is more laid back, and wanted to leave it a bit longer. It isn’t the most pleasurable thing to do, in a sterile room, in a fertility clinic. But communication is key here, make sure you as a couple want to take the next step, and if you have been actively trying for a baby for over a year if under 35, and 6 months if 36 plus, then it is vital to get a semen analysis done, along with blood tests for the woman, testing FSH & LH and progesterone.
Here at Clonmel Acupuncture & Therapy Centre we have come up some of our top Super Duper Sperm creators!

• You know what our first tip is going to be… An absolute must is GIVE UP SMOKING. Not only do cigarettes contain more than 70 carcinogenic compounds and release over 4000 chemicals when burnt, smokers both male and female take longer to conceive than non-smokers (Shiverick 2011). Smoking has a negative impact on sperm production, motility, and morphology.
• Reduce Alcohol. Consuming alcohol, especially over 6 units a week can lead to a reduced sperm count. It can also have a negative effect on sperm quality and embryo quality.
• Eat a diet rich in Organic fresh food, with at least 4-5 portions of different coloured vegetables a day. Too few vitamins and the toxins in the many processed foods wreak havoc on man’s fragile sperm cells. So keep processed foods to an absolute minimum, this includes sausages, ham and bacon! Plenty of protein, such as eggs and Oily fish. Walnuts are especially good for healthy sperm, try adding them to your snack cupboard!
• Minimise your scrotum’s exposure to excess heat! Avoid wearing tight Jeans and placing hot laptop computers on your lap. Always make sure your scrotum is well aired and cooled by choosing boxers over briefs and avoiding heated car seats, sauna and tanning bed sessions.
• Invest in a really good quality multi vitamin, even if you do have a healthy diet. Healthy Sperm production needs plenty of nutrients on a constant basis. We have found that these 3 seem to be producing great results after 12 weeks; Fertilsan M supplement, Bio-Care MaleForte® Multi, and Pre Conceive.
• SEX and lots of it! Saving sperm is a complete myth, the more fresh sperm there is the better the quality.
• STOP HAVING PASSIONLESS SEX – This is one of my personal top tips; sex often becomes a chore, mechanical and quick when it comes to mid-cycle. We need to get DESIRE back into your sex life. Testosterone is the hormone of desire, arousal is so important as it affects the amount of sperm you produce. So now maybe you can see why timed, almost forced intercourse rarely results in a positive pregnancy test.
• Exercise – Balance your exercise, if you are overweight you need to get out in the fresh air and move 3-4 times a week. In a study conducted by Vaamonde et al. in 2009 it was noted that men who are physically active, exercising at least 3 times a week for 1 hour, typically scored higher in almost all sperm parameters in comparison with men who engaged in competitive sport or were athletes.
• Sleep – It’s exactly the same with men as it is with women, sleep allows our bodies to recharge, and re-balance, and this includes our hormones. When sleep is broken, this has a knock on effect to male fertility over time.
• Acupuncture – In the last 10 years treating couples for fertility, especially those leading up to getting IVF. Every single semen analysis has come back improved in almost all parameters after 3 months of Acupuncture treatments. Also acupuncture helps hugely with stress, another cause of male fertility issues. So many men come into our clinics dragging their heels, and yet they keep coming back long after they have successfully had a family!

 
Sperm cells take 11 weeks to mature in the testicles before they are ready for ejaculation. If you adjust your diet today, along with any of the other tips that apply to you, it will thus take three months for the better sperm to be ready for fertilisation. You must therefore keep eating the healthy diet and/ or taking supplements on an on-going basis – ideally until your partner is pregnant. 

Katie Murphy Lic Ac MTCMCI