by Beth Heller, MS

In a recent clinical study conducted at Pulling Down the Moon we found that women who took our six week Yoga for Fertility class experienced significant reductions in their anxiety levels.  This was very exciting, not just for us but for the women who experienced this reduction in anxiety.

“Allostatic load” (AL) is a term that refers to the physiological consequences of chronic stress and anxiety.  In other words, AL is the physical result of excess chronic stress exposure.  The conditions that lead to AL include repeated exposure to multiple sources of stress and  an inability to “shut down” the stress response in a timely manner.  For anyone who has experienced the challenges of infertility – multiple sources of stress anyone?  - you recognize it’s a perfect recipe for excess Allostatic Load.

To reduce AL it stands to reason that we should try to both reduce the number of stressors we experience and improve our ability to shut down the stress response.  The first remedy, reducing the number of stressors, is challenging.  Between work, relationships and the medical aspects of fertility the stress whammy’s are pretty relentless and often beyond our control.   That leaves the second remedy, learning to shut down or counteract the stress response, as our best course of action.

Enter the vagus nerve.  The vagus nerve runs from deep in the brain down to the gut and is responsible for an amazing array of enervation - from heart to colon.  Specifically, the vagus nerve provides parasympathetic nervous stimulation, our body’s  rest-digest-nest response.  Stimulation of this nerve has been shown to lower heart rate and blood pressure, and counteracts our our body’s stress response.  It has been hypothesized that yoga reduces Allostatic Load by stimulating the vagus nerve.

Yoga stimulates the vagus nerve in many different ways.  Asana (yoga poses) fold, twist and extend the torso, impacting the vagus nerve. Techniques like ujjayi breathing also stimulate this nerve.  In our yoga program we focus both on poses that support fertility and those that stimulate our relaxation response.  And now research shows this may be having a real impact on women’s anxiety levels.

In May and June, you can take advantage of yoga in one of three ways at Pulling Down the Moon.  First, we have two great fertility yoga DVDs:  Yoga Practices for Fertility and our Fully Fertile Companion Yoga DVD for purchase online or in our Centers.  We also have yoga classes in DC Metro and the Chicago Area.  Finally, in our Chicago-area locations we are offering a Three-Pack of 75 minute private yoga sessions for $225 in May and June.  Call or visit our website for more info.

 by Beth Heller, MS RYT

Chicago has had an amazing winter and a very early spring.  This past week has found us meditating on flip-flops…in March!

 While it’s super fun to slip on a pair of summery wedges and paint our toenails pink, open toed shoes and flip-flops aren’t the only reason to pay attention to our piggies.  When it comes to the holistic view of fertility  feet occupy a place of honor.  If you’ve ever had fertility acupuncture you know that many of the points that support the reproductive system are located in the feet and ankles.  Reflexologists assert that the feet literally provide a map of the body and that we can use foot manipulation to impact different physical organs.  Yoga, too, teaches that healthy feet are important for better menstrual function, dispelling toxins and improving immunity.

So what’s so special about our feet?  In yoga, the feet are seen as the foundation of our being that is connected with the earth.  The most basic of yoga poses, mountain pose, challenges us to simply stand and find balance from our feet to the top of our head.  If we close our eyes in mountain pose, we can visualize the outlines of our feet on our yoga mat…literally our footprint in the world.  One of the strangest things for the new yoga practitioner is exercising in bare feet rather than sneakers.   Postures are practiced barefoot to maximize our awareness of our feet.  Yoga postures also stretch and stimulate different points on the feet that are associated with different organ systems in the body.

Symbolically, the challenges of fertility lead us away from our feet into our head as we spin our mental wheels searching for the silver bullet that will blast us past “trying” time into mommy time.  Our feet, particularly when we practice yoga asana, bring us home from our imaginings and projections to the here and now.

On an energetic level, the feet are associated with our first chakra.  Chakras are energy wheels located along our spine and each chakra is associated with both physiological functions and spiritual life-lessons.  On a psycho-spiritual level the first chakra is associated with security, trust and our sense of belonging.  Physically, the first chakra governs our immune system, gut health and lower back.  The feet are also very important for the flow of apana energy, the energy current in our body that moves downward from the pelvis to the soles of the feet, governs the menstrual cycle and the ability for our body to dispel toxins.

So, be kind to your feet.   Try not to cram them into uncomfortable shoes and make sure they  are frequently touched or nurtured.   Here are some tips for fertility-friendly feet:

1.  Shake hands with your feet once a day.  To do this, take your fingers and thread them between your toes (pinky finger between pinky and second toe, ring finger between second and middle toe, etc.).  Once your fingers are threaded, gently squeeze and massage the ball of the foot.   Repeat on the other side.
2. Keep your feet warm.  Cold feet mean decreased circulation.  With summer coming we face “air conditioner freeze syndrome.”  Keep a pair of fuzzy socks in your bag or desk for the days when you feel like you work in a refrigerator!
3. Experiment with reflexology, the science of foot massage.  Either see a professional reflexologist or try out “reflexology socks,” that actually outline the different areas of the foot and their associated organ system.
4. Try yoga.  If you’re a runner or walker, your feet may need a good stretch.  Time spent in yoga class in bare feet can help feet become more flexible and improve circulation to these important fertility “organs.”  Click here to view our upcoming Yoga for Fertility schedule for DC Metro and Chicagoland.

When we begin a yoga or meditation program we want to jump straight to the “meat:”  how and when will this practice create peace of mind?  If after two sessions we have not achieved at least a semblance of calm we label ourselves a failure.  We can’t help it.

Traditional meditation training involved little instruction and relied on the arising of tranquility and insight.  In his book “Diamond Mind:  a Psychology of Meditation,” master teacher Rob Nairn notes that Western meditators often don’t come as easily to the natural arising of insight and will often use the practice of meditation to suppress psychological process instead of promoting it.  So Nair’s approach is to emphasize making “friends” with the mind and developing an attitude of playfulness towards practice.

Meditation is a process that balances concentration with letting go.  We practice over and over again allowing ourselves to be fully present in each arising moment.  Why?  Because it’s only in the present moment that a new understanding can arise.  Everything but the present is ruled by either memory of the past or imagination of the future.   This is a very important point for those of us who are trying to conceive.  That journey can be so encumbered by past disappointments and future fears and hopes that the present is almost completely obscured.  Together, though, with the help of breath and awareness we can begin to carve out a moment of “now” in which peace can arise and deep healing can occur.

For today, let’s try to sit in the now.  Don’t freak out if you feel like your mind is a Niagara Falls of emotions and thoughts.  This is NOT failure, it’s success!  You have become aware of your mind. As you continue to practice this awareness will grow and mature until you learn that you are actually a peaceful, content being experiencing a roller-coaster ride of experiences.  Here’s a very simple technique for staying present:

Sit quietly, either in a comfortable cross-legged position or in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your spine straight.  Close your eyes and place one hand on your lower abdomen.  Inhale deeply through the nose and feel the breath move down into the belly, expanding and moving the hand outward as if you’re filling up a balloon in your tummy.  Exhale through the nose, feel the belly begin to  deflate as you softly count the number “10.”  Inhale again, and with the exhale softly say to yourself “9.”  Inhale, exhale 8…and so on down to “1.”  As you count down from 10 to 1, feel as if you are consciously unwinding the forward momentum of your mind.  Feel as if you are a car exiting the highway and slowing down to a country road where you have time to look at the beautiful scenery and be present.   Once you begin to practice this technique daily you may find that after you’ve counted down your ten breaths you’re happy to sit a bit in peace.  Enjoy!  That’s the present moment.

If the exercise above was challenging, don’t despair!   Pulling Down the Moon will be offering a Mindfulness for Fertility class in conjunction with the psychologists of Fertility Centers of Illinois starting April 28.  Stay tuned for registration info and details…

by Beth Heller, MS RYT

Yoga poses are a mystery in my book.  We go to yoga class, stand on a mat in our bare feet and proceed to bend and twist our bodies until we take on a completely different shape.  What are these shapes?  Why on earth do they make us feel so good?  Why are they such a gift when we are experiencing life and health challenges such as infertility?

There is a lot of information about the physiological benefits of yoga.  Clearly, yoga postures are good for our bodies.  Stretching tight musculature improves our posture, strengthens our digestion and makes our muscles strong and supple.  Hip opening postures feed blood to the uterus and ovaries, backbends stimulate our nervous system and free our respiratory system from chronic tension, and twists “wring out” toxins and stale fluid from body tissues.  But aren’t postures just physical exercise?  The answer is yes, and no.

In his master work Light on Yoga, renowned yogi B.K.S. Iyengar explains that names of yoga poses are significant and symbolize the process of evolution.  There are poses named for plants (tree, lotus), poses named for insects (locust, scorpion), poses named for fish, reptiles and higher mammals like dog and camel.  Some are even named for legendary Hindu heroes and even gods.  The point is, Iyengar says, that while we perform yoga asana we assume many different forms, from the lowliest to the most exalted, and recognize the Universal Spirit that runs through them all.   Mr. Iyengar asserts that it is this unspoken presence of the divine that begins to work on the body of the yogi, causing new discipline and spontaneous healing to occur in diet, cleanliness and character.  What a fascinating thought – and how nice to think that tapping into something greater than ourselves is just a down dog away?

Over tea last week, Joyce, a fellow yoga teacher and friend was discussing her yoga practice when she added another dimension to my musing.

“The postures,” she said, “are the constant and I am the variable.  When I move into a yoga pose that I practice regularly, the pose is the same but depending on my state of mind, what I ate for dinner the night before and my present mood it’s a unique experience every time.  When I am tense, my down dog is rigid.  When I am sad I am reluctant to do backbends.  Because the postures encourage me to breathe and reflect, I see how my life affects my body. “

So, while in some ways these insights make the mystery even deeper, my appreciation of yoga asana is ever expanding.  These insights remind me that while yoga for fertility is trendy and hip openers are indeed great for fertility, the roots of this practice run far deeper than we will ever imagine.  And for this I am truly grateful.

Check out our brand new video companion to our book, Fully Fertile. This easy to use practice is great for any level, designed to support your body’s fertility and, with faithful practice, connect you to this universal healing awareness.

by Beth Heller MS, RYT

Jivamukti Yoga Co-Founder David Life tells a famous story about his first experience of mula bandha.   Standing in a yoga class with a famous Indian yoga instructor, Life heard the instructions “Contact Uranus!”

Contact Uranus?  Did he wander by accident into a Star Trek convention?

It took Life a while to understand that his teacher was saying  ”contract your anus,” the basic instructions for initiating mula bandha, a very powerful yoga technique for fertility.

I don’t hesitate to tell you this story because if you’re experiencing infertility you’re no stranger to embarrassing descriptions of things that are happening (or not happening) below the waist.  You can likely rattle off words like “semen” and “cervical mucous,” “vaginal probe” and “post-coital.”   Now, believe it or not, your fertility yoga practice is going to take you there, too.

Mula bandha is an energetic practice that stabilizes the pelvis and sacrum and tones the pelvic muscles.  While Life’s teacher suggested contracting the anus, mula bandha is actually more subtle. In women the action of mula bandha is the contraction of the vaginal and cervical muscles, similar to a Kegel.  If you’ve never heard of a Kegel, you can get a sense of this muscle action by imagining that you are urinating and must contract your pelvic floor muscles to stop the flow of urine.

On a physical level mula bandha tones the muscles of the pelvic floor.  It is great preparation for pregnancy where these muscles experience strain which can lead to urinary incontinence.  But mula bandha is more than just a muscular contraction, it is also an energetic contraction.  On an energetic level, the practice of mula bandha is grounding and helps conserve life energy (prana) in our body.    Mula bandha also clears congestion at the root chakra, also called muladhara chakra, which is concerned with safety and survival.  Mula bandha literally lifts  prana up from the root chakra to the second chakra.  The second chakra is called the svadhishthana chakra and is concerned with sexuality, creativity and fertility – so you can see why this might benefit fertility.  Mula bandha is also said to sever the brahma granthi, the energetic knot at the base of our spine that represents resistance to change, so if you’re feeling stuck or afraid, this work is for you.

To practice mula bandha, sit comfortably in a chair with your feet on the ground.  Slowly inhale and begin to engage the muscles of the pelvic floor (ie. as if you are stopping the flow of urine) over a count of five.  I like to use a visualization of an elevator going up (floor 1, floor 2, floor 3, floor 4, floor 5).   Exhale as you release the contraction slowly and feel the elevator descending floor by floor.  Check in with leg and buttocks muscles to make sure you aren’t tightening them.  Repeat 10 times.

With practice it will become possible to hold mula bandha for longer periods of time, while going for a walk, while doing your yoga, while talking on the phone.  Practiced regularly and with attention mula bandha can bring many gifts.

by Pam Policastro, L. Ac.

Eastern medicine views the individual as a whole being with body, mind, and spirit interconnected and supported by an underlying energy system.  Good health depends on a balanced circulation of Qi, or vital life energy, throughout the body.  Keeping this concept in mind, I will now discuss the TCM(Traditional Chinese Medicine) view on physical exercise.

First of all, there’s the sweat.  In Chinese medicine one of the functions of the Heart is to control body fluids.  Sweat is considered the “fluid” of the Heart, if you sweat a lot you are actually unbalancing the Qi, or energy, of your Heart.  In the case of perspiring too much and losing too much fluid, you are creating a deficiency of the Heart, which can prevent this organ system from functioning well.  What does this mean in terms of fertility?  The Heart and Kidney energies control the process necessary for female fertility.  The Heart “governs” the blood and is an integral part of the production of blood, therefore contributing to nourishment of the endometrium and embryo.

Then there’s the issue of the tendons and ligaments.  These areas of your body are dependent upon sufficient blood from the Liver to nourish them.  Strenuous and excessive exercise, such as intense aerobic and running workouts, is hard on the joints(tendons and ligaments).  When you overwork your joints, the Liver must send more blood to help restore them, and on a continual basis this depletes the Liver’s energy.  The Liver is a very important organ in terms of women’s fertile health.  This is because blood is stored in the Liver, especially when the body is at rest.  Some of this blood must be passed onto the uterus before preparation for pregnancy or menstruation can occur.  If the Liver Blood is deficient, then menstruation may be scanty, infrequent, or missing…compromising fertility.

Chinese medicine sees intense physical exercise as spending precious internal energy that is very difficult to replace, and not creating true health.  It is also detrimental to fertility. Wouldn’t  it make sense then, to pursue a form of “exercise” that actually increases life-enhancing energy instead of using it up?  Meditation, Qigong, Taiji, and Yoga have been shown to create positive changes in the areas of the brain linked with emotion as well as increase immune function and blood flow as well as decrease blood pressure.  PS…these more holistic forms of exercise support healthy fertility.

by Beth Heller, M.S., RYT

On April 26 we are offering a free Laughter Yoga class at Pulling Down the Moon in honor of National Infertility Awareness Week .  I can imagine that some people might be offended by the idea.  Infertility is no laughing matter.

On some level that’s true – but on another it couldn’t be farther from the truth.  I can remember sitting out on the steps in front of my RE’s office after a bad ultrasound the day before Mother’s Day early on in my fertility journey.  I ran into my friend Heather at the office – she was starting her second IVF cycle – and she sat with me as I cried.

“On the bright side, Beth,” she said.  ”We can go out together on Mother’s Day and drink martinis and eat raw fish!”   The need to avoid sushi was something that had concerned both of us about being pregnant back in the days when we thought pregnancy would be easy to achieve.  Now raw fish was our consolation prize.  I don’t know why but that struck us both as enormously funny at the time and we laughed until we could barely breathe.  Sad as I was that my cycle had failed, I felt worlds better after that laugh.

The ability to laugh is one of our most profound self-healing skills.  Little kids laugh simply because it feels good and it makes them happy.  As adults we lose this spontaneity and, in turn, lose connection to the well-spring of physical, emotional and even spiritual benefits of laughter.  ”Mirthful laughter” has been shown to help reduce chronic pain, improve immune response, alleviate depression and improve cardio-vascular health.  To thicken the plot, it seems that laughter may improve IVF outcomes.  Researchers in Israel followed 229 women and found that a 15 minute visit from a trained “medical clown” immediately after embryo transfer increased the  pregnancy rate to 36%, compared with 20% for women whose embryo transfer was comedy free.

So how might laughter help fertility?   Perhaps by stimulating the relaxation response.   When people are stressed they tend to take shallow breaths. Extending the exhale (which is exactly what laughter is –  HA HA HA HA – gasp for breath – HA HA HA HA) has a profound effect on blood chemistry.  Breathing patterns that emphasize the exhale increase blood CO2 levels.  This change in blood chemistry relaxes blood vessels and promotes blood flow to the brain as well as the release of oxygen from the hemoglobin into the tissues.   In addition, laughter stimulates beta-endoprhins, our feel-good chemicals.  Interestingly, these are similar benefits to those believed to result from acupuncture treatment that is also associated with improved success of IVF cycles.

From the yogic perspective, laughter plays an equally important role.  Inside each of us, yoga teaches, is a core of joy.  This core is clouded by negative thought patterns and what we have allowed to become the daily grind of our existence.  If we can connect to that spark of  joy, yoga teaches, it can begin to transform – even “burn away” – the negativity that has grown up around it.  Laughter sparks that joy.  It begins a profound process of coming back to our own innate radiance.

So, come and join us for Laughter Yoga on Tuesday April 26 from 7 to 8 p.m.  The class is free.  This class will combine breathing and spontaneous laughter that will create an amazing shift in the chemistry of your body and brain.  We provide a silly, safe and nurturing environment for you to explore this wonderful practice and leave smiling.

Click here to register!

http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=3556&stype=-8&sTG=23&sVT=169&sView=day&sLoc=0

This week is an exciting week at PDtM.  We have two new drop-in classes on the schedule, iRest ™ Yoga Nidra for Fertility and our Reiki & Meditation Circle for Women.  Your first session in either of these classes is FREE so  sign-up now and give them BOTH a try.

Ellen MacGran

iRest for Fertility starts Tuesday April 5 and runs from 7 to  8 p.m.  Our teacher Ellen MacGran has a gentle, soothing voice and has trained extensively with Dr. Richard Miller, one of the foremost experts on yoga nidra in the country.  Yoga nidra, which means “sleep of the yogi,” is a guided relaxation practice that is done laying down and creates a state of deep rest for body and mind.  Men are welcome to join this class.  You can even bring a pillow and your favorite blanket.  Cost $15 drop-in.  First class FREE!

Lisa Espinosa, Reiki Master

Reiki & Meditation Circle for Women begins Thursday April 7 and runs from 5 to 6 p.m.  This beautiful class combines beginning meditation instruction, sitting practice and healing energy work.  Your instructor is Lisa Espinosa, Reiki Master.  Cost $15 drop-in.  First class FREE!

Other wonderful events include two FREE patient education seminars:

Fertility Cleanse Thursday April 7,  6 to 7 p.m. Click here to register for this free program sponsored by Fertility Centers of Illinois

FEM Protocol Fertility Massage Class Sunday April 10, 12-1 p.m. Click here to register for this free program sponsored by Fertility Centers of Illinois

Upcoming Events Include:

Laughter Yoga

***THIS IS A FREE EVENT IN SUPPORT OF NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK *****

When is the last time you experienced an amazing giggle fit or a gut-busting crack up? Believe it or not, new studies show that laughter may improve IVF outcomes. Beyond fertility, we know that laughter can improve brain chemistry, release feel-good chemicals called endorphins and even stimulate the relaxation response.

Join Pulling Down the Moon Co-Founders Tami Quinn and Beth Heller for a Laughter Yoga practice that combines breathing and spontaneous laughter to elicit an amazing shift in the chemistry of your body and mind. This wonderful community event will lighten your heart and mind and connect you with the spark of joy that is present within all of us.

Click here to register for Laughter Yoga.

Therapeutic Yoga and TCM for PCOS

If you have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome this unique workshop will empower you to use two ancient healing systems, yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine, to help manage the symptoms and adverse health consequences that are associated with PCOS.

At this workshop we will explore PCOS from the perspectives of yoga and TCM, learn a therapeutic yoga program that addresses the specific health concerns of PCOS and meet other women who are learning how to be radiantly healthy despite PCOS. You will leave with tools to support your physical, mental and spiritual health.  Pre-registration is required for this event.  Cost:  $35

Click here to register for Therapeutic Yoga and TCM for PCOS.