Pulling Down the Moon

Sip This Instead of a PSL this Fall for Optimal Fertility!

Aug 31, 2022

Pumpkin Spice Is Nice...but the Sugar and Caffeine Are Mean! 

We’re officially in PSL season. 


This crazy time comes once a year, and like the Halloween decorations in Target, it seems that pumpkin spice season comes earlier and earlier each year.  But as yummy as a pumpkin spice latte (PSL) can be, it’s definitely not a great choice when you’re trying to conceive.  While pumpkin, cinnamon and whole milk are all great for fertility, a typical 16 oz Pumpkin Spice Latte contains about 50 grams of sugar, which is nearly double the daily recommendation. The same drink contains more than 350 calories which is nearly 20% of a 2000 calorie diet. 


But we get it.  Just because we’re trying to conceive doesn’t mean that we have to go without.  And we know that IVF cycles and Two Week Waits are very stressful - so don’t feel you have to miss out completely.  At Pulling Down the Moon, we’re a huge fan of the 80/20 rule.  That rule states that if you’re making great nutritional choices 80% of the time, there’s definitely room for a splurge 20% of the time.  So go ahead and have a PSL when the craving strikes.  But after you get your fix, you can try some of these delicious and fertility-friendly hot drinks!



Try a “Turmeric Latte” Instead! Golden milk is a drink that has  been part of Indian culture for centuries.  It’s called “golden” milk because it traditionally involves stirring the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory spice superstar turmeric into a cup of warm milk.  Golden milk is believed to help alleviate the common cold, upset stomach and support a good night of sleep. While golden milk always includes turmeric, it can be made with animal milk (we prefer organic whole milk) and other “warming spices” like ginger, nutmeg, black pepper and/or cinnamon.  Golden milk is often sweetened.  We like adding a splash of date sugar, maple syrup or honey for a slight hint of sweetness.  Here’s a recipe to get you started!


Pulling Down the Moon ARTeas


Our teas are naturally caffeine-free and was custom-created by a Pulling Down the Moon acupuncturist who specializes in herbal formulations and their therapeutic uses.   The teas Phase-specific ARTeas to support your cycle: Cleanse, Nourish, Stimulation Support and Hope *


Cleanse:  A purifying blend of chamomile, lemon verbena, dandelion root, peppermint, red clover, and rose petals. Cleanse Tea is perfect between fertility cycles or after a failed cycle. May help relieve symptoms of fatigue and sluggishness that are common after use of fertility medications. Cleanse Tea is meant to be used as a purifying tonic when not pregnant and not undergoing medical fertility treatment.  Can also be used as a complement to a dietary cleanse.


Nourish:  This fortifying, loose-leaf tea is a tasty blend of nettle, red raspberry leaf, lemon balm, licorice root, hibiscus, elderberries and lemongrass. Nourish Tea may help strengthen and support a woman’s reproductive system. Nourish can be enjoyed anytime before, during or after a medicated fertility cycle and even when pregnant. 


Stimulation Support:  We suggest you drink our Stimulation Support Tea during ART stimulation or the follicular phase of your menstrual cycle for adrenal and endocrine support. 


Hope:  Ingredients include a calming blend of red raspberry leaf, chamomile flower, orange peel, and orange rooibos. Relax the mind and body during the stressful "two-week-wait."  These naturally caffeine free ingredients have been used for centuries to relieve anxiety, reduce muscle spasm and decrease inflammation.  Also safe during pregnancy! 


Extra Credit Suggestion:  Miso Soup!  This suggestion is out of left field, but we are standing by it.  Miso soup - that light broth with bits of scallion and tofu that arrives prior to a Japanese meal has tremendous nutritional value.  First, it’s naturally sugar free and great when you’re craving something salty or just trying to retrain your sweet tooth.  Here are some of the fertility friendly benefits of miso:


  • First, unlike many soy products that         we recommend omitting from the fertility diet, the isoflavones in miso - which is a fermented form of soy - can help balance hormones. 
  • Miso - because it is fermented - also supports digestion with probiotic compounds.
  • Finally, miso contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that help limit chronic inflammation and fight free radical damage.


Here’s a great miso soup recipe that amps up the fertility benefits with the addition of greens!


What are you sipping as the leaves turn this Fall?  Share it with us here!


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Therapeutic Yoga for PCOS?

By Beth Heller • 13 Sep, 2024
There are many reasons that a therapeutic yoga program may benefit women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS presents very differently in different women but the syndrome as whole is associated with infertility and other adverse health conditions including obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Women with PCOS may also have higher levels of chronic inflammation and elevated levels of circulating stress hormones. The good news is that more and more research suggests that lifestyle intervention including lifestyle intervention including diet and exercise may be the best way to manage PCOS. In addition, new research is showing the benefit of Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat the hormonal imbalances, symptoms like hirsutism and acne, and menstrual irregularity that is associated with PCOS. Another element of PDtM’s PCOS “Action Plan is yoga. Yoga has been shown to lower levels of stress hormones and women with a regular yoga practice have been show to have a “healthier physiological response to stress". Yoga has also been shown to reduce markers of oxidative stress and blood sugar control in people with diabetes as well as improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels in heart disease patients (1). Some of the goals of a therapeutic yoga practice for PCOS include: Standing and seated yoga asana that create an invigorating, but not exhausting, exercise session Twisting poses, which in yoga physiology are believed to help decrease abdominal fat Postures that bring blood to the thyroid gland, an important endocrine gland for metabolism Stimulating agni, the digestive fire, that supports complete digestion and metabolism of foods Mudras (hand yoga) that stimulate different physiological and energetic systems Breathing exercises that induce the relaxation response While lifestyle changes can be very helpful with PCOS, they are not enough on their own. Working in partnership with you physician or Reproductive Endocrinologist and ensuring they are kept up to date on any holistic treatments you may be using is the smartest approach for PCOS management. Yoga for Fertility to support PCOS is available at Pulling Down the Moon in-center starting on Sept 21st and virtually starting on Sept 30th . If you would like to learn more about PDtM’s PCOS Action Plan to manager your PCOS Action Plan with holistic health treatment ( Acupuncture , Massage , Nutrition , and Yoga ) then contact us at 312-321-0004 or email info@pullingdownthemoon.com to get started today! (1) Field, T. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 17 (2011) 1e8
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By Beth Heller, MS RYT • 15 Aug, 2024
As I’ve said before, it took me seven years and five pregnancies to get two kids. So, while pregnancy was a joyful time for me on some levels, it was also a time of stress and sleepless anxiety. In fact my business partner Tami will often joke that my pregnancies were some of the most stressful times of her life. Honestly, though, without yoga, massage and acupuncture I think I would have bitten my fingernails to the quick waiting for Jackson and Calvin to arrive safely. What I didn’t know then was that seeking relief for anxiety through holistic means was also good for my boys. A growing body of clinical evidence now suggests that prenatal stress, depression and/or anxiety is linked to adverse health outcomes for both moms and babies including preterm birth, preeclampsia and even future risk of chronic disease and obesity (1). Women, especially women who have struggled to conceive, may feel guilty about experiencing anxious emotions during this “blissful time". Yet preparing for a new baby, no matter how hard one had to work to get it, can be stressful. Changes in the body during pregnancy, including the strains of a growing belly and nighttime muscle cramps, can also disrupt sleep, which increases stress. Rather than worry about worrying, we suggest you take the bull by the horns and enjoy a 360 degree self-care program during pregnancy. And honestly, it will never again be as easy to justify self-care like acupuncture , massage and yoga as it is when your efforts are a “double-dip – good for mom and great for baby. Here are several strategies for decreasing maternal stress and improving overall well-being during pregnancy: 1. Get acupuncture. A 2010 study in Obstetrics and Gynecology found that acupuncture treatment alleviated symptoms of stress and depression in pregnant women and women experiencing infertility (2, 3). Acupuncture has also been shown to be effective at managing morning sickness, back and pelvic pain and labor pain. Make sure, however, that you see a practitioner who is experienced in treating pregnancy. 2. Do prenatal yoga. Compared to controls, women who did prenatal yoga experienced significant reductions in physical pain from baseline to post intervention compared with women in the third trimester whose pain increased. Women in the yoga group showed greater reductions in perceived stress and trait anxiety in their third trimester than women from the control group (4) The same women also experienced better sleep and less wakefulness (5). 3. Get prenatal massage. Research shows that women who received prenatal massage reported decreased depression, anxiety, and leg and back pain. Cortisol levels decreased, which decreased excessive fetal activity; the rate of baby prematurity was also lower (6). 4. Seek expert prenatal nutrition counseling. There are specific nutritional strategies for managing weight gain, avoiding conditions like Gestational Diabetes and Pre-eclampsia and improving digestion (less heartburn, avoid constipation). At Pulling Down the Moon we target our prenatal nutrition consults based on trimester. Get your passport to pregnancy relaxation by getting started today with prenatal care in Chicago , Highland Park , or virtually ! Gift certificates are also available at our online store shop.pullingdownthemoon.com . 1. Entringer S et al. Prenatal stress and developmental programming of human health and disease risk: concepts and integration of empirical findings. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2010 Dec;17(6):507-16. 2. Smith CA. 1. SMith The effect of acupuncture on psychosocial outcomes for women experiencing infertility. J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Oct;17(10):923-30. Epub 2011 Oct 6 . 3. Manber et al. Acupuncture for depression during pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Mar;115(3):511-20. 4. Beddoe AE et al. The effects of mindfulness-based yoga during pregnancy on maternal psychological and physical distress. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2009 May-Jun;38(3):310-9. 5. Beddoe AE et al. Effects of mindful yoga on sleep in pregnant women: a pilot study. Biol Res Nurs. 2010 Apr;11(4):363-70. 6. Field, T. (2010). Pregnancy and labor massage therapy. Expert Review of Obstetrics and Gynecology , 5, 177-181.
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