Acupuncture as HRT replacement?

Acupuncture as HRT replacement?

 by CHANTAL NOGBOU                      

 

You might have heard in the news recently about the HRT shortage or about the research that was published last week showing the increased risk of cancer when taking some HRT medicines.

HRT is hormone replacement therapy used to treat symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes and there has been a nationwide shortage of these medicines causing huge increase in severity and occurence of menopausal symptoms putting many women on edge and often at wits end not knowing how they will manage their wellness.

This shortage means many women have been unable to renew their hRT description, so they haven’t been able the medication helps manage symptoms.

But there is a whole world of other treatments out there that can help treat menopausal symptoms such as acupuncture.

There is a whole army of amazing acupuncturist out there that can help all these women, including you if you have been caught out by the HRT shortage. We are all here to help!

Acupuncture is the insertion of fine, solid, single use, sterile needles at specific places on your body called acupuncture points and is based on Chinese Medicine which has been around for thousands of years. The needles are usually left in for 20 minutes ish during which you can just enjoy the deeply relaxing feeling that acupuncture gives you. No bad side effects.

Acupuncture reduces hot flushes, reduces night sweats, helps relieve insomnia emotional problems, it just helps you feel more balanced.

So if you need a replacement for your hormone replacement therapy give acupuncture a try, what have you got to lose?

Look for a traditional chinese acupuncturist near you we can help.

If you are in Leeds I can help and you won’t even have to go anywhere as I will bring my treatments to you, you do not need to move away from your fan.

For more information visit www.dragonflyacupunctureleeds.com  

Or find me on social media Facebook/Instagram?Twittter @dragonflyacupunctureleeds

PMS to the extreme: PMDD

                         

PMS to the extreme: PMDD

By Chantal Nogbou, Acupuncturist at Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds

Most months i see wonderful women, friends of mine struggling with the understimated and quite unknown condition called PMDD.  More about what this means soon.
Their montly suffering is what inspired me to share more information about PMDD and how acupuncture can help in this blog.

Let us raise awareness and support these women. let us provide them with some tools they can use at these tough, debilitating times.

PMDD, also known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder, is an extreme form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Like PMS, it affects women of reproductive age and can have both physical and emotional symptoms. However, the symptoms of PMDD are much more severe than those of regular PMS and if you suffer from PMDD, it can leave you unable to function normally for several days each month.

The symptoms of PMDD can be either physical or emotional, or both.

Physical Symptoms:

Breast tenderness, Abdominal cramps or pain, Muscle or joint pain, Headaches, Bloating, Changes in appetite, overeating or food cravings, Sleep issues, Fatigue

Emotional Symptoms:

Mood swings, Feeling tearful, Anxiety, Depression, Irritability or anger, Feeling tense or “on edge”, Reduced concentration, Loss of interest in everyday activities, Feeling overwhelmed or hopeless, Suicidal thoughts

It is thought that somewhere between 2 and 8% of women of reproductive age suffer from PMDD. There is no specific test for the condition, but it can be diagnosed if you suffer from five or more of the above symptoms, starting 7-10 days before your period.

These symptoms will go away shortly after you start your period. If you think you may be suffering from PMDD, it is a good idea to track your symptoms over the course of a few cycles to see if there is a pattern. This will help you and your family or partner to know what to expect every month and be better prepared.

It is unclear exactly what causes PMDD but it has been linked to fluctuations in hormone levels throughout your monthly cycle. This has a knock on effect on neurotransmitters such as serotonin which leads to changes in your mood and emotions.

Can Acupuncture Help PMDD?

Acupuncture is an ancient oriental therapy which works by inserting fine needles into the skin at specific points on the body. This is thought to restore physical and emotional balance, maintain health and treat disease. Acupuncture is well-known for treating the body and the mind side by side, and is used to relieve a wide range of different ailments. But can acupuncture help PMDD? How does it work?

Acupuncture works in a number of different ways. It influences the central nervous system to relieve pain and can help with PMDD symptoms such as headaches, abdominal cramps and muscle or joint pain.

It also stimulates the release of our body’s natural painkillers, endorphins. As well as reducing pain, these give you a sense of general well-being and relieve stress and anxiety.

Acupuncture can help to rebalance the levels of both hormones and neurotransmitters, meaning that it is ideal for conditions like PMDD. It addresses both the physical and emotional symptoms of this disorder and can offer much needed support through a difficult time of the month.

In addition to acupuncture, acupressure is a self-care technique that you can use safely at home to help to relieve some of the symptoms of PMDD.

Acupressure for PMDD or PMS

Acupressure for PMDD or PMS is a simple way to relieve your symptoms at home and to supplement your acupuncture treatment between sessions. Your acupuncturist may recommend specific points according to your individual symptoms, but some of the best general points for PMDD and PMS are:

Yin Tang (Seal Hall)

Location: On the midline of the forehead, between the inner ends of the eyebrows.

Method: Rest your thumb or forefinger on the point and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, then gently but firmly press down on the point until you feel a comfortable pressure. Keep breathing deeply as you hold the point for 1-2 minutes, or until you feel calm, then gently release.

Benefits: Calms the mind, relieves anxiety, improves sleep.

ST 27 – Great Gigantic

Location: On the abdomen, around three finger widths out from and three finger widths below the belly button. The point can be found on the edge of the abdominal muscles on either side of the body.

Method: Use the index fingers of both hands to find the points on both sides. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and press firmly but gently on the points. Hold for 1-2 minutes while continuing to breathe deeply, then release.

Benefits: Relieves abdominal pain and bloating, relieves anxiety and insomnia.

LIVER 3 – Great Rushing

Location: On the top of the foot, in a hollow formed at the junction of the first and second metatarsal (foot) bones (in line with the big toe and the second toe).

Method: Sit with your knees bent and the soles of your feet together and use the index or middle fingers to find the points on both feet. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and press firmly but gently on the points. Hold for 1-2 minutes while continuing to breathe deeply, then release. If it is uncomfortable to sit in this position, you can press the points one at a time.

Benefits: Relieves irritability and depression, stabilizes mood, relieves headaches.

 

For more information or to book in your complimentary phone consult fill in the contact form or email at dragonflyacupunctureleeds@gmail.com

Coming soon…Fertility coaching

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As an acupuncturist treating fertility issues for many years it has become much more apparent we need to treat so much more than the physical symptoms of fertility issues.

The emotional side is often a focus too but when dealing with grief because of recurrent miscarriages or losses I felt I wanted to offer more support and that is what led me to fertility coaching.

Avoiding certain friends when they fall pregnant, getting upset when you see a pregnancy announcement on social media, getting upset every month when your period starts…pretty much putting life on hold.

Struggling with fertility issues can be overwhelming and all consuming making women and their partners feel like they are drowning or feeling suffocated with the overwhelm.

Don’t give up hope, and definitely do not give up!!

The Freedom Fertility Formula coaching is all  about finding ways of getting them out of that downward spiral of despair, when it feels like all that matters is having a baby and if they were pregnant all would be well with the world.

Freedom Fertility Formula Coaching sessions allows me to do just that. Helping them regain Emotional control, seeing light at the end of the tunnel, seeing the sunshine through the clouds, being able to be positive again and with focus.

Through a 6 session structured program we will work through the impact that fertility issues may have on their life and empowering them with the tools to combat any challenges or obstacles they may come across and regaining value in life. It will be life changing!!!

It is time to unlock the doors to your emotional prison and begin to live again.

As a Freedom Fertility Formula Coach, I want you to:
Wake up in the morning feeling POSITIVE and OPTIMISTIC about the day ahead?
Reconnect with yourself and increase your SELF CONFIDENCE and TRUST in your body?
Let go of the negative experiences of the past that may be holding you back; RELEASE them and MOVE FORWARDS?
RECONNECT with your partner and REIGNITE the passion in your lives together?
Say YES to social invitations, and make plans for the FUTURE with your partner and friends and/or family
But most importantly say YES to moving FORWARDS positively in a way that feels exciting to you, and EMBRACING what the future brings, come what may.
SO HOW CAN YOU WORK WITH ME?
        Full Formula Package
6 x 60-90 minute informative and interactive sessions (session one will be 120 minutes) loaded with tools, techniques to support you to begin moving forwards again, either face to face in the comfort of your own home, or via Skype
Full package is £595.00 – discount price of £500 (if paid upfront, installment plan available)
Pay As You Go – Session by Session
£100 per session
I also offer both inclusive and stand-alone IVF preparation sessions, please contact me for further information.
Book Now
If this is something that intrigues you, why not message to book a FREE discovery call with me to see if this is the right formula for you.
I look forward to hearing from you soon
Chantal x
Book Now
Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds
www.dragonflyacupunctureleeds.co.ukAcupuncture in the comfort of your own home

Coming soon…Freedom Fertility Formula Coaching

 

 

 

February is here…

February is here…

And so are all the coughs, colds and flu’s.

If you feel you need to recover from them or you want to do everything possible you can to prevent it ACUPUNCTURE is the KEY!!

Acupuncture boosts your immunity, fights coughs and colds, clears sinuses, clears phlegm from your chest, reduces pain. Amazing right?

Give it a go…

A day in my life….

A day in my life as an acupunk

Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds is one of very few (if not the only one) acupuncturists who come to you, the way i run my practice in this way is fairly unique and AMAZING!!

The people who are housebound for whatever reason are still able to access treatment that can make such a big difference to their health and wellbeing, their quality of life.

What happens during an appointment..

I will be driving along Leeds roads in my car usually singing along to songs while getting interrupted by the satnav. I rock up outside your house and have my couch and equipment bag with me.

Yes, my bag is huge and is a bit like Mary Poppins bag as it has all sorts of things in. Needles, bolsters, towels, massage oil, anti bac handspray, sharps bin, moxa rolls and much more.

I set up my couch and we go through a long (but very important) consultation form asking all sorts of things from symptoms, diet, sleep, stress levels to poo and pee. I know 🙂 but these things can be vital for a clear diagnosis, according to Chinese medicine. Which is a sentence I use A LOT.

Then I will have a look at your tongue, it’s one of the only times you can legitimately stick out your tongue without getting funny looks. Looking at your tongue can tell us so much about what is going on with your health, and your pulses (all 6 positions, on 3 levels) show the same thing. It is very interesting how it often confirms information from the consultation.

Time comes to hop on the couch, in most cases there is no need to disrobe. We just need access to your limbs below your elbows and below your knees. So wear loose comfy clothes for your treatment and we will be right. Although you would be surprised how many people still wear skinny jeans and try to pull it up almost cutting off blood supply. But they just go and get changed.

Finally, we then get to the actual needling. Single use, sterile, fine needles will be inserted at specific Acupuncture points chosen according to the diagnosis in Chinese medicine.

Yes, you will feel the needle go in as we are puncturing the skin after all. But it’s a sensation similar to someone flicking your skin.

The sensation people feel then varies from person to person, from a dull ache, to a gentle light stroke, to feeling as if someone is blowing on your skin gently.

Many different ways to explain the sensation but what they all have in common is that there is NO pain.

After insertion needles are left in for about 20 minutes, unless it’s a child that is having the treatment.

If you want to close your eyes and snooze, that’s fine.
If you want to have a chat, that’s fine.
If you want to discuss what points I’m using and why, that’s fine too.

We will go by what you want to do, and what you are most comfortable with.

At the end of the treatment I remove all needles, and double check I haven’t left any in by accident. All needles are disposed of in a sharps bin, which is incinerated once full.

We discuss after care advice, to support the best outcomes of the acupuncture treatment, plan of action regarding number of treatments and regularity.

We book in your next session, I pack up and leave you to enjoy the chill out feeling people often report after Acupuncture. Some comment they feel like they have been on the wine or question whether there is some kind of magic potion in my little pins. To reassure you my needles are single use,  sterile, solid  needles, very fine ones about the same width like a strand of your hair. Super thin i know, and absolutely no stuff being injected.

I go back to my car for more singing along Leeds roads, on to my next appointment.

If you read this far, thank you for allowing me to share some of what I do.

Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds
07905 672460

www.dragonflyacupunctureleeds.co.uk

Please feel free to share 🙂

It Takes A Village

It Takes A Village

You will have heard the saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child’.

I have often thought in the past that we are so busy living our own lives we forget about looking after others. It’s each to their own.

And then things happen that completely change the way you were thinking about the wider world.

As part of Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds i support many women (with acupuncture, aromatherapy massage, reflexology, mother roasting) during their pregnancy and after birth, and their husbands/partners and they are often the ones who arrange the treatments for the new mums. Recently  i treated a very new mum to a lovely nourishing warming postnatal massage, his parents had flown over from abroad to spend time with the baby.

What i loved was what they said ‘mum looks after baby, so mother in law looks after mum’ . When i was about the leave the new dad came up to me and said he needed to now book his mum in too as she needs pampering. How lovely!! The whole family came together to look after the new baby but didn’t lose sight about the importance of looking after ourselves and others too.

At the same time I co founded Leeds Baby Bank supporting families in need with emergency baby essentials.  Never in my wildest dreams could i have imagined it would take off as quickly as it did. In just two weeks we have provided 15 Leeds families with the baby essentials they needed. Whether it was just baby milk, nappies and wipes or all the baby basics, such as cots, moses baskets, prams, bedding, clothes etc.

Who would have expected after just two days we had been in the local paper and on BBC Leeds radio, plus more interviews followed for tv and radio. The Leeds Baby Bank team of 6 were dealing with 100s of inbox messages and comments on our facebook page. Mainly of people wanting to donate time, money or baby items they didn’t need anymore. People asking what did we need the most as they would add it onto their weekly shop. Every day we are inundated with more messages from people donating baby goods. To see how the Leeds Baby Bank as grown so quickly is heartwarming but also heartbreaking there is the need for such a thing.

Over the two weeks since our launch we have been kindly given some free storage space to use, we now have 9 drop off points across Leeds, received referrals from at least 5 different organisations and helped 15 families in their time of need, with well over a 1000 messages and comments since the start on our facebook page.

Everybody is coming together to make sure no child goes without. WOW!

This is when the saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ really does come true.

Thank you to everyone who supports what i do, whether it is Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds or Leeds Baby Bank all the comments, likes, shares are much appreciated.

And if you would love to support LBB by donating items or funds do get it touch. Our GO Fund page link is below, this money will help us pay for a large storage space to house all the kind donations given and will allow us to get referral bundles out quickly to the families in need as all our inventory will be stored here once collected from one of the many drop off point.

THANK YOU

For your very own treatments in your own home contact me through my website www.dragonflyacupunctureleeds.co.uk or find me on facebook Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds.

For more information about Leeds Baby Bank check out our facebook page or our website leedsbabybank.org

Or you can contact Leeds Baby Bank via email at leedsbabybank@gmail.com

You can support Leeds Baby Bank by donating at https://www.gofundme.com/leeds-baby-bank All help is much appreciated.

Making Changes

The start of a new year is often about making chances, often once we find it difficult to stick to.

You may have seen some of the changes I have made to Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds.

Yes!!! I have a brand spanking new website which will have amazing free and paid for resources area. All you need to access this wealth of information is register your details and Bob is your uncle.

And this will keep you up to date with all Dragonfly happenings this year.

Which will be an exciting year and I would love for you to join me.

Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds www.dragonflyacupunctureleeds.co.uk