Categories > Mindfulness

Wednesday, April 27th
830pm

The Whole Family Health Team will be joining the Fertility Matters Canada Lighting Canada Green initiative.

On Wednesday, April 27th, 30+ landmarks across Canada will be lighting GREEN to honour the journeys of the #1in6 Canadians who are faced with infertility struggles and who may need to access fertility care.

In Canada, we wear green to raise fertility awareness, to show our support to the fertility community, and to start important conversations about fertility, pregnancy and infant loss, and family-building.

To mark this momentous occasion (the first time for this in Canada!) we will wear green and meet on April 27th at 8:30pm at Kinsmen park in the football fields east of the high level bridge and adjacent to the kinsmen aquatic centre.

Please join us!

SATURDAY, APRIL 30
2 – 4PM MDT

FREE ONLINE EVENT:

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PCRM

Are you Trying To Conceive?

#1in6 people struggle with fertility in Canada.

April 24 – 30 is Canadian Infertility Awareness Week – an opportunity to honour and empower those struggling with infertility.

Join us for this free online event to de-stigmatize infertility and to support you as you navigate your fertility journey.

Join the Whole Family Health Fertility Wellness Specialist Team, in collaboration with Dr. Caitlin Dunne from Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM) for this informative and empowering online event.

This event is open to anyone who would like to attend.

Saturday, April 30th
2 – 4pm MDT

To Register:
info@wholefamilyhealth.ca
780-756-7736

EVENT PRESENTERS:

NAVIGATING INFERTILITY TREATMENTS & BUSTING COMMON MYTHS ABOUT IVF

Dr. Caitlin Dunne
Co-Clinical Director of PCRM, Reproductive Endocrinologist

Dr. Dunne will speak to fertility treatment options and help to debunk common myths about IVF. She will also be available for a Q&A to answer your questions about fertility treatment.

INFERTILITY & STRESS

Dr. Alda Ngo
WFH Co-owner, Registered Dr of TCM & Acupuncturist, Fellow of the ABORM, Co-Director of MindfulnessForFertility.com

Dr. Alda will discuss infertility stress and share some accessible tools and resources that will help to decrease stress and cortisol to increase resilience on your fertility journey.

NATURAL LIFESTYLE FACTORS

Christina Pistotnik
WFH Co-owner, Registered Acupuncturist, Fellow of the ABORM

Christina will share some natural and simple lifestyle factors that you can incorporate to support your overall wellness and fertility health.

ACUPRESSURE FOR FERTILITY

Catherine Woodlock
WFH Registered Acupuncturist

Catherine will share some acupressure points you can use at home to help improve circulation, manage hormonal symptoms and support your fertility.

MASSAGE FOR REPRODUCTIVE WELLNESS

Candice Cole
WFH Registered Massage Therapist

Candice will share self-massage techniques you can use at home to help you relax and alleviate tension build-up.

FERTILE FOODS – 5 NUTRITIONAL TIPS FOR FERTILITY

Kathryn Simmons Flynn
WFH Certified Nutrition Consultant, Founder of FertileFoods.com, Author of Cooking For Fertility and Co-author of The Fertile Secret

Kathryn will share her 5 top nutritional tips for nourishing fertility.

To Register:
info@wholefamilyhealth.ca
780-756-7736

Let me first start off by saying I have nothing against the culture of “New Year, New Me”, but making a list of resolutions can be daunting, unrealistic, and unenjoyable.

If you’re not big into making New Year’s Resolutions that is completely okay. Unfortunately, societal pressures and obligation is what drives a lot of people to become a whole new, fancier, and better self. The big question for me is what is better and how long will it take until you are fully satisfied? Even once we achieve our goals, how long until we fall out of these good habits?

I believe goals and practices can be set at any time, new years is overrated. I used to have this nonsensical rule that I could hold off starting my goal until the beginning of the next week. More often than not, the beginning of the week would roll around and I would lack all motivation and push starting further and further away. Not much was getting accomplished, and I was feeling bad for procrastinating something that would essentially benefit me.

Movement

While I’m not big into listing off numerous long-term goals, I want to reinforce how important movement is to incorporate in your daily life. For myself, and possibly many others, my long term/life-long goal is to improve my mobility to benefit my physical and mental health. Movement is so important to the body as it promotes cardiovascular health, fights back anxiety and depression, and releases endorphins.

Back in November, every morning my muscles felt tense and stiff, as if I did an intense workout the night before. Except I hadn’t – I had barely moved.

Since the pandemic, I had become more sedentary than ever. I knew I had to start moving more. But I wanted it to be fun and not painful. Also, it was in the middle of a week in November, no official way to start a daily practice. I truly did debate just holding it off until the New Year, but that made no sense. I was feeling so stagnant and fatigued.  

I started practicing some basic yoga I had remembered from previous yoga classes I took. It felt so refreshing to start moving again, the practice only took around 20 minutes and the next morning I was stiff, but in the areas I had stretched. This wasn’t the same groggy stiffness I was used to either, it felt like the muscles were finally being used again.

Because it felt so good and it put me in a relaxed mood afterwards, I made a conscious effort to be kind to myself and avoid discouraging myself. Moving everyday started becoming a daily practice, some days would last an hour and others 10 minutes. But I gave myself patience and the space to grow. 

Online Resources

I am so grateful for the vast content you can find online. While the internet’s endless content can be a blessing and a curse, I chose to really utilize all the free, low barrier entry ways to experiment with personal growth.

Putting on yoga videos and guided meditations have become a fun daily ritual I’ve adopted. There’s an endless stream of really awesome daily full body workouts (without equipment), Tai Chi lessons, and Qi Gong (breath-work) practices that are just clicks away.

Don’t forget to modify those videos to your speed (practice 10 minutes a day first and then increase when you’re ready), you don’t have to start on hard mode. You just need to begin! 

Baby Steps

I recommend baby steps. Take your goal day by day.

Start by making small adjustments and if those are working out for you and you’re happy, then you can move forward with what’s comfortable. It’s okay to respect your limitations and give yourself room to grow. You don’t have to race or push yourself to the extreme. It’s totally okay to have off days, but just remember that doesn’t mean you failed or gave up. 

Habit Forming

Consistency will help it get easier and ease it into your daily lifestyle. A study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology (2009) found that it takes a person 18-254 days to develop a new habit, and around 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic.

Everyone’s journey is unique, and it doesn’t have to be linear. But once that habit is set, it becomes a daily ritual you’ll miss when you can’t practice it. Set those positive daily intentions and affirmations in the morning to help motivate you. It’s okay to be your own cheerleader. You’ve got this!

To find out more ways to support your health and wellbeing, contact us for a free 15-minute phone consultation.

Image @aolanow

References

DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.674

Growing up, the Lunar New Year was the biggest holiday for my Vietnamese – Canadian family.

I continue to love that it’s about beginning anew & taking the opportunity to intentionally invite blessings of health, growth, abundance & prosperity. I appreciate the mindful reminder to invite new possibilities.

I find joy in these Lunar New Year traditions & I have come to love them. May you use also use them as a framework for being present with intentions as the new year begins:

DANCING

The lunar new year is traditionally marked with a lion dance – complete with loud drums & fire crackers, which are meant to ward off bad luck & clear negative energy. I like to have my own little ‘lion’ dance party, complete with my own favourite raucous music. Dancing with reckless abandon is one of my favourite ways to release tension from the body.

FRESH THREADS

Traditionally, we start the new year fresh with a new outfit. Typically, we choose something red – symbolizing ripeness, abundance, happiness & good luck.

SPRING CLEANING

On the eve of the lunar new year, we clean our homes – sweeping out bad luck & stale energies that have accumulated from the previous year that can hide in nooks & crannies. We clear out old cobwebs to make space for good luck as well as new & fresh possibilities. We also wash & repair windows so that we may see with clarity.  

SPECIAL LUNAR NEW YEAR FOODS

We ring in the new year with these special & symbolic foods:

• Whole fish, which symbolizes a harmonious & whole family, as well as unity for the coming new year.
  
  
• Clear broth to symbolize clarity of mind & body for the new year.
  
  
• Oranges, with their round shape & golden colour symbolizing good luck & abundance.
  
  
• Long noodles representing longevity.

COMMUNITY

Lunar new year is a time for reunion with family & friends, to begin the year in community, collectively expressing our happiness & gratitude.

THE WATER TIGER

2022 is the year of the Water Tiger. It’s considered an auspicious year of strength & courage. Water Tigers are known for their intelligence, humour, stability, kindness & sociability.

May the year of the Water Tiger begin beautifully for you!

” We have more possibilities in each moment than we realize.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

A study suggests we have more than 6000 thoughts a day, many of which are ‘thought worms’ – moments focused on a specific idea. 

On my own fertility journey, my thoughts were dominated by anxiety & worry about how, when or IF I would ever have a child. I felt so stuck & helpless. 

These thoughts would spiral & pull me into all-consuming thought-wormholes. 

BUT I learned that although I couldn’t stop these intrusive thoughts (imo normal, valid & inevitable with infertility), I discovered that it’s possible to change my relationship with them, so they’re not so high-jacking.

Mindfulness helped me to cultivate space to step back from the autopilot habit of narrowly hyper-focusing on unrelenting compelling negative thoughts & to widen my awareness to see what more was available to me. I discovered that not only was I more than these (often untrue!) thoughts, but that there were so many more options to choose to pay attention to instead. 

For example, I practiced shifting focus from what I didn’t have, to the many conditions of happiness that I already had. Sometimes it was a direct sensation – the sound of a breeze rustling leaves, the fragrant smell of a flower, the warmth of my mug of tea in my palms – or sometimes it was an intentional shift to something I felt deeply grateful for.

It was all moment by moment. But it made the bridge of moments between now & the uncertain future more navigable for me, with more peace, ease & acceptance.

Mindful Practice For Thought Wormholes

Do you have intrusive thoughts on your fertility journey? Share one recurring thought in the comments.

Can this thought serve as a bell of mindfulness?

So that when you notice it coming up, it can be a reminder to stop & recognize the thought as 1 of 6000 recurring autopilot events passing through the mind.

Then take a moment to see what else is available to you in the moment.

Stop and see what else you can notice through your sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste.

What else in the miraculous landscape of experience can you choose to place your attention on?

Visit mindfulnessforfertility.com for upcoming Mindfulness For Fertility program information and registration.

The next program begins January 17th.

Register by sliding scale or scholarship – nobody will be turned away for financial reasons.

References

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17255-9

Image @fieldandsea

As the holiday season unfolds, we want to take the opportunity to acknowledge, support & offer gratitude for the hard work & stress that frontline healthcare & support workers have had to endure throughout the pandemic.

On December 19^th, Whole Family Health is honoured to be teaming up with the Mindfulness Institute to offer a Stress-Free Clinic Event to frontline workers.

The Mindfulness Institute, founded in 2010 by Dr. Catherine Phillips, Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the U of A, is an Edmonton-based international resource for the latest information on mindfulness, and a leader in teaching and integrating mindfulness into personal and professional settings.

See registration details below.

ABOUT THE EVENT:

WHO

All frontline healthcare and support workers who have experienced increased stress due to the pandemic are welcome. (Proof of occupation/ workplace will be required.)

WHAT

We will be offering free evidence-based stress reduction interventions to all Healthcare Workers who register:

1. Acupuncture

One relaxation acupuncture session from WFH
Studies have shown that acupuncture brings on the relaxation response and reduces physiological stress-markers associated with the fight, flight or freeze stress response.

2. Mindfulness

One mindfulness for healthcare workers webinar from the Mindfulness Institute (accessed via link)
Research shows that physicians who undertook an 8-week mindfulness training program showed less burnout, better mood and emotional stability, as well as improved physician empathy.

WHEN

Sunday, December 19th
945am – 1pm

WHERE

Whole Family Health Wellness Centre

COST

Free!
Although donations to our December Menstrual Product Drive are welcome.

REGISTRATION
Register online for your free acupuncture session HERE
We look forward to seeing you then and you will receive a link to view the mindfulness webinar on December 19th too.

WHY

Stats Canada research confirms that there has been a rise in anxiety and stress among Canadians in response to the pressures of dealing with the pandemic. Different populations have been affected in different ways, and it’s evident that healthcare and support workers along our frontlines are among the most negatively impacted.

Many Whole Family Health clients are hospital and frontline workers, so we have become acutely aware of the increased stress you have been enduring during the pandemic. We recognize the psychological & physical toll it has taken on you and your bodies, working within our strained healthcare system and putting yourselves at risk to help others.

We want to extend our support and gratitude in this small way in the hopes that you may access some evidence-based resources.

We want to treat you to some moments of reprieve!

Healthcare burnout facts

• An epidemic of burnout and discontent was already well documented among physicians and frontline healthcare workers prior to the pandemic. Approximately 1 in 3 physicians is experiencing burnout at any given time.
  
• A recent Canadian survey finds that both nurses and physicians have experienced significantly higher levels of burnout, stress, depression and anxiety than they remembered feeling before the pandemic. 
  
• A recent survey’s most striking finding and barometer of distress is that amongst 119 respondents, 50% of nurses and 20% of physicians expressed intentions to quit their jobs.

We would love to treat you to a relaxation acupuncture session! Register HERE.

If you’ve ever had acupuncture, you’re probably familiar with the commonly reported state of relaxation experienced after a treatment or the general feeling of calm with regular treatments.

On the other hand, if you’ve never experienced acupuncture before, you might wonder how it could possibly be relaxing to lie on a table with needles inserted all over your body. That does not sound relaxing at all!

In 1979, the WHO published an official report listing conditions & diseases shown to be treated effectively by Acupuncture. Chronic stress was among the listed conditions. While acupuncture is widely used to treat chronic stress, the mechanism of action has been mysterious.

Ongoing research points toward how acupuncture decreases physiological stress in the body:

HRV

Studies point toward a correlation between acupuncture and improved HRV. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a non-invasive autonomic measure that indicates the body’s capacity to deal with stress.

A healthy heart is not actually one that ticks perfectly evenly. On the contrary – a healthy heart beats with variation in the time interval between consecutive heartbeats. Because a healthy heart adjusts its rate in response to the environment. Its ability to do so corresponds with a higher HRV, which is associated with better overall health, including mental health.

Endorphins

Acupuncture also stimulates the release of endorphins,  which are hormones secreted by the brain & nervous system that play a role in pain regulation & the general feeling of well-being. For example, we release endorphins when we laugh or fall in love.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY)

NPY is a neuropeptide secreted by the sympathetic nervous system, that is associated with the fight, flight or freeze stress response.

A study published in the Journal of Endocrinology in 2013 was designed to monitor the effects of acupuncture on blood levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY), to help explain how acupuncture helps to reduce stress on a molecular level.

Researchers found that acupuncture significantly reduces NPY.

Because rats mount a measurable NPY stress response when exposed to cold temperatures, they were used in this research.

Electroacupuncture (EA) was also used in this study, to ensure that each animal was receiving the same treatment dose. EA was applied to acupuncture point ZuSanLi (St36), commonly used to alleviate stress among other conditions.

There were four groups of rats used:

1. A Control group – that was not stressed and received no electroacupuncture.
2. A Stress group – that was stressed and received no acupuncture.
3. A Sham-EA group – that was stressed and received ‘sham’ electroacupuncture.
4. An Experimental EA St36 group – that was stressed and received electroacupuncture.  

The Experimental EA St36 group of rats that was exposed to stress and received the electroacupuncture was measured to have similar NPY levels as the Control group.

A second experiment was conducted where the experimental group was continually stressed while acupuncture was discontinued and NPY continued to remain low, indicating a cumulative, long-term effect from the acupuncture.  

This is only a sampling of how we are beginning to unravel how acupuncture helps to reduce stress and the negative impacts on the body. Research is ongoing and as we begin to understand more and more from a Western scientific perspective how it works – the 2500+ year-old body of clinical evidence that acupuncture is an effective intervention for dealing with stress continues to grow.

Contact us to find out more about how we can support you & your body with stress.

Sign up for our newsletter to get updates about our upcoming Free Stress Clinic.

References

PMID: 33512256

PMID: 15135942

Guestpost for Olive Fertility

October is Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month & studies show that this kind of reproductive trauma can lead to complex grief.

Miscarriage & stillbirth stigma can contribute to a lack of cultural infrastructure to navigate it. In my own experience of pregnancy losses, I had to learn a kind of grief literacy to face the loss.

On my first trip to Vietnam, I met my mother’s family for the 1st time & it was the anniversary of my Ba Ngoai’s (grandma’s) passing. We acknowledged this with ceremony & ritual – a container for expression of all the feelings: sadness, frustration, anger, love, gratitude, peace & even joy & happiness.

We chanted & ate & burned things & I had the privilege of standing in the doorway of our home with a beautiful bamboo cage full of tiny birds from the market & I released them all into the sky. So moving! One of the village monks explained to me that this symbolized setting the heaviness of our hearts aflight to help release my grandma from the weight of our grief.

For me, ritual offers a sense of control through otherwise disorienting life events. They create an opportunity to acknowledge & pay attention to what is arising in a transformational time. It is an opportunity to begin anew.

When I had my miscarriages, creating my own rituals offered a framework for being present with grieving & to discover what else was available to me. It didn’t make the pain go away, but it helped me to give it its own proper space.

Ritual also helped me to discover how sadness, disappointment & anger gave me the capacity to feel peace, hope & gratitude. Sometimes the whole spectrum all at the same time.

Here is a ritual that may help you in your grieving process:

1. Write a message to the baby you lost on a piece of paper & then fold it into a paper boat.
2. Light the top of the boat aflame & set it adrift on a lake or river.
3. As best as you can, bring kind & open awareness to the sensations in your body, thoughts & emotions as you do this. What do you notice? Intentionally turning toward what comes up may allow you to recognize more possibilities in each moment.

For more info on Mindfulness & upcoming Mindfulness for Fertility programs go to www.mindfulnessforfertility.com

Image @susanna_bauer

Event Description

Revitalizing the Practice: Connecting to the Heart of Experience

For MBSR Graduates

Join us for this 3-week MBSR refresher program with Mindfulness Instructors, Hannah Marsh and Dr. Alda Ngo, who are both trained MBSR Facilitators with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies.

Anyone who has completed an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program is invited to join us!

This 3-week online program is intended to refresh and support your mindfulness practice. Together, we’ll revisit practices and themes from the MBSR program, including “As long as you’re breathing, there’s more right with you than wrong with you.” We’ll also introduce new practices focused on supporting ourselves amidst the challenges of practice.

Whether your practice has continued steadily or fallen away, the invitation is to begin again. Everyone is invited to come together to offer one another the support and encouragement of our presence.

Through it all, we’ll remember the “heart” in mindfulness – how heartfulness and mindfulness are one and the same. We may discover that heartful practices, like self-compassion and loving-kindness can nurture and support our mindfulness and well-being.

By the end of the program, we hope to leave you with a revitalized practice, and some new tools to help you flourish in your mindfulness practice and your daily life.

This will be a highly interactive web-based program using Zoom.

WHEN

Mondays, November 15, 22, 29
7:00-9:00pm MT

COST

Sliding scale:
$75 + GST (partial scholarship)
$125 +GST (sustainable fee)
$175 + GST (helps to support others requiring scholarships)

*Please pay more, if you can, to help support those less able to pay.

Accessibility is important to us, scholarships are also available to those for whom cost is a barrier. All are welcome and no one will be turned away due to financial concerns. Please contact us for more information (alda@wholefamilyhealth.ca).

Registration deadline: Nov 12th

Register Here

Cancellations received prior to the registration deadline will be refunded minus a $40 processing fee. No refunds will be issued after that date.

I typically get many questions regarding monitoring ovulation because there can be a lot of confusion around whether or not to do it. And if deciding to monitor, how should ovulation be tracked? I’m going to break down the pros and cons of both so that you can make a decision that best suits your needs.

The Pros and Cons of Monitoring Ovulation 

Some of the benefits of monitoring ovulation are that it can provide: 

• a better sense of when fertility is the highest.
• insight into whether ovulation is happening regularly or at the same time in the cycle.
• a sense of control and empowerment when fertility challenges often lead to a feeling of having no control.
• more self-awareness about your body and what is going on.

Some drawbacks to monitoring ovulation are that:

• ovulation predictor kits (OPK) or higher tech devices can be pricey.
• daily monitoring (through Basal Body Temperature (BBT) or during the follicular phase with OPK’s) can add to fertility stress.
• potential false or unclear results can be confusing.
• it’s not always accurate for everyone. For example for people who have PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

Ways to Monitor Ovulation

OPK’s 

As mentioned above, this can be an expensive option. However, at Whole Family Health we offer basic less costly tests. We suggest using these inexpensive ones until the test line gets darker and then confirming with a more costly higher-tech one that provides a clear ‘yes’ or happy face, which is less confusing. 

These need to be used daily until you get a positive – typically starting on Cycle Day 10. However, when to test does depend on the length of your cycle or if you’re using ovulation medication.

BBT 

This is a very inexpensive option, but it has to be done every day and must be checked prior to getting out of bed in the morning.

This method only gives you an indication of when ovulation has already happened, so it only signals the fertile window after the fact. However, it can provide you with insight into when you are likely most fertile for your next cycle.

BBT chart templates can be found for free, or apps can be downloaded so the only cost is the purchase of a BBT thermometer. These can be found at most pharmacies.

Cervical Mucus Monitoring 

Cervical mucus monitoring can be done on its own but it is best done in combination with OPK and/or BBT monitoring.

This can require a bit more patience with knowing what you are looking for and how to look for cervical mucus, but it is free to do, so it is affordable.

Tech Monitoring

There are multiple tech devices on the market to aid in ovulation monitoring and some are accurate than others.

Using a basic phone calendar app can give you the wrong information. This is because it uses an algorithm based on your cycle length and what an average person’s fertile window is. Some people don’t ovulate within these guidelines. 

The more accurate higher tech devices can be really expensive but offer more accuracy and insight into your reproductive cycle. 

Some examples are: 

• Mira Fertility Tracker: Daily hormone measurements 
• Lady-Comp: Daily BBT measurements 
• Tempdrop: Daily BBT measurements 
• OvaCue: Measures electrolytes in saliva and cervical mucus 

Not Monitoring Ovulation

If regular ovulation testing is not preferred, I typically suggest having intercourse every second day from cycle days 10-18 – providing your cycle length is between 25-32 days.

If your cycle is shorter then I recommend trying to conceive on cycle days 8-16 and if your cycle is longer, then I recommend trying to conceive on cycle days CD 12-20. 

Pros:

The pros of not monitoring are that you’re not testing daily which can otherwise lead to tunnel vision around fertility and conception. So not monitoring can ease some fertility stress. Intercourse can also then be more spontaneous and not feel like as much of a job or a chore.

Cons: 

The cons of not monitoring is that you could miss ovulation days since ovulation doesn’t always happen mid-cycle. Some people could have a short follicular phase (phase prior to ovulation) or a short luteal phase (phase after ovulation) which means varying ovulation times.

At Whole Family Health our acupuncture and TCM fertility specialists are always happy to talk things through to help navigate the nuances associated with fertility tracking and care. 

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you, please feel free to contact us to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.