Bodycraft Fertility Acupuncture

15/11/2025

🌿 How Does Acupuncture Relax You? 🌿

If you’ve ever wondered why people walk out of an acupuncture session feeling calm, centred and sometimes even a little “floaty”… here’s what’s actually happening inside your body:

✨ 1. It calms your nervous system
Acupuncture gently shifts your body out of “fight or flight” mode and into “rest and digest.”
This is where your heart rate slows, your breathing deepens and your muscles soften — the exact state your body needs to heal, restore and rebalance.

✨ 2. It releases natural feel-good chemicals
During a session your body releases endorphins, serotonin and other calming neurotransmitters.
These are the same chemicals linked to mood support, pain relief and that lovely wave of relaxation many people feel on the table.

✨ 3. It improves blood flow
Acupuncture boosts circulation to your muscles, organs and brain.
Better blood flow = more oxygen, more nutrients and a deeper sense of ease throughout your body.

✨ 4. It relaxes tight muscles
By reducing inflammation and increasing micro-circulation, acupuncture helps release stubborn tension — especially around the shoulders, jaw, back and pelvis.

✨ 5. It helps regulate stress hormones
Chronic stress can keep cortisol levels high. Acupuncture supports your body in lowering cortisol, helping you feel grounded and less overwhelmed.

✨ 6. It gives your mind a break
Lying still, in a quiet space, while your nervous system resets creates a moment of pause your mind rarely gets in daily life.
It’s why many people drift into a light nap — your brain finally feels safe to switch off.

🌱 The result?
You get off the table feeling calmer, clearer, lighter and more connected to your body — and that relaxation continues long after your session ends.

If you’ve been feeling stressed, overwhelmed or stuck in “go go go” mode, acupuncture can be a beautiful reset for your whole system. 🤍

15/11/2025

A new app to play with!
Tell me what you think 🤔

14/11/2025

One of the most common questions I get is: “Does acupuncture hurt?”
The short answer: almost always, no.

Acupuncture needles are incredibly fine — much thinner than what’s used for injections or blood tests. Most people feel nothing at all, or a tiny pinch followed by a warm, dull, relaxing sensation. Many of my TTC patients even fall asleep during treatment!

🌿 Where do the needles go when we’re supporting fertility?

When treating women who are TTC, I use very specific acupuncture points in these common areas:

🔹 Lower abdomen – to nourish the womb and improve uterine blood flow
🔹 Lower legs + ankles – powerful reproductive and hormone-balancing points
🔹 Hands + forearms – to support stress relief and hormonal communication
🔹 Feet – to move stagnation and promote circulation
🔹 Lower back / sacrum – to warm and support the kidney–uterus connection (in TCM)

Every treatment is personalised, so I choose points based on your cycle phase, symptoms, and overall diagnosis.

Most women describe the experience as deeply relaxing — a moment to pause, breathe, and reconnect with their body during the TTC journey.

If you’re curious about how acupuncture could support your fertility, I’m always happy to chat. 🌱🤍

Feel free to message with any questions

13/11/2025

✨ Why I Review Your Blood Test Results When You’re TTC ✨

When you’re trying to conceive, every piece of information about your body matters — and your blood test results are one of the most powerful tools we have.

As a fertility-focused practitioner, I review your bloodwork not just to “check numbers,” but to understand how your body is functioning behind the scenes so I can create the most comprehensive, aligned treatment plan possible.

🌿 Hormone clarity
Blood tests give us insight into how your reproductive hormones are communicating — FSH, LH, AMH, oestrogen, progesterone, prolactin, thyroid levels and more. This helps me understand where things may be out of sync and how to support healthier ovulation, luteal phase strength, and implantation potential.

🌿 Egg quality + cycle health
Markers such as vitamin D, B12, iron studies, inflammation markers and thyroid function all play a big role in egg quality, ovarian environment, and overall cycle regulation. These results help guide acupuncture focus areas, herbal prescriptions, and nutritional strategies.

🌿 Identifying hidden barriers
Sometimes bloodwork reveals things you may not feel day-to-day — insulin resistance, subtle thyroid shifts, low-grade inflammation, immune activation, or nutrient depletion. Addressing these improves your fertility foundation and increases your chances of a successful pregnancy.

🌿 A truly personalised TTC plan
When I combine your blood results with your cycle history and my TCM diagnosis, I’m able to tailor a treatment plan that supports your unique fertility picture — whether you’re conceiving naturally or preparing for IVF.

🌿 Tracking your progress over time
As your body responds to acupuncture, herbs and lifestyle changes, we can see improvements reflected in your bloodwork, showing us that your fertility is moving in the right direction.

If you’d like support understanding your results or want a more holistic approach to your TTC journey, I’m here for you every step of the way. 🤍🌱

09/11/2025

Who is the behind the scenes Rhonwen?

I'm a horse girl, still waiting to "grow out of it" !!

I love the outdoors, the bush, the sea and everything in between.

I love to garden and cook and it gives me a buzz when I cook my own produce.

I have 2 adult children, 6 grandchildren that are here with me plus a bonus ❤ I have supported my girls through 5 births and lifechanging health events.

In 2026 I will have been a Remedial Massage Therapist for 20 years!

I very proudly completed a Degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine 10 years ago this month

I am an optimist and a dedicated and passionate student across a very wide range of interests.

So this all contributes to making me the practitioner I am. I bring wisdom and life experience to the table. I'm a tiny bit stubborn too, so I don't give up easily.

I'm thankful every day for the person I am..... and I love to share 🌸

I hope you have enjoyed a bit of insight into Me!!!

09/11/2025

🌿 Men’s Health Matters in Fertility 🌿

When it comes to conception, the focus often falls on women — but men’s health plays an equally vital role in creating a healthy pregnancy. 💫

Around 40–50% of fertility challenges involve male factors such as s***m quality, motility, or overall wellbeing. Lifestyle, stress, diet, sleep, and environmental factors can all impact s***m health and hormonal balance.

The good news? Supporting male fertility is absolutely possible. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can help by improving circulation, reducing stress, balancing hormones, and enhancing s***m quality naturally. 🌱

Fertility is a shared journey — one that thrives when both partners nurture their health, energy, and emotional wellbeing. When men prioritise their wellness, it strengthens not only the chances of conception but also the foundation for a healthy pregnancy

Want specifics? Schedule an appointment now and get started on the road to repair. Let me assess those test results from a functional POV. They need to be fabulous not just "he's fine" .

Book online https://www.bodycraftacupuncture.com/

07/11/2025

🌸 What to Expect at Your First Fertility Acupuncture Appointment 🌸

Taking the step to book an acupuncture session for fertility is a beautiful act of self-care and hope. 💕 Here’s what you can expect when you come in:

✨ A Deep Conversation: We’ll start with a detailed chat about your menstrual cycle, lifestyle, emotions, sleep, digestion, and overall health. In Chinese Medicine, every detail helps us understand your body’s unique pattern and how to best support you.

🌿 A Gentle, Relaxing Treatment: Tiny, hair-thin needles are placed in specific points on your body to help balance hormones, improve blood flow to the reproductive organs, and calm your nervous system. Most people find it deeply relaxing — many even drift off to sleep!

💫 A Personalised Plan: Together, we’ll discuss ongoing treatments, lifestyle tips, and herbal options tailored to your fertility goals.

This is your time to pause, breathe, and nurture hope. 🌷

Book online https://www.bodycraftacupuncture.com/
Inner Health Centre at Organic Feast

07/11/2025

🌸 Supporting Fertility Naturally with Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine 🌸

For many women trying to conceive (TTC), the journey can feel overwhelming — filled with both hope and heartache. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offer a gentle, holistic approach to support your body and mind through this deeply personal process. 💕

Acupuncture helps to balance hormones, regulate menstrual cycles, improve blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, and reduce stress — all key factors for healthy conception. Chinese herbal medicine works alongside acupuncture to nourish the body, support ovulation, and strengthen overall reproductive health. 🌿

Beyond the physical benefits, acupuncture provides a moment of calm — a chance to breathe, reconnect, and restore emotional balance.

Every woman’s path to motherhood is unique. TCM honours that individuality, offering care that meets you where you are — with compassion, balance, and hope.
✨
Appointments available now at

07/11/2025

Loving my chosen path ❤️

This is me
This is my passion, where I shine.
I see all of you, the whole person, the woman who has been down that path, the waiting, the seemingly endless rollercoaster.
It is a journey and everyones path is different.
If you are ready for the next phase, where you feel heard and supported and perhaps a new direction then message me for an appointment now.
I will show you a positive way to "Focus on Fertility".

04/11/2025

If you have ever held a warm, pulsing cord in your hand, you would wonder why you would ever clamp and cut a cord before it finished its job.
Don’t hurry !
Wait for white 😊

23/10/2025

The science is there people !!
It is possible to improve poor s***m parameters and improve your chances of falling pregnant.
I make sure to always have a s***m check done for my fertility patients. Part of the "leave no stone unturned" philosophy.

S***m quality has steadily declined over the past 50 years. Between 1973 and 2011, the global s***m concentration and total s***m count decreased significantly. This decline was most pronounced in Western countries, with a reduction in the total s***m count of almost 60%.

Marina Urbanietz’s August 2025 Medscape article, What Your S***m Says About You, offers a concise review of selected studies on how supplements and lifestyle can influence s***m parameters, drawing on a recent paper in a Nature journal.

Semen analysis not only provides information on fertility but also offers insights into the overall health. The cited paper reported that s***m quality can significantly improve with basic lifestyle and dietary changes.

The study, led by Hannah Lyons, a researcher at the Robinson Research Institute and School of Biomedicine at the University of Adelaide attributed the s***m count decline to multiple factors.

These include chronic conditions such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome, exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates, bisphenol A, cadmium, dioxins, and lead, and heat exposure.

Lifestyle factors, including certain medications, substance use, poor diet, and physical inactivity, can impair s***m production by disrupting hormonal regulation, damaging testicular cells, and increasing oxidative stress due to elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

High ROS levels can damage s***m DNA, compromise the membrane integrity, and reduce s***m motility. Established risk factors include smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, drug abuse and excessive exercise.

S***m quality can recover more rapidly than previously believed. In a study of 132 men with fertility issues, a 3-month micronutrient regimen, including L-carnitine (440 mg), L-arginine (250 mg), zinc (40 mg), vitamin E (120 mg), glutathione (80 mg), selenium (60 µg), coenzyme Q10 (15 mg), and folic acid (800 µg), significantly improved semen parameters. Volume, s***m concentration, progressive motility, total motility, and morphology increased by 33.3%, 215.5%, 93.1%, 36.4%, and 23.0%, respectively (all P < 0.001). No improvements were observed in healthy individuals (n = 73).

In the 6 months following the intervention, the pregnancy rate among the partners of the participating men was also recorded. More pregnancies occurred in the intervention group (25.8%) than in the healthy group (15%). Although this study had some limitations, including age differences and limited risk factor data, two additional trials supported these findings. The researchers concluded that micronutrients may restore s***m production within 3 months.

A 2021 study by Markus Lipovac, PhD, also at the Robinson Research Institute at the University of Adelaide, and colleagues, evaluated 339 men who received the same micronutrient supplements along with lifestyle changes. These include a healthy diet, regular exercise, and reduced smoking and alcohol consumption.

Of these, 162 men received supplements and lifestyle guidance, whereas 177 followed lifestyle and dietary modifications. After 6 months, s***m DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and pregnancy rates were assessed. In the supplement group, DFI decreased from 10.48 to 6.51 overall and from 20.39 to 9.93 in men with DFI > 15% (P < .001). Pregnancy rates were higher with supplements: 27.78% vs 15.25% overall and 41.30% vs 22.86% in men with DFI > 15%.

The limitations of this study include missing demographic data, lack of randomisation, and lack of information on the extent of lifestyle changes.

Semen analysis may reflect the overall health of men, not just their fertility. Men with infertility or abnormal semen are at a higher risk for hospitalisation and early death. For example, men with infertility had a 26% higher risk for death (95% CI, 1.01-1.59), and men with oligo- or azoos***mia had a 67% higher risk (risk ratio, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.26-2.21) than those with normal s***m counts.

Abnormal s***m parameters often reflect poor health or disease and are linked to a higher risk for cancer. Studies have shown that men with infertility have an increased risk for prostate and testicular cancer.

For more information see: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/what-your-s***m-says-about-you-2025a1000kve?ecd=wnl_tp10_daily_250807_MSCPEDIT_etid7624212&uac=48709HJ&impID=7624212
and
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40481278/
and
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34184957/

18/09/2025

BBT charting is my preferred way of tracking cycles when my patients are trying to conceive.
Thanks for this great explanation of measuring progesterone Lara Briden - The Period RevolutionaryRevolutionary

✨ Your basal body temperature is a built-in progesterone detector. ✨

A great way to assess progesterone is to think in terms of progesterone days — the days you actually make progesterone. More progesterone days mean more of its benefits for your uterine lining, breasts, brain, and immune system. That’s why temperature tracking (BBT charting) is such a great way to assess the duration of your luteal phase and know if you’re making enough progesterone.

You can also measure progesterone with a blood test or at-home urine test, but timing is everything. Your peak progesterone will be mid-luteal — about 7 days after ovulation and 7 days before your next period. That might be “day 21” in a 28-day cycle, but in a shorter or longer cycle, the mid-luteal day shifts, too.

💬 Chime in with your questions, knowledge, and favourite charting resources!