About Wheatgrass:
Where can I get wheatgrass ? This is what I have found so far. You can grow your own, buy frozen at the local whole foods (I do not know who grows and where and how), order from wheatgrass
grower or buy powder, tablets or capsule form of wheatgrass at the local health stores or online.
#1 Grow your own or buy a bag of wheatgrass (15 oz worth):
#2 Buy the frozen wheatgrass juice from the wheatgrass farmer:
#3 Buy tablets, capsule or powder forms of wheatgrass at the local health store or order online:
- Tablets - you need to take 5 big tablets for one serving.
- Capsule 1 - freeze dried.
- Capsule 2
- Powder 1 - comes in individual packets
- Powder 2 - My favorite - comes in packets or a small / a large jar (I like their price and its smooth - not chalky taste. I found typing "Brad20" during the check out give you 20% discount")
- This is not wheatgrass but contains "Chlorella" in tablets form (required to take small 15-30 tablets per day)-Sun Chlorella
The Juicing and Healthy Diet Information:
I found juicing is so easy using Breville Juicer JE98XL (please google to find the best deal) because you do not need to cut ingredients and cleaning does not take long at all. Juicing is one of the very
healthy meal alternative, great news to your liver (detox), boost immunity and energy level, clear your mind, less craving for sugar, and keep you in good shape ! I make one qt of juice in the morning
of very long work day, two days per week in my case. I need to maintain the good energy level (and the sense of humor) to the end of the day otherwise it is not fair to my evening patients coming for
their treatment. Please try different variation to make your own juicing combo. Remember - lemon is the most alkaline food, beets is the best blood mover, ginger is the immune booster and stomach
soother, and folks want to get pregnant, carrots is great juice to take during the follicular phase (after the period and before ovulation / during the stim phase on IUI and IVF). Add a 1/2 teaspoonful of
powder wheatgrass if you have not taken in the morning or everybody around you are sick.
- Great recipes and many suggestions for how to maintain the good health.
Ultimate detox protocol - 48 oz (3 meals):
- organic kales (1 big bunch)
- organic lemon (3)
- organic celery (5 stocks)
- cucumber (1)
- granny smith apple (3)
- ginger (1 piece)
- wheat grass (1 frozen pack - whole foods)
You can add / modify with following items:
- red cabbage
- carrots
- beets (beets is a great blood mover - add beets especially if you have any gyn problems or skin rash)
- romaine lettuce
- collard green
- parsley
Tasty juice variations:
- carrot, apple and ginger
- apple, beet, carrot and kales
- apple, beet, carrot, celery, kales and wheatgrass
- cucumber, celery, kales, lemon and ginger
- lemon, apple, honey
- lemon, spirulina, honey and water to dilute
- ginger, lemon, maple syrup with crushed ice as a lemonade
- carrot apple, ginger spirulina, cayenne, garlic, apple cider vinegar and honey
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Organic and not organic foods:
Try to eat organic foods but you do not need to buy organic for every single produce. Please check the following list to become a wise shopper !
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The following 12 foods are called the "dirty dozen." They contain 47-67 pesticides per serving. To avoid pesticides, please buy organic !
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard green
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce
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Some produce has a strong outer layer that provides a defense against pesticide contamination. Though organic is best, it is safer to eat these foods even if they are not organic. Here's the list of
the "clean fifteen":
Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions
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Protein Based Diet (for weight control):
1. Make a big batch of consume based soup on the weekend with firm tofu, rooted vegetables, cabbages, beans, lentils etc… and separated into one serving sized container (glass container
preferred) - easy to reheat when you are "really" hungry
2. Yogurt (not greek creamy yogurt) - small sized one is nice and handy if you have access to refrigerator.
3. A stick of cheese (soy base preferred) - ease the hunger
4. Juice - is the big time winner (My favorite Red Juice: 2 mid sized beets, 1 Fuji apple, 4 stocks of celery, 2 large lemon, 1/4 of red cabbage, 1 piece of ginger (the size - make a ring with your thumb
and index finger) , 5 carrots). Brush (not necessary to peel skins), cut beets, apple, lemon and red cabbage - cut into 1/2 a day before and put all into the zip log bag. Simply put into juicer in the
morning.
5. Edamame - Costco sells individual 1 serving sized edamame.
6. Sunflower, Pumpkin seeds - good snack !
7. Milk ---> prefer rice or almond milk
8. If you eat a bowl of cereal or oatmeal, sprinkle "slivered almond"
9. Tempi or Seitan - meat alternative - cook with vegetables.
10. Breakfast alternative 1 - Hood's small curd fat free cottage cheese "Pineapple flavored" with chopped apple (1 apple) - surprisingly tasty and satisfying.
11. Breakfast alternative 2 - omelet with humus
12. Occasionally, I had 1/2 of zone bar or protein powder drink
13. Hungry for salad 1 --- add (spicy) black beans (can) - very filling and black beans is great food for boosting your low energy.
14 Hungry for salad 2 --- add avocado ! Low carb wrap with alfalfa + avocado + hummus - not so hard to make !
15 Salmon (can) --- Costco sells "wild alaskan salmon" cans with reasonable price - great for tuna (might contains mercury) or beef alternative. Great for wrap, burger, salad
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Fertility Diet:
1. Eat more alkaline food. Lemon is the most alkaline food. If you eat heavily acidic food, make sure to add a slice of lemon in your meal. Cervical mucus have to be alkaline for sperms to survive !
2. Eat more cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflowers, kales, collard green, turnips)
which contain magnesium (supports progesterone production and it increases the blood supply to the uterus).
3. Consume good fats from pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, raw almonds and avocados.
Breakfast suggestion - "toasted a slice of ezekiel + Trader Joe's "Almond butter with roasted flax seeds + a few drops
of agave or honey for sweetness"- Very filling, tasty and good for you !
4. Eat Japanese yam (if you live in Boston area, the local whole foods carry organic Japanese yam.
Simply cut into 2-3 pieces and steam. Peel the skin off, dash of sea salt and eat. It is very filling and good for you.
5. Eat wheat germ (you may add 1-2 teaspoonful of wheat germ add to a cup of yogurt, add to a bowl of oatmeal).
Here are some recipes that use wheat germ.
6. The following is the list of supplements beneficial for fertility.
-Royal Jelly (discussion site/ blog)
-Omega 3 Fish Oil
-Blue Green Algae (chlorella, spirulina, wheat grass, barley grass)
-Folic Acid (vitamin B-9, prenatal vitamin)
-Co-enzymeQ-10 (200 mg x 3)
-L-Arginine (for poor ovarian reserve 1000 ng x 2/day) ; L-Arginine from foods - chickpeas, meat, fish, nuts, seeds, oatmeal
-L-Carnitine (for low sperm counts) : L-Carnitine from foods - meat and dairy
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Additional supplements:
-Inostol (2mg x 2/day)
-Melatonin (3mg at bed time)
-Vitamin C (500 mg in the morning)
-Vitamin E (200 IU x 1/day)
-Pychogenol (100 mg x 1/day)
-DHEA (25 mg x 3/day)
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7. Drink plenty water everyday.
8. Avoid (if you absolutely not able to avoid at least cut down) coffee, alcohol, soda, artificial sweeteners, MSG intake.
9. During the menstruation, you are losing a lot of blood. Make sure you take iron rich foods from eggs, fish, spinach (if you are anemic, make sure you eat a piece of steak); The day 5- day 12 (stim
cycle if you are doing IVF) is the important period for follicle's growth. Eat plenty protein and vitamin E (nuts and seeds, wheat germ, alfalfa sprouts, sweet potatoes, avocados, leafy green
vegetables); Around the ovulation (your pituitary gland in the brain sends the signal to one of your ovary to release an egg), take multi B vitamin + zinc (from eggs, whole grains, nuts and seeds) + C;
After the ovulation, chances are "implantation" might occur 5-10 days after LH surge. Cut down eating a bowl of salad (cooling foods) but rather eat a bowl of soup (warming foods) and eat more
pineapple or take bromelain tablets.
10. Eat fruits and vegetables have red color (tomatoes, red peppers for example) if you have low sperm count.
11. If you are amenorrhea (no period) or having a problem with delayed period, make a 4 oz of beet juice in the morning and another 4oz in the evening. If you do not have a juicer, you may beets to
add your salad or roasted.
12. Tea recommendations - raspberry & oatstraw tea (strengthen the uterus), ginger & nettle tea (strengthen kidneys and warm the uterus).
13. Drink 1-2 ml of wheatgrass everyday ! Here's 40 reasons !!!
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Additional information about nutrition:
* Fertile foods
* Acubalance Nutrition pdf.
* Short cooking video
* An article written by an acupuncturist/nutritionist in my link page "About Nutrition."
Here is more information for increasing fertility.
Black Currant Seed Oil offers may health benefits.
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Pattern differentiation:
The following is the diet information I provide to my patients, based on their individual pattern. Some people belong to just one of these categories, and others belong to a few patterns. Your food
intake influences your mood, the way you think, your sleep quality, and of course your fertility. When you have your appointment with me, I will provide more detailed information (about the best diet
and supplements for you). I believe strongly that changing your diet can increase your chances of getting pregnant. The following sections describe common health-related issues and tips for treating
them: I can pin point which pattern(s) you belong. If you are not able to come to see me, you may read "infertility cure" book written by Randine Lewis.
Kidney Yang deficiency type pattern:
• Avoid eating cold foods.
• Warm your feet.
• Apply a heating pad before ovulation and before your period.
• Do not over-exercise; moderate exercise is best.
• Take Royal jelly and L-arginine supplements.
• Eat the following foods:
o ginger root, black beans, adzuki beans, lentils
o oats, brown rice, quinoa
o walnuts, wheat germ
o dates, cherries
o parsnips, parsley, mustard greens, winter squash, cabbage, kale, onions, leeks, chives, garlic, scallions
o peppers, anise, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, basil, rosemary, dill, caraway, cumin
Blood Stasis type pattern:
• Avoid refined, hydrogenated oils.
• Avoid drinking cold beverages.
• Use flaxseed oil.
• Eat the following foods:
o lemon and lime -- excellent foods for blood stasis!
o more soy products and fish than meats
o walnuts
o peaches, wheat germ
o mustard leaf, onions, scallions, dark green leafed vegetables, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, beets, turnips, cauliflower, carrots
o Supplements/teas – bladder wrack, spirulina, cramp bark (western herbs) and Chai Hu Shu Gan Tang (chinese herbal formulas)
• Apply a heating pad on the abdomen if you experience bad cramps.
Spleen Qi deficiency type pattern:
• Do not exercise excessively before and during menstruation.
• Try not to worry so much.
• Avoid the following foods:
o mangoes, watermelon, pears
o cucumbers, lettuce, celery, spinach
o dairy products – milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream – goat and feta are good
o fried food, food sautéed with a lot of oil
o ice-cold beverages
o food made with white flour
o sugar, sugar substitutes, concentrated sweets
• Eat the following foods:
o rice, oats
o yams, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, shiitake mushrooms
o cherries, dates, figs, grapes
o molasses, wheat germ
Dampness type pattern:
• Avoid dairy products. (Goat and feta are good substitutes.)
• Avoid fried food.
• Avoid white sugar, sweets, fruits juices, and refined carbohydrates.
• Go easy on the soy products.
• Avoid whea,t and eat more rice and barley.
• Avoid the following foods:
o bananas,
o chocolate
o nuts
o alcohol
• Eat the following foods:
o Foods that have a diuretic effect –alfalfa, parsley, radishes, celery, carrots, cabbage, cranberries, cucumbers, lettuce, kelp, wheat germ
Blood deficiency type pattern:
• Eat the following foods:
o apricots, blackberries, raspberries, grapes, mulberry
o eggs
o spirulina, wheat germ
o turnip, watercress, spinach, any dark leafy greens
o Get plenty of rest during your period.
Liver Qi stagnation type pattern:
• Get moderate physical exercise.
• Eat frequent, small meals rather than having three big meals.
• Sit down when you eat, and chew your food thoroughly!
• Find methods to get rid of stress, any stuck feelings, and anger.
• Laugh more often; watch comedies instead of serious dramas.
• Breathe deeply from stomach “slowly” three times while you close your eyes.
• Apply peppermint oil (I recommend sombra cream) on your temples, neck, and shoulders.
• Avoid the following foods:
o Heavy, hard to digest food (such as nuts, animal fat, big portion of meat and bread)
o Foods that contain preservatives
o Foods that have high levels of white sugar
• Take these supplements: zinc, Xiao Yao San (Chinese herbal formula)
Kidney yin deficiency type pattern:
• Do not over-exercise.
• Do not take saunas or do bikram yoga.
• Take these supplements – chlorella, spirulina, royal jelly, Chinese herb- Dang Gui (Angelica)
• Cut down your intake of coffee and energy-boosting drinks.
• Foods to avoid:
o horseradish, curry, pepper
• Eat the following foods:
o more soy, seaweed, and flaxseed oil
o wheat, wheat germ, barley, rice, millet, amaranth
o asparagus
o black beans, kidney beans, red beans, string beans, mung beans, pea, chick peas
o apples, bananas, raspberries, blackberries, grapes, lemons, mangoes, pineapple
o eggs
References: "The Infertility Cure" by Randine Lewis Ph.D. 3/2005 Page 92-99) and
"The Chinese Nutrition Therapy" by Joerg Kastner M.D. 2/2009