FOUNDER FERTILITY NOTES
Reflections on fertility, health, and the human journey toward creating life.
Drawing from more than two decades of caring for people trying to build families, Dr. Spence Pentland shares observations, clinical insights, and ideas that reach beyond tests, treatments, and protocols.
These notes explore not only what we can do to support fertility, but who we may become along the way – offering perspective, direction, and a more human way to understand the fertility journey.
Vancouver Infertility Story #1
“We became pregnant, without 'trying' within our first year of marriage (2012). I began light spotting and went to see my doctor. The doctor scheduled an ultrasound and though we thought I was almost 10 weeks pregnant, the baby was only measuring 7.5 weeks.
Burnt or Perfect: the power of the subconscious mind, get it working for and not against you
This morning I had put the oven on to heat up the last gluten free hot cross bun for a late morning snack. Thinking I could respond to a few emails while I waited, I went into my office, sat down at the computer and noticed a couple more emails had come in.
Healthy Homemade Granola
Guest Post by Krista A. Parr
Processed cereal is a popular choice for breakfast because it’s quick and convenient. However, when whole grains are forced into unnatural shapes like flakes, puffs, shreds, sticks, and o’s through a high-pressure process called extrusion, most of the nutrients are destroyed and the amino acids (proteins) are rendered toxic.
As Awareness Around Endometriosis Grows, So Too Does The Use of Acupuncture For Its Relief
This past month you may have seen some yellow ribbons being worn and some events such as the Million Women March for “the invisible disease”. This particular yellow ribbon campaign is conducted to promote awareness for Endometriosis, the disease commonly referred to as “the invisible disease” or “Eve’s curse”.
What is Visceral Manipulation?
Visceral Manipulation (VM) is an anatomy based therapy that focuses on the movement and function of the organs and how they neurogenically and physically affect the rest of the body. VM uses gentle but specific fascial stretching and mobilization techniques of the organs in the thorax,
If you have Heat here's how to eat…
In China, the line between herbs and food is not quite so clear. Herbs are commonly added to soups and dishes for their medicinal qualities, not taste. Simple food cure principles are always used as an adjunct to medical therapy. If you seem to fit the general and gynecological features below (you only need to exhibit a few to be diagnosed with ‘Heat’) then pay special attention to the ‘avoid’ and ‘emphasize’ sections.
Sundried Tomato and Feta Cheese Quiche
Guest Post by Krista A. Parr
Sundried tomatoes are usually the shining star of any dish, and this quiche is no exception. They are bold, tangy, and also happen to contain very high levels of lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that has been found to improve sperm concentrations in infertile men.
Butternut Squash and Parsnip Soup
Guest Post by Krista A. Parr
Any homemade soup makes for an ideal fertility meal because soup is warming and easy to digest. This leaves your body with plenty of energy to carry out other important functions like removal of toxins, repair of damaged tissue,
Measuring Patient Experience
Despite medical literature still claiming there is no definitive link between stress and infertility, it has concluded that it can interfere with hormone balance and ovulation, as well as libido in both sexes (see https://yinstill.com/blog/does-stress-affect-fertility). In my practice I see the massive effects that psychological stress (emotional discomfort) can have on a client,
Science confirms what all of our clients already know: Acupuncture controls stress.
In a recent study conducted on mice, it was revealed that acupuncture actually regulates the specific hormones associated with the biochemical reactions that take place in the body as a result of stress. It was not surprising to see that the pairing of points that performed the best included a point from the Liver channel.
Laser vs. Needle Acupuncture for Embryo Transfer
We sometimes get asked whether we use laser acupuncture to support clients on embryo transfer day, and the answer is no. To date, approx 20 quality studies have been done regarding the administration of acupuncture on embryo transfer day during an IVF cycle. From this list there has only been one study that included the use of laser acupuncture.
On Site Embryo Transfer Day Acupuncture: the importance of treatment at the IVF clinic
I would like to answer a question I get from time to time about our policy of ON SITE (at the IVF clinic) acupuncture for embryo transfer day. Many studies have been shown to improve pregnancy rates when acupuncture is done on embryo transfer day, a protocol involving a treatment just before the procedure and then again after the procedure.
