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Like its cousin, ginger, the rhizome part of the plant is used in food and medicine. Rhizomes may look like roots but are actually stems that grow horizontally underground. The rhizome is dug up, cleaned, sun-dried, and most commonly ground into a fine powder although some grate and use the fresh stem.

In the kitchen, turmeric is an essential component of many curry blends but may, also, be found as a stand-alone spice. Its pungent smell and bitter, astringent taste lend a peculiar yet grounding quality to many dishes. Turmeric is also used as a natural coloring agent, turning sauces, vegetables, and meats into a warm color, inviting to the eye.

In Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is favored for its antiseptic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Frequently employed to treat disorders of the gut, turmeric enhances digestion, soothes gas and distention, and creates an environment hospitable to friendly intestinal flora. Turmeric is also commonly used to help regulate the female reproductive system and bolster fertility in men. In recent years, a special compound in turmeric called curcumin has been given much attention in the West. Scientists are currently studying curcumin for its incredible anti-inflammatory activities, including its potential to reverse many serious or degenerative health conditions such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Here’s a recipe for chicken tagine (inspired by this recipe for lamb tagine), a thick stew cooked throughout North Africa and the Middle East, which utilizes turmeric and other regional aromatic herbs and spices. Cook turmeric before consuming, and start in small quantities to give your belly–and your tastebuds–time to adjust. Always consult a knowledgeable practitioner before using herbs for medicinal purposes.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

2 lbs chicken meat, boneless, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground cardomom

3/4 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

2 inches fresh ginger peeled and grated or finely chopped

8 garlic cloves finely chopped

5 carrots cut in half then julienned

1 tbsp lemon juice

16 oz vegetable broth

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

The night or morning before cooking, place cut chicken in a glass dish and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and the combined ground spices, salt, half of the chopped garlic, and half of the grated ginger. Mix until all the chicken is well coated. Let sit overnight or for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to cook, heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat. Add chicken one piece at a time until the bottom of pot is covered. Brown the chicken on all sides, remove to a plate, and repeat process until all the chicken is browned and adding olive oil as necessary.

After removing all the chicken from the pan, add the carrots and onions to the pot and cook until they just begin to caramelize. Add the remaining ginger and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Return the chicken to the pot and add broth, lemon juice, tomato paste, and honey. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 45 minutes.

Check pot every 15 minutes to ensure liquids haven’t been too reduced and add broth or water as necessary.

After 45 minutes, you should have a thick stew with tender, flavorful meat. Spoon over brown rice or quinoa for a tasty variation.

Studies from various countries indicate that fertility problems are indeed more common in women with untreated Celiac Disease, compared to women who do not have it.

The risk of suffering other gynecological and obstetrical problems like miscarriage or preterm birth is also higher for those with Celiac Disease.
Joseph Mercola, “Why Haven’t Infertile Couples Been Told These Facts?”, 2/23/2010

Follow the link to read more about what Dr. Mercola has to say about Celiac Disease and its affects on fertility.

Need a good excuse to go get a massage? Not only are massages great for reducing stress, but they can also increase blood flow to the uterus and ovaries. When looking for a fertility masseuse, consider practitioners that have mayan abdominal massage training to enhance your chances of conception.

Mayan Abdominal Massage uses deep abdominal work to reposition the pelvic organs and treat a pro-lapsed or tilted uterus. Massaging the abdominal region can also help to break up any adhesions or blockages that may be preventing conception. Mayan abdominal massage benefits fertility in the following ways:

1. Improves egg quality by flooding the ovaries with fresh blood supply and oxygen

2. Helps to balance irregular menstrual cycles

3. Breaking down scar tissue and adhesions

4. Reducing stress

5. Improves digestion

6. Increases overall vitality and energy

7. Prepares the muscles and ligaments for childbirth

I’m impressed with how thorough the list of benefits she provides here is! Another point shes addresses in other posts is the emotional and energetic component. This kind of bodywork, especially through a self-care massage that we teach, provides a way for the woman to connect with and enhance the sexual energy of her body–helping heal painful past experiences and brighten the feeling of being safe and powerful in her sensuality. Thanks for helping spread awareness, Kathryn!

Mayan Abdominal Massage is a gentle, external and non-invasive manual therapy technique which aligns the uterus and other organs of the abdomen back into their proper positions, from whence they may have shifted from falls, injuries or trauma. With this encouragement towards correct placement, organs receive the blood flow they need to be adequately nourished by the body’s hormones and chemicals, rid themselves of their waste products through lymphatic flow, and can do their jobs unobstructed. Organs function most optimally when congestion is reduced, and metabolic processes enhanced, and physical health problems related to digestion, menstruation, etc. can be subsequently resolved. 

Most women’s pelvic health complaints, such as cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, and difficulties conceiving and giving birth, are caused by a displaced uterus. Dr. Arvigo estimates that over 90% of American women have a displaced uterus–something which can be corrected through these specific abdominal massage techniques.  Mayan Abdominal Massage as she teaches it places a strong emphasis on client “self care,” so women who receive such treatments become empowered to do a more basic version of the massage techniques on themselves each day to maintain pelvic health.

Originally from Chicago, IL, Rosita has studied traditional Belizean medicine for over 30 years, since meeting Don Elijio Panti, one of the last traditional Mayan Shaman healers, and making Belize her permanent home. Don Elijio Panti, who became her friend and mentor, taught her that the uterus was a center of a woman’s being, so if her uterus was out of place, the rest of her life would mirror that disarray. She watched him day after day treat imbalances of the body by massaging the abdomen, and she combined this knowledge with her scientific understanding of the body’s ligaments, muscles and bones, and began teaching it to others to carry on this powerful healing art. Rosita currently holds trainings in Belize and visits the United States to impart these massage techniques and herbal applications to other healthcare professionals. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to study with Rosita firsthand, and to continue mentoring with her as the profession advances, as well as incorporate this effective work into my practice with clients.

Dr. Arvigo currently runs a natural health clinic in San Ignacio, Belize, using rainforest remedies and bodywork to treat a variety of health conditions, specifically those of the female reproductive kind, and has been instrumental in providing documentation of the healing properties of native plants, endangered of being destroyed through deforestation and development, to demonstrate the importance of preserving our precious sources of medicine.  She has founded both the Ix Chel Tropical Research Foundation and the Traditional Healers’ Foundation, and has written a number of books, among them Sastun: My Apprenticeship with a Maya Healer and Rainforest Home Remedies: the Maya Way to Heal Your Body and Replenish Your Soul.

Makes 2-6 servings

1 medium red cabbage, shredded or finely chopped

1 small bulb fennel, finely sliced

½ cup pumpkin seeds

2 T. olive oil

½ t. Cajun spice*

Chop cabbage and fennel into shreds. Heat oil over medium-high heat, add pumpkin seeds and Cajun spice, then stir while letting them season for a few minutes. Then add the vegetables and saute until slightly tender. Remove from heat and serve. For more kick, increase amount of Cajun spice or add an extra pinch of cayenne.

*Note: buy this mix only in the bulk section of a natural foods store, as many of the pre-made Cajun spice blends use wheat gluten as a binding agent. Also, blackening seasonings often create more smoke, so make sure the cooking area is well-ventilated before you begin.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 pound winter squash (kabocha, butternut)

1 ½ cups aduki beans, soaked

3 inches seaweed (like kombu or wakame)

5 cups of water (or vegetable stock)

Sea salt

*Grated ginger, optional

Directions: Peel and cube squash into 2 inch squares (can leave skins on if edible)

Place washed beans and seaweed into a pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and add squash cubes. Cover and simmer for 30 more minutes. Uncover, add sea salt, and stir until water evaporates.

Notes: Try with roots like carrot, parsnip, and turnip. These roots don’t need more than 20 minutes to cook with beans.

Should I use ART’s or try natural conception? How far am I willing to go down each path to keep my own mental wellbeing? What are my beliefs about fertility drugs, donor eggs or adoption, and how many medically stimulated cycles am I willing to include as part of my treatment plan? These choices bear no absolute rights and wrongs, and they’re all theory anyhow against the backdrop of the trying, waiting, hope, and dejection of another unsuccessful cycle.

To this end, most reproductive centers offer some sort of counseling. Many of my clients have benefited greatly from these services to help with the grief from unfruitful IUI/IVF attempts or pregnancy loss. Their availability usually maxes out at 1 or 2 sessions, however, which is why continued mental health counseling with a licensed practitioner is so important. But these therapies still often don’t tend to employ a very holistic approach, focused on longterm wellbeing, which is where Holistic Health Counseling can be of benefit. I have coached many couples in various stages of their fertility journey, and understand the complexities of the decisions they face and the need for sustained self-care.

Much can be done from a holistic nutrition approach, not only to enhance fertility, but to truly promote the physical health and emotional wellbeing of the parents-to-be. As a Holistic Health Counselor, I’m here as a guide.

If this resonates with you, please contact me for a free 15 introductory session so we can discuss your concerns and how I can help.