On to Plan B? Psh! More Like Plan Z.

Well; I have approximately three months before my dear husband gets home from deployment. So, I decided that since most Traditional Chinese Medicine takes around about three months to build up in your system; I figured I would give it a shot. Nothing to lose, right? I went down to the Herbal Alternatives store in the next town over to see what I could get my hands on. Came home with some Fish Oil, Dong Quai, Maca, and Royal Jelly. I was really excited; until I opened them all up and took a wiff. The comination of fish food, roasted marshmellows, and bloody mary's over took my senses. I have a very sensitive sense of smell.. so, this should be interresting.

For my fellow TTC-er's: here are some of the benefits of the above mentioned traditional chinese medicines and herbs. I'm anxious to see how things play out.

Omega-3 Fish Oil: Pretty basic every day supplement; generally taken for heart and joint health. When it comes to TTC-ers and pregnant women, it helps avoid pregnancy-induced hypertension (pre-eclampsia) and gestational diabetes. Long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids are critical for fetal brain development to provide your child the best possible mental advantage coming into this world. The fetus’ need for DHA is greatest in the last trimester of the pregnancy as fetal brain cells are being created at a prodigious rate (more than 250,000 nerve cells per minute). If you don’t have adequate supplies of DHA in your body, your fetus’ brain is going to have trouble keeping up with the growing demand for DHA building blocks. Thus, pregnancy is a critical time to take fish oil supplements. Also, with Omega-3 fish oil women carry children longer preventing premature birth.

Dong Quai Root: (should not be taken during pregnancy) Main benefits-

Menopause treatment;

Fertility treatment;

Speeding recovery from childbirth;

Herbal tonics for women;

Chronic rhinitis and post nasal drip;

Painful menstrual periods;

Excessively heavy vaginal bleeding;

Herpes zoster;

Uterine fibroid tumors;

Hypertension;

Blood tonic;

Fibrocystic Breast Condition;

Chronic inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis;

Common blood disorders such as anemia;

Allergies;

Constipation

Hepatitis

Headaches and migraines.

Royal Jelly: While there are a number of different "super foods" that have proven to be highly effective at helping with fertility, royal jelly is more than likely the reigning King…or Queen of the bunch. This nutrient dense substance is a secretion that comes from glands in young worker bees, and is used to not only create a queen bee for procreation, but is also fed to honey bee larvae to provide them with optimal health and growth. Royal Jelly is rich in amino acids, lipids, sugars, vitamins, and most importantly, proteins. It contains high levels of vitamins D and E, and also has ample levels of iron and calcium. The following are the main benefits of Royal Jelly:

• To increase libido
• Support egg health
• Diminish and reduce the signs of aging
• To reduce inflammation caused by illness or injury
• To naturally boost the bodies immune system
• To help treat auto-immune problems like non-rheumatoid arthritis

Maca: Beneficial for men and women. Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a root-like vegetable shaped like a turnip. It grows at 12,000 feet above sea level and is only found in the high Andes of Peru and Ecuador.
For more than two millennia, native Peruvians have used maca root as food and medicine to promote fertility, endurance, energy, vitality, and sexual virilityMain benefits for Maca are:

Balance hormonal levels in women.

Increase libido in both men and women.

Increase egg health.

Increase seminal volume, sperm count per ejaculation, and sperm motility.

Who should use Maca? Those with:



-Poor egg health
-Endometriosis
-PCOS
-Recurrent miscarriages
-Preparing for IVF
-Infertility due to stress