Welcome to the Circle+Bloom blog

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Guest Blog by Diana Palmentiero and Lenore Pranzo, co-founders of Fertility Wellness Group. Their on-line fertility enhancing workshops help empower women to write about their own fertility struggles which will eventually lead to positive endings.

Why write about your fertility story

Recently Fertility Wellness Group had an epiphany. We decided to change the format from leading support groups for women who were having fertility issues to helping women write their fertility stories. We would still be there every step of the way supporting women as they blogged/journaled/chronicled their fertility journey. The focus, however, would be on getting everyone’s individual story out in a nurturing environment.

Shortly after our epiphany, we began blogging about our own fertility journeys, albeit, after the journeys had ended. We wanted to inspire women to realize that they are going on these journeys for a reason. What that reason is may not be known at the present time. We also wanted to give them hope that their journeys would lead to positive endings, even though it did not seem like it now.

As we sit and write our blogs, we often say “We wish we had been able to do this when we were going through the ups and downs of infertility.” Even though it is 6 years later, the process is still cathartic. There are still emotions that we have not dealt with completely that are being cleansed as we write about them. “The anger of another miscarriage.” “Another month and still no positive line on the stick.” As these words are being typed, the emotions are being put to rest for us. Blogging about our journeys has made us realize that we have gone through a difficult, dark period in our lives and came out of it, better and stronger women. Every woman will come out of it, in one way or another. The idea is to build the strength along the way and realize that you are a stronger person because of it.

The one thing we do not have, that we now wish we did, is an actual blog or journal to remind us of what we went through, how we felt, the changes we were going through, etc. as we were going through the process. It might be interesting for our children to read about it later on. We went through a lot so hopefully they realize what special children they are. And now, how grateful we are that they are part of our lives.

This concept is based on a therapeutic intervention called Narrative Therapy (created by Michael White and David Epson). Narrative Therapy helps people look at their overwhelming problem, external to themselves. This makes the problem the problem, not the person. We believe that once “infertility” is thought of outside of a person then they can create a story that they have more control over. This would:

  • Allow “infertility” to seem less overwhelming and more manageable
  • Give the individual a way to see patterns
  • Allow it to be looked at from many angles and the problem solving process can happen
  • Increase the effectiveness of a support group
  • Give the individual the choice of how they would evoke their story (words, photos, drawings, or other means)
  • Result in something to continue to analyze and learn from
  • Help create a new game plan
  • Be something to be shared now or many years from now

The thoughts and feelings that occur when trying to start or expand a family, when it doesn’t happen easily, are vast. Even if we are successful in all areas of our lives, we still believe we are a failure when we cannot do this one thing that is inherent of all women. Another “failed” cycle. Ugh! Our hope is that all of our workshop attendees can turn this thinking around over the 5 weeks, one layer at a time. Ultimately, resulting in a story that one is happy to have created and shared.

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Circle + Bloom just released their NEW Frozen Embryo Transfer Program and they are offering a special launch 35% discount. Enter code FET35 at checkout.

Is the next step in your fertility journey a FET or Frozen Embryo Transfer? Then this is the right program for you.  An eleven session audio journey that will guide you specifically through each stage of the FET procedure – from the first part of the regimen when you suppress your cycle, through when you begin taking estrogen, or another fertility supplement, to the actual transfer and two week wait period. Feel in greater control over your mind and body during this very important time of your life.

Click here to learn more or purchase our Frozen Embryo Transfer Program

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Guest Blog by Greg Czarnowski, Lifeables, a free service enabling parents to easily collect, organize, safeguard and share all of the digital posts, pictures, events and conversations that detail their children’s lives.

Because of work conflicts, distance, or mismatched schedules, members of today’s modern family often miss a memorable event like a game, school play or birthday party. Those who attend capture great pictures and videos on their mobile phones and digital cameras. They might even share funny stories or pictures on Facebook or Flickr. But in the end, no one knows exactly who has managed to capture what, and on which device or social network, making it nearly impossible to later relive the event and protect its memories.

Lifeables will make sure family members “Never Miss a Memory” – it’s the ultimate collection (and curation) engine for today’s modern family, retrieving pictures, videos and posts from every possible source while eliminating the privacy concerns still plaguing other social networks.

With just one click, Lifeables starts pulling in pictures and posts from across all family member social accounts, using advanced filtering to eliminate the clutter and highlight the best content. And best of all, the Lifeables system learns as it goes – the more it is used, the more accurate it becomes. Along with mining items from social networks, Lifeables also allows family members to chronicle memories from items stored in their e-mail, mobile phone, and computer.

The true value of Lifeables goes well beyond collection, with easy-to-use tools that give families the flexibility to organize the memories they’ve found (or created) into living collections – by person, event, date or theme – whatever makes sense to them. Each collection is then continuously updated as Lifeables finds new content related to memories in that collection. The service goes further, allowing individual memories or entire Lifeable collections to be selectively shared with trusted family and friends in the format they each prefer without extra work. So Grandma gets her email, Aunt Cathy views rich displays within Lifeables (which can be turned into hard-copy keepsakes), and Facebook friends get to enjoy posts from mom and dad’s wall.

Lifeables creates a new paradigm for family memory collection and curation by:

  • Allowing the preservation of a family’s history to become full-blown multimedia collections that constantly evolve
  • Involving all generations – parents, kids and grandparents – and all family members (not just Mom) in both the telling and recollection of the family’s story
  • Creating an ultra-secure environment where elements for precious family memories (digital pictures, personal reflections, etc.) can be safely stored and shared

Lifeables.com is available free to all consumers, with mobile/tablet extensions to be available soon.

Also be sure to check out Lifeables baby blog application (babyblog.lifeables.com) that offers expectant parents a simple way to provide family and friends with real-time updates about the upcoming birth of their child. Easy-to-use, it allows users to track and share their progress during the birthing process. It will also provide those friends and family members whom you invite to join you on the Baby Blog with an opportunity to offer the well wishes before the birth and their congratulations after the blessed event. And best of all, everything is captured on the Lifeables platform. Once things have quieted down after the birth, you can log in to the Lifeables account that you created and view and organize all of the memories that you recorded. These can then be shared with anyone you’d like, or kept as personal, private memories for yourself.

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National Infertility Awareness Week® is April 22 – 28, 2012. The goal of NIAW is to raise awareness about the disease of infertility and encourage the public to understand their reproductive health.

Be part of the infertility movement! Anyway you can raise awareness will help increase public understanding about the disease of infertility. We urge anyone who cares about the infertility community to help with NIAW efforts.

1. Infertility is a disease that affects 1 in 8 couples of reproductive age.
2. Acknowledge that there are many ways to build a family.
3. Understand that the disease of infertility impacts the physical, emotional, and financial health of those that are facing it.
4. To those trying to conceive know when to seek the advice of a specialist.

We, at Circle + Bloom are offering a 35% discount on all of our mind-body programs in honor of NIAW week. Enter code NIAW35 at checkout. In addition to our 35% off receive a FREE copy of our ebook “28 Ways in 28 Days to Re-think your Fertility”.  Add the ebook to your cart and at checkout a discount will automatically be applied for the full $5.99 value. Click here for your FREE ebook.   NIAW code and ebook valid April 18 – 28.

Our e-book “28 Ways in 28 Days to Re-think your Fertility” is filled with tips to getting pregnant, inspiration, hope and reflections. A must have companion on your journey when you are trying to conceive.

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Guest Blog by Element Natural Healing Arts, a wellness center specializing in a variety of holistic therapies including: Acupuncture, herbology, massage, reflexology, lymphatic drainage, Thai bodywork, rolfing, chiropractic, European & Ayurvedic facials and skincare, nutrition, ear candling, reiki, Alexander technique, craniosacral, yoga, meditation, personal training, pilates mat, Tai Chi and martial arts.

A new specialty yoga class at Element Natural Healing Arts in Brooklyn, New York is designed especially for women struggling with infertility.

As a wellness center specializing in acupuncture, we see many patients dealing with infertility on a regular basis. Acupuncture has gained much recognition for helping aid in fertility, but having an active role in your health goals may be just as important as receiving treatments. Developing a regular yoga practice can significantly reduce stress (among many other benefits) which is extremely important for a woman’s body while trying to conceive, especially if she has other factors working against her.

In our Yoga for Fertility class, instructor and acupuncturist Liza Uma Pollock brings the best of both worlds together, helping women calm their minds while focusing on poses and acupressure points that can aid in fertility. We asked Liza to answer a few questions for Circle + Bloom readers who can’t make it to class a themselves.

Why is yoga beneficial for fertility?

Yoga that includes a physical practice as well as deep relaxation, breathing techniques and meditation reminds us that our bodies, minds and emotions are not separate. Bringing balance to any one of these areas will have a ripple effect on balancing the whole system. Asanas (or poses) can benefit and improve the function of the reproductive system by increasing circulation and building strength & flexibility, especially around the pelvic area.

What poses are best for enhancing fertility?

Half and/or Full Locust pose is great for increasing circulation to and toning the abdominal and reproductive organs. This pose is done lying down on the stomach with the chin on the mat and the hands tucked under the tops of the thighs, or for increased benefit with the arms tucked inside the hips giving more pressure to the abdomen. In Half Locust one leg is raised at a time, keeping the leg straight, bringing it up as high as is comfortable without straining and holding each side for about 15 seconds. In Full Locust, both legs are raised.

Another beneficial posture is Bow Pose. This is also done lying on the stomach with the forehead on the floor to start, reaching the arms along the sides of the body, bending the knees and holding on to the feet or ankles. Keeping the arms straight, press the ankles into the hands lifting the legs if possible and keeping the knees hip distance apart, and also lifting the head, neck and chest. This posture has the same benefits as Locust but to a greater degree, sending blood to the abdominal organs, as well as improving the health of the ovaries and adrenals.

What is a common acupressure point for fertility and how can someone access that on their own?

Although each woman seeking treatment for fertility will receive an individual diagnosis and treatment protocol, in almost all cases, points along the Kidney channel would be chosen. The first point on the Kidney channel, Yong Quan (translated into Gushing Spring) is beneficial for fertility and will activate the Kidney Qi, or roughly translated, the energy within the Kidney channel and organ. According to Chinese medicine, the Kidneys support the functioning of all the organs in the body and have everything to do with reproduction, growth and development. Kidney 1 is located on the sole of the foot approximately 1/3 of the distance from the base of the second toe to the heel. This point can be rubbed with the thumb while applying medium pressure.

Optimally, regular acupuncture treatments and yoga practice together may significantly help women struggling to get pregnant or compliment other forms of treatment for pregnancy. Please consult your physician or acupuncturist before making any changes to your routine. For more information about Element Natural Healing Arts and Yoga for Fertility class, please visit our website at www.elementhealing.com.

Receive a limited time special discount for their Yoga for Fertility Class through our Fertility Deals Site.

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Guest Blog by Brigitte Adams, Founder of Eggsurance, everything egg freezing, the only non clinic-related egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) education & community site.

I always imagined that I would be a mom someday. Over the years, I accumulated a library of children’s books ranging from Dr. Seuss to Goodnight Moon. My first communion dress is wrapped in tissue paper and stored in a box for my daughter. I even have names picked out for a boy and a girl. However, after one divorce, three career changes, four moves and many bad dates, I found myself at 38, still single, still childless and still hopeful.

I never imagined I would be a candidate for egg freezing. Like many women, I just assumed that since I looked younger than my age, exercised and ate well that I must have a healthy supply of eggs. I just kept thinking that I had more time. When I finally looked into egg freezing I was surprised to learn that by 40 only 3% of your eggs remain. As a type-A, I felt helpless that I had no control over my reproductive future.

Given the tremendous strides in egg vitrification technology, I quickly decided to freeze my eggs. I now have eleven eggs on ice in a lab in Colorado waiting for me to retrieve them. And a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Although I don’t know what the future holds, I am no longer fixated on meeting Mr. Right and I am calmer and more optimistic.

After my procedure, I became very vocal and passionate about fertility education. I also realized that other women, like myself, were not educated about their fertility options. Soon I decided to create Eggsurance (www.eggsurance.com). Our mission is to build a safe and welcoming community for women to learn, share and discuss all things egg freezing. We look forward to your visit!

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Guest Blog by Marni, the creator of Bridge To Baby, an online support community and social media website for people trying to grow their families and those who want to help.

I have spent years working at building a family and I know many aspects of the TTC journey. I know first hand that a woman cannot do this alone. In my struggles to conceive a second time with Asherman’s Syndrome and ultimately choosing surrogacy, I felt the need to help others dealing with infertility using my personal experience.

After launching BridgeToBaby.com in March of 2011, I had a desire to go one step further and create an iPhone application that encompassed all the tools and resources I used during my fertility treatments. I came up with the idea to create an application that can help women be more organized and more in control of their fertility.

My Fertile Food is designed to help women who are trying to improve their odds of conceiving a baby, by eating healthy foods that are beneficial for fertility. It has been found that eating certain foods can improve the quality of women’s eggs, reduce stress, improve conditions for implantation, and prepare the body for pregnancy.

My Fertile Food is a customized tool enabling women to figure out their own individual needs. As an example, someone who is underweight needs to add more good fats to their daily diet or someone with PCOS should consume certain foods help regulate their menstrual cycle. My Fertile Food allows you to customize and individualize your dietary intake and gives you the ability to stay in control and motivated from anywhere!

But that’s not all! Not only is My Fertile Food a fertility food tracker and motivator, it also gives you access to Bridge To Baby and My Hopeful Journey. Bridge To Baby is a community for emotional support and resources. My Hopeful Journey is a mobile app which helps you stay organized and manage your menstrual cycles, medications, appointments and specific infertility treatment information like lab tests and procedures, and so much more.

I hope My Fertile Food helps you in your journey!
To read more about Marni’s journey go to Bridge To Baby.

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Different decades of our lives bring different life experiences. During our first ten years we’re normally the focus of other people’s care and attention, our minds and our bodies are developing; then as we move into our second decade as teenagers, we are faced with the hurly-burly of school life, puppy love and seesawing hormones. Many of us settle down in the second and third decades – in our 20s and 30s we’re pursuing careers, meeting a life partner and maybe starting a family of our own. Then we reach the grand old age of 40 – so is it all down hill from here?

Absolutely not! The phrase ‘life begins at forty’ says it all – there are, yet again, different life experiences and changes ahead and these can be just as exciting and challenging as our experiences during earlier decades. For example, those of us who have enjoyed good health shouldn’t expect all this to change as soon as we reach the age of 40 – it simply makes sense to catch up a little at this stage with how we’re functioning generally.

Some basic health checks

A straightforward health screening will present us with any indicators of potential problems, so that we’re well informed and can take steps to improve our diet, exercise regime, stress responses, or whatever might need fine tuning. It’s always worth getting blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels checked. Also, healthcare providers might suggest that those aged 40 or over should have a simple blood test to check levels of homocysteine, C-reactive protein and triglyceride. These are associated with stroke, heart attack and cardiovascular disease respectively.

Fertility in the over-40s is the subject of much debate and discussion. Whilst it’s generally acknowledged that fertility begins to decline somewhere towards the end of the third decade, it’s by no means the case that women can’t have children well into their 40s, and even their 50s. In fact, many healthcare professionals believe older mothers are less impatient and more tranquil, with generally good self-esteem and well-developed support systems – all of which is very beneficial for the new baby. Usually, more settled mothers also will have made sensible, practical arrangements such as making a will, and ensuring their income is secure and life cover is in place.

Take care of yourself

Women of any age are urged to take really good care of themselves during pregnancy and Moms-to-be who are in their 40s should do likewise. My Irish great-grandmother had twelve children – she was in her 20s when her firstborn made an appearance, and in her 40s when my grandmother, the 11th child, was born. Although the family wasn’t wealthy, my great-grandmother always had fresh food; she had no option but to stay busy, but she loved to walk so she made sure to take sensible exercise and also to have regular rest and relaxation periods.

Nowadays there’s a lot of options for mothers in their forties in terms of looking after their physical and mental health. Mind and body programs often focus on combining my grandmother’s favorites – a good diet, with the right vitamins and minerals, and exercise – with meditation and visualization techniques, for achieving the restful calm that she managed to find in her relatively simple, everyday life.

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Alternative Healing Education in Western Medicine

by mroth March 27, 2012

Guest Blog by Carolyn, Author who writes about education in the field of medicine from LPN Programs to medical schools. Very few things in medicine are actually black and white. That’s why so many people are seeking out alternative healing methods. But, what if you go to an alternative practitioner and they miss something that [...]

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Getting Pregnant as an Independent Contractor

by mroth March 22, 2012

Guest Blog by Eat Breathe Blog. Your one-stop-shop for everything health and wellness. A blog where you share your experiences, and provide honest stories and feedback on health and wellness products you have tried. Getting Pregnant as an Independent Contractor One of the reasons many women decide to stop working a traditional nine-to-five job and [...]

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American Women: Put Yourself First for Everyone’s Sake

by mroth March 14, 2012

Guest blog by Dr. Bill Chun MD, Author of “Don’t Give a Damn: How to Cope with the Fears, Frustrations, and Challenges of Daily Life.” From weight loss and overall wellness to relationships, finance, and managing our ever-more complex, technological, and demanding world, this book provides a simple and effective way of keeping yourself centered [...]

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Regain Your Fertility Through Acupuncture

by mroth March 12, 2012

This is a guest post by ThePregnancyZone.com. The blog offers complete pregnancy week by week information and topics relating to preparing for the pregnancy, pregnancy stages, labor & delivery, pregnancy issues, health issues, prenatal care, and so on. You must have heard about acupuncture before. This is the procedure through which a professional sticks needles [...]

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Fundraising Event for Resolve of New England

by mroth March 5, 2012

We are very excited to run a fundraising event with Resolve New England for the month of March. Use the discount code RNE15 and get 15% off our mind-body programs. 20% of the sales are going to be donated to Resolve of New England. Since 1974, RESOLVE New England has been the leading voice and [...]

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Male Reproductive Health

by mroth February 29, 2012

Ken Mosesian is Executive Director of The American Fertility Association. The American Fertility Association (The AFA), a 501 (c) (3) national non-profit organization, is a lifetime resource for infertility prevention, reproductive health and family building. AFA services and materials are provided free of charge to consumers and are available to everyone without reservation. These services [...]

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Support Resolve New England while dining out

by mroth February 6, 2012

Support Resolve New England while dining out at Not Your Average Joe’s Creative Casual Cuisine in Watertown, MA Print this NYA Cause Certificate Feb2012 and hand it to your server while dining out a Not Your Average Joe’s Creative Casual Cuisine (Watertown, MA) and Resolve New England will receive 15% OFF your total purchase (excluding [...]

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Why can’t anyone get pregnant?

by mroth February 2, 2012

Share your insights on women’s health issues, whether it is general health, infertility, PCOS or any other topic that is specific to women’s health and you will have a chance to win a $150 American Express gift card! Click here to learn more! Leslie Goldman, a Women’s health writer and body image expert shares her [...]

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PCOS Doesn’t Need to End in Heart Ache

by mroth January 26, 2012

Share your insights on women’s health issues, whether it is general health, infertility, PCOS or any other topic that is specific to women’s health and you will have a chance to win a $150 American Express gift card! Click here to learn more! Sandra, a uterine cancer survivor due to PCOS shares her Insights on [...]

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Natural Ways for New Moms to Deal with Depression

by mroth January 26, 2012

The last think you thing will happen is that you will feel a little low or depressed after you have your baby, in many cases something that you have been waiting for a very long time! But it happens and you should not ignore it or get angry at your self for feeling that way! [...]

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Facts and Myths About Your Health in Your 30s

by mroth January 26, 2012

Busting Myths About Women’s Health There are many myths about women’s health, some of them so pervasive that even doctors believe them. Knowing what’s true and what’s not can help you identify if any changes in your health deserve some extra attention from your doctor, or if what you’re experiencing is one of these common [...]

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Rebekah’s Insights on Women’s Health Blog Contest

by mroth January 25, 2012

Share your insights on women’s health issues, whether it is general health, infertility, PCOS or any other topic that is specific to women’s health and you will have a chance to win a $150 American Express gift card! Click here to learn more! Here are Rebekah’s Insights “What a Woman Needs to Know”. She writes [...]

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What You Should Be Doing in Your Twenties To Help You to Get Pregnant in Your Thirties

by mroth January 23, 2012

If you are a woman in your 20s, planning for pregnancy might be the last thing on your mind, but we encourage you to take time now and understand steps you can take now to help reduce potential issues of getting pregnant when you are ready. Did you know 1 out of 8 couples struggle [...]

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True or False – Our Thoughts Impact Our Reproductive Health

by Joanne January 18, 2012

We have heard many opinions on this question, and we thought it would be helpful to use a bit of science to help you answer this question and decide what side of the fence you are on. Lets start with a very high level understanding of Cellular Biology. We have trillions of cells that make [...]

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Announcing A New Blog Series – Women’s Health Education and Share Your Personal Insights Contest

by mroth January 9, 2012

To kick off the New Year we are announcing a new blog series on Women’s Health Education and the beginning of our next blog contest! We want you to share your personal insights with the rest of our community and when you do you have a chance to win a $150 AMEX gift card. We [...]

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Cardone Reproductive Medicine & Infertility Guest Blog about Advocacy for Women’s Health

by mroth January 3, 2012

We are happy to share a great Guest Blog by Kim Murray, RN from Cardone Reproductive Medicine & Infertility in Boston, MA about how to advocate for your health – infertility. Thank you to Circle + Bloom for allowing us to be part of its Advocacy for Women’s Health series. We are honored to contribute [...]

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New Resolutions: Setting The Right Ones

by mroth December 28, 2011

Guest Blog by Anna Dewinter New Year sparks the traditional process of setting resolutions for the commencing year. It is a great time to do away with past afflictions and attempt to get rid of negative problems in your life, with goal setting help you to establish yourself on a positive path for the years [...]

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Three Things You Can Do Today to Advocate For Your Health

by mroth December 20, 2011

We’ve been talking about advocating women’s health for a while now. You understand how important it is and why it needs to be done, but maybe you’re wondering what exactly you can do to advocate for yourself and for women’s health in general? If you want to get serious about women’s health advocacy, here are [...]

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How Happy Is Dr. Oz?

by mroth December 13, 2011

An exclusive interview with Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Andrew Weil – Guest Blog by Andrew Weil, MD, Everyday Health Happiness Editor Dr. Andrew Weil, author of the new book ‘Spontaneous Happiness,’ chats with with friend and colleague, Dr. Mehmet Oz, about the blues, beating afternoon sugar cravings (yes, he gets them too), and why [...]

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What Should You Be Asking Your IVF Clinic? …Lots!

by mroth December 7, 2011

Guest Blog by Stephanie Fry, Author of The IVF Companion, a personal organizer for your IVF cycle For most of us who undergo IVF, it is an all encompassing and life altering experience. Like any other major event, this time of your life deserves and will be well served by a little organization and preparation. [...]

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What Do You Have in Common with Christina Applegate and Alison Sweeney?

by mroth December 2, 2011

Being able to advocate for ourselves and our health is an topic of importance in today’s day and age. The truth is, it always has been – we just haven’t always recognized our power to do anything about our health until recently. In the past, we left the fate of our bodies and minds up [...]

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Fertility: A Chinese Medical Approach

by mroth November 29, 2011

Guest Blog by Aradhna Behl, L.Ac., Founder of Hoboken Acupuncture, based in Hoboken, N.J., is dedicated to providing customized treatments that include Chinese medicine practices such as acupuncture and herbology to promote overall wellness, as well as treat infertility and other conditions. Although couples often are consumed with high-tech reproductive technology, there is an alternative [...]

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Resources are Your Friend

by mroth November 17, 2011

When it comes to facing infertility, we often feel lost – sometimes even helpless. Where do we turn for the answers we need? Our doctors, try as they might, don’t always have the answers that we are looking for or the time to explain everything clearly. Fortunately, you don’t have to rely on a physician [...]

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PLACEBO AND INFERTILITY

by mroth November 14, 2011

Guest Blog by Helen Adrienne – Author, On Fertile Ground: Healing Infertility Interest in the placebo effect in general medical care has undergone resurgence in recent years as emphasis on the mind/body connection has come to the center of medical science. When state-of-the-art brain imaging techniques are used to study the placebo effect, the involvement [...]

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Writer for Women’s Health Reviews Our Program And Gets Pregnant!

by mroth November 8, 2011

Congratulations to Leslie Goldman, health blogger extraordinaire at www.healthbreaksloose.com and magazine writer, body image author! Here is her story of how Circle + Bloom helped her with her fertility journey by using our IVF/IUI Mind+Body audio program. “When you’re trapped in the soul-crushing cycle of infertility, you’ll do pretty much anything and everything to up [...]

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Davina’s Advocate for Health Contest Blog Story

by mroth November 4, 2011

Share your story for our Advocate For Your Health Contest and you might win a $250 AMEX Card, click here to learn more! Here is Davina’s story of how she advocated for her health. She co-founded Fertility Within Reach a nonprofit organization where she educates the infertility community how to advocate for access to family-building [...]

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Priscilla’s Advocate for Health Contest Blog Story

by mroth November 3, 2011

Share your story for our Advocate For Your Health Contest and you might win a $250 AMEX Card, click here to learn more! Here is Priscilla’s story of how she advocated for her health and infertility. She also writes a blog A Gluten-Free Vegan Mom Who Knows that you should take a look at. If [...]

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Heather’s Advocate for Health Contest Blog Story

by mroth November 3, 2011

Share your story for our Advocate For Your Health Contest and you might win a $250 AMEX Card, click here to learn more! Here is Heather’s story of how she advocated for her health and infertility. She also writes a blog Survive Infertility and Thrive that you should take a look at. If you like [...]

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Recognizing Your Power

by mroth November 2, 2011

When it comes to their health, many women feel powerless. It’s unfortunate when you consider the fact that we really do have quite a bit of say in the care of our bodies and how we advocate for our health. Unfortunately, doctors don’t always recognize our power and, to make matters worse, we don’t stand [...]

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In Celebration of Those Who Tell Us We Can’t: Fertility From Ferocious Determination

by mroth October 26, 2011

Share your story for our Advocate For Your Health Contest and you might win a $250 AMEX Card, click here to learn more! Here is Shannon’s story of how she advocated for her health and infertility. She also writes a blog InfertilityAwakening that you should take a look at. If you like her story be [...]

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Kate’s Advocacy for Health Blog Story

by mroth October 24, 2011

Share your story for our Advocate For Your Health Contest and you might win a $250 AMEX Card, click here to learn more! Here is Kate’s story of how she advocated for her health and infertility struggles. She also writes a blog Busted Plumbing that you should take a look at. If you like her [...]

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Announcing A New Blog Series on Advocacy and Share Your Story Contest

by mroth October 18, 2011

In the coming months we are gearing up to promote the advocacy of women and women’s health. We want to share with women everywhere the things that they can do to recognize their power, how they can find the best resources and how to advocate for themselves and their health – which brings us to [...]

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RESOLVE of New England’s Annual Fertility Treatment, Donor Choices, and Adoption Conference

by mroth October 15, 2011

RESOLVE of New England’s Annual Fertility Treatment, Donor Choices, and Adoption Conference Register Now! Saturday, November 5, 2011 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, Marlborough, MA *2011 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE* We invite you to join us for this unique educational and support event, offering over 40 workshops with expert presenters – covering [...]

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Dealing with the Frustrating Symptoms of PCOS

by mroth October 12, 2011

PCOS may be one of the most misunderstood and undiagnosed conditions of our time, but those of us who suffer from it definitely understand how frustrating it can be to live with. Irregular periods, unwanted facial hair, exasperating weight gain, the list goes on… Since there is no cure for PCOS, what can a woman [...]

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How Diet and Medication Can Work Together to Control PCOS

by mroth October 6, 2011

PCOS (also known as polycystic ovarian syndrome) can be a frustrating and oftentimes overwhelming condition to live with. The weight gain, unwanted hair growth, irregular periods and trouble conceiving are just some of the struggles that women living with PCOS must face. When you ask your doctor for a cure, you’re told there isn’t one, [...]

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Guided Fertility Meditations Review by Cooking for Fertility Author Kathrynn Flynn

by mroth October 6, 2011

Guest Blogger Kathryn Flynn from Fertile Foods and Author of Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul wrote a review about Circle + Bloom’s Fertility Programs and Energy for Empowerment Program. We are happy to share the review with you! Circle + Bloom Guided Meditations for Fertility The relaxation response is a key [...]

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Does PCOS Affect a Woman’s Ability to Conceive?

by mroth September 23, 2011

Many women struggle for months trying to become pregnant, not understanding why those frustrating pregnancy tests just don’t give them the results they’ve been hoping for. You may be doing everything right as far as the books and magazines have told you, but if you have PCOS and the condition isn’t under control, it is [...]

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Pregnancy and Pills: The Risks Apply to Both Mother and Unborn Child

by mroth September 23, 2011

The most surprising thing to learn when researching information on the dangers of certain drugs in the development of an unborn child is that such studies are still in their infancy. Women are severely limited in getting the resources they need in determining whether or not it is safe to take certain drugs during pregnancy. [...]

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Debunking the Myths of PCOS

by mroth September 21, 2011

If you want to understand what something is, you must also understand what it is not. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is no exception to this rule. Unfortunately, there are many myths that abound regarding this common (yet highly undiagnosed) disorder. Separating fact from fiction can be quite a challenge. That’s why we’re debunking the top [...]

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Keeping Healthy During Pregnancy

by mroth September 16, 2011

We are so happy to get all of the e-mails we receive from our customers telling us they are pregnant, and how much they love our program, and are excited they are moving onto our mind+body program for Pregnancy and Delivery. We thought it would be nice to do a blog post talking about ways [...]

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PCOS – Finding Some Answers

by mroth September 14, 2011

Tell someone that you have PCOS and chances are that they’ll give you a blank look as they try to imagine what PCOS could possibly be or whether or not it may even be contagious. Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that PCOS is all too common, but it still goes undiagnosed in millions [...]

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Want To Get Pregnant After 35 or 40: Stop Blaming And Start Forgiving

by mroth September 9, 2011

Guest Blog Post by Cynthia Wilson James from InSeason Mom. InSeason Mom supports first time moms over 35 and 40 started by former childbirth educator Cynthia Wilson James who conceived naturally, gave birth at ages 42 and 44 to two healthy daughters. CBS New York has recognized InSeason Mom as one of the best resources [...]

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