Acupuncture and Fertility: Interview with Health Expert and Author Michelle Oravitz
Michelle Oravitz is a fertility health expert and a Fellow of the Acupuncture and TCM Board of Reproductive Medicine (FABORM). A licensed acupuncturist, Michelle employs acupuncture, mindfulness, and hypnotherapy to help couples conceive. Her book — “The Way of Fertility — Awaken Your Reproduction Potential Through the Power of Ancient Wisdom” — was recently published. Described as a fertility self-help book, it encourages women to look inward and promotes the premise that mind and spirit are inextricably linked to overall wellness and fertility potential. The book contains wisdom from ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic teachings as well as actionable techniques to correct imbalances and release blockages in the body to support fertility wellness.
Michelle Oravitz suffered from irregular periods as a teen and young woman. As an adult working as an architect in New York City firm, she found Dr. Li, a Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist whose treatment resolved her symptoms and gave her a sense of well-being. She was also able to conceive two children. This experience resulted in her changing her career course to wellness-focused initiatives. Michelle enjoys explaining the synergies between Eastern and Western medicines and she discussed this, and more, via an exclusive interview.
Meagan Meehan (MM): You started out as an architect so what was it like to transition from that field into healthcare?
Michelle Oravitz (MO): My love for TCM began as a patient. This led me to explore different modalities of natural medicine. In the beginning it felt like I was taking a risk by leaving a profession that I worked very hard for, but the calling I had to move forward felt stronger than the fear of leaving my previous profession. The hardest part of the transition was worrying about the opinions of my family members who, at the time, didn’t understand why I made such a drastic change in my career. I knew that it would take years to learn a new profession but I was so fascinated with the teachings and loved being a student.
MM: How long did it take you to learn about these health practices and what credentials did you need to attain to practice?
MO: I first enrolled to study Ayurveda, which took two years. Towards the end of my studies, I got pregnant with my first daughter. At that time, I paused my efforts towards my new career and sold art online while raising my girls. When they were old enough to go to elementary school, I enrolled to get my masters in Oriental medicine, which took three years to complete.
MM: Why did you decide to focus specifically on fertility?
MO: Acupuncture helped me tremendously in regulating my menstrual cycle. I felt like I owed my own fertility to Dr. Li, who was the acupuncturist who helped me resolve my condition. I was also really fascinated by women’s health and fertility. I eventually preferred to spend most of my efforts to help couples conceive. I also feel that motherhood has been the biggest gift I was given and there’s nothing more meaningful than helping other couples have their dream of growing their families so it really feels like a personal calling.
MM: What are the similarities and differences between Eastern and Western medicine?
MO: One of the biggest similarities is the idea of homeostasis as described in Western medicine to be necessary for optimal vitality. Similarly, Eastern medicine often talks about balance for both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines. TCM uses the yin and yang to describe this balance and that its harmony is necessary to sustain life. The biggest difference between the two medicines are the way they look at the body. In TCM, we not only consider the physical body, but also the mind and the spirit. Each organ has an essence that embodies an emotion along with its role in supporting the body’s functions. As TCM practitioners, we don’t treat symptoms, but rather, we address the overall pattern which manifests as a symptom. The reason we address the pattern is because one symptom can arise from multiple patterns depending on the individual case. When the root cause is addressed, it allows the body to get into a state of self-healing so that the treatment is more profound and long lasting. This also allows people to get benefits from herbal medicine for a shorter period (when the pattern gets balanced) without becoming dependent on them.
MM: What prompted you to write a book and how long did it take to complete?
MO: Over the years, I have found many insights from learning the wisdom of underlying ancient medicine. What seems to work really well and stands the test of time is the simplest and most intuitive. Nature has a pattern that we (as part of nature) innately comprehend. This is the intelligence that is at the core of all life. This intelligence has intended life to reproduce itself so that it can continue. That is reflected in fertility. If fertility is not able to thrive, something is getting in the way of this intelligence.
Fertility challenges are on the rise, and modern life patterns tend to work against our natural rhythms. Examples are our exposure to artificial light, how we eat or under eat, being distracted and disconnected from our intuition (which connects us to this intelligence). I have gone through my own journey of being disconnected from my “self” and this was reflected in my reproductive symptoms. I wanted to address in my book a part of us that is often overlooked and has been highlighted in ancient wisdom, and that is to go within in order to connect to the same intelligence that intended for us to thrive and reproduce. My belief is that by doing so, one can be guided to lifestyle choices such as nutrition and body awareness that will ultimately lead to a state of self-healing. In my book, I also share some modern research that reflects a lot of what has been taught throughout the ages with ancient medicine such as TCM.
MM: How did you find a publisher and how have you marketed this book?
MO: I was about to sign with an agent when I spoke to my mentor Aimee Raupp, who suggested I look into self-publishing. I then found an amazing editor who helped me with my book and I decided to self-publish. It was a lot more doable than I originally thought. I also began with a large following and I have hosted a fertility podcast since 2018 so I was able to create a launch team and had an amazing group of colleagues support my efforts of getting the word out.
MM: What have been some of the most rewarding experiences you’ve had while working as a health expert?
MO: The most rewarding experience is seeing people come from almost losing all hope, to realizing how powerful they are and not only thriving, but also having more kids than they initially imagined after overcoming their struggle of fertility challenges. I absolutely love witnessing people discover their inner power.
MM: What has been the best feedback that you’ve gotten about your book so far?
MO: I have been told that while it’s great for fertility, it’s a book that they can come back to at any point in life. While it speaks to fertility, what it really was intended to do is support an optimal state that inadvertently supports reproduction and a continuation of life. Fertility is simply a state that relies on optimal health and vitality. The physical aspect (which most people address) is a reflection of an underlying energetic vitality which is impacted by our thoughts and emotions. This is why those aspects matter and shouldn’t be ignored.
MM: What are your ultimate goals for the future and is there anything else that you would like to mention?
MO: My ultimate goal is to convince people of their own power. Many people don’t realize just how powerful they are and that they are able to move the needle more than they may have initially thought. I think it’s important to teach people how to empower themselves not only in their fertility, but in their lives.