In 2012, I had been married for a year and was trying to get pregnant. I was a textbook twenty-something-year old, living and working in New York City. Highly driven and focused, I exercised all the time, ate a slightly misinformed version of a healthy diet, and drank lots of coffee. 

And I could not get pregnant.

My mother was concerned and was doing her “research” by talking to her friends about what their daughters were doing and she kept hearing about an accupunture clinic on the Upper East Side that had great success with fetility.  After several pushes by mom, and hearing about the countless benefits of Chinese Medicine for infertility, I decided to try acupuncture with Dr. Christina Burns, Founder of Naturna, a holistic and integrative medical practice based in Manhattan.

I went all in.  In addition to the weekly accupunture, I made a slew of diet and lifestyle changes. After a few months of treatments  Dr. Burns asked me if I wanted to try Chinese Herbs to supplement my treatments. Christina is one of the most well studied doctors I know in the area of herbs and fertility so I figured if she thinks I should try it, it couldn’t hurt.  I trusted her to create a custom formula for me. And thus began my love affair with “junk juice.”

What is Junk Juice?

Junk Juice is not the latest energy drink. You cannot find it at your local bodega, and you will not find 15-minute infomercials extolling its miraculous cure-all benefits. Junk Juice is a term of endearment that Dr. Christina coined for her customized blend of Chinese herbs, prescribed for a particular individual for a specific therapeutic benefit. The initial formula I used was intended to help balance my hormone levels and generally prepare the body for conception and a healthy pregnancy. 

It wasn’t exactly love at first taste(sip?). Drinking the tea can bepretty funky or downright gag-worthy (depending on the formula). But you know what? I was comitted to giving alternative medicine a try and so I stuck with the treatments and I slowly started to see results. 

What Herbs Can Do for You

I started taking herbs in October, and by March, I was pregnant with my first child. I continued to do acupuncture and drink the juice. I had another child. I continued to do acupuncture and drink the juice, and I had a third child. It’s pretty safe to say that I’m done having children, and yet…I still…drink…the…juice. 

Why?

Because of the way it makes me feel. I have energy that sustains me throughout the day, the week, and the late nights making sure details on a deal are perfect. I am the best version of myself both even keeled and sharp. It’s almost…magical, like this is the harmony of a balanced body. Now that I have three kids, I drink different formulas to maintain balance, and also to remedy acute conditions, such as the common cold or even mastitis (those were by far the most pungent to date). 

It’s Not Just the Herbs

While this  is one of those times where I hope you do drink the kool-aid, you can’t just do one part of the remedy. No matter how much we want it, there is no magical pill that will instantly fix whatever ails you. Junk Juice works for me because I use it in combination with a REALLY healthy lifestyle. I exercise regularly, but not excessively. I make sure to get enough sleep. I eat super clean. And I get regular acupuncture treatments.

For me, it’s an essential part of what makes me the super mom and broker I aim to be. Try it out and let me know how YOU feel.  Junk Juice is not my company, but I really feel the need to share it with my tribe.  So many women reach out to me asking what I do, what I eat, and how I do it all… well this is for you! 

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