Research & Articles

When considering the use of Acupuncture to support IVF there are a few key components of treatment to consider. Some people undertake only the minimum pre- and post-transfer appointments to support the embryo. Most embark on a more holistic program of treatment aiming to treat the whole person and underlying issues that may be affecting fertility. At Fertile Ground Health Group, it is our preference to treat more holistically, and we would usually see patients weekly in the lead up to egg collection and transfer. However, we also have an excellent system that allows us to cater to short term clients.

From a TCM point of view, regular weekly treatments are recommended for most patients with complex issues, or undergoing IVF. Working weekly enables us to address underlying health issues that may be affecting fertility, as well as working across a cycle to maximise hormone balancing and cycle regulation, follicular and endometrial development, stress as well as addressing any side effects from medications.

Possibly the most critical, and certainly the most researched, treatment protocol is the use of Acupuncture both before and after the embryo transfer. This happens within a 24-hour period on both sides of the transfer and there is a different aim for each treatment.

In the treatment prior to the transfer, the focus is on increasing arterial blood flow to the uterus to nourish and support the endometrium, moving Qi (energy flow) and blood generally as well as creating relaxation both physically and mentally for a woman prior to the transfer.

After the transfer, treatment is used to create a calm environment in the uterus and minimise any discomfort or cramping from the transfer itself. Points are chosen that support implantation and again focus on the integrity of the endometrium.

In any Acupuncture treatment, it is also important to note that the treatment is always designed in relation to what a woman needs constitutionally and specifically at the time of treatment. Based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) your practitioner will assess your health and address any concerns presenting on the day. For example if a patient has a headache, or pain remaining from egg collection, point selection takes this into account.

A follow up treatment one week after the transfer is also recommended in support of possible implantation. This is also a time when many women find their stress levels and anxiety start to peak. The relaxing effects of Acupuncture as well as the chance to talk to their practitioner about how they are feeling during this waiting period is highly advantageous. Treatment aims are similar to the post transfer treatment – settling everything down, supporting implantation and circulation to the uterus, etc.

Prior to starting any IVF cycles, Acupuncture treatment for approximately three months prior for both partners is advisable. Acupuncture is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a treatment for infertility and is used to help the couple to optimise their health and maximise their chances of success. However even without this, the research into the effects of Acupuncture on the outcomes of IVF cycles by just focusing on the pre- and post-transfer treatments is more than favourable.

In 2008 the British Medical Journal published a world first meta-analysis by highly respected Cochrane Review researchers and scientists. The meta-analysis assessed the main research from around the world pertaining to acupuncture and IVF. The results clearly showed a positive association between the use of acupuncture and increased success rates with IVF. For more information on the Cochrane Review and the meta-analysis, see :

Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, et al. Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2008;336 (7643):545-549.

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Acupuncture For Improving Sperm Quality

Statistics

40% of infertility cases are due to poor sperm quality.
Since 1989, there has been a 30% decrease in sperm count in the general male population.
One in twenty men have fertility issues.
A man's sperm volume drops by 20% between ages of 30 and 50.
The sperm motility (i.e. "swimming power") drops 3.1% for each advancing year, whereas the percentage of sperm who swim in a purposeful manner decrease by 5%.
The older the man, the longer the length of time for his female partner to conceive as well as an increased incidence of miscarriage, regardless of her age.

How is sperm evaluated for quality?

Sperm is evaluated according to four main parameters:

Volume (i.e. how much semen per ejaculation)
Density/concentration/count (i.e. how many million/ml)
Morphology (i.e. % of normal v. abnormal in shape)
Motility (i.e. % of moving/swimming sperm)

If any of these parameters are abnormal, fertility may be compromised.

Can Acupuncture Improve Sperm Quality?

Acupuncture has been found to improve the motility of sperm by improving its zinc:cadmium ratio. Zinc improves sperm motility whereas cadmium causes thicker semen, thereby slowing the sperm. SOD, an antioxidant which increases both sperm count and motility is also positively influenced by acupuncture. Furthermore, acupuncture can increase levels of metenkephalin (an opioid which allows sperm to remain mobile for longer) in sperm. Therefore, acupuncture around the female's ovulation may increase the chance of conception.

Acupuncture has been shown to increase the percentage of sperm with normal morphology. Sperm takes between 70 - 90 days to fully mature, with some studies showing positive results after only 5 weeks (bi-weekly treatments). Improving morphology with acupuncture has also been shown to improve the fertilisation rate using Intercytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI, an IVF procedure).

Where do the Needles go?

Acupuncture points for improving sperm quality are not located on the genitals! Rather, points on the lower back, lower leg &/or abdomen are used. These points are generally painless and are used to increase a person's strength and vitality, improve digestion, promote good-quality sleep and relieve stress. Any other health problems are simultaneously addressed during an acupuncture treatment, since we believe that your whole wellbeing is important to the health of your sperm. At Fertile Ground, we consider 10 weekly treatments to be optimal owing to sperm maturation time, although a minimum of 4-5 weekly treatments can still achieve positive results.

Do I need to improve my sperm?

Many men present with borderline sperm counts that have been deemed ‘fine'. There are a number of considerations we would take into account when assessing the values attributed to sperm counts.

Firstly, it is important to know that reference ranges account for normal values in a given population. If the whole population has low values, then normal will be somewhere within a range of overall low values. This is shown clearly when looking at research comparing changes in normal values in a population over time (see overleaf*). We also see that overall sperm counts have declined rapidly in the years 1935 to the present.

Secondly, during IVF in particular, low sperm counts are not considered to be a problem due to technological advancements that allow doctors to ‘choose the best' sperm and inject it directly into the egg (Intercytoplasmic Sperm Injection, or ICSI). From a natural medicine point of view, we would consider it important to improve the condition of the sperm overall to increase the likelihood of obtaining a healthy embryo when a healthy egg and sperm meet.

As an example of how sperm health affects embryo viability, consider that a non-smoking woman has been shown to have a 30% higher chance of miscarriage when her partner is a smoker than a couple who are both non-smokers. Studies have also shown that miscarriage and birth defect rates increase when fathers have lower sperm counts.

Each graph below reflects not only a change in average counts, but also normal ranges.

Decline in semen counts in Denmark 1935-1981 Sperm count decline in the United States and Europe (1935 - 1995)

source www.ourstolenfuture.org

Research and references
Jensen, TK, Carlsen, E, Jørgensen, N, Berthelsen, JG, Keiding, N, Christensen, K, Petersen, JH, Knudsen, LB and Skakkebæk, NE. 2002. Poor semen quality may contribute to recent decline in fertility rates. Human Reproduction 17(6): 1437-1440.

Paulus WE, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. 2002.Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy.
Siterman S, Eltes F, Wolfson V, Zabludovsky N, Bartoov B. 1997. Effect of acupuncture on sperm parameters of males suffering from sub-fertility related to low sperm quality.
Gurfinkel E, Cedenho AP, Yamamura Y, Srougi M. 2003. Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities.

Pei J, Strehler E, Noss U, Abt M, Piomboni P, Baccetti B, Sterzik K. 2005. Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility.

Dong C, Chen SR, Jiang J, Xiao YH, Cai MX, Zhang YJ, Xu H, Deng LH, Li S. 2006.
Clinical observation and study of mechanisms of needle-picking therapy for primary infertility of abnormal sperm.

Fujisawa M, Kanzaki M, Okada H, Arakawas S & Kamidono S. 1996. Metenkephalin in seminal plasma of infertile men. International Journal of Urology 3(4): 297-300

Bensoussan A. 1990. The Vital Meridian. Churchill Livingstone: 112

Guzick DS, Overstreet JW, Factor-Litvak P. 2001. Sperm morphology, motility and concentration in fertile & infertile men. New England Journal of Medicine 345(19): 1388-1393.

Ford W, North K, Taylor H, Farrow A, Hull M, Golding J. 2000. Increasing paternal age is associated with delayed conception in large population of fertile couples: evidence for declining fecundity in older men. Human Reproduction 15(8): 1703-1708.

For more information about your particular situation, please feel free to discuss your case with your practitioner or one of our acupuncturists.

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Factors that can be damaging to sperm health

Weight Management

Being overweight can result in lowered semen quality
Nguyen, R & Wilcox, J et al. 2007, ‘Men’s body mass index and infertility’, Human Reproduction, vol. 22, no. 9, pp. 2488-2493

Being overweight is specifically associated with increased risk of low sperm concentration and low progressive motile sperm
Hammoud, AO, Wilde & N, Gibson, MPH et al. 2008, ‘Male obesity and alteration in sperm parameters’, Fertility and Sterility, vol. 90, no. 6, pp. 2222-2225

A Danish study found lower sperm counts in overweight men (21%) and also in underweight men (28%). The number of normal spermatozoa were also reduced in men with low or high BMI.
Kold Jensen T, Andersson A, Jorgensen N et al, 2004 ‘Body mass index in relation to semen quality and reproductive hormones among 1,558 Danish men’, Fertility and Sterility vol 82, issue 4, pp 863-870

ü If you suspect being overweight or underweight is an issue for you, see your naturopath for support and a diet and exercise program to get within the normal BMI range.

Smoking

A large recent study confirmed that “heavy smokers had a 19% lower sperm concentration than non-smokers”
Ramlau-Hansen, CH, Thulstrup, AM & Aggerholm, AS et al. 2007, ‘Is smoking a risk factor for decreased semen quality? A cross-sectional analysis’, Human Reproduction, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 188-196

Women who have male partners who smoke have a 14-18% less success with fertilization rates with ICSI or IVF than none smoking partners.
Zitzmann M, Rolf C, Nordhoff V, et al, 2003, ‘Male smokers have a decreased success rate for IVF and ICSI’, Fertility and Sterility Vol 79, no. 3, pp 1550-1554

ü If you are having problems giving up smoking, you may wish to try acupuncture treatment or ask for a referral to an experienced hypnotherapist

Alcohol consumption

Alcohol consumption reduces the success of IVF outcomes
Klonoff-Cohen, H, Phung Lam-Kruglick, MA & Gonzalez, C 2003, ‘Effects of maternal and paternal alcohol consumption on the success rates of in vitro fertilization and gamete intrafallopian transfer”, Fertility and Sterility, vol. 79, no. 2, pp. 330-339

Drink less alcohol to improve IVF success according a University of California study. It was found that increasing your alcohol consumption by even one glass of wine per day reduces IVF success rates by 13 percent. Alcohol consumption by the male sperm donor also reduced the success rate.

From this study it was recommended that for best results, both partners should abstain from alcohol at least one month before the IVF cycle.

Pesticides

Men working in the agriculture industry where they are exposed to pesticides 10 times more likely to visit fertility clinics
H Strohmer, Boldizsar et al, Agricultural work and male infertility, American Journal of Industrial medicine Vol 24; 587-592, 1993

Epidemiologic data supports the relationship between environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals (environmental oestrogens), such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and PEs (phthalate esters) found in numerous places such as food, water, pesticides and plastics and with reduced semen quality especially sperm motility.
Hauser R, The Environment and Male Fertility, Semin Reprod Med, 24(3): 156-167, 2006
Rpzato R. Reddy P, Role of environmental estrogens in teh deterioration of male factor fertility, Fertility & Sterility Vol 78, issue 6, 1187-1194, 2002

ü Eat organic foods

ü Avoid visiting areas when pesticide spraying is taking place

ü Avoid chemical pesticides in gardening

ü If overweight reduce weight to within normal BMI range (oestrogenic compounds accumulates in fat tissue)

ü If you suspect toxic exposure, ask your naturopath about available testing to see if accumulated toxic elements may be affecting your health.

Hypnobirthing for a more relaxed pregnancy and comfortable childbirth

TAKING THE “HIPPY” OUT OF HYPNOBIRTHING

When couples share their reasons for choosing to come along to my classes, very often a common theme emerges from these fantastic, excited, and somewhat apprehensive people.. It’s the four letter “F” word of the birth suite – Fear!

While participants tend not to use the specific words “scared” or “fearful” when expressing their emotions, they often describe their feeling of fear as:

• “not wanting to lose control”,
• “anxiousness”,
• “nervousness”, or
• “wanting to be 100% prepared”.

These thin disguises are well known to many a childbirth educator and midwife! And on a personal note I too remember this cocktail of emotions when I was pregnant myself and was in exactly the same position as the couples that now attend my classes. I vividly remember the overwhelming feelings of excitement, doubt, anticipation, joy, and fear!

It was definitely a form of fear that prompted me to look into Hypnobirthing for my own pregnancies and births. And my determination to control this emotion has been a real gift as it motivated me to undertake further study and to explore, at a scientific level, how the brain operates in birth. It also put me on the path to becoming a hypnobirthing practitioner and my new role in teaching expectant couples a tried and proven method of dealing with one of life’s most pivotal events.

The following overview aims to provide you with a general understanding of the approach of hypnobirthing and hopefully answers some questions you may have about relaxation classes for pregnancy and birth. I hope it gives you an insight into how this approach is useful to all pregnant women and their birthing companions, not only those who can clearly articulate their anxiety.

WHY FEAR AND BIRTH AREN’T FRIENDS

Fear….. what a force of chemicals it creates in our bodies. The physical effects of fear are well documented. Stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortical flood into our bodies when a real or a perceived threat looms, blood flow gets redirected to muscles and organs that will help us survive, and we enter a state of peak arousal.

Sometimes, when the threat is real, this deep brain response serves us incredibly well. There are times though, when threats are more subjective, when they are perceived and have surfaced due to a thought that does not serve us.

To the body, this is of no consequence, and it will respond in exactly the same way as a legitimate threat to our survival. This is the state of mind that many women may be in (to a lesser or greater degree) when they are pregnant or in labour. Some may not have realised if they were fearful before they go into labour, but it becomes undeniable once it has commenced. Others, who were not particularly stressed during their pregnancy can be caught by surprise at the sensations of birthing and go into a panicked state.

This is the state that is considered by many obstetricians, midwives and those who understand the way the birthing body operates to be the LEAST conducive childbirth.

WHAT IS HYPNOBIRTHING?

The name “Hypnobirthing” may sound mystical but it is really a very sensible, practical and down to earth technique.

Think about the occasions when you’re “in the zone” or when you lose track of time. For some it’s while running, or doing a hobby, or totally engrossed in a movie or work .... these are all examples of hypnotic states.

In childbirth, experienced midwives have seen some women naturally go into an inwardly focussed state without any prior training. Hypnobirthing is simply modelling what these women “just do” in a learnable, replicable method and then practising it.

Using a combination of techniques, Hypnobirthing can create the optimal “state of mind” to reduce the fear-tension-pain cycle and achieve a more calm and comfortable birthing experience.

Five Things to Know about Hypnobirthing

1. It is a process: learnable, teachable and doable for anyone willing to apply themselves;
2. It is based upon principles of anatomy and physiology, not mysticism;
3. It emphasises the role of the Birth Partner, so both mother and partner feel empowered and have a sense of control;
4. Is applicable to all types of births, not just “natural” births; and
5. Can be a vehicle for couples to gain confidence, control and enjoyment of the birth of their baby.

The Facts about Hypnosis;

⎫ Being in a hypnotic state and being deeply relaxed are pretty similar – there is just a little more suggestion with hypnosis
⎫ We have four levels of consciousness we all cycle through in a 24hr period – Beta, Alpha, Theta and Delta
⎫ When we relax deeply, we go into a theta state, where our brain wave patterns slow to about 3-7Hrtz
⎫ Theta is the brain wave pattern we’re in just as we fall to sleep at night

We can train/condition ourselves to go into a theta brain wave pattern by using simple techniques designed to switch of the conscious mind

HOW DEEP RELAXATION ACTUALLY HELPS

We know in life, stress and negativity can adversely impact on our bodies, minds and spirits. It is no different when women are in labour.

The benefits of being calm in both pregnancy and labour extend to the entire family, including the unborn baby. It has been found that babies of mothers under chronic stress have higher heart rates and are more active in utero than babies of relaxed mothers. The stress hormones we discussed earlier have been found to cross the placenta and pass into the baby’s system.

When the mind is in the right “gear” and the birthing body is loose, limp and floppy, we are in the state most conducive to a more comfortable childbirth. With this method of birthing, the role of the mother is to close her eyes, switch off her mind and breathe. Sounds simple - yes. Takes a little practise to achieve? Absolutely.

Being relaxed in labour may mean

⎫ The need for intervention is decreased due to the absence of adrenaline
⎫ The fear-tension-pain cycle is eliminated when the mother is in a relaxed state
⎫ Time in labour is reduced
⎫ Recovery time is improved
⎫ There is a reduced need for medication
⎫ Blood flow to the uterus is maximised
⎫ Oxytocins and endorphins flow freely in a woman who is relaxed in childbirth
⎫ There is increased satisfaction of the birth process, which may impact positively on bonding between mother and child.

THE 4 STEPS TO ACCESSING THE OPTIMAL BIRTHING STATE

1. Breathing Women sometimes say “I know how to breathe- I do it every day!”. Indeed we do – but what sort of breathing is it? Our breath changes depending on the situation we are in, and a woman who is tense in labour breathes very differently to one who has learnt the Slow Breath technique. This is a way of breathing that is optimal for keeping us calm and flips the fight or flight mechanism on its head. It also increases blood flow to the uterus, allowing it to work well and do the job it’s designed to do.
2. Relaxation Just like any new skill, the more you practise, the easier it becomes. Some people are able to relax easily without learning the practicalities behind how to do it. Others need a framework to achieve this state, and once the methods are understood, simply require time spent practising the skill set.
3. Visualisation A powerful technique for conditioning our minds. Sports psychologists will get athletes to “run the race” in their minds before physically participating in it. Why? Because the body doesn’t differentiate between what’s real and what’s perceived. The chemical reactions that take place are the same for real and perceived threats! We can use this knowledge to enhance the birth experience.
4. Deepening This is where Birth Partners really come into their own! By using practical measures, we learn a mother’s relaxed state (thanks to the breathing and visualisation techniques discussed above) can be made even deeper.

CONCLUSION

Hypnobirthing is a simple philosophy that assists women, birth partners and their babies. It also provides helpful relaxation techniques and tools that can greatly assist in the weeks leading up to the birth, for early parenting and for life in general. For more information please download our complimentary E-book “Preparing for Labour - How to achieve a more comfortable birth” at www.birthsenseaustalia.com.au

CONTACT:

Rebecca McQueen (R.N)

Rebecca@birthsenseaustralia.com.au

www.birthsenseaustralia.com.au

Ph: 0431 751 266

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A Good Night's Sleep - Why We Need It & How To Get It - Gina Fox, FGHG Naturopath

Sleeping soundly for good health - why we need a good sleep and ten tips for getting to sleep

We all need a good night's sleep and we know that if we get a good sleep we are much nicer to be around, we feel more positive and have more energy to do what we want with our day. The opposite is true when we consistently have poor sleep; we are irritable, forgetful and cannot function at our best.

How much sleep do we need?
Every person's sleep needs are different and although the norm is 7 to 8 hours, some people may only need only 5 or 6 hours and others as much as 9 to 10 hours. If you wake up refreshed and wake naturally around the time of your alarm clock and if you have enough energy to stay alert during the day, then you probably had a good night's sleep.

What does a good night's sleep do for us?
It is one of the top anti-aging things we can do for ourselves which is a good enough reason to give it priority in our lives. It is necessary for tissue regeneration and long term health both mental and physical. Anxiety and depression can be caused by lack of sleep so another good reason to get to bed early.

While we sleep, the immune system does much of its work helping our defense system be effective against infections. There is also an increased production of growth hormone which stimulates tissue and liver regeneration, muscle building and blood sugar regulation.

Is lack of sleep an issue?
Apart from the obvious reasons we can also get into a cycle of poor sleep, low energy and then we grab high energy snacks which are often loaded with sugar or go for a cup of coffee. Apart from making us feel sluggish, in the long term these habits can continue the cycle of keeping us awake at night.

Sleeping with a new baby or toddler in the house
As any new mother knows you may have to operate on much less sleep than you'd like but napping during the day, when your baby sleeps, can be a great way to catch up on a little. Still aim to get your eight hours, even if it is taken in bursts during the 24 hours, although napping too late in the day can disrupt your night time sleep so try and nap in the morning or after lunch. If you prioritize sleep then you'll find you can cope with life's stresses much more easily. Also see if you can snatch ten minutes here or there to do some deep breathing, or relaxing to a meditation CD or some quiet music. Calming the mind can be as good as a rest.

Ten tips to help you get to sleep

1. Avoid coffee, soft drinks with caffeine and alcohol. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others and it may be fine to limit yourself to one coffee a day before noon (caffeine can take as long as 10 hours to leave your system). Alcohol may make you drowsy but is also likely to disrupt your sleep. Chocolate is another one to be wary of in the evening.
2. Eat your evening meal before 7pm, but if you have a problem with waking in the night then consider having a small snack later in the evening before bed to regulate your blood sugar levels - oatmeal or other wholegrain snack is ideal.
3. Create a calm bedroom conducive to sleep without TVs, laptops and mobile phones. The ideal is a comfortable bedroom which is dark, cool and quiet with a comfortable mattress.
4. Have a relaxing evening routine to wind down especially in the hour before bed. This may mean turning the TV off half an hour early and enjoying a conversation with your partner, sharing a cup of chamomile tea or soaking in a hot bath with relaxing essential oils.
5. A hot milky drink can be useful because of its effect in producing the neurotransmitter serotonin which initiates sleep.
6. Exercise regularly but do any aerobic exercise early in the day or early evening to avoid being over adrenalized at bedtime. Although an early evening walk before or after dinner can be a good way to wind down.
7. Use your oil burner in the evening with some lavender or a relaxing essential oil mix.
8. Have a regular time to go to bed and to get up in the morning. Remember that the hours before midnight are more beneficial than those after so try and be in bed by 10pm.
9. If you tend to have cold hands and feet then warming your feet with a wheat bag when in bed can be restful.
10. Finally, when you are in bed lying there with worrying thoughts racing through the mind, do the progressive muscle relaxation exercise by starting at your feet and tensing and relaxing each set of muscles: feet, calves, thighs, legs, buttocks, stomach...all the way up to the face. As you relax after each tensing, let your body sink into the bed and feel the heaviness of the relaxation. You'll often be asleep before you reach your stomach!

If you have chronic insomnia (either difficulty getting to sleep or waking in the night) or if you are going through a particularly stressful time when sleep is disrupted then it is worthwhile investigating the cause further. A consultation with your naturopath or health practitioner is advisable and herbs or supplements may be helpful.

So why not bring sleep up the priority list and let a few of the chores go. Sweet dreams!

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Are you still buying water in a plastic bottle and then refilling it day after day? Please don't!

You’ve probably heard about Bisphenol A (BPA) found in plastics and phthalates found in just about every other synthetic thing ever made. These are serious hormone disruptors and carcinogens amongst other things.

Phthalates in particular cannot be avoided, they are everywhere, lotions, cosmetics, paint, flooring, polishing products, children’s toys, chalk, ink, textiles, the list goes on and on. The health risks have been known for decades but they are still used in plastics here because they make it flexible, transparent and durable. These toxins are being phased out in the USA and Europe but not in Australia (yet).

H2Onya bottles are made from food-grade 304 stainless steel - the material of choice for the food and beverage industries. BPA and phthalate free, they don't need to be lined and will never retain or leach flavours. No matter how many times you refill them, no matter what you put into them, the drinks in your h2Onya will remain uncontaminated.
Available in a range of gorgeous colours and packaged in a great reusable container, these lightweight bottles make a practical and environmentally sound gift choice.
700mls $20, 500mls $18

321 Water is the first BPA-free bottle to be manufactured in Australia.
The easy-to-use plunger mechanism also contains the filter. One push is all it takes to remove chlorine or other unpleasant tastes and odours.
321 Water Bottle $39
Replacement Filters   $18

A little more on the risks associated with some plastics - some are worse than others.
Here is how to remember which ones to avoid:

1,2,4,5 = stay alive

3,6,7 = go to heaven

#3 POLYVINYLCHLORIDE (PVC)

cling wrapped meats/cheeses/deli foods, clothing, shower curtains, lunchboxes, piping, flooring, wallpaper, DVD’scredit cards, toys etc. Toxic throughout its whole lifespan.

BAD: phthalates – Hormone disruptor. Leaches into food, air. Dioxin produced when burned the most toxic synthetic compound ever made. We all have Dioxin in our bodies.

#6 POLYSTYRENE (PS)

Foam insulation, coffee cup-tops, toys, drinking cups, some yoghurt containers, biscuit trays.

BAD: BENZENE, BUTADIENE, STYRENE – carcinogenic, energy intensive, poor recycling

#7 usually POLYCARBONATE (PC)

Baby bottles, microwave oven ware, canned food, rice cracker trays

BAD: BPA – hormone disruptor, mimics oestrogen, leaches into food, carcinogenic

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Why Supplement Your Diet - Gina Fox, FGHG Naturopath

Many people believe that eating a well balanced diet provides all the vitamins and minerals necessary for good health. In ideal circumstances, this is the case, but in reality there are many reasons why you may need vitamin supplements to cope with living in the twenty-first century. Taking vitamins when required are a good method of optimising your dietary sources of nutrients. Always follow the dosage recommendations of your practitioner.

Poor digestion. Even when food intake is good, inefficient digestion can limit your body's uptake of vitamins. Some common causes of inefficient digestion are not chewing well enough and eating too fast. Both of these result in larger than normal food particle size, too large to allow complete action of digestive enzymes.

Coffee, Tea and Spices. Habitual drinking of liquids that are too hot, or consuming an excess of irritants such as coffee, tea, or pickles and spices can cause inflammation of the digestive linings, resulting in a drop in secretion of digestive fluids and poorer extraction of vitamins and minerals from food. Because of the tannins in tea, drinking a cuppa at the same time as meals may reduce the uptake of iron and other minerals by up to 70%. Therefore always drink tea at least 30 minutes away from meals. It is ideal to avoid coffee entirely as this will impair absorption of minerals such as zinc.

Alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol is known to damage the liver and pancreas which are vital to digestion and metabolism. It can also damage the lining of the intestinal tract and adversely affect the absorption of nutrients, leading to sub-clinical malnutrition. Regular heavy use of alcohol increases the body's needs for the B group vitamins, particularly thiamine, niacin, pyridoxine, folic acid and vitamin B12, A and C as well as the minerals zinc, magnesium and calcium. Alcohol affects availability, absorption and metabolism of nutrients.

Smoking. Smoking too much tobacco is an irritant to the digestive tract and increases the metabolic requirements of Vitamin C, all else being equal, by at least thirty per cent more than the typical non-smoker. Vitamin C which is normally present in such foods as paw paws, oranges and capsicums, oxidises rapidly once these fruits are cut, juiced, cooked or stored in direct light or hear heat. Vitamin C is important to the immune function.

Laxatives. Overuse of laxatives can result in poor absorption of vitamins and minerals from food, by hastening the intestinal transit time. Paraffin and other mineral oils increase losses of fat soluble vitamins A,E and K. Other laxatives used to excess can cause large losses of minerals such as potassium, sodium and magnesium.

Fad Diets. Fad diets that miss out on whole groups of foods can be seriously lacking in vitamins. Even the popular low fat diets, if taken to an extreme, can be deficient in the fat soluble vitamins A, D and E. Vegetarian diets, which exclude meat and other animal sources, must be very skilfully planned to avoid iron and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Overcooking. Lengthy cooking or reheating of meat and vegetables can oxidise and destroy heat susceptible vitamins such as the B-group, C and E. Boiling vegetables leaches the water soluble vitamins B-group and C as well as many minerals. Light steaming is preferable. Some vitamins, such as vitamin B6 can be destroyed by irradiation from microwaves.

Food Storage. Freezing food containing vitamin E can significantly reduce its levels once defrosted. Foods containing vitamin E exposed to heat and air can turn rancid. Many common sources of Vitamin E, such as bread and oils are highly processed, so the content is often reduced. Other vitamin losses from food preserving can include vitamin B and C.
Convenience foods. A diet overly dependent on highly refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, white flour and white rice, places greater demand on additional sources of B-group vitamins to process these carbohydrates. An unbalanced diet contributes to such conditions as irritability, lethargy and sleep disorders.

Antibiotics. Some antibiotics although invaluable in fighting infection, also kill off friendly bacteria in the gut, which would normally be producing B-group vitamins to be absorbed through the intestinal walls. Such deficiencies can result in a variety of nervous conditions, therefore it may be advisable to supplement with B-group vitamins when on a lengthy course of broad spectrum antibiotics.

Food Allergies. Avoiding food groups in the diet can mean lowered dietary vitamins and minerals. Someone with undiagnosed lactose or gluten intolerance who eats these foods can reduce the gut function and therefore absorption of nutrients can be hampered.

Crop Nutrient Losses. Some agricultural soils are deficient in trace elements. Decades of intensive agriculture can overwork and deplete soils, unless all the soil nutrients, including trace elements, are regularly replaced. In one US Government survey, levels of essential minerals in crops were found to have declined by up to 68 per cent over a four year period in the 1970s.

Accidents & Illness. Burns lead to a loss of protein and essential trace nutrients. Surgery increases the need for zinc, vitamin E and other nutrients involved in the cellular repair mechanism. The repair of broken bones will be retarded by an inadequate supply of calcium and vitamin C and conversely enhanced by a full dietary supply. The challenge of infection places high demand on the nutritional resources of zinc, magnesium and vitamins B5, B6 and zinc.

Stress. Chemical, physical and emotional stress can increase the body's requirements for vitamins B2, B5, B6 and C. air pollution increases the requirements for vitamin E.

PMT. Research has demonstrated that up to 60 per cent of women suffering from symptoms of premenstrual tension, such as headaches, irritability, bloated ness, breast tenderness, lethargy and depression can benefit from supplementation with vitamin B6.

Teenagers. Rapid growth spurts such as in the teenage years, particularly in girls, place high demands on nutritional resources to underwrite the accelerated physical, biochemical and emotional development in this age group.

Pregnant Women. Pregnancy creates higher than average demands for nutrients, to ensure healthy growth of the baby and health of the pregnant mother. There is an increased requirement during pregnancy for the B-group, especially B1, B2, B3, B6, folic acid and B12, A, D, E and the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus.

Oral contraceptives. This decreases absorption of folic acid and increases the need for vitamin B6 and possibly vitamin C, zinc and riboflavin. Approximately 22 per cent of Australian women aged 15-44 are believed to be on "the pill".

Light Eaters. Some people eat very sparingly, even without weight reduction goals which can leave her low in vitamins and minerals especially thiamine, calcium and iron.

The Elderly. The aged have been shown to have a low intake of vitamins and minerals, particularly iron, calcium and zinc. Folic acid deficiency is often found, in conjunction with vitamin C deficiency. Fibre intake is often low. Riboflavin (B2) and pyridoxine (B6) deficiencies have also been observed. Possible causes also include impaired sense of taste and smell, reduced secretion of digestive enzymes, chronic disease and, maybe, physical impairment.

Lack of Sunlight. Invalids, shift workers, people who always use sunscreen and people whose exposure to sunlight may be minimal can suffer from insufficient amounts of vitamin D, which is required for calcium metabolism. Ultraviolet light is the stimulus to vitamin D formation in skin. It is blocked by cloud, fog, smog, smoke, ordinary window glass and clothing

Bio-individuality. Wide fluctuations in individual nutrient requirements from the official recommended average vitamin and mineral intakes are common, particularly for those in high physical demand vocations, such as athletes and manual labourers, taking into account body weight and physical type.

Athletes. Athletes consume large amounts of food and experience considerable stress. These factors affect their needs for B-group vitamins, vitamin C and iron in particular. Tests on Australian Olympic athletes and A-grade football players for example, have shown wide ranging vitamin deficiencies.

* References: Adapted from Francesca Naish, Natural Fertility Management notes, 2001

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Building Immunity at Change of Seasons - How To Avoid Those Crèche Colds - Gina Fox, FGHG Naturopath

Strengthening and restoring your immune system before Winter sets in gives you and your family the best chance of wellness.
It is no fun experiencing recurrent colds and coughs during the cooler months, which can be common for children attending crèche and the inevitable knock-on effect with the whole family becoming sick.
Using some simple home remedies, you can help prevent your family being a magnet for bugs.
Beginning of autumn is the perfect time to begin this prevention. Adults may get one or two colds a year, some children can seem to have a cold or ear infection once a month, or a continual runny nose all winter. Simple treatment can offer greater immunity against these recurring ailments.

Basic infection prevention
If someone is ill or getting sick:

Wash your hands frequently and change hand towels daily, especially if you are blowing noses
Avoid sharing any food, drinks, bites or slurps with anyone
No sharing any tissues or hankies (have plenty on hand at home and in the car)
Begin to use lots of fresh garlic and onions in your cooking over autumn and winter in soups, casseroles and pasta sauces
Early to bed to allow sufficient rest for the body's immune system to do it's healing work.
Minimise social events, saying home to rest will mean faster recovery

Onset of any infections

Early intervention of infections can minimise the intensity and duration.
Developing clingy behaviour, sneezing, lower than usual appetite or disturbed sleep may be signs your child is coming down with an infection.
Don't delay, begin prevention.
Use a room humidifier with essential oils like eucalyptus or lavender as antiseptics
Warm lemon and honey drinks to help reduce any mucus and soothe the throat, offering frequent sips
Herbal tea including a blend of yarrow, elder and peppermint is pleasant tasting and good for early onset of sniffles and increasing body temperature. Licorice, hyssop and marshmallow root teas can be good to add if a cough is present. Offer frequent sips during the day.
Adults can use diluted apple cider vinegar as a throat gargle as soon as you feel changes in the throat, especially if your sore throats usually turn into a cold. Mix 2 teaspoons in a large cup of water, gargle a mouthful 4-5 times a day for 1-3 days.

A typical immune building plan for families with children at creche, kinder or primary school involves daily intake of suggested remedies for approximately 3-4 months:

Probiotics or good gut bacteria. As a powder, this is very easy to include each day, added to a little water or in some food. It helps reduce frequency of colds, and this in turn can prevent ear infections or asthma developing. Probiotics are also very useful during any episodes of diarrhoea, gut disturbances or constipation.
Cod Liver oil. This wonderful old fashioned remedy is rich in vitamin A and D. These are essential nutrients for your respiratory and digestive integrity. In foods it is found in animal livers in the highest quantities, but most families don't wish to eat offal any longer. If you do, choose organic only sources. Coloured vegetables are another source of Vitamin A precursor, beta carotene.
Because we store fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, it is not recommended you use it all year, but very suitable for 3-4 month duration. For adults experiencing many colds in Winter, you can use cod liver oil as well, again for 3-4 months only for infection prevention and control.
Regular use of fish oils has the added benefit of DHA - good for brain and nervous system calm and development, learning and behavioural issues.
Zinc. This is an essential immune boosting nutrient, found in meats and plant foods. Therapeutic doses are desirable when treating recurring infections. I recommend a liquid zinc supplement for children, as it is easy to administer, disguised in a drink once a day.
It must be given in a drink, as it is a little salty, and must be diluted. Supplement for 1-2 months only, as if taken constantly, it displaces other essential growth nutrients like iron.
Vitamin C. Can reduce duration and intensity of an infection. It comes in powdered form, and easily mixed in a drink (can be placed with zinc liquid). For the under 5's 50mg two to 3 times a day, and over 5's 100mg 2-3 times a day. At beginning of an infection, I recommend doubling this dose for 2-3 days, then resuming usual dose.
Families sometimes need more specific naturopathic guidance with recurring illness using herbal remedies and nutrients attending to appropriate doses. If this is you, seek a qualified naturopath or herbalist rather than prescribing yourself so you obtain the best treatment for your needs, and you can begin to enjoy greater wellness for all of you through winter.

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If You're Planning For A New Baby This Year, Allow Some Preparation Time Before You Conceive

Most couples may spend a good deal of time discussing the joy of having a baby and when the best time is from a personal and financial perspective. You may spend a year or so doing things before you start a family or have another baby - things such as travelling, or saving money or moving into your new home to make room for a bigger family. But how much time do you take preparing your health and body for the pregnancy?

How healthy you and your partner are will to some degree determine how easy your pregnancy will be and how healthy your child will be. Quite a good investment then, especially when you consider that a little forward planning may benefit not only your child's health but, some research suggests, it may determine the health of your children's children! Plus recent research has also shown that poor nutrition in pregnancy can affect the health of mother and child for decades.

This pre-conception preparation is ideal for a first or any subsequent child. It can be particularly important if you have had your children close together. Pregnancy and breastfeeding can leave you depleted and in need of a nutritional boost before another pregnancy. Benefits that you can hope for, if you and your partner take time to improve your health and nutritional status, include greater fertility, less likelihood of pregnancy health issues, reduced incidence of more serious pregnancy complications, more straightforward labour with improved healing afterwards, a healthy baby and successful breastfeeding. Not to mention the improvements in your energy and vitality and the clearing of any minor health issues.

How long should the preparation take?

This depends on your starting place. If you have been prone to immune or other health issues you may need longer but a rough guide is four months prior to starting to attempt to conceive. This allows time for the egg and the sperm to benefit fully from your dietary and lifestyle changes.

Pre-conception steps

1. Gentle detoxification
In many cases this just means being mindful of what you are eating. The key things to avoid would be cigarettes, alcohol, coffee and limit sugar intake. Avoid fried foods, soft drinks and junk foods. With a focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, wholefood cereals (such as oats, sourdough rye or wholemeal breads, brown or basmati rice), a variety of quality proteins such as fish, lean meat, eggs, nuts & seeds and pulses. Fish ideally three times a week and reduced intake of those fish that may be higher in mercury such as tuna, swordfish and shark.

Part of this eating plan will be to help you reach a good weight. If you are either over or underweight this can impact on your ovulation and menstruation and it may affect your fertility and the chance of a healthy pregnancy.

2. Reduce environmental toxins?
The sperm and ova are susceptible to damage during their maturation so during this 3-4 month period it is important to reduce environmental toxins. It will give the liver less detoxification work and is likely to give you more energy and have other health benefits too. This may simply mean eating organic foods whenever possible to limit the pesticides that we ingest. It is also worthwhile going green in the cleaning department with non-chemical cleaners around the house.

3. Special nutrients
Most women are aware that taking folate before pregnancy is required to decrease the risk of neural tube defects. The level required is a minimum of 400mcg per day and around 600mcg once the pregnancy has been established.

It is less well known that there are many other vital nutrients that we need in good amounts in pregnancy, and it is time to ensure these are adequate in your diet before becoming pregnant. For example, in pregnancy iron requirements nearly double. If you start from low iron stores you will forever be playing catch-up during the pregnancy and may suffer from anaemia. It is thought that 12-16% of women are iron deficient and some studies suggest that as high as 36% may be deficient. So checking your iron stores with a blood test from your GP is well worthwhile so you can supplement if needed to get your iron into an acceptable range.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the US found that women of childbearing age have a tendency for inadequate intakes of calcium, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium and fibre. All these should be addressed as part of your pre-conception health improvements.

There is also increasing evidence of vitamin D deficiency in the general population and studies are showing that 30-40% of pregnant women may be marginally deficient. Bone health and immunity are just two of the reasons to ensure you are getting adequate levels via your diet and through 15 minutes of sunshine a day (out of the main heat of the day).

Requirements for zinc also increase at the pre-conception stage. Zinc is extremely important for both male and female fertility. Semen has high levels of zinc and so inadequate levels may be implicated in poor sperm count and non viable sperm. So ensuring adequate dietary and sometimes supplemental intake of zinc is important before and during pregnancy. This can be improved by good quality meat and fish, nuts, seeds, eggs and oats. In some cases improving digestive function will be needed to increase the availability of zinc.

4. Pre-conception check-up
It is good advice to go along to your GP 6 months before you want to start trying for a baby to have some general pre-conception checks. This may include your iron stores, vitamin D as well as the more usual rubella and other infection checks. The recommended tests may vary depending on your past and current health issues.

To learn more and for specific advice about diet and nutritional requirements and to achieve optimal pre-pregnancy health, it is advisable to see a naturopath with specific knowledge in this area. They will be likely to look at your hormonal balance, reproductive health, pre-conception health checks with your GP, gentle detoxification and your general health.

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Relaxation Helps The Success of IVF

26 October 2009, By Will Fletcher

Appeared in BioNews 531

Reducing stress may increase fertility, a new study suggests. At a fertility centre in Boston, US, some women took part in a stress management program in parallel with their IVF treatment whilst others did not. It was found that the program had no effect on how many women conceived at the first try. However, women who failed at the first attempt and were trying to get pregnant a second time, whilst using the stress management techniques, experienced a 160 per cent greater pregnancy rate than those receiving IVF treatment alone. These new findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) in Atlanta last week.

'Reproductive health experts have long wondered about the impact that stress may have on fertility, thus impeding a woman's ability to conceive,' said Alice Domar, of the Harvard Medical School, who runs the Boston fertility clinic. 'This study shows that stress management may improve pregnancy rates, minimizing the stress of fertility management itself, improving the success rates of IVF procedures, and ultimately, helping to alleviate the emotional burden for women who are facing challenges trying to conceive,' she added.

Domar and her colleagues randomly designated which of 97 of her patients would participate in a 10-session 'mind/body' program whilst undergoing IVF treatment. The program included relaxation training, cognitive-behavioural strategies and group support sessions. Of the women in the programme, 43 per cent became pregnant at the first attempt, with the additional stress management scheme having no effect. However, those that failed the first time and attempted a second round of IVF treatment apparently benefited from the stress management - with 52 per cent of the mind/body participants falling pregnant versus only 20 per cent of those who did not. The pregnancy rate jumped to 67 per cent for those women that took part in the program and exhibited 'higher baseline symptoms of depression' at the beginning of the study.

'It's clear based on this carefully designed study, that a holistic approach to infertility care leads to better outcomes for patients,' concluded Dr R Dale McClure, president of the ASRM.

SOURCES & REFERENCES

New Study Reveals Link Between Stress Reduction and Increased Fertility

Reuters | 19 October 2009

Relaxation can improve fertility

ABC News | 20 October 2009

Relaxation therapy 'boosts IVF success rate'

The Evening Standard | 20 October 2009

Want to get pregnant? Just relax

Reuters | 19 October 2009