It’s not just women who need the healthy omega 3 fats to increase their fertility – latest research says that it’s men too! This study was very interesting and the results were clear – men who had higher levels of omega 3’s had healthier sperm.
82 men with clinically diagnosed infertility due to oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (low sperm count with a high percentage of slow moving and abnormal sperm) were compared to 78 fertile men. Sperm and blood samples were analysed according to WHO standards. The fertile men had higher levels of omega 3’s in their blood and semen than infertile men. Also, the infertile men had a higher ratio of omega 6’s: omega 3’s than fertile men.
Omega 6 fatty acids tend to be plentiful in our diet, coming from sources such as avocado, eggs, grains and cereals while omega 3s are not as common. Omega 3’s are found in high amounts in cold water fish and seeds such as flaxseed. In Western diets the ratio of omega 6’s: omega 3’s tend to favour the omega 6’s. So what we really need to focus on is increasing our omega 3’s.
The easiest way to do this is by taking a high-quality practitioner brand of fish oils. These are guaranteed to be sourced from small fish such as sardines and mackerel, are batch tested for heavy metals such as methylmercury and are also screened for impurities. These are the only type of fish oils supplements that I recommend and use.
So, for all men who are trying to have a baby, taking additional omega 3’s will improve sperm parameters. Don’t forget, Omega 3’s also have strong anti-inflammatory properties and have clinically proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, […]
Men Need Healthy Fats to Lower their Risk of Infertility
GalleryYour diet affects your Grandchildren’s DNA
Key Message: Diet can alter the nature of one’s DNA
Action Point: Eat a healthy, well balanced diet prior to conception to reduce the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome
We all know the age-old saying, “ you are what you eat”. Well now according to new studies, you are what your mother, father, grandparents and great-grandparents ate.
There has been much speculation about the ability of diet to alter the nature of your DNA, however researchers in two independent studies have found ways in which this is likely happening.
Epigenetics may help explain the increased risk that children face and the reason why poor dietary habits may be doing your offspring harm, despite how healthy they will try to eat.
A new study in the Netherlands showed the diet of human adults induces changes in all cells, including sperm and egg cells, which can be passed on to offspring. While such effects on a single generation have been known, what is still missing is an understanding of how such information is remembered from generation to generation.
The common belief is that during the process of cell division, all epigenetic markers are erased. However according to author Josep C. Jimenez-Chillaron of the Paediatric Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, in Spain his work and the work of many others “suggests that this is not completely true.” He says, “Although the majority of epigenetic markers are erased, some markers are spared for unknown reasons.”
Although the evidence is still inconclusive, another study conducted in Poland, speculates that nutrients, which affect the chromatin, can also cause mutations, both good and bad.
More experiments are needed however if mothers and fathers eat more omega-3 fatty acids, choline, betaine, folic acid and vitamin B12, these nutrients can […]
GalleryYour diet before conception affects your child’s DNA
Key Message: What a woman eats prior to conception can affect her children’s genes
Action Point: Maintain a healthy diet and be mindful of your eating patterns well before conception
Women can often obsess about their diet during pregnancy to make sure they are doing everything right for their baby. However, the latest twist in this development has shaken the foundations of genetics.
It has been claimed by the Medical Research Council (MRC) that even before conception, a mother’s diet can have an impact on her unborn child’s immune system and pose a risk, on a long term basis, to life threatening diseases.
Basis of claim
After extensive testing on pregnant women from Gambia, the MRC came to this astonishing conclusion. As we all know a child inherits genes from his or her parents. The genes in discussion here are at the mercy of a process called DNA methylation, which is affected by epigenetics.
This affects how genes are either upregulated or downregulated and ultimately affects cell function. Research on this complex subject has pinpointed a tumor suppressor gene called VTRNA20-1, which is largely dependent on the diet of the female and vital in determining the future health of the child.
A compound called methyl group is added to the DNA, and this forces gene silencing and therefore limits their ability to express themselves properly.
How the tests were carried out
The researchers at the MRC in London required the services of pregnant African women from Gambia. Initially they were separated in two groups, as per the season they had conceived in. When divided in to the rainy season group and the dry season group, their blood was examined and comprehensively tested.
When they gave birth to their children, their blood was tested too […]
Birth canal bacteria could help C-section babies
Key Message: Birth canal bacteria could restore some of the bacteria lost during c-section births
Action Point: More research is needed however a restoring intervention may be possible for babies that have not passed the birth canal
Researchers have begun to experiment with the concept of collecting birth-canal bacteria and wiping them onto babies (born by C section) as opposed to a normal birth where the effluvia is wiped off.
They are doing this in an effort to explore the theory that altered bacterial populations could help explain why C-section babies tend to have higher chances of asthma, allergies, obesity and other health risks.
Obviously during labour, the baby is rubbing against the mucosa of the birth canal for a long time and bacteria start growing before the baby is even out and continues to grow exponentially. In this study, researchers are trying to determine whether it might help babies delivered by C-section to restore some of the vaginal bacteria that they would have been exposed to if they had gone through the birth canal.
It has been found that vaginal delivery exposes the baby to many more bacteria than C-section babies.
While the research is intriguing and the intervention seems so simple, many questions still remain and much more research is still needed.
There are concerns that this work will encourage women to have C-sections, however Dr Maria Gloria Dominguex-Bello, associate professor in the Human Microbiome Program at the NYU School of Medicine says, “the microbes are just one part of labor and we don’t understand completely the whole process and why it is important.”
Her main concern in this study is to determine the impact of not having a heavily inoculated canal and if this can be restored.
With the initial […]
How Phthalates Affect Fertility
Key Message: Exposure to BPA and phthalates can be harmful and could prevent couples from having children
Action Point: There are steps you can take to limit your exposure to BPA and phthalates
Most parents are aware that Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates can be harmful to young children, and are conscious of buying BPA and phthalate-free plastic items like bottles and cups for them. But new science is suggesting that chemicals like BPA and phthalates could prevent couples from having children in the first place.
The new research, presented at a recent conference of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine in Boston, links exposure to BPA and phthalates, both chemicals used in many common household products to make plastic more pliable, to both increased infertility and a higher risk of miscarriage. Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with our hormones. They have previously been associated with changes in sperm quality, androgen levels, birth outcomes and neurodevelopment of children.
One study presented at the conference found that men with high phthalate concentrations in their urine experienced a 20% decline in fertility and took longer to get their partners pregnant than men with fewer phthalates in their urine.
Another study found that women who had high levels of BPA in their blood were “at significant increased risk of miscarriage compared to women with the lowest levels.” They found that BPA levels were higher in both chromosomally normal and abnormal miscarriages.
It is not routine to test men and women with fertility problems or who have experienced miscarriage for BPA or phthalates, but that may soon change thanks to the findings of the new studies. “It gives you one more thing to ask the patients about when you see unexplained […]
GalleryEmma’s Book Boosters: For Parents-To-Be
Thimerosal ~ Let the Science Speak
Robert Kennedy Jr is a best-selling author. In this book he looks at the research on thimerosal in vaccines. The evidence is clear that mercury is a known neurotoxin and thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines. An incredibly well-researched book that holds vital information.
Brighton Baby ~ The Complete Guide to Preconception & Conception
How do you conceive an extraordinary child in a toxic world? Doctor of Oriental Medicine Dr Roy Dittmann provides a comprehensive guide on exactly that. You can profoundly affect the health of your future child by making positive health changes before conception. We see this all the time in clinic – couples who have trouble conceiving or have suffered recurrent miscarriages, once they optimise their health, voila – a vibrantly healthy child is born. The blueprint of our children’s health starts with us.
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Thyroid Health: Part 1
Thyroid disorders affect almost 500,000 Australians 1. According to the Better Health Channel, around 1 in 20 people will experience some form of thyroid dysfunction in their lifetime 2.
Despite them being so common, there are still many people who are unaware of the importance of the thyroid gland and what causes thyroid dysfunctions.
To coincide with Thyroid Awareness Week (June 1-7), we’ve put together a host of useful information about this small but important gland.
Key message: Taking care of your thyroid is essential to supporting optimal health.
Action point: Read part two of ‘Thyroid Health’ for my top tips for fostering healthy, balanced thyroid function.
A Small Gland with Big Responsibilities
The thyroid gland – a small butterfly-shaped gland in the neck – has big responsibilities.
The thyroid gland is one of the largest endocrine (hormone-producing) glands in the body. It manufactures two hormones; triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodohyronine (T4). Thyroid hormones are responsible for controlling the basic activity of each cell in the body, including metabolism, growth and development.
The main function of thyroid hormones is to convert the calories in food into useable energy for the body. These hormones also help control body temperature, progesterone levels, heart rate and help regulate the production of proteins. If thyroid hormone levels drop below normal levels, metabolism inside your cells slows down and energy levels drop. If thyroid hormone levels become too high, metabolism and all body processes speed up.
Excess stress and nutrient-deficient food can adversely affect the thyroid gland, and lead to conditions such as hyperthyroidism (too much) or hypothyroidism (too little) hormone production.
Symptoms of thyroid dysfunction include, but are not limited to, exhaustion, constipation, depression, hair loss and, in women, heavy menstruation. Many women develop antibodies against their own thyroid, and this can be the start […]
GalleryAlert: Research shows Chemicals cause Early Menopause
An endocrine disrupting chemical is a chemical found outside the body that mimics or alters the endocrine (hormone) system and causes health problems in a person, their offspring and even future generations. Endocrine disrupters exert their effect at levels far below what is considered to be harmful. It is the timing and duration of exposure and not the dose that determines what impact these chemicals have on the body. Often, these health problems don’t become apparent until years down the track.
I have written about EDC before so check out this previous blog.
Researchers studied over 31,500 women and assessed their exposure rate to EDC’s. Astonishingly, women aged 45-55 that had the highest exposure rate went through menopause 1.9-3.8 years earlier than women with the lowest exposure rates. The researchers feel that these harmful chemicals damage the follicles in the ovary, leading to reduced ovarian reserve.
The researchers concluded “Earlier menopause can alter the quantity and quality of a woman’s life and has profound implications for fertility, human reproduction, and our global society.” Another recent study on 501 couples showed that exposures to EDCs was associated with approximately 20% reduced fertility.
The results of this research also suggest that increasing levels of blood or urine EDC’s and NOT just high levels are associated with loss of ovarian function. So for any woman who is having trouble ovulating, with fertility or regulating her hormones, this research is profound. As the researchers note “The health of future generations is at risk, and without further research in this area, those born today could be affected in decades to come.”
Key Message – environmental chemicals negatively affect our hormonesAction Point – remove all plastics, pthalates, pesticides and other man made chemicals from […]
GalleryEmma’s Book Booster: For the health conscious parent
Child Health Guide
I have used this guide for a number of years now and find it irreplaceable. It is a manual on holistic pediatrics and Dr Neustaedter provides so much information that you can implement. Preventative medicine is always the best, especially when it comes to our children. Learn how to strengthen their immune system naturally, as well as treat both acute and chronic childhood illnesses.
Ideal for parents-to-be and parents.
Healthy Child, Healthy World
This tip-filled book helps you negotiate the world of toxins in your home and environment. To help green your environment, there are sections on body care, children’s toys, outdoor spaces, water, air, cleaning products and more. With plenty of easy to implement tips, I loved this book.
Ideal for pregnant women and parents of small children.
No Drama Discipline
Written by one of my favourite authors on neuroscience, this book is written to help parents negotiate the topic of discipline. Highlighting the link between a child’s neurological development and the way a parent reacts to misbehaviour, this book provides brilliant practical strategies for win – win disciplining. Anything that can help me navigate the early childhood years is perfect!
Ideal for parents, nannies, godparents and grandparents.
The Holistic Baby Guide
Written by one of my favorite acupuncturist and Chinese medicine doctors, Dr Neustaedter goes through all the most common childhood ills and describes natural medicine, nutritional information and much more to strengthen immunity. As a naturopath, I love this book as it’s a fantastic guide for parents to use at home.
Ideal for parents-to-be and parents.
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GalleryIs Your Tupperware Container Giving You Hell?
After attending a recent seminar on Female Hormonal Disorders I delved into the current research into plastics and the chemicals found in them. The World Health Organizations calls them endocrine-disrupting chemicals and in 2012 stated “disease risk from EDC’s may be significantly underestimated.” There are more than 800 chemicals that disrupt hormone function and the vast majority have never been tested.
These chemicals are most dangerous during developmental periods: conception, pregnancy, early childhood, puberty, and menopause.
They are associated with cancers, behavioral and developmental issues, early puberty and fertility problems.
An EDC is a chemical found outside the body that mimics or alters the endocrine (hormone) system and causes health problems in a person, their offspring and even future generations. Endocrine disrupters exert their effect at levels far below what is considered to be harmful. It is the timing and duration of exposure and not the dose that determines what impact these chemicals have on the body. Often, these health problems don’t become apparent until years down the track.
A 2012 report release by the World Health Organisation1 says many endocrine-related diseases and disorders are on the rise across the world, including low sperm count in men, the incidence of genital malformation such as non-descending testes in baby boys, adverse pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight and pre-term bubs, behavioral disorders associated with thyroid malfunction, endocrine-related cancers (breast, endometrial, ovarian, prostate, testicular and thyroid), obesity and type 2 diabetes.
EDCs were discussed at the International Congress of Andrology held in Melbourne in 2013 and in particular the link between these chemicals and the negative impact on male fertility and testicular cancer.
In the last 12 months the amount of research papers published on this topic has doubled! A recent […]
