Supplements

I was very reluctant to stop taking my Progesterone In Oil (or PIO) shots and move on to the Crinone 8% vaginal progesterone gel. When I begged my doctor to let me stay on the shots (crazy I know) he told me that I would love the gel - that it would be so much easier, a lot less painful, and would work just the same. Crinone 8% is most commonly used by women undergoing fertility treatments to provide progesterone to change the lining of the uterus to aid in implantation and then to sustain a pregnancy. I did not begin to take Crinone until after I was done with the PIO shots and continued to take it through 12… [more]

I have just finished reading an article about the nutrition status of United States women in regards to folate. Folate definition from pdr health. The term folate is used in two different ways. Folate, a member of the B-vitamin family, is a collective term for a number of chemical forms which are structurally related and which have similar biological activity to folic acid. Folate is also the term which is used for the anionic form of folic acid. Folic acid or pteroylglutamic acid (PGA) is comprised of para-aminobenzoic acid linked at one end to a pteridine ring and at the other end to glutamic acid. The pteridine-para-aminobenzoic acid portion of the molecule is called the pteroyl group. Folic acid is a synthetic folate form which is used for food fortification and… [more]

Over on yahoo health they offer a list of supplements that can be helpful in relieving some types of factors of infertility. The complete article is here. First of all, here is the disclaimer: This condition requires supervision by a medical practitioner. Always consult your Doctor for a diagnosis and advice. This information is in no way intended to replace the advice of a medical practitioner. A complete medical examination should be performed on the male and the female partner. Hormone drugs or other medication may be prescribed depending on the cause of the infertility. Structural problems, such as a blocked fallopian tube, may require minor surgery. - Folic acid A folic acid deficiency may cause infertility in women. Decreased histamine levels may affect ejaculation in males and orgasm in… [more]

In the mail today I received my seasonal copy of ewChAT, News and Continuing Education Workshops for the Alternative Health Industry. The cover article for the information involves headaches. It was written by Erik Dalton. The headings for the article are as follows. Identifying Systems and Triggers Food Reactions Environmental Reactions Body Reactions Classifying Migraines Classic Common Transformed Chronic Do's, Don'ts and Treatment Options Bodywork and Alternative Treatment Structurally-Induced Migraines Conclusion Of particular interest to this group was the body reactions section. Here is what it had to say: Biochemical changes play a key role in the onset of pain - particularly in women. Approximately, eighteen percent of women and seven percent of men report having migraines each year. The fact that more women than men suffer from migraines leads many scientists to posit that menstruation and… [more]

I am passing on this tidbit from a press release (3/28/06) from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, an affiliate of Harvard. I was digging through some newsletters, actually to research my novel, i.e., do my OTHER work. But I'm always always finding things to share on the Fertility Blog. Quick summary: these bad health habits really take a toll on the old peepers. BUT you can stop things like age-related macular degeneration by eating a diet rich in anti-oxidants and by taking--you guessed it--fish oil. They're also saying that having these sick (eventually blind) eyes, is also a marker of INFLAMMATION. Anyone see a pattern here? Sick Eyes May Occur in Sick Bodies… [more]

ConsumerLab.com is a handy place to know about. They are an independent lab that tests the purity of nutritional supplements since (sigh) the government doesn't seem to care. The question is not, is there poison, dead rat, etc., in this bottle of gingko biloba, but more, is there any gingko in here, or is it mostly rice powder? I often go there to check out when I buy generic house brands on sale. Often they're good, and then sometimes ConsumerLab.com confirms what I already suspect. You can join for a small monthly fee and look up anything, all the time, or just hang around the website and see what info they make public. In any event, interestingly enough, despite… [more]

WORRIED about mercury? PCBs? Dioxin? Cadmium? I sure am. Of course, I just wrote a column on why fish oils are so good for you, especially if you are trying to conceive. But this begs the question: our seas as so polluted, how can we get pure fish oil? Okay, so here's a compilation of some Mercury, dioxin and PCB safe brands of fish oil. They've come a long way from fish oils of old--some of the flavored ones are pretty decent. Plus, some some in capsules--if you hate glugging oil. Again, this list is for YOUR INFORMATION ONLY. I am not a health professional, I make no guarantees, nor am I RECOMMENDING you take… [more]

(Pig + Algae gene = good source of omega-3 fatty acids?) Read on... When I was little, I remember my mother used to make us kids take cod liver oil. I also remember the taste was totally disgusting. Either I'd have to take it all at once and want to throw up, or, the teaspoon of it would ruin a full glass of orange juice. It was the bane of my childhood. Now, I'm realizing how smart it was. In fact, until the 70s, that was standard practice for pediatricians to recommend it. I don't know why they don't do that any more. Omega-3 fatty acids are incredibly important for fertility and health, and, some studies show, it can even… [more]

Herbs work on the body through the same channels as drugs. In fact, many drugs are just purified botanicals. Of course, some herbs are stronger than others; eating a ton of basil is unlikely to affect your fertility, but eating a bunch of bella donna or foxglove (where digitalis comes from)is likely to kill you. However, let's start with the herb, marijuana. While it's been known for awhile that smoking doesn't do sperm any favors, there are some studies out now that suggest marijuana, while it may have other medicinal uses, has a distinctly detrimental effect on sperm motility, those stoned sperm probably not knowing (or caring) where the egg is. Similarly, there are other herbs, namely,

• Saw palmetto

[Okay, my husband has voted for Adrienne's idea of the drill icon...it's it, for now.] Many environmental factors can affect maturing sperm, as we've seen, something as simple as using your laptop computer as a laptop computer can have serious consequences for fertility. We'll get into other environmental stresses—lead, cigarette smoke, marijuana, alcohol, radiation, prescription drugs, occupational toxins—in a bit. The good news is that eating a healthful diet also helps maintain a healthful male fertility. We all have heard about about antioxidants…but what are they? I'm a nice person, should I be "anti" anything? Actually, oxidative stress occurs as your body tries to break down toxins. If you have more toxins that you can break down, things like cancer… [more]