Archive for the ‘Health and Nutrition’ Category
Wednesday, December 7th, 2011
A new analysis of 15 controlled studies has found that a woman’s BMI has a relational effect on her fertility, with obesity associated with significantly worse pregnancy outcomes compared with women with a normal BMI.
It has long been believed that a woman’s general health can and does affect her ability to conceive, and to carry the baby to full-term, but past studies have been inconclusive in showing a direct link between obesity and infertility. However, according to this meta-analysis, obesity puts a mother-to-be at greater risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes when she conceives through in vitro fertilization.
Of the eight studies that reported clinical pregnancy rates among women undergoing assisted reproduction, 40.5 percent of obese women achieved pregnancy, compared with 43.8 percent of women of normal weight. Six studies reported live births, and those two were lower among obese women — the live birth rate was 23 percent among obese women and 25 percent among normal weight controls. Miscarriages occurred in 21.9 percent of obese women compared with 19.3 percent of normal controls.
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Tags: Assisted Reproduction, Birth Rate, Bmi, Fertility Treatment, General Health, Infertility, IVF, Live Birth, Live Births, Meta Analysis, Miscarriages, Obese Women, Obesity And Infertility, Pregnancy Outcomes, Pregnancy Rates, Risk, Success Rate, Vitro Fertilization
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Friday, August 12th, 2011
If you’re accustomed to sipping a morning cup of coffee (or two… or more), you might not be happy to hear that some fertility specialists are suggesting that caffeine can be problematic for women undergoing fertility treatments.
This warning comes from a recent research study carried out in theUnited Statesat Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. During the study, it was noticed that caffeine appeared to reduce muscular activity in the fallopian tubes of mice. Unfortunately, the lessened muscular activity had an effect on the natural contractions that move ova (eggs). Thus, the ova could not make it to a prime location within the uterus in order to be fertilized.
Though the study hasn’t been conducted on humans, it’s having a huge impact thanks to the implications.
Of course, giving up that java isn’t easy, especially if you have a “Starbucks habit” like so many other Americans!
To assist you in your quest to prepare your body for fertility treatments by reducing or eliminating your caffeine intake, we’d like to share some tips that have worked for other females in your situation:
- If you’re accustomed to drinking a lot of caffeine, don’t stop “cold turkey”. Taper off gradually to avoid withdrawal.
- Don’t forget that more than a cup o’ joe contains caffeine! Soda, chocolate and coffee-flavored ice cream can pack a caffeinated wallop, too!
- If you find yourself missing your morning routine, switch to decaf. You’ll still get the benefit of having a mug of rich coffee.
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Tags: Caffeine Intake, Cold Turkey, Contractions, Cup Of Coffee, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Fallopian Tubes, Females, Fertility Specialists, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Habit, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins University School, Johns Hopkins University School Of Medicine, Mice, Muscular Activity, PA Infertility, Patient Appointment, Philadelphia Infertility, Prime Location, Reading, Rich Coffee, School Of Medicine, Starbucks, Uterus, Wallop, Wyomissing, Wyomissing Infertility
Posted in Fertility Treatments, Health and Nutrition | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 10th, 2011
You know you should eat well when undergoing fertility treatments, but do you know how to start and maintain a nutritionally sound diet?
It’s not always easy to know what to put into your body; after all, some people will claim one food is great, while another group will demonize it. However, there are some solid choices to potentially help boost your fertility treatment success. Here are three.
1. Pineapple, which containing bromelain.
The compound bromelain breaks down proteins and can only be found in a natural form by eating pineapple. Though the jury is out on exactly how bromelain helps women undergoing fertility treatments, it’s assumed that its anti-inflammatory properties play a huge role.
2. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids are great for overall health (they, like bromelain, have anti-inflammatory advantages) and can be found in walnuts, flax seeds, soybeans, tofu and oily fish.
3. Foods high in folic acid.
Folic acid has long been known to help with conception, as it assists in cell health. Choose lentils, okra, sunflower seeds, spinach, orange juice and much more (some foods are fortified with folic acid – check the labels) to get folic acid’s benefits.
Of course, regardless of whether or not your nutritional changes result in a pregnancy, you will be healthier overall. And this can help in other areas of your life, including stress reduction and ability to concentrate.
Foods and beverages to avoid during fertility treatments include:
- Alcohol
- Excessively fatty foods
- Artificial dyes and flavorings
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Tags: 3 Fatty Acids, Acid Folic, Artificial Dyes, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Fatty Acids Omega, Fatty Foods, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Flavorings, Flax Seeds, Foods And Beverages, Foods High In Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Lentils, Nutritional Changes, Oily Fish, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Orange Juice, PA Infertility, Patient Appointment, Philadelphia Infertility, Reading, Sound Diet, Stress Reduction, Sunflower Seeds, Treatment Success, Wyomissing, Wyomissing Infertility
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Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
Even if you’re having difficulty getting pregnant, you still have to prepare your body for the possibility of carrying a baby. Because it is a desire of yours, whether you’re actively trying to get pregnant at this time or not, it’s always better to be ahead of your game. And if you’re looking into or you are already planning on IVF or IUI treatments, it is especially important to begin preparing your body for pregnancy, even if those treatments aren’t yet scheduled or are scheduled for a few months out.
Therefore, we’ve put together a few suggestions on how to make your physical health and wellness a part of your daily routine:
Mental/Emotional “Exercise”
Stimulate yourself mentally every day. Read a little poetry (or, if you’re inclined, write a little poetry!). Do crossword puzzles or sudoku. Listen to classical music. Look up a new word every day and incorporate it into your vocabulary. Start to learn that language you’ve always wanted to learn (or pick up the language you started learning in high school or college). Try to do the math on paper before picking up the calculator to check yourself. Stimulate yourself on an intellectual level and you’ll tap into areas of your brain that perhaps aren’t being used regularly.
Spiritual
Spirituality doesn’t have to mean religion. It can simply be the feeling that you get when you take a walk in the woods and “commune” with nature. Or the way that certain piece of music reaches into the depths of you in a way you can’t explain. Maybe you meditate on words of wisdom in the morning and reflect on them throughout your day.
Find whatever it is that puts your body, mind and spirit in a peaceful place and, due to a lower stress level, you’ll be healthier overall and better prepared for fertility treatments.
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Tags: Body Mind And Spirit, Classical Music, Crossword Puzzles, Dr. Munabi, Facebook, Fertility Treatments, Few Suggestions, Health And Wellness, Intellectual Level, IUI, IVF, Mind And Spirit, Peaceful Place, Physical Health, Piece Of Music, Preparing Your Body For Pregnancy, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Stress Level, Twitter, Vocabulary, Walk In The Woods, Words Of Wisdom
Posted in female infertility, Health and Nutrition | No Comments »
Monday, May 30th, 2011
Even if you’re having difficulty getting pregnant, you still have to prepare your body for the possibility of carrying a baby. Because it is a desire of yours, whether you’re actively trying to get pregnant at this time or not, it’s always better to be ahead of your game. And if you’re looking into or you are already planning on IVF or IUI treatments, it is especially important to begin preparing your body for pregnancy, even if those treatments aren’t yet scheduled or are scheduled for a few months out.
Therefore, we’ve put together a few suggestions on how to make your physical health and wellness a part of your daily routine:
Nutrition
Don’t call it a “diet” because then you’re less likely to stick with it. Consider it a lifestyle change and plan on eating more fruits, veggies and whole grains. Your body will adjust to the tastes and you’ll find yourself craving less sugar, fats, etc.
The most important thing in your nutrition is balance. You want to include protein in your diet for energy (this doesn’t have to be meat, by the way – things like nuts and beans and eggs contain lots of protein, too). Whole grains are good for heart health and contribute to your fiber intake. Fruits and vegetables are the food group you need the most of for all of the vitamins and minerals and fiber that they provide. If you are eating plenty of protein, whole grains and fruits and vegetables, then it’s perfectly fine to eat a little bit of something you’re craving that might include fats and sugars. You just don’t want to overdo it on the less-than-nutritional types of foods, but you also don’t want to suppress your cravings altogether or they might show up stronger than ever. As mentioned earlier, if you’re filling up on healthier options, your cravings for the less healthy will more than likely begin to dwindle.
And if on a particular day you happen to fall off the nutritional bandwagon, so to speak, don’t stress out about it. Just resolve yourself to do your best again tomorrow. It’s really about your mindset and intentionally making the choices for healthier eating.
Continue reading our blog for another tip on how to prepare your body for a baby.
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Tags: Baby Ii, Baby Nutrition, Bandwagon, Cravings, Dr. Munabi, Fats, Few Suggestions, Fiber Intake, Food Group, Fruits And Vegetables, Health And Wellness, Heart Health, Infertility, IUI, IVF, Lifestyle Change, Little Bit Of Something, Most Important Thing, Physical Health, Preparing Your Body For Pregnancy, Protein Diet, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Vitamins And Minerals, Whole Grains
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Friday, May 27th, 2011
Even if you’re having difficulty getting pregnant, you still have to prepare your body for the possibility of carrying a baby. Because it is a desire of yours, whether you’re actively trying to get pregnant at this time or not, it’s always better to be ahead of your game. And if you’re looking into or you are already planning on IVF or IUI treatments, it is especially important to begin preparing your body for pregnancy, even if those treatments aren’t yet scheduled or are scheduled for a few months out.
Therefore, we’ve put together a few suggestions on how to make your physical health and wellness a part of your daily routine:
Exercise
Now, exercise doesn’t have to mean running a marathon, or even going to the gym or having a gym membership. Just adding long walks or bike rides to your day can increase your heart rate and improve your cardiovascular performance levels. Some days you will be so busy that you think you don’t have time to do any form of exercise, but you could walk up and down the stairs a few times, or take the stairs instead of the elevator if you are in a multi-floored building, or park at the back of the parking lot so you have to walk a further distance. The American Heart Association recommends raising your heart rate for 30 minutes each day, which can even be split up into 3 different slots of 10 minutes if that’s what works best for your schedule.
If you need help getting yourself motivated to fit exercise into your routine, two tips for making it easier and more enjoyable:
- Mix up your routine. Don’t do the exact same workout regimen every day or you’ll quickly get bored. And maybe sometimes you can throw in a dance lesson or a swim at your local community center.
- Have an exercise buddy. Women always enjoy something more when they have someone to partake in it with them. See if your significant other or a co-worker or friend or family member is interested in fitting more exercise into their schedules too and there you have your exercise partner. Or, just as with the exercise routine, you could switch up exercise buddies throughout the week or just on occasion if that’s what works best for everyone’s schedules. The key is to make it something you look forward to, not dread.
Continue reading our blog for 2 additional tips on how to prepare your body for a baby.
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Tags: American Heart Association, Baby Exercise, Bike Rides, Co Worker, Dance Lesson, Dr. Munabi, Elevator, Exercise Buddy, Family Member, Few Suggestions, Gym Membership, Health And Wellness, Heart Rate, Infertility, IUI, IVF, Local Community, Long Walks, Performance Levels, Physical Health, Preparing Your Body For Pregnancy, Reproductive Science Institute, Routine Exercise, Rsi, Workout Regimen
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Wednesday, December 8th, 2010
At RSI, we’re open to any forms of fertility treatment, even those that might not be considered “mainstream”. But sometimes, we see men and women who have tried homeopathic, so-called “natural” fertility treatments for years and years… only to realize that they’ve wasted their time — and dollars – on these methods.
If you’ve been wooed by the “go natural to get pregnant” headlines touting fertility treatments made up of everything from herbs to mild dietary changes, there’s usually not anything innately wrong with trying such methods to conceive. In fact, many of our patients try or have tried alternative methods to have a child.
The real issue comes into play when patients have spent copious amounts of time and money investing in practices that have not produced any well-documented results.
Our recommendation is to bring all your thoughts and questions, including those involving “alternative” remedies, to a trained, reputable fertility specialist for a consultation. That way, you can be assured that you’re not wasting any time on methods that are unlikely to work while simultaneously discussing all the choices that are available to you, including those that are homeopathic.
Tags: Alternative Methods, Alternative Remedies, Choices, Consultation, Copious Amounts, Dietary Changes, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Headlines, Herbs, Homeopathic, Mainstream, Men And Women, Natural Fertility, Pregnant, Rsi, Time And Money
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Saturday, July 31st, 2010
If you’re experiencing infertility, you’re likely to get a lot of advice. And sooner or later the topic is going to turn to diet. But can what you eat really improve the chances of your fertility treatments working?
All signs point to “yes” as the answer to that question.
Consider these points:
- If you currently follow a diet that’s deficient in certain vitamins and you make a point of incorporating those missing elements into your food plan, you’ll be naturally healthier. Therefore, you’ll be straining your body less from an internal perspective.
- If you are seriously overweight or obese, starting a structured eating plan can indeed improve your fertility treatment results, mainly because your weight will be in a healthy range for your height, age, etc. As long as you don’t go on a “crash diet” or start losing too much weight, you’ll have a better chance with whatever fertility treatments you try.
- A lot of people — men and women — who struggle with infertility experience mood swings. A healthier diet can assist in alleviating or minimizing the “ups and downs”.
Again, there’s no way to tell if an alteration in what you eat will mean a child; however, it’s unlikely to hurt and can only make you feel and look healthier than ever. And that’s not such a bad thing!
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Tags: Alteration, Better Chance, Crash Diet, Elements, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Food Plan, Infertility, Infertility Experience, Internal Perspective, Lot, Men And Women, Miracles, Mood Swings, Signs, Ups, ups and downs, Vitamins
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Friday, March 26th, 2010
If you’ve been surfing the Internet recently, you may have noticed that plenty of bloggers are extolling the fertility-boosting virtues of Mediterranean diets for females who want to become pregnant.
These types of diets, typically including plenty of veggies, oils low in saturated fats (such as olive oil) and fish seem to be working well for women post fertility treatment procedures.
However, it’s important to realize a few facts:
- This data is preliminary. It hasn’t been studied very long and needs to be considered for a longer period of time.
- The data reflects the experiences of 161 Netherlands-based couples. There is no way of knowing the histories of the couples and how those histories could have affected the outcome of the study.
- Although a high percentage of the Mediterranean diet- eating women became pregnant, it’s difficult to say what the determining factor was.
In the end, it’s best to look at fertility treatment from a number of different angles.
A Mediterranean diet is extremely healthy, so there’s nothing wrong with following it before, during and after fertility procedures. Just make certain you don’t put all your hopes on the amount of salmon you’re eating. Solving fertility issues is much more complicated than following a certain food regimen.
(With that being said, if the findings motivate you to get healthier for YOU, it’s a great way to kickstart a healthier lifestyle!)
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Tags: Couples, Diet Healthy, Diet Link, Females, Fertility Issues, Fertility Procedures, Fertility Treatment, Fish, Food Regimen, Histories, Mediterranean Diet, Mediterranean Diets, Olive Oil, Salmon, Saturated Fats
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Saturday, February 20th, 2010
A recent article caught our eye. It discussed the potential connection between celiac disease and infertility.
In the Food Consumer piece, entitled “Can Foods Contribute to Infertility?“, the author explains:
Infertility seems to be more common in women with untreated celiac disease. Other gynecological and obstetrical problems may also be more common, including miscarriages and preterm births.
For men, problems can include abnormal sperm — such as lower sperm numbers, altered shape, and reduced function. Men with untreated celiac disease may also have lower testosterone levels.
The article goes on to explain celiac disease and several excellent ways to deal with it.
If you’re interested in the topic, it’s definitely worth a look.
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Tags: Abnormal Sperm, Celiac Disease, Infertility, Miscarriages, Obstetrical Problems, Preterm Births, Rsi, Testosterone, Testosterone Levels
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