Male Fertility :: Are his swimmers up to scratch?

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Men are as equally important as women when it comes to fertility - perhaps even more than you think. In the clinic we often treat both partners to achieve maximum results, as we know men make up approximately 60% of the equation when it comes to health and fertility. Quality of semen has decreased by up to 50% in recent years - men are ejaculating half the amount of sperm they were in the past - this may be one reason why we continue to see infertility rates rise. (Andrew Orr, 2010.)

Fortunately, men's reproductive function is usually very easy to treat with Chinese Medicine (CM). Western Medicine often falls short in being able to offer treatment for sperm issues and is increasingly acknowledging need to turn to alternative therapies to assist in treatment.(Medscape -Curr Drug Metab. 2005; 6 (5): 495-501-Mechanisms of male infertility: Role of antioxidants)

There is so much we can offer in the clinic to improve men’s fertility, sperm quality and overall reproductive function. It is important to remember that fertility isn't separate from overall health - so if semen analysis results suggest that your partner’s swimmers are struggling, there is a good chance that there are other areas of his health that would benefit from some treatment - as well as diet and lifestyle changes.

It is important we look at each case individually as there are several elements of sperm that can show up as problematic. Motility, Abnormality and Low Sperm Count are all important aspects that need to be considered. Levels of these may vary between males. This knowledge allows us to make our treatment specific, achieving quicker results. It is imperative that I study each males semen analysis results. Levels of just 14% (of motility, count & morphology) are considered fine by fertility doctors. This figure can certainly be improved, which in turn brings about substantially higher chances of conception, and much healthier sperm. If only 14% are doing what they are supposed to - what are the other 86% doing? Maybe swimming in the wrong direction? It's certainly worth investing into.

Men handle stress differently to women. Stress is a major contributor to fertility, as is poor diet, inadequate exercise, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, generally poor lifestyle habits and constitutional weakness. Many of us can tick a few of these boxes, and so changes can be quickly seen once these areas are addressed.

As with all good treatments, CM is about making positive long lasting changes without nasty and toxic side effects. Sperm take 120 days to fully regenerate. Whilst this may sound like a long time, the outcome during and beyond this time can be quite remarkable. In any case, from the instant that positive changes are made, the body begins repairing and increased fertility can be certain.

Good Food Friday Eats :: Beetroot & Fetta Salad

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This is one of my all time favourite Salads - perfect for this weather. I first tasted this at a friends BBQ and year ago - I think I've made it at least 100 times since!

The main ingredient in this beauty is Beetroot. Beetroot is jam packed full of potent antioxidants and minerals. It's awesome for your heart and cardiovascular system, it lowers blood pressure and assists in treating stress as it is high in B vitamins.

Put this on the menu at your next BBQ and watch everybody ask for the recipe!

Baby Beetroot & Fetta Salad

4 baby beetroots trimmed (or a tin is ok too)

1/2 cup persian fetta

1 large handful of rocket leaves

1/4 cup of walnuts

juice of one lemon

1 tsp crushed garlic

3 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

~ Prepare baby beetroots - in a roasting pan, place 250ml of water add beetroot and place in an oven pre-heated to 180 degrees. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Then allow to cool. Once cool slice into wedges (into eights).

~ In a bowl combine beetroot, fetta and rocket.

~ To prepare the dressing, place lemon, garlic, oil, salt and pepper and shake well to combine. You will find the dressing with become thick and almost creamy like.

~ Pour dressing over and toss salad.

~ Sprinkle walnuts over the top and serve immediately.

Floods, fires and beyond.

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I had a post all set to flick live this morning on male fertility, but as I sit here watching the news and live coverage of the floods roll in, my heart is telling me it's best left for another day.

I can't quite explain how I'm feeling. I know I'm extremely sad and my heart is broken for our fellow Australians in Queensland. I can't even begin to imagine how they feel. I can compare this situation to times in the clinic where I see couples battling drawn out fertility journeys - I can see their pain and my heart hurts so much for them - but it is not a feeling that I, myself has experienced. I don't want to pretend I know - simply because I feel like that's not fair either.

I do believe in the power of prayer and so, that's what I can do. I can ask. I'm asking for safety of Australians right across the board today and every day, through floods and fires and beyond (lets not forget our neighbours in Western Australia and the fire situation either). Buildings can be rebuilt. Lives cannot. My sincere prayer and hope is that no more lives are lost.

I'm so proud to be Australian. We are an awesome community - one and many, and as we pull through this hard time, I hope that I can be a strength to others that need it. The support I'm seeing on twitter and facebook is nothing short of amazing. My fellow blogger's are pulling out the goods too - here are two of my favorites who write of the reality of the floods:

Little Pinwheel

Potty Mouth Mumma

You can show your support -

Register at The Red Cross to let family and friends know you are safe, donate and keep informed

or donate here to the flood relief appeal.

and finally - as a devout reader of Sarah Wilson - she shared something yesterday which has stayed in the front window of my mind since. "We are at our most lonely and anti-human when we fail to take part in a tragedy." Keep pulling it together Australia - you are awesome.

Are you disposable?

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Giving my body the respect it deserves allows me to believe it will look as good as this vintage fridge. It might be old, you can see it's old, but its well looked after and will probably last a very long time.

Over the holidays I had a string of meltdowns. First the fridge died. Then the vacuum called it quits. Finally - and the most devastatingly - my old n' faithful hair straightener decided her time was also up. Whilst I sat wondering what I had done to deserve such a ridiculous (not to mention, costly) string of events, I started thinking that now days, things are made to be disposed of. Long gone are the days of 30 year old fridges and vaccum cleaners that your Nana passed down. Thing's are not made to last. Well... at least, some things. It made me realise that at times, we treat our bodies no different to a disposable fridge. Unlike the fridge - your body is built to last a lifetime as long as we afford it the care it needs.

Potentially if we serviced the fridge, vacuum cleaner and hair straightener – if we oiled their bits and bobs - treating them with the respect these life saving gadgets deserve, they might last longer. Your body could probably do with this same level of care and service. This care would shine through the whites of your eyes and the glisten of your healthy glowing skin.

What I am saying is this - don't treat your body like a vaccum. If it's anything like my vacuum, I put off emptying it's innards for as long as possible, I let it fly around the room behind me like a rally car whilst I suck up yesterday's crumbs, and I have never once considered servicing it. Not ever. What I do realise is that my body needs me to make sure I treat it right. I'm in charge of my decision making brain and my actions.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking your body will withstand repeated bashings and flying around like my vacuum. We all know we can not live forever - but I can bet my bottom dollar that when we treat our bodies with the love and respect they deserve - in the form of healthy living – our bodies will live for a long time and give us many reasons to be grateful. Be kind to your body; feed it well, rest it well and your body system will work well - including those reproductive bits. There is one thing I repeat to my patients - your body is a very smart mechanism. It knows where to direct it's attention to keep your vital organs working. However, your reproductive organs aren't vital. Your body will work without them and if these reproductive parts aren't working well, it's a sure sign that your body is saying 'we can't focus your energy on here right now, so we will simply switch it off.'

A more fertile you, starts with you (and a little help from me).

Good Food Friday Eats :: Pesto Pasta Salad

Martha Goes Green - a vegetarian cookbook, hit our shelves at The Pagoda Tree a month back. Boy has this little gem walked out the door - we have just received our 3rd shipment! Even if your not a vegetarian, you will love this book. The recipes are so delicious, I can't stop sharing them!

My recipe today is straight out of Martha. If you're looking for a gluten free option, substitute the pasta accordingly.

Enjoy!

Pesto pasta salad

serves 4

• 400g penne pasta
• ½ Tbsp oil
• ½ red onion, sliced
• ¾ cup sliced black olives
• ¾ cup roughly chopped sundried tomatoes
• ½ cup roughly torn basil leaves
• 4 Tbsp pesto
• 2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
• 200g feta cheese (optional)

Cook penne in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain pasta and set aside to cool. Heat oil in a small to medium sized pan. Add onion and cook until soft. Remove from heat and add olives, sun dried tomatoes, basil leaves and pesto and stir to combine. In a large bowl toss together cooled pasta, pesto mixture and toasted pine nuts until thoroughly mixed. If desired, serve topped with crumbled feta.

Breakfast Eats

What do you eat for breakfast? It's easy to be fooled by cereals and breakfast foods that claim to be healthy but are in fact loaded with sugar, salt and other refined ingredients. Nutritionally, your probably better off eating the packaging. Not all cereals are offenders - but the majority rank rather poorly when put under the nutritional microscope.

Since my September Body Cleanse, I haven't gone back to heavy carb loaded breakfasts. I stick to a hot beverage and a bowl of fruit. I continue to eat fruit for the morning if I need to. Some days I want more and others less, but I always listen to my body. It's easy to stick to lighter meals in summer and as an added bonus summer fruits certainly pack a sack full of nutrients, including antioxidants.

If your unfamiliar as to what antioxidants do, they provide the body with essential nutrients which assist in fighting diseases including cancer and heart related illness. Berries contain very high levels of antioxidants. I'm in love with karak berries at the moment! Colourful fruits (and veggies) contain a huge variety of essential vitamins and nutrients that the body gladly invites and uses throughout your day.

If you do enjoy your cereal, then I encourage you to choose wisely. Read the labels and familiarise yourself with what you're putting into your body. Choose cereals made of whole foods with less ingredients. Muesli and puffed grains are fantastic options.

So, what's in your bowl this morning? I've shown you mine... show me yours!

A NEW YEAR - a more fertile, healthy YOU?

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I know it is a cliché but I still feel the need to say it - the new year is a perfect time to evaluate your health situation and to make positive changes. Truthfully, any day is a great day to do this, but the beginning of a new year brings with it the notion of a 'clean slate.' I'm not into New Years resolutions, simply because for many they seem to be short lived and forgotten by the 3rd of January. Instead, I prefer making conscious decisions to improve my life and make it better and encourage my patients to do the same.

There are so many ways we can improve our overall health - which in turn will see a more fertile you. Simple positive changes will make the world of difference.

In this new 2011 think about areas of your health that need attention. There is no time like the present to set in place new challenges and goals for the year ahead. Make your goals achievable. I encourage you to aim at maintaining health in 2011 rather than fixing it. It's not necessarily difficult to do and your body will love you for it. Improve your diet, get more sleep, take more rest time, more holidays and more time for yourself. Most of us lead ridiculously busy lives. Whilst we can't always eradicate stress we can certainly add or change small elements to our daily routines that will help our bodies cope better with this sort of stress.

Start small. Little but effective changes will allow you to build up to more challenging ones.

I'm going to give you my best three - see how you go. We can all benefit from these.

Here's to a more fertile you in 2011.

My 3 small (but essential) 2011 “to do list” for better health;

1. Increase your intake of vegetables. Add lots of colourful veggies (especially greens) and benefit by essential vitamins and elements including antioxidants for vitality and greater health.

2. Cut down your sugar intake by half. A healthy digestive system produces quality fuel for the body - improving all body systems including fertility and immunity.

3. Consult a health professional for a 'once over' and get some good advice as to how you can improve and maintain health for 2011.