The Male Factor

We have the culmination of 2 events in September, Father’s Day (1^st Sept) and Fertility Awareness Week (2-8^th Sept) so it seems like the perfect time to talk about optimising male fertility.


Interesting fact - For 30% of infertile couples, infertility is the result of the male factor alone and in 20% it is a combination of male and female factors. In fact, approximately 40% of all couples undergoing IVF are doing so because of male fertility issues.
Many men, although not infertile, may be subfertile due to factors that can affect sperm quantity and quality:

• Environmental & Occupational Factors:
• air, water & food pollution, toxic chemicals (e.g. fertilisers and pesticides), heavy metals, excessive heat, WIFI and electromagnetic exposure and radiation
• Lifestyle factors:
• smoking, alcohol, caffeine, recreational drugs, prescription medications (e.g. blood pressure medication, steroids, antidepressants, anti-psychotics, antibiotics, gout medications), poor diet, nutritional deficiencies , saunas/spas
• Age
• associated with modest decreases in sperm quality.
• Emotional Stress
• Disease and ill health 
• e.g. Genitourinary and systemic infections, diabetes
• Overweight & Obesity
• up to 50% higher rate of sub-fertility compared to ideal weight men.
• Hormonal Factors

Diet:

•  Drink plenty of water each day, ideally filtered, aim for 30ml to 1kg of body weight.
• Increase whole plant foods, high in antioxidants, e.g. legumes and beans, seeds and nuts, grains, vegetable (8-12 serves/day) & fruits 
• Minimise processed & refined foods
•  Maximise dietary sources of good fats (fish especially oily fish like sardines, trout, salmon and anchovies, walnuts and flaxseed meal)
• Eat two generous handful of raw nuts eat day (include walnuts and almonds)
• Minimise saturated fatty acids, avoid hydrogenated vegetable oils and refined oils. Aim for 0.8-1.2g protein/1 kg body weight. 
• Eat protein with each meal.

Lifestyle:

• Give up smoking and alcohol entirely until stable pregnancy has been achievedAlcohol is associated with reduced sperm concentration, motility, morphology andsemen volume, chronic alcohol exposure is association with hormonal abnormalities.
• Cigarette smoking has been shown to decrease sperm counts, motility, and number of normally shaped sperm.
•  Eliminate recreational drugs  (e.g. cannabis)
•  Be a healthy weight and start a healthy weight loss programme if necessary.           
•   Exercise – aim for at least 2-4 hrs/week of cardio exercise for at least 3 different days.
• Avoid excessive exercise as it reduces sperm quality (e.g. high intensity cycling (300km/week).
• Minimise caffeinated beverages - Limit coffee to 1 cup or less per day. Avoid, ‘energy drinks’ as these have high amounts of caffeine, sugar and artificial additives.
•  Reduce electromagnetic and WIFI exposure - Use of laptop computers connected to internet through Wi-Fi decreases human sperm motility and increases sperm DNA fragmentation, therefore keep laptops, ipads away from scrotums and mobile phones out of pockets.
• Stress management - e.g. meditation, yoga, mindful breathing and exercise  

• These factors above can contribute to infertility, miscarriage and ill health of the child.

Sperm are highly susceptible to oxidative stress, this can be caused by environmental toxins, drugs, smoking, heat and radiation and electromagnetic radiation, and when this stress exceeds the antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma, oxidative stress and damage will be the result, effecting sperm quality.

The creation of sperm (spermatogenesis) is temperature dependent - increased scrotal temperature can impair fertility – eg. chefs, bakers, long distance drivers, athletes. After exercise ensure you have a cool shower or ocean swim and change out of tight exercise pants. The process of creating new sperm takes about 72-117 days, which means that 3-4 months is an ideal preconception preparation time.

 For those of you who would like to try for a baby, there is no better way than to start with a preconception check with your health care professional, call us to book a preconception health appointment.

My favourite winter herbal teas

I have become addicted to herbal tea this winter. Not only are herbal teas a great way to warm up in

winter, but they taste great. I have found myself reaching for herbal tea much more frequently than a glass of water. It’s a great way to stay hydrated plus there are the added health benefits of the herbs themselves. Below is a list of some of my favourites and their health benefits.

Pukka Organic Herbal Tea Range

http://www.pukkaherbs.com.au/teas/

This tea range it beautiful. Not only do they make some great blends, but they come in beautiful packaging which makes it even more indulgent to enjoy a cup. I have been having the ‘refresh’ which is made with organic peppermint, licorice and fennel. It tastes quite sweet and balances blood sugars so is great for sugar cravings. It also soothes the digestive tract and reduces bloating. I also love their ‘original chai’ with cinnamon, black tea, ginger, cardamom and licorice. The licorice sweetens it up and the cinnamon and ginger warm up the body. I have it with a little honey but you could also add a dash of almond milk.

Green tea

Green tea has so many health benefits that it should be in your daily list. It has a high flavonoid content which are powerful antioxidents. It is also the highest food source of catechins which are stronger antioxidents than Vitamin E and A. Regular consumption (aim for 2-3 cups a day) reduces the risk of cancers, heart disease, lowers cholesterol and reduces blood pressure. Always choose an organic green tea as it is known to be high in pesticides. You can drink this hot, but I often drink it at room temperature as if it is a glass of water purely for its health benefits! Add a ginger or peppermint tea bag if you want more flavour.

Planet Organic Ginseng Plus

Planet organic tea has a range of herbal teas, but I like the Ginseng Plus. It contains siberian ginseng and licorice to support the adrenal glands, nervous system and boost energy levels. It also contains ginger and cinnamon which means it tastes almost like a chai tea. Nice and sweet and a great way to boost mental clarity and energy on a busy day.

Winter boost tea

This warming winter tea contains a combination of peppermint, elderflower, lemon peel, yarrow, echinacea, angelica, lemon balm and marjoram. It is organic and designed for battling a cold or flu. The elderflower, yarrow and peppermint are traditionally used as a diaphoretic to support a fever. Echinacea boost the immune system while the angelica and marjoram are used for coughs, bronchitis, inflammation and in the chest and to fight infections. It has a mild peppermint taste and tastes great with a dash of honey. Kids can also drink this cooled to aid a fever. This is a great addition to the medicine cabinet in winter.

Black tea

I must admit I really love a cup of black English breakfast tea with a half teaspoon of honey. It too contains high levels of anti-oxidents and the catechins also found in green tea. It does contain caffeine, about 1/3 the amount found in a cup of coffee. But let’s face it- I like the caffeine hit and a cup of black tea does make the start of the day a lot easier.

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW)

This year's World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) theme, 'BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT: CLOSE TO MOTHERS', highlights Breastfeeding Peer Counselling.

Even when mothers are able to get off to a good start, all too often in the weeks or months after delivery there is a sharp decline in breastfeeding rates, particularly exclusive breastfeeding. 

The period when mothers do not visit a healthcare facility is the time when a community support system for mothers is essential. Continued support to sustain breastfeeding can be provided in a variety of ways. Traditionally, support is provided by the family. As societies change, however, in particular with urbanization, support for mothers from a wider circle is needed, whether it is provided by trained health workers, lactation consultants, community leaders, or from friends who are also mothers, and/or from fathers/partners. If you are a new or experienced mum and have friends who are struggling with breastfeeding – offer them your personal success story, tell them what helped you, encourage them to seek support via the Australian Breastfeeding Association or a private lactation consultant. The benefits are huge for mother, baby, partners and our future generation.