Improving egg quality with Vitamin D

I love Vitamin D and I tell all my patients about its value and benefits.

If you find it’s taking a little more time to get pregnant, one of the things you can do to maximize your chances of conceiving is to make sure you have enough vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a substance our bodies naturally produce following sun exposure, so getting outside in the sunshine is a great way to help boost your fertility.

Vitamin D deficiency has reached epidemic status in Western societies and has been linked to increased risk of cancer, osteoporosis, and decreased chances to get pregnant. Thankfully, more and more doctors are now recognising this are recommending tests and supplements.

A 2010 study led by Dr. Lubna Pal from Yale University, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, found that vitamin D blood level was a better predictor of pregnancy success following in vitro fertilization than any other conventionally-used prognostic parameter. For women undergoing fertility treatments, this means that your IVF may fail just because your body is vitamin D deficient, even if everything else is in good shape. Dr. Pal suggests measuring vitamin D as part of a routine infertility workup because “appropriate supplementation of those depleted in vitamin D may translate to an improved fertility outcome as well as improved overall health.”

When I’m working with patients who are trying to conceive, balancing hormones through my therapies (reflexology and acupuncture) and Vitamin D supplementation is my prescription!

Read Full Post »

Oxidative stress

What is oxidative stress?

Oxidative stress is  an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants.

What are free radicals?
A free radicals is an oxygen containing molecule that has one or more unpaired electrons, making it highly reactive with other molecules.

Oxygen by-products are relatively unreactive but some of these can undergo metabolism within the biological system to give rise to these highly reactive oxidants. Not all reactive oxygen species are harmful to the body. Some of them are useful in killing invading pathogens or microbes.

However, free radicals can chemically interact with cell components such as DNA, protein or lipid and steal their electrons in order to become stabilized. This, in turn, destabilizes the cell component molecules which then seek and steal an electron from another molecule, therefore triggering a large chain of free radical reactions.

What are antioxidants?
Every cell that utilizes enzymes and oxygen to perform functions is exposed to oxygen free radical reactions that have the potential to cause serious damage to the cell. Antioxidants are molecules present in cells that prevent these reactions by donating an electron to the free radicals without becoming destabilized themselves. An imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants is the underlying basis of oxidative stress.

Read Full Post »

Protandim

What is aging? 
The body is a highly intelligent and unique mass of cells. These cells do an amazing job to keep us going through life with all its ups and downs and strains and stresses. Working constantly to keep us alive and finely tuned.

Most of us totally abuse our bodies, at some time or another, and all the cells are fighting constantly to keep things working.

Following years and years and years of research, anti-aging products are starting to really work. And we now have one of the GREATEST scientific breakthroughs in anti-ageing at our fingertips in the UK… the Nrf2 activator Protandim.

What is protandim?
Comprised of natural plant ingredients, Protandim is a patented, science-based formula that has been researched, tested and validated by renowned universities and institutions. Science research and literature demonstrate the importance of cellular health. Protandim combines traditional ingredients that have been used to help support cellular health and general well-being.

Benefits of Protandim 
Protandim is a daily food supplement that supports cellular health and well-being Science research and literature demonstrate the importance of cellular health
The traditional ingredients in Protandim have been used to help support health and well-being. To be used with any healthy diet to support cellular health and general well-being.
The only way to really know is try it for yourself!

Read Full Post »