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How Can We Boost Our Chances Of Having A Baby?
Question:
As first-time recently weds, we want to start a family but, at nearly 41 years old, realize this might be tricky. We're both fit, healthy and take plenty of exercise. Apart from cutting back on alcohol (we don't smoke) and taking folic acid, are there any other good supplement and ‘super foods', which might optimise our chances?
Answer:
There is no reason why, in your early 40s, you should not conceive. In my experience, if would-be parents manage their stress levels and follow the basic rules of natural and harmonious living, conception is easy. Reproduction is as natural for us as breathing, digestion and movement" although it's now so heavily regulated by doctors and scientists in the Western world. Interestingly, infertility is a rare problem in developing countries and also in rural societies in the West.
As I write in my book The Integrated Health Bible, the three main reasons for stress are dilemmas, deadlines and complex and/or demanding human relationships. T he question of conception is stressful as it incorporates all three. Should we really try for a baby? Will we be able to conceived is the biological clock ticking too fast? Even in this day and age, there may be a sense of failure for a woman who doesn't conceive.
It used to be thought that only voluntary organs, such as muscles, respond to motional stimuli, but now it's recognised that involuntary, organs, such as blood vessels and the gut can constrict with stress. Michael Dooley, an exceptional gynecologist, says a woman's womb is so sensitive that it contracts with even a tiny pinprick of pain. My belief is that the fallopian tubes, which carry the eggs to the womb, also constrict in conditions of pain and stress. This, of course, would stop the egg implanting in the womb.
Stress hormones, principally adrenalin and noradrenalin, cause a fight or flight reaction with a racing heart, tense muscles, a heightened state of alertness and hyperventilation. In evolutionary terms, these are linked to male reproductive hormones or androgens rather than women's oestrogens and progestogens.
Although women have some androgens, excess stress can upset the balance of hormones in a woman's body, which is very sensitive. After bereavement, for example, many women do not have periods. Women are more likely to be affected by an excess of male hormones than vice versa: polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an example of this. Exercise instructors and sportswomen, who build up muscles and put their bodies under great physical strain, tend to have scanty periods and/or find it difficult to conceive.
Nutrition plays an important role in conception. Constipation, heartburn or indigestion, excessive gas, overeating, malnutrition, protein or mineral deficiency (as in a strict vegan diet or eating disorders), and excess alcohol or coffee all affect general wellbeing. For more information, see my book Dr. Ali's Nutrition Bible.
These are my suggestions
- To increase the body's energy, women should eat about ten whole almonds daily; soak these in room-temperature water for 24 hours, then remove the skin.
- Also, drink one glass of freshly juiced carrot, apple, ginger and celery juice daily for two months, to increase the body's energy.
- Eat one pomegranate every other day for three months, or drink one cup of fruit juice; pomegranates contain cobalt which improves the blood.
- Avoid yeast products, deep-fried food, citrus fruits, excess chillis, sugar, excess fat and fizzy water, which encourage gas.
- To regulate periods, drink a blend of one teaspoon of kolonji oil, eight strands of saffron and one teaspoon of manuka honey daily after breakfast for three months. Also, if your period flow is scanty, take Shatavari tablets twice daily for four months. Also, take one capsule daily of Mexican yam from the 15th day of the cycle until periods start" Do this for four months.
- Yoga and relaxation play an important role. In my book Therapeutic Yoga, co-written with Jiwan Brar, we recommend a range of poses, including the bridge, bow, cat, cow, downward dog, tailor, supine twist, standing forward stretch and extended forward stretch, ending with the corpse pose. There are also many relaxation CDs available, including my own.
- Neck and shoulder massage improves blood flow to the brain, including the pituitary gland, the main controller of hormonal functions. The massage will energise the body, creating a sense of wellbeing. (See The Integrated Health Bible, as above.) Ask your husband or partner to massage you every evening for ten minutes. It will help to relax you and create a bond.
About the Author
I have obtained MD in General Medicine with Honours in 1980 and joined The Central Institute of Advanced Medical Studies in Moscow for post graduation in Acupuncture. I have completed diploma courses in Acupuncture, Anesthesia, Iridology, Hypnotherapy and Clinical Fasting. Practicing as Integrated Medicine expert.
Visit my health shop - http//www.drmalishop.com
121 Crawford Street, London, W1U 6BE
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Is Making My Life Hell
Question:
Since returning from Spain l6 months ago I've suffered from chronic diarrhoea sometimes five or six times a day, with terrible wind and bloating. My stomach feels upset all the time. I've had every conceivable test including laparoscopy, colonoscopy, barium meal, CT scan, urine tests, stool samples and blood tests, which have all been negative. My specialist tells me I have irritable bowel syndrome. It is making my life a living hell. What treatment can you suggest?
Answer:
I am sure your specialist is right irritable bowel syndrome( lBS) is not a disease, as no cause is known (although many doctors tend to regard it as a psychological problem). If a specific cause were to be found – such as candidiasis gut fermentation, giardia, parasites, diverticulitis or Crohn's disease- the diagnosis of IBS would be invalid.
A syndrome is a collection of symptoms that may or may not be linked to one particular organ or system, or to a single cause. IBS is characterized by heartburn or indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence, abdominal cramps, fullness of bowels even after evacuation, stomach bloating shortly after eating, and food intolerances manifesting as diarrhoea shortly after eating certain types of food. As you can see, all these are related to the gut.
At the Integrated Medical Centre around one patient in five comes to us because of this problem. Twenty years of experience have shown me that the best way is to help the digestive system heal itself by eating food stuffs that are easy to digest and beneficial to the body. In my book Dr Ali's Nutrition Bible explain in detail why we get this bizarre collection of symptoms and the diet I recommend. Here are the main points:
Diet
* Eat slowly and chew your food very well so that your stomach doesn't get exhausted having to churn the food, producing more acid in the process.
* Do not drink water 45 minutes either side of meals, so that the gastric juice doesn't get diluted, impairing digestion; during the meal sip a little to help swallowing.
* After lunch, rest for 15 to 20 minutes; after dinner, walk slowly for a mile. This helps the digestive organs to function better.
Avoid the following
* Citrus fruits and sour foods, which contain acid that causes indigestion because it neutralizes bile, which is essential for smooth digestion.
* Yeast which causes gut fermentation, leading to gas, bloating, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea.
* Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee and cola, which cause gut muscles to tense, leading to cramps.
* Fried food, which is difficult to digest and puts a strain on bile production and supply.
* All alcohol, which is particularly bad for IBS sufferers; for example, white wine and champagne cause acidity,. and beer causes gas.
* Sugar and sugary foods, which feed yeast and candida.
* Fizzy drinks.
*Canned products, which contain lots of preservatives, causing acidity and bloating.
* Roughage (fruits, vegetables other than root, cereals and milk) for one or two months until the diarrhoea stops.
This is what I suggest you eat
Breakfast Soft boiled eggs, or pancakes made from buckwheat flour with cottage cheese and honey, plus milk less tea to drink (ginger and peppermint are good). Lunch/dinner minced meat, chicken or turkey simmered with garlic, ginger and black pepper; olive oil mashed or boiled potatoes (peeled), carrots, parsnips, swedes, turnips; lentils soaked overnight, then cooked. Also boil the peel of one pomegranate in eight cups of water for l5 minutes, then cool and strain. Keep in the fridge and, to settle the stomach, drink half a cup twice daily, morning and evening, for seven days.
Remedies
* Take a multivitamin and mineral daily for three months (Biocare One-a-Day, tablets) to compensate for the lack of fresh fruit and salad.
* Kadu : soak two to three twigs in a cup of hot water overnight, strain and drink in the morning for three months.
* Stomach Formula: take two tablets twice daily for two months; or take Gasex tablets, one tablet twice daily for two months.
* Diarex : take one tablet every other day for two weeks if you have diarrhoea.
Exercise
Regular exercise, such as walking, swimming or yoga, aids digestion.
Relax
Play a relaxation/meditation tape or CD in bed at night.
Massage
Rub and stroke your abdomen clockwise with sesame oil every morning for two minutes.
About the Author
I have obtained MD in General Medicine with Honours in 1980 and joined The Central Institute of Advanced Medical Studies in Moscow for post graduation in Acupuncture. I have completed diploma courses in Acupuncture, Anesthesia, Iridology, Hypnotherapy and Clinical Fasting. Practicing as Integrated Medicine expert.
Visit my health shop - http//www.drmalishop.com
121 Crawford Street, London, W1U 6BE
