If you’ve ever wondered whether eating fish could impact your fertility the answer is “yes it can.” EPA and DHA, two important fats in fish were found to correlate with fertility. In this study, they found a correlation between infertile patients and low levels of EPA and DHA. However, eating fish is not the best option. This is one of the rare cases where supplements are better than food. Fish tends to be contaminated with heavy metals that can damage your fertility. In this case, taking fish oils is beneficial for many people (note that fish oils are very bad for some people, depending on the inflammation level). Make sure you use a company that checks every batch. There’s a game where cheaper fish oils are claiming to be mercury free, etc. but they only test their fish every so often. It’s not lying but very misleading and can be dangerous. Also, supplementing with DHA only won’t do the trick, you need EPA as well. In our clinic we use Telomere Labs, which we find is also very tolerable for patients in terms of not burping them up. Another company is Ascenta that has good oils and checks every batch.
 
Hum Fertil (Camb). 2009 Mar;12(1):28-33

A study conducted by the CDC found significantly higher numbers of adverse pregnancy outcomes when couples either did not wait long enough between children, or when they waited too long. The optimum time for the healthiest pregnancy was 18 - 23 months. In other words, infants CONCEIVED between 18 and 23 months had the lowest number of adverse outcomes…. I’d like to see a study on the optimum time for the psychological health of the parents
 
N Engl J Med. 1999 Feb 25;340(8):589-94.

Studies done on the stress responses of infants have found that babies delivered by c-section have lowered stress responses later on (as infants) when compared to babies delivered vaginally. So while there are still many reasons why vaginal births are preferable, this study shows that a c-section child might be a bit more laid back.
 
Lancet. 2000 Jan 8;355(9198):120

While this was only one case study that was published, we know that Eucalyptus is a powerful antimicrobial essential oil. In this case, it was inhaled for 10 days. TB was confirmed through cytology and X-Ray and following inhalation, the patient was negative for TB.
 
Phytomedicine. 2004 Feb;11(2-3):95-7.

It turns out that adrenaline (epinephrine) is an antagonist to Oxytocin. So perhaps the traditional strategies to stop preterm labor are misguided. They usually tell people to go on bedrest and to just relax and take it easy when they should probably be telling them to have arguments with their spouses and to watch highly stressful movies like the exorcist or something… ok maybe the exorcist wouldn’t be so great for fetal programming, or arguing with spouses for that matter … but anything fairly stressful should do … So women should be encouraged to work even harder during pregnancy to help ensure a full term baby [I hope our staff are reading this post, especially Irina].
 
While the point of this study was something else, it discusses some of the antagonistic effects that epinephrine has on things that induce uterine contractions (oxytocin, prostaglandins, etc.).
 
disclaimer: The above hypothesis, while making sense physiolgically, has not been proven yet, so talk to your doctor before relying on this.
 
Molecular Pharmacology, Vol 10, 457-473

We have been researching herbs and other substances to combat the swine flu virus (SIV). While we’re not yet sure how fast it is spreading, it has the potential to be quite serious in southern California given the high incidence of travel between California and Mexico. There have been a number of deaths blamed on the virus, including younger and presumably healthier people.
 
The good news is that chemicals in Green Tea (particularly EGCG and ECG) strongly inhibit the swine flu virus (SIV). So drinking Green Tea would be a good habit to get into right now. If you are pregnant or sensitive to caffeine then use water decaffeinated Green Tea.
 
Antiviral Res. 2005 Nov;68(2):66-74.

Researchers recently looked at Melissa officinalis and found that it inhibits degenerative changes caused by the herpes virus. Keep in mind herpes type 2 can infect anywhere in the body, not just the genitals. It can cause problems with fertility, neurological problems and be extremely uncomfortable, so it is important to treat infections quickly and take preventative measures.
 
Nat Prod Res. 2008 Nov;22(16):1433-1440.

According to new research presented at the 24th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, diabetes can directly lead to DNA damage.
 
Many people get normal sperm analyses and assume their sperm quality is good. However, you cannot rely on the standard sperm analysis to determine if one’s sperm is healthy. For example, in this study, the standard sperm analysis (microscopic examinations of the semen samples) appeared normal, apart from a slight decrease in volume.
 
However, the researchers found that when they looked at DNA damage (not a standard test), they saw a very different picture. According to the lead researcher Dr. Con Mallidis “Sperm RNA was significantly altered, and many of the changes we observed are in RNA transcripts involved in DNA repair. And comparison with a database of men of proven fertility confirmed our findings. Diabetics have a significant decrease in their ability to repair sperm DNA, and once this is damaged it cannot be restored.”
 
Sperm DNA quality is known to be associated with decreased embryo quality, low embryo implantation rates, higher miscarriage rates, and some serious childhood diseases, in particular some childhood cancers. Over the years possible causes for sperm DNA fragmentation have been suggested but to date the exact mechanism for the damage remains unknown, say the researchers.
 
The specific mechanisms of the damage were believed to be from advanced glycation end products (AGE’s) in the male reproductive tract due to sugar dysregulation.
 
Our researchers have found mechanisms by which Oriental Medicine can help prevent and repair AGE damage. We are preparing an article for submission and will post details after publication.

Phthalates are already known to be environmental toxins that effect reproductive development; now a recent study in Pediatrics shows that they are harmful to babies. Infants are especially vulnerable to the developmental and reproductive toxicity of phthalates due to their undeveloped metabolism, and this is evidenced in the concentration of phthalates in their urine. Infants are exposed to phthalates via baby lotions, powders and shampoo.

Phthalates also make plastics flexible, and are found in tablecloths, shower curtains, floor tiles, garden houses, rainwear, ziploc bags, etc. Phthalates are continuously released into the air or leach into liquids, causing exposure through ingestion, inhalation and through the skin. Unfortunately, the U.S. does not require product labeling for phthalate content.

To minimize phthalate exposures, limit the use of infant care products, unless indicated for a medical reason.

PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 No. 2 February 2008, pp. e260-e268.

Right now there are beautiful heads of purple cauliflower all over the farmers market. Initially people are repulsed, thinking that it’s totally unnatural but in actuality, it’s a natural variant of regular cauliflower and it tastes no different. I take advantage of the winter months to load up on this proanthocyanidin-rich (it’s the purple color that gives this special properties), cancer fighting, detoxifying vegetable. As part of my detox, I just steamed it with broccoli and Romanesco cauliflower, which is another strange yet beautiful type of heirloom cauliflower from Italy. I then shred some chicken into it and douse it with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. FYI - it turns blue once you steam it.