Tag Archives: hormone

Young People Using Fertility MOTs

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Erica and Kenny An increasing number of young people are discovering the benefit of ‘fertility MOTs’, consultants have said, even if they have no immediate plans to start a family.

Patients can come in for fertility advice even if they aren’t yet trying for children, and have a full range of tests so they can decide when they should start thinking about a family.

Mrs Yasmin Sajjad, fertility consultant at Spire Liverpool Hospital said: “The growing popularity of our fertility MOTs reflects a rising trend of young couples and singles seeking peace of mind on their fertility status.”

As people get older some may find it increasingly difficult to conceive and fertility consultancy is valuable in providing early advice as to how long it is practical to wait.

Yasmin said: “At 25 – 27 years old a woman’s fertility is already starting to decline, and upon reaching 35, chances of conception have often halved. Women who take an early assessment of their fertility can make informed decisions about their options later down the line, including the possibility of having eggs frozen for a later date.”

Erica Wilson used the fertility MOT to help make an informed decision on when she and her husband should start trying for children, she said: “I came to Spire a few years ago for a fertility MOT at the age of 31.  I was keen to see if there were any issues, and help become better informed so myself and my husband Ken could find out when we should start trying for children.  It ended up being a very good decision because we found out early on that there were problems and it has given us time to address this.”

Erica is now going through a treatment called ICSI, Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection.  This involves injecting a single sperm into an egg in order to fertilise it, it’s then transferred back to the woman’s womb as an embryo.

Erica said: “So far we have undergone a few treatments of ICSI through the NHS.  The treatment went smoothly but unfortunately it hasn’t worked.  It’s now been diagnosed by Mrs Sajjad that I have certain cells, which identify the embryo being put back in my womb as a foreign body and I am now on a course of steroid treatment which should prevent this.  Ken and I are now really hopeful that we can start a family and having a fertility MOT has given us the time to solve the issues, and have a good chance at trying for a family before time and the odds are against us.”

Yasmin also said that they have seen an increase in the use of the clinic by couples in the middle of trying for a family. “Many couples are leaving it later to try for children, which simply put means they can’t afford to wait around.  If they have been trying for a year with no success then they should visit a GP, but often taking this route can mean they end up on waiting lists for tests and to see a fertility expert.  This wait can mean the difference between having a child and not, as some couples have left it too close in terms of their fertility or accessing IVF on the NHS, where the cut off for funding is often around the age of 40.  This means that the women should be referred for assisted conception treatment at least six months before their 40th birthday.

“Many older couples are now choosing to pay privately to find out if there is an issue straight away, then they can decide what action to take.”

The Fertility MOT includes a range of packages, all of which require only two visits to the hospital within the space of a week. The comprehensive process will provide a full assessment of a patient’s ability to conceive and identify any underlying factors that may prevent natural conception down the line.

Packages are available for men, women, and couples. Men receive an expert semen analysis, while women will be given a pelvic ultrasound scan, urine test and tubal patency test. Both will also have a full blood test to check hormone status.

Upon the second visit the results are discussed and potential options will be laid out.  From there consultants can give expert advice on future options, and advise any appropriate treatments.

Yasmin added: “Modern hectic lifestyles mean that more couples are choosing to postpone a family until later in life, so a fertility MOT can be invaluable in checking one’s options before it’s too late.”

Spire Liverpool Hospital is holding an information event for couples planning a family on Thursday 24 October, from 6.30 – 9pm.

 

Why do our sugary cravings always strike at 4pm?

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clip_image002It’s 4pm, you’ve got an inbox that’s bursting at the seams, a to-do list longer than your morning commute, but all you want to do is devour an entire packet of biscuits in an effort to stay awake.

Overwhelming food cravings are the culprit behind most broken diets. But why does this sweet treat urge always seem to hit us at around 4pm? And what can we do to curb these calorific cravings? We enlist the help of independent nutritional expert and dietician Naomi Beinart to help explain this 4pm food phenomenon and offer us some healthy snack solutions.

When we are tired, we tend to make poorer food choices, wanting a quick sweet fix to perk us up. This can occur most often in the afternoon when cortisol levels can take a natural dip (cortisol is a hormone naturally produced by the adrenal glands that fluctuates throughout the day) and when this dip occurs, we may feel more tired as cortisol normally gives us a feeling of energy.

Sweet Fix

Naomi explains ‘When you’re in your 20’s, it’s very easy to snack on sweet things without putting on weight, and still having enough energy to get through the day and go out all night. Fast forward to your 30’s and 40’s and sweet snacking can cause a host of problems from premature ageing, a decrease in energy levels, hormonal imbalances and mood problems.’’

Thankfully all of these health concerns can be helped by eating the right foods at the right time, ‘eating well will help balance out blood sugar, reduce sweet cravings, increase energy levels and help make skin look better,’ says Naomi.

Blood sugar rollercoaster

Fluctuating glucose levels can be harmful for our health. The rollercoaster of glycemic highs and lows is not good for our general health. If over time, you become insulin resistant, where more and more insulin is being produced by the pancreas, but the insulin receptors in your cells do not respond effectively to it, then this can increase your risk of diabetes and high blood pressure.

Want to get off the ride?

Try taking a natural nutritional supplement that can help to balance out your blood sugar levels. Diabain has 2 such products that do just that. Diabain’s Inusol is a herbal remedy made from a scientific blend of 8 natural nutrients and minerals that can help to control blood sugar levels and is free from any harmful chemicals. Similarly Diabain’s Vittol is a multi-vitamin and mineral formula with a blend of 26 essential elements, ensuring you have the fundamental nutrirnets to help keep you healthy. Vittol has been scientifically formulated to help lower blood sugar levels & glycemic response in both type-2 diabetics and those diagnosed as having a pre-diabetic condition. Inusol and Vittol are £9.99 from www.diabain.com.

Naomi’s diet Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t be restricted by your circumstances. Travel, eating out and dieting can all restrict our food choices. Overcome these by always having a healthy snack with you, such as a banana, almonds or oatcakes with guacamole or hummus.

Supplements can be helpful in controlling sugar cravings and energy dips. Choose one with key blood sugar regulating properties such as Fenugreek extract, Cinnamon bark and Gymnema Sylvestre extract.

Avoid sushi, as the white rice can be bad news for your blood sugar levels, instead go for sashimi or grilled chicken and vegetables.

Eat every 3 hours. When you eat, your blood sugar (glucose) rises in response to the food. The higher and quicker it rises, the more

insulin has to be produced by your pancreas. The higher your blood sugar goes up, the lower it crashes down afterwards. This crash will also occur if you leave longer than three hours between eating. At the drop, your body will send you off for a quick fix, like a bar of chocolate or a cup of tea and biscuit, because it need to lift the blood sugar up again.

Get more of Naomi’ top tips here…

For your chance to win 1 of 10 prizes of Inusol and Vittol, please Follow Frost on Twitter, subscribe to our monthly newsletter or like us on Facebook and answer this question.

Where in the body is cortisol produced?

a) The adrenal glands

b) The kidneys

c) The small intestine

Why Yoga Makes Mummies Happy: The role of Yoga in creating the love hormone ‘Oxytocin’

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Why Yoga Makes Mummies Happy
The role of Yoga in creating the love hormone ‘Oxytocin’

By Cheryl MacDonald BA Hons CYT E-RPYT

The fact is that yoga actually makes you happier. The ‘love hormone’
Oxytocin helps you to relax and reduces blood pressure and cortisol levels.
Yoga is now well recognised as one of the ways to encourage the body to
release this amazing hormone and built in anti-stress mechanism.
When the various limbs of yoga are practised, oxytocin is released. Deep
breathing warms the body, and warmth is one of the key elements that allow
us to release Oxytocin. By taking the body through the practice of yoga
asana (postures) we warm the muscles and joints, make the physical body
more comfortable and relaxed. By then continuing the practice with
savasana (deep relaxation) and meditation, we encourage the production
of oxytocin even further.
Lululemon_Yellow_Yoga
What is Oxytocin?

Oxytocin is that magical hormone that rushes through the body when we first
fall in love. Oxytocin can take us to the dizzy heights of a love sickness that
makes food and sleep seem so much less important than looking into the
eyes of our new found love.

Some of oxytocin’s main functions are preparing the female body for
childbirth, stimulating milk production and ‘let down’ so that baby can nurse,
and encouraging the bond between mum and her newborn baby.

The hormone is also plays an important part in sexual arousal and is released
when you have an orgasm. Its important in nonsexual relationships too and
presence of the hormone has shown to increase trust, generosity, and
cooperation. It can also create a nurturing aspect within males and females
who are not parents.

Why does Yoga make you happy?

Yogic breathing (of course!) When the vagus nerve is inflamed your breathing
becomes more shallow. Your body has gone into fight or flight mode and you
have started to panic. Stop right here and allow yourself to breathe deeply.
Pranayama (or yogic breathing) encourages to take time to just stop, and
focus on the breath.

Pregnancy and motherhood can bring a lot of huge physical, emotional and
environmental changes that can be difficult to adapt to. Taking some time
each week to just BREATHE during yoga class, bringing your attention to the
breath, focusing on the breath alone, not worrying about anything else, can
allow oxytocin to be released and deepen that relaxation. Slow steady
breathing is all that you need. Sometimes we get so caught up in ‘getting the
posture’ that we forget to breathe. Check yourself and make sure you ARE
actually breathing (you’d be surprised.)

Warming the body through the practice of Asana

It is important to warm the body before undertaking the physical practice of
yoga (asana) so as not to damage any joints and to ease the body gently
into the postures. This is especially important for pregnant and post natal
women, whose bodies are and have undergone physical stress and growth
over a period of time. During the practice of asana and pranayama, the
body generates heat and warms the body inside and out. Extra bonus?
When we are warm and relaxed, the body releases more oxytocin…

Chilling in Savasana

At the end of class, don’t just jump up and run out of class. Savasana, deep
relaxation at the end of class is your reward for all of your hard effort earlier
on. Learn to enjoy the relaxation, be aware of any random thoughts that go
through your mind – and just let them go. This is known as ‘monkey mind’
(What will I have for dinner? What did she mean by that?) – acknowledge
these meaningless thoughts and really take time for yourself – just focus on
the life force – the breath. That’s all you need to do. And enjoy the scrummy
feeling of the copious oxytocin rushing through your body. Sigh.

Why is Oxytocin so important for mummies

In a study of 65 women with depression and anxiety, the 34 women who took
a yoga class twice a week for two months showed a significant decrease in
depression and anxiety symptoms, compared to the 31 women who were
not in the class.

During Birth

Oxytocin helps birthing women through labour encouraging surges or
contractions as well as providing pain relieving endorphins and an altered
state of consciousness or bliss (known as labour land) that makes most of
childbirth seems ‘dream like’ or surreal. As soon as baby is born, it makes
mum fall in love in the greatest way possible, with their newborn baby.
In the first few moments after giving birth, a mother receives the largest rush
of oxytocin that she will ever experience in her lifetime. Oxytocin flows
between mother and child every time baby is breastfed which encourages
bonding and attachment.

During birth we can encourage the release of oxytocin by making sure that
mum has privacy, feels safe and comfortable, has a dimmed room and is left
in peace. Yogic breathing and practice of adapted savasana during
childbirth can aid the release of this special hormone.
Antenatal and Postnatal Depression

Yoga helps to balance hormones and stabilizes the endocrine system. By
practising yogic relaxation techniques, we can balance cortical activities
and the nervous and endocrine systems, reducing the body`s reaction to
stress. As a result, the body produces less adrenaline, noradrenaline and
cortisol, (all stress hormones) and mum feels much more balanced and stress
free.

Also, prenatal depression studies indicate clinical depression alleviates by half
if only we can talk to a friend who listens to us and oxytocin is shown to
increase when we receive empathy. The social aspects of getting out to
perinatal yoga classes either before or with baby help mum and baby
socialize with other mums around them.
Baby Bonding

Remember oxytocin is about being personal in ways that give our time
together significance and shape moments of laughter and pleasure. Follow
the instinct to reach out and strengthen ties with invitations to share together
and enjoy your pregnancy and life.

There is ample evidence, that oxytocin and another hormone known as
vasopressin are critical for the bonding process, especially as it relates to
social and reproductive behaviour. Both chemicals help encourage bonding
and maternal behaviour.

Cheryl MacDonald is the founder of YogaBellies® which specializes in
perinatal yoga and natural birth preparation. She is the creator of the Birth
ROCKS® childbirth preparation method and has trained YogaBellies®
teachers across the world. Cheryl has been working with pregnant and
birthing women for almost ten years. She is mother of one lovely three year
old buy and lives with her husband in the west end of Glasgow.