Why Caffeine Hinders Fertility

Trying To Get Pregnant Over 40?  Here's Why Caffeine May Hurt Fertility

It's been well publicized that caffeine can contribute to miscarriage.
http://www.getpregnantover40.com
 This article gives an explanation about why caffeine can interfere with conception. I've never heard this explanation before, but it certainly is a good reason to start weaning yourself off if you haven't already:
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See Also: My Series On Foods/Beverages For Fertility (www.getpregnantover40.com)

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"This provides an intriguing explanation as to why women with high caffeine consumption often take longer to conceive than women who do not consume caffeine," Ward added.

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, colas, chocolate and certain medications.

Researchers noted that the study's findings, published May 26 in the British Journal of Pharmacology, could further the understanding and treatment of infertility as well as some complications of pregnancy.

Previously, it was thought that eggs moved through the fallopian tubes assisted by hair-like projections called cilia, but this study suggests that specialized pacemaker cells coordinate the contractions that push the eggs along.

"As well as potentially helping women who are finding it difficult to get pregnant, a better understanding of the way fallopian tubes work will help doctors treat pelvic inflammation and sexually transmitted disease more successfully," said Ward. "It could also increase our understanding of what causes ectopic pregnancy, an extremely painful and potentially life-threatening situation in which embryos get stuck and start developing inside a woman's fallopian tube."

excerpted from 

www.kcautv.com

Have A Baby Over 40! No, 50! 59 Year Old Has Surprise Baby

Have A Baby Over 50?  Yes, She did

Well, here's another one, a 59 year old has a baby conceived naturally. One of my readers actually verified that this is a true story.

My site: www.getpregnantover40.com

 It's amazing how fertile some women are even in their 50's. Read more:

photo: www.babble.com/American Statesma

From the article:

When I read about 59-year-old Linda Smith, of Texas, who gave birth to son Django last week, I assumed this was another medical miracle brought about through the use of IVF, hormone injections, etc.

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See Also 49 and Pregnant (www.getpregnantover40.com)

But I was wrong. Smith conceived completely naturally, although she interpreted the fatigue of early pregnancy as a symptom of menopause.
It's hard not to believe in fate when it comes to the Smiths - Linda and her husband, Steve, lost their 20-year-old son - also named Steve - in a December 2005 motorcycle accident. Although they each have other children from previous marriages, Steve was their only child together. 

excerpted from:
 Grandmother Has Surprise Baby (www.babble.com)

An Acupuncturists Recommendations On Fertility Foods

Get Pregnant Naturally, Try These Foods

There's nothing earth shattering about the importance of your diet when it comes to fertility.
 My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
The CBS morning show did a segment on foods for fertility which gives some good advice on which vegetables to eat, the importance of fat and protein:

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See Also My Series on Foods For Fertility (www.getpregnantover40.com


Foods To Help Fertility What role does diet play in a woman's ability to conceive? Author and acupuncturist Jill Blakeway shows Maggie Rodriguez some great foods to help fertility. (www.cbsnews.com)

Could Earthing Help You Get Pregnant?

Natural Pregnancy Over 40

I'm sure you've never heard of "earthing", and neither had I until I read this article.
My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
Earthing is just what it sounds like...making contact with the earth. Here is an explanation of how it may help get your body back in balance:
From the article:

Lightning strikes the earth thousands of times per second, especially around the equator. As a result, the earth’s surface is a plethora of electrons. We know that the human body is full of free radicals. They are enormously abundant in our bodies from the air we breathe, the heavy metals, the mercury, the Trans fats, the insecticides, the pesticides, the radiation, the sugars, and many other things in our environment.

So, the human body is a sea of chemicals and free radicals, and we need electrons to neutralize them. You can take all the good antioxidants in the world, such as CoQ10, zinc, beta carotene, lycopene, or lutein, but that may not be enough. You need more than just antioxidants to combat the effects of all the chemicals and free radicals. If you ground, you’re going to be soaking up these electrons, which will in turn neutralize free radicals.


Experiments have shown that grounding has several effects on the human body. The autonomic motor system calms down. There is a lot of influence on the vagus nerve, so there’s more parasympathetic stimulation. Cortisol dynamics improve. People sleep better. Inflammation improves, as does the thickness of the blood. Heart rate variability, which means irregular heartbeats, also improve. For the cardiovascular system, grounding is like a panacea. It does everything right.


Think about people who take a vacation at the beach. (Me) They lie in the sun and walk on the beach, getting direct contact with the sand and the water. When they get home, they feel refreshed, alive, and calm. They also say that they slept better while they were away. This isn't actually due to the time away or the lack of stress; it's because of the grounding. Grounding (aka Earthing) really does make you feel better. You can sleep grounded. You can walk grounded. It’s absolutely free, and it makes a huge difference. 

Excerpted from: healthiertalk.com

Fertility Detox

Fertility Detoxification With Juice Blends

Yesterday, I wrote about ways to detoxify your environment to enhance your fertility.  There are also ways that you can detoxify your body.
My site:  www.getpregnantover40.com

 This article gives some juicing recipes for fertility detoxification including carrot juice blends, vegetable blends and using apple cider vinegar:

Fertility detox (www.getpregnantover40.com)

Detoxify Your Environment To Protect Your Fertility

If You're Trying To Have A Baby, Eliminate These Toxins From Your Environment

Women don't realize the number of chemicals they come into contact with every day.
My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
There are hormone disrupting substances in cosmetics, lotions, sunscreens, nail polish, cookware, shampoos, and the list goes on.  Here is a link to a page on my site that reviews some of the substances to avoid along with a video on environmental toxins and your fertility:


Environmental Toxins and Fertility (www.getpregnantover40.com)

Pregnant At 45 By Accident

Pregnancy Over 40, Pregnant At 45 Naturally

It seems like we're always hearing about how hard it is to get pregnant over 40, and I'm sure for some it is.
My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
 However, there's quite a few women over the age of 40 who get pregnant by accident. Here is an article about a 45 year old who found herself unexpectedly expecting. The article also talks about some of the pregnancy statistics and pregnancy termination statistics for British women over 40 (and even 50). Read more:


A few weeks ago it was revealed that the number of British women giving birth at 45-plus has more than doubled over the past decade: the figure in 2005 was 1,177, compared with 586 in 1995. For most of those mothers, having a baby is a triumph: the culmination of a long, heartfelt quest. 
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Read About My Pregnancy At 49(www,getpregnantover40.com) ____________

But that isn't the whole story: because not all women who conceive in their late 40s are hoping for a baby. The 2005 abortion statistics show that, of the total 186,416 abortions in that year, 545 were carried out on women aged 45-49 (the figure for women aged 40-44 was 7,459, and 23 women even had one at 50-plus). Proof, if it were needed, that not all women who get pregnant in later life are delirious with joy when a little blue line appears on their urine test stick.
excerpted from guardian.co.uk

Lengthen and Strengthen Your Menstrual Cycles, Regulate Your Period

Short Menstrual Cycles and What You Can Do

One popular item of discussion among older women who want to get pregnant is the length of their menstrual cycle.
My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
 As we get older, our hormones get weaker and they also get out of balance. Estrogen may be the dominant hormone (i.e. estrogen dominance) and you may need to find ways to increase progesterone naturally.

Here is a video on strengthing and lengthening your menstrual cycles (scoll to the bottom of the page on the link below:

Lengthening Your Menstrual Cycle (www.getpregnantover40.com)

Bio-Algae Concentrates and How They May Help Fertility

Male Fertility and Sperm Helped With Algae

I have frequently heard about how healthy algae can be.
My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
This article talks about how bioalgae concentrates (BAC) can help fertility and sperm in men:


BAC, People and Fertility

When consuming BAC, most people report a sense of increased energy and strength. There have been many cases of fertility or other benefits reported anecdotally by people using BAC:

Couples having difficulty getting pregnant, reported successful pregnancy and resulting birth
Women that had entered menopause, reported returning menstruations

picture: www.bioage.com

Women and men report increased libido
Men report increased erectile function
Normalization of the level of testosterones and other hormones

BAC, Energy and Spermatozoid motility

Rather than detailing the physiological mechanism of fertilely, fecundity and vitality all of which can be found in many books; or demonstrating the specific mechanism of each result or benefit, I will describe only one physiological example and hope that you can make the link between, or understand the relationship of nutrition (and BAC) and fecundity.




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See also: Wheatgrass For Fertility (www.getpregnantover40.com)
and
Greens for fertility (www.getpregnantover40.com)
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As seen, often in the research with BAC, spermatozoid count and its motility became more elevated in most species tested.

Spermatozoid count is a function of testosterone, cell splitting and other energy and metabolic factors.

Motility is a biological term which refers to the ability to move spontaneously and independently. In terms of fecundity it describes the capacity of the sperm to reach the egg.
One partial explanation of these results is associated with increased ATP energy resulting from a better mitochondria Krebs cycle metabolism. When you take a look at the spermatozoid you can understand the importance of energy required for its flagellum to propel it towards the egg. The key to the spermatozoid motility is in its middle section (see diagram). This middle part, immediately behind the head, contains numerous mitochondria. This section respire sugars in the semen to generate within each mitochondria the strong energy required for movement (motility) of the tail.

excerpted from:
themagicisbac.com

When You're Not A Mother On Mother's Day

Trying To Conceive, Surviving Mother's Day

Well, this "holiday" may be the worst one of them all if you're trying to conceive. What could be harder than watching the rest of the country celebrate the joys of motherhood while you sit there stuck in infertility quicksand.

My site: www.getpregnantover40.com

When I was trying to get pregant, I watched many mothers' days come and go. I remember thinking, wouldn't it be neat if I got pregnant right before mother's day and I could announce it to everyone on mother's day? Well...it never happens like that unless you're reading a romance novel or watching made-for-TV movie.

My advice? Don't ever put dates or deadlines on when you're going to get pregnant. You really will be setting yourself up for failure. Every pregnancy I had always came as a total shock (even though I was actively trying). I realize that when you're trying to conceive, every month is an opportunity for success, but it's when you start trying to force things into place that you get into trouble. If you're not pregnant this month, it doesn't mean that you're doomed. It simply means that you're not pregnant this month. When I really want something, I make my intentions known to the universe through visualization and meditation, and then I try to divert my attention elsewhere. That way I don't try too hard which essentially acts as a roadblock to my success.

So what should you do on Mother's Day? Acknowledge your own mother of course, then go do something you enjoy.

Pregnancy Over 40 The Top 5 Things You Can Do To Get Pregnant Naturally

The Top 5 Things You Can Do To Get Pregnant Naturally

There's so much information out there on getting pregnant over the age of 40 (or any age for that matter.)  You may want to know the top 5 things you can do to enhance your fertility.  Here is a new video on where to start if you're trying to conceive over 40:
Watch the video here:

Pregnancy Over 40 The Top 5 Things You Can Do Now(www.getpregnantover40.com)

Woman Conceives Naturally and Has Baby at 50

Getting Pregnant Over 40 Is Not So Rare! Now Maybe 50 Too!

I have done a number of blog postings about women who had babies and conceived naturally in their 50's.

My site: www.getpregnantover40.com

 Well...here's another one. The article below of course has to quote the "obligatory dismal statistics" about having a baby at this age, but the bottom line is that this 50 year old woman had a healthy baby! It's happened before and it will happen again. Read more:

Picture: www.theaustralian.com.au

WHEN a 50-year-old woman on the Gold Coast gave birth recently to a healthy baby boy it hardly created national headlines.

That’s because, thanks to IVF, more than 530 Australian women over the age of 45 now give birth each year, and at least 30 women aged 50 or more. Earlier this year, a 61-year-old retiree in Chicago was reported to be carrying her own grandson as a surrogate for her daughter, who had been trying for years to have a baby.


Read About My Pregnancy At 49 (www.getpregnantover40.com)
 
What’s different about our Gold Coast woman, Anthea Nicholas, is that the semi-retired real estate agent fell pregnant naturally.

...birth registers tell us that women aged 50 and over have been having babies since medieval times...

...But those who oppose motherhood over 50 appear to harbour misgivings other than medical ones: the sheer stress of being a mother at this age, the child’s welfare in the years ahead. Oddly enough, the same negativity isn’t levelled at older fathers. 

excerpted from:
www.theaustralian.com.au

Sharing Information About Your Struggle To Get Pregnant And Your Infertility

Sharing Information About Your Struggle To Get Pregnant

Fertility issues revolve around the most private bodily functions. Getting pregnant is all about egg quality, sperm counts, intercourse, menstrual cycles, etc.
My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
 It doesn't get more private or personal than that.  When I was trying to conceive, I think other people felt like my infertility was in the "public domain".  It made me step back and realize that I needed to think twice about sharing my personal information
read more here (www.getpregnantover40.com)

There Is Evidence That Infertility and Miscarriage Are Related To Stress

Stress: The Most Overlooked Factor In Our Control When It Comes To Our Fertility?

Reduce stress if you want to get pregnant. I'm not telling you anything you haven't already heard right?
My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
It's been written and rewritten to the point that everyone just says, "I do yoga, I deep breathe, now why aren't I pregnant?!" When I was first trying to conceive, I had what I now call a “corporate pressure cooker” job. I worked up to 10-12 hours per day, I was continually feeling a time pressure trying to meet deadlines, I battled rush hour
traffic, I gulped my not-so-healthy lunch between meetings...
read the full article here

How Stress Affects Progesterone and Fertility

Stress May Lower Progesterone 

I've posted numerous articles which support the connection between stress and infertility. However, the following article makes the connection not only between stress and the release of the stress hormone cortisol, but it also talks about how this can affect your progesterone levels. Read more:



From the article:

When you are constantly in that “fight or flight” mode because of stress, your adrenal glands will produce additional cortisol and adrenaline. This is a normal bio-chemical process. The problem is that in order to make cortisol, your adrenal glands need progesterone. This causes your progesterone to be used in making your stress hormones, as opposed to what it is designed to do —support your pregnancy. 


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See also
Stress, Infertility and Miscarriage (www.getpregnantover40.com) 

Short Menstrual Cycles and Fertility (www.getpregnantover40.com)

and




Natural Ways To Increase Progesterone (www.getpregnantover40.com)
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The adrenal glands cannot make cortisol without progesterone. Often referred to as the ‘progesterone steal,’ your body will steal however much progesterone it needs to make cortisol. 
 The Stress-Infertility Connection
By Dr. Len Lopez

TTC? Soda May Damage Your DNA

Pregnancy Over 40, Protect You DNA

I've written before about the dangers of artificial sweeteners found in sodas and other products. Here is another reason you may want to think about cutting soda out of your diet. Sodium benzoate is a common ingredient in soft drinks and it may actually harm your DNA.
My site: www.getpregnantover40.com

Since I enjoy carbonated beverages, I started making my own carbonated tea. I brew the tea of my choice, add flavored seltzer (I like "Blue Sky" lemon flavor)add a squirt of lemon juice, and sweeten with "stevia" which is thought to be safer than other artificial sweeteners. So far it's quenched my desire for carbonated beverages and it doesn't have any calories. Give it a try!

Read more about soda your DNA:

Sodium benzoate has already been the subject of concern about cancer because when mixed with the additive vitamin C in soft drinks, it causes benzene, a carcinogenic substance. The UK's Food Standards Agency survey of benzene in drinks last year found high levels in four brands which were removed from sale.

Now, an expert in ageing at Sheffield University, who has been working on sodium benzoate since publishing a research paper in 1999, has decided to speak out about another danger. Professor Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology, tested the impact of sodium benzoate on living yeast cells in his laboratory. What he found alarmed him: the benzoate was damaging an important area of DNA in the "power station" of cells known as the mitochondria.

He said: "These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether.

"The mitochondria consumes the oxygen to give you energy and if you damage it - as happens in a number if diseased states - then the cell starts to malfunction very seriously. And there is a whole array of diseases that are now being tied to damage to this DNA - Parkinson's and quite a lot of neuro-degenerative diseases, but above all the whole process of ageing."

The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) backs the use of sodium benzoate in Britain and it has been approved by the European Union but last night British MPs called for it to investigate urgently.

Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat chair of British Parliament's all-party environment group said: "Many additives are relatively new and their long-term impact cannot be certain. This preservative clearly needs to be investigated further by the FSA."

A review of sodium benzoate by the World Health Organisation in 2000 concluded that it was safe, but it noted that the available science supporting its safety was "limited". .
excerpted from: www.heathruthrevealed.com

Vitamin B Recommended For Men Too

Men's Fertility and Vitamin B

We've all heard about how folic acid can help women prevent birth defects, but according to this article, B vitamins may be critical for men as well.
My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
 It may be just as important for men to start taking B vitamins before a couple tries to conceive. Read more:



From the article:


Men who eat a diet rich in green vegetables, fruit and lentils have a higher chance of fathering a healthy child, scientists said today.

In the first study to investigate the effects of diet on sperm quality, American scientists found that high levels of vitamin B reduced the number of abnormalities that can lead to children being born with conditions such as Down's syndrome.

It may lead to recommendations for men as well as women to take folic acid before trying to conceive.

Women are encouraged to take supplements of vitamin B, which occurs naturally as folate in leafy green vegetables, pulses and some fruits, and synthetically as folic acid, in order to protect the unborn foetus from certain birth defects.

If the findings of the study, which was carried out by a team from University of California, in Berkeley, are confirmed scientists may recommend men take folic acid for at least three months before trying to conceive.
 excerpted from:  Vitamin B 'helps men father healthy children'By Rebecca Smith (www.telegraph.co.uk)

Fertility and Vision Boards

Trying To Conceive Over 40, Vision Boards May Help

Some years back, when Oprah did a show on "The Secret" and it was all the rage, she had on a panel of women who were discussing how to get what you want in life. My site: www.getpregnantover40.com
 The title of the show was "The Secret Behind the Secret"
and it featured Louise Hay, Martha Beck and Cheryl Richardson. I've previously talked about "visualization" and I've created a CD which guides you through it

They were talking  in the show about a specific technique on this particular show which I wanted to mention here. The show featured a number of women who used "vision boards" to send to the universe their desires and help attract what they want in their life.
Click Here To Read The Full Article  On Vision Boards To Get Pregnant