Is The Surrogacy Fee Taxable?

Is the surrogate fee taxable along with egg and sperm donor fees?

Become a surrogate mother and you sacrifice your body and your family. If you call the IRS you will likely get a variety of answers if you ask them about the surrogate fee taxable issue. In the end they will encourage you to pay income tax. But that doesn't mean you as the surrogate are legally obligated to do so. You could possibly claim your surrogacy as a business and deduct all the expenses including part of the house payment or rent.

In most surrogacy agreements the surrogate fee taxable issue actually becomes pay to an independent contractor, not an employee. Independent contractors fill out a business tax form and pay their own taxes on profit after deducting all their expenses. Most commercial surrogacy agencies to be safe issue an IRS form 1099, independent contractor pay. Some women show the surrogate fee taxable. Others don't report their profit as a surrogate mother. How is one supposed to add up all the expenses anyway? Are we going to deduct the master bedroom and bathroom, the car, the computer, lost wages recovering after childbirth and all the pickles, ice cream and other odd cravings and increase in caloric intake one gets when pregnant?

Most "surrogacy fee taxable" clauses in surrogacy agreements also state that the compensation is for "pain and suffering" or "pre-birth child support" both of which are rarely taxed. The written agreement will also say that taxes are entirely her problem in a surrogate fee taxable clause. It's not earned income but not a gift either. The surrogate mother is the one giving a gift it seems to me.

Regarding egg donors and sperm donors there was an IRS PLR, private letter ruling, saying it may be deductible for parents as a medical expense. Since infertility is a medical condition, helping along the pregnancy could be construed as medical care.

To me this all seems closer to being like an organ donor in a transplant operation. Are we going to require the wife to pay income tax on the estate and insurance settlement of a deceased car accident victim if his heart is used to save someones life?

Egg and sperm donation is not a product. If it was, it would be illegal because the selling of human body parts (organs and tissue) is against the law. It is also not a service currently under most peoples understanding. So, surrogacy is not yet defined by the IRS. Being an egg donor is not without pain and suffering. Shots and drugs to induce egg formation etc. Then there's the going in after the eggs. Money paid to donors could fall under compensatory damages that one receives for physical damage or illness and therefore be non-taxable income.

Sperm donors? Well, to donate means to give. Customarily, no tax. In fact, sperm donation has never been taxable. Why shouldn't the same standards apply to women. This could be construed to be both gender discrimination and an issue of violation of equal treatment under the law.

Was the cost of surrogate mother a gift with gratuitous intent?

Well, yes. The intended parents are just infertile couples seeking surrogate mother help to have a child of their own like the rest of us would if we were in their position. The alternative is adoption and that is definitely tax- deductible for the adopting parents plus employers can also deduct if they help out financially. Cost of surrogate mother and egg/sperm donation paid for by the intended parents may be deductible if the services, even though performed by people who are not medical professionals, are needed to treat the tax payer's condition of infertility. See: Internal Revenue Code Section # 214. This is especially true if intended parents are business owners or self-employed. They are currently allowed to deduct insurance premiums, deductibles paid before insurance kicks in and amounts not paid by insurance from their income up to a certain limit on their tax forms.

Really? Why should there be a double hit? Not allowing the intended parents to deduct the expense at the same time as also taxing the woman trying to profit as a surrogate mother seems unfair. Most studies have found she is actually a giving and caring person just trying to help her fellow-man. It's all by contract and there is rarely an emotional attachment between the surrogate mother and the child. Open surrogacy is when there is contact between the two after the birth. Closed surrogacy means no contact.

If the IRS decides that pain and suffering is not valid, then the amount received by the donor could be considered a gift. Currently, there is a gift limit of $10,000 per year per person. So, it may be best to pay/receive it over a two-year tax timetable. Likewise, be sure a check or wire transfer comes from each person. Again, not over $10,000 per gift giver per year is possibly deductible.

The $15,000 to $25,000 surrogate mother fee earned could possibly put her into a higher tax bracket. If the fee is paid over a two-year period then both years might go to higher tax brackets. By the way, military wives can get best compensation for surrogacy right now because their insurance still pays for hospital baby delivery but not cost of IVF, in vitro fertilization. Anyway, that means the extra money would be taxed at a higher rate. Then there is state income tax once you report it to the Feds. Over half the surrogate fee could go to the government.

The higher income level could also mean you may not qualify for Earned Income Tax Credit (if that is applicable to your situation).

All this could reduce the real surrogate fee and the benefits of surrogacy. Most women just want to become surrogate mother and thereby give the gift of life to deserving infertile couples seeking surrogate mother. The money is usually secondary. All this plus the health risk of being a surrogate mother? When you consider she is at work 24/7 for nine months straight it really amounts to just pennies per hour.

Anyway, some pay income tax some don't. You need to speak to your lawyer and tax specialist prior to starting your journey into surrogate motherhood. Truth is most surrogacy mother situations are a sacrifice for them in many ways. They themselves think of it as a gift. They are caring and big-hearted. Do they have to put up with negative ethics of surrogacy plus get confused by the "is surrogate fee taxable" debate? There have even been churches that ask surrogate mothers not to come around until after the baby is born. Then there is the wear and tear on their body and the sacrifice the family unit itself has to endure.

Why would a government tax a GIFT OF LIFE?

I don't think the legislators or the courts want to open the Roe v. Wade court case up again. When does life start? That is the debate they don't want to get mixed up in again. The Roe v. Wade decision gave women right over their own body. Birth control has helped emancipate women and that is a good thing. Shame on the Catholic Church and any one else that tries tell their members not the use birth control and to take individual freedoms away. Anti abortion and anti birth control agendas coming out of the Vatican and the right-wing of the Republican Party are tyranny in my opinion.

Is Uncle Sam watching all this? Sure they are. They are broke. The US has been funding all the bailouts and waging 2 wars at once. In fact, get ready for a national sales tax. Coming soon to a store near you.

Please read our other surrogate mother information and surrogacy issues such as surrogacy statistics, cost of surrogacy etc. Do not hesitate to contact us about your situation. We may have people in your state and area to help you in your surrogate motherhood research or a state next to you if your state has surrogacy issues.

Copyright 2010 - http://www.surrogacy-surrogate-mother.com Reprint rights allowed with attribution back.

The Pregnancy Miracle Review - Tips That Help

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful processes a woman can go through not only for the wonderful journey that accompanies the status also for the significance which marks the beginning of life. However the whole topic about pregnancy stirs up feeling of unhappiness to some women. Many people think that getting pregnant is quite simple but to some women it is one of the most difficult tasks to accomplish. Generally women are engineered differently biologically and while it may be effortless for some to get pregnant other women have to go through lengths to achieve the status. If you are on the bandwagon of women who have to go through lengths to get pregnant; all you have to do is to locate a good pregnancy miracle review offering tips on how to get pregnant.

The internet offers a wide resource of information about pregnancy and on how to get heavy with child. It is however wise to approach the tips offered with caution. There are tips which steer women towards piling their bodies up with pills which consequently results in long term detrimental effects to their health and no baby to validate what the women have to go through. Other tips have women take part in questionable rituals which border occult practices and may also involve ingesting substances which may similarly affect a woman's health. The best tips are those which advocate for natural ways of getting pregnant.

The whole science of bearing a child relates to natural biological processes without chemical aid. A woman's overall health directly relates to her readiness and ability to bear a child. The body may be subject to health limitations which decrease a woman's ability to bear a child. However every woman can get bear children as long as they take good care of their health. One of the tips advocated as a natural way of bearing children is staying positive. While many people may out right dismiss this tip, it does hold some significant relevance in the process of trying to bear children.

A woman who believes that she will get heavy with child is likely to maintain good health than a woman who may fall victim to negativity and eventually end up suffering from depression. A depressed person generally suffers from increased health problems which ultimately limit their ability to procreate. The age old method that women have been advised to use in a bid to increase their ability to procreate is to have lots of sex. While this may seem like a primitive approach to procreation the truth is that getting heavy with child begins with copulation. However copulation is approached from the stance of keenly noting a woman's ovulation periods and taking the opportunity to copulate during those periods to increase the chances of getting heavy with child.

There are quite a number of other pregnancy miracle review tips advancing for natural ways on how to get pregnant online.

Tips to Ensure a Healthy Pregnancy

The tip of the stick turned pink right on schedule as you took the home test. Congratulations! Now that you know you are pregnant, you are shouldered with the very important task of ensuring that both you and your baby stay in top health for the next nine months. If this sounds easier said than done, relax. To keep you and your baby healthy and happy until the big due date arrives, there are some simple tips that you can follow from that very first pregnancy symptom.

You are What You Eat

This may be true throughout life, but it is especially true during the months of pregnancy. Many women find that eating five or six small meals a day is much easier on an already stressed digestive system. Make sure you are loading up your plate with plenty of fresh produce and whole grains for the biggest bang for your nutritional buck. It is also important to take the prenatal vitamin that your doctor prescribes without fail, since the nutrients found in this simple pill will make all the difference in a healthy pregnancy. Don't take any type of additional supplements, medications or herbal remedies without checking with your doctor first to ensure their safety.

The List of Don'ts

For your health and the safety of your baby, yes, there are a few things you should refrain from during those important nine months. Smoking, drinking alcohol and taking street drugs are all prescriptions for disaster during pregnancy, since overuse of some of these substances can result in birth defects or a less than healthy newborn. Since accidents can and do happen, it is also important that you never ride in or drive a car without your safety belt. It is also important not to overdo physical activity during this time; when your body tells you to stop and rest, listen to it by all means. The resources that your body needs to do this job properly may not leave you with as much stamina for other things, as it is lot of work growing a baby inside your body.

Take Care

If there was ever a time to indulge in a little extra pampering and care, this is the time. Since your body needs sufficient rest to care for that little life inside, don't skimp on your sleep during pregnancy. Take time to exercise, even if it is a moderately paced walk around the neighborhood at night. This will help to keep your body in shape during pregnancy and prepare it for the work of labor and delivery that lies ahead.

Pregnancy is a wonderful and exciting time, but it should also be a healthy time. By following these important tips, you can do plenty to help ensure that both you and your baby remain happy and healthy until the big birth day arrives.

Don't Spread the Depression Virus

Did you know that depression affects approximately 18.8 million American adults in a given year? The holidays can be particularly difficult. Those who have struggled with depression say that they'd rather be physically sick than depressed, those who've never been depressed should count their blessings! But I can guarantee that you still have felt its icy fingers of impact, because someone you love is probably suffering from depression right now.

One of the fastest-growing markets for anti-depression medication is for preschoolers, it is estimated that at least four percent of preschoolers-that is over one million-are clinically depressed. It's as if they are catching a virus of depression from their teachers, parents, older siblings, or caregivers. The rate of increase in depression among school-age children is even more astonishing at 23 percent.

Just last week I was sitting on the couch looking at my Christmas tree. I wanted one more look before I started to take it down, so I turned on the lights and sat there for a few minutes. It's just an artificial blue spruce, about six feet tall, with tiny white lights and white garland. It really is nothing but a bunch of "bling."

I thought about my older daughter's question on Christmas Eve. We'd gone to her house and the first thing she asked was, "did you put up a tree?" What a strange question for a grown daughter with a family who has two trees in her own big house, why would she wonder if we'd put up a tree?... And then I'd remembered my younger daughter's question earlier in the month, she was checking on our house while we were away and she wanted to know if she could turn on our Christmas tree lights. She, too, has a lovely family with their own tree. So, what was so important about their parents having a Christmas tree?

I continued to think about the tree and all the memories it conjured up. I really do have an excuse to be a little depressed, I thought. I've lost my job, a job I really loved, and I miss my friends and associations from that job, and the income. But, in spite of the memories, and no assurance for the future, I feel joyful; it's explainable only in the fact that I have faithfully followed my eight-question depression-busting plan. Using these questions to check my attitude and behavior I put myself back on track every time I feel the slightest twinge of depression.

Eight-Question Depression-Busting Plan

1. Nutrition, am I eating the right things? Things to avoid are sugar, preservatives, and highly-processed food. These foods may y let you down, leaving you with food cravings, and feelings of guilt for eating too much.

2. Exercise, am I getting enough exercise? Exercise gives your brain an opportunity to rejuvenate. This actually will elevate your mood and give you a sense of well being.

3. Water, am I drinking enough water? Water carries necessary nutrients to all parts of your body and flushes out toxins.

4. Sunlight, am I getting enough sunlight? You may be a borderline seasonally-affected depressant; it is hard in the winter with shorter days to get enough sunlight. Taking additional vitamin D and using a light; box may help.

5. Temperance, am I being temperate in all that I do? Another word for temperance is balance. Am I being balanced in all that I do? Am I working too hard? Am I eating too much? Avoid harmful substances altogether.

6. Air, am I getting fresh air? Air that is full of mold spores and dust can precipitate illness, which leads to cold remedies and pain killers; it is now believed that acetaminophen may cause feelings of depression.

7. Rest, am I getting enough rest? Sleep, often hard to come by in our fast-paced lives, maybe the most important activity you're missing. Known to help control appetite, you can loose weight just by getting enough sleep. So avoid too much stimulus (exercise, exciting TV shows, caffeine), and establishing a bedtime routine, even if you don't sleep, stay there for eight hours.

8. Trust in your Higher Power, am I spending time in the word? Am I filling my soul with faith or fear food? Until you make feeding your spirit the same priority as feeding your body you will struggle with depression. It is a natural response to the unpredictable world in which we live.

Try this plan and you too, can stop the spread of depression.

References and Further Reading

National Institute for Mental Health, The Numbers Count: Mental Illness in America, Science on Our Minds Fact Sheet Series

Study published in Psychiatric Services, April 2004. Reported in our health news archive: Pill-Popping Pre-Schoolers and Even Toddlers Get the Blues.
Harvard University study reported in Harvard Mental Health Newsletter, February 2002.

Omega 3 Fish Oil And Its Effect On Mood And Mental Function

If you have lost your joie de vivre, then there is every chance that you are deficient in the essential fatty acids required for regulating mood and for efficient functioning of the brain. It is now well documented that insufficient Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet not only leads to an increased risk of developing physical health problems like heart disease and atherosclerosis, but also to mood and learning related disorders.

Studies show that people who are suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, ADD, postnatal depression, PMS, dyslexia and many other mood and learning related disorders have low levels of the essential Omega 3 fatty acids in their blood. High levels of the equally essential but over abundant Omega 6 fatty acids have also been found. This imbalance can turn out to be extremely debilitating for some, or it could simply mean low moods, an inability to concentrate and focus, irritability and a general feeling of malaise for others.

Over the past 70 years or so, we have dramatically increased our consumption of Omega 6 and all but annihilated our intake of Omega 3 and the staggering reality is that very few of us are actually getting the amount of Omega 3 we need. Fish oil contains the Omega 3 fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both of which are vital for healthy brain development and function. Putting physical health problems aside, those of us who have low blood levels of Omega 3 are more likely to adopt a negative outlook on life, to behave impulsively and to feel depressed according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh.

It stands to reason that if we increase our intake of Omega 3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil, then we might be able to improve mood and reduce, eliminate or even prevent many of the symptoms associated with a lack of these fatty acids. And this is exactly what researchers have found.

What the research says...

o According to a study led by Lawrence Whalley, a mental health professor at Aberdeen University, fish oil appears to help the brain to work faster, it increases IQ scores and slows down the ageing process by reducing inflammation.

o The Durham trials led by Dr Madeleine Portwood have consistently shown that fish oil with a high EPA content improves behaviour, concentration and learning resulting in better grades at school. o Adelaide University, who also used high EPA fish oil, claimed it to be an effective treatment for ADHD.

o Research led by Dr Andrew Stoll looked at the effect of Omega 3 fatty acids on Bipolar disorder and found that fish oil reduced the severity of the symptoms.

o Hibbeln et al found a direct link between lower fish consumption and the risk of developing postnatal depression and that research spanned 22 countries.

o An Italian study by Fontani et al concluded that Omega 3 supplementation improves complex cortical processing with improvements in mood and a reduction in anger, anxiety and depression

These examples represent only a fraction of the studies conducted but they demonstrate just how effective fish oil can be in positively influencing mood and mental functioning.

But one of the biggest studies to date on the effect of Omega 3 fatty acids on depression was conducted by Malcolm Peet at Sheffield University who found that ethyl-EPA, a highly concentrated and purified form of the Omega 3 fatty acid EPA, dramatically reduced depression. He, along with a growing number of others, now believe that EPA is the fatty acid primarily responsible for the profound effect on mood and brain functioning and not DHA as once was thought.

EPA versus DHA

Although we need both EPA and DHA equally, as Ralph Holman, an expert on fatty acids once said "DHA is structure and EPA is function". We need DHA for the proper development of the brain during pregnancy and through the first few years of life, but the rest of the time we need EPA for the brain to function efficiently. Some research has also indicated that the presence of DHA might actually interfere with the beneficial properties of EPA making it somewhat less effective than fish oil with a very high EPA content.

How EPA works

No one yet knows exactly how EPA works, but it is believed to reduce inflammation, thin the blood, increase serotonin levels, and improve blood flow to the brain leading to greater inter-connectivity in the neural networks. EPA and other fatty acids we consume compete with each other to be converted into eicosanoids. These hormone-like compounds will either be pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory depending on the type of fatty acid that dominated at the time, for example, Omega 3 or Omega 6.

As EPA is constantly being used up as it were, we need to replenish our supplies in order to inhibit overproduction of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, which is known to put us at greater risk of depression and other health problems. Conclusion

Fish oil may not be a panacea for mental health problems, but there is little doubt that supplementing with fish oil high in EPA has the ability to improve mental functioning and to make a profound difference to the symptoms associated with mood related conditions like depression.

Copyright 2006 David McEvoy

The Healing Power of Adjustable Beds

An adjustable bed is more than just a luxurious bed frame. Electrical beds allow users to sleep at semi-elevated levels that align the body in a position of least resistance to gravity. There are many health benefits that result from this position, including a reduction in snoring, acid reflux, muscle tension, and arthritic pain. Based on studies that have been conducted, there are numerous ways to use these high-tech beds to deliver effective and safe healing benefits. Because of these studies, adjustable beds are now commonly seen in healthcare facilities such as hospitals and elderly care facilities.

The Therapeutic Effects Of An Adjustable Bed
The benefits one may attain from an adjustable bed are derived primarily from the device's ability to change shape. Both the head and foot ends of the bed may be either raised or lowered, helping individuals to adjust their sleeping position in such a way that provides maximum comfort. In a medical context, the ability of these unique beds to be raised or lowered delivers additional benefits that help patients to recover from surgical procedures quickly and comfortably. Some of those benefits include:

1. Resting in an Upright Position: Adjustable beds can be manipulated so that the upper portion of the bed could be raised up to 90 degrees. This bed position may help increase maximal lung expansion for patients who have difficulty breathing. This is accomplished through redistributing the weight of the body so less pressure is exerted on the lungs and ribcage.


2. Health Benefits of Sitting Up: Resting in an upright position could also help people who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The raised position will make it more difficult for stomach content to flow back in the esophagus. Furthermore, these beds could also correct snoring problems. When we go to sleep, the tongue tends to relax and blocks the oropharyngeal opening making it hard for air to flow freely. This causes a vibration in the tissue that causes a loud snoring sound. Because adjustable beds could be raised, the tongue can be put back to a neutral position to eliminate snoring.


3. Resting in the Trendelenburg Position: If a patient is going into shock, the whole body of adjustable bed could be tilted with the head part lower than the foot end by about 15 to 30 degrees. This floods blood towards the upper body and head areas, increasing oxygen and nutrient flow to the brain to effectively combat shock.


4. The Head Flat / Foot Elevated Position: A bed configured with the head portion flat but the foot portion elevated can assist those people who have a problem with the cardiovascular and circulatory systems. The Heat Flat/ Foot Elevated position helps by encouraging blood to return to the heart more easily. Fluids may cease to circulate and gather in the extremities if the patient is not sleeping with the feet elevated, resulting in edema. Elevating the lower body while leaving the head and body flat brings blood back to the heart with the help of gravity, helping to increase circulation overall.


5. Enhanced Comfort and Rest: There is no doubt that electrical beds, and particularly beds with massage features, are created with the comfort of the user in mind. Rest and sleep is vital component of making a healthy medical recovery, and these beds deliver unparalleled quality of both rest and sleep.

Adjustable beds assist patients in recovering from medical procedures by positioning the body at specific angles that promote blood circulation, reduce stress, and increase tissue regeneration. Adjustable hospital beds have a long time tradition of increasing both the quality and effectiveness of recovery time. These beds are undeniably an indispensable object for the welfare and benefit of many patients.

Genetic Phenylketonuria

Phenylketonuria presents one of the most dramatic examples of how the relationship between genotype and phenotype can depend on environmental variables. Phenylketonuria was very first recognized as an inherited cause of mental retardation in 1934, and systematic attempts to deal with the situation were initiated within the 1950s.

The term "phenylketonuria" denotes increased amounts of urinary phenylpyruvate and phenylacetate, which occur when circulating phenylalanine amounts, usually in between 0.06 and 0.one mmol/L, rise above one.a couple of mmol/L. Therefore, the primary defect in phenylketonuria is hyperphenylalaninemia, which by itself has a number of distinct genetic causes. The pathophysiology of phenylketonuria illustrates a number of essential principles in human genetics.

Hyperphenylalaninemia by itself is caused by substrate accumulation, which happens when a regular intermediary metabolite fails to become eliminated correctly and its concentrations turn out to be increased to levels that are toxic. As described later on, one of the most common trigger of hyperphenylalaninemia is deficiency of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase, which catalyzes the conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine.

People with mutations in phenylalanine hydroxylase generally do not endure from your absence of tyrosine simply because this amino acid could be supplied to the body by mechanisms which are independent of phenylalanine hydroxylase. In other types of phenylketonuria, nevertheless, extra disease manifestations happen like a result of end-product deficiency, which occurs when the downstream product of the specific enzyme is required for a key physiologic procedure.

A discussion of phenylketonuria also helps to illustrate the rationale for, and application of, population-based screening applications for genetic disease. More than 10 million newborn infants per year are tested for phenylketonuria, and also the focus today in treatment has shifted in several respects. Very first, "successful" remedy of phenylketonuria by dietary restriction of phenylalanine is, in basic, accompanied by subtle neuropsychologic defects that happen to be acknowledged only in the last decade.

Therefore, existing investigations concentrate on alternative treatment methods such as somatic gene therapy as nicely as on the social and psychologic elements that affect compliance with dietary management. Second, a generation of females handled for phenylketonuria are now bearing kids, and the phenomenon of maternal phenylketonuria has been recognized by which in utero exposure to maternal hyperphenylalaninemia outcomes in congenital abnormalities regardless of fetal genotype.

The quantity of pregnancies at danger has risen in proportion towards the profitable treatment of phenylketonuria and represents a challenge to public wellness officials, physicians, and geneticists in the future. The incidence of hyperphenylalaninemia varies among various populations. In African Americans, it is about 1:50,000; in Yemenite Jews, about 1:5000; and in most Northern European populations, about 1:10,000.

Postnatal growth retardation, moderate to severe mental retardation, recurrent seizures, hypopigmentation, and eczematous skin rashes constitute the main phenotypic features of untreated phenylketonuria. However, using the advent of widespread newborn screening applications for hyperphenylalaninemia, the major phenotypic manifestations of phenylketonuria these days occur when remedy is partial or when it's terminated prematurely throughout late childhood or adolescence.

In these cases, there's generally a slight but significant decline in IQ, an array of particular overall performance and perceptual defects, and an increased frequency of learning and behavioral problems. New child screening for phenylketonuria is carried out on the little amount of dried blood obtained at 24-72 hours of age.

From your initial screen, there is about a 1% incidence of positive or indeterminate test outcomes, and a a lot more quantitative measurement of plasma phenylalanine is then performed prior to a couple of weeks of age. In neonates who undergo a 2nd round of testing, the diagnosis of phenylketonuria is ultimately confirmed in about 1%, providing an estimated phenylketonuria prevalence of one:10,000, even though there is great geographic and ethnic variation (see prior discussion).

The false-negative rate of phenylketonuria newborn screening applications is around one:70; phenylketonuria in these unfortunate people is generally not detected until developmental delay and seizures throughout infancy or early childhood prompt a systematic evaluation for an inborn error of metabolism.

Infants in whom a diagnosis of phenylketonuria is confirmed are generally placed on a dietary regimen by which a semisynthetic formula low in phenylalanine could be combined with regular breast feeding. This regimen is adjusted empirically to maintain a plasma phenylalanine concentration at or beneath 1 mmol/L, which can be nevertheless several times greater than regular but similar to levels observed in so-called benign hyperphenylalaninemia, a biochemical diagnosis which can be not associated with phenylketonuria and has no clinical consequences.

Phenylalanine is definitely an essential amino acid, and even people with phenylketonuria should consume little amounts to prevent protein starvation plus a catabolic state. Most kids need 25-50 mg/kg/d of phenylalanine, and these needs are met by combining organic foods with commercial products created for phenylketonuria treatment.

When nutritional treatment applications were very first implemented, it was hoped that the risk of neurologic damage from your hyperphenylalaninemia of phenylketonuria would have a restricted window and that treatment could be stopped after childhood. However, it now seems that even mild hyperphenylalaninemia in adults (> one.a couple of mmol/L) is associated with neuropsychologic and cognitive deficits; therefore, nutritional remedy of phenylketonuria should most likely be continued indefinitely.

As an increasing quantity of handled females with phenylketonuria reach childbearing age, a new problem-fetal hyperphenylalaninemia by way of intrauterine exposure-has turn out to be apparent. New child infants in this kind of cases exhibit microcephaly and growth retardation of prenatal onset, congenital heart disease, and extreme developmental delay irrespective from the fetal genotype.

Rigorous control of maternal phenylalanine concentrations from before conception until birth reduces the incidence of fetal abnormalities in maternal phenylketonuria, however the level of plasma phenylalanine that is "safe" for a developing fetus is 0.12-0.36 mmol/L-significantly lower than what is regarded acceptable for phenylketonuria-affected children or adults on phenylalanine-restricted diets.

The regular metabolic fate of free of charge phenylalanine is incorporation into protein or hydroxylation by phenylalanine hydroxylase to type tyrosine. Because tyrosine, but not phenylalanine, can be metabolized to create fumarate and acetoacetate, hydroxylation of phenylalanine can be viewed both like a signifies of producing tyrosine a nonessential amino acid and as a mechanism for offering energy by way of gluconeogenesis during states of protein starvation.

In individuals with mutations in phenylalanine hydroxylase, tyrosine becomes an important amino acid. Nevertheless, the clinical manifestations from the disease are caused not by absence of tyrosine (most people get enough tyrosine within the diet in any situation) but by accumulation of phenylalanine.

Transamination of phenylalanine to form phenylpyruvate usually doesn't happen unless circulating concentrations exceed one.a couple of mmol/L, however the pathogenesis of CNS abnormalities in phenylketonuria is related more to phenylalanine by itself than to its metabolites.

In addition to a direct effect of elevated phenylalanine levels on power production, protein synthesis, and neurotransmitter homeostasis within the developing brain, phenylalanine can also inhibit the transport of neutral amino acids across the blood-brain barrier, leading to a selective amino acid deficiency in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Therefore, the neurologic manifestations of phenylketonuria are felt to become due to a basic effect of substrate accumulation on cerebral metabolism. The pathophysiology of the eczema seen in untreated or partially treated phenylketonuria isn't nicely understood, but eczema is really a common function of other inborn errors of metabolism by which plasma concentrations of branched-chain amino acids are elevated.

Hypopigmentation in phenylketonuria is most likely caused by an inhibitory effect of excess phenylalanine about the production of dopaquinone in melanocytes, which can be the rate-limiting step in melanin synthesis. Approximately 90% of infants with persistent hyperphenylalaninemia detected by new child screening have standard phenylketonuria brought on by a defect in phenylalanine hydroxylase (see later on discussion).

From the remainder, most have benign hyperphenylalaninemia, by which circulating levels of phenylalanine are in between 0.1 mmol/L and one mmol/L. Nevertheless, around 1% of infants with persistent hyperphenylalaninemia have defects in the metabolic process of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), which is a stoichiometric cofactor for the hydroxylation reaction.

Unfortunately, BH4 is required not just for phenylalanine hydroxylase but also for tyrosine hydroxylase and tryptophan hydroxylase. The items of these latter two enzymes are catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmitters; thus, people with defects in BH4 metabolism endure not just from phenylketonuria (substrate accumulation) but additionally from absence of essential neurotransmitters (end-product deficiency).

Impacted individuals develop a severe neurologic disorder in early childhood manifested by hypotonia, inactivity, and developmental regression and are handled not only with nutritional restriction of phenylalanine but also with nutritional supplementation with BH4, dopa, and 5-hydroxytryptophan.

Help Getting Pregnant - Discover How to Beat Stress and Get Pregnant Fast and Naturally

Do you need help getting pregnant? Read and learn how to beat stress and prepare your body and mind for a healthy natural conception.

Truth to be told, amount of information can be overwhelming sometimes, especially with constant media influence. Perhaps, this is the time to consider alternate paths to get pregnant and finally move on.

Each woman's period of natural fertility is different, but in general it is about forty eight hours before ovulation and during the time she ovulates or releases her egg. Unfortunately the menstrual cycle is governed by the endocrinal system, and hormones can be adversely affected by stress. Stress can cause anovulation a condition which means that the ovaries do not produce an oocyte, and an oocyte is an immature female reproductive cell which will in time become an egg. Chronic anovulation leads to infertility.

Controlling stress is the most single powerful way to help you create the correct conditions to increase your fertility naturally. We are all aware about the long term affects of stress and the adverse affects that stress can have on our bodies but not all women are aware of the fact that stress can make you infertile. If you are having difficulty you must be able to control the levels of stress that you are under. Unfortunately infertility is stressful in itself, but unless you can effectively control your stress levels you are effectively shooting yourself in the foot when trying to conceive.

The adverse affects of too much stress are:

* Heart disease
* Depression
* Asthma
* Strokes
* Upset stomach
* Headache
* Backache
* Insomnia
* Anxiety
* Anger
* Mood swings
* Inability to concentrate
* Heightened confusion
* An inability to complete tasks
* Hypertension
* Haemorrhoids
* Varicose veins
* Infertility

Here are the essential tips on reducing stress levels naturally which can help boost your fertility:

* Exercise
Take regular daily exercise; elevate your heart rate for about twenty minutes. Low impact exercise does not need a gym or special equipment a walk around the block is fine.

* Reduce Your Caffeine
Caffeine is present in coffee and tea as well as in some soft drinks. Read the labels of your soft drinks carefully. Restrict your caffeine intake to one cup of tea or coffee a day. The healthiest drink you can replace it with is water.

* Get a Good Night's Sleep
The correct amount of sleep is crucial for physical and mental health; induce sleep by having a warm bath before retiring. Try to go to bed at the same time each night; don't have late nights or early nights.

* Breathe Deeply and Hold
Let your body detoxify itself by using deep breathing exercises which distributes the blood and brings back the toxins to rejuvenate your body.

We are talking basics here. Change of daily habits and lifestyle is one big step forward. Do you have what it takes to alter it?

4 Tactics to Help You Get Pregnant Fast

In an ongoing effort to get pregnant fast there are a number of tactics you can use to improve your odds of getting pregnant sooner rather than later.

#1 Understanding your cycle:

Your cycle is fairly regular and usually on the 14th day of your cycle your ovaries will release an egg that if fertilized, you will become pregnant. Once the egg is released, this is the opportune time to become pregnant. Getting this time right is of the utmost importance.

#2 Frequency of Sex:

Having sex during this time frame is crucial. There is no such thing as too much sex during the ovulation cycle. Sex once a day for about one week will ensure that you improve your opportunity to get pregnant. Sex three or four times a week will also increase your chances of getting pregnant fast, and this needs very little planning.

In actual fact the more spontaneous and fun it is the better.

#3 Living healthy:

Maintain a healthy weight, eat foods that are free of Trans fats and have a low fat content associated with them. Women's once a day type vitamins are also recommended as a crucial part in staying healthy and getting pregnant fast. Additionally make sure you are taking folic acid.

#4 Planning:

Consider any preconception planning if you or your partner has any health issues. Staying healthy, eating well, an active sex life and knowing your bodies signals, are all factors that will help you to get pregnant.

In conclusion, keep it simple and let nature take its course.

Benefits of the One Plan Health Insurance Blue Plan

Health insurance is not just for those with a six figure income, and it should not be a right but rather it should be a privilege. This might not be reality in South Africa at the moment but this is the vision of One Plan Health Insurance, a newcomer to the South African health care industry.

With One Plan medical aid everyone can afford to have health care at a price that will fit their pockets. And with the most basic plan starting at R100 a month, this can truly become a reality.

One Plan Health Insurance offers valuable services and products ranging from hospital plans, to cover in case of death and also cover for dread disease and HIV/AIDS cover. This means that One Plan Health Insurance truly is a one stop shop for all your health care needs, for you and you loved ones. Here is a look at what their comprehensive and affordable Blue Plan can offer you in the time that you will need it most.

What the One Plan Health Insurance Blue Plan Offers You

With the One Plan medical aid Blue Plan as a primary member you will receive R 5?250 worth of medical cover per year, excluding hospitalization, dread disease cover, and other benefits. This means that R 5?250 will go towards your average medical needs, like visiting a doctor, receiving prescription medication, pathology, radiology and maternity care.

Besides just covering your day to day medical needs One Plan Health Insurance will cover other crucial medical needs, such as accident cover, illness in hospital, emergency illness and natural birth and emergency caesareans.

Furthermore you will also receive accidental disability cover for up to R 130?000 for the duration of the policy. You and your family, if they are members, will also be covered in case of death, both accidental and from natural causes.

Optometry needs will also be covered and you will be able to have a comprehensive eye test, frames and specially cut glasses for your frames at any Eyenet optometrist nationwide. What more could you want from a health care provider?

But there is still more. As a member of One Plan Health Insurance you will also be able to take hold of amazing deals and goodies on offer from their online shopping mall, OneLiifestyle. Through the exclusive offers on their website you will be able to get discounts on over 300 trusted brands. So what have you got to lose?

Who can benefit from the One Plan Health Insurance Blue Plan

Those looking to cover themselves and their family in case of any medical emergency that might arise will benefit from the One Plane Health Insurance Blue Plan. And with low monthly rates it is not just the rich that can afford to look after their health. And with great value added bonuses there is no reason why you should not SMS them on 31644, and they will call you back.

My Fibroids Make Me Look Pregnant - Help!

"My fibroids make me look pregnant!" you exclaim. Sadly, fibroids can indeed cause your abdomen to swell so much that you can appear be be carrying an unborn baby. The extent to the swelling varies from woman to woman depending on the size of their fibroids but the uncomfortable truth is that if fibroids are left untreated, they are more likely to increase in size and rarely decrease unless you happen to be approaching the menopause.

This leaves women with some difficult decisions.

Conventional treatment for fibroids often leaves many women feeling very disappointed, particularly when they learn to their despair that drug treatment and even surgery only offer temporary solutions. Indeed, this is why many doctors recommend a "watchful waiting" approach.

If there can be a "good" thing about fibroids it is that they are rarely dangerous. This means that although they can be extremely uncomfortable and often cause terrible symptoms, you are unlikely to be doing yourself any harm by carefully considering your treatment options. Of course, if your fibroids are so large that they make you look pregnant, then you are probably wanting to do something sooner rather than later!

There are a number of natural treatments which can help you to deal with the symptoms of abdominal swelling. For example, lying with your legs elevated and stretching out your lower back can relieve discomfort. Also, fibroids which are large enough to cause abdominal swelling are also likely to cause other problematic symptoms such as urinary incontinence, constipation and sexual difficulties.

If you are indeed one of the many women who feel "My fibroids make me look pregnant" it may be worth considering trying a natural treatment. Many women have discovered that by eliminating the root causes of their fibroids, effectively neutralising the body so that fibroids cannot thrive there, they have managed to shrink their fibroids completely, thus completely flattening their stomachs.

The approach used encompasses significant dietary and lifestyle changes, cleansing regimes, toxin elimination, stress management and gentle exercise.

5 Essential C Section After Care Tips

C sections are taken so lightly these days but for a variety of reasons they are needed and you will receive some fantastic c section after care in the hospital.

But what happens when you leave hospital?

Unfortunately there is little information available about what your c section after care should be and most Moms come home from the hospital with a vague idea about what they should and shouldn't do. Some Moms recover quickly, some have pain for a long time and some even end up back in hospital with complications from their surgery.

Here are 5 tips for your c section after care to make sure that you make a speedy, full and complication free recovery from your surgery.

Rest - As with any new Mom, rest is ohh, so important. But the difference with you is that you have also just had major abdominal surgery. Your c section after care should reflect this, so get plenty of physical rest.

No straining - Because your stomach muscles have all been cut it will take about 6 weeks for them to knit together enough for you to lift anything. The general rule in c section after care is to lift nothing heavier than your baby for the first six weeks.

No stretching - Do little stretching of the abdominal area for the same reasons - especially in the first couple of weeks. Not only are your muscles healing but so is your skin and the nerves, so any over stretching could at best affect the way that your scar looks, at worst you could even open your wound up. This is why things like vacuuming and hanging out washing are not recommended as part of your c section after care.

Eat - The fourth c section after care tip is to eat. I know that you may not feel that well, you will be tired, sore and swollen, but your body actually needs more of the right foods now to help you to feed baby and heal quickly.

Exercise - Our final c section after care tip may seem contradictory, but you do need to incorporate some form of exercise into your recovery. This means just gentle walking or movement. Not a lot - just enough to get the blood and nutrients moving to all the places that need them - like your wound and your feet.

Many women find that their feet swell up like balloons after their c section thanks to all the fluid build up, so the sooner that you are able to get moving, the sooner the fluid will be reabsorbed.

There are specific exercises that you can do right from day one that will help to speed up your recovery and reduce your pain significantly.

Are You Pregnant With No Insurance? Health Care Reform May Help

For years Medicaid was the only option for women who became pregnant but had no health insurance coverage. Medicaid is designed for low-income workers, so many women find that their income is too high to qualify for this benefit. Health care reform has created another option, but like Medicaid it's not for everyone. But when you need adequate coverage to ensure the health of you and your baby, something is better than nothing.

With passage of the Healthcare Reform Act pregnant women without insurance have a new option: the high risk pool. The act calls for each state to set up a temporary insurance plan for people with pre-existing conditions who have been uninsured for at least six months. The plans will remain in place until December 31, 2013, when a new more permanent option will become available.

These high risk pools do not come with income limits as does Medicaid. Medicaid has income qualifications for categorically and medically needy groups. Contact your local state office for income guidelines. If you can qualify, Medicaid is your best option as it begins coverage almost immediately and will cover your prenatal care needs.

For those who do not meet the Medicaid income guidelines your state high risk pool is a new option. You must be a U.S. citizen or national or lawfully present in the United States, and you must have been without any creditable coverage for at least 6 months, and you must have a pre-existing condition. Your pregnancy is a pre-existing condition.

In most states your office visits, prenatal and maternity care, hospital care, and some certain infant formulas will be covered. This plan is administered by each state, but the plan is federally subsidized so the premium costs may be lower than what you might find elsewhere where pre-existing conditions preclude you from getting coverage.

The drawback to this plan is the six month without creditable coverage requirement. You and your baby need care right from the beginning. But if you are locked out of individual coverage because of your pre-existing condition, and earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, you can at least get adequate coverage during the most critical stage of your pregnancy: your last trimester.

Controlling Eczema During Pregnancy and Breast Feeding

Controlling Eczema during pregnancy is often a worry for expectant mothers. Due to hormonal changes in the body eczema flare ups can often occur while pregnant and there will regularly be concern about how to treat and control break outs.

The health and well-being of your developing baby is of course the number one concern for all expecting mothers and so the use of drugs to control skin problems and the use of drugs in general while pregnant needs to be considered with caution.

If you have taken treatment for your skin problems before being pregnant and if you have used medication to control eczema you must consult your dermatologist and obstetrician before continuing to use these drugs. Some medications used in the control of skin problems can cause developmental defects in developing fetuses. Your dermatologist can help you to decide the risks and analyse the benefits of using your prescribed medication while pregnant.

Remedies that are natural in nature can be used in pregnancy but only after consultation again with your dermatologist and obstetrician. Treatments that have been advertised as natural or herbal sometimes have proved to be harmful to both the mother and baby during pregnancy. Please only ever use a treatment or remedy after full consultation about it with your health care professional.

While pregnant you should try to take extra care of your skin if you suffer from eczema. Good skin care can help cut out flare ups so avoiding the need to use drugs in treatment. Follow these tips to help look after your skin.

* Avoid long showers and baths. Taking longer showers and baths can dry out your skin.

* Use warm water to bathe not hot water. Hot water again dries the skin by using warm water you will avoid dying the skin out and prevent flare ups.

* Use a cleanser. Cleaning the skin with a gentle cleanser will help to wash dirt and germs away from your skin.

* Use a good moisturizer. Keeping your skin moisturized is essential in avoiding dry cracked skin.

You know your own body better than anyone else. Avoid things that trigger flare ups. These may be things such as pets, fragrances, certain foods, avoid these to avoid flare ups.

All of the above points can equally be raised when nursing your new baby and breast-feeding. It is essential to try to avoid unnecessary use of drugs when nursing. Drugs and other substances that enter your body can end up in your breast milk and hence be transferred to your baby.

Postnatal Depression - Identifying the More Usual Symptoms of It

Here are some of the symptoms of a woman with postnatal depression:

• She may cry frequently or feel tearful-There are some women who may not actually cry. However, women with postnatal depression may weep steadily for an entire day or describe the feeling that they are occasionally on the verge of crying for some.



• She may feel less hungry-A woman who is down with postnatal depression might not feel hungry and might skip a meal or two. Besides, she has a smaller appetite than before. This in turn leads to extreme weight loss in them.



• She may feel more hungry-For some women, eating can comfort them and act as a way of coping with their feelings of depression. However, this may result in an extreme weight gain.



• She is unable to sleep-A person with postnatal depression may have difficulty in sleeping. This could mean not being able to get off to sleep, or waking up very early and not being able to go back to sleep. Therefore, this can be extremely frustrating when have trouble falling asleep even when your child is sleeping soundly.



• She sleeps a lot-Some women describes that they feel sleepy all the time, no matter how much sleep they have had. This may seems to be just due to the sleepless nights that all new parents experience, but in actual fact, only a woman with postnatal depression would show such symptoms.
  



• She feels exhausted most of the time-She may constantly feel tired, lethargic or drained of energy, so much till she is unable to cope with the daily tasks.



• She might not be able to concentrate-Being distracted and confused is common for women with postnatal depression. She might even find it hard to finish the task that she started a while ago.



• She is unable to make simple decisions-Making simple decisions such as what to wear may seem impossible for her.



• She is unable to cope with almost everything-Simple little things, things that she used to do without even thinking about are beyond her. This would therefore lead to her trying so hard to do even the little things to get by. In other words, a woman with postnatal depression may feel inadequate and incapable and start questioning her ability to look after her child completely.



• She has little interest in her looks and surroundings-She might not see the point in washing herself or even getting herself dressed. Besides, she have totally no interest in her home or her everyday life.



• She cares too much about her appearance and surroundings-Alternatively, an obvious symptom of postnatal depression is her being obsessively tidy and trying to maintain impossibly high standards in her home.

Do consult your family doctor if you have one of more symptoms that are mentioned above. Don't drag the matter further as a late diagnosis could cause your illness to worsen.

Using Essential Oil to Fight Depression

Depression is real. It is not something to be ignored, laughed at, scoffed at, nor is it something to be ashamed of. It can come from many different causes-hormonal imbalances, diet, exposure to chemicals, as a side effect from medication, and more. There are also different kinds of depression, seasonal depression, postpartum depression, panic disorders, anxiety, and others. I'm not going to go into the various kinds and causes here. Be aware that in order to fully rid yourself of depression you will need to explore diet, environment, and your health. That's a step you can take a little further down the road. It amazed me as I researched depression how depressing many of the articles and information were that I read! I didn't have a problem with depression and then I started researching it and started feeling low. That's not what we want to do here. I want to give you some good, solid ways to use essential oils to give you a lift, a hand up, a smile, a dose of hope so that you can get to feeling better. Once you've accomplished that then you'll be in a better frame of mind to begin exploring your options to restored health.

Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils, can have an incredible effect on your emotional outlook. We all know that scents can affect us emotionally. We use perfumes and colognes to make us more attractive. We associate memories with various smells. A newborn baby learns to identify his mother by sense of smell before his eyes are developed enough to focus. Diffusing an essential oil (spreading the aroma throughout a room) can have a profound and almost immediate effect on mood. Scent is a vital part of our lives. The limbic system is considered to be the oldest system in the human body. The limbic system is made up of several organs that together process scents and determine how the body will respond. These responses often involve emotions, especially those that are related to survival such as fear and reproductive urges. The limbic system is also tied in closely to determining which memories will be stored and how they will be recalled. The hypothalamus is also a part of the limbic system. It has a major role in monitoring and regulating hormones.

Essential oils have an aroma that activates the limbic system through smell. Essential oils also have the ability to affect our hormones. They can help us eliminate unwanted toxins from the body. They can help ease pain. They can carry oxygen to the cells of our body. Essential oils applied to the skin can be detected in the blood in as little as twenty seconds! The essential oil molecules are smaller than our cells; they permeate our bodies and affect us on a cellular level. There are ten main systems in our body: integumentary (skin), skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine (hormones), digestive, respiratory, circulatory, urinary, and reproductive and essential oils can affect them all!

Here's a quick list of essential oils that are commonly used in relieving depression:

• Basil (especially good for manic depression and anxiety)


• Bergamot


• Blossom blend


• Brain Gem blend


• Cedarwood


• Chamomile, Roman


• Clary Sage


• Frankincense


• Geranium


• Grapefruit


• Helichrysum


• Juniper Berry


• Lavender


• Loving Care blend


• Marjoram (especially helpful with grief based depression)


• Orange


• Palmarosa


• Peppermint (especially helpful if you can't stay awake)


• Quiet Scent blend (especially good for when you can't sleep)


• Ravensara


• Rose


• Rosemary (especially helpful if you're anxious)


• Sandalwood

*All blends mentioned are Be Young blends.

**A warm or hot essential oil that you will want to use diluted with carrier oil before applying to the skin. If you use without a carrier and it feels hot DO NOT rinse with water, it will get hotter, apply a carrier oil to the area and it will cool it.

As you can see, there are quite a few to choose from. The best way to choose is to smell each one. If you smell an essential oil and it's just nasty smelling to you, you're not going to want to use it, you'll hesitate because it's not a pleasant experience. When you find that oil that you just want to crawl in the bottle and live there, that's the one for you! I worked with a gentleman whose oil of choice for improving his mood was Birch. Now, that's not on the list above, but Birch oil smelled like root beer to him and started him reminiscing about his childhood days and homemade root beer and always lifted his mood and made him smile. It was the perfect pick-me-up for him. Here we see the perfect example of how powerful smell is in affecting the emotions.

Diffusing an essential oil is a powerful way to impact your mood. You can set a timer so that the oil is released into the air at certain intervals. I use a diffuser that is set to diffuse fifteen minutes out of every hour. You can also purchase a pendant diffuser. This is simply a necklace made of clay you add the oil to or a hollow necklace with a wick inside you put the oil on. Some people prefer a sniff stick-it looks kind of like a tube of chap stick, but inside is a cotton wick that you add the essential oil to. Whenever you need a whiff you open it up and the aroma comes out. Some people simply carry the bottle of essential oil with them and open it up when needed, just be careful the lid doesn't come undone in your pocket so the oil spills. Find what works best for you.

Frankincense is perhaps the most often used essential oil for depression. Many people have been able to discontinue use of antidepressants by using Frankincense. First, make sure you have a 100% pure essential oil of Frankincense. Frankincense is an expensive oil so it is often cut or synthesized. If you're not familiar with the various essential oil companies, you can get a good idea of the oil's purity by its price. I recommend the Be Young brand; they stand strong against diluting an essential oil in any way before you receive it. They also regularly test their essential oils to make sure that the grower didn't dilute it before they received it. Why do you care? If you'll recall, up in the first paragraph I listed some of the causes of depression, among them are exposure to chemicals. If an essential oil is synthesized (made with chemicals) or improperly extracted (with chemicals) those chemicals are now a part of that essential oil and can be carried into every cell in your body.

This will only compound the problems you are experiencing. It is absolutely vital that you get the best essential oil you can or you may be feeding the fires of depression instead of smothering them. To use Frankincense to replace your antidepressant, every morning put a drop of Frankincense under your tongue. Carry Frankincense essential oil with you throughout the day. Some days are one drop days, some are ten drop days. If you have difficulties getting just one drop or can't handle the taste, put it in a little bit of water. You can purchase droppers that can be used with essential oils so you can control how many drops you get. Always consult with your doctor when decreasing any medication! Use an essential oil two hours before or after taking a medication so that they do not interfere with each other.

Ways to use essential oils for depression:

• Diffuse or use the essential oil as a room spray (To make a room spray add 10-12 drops of essential oil to 1-2 ounces of filtered water in a glass spray bottle. Shake and spray. Always shake before each use and use a glass bottle as the essential oils will eat through a plastic bottle.)


• Internally (Frankincense especially and ONLY if you are sure the oil is pure, like the Be Young brand) Apply a drop or two under the tongue, or take in a capsule filled with carrier oil


• Apply a drop to the back of the neck and the temples


• Use in a massage (add 5-6 drops of essential oil to an ounce of carrier oil and massage with this blend)


• In a bath (Add 5-6 drops of your chosen essential oil to 1/4-1/2 cup bath salts or Epsom(tm) salts, then add to your bath water. Soak for twenty minutes and rinse off. Always rinse off, the combination of salt and essential oils will pull toxins from your body to the surface of the skin. If you don't rinse off you will reabsorb those toxins and may develop a rash. Always add to the salts before the water or the essential oils will float on top of the water.)


• Simply open the bottle and inhale


• Use as a perfume, apply a drop or two to your pulse points


• If you're feeling anxious, apply a drop to the tops of your ears

After you start feeling better you'll want to begin modifying diet. Often depression is caused because various chemical receptors within the body are blocked by toxins. Start with the Liver Cleanse (see my article on Liver Cleanse for more information) and begin eliminating prepared foods and other harmful activities from your diet and lifestyle. A lack of calcium can often contribute to depression. Carbonated beverages (especially those in the cola category) leach calcium from the body. The neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin control depression. Trace minerals allow our bodies to use these neurotransmitters. A good source of trace minerals is Masaji(tm) (a whole food supplement created by Be Young, it also contains Frankincense and Rose essential oils.)

Some fun recipe blends you may want to try:

Recipe #1

10 drops Bergamot

5 drops Clary Sage

2 drops Rose

(Note, Bergamot can cause photosensivity in some individuals, avoid direct exposure of skin with Bergamot oil applied to it to the sun or tanning beds for 24 hours. As long as the skin is covered by clothing you should be fine.)

Recipe #2 (guilt and depression)

15 drops Geranium

5 drops Lavender

10 drops Bergamot

This should give you some good ideas. Don't allow yourself to get overwhelmed, pick one direction and give it a try, give it a week or so and then evaluate yourself-no change, try a different oil; some change, add something in addition to; great change, congratulations! Start making modifications (slowly, one step at a time) to your diet and environment and enjoy your journey to health and happiness!

Pregnancy and Exercise, How to Stay Fit While Being Pregnant

EXERCISE SAFELY

The first thing to understand when you exercise during your pregnancy is to take extra care. This doesn't mean exercise less, rather be sure to know and understand your body limits. Even though exercising during your pregnancy can be beneficial, there are certain risks involved that may be detrimental. Be sure to check in with your doctor or midwife to ensure that you are able to exercise during pregnancy.

Once you have the go-ahead from your physician, keep them updated with how you are doing. Are you experiencing fatigue or pain while you are exercising during your pregnancy? Be sure to let them know if that's the case. It's important to have caution while exercising, and if you're in doubt, check in with your physician. It is also very important to remember that exercising while pregnant isn't mean to improve your physical fitness, rather maintain your physical condition.

While choosing an exercise to do during your pregnancy, be sure to consider ones that involve a partner - be it your spouse, or a friend. Pick pregnancy exercises that you enjoy, as that will help you to stay motivated to exercise during pregnancy Stay away from pregnancy exercises where you might be in danger of falling, losing your balance or getting hit in the abdomen, as these might increase the chance of something going wrong during your pregnancy.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD WORKOUT?

Finding a pregnancy exercise that you enjoy and being able to fit into your schedule is important. You'll soon notice that once you start to experience the benefits of exercising during pregnancy, you'll want to ensure that you exercise regularly. Keep in mind that the best resource for exercise while pregnant will be your healthcare provider.

Two stages of exercising that are important are warming up and cooling down. Even with an exercise such as walking, this will help you to avoid and prevent muscle soreness and stiffness. Try to include 5 to 15 minute sessions of warming up and cooling down while you exercise during your pregnancy.

The best warm up activity is one that is kept at a low-intensity, rhythmic activity, such as walking, or riding a stationary bike. Follow that up with slow, controlled stretches, before proceeding with a higher level of activity. A gentle cool down is also important as you exercise during pregnancy. In order to have an effective cool down, stretch each muscle, one at a time. Gentle toning pregnancy exercises are safe if you keep them to a moderate level. You might also try to include relaxation or deep-breathing exercises as well.

Below is a short list of signs that you should stop exercising:

1) Bloody discharge or any gush of fluid from the vagina

2) Unexplained pain in the abdomen

3) Persistent headaches, changes in vision, faintness or dizziness

4) Marked fatigue, heart palpitations or chest pains

5) Sudden swelling of ankles, face or your hands

HOW MUCH EXERCISE SHOULD I DO?

The best way to decide how much and how often you should exercise during your pregnancy is to follow the FITT principle - Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type.

FREQUENCY

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, women who are pregnant should not exercise for longer than 30 minutes. Even though you may feel good, and that you can keep going, your pregnant body can only handle so much. A good workout program at the beginning of your pregnancy is one that is performed three times a week.

INTENSITY

Throughout your pregnancy, you should aim to exercise moderately. Again, the idea is not to improve your physical fitness, rather to maintain. Overtraining can be damaging to you and your body, as well as your baby's. Learn how to take your pulse, and do not exceed 15 to 20 beats per minute more than normal. If you find it difficult to talk while you are exercising, you might be exercising to heavily while you are pregnant.

TIME

Be advised that you should begin your exercising in short workouts. Pushing yourself to quickly might result in soreness of the muscles, as well as exhaustion. During the first few weeks of your pregnancy, you should exercise no more than 15 minute sessions. Once you feel comfortable with that duration, exercising for up to 30 minutes during your pregnancy should benefit you greatly. This increase in time shouldn't occur until you are into your second trimester, however. It is important that you listen to your body if you exercise while being pregnant. If you find yourself tired and sore after a workout, cut back until you can feel comfortable with the amount.

TYPE

Whether you prefer to exercise during your pregnancy alone, or with a friend or group of friends, it's important to decide which type of activity you will perform. Some activities that women who are pregnant find helpful are swimming, walking, stair-climbing, stationary cycling, and special prenatal aerobics and aquatic classes. Some of these activities such as walking and swimming, can be done in moderation even up until the day you deliver.

The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Breastfeeding

As an OB, my patients ask me just as? many questions about breastfeeding as they ask about pregnancy itself. I don't mind at all because it is such an important topic. Over the years, I have scribbled many of these questions in my notebook so that I could research the most current information for new mothers eager to learn how to feed their babies the natural way.

Now, these questions are the basis for this week's?article which is written just for you, with a completely different mindset and format than all my previous articles. Before writing however, I decided to interview the head lactation consultant, Ms. Renate Abstoss at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut, to get a second opinion and gather her responses. Ms. Abstoss sat for the first International Board Exam for Lactation Consultants in 1985 and has continuously worked in the field since that time in California, New York, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Connecticut. She was the first lactation consultant appointed as State Certified Teacher for Bavarian Midwifery schools.

There are probably many variations of responses to these questions so please consider this information helpful, but not absolute. I welcome any additional "pearls" from other lactation consultants or experienced moms so we can share the knowledge and promote the best nutritional health for babies everywhere.

What are the most common problems that women encounter when pumping?

Dwindling milk supply is probably the foremost problem that women encounter when pumping milk. This can be attributed to many different factors.

Infrequent pumping

A working woman should try and pump every 3 hours for 10 to 15 minutes or at least for every missed feeding

Inefficient pumping

Pump being used may have inadequate pressure or not enough cycles per minute causing a decrease in the milk supply.

Lack of breast feeding

Even when mom is home from work, she should try and breast feed the baby to stimulate milk production. For convenience, babies may be bottle fed too frequently.

Painful nipples

This can be due to a bad pump due to excessive suction pressure, pumping for too long a period of time, or poor latch when the baby does breast feed.

Fatigue and exhaustion

The stress of taking care of a newborn along with pressure from work and home can result in exhaustion and fatigue which can decrease the milk supply.

How do I increase my milk supply?

There are several medications and herbal products available to help with increasing the milk supply. To increase an existing milk supply, one can take two herbal supplements in combination fenugreek and blessed thistle, both of which are available in health food stores and have no known contraindications.

The two most commonly used prescription drugs are Metoclopramide and Domperidone both of which were designed as stomach medications but were found to increase prolactin production in the brain. The medication Domperidone, (Motlium) is not approved for use in the United States and the FDA has issued warnings against the use of this drug as a galactagogue because in higher dosages, when given intravenously, Domperidooe it was associated with cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac arrest. However, the small dosages that are used when given orally to increase lactation (30-40 mg/day) and for the short duration of three to six weeks does not seem to be a great concern. Patients generally obtain this medication from Canadian pharmacies or from Mexico and Europe where it is over the counter. Studies are now being conducted by ILCA (International Lactation Consultant Association) regarding the safety of domperidone.

Metoclopramide (commonly known as Reglan), used to treat severe nausea in pregnancy, has been known to have a side effect of depression so its use has to be carefully monitored in the postpartum mother. The drug can be detected in breast milk and the long term side effects to infants is unknown.

How do I treat plugged milk ducts?

Milk ducts that do not drain can cause the milk to back up resulting in a plugged milk duct. Often the the surrounding breast tissue becomes hardened and inflamed. This area can eventually become infected resulting in a mastitis requiring antibiotic therapy. Plugged ducts often occur when:

Mom misses feedings

Mom fails to pump frequently

The breast fails to empty

Nursing more frequently

Changing positioning

Improving the latch of the baby (sometimes a shield is necessary). A lactation consultant would be very instructive in this situation.

This can be a result of incorrect positioning, inadequate pressure from a pump, or restriction of milk flow from poorly fitting bras or any kind of breast trauma that damages the duct. Fatigue, stress, or failure of the baby to latch on properly can also contribute to this problem.

Standard Treatment consists of moist heat beforehand for approximately 5 minutes, empty breast as much as possible, cool compresses afterwards, and reduce swelling in between feedings. Massaging the duct towards the nipple may also be helpful. If the plug comes out, it may look like dried milk in a string. One should continue to nurse to fully clear the plug. Apply cold compresses via an ice pack or a plastic bag of frozen peas for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Fresh cabbage leaves to the area is another herbal remedy that can be used in between feedings to help with engorgement. Cabbage leaves can be left in the bra for approximately one hour until it wilts. It is important to avoid the nipple area when applying the cabbage leaf because the cabbage is caustic and can cause irritation

What do I do if the baby does not latch on?

Latch problems can depend upon the situation causing them:

It may be due to a newborn who is just learning how to latch.

Assistance from a lactation consultant can be very helpful in making sure the baby is latched deeply with a mouth very wide to get all the breast tissue. The baby should be latched well beyond the tip of the nipple. Often latching problems occur because the baby fails to flare the bottom lip.

Is it due to flat or inverted nipples?

If the problem is due to flat or inverted nipples, a suction device, pump, or nipple shield may be used to avoid engorgement by expressing the milk. This will avoid a lowered or disappearing milk supply. Different lactation consultants and hospitals may prefer one modality over another, however all agree that care has to be taken when using any device that serious trauma or damage does not occur to the nipple.

Once the baby is "educated" that the breast is his or her "food supply", generally the baby will nurse fine. It is helpful to try and get beyond the first few days when only colostrum is present, until the milk comes in. Try and avoid avoid artificial nipples at the very beginning.

Is the baby not hungry at this time?

Is there a nursing strike?

A "nursing strike" can occur if a well nursing baby, beyond the newborn period suddenly refuses to nurse. This can occur often after 4 months of age when a mother will state "my seven month old baby just suddenly weaned herself." These babies are not weaning but are actually facing a situation where nursing has become unpleasant, boring, or painful. Often these infants need to be taught to return to a functional breastfeeding pattern with increased skin to skin contact, trying to nurse in a quiet, calm environment without distractions, such as nursing at night in bed. Bottles should be avoided but spoon or cup feeding with expressed milk is acceptable. If the underlying cause is treated, most babies will happily go back to their normal nursing pattern.

Is the baby getting sick?

Causes of poor latch can be an undiagnosed ear infection, a urinary tract infection, or an upper respiratory infection. Check with your pediatrician to be sure an illness is not being missed. Maternal stress can also cause this problem.

Regardless of the problem, it is important to remove the milk as efficiently as possible if an established supply exists to avoid engorgement which will lower or cause the milk supply to disappear.

If the baby is not latching, it is important to stimulate the establishment of milk production through use of a pump.

How do I wean the baby when I have decided to transfer to a bottle?

Weaning is the time the baby transitions away from the breast. Time frames for weaning can vary from weeks to months.

Slow weaning is always more optimal. Some mothers will use the pump for weaning and stop breastfeeding entirely. One option for weaning would be to reduce the time per pumping, ie instead of pumping for 15 minutes, reduce it to 10 minutes. This can gradually be dropped down to 2 to 3 minutes per session. An alternative way to wean is to increase the interval between pumping sessions, ie from every 3 hours to every 4, 6 or even 8 hours. If desired, one can use ice packs after pumping for comfort. Also, Motrin can be used for anti-inflammatory pain relief. A comfortable, tight bra can also help with support and relief. Nursing pads can be used to prevent excess leakage. A recommended herbal remedy can be drinking 3 cups of sage tea which is available in health food stores. It has a strong and astringent taste so adding honey makes it more palatable. Do not use this if currently pregnant since it has abortive action.

On occasion, sudden weaning becomes necessary. Discomfort is generally greater since the breast continues to make milk and the breast remains engorged. Nursing can be replaced with pumping but only pump the breast to allow comfort and not to completely drain. Increase time frame between pumpings.

Three days of Sudafed can help dry up the milk production. The milk supply decreases as you feed less. The milk quality also changes becoming more salty and colostrum-like which many babies do not like. Consequently, this also helps diminish the nursing.

Fit Pregnancy: The Right Ways of Exercising During Pregnancy

Appropriate pregnancy exercises are beneficial to both moms-to-be and the fetus. Firstly, it helps to maintain muscle tone and make the progress of labor easier; Secondly, it helps to control body weight within a healthy range, and helps postpartum mothers recover their body shape easier as well. However, pregnant women should keep in mind that you can only exercise during certain stages of pregnancy, providing adopting suitable exercises for different stages and individual physical condition. In this article, we will discuss the ways that are not suitable for moms-to-be.

(1) Fit pregnancy - exercises that are not suitable for expecting mothers

If you are in pregnancy 3 months to 28 weeks, you should pay attention to the exercise types you choose. It is wise to do some leisure exercises such as swimming, tai chi, walking, yoga and other relatively simple sports. Do avoid strong abdominal exercises, or movements that require lots of jumping or sprinting such as badminton, tennis, horseback riding and scuba diving. Among these, diving is the most dangerous as it can easily make pregnant women in hypoxia state and thus cause fetal malformations.

Moreover, exercises that cause fatigue or over-sweating are not suitable to pregnant women. In addition, you should drink plenty of water during exercise, and it is best to add some fruit juice instead of drinking plain water. Cola and sports drinks are definitely a big no-no to a healthy pregnancy.

When you experience vaginal bleeding, fluid flow, unusual pain or sudden pain, chest pain, difficulty in breathing, severe or persistent headache or dizziness and other issues, you must stop exercising immediately and visit your doctor.

2) Fit pregnancy - exercises for different stages of pregnancy

You must be very careful in choosing exercise types during the first trimester. Strenuous exercises must be avoided during this period. In pregnancy for 3 months to 28 week period, pregnant women can do some appropriate exercises. But after 28 weeks in pregnancy, it is not advisable to do sports because the fetus has grown very large at this time, and inappropriate body movements may cause allergic contractions, leading to premature delivery and other issues.

(3) Fit pregnancy - how to exercise during pregnancy

Breathing exercises are often the best for pregnant women as it can help pregnant women relax, being present and also help in the delivery process with the contractions.

Shallow breathing: sitting on the floor, crossed legs in the front, back straight, exhale with mouth breathing.

Deep breathing: sitting on the floor in a comfortable position, crossed legs in the front, keep your back straight, deep breathing and then slowly exhale, repeat the exercise.

Other than breathing exercise, pregnant women can also do some muscles exercises including pelvic muscle and thigh muscles exercises. Pelvic muscles are likely to be weakened during pregnancy. Strengthening these muscles is very important for pregnant women to have a smooth delivery. You can do pelvic muscles exercise 300 to 350 times a day. This exercise is very simple, you just need to hold back as hard as possible to tighten the muscles (just like holding back when you feel like urinating) and then relax. Repeat this exercise 30 times and take a break when you feel tired.

Thigh muscles exercise is quite simple as well: sitting straight on the floor, keep soles of your feet tight and opposite to each other. Use your hands holding the ankles, and try to move them closer to your body. Then use your elbows pressing down your thighs, keep this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 15 times.

Overall, it is advisable to keep your doctor informed if you want to engage in any regular exercise. For pregnancy exercises, warm-up activities are very important. Aerobic exercises such as walking and gentle stretching are good exercises for a full warm-up.

5 Ways to Prevent Miscarriage

According to National Infertility Association and contrary to the common belief, as many as 70% of pregnancies may end in miscarriage! With more than 50% of losses going undetected and mistaken for a period. Formerly it was believed that only 15-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Those figures seems small to the alarmingly high numbers reported today.

The two most common reasons a miscarriage occurs are:

1. The product of pregnancy - the embryo was damaged and could not develop into a healthy baby.
2. The environment - the embryo's environment did not support its healthy development.

Either way the culprit can be found on the cellular level.

Chromosomal abnormalities, immune abnormalities and progesterone deficiency are some of the reasons of miscarriages. However they don't exist without a cause.

The delicate internal balance between hormones, nutrients and toxins in both partners determines what you will be passing onto the embryo and how your body will react to it.

Be that as may the bottom line is - Healthy Couples are Fertile Couples!

Here are 5 ways you can minimize the risk of miscarriage and maximize your chances of taking home a healthy baby:

1. Could you be zinc deficient?

Zinc is the most important mineral for the reproductive system. Zinc deficiency among many other things impairs body's ability to properly maintain pregnancy in women and produce healthy sperm in men.

Unfortunately zinc competes for absorption with the most of the nutrients from food and is often called the "lonely mineral". This means it is one of the minerals which is most likely to be deficient. On top of that artificial hormones in the form of oral contraceptives and ovulation drugs significantly reduce its levels further.

Some symptoms of zinc deficiency:

o Frequent colds and infections
o White spots on fingernails
o Mental exhaustion
o Poor appetite
o Dry skin and hair
o Poor sense of taste and smell

How to boost your zinc levels:

o Good sources of zinc are: lean meat, whole grains, egg yolk and oysters.
o Take a zinc supplement last thing at night to ensure its absorption.

2. Boost your progesterone levels

Progesterone aka pregnancy hormone needs to be at the optimal level for pregnancy to be maintained.
Progesterone deficiency is characterized by PMS and short cycles and is often referred to as a luteal phase defect.

What to do?

Ensure adequate intake of magnesium and vitamin B6 for production of progesterone.
Foods like seeds, nuts and egg yolk are rich in B vitamins and dark green leafy vegetables, legumes and nuts are a good source of magnesium. However you may need to supplement to get optimal therapeutic doses of each. If you eat non organically grown food, the likelihood of nutrient depletion of those foods is high.

3. Increase your vitamin C intake

The strength of the lining of your uterus (womb) is crucial when you are trying to conceive and stay pregnant. More commonly than not, when the connective tissue is weak the embryo will not be able to attach or stay attached. The quality of the connective tissue and blood vessels depends on how much vitamin C and bioflavonoids are present in the body. Bioflavonoids help the body absorb more vitamin C and also contribute to the strength of the connective tissue.

Where do you find vitamin C?

Citrus fruits: preferably lemons, limes and grapefruits as well as berries which are loaded with bioflavonoids.

4. Butt it out for good

Miscarriages more commonly occur when the male partner has low sperm counts and visually abnormal sperm. Smoking severely impacts the quality and quantity of sperm. Scientists discovered that quitting smoking has increased sperm count in men who quit smoking for 5-15 months by 50-800% respectively.
Here is how to give it up for good:

1. Set a date to quit
2. Tell all those close to you that you are quitting
3. If both partners smoke, quit together
4. When the date arrives throw out all the smoking paraphernalia (cigarettes, ashtrays...) from your home, car etc..
5. When you get the urge to light up get up, walk, take a few breaths of fresh air and have some water instead
6. Change your routines to reduce the association with smoking (coffee, drinks and parties)...

And remember:

1. Body's addiction to nicotine only lasts for 3 days
2. It takes 21 days to get rid of the old habit and to acquire a new habit
3. Nature abhors vacuum! So if you give up something make sure you replace it with something else that's good for you.

4. Put that drink down and Give up coffee

When trying to conceive it's best to stay clear from all the alcohol. Alcohol is very harmful to woman's eggs and men sperm before conception. As little as ONE glass can reduce fertility by 50%! This can further lead to damage of developing embryo and result in a miscarriage.
Are you aware of the scientific fact that drinking coffee before and during pregnancy doubles the risk of miscarriage? Studies have found that drinking as little as one cup of coffee per day increase the risk of non conceiving by 55%. Every additional cup keeps raising the risk even further.
There are great coffee substitutes available in health food shops and you might want to give them a try.

5. Optimal preconception care

Optimal preconception care started well before you try to conceive has been found to reduce most of the common causes of miscarriages.

And remember if you want a complete guide with step-by-step instructions on how to boost your fertility naturally with exact therapeutic dosages of nutrients and food sources as well as dozens or more natural fertility strategies, see my "Essential Nutrients for Preconception and Pregnancy Chart" that's part of my "Natural Fertility Cures Program" available at http://www.natural-fertility-cures.com.

Fish Oil During Pregnancy: Benefits And Safety

Are you worried that consuming fish oil during pregnancy may be unsafe? Don't be. It is perfectly fine and is often recommended by doctors. But there a few things you need to know.

During pregnancy, your unborn baby gets the majority of his or her foods from your own diet. This includes all the vitamins and minerals as well.

Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids and these are essential during pregnancy as they are a family of building blocks that help in the development of the child. The two essential elements of omega-3 are DHA and EPA. These are only found in fish and not plant-based omega-3 sources.

The body cannot produce these essential fatty acids on its own so they need to come from the food you eat.

The Benefits Of Fish Oil During Pregnancy

These fats are essential to your overall health whatever your age in life. They can help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and promote good brain and heart health. During pregnancy they are responsible for the development of the foetus' eyes and brain.

A diet high in omega-3 can also reduce the chances of your baby developing illnesses such as asthma and other allergic conditions. These fatty acids can also help reduce the risk of a premature birth.

Studies have also shown that fish oil may prevent the development of postnatal depression following the birth.

What Foods Contain omega-3?

The most common source of omega-3 is cold water fish such as salmon, tuna, hoki, trout and halibut. These all have high levels of the essential DHA and EPA.

Some eggs contain DHA due to the diet fed to the hens. These are usually sold as high-DHA eggs. However, the amounts in these eggs are too low to be really beneficial.

Some foods are also now fortified with omega-3, such as margarine.

The most common way to get the benefits of fish oil during pregnancy is to take a supplement. These provide the right amount of essential fatty acids that are required to experience the benefits. They are also cleaned of any toxins such as heavy metals that often contaminate fish.

Are All Fish Safe?

No they are not! There are certain fish that should not be consumed while you are pregnant. These include the following:

• Shark


• Swordfish


• Tilefish


• Marlin

These fish are usually contaminated with high levels of mercury and should not be eaten.

What To Look for When Choosing A Supplement

Quality fish oil during pregnancy is important; otherwise you may not get the benefits. There are certain things you can look out for to ensure that you are getting a quality product and avoiding the many low quality omega-3 supplements that are flooding the market.

• Ensure that the product lists the fish that are used for the oil. Avoid fish like cod, which is often highly contaminated.


• You want the fish to be sourced from clean waters. Avoid fish that have been caught in the polluted water of the North Sea.


• Ensure that the oil has been purified and the possibility of any contaminates removed.


• Make sure the oil has a high concentration of both DHA and EPA as these are where the health benefits lie!

Follow these guidelines to ensure a quality product and your fish oil during pregnancy will provide many benefits!

Deal With Fertility Problems With Ease

It was only a few years back when the notion of infertility was more of a myth. Back then women could easily get pregnant about four to five times without any hassle, however, nowadays women are finding it more and more difficult to get pregnant and start a family. This is due to lack of nutrients in their diet as more women find it easy to grab food from fast food chains instead of cooking it at their home. Furthermore lack of vegetables and fruits in their diet leads them to developing such infertility problems. This article will provide you with all the information you require regarding what nutritionists call fertility foods. A proper fertility diet will help increase the chances of one getting pregnant. Such a preconception diet not only helps to increase the chances at impregnation but also helps create intelligent babies. This notion though believed by many doctors, is still yet to be confirmed.

Though there are many reasons that many cause infertility problems such as problems related to the ovaries, pelvic, cervical, hormones and uterine, the main idea that is being catered in this particular article is the development of impregnation due to a lack of proper diet. Most medicinal doctors believe that proper nutrition can in fact improve the chances. When two people start living together their entire lifestyle shifts. This can lead to one maybe consuming easy to consume and purchase food due to the immense pressure this new lifestyle has, which may lead to obesity or starvation in certain cases. With such problems one can certainly develop infertility.

繚 Fish Oil

Certain essential fatty acids are very important for your body and help fight against any disorder that may cause infertility. A certain fatty acid, that is found in fish oil, which is called Omega 3 has known to be a great nutrient that should be included in every woman's diet. This fish oil is an ingredient that is often used in ice cream. So if you liked it before, there is certainly one more reason to eat it more.

繚 Plant Protein

Another thing that you should include in your diet is plant protein. Meat such as chicken and beef consist of hormones that are known to reduce your chances of getting pregnant while proteins found in plants are known to do the opposite.

繚 Vitamins & Minerals

To sum it up rather than confusing you with the vast amount of foods that are available out there you should focus on foods that contain the essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs. These vitamins will cause an increase in your fertility levels. For example consume more orange juice since it contains Vitamin C.