A recent study has shown that women who are the most stressed have the least likely chance to conceive.   Basically stress plays a huge role in conception which is why so many people that try and try to conceive cannot.   Then they go away on vacation and get pregnant.  We’ve heard these stories many times and I and others believe this is true, but the recent study has now given it more credence.

In this study they checked a marker of stress called alpha-amylase.   It is an enzyme made in the mouth that helps us digest carbohydrates.   But it has also been shown to increase during times of Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) dominance – meaning the flight or fight stage we’ve heard about.   Researchers use this marker for determining the stress response in the body because it is easy to measure and it is quick to respond.    Women who had the most trouble getting pregnant had higher levels of alpha-amylase than women who conceived.
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It is widely knows that the phytonutrient known as isothiocyanates have powerful anti-cancer effects.   Isothiocyanate are found in mustard, horseradish, and onions to name a few.  It is what gives the herb its powerful biting taste.    However another anti-cancer phytonutrient that doesn’t get as much attention is phenethyl ITC (PEITC).  Watercress contains high amounts of PEITC.  A recent study looked at what happens in women’s blood after ingesting watercress.  In particular they looked at a specific blood marker that shows a  reduction in cancer cells.   What they found is marked inhibition in cancer cell activity, even stronger inhibition than what is found with isothiocyanates.

So next time you have the opportunity to buy fresh watercress please do so.   Add some to your salad to give it some bite and reduce your cancer risk as well.    Besides watercress is delicious! Read the rest of this entry

Source:  http://www.healthcmi.com/index.php/acupuncturist-news-online/280-acupuncturebreechfetus

From British Journal of Dermatology
Background: Previous reports have suggested that certain probiotics given to mothers and children at risk of atopy halves the incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) at two years of age.

Objectives: The purpose of this trial was to examine if probiotics given to pregnant women in a non-selected population could prevent atopic sensitization or allergic diseases during the child’s first two years.

Methods: In a randomised, double-blind trial of children from a non-selected maternal population (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00159523), women received probiotic milk or placebo from 36 weeks of gestation to three months postnatally during breastfeeding. The probiotic milk contained Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12. Children with an itchy rash for more than four weeks were consecutively assessed for AD. At two years of age, all children were assessed for atopic sensitisation, AD, asthma and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC). The intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis was enabled by multiple imputations. Read the rest of this entry

There are many possibilities as to why acupuncture is so effective for many pain conditions.  No doubt it isn’t just one or two mechanisms at work but several that may be different depending on the individual.    A recent article found that adenosine which is a pain receptor modulator is expressed during acupuncture.      This study was done in mice which may or may not translate to humans, although it is very likely this is one of the mechanisms at play.

This from the European Journal of Applied Physiology:
Immediate effects of acupuncture on strength performance: a randomized, controlled crossover trial.
Hübscher M, Vogt L, Ziebart T, Banzer W.

Department of Sports Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Ginnheimer Landstrasse 39, 60487, Frankfurt, Germany, m.huebscher@sport.uni-frankfurt.de.

Acupuncture has been clinically proven for two thousand years to be an effective solution for many pain conditions.   It is also very effective for treating conditions and symptoms that modern medical treatment offers few desirable treatments.

A study out of Sloan-Kettering compared acupuncture to standard care for pain and dry mouth in cervical neck cancer surgery patients.    The authors concluded “Significant reductions in pain, dysfunction, and xerostomia were observed in patients receiving acupuncture versus usual care”.    Acupuncture certainly has a place aside modern medicine to provide better care for many surgical patients.

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There has been a lot of research about maternal diet and health of offspring recently, but diet is important during pre-conception as well. There have been links to gluten sensitivity and infertility, vitamin D deficiency and infertility, and now there was a study just released that showed a Mediterranean diet can help boot conception rate in couples undergoing IVF.

Fertil Steril.2010 Feb 18
The preconception Mediterranean dietary pattern in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment increases the chance of pregnancy.
Vujkovic M, de Vries JH, Lindemans J, Macklon NS, van der Spek PJ, Steegers EA, Steegers-Theunissen RP.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

For a few years now I’ve always taken Vitamin D during the winter and felt it helped reduce the incidence and severity of colds I would get.   Now a study just published shows that giving vitamin D to school children reduced the incidence of influenza.   We should all be having our Vitamin D levels checked, especially if we are one to get a lot of colds each year.    Taking 1000-2000IU/day through the winter may be your best bet if you cannot get your blood tested.   There is almost no risk of developing any toxicity at 2000IU/day, unless you already had high levels of D in your blood.

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Research published last week out of Stanford University concluded that acupuncture is an effective treatment for depression during pregnancy. This was reported in Science Daily.

In our clinical practice we certainly find that women who get regular treatments during pregnancy report a much greater well being.   Certainly we’ve helped women stay off anti-depressant medication, which now unfortunately is given as a preventative. Read the rest of this entry