Is Soy a Fertility Food?

Does soy increase fertility or deplete your baby making potential?

Several weeks ago, I received a generous thank you note from a holistic practitioner who works with fertility issues. She was thanking me for clearing up some conflicting information on fertility foods and soy products. Her note note made me realize just how contentious a subject soy is, even among experts in the fertility field. So I thought it might be useful to offer a quick summary of what I have come to in the last two  decades of observing my own, as well as my clients’ response to soy.

Over eighty percent of the women I’ve worked with as a fertility educator, wrestle with various levels of digestive difficulties. A large percentage battles impaired thyroid function.

The good news is that as we begin to view food-related adjustments not as restrictions but as a source of power, dietary changes become easy. A baby is the one shiny apple, most of us will do just about anything, to reach.

During the pre-conception cleansing phase—fresh, live, high-water-content, easily digestible combinations of fertility foods (see recipe section of The Fertile Female), a close attention to individual nutritional needs and a supplementation with specific high potency, absorbable fertility supplements—is where we begin.

My article Fertility Supplements documents some of my research on the link between supplements and fertility.

As far as soy goes, my clients do best with fermented soy products such as tempeh, tamari, miso and nato.

The protease inhibitors in unfermented soy foods, such as soy milk, tofu, processed soy cheeses, inhibit the key enzymes that help us digest protein and can cause bloating, intestinal disorders and impaired pancreatic function. Fermentation on the other hand adds beneficial microorganisms that help break down complex proteins into highly digestible amino acids and fatty acids.

Women who, like myself, have been diagnosed “irreversibly infertile” due to high FSH and low estrogen levels, and generally most women over 35, do well with incorporating fermented soy in their food plan.

Fermentation also deactivates the soy’s mineral depleting phytates and other anti-nutrients. Otherwise the impaired mineral absorption—of calcium for example—especially for women with fertility challenges such as depleted ovarian reserve, can be a serious concern.

Women with thyroid related issues have done well with a moderate amount of fermented soy, combined with iodine rich foods such as seaweed. (See the Hijik Joy Salad recipe and other fermented soy recipes in The Fertile Female.)

Of course, no fertility food adjustments or fertility supplements will “get to where the trouble is” unless our entire Holy Human Loaf cooperates with the repairative process. Which is why I passionately encourage using the Ovum tools around food to reveal the hiding places of our inner Orphans, learn to love them through the choices we make, and call on our Visionary and the Ultimate Mom to plan the menu of the day. When we do that, the perfect “fertility diet” unfolds for us one bite at a time.

Last night in our fertility food-centered Visonary Mom Teleconference we decided to make one Visionary-rooted change that involves food. I am letting go of the Organic Nectar Pistachio Gelato I’ve been attached to lately. It’s great stuff, non-dairy, agave sweetened and there is really nothing wrong with a treat, but just as an experiment, I want to see what comes up for me as I let go of it for a while.

Perhaps you want to embark on an experiment of your own, making one fertility enhancing food change as you plan your menu for tomorrow.

Whatever you ultimately choose to place on your dinner table, let go of guilt and eat it with pleasure and gusto, and it will become the most potent fertility food!

By Julia Indichova.

Sleeping Position Of A Baby

As a mother, you are mindful of numerous developments and habits related to your tiny tot. Your checklist includes things like the food she eats, the medicine she is prescribed and the colour of her poop, among other things. While getting enough sleep can be challenging, until your baby finds her cosy nook, watch out for the sleeping position. Sleeping on the stomach can raise a few alarms. Here’s the dope on what might happen.

Paediatricians will almost always discourage parents from making infants sleep on their stomach. This has been a cause of concern for doctors all around the world since the revelation of Sudden Infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Dr. Ashu Sawhney, Consultant, Neonatology, Fortis La Femme, Delhi, says, “Infants should not be put to sleep on their stomach as it increases the risk of SIDS. The exact causes for SIDS are not clear, but putting babies to sleep on their back has reduced its incidence worldwide.”

We asked around a little more and found that there is a specific age after which parents can ease up on the position their infants sleep in.

Dr. Shailesh Patil, Paediatrics, Seven Hill Hospital, Mumbai, informs, “Babies can sleep on their stomach only after six to nine months when their movements are defined and nothing should obstruct their breathing.”

What is SIDS?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a phenomenon which results in the death of the infant all of a sudden. It is also known as cot death or crib death. The reason is yet to be medically explained, but infants under four to six months of age are at a higher risk of SIDS and are mostly affected in their sleep.

Dr Bijal Srivastava, Pediatrician at Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai says,“Several studies state that the cause for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sleeping position of babies. Sleeping on the stomach has led to higher deaths in babies lesser than six months of age. Hence, doctors today caution parents not to let babies sleep in the prone (on stomach) position.”

Safe to Sleep Campaign:

A campaign called the Safe to Sleep campaign previously popular as the Back to Sleep Program was started by the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to make parents aware of the dangers of babies sleeping on their tummy and encourage them to make their babies sleep only on their backs or the supine position. As mentioned earlier, this position decreases risk of SIDS in kids.

Dr. Himanshi Kashyap, Paediatrician, Rockland Hospitals, Manesar shares, “SIDS is a fatal fear but results have shown a 50% decreases in SIDS cases since the Back to Sleep Program was initiated.”

The downsides of the supine position:

However, Dr Srivastava adds, “There are also some disadvantages with the supine position. It may lead to mild delay in motor milestones and there are higher chances of torticollis or stiff neck. Also, plagiocephaly – flat head syndrome – may be caused. It is advisable that parents supervise the sleeping position of babies while awake, and try to keep them in prone position (on the stomach) atleast 15-20 mins two to three times during the day.”

Although not all sleeping positions are harmful, but parents need to take care not to obstruct the breathing of their child through external factors.

“Babies can sleep sideways but parents should make sure that they do not get suffocated in anyway. Parents have a habit of making kids sleep in decorated cribs stuffed with soft toys. They should be careful of anything that can cause the child harm. Beds should be clear of all clutter,” explains Dr. Kashyap

Thus, we conclude that it is not ok for babies to sleep on their stomach. As responsible parents, make sure your tot sleeps only on the back to avoid any risks of SIDS at least until the baby is six months old.

Importance of Calcium

Many people know that adequate calcium intake is important to health. However, national nutrition surveys show that less than 50 per cent of adults aged 20 and older are consuming the calcium they need to maintain bone health and minimise bone loss that occurs with ageing. Unfortunately, many do not know how much calcium they need and many mistakenly believe that they are consuming enough.

Calcium is an essential nutrient your body needs every day. And, it's not just important for women. Optimal intake is crucial for children, adolescents, men and the aged too. The majority of calcium in the body makes up your bones and teeth and keeps them strong. However, beyond bone health, calcium is also needed to regulate certain body functions. Without calcium, muscles would not contract normally, blood would not clot and nerves would be carry messages.

Calcium and bone health go hand-in-hand. Increasing scientific evidence indicates that adequate calcium intake reduces the risk of several major chronic diseases, most notably osteoporosis, a potentially crippling disease of thin and fragile bones. If you do not get enough calcium from your daily diet to regulate body functions, your body will leech or “rob” the calcium from your bones to make up the difference. Over time this can reduce bone strengh and lead to osteoporosis. Optimal of calcium throughout life, from early childhood and adolescence though the postmenopausal and late adult year, reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

Research suggests that calcium also helps protect against colon cancer, high blood pressure and recurring premenstrual sydrome, and possibly cardiovascular disease and kidney stones. Your calcium needs extend throughout your lifetime. It is essential during childhood to young adulthood, the year that bones are forming and growing. The calcuim that you provide to your bones when you are young is one factor in determining how well they will hold up later in life. Gender plays a significant role in the need for calcium too. Pregnancy increases calcium requirements because of the needs of the devloping baby and because alterations in calcium absorption and metabolism occur throughout pregnancy. Lactating women need calcium to meet their needs and the requirements for milk production. During menopause and post menopause, the body produces much lees estrogen the risk of osteoporosis, which in turn increases calcium needs.

Both women and men over the age of 65 years need more calcium to combat calcium deficiencies. ''A certain amount of loss is a normal consequence of ageing," stated Nancy Wellman, Ph.D., R.D., professor and director, National Policy & resource Center on Nutrition and Ageing at the Florida International University. For instance, the age-related decline in the body's ability to absorb calcium can interfere with calcium levels. Also, lactose intolerance can lead to avoidance of calcium-rich foods.

Most adults need between 1,000 and 1,500 milligrams of calcium every day. Requirements for young children and adolescents range from 800 mg to 1500 mg daily. Some good food sources with their calcium content are:

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6 Real-life Scenarios to Train Your Tiny Tot's Brain

“Mummy, are we there yet?” “Mummy, are we there yet?” “Mummy, are we there yet?”

Travelling with kids can be, well, definitely an experience! Let’s look at some examples that one will commonly encounter especially when you have parents travelling with young kids (read: birth to 10 years).

1. Young child excited about first trip abroad enters the airplane and starts pulling the mother towards the inside of the aircraft all the while asking nonstop questions,
•   'Where is our seat mom?'
•   ‘Check for 23’,
•   ‘Where is 23?’
•   ‘After 22?’
•   ‘Where is 22?’
•   ‘Check for the seat number.’
•   ‘Where are the seat numbers?
•   ‘Check for the seat number.’
•   ‘Where….?’
… And it goes on.

2. Young toddler wailing as he does not want to wear the seat belt. Both parents cajoling, "See daddy is also wearing the seat belt." Takes a whole 30 minutes of cajoling, threatening, bribing before the kids wears the seat belt.

3. Kid wants to run around in the aisle and go greeting all passengers. Parents are heard whispering veiled threats through clenched teeth. No impact on kid. Sounds familiar?

4. Version 2 of the same kid wants to run up and down the aisle and eat from others food tray while refusing to eat from his own. Parents have a ‘why did I have a child’ expression on their face. Mother  now holds the child and gives a soft (read: clutching the upper arm of the child in a vice like grip) shake and threatens dire consequences on landing or uses the airhostess as a threat, ‘she will take you to the police if you don’t stop doing that and sit down.’

5. Announcement at Heathrow and other international airports, "Parents are requested not to allow their kids to play on or near the escalator or walk ways, this is for their safety."

6. Snacks commonly seen with kids during travel- chocolates, wafers, soft drinks. “What to do he just won’t listen, so I only allow while we are traveling.” (read: traveling as any ride in a car, bus, train, plane)

The above is a common scenario with kids especially during travel. So what is the secret mantra to use if you want to avoid or at least reduce the above tensions of travelling with kids. The secret is in understanding the brain development of children. The only difference between us humans and apes is the presence of the ‘thinking brain’ or ‘prefrontal cortex’ that makes us human and the others, well, apes! So if your kid is behaving like a little monkey, the clue is right there for you. Maybe you need to give her some information and ‘appeal to her thinking brain.’ It’s easy if you try and will become easier with practice. So instead of kids asking us ‘are we there yet?’ let’s ask ourselves, ‘are we there yet, in understanding our kids?’

Let’s see how the above examples could have turned out differently if we use our knowledge of child development and how the ‘little’ brain works:

1. Children’s brain thrives on routine and needs to be prepared for the next activity, so while entering the plane the mother could have said, “Our seat number is 23 and this is seat number one, so why don’t we count and we will stop when we reach 23.” Because if you are going to tell the child to look up for the seat numbers then your child will be constantly tripping, stumbling and falling while looking up.

2. Young toddlers who have never been on an airplane need to be prepared for the same, days in advance. You need to talk about what will be part of the journey. An involved parent who is a keen observer of the child will also know the points that can lead the child to have a tantrum so it is important to have talked to the child beforehand that, “We will be sitting in a plane, it is like a car and like cars have seatbelts so do planes. The pilot wants us to be safe so we will put on our seat belts.” The child’s reluctance to put on a seat belt also shows that the parents have never ever spoken about seat belts, even while in a car. Because a child used to wearing seatbelts would not have found it so difficult.

3. Making an agreement with kids is a better way to ensure socially acceptable behavior. So before boarding a plane, have your mutual agreement of dos and don'ts in place. It sounds complex but it is very easy because if kids know what to expect they are better behaved. Young children especially need boundaries set firmly and informed to them.

4. Threatening kids never works, you are in fact increasing fears in your child and this can rebound on you by kids starting bed wetting, nail biting etc. as you have now introduced the concept of fear in your child. Threats also make the kids brain give only three reactions- Fight (where they fight back and repeat their tantrum) Flight (they run away from you) and Freeze (they stop listening to you).

5. Isn’t it sad that airports have to guide parents to keep their kids safe?

6. Sugar, salt and food with additives increases hyper activity in children. So yes a box of chips or a bar of chocolate will keep them quiet while they are eating it but then you will have double the activity! Most parents feed kids a lot of salt and sugar at the airport and by the time the child has boarded the plane, he is raring to go! So, for every chip, a carrot stick, for every chocolate bite a fruit slice. And absolutely no colas, lots of water for kids, it will help give them hydration during the flight and they will get their movement up and down the toilet.

Having kids is not the goal, it is the beginning of a beautiful journey. The goal is raising them to be happy, healthy people, and that is what every parent should aim for. Let’s ask ourselves often, “Are we there yet?”

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Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola virus disease) facts

Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a disease caused by four different strains of Ebola virus; these viruses infect humans and nonhuman primates.

It is also referred to as Ebola virus disease.
Ebola hemorrhagic fever has a short history since it was discovered in 1976. There have been a few outbreaks, including the current (April 2014) "unprecedented epidemic" in Africa.

Ebola viruses are mainly found in primates in Africa and possibly the Philippines; there are only occasional outbreaks of infection in humans.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever occurs mainly in Africa in the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Sudan, Ivory Coast, and Uganda, but it may occur in other African countries.

Ebola virus can be spread by direct contact with blood and secretions, by contact with blood and secretions that remain on clothing, and by needles and/or syringes used to treat Ebola-infected patients.

Risk factors for Ebola hemorrhagic fever are travel to areas with endemic Ebola hemorrhagic fever and/or any close association with an infected person.

Symptoms of Ebola hemorrhagic fever include an incubation period of two to 21 days, starting with abrupt fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness; progression of symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, hiccups, and rash with more devastating symptoms of internal and external bleeding in many patients.

Early clinical diagnosis is difficult as the symptoms are nonspecific; however, if the patient is suspected to have Ebola, the patient needs to be isolated and local and state health departments need to be immediately contacted.

Definitive diagnostic tests for Ebola hemorrhagic fever are ELISA and/or PCR tests; viral cultivation and biopsy samples may also be used.

There is no standard treatment for Ebola hemorrhagic fever; only supportive therapy is available.
There are many complications from Ebola hemorrhagic fever; the prognosis for patients ranges from fair to poor since many patients died from the disease (death rate equals about 25%-100%).

Prevention of Ebola hemorrhagic fever is difficult; early testing and isolation of the patient, plus barrier protection for caregivers (mask, gown, goggles, and gloves), is very important to prevent others from getting infected.

Researchers are trying to understand the Ebola virus and pinpoint its ecological reservoirs to better understand how outbreaks occur. Researchers are actively trying to establish an effective vaccine against Ebola viruses by using several experimental methods, but there is no vaccine available currently.

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