Male Infertility and Junk Food Junkies

We often focus on the diets of women who are undergoing fertility treatments or are trying to conceive; however, it seems that men need to watch what they eat as well.

Doctors at Harvard University have concluded that all those trans-fats men eat in fast food, junk food and the like may be contributing to higher-than-normal levels of male infertility.

The Harvard study analyzed the sperm of 188 18-22 year old males.  Those males who ate diets that could hardly be deemed healthy seemed to be on a trajectory to have male infertility in their futures.

To keep the study participants’ results “clean”, Harvard’s researchers ensured that no medical factors could be contributing to any of the sperm quality results. 

The study’s results were presented recently at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, where one of the study’s leaders noted that “…a healthy diet seems to be beneficial for semen quality.”

Our suggestion?  Obviously, we’ve all heard that “we are we eat”, and it’s essential that we take that to heart every day, whether or not fertility factors are involved in our lives.  Besides, it’s prudent and responsible to maintain the healthiest lifestyle possible for our future children.

If you’d like to learn more about male infertility and you can travel to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area, please contact the Reproductive Science Institute’s offices today.

http://www.rsiinfertility.com/

Work and Your Fertility Treatments

If you’re considering fertility treatments and you have a job (whether you work for yourself or someone else), it’s important for you to address the following issues before proceeding.  While none are “deal breakers”, they can be causes of undue stress if they are not dealt with prior to the fertility treatment taking place.

1.  Do you need to let your employer know?

Depending upon the fertility treatment you choose, you may not need to tell your employer what is happening medically.  For instance, if you’ve been given a medicine such as Clomid to help you ovulate regularly and you’re not going to miss work, it’s feasible for you to remain quiet about your plans.

However, if you know that you’ll need to have a week off after an assisted reproductive technique (ART), you may want to talk to your human resources representative.

2.  Do you need to let your coworkers know?

Generally speaking, unless your coworkers are direct supervisors, they needn’t know exactly what you’re doing.  Unless you feel comfortable talking about your impending fertility treatments, there’s no need to let the proverbial “cat out of the bag”.

3.  Do you need to let clients know?

Again, it isn’t necessary to tell clients what you’re doing.  However, if you know that you’ll be unavailable for a certain time period, it is essential that their needs be covered by someone else.  That’s something you’ll have to arrange.

Remember that this is your story.  Each man or woman deals differently with how and whether they talk about their fertility treatments.  There are no steadfast rules.  Go with your instincts and you’ll make wise choices.

http://www.rsiinfertility.com/

Pregnant via Fertility Treatments? Eat Right!

Many women who are undergoing fertility treatments make it a point to eat right and stay healthy throughout the process.  But sometimes, when they do become pregnant, they forget that it’s still essential to watch their nutritional intake.

To get the best results from a pregnancy, make sure to follow these simple rules:

ó Avoid “junk foods” as much as possible.  Sure, cravings can and do happen, but eating Reese’s peanut butter cups all day isn’t a good solution.  Be practical and responsible.

ó Eat in moderation.  It can be tough not to gorge sometimes, but the more you eat, the more pressure you put on yourself physically.  Graze throughout the day for good results and consistent energy levels.

ó Eat colorful foods.  No, we’re not suggesting Froot Loops!  We’re talking about colorful veggies and fruits, like red bell peppers, rich green broccoli and yellow squash.  Each contains a plethora of vitamins to help you boost your daily nutritional intake and stay as fit as you can.

ó Try to eat “in”.  Sure, it can be tough to make most of your meals, but if you’re eating out, you can’t be certain of what you’re really getting.  We know it tastes good, but so can a home-cooked meal!  Buy (or go to the library and borrow) cookbooks and try some new recipes.

ó Ask your fertility specialist for thoughts on how you can maintain a healthful diet throughout your pregnancy.  He or she will be happy to assist you.

ó Visit a nutritionist if you’re in the dark about what to eat.  Not sure you know what’s best?  There are plenty of nutritionists who are well-versed in ways to keep in tiptop nutritional shape during pregnancy.

ó Don’t buy things you know are bad for you!  One of the easiest ways to eat well is to rid your pantry, refrigerator and shelves of all the stuff that’s tempting… but not healthy.  If it’s out of sight, it’s more likely to be out of mind!

Here’s to a happy and healthy pregnancy post fertility treatments! 

If you’re interested in fertility treatments and you can travel to either suburban Philadelphia or Berks County please contact the Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) for an appointment.