Health News Digest just reviewed our book Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility. To hear what they had to say you can either click on this link or read the full review: -

Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility By Dr. Sami David and Jill Blakeway

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – After a few months of trying unsuccessfully to conceive a child, more couples than ever before are being referred to infertility clinics. And while fertility medicine today is all about aggressive surgical, chemical, and technological intervention, reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Sami David and acupuncturist Jill Blakeway know a better, more natural way.

In their book Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility (Little, Brown; August 12, 2009; Hardcover; $25.99), Dr. David and Ms. Blakeway offer a proven 3-month program designed to help any couple get pregnant, through a marriage of their respective professions: Western and Chinese medicine.

MAKING BABIES presents a three-month program designed to prepare the body for healthy, natural conception. It covers the basics of how the human reproductive system works (you might be surprised by what you learn!) and the lifestyle factors that can impede or enhance fertility. David and Blakeway also clarify nutrition for optimal fertility, both what to eat and which supplements to take, and not to take.

David and Blakeway have developed five fertility types based on their collective clinical experience: Tired, Dry, Stuck, Pale, and Waterlogged. (Almost all Western infertility diagnoses divide neatly into these Chinese medicine categories.) Readers take a quiz to find out which type they are—and which combination of types—and then they can turn the page to find tailored advice and insight on the possible causes of their fertility problems, lifestyle choices that could enhance fertility, to surprising strategies for increasing fertility, such as taking cough medicine, decreasing doses of fertility drugs, or getting acupuncture along with IVF.

MAKING BABIES demonstrates that with careful diagnosis, basic fertility education, and simple but detailed diet and lifestyle advice, many couples using ARTs (assisted reproductive technology) could conceive much more naturally. If any drugs or other interventions turn out to be necessary, minimal doses and less invasive procedures can be used, reducing risks as well as unpleasant side effects—all while increasing success rates. And the risks are real. Studies have shown that birth defects are thirty percent more likely with IVF. Repeated rounds of fertility hormones can lead to cancer. Unused embryos present thorny ethical problems around the issue of disposal.

MAKING BABIES is a must-have for every woman trying to conceive, whether naturally or through medical intervention. Dr. David and Blakeway are revolutionizing the fertility field, one baby at a time.

About the authors:

Dr. Sami David was the first doctor to successfully perform IVF in New York. He is a reproductive endocrinologist who focuses on conservative approaches to infertility. Jill Blakeway is a licensed Acupuncturist and Board Certified Herbalist, and founder and clinical director or the YinOva Center, an alternative health service for women in New York City. She has been called a “fertility goddess” by the New York Times.

MAKING BABIES:
A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility
By Dr. Sami David and Jill Blakeway
Little, Brown
On sale: August 12, 2009
Hardcover / $25.99 / 384 pages
ISBN-10: 0316024503
ISBN-13: 978-0316024501

www.makingbabiesprogram.com

In our book Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility Dr. David and I recommend abdominal self massage as a way of helping to enhance fertility by increasing blood flow to the uterus. In the book there are detailed diagrams of different self-massage techniques for every phase of your cycle. This massage is partly based on the Maya Abdominal Massage™ developed by Dr. Rosita Arvigo and partly based on the extensive clinical experience of our own Nicole Kruck. We encourage anyone trying to conceive to book a session with Nicole where she will teach you the self massage techniques that are in the book.

I asked Nicole to answer some frequently asked questions about using abdominal massage to enhance fertility and her answers are below.

What can I expect in my initial treatment with Nicole?

Nicole Says:

The initial session consists of an intake, massage and “Self-Care” massage instruction. Many times guided meditation and breathing exercises are also included. I individually tailor the treatment to each client’s specific needs and comfort level.

We review the intake form together and start to put the pieces of the puzzle in place create a clear picture. I use the information you give me on the intake form to map out how we will resolve current issues as well how we can achieve long term health goal.

What is the massage treatment like and what does it do?

Nicole says:

During the massage much of the focus will be on the abdominal area. This gentle external massage is intended to remove blocks in circulation, lymphatic drainage, nerve connections & scar tissue or adhesions. It also strengthens uterine ligaments to reposition a wandering womb.

Attention is also given to postural alignment which may also create many reproductive problems.

Is that all there is ?

Nicole says:

No. The point of our sessions is to give you knowledge that you can use yourself at home. You will learn how to do your own simple abdominal massage treatment on a daily basis. This supports you to, literally, take your health “into your own hands” in between sessions.

How long before I can expect change in my conditions?

Nicole says:

With regular sessions and dedication of your self care practice at home. You should begin to see a change within your first cycle.

What do I need to know to schedule my appointment?

Nicole says:

There are 2 options for an initial treatment at the YinOva Center:

You can book a single two hour initial consult or some people choose to see me throughout one cycle and book four, one hour treatments over the course of a month.

After that you don’t necessarily need to come in and see me every week for treatment, especially if you are doing your own self-massage regularly, but it is important to come in periodically for follow up treatments so that we can assess your progress, make any necessary changes and make sure that you feel confident in with your own Self-Care massage at home.

Recently I blogged about a study that showed that chemical exposure could lead to male infertility. The article provoked a lot of discussion in the YinOva waiting room and many of our patients commented about it and asked for advice about avoiding household chemicals. One of our patients, a 5 year cancer survivor, offered to blog about how she cleans her home without using many of the toxic products on the market and we look forward to hearing her advice in a future column.

So it was with great interest that I noticed that another credible study has been published this time linking household chemicals to female infertility. The study, conducted by scientists at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and published in the journal Human Reproduction, has found the first evidence that perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) may be associated with infertility in women. PFC’s are chemicals that are widely used in everyday items such as food packaging, pesticides, clothing, upholstery, carpets and personal care products. The report, which looked at 1,240 women, revealed that those with higher levels of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in their bloodstreams tend to take longer to become pregnant than those with lower levels.

In our book, Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility, Dr. David and I talk more about the impact of toxic chemicals on fertility. It is certainly true that in our grandmother’s day milk came from a bottle, pans were made of cast iron, food was reheated on a metal tray in the oven and a raincoat was made of rubber. Now our foods come in grease resistant packages, frozen meals can be reheated in the microwave, pans have non-stick coatings and rain wear has been specially treated to make it water resistant whilst able to breath. All of these things make our lives more convenient but all of them expose us to PCF’s.

So how do we avoid PFC’s?

Ditch your non-stick pans.

A form of PFC called PFOA or perfluorooctanoic acid is used to make Teflon products so it might be worth avoiding non-stick pans or making sure that you do not use them at very high temperatures. In our house we are big fans of cast iron pans which if well seasoned are not particularly sticky.

Be careful about packaged foods.

Grease-resistant food packaging and paper products, such as microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes, contain PFCs.

Avoid products labeled as stain resistant.

Choose furniture and carpets that aren’t marketed as “stain-resistant,” and don’t apply finishing treatments such as Stainmaster to these or other items. The same goes for some rain wear which has been treated with PCF’s to make it shower proof.

Read the labels on your cosmetics and personal care products.

Watch out for the words ”fluoro” or ”perfluoro. PFCs can be found in dental floss and a variety of cosmetics, including nail polish, facial moisturizers, and eye make-up.

In our book Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility Dr. David and I discuss the alarming fact that male sperm counts have halved since our grandfather’s generation. My patients are shocked when I tell them this and their next question is usually, “why?”. I always answer that it’s hard to lay the blame on one thing, but that our generation has been exposed to the kind of chemical cocktail that would have been inconceivable in our grandparent’s time.

So it was with some interest that I read a new report, authored by Professor Richard Sharpe, a reproductive biologist of the Medical Research Council in the UK, linking the use of chemicals found in food, cosmetics and cleaning products to an increased risk of birth defects, testicular cancer and infertility among unborn boys. You can read about this report on the BBC website here or download a PDF of the actual report here. Professor Sharpe, a reproductive biologist, discusses the threat to baby boys of chemicals that block the action of the male sex hormone testosterone, or mimic the female sex hormone estrogen, which can “feminize” male infants whilst still in the womb. He points out that chemicals that are harmless on their own may be having a cumulative effect that is more sinister.

There is no doubt that male reproductive health is deteriorating – more male babies are being born with birth defects effecting their penises, testicular cancer is on the rise and sperm counts are dropping. Collectively these symptoms are known as Testicular Dysgenesis Syndrome, which is a term used to describe the disruption of testosterone in boys. The report examines animal studies that link testosterone-disrupting chemicals to de-masculinization in wildlife.

So what can we do? It would seem that pregnant women are mostly at risk in weeks 8 – 10 of their pregnancies but it makes sense to avoid environmental toxins throughout pregnancy and if possible in the period before conception. As Dr. Sharpe told the Daily Mail. “You can’t do anything about chemicals in the environment but you can control what you expose a baby to through your lifestyle choices. Because we don’t know the complete list of chemicals that may be hormone disrupters, and we don’t know how they interact, we can’t point a finger at an individual chemical. The message is to avoid them, just as you should avoid alcohol and drugs.”

So at the YinOva Center here is the advice we give out Moms-to-be

• Avoid processed foods where possible. That means limiting foods that have been made in a factory.
• Eat as much organic food as your budget will allow. Patients often tell me that the cost of eating organic is what puts them off and I understand this from my own experience. In this YinOva blog entry from last year, I described how, in my own family, we cut down on food wastage in order to be able to afford to eat better quality food.
• Switch your deodorant to one that is made from natural ingredients. After trying quite a few natural deodorants, with mixed results, we decided we really like this one which you can get on Amazon – Alvera Aloe Based Roll-On Deodorant.
• Use natural soaps and cosmetic products. Tom’s of Maine is a great brand as is Kiss My Face. When I was looking for a good natural toothpaste I tried many brands and settled on the Triple Action Aloe Vera Toothpaste by Kiss My Face for it’s minty taste and clean feel.
• Each American family uses about 40lbs of toxic cleaning products every year. This site has some good advice about making your own non-toxic cleaning kit. In my own house I’ve been impressed with how much cleaning can be accomplished with vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice.
• Don’t panic! I know how overwhelming information like this can be and really all we can do is our best. There is no need to obsessively avoid every chemical out there. Just cut down the chemical load you are exposed to.

If you have visited our center in the last week you will already know that there are advanced reading copies of our book available in the waiting room. Making Babies: A Proven 3 Month Program for Maximum Fertility will be out on August 12th and you can reserve a copy by clicking this link to amazon.com. Both Dr. David and I are thrilled with the way the book looks and patients who have read advanced copies have told us that they find it clear and helpful so we are hoping that it will be useful and informative for many of you. To our knowledge this is the first time a doctor and an acupuncturist have collaborated in this way so we hope it answers the many questions people have about how to get the very best out of both systems of medicine.

Some of you may also know that we are expanding into bigger space within our building. Margaret, Liz, Marie, Jane and I are delighted to be moving downstairs to the ground floor where we will have the luxury of a much bigger space. The move will take place on June 1st and will not disrupt our work schedule so there will be no interruption in ongoing treatment. We are all so excited to be moving and want to thank you, our patients, for your continued enthusiastic support. We have incorporated much of your feed back into our new design and we think you’ll like our spacious new treatment rooms and airy waiting room. We look forward to welcoming you all to our new office.

In other news, I will be the guest teacher at a phone circle for Fertile Heart this Wednesday at 9.00 pm EST. The topic will be Integrating East and West: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for Maximum Fertility. Even if you are not a regular visitor to the Fertile Heart Website you can sign up to attend the phone-in by clicking on this link. The cost is $10 and after registering you will be given a number to call so you can take part in the phone circle. I’m looking forward to answering your questions and what should be an interesting discussion about how to use Chinese medicine to enhance your fertility.