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Welcome to the Circle+Bloom Blog
Guest Blog by Marcela De Vivo, a freelance health & wellness writer from Los Angeles. She covers everything from skincare and supplements, to fitness, holistic wellness, and special needs issues.
Those looking to have a baby can help encourage the cause by eating right, exercising and avoiding things such as alcohol and smoking.
Unfortunately, although a majority of couples trying to have a child are already aware of these things, they’re still not able to conceive successfully.
If you are currently in this situation, there are a variety of vitamins and supplements that can help both the man and the woman increase their fertility and improve their odds of becoming pregnant. Since it’s just a matter of buying a vitamin supplement, most of which are natural and have few–if any–side effects, it’s definitely worth a try.
Best Vitamins and Herbs for Women
There are some supplements that both men and women should take up front. In addition to these supplements, there are some others that are uniquely helpful to women and men individually.
We’ll start with a few supplements that are specifically helpful in terms of increasing fertility in women:
- Calcium — Doctors recommend that women who are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant should consume about 1000 mg of calcium every day. As this is a high amount, it may be difficult getting this much calcium through food alone, therefore, consuming this amount through a multivitamin or prenatal formula is a good idea. Drinking milk and eating dark, leafy greens is also encouraged.
- Folic Acid — Folic acid is considered a no-brainer, even if you’re just a woman of childbearing age who plans to get pregnant in the future. Folic acid is made up of a B-complex vitamin that helps the body create red blood cells. It will also assist in the production of extra blood cells during pregnancy. Folic acid may also reduce the risk of certain spinal cord problems for the baby. You can get your daily intake of daily folic acid by eating citrus fruits, grains and dark leafy greens. Folic acid in capsule form is also another option.
- Omega 3 Free Fatty Acid — Omega 3 Fatty Acids are not naturally produced by your body, therefore you will have to get these nutrients through food or a supplement. Studies have shown that this particular supplement helps with embryo development and quality.
What these vitamins will essentially do for women is better prepare their bodies to be pregnant, which can help with the process of conception, both directly and indirectly. If your diet is healthy and you’re paying attention to when you are ovulating, taking the proper supplements should be enough to give your body just one more nudge in the right direction.
Best Vitamins and Herbs for Men
Statistically speaking, a man has about a 1 in 10 chance of having a low sperm count, which can negatively impact his fertility. If a couple is having trouble getting pregnant, this could definitely be the culprit. It is a good idea to get the sperm count checked; that way, you can at least rule it out as the underlying problem.
Regardless of whether or not a low sperm count is the problem, the following supplements can help increase fertility in men:
- Vitamin E — Vitamin E is an excellent source of antioxidants and, in many studies, it has shown to improve sperm quality.
- Vitamin C — Like Vitamin E, vitamin C provides much-needed antioxidants, having the same positive effect on a man’s sperm. You can get vitamin C through fruits, like oranges and strawberries, or you can just take a supplement.
- L-carnitine — This is something you’ll need to get in a supplement form, but in many cases, it can enhance sperm’s motility.
Vitamins that Work for Both Men and Women
In addition to what we have already covered, these supplements can help treat infertility in both men and women. It is recommended that they should be taken regularly by couples who are trying or planning to get pregnant:
- Zinc — Both partners should be getting plenty of zinc in their diet as it helps ovulation and fertility in women. It also increases semen and testosterone production in men.
- Coenzyme Q10 — Usually shortened to “CoQ10”, this supplement has shown in studies to both increase sperm count in men and increase egg quality in women.
By improving the quality of your diet, exercising regularly and taking the recommended supplements, couples trying to conceive may be able to increase their chances of becoming pregnant.
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“Rock bottom became my solid foundation.” – JK Rowling
How are you on this fine Thursday? I hope you are feeling happy, full of energy and have a smile on your face!
What’s that?!? You aren’t feeling happy, full of energy or have a smile on your face? Are you feeling as if you are in a rut…that nothing is going your way…and it seems like everything is just plain pissing you off?
And, of course, we have Mother’s Day right around the corner, which for a LOT of us, isn’t necessarily the happiest of days. For me, I get to reflect on the passing of my Mom more than 18 years ago.
I believe that it is the human condition to feel the full range of emotions and absolutely no one is happy all of the time.
But, here’s the key to actually harnessing the power of these negative emotions.
Yes, I do believe there is a power behind them. Call it the yin-yang energy that underlies our universe.
Allowing your emotions just as they are and “lean in.” This could be your personal paradigm shift.
But how can we “lean in” to capture this power? Here are three suggestions:
1. Allow yourself to just be
- Even when you are saying to yourself “I feel like sh*t!” – accept it, and let yourself stay in that unhappy, dark place as long as you want. It’s absolutely futile to push those sad feelings out of your life because it’s impossible to completely change your outlook on command. Plus they serve a purpose. These sad, distraught, questioning emotions allow you to consider new options, take a step back from life and reevaluate, and to recuperate your mind and body from a stressful time.
2. Try not to label your sour feelings as “bad”
- When you think about these down feelings in the context of allowing you to recuperate, or to learn something about yourself, would you label that as “bad?” Maybe there is no such thing as good and bad when talking about the emotional state we find ourselves in. And when we don’t use such labels, we become free of the restrictions they impose.
3. Try to center yourself on your life goals
- Knowing you are in a “down” state, it’s important to stay focused on your life goals, intentions and desires in life. This will be your short-cut back into a more optimistic state. And I do believe what you think about, you bring about. So, intending and reaffirming what you truly want out of life, even if you are “faking it until you make it” – is so important and will always be the solid foundation from which to grow.
So, accept the truth inside, and always have your guiding star with your dreams, desires and intentions lighting the way… And find the juicy bits that keep life exciting.
Now it is your turn to take action now. Comments below and answer one of these easy questions: “What one word describes your you are feeling today?” or “What one word describes your thoughts about Mother’s Day?”
With love and gratitude,
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We are thrilled to share with you this AMAZING deal being offered by our wonderful affiliate Donielle Baker–the Natural Fertility ebook Bundle! We are offering our Fertility Relaxation Program as part of the bonus material you will receive when you purchase this incredible offer, and you will have a chance to win our Natural Cycle for Fertility Program as part of the huge giveaway you will be entered in automatically with your purchase.
We know preparing for pregnancy can be confusing, and if you’re trying to overcome infertility, it can definitely add to this confusion as well. We all want to be healthy, to have balanced hormones, and to have more stable moods, but finding good, solid information can be tricky.
And it can get expensive.
That’s why Donielle decided to contact some of her favorite ebook authors and fertility and health supporters and put together this fantastic bundle of information for you so that you can save over 92%.
It’s everything you need to know to get your body ready for pregnancy, whether you’re just starting a family, want to add to your brood, or are looking for ways to overcome hormone imbalance and infertility. This bundle is everything I wish I would have had access to many years ago when I first began thinking about trying to conceive.
Instead of paying over $450.00 for all of these ebooks, you’ll pay just $34.95 for:
- 30 ebooks, spanning fertility information, matters of the heart, real food and recipes, and pregnancy and baby information
- 1 week long meal plans
- bonus FREE content
- and you’ll receive an entry to win a grand prize worth over $1130.00!
Just the bonus offerings would cost $30.00! We are so happy to be able to participate, and want to send a huge THANK YOU to Donielle for bringing together all of these amazing resources in such an affordable manner for this community we care so much about. Click here to view more details and buy the bundle.
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Guest Blog by Sharon on behalf of Hadassah Medical Center, visit them for more information on IVF treatment in Israel.
For those unable to conceive naturally, in vitro fertilization (IVF) has been a gift from heaven. Otherwise, couples, or even single parents, would have no hope of achieving the dream of parenthood without adopting. With IVF, people have an excellent chance of becoming parents to offspring born from at least one of the parent’s DNA.
As is to be expected, together with advances in medical technology and greater experience performing IVF procedures and adapting it to different problems associated with conceiving, IVF has come a long way since the first successful birth of a “test tube baby” 35 years ago.
Increasingly, traveling abroad for fertility procedures has become an appealing option, mainly because individuals can pay thousands of dollars less than what they’d spend at home. While going abroad for fertility treatment requires research – not just about the overseas fertility clinics, but also on topics including safety standards, ethical and legal issues and multiple births – high success rates and costs are a powerful draw.
Perhaps the leading country in this field is Israel. Not content with being a giant in the field of hi-tech, the tiny country of Israel is arguably the world’s leading destination for those seeking successful IVF treatment. A confluence of factors has led to this. Israel, the Jewish state, places an incredible priority on families and family life. This rationale stems from both a religious perspective and an existential one as the state wants to encourage the birth of Jewish families to maintain a Jewish majority population.
The government supports IVF treatment is Israel financially by subsidizing women under the age of 45 to give birth to up to two IVF children irrespective of the number of procedures required. The IVF treatment is available to women, married or single, irrespective of religion or sexual preference. Consequently, Israel has the highest per capita rate of IVF procedures in the world.
A first rate medical system, excellent doctors, sensitivity to parents seeking their own children, and a supportive government makes Israel ground zero for IVF treatment. Yet it is not only Israelis who can avail themselves of the experience gained from performing many more IVF procedures than other countries – only 1% of children were born via IVF in the U.S. in 2010 versus 4% in Israel.
Israeli hospitals offer their expertise to foreigners seeking their own IVF child. The government does not subsidize these procedures, however the expertise attained by doctors performing numerous procedures is available to anyone willing to pay – and the cost is often much less than IVF procedures in countries such as the U.S. or U.K.(the average cost of IVF treatment in the U.S. is USD12,400)
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Guest Blog by The Bridge Centre, one of the UK’s leading fertility, gynaecology, genetics and IVF clinics. With IVF success rates among the best in the country, The Bridge Centre can provide the expert support couples and individuals need to help them overcome their difficulties resulting from infertility.
In what will be a world first, the UK has moved another step closer to becoming the only country to allow the creation of babies from three people.
The latest step in the creation of a baby using this method has been buoyed by research from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA), which has presented the government with its recommendations which explain that there is no evidence to suggest this form of IVF is unsafe.
The final decision as to whether the advanced IVF procedures will become a reality for British women rests with government ministers. If the procedure is approved then it is anticipated that a handful of families will benefit every year.
The technique is being developed as a method of countering serious ‘mitochondrial disorders’, which currently affect one in 6,500 children. Whilst research suggests that using mitochondria from a donor egg would eliminate the risk of debilitating and potentially fatal disorders, there are concerns about the risks associated with babies carrying DNA from two parents, as well as a very small proportion from a third donor.
As you would expect from such a proposal, it is not only the safety of such a treatment that has raised concerns, but also the ethical issues involved in this form of genetic modification. Despite the apprehension raised by some parties, public consultations conducted on the issue thus far have revealed a largely positive response to the proposals, with the majority of the public believing the potential benefits to outweigh the ethical implications.
What are mitochondria?
Mitochondria are analogous to tiny biological battery packs, which supply energy to almost every cell in the human body. Defects in the mitochondria can have the effect of starving the body of energy, with the consequences including blindness, heart failure and even death.
The mitochondria itself is passed from mother to child, and is not derived by the father’s sperm. This means that by taking genetic information from one egg, and placing it in a donor’s egg with healthy mitochondria, the risk of these defects can be eliminated. However, as some genetic information is contained in the mitochondria, the baby will then share the genes of three people.
The way forward
If the new techniques are approved by government ministers, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority recommends that any children created using this method of treatment should be monitored closely, as should their offspring after that.
In a recent open meeting held by HEFA, there were also concerns raised regarding the identification of the healthy egg’s donor. As the law stands, the donor is currently identified when either sperm or an egg is donated. Whilst HEFA believed the child has no reason to know the identity of the donor in this case, public opinion on the matter is mixed.
The next stage in making three-person IVF legal in the UK is a vote in the House of Commons, followed by a deciding vote in the House of Lords. With mitochondrial diseases having such a devastating impact on British families, it is widely hoped the new treatment will receive official support sooner rather than later.
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During National Infertility Awareness Week we wanted to take the time to recognize some of the people and organizations we admire the most. They are all doing incredible work to raise awareness about infertility and encourage the public to understand their reproductive health, as well as supporting those struggling with the disease and TTC. Not only have they been tremendous supporters of us here at Circle + Bloom, but they give wonderful encouragement, advice, resources, and love to a community we care so much about. Thank you for all you do!
Davina Fankhauser- Fertility Within Reach:
Fertility Within Reach is a nonprofit organization that focuses on educating the infertility community on how to advocate for access to family-building benefits, including infertility treatment. Davina, the co-founder of FWR, believes that when individuals are armed with information and best-practice suggestions, they become their own best advocate to ensure their family-building needs are met and reproductive health is preserved. Davina and FWR provide step-by-step instructions, a strategic approach and supportive materials to empower individuals to effectively communicate with doctors, legislators, insurers and employers (all core groups that can have a major impact on your fertility journey). How great is that?!
Keiko Zoll:
Keiko Zoll is a leading infertility and women’s health writer. Writing since 2009, she has chronicled her personal journey with infertility as she and her husband seek to build their family through assisted reproductive technology. Keiko’s blog, The Infertility Voice, has become a powerhouse in the online infertility community. A tireless advocate for both infertility-sensitive legislation and cultural empowerment for infertility patients, Keiko has made a big impact in the infertility community through her writing and advocacy. She is also Director of Communications and Social Media for RESOLVE New England, Digital Marketing Director for Fertility Planit and a regular writer at the Disney Baby blog–she does it all, and we are so lucky she does!
Dr. Ann Lee- Health For Life Clinic, Inc. :
Health For Life Clinic, Inc. provides patients with comprehensive, personalized healthcare through acupuncture, naturopathic and holistic medicine, nutrition, homeopathy, herbs, and lifestyle improvement. Dr Ann Lee, naturopathic doctor & acupuncturist with a specialty in infertility and natural fertility, is incredibly connected and warm with those trying to conceive and provides a source of accessible information. She takes the time to explain just how all your symptoms are connected, get you answers, and lay out concrete steps to take towards health. She’s a great example of how even just one individual on a local level can make an impact. Not only are her patients lucky to have her, but Circle + Bloom is lucky for all of the support she shows us!
Lisa Drouillard- My Hopeful Journey:
My Hopeful Journey is a web-based and mobile calendar, task list and journal for women that are trying to conceive. It is customized for infertility treatment, is easy to use, and helps manage everything you need to track on a daily basis, including appointments, medication, tests, procedures and natural tracking–it truly is an amazing resource! It also connects women with all types of fertility resources–from clinics to companies to services to products. The founder of My Hopeful Journey, Lisa, had personal experience with infertility and used that as an inspiration to help others going through the same challenges. Circle + Bloom was thrilled to be one of the pilot members of their Corporate Program, and it has been amazing to see the positive impact these tools have been making in the lives of women. Along with every Circle + Bloom purchase we were able to include a six month free subscription to My Hopeful Journey. Customer’s have found that using our programs, along with the added benefit of what My Hopeful Journey has to offer, has helped women going through the tough and challenging journey of infertility to successfully decrease the stress of TTC and improve their fertility. It has been a wonderful partnership!
Latham Thomas- MamaGlow:
Latham Thomas is a maternity lifestyle maven, wellness & birth coach, yoga teacher, and author on the vanguard of transforming the maternal wellness movement. She is also the founder of MamaGlow, which provides amazing support and resources to help teach moms-to-be how to optimize their experience by adopting a plant-based diet, making time for yoga, meditation and journaling and incorporating natural ways to boost energy and manage morning sickness, as well as help pregnant women prepare for labor and deal with their fears. We love her work that bridges the gap between optimal wellness, spiritual growth, and self care, and fully support the idea of creating a community for women who are empowered to live a modern holistic lifestyle during pregnancy and beyond!
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National Infertility Awareness Week® is April 21 – 27, 2013. The goal of NIAW is to raise awareness about the disease of infertility and encourage the public to understand their reproductive health.
Be part of the infertility movement! Anyway you can raise awareness will help increase public understanding about the disease of infertility. We urge anyone who cares about the infertility community to help with NIAW efforts.
1. Infertility is a disease that affects 1 in 8 couples of reproductive age.
2. Acknowledge that there are many ways to build a family.
3. Understand that the disease of infertility impacts the physical, emotional, and financial health of those that are facing it.
4. To those trying to conceive know when to seek the advice of a specialist.
We at Circle + Bloom are offering a 35% discount on all of our mind-body programs in honor of NIAW week. Enter code NIAW35 at checkout.
It is so important to get the support you need, both during the emotional roller-coaster associated with your fertility journey as well as the financial commitment it inevitably requires. We are honored to play a small part in providing this support, and we hope you continue to share your favorite resources and support systems with others who are also along on this journey.
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Guest Blog by Courtney Bloom, a yoga teacher and naturopath who writes for a variety of health and exercise blogs from her home in Maine.
When preparing for pregnancy, a healthy diet and good night’s sleep are essential – and maybe more so than you think. Lifestyle choices and eating habits can affect your chances of conception as well as your future baby’s health and wellbeing. If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), keep these tips in mind:
Understand Your Sleep Schedule
Sleep deprivation affects your health and can lead to reduced immunity, weight gain, moodiness and an inability to cope with stress, according to Web MD. Stress, a poor diet and being overweight can increase a woman’s risk of infertility, according to the CDC. When you’re TTC, you want your body to be at its best. Help it help you by getting the rest you need.
There are two main types of sleep: Non-REM (NREM) sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The former consists of four stages, each deeper than the last. The latter is when you do most of your active dreaming. Together, these stages form a complete sleep cycle, which typically lasts about 90 minutes and repeats four to six times during the night, according to HelpGuide.org. If you are feeling sleep deprived, it may be because you are waking up during the middle of your cycle. Try setting your alarm to wake you up at a time that’s a multiple of 90 minutes from when you fall asleep. For example, if you go to bed at 11 p.m., set your alarm for 6:30 p.m. Chances are you’ll wake feeling more refreshed because you were at the end of your sleep cycle rather than in the middle of it.
photo RelaxingMusic
Increase the Quality
Light affects how much melatonin — a hormone that makes you sleepy — your body produces, according to Web MD. For this reason, it’s helpful to regulate light when you’re trying to sleep or trying to awaken. Consider using window blinds to block out bright city lights at night yet allow light to filter in in the morning.
The quality of your sleep can be disrupted by other factors, such as traveling across time zones, working the night shift, stress or too much exposure to artificial light at night, according to HelpGuide.org. When you’re TTC, maintain a consistent sleep cycle to allow your body to be rested, healthy and at its best.
Know Your Nutritional Needs
There isn’t a specific diet known to promote fertility or increase the chances of conception, notes the Mayo Clinic, but a healthy diet is still important. When preparing for pregnancy, the Mayo Clinic suggests adjusting your diet to include the basic nutrients you’ll need when you’re pregnant:
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Folate and folic acid: 800 micrograms a day. Good sources include leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and dried beans and peas. Prevents birth defects.
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Calcium: 1,000 milligrams a day. Good sources include milk, yogurt, cheese, juice, spinach and salmon. Strengthens bones.
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Vitamin D: 600 IU a day. Good sources include fish, juice, milk, asparagus and eggs. Builds bones and teeth.
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Protein: 71 grams a day. Good sources include lean meat, fish, eggs, poultry, dried beans, peanut butter and cottage cheese. Promotes growth.
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Iron: 27 milligrams a day. Good sources include poultry, fish, red meat and dried fruit. Prevents anemia.
Have a Healthy Pre-Pregnancy Diet and Lifestyle
Exposure to toxic substances can negatively affect the reproductive systems of men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Contact with these materials can make it more difficult to get pregnant and can lead to disease. Protect your fertility by avoiding synthetic chemicals, bug spray, fertilizer, cat or rodent feces, alcohol, tobacco and street drugs. Your partner should do the same. Exposure to lead, heat, radiation and chemicals as well as the use of drugs (legal and illegal) and cigarettes can lead to male reproductive problems, such as lowered sperm count, and abnormal or altered sperm shape according to the CDC.
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