Menstrual Cycle Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Glenville Nutrition Clinic

If you’re wanting to start a family in the next few months you’re not alone. Fertility experts say the period between May and July is a boom time for people trying to get pregnant as sunshine boosts mood and libido.

However, with infertility rates rising and many women leaving it later to try for a baby, starting a family isn’t always easy. It may seem as if getting pregnant is easy and natural, but over 25 percent of couples in the UK have problems getting pregnant. That’s one in four!

The good news, however, is that there is a lot you can do to increase your chances either for natural conception or with IVF. Many simple lifestyle changes for both men and women (the quality as well as the quantity of your partner’s sperm matters just as much when it comes to getting pregnant) can not only improve your chances of conception but also staying pregnant.

The first step is to get your body ready and to make sure your partner’s body is ready too. Remember it takes two to make a healthy baby!

For him:

Chill out: Stress has a damaging effect on sperm count. Stress raises the level of the hormone cortisol in the body which is thought to reduce sperm reduction. Exercise is also good for easing stress and one study showed that exercising for 40 minutes a day lowered cortisol levels.

Wear boxers: Men should avoid hot baths and saunas and stick to cool showers to increase their sperm count. This is because sperm need cool conditions to thrive, which is why tight underwear and trousers are not advised as it causes too much heat to build up in the testes. Encourage him to wear boxers instead.

Quit smoking: If your partner smokes this increases his risk of fertility problems. The toxins from cigarette smoke can make sperm sluggish and increase the number of abnormal sperm. The damaging effect of smoking increases with the number of cigarettes smoked every day. Although some men are able to simply quit many others find it extremely hard, so encourage your partner to visit his doctor for support and to discuss the best way for him to stop.

Laptops: There is evidence to suggest that using computers on their laps may increase their risk of fertility problems. Encourage your partner to use a use a desk instead of their knees when using a laptop.

Slow down with the beer: Study after study has shown that alcohol consumption can increase abnormal sperm count and produce a lower proportion of healthy sperm. This is because alcohol inhibits the body’s absorption of fertility-boosting nutrients like zinc. If you are struggling to conceive encourage your partner to slow down on his alcohol consumption.

Eat healthily: It goes without saying that a fertility-boosting diet for men is a diet that is rich in natural, fresh foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and oily fish and low in processed foods, such as ready meals, sugary snacks, cakes, pastries and crisps.

Take a fertility supplement: It is important for the man to take a good multivitamin and mineral designed for male fertility that contains important nutrients such as zinc, selenium, carnitine, arginine etc as these are known to help fertility for men.

For you:

As soon as you start trying for a baby be sure to take a good multivitamin and mineral supplement that has been designed for female fertility contain folic acid in the active methylfolate form to reduce the risk of your baby having spina bifida. With the exception of wearing boxer shorts, all the fertility boosting tips above also apply to you because smoking, stress, alcohol and poor diet can all damage your fertility. But you can further boost your chances by focusing on the following:

Avoid coffee: Caffeine can have a damaging effect on your fertility, so it makes sense to cut it out altogether when you’re trying for a baby. Drinking more than 300mg a day (two to three cups) has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

Do a protein check: Protein helps to keep your blood sugar levels stable and gives your body the even supply of nutrients it needs to support a healthy reproductive system. Good sources include oily fish, soya, nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs, pulses and beans.

Watch your weight: Being overweight can damage your chances of getting pregnant, so if you need to lose some weight before trying for a baby focus on exercising more and eating a healthy diet. And if your partner is overweight encourage him to lose weight too, as studies show that men who are overweight are more likely to have fertility problems than men who are not overweight. Avoid extreme diets – they can play havoc with your hormones and alter your monthly cycle. Being underweight can harm your chances of conceiving just as much as being overweight, so you need to make sure you are eating enough.

Cut down on the wine: One study of women above the age of 30 found that those who drank seven or more alcoholic drinks a week were twice as likely not to conceive, so it’s really worth cutting out alcohol altogether while you try for a baby.

For both of you:

Have more sex: It may sound obvious but the chance of conception per cycle increase from about 15 per cent for couples having sex once a week to about 50 per cent for couples having sex three to four times a week. Also, sperm quality deteriorates if it is retained for more than three days so frequent ejaculation through the cycle ensures the sperm is fresh and healthy at key fertile times in your cycle (see below). But it’s better to have sex every other night, rather than every night, to help build up good quality sperm.

Window of opportunity: Your egg only survives for 24 hours and sperm live for only four to five days in your vagina, so your window of conception for fertility each month is fairly short. This optimum time is usually between day 10 and day 17 if you have a regular 28 day period cycle. If your periods are irregular you may notice that your temperature is slightly higher when you are fertile and that you produce more vaginal fluid – resembling clear egg white – at this time.

What if nothing happens? If you haven’t conceived after two years of regular unprotected sex and are under the age of 35, and after one year if you are over 35, it’s time for you and your partner to think about having fertility testing. A semen analysis will be check for low sperm count, motile sperm and number of abnormal sperm and also sperm DNA fragmentation which can either conception or increase the risk of a miscarriage, while a blood test can check a woman’s hormone levels to see if she is ovulating.

Conditions such as PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and endometriosis can affect a woman’s fertility. Up to 30% of couples have unexplained infertility and this is when the nutritional and lifestyle recommendations really come into their own, and you can contact the clinic on 01892 515905 and we can organise tests for you.

If you would like to explore whether a consultation with an expert nutritionist at the Glenville Nutrition Clinic could help you, please contact us on 01892 515 905 or send us an email at reception@glenvillenutrition.com

I started having my periods at the age of 12 and I have suffered with severe pain ever since. My mum took me to the doctor when I was about 15 and he put me on the Pill. At the time it was great because I went from being totally incapacitated for 2 days every month to being ‘normal’. I came off the Pill in my late twenties because I knew it was not good to be on long term. The pain seemed to be even worse having come off it. Each month I would be in so much pain that I would often be sick, and faint. Although my work colleagues were very supportive, it was difficult if I was in an unfamiliar situation.

I went back to my doctor and he suggested I try a different type of Pill, so I said I wanted to explore other options. He sent me away with a prescription for a very strong painkiller. I was reluctant to take it but went off to get a supply as an emergency. I searched for ‘painful periods’ on the internet and came across a really interesting site by Dr Marilyn Glenville. The site explained how nutrition can be helpful for the treatment of painful periods. I downloaded an ‘e-book’ on ‘Understanding Painful Periods’, which I read and found very useful.

I phoned the Glenville Nutrition Clinic because I decided that I needed more support from an expert rather than trying to help myself and struggle on my own. I spoke to a very helpful receptionist who talked me through the consultation process and what I would get out of my initial appointment. She sent me a questionnaire to complete and return for the nutritionist to review before meeting me. I had to fill in a two-day diet diary, which was interesting because it made me write down everything I was eating and drinking – it was quite an eye opener. I thought it best to be honest rather than write down what the nutritionist wanted to hear!

Before my first consultation it was recommended that I perform a Hair Mineral Analysis to identify any mineral deficiencies. This was really straightforward because all it involved was taking a sample of my hair and sending it off to the laboratory for analysis and the results would be back in time for my consultation.

The nutritionist went through my questionnaire with me and asked about my painful periods – how long they had been painful, what medical investigations had I had and any drugs I was taking. It felt very thorough, and she was really taking time to understand my symptoms (rather than having a rushed 10 minutes with my GP).

She explained that pain is usually a warning signal from your body, so it is important that the pain is investigated. She asked whether my doctor had referred me to a gynaecologist. I explained that he had never mentioned this, even when I had shown concern that I may have a condition like endometriosis. The nutritionist suggested that I follow her recommended programme for 3-6 months and if there was no improvement, I should ask my doctor to refer me for further investigation.

The nutritionist did say, however, that period pains can be unusual in that there may actually be nothing medically wrong – they can simply be an abnormal functioning of your body around the time of your period. This is pretty good news because it means that if you can get things back into balance, you’ll not only get rid of the pain but you’ll prevent it from returning. The natural approach aims to treat the condition, not simply mask the pain or ‘turn off’ your cycle. Furthermore, if you work to put your body back into balance all aspects of your health and well-being will be improved.

The results of my Hair Mineral Analysis identified low levels of zinc and magnesium. The nutritionist explained that magnesium acts as a muscle relaxant and it has been shown to have a beneficial effect on painful periods and lower back pain. Magnesium also has the ability to lower the ‘bad’ prostaglandins (hormone-type substances that can cause inflammation) that may be causing the womb to over-contract. Zinc is important for eliminating pain because it is needed for the proper conversion of essential fatty acids into ‘good’ (anti-inflammatory) prostaglandins.

The nutritionist went through my diet in depth with me. She was concerned that I didn’t eat enough fresh vegetables and fish and relied too heavily on processed meals and sugar! I had never really enjoyed cooking and I suppose I used this as an excuse. She said that I didn’t need to always cook from scratch and spend time in the kitchen – there are always short cuts! She explained that some foods like red meat, dairy and sugar can actually be pro-inflammatory (cause inflammation) which triggers the painful periods, and some foods can be anti-inflammatory (calm inflammation) like oily fish, nuts, seeds and dark green leafy vegetables. Luckily, I do enjoy these foods – I just never really ate them! She said that I could eat tinned fish to make my life easier, and sardines and mackerel in particular are rich in the anti-inflammatory omega 3 oils. Dark green vegetables, including salad leaves (watercress and rocket) are rich in magnesium, which is a natural muscle relaxant so helps with the cramps I was experiencing.

The nutritionist explained that when your body is out of balance, and has been for some time, diet alone is not always sufficient. She recommended that I give my body extra support with nutritional supplements. She put together a tailor-made plan that incorporated a good multi vitamin and mineral as a ‘foundation’, then added to this extra vitamin B complex, magnesium, high strength fish oil and zinc. She explained that the B Vitamins are needed to help produce ‘good’ prostaglandins, which help to relax and widen blood vessels (as opposed to ‘bad’ prostaglandins, which increase the womb contractions and increase the pain). The B vitamins have been shown to significantly reduce the intensity and duration of period pains.

The nutritionist told me that taking EFAs (essential fatty acids) in supplement form is extremely important in the treatment of painful periods. Research has shown that women with low intakes of omega 3 fatty acids have more painful periods than women who have a good intake.

I booked a follow up consultation for 8 weeks later so the nutritionist could assess me after two menstrual cycles. The first period my pain was definitely less intense and on my second cycle there was a remarkable difference. The intensity and frequency of pain was much less. I didn’t need to take any time off work – which was amazing – and I felt normal the whole cycle! I didn’t have to take any painkillers at all, which was brilliant.

I am now 6 months on from seeing the nutritionist and I have kept up with eating well and taking the supplements. I can’t thank the Glenville Nutrition Clinic enough for their support and encouragement in getting me to better health. My life is transformed and I am now in control of my period rather than the other way around! The best thing about it is that I no longer have to plan my life around my period!

Dr. Marilyn’s Comment

Katy’s story is a great example of how powerful nutrition can be in actually addressing the underlying cause, rather than just treating the symptoms. With a change of diet and taking specific, good quality, nutritional supplements Katy has not needed to take strong painkillers and she can lead a normal life – whereas before she was losing at least 2 days each month to her painful periods.

As the nutritionist stressed in the consultation, sometimes pain can be due to an underlying medical condition, so it is always important to be vigilant and further medical investigation is sometimes needed. Although Katy noticed improvement within one menstrual cycle, it can take up to 6 months to correct the balance. Nutrition can take longer to take effect and change hormone balance compared to conventional drugs but the benefit is longer lasting.

Your Summer Fertility Plan

Read Katy’s story on how improved nutrition helped with painful periods

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