Helix Clinic blog

A recent research study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility has given support to nutritionists who have long advised that eating a healthy diet is important for good sperm quality for couples trying to get pregnant. In essence, men who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables have higher quality sperm that also swims faster.

The Spanish scientists found good quality sperm is a direct result of a diet high in antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables and especially in peppers, citrus fruits and spinach. Alternatively, sperm are fewer and slower in men who eat few antioxidants and instead feast on meat and full-fat dairy products such as cream or cheese.

Lead researcher Jaime Mendiola, of the University of Murcia, Spain, said: “A healthy diet is not only a good way of avoiding illness, but improves the quality of semen.

“Men who eat lots of meat and full-fat dairy products have much poorer quality sperm than those who eat lots of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. People who eat more fruits and vegetables are ingesting more antioxidants, and this is the important point.”

The scientists spent four years studying men in two fertility clinics in Spain to see if anything in their diets or exposure to pollution at work was making it difficult for some to father children.  The study included 61 men, 30 of whom had reproductive problems and 31 who didn’t.

Tags: antioxidants, fertility, infertility, sperm quality

In 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (which is part of the WHO) listed shift work as a possible human carcinogen. This listing was based on studies that showed that shift workers are at a 48% higher risk of developing breast cancer than women who work regular daytime hours.

The body’s production of melatonin is reduced if night time is spent in artificial light. Melatonin acts to keep the biological clock ticking so that you are alert during the day and sleep at night, but is thought to also play a role in cancer protection.

There is evidence suggesting the night shift effect is also linked to reproductive health. A Danish study of 40000 women showed that night workers were more likely to have lower-weight babies or longer lasting pregnancies, potentially increasing the risks of still birth.

The ancient Chinese were keen observers of biological cycles, and used the language of yin and yang to describe their observations. They have long noted that staying up late or working into the night can deplete the ‘yin energy’, and over long periods of time, they also noticed that this deficiency can lead to fertility and reproductive problems or more serious illnesses such as cancer.

Tags: cancer, melatonin, yin energy

This Mother’s Day, Paola, one of our massage therapists is running a special offer on her natural face lift massages. It’s a wonderful gift to give to your mother as a way to show your appreciation for everything that mums do. And the best bit… if you buy your mum a natural facelift for Mother’s Day, you can get one yourself for free!

Why not check out Paola’s article on how to look more youthful and refreshed in just one hour? Try her massage and we guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Tags: natural facelift

As we mentioned yesterday,  insomnia often responds well to acupuncture. However, chronic insomnia can sometimes be trickier to shift. In these cases it can be useful to try a natural supplement in addition to acupuncture treatment.

When thinking about supplements for insomia, it is useful to keep in mind the basic brain chemistry that leads to a good night’s sleep. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that initiates sleep, and its precursor is the amino acid L-tryptophan. The reason that taking a direct serotonin supplement wouldn’t help is that once absorbed into the bloodstream, it wouldn’t be able to pass through the blood-brain barrier and get to where it’s needed. However, L-tryptophan and its metabolite 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), from which serotonin is synthesized, can and do cross the blood-brain barrier, so are suitable as dietary supplements that could help in the synthesis of serotonin.

5-HTP can be bought as a direct supplement, but in addition certain foods have a higher L-tryptophan content so can be useful to eat later in the day. Avocados, bananas and wheat germ are particularly good, so instead of eating a late dinner high in protein (which tends to stimulate and wake up the brain), why not try a bowl of sweet potato soup, with a lettuce and avocado salad, followed by a banana (or a banana smoothie made with added wheat germ).

Another remedy that could be worth trying is the one described on the BBC’s new series ‘Grow Your Own Drugs’. The presenter made a small pillow stuffed with dried hops, and tested it out on a couple of people who had suffered from chronic insomnia. They found good results when the small hop pillow was placed under their usual pillow at night. It’s an unconventional idea, but if it works it has to be better than going for the sleeping pills.

Tags: 5HTP, avocados, bananas, hops, sleep

Regular readers of our blog will have noticed a ’stop smoking’ theme over the past couple of weeks. We’ve given advice on how shorter, more frequent acupuncture treatments can help beat cigarette cravings, and how important it is to get into the right mindset before giving up smoking. We’ve looked at the benefits that can be gained within minutes of stopping smoking. And yesterday we speculated on the role that a good posture could play in helping to anchor good feelings to your future non-smoking self.

Next week is national no-smoking day so if you are a smoker, this is a great time of year to think about quitting for good. We appreciate how hard it can be to give up, so we’ve decided to run a competition with a prize of 3 weeks acupuncture treatment and support targeted to help someone start a healthier lifestyle without tobacco.

To enter our competition, simply fill in our short smoking survey. We’ll be picking a winner at random on national no smoking day so your treatment can start straight away. Good luck!

Tags: competition, no smoking day, smoking