Category: Lifestyle

“Just the Tip of the Toxic Iceberg”

by Natalia Grob, MD, posted in Cancer, Environmental Health, Environmental Toxins, Fertility, General Health, Lifestyle, Personal Care Products

cosmetics

The terrifying association between consumer products and health problems is described in this recent article found in Time Magazine. Wow. What a headline. This article was written as a result of a large lawsuit for baby powder being associated with ovarian cancer. Yep, you read that right.

 

I’ll leave the rest of the reading up to you if you are interested but just had to share one more quote from the article:

 

“But it’s actually not surprising. The fact is, many personal care products on store shelves—products we lather in our hair, rub on our skin, and put in our babies’ bathtubs—contain chemicals with known links to health problems, with no warnings at all to consumers.

Many of us assume the companies are using the latest science as a guide to choose the safest ingredients, especially for products used on babies.

 

We should be able to expect that.

 

Unfortunately, nobody is watching the store. Companies in the U.S. are allowed to put ingredients into personal care products with no required safety testing, and without disclosing all the ingredients.”

 

What you can do:

  • Keep reading our blog to stay current .
  • Be an informed consumer
  • Check out the Environmental Working Group to check the safety of the products you already use.
    • I use this website every time I need to buy a new product so that eventually I will only have the safest products in my house and in my life. For example, I needed to re-stock on hand soap this week and used the EWG app to ensure I purchased the best rated kind.

Why you should opt for the whole-grain option

by Natalia Grob, MD, posted in Diet, Dietary, Fertility, Food and Diet, Lifestyle

Whole-Grains

I know- whole grains take some getting used to. New IVF data, however, suggests that you should hear me out and give that whole grain bagel and pasta a try.

 

In a recent study, investigators took a very close look at the dietary habits of people undergoing fertility treatments. Women who ate more whole grains (>52.4 g/day) had higher pregnancy rates than women who ate less whole grains. We have mentioned this whole grain study in our blog before: at least one serving of whole grains per day boosts the odds of success by 33%! It may even benefit women who have problems developing the lining in their uterus (endometrial lining): increasing whole grain intake by 1 serving a day was associated with an increase in endometrial thickness!

 

What you can do:

  • Make the healthier choice: substitute one meal a day for something with more whole grains

Dads- pay attention too!

by Natalia Grob, MD, posted in Diet, Dietary, Environmental Health, Environmental Toxins, Fertility, Food and Diet, General Health, Lifestyle, Male Fertility, Obesity

In my fertility clinic, much of the discussion about pre-conception counseling, or what should be done to prepare for a healthy pregnancy, focuses on the female. We discuss a woman’s diet, vitamins, immunization status, supplements, exercise habits and more. New research is suggesting that dad needs to be involved in this health optimization before starting a family.

Epigenetics is a new hot term in science. We all have DNA, which is a roadmap of genes that encode the proteins that are expressed that make our bodies work. To describe it simply, epigenetics is the field that ensures that these genes are expressed at the right time, the right place, and the right amount. My research over the past three years has focused on epigenetics.

I am passionate about learning how our environment impacts our fertility. Epigenetics is an emerging link  to learning about your environment and how it may impact your genetic health: most toxins in our environment are not strong enough to cause DNA damage and mutations, but are able to impact gene expression, and ultimately the health of an individual, by altering epigenetic profiles. Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in our environment, like those commonly found in plastics, induce epigenetic changes in sperm. Worse yet, these changes can be transmitted to future generations.

Recent studies suggest that epigenetic changes may be the key mechanism by which paternal factors such as age and weight contribute to health outcomes in their kids. For example, dads who smoke have children that are more likely to be overweight. Similarly, dads that are obese are more likely to have obese children as a result of epigenetic changes.

Dads- don’t lose hope. There are early indications that some paternal lifestyle-associated effects on sperm can be reverse through exercise, diet, and/or surgical weight loss. In my practice, I like to focus on the couple becoming the healthiest they can be before conceiving. Because ultimately, our goal is similar: we don’t just want to help you get pregnant, we want to help you be a healthy and happy family for generations to come.

If you’d like to take some steps to reduce the impact of your environment on your fertility, consider the following:

 

Your standard prenatal vitamin might not be enough

by Natalia Grob, MD, posted in Diet, Dietary, Fertility, Food and Diet, Herbs and Supplements, Lifestyle, Personal, Pregnancy, Supplements, Uncategorized

 I still remember feeling completely overwhelmed the first time I shopped for prenatal vitamins when I was ready to try to conceive. I’m sure I was putting too much thought into it, but like many others, I was going to take my fertility seriously and I wanted the BEST option. So why did my drugstore have over 5 different types of prenatal vitamins, all with a different concoction of what they claimed was “best?” Some of my friends reported using “prescription prenatal vitamins” and swore they were worth the cost.

I ultimately ended up buying prenatal vitamins that contained docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) since they were advertised as “supporting neurodevelopment” and who wouldn’t want a smarter baby? DHA is an omega-3- fatty acid that is important for brain development.  It has been recommended to eat foods which are high in omega-3 fatty acids for women who want to become pregnant or when nursing.  Although vegetarian sources are now available, fish and fish oil are often utilized for DHA supplementation. For months, I endured gross fishy tastes in my mouth and a fishy odor to my breath; all in the sake of helping my baby’s brain develop. Was it worth it?

The sale of prenatal supplements with DHA continues to increase, despite limited evidence that it actually helps brain development. A recent study suggests that DHA may not be all that it was chalked up to be. This group evaluated pregnant women who took DHA supplements and compared them to women who didn’t. There was no difference in cognitive, language, or motor development in the children from moms who took DHA compared to those that didn’t at 18 months, and 7 years- DHA doesn’t seem to result in smarter kids.  This data is strong enough for me to recommend that you can skip the DHA supplement in your prenatal vitamin, especially if you are having undesirable side effects like gross fish burps.

So what does a good prenatal vitamin need, anyway?

  • Folic acid- at least 400 micrograms; some patients require higher doses of folic acid
  • Iodine

Although a prenatal vitamin will help supplement your diet with extra amounts of vitamins and minerals, your diet should be the primary source. Iron, calcium, and vitamin D are particularly important in pregnancy.

My advice to anxious patients (like myself a few years ago) is simple: eat a well-balanced diet, stay healthy, and find an inexpensive prenatal vitamin that you like so that you remember to take every day.

Daylight Savings Time May Lower Chances of IVF Success for Some: Study

by Robert Greene, M.D., posted in Fertility, FET or Frozen Embryo Transfer, IVF, Lifestyle, Melatonin, Treatment, Uncategorized, Vitamin D

At our center, we have long held that your circadian rhythm–how your biology responds to the day-night cycle–impacts your fertility. This is one of the many reasons we focus on optimizing vitamin D levels, melatonin (when necessary) and paying careful attention to our embryo transfer schedules. In case your fertility center hasn’t figured out how important that this is, check out the following recent study on miscarriage risk associated with time shifts.  https://consumer.healthday.com/infertility-information-22/infertility-news-412/daylight-savings-time-may-lower-chances-of-ivf-success-for-some-study-719514.html

A prospective study using Hatha Yoga for stress reduction among women waiting for IVF treatment

by Robert Greene, M.D., posted in Lifestyle, Stress, Uncategorized

Fertility treatment is stressful. Worse still, there is evidence that stress can reduce your chances of achieving a successful pregnancy. For both of these reasons we’re aggressively seeking ways to help our patients reduce their stress. Here is another excellent study demonstrating the incorporating a yoga practice into the lead-in time to fertility treatment is one effective strategy. Smile, breathe and read on: https://www.mdlinx.com/obstetrics-gynecology/medical-news-article/2015/02/18/infertility-in-vitro-fertilization-stress-yoga/5919631/

Are Low-Calorie Sweeteners Making You Fat?

by Natalia Grob, MD, posted in Dietary, Food and Diet, Lifestyle, Obesity, Pregnancy

There is a global obesity epidemic. More than one BILLION adults are projected to be obese by 2025. Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of medical conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as numerous types of cancers. Obesity, in either male or female partners, is associated with a decrease in the ability to become pregnant. Obese women are not only at an increased risk of having trouble conceiving, they are also at risk of: needing medications to conceive, being less responsive to fertility treatments, losing pregnancies to miscarriage, having children with birth defects, as well as having complications during pregnancy such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

 

Many people use artificial sweeteners or “diet” drinks as a substitute for whole ingredients with the hope of cutting calories. A recent study suggests that this may be a bad idea. This group followed people for 10+ years and found that people that used low-calorie sweeteners had a higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumference, and were more likely to be obese. This paper suggests that using low-calorie sweeteners may not be effective means of weight control, and might even lead to harm.

 

When I review studies like this, I think it’s important to note that these studies are NOT designed to prove that artificial sweeteners CAUSE obesity; rather, they show an ASSOCIATION at a population level. For me, as a physician and mom, this association is reason enough to be cautious about the use of artificial sweeteners. For others, especially die-hard Diet Coke drinkers, they might want more proof before changing their diet habits.

 

There is no easy solution for weight loss; diet drinks probably aren’t going to help. If you are overweight or obese, don’t lose hope. Even a modest weight loss (10-15% body weight) can enhance your natural fertility. It will take hard work through diet and lifestyle changes. Avoid sugary snacks and drinks in general. Consider using natural sweeteners like stevia (Dr. Greene’s favorite!) or honey (my favorite!) instead of artificial ingredients. Your selection in which sweetener you use, is likely going to depend on what is most important to you including considerations like why you are using a sweetener, why you are looking for artificial sweeteners (cutting calories), and taste. Please be an informed consumer and make sure that you know why you are making the choices that you make. Taking care of yourselves will help prepare you for a healthy pregnancy and prepare you to be healthy parents.

Is YOUR Makeup Speeding Our Journey Toward Menopause? The Scary Association That You Need to Know About

by Natalia Grob, MD, posted in Environmental Health, Environmental Toxins, Fertility, General Health, Lifestyle, Personal Care Products

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One of the first research projects I did on the impact that lifestyle can have on fertility showed that women exposed to a handful of common chemicals classified as EDCs (endocrine disrupting chemicals) go through menopause earlier than women who have less exposure. It gained a lot of media attention because several of the toxic chemicals I found in my study are common in makeup products. A more recent study highlighted the continued importance of addressing this issue in women’s health and prompted this post.

This group evaluated the top beauty brands for each type of makeup and found 1322 ingredients. They then went on to summarize the evidence suggesting the association between each of these chemicals and menopause. Most of the chemicals they found are absorbed through the skin, meaning that all these chemicals are entering our bodies each day. Although the group admits there aren’t enough studies to show a direct link between cosmetics use and menopause, I think it’s enough to have me question what I’m being exposed to on a daily basis and how it’s going to impact my health.

Even though you may be far from menopause, I think it is still important for you to consider how chemicals that you’re exposed to can be impacting your ovaries. Women who go through menopause early are likely to have a shorter fertility window, meaning that they may use up their eggs at a faster rate than someone else their age. In the fertility world, this can translate to women who respond less to medications or are less successful with their use of assisted reproductive technology compared to others their age.

As a woman, as a mother, and as a fertility specialist, my first response to learning how many chemicals we are exposed to daily was disbelief: Why aren’t we protected as consumers from these potentially toxic chemicals? Why are they still exposing people to these toxic chemicals? Although the Food and Drug Administration monitors the chemicals that go into food and drugs, cosmetics are not subjected to the same regulation. Here are a few things that we can do to protect ourselves by limiting the numbers of chemicals we are exposed to daily.

 

Take home points:

  • Women are exposed to 1000s of toxic environmental chemicals each day.
  • Some of the chemicals found in makeup have been linked to health problems, including earlier menopause
  • Physicians and patients need to do a better job learning about the risks to their health so that they can make more informed choices in selecting their personal care products
  • What you can do:
    • Limit the number of personal care products you use. For example, try to limit to one type of shampoo to minimize the exposure to multiple chemicals.
    • Avoid any personal care items that have fragrances or scents.
    • Read labels and support companies that disclose what their ingredients are and support their efforts to remove those that are not necessary or are suspected to be unsafe.
    • Be an informed consumer: know what you are being exposed to. Here is a list of great resources.

Sleep Can Affect Male Fertility

by Robert Greene, M.D., posted in Hormone Balance, Lifestyle, Male Fertility, Stress

The impact of lifestyle upon male fertility is very difficult to study and therefore rarely gets much scrutiny. In previous posts, I have referenced studies on how healthy sleep and melatonin levels impact egg quality. Now we have a new study that found that men that sleep less than 6 hours per night or more than 9 hours per night seem less fertile than those within the 6 to 9 hour time range. Although further research would be needed to confirm the validity of this study, it could be that sleep is impacting your ability to conceive with your partner.

https://consumer.healthday.com/infertility-information-22/infertility-news-412/sufficient-sleep-helps-men-s-fertility-study-715964.html

Gluten and Fertility; the facts vs. the fad

by Robert Greene, M.D., posted in Diet, fertility planning, Lifestyle, Uncategorized

Whole Grains

Writing about nutritional choices is tricky. One author recently compared our dietary choices as being like our own personalized religion. We’re all born into certain dietary patterns. Then as we grow, we either accept or modify these choices based upon our own belief as well as our own personal preference. Unfortunately today, many of the fad diets are like dietary cults—people not only want to make their own choice but they encourage others to embrace their decision as well. Unfortunately, most of these popularized diets are based upon scientific rhetoric. They often use encouraging language and small bits of science (often taken out of context) to try to create a compelling message. They want you to join them. As a scientist and a as a physician, I find this troubling because it often has a negative impact upon the care of my patients. For example, let’s consider gluten.

 

Gluten is a combination of proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, oats and various other grains. It has become a very prominent part of our diet because these proteins help dough to rise and retain their shape in baked goods. Although gluten has been vilified by some recent nutritional gurus; many foods that contain these proteins have major health benefits. These whole grain foods are attributed with a lower risk of developing obesity, diabetes, heart disease and various types of cancer. It is estimated that about 1-2% of us may have a true allergy or autoimmune disease (Celiac disease) as a reaction to these proteins. So let’s consider the possible health benefit for the other 98% of the population.

 

Gluten is also a prebiotic. Prebiotics are the nutrients necessary to help the healthy bacteria thrive within your body. A common reason that many people today are taking probiotics is because their diet is not providing these healthy bacteria the nutrients that they need to survive. However, taking a probiotic is not sustainable without feeding these healthy bacteria so they can thrive. There is also evidence that gluten can be an immune booster.

 

Natural Killer cells (NK cells) are part of your body’s immune system. Despite their ominous sounding name, they serve a sort of security role. They are responsible for identifying and eliminating dangerous invaders like virus infected cells and potential tumor cells—they keep you healthy. Ironically, they also serve a critical role in promoting pregnancy. When functioning properly, they enhance the ability of an embryo to implant and thrive. New studies are now demonstrating that gluten can actually facilitate healthy NK cell activity. Whatever the reason, there is convincing evidence that gluten containing whole grains are associated with higher pregnancy rates in patients that are trying to conceive.

 

Patients undergoing IVF provide a unique opportunity to study interventions in a closely monitored setting. Recently, the impact of eating whole grains was investigated at Harvard University as part of the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) study. In this study they were tracking whole grain content by following the diets of women going through IVF treatment. They found that women that were eating more whole grains had a higher pregnancy rate and a higher live birth rate (53% vs. 35%) than those eating little or no whole grains. In fact, at least one serving per day of a whole grain food was able to boost the odds of success by about 33%. Another recent study that was looking at comprehensive dietary patterns and success during Advanced Reproductive Treatment (ART) found that women eating whole grain cereals had about a 30% greater chance of fertilization and early embryo development and an almost a 60% greater chance of becoming pregnant. Finally when researchers measured the urine for a marker of whole grain food consumption in a healthy population of fertile women they found that those eating more gluten containing foods took fewer months to conceive naturally. Taken together, it seems that we should encourage women that are not truly allergic to gluten to eat more whole grain as part of their fertility boosting diet.