Self-Care Archives

Erectile Dysfunction Yinstill Reproductive Health

Watch Less TV and Exercise More to Optimize Sperm

Erin / Lifestyle, Male Factor Infertility, Men's Health, Self-Care

Semen quality has been decreasing steadily over the past few decades and the reasons for this are debated and complicated. However the steady increase in a more sedentary lifestyle including video games and TV watching may play a significant role in our reproductive health.

See more here:
BMJ abstract

The study concludes: “In this population of healthy men, higher moderate-to-vigorous activity and less TV watching were significantly associated with higher total sperm count and sperm concentration”.

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Evidence that Stress affects our Testosterone levels

Sean / Erectile Dysfunction (Impotence), Lifestyle, Male Factor Infertility, Men's Health, Premature Ejaculation, Self-Care, Stress and Infertility

Testosterone is the force behind our sex drive and erectile health, it’s the reason we make sperm. When deficient it can cause fatigue, weakness, depression, lower sperm count and concentration and other symptoms.

Men’s mental and reproductive health is tied to our testosterone levels, which can decrease for a variety of reasons including injury to the testicles (ouch), testicular cancer or treatment for testicular cancer, hormonal disorders, infection, HIV/AIDS, chronic liver or kidney disease,

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pelvic pain yinstill reproductive wellness

Low Vitamin D Levels Tied To Prostate Cancer Growth

Sherry / Diet & Nutrition, Lifestyle, Men's Health, Prostititis and CPPS, Self-Care

Research has shown that there is a link between prostate cancer and low vitamin D levels. They have found that men with prostate cancer tend to have lower levels of vitamin D. This relationship is still being researched.
These findings are suggesting vitamin D slows the tumor cells life cycle and prevents growth by promoting cellular differentiation and reducing tumor blood vessel formation.

https://www.harvardprostateknowledge.org/low-vitamin-d-tied-aggressive-pr…
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/can-vitamin-d-levels-signal-ag…

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Are You Cooking Your Balls?

Dr. Spence Pentland / Lifestyle, Male Factor Infertility, Self-Care

Don’t Cook Your Balls, yup, you heard right! This is an amazing website which is a self-proclaimed ‘A Light-Hearted Guide to Men’s Sexual and Reproductive Health’.
Are You Cooking Your Balls? Complete the 10 minute questionnaire NOW, it will provide personalized recommendations for how to optimize your fertility.
Are You Cooking Your Balls?

The topic of male factor infertility, and basically anything related to male sexual or reproductive health needs to be approached with a healthy pinch of humour,

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10 Foods to Boost Male Health

Sherry / Diet & Nutrition, General Health, Male Factor Infertility, Men's Health, Premature Ejaculation, Prostititis and CPPS, Self-Care

A healthy diet and exercise can help overall health but there are some foods that have proper nutrients that will improve cardiovascular health and reproductive health in men.

Foods that are good for cardiovascular health are known to be good for circulation all throughout your body this includes your reproductive health! Below are the top 10 foods recommended for men’s health, however, keep in mind that not just one food or even a handful of foods are beneficial but more importantly an overall balanced lifestyle.

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Foods to Improve Sperm Motility and Morphology

Dr. Spence Pentland / Diet & Nutrition, Male Factor Infertility, Men's Health, Self-Care

Recent research published in a peer reviewed medical journal, ‘Fertility & Sterility’ displayed correlations between the intake of lycopene and sperm morphology, and carotene and sperm motility. I have always pushed for men to add more colorful foods to their diet, as many studies confirm the importance of good nutrition and sperm quality.

Lycopene Rich Foods for Sperm Morphology:
tomatoes (sun dried are best, raw and cooked are also good), guava, watermelon,

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Easy Pressure Points for Stress and Anxiety

admin / Self-Care, Stress and Infertility

Download handout here

I would venture to say that every human being on the planet knows what it is like to feel stressed. For some, it may be a few fleeting moments, triggered only perhaps by extreme circumstances. For the large majority of others, stress can be a lot more than just a passing feeling, and too often its left to get to the point where it can become incapacitating.

It’s pretty easy to say to someone “just relax”,

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How to Improve a Thin Uterine Lining to Increase Fertility: Part 2

yinstill / Donor Cycle Support, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Support, Self-Care

How to Improve a Thin Uterine Lining to Increase Fertility: Part 2 Read More »

Top Tip for Stress Reduction: Sit Down, Breathe and Think of Nothing

yinstill / Self-Care, Stress and Infertility

Picture yourself sitting cross legged on the floor, breathing rhythmically and thinking of absolutely nothing. This is you reducing stress and assisting your body in reducing inflammation. In the January issue of Brain, Behavior, and Immunity [1], there is an article that outlines a study that was done comparing the stress reducing effects of an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) and an 8-week active control health enhancement program (HEP) that included walking, balance, agility,

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Supporting Progesterone Naturally

Dr. Spence Pentland / Self-Care

Progesterone (synthetic progestin or bio-identical progesterone) is often prescribed for women looking to balance their hormones. But is hormone replacement always necessary? Naturopathic Medicine uses foods, herbs, supplements and lifestyle changes to help normalize hormone levels and bring the body back to balance. Although Naturopathic Doctors can prescribe bio-identical hormones, adding new hormones into your body is often a last resort.

Progesterone can be low due to relative excess of estrogen – including exposure to environmental estrogens such as those found in plastics,

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