Adherence to a Healthy Diet a Must For Fertility Success

Posted on June 24, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Is it time you that you got your diet healthier to help assist you getting the baby you have been longing to have?

While eating a health diet isn’t going to be a miracle cure to having a baby, it may help you increase your fertility and chances of a healthy pregnancy.

Of course, there are so many other factors to fertility and proper evaluation and assessment is crucial, but research does show that by adherence to a healthy diet can increase pregnancy rates by up to 80%. (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) 61st Annual Clinical Meeting: Abstract 96. Presented May 6, 2013.) + (Fertil Steril. 2012;98[Suppl]:S47)

It is well known that healthy couples produce healthy sperm and healthy eggs and healthy parents produce healthy babies. A proper healthy diet may also help assist with gynaecological conditions as well, alongside medical management.

When I talk about diet, I am not talking about it in term of dieting. I am talking about it in terms of the proper way to way. Diet is such a crucial part of my fertility program that has helped with assisting over 12,500 babies into the world.

So many people neglect a healthy diet and don’t try hard enough to adhere to it. Preparation for falling pregnant is just as crucial as preparing for a marathon. If you don’t put in the work, nutrients and the training, you won’t make the distance, or get a result.

It is so sad seeing people go through cycle after cycle and not doing anything to change their diet and lifestyle and then getting a failed cycle time and time again.

Of course their can be other factors to take into consideration as I said before. But, you can’t go into a cycle, or try to fall naturally, if you not eating properly, or if you are overweight, or underweight for that matter.

Medically we know that the risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, complication etc is high in women who are either under, or overweight. (Lifestyle management before fertility treatment -Obstetrics & Gynaecology 2007;110:1050-1058.)

So many people think they have a good diet, only to find out that what they have been taught is not right. It isn’t their fault. Some people really just do not know what a healthy diet its either.

A poor diet that is high in High GI Carbohydrates causes inflammation and this has a negative impact on fertility. Inflammation is causes by high sugars, which then spikes your insulin and this causes the inflammatory response. This may also affect hormones as well.

High inflammatory response then causes oxidation which may then affect your egg and sperm quality and this may then result in damage to the DNA of the sperm and egg.

As I shared before, a healthy diet is a big part of my fertility program and those on the program then know what a good diet is supposed to be like. Yet we see many ignoring it and wondering what has gone wrong, or what else they can do.

One of the answers is, be good with your diet!

Close enough is not good enough in this case. It is all or nothing, because this is so important. This is about having a baby. But, while having a baby is one thing, we also need people to realise that a healthy diet is also important for living a long and healthy life long after baby has arrived.

If you are overweight, you need to lose weight and if you are underweight you need to put some on. Many people are looking for miracles and go looking for an answer that doesn’t exist, or blame something else, when the fix may be as simple as adhering to a healthy eating regime.

Again, obviously diet is only a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to fertility, but it is an important one at that.

There is so much medical research out there showing that adhering to a low GI diet and the diet I promote at my clinic and for those of my fertility program

The nurses study of 17,500 women showed that a diet with protein, full cream dairy, multivitamins and supplements, good fats etc increased fertility rates exponentially. (Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nov 2007)
Harvard medical schools study on 19,500 women showed that having full fat diary increased fertility while low fat dairy decreased it by 85 % and had an anovulatory effect. (Journal of Fertility and Sterility Feb 2008)
A recent study in the Journal of Fertility and Sterility showed that diet increased embryo quality and pregnancy rates by as much as 80%. In a study presented at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) in 2012, IVF patients who switched to a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet and then underwent another an IVF cycle increased their blastocyst formation rate from 19% to 45% and their clinical pregnancy rate from 17% to 83% (Fertil Steril. 2012;98[Suppl]:S47).

Even non-IVF patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis have improved pregnancy rates after making dietary and lifestyle changes.There are many other research papers out there showing this.

So if you are having failed cycle after failed cycle, or not being able to conceive naturally, you need to start looking at your diet and lifestyle as a major factor.

If you are overweight, or underweight, the same applies. An easy way to work out what weight should be (roughly), is take 100cms off your height and this will give you what you should be in body mass.

So if you are 165cms tall, then you should roughly be about 65kgs (give or take a few kilos).

All men should have a waist size of 94cm or below for good health, and all women should have a waist size of 80cms or below for good health. This is measured from the belly button around, not higher, or lower than this point.

If you are on my fertility program you should be doing this. If you aren’t and need assistance, then you can call my friendly staff and find out more about my fertility program.

I always tell my patients that the time for making excuses is over. If you do want to have this baby you have been longing to have, then you need to prepare the body as though you were about to train for a marathon. We always say that the ones that do everything right have a much higher chance of getting the results.

Is it time you got your diet and lifestyle back on track?

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The International Fertility Experts

Women’s Health Consultations

Posted on May 30, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

*Need help with a Women’s health condition?

*Suffering from a long term chronic disease state?

*Not getting the answers and care you deserve?

Many of these issues are not normal, but more importantly many of these issues can easily be treated quite easily with the proper investigations, treatments and proper management.

Everyday I see women who are sick of being ‘missed’ and ‘dismissed’ by everyone they see and they just want to get some sort of normal life back. This is where as a healthcare practitioner with over 20 years experience in assisting with reproductive issues, pregnancy and women’s health conditions, I may be able to assist you. My motto is “No Stone Left Unturned” and I apply this to every person I have helped.

I am proud to announce that I now have a better way of being able to doing consultations for anyone needing help with women’s health conditions and reproductive issues. It doesn’t matter where you live, now I can help more people from around the globe and get them the answers they should be getting.

Before we only had skype, which had limitations of not being able to screen share the important information that I need to share in a consultation with patients

Well, now I can do consultations through Zoom and these are nearly the same as if you were with me in person and share the same information, just the same as if you were in person.

Reports and Treatment medicinals and supplements are then mailed to you.

This is for patients who live out of the Brisbane area, or are interstate and overseas and it gives so much more scope to help everyone who wants my help.

If you want to get the best advice, best care and see someone with over 20 years experience in helping people, who has a Masters of Reproductive Medicine (medical) and Masters of Women’s Health Medicine (medical) as well as having qualifications in complementary medicine (Doctor of TCM, Nutritionist, Complementary Medicine etc), then you need to see book in with me.

My multi-modality approach has helped with assisting over 12,500 plus babies into the world and assisted tens of thousands of women with women’s health conditions and Reproductive issues, along side medical interventions.

As a healthcare practitioner with a special interest in reproductive and women’s health, my motto is “No Stone Left Unturned” and I apply that to every person I help. It is because I care and want to help care for you as well.

If you would like to organise an online, or in-person consultation with me, please give my staff a call on +61 7 32795697, or email info@shentherapies.com.au. You can also submit an online enquiry through my website www.drandreworr.com.au too.

I hope to be able to help you and care for you all soon

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

Online Women’s Health Consultations

Posted on May 30, 2017February 9, 2020 by Andrew Orr

Do you have Women’s Health issues that you need help with?

Not sure where to go, or who to see?

Sick of healthcare professionals and friends telling you that your symptoms are normal?

Do you just want to see a healthcare practitioner who listens to you and understands your health condition or disease state?

Do you wish you had someone to advocate for you when dealing with other healthcare practitioners?

Wish you had someone to guide you and help you through every step of your healthcare management?

Well, you can have someone not only assist you with your health condition and ongoing healthcare management, but also have someone guide you and hold your hand every step of the way. You will also have access to a trusted network of other healthcare practitioners, if needed.

Why risk trying to do all this on your own, or waste time and money on things that are not helping, or people who are not really listening to you. So many people try to do this on their own, or leave it up to their google search in finding someone. This really is not a great way of finding a good healthcare practitioner.

Many Women’s Health conditions may easily be assisted and helped with the proper care, the right investigations, appropriate treatments and proper management. I help my patients get the right care, right advice and right healthcare management. I also act as your guide through every step of your healthcare management, or if you have to access surgical interventions, or other healthcare practitioners. I also advocate for them if they do need to access other healthcare professionals.

My consultations are also very extensive (1.5 – 2 hours) and each patient is sent out in depth questionnaires to fill out for your health history. These are sent back prior to your consultation for thorough investigation. Then each patient is also given an in depth report of findings based on all your health information. Information packs are then sent to you via mail, with health management plans, treatment guidelines, dietary and lifestyle interventions, medicines, supplements, treatment protocol and everything that is needed for ongoing support and management of your women’s health issues.

Everyday I see women who are sick of being ‘missed’ and ‘dismissed’ by everyone they see and they just want to get some sort of normal life back. This is where as a healthcare practitioner with over 20 years experience in helping women’s health conditions, that I may be able to assist you. My motto is “No Stone Left Unturned” and I apply this to every person I have see and have helped.

I am proud to announce that I now have a better way of being able to doing consultations for anyone with Women’s Health conditions who is not in my local area. It doesn’t matter where you live, now I can help more people from around the globe and assist them in getting the much needed answers and care they should be getting. (*Conditions may apply)

I do all my online consultations through “Zoom” and these are nearly the same as if you were with me in person and share the same information, just the same as if you were in person. I can share information and files etc with you during your consultation and help you with the best care and help I can give you.

This is for patients who live out of the Brisbane area, or are interstate and overseas and it gives so much more scope to help everyone who wants my help, care and ongoing assistance with their health.

If you want to get the great advice, wonderful care, someone who listens, someone who can hold your hand every step of the way, help you access the right care and healthcare assistance, and see someone with over 20 years experience in helping and assisting people with health conditions, then I may be able to help you with your particular women’s health condition.

As a healthcare practitioner with a Masters of Women’s Health Medicine (medical), Masters of Reproductive Medicine (medical) and also having qualifications in Traditional Chinese Medicine (Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Nutritional Medicine (Adv.Dip Nut Med) and other modalities and therapies, I can offer a true integrative medicine/multimodality approach to helping health conditions.

My multi-modality treatments and care centred approach has helped in assisting thousands of women locally, interstate and internationally with women’s health issues. To find out what I may be able to assist you with, please call my friendly clinic staff to find out more.

If you would like to organise an online, or in-person consultation with me, please give my staff a call on +61 7 38328369, or email info@drandreworr.com.au. #Conditions do apply to online consultations.

You can also submit an online enquiry through my website www.drandreworr.com.au too.

I hope to be able to help you and care for you all soon

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Women’s Health Medicine

-The Women’s Health Experts

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

Exercises For Better Sex

Posted on May 28, 2017June 2, 2020 by Andrew Orr

As a practitioner with a special interest in the area of reproductive and sexual health, I thought it’s was time to talk about what you can do to have better sex. While good food, healthy lifestyle, mindfulness and reducing stress can help with improving the sex life and your libido, many exercises can also benefit your sexual health too. These exercises also have other benefits, while making feel good and feel healthier at the same time.

1. Cardio – Getting physical can ramp up the pleasure for you and your partner. Any activity that gets your heart beating faster and you breathing harder, from brisk walking to cycling, can boost blood flow — including to your nether regions. That’s a plus for both genders: stronger erections for men, and greater arousal for women (a whopping 169% more in one University of Texas study).

2. Weight training– Using compound lifts such as dead lifts, squats, bench press etc, all add to strengthening your core, burning fats and strengthening your whole body. They also increase testosterone and other hormones, which help with improving sex drive; increasing orgasm intensity and making you feel good at the same time.

3. Swimming– Harvard researchers found that male and female swimmers in their 60s had sex lives similar to people 20 years younger. Swimming builds endurance, boosts blood flow, improves flexibility and strength, and slashes stress. It also burns some serious calories, a plus for anyone who’s overweight (extra pounds lower libido), especially obese men with erectile dysfunction.

4. Core & Abs Work– A strong, flexible core underpins most everything you do. That includes performing between the sheets. Bonus: You may be one of the lucky people who can have an orgasm while exercising — sometimes called a “coregasm.” It tends to happen during core-strengthening workouts like crunches. Pilates is a great way to work on core and abs.

5. Kegels, Ba Wan Balls and Yoni eggs– Kegels was developed to treat urinary incontinence, these strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, and that means explosive orgasms. Yoni eggs and Ba wen balls have been around for centuries to help with developing muscles in the vagina and pelvic floor and also helping with lubrication, increased circulation and also stimulation of certain hormones such as oxytocin (the love hormone). These exercises and eggs/balls may also help with gynaecological conditions such as Adenomyosis and endometriosis too, alongside medical interventions, by increasing blood flow and assisting with pain. Women may be more familiar with Kegels balls, but probably less familiar with Yoni Eggs and Ba wen balls. Kegels exercises may also help men prevent premature ejaculation. (Always consult with your healthcare practitioner before using kegels balls, yoni eggs and ba wen balls)

6. Plank– This is a perfect way to strengthen the deepest layer of your ab muscles (transversus abdominis), along with your upper arms, thighs, and buttocks. These muscles help stabilize you so you can stay close to your partner when and where it counts most. Do it once a day, and build up to 60 seconds or longer. If it’s too challenging on your toes, try balancing on your knees instead.

7. Cat/Cow Stretch– Think of this yoga pose as another form of foreplay. It limbers your spine, helps get you into an even breathing rhythm, and improves focus — so your mind stays in the moment. Move with a steady flow, so that each rounding up (the cow part) takes a full breath out and each arching downward (the cat part) takes a full breath in.

8. Pelvic Thrusts – Whether your favourite position is missionary or cowgirl, this move is a key part of it. But powerful pushes can be exhausting when you’re out of shape. Work your glutes, calves, and hamstrings to build stamina and flexibility. Pelvic thrusts also sculpt your booty, so you feel good and look good.

9. Better Together– Couples who sweat together stay together; so make an exercise date with your significant other. Studies show that challenging physical activities spark arousal. You’ll be more attracted to your partner post-workout, too. Coordinate your actions (for example, run at the same pace) to strengthen your emotional connection even more.

As I always say to couples, is that having a healthy sex life is so important to a relationship and so vital to connection for the couple. Healthy couples have healthy sexual function and healthy libidos, so healthy diet, mindfulness and a healthy lifestyle is so important to maintaining a healthy sex life. Healthy couples also have healthy babies.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Leaving No Stone Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-Master of Women’s Health

-The Women’s Health Experts

Endometriosis Awareness- Ending The Silence

Posted on March 12, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

My main aim is to bring awareness about Endometriosis also end the silence for sufferers of this disease that is often overlooked and often ‘missed’ and ‘dismissed’. It is an issue myself as an Endometriosis Expert feels very passionately about.

I help and care for women suffering from this disease every day and I hope that one day, endometriosis can be a word of the past. There is no cure for this disease, but we need to find one.

Through awareness and education, let’s try and get women the early intervention and help they need sooner, rather than later.

What is Endometriosis
Endometriosis, which is an inflammatory gynaecological disease, by which endometrial like tissue grows outside the endometrium. It can spread outside the endometrium into the pelvis, bowel and intestines. It has even been known to get into the brain, joints and around the heart.This disease affects 1 in 10 women, often causing immense pain for them.

According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist Guidelines for the Management of Endometriosis, it can cause the following symptoms:

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Period Pain
Pain with sex
Ovulation Pain
Irritable bowel like symptoms
Bladder issues
Chronic fatigue
Pain with bowel movement

The disease can also cause other symptoms such as :

Bloated belly that looks pregnant around your period (known as endo belly)

Bloated belly that looks pregnant and you are told it is from certain foods, but it isn’t, or may be a combination of food and inflammation from endometriosis (also known as endo belly)

UTI like symptoms that aren’t a UTI

Bleeding from the bowel with your period

Low Iron with no explanation

Being told you have IBS, but you don’t have IBS

Migraines/Headaches that are worse around your period

Irrational mood swings

There are so many other symptoms that could also be pointers to endometriosis.

This disease can also play major havoc with hormones and the libido. Many women with can have pain on intercourse which further lessens the desire around sex.
Women with endometriosis often have painful periods and can’t get out of bed, so if you experience this, there is a good chance that you actually have it.
Women with endometriosis can also have other hormonal disturbances such as mood swings, fatigue, restlessness etc. They can also have other symptoms such as migraines, headaches, dizziness, constipation, pain with bowel movements, joint pains and all manner of symptoms created from the inflammation that endometriosis is caused by and also creates

How Many Women Suffer from Endometriosis?
Endometriosis has now reached an all time high in its ever-growing presence. While the current research says that 1 in 10 women are affected by endometriosis, as an endometriosis expert, I believe, as do many others, that these figures may be grossly under exaggerated.

Research also shows that a significant portion of women affected with endometriosis are asymptomatic (no symptoms) and may only ever get diagnosed if they are having issues with having a baby, or they may never be diagnosed at all. In addition to this, many women diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome actually have endometriosis and not IBS.

Many women have also been told period pain is normal and hence many never seek help for a condition that can be debilitating on their life and those around them. Women who suffer period pain and other menstrual related symptoms caused by endometriosis are often ‘missed’ and ‘dismissed’ by multiple healthcare professionals and it can take up to 12 years from onset of symptoms to a definitive diagnosis being made.

Women with period pain caused by endometriosis have to live a life of pain, trauma and physical and emotional torment. Many of these women are barely getting through a day, let alone a whole month of exhausting symptoms related to this disease. Some sadly even turn to suicide.

The Western Medicine Approach on the Causation and Treatment of Endometriosis
To date, Western medicine does not know how or even why endometriosis occurs. New research is showing that the disease is a genetic disease that is hereditary.

The only solution that has been offered in the past was to laser it. This usually has a recurrence rate of up to 80%.

The proper way that this disease should be removed is by excising it (cutting it out), which offers better relief with less recurrence.

I do need to stress that when a surgeon is needed, it needs to be done by an advanced trained laparoscopic surgeon, who has had extra specialised training, and is an expert in endometriosis excision and management, and is not just any obstetrician/gynaecologist (OB/GYN). This is where many go wrong and haven’t had the disease dealt with properly.

Despite the increased success in treating endometriosis through a surgical procedure, it still usually reoccurs in a majority of women. There is no cure for endometriosis. To find out more about the facts about endometriosis please click on the link- The Facts About Endometriosis

So why isn’t the medical option alone working?

Primarily it is because they are just treating the symptoms and not the cause. You can take away most physical symptoms very easily, but if the real cause isn’t addressed at the same time, you have no chance of a full recovery. This includes emotional factors.

In addition, many of the hormones that women are put on after surgery, mask the problem and can actually make it worse. By actually stopping the the normal menses, like many of these hormones do, there can be increased risk of further endometriosis growing. Sure, while you have no period, you may have no pain or symptoms, but internally it is still there waiting to flare up again.

Oral contraceptive pills containing estrogen should be avoided as they only add to making the problem worse. Progesterone only options should be looked at rather than a combined pill, if using hormones. These treatments also have limitations that include side effects in some women and contraceptive action for women desiring to conceive.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach on the Causation & Treatment of Endometriosis
Firstly, I can only pass on what the Chinese have known and studied for 10,000 or more years, much longer than western medicine. They had the body and its internal organs mapped out longer before medical science in the west did.

In Chinese Medicine, they believe the liver governs the menstrual cycle, and that it also governs our emotions.They believe that through poor diet, lifestyle, medicines, environment etc, that these can then cause disruption to an organ in the body. Emotions such as anger, frustration, resentment, stress, irritability etc, are believed to cause the liver to be in disharmony.

In Western Medicine terms, we know that poor diet and emotional factors can unlock predisposed hereditary issues, or dispositions through DNA recoding. Yes, diet can affect your DNA coding and so can emotional issues. Similarly we can reverse some disease states, and reprogram DNA coding through a healthy diet and fixing our emotional health.

When the liver is in disharmony, Chinese medicine believes it can cause blockages in our system. Western medicine now also believes that emotions can cause physical symptoms and we often see this is psychiatric, or body-mind medicine. These blockages then cause what we call stagnation.

Chinese medicine believes that when the Qi (energy) becomes stagnant, it causes what they call Liver Qi Stagnation, and this is the cause of many gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis and PMS.

Chinese Medicine believes that when Qi stagnation is left long term, it then affects the blood and turns it stagnant too. Imagine damming a river and the longer the water sits, the more stagnant it becomes because it no longer flows. This is where the term “Blood Stagnation” comes from and what Chinese Medicine believe endometriosis is manifested from.

When we look at endometriosis, it does present as blood clotting and pain. Basically it is like a varicose vein that has all that old, stagnant blood in it. The circulation is no longer moving and the blood now turns dark and causes pain.

Chinese medicine believes that not only is diet and herbal medicine needed to move the stagnant blood and help prevent the disease further expressing itself, but also believes that the emotional component behind it also needs to be addressed.

In Chinese medicine they use lots of warming and blood thinning herbs that are also anti-coagulants, but are also anti-spasmotics. The Chinese medicine also has herbs to help the liver function and also help with emotional wellbeing.

Dr Andrew Orr’s Recommended Approach to Treating Endometriosis
Endometriosis has a highly variable disease state, and thus a multi-modality approach is needed to treat it. Targeting different pathways is likely to be important to move toward precision health (personalised medicine) in endometriosis. People with endometriosis need a team of people looking after them, not just one person and one approach.

For severe cases you will need to see a good advanced laparoscopic surgeon to get as much of the endometriosis excised (cut out-not lasered). Surgery is a much needed option if the pain is severe because it helps removed the deposits (lesions) of the endometriosis that can be seen.

However, it does not deal with the microscopic implants of endometriosis that can’t be seen, and this is why endometriosis is likely to occur again. We do know that despite the best medical interventions that women who have endometriosis can still be in pain and endure the terrible associated symptoms of the disease as well.

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine may be able to assist with endometriosis and the associated symptoms of this disease . There is now some good anecdotal evidence to suggest that Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may assist with the causes of period pain. This should be done along side medical treatments as well.

To support my view on the treatment of endometriosis, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines for treating endometriosis now states that Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine may assist in the management of endometriosis and should be considered.

Following the correct diet and restoring good gut bacteria and gut health (the microbiome) may also help with inflammation and the associated gut related symptoms of endometriosis.

The modern Western diet consists of many foods with high GI levels, causing inflammation to the body and therefore fuelling conditions such as endometriosis. There are all sorts of diets out there attesting to be the cure for endometriosis, but half are them are actually making it worse. A low GI /Low inflammatory based diet may help with assisting the treatment and management of endometriosis and its associated symptoms.

Lastly, see a good counsellor. Different modalities may help both the physical & emotional side of many disease states, but sometimes solution-based talk therapy is needed for the best results.

I provide patients with a list of preferred counsellors and psychologists when I see them for their initial consultation. I always look at the emotional side of everyones health and wellbeing.

A multi modality approach does help, but for anything to work more effectively, you too, have to make a commitment. It is also about finding your team and the team of people right for you too.

Who I am and Why this Means so Much to Me
I am a healthcare practitioner with over 20 years of experience in assisting Women’s Health Medicine and helping women with care and managing endometriosis and its associated symptoms. I know all too well the trials and tribulations women have to go through before someone actually listens and gives these poor women a proper diagnosis.

I also have loved ones with this disease and have also lived with a chronic painful disease too. While I may not fully understand and feel what women with endometriosis actually goes through, I do know what it is like to live daily life with a painful chronic inflammatory disease that can rule your life on every level.

The one thing I do want all women to know is that “Period pain IS NOT normal” and all too often women are told that period pain is normal. Nothing could be further from the truth. We need to educate women and young girls that period pain is not normal.

I have a motto of “Leaving No Stone Left Unturned” and I apply this to every patient I see with period pain, and those potentially suffering from endometriosis.

I would like to see better education and awareness for the general public, but I would also like better education and awareness for healthcare professionals. I would like to see all healthcare professional use my motto and make sure that no woman is ever ‘missed’, or ‘dismissed’ with this horrible disease ever again.

I would like to conclude with one last message. Women need to know that period pain IS NOT normal and that early detection and early intervention and treatment is the key to treating any disease properly. The earlier a woman is investigated and the disease is detected and managed properly, the better her future health and fertility outcomes are.

Please do not think that teenage girls are too young to have endometriosis. Early intervention and early treatment and management of this disease is crucial.

Lets end the silence about this horrible disease. Please support Endometriosis Awareness and support anyone bringing awareness and education about this disease that so many women now have.

If you would like to book in a consultation with me, please call my friendly staff, or using the automated emails system on the website. Let me hold your hand and care for you and assist you in every step of the way to better health and a better way to live daily.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

“Leaving no Stone Unturned”

“Period Pain IS NOT normal”

Women with PCOS often have to wait 2 years and often see multiple healthcare professionals before diagnosis is made

Posted on January 14, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine/gynaecological/reproductive disorder — and most common cause of infertility — affecting 9 to 18 percent of women around the world.

Despite the prevalence of this chronic condition, one-third of women diagnosed with PCOS saw at least three health professionals over the course of two years before receiving a diagnosis, according to a study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, is the largest to date examining time to diagnosis, and reveals what the authors say are “major gaps” in education and support for women with the condition.

As a healthcare practitioner with a special interest in this area, I see these same issues with so many women waiting years to get a proper diagnosis and they have seen multiple healthcare professionals in both the medical and complementary medicine profession.

The signs and symptoms of PCOS are very clear and easily diagnosed, but many healthcare professionals end up focussing on one symptom, while overlooking the bigger picture and then these poor women get their condition missed.

Many practitioners and public alike, do not understand the difference between PCO (Polycystic Ovaries) and PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) either and this creates a big issue as well. These days the two condition are actually put under the heading of the one condition, when this is not entirely true. For more information about PCO and PCOS, please click of this link (click here)

PCOS primarily affects women of reproductive age — most often between the ages of 18 to 35. The most common signs of PCOS are:

Absent, Irregular and Inconsistent menstrual periods,
Acne
Excess hair growth (some women can have hair loss too)
Central obesity

If a women presents with Acne, irregular periods, absent periods etc, there is a good chance that she may have PCOS. The problem for these women, as explained before is that healthcare providers and placing too much emphasis on only one of these symptoms, which is usually the Acne, or just that the cycle is irregular. Then women are then put on the Pill and these symptoms are masked for years, until they try and have a child and have difficulty doing so.

Women with PCOS also have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, metabolic syndrome and anxiety and depression, and studies have shown that the longer it takes for the condition to be diagnosed, the greater the patient dissatisfaction.

These new results are concerning for those of us who do know how to deal with PCOS and other gynaecological conditions properly. These women should not be having this conditions missed. The other issue is that not only do women often wait several months or even years before care providers are able to diagnose the condition, but even after diagnosis, patients are often unsatisfied with the information and support they receive. It is such a vicious cycle.

But let’s not forget out Endo Sister’s who have endured the long road to diagnosis and management for their disease. It can often take up to 12 years for their diagnosis and again many of them have their condition missed and are dismissed. It is again such a vicious cycle of mismanagement and focus one symptoms before someone finally properly diagnoses their disease. Then many of these also complain of the management and treatment after diagnosis. We also know that many with endometriosis, also have PCOS. These two disease states can go hand in hand and both can equally be missed and dismissed.

Based on the study findings, the authors are calling for the development of international evidence-based guidelines, co-designed consumer and health professional resources and international dissemination to improve diagnosis experience, education, management and health outcomes.

Too right they should be calling for better diagnosis and better education and training for these healthcare professionals. If you don’t know how to do your job properly, or it is out of your scope of practice, get out of the way and refer these women onto people who are trained to diagnose and manage these conditions properly.

Lets, help put and end to PCOS and also put an end to Endometriosis as well. Let’s break the silence and help women get the diagnosis and care they need. Early intervention and treatment is crucial for any disease state and let’s help women get this care sooner.

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-“Period Pain IS NOT normal”

-“Leaving no Stone Left Unturned”

Journal Reference:

Melanie Gibson-Helm, Helena Teede, Andrea Dunaif, Anuja Dokras. Delayed diagnosis and a lack of information associated with dissatisfaction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2016; jc.2016-2963 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2016-296

How Do Orgasms Affect The Brain?

Posted on January 7, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

How Do Orgasms Affect The Brain?

In the words of the late George Michael “Not everybody does it, but everybody should”, many of us forget the health benefits and relatuionship benefits of a good orgasm. Famous scenes of Meg Ryan simulating how an orgasm makes you feel and onlookers saying “I’ll have what she is having” have all of us nodding our heads in agreement.

There is no doubt that orgasm is one of the most pleaurable and intense experiences the body can enjoy on our own, or with another. Many of us try to replicate other ways to pleasure the body and induce hormone like reactions like orgasm can.

This is why so many people dive into a bar of chocolate each night, trying to get some of the seretonin and oxytocin effects siimilar to a good orgasm. Maybe people should be ditching the chocolate, ditching TV, or social media and everyone elses sex life, and just heading straight to the bedroom for some action of their own. It would be more pleasureable and much healthier for the body and brain overall. Hey, you could be using the chocolate in other ways to help enhance those hormones on the bedroom.

So why does orgasm affect us in the way it does?

New research, reported in the journal Socioaffective Neuroscience and Psychology has set out to gain a better understanding of how the human orgasm affects the brain.

This new research has now shed some light on how orgasm affects the body and how it also affects the brain. When it comes to the human orgasm, research has primarily focused on how this intense feeling of sexual pleasure has evolved. In a new study, researchers have delved into a relatively understudied area of human climax: how orgasms affect the brain.

Orgasm can be described as a powerful, pleasurable release of accumulated sexual tension and is perceived as the epitome of sexual pleasure for both men and women. During orgasm, an individual may experience a rise in blood pressure, an increased heart rate, heavy breathing, and rhythmic muscular contractions. The lasting benefits on mood and ones health are often understated and many times forgotten and something that all of us need to be thinking about more.

But while the signs and sensations of an orgasm might be clear, the underlying mechanisms of this sexual response – particularly its neurophysiological effects – remain uncertain.

Previous Studies have shown that orgasm plays a role in ovulation, orgasm helps reduce depression and mood disorders, helps reduce inflammmation of gynaecological conditions, reduces certain cancers, helps you keep fit and also helps with maintaining long lasting relationships.

How orgasm can induce a ‘sexual trance’

An abundance of studies and literature were analysed by researchers, that have investigated the brain and body’s response to sexual stimulation. This information was then used to shed light on how rhythmic sexual activity affects rhythmic activity in the brain. If rhythmic sexual stimulation is intense enough and it lasts long enough it can cause the body to experience a “sexual trance,” where sole focus is on the immediate sensation experienced. These teachings are often taught by those that practice tantra.

While some of this has been known through many ancient tantric sex practice, having research to back up these practices, could change the way people view orgasm and their sexuality. Sex is a source of pleasurable sensations and emotional connection, but it is also actually an altered state of consciousness.

Brain responses to orgasms the same way it responds to dance and music

Additionally, researchers found that the way the brain reacts to rhythmic sexual stimulation is comparable to the way it responds to rhythmic music and dance. Here the study also showed that as humans, dance may have served as a test of fitness for a potential mate. Researchers added that rhythmic music and dance have served as a key part of mating for hundreds of millions of years, and these findings are consistent with this fact.

We do know that fitness and health of the body, also corresponds to ones sexual health and that exercise and keeping healthy is important to maintain healthy reporductive and sexual function. Good orgasms come from a healthy body and healthy reproductive organs.

Before this paper, we knew what lit up in the brain when people had orgasms, and we knew a lot about the hormonal and neurochemical factors in non-human animals, but we didn’t really know why sex and orgasm feel the way they do. Hopefully this sort of research paves the way for further studies in this area and helps us understand the health, emotional and physical benefits of regular orgasms.

In upcoming posts I will talk about what you can do to enhance a good orgasm and also what affects orgasms too. I will also talk about differing libidos and how to increase your libido if that is waivering, or not existant at all.

Source:- Journal Socioaffective Neuroscience and Psychology (Socioaffective Neuroscience & Psychology 2016, 6: 31763 – http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/snp.v6.31763)

Regards

Andrew Orr

Women’s & Men’s Health Advocate

“Leaving No Stone Left Unturned”

How the Christmas, New Year & Easter Festive Seasons Can Affect a Woman’s Menstrual Cycle

Posted on January 5, 2017February 6, 2023 by Andrew Orr

We have not long gotten over the Christmas and New Year period and we are about to embark on the fast train into Easter holiday and festive season.

While many are getting ready for the sugar fest ahead, with Easter eggs and hot cross buns galore, we need to take the time to understand how this may affect our bodies afterwards, especially for women and their menstrual cycles.

Worse still it could even affect pre-existing gynaecological conditions that women live with on a day to day basis, some of which impact women’s day life terribly.

Christmas and Easter times always pose great problems for women and their menstrual cycle, and year after year many women never make the correlation why.

Year after year I see women coming back to see me, after Christmas and Easter, scratching their heads as to why all of a sudden their menstrual cycle has gone haywire and they are getting the worst PMS symptoms they’ve had since they can remember.

So why do so many women have problems with their menstrual cycle after Christmas and Easter?

The answer is blatantly obvious. Stress, Poor diet and Lifestyle factors!

The lead up to Christmas and Easter, is always a busy time and no matter how much people try to deny it, it is very stressful. People are rushing madly to meet deadlines before everyone goes on holidays and then the mad Christmas and Easter shopping rush that follows.

Then there is the stress of what to buy everyone, followed by the mad catering panic. People literally go mad and one would think the end of the world is imminent, with supermarkets being emptied by the marketing hype of these two festive seasons.

Then the big day arrives. Everyone forgets the basic principles of a healthy diet and engorge themselves on any food they can lay their hands on. Basically it is a licence to eat as much bad food as we can put in our mouths, and then use the basic excuse of “Its Christmas” or “It’s Easter” and “It is only just one day and it won’t really matter and I had to do it”.

Then one day leads into two, and then this leads into a week and then before we know it, it has been more than just one day of bad eating, or drinking alcohol. The sad fact of that statement is that some people eat and drink alcohol like it’s Christmas and Easter every day.

With Christmas we can have many portions of baked dinner, crackling, seafood, Christmas pudding, chocolate and any other sugar substance that can be consumed it all had to be washed down with a nice alcoholic beverage, or two. Many bottles of bubbly, or choice of poison later, and we now have a stomach full of sugar, fat, cholesterol and alcohol all churning quite nicely. Diabetes and heart disease here we come.

Then approximately 1 week later it is New Years Eve and the license, to drink like fish and eat like a ravenous bear, is pulled from the pocket and waived around once more. “But it’s Ok”, we say.

The New Year’s resolution will be to not do it again, until next year when all resolutions are forgotten. Meanwhile the system had short circuited, the gut has gone into melt down, the cholesterol levels are rising, the sugar levels have reached diabetes status and the brain cells have been reduced yet again.

Several months later when the system has started to recover, Easter arrives and the sugar binge begins; with Easter eggs and all manner of chocolate, sugar laden delight. Let’s not forget the alcohol added to the mix, that we used to self medicate from the stress of the lead up to the Easter break. The body short circuits itself again and will take until Christmas to recover and then it starts all over again.

Now, I wonder why the menstrual cycle would be affected?

Hmmm, I wonder?

There are only a few things that will affect a menstrual cycle and cause PMS, irregularities and pain. The trouble is many of them can be unknowingly self- inflicted. Yes, many monthly menstrual related problems can be unknowingly self- inflicted.

Let’s not forget that many people do have gynaecological issues that they suffer on a daily basis though. But even still, this high amount of burden on the system will exacerbate these pre-existing conditions and make them worse, due to the resulting high levels of inflammation.

What I am trying to do is just make people aware of how conditions can be worsened and how these high levels of inflammation, from high levels of sugars etc, can cause havoc with a woman’s cycle. This is not about blame. It is about education and prevention. I am here to help, not hinder. Please remember this.

As I said there are only a few things that affect, or exacerbate, a woman’s menstrual cycle and I’m going to list them below. So that way if you are wondering why you can’t get enough Naprogesic into your body, when you get your cycle, please remember the list below.

Please also read my article on “What a proper Menstrual Cycle Should Be Like”. If it isn’t like the one I describe you better book in to see me soon.

What Affects a Menstrual Cycle

Poor diet – Foods such as high sugars and junk foods all cause inflammation in the body and lead to hormonal irregularities and pain with the menses
Alcohol – Most alcohols contain high sugars and they also cause inflammation in the body. It also interferes with your hormones and affects the liver too. In Chinese medicine the Liver governs the menstrual cycle. Excess alcohol leads to SOL ( Shit on Liver)
Poor Sleep– Sleep deprivation leads to reduction in hormones such as serotonin and then effect the moods etc. Lack of sleep also stops the body from repairing and can lead to other health issues
Trauma – Things such as surgery, a virus, cold/flu etc, or where the body has to repair, can lead to menstrual irregularities. The body shuts down the menses so that it can repair itself first
Weight gain or weight loss– It is a well known fact that many athletes do not get a menstrual cycle because of lack of body fat. The same goes for people who are overweight too. Too much, or too little, body fat interferes with your fertility. All your hormones are made from fats and protein.
Emotional Issues– Bottled up emotions such as anger & frustration cause blockages in the system & then cause pain. Emotional issues, such as anxiety also cause problems with hormones and lead to further pain and inflammation. Emotions can be a major issue in any health condition, or can affect hormones.

What a proper menstrual cycle should be like

A proper menstrual cycle should be 26 –32 days in it’s length. It should be 4 days flow, 5 at the most. Any shorter than 4 days is too short and any longer than 5 days is too long. This isn’t good.

You shouldn’t get any pain at all, you shouldn’t get clotting, spotting, breast tenderness, bloating, fluid retention or changes to the moods such as teariness or irritability. These are all signs of irregularities that may need to be addressed.

Some of the things that exacerbate menstrual issues are listed above.

Lastly, please know that Period Pain IS NOT Normal and neither are some of the other irregularities women have. If you are suffering pain, or irregular cycles, or any other issue that doesn’t seem right to you, you need to get it checked out.

If you would like to book in a consultation with me, please call my friendly staff, or using the automated emails system on the website.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Master of Women’s Health Medicine

-“Leaving No Stone Left Unturned”

-“Period Pain IS NOT Normal”

-The Women’s Health Experts

-The Experts Program

What Affects a Menstrual Cycle – Part 2 (Common Gynaecological Factors)

Posted on September 10, 2016August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

There are many things that can cause disturbances to a woman’s menstrual cycle and on my previous post I discussed how Non-Gynaecological factors, such as diet, lifestyle etc, can be contributing.

In this post I will discuss some of the common gynaecological conditions that can cause problems with women’s menstrual cycles.

The sad thing is that many of these are often overlooked and often masked by putting women on the contraception pill. The other issue is that many are led to believe that the pill is the answer to their issues, when sadly it isn’t.

Many of these common gynaecological conditions continue to become worse while having their symptoms masked and exacerbated by these hormones.

Even more disturbing is that many women are not heard when speaking about menstrual issues, menstrual pain and other factors that do in fact interfere with their daily life on both a physical and emotional level.

Lets look at the common gynaecological factors that can affect a woman’s cycle.

Endometriosis – is one of the most common causes of period pain and it caused by abnormal growth of endometrial cells both inside the uterus and outside the uterine lining. The exact cause is not known.While period pain, clotting, ovulation pain, pain with sex, pain on bowel movement, IBS like symptoms etc are commonly talked about, many women with endometriosis are asymptomatic and would not even know they had it.It is commonly missed, misdiagnosed and overlooked by healthcare practitioners and is why it often takes up to 10 years for the definitive diagnosis to be made. There is no cure and now it is thought that genetic factors and parental mode of inheritance is a predominant part of this disease. We do know that estrogens drive the disease and make it worse also.
Endometriosis can only be diagnosed by surgical intervention. For more information please read my posts on endometriosis and also visit the Endometriosis Australia website.
PCO/PCOS – Polycystic Ovaries/Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is one of the most common caused of menstrual cycle irregularities, or ceasing of the menstrual cycle.It is mainly caused by insulin resistance and it also runs in families. There are two types of presentation with this condition. One is just having the cysts on the ovaries and the other is just the syndrome without the cysts.These days it is common lobbed under the one condition called PCOS.Along with menstrual cycle disturbances, it can also cause mood swings, hair growth/hair loss, acne, ovulation pain, infertility, anovulation, weight gain/weight loss, pot belly, fluid retention and much more.
Diet and lifestyle changes are the number one treatment for this condition. Scans can pick this condition up, but can also miss it too.

It can be diagnosed via surgical intervention and sometimes-extreme forms of this do need surgical intervention known as “Ovarian Drilling”
Fibroids – Also known as myomas are benign growths that can occur inside and outside the uterus. Up to 40% of women over 40 years old have fibroids.They can cause problems with irregular uterine bleeding, heavy long bleeding, bleeding in between cycles, anaemia, pain with sex, problems with urinating and back pain.They can also cause infertility and miscarriage.There are 3 types of fibroids (intramural, submucosal & subserosal). They are thought to be caused by excess estrogens and problems in hormone metabolism.
They can be removed surgically and some small ones embolised.
Polyps – Are benign overgrowths, or bulges, of the normal tissue lining the uterus into the uterine cavity.They can cause irregular bleeding, heavy bleeding, bleeding after intercourse and infertility. Some women have not symptoms at all.Polyps may also be found in the uterine cervix. Polyps are usually attached to the underlying tissue by a base or stalk, and they vary in size.They can basically act like an IUD and stop implantation and therefore need to be removed in order for a woman to fall pregnant.
Polyps only rarely contain cancerous cells
Adenomyosis– Is very similar to endometriosis by the fact that it causes pain, irregular bleeding, heavy bleeding, bloating, lower abdomen pain and can affect the day to day functioning of woman all over this world.Adenomyosis growth penetrates deeply into the uterine lining and also inflames the nerves inside the lining. It cannot be seen visually and some special high contrast scans and MRI can pick it up, but not always.Usually a biopsy is needed to diagnose it. Medically the only way to properly get rid of Adenomyosis is via a hysterectomy.In the meantime, mostly anti-inflammatories, some hormones and other forms of pain management are given to provide symptomatic relief.
Thrush– Vaginal thrush is a common infection caused by an overgrowth of Candida albicans yeast.This yeast lives naturally in the bowel and in small numbers in the vagina. It is mostly harmless, but symptoms can develop if yeast numbers increase.Symptoms you may experience if you develop vaginal thrush include vaginal discomfort – itching or burning, a thick, white discharge with a ‘cottage cheese’ appearance and yeasty smell, redness or swelling of the vagina or vulva, stinging or burning while urinating or during sex, splits in the genital skin that can cause bleeding and irritation.The condition is mainly treated with antifungal creams, pessaries and probiotics.
Cancers – In 2008, a total of 4,534 new gynaecological cancers were diagnosed in Australia; this equates to an average of 12 females being diagnosed with this disease every day.On average 4 females in Australia die each day from a gynaecological cancer each day.The most commonly diagnosed gynaecological cancers are uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, vulval cancer, cancers of other female organ and placenta and vaginal cancer.All can cause irregular bleeding, but some may not present with any symptoms at all.
Proper diagnosis and early intervention is the key to any gynaecological cancers. For more information on diagnosis, symptoms and treatment please refer to the cancer council website.

There are other conditions that I haven’t discussed because of focusing on the main gynaecological conditions that can affect a woman’s cycle. I haven’t gone into the treatments of these disease states and will go into this at a later date.

What I will say it that early intervention is the key to any disease state in the body and seeing the right people is paramount too. Please know that many of these disease states will require a multimodality approach and please remember that there is always help out there.

Never put up with period pain, or menstrual irregularities, or be told the symptoms many women face daily are normal. The value of a second, or third, or tenth opinion is crucial for some people to get help and to find the right person to help.

Please remember that period pain IS NOT normal and neither are many of the menstrual irregularities that many of you face daily. There are always treatments and help out there too.

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Leaving No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Crusader

What Affects a Menstrual Cycle – Part 1 (Non Gynaecological Factors)

Posted on September 10, 2016August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

After my post on “What a Proper Menstrual Cycle Should Be Like”, I always have lots of people asking what the cause of their menstrual irregularities are.

Most of the causes can be broken into two causes being:

Non Gynaecological Factors– Meaning things you do, or may have done to exacerbate current conditions, or throw your cycles out of balance

Gynaecological Factors– Disease states such as Endometriosis, PCOS, Fibroids, Polyps, Adenomyosis, Cancers and other causes.

I’ll talk about the factors (Non-Gynaecological Factors) in people’s control so that they may be able to identify some of those things they may be doing on a daily basis to exacerbate current underlying issues, or just interfere with their hormones and lead to problems with their menstrual cycle.

These ones you can work on and be aware of in case your cycle isn’t regular, or your pain is worse in a month. This way you can look back and go “Oh….. Now I know why my cycles wasn’t so good this month”

I’ll talk about the Gynaecological Causes of irregular, or painful cycles in my next post. For now here are the Non-Gynaecological causes.

What Affects a Menstrual Cycle- Non-Gynaecological Factors.

Poor diet – Foods such as high sugars and junk foods all cause inflammation in the body and lead to hormonal irregularities and can exacerbate, or cause pain with the menses

Alcohol – Most alcohols contain high sugars and they also cause inflammation in the body. It also interferes with your hormones and affects the liver too. In Traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed the Liver governs the menstrual cycle and the Live also controls the emotions. Excess alcohol leads to SOL ( Shit on Liver) and thus the moods and cycle get affected.

Poor Sleep– Sleep deprivation leads to reduction in hormones such as melatonin, which is a precursor to serotonin and then effect the moods etc. Lack of sleep also interferes with the other hormones in our body too. Lack of sleep also stops the body from repairing and can lead to other health issues. We know that shift works do have a lot more disturbances with their cycles and also have lower fertility rates.

Trauma – Things such as surgery, a virus, cold/flu etc, or where the body has to repair, can lead to menstrual irregularities. The body shuts down the menses so that it can repair itself first. Emotional trauma can also cause the menses to shut down, or become irregular too.

Weight gain, or weight loss– It is a well known fact that many athletes do not get a menstrual cycle because of lack of body fat. The same goes for people who are over-weight too. Eating disorders can also cause irregularities and infertility. Too much or too little body fat interferes with your fertility. All your hormones are made from fats and protein.

Emotional Issues– Bottled up emotions such as anger & frustration cause blockages in the system & then cause pain. Emotional issues also cause problems with hormones. Emotions and stress are a major cause of menstrual irregularities. Bottled up emotions can cause SOL too ☺

Drugs/Hormones– Both pharmaceutical and recreational drugs can also cause menstrual irregularities and can stop the menses completely. Recreational drugs can also lead to permanent infertility.

Travel– Travelling over time lines and even just interstate can cause issues with your cycle too. The body has to cope with adjusting to different times zones, different foods and water etc and the pressures from flying can also throw the cycle out.

Hope this help explain a little bit more about how our diets and lifestyle can affect your cycles each month too.

If you would like to book in a consultation with me, please call my friendly staff, or using the automated emails system on the website.

There are options for online consultation for those that are interstate, not local, or those that live overseas. My friendly staff will be able to sort this out for you.

Next I will talk about the gynaecological conditions which can causes issues with your cycle. Stay tuned 🙂

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-“Leaving No Stone Unturned”

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The Endometriosis and PCOS Experts