Excess Weight and Male Fertility

Posted on July 24, 2019July 25, 2019 by Andrew Orr

It has long been known that for men, being overweight, or obese, is associated with lower fertility and poor sperm quality. We know that excess body fat causes inflammation in the body, but it is also known to cause the following:

Hormones Problems
Sexual Dysfunction
Erectile Dysfunction
Type 2 Diabetes
Sperm Quality Issues
Heart Disease
Sleep Apnoea
Lower Testosterone
Other Health issues.

It is now known that carrying an extra 10 kilos can reduce male fertility by between 10-50%. This is exactly why all men need to take their health, their body fat and their weight more seriously when trying to conceive.

A review of studies about the effects of paternal obesity on reproductive outcomes found that overweight, or obese men were more likely to experience fertility issues and less likely to have a live birth if they and their partner used assisted reproduction technology (ART) – (IVF, ICSI, IUI etc).

The reason being is because the extra body fats are known to be estrogenic (known as obestrogens) which not only reduce sperm quality, but also changes the DNA, the physical shape and molecular structure of sperm cells.

This is why all men need to look at preconception care and lifestyle changes for trying to have a baby, but also their future health and their future offsprings long term health as well.

Take care

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Reproductive Medicine and Women’s Health Medicines

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

Non-Medical Ways to Manage Pain

Posted on May 29, 2019June 19, 2019 by Andrew Orr

In my recent post Getting a Handle on Pain with Proper Pain Management, I talked about the need for getting help with pain and how important it is to manage pain properly. But most of that was focussing on the medical side of things. But we also know that even with the best medical care, people are still in pain. So what is the answer is this approach is not working?

This is where we need to look at the Non-Medical ways to manage pain and look at an individualised and multimodality care approach to give people the best care and clinical management of pain possible.

Let’s have a look at what some of the Non-Medical options are first.

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

One modality that may assist in managing long-term pain is Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This medicine has been around much longer than modern medicine and it is very effective. There is now research to show that Acupuncture and TCM is not only assist with treatments for pain and pain management, but it may be equivalent to the effects of some of our strong pain medications, when it is administered properly by a trained healthcare provider and with a series of treatments. It is also being used in mainstream hospitals for pain management too. While acupuncture may be effective for pain, there is no such thing as a one off treatment for any medicine and we all need to remember that.

Biomesotherapy (Biopuncture)

There is also an amazing therapy called Biomesotherapy, also known as biopuncture. It combines the use of acupuncture and also uses injectable saline and anti-inflammatories into the acupuncture points. Local anaesthetics and pharmaceutical injectable pain killers can also be injected into the acupuncture points and this is how it has been used in parts of Europe for over 50 years by main stream medicine. It may be affective for acute pain.

Chinese Herbal Medicines

There are also Chinese herbal formulas that may assist with pain and pain management and they may also help with the root cause of your pain as well. Again these aren’t a one off treatment and require a course of treatment to get the true benefits. You don’t just take one antibiotic, or one pain medicine and it fixes your issue and the same goes for herbal medicines. What we also need to remember is that up to 50% of our pharmaceuticals are actually derived from herbal compounds.

Chiropractic & Osteopathy

There are also some other great complementary therapies that may help pain. Chiropractic and Osteopathy may help with skeletal pain and may also help with realigning sublaxations that are impinging on nerves and may be causing pain. Both modalities may assist in helping balance the body as a whole.

Yoga & Pilates

Yoga and Pilates may help with pain by rebalancing the body, working on the core and also by assisting the body to relax. There is a bit more to it than that, but they can help. There is now some good research out there to support the use of these modalities.

Massage & Complementary Medicines

Massage may also help with pain and pain management. There are also other herbal medicines that can help too. You need to see a qualified massage therapist and qualified complementary medicine practitioner to get the best care and advice with either of these modalities.

Your healthcare provider, or herbalist, can assist you by consulting with you and helping manage your condition. Just like medical interventions and pharmaceuticals, you should never self-prescribe and always consult with someone who is qualified in their particular profession. They can also administer you practitioner only medicines that are far stronger and more clinically efficient that over the counter products. It is the same in modern medicine too.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy can help with pain management and rehabilitation and women with pelvic pain may need a physiotherapist that can help with pelvic floor physiotherapy and that can do work internally. This is a specialist area though. Physiotherapy also fits into the medical model of pain management too.

Pulse Magnetic Therapy & TENS

Pulse magnetic therapy and TENS (Transcutaneous Electro Neuro Stimulator) may help with pain and ongoing pain management. While many people have heard of TENS, not many have heard of Pulse Magnetic Therapy and this is something that may assist with chronic pain and also pelvic floor instability and incontinence. There is such good research to support this as well. Many urodynamic specialists are now using pulse magnetic therapy in their clinics.

Diet

Let’s not forget the power of a healthy diet, when it comes to pain. Diets high in processed foods and sugars and refined grains, alcohol etc promote inflammation. Then inflammation causes pain and may make conditions causing pain worse. I always assess people’s diets, when they have pain, or health issues.

Exercise

Exercise may also assist with pain by helping with stress levels and helping with increasing blood flow into the muscles and brain and also helping with endorphins into the body. Again exercise can be a catch 22 situation. Some people are in so much people that they cannot even contemplate exercise. But, with starting out slowly and a step by step approach, little by little, exercise can help with controlling pain and getting the body back to optimum health again.

Counselling and Mindfulness

Lastly, talk therapy and counselling and mindfulness training is probably some of the most underrated therapies for the ongoing management of pain. I can’t say this enough. Our brain is what controls all our senses and unless we learn to control stress and quieting our mind, then managing pain is so much harder. I also know it can be a catch 22 situation too, but it is needed. While support groups and talking with friends is great, it cannot compare to the help from a trained professional, who has the appropriate years of training and is specialised in their particular field, or profession.

Important Things To Remember

Oh, and please don’t get your medical advice from people on support groups either. I see this so often and it really scares me what I see and hear. I know they are well meaning and their support is great for you, but they are not a trained professional and this could be very dangerous. Let’s not forget that everyone has different needs according to their condition.

What medication, or therapy, one person is on, or taking, may make another ill, or actually make someone else worse. Please do not Dr Google either. A degree in Dr Google, doesn’t make one a healthcare expert and much of the medical advice on Dr Google is not right. Sure, be educated and be informed, but be careful too. Always consult with a healthcare professional for any health advice, or before trying to do something to manage your health.

Pain is something that we have all experienced, but it is not something that should be endured either. Of course there are individual cases that are just off the charts and require a whole different level of management. These people I feel sorry for the most. While some of these cases may never have their pain gone completely, with the right treatment most of them can be managed to some form of normalcy.

For the rest of the population, most pain can be treated if intervention is administered early enough and there is good ongoing management moving forward. The problem for many is that they aren’t being managed properly and many are trying to just do it themselves. That isn’t going to work. Some people just leave it too long too. The longer you leave pain not managed, the harder it is to treat.

You may also need that multimodality (team approach) for some conditions such as endometriosis and gynaecological conditions. Some other causes of pain will need this too. For others, they just need to see the right people and once they do, their pain can be treated, or managed really well. In many cases, it can be fixed completely.

There is no magic pill

Always remember that there is no such thing as a one off magic treatment for pain, or any health issues, and that there is no miracle one off magic pill to fix pain either.

Even though pain needs to be managed with medications sometimes, it isn’t always the answer either. People need look at treating the cause of their pain and also looking at other therapies outside of modern medicine too. This is where individualised treatments and treatment/management plans are the best, because everyone is different in what they are experiencing and what their particular issue is.

I have seen the amazing effects of a combination of therapies, or stand-alone therapies, in the treatment of pain and its ongoing management. If you aren’t getting the answers you need, with who you are seeing, or what you are currently doing, then you need to look outside the box, think outside the box and start finding treatments and healthcare people that can help you and your particular health issue.

Never underestimate the body’s power to heal itself with proper care and never underestimate the power of a second, or tenth opinion.

Getting proper help and care

If you aren’t getting the help you need, then book in a consult with me and I will do my best to get you the help and care you deserve and should be getting. I also have a great network of trusted professionals I work with if it is outside something that I do, or if you need that team approach for your condition. I have my trusted team and that is what you may need too.

One more things, for anyone, pain is the sign that something is wrong in the body and means it needs to be addressed. Oh and always remember, period pain is not normal either.

Take care

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

– The Headache, Migraine and Pain Experts

Let’s Talk About Iron

Posted on May 8, 2019May 8, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Let’s talk about iron. After my recent post about me having haemochromatosis and the importance of regular venesection and proper screening, I thought we should talk more about iron.

We need to not only talk about high iron and genetic disorders, such as haemochromatosis, but also talk about iron deficiency and proper screening and management of that as well.

In this video post I talk high iron, low iron and everything in between. I also talk about genetics and auto-recessive genetic pathways and the parental mode of inheritance. This also goes for many other health conditions we see in people.

Please remember that early intervention, early screening, early treatments and early management is the key to any disease state.

Western Diet Permanently Alters the Immune System & Alters Gene Expression

Posted on April 17, 2019April 17, 2019 by Andrew Orr

For many years we have been trying to explain to people how their diet is a major factor in their current health and how a poor diet can actually cause expression of many inflammatory disease states within the body. There is now research which shows how the western diet permanently alters the immune system and alters gene expression.

New research has shown that our immune system responses to the Western diet very similar to how it reacts to infection by dangerous bacteria. The research was led by the University of Bonn in Germany and published in the journal Cell.

One of the disturbing results of the study is that the longer we consume a high GI, highly refined foods, and Western diet, that it can make the immune system become hyper-responsive to inflammation triggers. We know that a diet in highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates actually causes high inflammation in the body.

The longer we eat this way, these long-term changes may contribute to type 2 diabetes, arteriosclerosis, inflammatory bowel conditions, cancers, gynaecological conditions, and several other conditions wherein inflammation is thought to play a part, and which have been linked to consumption of a highly refined Western based diet.

The Western diet altered gene expression

The new research showed that just after just 1 month, there were changes throughout the bodies that are similar to the strong inflammation reactions that occur in bacterial infections. The researchers showed that an unhealthy high GI/highly refined diet led to increases in certain immune cells, which were a sign of inflammation and an infection like process. They also found that the Western diet had switched on many genes in the body that would also express many disease states and inflammatory processes in the body.

The researchers concluded that findings highlight the dramatic impact that the wrong kind of food can have, and that they have important implications for society, especially for children who grow up with this highly inflammatory based diets and consume them longer.

The researchers concluded that adults and children have a choice of what they eat every day. We should enable everyone, especially children, to make conscious decisions regarding their dietary habits. The new research also highlighted that dietary habits and the foundations of what a healthy diet is, need to become more prominent in our education system and it needs to start at a younger age. We also need to re-educate adults on what a healthy diet is as well

At my clinic, we can help people to know what a healthy diet is and this education is also passed onto people we help with inflammatory disease states.

We always promote a Primal/Low GI/grain free diet to all our patients so that they can be healthier, have less inflammation in their bodies and live longer and happier lives.

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Expert

Reasons You May Be Gaining Weight

Posted on April 17, 2019September 9, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Weight loss is something that I get asked about often and not many people understand that it is more about fat loss, rather than weight loss, when it comes to being healthy. There are many reasons that people may be gaining weight and most of the common cause are lack of exercise and what people put in their mouths.

There are health issues that may affect your weight also, but at the end of the day, dietary and lifestyle changes are still needed to remain in the healthy weight range for your health. In this article I will look at the many factors that could be causing someone to gain fat and not be able to lose it.

It May Not Just Be Your Food Intake

If you started taking in more calories than usual, or increase your high GI foods, or cut back on exercise, you wouldn’t be surprised if the numbers on the scale crept higher. Just remember that scales aren’t an accurate assessment of body fat and that muscle does weigh more that fat. It is the waist size that is the true measurement we want people to focus on. We should be more worried about waist gain, rather than weight gain. But what if you’re doing everything the same as you always do, and your weight still goes up? It’s time to delve a little deeper into what else might be going on.

Lack of Sleep

There are two things that can affect your when you aren’t getting enough sleep and may have an impact on weight gain. First, if you’re up late, the odds are greater that you’re doing some late-night snacking, which means more intake of foods that may not be appropriate. The other reason involves what’s going on in your body when you’re sleep-deprived. This leads to running on adrenalin and increased cortisol levels as well. Changes in hormone levels increase hunger and appetite and also make you feel not as full after eating.

Stress

When life’s demands get too intense, our bodies go into survival mode. That fight or flight response kicks in and adrenalin and Cortisol, the “stress hormone,” is secreted, which causes an increase in appetite. Cortisol also makes you store fat. And of course, we may reach for high-calorie comfort foods in times of stress as well. This combination is a perfect breeding ground for weight gain.

Antidepressants and other Medications

An unfortunate side effect from some antidepressants is weight gain. Most antidepressants will give people a weight gain of around 3kgs per year of taking them. Talk to your healthcare practitioner about making changes to your treatment plan if you think your antidepressant is causing weight gain. There are natural options that can help with depression, without all the side effects. But never stop or change your medication on your own. Realize that some people experience weight gain after beginning drug treatment simply because they’re feeling better, which leads to a better appetite. Also, depression itself can cause changes in weight.

Steroids and Hormones

Anti-inflammatory steroid medications like prednisone are notorious for causing weight gain. All of the fertility hormones and hormone replacement drugs are steroidal based and cause weight gain too. Fluid retention and increased appetite are the main reasons. Some people may also see a temporary change in where their body holds fat while taking steroids. Places like the face, the belly, or the back of the neck are all areas where you can see increase fluid retention. If you’ve taken steroids for more than a week, don’t stop them abruptly. That can lead to serious problems. They need to be tapered down slowly and weaned off properly. Check with your doctor first. Drugs That May Cause Weight Gain.

Several other prescription drugs are linked to weight gain. The list includes antipsychotic drugs (used to treat disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), along with medications to treat migraines, seizures, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Work with your doctor to find a medication that treats your symptoms and lessens side effects.

The Contraceptive Pill

Combination birth control pills (estrogen and progestin) do weight gain and fluid retention. There are other contraceptive methods that do not cause weight gain and fluid retention and have lower side effect profiles. If you’re still concerned about possible weight gain, talk to your healthcare practitioner.

Thyroid Issues

Thyroid issues can definitely be a big factor in weight gain. If your thyroid (the butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck) is not making enough thyroid hormone, you’re probably feeling tired, weak, and cold, and gaining weight. Without enough thyroid hormone, your metabolism slows, making weight gain more likely. Even a thyroid functioning at the lower end of the normal range might cause weight gain. Treating hypothyroidism with medication may reverse some of the weight gain.

Menopause

Most women do gain some weight around the time of menopause, but hormones probably aren’t the only cause. Aging slows your metabolism, so you burn fewer calories. We need women to realise this reality, which isn’t always easy to accept. Changes in lifestyle (such as exercising less) play a role in weight and waist gain. But where you gain weight may be related to menopause, with fat accumulating around your waist more than your hips and thighs. There are ways to control this in menopause too.

Cushing’s Syndrome

Weight gain is a common symptom of Cushing’s syndrome, a condition in which you are exposed to too much of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn causes weight gain and other abnormalities. You can get Cushing’s syndrome if you take steroids for asthma, arthritis, or lupus. It can also happen when your adrenal glands make too much cortisol, or it could be related to a tumor. The weight gain may be most prominent around the face, neck, upper back, or waist.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is a common hormonal problem in all women of childbearing age. It is the most common gynaecological disorder in women and is becoming more prevalent due to our high GI diets and being passed on through genetic and hereditary link. Some women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries, some do not and only have the syndrome and associated symptoms. The condition leads to hormone imbalances that affect a woman’s menstrual cycle and can lead to extra body hair and acne. Women with this condition are resistant to insulin (the hormone that controls blood sugar), so it may cause weight gain. Many women with PCOS are normal, or underweight too. Women with PCOS are also at higher risk of diabetes. The weight tends to collect around the belly, putting these women at greater risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. When you quit, you may gain some weight, but perhaps less than you think. On average, people who stop smoking gain less than 10 kilograms. You should stop feeling hungrier after several weeks, which will make it easier to help lose any weight you gained.

Rules If You Do Gain Weight

Rule 1:

Don’t stop taking any medications without first consulting your doctor. Recognize the importance of the drug you’re taking. It may be critical to your health. Also, something else may be causing you to gain weight. Your doctor can help you figure out what’s going on. There are also natural options that you may take also.

Rule 2:

Don’t compare yourself to other people taking the same drug. Not all people experience the same side effects on the same drug. Even if a drug caused someone else to lose weight, the same might not be true for you. Please do not Dr Google, or take advice off anyone other than a qualified healthcare professional.

Rule 3:

Remember that if the weight gain is just from water retention, it’s not permanent weight or fat. Once you’re done taking the drug or your condition is under control, the puffiness from fluid retention may ease. Stick to a lower GI diet in the meantime too. High GI foods such as breads, cereals, cakes, pasta, sugars etc, all make the body store fats and stop the burning of fats and cause inflammation.

Rule 4:

Check with your healthcare practitioner about another medication you can take. In many cases, your healthcare practitioner can switch you to another medication that might not have the same side effects. There are also natural options that you may be able to take without all the nasty side effects of your medication

Rule 5:

Learn if the weight gain is from a decrease in metabolism — from either a medical condition or medication. And if so, take the time to participate in metabolism-raising activities. Get moving!

Also realise that it is waist gain you need to worry about, not weight gain. Many people obsess unnecessarily over weight gain and the scales. When you start to exercise, you may in fact be putting on muscle (which is great) and this will equate to the scales being heavier.

Fat does not weigh as much as muscle per square centimeter , so sometimes you wont realise you have actually lost fat and gained muscle. This is why waist measurement, not weight measurement, is the most accurate way to measure proper fat lose and proper waist and weight management.

A woman’s healthy waist size should be 80cm’s, or below and a man’s healthy waist size should be 94cm’s, or below. Take from the belly button level.

A kilo of fat, versus a kilo of muscle

At my clinic we can help and assist you with weight management and more importantly waist management. We have specially tailored fat loss and weight loss programs to assist you burn fats, increase muscle and do weight loss the correct way.

If you want to get healthy, feel great and look great for next summer and years to come, please give the clinic a call and book in for a consultation.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health advocate

11 BS Facts About Protein Bars & Protein Shakes People Believe Are True

Posted on April 15, 2019April 15, 2019 by Andrew Orr

In this day and age everyone wants a quick fix with everything. This quick fix approach, not only applies to our health, but it also applies to our foods. Nobody wants to spend time on anything anymore and to be honest, many just do not have the time to prepare wholesome foods. Well ….. So they think.

Protein Bars and Shakes have now become a staple in many people’s lives, opting for supposed healthy foods and nutrients in a packet, over delicious prepared fresh foods.

What is worrying, is how these Protein Bars and Shakes are being marketed and what people now believe they are eating when consuming these highly refined supplements.

While Protein Bars and Protein Shakes can be a source of getting extra fuel into the body prior to, or after a workout, or exercise…….eating or drinking them, while being sedentary, many be akin to eating the affects of eating junk foods.

People may look at this as being a bit of an alarmist statement, but if you take the time to see how many additives, fillers, gums and sugars are in the bars and shakes you are eating on a daily basis, it might just change the way you view those supposed health bars and shakes you are consuming. People are being sold a lie and we need to really look at how clever marketing could be affecting ones health.

There are so many Bars and Shakes on the market these days and because of clever marketing and labelling, many of the Bars and Shakes can promote themselves as being a Protein substitute. Many of them actually have very little protein in them at all and are jammed packed with calories and sugar content to equal some of the products in the confectionary aisles.

There are also the latest trends of shakes and bars being marketed through Multi-level marketing (MLM), promising miracle cures, miracle body transformations etc, while being nothing more than a cash cow for a big corporation. Worse still these products are full of fillers, additives, gums, preservatives, sugars and goodness knows what else, all sold as a miracle cure for weight loss and a healthy meal replacement. They also use a cult like, brain washing, marketing spiel behind it to make the old Amway hard sell look like pre-school play.

Before I go into the 11 BS facts about these Protein Bars and Snacks, I do have to make one thing clear. Nothing can replace the amazing benefits of freshly prepared, wholesome, nutritious, clean foods. Nothing!

Can Protein bars and Protein shakes be of benefits to people?

The answer is sort of, but they should never ever be used as a meal replacement and should only be used as a tool to get extra nutrients and proteins into the body, much the same as we use vitamins to assist nutrient deficient diets and foods. They are called a supplement for a reason. They are there to supplement a need for extra nutrients, glucose, proteins etc. They should never ever be used as a meal replacement.

Nothing can replace real foods, or real drinks. You also need to do some thorough research to find ones that have little additives, small amounts of sugars and have good quality proteins and ingredients in them. They are out there, but you really need to search for them. To be honest, I not a big fan and I will always promote healthy fresh foods. I personally believe that using protein shakes for meals is a lazy way of believing you are doing something healthy for the body.

If you are going to use Protein bars and Protein shakes, they should really be only used on days when we are exercising, or just before a workout, or just after, to help get in extra energy and help muscle repair. Too many people these days are relying on them as a food substitute and a meal substitute and wondering why they are putting on weight and rebounding when they come off these so called weight loss -shake plans. These shakes are not food and they are not a health product. They are drink that contains proteins and additives and many of these additives are not always good for us.

The worst part about these Protein Bar and Shakes, is that it doesn’t teach healthy eating. These products just teach us to be lazy (most of the time) and we then forget the value of freshly made foods. Many shakes and smoothies you could make from scratch are far healthier and contain more live nutrients and proteins than any Protein Powder or Protein bar could ever provide. Not to mention the beneficial enzymes and vitamins that fresh foods provide. But, even then you do need to limit home made smoothies as they can be high in fructose and giving you a big sugar hit.

There is always time to make healthy clean eating foods and it just takes preparation and commitment to do so. Having the pantry and refrigerator stocked with healthy foods, rather than unhealthy options, is a good start. Seeing a nutritionist or health care practitioner is a good idea as well to help you have a plan and teach you healthy eating habits. Many people actually just don’t know what healthy foods are. This is why it is important to sit down with a healthcare professional and learn what healthy eating and healthy food options are.

So let’s look at 11 BS facts about Protein Shakes and Protein Bars

Protein Bars and Protein Shakes are not a meal substitute and should never be used as such.
Many of the shakes and bars on the market (not all), are filled with artificial flavours, sugars, gums, trans fats, additives, preservatives, fillers, phyto-estrogens and all many other nasty things
Just because it is labelled as a protein bar, or shake, does not guarantee it is healthy. Many have little amounts of protein and are full of sugars that are the equivalent to candy bars.
Most of the Multi-level marketed shakes and bars are full of harmful ingredients and worse still they are being prescribed by non-qualified lay people who are not trained in any form of health care, or health management. Many are not even listed with regulatory bodies such as the TGA, or FDA.
They aren’t good for controlling carvings and controlling hunger. Because so many are filled with hidden artificial sugars and additives, most of them will have you craving more sugar than you normally would without them.
Just because it has a celebrity, or health industry PT marketing them, doesn’t mean they are a healthy food choice.
Protein Bars and Shakes should never replace good clean health foods. Never!
Protein Bars and Shakes do not teach healthy eating habits. They teach us to be lazy.
Just because they are made from supposed raw ingredients, doesn’t mean they are necessarily healthy for you. Raw ingredients that are highly refined, are still refined processed foods.
Making homemade doesn’t necessarily make them healthy either. Might not have all the fillers or additives, but it could still be high in sugars and calories. Dried fruits, coconut sugar, agave, honey etc is still sugar. Sugar is sugar no matter what form it comes in.
Protein Bars and Shakes are not always a weight loss, health management product. Nothing should replace a healthy diet and real foods.

I hope that helps explain a little more about this supplements and how they are not a healthy food choice. Nothing can ever replace healthy fresh foods.

If you do need help with meal plans and knowing what healthy food choices are, please see a nutritionist, or book in an consultation with me through my clinic staff.

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-No Stone Left Unturned

-PACE Diet

When Males Do Not Want to Initiate Intimacy and Sex in a Relationship. Let’s talk about it.

Posted on March 21, 2019March 21, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Today’s topic is ‘When Males Do Not Want to Initiate Intimacy and Sex in a Relationship. Let’s Talk about it.’

I got asked to comment on this very important topic after talking to one of my patients today.

Often there is a perception that all males have high libidos and nothing could be further from the truth. Libidos differ in all relationships and sometime the female will have a higher libido that the male.

In this video I talk about some of the reasons why and what can be done to help this issue for couples.

I have also done an article on Exercises for Better Sex

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

Could you have PCOS and not know it ?

Posted on January 29, 2019September 6, 2021 by Andrew Orr

Nearly everyday I get young teenage girls, or women in general, coming to my clinic with bad acne and/or menstrual issues only to be diagnosed with PCOS.

For many this is a shock, because they have seen multiple doctors, natural medicine practitioners and even medical specialists whom have missed this very common gynaecological/endocrine/reproductive disorder.

I have previously done posts about it taking many years to get a proper diagnosis previously so please take a look at those posts. Click Here

The problem is many are unaware of the long-term implications on their health and their fertility.

So instead of doing a long post of what PCOS is and how to treat it etc, I am just going to do up a short post about what the signs and symptoms are and if you have 1-2 of the symptoms, there is a big possibility that you actually have PCOS.

Of course you need to see an expert or someone who has a special interest in women’s health medicine and issues such as in PCOS, to help you have it confirmed and diagnosed properly, but we do need to bring about more awareness about this very common gynaecological/endocrine/reproductive disorder that affects many women around the world.

Signs and Symptoms that you could have PCOS
1.Acne
2.Irregular menstrual cycle
3.Skipped menstrual cycles
4.Extended menstrual cycles ( more than 30 plus days)
5.Lack of a menstrual cycle
6.Excess hair growth/Excess Dark hair growth
7.Hair loss
8.Irregular mid-cycle bleeding
9.Ovulation pain
10.Pot belly/ Fluid around the belly/Excess weight around the lower belly
11.Prolonged periods of PMS like symptoms
12.Chronic Pelvic Pain
13.Infertility

All these are common signs that you may have PCOS and you only need to have 1-2 of these symptoms to have it. Some may have all the symptoms while some may just have acne and a cycle that isn’t completely regular.

Acne is a big pointer to PCOS and often what people come to get treatment for, not realising that actually have a gynaecological/endocrine/reproductive issue.

PCOS is known to be a hereditary disease, but, we also know that diet, lifestyle and stress can be a big part of this disease state developing too.

PCOS can have long term affects on your fertility and can also lead to diabetes and other health complaints, therefore it is so important to get early treatment and early intervention.

In the mean time please have a look at my previous post about PCOS and how to treat it and manage it properly. Click Here

Lastly, please know that period pain and bad ovulation bad is not normal not matter what anyone tells you.

If you do have any of these signs, please call my friendly staff to see how we can assist you.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Women’s Health Expert

-No Stone Left Unturned

New Year’s Microbiome Reboot & Restore

Posted on January 1, 2019August 29, 2022 by Andrew Orr

Most people often need lose the Christmas and New Years Cheer put on through all the goodies we all consume. This also means our gut and Microbiome and Gut health is out of balance and needs to be rebalanced and restored with beneficial bacteria.

Weed, Repair and Restore

This needs to be done properly and involves weeding out the bad bacteria, repairing the gut mucosa and then restoring the gut and microbiome with beneficial bacteria. These good bacteria also need the right food sources to grow and this is all part of repairing and restoring the microbiome/gut.

Microbiome Reboot and Restore Program

We are offering a Microbiome Reboot and Restore to help you with weight management, help your immune system and also get your gut and digestive system working properly again. It will also help reduce inflammation in those with chronic disease states and help with moods and healthy brain function too. The program also incorporates healthy eating principles.

Let’s start the New Year right by getting your gut health right too.

Please give the clinic staff a call for more details and pricing.

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women and Men’s Health Advocate

The Importance of Electrolytes

Posted on November 27, 2018November 20, 2019 by Andrew Orr

The reason for this post is to talk about Electrolytes and how important they are for the body. I also need to let people know what proper electrolytes are.

Electrolytes are so important for the body and we actually need to replenish them on a regular basis. Water alone is not enough to hydrate you properly and therefore we need electrolytes for proper hydration and to carry fluids around our body. They also have so many other important actions.

Every single one of us needs electrolytes to be able to survive. Many of our bodily functions require an electric current to function, and electrolytes provide this charge.

Electrolytes are substances that help to conduct electricity when it is dissolved in water. These Electrolytes also interact with each other and the cells in the tissues, nerves, and muscles. A balance of different electrolytes, in the right ratios, is so important for everyone to function daily and to support optimum health.

What are Electrolytes and what do they do for us?

As mentioned before, electrolytes are chemicals that help to conduct electricity current in the body and they also regulate our nerves and help our muscles to function. They also help with the rebuilding of damaged tissue. Muscles and tissue rely on electrolytes to hydrate the cells and the fluid inside them. The heart, muscles and nerves cells also use electrolytes to carry electrical impulses to the cells and other parts of the body.

Their most important function of Electrolytes is hydrating the body, but they also help to balance blood acidity and blood pressure as well. Without proper electrolyte balance people can die. This is why they are so important and people need to know about them. As mentioned before, while water is important for hydration, electrolytes are just as important.

Common electrolytes include are sodium, potassium, calcium , bicarbonate, magnesium, chloride and phosphate. When these substances become imbalanced, it can lead to either muscle weakness or excessive contraction. All our muscles needs calcium, sodium, and potassium to contract. The heart, muscle, and nerve cells use electrolytes to carry electrical impulses to other cells.

These electrolytes also need sugar to help transport them and I will talk about this later. To maintain hydration, there needs to be a balance of electrolytes and sugar, in very specific ratios.

Symptoms of Electrolyte Imbalance

Symptoms will depend on which electrolyte is out of balance. The symptoms of electrolyte imbalances can show as the following:

Muscles Spasms and cramping
Muscles Twitching
Weakness and fatigue
Excessive tiredness
Dry mouth and throat
Not able to quench ones thirst
Irregular heartbeat and palpitations
Changes in blood pressure
Bone disorders and aching bones
Confusion and lack of mental clarity
Headaches and Migraines
Seizures
Numbness
Nervous system disorders
Convulsions
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Feeling faint
Dizziness
Moodiness and Irritability

Causes of Electrolyte Imbalances

There are many reasons for an electrolyte imbalance and especially those suffering from dehydration symptoms. These include:

Prolonged periods of illness, such as vomiting and diarrhea
Severe Dehydration
Not staying hydrated before and after exercise
Prolonged periods in Air-conditioning (due to drying affect)
Bladder issues (excessive urination, frequent urination, incontinence)
Pregnancy (due to frequent urination)
Kidney disease
Poor diet and nutrition
Incorrect acid and alkaline balance in the body
Congestive Heart failure
Cancer treatments
Some drugs, such as diuretics and steroids
Pain Medications
Eating disorders
Menopause
Age, as the kidneys become less efficient as we get older

Monitoring and Testing for Imbalances

If you are feeling any of the symptoms above, or have any of the known causes of electrolyte imbalance, taking a proper electrolyte solution is a good idea. If you are feeling symptoms of dehydration, you should take an electrolyte solution anyway.

There are ways to tests for electrolyte imbalances and these are more fined tuned for which electrolyte may be out of balance. This test is called a Electrolyte panel and this is used to screen for imbalances of electrolytes in the blood and measure acid-base balance and kidney function. Your doctor may order this test to also monitor the progress of treatment relating to a known imbalance. Many drugs and hormone treatments can affect our electrolyte imbalance and it is important to monitor these effects.

Oral Hydration Therapy

Most people will know of oral hydration solutions for dehydration, or after long periods of illness. This treatment is used mainly for people experiencing an electrolyte shortage alongside dehydration, normally following severe vomiting or diarrhoea.

It is important to know what proper electrolyte solution is because some of the so called sports drinks (Powerade, Gatorade) are not electrolytes and should not be used as such. These are really just highly coloured cordials with a bit of extra salt in them.

Those so called sports drinks are not electrolytes and are really over commercialised cordials. They are not even allowed to call themselves an electrolyte solution and nowhere on the bottle will you find the word ‘electrolyte’. They may be able to call themselves re-hydration fluids, but they cannot call themselves and electrolyte, because that would be false advertising. Any drinkable fluid can call itself a re-hydration fluid.

People taking these so called sports drinks thinking they are an electrolyte, could be seriously putting themselves in danger using them thinking they have a therapeutic value.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved a solution to be used in oral re-hydration therapy that contains:

6 grams (g) of sodium
5 g of potassium chloride
9 g of sodium citrate

These are dissolved in 1 litre (l) of water and given orally.

There are now proper electrolyte solutions available through chemists and drugs stores.

The ratios of Electrolyte solutions are important

When using a proper electrolyte solution, it is important that the ratios of electrolytes are in the right proportion. It isn’t just about taking an isolated electrolyte, especially when it comes to dehydration. The world health organisation has standards that these electrolyte ratios should be at, especially for proper hydration after illness.

Electrolyte levels can change in relation to water levels in the body as well as other factors. Important electrolytes are lost in sweat during exercise, if someone is urinating too much, through air-conditioning, illness, certain medications, taking hormones and so much more.

The most common electrolytes imbalances are usually sodium and potassium. The concentration can also be affected by rapid loss of fluids, such as after a bout of diarrhoea or vomiting.

Water alone will not hydrate someone after an illness and if someone is dehydrated. This is why it is important to get proper ratios of electrolytes into a person after an illness otherwise they could become severely ill, or even die.

Sugars Role in Re-hydration

These days people are worried about any solution that contains sugar. I often get people telling me they don’t want to have proper electrolyte solutions because they contain sugar. But, all electrolyte solutions need to have a certain amount of sugar in them. This is the one of the only times I will look at sugar in a positive light.

Sugar plays an important role in replenishing and transporting electrolytes around the body and into cells. What many people do not understand is that rapid and effective hydration depends on the active co-transport of glucose and sodium molecules through the small intestine. In other words, this means that the sugar is needed to help you absorb the electrolyte.

If there’s no sugar in your electrolyte solution, it will not activate the co-transport of glucose and sodium for your body to rapidly replace fluid and electrolytes you’ve lost through sweating, illness, or other factors. It is all about the ratios of what is in the electrolyte solution and these need to be very specific to have a therapeutic value.

When there is too much sugar, such as in these so called sports drinks, you can be left feeling bloated and uncomfortable. Too many of them can also put your diabetes risk up too. Because there are not proper ratios of electrolytes in these drinks, you are not getting a therapeutic value out if it either.

Research has shown that drinks with high sugar concentrations can lead to unpleasant feelings of fullness, and delayed emptying of the stomach. These sugar drinks can also lead to other health issues as well. Many of them are full of additives and colourings as well. This is why it is important to know what a proper electrolyte solution is, and know the difference between sports drinks and a proper therapeutic electrolyte drink

Coconut Water

While coconut water does contain some electrolytes, we cannot regard it as a therapeutic electrolyte. Too much coconut water can also cause stomach upset as well. Coconut water can be used as part of your daily hydration and is another way of maintaining some crucial electrolytes in the body.

Foods and Electrolytes

There are many foods that we eat daily that contain sodium, calcium, potassium, chloride and magnesium. It is still vital to have these foods to maintain electrolyte balance in the body. Just remember that when you are sick, or are severely dehydrated these electrolytes get depleted and this is why you need an electrolyte solution for rapid hydration.

Fertility, Gynaecology, Pregnancy and Electrolytes

Many of the hormones used in IVF and gynaecology can interfere with our electrolyte balance and why I recommend the use of electrolytes to my patients.

Long term pain, use of steroids, pain medications, hormones etc, can all interfere with certain electrolytes and their absorption into the body. Some medications and hormones actual cause depletion of crucial electrolytes too.

Electrolytes can help with pain management and muscle spasms etc, that many gynaecological conditions, such as endometriosis can cause.

Electrolytes of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)

Electrolytes are also needed for a dangerous condition called Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome (OHSS). This dangerous condition is caused by hormones hyper-stimulating the ovaries, which can lead to the painful and sometimes fatal condition. Yes, OHSS can kill you if it isn’t monitored and managed properly. One of the things that helps with the prevention, and the treatment of this syndrome, is proper therapeutic electrolyte solutions.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is also a time where electrolytes can be out of balance. This can be due to excessive urination and also because the baby stripping you of nutrients and electrolytes also.

If you are Pregnant, or undertaking IVF, or fertility treatments, have a gynaecological condition etc, electrolytes should be a part of your treatment and management.

Final Word on Electrolytes

Electrolytes are a very important and vital part of a person’s chemical makeup, and an imbalance can affect the body’s ability to function properly. Regular monitoring and consuming electrolytes after intense exercise, profuse sweating, illness and even certain medications can help to preserve your body’s levels.

So next time you are drinking lots of water and not quenching your thirst, it may be time to get some electrolytes into you. If you feel faint, or dizzy, or have muscles cramps etc, this could be one of the reasons also. We all need them on a regular basis. Just make sure they are a proper electrolyte and not the lolly water rip offs that line the supermarket shelves. Please remember to stay hydrated at all times and while water is needed for this to happen, electrolytes are a very important part of this also.

Take care and stay hydrated and healthy. If you do want to know what good electrolyte is and the one I recommend, then please call, or email, my friendly staff and they will be able to assist you.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The Women’s Health Experts