The Toxic Consequences of Sugar on Mental Health

Posted on August 6, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

When sugar cravings set in, the last thing we might think of is how this may affects our long-term mental health. There is now so much research to suggest that we should be thinking about the toxic consequences of sugar much more.

After a stressful day and when our moods can sometimes be low, it is all to easy to reach for sugary treats. But sugar can also be in the form of savoury things too. We need to remember that savoury things convert to sugar and may have hidden sugars as well. There is so much evidence to show the link between sugar and chromic inflammation and now the evidence around it affecting mental health and mood disorders is increasing.

Previously, I shared some new research in post about the greater risk of depression in men and women who consumed significant amounts of sugar in their diet. A few people commented that feeling depressed may lead to increased sugar consumption, rather than the other way around. However, what was really interesting about this study was that the researchers, from University College London Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health in the United Kingdom, used a mathematical model to exclude exactly that. This is known as reverse causation.

Using data from a large group of civil servants in the U.K. – they showed that sugar consumption came before depression, rather than being a consequence of it.

Diet and mental health are linked

When people ask me for help with mood disorders, I always tell them that a multimodality approach is needed, which encompasses changes to diet and lifestyle. It isn’t just about taking a pill. To be honest, there are no magic pills for mood disorders so people need to stop looking for them. True help come from changes to diet, changes to lifestyle, talk therapy, medicines and treatments that have been shown to help mood disorders.

In 2002, a study from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas showed that the overall sugar consumption per person in six different countries (Canada, France, Germany, Korea, New Zealand, and the United States) implicated sugar as a factor in higher rates of major depression.

There have been many other research teams that have investigated the effect of diet on mental health. For example, consumption of processed food, take-away foods and fast food – including hamburgers, pizza, and fried foods – was found to be higher in both children, teenagers and adults with increased rates of depression.

A study of Chinese adults, who traditionally drink unsweetened tea , also showed that those who drank soft drinks and other sweetened drinks had higher rates of depression.

The science of sugar

Sugars are simple carbohydrate molecules. While being essential for cell and organ functioning, our bodies have sophisticated machinery to break complex carbohydrate molecules into simple sugars. Sugars therefore do not need to be added to the diet and our bodies do not need added sugar to function properly. Refined carbohydrates (bread, cereals, pastas, sweet drinks etc) all convert to sugar very quickly. This makes the blood sugars spike and causes the body to store fats and also stop the burning of fats. It also causes inflammation in the body, which is the cause of many disease states and health issues that we all face.

What is really important understand is that our bodies do not differentiate between sugars from different sources. Whether it comes from white sugar, honey, molasses, corn syrup, concentrated grape extract, fruit, or milk, our bodies use the sugar in exactly the same way. Sugar is sugar, not matter what sources it comes from. We can try and sugar coat it (pardon the pun) and dress it up to look healthy, but at the end of the day, it is not healthy for us and is causing major issues with our health, both physically and mentally.

The daily recommended intake of sugar is roughly about 6 teaspoons of sugar for women and 9 teaspoons for men. Even that is probably way too much. To put that into context, a can of Coca-Cola contains up to 10 teaspoons of sugar, while a small banana contains about 3 teaspoons. When people add up what they have in a day, they might be very surprised. Add in some bread, some pasta, some dried fruits, some juice, some sugar in your tea and coffee and it all starts to add up exponentially. We really do consume a lot of sugar.

Sugar affects on the nerves and brain

Neurons are very sensitive cells and are not well prepared for sugar level spikes. In fact, individuals with diabetes are at risk of neuron and nerve damage, and scientists now understand how high blood sugar causes this.

Researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, performed studies on diabetic rats and showed that high blood glucose led to chronic inflammation and neuronal damage and death in the brain. Importantly, there is a strong link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, further supporting the claim that sugar toxicity has a role in brain health.

How to cut down your sugar intake

Cutting sugar from our diet may be easier said than done and these we are bombarded with advertisements for convenience foods and tasty treats. But even seemingly healthful foods can have high levels of hidden sugars. This is where many people get caught out. Food such as breakfast cereals, sauces (including ketchup and pasta sauce), dried fruits, gluten free products, flavoured milks, wholemeal bread, and many products labelled as low fat, such as fruit yogurts, low fat milk etc.

The other food that often get overlooked are fruit juices and so called healthy smoothies. A study published in the British Medical Journal last year showed that over 40% of the smoothies and fruit juices for children contained at least 19 grams of sugar. That is a lot of sugar for an to ingest, let alone a child. High levels of sugars are also in many toddler and baby foods too.

The best way to keep tabs on sugar consumption is to become familiar with nutritional labels. While some products may claim that they have no added sugars, the nutrition facts panel will show the amount of carbohydrates and sugars in the product. It is really important to read these panels because some of what you are ingesting may shock you. Just beware of clever marketing and advertising.

It is so important that we all start to look at foods and start to choose foods that are low in refined ingredients, such as sugar and other additive, but high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients that can relieve the symptoms of depression. Scientists are now seeing that these foods are promoting good brain health, which is great to see.

The next time stress and low mood threatens to spoil your day, remember that good foods can help you and remember where that sugar can actually make your moods worse.

Let’s not forget that trying to withdraw off sugar can be harder than coming off some hard core drugs. Sugar is highly addictive and does have drug like effects on the body. Don’t believe me?

Try it sometime and see how hard it is.

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-“No Stone Left Unturned”

What is Implantation Bleeding?

Posted on August 3, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Implantation bleeding: Causes and symptoms

Implantation bleeding occurs when a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of a woman’s uterus to start the growth process of pregnancy. Some women’s lining can be more affected and be more prone to bleeding during a pregnancy. It is a normal occurrence in pregnant women, yet many women are completely unaware of what it is. Obviously it can be a bit worrying for anyone when they are bleeding during a pregnancy and I will discuss this later.

Some women may confuse the bleeding with spotting from menstruation, as the two can appear similar. What women also need to know is that getting a menstrual cycle, or the appearance of what looks like a menstrual bleed, does not mean you aren’t pregnant. You can have a bleed and still be pregnant.

Usually when it is implantation bleeding. The bleeding is very light and will usually require no medical attention. In some cases, however, implantation bleeding may require a visit to your specialist, midwife, or healthcare provider

What is implantation bleeding?

Implantation bleeding can just before the expected menstrual cycle, or around the early stages of pregnancy. It can also happen again when the embryos is growing and impacting on the lining of the uterus. Again this is a normal part of pregnancy for many women. Some women may not get any bleeding, or signs of implantation either.

The process of implantation starts shortly are fertilization. Once a sperm has fertilized an egg, it is called an embryo. The embryo travels through the fallopian tube towards the uterus. During this time, the embryo multiplies, becoming a blastocyst, which usually takes about 5-6 days to reach this stage.

About 1-2 days after an embryo reaches blastocyst stage, it will then attach itself in the wall of the uterus and this is called implantation. During this implantation stage, the embryo can cause disruption the uterine wall and this then cause what we know as implantation bleeding.

As the embryo and growing foetus grows even bigger, it can then cause further bleeding later on in the first trimester as well. While this is considered normal, it can cause distress for women and any bleeding should be checked by your healthcare provider.

Signs and symptoms

Implantation bleeding is one of the earliest easily identifiable signs of pregnancy. It is also a normal part of pregnancy and all women should be aware of this. As explained before, women can still have a normal menstrual bleed and still be pregnant. It is usually a lighter bleed, but some women can actually have quite heavy bleeds and still maintain a pregnancy. About 1 in 4 women actually have a bleed during their pregnancy.

Despite all that, there are some distinct signs and symptoms to help women identify implantation bleeding:

Early bleeding: Implantation bleeding will often occur a few days before the expected menstruation cycle. This is not always the case, however, and many women confuse the two. As discussed, it is not uncommon for women to actually get their normal menstrual bleed and still be pregnant. Never think that just because you get a period, that you cannot be pregnant.
Unusual coloured bleeding, or discharge: Implantation bleeding produces an unusual discharge that varies in colour from pinkish to very dark brown or black.
Very light bleeding: Bleeding and discharge caused by implantation will usually not last no more than about 24 hours. It can last a bit longer for some women though. Many women experience just a few hours of spotting or one spot or streak of discharge. Obviously any bleeding should still be checked by your healthcare provider.
Cramping: Implantation can also cause mild and temporary cramps. Some women who are doing IVF may also be on progesterone gels that can also cause bleeding and cramping too. Cramping and bleeding does not always mean a miscarriage. If you do experience this and are worried, please always consult with your healthcare provider.

Other signs

As implantation is an early sign of pregnancy, a woman may also experience other pregnancy-related symptoms. Early signs of pregnancy can vary from woman to woman and may include:

Mood swings
Fatigue and tiredness
Dizziness
Headaches and Migraine’s
Tender, swollen breasts
Nausea and vomiting
Changes to the bowels (constipation, or loose bowels)
Heightened sense of smell
Food cravings and aversions
Increased body temperature

Treating implantation bleeding

Implantation bleeding is a normal sign of pregnancy and is not usually dangerous. Because of this, there is no need for treatment. As I have stated before, if you are unsure, you should always consult with your healthcare provider.

Bleeding caused by implantation usually clears up within a couple of days with no treatment necessary. Abnormally heavy bleeding may be a sign of menstruation or a pregnancy complication.

As I have previously shared, some women who are doing IVF, may be on progesterone gels and other medications, which may also cause some bleeding and cramping.

Some women with signs of abnormal bleeding may need the same medications to help with hormonal levels. Some bleeding could be a sign of something more serious so please consult your healthcare provider.

If you are experiencing heavy bleeding along with pain, please present to your nearest emergency centre as this may be signs of a miscarriage, or ectopic pregnancy.

Complications of implantation bleeding

Implantation bleeding is not usually a cause for concern most of the time. It is just a sign of embryo implanting into the lining of the uterus.

Women who are still uncertain about whether they have experienced implantation bleeding should consult their healthcare provider and take a blood test to see if they are pregnant, or not.

Please do not rely on home pregnancy tests as these can be inaccurate in the early stages of pregnancy. The most accurate way to determine pregnancy is to do a blood test. This is very important for women undergoing IVF treatment too.

Too often women will do a home pregnancy test and think they are not pregnant, when in fact they are. The issue is that the home pregnancy tests won’t pick up pregnancy hormone in the urine if it is too early. This can cause a woman much distress at the time and then when she finds out later on through the blood test, that she is actually pregnant. Please never rely on urine based home pregnancy tests.

Please note that if you experiencing heavy bleeding during any stage of pregnancy that this can be a sign of a complication and women should seek medical attention.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Women’s and Men’s Health Crusader

“No Stone Left Unturned”

-The International Fertility Experts

The Facts About Period Pain & Endometriosis- “What Women Need To Know”

Posted on July 25, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Every day I hear stories about women being told their symptoms are normal, or they have been missed and dismissed for many years. Some of the things I hear women get told gets me angry sometimes.

Many of you have also been told utter BS (bullshit… sorry for swearing) and it just gets me so upset to hear this BS continues in both the public arena, closed groups and by other healthcare professionals. When are women going to get the support they need and get the health system to start listening?

When I have to talk to men about this topic, usually partners of women who have endometriosis, or who suffer bad period pain and other symptoms, I explain it like this. I explaint that if guys had pain in their testicles daily and couldn’t walk, were curled up on the bedroom floor, had vomiting from the pain, had to ingest copious amounts of pain killers etc to just function, then governments would rewrite the health system, laws would be made, research would be done and those testicles would endure pain no longer. Well.. that is what I think anyway.

The biggest problem for women is that many of you believe that period pain is normal, because that is what you have been led to believe. Then some healthcare professionals reinforce it and you are basically made out to be neurotic when you try and tell anyone that you can’t handle it any longer.

Suck it up they say. Take some painkillers they say. Have a baby they say. Take the pill they say. There are so many BS things said to you all and all of them are wrong. There are so many other things wrong with everything from support groups sprouting misinformation, GP’s telling people misinformation, specialists telling people misinformation and people now relying on “Dr Google” as the gospel for their healthcare diagnosis. This is where the problem all starts and in many ways ends.

So how do we fix this?

Well, education is the first step. This is not just to the public, but to healthcare professionals as well. We also need to start educating women at a young age that “Period Pain IS NOT normal” and neither are other menstrual irregularities that could be the signs of other gynaecological conditions.

Early intervention and treatments and management it always going to be the key to any disease state. Thousands of years ago in China, the Yellow Emperor had a classic saying “To treat a disease once it has already started and been expressed in to the body is like trying to forge arms once a war has already started, or trying to dig a well once one if already thirsty”.

Trying to treat any disease once it has been expressed is hard work and for some diseases, nearly impossible. Prevention is the key and like any disease, we need to find ways of preventing endometriosis too. But if the disease is expressed, we need proper education to know the signs, know the symptoms and get early intervention and treatments and management as soon as possible.

Endometriosis can be managed, just like any other disease. I have asthma and I am symptom free because I manage it properly and have the training and education and proper treatments to manage it. I still have the disease, but I have learnt to manage it and be symptom free most of the time. Doesn’t mean I don’t get the odd flare though.

The same can be for endometriosis if you see the right people and get the right treatment and health management. Let’s be real about this, even with the best management, sometimes you will still just have a bad day, or a few bad days, despite what you do. This is the reality of living in chronic disease state.

Finding the right people to listen and to do the right investigations and management can be hard and we also need people to listen and do the treatment too. We do need people to take some ownership in their health too. I mean this is a caring way when I say this.

Having had a debilitating and life threatening disease I know how hard it can be just to function, both physically and emotionally. I also know hard it was for me to find the right people to help me too. So I get it. But we still need to talk about this and be honest about ownership too.

Please don’t buy into the diagnosis and the label if you know what I mean. Doing that can eat you up, make you angry/mad and then makes things worse. I know because I have been there. I now teach people to rise up, ditch the label and be the best they can be daily. But, it can be hard work, as many of you know. I get it.

So, lets start with looking at the facts around Endometriosis first and in the next lots of posts I’ll talk about the management and treatments to get women their lives back

The Facts about Endometriosis

1. Period Pain IS NOT Normal- You are not meant to get period pain. Some slight heaviness, or mild discomfort maybe, but pain you should not get at all. Pain is not normal and we need to stop saying it is.

2. A significant portion of women with Endometriosis are asymptomatic– A significant portion of women DO NOT get pain, or any symptoms at all. Just because you do not have pain, does not mean you do not have endometriosis.

3. Symptoms DO NOT correlate to the extent of the disease– As mentioned previously, some women with relatively small amounts of endometriosis will have significant pain, have lots of symptoms, while some women who are riddled with it may have no symptoms at all. This is why i do not like the staging system (1-4) because it really does not accurately describe a women’s symptoms, or have it correlate to the extent of the disease.

4. The only way to diagnose Endometriosis definitely is via surgical intervention– Scans, blood tests etc do not diagnose endometriosis. You cannot have a scan to diagnose endometriosis and you cannot have a blood test to diagnose endometriosis.

The definitive diagnose IS and ALWAYS WILL BE via a laparoscopy/laparotomy, along with a biopsy and tissue taken to examine. A laparoscopy is the goal standard investigation of examining the pelvis and for investigating gynaecological disorders such as endometriosis.

The laparoscopy also need to be done by what we call an Advanced Trained Laparoscopic Surgeon, who has extra years of surgical training, and who specialises in this disease and specialises in the excision of endometriosis. It can’t just be done by a regular gynaecologist and this is where many go wrong. They just haven’t seen the right surgeon first up who has the proper skills to deal with it effectively. Many women have been under-serviced surgically previously and this is a big issue. It just means that they may get some relief, but it will not be long lasting.

The first surgery should always be your best surgery and early intervention and management of this disease is crucial. The longer it is there, the worse it can become. But, please know that surgery does not cure endometriosis. It is just the first stage in the management of the disease and endometriosis needs ongoing care and a multimodality approach to treat if effectively. It needs a team to manage it properly.

5. There is NO cure for Endometriosis– At present there is no cure for endometriosis. Just as I mention my asthma before and it having no cure, the same applies to endometriosis. Once it is expressed into the body, it will always be there. Even if someone becomes asymptomatic, the disease it still there. But while there is no cure, the disease can be managed and women can become asymptomatic with the right help, right treatments and right management. I see this is practice daily.

6. Having a baby will not cure endometriosis– Many women are told to go away and fall pregnant and have a baby as this will fix their period pain and cure their endometriosis. This is a load of rubbish. Having a baby will not cure endometriosis. It may stop you having period pain for 9-10 months because you won’t be getting your menses, but you can still get other symptomatic pains and referral pains etc. Pregnancy does not fix endometriosis. The reason why women are told to go and have a family as soon as possible is because endometriosis can make it harder to fall pregnant, for some people.

7. Endometriosis may cause Infertility– While it may make it hard to fall pregnant for some women, other women with it may have no trouble falling at all. But women do need to be educated that it could affect your fertility and one of the major reasons women end up seeking help for fertility services.

8. Endometriosis is Estrogen Driven, Not caused by Estrogen dominance– Estrogens do drive endometriosis. This could be from oestrogen’s in our diet, in our environment, from hormones, drugs, plastics, abdominal fats, body fats and any small amounts of circulating oestrogen’s. Estrogens do not have to be in excess, or be dominant to drive endometriosis.

9. The Pill, or Contraceptives DO NOT fix endometriosis– While the pill and contraceptives can help with hormonal regulate and in some cases even stop the period, they do not fix endometriosis. In many cases the Combined pill can actually make it worse because of the oestrogen’s in it. Plus it then masks the symptoms of endometriosis and then when a woman comes off it, the endo is still there and for some women it could lead to them being infertile. The pill masks endometriosis and many other gynaecological issues. It does not fix them

10. You can have Endometriosis at a Young, or Older Age– Endometriosis does not discriminate age. Young girls can have it and older ladies can have it also. It can present at almost any age once the menses has started and can continue even when the menses has stopped. The symptoms may get less with menopause though.

11. Hysterectomy does not cure endometriosis– Hysterectomy does not fix endometriosis because many times endometriosis is not in, or on, the uterus and it can present anywhere in the body. It has been found in the joints, in the brain, around the heart, on the retina of the eyes, around the bowel and in nearly every part of the body. So removing the uterus does not cure endometriosis in many cases.

12. Endometriosis requires a multi modality approach– Like many diseases we all face, there is never one particular miracle cure, or miracle treatment for endometriosis. It requires a multi modality approach to manage it properly. This is how you diagnose, treat and manage endometriosis properly

13. Endometriosis IS NOT an autoimmune disease– Endometriosis is not an autoimmune disease. It is an autoimmune like disease because it is made worse by inflammation in the body, but it cannot be classed as an autoimmune disease.

14. There Are Hereditary and Genetic links– While we do not know the exact cause of endometeriosis, we do know that it does run in families and it there is genetic and hereditary links.

15. Endometriosis can cause many other issues in the body– Like any inflammatory disease, endometriosis can cause issues with moods, interfere with hormones, disturb sleep, cause fatigue, cause depression, exacerbate mood disorders, cause muscular pain, cause skeletal pain, have pain refer down your legs, make your joints ache, cause bowel movements to be difficult, cause loose bowels and IBS like symptoms, cause UTI like symptoms, cause bladder pain, nocturnal urination, pain with sex, pain and bleeding with exercise, ovulation pain and so many other symptoms not mentioned.

It can cause many issues both physically and emotionally and people need to be aware of this. Some women are at the point of suicide and recently we have seen women take their lives, because they just have not been listened to and it has all become too much.

There is probably a few more things I need to add in here. Please feel free to add comments to add in more. But, this is a start and hopefully people can learn from this and we can start educating people on the facts around this horrible disease. Please know there is always help.

Please know the disease can be managed with the right people on board helping you. Please know there are some really good support groups out there too.

Please know there are some amazing women ( and some men) out there trying to be your voice and get people to listen. Hopefully one day we will get a cure and women will get the treatment and management of this disease that they so desperately deserve. Sorry for the long post. But we need to get this out there.

Take care amazing people. Keep your chins up and know that there are people who will listen 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.

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

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-Period Pain is not normal

Coffee Intake Can Make You Live Longer

Posted on July 19, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Coffee is usually the first thing to go when people go on a health kick, as many think that coffee is bad for you. Quite the contrary and recent research has actually shown that coffee has many health benefits and can prevent and reduce many cancers and disease states.

It is always amusing to see people ditch the coffee and still keep the alcohol, which can be very bad for ones health. After all coffee actually does have a substantial amount of vitamins, nutrients, amino acids and bioactive compounds.

It has to be good bean coffee, not the instant variety, which is full of colours, artificial flavours and additives. Real coffee please. Not fake instant coffee.

In new research from two very large studies coffee intake has been shown to significantly lower risk for certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, strokes and some digestive cancers that affect people world wide.

The benefit was found in diverse European populations, as well as across different racial/ethnic groups, researchers report in articles published online in Annals of Internal Medicine.

In the study of over 451,000, from ten different countries world wide, men and women who drank coffee lived up to 12% longer than non-coffee drinkers. The study also showed that there was a significant reduction in death (59%) from digestive disease, circulatory disease and cerebrovascular disease.

The study showed that those who drank good coffee ( bean coffee, not instant) lower risk for all-cause death and death from heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease.

Obviously coffee intake does need to be in moderation (1-3 cups per day), especially those with adrenal issues and it needs to be incorporated into a healthy diet along with lifestyle changes. You can’t have a bad diet and lifestyle and expect to drink coffee to make you live longer.

So before you ditch the coffee in favour of other vices like alcohol on your next health kick, maybe you might need to rethink your choices.

It is time for a coffee yet?

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Women’s and Men’s Health Crusader

-“No Stone Left Unturned”

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

Having More Sex Enhances Positive Relationship Satisfaction

Posted on May 28, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

While part of my job is to make sure couples are having enough sex, in order to have babies, part of my education to couples is about maintaining a health and happy relationship too.

Sex and intimacy is a big part of a relationship and it helps couples connect on a much deeper level than just being about the act of pleasure. While that part is nice too, couples still need to learn to connect and share on a much deeper level too.

I always find it sad to see couples who aren’t having sex anymore and are so disconnected. It is also sad to see my fertility couples stop this connection, once the “Job is done” and the baby making is complete.

I always explain that if they cannot connect and maintain that healthy relationship now, how are they going to survive once a baby comes along. It is something that many just don’t think about and often it all becomes about the all consuming goal of “I want a baby”. But at what cost to a relationship?

I do also understand that when couples have been trying so long and there are failures and fertility drugs mixed into the equation, it does become hard. But, you still need to move past that and still find time to connect, otherwise the relationship will die.

I get all the reasons why, but at the end of the day, that lack of connection is a big part of the reason so many couples relationships end. For couples going through fertility issues, there is up to an 80% separation rate and this is often tied back to that lack of physical and emotional connection, through bonding through sexual connection.

A health relationship should be having intimacy and sex at least 1-3 times per week and this helps to promote this deep bonding and connection needed for a relationship to survive.

Regular intimacy and sexual activity can also help promote good physical health and also help with mental and emotional health too. A relationship isn’t all about the sex, but it sure helps make it stronger, as many studies like the one quoted below have shown.

When was the last time you connected on this deep level with your partner?

Might be time for a weekend away, or plan those regular date nights real soon.

Source: Hicks LL, McNulty JK, Meltzer AL et al. Capturing the Interpersonal Implications of Evolved Preferences? Frequency of Sex Shapes Automatic, but Not Explicit, Partner Evaluations. Psychological Science. 2016.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Leaving No Stone Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Expert

Alcohol Decreases Fertility & Makes Gynaecological Conditions Worse

Posted on April 20, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

In today’s modern society, alcohol has become the cornerstone for social engagements, business dinners and after work relaxation. It is important to realise however, that alcohol can directly impact the fertility of both males and females.

In males it can decrease sperm quality, reduce testicular size, decrease libido and cause impotence, all of which can impair fertility.

In females it has a more systemic response, affecting the reproductive hormones, leading to abnormalities in the menstrual cycle and an increased risk of miscarriage.

Effect of Alcohol on Conception for Men

Fecundability refers to the probability of conception during a particular menstrual cycle. It is dependent on the reproductive potential of both partners. Alcohol decreases fecundability by its effect on sperm quality and quantity.

Men who continue to consume alcohol on a regular basis, can decrease their sperm motility, morphology and their DNA in the sperm. All of which are important factors in achieving fertility. While outwardly a man’s sperm may look OK, many forget that inwardly, the sperm DNA could be highly fragmented and unless this is tested every ejaculation, you will have no idea how bad the sperm actually is.

A one off DNA fragmentation analysis does not mean the sperm each time is OK. It only measures the sperm from the ejaculate that was tested and sperm quality can change by as much as 20% each ejaculation.

Testicular size is also affected by alcohol intake; and can also affect sperm production. Alcohol is a depressant of the central nervous system (CNS), and can disrupt the autonomic system of the CNS. These effects are temporary and short lived. Abnormal sperm production is also temporary and also can resume after abstaining from alcohol.

One study, this one looking at couples going through IVF treatment, found that for every additional drink a man consumed per day, the risk of conception not leading to a live birth increased by 2 to 8 times. This was especially true if the drinking occurred within a month of the IVF treatment.

Effect of Alcohol on Conception for Women

In women, alcohol affects fecundability, by disrupting the delicate balance of the menstrual cycle. Clinical research data published in the “British Medical Journal” suggests that women, who drank socially, 1-5 drinks per week, were at a greater risk of decreased fecundability when compared to women who remained abstinent. These findings underscore the importance of remaining abstinent while attempting to conceive.

Alcohol disrupts the hormonal imbalance of the female reproductive system, leading to menstrual irregularities, and even Anovulatory cycles, (menstrual cycles where ovulation fails to occur).

Menstrual pain can directly be linked to the amount of alcohol consumed in the lead up to the menses and consumptions of alcohol, even small amounts, exacerbates most gynaecological conditions. These changes can drastically decrease a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant and thus affect fertility.

Alcohol effects fertility in both partners, and can do so in so many ways. For couples who desire to have a baby, it is best to stay away from drinking completely. Presently there is no safe limit of alcohol intake; even socially acceptable amounts of alcohol can affect fertility potential and outcomes.

Moderate drinking (1-2 drinks in one sitting) is probably okay, especially if you reserve those drinks to a few times a week, instead of daily. However, if you’re going through IVF treatment, or trying to conceive naturally, you might consider cutting out alcohol for the time being.

Trying to conceive is a special time in a couple’s life, it should be filled with love, devotion and safe health practices, which means a healthy diet and lifestyle and having a healthy mind too.

A healthy preconception care program is also a great idea for those trying to increase their fertility and get their reproductive systems working better. Healthy eggs and health sperm make healthy babies. Healthy reproductive systems also mean better menstrual cycles and better testicular health too.

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

You can also make a meet and greet appointment to find out more about the how I can help and assist you and found out about the fertility program too.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Leaving No Stone Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The International Fertility Experts