This month Natural Health magazine is taking a look at the Pill and some of the health problems that have been linked to it, including irregular cycles, mood swings, loss of libido and more serious health issues such as infertility, high blood pressure and heart complaints.

They asked a number of fertility experts, including Juno Natural Fertility, to explain some of the risks associated with the Pill and to offer advice for combating these side effects and helping your body to restore its natural state of equilibrium.

You can read the whole article, Is the Pill harming your health?, here.

We’ve found a great endorsement for using homeopathy when you’re trying to get pregnant. It comes from Bella Online, a US community site, and talks about the possible benefits of homeopathy if you’re in this situation.

Homeopathy is an approach to wellness. That’s the slant in the article and that’s what appeals to us. We know there are many factors that can influence whether you’re able to conceive, and we aim to address all these when you start on the Juno programme of treatment.

The article points out that homeopathy looks at the whole person - body, mind and spirit - and treats you as an individual. Don’t forget there’s no substitute for consulting a professional homeopath, as they’ll be able to spot patterns and connections in your health history that you’ve probably never thought about.

Take a look at the article, and then think about using homeopathy to help with your conception problems.

A week or so ago we did a live webchat as part of Babyexpert.com’s Fertility Month - as you may know from an earlier post.

It was a great privilege to hear from lots of women who wanted help with their particular fertility problem and were looking for our advice. And clearly there is interest in using natural ways to help with these issues.

We covered a range of topics - from recurrent miscarriage and possible ovulation problems, to dealing with the effects of stress from trying to conceive and minimising the impact of a city environment on the body.

We also advised on mineral and toxicity testing, using Australian Bush Flower essences, and talked in general about the potential of homeopathic treatment.

Why not check out the Babyexpert.com webchat page? You’ll see the questions and our answers - and there may be something there to help you.

Don’t forget… we’re always available to answer your individual questions. All you need to do is to ask the experts and one of us will respond personally. We look forward to hearing from you.

This week we’re pleased to have been asked for expert advice in an article for Zest magazine. The piece, Life after the pill, brings together various solutions for women who experience problems post-pill.

When you stop taking the pill, it can take some time for your hormonal system to get back to normal, and that can be quite a rocky road for some women.

If you’re planning to start a family, we believe natural remedies are the way to go if you have to cope with painful periods, mood swings and other symptoms of hormone imbalance.

We mentioned a couple in the article - Pulsatilla and Sepia. Pulsatilla is a good remedy if you become very emotional before your period, and experience pains on the first day. And if your periods are painful with a low dragging pain, try Sepia for natural relief.

You can read the whole article in our news section.

It’s Fertility Month on Babyexpert.com and we’ve been invited to answer their readers questions live on a webchat tomorrow (Monday 11th January) from 12 - 1pm. So if you have a burning question you’d like to ask, then why not join us or simply log on to see what everyone else is talking about, as we’re sure there’ll be lots of interesting questions and answers. Click on the link below for more info and register to ask your question:

http://www.babyexpert.com/Getting-Pregnant/Natural-and-homeopathic-fertility-webchat/v1

Hope to see lots of you there!

Well here we are - the first post of 2010! At this time of year we’re full of ideas for new projects and hope for new possibilities. But you might be feeling a bit sluggish and run down, and even if you haven’t overdone it, the festive period can take its toll.

If you’re trying to conceive, clearing your body of the toxins that accumulate at this time of year is a great way of boosting your system and getting ready to continue with your natural fertility plan. So why not try a simple detox with a difference? The difference is that this detox is homeopathic.

Get hold of some Nux vomica 6c, which is easily available on the high street. Take one pill a day for five consecutive days, and give yourself a month off from trying to become pregnant. This will give your body time to detox, allow your hormones to rebalance and get you fighting fit again.

If you can also take some regular exercise, drink plenty of water and eat fresh, nutritious food this will help flush out and detox your system. You’ll be bursting with those new possibilities in no time!

We’ve talked before about minimising potentially harmful chemicals if you’re trying to conceive, and some newly published research agrees.

The Telethon Institute of Child Health Research in Australia has found a possible link between women working in certain industries and a common birth defect.[1]

They looked at pregnant women who are exposed to heavy metals in labs, petrol stations and in the defence industries. The sons of these women were two and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with hypospadias, a problem that affects the penis.

Sons of women who work as hairdressers or in the beauty industry are also thought to be at higher risk of this diagnosis as they are often exposed to phthalates, a group of common chemicals found in many personal care products, detergents and plastics.

The researchers are keen to point out that more work needs to be done to get more detailed information about the risk, and these are only preliminary findings.

So to reduce your risk of exposure to toxic chemicals when you’re trying to become pregnant, look at the common household items in your home, and consider swapping them for natural products. If you’re concerned or think you’ve been exposed to a lot of chemicals through your work, you can always check your toxic levels with a Mineral & Toxicity Analysis.

If you’re trying to conceive, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the different ways to try and improve your fertility while forgetting the basic baby-making skill - sex.

And regular sex can be good for you too. Some research has shown[1] that women who enjoy regular sex (at least once a week) have more stable periods and fewer fertility problems than women who don’t. It helps as a stress-reducer and can generally make you feel happier.

For men too, regular sex can reduce DNA damage and improve motility.[2] But it’s important not to overdo it as too much ejaculation can reduce the number of viable sperm, so fertility experts now agree that every other day is about right.

The important thing to remember is to enjoy yourselves, and not to get too hung up on your fertility status.

Go with the flow and it might make all the difference!

 [1] Cutler, W. et al (1985) ‘Sexual behaviour frequency and biphastic ovulatory type menstrual cycles’,  in Physiology Behaviour 34, 804-810.

 [2] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8125934.stm

We’ve been reviewing a special report in the November issue of What Doctors Don’t Tell You, which discusses a possible link between our exposure to chemicals in the environment and rising infertility rates worldwide.

One of the studies quoted looked at perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), used in lots of everyday items such as non-stick cooking pots and pans, personal care products and pesticides. The point about these chemicals is that they hang around, contaminating food and water supplies, and eventually find their way into our bodies.

Researchers concluded that high levels of PFCs may interfere with a woman’s ovulation pattern. This could result in irregular menstrual cycles, delayed ovulation or even early miscarriage.[1]

And men’s reproductive health could also be affected, especially from the effects of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), mainly found in food. Another study in the report noted that high levels of PCBs in men can reduce sperm motility - a well known factor in male infertility.[2]

We should point out that it’s early days. More research will have to be done before any conclusions can be drawn. But if you’re trying to get pregnant, there’s no harm of being aware and avoiding unnecessary exposure.

Here are our tips for reducing your chemical load:

- Filter your tap water

- Avoid canned foods (cans labelled ‘organic’ are usually OK as they’re white lined)

- Eat organic, unprocessed, fresh food (fast food wrappers are usually treated)

- Use glass or china dishes in the microwave instead of plastic, and store food and drink in non-PVC containers

- Cook with stainless steel or cast iron pans and utensils (avoid non-stick)

- Choose natural fibres around the home

- Natural cosmetics are better for your body: ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’ in the ingredient list may indicate phthalates are present

[2] Semin Reprod Med, 2006; 24:156-167

We’re excited about our feature in this week’s Stylist magazine. The two page feature includes an extract from our Juno Fertility MOT, with a quiz for you to check out the physical, emotional and psychological factors that may be affecting your fertility.

As you know, we’ll be at the Fertility Show, Olympia on Friday and Saturday this week where we’ll be on hand to talk to you. Plus - you’ll be able to get an exclusive 20% discount on all our products, including the Juno Fertility MOT.

Stylist magazine is distributed weekly free in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Brighton, Leeds and Birmingham, but if you don’t manage to get hold of a copy, you can view it online at:

http://issue.stylist.co.uk/1A4aeeb4cc2c766012.cde.

You’ll find us on pages 36 and 37, so why not take the quiz and see how you score!

Looking forward to seeing lots of you at the Show…