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Women in their late 30s can do much to improve their chances of getting pregnant. The fertility odds are workable: About two-thirds of women ages 35 to 39 can become pregnant within a year. Given these odds, women can take a number of steps to improve their fertility. Some are simple common sense: Stop smoking; reduce or eliminate use of alcohol and caffeine; maintain an appropriate weight; reduce stress. Even moderate alcohol use—as few as five drinks a week—can impair fertility. Likewise, consuming more than two cups of caffeinated coffee a day has been associated with lowered conception and increased miscarriage.

Naturopath Bonnie Nedrow, ND, LM, who teaches at Bastyr University near Seattle, encourages her midlife patients to focus on what they can control. "We are looking for optimal health, which is more than functional health," she says. "A woman's body will wait to make a baby until things are optimal." Nedrow gives each patient a hormone work-up, checking levels of progesterone, estrogen, thyroid hormones, and others. Then she advises them about cleansing the liver, which processes the majority of the body's hormones; balancing the diet; stabilizing menstrual cycles; and reducing both the woman's and her partner's stress levels.

A stable, predictable menstrual cycle is an important indicator of good reproductive health. "Many women have a long history of taking birth control pills," says Jana Nalbandian, ND, a Bastyr University colleague of Nedrow's. "When a woman decides she wants to get pregnant, her system is used to being regulated by hormones introduced into, rather than released by, the body. For certain women, it can take six months to a year for the body to regulate on its own."

A woman's weight also affects the regularity and effectiveness of her cycles. According to the Mayo Clinic, body fat levels that are 10 percent to 15 percent above or below normal can throw off a woman's reproductive cycles. Being overweight can mean estrogen overload. "We live in an estrogen-dominant world," says Nalbandian, pointing to the hormones used in meat- and dairy-products production, as well as the "estrogenic effect" of some pesticides. Because of these excess hormones, even women who aren't overweight may be at risk for estrogen overload and resulting fertility problems, Nedrow says.

Both doctors encourage their patients to avoid processed and sugar-rich foods and to replace them with organic, hormone-free, and pesticide-free foods. Nalbandian recommends eating beets, leafy greens, artichokes, and carrots to cleanse the liver and remove excess estrogen from the system. Nedrow suggests a daily serving of four ounces of fish, which is rich in essential fatty acids, to aid the digestive system. "Our grandmothers were right about cod liver oil," she says.

Women who are underweight also are at risk for menstrual irregularity and infertility. Women who adhere to intense exercise regimes share some of these risks. Strict vegetarians may experience fertility problems if they don't get enough vitamin B12, zinc, iron, and folic acid in their diets.

Luckily, most of these problems can be resolved through changes in nutrition. "If you are a fairly healthy 35-year-old woman with a healthy reproductive system," says Nalbandian, "you should be able to improve your chances of becoming pregnant simply through diet and lifestyle choices."

Additionally, Nalbandian advises using herbs to support the natural reproductive process, such as chaste tree berry (Vitex agnus castus) for regulating cycles, and herbal teas, such as raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus), to tone the uterus. To move bile through the liver, she recommends dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale), a gentle, nontoxic cleanser. But because many herbs can contribute to miscarriage, once a woman becomes pregnant, Nalbandian warns, she must stop taking all herbal preparations until she consults her doctor.

Acupuncture may also be effective. Earlier this year, German researchers at the Christian Lauritzen Institute announced that acupuncture-treated subjects increased their success rate for in vitro fertilization by nearly 50 percent (Fertility and Sterility, 2002, vol. 77, no. 4). By relaxing the uterus, they theorized, acupuncture helps the uterine lining become more receptive to an embryo.

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Labels: exercise, fertility, healthy diet, leafy greens, liver, pregnancy

Many people take for granted the presumed safety of over-the-counter painkillers. But the FDA says acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the United States, sending some 56,000 people to the emergency room every year. It's the stuff of Tylenol and many other medications.

AP reports the agency is now pondering how to better regulate it with better warnings, lower doses or bans on some medications, particularly those that combine acetaminophen with other drugs, as in NyQuil or Theraflu.

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Labels: acetaminophen, liver, liver failure, painkillers, study, tylenol

Lecithin is found in many animal and vegetable sources, including beef liver, steak, eggs, peanuts, wheat germ, yeast, cauliflower, and oranges. Commercial sources for lecithin may come from soybeans, egg yolk, or brain tissue.

It is also used in food preparation to create products such as baked goods, chocolate, margarine, and mayonnaise because of its ability to moisturize, preserve, and emulsify. It is a key ingredient in cooking spray—the substance used to replace oils, margarine, and butter in sautéing and baking.

Lecithin is also used in medical practice as well as in other commercial products, such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, cosmetics, soap, and paints. For these applications, it is extracted from eggs or soybeans. Lecithin is also sold in powder, grain, liquid, or capsules as a dietary supplement.

As a dietary supplement, lecithin is claimed to have a number of roles, including improving cardiovascular health, relieving the symptoms of arthritis, and improving liver function. But it is primarily offered as a supplement to assist in weight loss and to provide boosts in fat metabolism, despite the fact that these claims are made without the presentation of any scientific evidence to show that lecithin is effective in weight loss and fat metabolism. Additionally, some claims have been made for soy lecithin improving the metabolism of cholesterol, although the studies that supported this have had their methodology called into question.

Despite this, lecithin does have a crucial role in the human body, approximately 30% of our brain weight and 66% of our liver fat is lecithin. In addition, lecithin is an essential constituent of every human cell. Yet the American Heart Association believes that lecithin is best obtained naturally through foodstuffs, rather than through supplements, and no Recommended Daily Allowance has been set by the Food and Drug Administration.

High doses of lecithin of over 25 grams per day can cause negative side effects, including nausea, stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting. Another danger to a very small portion of the population with an extreme soy allergy. Although most people with soy allergy are allergic only to soy protein, and therefore not affected by soy lecithin, people who are extremely allergic to soy may also be sensitive to soy lecithin and experience an allergic reaction

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Labels: cauliflower, egg yolks, essential nutrient, lecithin, liver, nutrients, yeast

9. Dandelion
By tonifying the liver (which produces hormones), dandelion root eases a variety of women's imbalances. Often combined with burdock and milk thistle.

10. Vitex
With a normalizing effect on women's hormones, vitex treats conditions like menstrual irregularity, PMS, and infertility.

11. Licorice
A renowned herb, licorice balances cycles and restores energy. Avoid large quantities if you have hypertension or kidney issues, or if you take heart medicine.

12. Ginger
With warming, stomach-soothing properties, this rhizome eases menstrual cramps and morning sickness.

13. Dong Quai
Often called "female ginseng," this traditional Chinese herb builds strong blood and tones the uterus.

14. Nettle
Rich in vitamins and minerals, nettle nourishes the reproductive system, making it a great tonic for many concerns.

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Labels: dandelion, dong quai, ginger, licorice, liver, milk thistle, nettles, vitex

Green leafy vegetables Eat them raw, throw them into a broth, add them to juices. Their chlorophyll helps swab out environmental toxins (heavy metals, pesticides) and protects the liver.

Lemons You need to keep the fluids flowing to wash out the body and fresh lemonade is ideal. Its vitamin C, considered the detox vitamin, helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that's easily flushed away.

Watercress Put a handful into salads, soups, and sandwiches. The peppery little green leaves have a diuretic effect that helps move things through your system. And cress is rich in minerals too.

Garlic Add it to everything -- salads, sauces, spreads. In addition to the bulb's cardio benefits, it activates liver enzymes that help filter out junk.

Green tea This antioxidant-rich brew is one of the healthiest ways to get more fluids into your system. Bonus: It contains catechins, which speed up liver activity.

Broccoli sprouts Get 'em at your health-food store. They pack 20 to 50 times more cancer-fighting, enzyme-stimulating activity into each bite than the grown-up vegetable.

Sesame seeds They're credited with protecting liver cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other chemicals. For a concentrated form, try tahini, the yummy sesame seed paste that's a staple of Asian cooking.

Cabbage There are two main types of detoxifying enzymes in the liver; this potent veggie helps activate both of them. Coleslaw, anyone?

Psyllium A plant that's rich in soluble fiber, like oat bran, but more versatile. It mops up toxins (cholesterol too) and helps clear them out. Stir powdered psyllium into juice to help cleanse your colon, or have psyllium-fortified Bran Buds for breakfast.

Fruits, fruits, fruits They're full of almost all the good things above: vitamin C, fiber, nutritious fluids, and all kinds of antioxidants. Besides, nothing tastes better than a ripe mango, fresh berries, or a perfect pear.

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Labels: detox, detoxify, fruits and veggies, Green veggies, greens, Holistic Health, liver, nutrition, Vitamin C