Give it a squeeze! What’s the best way to choose a perfect peach? Give it a squeeze! Now scientists say it’s the same for IVF embryos. Engineers are a practical bunch. Teamed with doctors at Stanford University, bioengineers realised the feel of newly formed IVF embryos offers a super quick indicator of viability. Normally it takes 5-6 days…
Turn on, Tune in, Drop out Take my daily Mindfulness Challenge to see how easy it is to feel better, no matter what the week flings at you. Is your life on a frantic auto-pilot? Up out of bed, shower, coffee and hit the road in a blur of activity? A morning of phones. emails…
Sex and seaweed doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue. I discovered a vital link which surprised me. Sex hormones make us sexy. The thyroid gland is the iodine-seeking device which brews up those vampish hormones we love.They need iodine and seaweed is full of it. No, it’s not just for the ladies. Iodine turbo-charges sperm.…
Real Life Mindfulness Let me break it to you gently. Like it or loathe it, you can’t escape real life mindfulness! Taking a shower, baking a cake, making love, composing an email? There’s nothing new about present moment focus. And yes, we thrive on it. It’s credited with boosting creative thinking, reducing depression and improving physical…
Anxiety about trying to conceive may actually be sabotaging your efforts to conceive. A new Swedish study finds anxiety and depression reduce the chances of getting pregnant and having a baby. It’s a vicious cycle, all too familiar for many women trying to conceive. How do you know if anxiety is sabotaging your efforts to conceive?…
Why do you think they call it Dope…amine Enjoying a break – but still can’t stop a sneak peek at your email or fb feed? It’s really addictive … and gets even worse back at work. Let’s look at email. How many do you clock up in a day? It’s a mainstay of contact for…
It’s all around Falling in love is the most wonderful feeling in the world. So can we hang onto that special magic? Love flickers, fades and falls into routine, even for the most in-love couples. Science explains why. Brain chemicals sparking romance are different to the long-term blend. Espresso turns to Nescafé. It’s hard to…
Why do Your Eggs Age Before the Rest of Your Fertility Does? Hitting forty, trying to conceive and fearful of your fertility? Cue furrowed brows and quizzical head tilts. Sure, you look and feel about 25 – but just try telling that to your eggs or your doctor. Aging eggs with a fail-grade AMH put the…
Love your ovaries Incinerated and al dente spell doom for decent chips so I parted with my old deep-fat fryer last week. Could it apply to ovaries – a built-in obsolescence? Eggs get blamed for aging – is it a deserved bad rap? Ovaries are one of my favourite body parts, vying closely with wombs,…
Guess what? Infertility makes you blue. It’s official. Baby-making is fun for maybe three months. Six at a pinch. Sex gets a tad less spontaneous. Excitement fades pretty damn fast. Niggling doubts, worry and plain old icy fear. Once the ‘f’ word leaps out of the bedroom and onto the doctor’s couch there’s no stopping it. Next thing…