Many women are facing infertility problems. It is a problem that effects at least 186 million people worldwide, with an estimated 15.5% of women in the USA experiencing infertility. Medical advances such as In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) have increased the medical and alternative health community’s interest in understanding the causes and effects of infertility.

Functional medicine, a preventative strategy that takes a wholistic approach to managing wellbeing has looked at the role of nutrition in female fertility. Nutritional status has been found to play an important role in male and female fertility alongside pre-existing ovulation problems, spermatogenesis, presence of disease, age, weight and certain lifestyle choices (eg. smoking, alcohol, stress and sleep) which all play a vital role. Those that drink or smoke significantly reduce their chances of conception.

Before fertilisation even occurs the sperm and the ovum need to exist within a healthy and well-nourished parent environment. This is done by looking at reducing stress and eating well. Nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy can also contribute to risk factors around miscarriage and birth defects, so the emphasis on nutritional optimisation is essential at this stage.

There are several dietary changes that women and men alike can make to boost their fertility. Studies have shown that the most fertile women eat a nutritionally balanced diet devoid of trans-fats and sugars (including high fructose drinks and alcohol), consume more vegetable protein, have an increased multi-vitamin intake, increased iron intake and maintain an optimal weight. Weight has been shown to be a key factor in optimising fertility. Those women that are underweight are at risk of anovulation (cessation of ovulation) and in overweight women fertility decreases by 5% for each unit increase in the Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeding 29.

Studies have shown that adopting a Mediterranean diet can improve a person’s chances of conception, enhance foetal health and reduce the risk of preterm birth. Increasing evidence also shows that a balanced ratio of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids can also improve reproductive success. Taking a supplement, upping your fatty fish or egg yolk intake or eating flaxseed can help with this.

In addition to making dietary adjustments, men and women are advised to ensure they are taking the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of multi vitamins and minerals. These essential micronutrients should be prescribed if necessary. A blood test can indicate a deficiency if you are not sure.

Vitamins D, E, C should be supplemented to enhance optimal nutrition and help maximise fertility. Supplementation of Vitamin D where exposure to sunlight is limited or where long periods of time are spent indoors is advisable. Supplementation is also beneficial in improving neonatal well-being and can be useful as a preventative for pre-eclampsia. Research also shows that folic acid enhances fertility and is recommended when a woman decides she would like to try for a baby. Other micronutrients such as B6 , B12, lipoic acid, selenium, zinc, essential fatty acids and Omega 3 are all important. A diet containing Coenzyme Q10 can increase sperm motility in males and increase fertility in ageing females.

Whilst infertility research is mainly focused on female health, much more attention is being paid recently to male fertility and semen health. Sperm quality is also affected by lifestyle factors and general nutrition so an optimal diet is also essential for men.

The role of soy in the diet is controversial. Research shows that the isoflavones contained in soy mimic natural oestrogen and can act as an endocrine disruptor. Comprehensive research on soy and its links with fertility is still lacking so couples trying to conceive are advised to avoid soy products.

A recent study has shown that there is increasing evidence linking male infertility to exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals and that exposure could start as early as conception. Opting for organic foods, reducing plastic and canned foods in everyday life and washing hands regularly are a few ways to decrease your exposure.

When the body is under acute stress, cortisol levels rise, compromising the body’s immunity. A weakened immune system can affect fertility. A study conducted by the National Institute of Health has shown that women who have higher levels of alpha-amylase (an enzyme produced when the body is stressed) found it more difficult to conceive. Stress also affects male fertility by lowering the quality of sperm and semen. Both men and women need to manage stress effectively to increase the likelihood of conception.

Sleep deprivation also has detrimental effects on the body, including the menstrual cycle, so a good night’s rest enhances fertility. Research suggests that lack of sleep causes activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and abnormal circadian rhythms that are linked to infertility.

Optimising nutrition and cellular micronutrients is a fundamental starting point for maximising fertility. The most important advice for couples trying to conceive is to maintain a well-balanced diet focused on increasing vegetable protein, optimising vitamin intake (especially D, E and C) and ensuring that the diet contains sufficient iron, fibre and other useful micronutrients such as Omega 3, Coenzyme Q10 and folic acid. Eating organic where possible to reduce chemical exposure and opting for a Mediterranean diet is also recommended.

In summary, lifestyle and nutrition play a fundamental role in maximising fertility. They are amongst the most promising interventions and strategies for improving fertility for both men and women.

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“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. It’s about knowing what is on your mind.”

Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) combines both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness techniques to help individuals manage thoughts and emotions.

MBCT was originally developed by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale. It works to help people learn how to use cognitive methods and mindfulness meditation to interrupt automatic processes that lead to depression and/ or anxiety. In depression, an individual will feel both mental and physical symptoms, such as weariness, sluggishness, and so forth. Even when the depression subsides, if a low mood hits the individual this may, by way of triggering automated body and mind patterns, create another episode of depression by triggering negative memories and anxious thoughts about the future.

Feelings are not facts. MBCT helps clients to separate themselves from their thoughts and moods. By focusing on the now, individuals can stop the cycle of rumination where negative thoughts are replayed over and over again. They, essentially, can remind themselves that thoughts and feelings are not facts.

One of the main techniques in MBCT is the three-minute breathing space. This is a technique that can be incorporated anywhere and essentially focuses on what is going on at that very moment in time. It brings an awareness to the mind and body, in which the person can then stop any negative thoughts that may be happening too. It also allows for relaxation and the ability of just being present.

There are several issues treated with MBCT, and these include anxiety and depression. It is also an extremely useful tool to help manage stress and anger. It may also be an effective tool in treating eating disorders, bipolar and other psychiatric illnesses.

Mindfulness and Positive Psychology

Mindfulness has played a significant role in positive psychology, which is an emerging field of psychology that focuses on the science of happiness. MBCT and MBSR are used by clinical practitioners as additional tools in their

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Many of us have been working from home. With Covid lockdowns not long been gone, the issues of working behind an ergonomically unfriendly set up may be catching up with us.

Prior to Covid-19, organisations may have put a lot of effort into educating staff about good posture and good use of technology, manual handling, and picking up machinery, but without HR hovering over you, back pain may be the result of long working days stuck to a desk without a good chair to support you.

Musculoskeletal disorders can be the result of bad posture and ergonomics. Bad backs are one of the most prevalent symptoms.

Perhaps you haven’t worked behind a computer screen. Maybe you’re out in the field, but backpain and musculoskeletal issues may still be a problem. Tradies are at particular risk of aches and pains because of the physical nature of their jobs.

Posture is an important facet to not only physical wellbeing, but emotional wellbeing too. Just like facial expressions have a psychological feedback loop that feed into our emotional wellbeing, so does posture. When we are crouched, shoulders and head forward, and our posture stooped, our mood can be altered to reflect this. Likewise, when we are standing or sitting tall, head and neck straight, we feel a lot better.

One of the issues with bad posture is that it can lead to more headaches, tension and stress. When our body is under stress, we feel tense, and this alters our mood, meaning we feel more angst than if we were relaxed.

Text Neck and Musculoskeletal Aches

You may think that heavy lifting and bad posture are the root causes of musculoskeletal disorders, but things like using technology wrongly can cause issues such as text neck.

Text neck is the name given to the tilting of the neck into an unnatural position with overuse of mobile technology, or any technology for that matter. If you’re facing down, tilting the neck, that can cause strain and back pain over time.

Things that you can do to prevent musculoskeletal disorders

There are some things that you can do to protect your back and prevent text neck and pain during time at home. This includes doing stretches such as the exaggerated nod; simply counteract the forward tilting by tilting your head and neck back, squeezing your shoulders too.

The very common Pilates pose known as the downward dog is also very useful. There are lots of YouTube clips to help you perform this stretch safely at home.

Holding your phone at eye level can also help ensure that you are not straining your neck. Ensuring that you’re carrying out work tasks properly is also imperative.

When lifting machinery or doing any heavy lifting, ensure that you do so safely. Organisations should have strict manual handling procedures and ensure that these are implemented and observed by everyone.

Repetitive motions can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, so break up tasks where possible and ensure that you do things slowly and correctly. Cutting corners is unsafe, especially when there are clear safety guidelines in place. Likewise, where machinery can be used instead of human labour, opt for machinery and have people managing it. It is better and more cost effective than ill health.

Team building activities such as exercise, Pilates classes and stretching can also be a great way for staff to bond and protect their health. Buddying up can also offer greater accountability.

Prevention is better than cure, so ensure you do some simple exercises and stretches to help prevent back pain and getting a sore neck.

Remember, it is far better for organisations to invest in the health of their staff than to face lengthy legal consequences. It is also better for individual employees to manage their health and wellbeing, ensuring greater longevity in the workplace.

Workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour that can result in irreparable harm to an employee. It includes:

1. abusive or offensive language or comments
2. aggressive and intimidating behaviour
3. belittling or humiliating comments
4. practical jokes or initiation
5. unjustified criticism or complaints.

The risks include anxiety, stress, burnout, cardiovascular disease, and physical symptoms such as ulcers.

Because psychological damage results in physical and psychological distress, it is costly to both the employee and employer. Workplace bullying costs organisations in terms of higher attrition, the risk of costly lawsuits, and negative publicity.

Interventions can include workplace training, hiring a consultant, providing counselling interventions, and allowing for open communication. Safe Work Australia provides more insight into this.

Have you been a victim of workplace bullying?

Check out this article on bullying in The Conversation.

#health #wellbeing #bullying #harassment #workplacebullying #discriminationatwork

Tackling workplace bullying and harassment is imperative, not only for the health and wellbeing of your staff, but to prevent a breach in WHS laws. Bullying can have long-term consequences for both individuals and organisations.

What does bullying look like?

Workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour that can result in irreparable harm to an employee. It includes:

·        abusive or offensive language or comments
·        aggressive and intimidating behaviour
·        belittling or humiliating comments
·        practical jokes or initiation
·        unjustified criticism or complaints

The risks include anxiety, stress, burnout, cardiovascular disease, and physical symptoms such as ulcers.

Because psychological damage results in physical and psychological distress, it is costly to both the employee and employer. Workplace bullying costs organisations in terms of higher attrition, the risk of costly lawsuits, and negative publicity.

Interventions can include workplace training, hiring a consultant, providing counselling interventions, and allowing for open communication. Safe Work Australia provides more insight into this.

Scapegoating: victimising to appease guilt

In unhealthy organisations, people need to victimise one person and blame that person for all of the organisation’s wrongdoings.

Toxic cultures breed bullying and harassment. They also create a culture of abuse, where one person is chosen to bear the brunt of all the problems. This person is the scapegoat.

Scapegoats are unfairly chosen. It may be a way for other members of a team to lessen guilt when they haven’t performed well or are actually to blame for something going wrong. Rather than taking accountability, they blame the scapegoat, thus lessening their guilt.

Often scapegoating occurs when other employees are feeling fearful about their job. They may feel like they’re not cutting it in the office, and therefore blaming someone else removes them as a target. In cultures of fear, people panic and blame others because they are scared of owning up to mistakes.

Scapegoating is a social contagion. This means the bullying can spread to other members of the team and create a workplace rife with gossip.

As you can imagine, this isn’t a good place to work.

Have you worked for a toxic organisation? If so, what happened and what did you do about it?

References

Douglas, A. (2016). The dirty politics of scapegoating – and why victims are always the harmless, easy targets. The Conversation. Accessed at: The dirty politics of scapegoating – and why victims are always the harmless, easy targets (theconversation.com)

McGregor, F. (2016) Everything you need to know about workplace bullying. The Conversation. Accessed at: Everything you need to know about workplace bullying (theconversation.com)