I’ve always been a big advocate of drinking tea and as an Englishman I’m not in the minority. A staggering 165 millions cups of tea are consumed everyday in the United Kingdom. Not only is it calorie-free (without milk and sugar of course) but the four cups of tea per day advised by the Tea Advisory Council are just as good at hydrating the body as four glasses of water.

I take one cup of white tea (the least processed form of tea, made only from buds and select leaves of the tea plant) first thing in the morning and three cups of regular black tea with milk throughout the day.Derived from the Camellia Sinensis evergreen plant, in nutritional terms, fours cups of tea taken daily with a little milk provides:

22% Vitamin B2 17% Calcium 5% Zinc 5% Folic Acid 5% Vitamins B1 and B6

Now it seems that studies conducted in Japan have suggested that the life-giving attributes of tea go even further. A study conducted on mice at Kobe University published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry links regular tea drinking with significant weight loss and fat fighting properties. It found that drinking regular black tea and green tea countered the effect of an high fat diet and the associated changes in the blood which can lead to type 2 diabetes. Obviously human studies will back up the claims but the initial results seem very encouraging.

The other benefits to health of regular tea drinking are numerous. The high levels of anti oxidants in tea are thought to combat free radicals.The effects of Parkinson’s disease, cancer, bone density depletion and heart disease are all thought to be effected by the regular consumption of tea in it’s many forms. Tea also contains fluoride so it’s going to help prevent tooth decay as well.

Obesity is a major problem in developed countries of the west. Our hectic lifestyles leave us little time to eat a balanced diet and invariably we turn to junk food to satisfy our needs. With this in mind the seemingly welcome results of a study , which it has to realised is only in its early stages, could provide comfort for those who have over-indulged. However an healthy lifestyle is a combination of many factors such as diet and regular exercise.

We have many more health ideas on diet, fitness and well-being come to Tea health benefits. This article, Tea: Drink yourself Healthy is available for free reprint.

Newspapers have been writing a lot about fertility and the fact that more and more women choose to start a family in their 30\’s or forty\’s. Women nowadays are highly likely to have a high flying career and be brooding about town trips, shoe shopping and sports autos, and far less about Mothercare, changing nappies, and pushing carts.

The average age for giving birth in the United Kingdom is going up about 2 months annually. The average age in 2007 was 29.3 years compared with 28.6 years in 2001. Statistics prove the average woman under thirty will get pregnant within the first 6 months and those in their early thirty\’s may take up to and longer than 9 months. From 35 onwards it might take one year.

Some ladies are spending a large amount of money trying to increase their chances of conceiving naturally, but this may be a nonessential cost. Lord Robert Winston, pioneer of IVF treatment, said to the Daily Mail that ladies who freeze their eggs to delay parenthood are being given false hopes by fertility hospitals. He is going on to assert that this does not in any way guarantee a girls will become pregnant or go on to have a healthy baby.

So without ditching the thrilling lifestyle what can you do to help turbo-charge your wellbeing for that \’maybe baby\’ stage? Being healthy is far easier than you might think. Here are a few tips

For her :

Iron

Most ladies recognize iron as a vital mineral for good health. In spite of this data, iron deficiency is regarded the commonest nutritive deficiency and the most influenced group are ladies of child bearing age. Studies have shown that even delicate inadequacies of iron are linked to reduced fertility. It would seem that a deficiency of iron may play a role in ovulatory dysfunction. Take daily Iron additions ( look for non-constipating form )

Necessary trans-acids

The force on girls to stay slim has lead to many women adopting awfully fat free diets. Sadly, this pattern of eating is related to a decline in fertility. The necessary trans acids ( found in nuts, seeds and oily fish ) have many functions across the body, including balancing the hormones concerned in fertility. Try Omega 3-6-9 capsules with a mix of prime quality fish, flax and borage oil.

Multivitamin and mineral formula

A multivitamin and mineral formula has for a while been regarded as a measure for general wellness and as health insurance. Studies now suggest a multivitamin formula might also be beneficial for maintaining fertility in girls. Studies in the late 90s showed that girls who frequently took a multivitamin formula, were less certain to be infertile due to ovulatory failure than people who didn\’t. Similarly, the more frequent and regular the supplements were taken, the better the result.

Try Solgar\’s Female Multivitamin & Mineral complex

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 ( also known as the sunshine vitamin ) could help the fertility of women affected by ovulation Problems. One in 5 girls suffer with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ( PCOS ) and can have a lesser chance of conception at a later age. Researchers at Yale varsity faculty of medication ( 2008 ) concluded ladies with ovulation problems or PCOS were much more sure to be short of vitamin D.

Try 1000iu D3 supplement

For him :

Your other half should be thinking along the same lines as you when it comes to living healthily. Sperm count and motility plays a particularly important part in the middle of trying to become pregnant. Why do all of the hard work when your partner plays an equal part in the process of conception? Recent figures ( from Norwich Union health-care in 2005 ) show that 2.5 million men have barrenness in the UK. Male infertility may account for up to a third of issues with conception so it is important that your man takes similar steps to you to keep himself and his sperm in tip top health.

Zinc

Zinc is clearly one of the most vital nutrients needed for fertility, particularly for men. Studies show that a low zinc intake corresponds with a low sperm count and poor sperm motility.

Vitamin C

As an antioxidant, vitamin C is critical for good health. For men, this nutrient plays a specific role in enhancing fertility. Research has demonstrated that vitamin C may help to cut the clumping together of sperm and thus boosts sperm motility. In addition, vitamin C typically reinforces sperm quality and protects the DNA contained inside it from damage.

Visit www.solgar.co.uk for more information on vitamin & mineral supplements

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The first step in conception is getting the right Prenatal Support. Go along to the Solgar site and find all the data you need. Keith Woolley is a Technical Director for Heath Food Stores in the UK

categories: prenatal,pregnancy,conception,baby,folic acid,fertility,health,diet,nutrition,female,woman\’s issues,health,population,hospital