Summer ice fruit blocks, pops

When playing around with fruity ice it's best done in the morning. The light is fresh enough to take a decent picture and the temperature is still cool to avoid melting. Kids are so easily satisfied with a fruity ice block and they contain no added sugars or flavours.

Orange Mango flavour

You'll need...

Ice pop molds- I used these star shaped ones, you'd be surprised how few we have in the shops so I ordered online.

Fruit juice or puree- it's that simple!

Front and centre is Hibiscus infusion...

Add fruit juice to the ice pop holds and freeze overnight, they'll be ready in the morning. Make sure you do freeze for long enough...

Front and centre pineapple and lemon

Flavours to try...

Orange 

Pineapple

Mango

Lemon (will need to add some sweetness so combine it with a sweet, clear coloured fruit) 

All berries

Kiwi fruit

Lychee

Grape

Apple juice and the list goes on...

Fruit tea infusion option

The red coloured pop I made with a hibiscus tea infusion and used stevia as a sweetener. I also used a white tea infusion with vanilla citrus, sweetened with some apple juice it was also for a sophisticated palate. 

The moulds I used...



Have fun!

Love
Ulyana

Natural Fertility for Women

Natural fertility and women's health is my biggest interest and clinically, I focus on it the most. I see client's undergoing IVF (in vitro fertilisation), menstruation problems and natural fertility, women wanting to conceive or are wanting to stay in peek condition while they are pregnant. It is very positive and rewarding for both me and my client.

On the opposite note, not everyone is as lucky or as fertile as nature's ideal intention. Some women and men struggle in the area and it is in my opinion the struggle of a life time. Nothing is as heartbreaking to watch someone else's hopes crumble month after month. It's sad to watch someone else's tears fall.


I'm writing this as an eye opener that this is a big problem that is forcing many people to seek medical help to conceive. We all want children, there is nothing more natural than wanting to procreate but we need to be open to getting help when we need it both naturally and medically. I've focused more on what lifestyle habits you can cultivate to encourage optimum fertility, rather than discuss too many of the causative factors.


Also, a women's endocrine system is a complicated topic and her reasons for infertility vary as does the right treatment strategy. A healthy lifestyle approach may improve your condition but more specific treatment such as body work (acupuncture), herbal and nutritional supplementation may be needed.

Causes of Infertility

Age- After the age 32 the quality and quantity of a woman's eggs begin to decline.

Hormones- Conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS (Poly cystic ovarian syndrome), egg quality and quantity and immune system factors may need to be investigated medically. 

Smoking- Damaging to your cervix and fallopian tubes. Smoking also increases your risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. 

Weight- If you're overweight or significantly underweight, it may inhibit normal ovulation.

Sexual history- Sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhoea can cause fallopian tube damage.

Alcohol and caffeine- Heavy drinking is associated with an increased risk of ovulation disorders and endometriosis. Caffeine is also a drug that is best kept to minimum- no more than 1 cup of coffee once or twice a week.

Drugs- Some medications interfere with a healthy pregnancy, check with your doctor. Recreational drugs don't support fertility.

This is a good article on infertility.

Fertility boosters

Eliminate toxins


Both in the environment and what you choose to wash, deodorise and pamper yourself with. Unnecessary chemicals and heavy metals can be absorbed and stored in your body, creating extra work for your liver to detoxify.


Why is the liver important to your fertility? Because it helps maintain hormonal balance within your body by metabolising the hormone after it's been used. If the liver doesn't remove these effectively then they can accumulate causing an imbalance such as oestrogen dominance. The body naturally produces metabolic waste, which also needs to be filtered. By keeping your environment pollutant free you create less work for the liver.


Chemical based deodorants, tap water, perfumes, toiletries, cleaning products, toothpaste, hair products, nail polish (don't worry, beautiful alternative nail polish Butter and Zoya are available), sanitary napkins, washing powders, insect repellent, dry cleaning chemicals, hair dye, electromagnetic radiation from TV's, computer screens- and the list goes on. Take a closer look at what you use that may be adding more chemicals to your life.

If it's not good for the water supply, it's unlikely to be good for you. Think eco-friendly when it comes to these products.


Rules of Nutrition


Aim for clean and organic, high vegetable and fruit, whole grains, plant-based essential fatty acids, nuts, seeds and lean protein sources. Raw foods such as salad, fresh juices and smoothies are great for overall health and increasing the antioxidants in your diet. 


Include broccoli and other vegetables from the cruciferous family like cabbage, cress, bok choy and kale. These are particularly good for detoxifying oestrogen-like chemicals found in some plastic products like water bottles. PBC's (Polychlorinated biphenyls), and BPA's (Bisphenol A) are common xenonestrogens that mimic oestrogen in the body, even though they differ chemically.





No agricultural pesticides, no genetically modified goods, no processed and "junk" food, canned fish, crustaceans, excessive dairy (hormone drugs used in farming practices), minimal red meat and no pork or excessive white sugar.


**A nutrient dense diet will encourage fertility. In cultures where the food is less processed, the fertility rates are higher.**


Exercise


Moving your body is as natural as feeding it. Stimulating the circulation, energy production, and waste elimination helps maintain a healthy body weight and the right muscle/ fat ratio. A healthy amount of fat is necessary for a woman's fertility, if she is too lean it affects the health of her endocrine system.

A daily cardiovascular based routine with weight- resistance 2 or 3 times a week is ideal. Too much weight training for a female body will affect the hormones and menstrual cycle. If you've ever seen a women's body building competition then you can see why an extreme physique does not promote fertility. Maintaining a good balance between strength, stamina, flexibility and weight is the ideal.


All core work is important for when you do carry a child, your body is strong in all the right places to support you and be fit for child birth. After the child is born you'll need to be even more fit!


Which brings me to mention how beneficial yoga is for all stages of preconception, conception and post birth body care. Integrating bodily awareness, breath control, core strength and flexibility will all help when it's time to give birth.


Stress


Stress affects your endocrine system. Here is a more comprehensive article explaining the link between stress and infertility.
Regular acupuncture treatment can reduce stress levels, amongst other benefits for improving fertility. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been used for centuries, particularly in women's health. This topic alone deserves a full article and there is a lot of information on the web, be choosy with what you read. Acupuncture in combination with IVF treatment is being researched and has been shown to increase  conception from 30% to 50%.

Get more sleep and learn to relax. Most of the women I see that need help with fertility tend to be the "nervy" type. Relaxation and proper sleep patterns allows your body a chance to heal and regenerate.


Supplements


Basic nutritional baseline for preconception care. Again more specific supplementation may be needed, so please see a good naturopath for more help.


B Complex including B12, iron and folic acid. 
Vitamin C- fresh fruit, citrus and leafy vegetables and/ or supplement with a buffered form of vitamin C. 
Vitamin D- first by getting enough sunshine then supplementing if needed. 
Omega 3 fact acids- flaxseed oil and chia seed
Zinc and mineral complex


Love
Ulyana...

While I write up my next post...

Here is an interesting, educational and inspiring video (trailer) by Aussie Joe Cross... the full video is available through his website and online. Love a good Aussie doco when I see one!

"100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. In the mirror he saw a 310lb man whose gut was bigger than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldn't end well— with one foot already in the grave, the other wasn't far behind. FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD is an inspiring film that chronicles Joe's personal mission to regain his health." www.fatsickandnearlydead.com