Sleep, or lack of it, has recently become a worrying health issue. It seems that people are getting less of it than in the past and often of a poorer quality too. Probably related to our interconnectedness to a 24 hour world via computers, smartphones and tablets, we seem to be finding it increasingly difficult to switch off at night and get a good nights sleep, but also due to increased alcohol consumption and the stress of financial and work related insecurity in
Read more
The Endometrial Receptivity Assay (ERA) is a genetic test that uses a bioinformatic predictive computer algorithm to analyze biopsy samples in order to identify what is referred to as the window of implantation (WOI) in endometrial receptivity. This can then allow personalized embryo transfer (pET) timing to optimize IVF results. (1) The ERA test is aimed at helping patients who have suffered multiple failed IVF cycles or repeated implantation failure (RIF). The endometrial lining which is normally smooth which is not conducive to
Read more
Autumn has finally arrived and according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory this is the season of the Metal element which is cold and dry. Temperaturas are increasingly fluctuating as they fall and the nights are getting ever longer and colder. It is at this change of season, whether Spring or Autumn, that our bodies struggle to adjust appropriately to the changing temperatures of the environment, making it difficult to know what’s appropriate to wear. First we are hot, then cold, then hot
Read more
Spring May boost IVF results, but acupuncture has much greater effect – Richard Collisson. Mayday in the UK was originally called Beltane, an ancient Celtic pagan fertility festival celebrating the onset of Spring, manifest in the blooming of flowers and birth of baby animals. Recent scientific research now supports the assertion that Spring is a fertile season. Researchers at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women’s Hospital observed that 20 per cent of IVF cycles from May to September resulted in a
Read more
Heel pain from plantar fasciitis is a very common problem that can occur at any age. It usually occurs after trauma to the foot and so typically only affects one foot , but can occur on both feet at the same time. The plantar fascia is an extension of the Achilles tendon which runs under the heel then spreads out across the sole of the foot and inserts into the base of the toes. Its function is to provide shock absorption on the
Read more
