Acupuncture could boost a woman’s chances of conceiving through IVF by two thirds.

A large scale review of seven studies looked at 1,366 childless women having fertility treatment. Some had acupuncture just before or after an embryo was implanted while others had a sham version or no treatment at all. Women of various ages with different causes of infertility were included in the joint US and Dutch reviews whose findings are published this month in the British Medical Journal. There was a 65 per cent rise in an individual’s chance to becoming pregnant with the proper acupuncture. Acupuncture may relax the womb, making the lining more receptive to an IVF embryo.

Taking a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement every day could help slow down the natural ageing process. It’s common knowledge that many illnesses associated with ageing such as cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis are linked to mineral and vitamin deficiencies caused by an unhealthy diet. But now new research suggests that even the ageing process itself may be speeded up by a diet rich in vitamin poor fast food and refined, processed food.

Nutrition expert and biochemist Dr Bruce Ames recently told the American Association for Advancement of Science’s conference in Boston that studies showed shortages of vitamins and minerals are linked to a host of diseases associated with premature ageing. For instance, low levels of magnesium are linked with cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis, while lack of vitamin D is associated with breast, bowel and prostate cancers. Calcium deficiency has been associated with diabetes, lack of potassium to heart disease, and low vitamin B12 intake is linked to multiple sclerosis.

 

Lack of nutrients may also accelerate ageing itself, with Dr Ames’s research, which is now published in the Journal proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showing that dietary supplements can boost both energy and memory in elderly rats. (Go to www.naturalhealthpractice.com to find a good multivitamin and mineral for your needs and age group.)

Early morning feasts really could be the secret to beating middle aged spread.

Doctors from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge conducted a five-year study into the eating habits of 6,764 men and women living in Norfolk aged between 40 and 75. They found those who ate the biggest breakfast put on the least amount of weight even though they consumed the most food through the course of an average day.

 

Although the researchers say there could be unknown factors which explain the findings, they suspect it is more to do with the way the body metabolises calories. If the body is starved of food for long periods, as is the case if breakfast is skipped in the mornings, then it begins to store more fat during the day, resulting in weight gain. Therefore starting the day with a healthy breakfast is a good way to tackle weight gain. The keyword here is healthy. If you start off eating something slow burning such as porridge or egg on toast, this will avoid the sugar or insulin surges that can led to food cravings and weight gain. But breakfasts won’t help you lose weight if they’re full of sugar or saturated fats like bacon and sausages.