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zinc deficiency can lead to low sperm count. Fortunately, taking supplemental zinc can improve sperm count and motility. One study of thirty-seven infertile men involved the use of 60 milligrams of zinc sulfate for forty to fifty days. Of the men with low testosterone levels, sperm counts increased by 8 million to 20 million. Other studies have demonstrated an improvement in semen quality and motility.

GOOD FOOD SOURCES OF ZINC

Meat, poultry, pork

Eggs

Seafood, especially oysters and herring

Whole grains and wheat germ

Brewer’s yeast

Seeds: sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds

Bonemeal

Molasses and maple syrup

Zinc also appears to play a role in regulating sex drive, adding credibility to the use of oysters as a male aphrodisiac. (Just six medium eastern oysters contain a whopping 76 milligrams of zinc.)

FERTILITY CHECKLIST

HERS

Vitamin A: up to 10,000 IU daily.

Vitamin B6: up to 50 milligrams three times a day.

Copper: up to 2.5 milligrams daily.

Evening primrose oil: up to 500 milligrams three times a day.

HIS

Arginine: up to 4 grams daily.

Cottonseed oil: Avoid.

L-carnitine: up to 500 milligrams daily.

Selenium: up to 200 micrograms daily.

Soy: eat a diet rich in soy foods.

Vitamin ?12: up to 10 micrograms daily.

Vitamin C: up to 3,000 milligrams daily.

COUPLES

Vitamin E: up to 800 IU daily.

Zinc: up to 50 milligrams daily.

4

Herbs: Mother Nature’s

Medicines for Maternity

Getting pregnant is a balancing act. For both women and men, fertility involves a complex hormonal chain reaction; for the system to work, the entire system has to be in working order.

All too often, low levels of a hormone may knock the system out of balance, inhibiting fertility. While synthetic drugs like clomid or perganol can stimulate egg release, sometimes more subtle treatments—such as herbal remedies—can jump start the hormonal system, often without the undesirable side effects of the stronger drugs.

Every culture on earth has relied on the natural healing ability of plants (or botanicals) to treat many ailments. Worldwide, four out of five people use herbs as the basis of their medical care. Though most Americans rely on synthetic drugs produced in a laboratory, European doctors often prescribe herbal treatments for their patients. One of the main reasons that synthetic medicines are more popular than herbs in the United States is that drug companies can patent those drugs they create, but they cannot patent Mother Nature’s cures. Still, about 25 percent of all prescription drugs sold in the United States contain active ingredients isolated from plants, and most synthetic drugs are little more than synthesized versions of chemicals that occur naturally in plants.

STRONG MEDICINE

Many people who agonize over taking an over-the-counter painkiller think nothing of swallowing an herbal treatment because they consider it “natural” and therefore not dangerous. But herbs powerful enough to heal are also powerful enough to harm, if misused. In general, herbal remedies are safer and have fewer side effects than man-made drugs, but they can be as potent and as harmful as synthetic drugs, and they should be treated with the same respect. Like any other drugs, herbs can have negative and sometimes dangerous side effects if taken in excessive doses. When it comes to herbs—as with many things—more is not necessarily better.

Part of the confusion about safety stems from the way herbal treatments are labeled. Unlike synthetic drugs, herbal remedies do not have to go through the formal approval process from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because they are classified as foods or food additives, rather than drugs. This means that manufacturers of herbal remedies must be cautious about the claims they make on package labels; drug-related claims and warnings are prohibited. It’s up to you to understand the safety and efficacy of the products you buy. You should always read the package directions and follow the dosage information