Infertility and Caffeine

Infertility (or subfertility as I've been taught to term it) is an area to which I am particularly drawn in my reflexology practice. The interest became very personal with the difficulties my grown children had in beginning families of their own. My experiences and personal research give me great hope that God may use me along with the giftings which He has given and the skills He has allowed me to acquire, to help couples overcome this challenge through reflexology. What a sacred privilege!

Along my journey of discovery on this topic and the health & wellness issues accompanying it, the premise that caffeine my have a very dramatic affect on fertility presents itself often. Once again this morning while working with a client facing this challenge, God's infinite leading prompted me to ask about her and her husband's caffeine consumption.

Doing a bit of research looking for statistics on the topic, this information from the website Helping Conception came to my attention.

Starting your day off with a cup of joe may help you wake up, but it can put your fertility to sleep. In clinical studies on women, drinking coffee was found to decrease their ability to conceive within 12 months. The more coffee the women drank, the more their fertility rate went down. While women who drank one cup of coffee a day had a 55% increased chance of infertility, women who drank three or more cups of coffee a day were 176% less likely to be able to conceive within a 12-month period.

While this comment mentions women only, similar statistics may be found on the connection between men's fertility and caffeine. It has been suggested that caffeine may give a very quick surge to motility of the sperm. The downside to that is at has also been studied and suggested that the surge is very short lived and then the motility may almost stop.

For those who may be challenged with subfertility issues, whether you or someone you know and love, this may be a very simple but effective key to becoming pregnant.

A small note here: remember that caffeine may be in coffee, tea, colas and other soft drinks as well as chocolate.

Foot Map for Reflexology

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Learn to read your foot

More about reflexology

Footsteps In Eden Reflexology features a larger size interactive foot map on our website, but thought it might be fun to share this little widget with you. Discover more about reflexology, a great non-invasive touch therapy which melts stress and encourages health through the feet, above and on our website.

Four Veggie Servings in One Tasty Meal!!!

Do you observe a daunting image when you study the food pyramid? After all, it is recommended that you include 3-5 servings of just vegetables, 2-3 servings of meat, fish, beans, poultry, nuts, and 6-11 servings of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. Some real creativity is definitely in order to include all of these (and more) in one day's menu, and it's recommended we eat like this everyday to help our bodies maintain or improve good health.

What a great find: A full meal recipe (pictured above) from another Memphis blogger promoting health and wellness. Would you believe, 4 servings of veggies, 1-2 servings of rice, and 1-2 servings of fish? And, YES, it was tasty as could be. The hint of sweetness from the maple syrup on the salmon was delightful! Thinking of spinach generally brings to mind images of the baby spinach salad, but this frozen chopped regular spinach blended with the tomatoes, rice, and steamed carrots was such a treat! And then strips of avocado on the side. The meal was seasoned with additional flavors of dill, fennel, pepper and almond. YUMMY!!!!

Tonya Tittle, owner and director of training at Energy Fitness in Memphis, has several other recipes included on her blog. Be sure to visit and have a taste test. You will find the recipe here. Spending a bit more time on Tonya's blog, I believe you will find some very tasty and healthy new additions to your menus. Some may become your family favorites!

Fresh Salmon Entree from Energy Fitness

Fresh salmon...baked, broiled, grilled, chopped in sushi, prepared most any way is one of those favorites for my palate. This photo looks yummy, but what I would truly like to share today is pictured on another blog I'm following.
Energy Fitness, Memphis has posted what looks to be one delicious fresh salmon meal. It is definitely on my list of meals for the week...eager to give you a report on its delectable qualities!!! You'll find a beautiful and enticing photo of the prepared dish on their blog. Definitely a healthy choice with portion controls in place.

Winter Wonderland in Memphis

You might know it. The biggest snow in Memphis since 1968, and I was out of town! Nashville got some of it, but nothing like Memphis. Having moved here from snow country in 1970, I was very sad to have missed seeing all of this before it went the way of Frosty the snowman when the sun did its thing.

Forgetting my camera was a big bummer -- no pictures with little Isaac. The silver lining in that is I do have a couple photos to share shot Sunday with my forgotten camera. Thanks to my hubby who was at home!

Most thankful that I did not have to drive in it. My son-in-law was also in Nashville over the weekend. (I wasn't planning to come home until Monday -- Thank You, Jesus!) His adventures making the "drive" home, having left Nashville on Saturday afternoon, were quite intense. The normal 3 hour drive became a 21 hour drama. Thankful that we are all safely home again.

Crown of Flowers Buried in Winter Wonderland

Twist me a crown of wind-flowers;
That I may fly away
To hear the singers at their song,
And players at their play.

Put on your crown of wind-flowers:
But whither would you go?
Beyond the surging of the sea
And the storms that blow.

Alas! Your crown of wind-flowers
Can never make you fly:
I twist them in a crown today,
And tonight they die.

from SING-SONG: A NURSERY RHYME BOOK by Christina Rosetti

Last week I added this little poem to an "eventual" post. It seemed so appropriate today. Allow me to share.

Those beautiful jonquil photos I posted a few weeks ago...the display had become even more prolific and such a bright delight of the season ahead...almost able to touch that feeling of dancing on the spring breezes. Yesterday, my husband cut a few of those flowers, and delivered his bouquet via cell phone. Today the rest have been laid to rest, buried and frozen in the 8 inches of ice and snow that turned Memphis into a winter wonderland...a rare sight in our area. Indeed, "I twist them in a crown today and tonight they die."

Thankful to be warm and safe with my daughter-in-law and precious grandson in the Nashville area. My son-in-law was also in the area this weekend for school. He left at 3 pm yesterday. (It's 11:30 am right now.) It's a 3 hour drive to Memphis. Last we heard he was stuck at a truck diner about 30 miles from home...making himself at home cooking for the other stranded travelers. I know his girls will all be very happy to see him when he finally steps through the door of home once more...thankful now for the blessing that he is safe.

Scheduled to return to Memphis myself tomorrow, all prayers are coveted for clear roads and an uneventful trip. Perhaps there will be a few photos to share with you then.