Those with fertility problems should avoid okro, walnuts and red meat

Date: 11th May 2007, Source: Althealth News

There are many reproductive problems and prominent among them is inability to produce children, which can affect both men and women. Infertility is common in the society and many couples have divorced because of the problems attached to this condition. While it has caused disaffection many among many some have even lost their lives while trying to solve the problem.


In fact, the belief in our society that one of the major reasons of going into room for exercise from couple who could not carry out this important task. But herbal medical practitioners believe that there is hope for any couple waiting on God for the fruits of womb even if several attempts to solve the problem through orthodox medicine has failed. One of such herbal doctor is Kayode Oniyelu, the Managing Director of BSD Naturalist Care, Dikat House, Ring Road, Ibadan. Speaking with Natural Health in his office on what could debar both men and women from procreating, the alternative medical practitioner explained that this could be linked to several factors. Infertility, he said, is not only synonymous to women as it is the belief of some peoples, adding that the fault could also be from men.


Most of the times, the problems could be traceable to Staphylococcus bacteria, provided the problem does not have spiritual attachment or reason, he said. Every human being he said have scanty amount of Staphylococcus bacteria in the body, but when it is too much, then it could pose serious danger to our health. “Staphylococcus invasion of the body has been seen to render many people infertile to the extent that too much of it in man’s body could make the sperm either to be watery or ineffective to fertilise an ovum.

A man may have good quantity of sperm, but it may not be the quality to fertilise an egg. The problem of fertility in men could also arise from what is known as Oligospermia- which is when the sperm is too watery, which many refer to as low sperm cell or count. Azospermia could also be the cause of a man’s inability to father a child, which means there is not enough cells in the spermatozoa to make it have life. Some refer to it as nil-sperm or no-sperm. Another problem in men is what is called monospermia, which means too much sperm cells. However, there are other problems which he said could cause infertility in men, ne of which is also too much of alcohol consumption among several other factors which would have to be diagnosed and confirmed through laboratory test before knowing the herbal therapy to apply.


The normal PH of semen according to the alternative medical therapist should be between seven and eight and when the PH is less than 7, it means the man is producing acidic semen. If the PH of the semen is above 7, the semen is too alkaline because a normal ejuculation of sperm should contain nothing less than 20 million sperm cells. Long term accumulation of certain diseases in the body without proper treatment is also identified as the major cause of infertility in men. “Certain ailments and diseases left untreated for years have been seen to damage the sperm cells of some men” Oniyelu further added.


For women experiencing infertility, the Ibadan based alternative medical practitioner said infection in most cases is the root cause of the problem. “Too much infection in a woman’s body can result in irregular menstruation, altering the body hormonal balance. “You will even see some women during the ovulation period discharging yellowish coloured eggs. This is not normal because the normal colour of eggs that can be fertilised by a spermatozoa should be whitish”, he stressed.


Infertility may also arise from other causes. Sometimes improperly treated sexually transmitted diseases like herpes, syphilis, gonorrhoea etc may prevent women from conceiving. The germs can damage the oviducts as well as cause serious infections of the womb. Abortion is also another problem. “Lack of normal menstrual cycle may also be a factor. Sometimes it can be as a result of emotional factors and other conditions such as endometriosis and adhension involving the genital organs may also interfere with pregnancy. Speaking further, the herbal doctor said fibroid growth, which is implanted in the inner or outer part of the womb may prevent spermatozoa from reaching the right place where it can fertilize an ovum.


Another common cause of inability to get pregnant in women is leucoreum, popularly known as Eda among the Yorubas. Other problems like blockage of the fallopian tubes and infections of the womb can also cause infertility. “If the right fallopian tube is blocked, a woman can still be pregnant. But if the left fallopian tube is infected or blocked, then a woman cannot get pregnant”, he emphasised. The naturopath however said if there is no infection, there can’t be leucoreum. Abnormal temperature of the womb is another problem.


On the use of contraceptives, the herbal doctor said too much of contraceptives pills can also cause infertility. Men who are fond of using viagra or sex stimulating drugs, he also cautioned, should refrain from regular use of such drugs as they also risk fertility problems. On the preventive measures of infertility, the naturopath said there is no food that can cause the problem as it is the belief of some people. But he warned those having fertility problem to abstain from okro soup, as well as other ‘draw-soups’. Ogbono soup should also be avoided for certain reasons, likewise red meat, canned food, frozen chicken which according to him are susceptible to staphylococus infection and are contraditions for those with fertility problems.


“I would also advise people to avoid eating too much of walnut. This is a goodprecautomary measure. Infact, those having fertility problems are usually counseld to abstain from walnuts which the yorubas called Asala or Awusa. “Okro can cause irregular menstruation in women. Ogbono and okro soups falls into this category. Taking them can also affect libido in both sexes. Explaining why walnuts should be avoided, he said although walnut can be used to tackle diabetes and cancer in some cases, but is not an important herbal ingredients in alternative medicine as it contains some anti-reproductive or anti-fertility ingredients.

Consumption of vegetable oil should also be reduced by those looking for the fruits of the womb. Moreover, the director of BSD Naturalist-Care, Ibadan said alternative medicine remains the best form of treatment for infertility just as he also stressed that the duration for its treatment in his trado medical clinic is between five to six weeks. He however said such patient would have to first of all do fertility test in hospitals, the result of which would explain the actual cause of the problem and the type of herbal therapy to apply.