Consumption of cold drinks can lead to infertility in not only women, but also men, a Taichung-based doctor of traditional Chinese medicine said on Monday.
Many women who are trying to get pregnant know that they should avoid consuming cold drinks to “keep the uterus warm,” but few people know that men need to protect their fertility too, Wang Ya-hsiu (王雅秀) said.
One couple, a 35-year-old firefighter and his wife, turned to traditional Chinese medicine after being unable to conceive after trying for a year, Wang said.
The firefighter’s wife had a “cold body constitution” and the firefighter’s digestive system was “weak,” Wang said.
The firefighter said that his job was very stressful, as sometimes he had to respond to a call every hour, Wang said.
To boost his energy levels and relieve stress, he drank at least one or two cups of iced coffee each day, Wang added.
Another male patient who worked as a security guard could not conceive after trying for three years, she said.
He spent all day in a guard house and drank several cold drinks each day during the summer, she said.
Traditional Chinese medicine stresses adjusting the “constitution” of the body, Wang said.
Shortly after following her recommendation of avoiding cold drinks and taking herbal medicine, the two men and their wives successfully conceived, Wang said.
Consumption of cold drinks leads to a stagnation of blood circulation in both men and women, Wang said.
For men, blood stagnation affects the mobility and equality of their sperm, she said.
Besides avoiding cold drinks, couples who are trying to conceive should also increase their intake of ingredients that are considered “warm,” such as yams, sweet potatoes, chestnuts, sesame seeds and garlic, Wang said.
Western medicine also believes that sperm is sensitive to heat exposure and recommends that men who are trying to conceive avoid hot springs and hot showers to avoid affecting the quality of the sperm, said Lee Tsung-hsien (李宗賢), director of reproductive medicine at Chung Shan Medical University Hospital in Taichung.
Although he is not familiar with traditional Chinese medicine, Lee said that blood circulation does affect sperm and many patients experience infertility due to varicocele, a varicose enlargement of the veins of the spermatic cord producing a soft compressible tumor in the scrotum.
Men who sit for long periods of time can experience varicocele due to a disruption in the blood flow, affecting sperm count and mobility, he said.
Lee recommends that men get up and walk around for 10 minutes every hour to prevent the condition.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS