If I told you that a scientifically-proven option to help with all of the above was nearly free to the public, most people would be super-excited.  If I told you that the answer is water, I’d probably get a resounding…”meh.”  Water is gross, boring, uninteresting.  There are lots of excuses for not drinking enough water, but we’re starting to find even more reasons that it can really benefit your health.
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1. Dehydration affects brain power.  Ever wake up in the morning with that fuzzy brain feeling?  Even mild dehydration (1-3%), whether from lack of intake, increased exercise, partying all night long or just normal daily activity, can seriously impair brain function.  This can lead to decreased concentration, anxiety, fatigue, and generally depressed mood or simply show up as a pounding headache.
2. Think your workout is hard now?  Physical performance begins to wane significantly when you become as little as 2% dehydrated.  That means you’re done even before you’re thirsty.  Think you’re hitting that mid-afternoon slump because you need a snack?  That energy you’re looking for could be as easy to find as drinking a glass or two of water.  That motivation to hit the gym after work?  It could also be as simple as increasing your level of hydration.
3. Looking to boost your metabolism by as much as 30%?  An extra 1.5 liters of water per day (roughly 6 of those pesky 8 oz glasses) could increase your daily calorie burn by as much as 200 calories per day.  So, at 1,400 calories per week, that’s nearly 2 pounds of fat loss per month or 24 pounds over the course of a year.  Starting to sound interesting yet?
4. Water also makes you feel full without increasing your calorie intake.  In one study, participants in a weight loss program who drank 16 ounces prior to each meal lost about 2.5 lbs more than those who simply visualized themselves as full prior to meals.  This was over the course of 12 weeks, so that adds up to about 10 pounds over a year.  That brings our total to nearly 35 pounds in a year just from increasing your water intake, and that doesn’t include any calories saved by substituting water for soda, juices, etc.

So, yes, water may be boring or gross or not very cool, but it certainly has its perks.  And, while it is possible to over do it (if, for instance, you drank gallons and gallons then it may affect your electrolyte balance), for the vast majority of us, we’re much more likely to be under-doing it.  In case you were wondering, if your urine isn’t a pale yellow like lemonade, then that’s you.  So, let’s all raise a glass to our brains, our bodies and our moods, and drink some water to our health 😊

Dr. Nick

1. First of all what is ovarian reserve?  Ovarian reserve is really a theoretical concept.  All women are born with all the eggs that they will have for the rest of their reproductive life.  As we age that reserve of good quality eggs that can result in a successful pregnancy will go down.  Most infertility treatments are geared towards stimulating eggs for release or ovulation.  However, if you don’t have any eggs to release, then these types of infertility treatments would not be beneficial for you.  Therefore, the whole purpose of ovarian reserve testing is really to determine who will be a good candidate for infertility treatment.
2. How is my ovarian reserve measured?  There are several blood tests that can give your provider some insight into what your ovarian reserve might be.  However, remember the numbers that these tests produce only mean something once your provider considers the results of other infertility testing, maternal age, and other factors.   The most common test used today is AMH.  Other tests include FSH levels and ultrasound screening to look at ovarian volume and antral follicle counts.  AMH (antimullerian hormone) is secreted by a women’s eggs supply.  As a woman ages and her egg supply declines, she will secrete less of this hormone which is used as an indicator of ovarian reserve. 
3. Does my ovarian reserve predict my fertility?  I get this question a lot.  So, my AMH is low- does this mean I will never get pregnant?  The answer to this question is no.  Several studies have shown that tests that estimate ovarian reserve fail to predict the short-term chances of getting pregnant.  The same was true for FSH levels.  Ovarian reserve tests should not be used to predict your ability to get pregnant as much as they should be used to determine which fertility treatments would be best for you. 
4. We find that patients have a lot of anxiety associated with their ovarian reserve and low AMH levels.  Even if a young patient has a lower ovarian reserve relative to their age group, they can still have enough eggs to have a successful pregnancy. Ovarian reserve testing identifies patients that have a lower likelihood of conceiving without assistance. However, these tests are looking at averages and not the individual patient.  I have had several patients with low scores for their age who have gone on to spontaneously conceive without any difficulty. 

The bottom line is that some of these tests can help your doctor determine what type of treatment might benefit you as you seek pregnancy.  Insight from these tests can help tailor individualized regimens to meet your specific needs.  That being said, testing prior to even attempting pregnancy can lead to significant anxiety for some patients who may be able to conceive on their own.  Generally, it would be suggested to try to conceive without assistance for 6-12 months, and then if needed, look to your physician for some advice.  We’d be happy to help you figure out what might be causing your difficulties, if needed, and we’d be even happier to help you celebrate if you are successful on your own 😊

​Dr. Pam