Foods, herbs to manage female infertility

Olufunke Faluyi

This week, I will be talking about female infertility but before I proceed, let me share two stories with you. Over a year ago, my father told me a story of a couple battling infertility and after a series of tests, it was discovered that the woman’s fallopian tubes were seriously twisted. It was congenital. The couple were devastated. Months later, the woman got pregnant! How did it happen? It must have been that while she was going through HSG (a procedure to check the fallopian tubes), somehow, the twisted tubes straightened a bit and it gave way for the husband’s sperm to meet her egg! What have you done medically about your infertility? See a gynaecologinst now. Your husband’s sperm count must be checked too.

In one of the groups I belong to on Facebook, I saw a woman’s testimony. She said she went to see a doctor for the pains in her stomach and was told she was four months pregnant. She reached menopause at 42 and now she is 47 years old! She said she was only drinking guava leaves tea and taking garlic for flu. Guava leaves are part of the remedies for today.

I spoke with Mrs Akeju Olubukola, popularly known as Madam Akeju, the CEO of Madam Akeju Roots & Herbs, who is focused on maternal and reproductive health of herbal medicine and she shared one of her success stories with me. It is about a client in the UK who had problems achieving conception and has had five failed IVFs. She said the woman came to her as a last resort because she was above 40 and doctors were already suggesting surrogacy or donor egg. She said she started treatment on a proper detox that includes ginger, garlic, turmeric, cloves, bara, maca root and some other herbs. She told me she made sure the client adjusted her diet by stopping sugar and junks and eating more fruits and vegetables. She also told me the client was placed on other herbal treatments and at about seven weeks into all the treatments, the client got pregnant and now a proud mum of a boy.

Infertility is defined as trying to get pregnant with frequent, unprotected sex for at least a year with no success. Some risk factors are:

• Age (the quality and quantity of a woman’s eggs begin to decline with age).
• Smoking.
• Being overweight or significantly underweight.
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Alcohol

Some hormonal factors

Polycystic ovarian syndrome: It is associated with insulin resistance, obesity, abnormal hair growth on the face or body, menstrual irregularities and acne.

• Two hormones produced by the pituitary gland are responsible for stimulating ovulation each month — follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone. Some factors can disrupt the production of these hormones and affect ovulation.
• Premature ovarian failure
• Too much prolactin.

Other factors

• Damage to fallopian tubes
• Uterine or cervical causes
• Congenital problems
• Unexplained infertility

Some herbal prescriptions

Seed cycling: From day one of your period to day seven, consume one tablespoon of flaxseeds daily. It will be followed by a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds for another seven days. Then, during your ovulation, take a sunflower followed by sesame seeds. It means all the seeds would be used throughout your menstrual cycle. You can blend them with your smoothies.

Combo: It is a combination of ginger, garlic, turmeric, booni and clove. Cut all into small bits and soak in water for three days. Take half a glass cup twice daily. You can take it during menses but not on ovulation and fertile days.

Bara (Citrullus colocynthis): Cut a whole fruit into bits, remove the egusi seeds. Boil the fruit with fermented corn water (omi ogi).The only downside is that it has an excessive laxative effect. It is used for not less than four weeks and the dosage is half a glass cup once a week. If it over-purges you, take a bath–a shower from the head. You can use anytime but not during fertile days, ovulation and when you are not sure if conception has occurred.

Okro water: Get some fresh okro, wash and cut into pieces. Soak in a jar overnight and drink half a glass cup the following day both morning and night. Do this for three days after your period.

Aidan (Tetrapleura tetraptera): While on your period, boil Aidan and guava leaves together. Drink in the morning and at night.

Ilasa soup: Let us get to Igbo Ora in Oyo State. It is a town nicknamed twin capital of the world because of the high rate of multiple births. They have a special soup cooked with okro leaves. It is cooked like the way you cook ewedu. Powdered egusi is cooked with it. The indigenes of the town swear by its efficacy. It sounds unbelievable though but there is no harm in trying.

Onion tea for missed periods: This recipe is good for women with irregular menses. Get one big onion, one big lemon and a cup of water. Blend the onion, boil with the water. Sieve and add lemon juice. Drink the mixture at once after dinner. Do this once a day for three days.

Ewe akoko (Newbouldia laevis): Cook some leaves with water. Take a full glass cup twice daily after your menstruation for five days.

Cinnamon: Taking cinnamon can help jumpstart irregular menstrual cycles in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Apple cider vinegar: Add a table spoon to a warm cup of water and drink morning and night.

I will give lists of non-indigenous herbs too. They are available here in Nigeria. If you need any, I will give directions on where to get them.

• Punica granatum (Pomegranate)
• Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile)
• Vitex Agnus-castus
• Trifolium pratense (Red clover)
• Cinnamon
• Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel)
• Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice)

Foods and lifestyle changes 

• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Cut down on carbohydrates if you have polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Replace animal protein with vegetable protein sources like beans, nuts and seeds
• Choose dairy product such as yogurt
• Take natural supplements such as royal jelly, Bee propolis, bee pollen, maca. You can get folate and iron from food sources but if you need supplementation, your doctor will decide that.
• Get active by exercising so that you will attain a healthy weight.
• Take time to relax. Increase in stress level can decrease your chances of getting pregnant
• Avoid caffeine
• Avoid alcohol
• Scientific study

In a study titled, “The Effects of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel seeds) Seed Extract on Fertility Results of Assisted Reproductive Technology in Women With Poor Ovarian Response,’’ by Mahnaz Yavangi et al, the conclusion is that the use of F. vulgare had positive effects on improving the quality of oocytes and female fertility indices in women with POR (poor ovarian response)

After going through the necessary medical tests, eating right, trying some of these herbs; then, get busy in “the other room.” Soon, there will be the patter of tiny feet in your homes.

Phemoskygate Enterprise, to Build, Buy and Sale your HOUSE.

Brief History of the City of Ibadan.

 

In the 19th century, Yorubaland was characterised by insecurity. The intra-Yoruba war (1825-1893) and themilitary Jihad originating from Sokoto Sultanate2, which

spread from the north to the south of Nigeria, provokeda huge movement of people from the north to the southof Yorubaland, and from the countryside to the walledcities. Thus, many old cities disappeared (Old-Oyo,Owu) whereas a new generation of fortified towns cameinto being (New Oyo, Abéokuta, Ibadan). 

Ibadan was created in 1829 as a war camp for

warriors coming from Oyo, Ife and Ijebu. A forest site andseveral ranges of hills, varying in elevation from 160 to275 metres, offered strategic defence opportunities.Moreover, its location at the fringe of the forest promoted

its emergence as a marketing centre for traders andgoods from both the forest and grassland areas. Ibadanthus began as a military state and remained so until the

last decade of the 19th century. The city-state alsosucceeded in building a large empire from the 1860s tothe 1890s and extended over much of northern andeastern Yorubaland. It was appropriately nicknamed idiIbon, “butt of a gun”, because of its unique military char-

acter. The warriors constituted the rulers of the city andthe most important economic group (Falola, 1984: 192).

However, the economy of Ibadan primarily rested onagriculture (yam, maize, vegetables…), manufacture(mainly weapons, smithery, cloth and ceramics indus-

tries) and trade (slaves, palm oil, yam, kola for export,shea butter, salt, horses, weapons from outside). The colonial period reinforced the position of the city inthe Yoruba urban network. After a small boom in rubber

business (1901-1913), cocoa became the main produceof the region and attracted European and Levantinefirms, as well as southern and northern traders fromLagos, Ijebu-Ode and Kano among others. Their activties covered both the import of manufactured articles

and the export of local agriculture produce, notablycocoa, palm oil, palm kernels, rubber, hides and skins(Mabogunje, 1968: 195). The railway to the Northreached Ibadan in 1901 and all road traffic from Lagosto the North converged in Ibadan. The city became a

major point of bulk trade. Its central location and acces-accessibility from the capital city of Lagos were major considerations in the choice of Ibadan as the headquarters ofthe Western Provinces (1939), which became the

Western Region of Nigeria in 1952. This changeinvolved a substantial transfer of political power fromthe British Colonial Office to the nationals of the coun-

try and began the process of ministerial appointmentsand the rapid expansion in the number of governmentworkers and buildings in the city (Mabogunje, 1968:200). The importance of Ibadan was further enhanced

in 1948 by the founding of the University College whichlater became the University of Ibadan. Ibadan also had

a well-equipped teaching hospital, at that time the onlyone in the country. The concentration of qualifiedpeople increased purchasing power in the city and stimulated rapid growth in commerce and in employment opportunities. However, Ibadan did not succeed inattracting many big industries: there were only 47industrial establishments employing over ten peopleand 2,000 small-scale industries employing fewer than

10 people in 1963 (Mabogunje, 1968: 201). 

Although the objectives of the First to the ThirdNational Development Plans (1960-1980) were theacceleration of industrialisation, levels of industrialisation remained low in Ibadan city. By 1979, the industriallandscape was still dominated by small-scale activities

(Oketoki, 1998: 294) although a few big companies hadbeen established mainly in the new industrial estates.

The SAP introduced in 1986 was intended to encourageboth Nigerian and foreign investments and thus limit theamount of imported materials and promote export- oriented industries. Thousands of small-scale andhousehold industries have appeared since then inIbadan. Consequently, there was an increase in employment in the informal economic sector in the 1980s and1990s (Akerele, 1997: 39). The economic crisis and the decrease of public funds radically changed

the landscape of the city: a general decay of urban facilities (roads, railway, water and electricity supply) and ofsocial services (education and health) affected Ibadan

like other Nigerian towns. Whereas urban poverty became a national problem in the 1980s, the development of corruption and bad government administrationincreased dramatically during the military era notably

during Babangida and Abacha regimes (1984-1998)

(Amuwo, Bach and Lebeau , 2001, introduction).

Source: The case of 

Ibadan, Nigeria

by Laurent Fourchard

Contact:

Laurent Fourchard

Institut Francais de Recherche en Afrique

(IFRA), University of Ibadan

Po Box 21540, Oyo State, Nigeria

Jaja of Opobo.

One of the most famous resistors of the British colonial takeover of Nigeria. Born in the Amaigbo village group in southeastern Nigeria, Ja Ja was sold as a slave at the age of twelve to a chief in the coastal trading state of Bonny. Through his prowess as a trader, particularly in palm oil, Ja Ja rose to become the head of the Anna Pepple house, an extremely wealthy and powerful

house in Bonny, in 1863. His success as a trader roused the ire and competition of other houses, particularly the Manilla Pepple house, headed by Oko Jumbo. In 1869 war broke out between the two houses, with the result that Ja Ja fled inland, establishing a new trading state, which he named Opobo. From the hinterland Ja Ja cut off Bonny’s access to palm oil markets, and, over time, he turned Opobo into a wealthy trading state of its own. In 1884 Ja Ja signed a treaty of protection with the British guaranteeing them free trade in his realm. Not intending to live up to an agreement that would erode his competitive advantage, Ja Ja quickly abrogated the terms of the treaty, provoking the anger of the British. In 1887 the acting British consul, Harry Johnston, tricked Ja Ja on board a gunboat, ostensibly to negotiate a peaceful end to hostilities. Once on board, however, Ja Ja was arrested and taken to Accra, whence he was banished to the West Indies. He was allowed to return to Opobo in 1891, but died on the voyage home. His body was returned home and buried in Opobo.

Credit: A History of Nigeria by Toyin Falola.

King of Oyo in 1920

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Siyanbola Onikepe Oladigbolu I, with a British colonial officer, 1920.

Ladigbolu became king after Alaafin Lawani. He ruled from 1911 to 1944. He was also a vassal king. The amalgamation of Nigeria happened during his reign.

Epitome of Intelligence

Jakande was sentenced to jail just like his boss, Awolowo. But Jakande was crying in the court not because of himself but for Awolowo. When Awolowo saw him, approached him and asked him “why crying for only me…” Jakande replied “I don’t mind going to jail and even adding your terms to mine, why South.West, why is it that the only Premier in Nigeria that will be jailed is the Premier of my Region?”. Awolowo replied “Dry your tears, God sometimes keep his own away when danger is approaching….”
And that was what happened! The reason why Nigeria didn’t break in 1967 was Obafemi Awolowo. Gowon said “I needed him badly more than I needed the Nigerian Army”…..Why? Two reasons;
1. The original rallying point of the Yoruba was Awolowo. If Yoruba supported the break up, no Jupiter can stop it. Therefore, to keep Nigeria one, Awolowo must endorse it!!!!
2. The wisdom of Awolowo was unequalled, unparalleled and unrivalled. His wisdom must not be on the side of the rebel, Nigeria would not survive without it.
No wonder the two Warriors Gowon and Ojukwu said and I quote; “I am the luckiest ruler of Nigeria because the best Nigeria asset in person of Chief Awolowo was my Vice Chairman and Finance Commissioner…”- Gowon. “Chief Awolowo is the best President of Nigeria that never was…”- Ojukwu.
Need I say more? Murtala Mohammed had ensured in his Transition Programme that Shehu Shagari would not contest but after his death, OBJ relaxed the rules…..Shagari was allowed to contest and won but in 1984, Buhari stopped Shagari again, describing his election as “shamelessly rigged”…….
NCNC was the popular Party in Lagos. They always won Lagos. And Awolowo’s Action Group would have lost in 1954 if not for Madam Abibatu Mogaji the mother of JAGABAN who mobilized the Lagos women for AG!
THE SECRET OF AWOLOWO….
Awolowo deliberately spent a lot of money in establishing exclusive investments for the Western Region where he thought the SW Progressive Politics would be financed. He said “SW need stable source of fund to fight politically because a poor people cannot fight the Central Government…”. No one knew this secret until his Deputy had issues with Awolowo and leaked the secret to the opponent. He told them “fight Awolowo from now till forever, if you didn’t destroy the Western Nigerian Investments, SW will always be buoyant financially and they will fight you and win you….” Wow!!!!! That was the end!!!
From that time, to cut the story short, SW was targeted! AWO was accused of fraud. Investments converted to Full state investment and later Odu’a Investment. And later, during the military regime, there was a time when all SW governors were non Yorubas, Odu’a investment was crushed. Cold dead! But LAGOS of Tinubu reinvested the progressive interest in a more sophisticated way. MAY THE SECRET OF LAGOS NOT BE LEAKED THE WAY ENEMIES LEAKED THE SECRET OF SW!!! The Story of Progressive Politics in Nigeria since 1954 had its Genesis from Awolowo’s Palm Tree which, After processing, have its revelation from Tinubu’s Broom!!!
No more No less!
We must never forget the families of Obafemi Awolowo, Lateef Jakande, Bisi Onabanjo, Bola Ige, Adekunle Ajasin, Ambrose Ali, Adebayo, JS Olawoyin, Anthony Enahoro, Abraham Adesanya, S.O Gbadamosi, Bode Thomas…..These are first generation of progressive politicians who played progressive politics for life!!!
UP AWO!!!!
Simple but Notable. When Awolowo arrived Lagos from Calabar Prison, after meeting with Gowon, it was Murtala Mohammed who voluntarily drove Awolowo home, in his personal car. Murtala described the gesture(driving Awolowo) as a privilege!!!����

Leader of the progressives

7 Fun Facts About Bonobos Monkey.

1. Our closest living relatives

We are more closely related to bonobos (and chimpanzees) than we are to any other animal on earth. We share 98.7% of our DNA with bonobos – this means that bonobos are more closely related to us than they are to gorillas. This leads to many similarities between bonobos and humans, but also some key differences.

2. Females in charge

The main reason that bonobos are so peaceful is that males are not in charge. The dominant bonobo in any group is never a male. This is unusual in the animal kingdom. Usually, if females are in charge, they are a lot bigger than the males. Bonobo females are smaller than males, but the females have very special friendships. If any male in the group becomes aggressive, the females join forces and prevent him from hurting anyone. Over evolutionary time, bonobos have become much less aggressive than their ape relatives, including humans.

3. Peaceful

Most of us believe that humans are the most intelligent animal on earth. It’s true that we have been extremely successful, and we have impressive technology. But there is one problem we have not been able to overcome. We have not figured out how to avoid, murder, war, and bloodshed. We share this trait with our other closest relative, chimpanzees. In fact, the murder rate of chimpanzees and humans (before we had modern weapons) is about the same. Bonobos are the only great ape that have never been seen to kill their own kind. If we can figure out bonobos’ secret, we might be able to make our greatest accomplishment – world peace.

4. Conflict avoidance

Bonobos have evolved to avoid fighting, about anything. Researchers working at our sanctuary discovered that in a situation that had the potential to cause conflict (two individuals were in competition over food), chimpanzees had an increase in testosterone, which is related to competitiveness, and bonobos had an increase in cortisol, which is related to stress. This stress response leads bonobos to seek social reassurance and they hug and share instead of fight.

5. Good Samaritans

Recent research at Lola has shown that bonobos are truly good Samaritans, perhaps even better than people. We prefer to help people we are related to, or people we know, rather than strangers. Bonobos do love to share, and feel empathy towards family and friends, but when given a choice, bonobos prefer to share food with strangers.

6. Bonobo Handshake

The main way bonobos diffuse tension is certainly original – they have sex, or more specifically, they use social sexual contact. To strengthen their relationships, females will rub their genitals together. If anyone in the group, male or female, is feeling stressed, anxious, or irritated, someone will run over and give them a ‘bonobo handshake’. This kind of conflict resolution seems to be at the heart of their peaceful society.

7. Highly Endangered

Bonobos live only in one country, the Democratic Republic of Congo. They live in the Congo Basin, which is a huge forest, almost three times the size of France. However, the bushmeat trade has left them vulnerable to hunting. Bonobos are the most endangered great ape. No one is sure how many are left in the wild, but it could be as few as 5,000.