Fertility Max

24/02/2020

From average dog litter size to what it takes to support a healthy pregnancy, Dr. Greer answers some of the most common questions asked about dog litter sizes.

15/02/2020

🌹Who wants to be mine♥️?

16/12/2019

What is the perfect pet for your family?

15/12/2019

ITS ALL ABOUT THESE LITTLE FUZZY FACES! SAVE A LIFE! SUPPORT ANIMAL RESCUE! AT Longevity Incubators keeping your new born safe for generations. , , !

15/12/2019

"I LOVE YOU", CAN SOME TIMES COME FROM THE PLACE YOU LAST EXPECT IT …

SHARE THE CUTNESS :) HAPPY SAT EVERYONE!! Longevity Incubators keeping your new born pets safe for generations... , , ! www.longevityincubators.com

04/12/2019

I LOVE YOU.... ?? WHAT DOES I LOVE YOU REALLY MEAN? Each time you say "I love you," you are really saying "I am here for you." "Being here" means being fully present in the relationship—physically, emotionally and spiritually. Saying "I love you" means "I am committed to you" and "I am committed to us." You are telling that person you are in this relationship...

04/12/2019

People yearn to be loved and seek diligently to find someone to pour their own love into. This article reveals 3 forms or levels of love ranging from a base indulgence to a holy, sacrificial gift.

04/12/2019

https://www.theseniorlist.com/data/finding-love-after-50/

Divorce is on the rise among Americans 50 and older, with the rate of divorces in the age group doubling in the past few decades as the Baby Boomer generation neared retirement age. And for those 65 and older, the rate tripled. It would be easy to read that data as a bad thing, and,... View Article

04/12/2019

Love After 50: 5 Tips for Finding Love Later in Life—or Now
Do you sometimes feel depressed, anxious or even angry about wanting and yet not having found a partner to love? Is it possible that folks over 50 still can find and even marry the true love of their life? And older than 50 or not, can you bring more hugging, more laughter, and more love into your life?

One dear friend of mine, now in her sixties, recently re-found the love of her life; re-found because way back in junior high, friends used to say that someday they would end up together.
Another, in her mid-fifties and long-ago having decided that love would never come her way, seems to have found her true love. She was looking to buy a new vehicle for traveling long distances. The knowledgeable fellow who helped her online turned out to be the companion with whom she may travel the rest of her life.

What can increase your odds of finding true love as well, if you are over 50 — or at any time?
I found fascinating data in a surprising place. The book Autumn Romance: Stories and Portraits of Love after 50

, looks like a coffee table art book, but I have not been able to leave it on the table. It's fascinating.

In Autumn Romance

, 30 couples each share how their inspiring later-in-life romances came to be. Every story, engagingly retold by author/artist Carol Denker, conveys insights into what love is and what people have done to be able to welcome it into their lives.

Source: (c) Carol Denker, used with permission.
The book's poignant photos of each couple further illustrate what true love looks like, proving again the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. Let yourself be inspired. You could feel this way too ...
What did the individuals in these now loving couples do that enabled true love to enter their lives?

Here are five essential tips for finding love after 50 based on recurring themes in the stories in Autumn Romance.
1. Get comfortable with yourself. Some did this via therapy. Many used alternative therapies or spiritual growth programs. The more you like yourself, the more likely it becomes that others will like and even love you. No need to go overboard with arrogance about how great you are. Just become self-accepting, warts and all.

2. Look hard and long to learn from your past mistakes. Many of the now-happy lovers had experienced the pain of divorce. After a divorce, it's easy to blame the failure of the relationship on your spouse. Those who later lived to love again instead focused primarily on their own mistakes. Had they been too critical? Too quick to anger? Selfish? Defensive instead of listening to their partner's perspectives? Too forgiving instead of able to stand up and say when their partner's behavior is unacceptable and that they would leave unless it changed? Did they try to get their partner to change instead of looking at what they themselves might do differently when tensions rose?
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3. Become the person you want to be. The eventual lovers each first let themselves love what they loved to do ... and do lots of it. No matter if the activities you love are reading history, gardening, painting, collecting, going to football games, or whatever. Do them.
4. Get out of your house. If you stay at home, the odds that you will meet someone zoom down. As soon as you leave your house, and especially if you leave to go do activities you enjoy, your odds of bumping into someone with similar interests zoom upward.

Are you a history buff? Do your reading in libraries and bookstores. Go visit historical sites or become a volunteer at a historical site.
5. Learn the skills for communicating in ways that sustain relationship goodwill and that resolve differences collaboratively.
In my books and website that teach the skills for marriage success, I focus on the four skill sets that my couples therapy clients find especially potent:

Source: (c) Jack Nelson, used with permission
a) Give forth positivity, that is, appreciation, affection, gratitude, smiles, helpfulness, etc.
b) Radically curb your negative messages. The closer you can get to zero criticism, blame, and anger the better.
c) Stay in collaborative dialogue mode instead of becoming oppositional. The hardest part for many people is to learn to listen without responding with "but."

d) Resolve all differences with win-win solutions. No more my way, no MY way. Clarify the concerns of both of you. Then find a plan of action responsive to all of these.
And if you do follow these five tips for love after 50?
There are no guarantees that love will come your way. Or marriage. What is highly likely though is that you will become a happier person, and that the relationships in your current life all will become more loving.

04/12/2019

Falling in love at first sight is one of those things you either believe in or don't. The concept of it is so fairytale-esque, it's almost hard to believe it can actually happen in reality. But according to data from Match's Singles in America study, love at first sight happens more than you probably think. “Love at first sight is relatively easy to explain,” Match’s chief scientific advisor and biological anthropologist, Dr. Helen Fisher, said in a press release. “Romantic love runs along certain electrical and chemical pathways through the brain which can be triggered instantly."

Nearly 34 percent of singles say they've actually experienced falling in love at first sight, Match found. And, more men (41 percent) say they've experienced it than women (29 percent)...

04/12/2019

The 36 Questions That Lead to Love https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/style/36-questions-that-lead-to-love.html

04/12/2019

6 strange things love does to your brain and body
Love makes you excited
“Love activates the dopamine reward system in your brain,” said Brandon Williamson. “Dopamine is a hormone that is released into the body when we do things that make us feel good.” It is released when we do things like spend time with a loved one or eat a really good meal. He also mentions studies have shown that chronic drug use also activate the same reward system.
Love can be stressful
On the other hand, falling in love can be stressful for some people. Studies found that cortisol—a hormone mainly released during times of stress—tends to rise in the body when you first fall in love. “That rise in cortisol makes your heart start racing, and you have this fight-or-flight response when you have to decide if you want to actually engage in the relationship,” said Meredith Williamson.
Love makes you committed
Oxytocin has been shown to influence the formation of trust and bonds between people. This hormone is also present when people are in love. “Oxytocin is the same hormone that moms get when they give birth and see their baby for the first time,” said Brandon Williamson. It encourages feelings of contentment, calmness and security.
“Some brain studies showed that committed couples who were in love and been married for over 20 years had the same reward pathways that increase those feelings as those that had just fallen in love,” said Meredith Williamson. “Proof that love gets better with age.”

04/12/2019

Every year the American Kennel Club releases the list of “most popular breeds,” based on registration statistics for that year. Currently, the Labrador Retriever reigns number one and has since 1991. Below, find the ranked lists of AKC-recognized breeds for the last five years.
2018
—
Labrador Retriever
German Shepherd Dog
Golden Retriever
French Bulldog
Bulldog

04/12/2019

https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/

04/12/2019

The role of Zinc for dogs
Zinc is one of the essential trace minerals required in a dog’s diet to maintain good health. It is also one of the most abundant minerals found in the body, and is concentrated in certain parts of the brain, pancreas, and adrenal glands, as well as being present in the nucleus of all cells.
Zinc is involved in a vast array of metabolic processes in the body; It has been scientifically identified as playing in a key role in over 200 critical enzymatic / metabolic pathways, is integral to the function of the whole immune system, is involved in the production of numerous hormones (thyroid hormone, insulin, s*x hormones, growth hormone, cortisone), and plays an integral role in DNA synthesis, and therefore cellular reproduction. Zinc also plays a major role in brain function, learning and memory, as well as maintaining good eyesight. In the skin, zinc plays a role in maintaining healthy skin and is involved in hair growth and regulation. It is also vital to normal skeletal development and collagen synthesis. Zinc is also one of the more powerful anti-oxidants in the body.
Of the many and varied functions zinc performs in the body, perhaps its most vital role is that of DNA and RNA replication. DNA is required not only for cell division and growth, but also for the expression of genetic material (the translation of genetic codes (genes) into their metabolic function). At this level, zinc influences the molecular genetics of an organism, and deficiency of zinc can have far reaching effects, that can even be passed on to future generations.
Causes of Zinc deficiency
The most potent sources of dietary zinc are found in red meats, white meats, and fish (especially oysters). It is also found in reasonable levels in cereals, legumes and root vegetables. Dietary deficiency can be caused by diets that are low in meats (ie vegetarian diets for dogs), but also in diets where the meat content has been highly processed and nutritionally damaged. Other more common and poorly understood causes of deficiency are now being discovered. Diets that are high in refined cereal grains are also high in plant phytates (especially soy based products), and these phytates actually bind to zinc in the intestines, and render it unabsorbable. Many cheaply prepared commercial dog foods have high cereal content, and often have high levels of soybean protein. Over supplementation with calcium also reduces zinc absorption, as does high intakes of iron supplements. Any disturbance in gastrointestinal function will also affect zinc uptake. Chronic diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatic insufficiency, and malabsorption syndromes can all cause zinc deficiency. Also the long term use of certain heart medications (diuretics and ACE inhibitors) can lead to excessive zinc losses.
Effects of Zinc deficiency
Given the vast array of metabolic processes that involve zinc, it is not hard to understand why zinc deficiency has wide-ranging and seriously detrimental effects on general health. The first, and most easily missed, sign of zinc deficiency is reduced appetite and gradual weight loss. Prolonged deficiency then starts to show more serious signs. In the skin, deficiency causes a disruption to normal cell division, and the skin becomes dry and flaky. As it progresses, the skin can become grossly thickened and scaly looking (hyperkeratosis), similar to human psoriasis. Hair growth is also re****ed, and eventually hair-loss spreads over the body (alopecia). In conjunction with the skin changes, the entire animal’s immune system is severely depressed, and secondary bacterial skin infections and pustular dermatoses occur, along with increased susceptibility to all manner of bacterial and viral infections. Poor wound healing is also a notable sign, as is damaged and brittle nails, and thickened and crusty nasal pads and digital pads. Deficiency of zinc during pregnancy and foetal development can lead to severe growth retardation, limb abnormalities, swollen joints, and poor skeletal formation. Brain development is re****ed, and learning and cognitive functions are inhibited. Long term deficiency can result in premature ageing, senility, vision loss (especially night blindness), and hearing loss.
Reproductive performance is seriously affected by zinc deficiency. Because zinc is required for the production of the s*x hormones (testosterone, oestrogen etc), deficiency of zinc causes abnormally low levels of these hormones. In male dogs it can cause low s***m count, loss of libido, and testicular atrophy (shrinking testicles). In bi***es it reduces ovarian function, causing poor ovulation and low egg numbers, resulting in poor conception rates, small litter sizes and weak, under developed puppies of low birth weight. Zinc deficiency also affects many other hormones, and can be involved in hypothyroidism, diabetes, and dwarfism. Its effect on suppressing the immune system has also been documented to prove that it makes animals more susceptible to developing a large range of degenerative diseases, including cancer.
During early post-natal development, the puppy’s immature immune system begins forming from bone marrow tissue. These immature immune cells leave the bone marrow and migrate to the Thymus gland, where they are “educated” to become mature immune cells (called thymic cells or “T” cells). These T cells are responsible for a significant part of the immune system, and are able to differentiate between normal body cells and “foreign” cells (ie bacteria, viruses, fungi, and cancer cells). The T cells are critical to normal immune function (these are the cells destroyed by the HIV virus leading to immune failure). Zinc is essential for the growth and development of the thymus gland, and for the proliferation and “education” of T cells. When zinc is deficient, the thymus is small, or non existent, T cell numbers are low, and their normal function is severely compromised, leading to a significant increase in infectious diseases, auto-immune disease, degenerative conditions, and ultimately cancer.
Supplementation
Diets high in fresh meats should not require additional zinc supplements. Most premium commercial pet foods have additional zinc added to the ration, to counteract any damage/loss during processing. The ideal minimum level of zinc in the diet is 120 ppm (parts per million – AAFCO standard). For home prepared diets, additional zinc, in the form of zinc sulphate or zinc oxide, can safely be added at a rate of 10mg per 25kg bodyweight daily.
The role of Selenium -Selenium is another essential trace element required in a dog’s diet, but at a much lower level than that of zinc. In fact, high doses of selenium can be quite toxic, and a majority of scientific research into selenium was originally focused on its toxicity, not on its benefits. It was only recently discovered that selenium deficiency can have a significant impact on overall health.
Selenium’s major function in the body is its involvement in the production of anti-oxidants, in particular, the anti-oxidant enzyme Glutathione Peroxidase. Anti-oxidants play a vital role in the bodies defence mechanisms. During normal cellular function (the creation of energy in the cells), oxidation reactions occur that produce by-products called “free radicals” – these free radicals are extremely reactive, electrochemically unbalanced molecules, with a negative charge (most commonly negatively charged oxygen), and although they are very short lived in the body (fractions of a second), they can cause electron transfers which result in massive energy releases within the cells, resulting in untold damage to the biological systems, including damage to DNA, proteins, fats, and the intracellular components.
Luckily, the body is well equipped with a cascade of anti-oxidants, which function purely to remove these free radicals as soon as they are produced, and before they can cause damage. Anti-oxidants are generally enzymes that require certain levels of trace elements and vitamins for their production. The two most powerful anti-oxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) both require adequate sources of selenium to function. Other nutritional elements that combine to produce anti-oxidants include vitamins E (alpha-tocopherol), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin A (beta carotene), and the trace minerals zinc, copper and manganese. Numerous other anti-oxidant compounds can be found in most fresh foods and many herbs.
Health problems arise when either the production of free radicals is increased (consuming all the body’s anti-oxidants), or the level of natural anti-oxidants in the body is decreased or depleted. Depletion of anti-oxidants is generally caused by a combination of deficient nutritional intake of the above mentioned vitamins and minerals (poor diet, highly processed foods), combined with an increased consumption of anti-oxidant enzymes (ie increased production of free radicals).
Free radical production can be increased by a number of factors. Most significant in Western society is environmental pollution. The chemicals known to produce free-radicals include chlorinated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, industrial acids, solvents, most pesticides and herbicides, preservatives in foods, printing pigments and inks and other industrial chemicals, fragrances, perfume, vehicles, and cosmetics, pollutants in air and water, many if not all pharmacological agents used in medicine and anaesthetics, which have a profound affect in producing radicals in the central nervous system. Chemical mobilisation of fat stores under various conditions such as lactation, exercise, fever, infection and even fasting, can result in increased radical activity and damage in particular to the immune and nervous systems. Stress (both physical and emotional), increases production of the hormones adrenaline and cortisone, which are then metabolised and result in high levels of free radical production.
Free radical damage has now been clearly identified as having a central role in most, if not all, degenerative diseases, and can ultimately be linked to chronic immune failure and the formation of cancerous cells in the body. The simple process of ageing, is understood to be directly related to the gradual decrease in anti-oxidants in the body, and the subsequent rise in free radical damage.

04/12/2019

Selenium and vitamin E supplementation enhances the antioxidant status of s***matozoa and improves semen quality in male dogs with lowered fertility.
Abstract
Studies showed a beneficial effect of supplementation with selenium (Se) and vitamin E on semen quality. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of Se and vitamin E supplementation on the antioxidant status of s***matozoa and semen quality in dogs with lowered fertility. Ten dogs were supplemented daily with Se (6 μg/kg organic Se yeast) and vitamin E (5 mg/kg) per os for 60 days. Control group consisted of 10 males without the supplementation. Semen was collected on day 0, 30, 60 and 90. S***m quality parameters were evaluated using CASA and a microscope. Concentrations of Se and vitamin E in blood as well as glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the s***matozoa were determined. After 60 days of supplementation the concentration of s***matozoa, the majority of motility indicators and the percentage of normal morphology and live s***matozoa increased significantly (p < .05). An increase (p < .05) in concentration of Se and vitamin E in blood and GSH-Px-activity and TAC in the s***matozoa was detected. The study results indicate that Se and vitamin E supplementation for 60 days enhances the antioxidant status of s***matozoa and improves the quality of the semen in dogs with lowered fertility.