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Father’s Day is a wonderful time to celebrate the dads of the world, but it’s also a good time to talk about men who are trying to become dads. Some men have fertility issues making it difficult for them and their partner to get pregnant; in fact, male infertility accounts for an estimated 40% of fertility problems in couples who have difficulty conceiving.

When it comes to a man’s fertility, a number of common factors can be at play, says UCLA urologist Dr. Jesse Mills. Here’s what dads-to-be—and their partners—need to know.

Basic Lifestyle Changes are Fundamental

“Eat, move, sleep.” That’s a mantra that Mills, who serves as the director at The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, recites to all his patients.

Taking care of diet, exercise, and sleep is a vital part of a man’s overall health and, in turn, reproductive health.

• Diet. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, high protein foods, and foods rich in polyunsaturated fats (like tree nuts, almonds, and walnuts).
• Exercise. Men should break a sweat for 30 minutes or more each day. “Exercising just once or twice a week is not enough,” Mills says. “Anything that improves blood flow, heart rate, and metabolism is probably going to translate to better sperm production.”
• Sleep. Try to get more than six hours of sleep per night. “When men sleep, they recharge their pituitary gland, and the pituitary gland controls sperm production by the testicles,” Mills says. “If you’re consistently not getting enough sleep, there’s a good chance the hormones that control sperm production are lagging.”

Overweight or obese men have a higher incidence of fertility issues. One potential reason is that larger thighs can cause the testicles to be at a higher temperature, affecting sperm health. Obesity also causes decreased testosterone.

In any event, diet, exercise, and sleep all help to stabilize weight—and improve a man’s health overall.

Stress and Fertility

“I can’t tell you how many men I see in my clinic that are not only stressed professionally but have the added stressor that comes with trying to get pregnant,” says Mills. “Just that stress of making a baby is enough to send couples fighting and not being able to accomplish their fertility goals, and that doesn’t do anyone any good.”

If stress is an issue, it’s important to do what you can to reduce it. Again, exercise helps, says Mills, as does sufficient sleep.

 Potential Medical Problem?

There are certain red flags that could indicate a potential medical problem affecting a man’s fertility. Mills says men should look out for the following issues and let a physician know if they’re experiencing any of them:

• Pain during ejaculation. Men should not be experiencing pain during ejaculation. It could indicate an infection or a blockage such as an ejaculatory duct stone, a calcification similar to a kidney stone but located somewhere along the reproductive tract.
• Low ejaculate volume or irregular ejaculate color. Normal ejaculate volume should be about half a teaspoon to a teaspoon. Ejaculate should ideally be a pearly white color.
• Abnormal testicle size or feel. A healthy man’s testicles should feel firm and should be close to the size of an apricot. Softness or squishiness usually indicates a problem with sperm production, as 80% of the size of the testis is devoted to sperm production.

If any of the above medical issues pertain to you, or if you and your partner have been trying to conceive for six months without a pregnancy, a visit to a men’s health specialist is a good idea. Physicians are able to perform a number of tests to determine the root of fertility issues, and there are a number of surgical and medical options to repair such issues and help couples reach their fertility goals.

The post Nurse Alice: Health Considerations for Those Trying to Be Dad appeared first on Black Enterprise.

You have an incentive to check out a few matches thanks to the eye candy that will be on the field.

BBC America has announced that the show Doctor Who will make an appearance in Hall H for Comic Con International: San Diego (SDCC)! In years past the panel usually takes place on Sunday, the last day of the convention. However, specific days and time of panels, and signings will be revealed in the weeks to come as we get closer to the con. Comedian Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead, Talking with Chris Hardwick), a major fan of the show and a staple of SDCC, will be moderating the panel.

Scheduled to appear is the latest regenerated Doctor herself, Jodie Witaker, along with co-stars, Tosin Cole and Mandip Hill, who will be playing characters Ryan and Yasmin respectively.  New showrunner Chris Chibnall (Broadchurch) and executive producer Matt Strevens (An Adventure In Space And Time) rounds out the rest of the people teasing fans of the new season, which premieres in the fall.

As first timers of the con, I am sure that fans that manage to get into Hall H will give the newest cast much love. Are you excited about the new season? How cool is it that we finally have a female doctor? Sound off below in the comments!

The post Doctor Who is coming to San Diego Comic Con! appeared first on The Nerd Element.

Author: Cullen Bunn / Artist: Mark Bagley /  Marvel

Sharper than a Katana

Shadowing and textures of the characters were the first things I noticed. At times it was glossy, then it was sharp and shady. It’s almost like I could sense the fear before the characters realized they are in danger. Almost like…foreshadowing (ba dum tss). The movement throughout the panels was essentially jagged, which I feel like is a great ‘character versus setting’ comparison. The sharp strokes create a form of intensity that is stretched out through the issue, and those sound effects? Don’t even get me started. The wording was designed so well I almost heard it. If you’re into dark humor and action-packed comics, Deadpool is always the guy for you.

Story is Thicker than Setting

What I loved most about this comic is the fact that it is quick, dark and the thickness of the story aligns with the execution of the setting. Deadpool’s mouth is always a fan-favorite but I believe the highlight of this issue is how gruesome he is. Not as many puns, but the darkness in the jokes pushed through. Which made me go “Daaaaaaamn, why he do them like that?”

The flashbacks were a nice touch that allowed us to see this soft side to our almost-immortal mercenary. After being in the mercenary game for years, your outlook changes. Relationships transform, and so does your relationship to what you do. The flashbacks set a reflective mood; and the reader will often go back and forth between DP’s internal reflections, silly banter, and doing his job. This is one I wish to reread over and over again. It felt like I was playing the DP video game with every page turn. This comic is a reminder to the audience so they can remember who the real Wade Wilson is.

9.2 Cheap Spidey Suits out of 10

Looking for more of the Merc with the Mouth? We gotchu!

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The post Deadpool Assassin #1: Don’t Sleep on Wade Wilson appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.