r/CrunchyMuslimFolks

assalamu alikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu what natural remedies can i use as shampoo and conditioner for hair? is it fine to just use vinegar water for the roots as shampoo and an oil for the roots as conditioner? what alternatives are there? jazakallahu khair

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, brothers and sisters. Welcome to chapter one of my series about narcissism. I make this with the intent to, In Sha Allah, help victims of narcissistic abuse recognize it and so people can recognize red flags in family, friends, and spouses going forward.

(Not my own words. I'm quoting a post:)

A narcissistic straight man can live with a woman, sleep with a woman, have children with a woman, and still not truly love women. Because love is not access.

Love is not using her for her body, her labor, her womb, her cooking, her patience, and her silence while giving your real softness to someone else.

A woman becomes exhausted trying to get love from a man who never saw her as a full person. He wanted her for use, but he wanted men for connection. And that's why she feels lonely even while living with him.

This is why he can be dead with his woman and alive with men. With her, he is irritated. With her, he is bored. With her, he is silent. With her, every small emotional need becomes a burden.

But with men, suddenly he has stories. Suddenly he has jokes. Suddenly he has loyalty. Suddenly he has patience. Suddenly he has personality.

It was never that he did not know how to bond. He just did not want to bond with her.

A narcissistic straight man does not actually like women. He is attracted to women only for their body, for bed, and for his sexual needs. Apart from that, he does not enjoy women. He is homo-romantic. When it comes to real bonding, real laughter, true friendship, and genuine enjoyment, he is more alive around men. He connects better with men. He has a better time with men. He wants women for use, but he wants men for connections.

(Back to my own words)

Misogynistic men are also commonly dayouths. Dayouths go against their natural fitrah and lack protective jealousy over women. Men who like naked women, guys who go to strip clubs, and other disgusting things, TV and Music paint these men as enjoying and loving women. But they hate women and view them as objects to use, but then they'll view men as humans.

Any man who treats another human, especially a man, better than his wife is very strange. Misogynists and misandrists are people who you need to stay away from, whether they claim to be joking or not. Don't keep a friend who will choose you over their spouse.

- Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The believers who show the most perfect Faith are those who have the best behaviour, and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives".

[At-Tirmidhi, who categorized it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, Brothers and Sisters. In Sha Allah everyone is well.

Everything related to pregnancy and the baby is blamed on the mother. Health issues? She's not eating right. Gender of the baby? Somehow her fault. Miscarriage? Her fault. Unable to concieve? Nobody considers it could be poor sperm instead of her body. Men can be infertile or have fertility issues too.

The sperm is roughly 50% of the baby, no? So, how is it many cultures place absolutely ZERO importance on the man taking care of his health? I've only seen women told "Eat this. It's good for fertility. Don't eat that, it's bad for your eggs. That thing? Bad for eggs. It happens more depending on the culture.

It can be a couple where she's healthy and he's overweight/unhealthy and people still blame her! Misogyny at it's finest.

And even if you don't want children? You don't know what Allah has written for you. And your fertility plays into YOUR health too, even if you never have children.

(I also posted this on r/Muslimbenefits, a salafi subreddit I'm also a mod on. Please check it out!)

For anyone wondering, sister Ziyoutona deleted social media to better her deen, Alhamdu li Allah. So, I'm the new owner. In Sha Allah, I'll do my best in her stead.

--

How Sperm Health Impacts Pregnancy: Understanding Male Fertility

When it comes to pregnancy, both partners’ health matters. It is not just the woman’s age or health or her egg reserve that determines the outcome of their attempts at pregnancy. The male partner’s sperm should also be factored in. When we say sperm, we are not restricting to just the ejaculation or the sperm count. Sperm health is also a crucial factor in a successful pregnancy.

What is Sperm Health?

Sperm health includes sperm count, the shape or structure of the sperm, and the way they move. All of these are important for the sperm to successfully enter and fertilise an egg. If any of these three factors are affected, it can negatively impact the male’s fertility and the couple’s attempts at pregnancy.

Men with low sperm count or motility still succeed in impregnating their partners successfully. However, low sperm health can increase the risk of infertility or difficulty in getting pregnant. When the sperm count or motility is very low, or if there is no ejaculation of sperm, it can lead to infertility in the males.

Sperm count will measure the number of sperm present in a semen sample. When the sperm count is less than 15 million per millilitre of the semen sample, it is known as oligospermia or low sperm count.

Sperm motility refers to the ability of the sperm to swim through a female’s reproductive tract, reach the egg and enter it for fertilisation.

When less than 25% of the sperm in the semen sample move forward in straight lines or large circles, it is known as low motility or asthenozoospermia.

The sperm typically has a head, a mid-piece and a tail. Not all sperm in the semen sample will have this perfect structure. However, if the sperm morphology is less than 4% of the sample, then it can cause fertility issues.

Impact of Sperm Health on Pregnancy

Sperm health can impact pregnancy in the following ways:

Delay – Poor sperm quality can affect the sperm’s ability to reach and fertilise the egg successfully. It can cause a delay in pregnancy, meaning the couple may need to try for a few months or opt for fertility treatments, like IUI or IVF for a successful conception (from what I know, IVF is a absolutely HORRIBLE for women. So, don't put your wife through such a thing because you don't take care of yourself)

Miscarriage – Poor sperm health can cause damage to the sperm’s DNA. This in turn can cause or increase the risk of a miscarriage. Some research even shows that repeated miscarriages could be due to poor sperm health.

Genetic Issues –The sperm’s health can impact the genetic makeup of the fetus. Poor-quality sperm increases the risk of developmental issues, birth defects and even the health of the developing baby. Older males (A lot of people act like a 40-50yr man can have as healthy of a child as a 20-30yr man, and I'm not saying he can't. Only Allah knows. But an older man can cause genetic issues, whereas older women don't) or those with health issues can experience DNA fragmentation in the sperm, which can affect the fetus and the DNA they pass on to their offspring.

Premature Birth– Poor sperm health can also lead to preeclampsia – a dangerous pregnancy complication. Preeclampsia increases maternal blood pressure. Very high blood pressure or fluctuations in blood pressure during pregnancy increases the risk of premature delivery.

Placenta Issues – Sperm’s health plays a major role in how the placenta functions. The placenta is the temporary organ the baby grows in. Poor sperm health can not only affect the placenta formation but can also impact the way it works and interfere with the oxygen and food supply to the baby.

Tips to Improve Sperm Health

If a couple is trying to get pregnant or is having fertility issues, the male partner can do the following to improve his sperm health. Though a successful pregnancy depends on various other factors in addition to sperm health, it can increase the chances of natural conception.

Weight Matters – Maintaining a healthy weight is the first step. Being too light or too heavy can impact sperm quality. According to some studies, a male’s BMI sperm count and motility are inversely related. Being underweight and lacking the essential nutrients can also affect sperm health.‍

Focus on Diet – Eating healthy by increasing the consumption of natural, whole foods while cutting back on foods that are processed, high in calories or sugar, can significantly improve sperm health.

Prevent STIs – Sexually Transmitted Infections and diseases can lead to infertility in men. It is important to always use protection, limit the number of sexual partners, and also get tested periodically. These infections can also pass on to the female partner or affect the outcome of pregnancy after conception. (It doesn't pay to commit zina. Once again Allah's commands are always perfect)

Regular Exercise – Regular exercises can help men stay in good shape, keep their cholesterol and sugar under control, and maintain hormonal balance. It can also help improve their sex drive.

Stress Management – Stress can impact fertility for both partners. Being stress-free is close to impossible. However, keeping stress under control is possible through yoga, meditation, art and other activities that can help one calm down.

Lifestyle Changes – Limiting your alcohol intake, quitting smoking and drugs and limiting exposure to chemicals or toxins in the environment or at work can all help improve sperm health.

(Me talking: as for chemicals and toxins, many are unaware of how many things in our lives contribute to fertility and health issues. Wouldn't you like to give your child their best chance at good health? I refer to holistic or 'crunchy' pages/channels such as Barbara O'neill. Try using things like the Yuka app and scan the barcode on your food, cleaning, and personal care products. It's unbeliable how they're allowed to put so much harmful poisons in our products.

(I also intend to try and make a series on r/CrunchyMuslimFolk about what ingredients are harmful, to help spread awareness. In Sha Allah)

Fragrances/Parfum (air fresheners, plug-ins, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, deodorant, perfume, fabric softener, laundry detergent, spray cleaners, ect).

I'm not even fear-mongering here. The thousands of unregulated chemicald in fragrances are endocrine disruptors. What does your endocrine system do? It regulates your hormones! And hormonal imbalances can cause infertility and an abundance of other health issues. And I've found that a tox-free lifestyle can seem daunting if done wrong. But it's so beneficial.

And I've found that tox-free options can actually cost less if done efficiently. I'll share more about that, In Sha Allah.

Ovatoxicants - found in pesticides and herbicides, they inferfere with healthy egg development and can disrupt or even stop ovulation. We women need to ovulate and it's so easy to miss and just assume your cycle is going as it normally is.

Pthalates - found in pesticides and herbicides, they interfere with healthy egg development and cas disrupt or ever stop ovulation. Phthalates can speed up menopause and pedispose you to poor egg quality and poor implantation rates.

Another harmful thing, that's an endocrine disruptor is plastic (micro plastic). So, try to get rid of your polyester and synthetic fiber clothes. Better options (like organic cotton and linen) can be more expensive. But it's worth it. And you don't need to fill your closet, no need for extravagence. But next time you go to buy, say, a T-shirt? Get cotton.

But you should immedietly throw out synthetic fabric underwear and bedding. For men and women, as soon as you're able, please swap these two out. They directly affect your health as they sit on sensitive regions and absorb whatever is put there. Your skin is your biggest organ and takes in what you put on it.

A organic cotton flat sheet, fitted sheet and pillow cases are often cheaper than a comforter (that should at least be regular cotton too though). And organic cotton underwear can be found on various sites. You'd have to find what style is comfortable for you.

I also must add, fully organic cotton pads and tampons too. Cotton top layer is better than synthetic.. but if you want to save money, try organic cotton period underwear. No more buying pads and you know you have the best option! There's a whole subreddit for period underwear too. They have suggestions on high quality brands.

And for organic fabrics, look for the GOTS-certified logo ON the products tag. If the site says its organic and GOTS certified, but you get the product and there's not GOTS-certified tag, it's not really organic. This is my understanding after being in the Crunchy Moms subreddit for a while.

(Men need to avoid all these too, fyi)

You can also swap out plastic cups, plates, bowls, tupperware, ect, for glass. Cooking utensils for wood or metal, and use stainless steel items for eating utensils and baby/toddler items. Obviously you wouldn't want a toddler to have a glass plate lol.

I also see people say not to touch receipts with your bare hands because of either the paper or ink. You can look into that.

Conclusion

The sperm is an important factor in a successful pregnancy. Just the presence of sperm is not enough for pregnancy. The health and quality of the sperm are vital and can affect pregnancy to a great extent. It is essential for males to take care of their health as their sperm is crucial to a pregnancy.