Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Healing After Dental Work Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND When it comes to dental health one of the most frequent questions, I get asked is what should I take after I get dental work? In this blog I will be reviewing supplements that promote dental health …
LIFESTYLE AND OUR HEALTH~MOVEMENT AND EXERCISE by: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Movement and exercise, or physical activity, is a healthy lifestyle component that we all know about and are often not consistent with in our day-to-day life. We all hear about it, read …
Aged Garlic
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Garlic is a nutrient that as a supplement or even spicy food enhancer can be found everywhere. The benefits of using garlic as either a supplement or even just as a spice to add to our food are numerous. If you check out the Invite health website there are numerous blogs talking about aged garlic. But what is Aged Garlic? Why is it different from regular garlic? And why would anyone even want to use aged garlic in the first place? It is a lot to talk about so let us get into it, shall we?
Simply put, has been allowed to age for approximately 20 months (about 1 and a half years). Typically, the active ingredients are then filtered and concentrated! This process modifies the harsh and often irritating compounds found in garlic extract. It also helps to generate some unique compounds that are good for our overall health. (1)
Moving on, just how does aged garlic compare to using regular garlic? To start with as I said during the aging process many of the more irritating compounds found in garlic are converted to less irritating forms. In other words, there is usually less of a “garlic” smell when you use aged garlic. (2) Studies have also found that aged garlic also has higher levels of flavonoids, phenolic and flavonol compounds when compared to fresh garlic. I bet I know what you are thinking, Dr. Claire, what does all this mean? It all boils down to antioxidant activity. The higher levels of these compounds means that aged garlic acts as a stronger antioxidant than fresh garlic. Studies have found that aged garlic may have greater benefits for reducing the risk of diabetic lesions than using fresh garlic. Overall studies have found that aged garlic is more helpful at reducing possible diabetic complications than just using fresh garlic! (3)
Another benefit to using aged garlic is that you need much less than fresh garlic. Typically, on average you would need to use 5-28 cloves of fresh garlic per day to get the maximum benefit! One of the benefits of using aged garlic is its strong ability to boost glutathione! This glutathione boosting ability means that aged garlic is a great supplement for boosting our immune system. (1) Aged garlic has been found in studies to help support heart health in diverse ways. For example, studies have found it to help with slowing the progression of atherosclerosis. (1)
What is my take home point when I compare aged garlic to fresh garlic? The higher amounts of antioxidants in aged garlic mean that it has stronger overall benefits for your heart, liver, blood sugar and even your brain! (4)
So why should you use aged garlic? Well, as I said, studies have found many benefits for aged garlic. Studies have found it may help regulate blood sugar and even help to reduce complications associated with high blood sugar. (5) Studies have also found that aged garlic can help with normalizing cholesterol levels. (6) Other studies have found that aged garlic can improve overall heart function and improve circulation. (7) Studies have even found that aged garlic can help improve memory and even reduce neuroinflammation (this is inflammation in the brain). (8) Even the liver has been found to benefit from aged garlic. (9) Lastly as I said earlier in the blog aged garlic is amazing for helping improve immune function. (1)
In case you are thinking ok Dr. Claire all this is great but isn’t black garlic even better? Why doesn’t Invite sell that? Well not it is not better because Black Garlic IS Aged Garlic. It is just another name for the same nutrient. (10)
Aged garlic is an amazing nutrient. Feel free to reach out to an Invite nutritionist to find out if it is right for you!
Up next let us talk about how to heal after dental work!
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Dental Abscess and Cavities Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Everyone has heard of cavities. What you may not have heard of is a dental abscess. What is a dental abscess? How is dental abscess related to a cavity? And what can you do if you are …
PRIMARY FOOD, LIFESTYLE AND OUR HEALTH~LEARNING: A NUTRITIONIST’S PERSPECTIVE By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Learning can be a valuable tool but often not thought about when putting together a wellness plan. We often think of learning as our education, whether its formal education …
Bromelain- The Power of Pineapple
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Bromelain is an enzyme that has been written about many times in the past. In fact, there are even a few blogs on the Invite website itself! Yet, despite this, people still have a few unanswered questions about this interesting supplement. In this blog I will be offering a slightly different outlook on bromelain. So, let us get into it, shall we?
Bromelain is an enzyme that is found in pineapples. Now a lot of people will hear this and ask, “why can’t I just eat a little pineapple?” Other people will chime in with “but Dr. Claire I hate taking pills why can’t I just use some pineapple juice?” There are many reasons why it is better and easier to use bromelain in pills than eating fruit or drinking juice. When you eat pineapple there is some naturally occurring bromelain. However, eating pineapple does not usually supply a large enough dose of Bromelain to help with pain or even breakdown food. (1) Pineapples, like all plants, can vary in what they contain. This is true for bromelain. Different batches of pineapple can have different concentrations of bromelain. Even various parts of an individual pineapple can have different concentrations of bromelain. Which brings up the next point. The highest concentration of Bromelain in pineapple is found in the hard stem. (2) In order to use pineapple as a primary source of bromelain you would really have to eat the hard stem.
When it comes to supplements, in my clinical experience it is important to be consistent. I often tell people that the more consistent they are with supplements the better they will work! That said, in my clinical experience, if you are getting Bromelain from pineapple, you would need to eat it EVERY DAY. While yes pineapple is a delicious treat do you really see yourself chowing down on the stem of a pineapple every day?
If your response to this point is what about canned pineapple? I am sorry to tell you this, but canned pineapple and commercially available pineapple juice do NOT contain any active bromelain! It is deactivated in these items. (3)
Pineapple, like all fruits contains sugar. This means that for anyone who has blood sugar issues such as diabetes or even Prediabetes, pineapple (as all fruits) should be consumed in moderation. (4)
So overall while in my experience you can get some benefits from eating pineapples using a supplement can increase the benefits you receive from bromelain. In fact, in an emergency where you do not have any supplements on hand pineapple can be a great fill in. However, if you do plan to use it as part of your daily supplement protocol, bromelain capsules are easier to incorporate into a daily regime.
Why even use Bromelain at all? Well studies have found several benefits for Bromelain! In 1 study it was found that bromelain is anti-inflammatory and has analgesic properties that make it extremely helpful for reducing pain! (5) Another study found that bromelain was helpful at reducing symptoms associated with chronic sinusitis such as swelling and congestion. (6) Studies have also found that bromelain can have certain benefits for cardiovascular health. For example, peripheral artery disease, stroke, heart attack and even high blood pressure! Other benefits include helping with allergic airway disease (such as asthma), helping with colitis and it even helps to treat burns. (1) Bromelain is also a digestive enzyme. (7)
Using Bromelain can be confusing! So how do I personally recommend using it? Well in my clinical experience it really depends on what your goals are. I find that if you are using bromelain as an anti-inflammatory, it works best away from food. If you plan to use it as a digestive enzyme it is best taken with food. If you are unsure how to use bromelain feel free to contact an Invite nutritionist!
Our next topic will be Dental Abscesses and Cavities.
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