Author: Invite® Health

FATS~THE SKINNY YOU NEED TO KNOW

FATS~THE SKINNY YOU NEED TO KNOW

FATS~THE SKINNY YOU NEED TO KNOW By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT   When talking about health, wellness and diet, the subject of fats always seems to scare people. I’ve heard such things as ‘fats are bad’ to ‘I don’t consume any fats because they’ll 

COVID-19

COVID-19

COVID-19 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND   I wanted to take the time to review COVID-19.  As government safety guidelines and regulations slowly relax I wanted to go over some ways that can be helpful in keeping us healthy. Like any contagious virus COVID-19 is something 

Mushroom Hx

Mushroom Hx

Mushroom Hx

Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND

 

Omelets, risotto and even salads are all places you might find mushrooms. But did you know mushrooms are also an amazing supplement for our immune system? There are so many different types of mushrooms that sometimes it can get confusing. How do you know which mushrooms work best together?  That’s a good question! Mushroom Hx is a combination of 8 different types of mushrooms that have been found in studies to promote health.  Combining 8 mushrooms in 1 supplement makes it easy to add them into your daily supplement routine. But what exactly do mushrooms DO for us? Let’s do a review, shall we?

Studies have found that mushrooms are antimicrobial. This means that they actively help to kill off any pathogens or bad guys you come into contact with. Studies have also found that mushrooms help to modulate the immune system. Interestingly studies have found that mushrooms help to increase malignant – cell phagocytosis. This is a fancy way of saying that mushrooms help the immune system to go after malignant cells. (1)

Studies have found that one way that mushrooms stimulate the immune system is by actually binding to certain receptors that activate the immune cells. Another way that mushrooms appear to activate the immune system is by turning on certain genes that in turn activate parts of our immunity. (2)

I know what you’re thinking, Doc this is great BUT what the heck does it mean on a practical level? It means mushrooms help us to fight off pathogens such as colds by both killing the bad guys and boosting our immune system so that our body can go after the bad guys itself.  In fact studies have found that mushrooms help to protect against viral infections and may even help to reduce cytokines, which are seen in the cytokine storm associated with COVID 19. (3)

In addition to helping fight off viral infections mushrooms have been found to potentially help with asthma symptoms as well as other lung infections. (3) By lung infections I am referring to more than just viral infections. Studies have found that mushrooms help to fight against bacteria such as those that cause pneumonia. In fact mushrooms have been found to help fight against drug resistant bacteria. When it comes to our lung health not only have mushrooms been found to help kill pathogens they can help to reduce the incidence of lung inflammation, which often occurs after a viral infection. (4)

Studies have also found that mushrooms can help to lower histamine (remember my blog on allergies and how important histamine is).  As a consequence of lowering histamine mushrooms have been found to help to reduce the signs of allergies and even asthma. (5)  In addition to helping fight off respiratory infections mushrooms have been found to help fight off other infections such as Human Papilloma virus. (6)

Now we all know inflammation is a huge risk factor for many different types of illness. Having high inflammation is also reduces how well our immune system works. Mushrooms have been found to help reduce inflammation which helps keep our immunity up. (7) Additionally mushrooms have been found to help with stress levels.  Anyone who has ever had stress knows that during periods of high stress we are more prone to getting infections such as colds. Mushrooms have been found to help reduce stress and thus they can help protect our immune system and keep it working well when we are going through a stressful situation. (8)

In addition to helping our immune system, mushrooms have been found to have so many benefits it’s no wonder most people consider them to be a superfood! Overall I find Mushroom Hx to be an amazing supplement.

In our next blog we will be talking about a virus that is very serious in our society, COVID 19

Sources:


  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684115/

 

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7826851/

 

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8887958/

 

  1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/sji.12937

 

  1. https://www.mycologyresearch.com/articles/view/28

 

  1. https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/708ae68d64b17c52,266d4152107fca7a,3512deba5cc9e72b.html

 

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4201515/
  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26244378/

 

 

PROTEINS~WHAT ARE THEY?

PROTEINS~WHAT ARE THEY?

PROTEINS~WHAT ARE THEY? By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT   While we all know protein, do we really know how much we need on a daily basis? It’s also something we all like as there seems to be endless choices. There is also no wrong 

The Common Cold!

The Common Cold!

The Common Cold! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND   Today we will be talking about something everyone knows about and that topic is the common cold! Having a cold is probably one thing that both children and adults understand. But what cause’s a cold? Well when 

GRAINS~MORE THAN CARBS

GRAINS~MORE THAN CARBS

GRAINS~MORE THAN CARBS

By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT

 

Who doesn’t love the grain group? Its most commonly associated with carbohydrates (carbs). However, are they really that bad for us and are they truly necessary? Let’s explore this simple, delicious, versatile and often scary topic…and try to bust some myths about grains.

First things first….how much grains do we need in a day? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it is recommended that adults get 5-10oz of grains per day, or 3-5oz of whole grains per day. This is because whole grains are much less processed and more nutrient dense. These supply such essentials like healthy fats, antioxidants, B-vitamins and are a source of fiber. Grains and carbs also help to supply the body with energy as they metabolize.

Now, let’s breakdown some of the most common grains and carbs that many of us consume and figure out some healthy alternatives. Here are my go-to healthy substitutions.

RICE: Many of us are familiar with the traditional white rice, however this is heavily processed. Instead, try brown rice, quinoa or wheatberries. They are easy to prepare and you can experiment with cooking these grains in broth or coconut milk to really enhance the flavor and give you variety.

BREADS: The traditional white breads that many of us grew up on should be avoided. Sadly, whole wheat breads aren’t much better. You want to look for whole grain or even ancient grain breads. You’ll probably even see pieces of grain and seeds in the product. These will be much more nutrient dense and nutritious. You may even find these in the freezer section as they don’t always have a lot of additives to make them shelf stable.

PASTA: Try to start eliminating the white pastas and substitute with the whole wheat pastas. While these are a tasty alternative, I’ve had many people say that the whole wheat pastas taste like cardboard. If you are one these people, I recommend trying a combination. Try mixing half white pasta and half whole wheat pasta. Slowly change the ratios until you are just having the whole wheat pasta.

CEREAL: Try to avoid traditional cereals and granola, as they can be processed and higher in sugar. Use bran or even plain oats as a healthy alternative. These can be made hot or cold, with milk or plain yogurt, and enhanced with fresh fruit, Reds Hx or Cocoa Hx.

Lastly, let’s get an understanding of simple vs complex carbohydrates. The American Heart Association helps to define these easily as a part of a heart healthy diet. Simple carbs are digested quickly and tend to cause spikes in blood sugar. These are commonly associated with processed white foods like white flour, pasta and bread. Complex carbs are digested slower and help to keep sugar levels more stable instead of causing harsh spikes. These are you’re whole grains which are more nutritious and rich in fiber. I like to remember this as simple is easy, quick to breakdown  and absorb and spike sugar levels and complex is a more involved process to breakdown and absorb allowing the body to stay more stabilized without unnecessary spikes. So, SIMPLE=FAST, UNHEALTHY AND “SCARY” and COMPLEX=SLOWER, NUTRITIOUS AND “HAPPY”.

PHASE 2: This product contains White Kidney Bean Extract which has been shown to be effective in multiple ways. According to numerous studies from the National Library of Medicine – National Center for Biotechnology Information, white kidney bean extract has been helpful in the metabolic health of people suffering from obesity. It has also shown to help reduce the absorption of some carbohydrates, which metabolize into sugars, making it helpful for those trying to achieve and/or maintain healthy blood sugar levels. However, don’t forget that adding Phase2 is a tool to help with health and wellness goals and not a green light to over indulge in such foods like bagels and pasta.

 

www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/grains

www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/whole-grains/art-20047826

www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/whole-grains/

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161547#high-or-low-carb-diets

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-whole-truth-about-whole-grains

www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/carbohydrates

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7284421/

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7063375/