Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Protein Powders Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Invite health has a number of different type of protein powders. These include a whey based protein, a plant based protein and even a weight management powder that can help improve our overall nutrition. That being said why is …
Cancer and Weight Loss
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Weight loss is a common side effect experienced by those with cancer. This weight loss can occur for a number of reasons. To start with, having cancer can lead to weight loss. This is because in some cases cancer cells can release hormones that alter the sensation of hunger. This clearly leads to weight loss because if you’re not hungry you usually cut down what you eat leading to less calories being consumed and thus weight loss. Cancer cells may also “take up space in the GI tract or abdominal cavity” thus causing you to feel full after only a small amount of food. Additionally those who have cancer often experience extreme pain which can decrease appetite. Cancer can also increase inflammation. This increase in inflammation decrease’s the hormones that stimulate appetite while also increasing metabolism. Lastly a diagnosis of cancer can lead to depression and anxiety. Both of these can cause a general loss of appetite thus leading to weight loss. (1)
Constipation can occur as a result of both cancer itself and different cancer treatments. It can cause you to feel full fast. It can also reduce your appetite. Constipation can also cause nausea and vomiting. This can, as anyone who has ever been nauseous can attest to lead to a decrease in appetite. It also leads to a decrease in our ability to absorb nutrients. (1)
Cancer treatments of different types can affect our weight. This can occur for a number of reasons. To start with the different treatments can decrease our overall appetite. Different treatments can decrease our sense of taste. On the same note different cancer treatments can change our perception of different flavors. What this means is you may find foods to be unappealing. You may even find that you dislike some of your favorite foods. (1)
Another way that different cancer treatments lead to weight loss is by causing nausea and vomiting. As I said previously in this blog having nausea and vomiting can lead to weight loss by decreasing appetite as well as by decreasing your overall nutritional intake. (1)
Diarrhea is another cause of weight loss in those undergoing different cancer treatments. This is partly due to the loss of good bacteria which can allow the growth of pathogenic organisms that can trigger diarrhea to occur. Additionally certain treatments affect our GI tract in a way that can trigger diarrhea. (1)
Cancer treatments can also lead to mucositis, or mouth and throat sores that occur when healthy cells are damaged by cancer therapies. Cancer therapies are made to eliminate cancer cells, these are typically fast growing cells. However sometimes healthy cells that have a high turnover or fast growth rate can be targeted as well. These cells often include the cells in the mouth, throat and GI tract. When you have mucositis it can be painful to eat thus reducing food intake and leading to weight loss. (1)
What can you do if you have weight loss while undergoing cancer treatments?
HAPPY GUT SMOOTHIE† (this recipe is from BREAST CANCER AWARENESS~ HEALTHY RECIPE GUIDE)
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
2 scoops InVite Vanilla Whey Protein
1 scoop G.I. Maintain
1 Probiotic Hx
1 cup water or non-dairy milk
1 cup ice cubes
1 banana
1 Tablespoons nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew, etc.)
Empty the contents of the Probiotic Hx and combine with the other ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth, drink and enjoy! For more ideas please check out the original blog!
Our Product highlight will be Invite Protein Powders!
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Methyl-B Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Most people have heard that it can improve your health if you take a B complex. You may even have heard the term “methylation”. But do you know what that term means? Why does it even matter? This blog …
Neuropathy Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Neuropathy is usually something that most people associate with diabetes. This is an accurate connection because one of the most common causes of neuropathy is diabetes. But did you know that neuropathy can also occur after cancer treatments? To …
Cerebral Care
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I wanted to take the time to talk about one of my favorite formulas for our memory and brain health. This formula is called Cerebral Care. But what is it about this formula that I like so much? Well to start with it’s a powder so it’s easy to use. It’s also made up of some amazing nutrients that help our brain and memory. Let’s review a few of these nutrients, shall we?
Let’s start with the first item, inositol. What the heck is inositol? Inositol has been called vitamin B8 but that is not exactly accurate. It’s a type of sugar produced by the body that is important for the functioning and development of our cells. Now I know what you’re thinking, but Dr. Claire I have diabetes! Inositol is perfectly safe for you to use and may even help you to better process insulin! Inositol has quite a few health benefits. According to the Cleveland Clinic inositol may be helpful for metabolic syndrome, PCOS, as well as both Gestational diabetes and even preterm birth. (1) But what does inositol do for our brain? Studies have found that using inositol lead to improved outcomes in depression, anxiety, panic disorders and OCD. (2) Studies have found that inositol can help with aspects of brain health such as brain development, memory and even improve our ability to learn. (3)
The next nutrient that is in Cerebral Care is Acetyl- L Carnitine (Alcar). Alcar is also a nutrient in our Purples Hx. For information on how L Carnitine can benefit the heart please check out my blog on Purples Hx! Studies have found that using Alcar after a brain injury leads to better outcomes, especially in terms of memory. (4) A study in the International Journal of Neurology and Neurotherapy found Alcar can help improve memory. (5) In another study it was found that Alcar can enhance cognitive function and even decrease the rate of cognitive decline in those with certain disorders. (6) Studies have also found that Alcar can help with symptoms of chemo brain including learning or memory acquisition, spatial memory and even short term memory. It was also found that Alcar can reduce cognitive impairment in those with chemo brain. As a side note I’d like to point out that Alcar was found to help protect the liver and kidney in those who are experiencing chemo brain. (7)
The next nutrient that is in the Cerebral Care is choline. Well one thing I’d like to point out is that choline is an essential nutrient. This means your body needs it to work properly but is unable to make it. This means it must come from your diet or supplement regime. (8) Studies have found a correlation between a higher choline intake and better cognitive performance. (9) Studies have found that choline can help improve our verbal memory. (10)
The next item is phosphatidylserine or PS as I like to call it. Studies have found that PS can help with verbal recall as well as improve our memory. (11) As more studies are done on PS the results are finding that supplementation with PS can improve cognitive impairment by improving the brain’s storage ability, our learning ability and even memory. (12)
The last nutrient in Cerebral Care is Astaxanthin. To start with what the heck is astaxanthin? Basically it’s a red pigment that is a very strong antioxidant. (13) Studies have found that it can help to improve our cognitive function. (14)
As you can see Cerebral Care is an overall amazing formula for our brain and memory! Our next topic will be neuropathy.
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