Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
APRIL HEALTH AWARENESS~ AN INTODUCTION TO OUR TOPIC OF THE MONTH By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT April is an interesting month when it comes to health and wellness. It’s Public Health Awareness Month, but as always, awareness months are always sharing and overlapping. …
Renalaid for Going Beyond Bladder Health
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Today’s product highlight probably seems out of place in a conversation mostly about respiratory health. However the health of our respiratory tract is inherently linked to another system. That is our immune system. Keeping our immune system strong is an important part of fighting off bad guys that can affect our respiratory tract. Renalaid is an amazing formula for our overall immune system. Let’s review just what makes Renalaid so great, shall we?
Well to start with it is a powder. Why is being a powder form so helpful? Well it’s very easy to consume and easy to mix into smoothies, liquids and even foods such as applesauce and yogurt. It is more convenient if you want to ingest a large serving. It can also be easier to adjust how much you are taking of a certain nutrient. And lastly like a liquid powders are absorbed and go to work very fast, oftentimes within a few minutes. (1) As a person who has trouble swallowing pills I appreciate the ease of powdered supplements.
D Mannose and cranberry juice are the first 2 ingredients in Renalaid. D Mannose is interesting because it has been found in studies to be very effective in treating a UTI. In fact studies suggest that D Mannose may be as effective in eliminating bacteria as antibiotics. (2) Cranberry, which is a natural source of D Mannose as well as other nutrients also has benefits for our immune health. In fact cranberry consumption has been found in studies to help boost our WBC as well as help to decrease the symptoms of viral infections such as colds and flus. (3) Studies have also found that cranberry can help with biofilm formation. (4) But what’s a biofilm you’re asking? Well it’s basically a group of bacteria that are stuck tougher and produce a slimy “ coat “ that helps to protect them from our immune system and even antibiotics. (5) In addition to helping fight off pathogens cranberry has been found to help with the symptoms of certain autoimmune disorders such as RA.(6) Overall both D Mannose and cranberry can help with bacteria, increase our WBC, help with autoimmune disorders and even help with the symptoms of viral infections!
Moving on the next item listed, which I must say is one of my favorite immune (and heart) supplements is olive leaf. Studies have found that olive leaf has antiviral activity. For example olive leaf has been found in studies to help with herpes. (7) Additionally studies have found that olive leaf is antifungal, antiviral as well as antibacterial. (8) In addition to helping kill of pathogens olive leaf has been found to help boost our immune system, which in the long run helps fight off bad guys. (9) Research has also found that olive leaf may help decrease histamine release and even inhibit the enzymes that produce it. (10) Histamine, as you recall is important when it comes to allergies. Of course olive leaf is also good for heart health and so many different aspects of our health. (8)
Last but not least is the probiotic blend. When people hear the word probiotic they usually think ooh it’s for my gut health! But a good probiotic does much more than just promote digestion. We have all heard the phrase “the immune system is in our gut”. And studies support this. In fact studies have found that probiotics can improve our immune system and how well it functions. In fact studies have found that probiotics can help with a number of disorders. (11)
Overall Renalaid is an amazing formula. Feel free to mix it in any liquids you like. It can even be mixed into foods such as applesauce, yogurt or even cooked oatmeal!
Our next topic will be COPD!
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Bronchitis Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Bronchitis is one of those things that you may have heard of but what exactly is it? You’ve probably heard some people say they have acute bronchitis while other people have chronic bronchitis. Is there a difference? What cause’s …
WATER~THE INCREDIBLE LIFE FORCE By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Water is our life force. It is such a necessity but something that very few people seem to get enough of on a daily basis. As I discuss this topic numerous times each day, …
The Greatness of Green Tea!!!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Green tea is everywhere these days! Green tea is found in everything from tea bags to lattes and even ice cream! But as we all know these forms are chock full of sugar and additives that aren’t exactly very good for us. So what forms of green tea do we recommend? Green tea is available in tea form, tincture form and even in capsules. Personally I recommend choosing either a tincture or capsule form since they tend to be more concentrated in that form.
Green tea has been studied and been found to have many health benefits. Green tea has been found to help strengthen the immune system. Green tea has also been found to inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori. Additionally green tea has been found to be effective when used to treat influenza, Herpes and adenovirus. Green tea has also been found to be effective in treating diarrhea. (1) In addition to helping against different viral infections green tea has also been found to be antifungal and is effective against Candida albicans. (2)
One topic that people frequently call with questions is regarding the topic of how to increase their White blood cell count or their immune system. Studies have found that when green tea is used for 14 or more days it can increase the white blood cell count. In one study they were particularly looking at leukocytes and found that they increased after 14 days of green tea use. (3) Other studies have found that green tea can help to increase natural killer cells and macrophages both of which are important parts of the immune system. (4)
Green tea does much more than just help our immune system fight infections – in fact studies have found that the EGCG that is found in green tea can inhibit the release of both histamine and leukotrienes. Both of these are important when it comes to both allergies and asthma. Studies have found that green tea is able to help with inflammation and can help to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines. (5)
In addition to being antibacterial studies have also found that green tea can enhance the activity of certain antibiotics thus making them more affective. For example studies have found that green tea can enhance the effects of tetracycline in its use against staphylococci. (6)
Green tea does even more than help us fight against pathogens or bad guys! A 2017 study found that green tea may help improve overall brain health, memory and even improve our mood. (7) A more recent study from 2020 found that those who used green tea had a 64% lower chance of cognitive impairment. (8)
Green tea has also been found to help metabolism and to help with our cholesterol. (9) In fact a 2022 study found that green tea use was associated with a 44% lower chance of abdominal obesity. (10) An interesting study from 2021 found that those who use green tea had a 62% lower risk of death. (11)
Overall green tea has many benefits. But how do you know which one to take? Invite has 2 forms of green tea, tincture or concentrated liquid form and capsules. To help decide which one is best for you there are some questions that can be helpful. The first question is do you prefer liquids or capsules? Are you sensitive to caffeine? What are your overall goals? Are you on any medications? Invite green tea tincture is a liquid and decaffeinated. That makes it a great choice for anyone who prefers liquids or who would prefer to eliminate caffeine. For anyone who is still confused I just want you to remind you that you can always talk to an Invite nutritionist to help find the right products to reach your goals!
Our next topic will be Bronchitis!
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