Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Reds Hx… for our heart! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to talk about Reds Hx next because it’s really the perfect partner to Greens Hx. Since Reds Hx is so full of heart healthy nutrients I am going to jump right into things …
MACA ROOT: THE LIBIDO BOOSTER By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Maca Root is a very interesting nutrient that many people aren’t familiar with but is incredibly versatile. It can be found in a powder, in a capsule form (Maca Root) or even as …
Cardiomegaly- best known as an Enlarged Heart
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
What is cardiomegaly? Well basically cardiomegaly means that when doctors look at your heart on routine tests such as a chest x ray the heart is larger than it should be. There are a number of different conditions that can cause cardiomegaly. Depending on what has caused the cardiomegaly the enlarged heart may be temporary or it may become permanent. To see the difference between a typical heart and an enlarged heart please see the attached picture. (1)
There are 2 types of cardiomegaly. The main type is called dilated cardiomegaly. In this type the walls of both of the sides of heart, specifically the ventricle area become thin and stretched out and thus the heart becomes enlarged. It’s like when you stretch out the elastic area of socks and they become bigger. The other type of cardiomegaly is called hypertrophic cardiomegaly which is where the muscles of the left ventricle of the heart become larger. In this case the enlarged size of the muscles causes the heart to be larger because there’s literally more heart muscle there. In this case it is like measuring the biceps on someone who hasn’t lifted weights and coming back 6 months after training and the biceps are bigger. While both types of cardiomegaly decrease the ability of the heart to function having an enlarged heart due to thick walls will allow the heart to retain more of its pumping function than having thin, stretched out walls. (2) Please see the attached picture to see the difference between the 2. (5)
Cardiomegaly has a number of different causes. First it may be caused by a congenital heart defect. Alcohol/ cocaine use can lead to an enlarged heart. Certain chronic conditions such as Diabetes, obesity, pulmonary hypertension, thyroid disease (both under and over active), chronic kidney disease, anemia and coronary artery disease. Having a prior history of heart attack, high blood pressure and fluid around the heat can also lead to an increase in heart size. Certain viruses can cause what is referred to as myocarditis which can lead to an enlarged heart. If there is damage to any of the 4 heart valves this can change the blood flow and lead to an enlargement of the heart. Cardiac amyloids can lead to amyloid proteins collecting in the body’s organs including the heart and this can lead to an enlargement of the heart size. During pregnancy there may be an increase in heart size around time of delivery. Interesting having either too little iron or too much iron can cause an enlarged heart. Lastly there may be an enlargement of the heart if there is a layer of fat around the heart. Frequent aerobic exercise can also enlarge the size of the heart. (2)
Cardiomegaly may or may not have any symptoms. The symptoms of cardiomegaly can include breathing difficulty such as shortness of breath. There may be dizziness. You may also notice arrhythmias. There may be heart palpitations. There may also be fluid retention. (3) In some cases there may be coughing due to chest pain.
What are the possible complications of cardiomegaly? Possible complications include blood clots, heart failure and the development of a heart murmur. Lastly having an enlarged heart can increase the risk of cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death. (4)
How can we improve heart function if there is cardiomegaly? First it is very important to address any underlying conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. If you need repair surgery such as heart valve surgery or coronary bypass it is important to follow up with your cardiologist. Other life style changes can include maintaining a healthy weight, blood pressure, diet and reducing alcohol or tobacco intake. (4) In addition to life style there are a number of supplements can help our heart.
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FEBRUARY~LOVE AND HEARTS…THE RECIPES By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT February is an interesting month. Not only is it Valentine’s Day which is always full of love but it’s also heart health awareness month….quite fitting if you ask me. Let’s spend this month together …
Greens Hx part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In our last blog we were talking about how one of our most popular supplements can be beneficial for our heart. This supplement was Greens Hx and we will be continuing this exciting topic today! So …
Greens Hx….for our heart?
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Greens Hx is probably one of the most popular products at Invite! Everyone knows how amazing Greens Hx is for our liver, immune system, detox and even energy! What most people may not know is that Greens Hx is full of heart healthy nutrients. And when I say full I don’t mean just 1 or 2 of the ingredients. There are literally 12 different components of Greens Hx that are good for our heart health. So let’s take a look at these ingredients!
Let’s start with ginger. Studies have found that ginger has several benefits to our heart health. Ginger has been found to help with lowering high blood pressure, high cholesterol and it can even help to lower the risk of blood clots. (1) Ginger has also been found to have triglyceride lowering benefits. (2) Additionally studies have found that ginger can help to increase our HDL levels. (3) Overall Ginger is an amazing supplement for our heart!
Moving on from ginger let’s talking about grape seed. The first benefit of grape seed is its effects on blood pressure. Studies have found that grape seed can “significantly modulate blood pressure after grape seed extract is used for 16 weeks”. (4) This is important considering that high blood pressure is a risk factor for so many heart complications. In fact 1 study found that grape seed extract lowered systolic blood pressure by 5.6% and diastolic by 4.7% after only 6 weeks of use. (5) Studies have also found that grape seed can help to improve circulation. In one study after 8 weeks grape seed was found to help with blood thinning thus potentially decrease risk of blood clots. (6) Studies have also found that grape seed extract can help lower leg swelling and edema that occurs after sitting for 6 hours. (7) This is important for those with poor circulation where the pain is often worse with sitting or standing. Studies have also found that grape seed extract may be helpful with lowering the risk of atherosclerosis. (8) As you can see grape seed extract is a powerful nutrient when it comes to heart health.
The next item in Greens Hx is Flax seed. According to the Mayo Clinic studies have found that using flaxseed daily can help to lower the total cholesterol. Additionally according to the Mayo Clinic other studies have found that flax seed can help lower blood pressure. (9) Studies have found that ALA, a component of flax seed is associated with a decreased risk of recurrent heart attacks. Atherosclerosis was found to be significantly reduced by using flax seed. As I stated previously studies have found that high cholesterol is also passively affected by flax seed. (10) Flax seed has also been found to help reduce the incidence of arrhythmias. Lastly flaxseed is considered to be an alternative plant source of omega 3s. (11)
Our next item is one of my favorites! BEETS! In fact beets is such an amazing supplement for heart health that I wrote an entire blog on just Beets Hx! Now because I did a very complete blog on using beets for heart health I will just do a quick summary here. A number of studies have found that beets, a natural nitric oxide booster are helpful for reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Beetroot has also been found to help with what is known as reperfusion injury. There has also been found to be decreased arterial stiffness after using beetroot. Beetroot has also been found to help relax smooth muscles just like the ones in the blood vessels. Remember the more relaxed the muscles the larger the opening in the vessel and thus the lower the pressure! (12) The Cleveland Clinic has found numerous benefits for beets. In fact the Cleveland Clinic has found that beets can help increase heart performance after exercise. They have also found that beets help with our blood pressure. (13) But as I said I have a whole exciting blog on just beets. So for more details on beets check out my blog!
Turmeric, or curcumin is one item that might surprise you. Curcumin has been found to help with vascular dysfunction. Curcumin has also been found to improve vasodilation (or how big the opening in the blood vessels is). Curcumin can also help with arterial stiffness which as we know in the long run can help with blood pressure. Lastly studies have found that turmeric can help as a treatment for age related cardiovascular disease. (14)
There are quite a few more items in Greens Hx that can help our heart. So this blog will be split into 2 parts. This way every component can have an in-depth description of how it helps the heart. In our next blog Greens Hx part 2 we will review the following ingredients in Greens Hx: Citrus bioflavonoids, Blueberry, Parsley, Alfalfa, Bilberry, Rosemary and Stevia!
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