Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Diabetic Retinopathy Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that is associated with diabetes. Diabetes as you can guess is a huge health concern. In fact in the United States in 2021 diabetes was found to be the 8th leading cause …
L Carnosine Plus Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Today we will be talking about a product you may have heard of. This product is L Carnosine. Now I just want to point out that in this blog I will be talking about L Carnosine not …
HERPES VS COLD SORES~ IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
Herpes…the word always seems make people cringe and curl their face in disbelief. It is associated with sores along the nether regions of the body. Many people are plagued with cold sores at one time or another. Some may even experience chronic breakouts. Herpes, cold sores…they look similar, but what are they and are they related?
Cold sores are something many people are familiar with, whether they’ve personally experienced them or just heard of them from television, articles or in conversations. What many don’t realize is that the technical name for a cold sore is herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1)…yes, those pesky, common cold sores are part of the herpes virus. This is recognized as sores that can eventually scab on the lips or mouth, but can also show up on the tongue, roof of the mouth, inside of the cheeks or gums. HSV1 is often transmitted through saliva by sharing food, drinks, and utensils or by kissing.
When most people hear the word HERPES they usually think of the same thing….genital herpes or herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2).
This type of herpes looks very similar to HSV1, but it’s found on and/or near the genitals and anus. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these sores can have a burning sensation and be rather itchy. Genital herpes commonly will be transmitted from person to person through skin-to-skin contact or bodily fluids. This occurs during normal sexual activity by touch, rubbing and/or intercourse.
One thing to consider is “can herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2 be transmitted between themselves?” For example, if one person has genital herpes can it be transmitted to someone else mouth and vice versa. The simple answer is YES they can. This has been shown to happen through oral sex, both giving and receiving and both men and women. HSV1 can be transmitted to the genitals and HSV2 can be transmitted to the mouth during oral sex. If one is experiencing any symptoms or an outbreak, its best to refrain from this type of activity until the outbreak is completely gone.
So, can herpes be prevented? Depending on the outbreak there are precautions that can be taken. While doctors can offer treatments, there are things that one can do themselves. In addition to supplements to help support a strong and healthy immune system, using appropriate protection (condoms) during sexual activity can help lower the risk of transmission. Choosing to abstain during an outbreak is also a sure-fire way to limit passing HSV1 and/or HSV2 to others.
Vitamin C Toning Serum is typically used as an all over face serum. The vitamin C and vitamin E in this formula, it can be very good to use topically for the herpes virus. I like to recommend dabbing a little on the affected area, but remember, a little goes a long way. Jut dab and cover the sore. However, just use this on sores near or around the mouth. It should not be taken orally or put on other parts of the body.
Probiotic Hx Immune helps support the immune system and keep it functioning smoothly. This has four different probiotic strains, a prebiotic, zinc and vitamin D. This is a perfect formula to start building the immune system to aid in fighting viruses. I always say “a strong and healthy immune system should be your first line of defense”.
L-Theanine is something that may help control breakouts from happening. We know that during times of increased stress and/or anxiety, the likelihood of a breakout increases. Therefore, managing stress and anxiety to help keep it to a minimum can help reduce breakouts of the herpes virus.
L-Lysine is often used by those with a history of herpes outbreaks, both simplex 1 and 2. It is believed that it blocks the absorption of arginine in the gut, as the herpes virus needs continuous arginine to copy and thrive in the body.
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex
www.cdc.gov/herpes/about/index.html
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
www.news-medical.net/news/20210212/Study-sheds-light-on-the-recurrence-of-herpes-simplex-virus.aspx
www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/cold-sores-at-home-care
www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/cold-sores-treatment
www.healthline.com/health/lysine-for-cold-sore#dosage
Glaucoma part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Today we will be completing our 2 part blog series on glaucoma. Let’s get right into it, shall we? The symptoms you may experience with glaucoma can vary slightly depending on the type you have. This is …
Glaucoma part 1 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Glaucoma is one eye condition that can become very dangerous very rapidly. If you notice symptoms that are coming on very rapidly it is imperative that you receive treatment to avoid any complications. Throughout this 2 part …
Lutein Plus for the eyes and beyond!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
In today’s blog I will be reviewing a very popular Invite product, Lutein Plus. Lutein Plus contains lutein, zeaxanthin and DHA. Let’s start with 2 of the most well-known eye studies, AREDS and AREDS2. Both of these studies focus on a formula known as AREDS. Part of what this formula contains is 10 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin. And guess what? Lutein Plus contains exactly 10mg of lutein and 2mg of zeaxanthin! Now back to what the studies show. Well these studies have found that formulas with these nutrients can help to slow the progression of macular degeneration. (1)
In addition to being helpful for macular degeneration lutein has been found to have powerful anti-inflammatory benefits which may be helpful at reducing the symptoms of various chronic diseases. (2) According to studies lutein can help to reduce the risk of developing cataracts. (3) In fact one study with over 30,000 participants found a “significant reduction in cataract risk in those with the highest levels of lutein”. (4) Another study found that after just 2 years of use lutein supplementation was helpful in improving vision. (5) A 24 week study found that in those with Retinitis pigmentosa lutein supplementation significantly increased the visual field. (6) In addition to being studied for its benefits on vision lutein has been found to help with cognition or memory. In fact those with higher lutein levels have been found to have better cognitive ability scores than those with lower levels. (7) Lutein has even been studied and found to have benefits for our heart due to its ability to help with factors such reducing the concentration of inflammatory cytokines. (2) Lutein has been found to be very beneficial for our health, however I have a few other things to talk about in this blog so I’ll just do a quick summary of benefits. Studies have found benefits of lutein to include improved respiratory and lung health, improved liver function and health, improvement in bone health and even potential benefits for our skin. (2)
Moving on from lutein the next nutrient in the formula is zeaxanthin. What the heck is zeaxanthin? It is a powerful antioxidant. It actually has many of the same uses as lutein. Now as I stated earlier zeaxanthin was one of the nutrients in the AREDS study, which as I said showed its benefits for macular degeneration. What other benefits are there to zeaxanthin? Well studies have found zeaxanthin can help reduce the risk of cataracts and even help protect our eyes form damage due to UV light. As a powerful antioxidant zeaxanthin can help to protect our eyes form reactive oxygen species. In addition to our eyes zeaxanthin has been found in studies to have benefits for our liver, heart and even our skin! (8)
Lastly Lutein Plus contains DHA. I know what you’re thinking, but Doctor Claire I can’t take DHA it’s from fish and I’m a vegetarian! Well the DHA found in Lutein Plus is from Algae so there’s no worries! Studies have found that DHA can help reduce the rate of diabetic retinopathy. While more research is needed in one study it was found that DHA can help to decrease eye pressure which indicated that it may be helpful in glaucoma. Studies have found that DHA may help with dry eye especially in those with glaucoma. (9)
Overall as you can see Lutein Plus is an amazing eye formula! Our next topic will be glaucoma.
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Blog Featured Photo: Photo by Dat Tae Studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-marigolds-growing-in-pots-at-a-plant-nursery-20154134/