Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Vision Health Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Vision or eye health is a topic that affects both men and women of all ages. However it can also be one of the most confusing topics. There are so many different options when it comes to keeping …
Invite Health Gummies Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to take the time to talk about the new products Invite has recently released. You may have noticed something about them! They are in a gummy form. Now I know what you’re thinking – But …
SHILAJIT~WHAT IS IT AND WHY DO YOU NEED IT?
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
Shilajit, pronounced she-lah-jeet, is one of the most versatile nutraceuticals available. However, it is not commonly discussed and is beginning to gain traction within the wellness community. But just what is it? Let’s discuss this further and learn how it may be beneficial to you to add to your current wellness regimen.
Shilajit come from the Himalayans and has been a staple in Ayurveda Medicine for centuries. As certain plants go through the decomposition process with microorganisms (living things only seen under a microscope), it creates a powerhouse nutraceutical known as shilajit…talk about a “circle of life”. It is believed to be a safe nutraceutical for most people to use. The article ‘Shilajit: A Natural Phytocomplex with Potential Precognitive Activity’ from The National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information, shilajit is a highly absorbable antioxidant making it ideal for promoting healthy cells and anti-aging.
Given the benefits of such a super antioxidant, Shilajit can be helpful for so many other areas of wellness. Men, particularly those over the age of 45, who are looking to increase DHEA, testosterone and/or free testosterone may want to consider shilajit, as it has been shown in studies to raise these levels when compared to those given a placebo. The abstract ‘Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia, has shown that shilajit has also been effective in studies when looking at male fertility. It was shown effective in increasing sperm count as well as sperm mobility, thereby increasing fertility.
Shilajit has been studied for its antiviral properties. It has shown to be helpful as an anti-inflammatory, for brain health and to support a healthy immune system. It’s been particularly effective when studied for such viruses as herpes simplex 1 and 2 and human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This is showing excellent signs of being a go-to immunity booster to aid in fighting certain types of viruses.
Brain health is a big concern for so many people. Shilajit has been shown to be a safe and effective for supporting healthy brain function. It has traditionally been used for enhance cognitive function and memory, including lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by slowing the aging of the brain cells. It can also be effective for those with epilepsy and reducing anorexia. While more clinical trials are being done to further prove these uses, the preliminary studies show a lot of promise.
Heart disease is one of the leading health issue affect us today. Shilajit has been considered to be helpful in reducing triglycerides and cholesterol levels when compared to using a placebo. Thus, helping to lower risk of heart attack and stroke. It has also shown effective in relieving some of the symptoms for those suffering from heart palpitations and abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmias. This has the potential to be a game changer for those with a history of heart disease.
So what makes shilajit so effective for such a wide variety of health and wellness issues? It is the fulvic acid that makes up a large part of shilajit. The fulvic acid comes from matter like soil, water sources and even peat. It forms in these types of natural matter when many types of plants breakdown and go through the natural process of decomposition, leaving fulvic acid. As you can see by the chart below, the list of benefits of shilajit, its minerals and furvic acid.
Fig. 1 Components of Shilajit (67)
As you can see, Shilajit can be helpful for a wide variety of health and wellness issues. As always, speak to one of our qualified nutritionists to find out the best way to incorporate this into your daily routine. I encourage you to try this versatile nutraceutical and let us know how you like this new addition to our amazing product line.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296184/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26395129/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20078516/
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320318#use
iris.unito.it/retrieve/handle/2318/1521394/38005/Paper%20post%20print.pdf
www.medicinenet.com/what_does_shilajit_do_for_the_body/article.htm
www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1320/fulvic-acid
Figure Ref: <a href=”https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Components-of-Shilajit-67_fig1_354861320″><img src=”https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354861320/figure/fig1/AS:1072656392654849@1632752621939/Components-of-Shilajit-67.ppm” alt=”Components of Shilajit (67)”/></a>
HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS~ WHAT EXACTLY IS HPV? By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Human Papillomavirus, or HPV as it’s commonly referred to as, has been discussed quite often lately. However, do we really know what it is and how it’s spread? Having a good understanding …
Summary on Respiratory Health Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I hope that this blog series on respiratory health has been both fun and informative! I have tried to review some of the most common respiratory concerns that come up here at Invite health. Additionally I …
Pneumonia
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I wanted to finish up this series on respiratory health with a discussion on pneumonia. While pneumonia can be mild it can also become life threatening. What is pneumonia? Basically pneumonia is an infection that causes inflammation in the air sacs in one or both lungs. As a result of the inflammation the sacs may fill with fluid or pus which can trigger a cough. Please see the attached picture. (1)
What can cause pneumonia? Pathogens that usually cause pneumonia include bacteria, bacteria like organisms, fungi and viruses. Pneumonia is classified according to type of organism that causes it as well as where you acquired the infection. The first type is the most common and is called community -acquired pneumonia. As the name implies this occurs outside of hospitals or other health care facilities, or in other words “in the community”. The next type is called hospital acquired pneumonia. This tends to be caused by bacteria more than the other pathogens. Related to hospital acquired is health-care acquired pneumonia which is pneumonia that occurs in people who live in long-term care facilities or receive care in outpatient clinics such as kidney dialysis centers. Lastly there is aspiration pneumonia which is where you inhale food, drink, vomit or saliva into your lungs. This is more likely if there is a problem with your gag reflux.
While anyone can get pneumonia there are certain risk factors that increase your risk. To start with the 2 age groups most at risk are children under 2 and adults over 65. Being hospitalized and being on a breathing machine increase your risk. Having a chronic disease such as asthma or COPD increase your risk. Having a weak or suppressed immune system can also increase risk. Lastly smoking can also increase the risk of pneumonia.
What are the most common symptoms of pneumonia? Well you may have a cough with phlegm. There may be chest pain when you cough or breath. There may be fatigue as well as fever, sweating and shaking chills. Your digestive system may be affected resulting in nausea, vomiting or even diarrhea. In those over 65 there may be a lower than normal body temperature as well as confusion. (1)
When it comes to pneumonia it is important to talk about complications. Pneumonia can lead to bacteremia which is where bacteria literally get into our blood. Sounds series right? Well it absolutely is. Bacteremia can lead to septic shock. Pneumonia can also lead to lung abscesses which are pockets of puss in our lungs. Pneumonia can also cause what is called pleurisy, pleural effusions and empyema. If the pneumonia is severe it can lead to respiratory failure. Pneumonia can even lead to failure of certain organs such as the kidneys and heart. (2) As you can see pneumonia can haves dangerous complications. What can you do to help reduce the risk of pneumonia?
Our last blog on this topic will be a nice summary to wrap things up before we move on!
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