Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Winter and Heart Health Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Wintertime, as we all know, can have negative effects on our immunity, mood and even our heart health. But how exactly can the cold of winter impact our heart health? What can you do to protect …
Winter Back Pain from Cold Temperatures and Shoveling Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND If you are in New York and look out the window or go for a walk you will notice the snow. While snow may look pretty when it falls after the snowfall is …
Pneumonia Part 2
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
In our first blog on pneumonia, we covered the basics of pneumonia. In this blog we will be reviewing risk factors for pneumonia, details about the vaccine and what you can do to help boost your immunity. Let us get into it, shall we?
One of the biggest risk factors for pneumonia is age. While anyone can get pneumonia, those who are under 2 years old or over 65 years old are at an increased risk. Being in the hospital, especially using a breathing machine, can also increase your risk. Having compromised immunity for any reason as well as certain chronic conditions such as asthma also can increase your risk. Smoking can also reduce your body’s ability to fight off pneumonia.
Pneumonia is typically divided into types depending on what kind of pathogen is causing the infection and where you acquired the infection. Classifications based on pathogen type include bacteria, bacteria like organisms, fungal, and viral. Classifications based on where you acquired it include community acquired; this form means that you acquired the illness outside of a hospital or other health care facility. Then there is both hospital and health care acquired pneumonia. To break these down further it refers to the hospital setting and separate from that a health care facility such as a nursing home. Lastly, there is aspiration pneumonia, this is where food, liquid, or even saliva gets into your lungs. (1)
The next item that is confusing when it comes to pneumonia is the vaccine. The pneumococcal vaccine is used to help prevent infection by pneumococcal bacteria. It is important to talk to our doctor if you are in a high-risk group. It is also important to note that the pneumococcal vaccine is not typically recommended for those who are aged 2 and under. There are also certain medications that may interact with the pneumococcal vaccine. Additionally, there are several chronic conditions that may lead to more severe side effects with the vaccine. That being said, which groups or individuals are recommended to receive the vaccine? Well to start anyone in a high-risk group. That includes adults 65 Y/0 and older. Any adults and kids 2-64 Y/O that have any chronic disease or illness that can increase the risk of pneumonia such as asthma and diabetes. Anyone that is 2-64 Y/O that is living in special environments such as Alaska or a nursing home. Lastly, anyone 2-64 Y/O with any decreased disease fighting ability. (2) This is an important topic to talk to your doctor about. Like every vaccine there are pros/cons. Please do not do your research on social media and ignore your doctor. Your doctor knows your health history. Social media may have exciting content, but influencers do not know you or your overall health risk. And to be frank they have no consequences if you get sick based on their advice. Is that social media star going to take care of you if you get sick? Are they going to cook and clean and pay your bills?? Nope! So, as they say, take social media with a grain of salt!
Now in this blog I will be talking about both Glutathione and NAC. Now I am your thinking, but aren’t they the same thing?? In the chart below I have outlined the differences. (3)
| Glutathione | NAC |
|
· By breaking down and thinning mucus, NAC can make it easier for the lungs to clear.
· Boosting brain health and mood: Research suggests NAC can benefit brain health and mood. · Replenishing antioxidant levels: NAC can help support detoxification and promotes clear breathing, making it a versatile supplement for whole-body health.
|
What nutrients do I recommend to help boost your immunity and overall health?
Sources:
Energy in the Body written by: Noreen Kodula, Certified Natural Health Professional (CNHP) Energy is essential for all body functions. Involuntary processes like breathing and circulation, and voluntary actions like movement and thinking all rely on energy. Most people think of energy in terms of …
RSV-Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Cold and flu season may be a common topic of conversation however there is another virus that is a hot topic at this time of year. That is RSV. What even is RSV? Why is it important to talk about? And just what can you do to decrease your risk of the virus? It’s a lot to cover so let’s get into it, shall we?
What does RSV even stand for? RSV is short for Respiratory syncytial virus. RSV is caused by a virus and the fastest/ easiest way for the virus to enter your body is through the eyes, nose or mouth. This is why it’s so important to avoid touching your face with your hands! It’s also important to realize that RSV can live on objects and surfaces for hours after they have been contaminated with the virus. That means if you touch a contaminated surface and then touch your mouth or eyes you are likely to pick up the virus and get sick. Which is why we always say to sanitize frequently touched surfaces.
While anyone can get RSV some people are at a higher risk of dangerous complications. For example, premature infants, babies under 6 months old or adults older than 65 are all at risk of dangerous RSV complications. Children and adults with heart disease, lung disease, neuromuscular disorders or who have a compromised immune system are also at risk for RSV complications.
That being said just what are the symptoms of RSV? How do I know I might have it? Common symptoms include a congested or runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, low grade fever, dry cough and even a headache! In more severe cases there can be inflammation of the small airway passages in the lungs. Symptoms of this possible inflammation include fever, severe cough, wheezing, rapid breathing/difficulty breathing and a bluish color to the skin. For those at risk of more severe illnesses it is important to watch for signs of severe RSV which would require hospitalization. Signs of more severe illness in infants may include short, shallow and rapid breathing. They may struggle to breathe at all. They may have poor feeding, lethargy, irritability and cough.
While in most people RSV doesn’t have severe complications in those who are in the high-risk group complications can be very dangerous. Complications from RSV may include a hospital stay. RSV is the most common cause of pneumonia and bronchiolitis. RSV can also increase the risk of developing asthma. RSV can also trigger ear infections. Lastly having RSV can increase the risk of later RSV infections. (1)
But why is it important to even know about RSV? While you may not be at high-risk other people may be at risk of severe complications and illness. That is why overall it is important to be aware of RSV. According to the WHO RSV and its associated complications leads to an estimated 3.6 million hospitalizations and approximately 100,000 deaths in kids under 5y/o worldwide. (2)
What can you do?
Sources:
