Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Understanding Fasting Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Fasting can be done for so many reasons. It can be done for religious reasons, cleansing or for general detoxification of the body. Fasting can also look vastly different depending on the reasons behind your fast. Several types of …
Joint Health written by: Noreen Kodula, Certified Natural Health Professional (CNHP) Joints are the connection between two bones. They allow you to bend your elbows, knees and back, wiggle your hips, turn your head, wave your fingers and give your skeleton its shape. Joints support …
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 your heart? Let us get into it, shall we?
If you are watching the news after a storm, you may notice that it is common to hear about people having a cardiac event after shoveling snow. This can happen for a number of reasons. Lifting snow is exercise. This type of exercise can put an added strain on your heart. This extra hard work and stress on your heart can trigger a cardiac event. As you can imagine this is especially true in those who do not regularly exercise or who are elderly and /or have any underlying heart conditions. This makes sense if you think about it. Have you ever used a muscle that you do not normally use? It tends to hurt and feel strained, right? Well, the heart is a muscle and if you suddenly start exercising just like any other muscle the heart can be overworked. If you go from no heavy lifting in the summer to heavy weightlifting aka shoveling snow your heart will feel it just like any other muscle.
Another reason winter can have a negative impact on heart health is the cold. When it comes to blood flow and heat the body will prioritize the core organs. For example, your lungs are more important to your body than your skin. I know what you are thinking, what does this mean and how does the body prioritize heat? It means that the body makes sure that your organs that keep your alive stay warm by clamping down on the blood vessels that lead to the skin making them narrower. This affects the heart because the heart must work harder to pump blood through the narrow passages. In fact, studies have found that for every 10 degrees drop in temperature there is a 5-10% increase in the risk of heart attacks. (1) Chilly weather can also affect blood pressure. As we all know, high blood pressure is a risk factor for both heart attacks and strokes.
Something else that may be unexpected but that comes up often in the winter is the issue of dry heat. For some people, this dry heat can lead to nosebleeds. For others it can lead to dehydration. This dehydration can increase the blood, increasing the risk of blood clot formation.
And while some people exercise more in the winter due to activities like snow shoveling others find themselves staying inside their homes and as a result exercise less. In some cases, this decrease in activity can lead to an increase in heart disease risk factors.
The risk of other heart related conditions can increase in winter. For example, you are at an increased risk of angina, irregular heartbeat, and even chronic heart disease in the winter. This can be due to the combination of wintry weather, temperature changes, reduced physical activity and seasonal stress all putting a strain on your heart. (2)
It’s important to seek medical help if you suspect you are having a heart attack. Please see the attached diagram for the symptoms of a heart attack. While the most common signs of a heart attack include chest pain, weakness/lightheadedness, and a squeezing sensation in the chest there are other signs that you may not expect. (1) Men and women can have slightly different symptoms, so I have included the signs of a heart attack usually experienced by men and by women. (3)
Now what can you do to improve heart health?
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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 …
Pneumonia
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Pneumonia is one topic that seems more complicated than it is. Part of the confusion is because of the vaccine. But what even is pneumonia? How do I know if I have it? And who are the people that should talk to their doctor about getting vaccinated. Before I start, I do want to mention that this topic will be broken into 2 parts so that it’s easier to digest. It is a large topic to cover so let us get into it, shall we?
To start at the beginning what is pneumonia? Pneumonia is an infection in the lungs. It can be a bacterial, viral, or even fungal infection. This infection triggers inflammation in the lungs which results in the air sacs filling with fluid or even pus. Please see the attached diagram for what this looks like.
Pneumonia can vary from mild to severe. Certain factors such as cause of infection, your age and your overall health can impact the severity of illness you experience. In fact, newborns and infants may not show any signs of the infection. Symptoms of pneumonia that infants may experience include vomiting, fever, cough, restlessness, fatigue and difficulty breathing or eating. Adults may experience shortness of breath, cough, and chest pain when you breathe or cough. There may also be fatigue, nausea, vomiting or even diarrhea. While some people may have a fever with sweating and shaking chills other people aged 65 and over may find their body temperature may be lower than normal. In those 65 and older they may also experience confusion or even changes in mental state.
For some individual’s pneumonia may present in a comparable way to a cold or even the flu and be mild in its severity. In other people, however, it can lead to more severe complications. How do you know when and if you should see a doctor? Anyone who is under 2/o or over 65 years old is considered high risk when it comes to pneumonia. Additionally, anyone with a comprised immunity for any reason, anyone with heart or lung concerns would also be considered a high-risk group. For these individuals it’s important to see a doctor if you suspect pneumonia. For other people without these risks, it is important to see a doctor if you notice difficulty in breathing, chest pain, fever of 102 or higher and a persistent cough with mucus.
Now I know I said some individuals are more at risk of complications. But what are some of these complications? To start there is the risk of bacteremia. This is basically when the bacteria that is causing the pneumonia enters the blood stream. From the lungs the bacteria can spread to other organs and cause damage. Pneumonia may cause fluid to build up in your chest. In some cases, the bacteria can trigger the fluid that builds up to become infected. If this occurs the fluid must be either drained or even removed surgically. In some cases, an abscess may form in the lungs. This abscess has to be treated with antibiotics. If the abscess leads to a buildup of pus surgery may be needed to remove it! Lastly for some at risk induvial the breathing difficulty experienced may be so severe you need to be hospitalized and use a breathing machine. (1)
In our next blog we will review the risk factors for developing pneumonia. We will also do a small review on who the vaccine is and is not intended for. I also mention who should talk to their doctor about whether the vaccine is the right choice. But health is not just about the things that conventional medicine can offer. In our next blog I will be reviewing the nutrients that are most beneficial for our lungs, immunity, and even overall health! Some things we will discuss include Glutathione, Nucleotides, Quercetin and even Aged Garlic! I will even mention some of the differences in use between Glutathione and NAC! In case you were wondering, NO, NAC and Glutathione are not identical supplements!
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