Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Olive Leaf Extract for the Heart! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Now I know I said I’d be highlighting some unexpected products when it comes to heart health and this blog is certainly a unique take on a common supplement! This supplement is Olive Leaf! …
Blood Pressure Basics! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Blood pressure is something that we all have. Keeping our blood pressure healthy is a concern that affects people of all ages. While it may be easy to write off high blood pressure as just something that …
MEN’S HEALTH: THE RECIPES THEY LOVE
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
Welcome to MEN’S HEALTH MONTH, or as it’s come to be known as, MOVEMBER. I wanted to take some time this month to discuss issues that affect men, such as hormones, hair loss, prostate health and erectile dysfunction (ED). So, to kick off this topic, I’ve designed some amazing recipes that not only men will love but also have ingredients to support some of these issues, as well as general health.
RUBS AND MARINADES:
These are a great addition to lean, hearty proteins such as beef, chicken and pork.
1 scoop Cocoa Hx
1 Tablespoon instant coffee or espresso (dry)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste (about ½ the amount of the salt)
RUB: Mix together until well combined. Rub generously to cover protein and grill or bake until desired temperature.
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
MARINADE: Combine wet and dry ingredients and add to zip lock bag. Add protein, seal bag with as little air as possible, and let marinate for 30 minutes to 24 hours. Remove from bag and grill or bake until desired temperature.
*This is ideal for beef
1 scoop Greens Hx
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Pinch of Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
RUB: Mix together until well combined. Rub generously to cover protein and grill or bake until desired temperature.
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
MARINADE: Combine wet and dry ingredients and add to zip lock bag. Add protein, seal bag with as little air as possible, and let marinate for 30 minutes to 24 hours. Remove from bag and grill or bake until desired temperature.
*This is ideal for chicken
1 scoop Beets Hx
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon rosemary
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh black pepper
RUB: Mix together until well combined. Rub generously to cover protein and grill or bake until desired temperature.
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
MARINADE: Combine wet and dry ingredients and add to zip lock bag. Add protein, seal bag with as little air as possible, and let marinate for 30 minutes to 24 hours. Remove from bag and grill or bake until desired temperature.
*This is ideal for pork
SHAKES AND BOWLS:
These are heathy and easy “Pick-Me-Up” meals, ideal for breakfast.
DATE NIGHT SHAKE
1 scoop Plant Protein
1 scoop Beets Hx
2 capsules Maca Root
¼ avocado
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup milk alternative (i.e.: oat, almond, hemp, etc.)
Empty the contents of the Maca capsules and combine with ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into glass, drink and enjoy!
MANLY POWER BOWL
2 scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
1 scoop Creatine Monohydrate Powder
1 capsule Masculine Hx
2 Tablespoons nut butter (i.e.: peanut, almond, cashew, etc.)
1 banana
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup water
Empty the contents of the Masculine capsule, ¾ of the banana and combine with ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into bowl, top with remaining ¼ banana slices, eat and enjoy!
LOUNGE AND CHILL
2 scoops Cocoa Hx
4 capsules Maca Root
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup Kefir
1 cup water
1 cup ice
Empty the contents of the Maca capsules and combine with ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into glass, drink and enjoy!
*This serves 2 and is perfect to for sharing with someone special!
Collagen for the Heart? Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In my last blog I mentioned that I would be reviewing a few supplements for the heart that you normally don’t associate with heart health. The first such supplement is collagen! Collagen is an important building …
RESVERATROL: THE ANTI-AGING POWERHOUSE By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Anti-aging means something different to everyone. Some of us associate anti-aging with skin care and physically looking younger than we are, while others think of maintaining a healthy heart and healthy brain function with …
Heart Health Anatomy Made Easy!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
The heart has been called the organ that never sleeps. Every day it beats on and on, keeping blood flowing throughout our body. Now I know when people think of heart health, the first thought is simply isn’t that just for older people? And while yes it is true that as we age we are more prone to some of the topics that I will be reviewing, it is simply not true for all of them. In fact, certain heart concerns can start in childhood. Other chronic heart concerns tend to run in families. In these cases it is best to start treatment before any issues begin. Before we can understand what can go wrong with the heart let’s start with how the heart looks when it is healthy!
Let’s start with the chambers of the heart. The heart can be broken down into 4 chambers or rooms. The top half of the heart is broken down into the left and the right atrium. The bottom half of the heart is broken down into the right and left ventricle. (1) Please see the attached picture! (2)
Why is this important? As you can see in the picture the left and right sides of the heart are separate. It is important that the 2 sides of the heart remain separate. The right side carries DE-oxygenated blood, whereas the left carries blood that is full of oxygen. (3) In certain conditions this blood isn’t separated and this can lead to different health concerns. Now if you can look back at the picture you will notice that there are arrows pointing out the pathway that blood is supposed to flow through the heart. Once again this direction of blood flow is very important to having a healthy heart. The left side which is where blood that is clean and full of oxygen receives it blood from the pulmonary vein. It goes into the left atrium to the left ventricle and then to the aorta which sends the blood out into our body. (4) The right side of the heart receives its blood, which is DE-oxygenated from the 2 Vena Cava. Like the left side the blood goes from the atrium to the ventricle and from there it goes to the lungs via the pulmonary artery. In the lungs the blood will pick up oxygen and will make its way back to the heart to be distributed around the body. (5) Now as you can guess there are things that can go wrong with this process that we will be reviewing in this series.
Now back to our picture! You can easily see there are 4 valves or doorways between the chambers. These help to allow blood to flow at the proper rate in the right direction. (5)
In addition to our heart there are arteries, veins and capillaries. Think of these as roadways for blood to travel. A great way to remember the difference is that arteries start with an A can carry blood Away from the heart. Veins in contrast carry blood back to the heart. Capillaries which are the smallest blood vessels of all work to connect the 2. The capillaries also take away and carry waste. The skin of the capillaries is so thin it allows oxygen to get into the blood. (6)
The pressure in blood vessels is what we refer to as blood pressure. I will be covering this topic in depth in a few blogs so I won’t get too involved here. Most of this pressure is caused by the beating of our heart or when the heart is “at rest”. Everyone who has had their blood pressure taken knows it is broken down into systole and diastole. Systole is where the heart is contracting and diastole is when it is resting or filling with blood. (7)
The amount of blood that is pumped out from the heart is called cardiac output and can be affected by certain chronic heart disorders. (8) The heart rate is controlled by what is called nodes. The heart rate is normally controlled by what is called the SA node but if this begins to malfunction the AV node can take over. Lastly the Purkinje fibers can take over if they need to. The main concern is that if the AV node and Purkinje fibers control the heart rate, it is usually quite slow and intervention is needed. (9)
I have tried to give an overview of the heart so that when we talk about certain disorders it is easy to understand what is going on. During this series I will be reviewing a number of the most common heart disorders that we encounter. We will also be reviewing some common supplements such a CoQ10, magnesium and even resveratrol. But we may go over a few things most people don’t consider for heart health.
In our next blog we will be exploring how Collagen is an amazing nutrient and not just for joints, for your heart too!
