Digestive Health Part 6: Diarrhea
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND goes into depth about the possible reasons for your diarrhea and how to take care of this digestive disaster
Recent Posts
An Anti-Aging Herb That Helps Protect The Brain – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 572
You must listen to this podcast and learn how certain supplements have the ability to enhance our brain health even as we age.
The Circulating News on our Circulation Health Program
Written by Melissa Bistricer, RDN Circulation
For further questions or concerns email me at melissa@whiskingnutrition.com
Did you know that everyday our hearts are pumping about 1,800 gallons of blood through our blood vessels? Over a lifetime, our circulatory system carries about a million barrels of blood throughout the body.
What is Circulation?
Circulation is a process by which the heart pumps a person’s blood throughout the body. Having proper circulation is key to maintaining optimal health. Circulation in the body ensures that blood and oxygen continuously flow throughout the body. Circulation helps to heal wounds faster, allows organs to function properly, keeps the brain sharp, keeps the heart healthy, and gives your complexion a natural flush.
Risk Factors of Circulation
Risk factors of circulation can result in peripheral vascular disease in which circulation of blood to the body is reduced due to the narrowing or blocked blood vessels. Specific risk factors that are associated with poor circulation are diabetes, obesity, smoking, specifically prescribed medications like statins, or a sedentary lifestyle. If you feel like you’re experiencing poor circulation, pay attention to signs of pain, cramping, swelling, restlessness, and fatigue.
Ways to Improve Circulation
The best two ways to improve circulation throughout the body is to have a balanced diet and incorporate exercise. Staying hydrated, and avoiding smoking are also beneficial ways to help improve circulation.
Circulation Nutrition Therapy
Diet and exercise are big components of helping circulation. Diet-wise, we want to incorporate more sources of omega-3 fatty acids with foods such as fatty fish (salmon, sardines), walnuts, or flaxseeds. Specific foods that research has found to help increase blood circulation and blood flow are garlic, capsaicin, turmeric, ginger, nuts, citrus, and berries. Trans fats, saturated fats, excess salt, and added sugars are all sources of foods that should be avoided to improve circulation and blood flow in the body.
Exercising regularly, aerobic exercise specifically, can help to improve circulation. Aerobic exercises are those that make a person out of breath such as jogging, swimming, dancing, boxing, or brisk walking.
Vitamins, Minerals, & Herbs
In conjunction with diet, we can always benefit from a natural nutritional supplement to help us improve circulation. In our circulation health program, we have two supplements that are recommended: Grape seed extract and Veins Hx. Looking into research studies, they have both been shown to have positive outcomes in supporting healthy circulation.
Grape Seed Extract (GSE) has natural nutritional components such as flavonoids, linoleic acid, and polyphenols. Polyphenols have a specific component called proanthocyanins which have been associated with various health issues to enhance the bio-process of the body. Grape Seed Extract has been studied to provide benefits against numerous diseases such as inflammation, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, peptic ulcers, cancer, and microbial infections.1
In a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study Grape Seed Extract has a positive correlation with blood pressure to avoid diseases involving the heart and blood vessels.2 The Grape Seed Extract helped blood pressure as well as relieving stress and enhanced mood disorders.2
Veins Hx at InVite Health has a blend of herbs in order to support the blood flow and circulation through the aging process. The blend of Veins Hx has vitamin C, Citrus Bioflavonoids, Horse Chestnut, Gotu Kola Herb, and Bilberry Fruit.
A double-blind, randomized controlled trial was completed on patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). According to John Hopkins, CVI occurs mostly in the veins of your legs that do not allow the blood to flow back to the heart. This can cause the valves not to work, causing the blood to flow backward causing blood to pool in the legs. A natural supplement that can be beneficial to helping with blood flow and circulation can be Horse Chestnut. The Horse Chestnut is superior to the placebo and is effective as a reference medication in alleviating the objective signs and subjective symptoms of CVI. Thus, Horse Chestnut is a presented treatment and worth considering for CVI.
Gotu Kola Herb is derived from Centella Asocatoca L. is nutritionally important to plants and valued in traditional medicine in South East Asia.4 Mount Sinai has shown that Gotu Kola has been shown to help venous insufficiency and varicose veins. The blood vessels lose their elasticity and start to cause pooling in the legs; causing fluid to leak out to the blood vessels. Several small studies have shown that individuals with venous insufficiency have taken Gotu Kola and have seen improvements compared to the placebo group.6
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SWOLLEN LEGS – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 560 >> LISTEN NOW!
Circulation Health Program
Grape Seed Extract supports circulatory health and blood pressure already within normal range, skin, and vision health
Veins Hx supports healthy veins and circulatory health
Sources
- Gupta, M., Dey, S., Marbaniang, D. et al. Grape seed extract: having potential health benefits. J Food Sci Technol 57, 1205–1215 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-019-04113-w
- Schön C, Allegrini P, Engelhart-Jentzsch K, Riva A, Petrangolini G. Grape Seed Extract Positively Modulates Blood Pressure and Perceived Stress: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study in Healthy Volunteers. Nutrients. 2021;13(2):654. Published 2021 Feb 17. doi:10.3390/nu13020654
- Pittler MH, Ernst E. Horse-Chestnut Seed Extract for Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A Criteria-Based Systematic Review. Arch Dermatol. 1998;134(11):1356–1360. doi:10.1001/archderm.134.11.1356
- Chandrika UG, Prasad Kumarab PA. Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica): Nutritional Properties and Plausible Health Benefits. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2015;76:125-157. doi:10.1016/bs.afnr.2015.08.001
- Gotu Kola. Mount Sinai Health System. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/gotu-kola. Accessed April 11, 2022.
Yellow Magic Smoothie – Healthy & Helpful Tips with Melissa
Smoothie week is also for college students, join us in making the yellow magic smoothie with Collagen Hx. It tastes like a burst of summer in your mouth.
Blue Blockers Protecting Vision Problems, Part 2 – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 571
Are you on your computer, playing Xbox, or watching TV? The Blue Blockers will help to enhance your brain and eye fatigue. Listen now to learn more!
Digestive Health, Part 5: Constipation
Written by Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Constipation
For further questions or concerns email me at carcidiacono@invitehealth.com†
Every week I get calls asking about how to deal with constipation. Clinically speaking, constipation refers to less than 3 bowel movements a week. From a more holistic viewpoint, an optimum digestive tract will lead to a daily bowel movement. There is a common misconception going around that it is necessary to have a bowel movement after every meal. This is not true and is actually a symptom of rapid transit time!†
Symptoms of Constipation
The symptoms include having a few bowel movements a week. Having a bowel movement every other day is considered mild constipation. Whereas, straining to have a bowel movement is constipation. Even if you do have a bowel movement every day, if the stool is hard/small or you feel as though there is stool left behind, you’re experiencing constipation. It can cause gas, bloating, anal itching, hemorrhoids, bloody stool, stomach pain as well as nausea or even vomiting.†
When it comes to working with this, it’s important to understand what is causing it. Oftentimes, it’s a symptom of different underlying systemic conditions. For example, thyroid disorders and pregnancy can affect bowel movements. Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or Multiple Sclerosis can have it as a symptom. Medications often cause constipation as a side effect. For example, overusing laxatives, even herbal laxatives such as Senna. On a very serious note, it can be a sign of colon cancer. Just like many different medical concerns, constipation can be caused by or exacerbated by stress. Before addressing the symptoms, it is important to address these underling concerns. In addition to underlying medical concerns, dietary concerns such as lack of water, fiber and even too much dairy can be a cause. A lack of movement is also a common issue. In children resisting the urge to have a bowel movement can also lead to constipation.† (1)
An overgrowth of pathogens such as Candida Albicans can also be a cause; as pathogens can cause diarrhea and constipation. (2) Disorders of the GI tract such as IBS, Diverticular Disease and Lazy Bowel Syndrome or structural defects such as fistulas, Intussusception, malforatation, colonic rotation and outlet dysfunction can also have it as a symptom. (4) While there can also be other causes of constipation, these are the most common.†
How to Handle Constipation
When addressing constipation it is very important to rule out any systemic concerns such as hypothyroidism. Underlying medical concerns need to be addressed first. Clearing up the underlying issue will often resolve the constipation. Follow up or schedule a visit to a Gastroenterologist. A stool analysis will be performed. It’s a great way to determine the presence of any pathogens.†
ICYMI: DIGESTIVE HEALTH, PART 4 ON STOOL TESTS >> Read Now!
The following suggestions are things that have been found to be helpful in combating constipation. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have information on hand when you call regarding constipation. Recent lab work, and a diet diary are important resources to have on hand when you call InViteⓇ Health. This way a protocol can be personalized.†
Address any underlying medical concerns and eliminate any food sensitivities or allergies. Increase water to half your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 200 pounds you need to be drinking 100 ounces (12.5 cups) of water. Every 8 ounces of water is 1 cup.†
Add fiber to your diet! Fiber is naturally found in fruits and vegetables. These are a great jump start for your digestive tract. Maltodextrin has been found to help combat constipation (4) Psyllium seed husk has also been found to help constipation. (5) For relief of temporary constipation, InViteⓇ Health Colon HxⓇ and soluble fiber can help. A great every day fiber is InViteⓇ Health’s Organic Flaxseed Powder. It’s better to use the powder rather than the seeds since the powder is broken down. That way, the fiber is more easily used by the body.† (6)
Supplements That Can Help
Caprylic acid has been found in studies to help eliminate H. Pylori, Candida and other types of pathogens.† (7) InViteⓇ Health’s Nutristatin 144 is a great item.†
Garlic has been found in studies to help eliminate bacteria and fungus such as Candida. (8) See InviteⓇ Health’s Aged Garlic.†
Olive Leaf Extract has been found to help eliminate microbes such as yeast in the body. (9) See InViteⓇ Health’s Olive Leaf Extract and our Renalaid formula.†
Probiotics help to kill bad bacteria and help colonize new healthy bacteria.† (10)
Herbs have been found to help eliminate constipation. Now it is important to stay away from herbs considered laxatives. While these can be a temporary relief, long term they can cause damage to the digestive tract. Triphala fruit complex has been found to help promote bowel movements. (11) See InViteⓇ Health’s Colon HxⓇ, Marshmallow Root and Slippery Elm have also been found to help when taken in tea. (12) InViteⓇ Health’s GI Maintain has both of these and can easily be mixed into a warm cup of chamomile tea.†
THE POWER OF ADAPTOGENIC HERBS – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 447 >> Listen Now!
Magnesium Citrate is one of the best supplements to help. It is a natural, non-habit forming stool softener. (13) See InViteⓇ Health’s Magnesium Citrate, Bioavail Magnesium Complex and Bone Powder. Castor oil packs are incredibly powerful tools in helping with concerns. (14) Omega 3s such as Fish Oil and Krill Oil have also been found to help lubricate the stool. (15) See InViteⓇ Health’s Fish Oil and Krill Oil Advanced.†
Next week we’ll cover the topic of Diarrhea.†
Sources
- https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-constipation
- https://www.humnutrition.com/blog/candida-overgrowth/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4059-constipation
- https://greatist.com/health/maltodextrin-dangers#:~:text=It%20improves%20digestion,fiber%20supplements%20Metamucil%20and%20Citrucel.
- https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/psyllium#:~:text=Many%20well%2Ddesigned%20studies%20have,%2C%20Europe%2C%20and%20North%20America.
- https://www.healthline.com/health/flaxseed-for-constipation
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21830350/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458355/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5490280/#:~:text=The%20present%20study%20focused%20on,infections%20such%20as%20oral%20thrush.
- https://www.omnibioticlife.com/candida-and-probiotics/#:~:text=Certain%20probiotic%20strains%2C%20such%20as,good%20bacteria%20in%20your%20intestine.
- https://www.ndtv.com/food/triphala-for-constipation-how-to-use-this-ayurveda-wonder-to-manage-digestive-issues-1912465
- https://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/herbal-remedies-for-constipation
- https://www.wellandgood.com/natural-remedies-for-constipation/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/castor-oil-pack#uses
- https://omega3innovations.com/blog/fish-oil-and-fiber-how-to-be-number-one-at-number-two/
