Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
What exactly is Liver Cirrhosis? Part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND This is part 2 of our discussion on cirrhosis. If you haven’t read the first part I suggest you do that first since it will contain important background information. In this blog I …
PRIMARY FOOD, LIFESTYLE AND OUR HEALTH~HEALTH By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT HEALTH seems like a no brainer when discussing wellness and lifestyle. However, what does it really mean? Let’s break this down and I’ll go over what this means to me as it …
PRIMARY FOOD, LIFESTYLE AND OUR HEALTH~SOCIAL LIFE
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
Many people don’t think of having a social life as being part of a healthy lifestyle. I didn’t either for a long time. However, like many of us, my mind was changed during the COVID pandemic and lock down. I can to realize how much I missed being out and interacting with old and new friends alike. So, is the idea of a social life a product of COVID, or is it really a wellness essential?
Believe it or not, socializing or having an active social life, is not only an important part of one heath, but it’s also been the subject of studies in support of this theory. Social interactions have been shown to be helpful in supporting our cognitive functions. An article from Harvard Health Publishing/Harvard Medical School titled ‘Get Back Your Social Life to Boost Thinking, Memory and Health’ discusses how any form of socializing can decrease risk of cognitive decline and improve memory. It can also help to lower the risk of depression. It seems as though it doesn’t matter the type of socializing you partake in, as long as there is some form that you enjoy. As humans, we are social by nature, so we can have a natural craving and need for socialization. It can be as simple as a weekly call with a friend, a monthly meal “date”, a shopping trip or a ball game. Some feel more comfortable in more group social gatherings as parties, BBQs, picnics or happy hours. These can be one-on-one, small groups, community activities or even volunteer work. Find your comfort level and make it part of your monthly routine. How will you make socialization a priority in your wellness plan?
I can tell you from person experience that I never realized how important socialization was to my own well-being until the COVID pandemic hit and caused lengthy shutdowns. I always felt fortunate being an “essential worker” which allowed me to get out of my home, go to work and be around people, even though we were following social distancing guidelines. I even had standing weekly get-together with a friend, still following guidelines, when we sat outside, got fresh air, had something to drink or a snack (at our usual place we licked to visit) and took the time to chat and check in with each other. This was important to us because we always did this and we found that finding a way to keep this routine helped keep things as normal as possible. I often said that this helped me to have “sanity” during such a difficult, stressful and uncertain time. Little did I know that this has actually been shown to be essential?
There are a couple of nutrients that I like to help aid in keeping healthy when increasing social activities. I have always found that adding B-vitamins and supporting the immune system is always important.
B-COMPLEX 100 can be an absolute must-have for many people that have an active social life. One of the things that can often be part of socializing is the incorporation of cocktails. Whether you are someone who only drinks on occasion or someone who is a little more experienced, it can sometimes be easy to over indulge, especially when conversing with friends. The consumption of alcohol can often contribute to some dehydration, as well as deplete the B-vitamins in the body. The result of these deletions is often the “hangover” feeling that some may experience.
IMMUNITY HX is a formula which contains a combination of Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Zinc. While most people are familiar with Vitamin C and Zinc for the immune system, they are often surprised having Vitamin D also recommended. This is because Vitamin D helps to regulate the immune system for proper and health function.
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-the-benefits-of-being-socially-connected/
www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/get-back-your-social-life-to-boost-thinking-memory-and-health
www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/social-life?msockid=102ffcee009769fa30f8f11d011f685e
www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cure-your-hangover
www.buoyhealth.com/health/best-hangover-vitamins
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7281985
From a Naturopath Point of View Part 5 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND You may have heard the saying that sleep and a good healthy diet are both the base of the pyramid of health. As a Naturopath I agree with this concept 100%! But …
Cancer Related Fatigue
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I wanted to talk about cancer related fatigue because it’s so common in those who have cancer. It can also be difficult to work with because there can be a number of reasons why a person feels fatigue. So let’s get into this interesting topic, shall we?
Well let’s start with the beginning. What exactly do we mean when we say cancer related fatigue? It is a physical, emotional and mental fatigue in someone with cancer that does not improve with sleep or rest. This can occur during treatment and persist after treatment is concluded. When you have cancer related fatigue you may notice that your fatigue isn’t alleviated by rest. Normal activities may make you feel more tired than usual. You may feel too tired to do things you want to do. You may also feel like it’s hard to focus and you have no energy. You may also notice you feel weak, sad, cranky and frustrated. It may be hard to lift your arms and legs. You may even feel that you need more sleep than usual. (1)
Why does cancer lead to increased fatigue? Well as I said there is a number of reasons that increased fatigue can occur. Certain types of cancer can cause the release of proteins such as cytokines which can cause fatigue. Certain cancer treatments also cause fatigue. Another cause for fatigue is anemia. Hormonal changes that can occur during treatment can also trigger fatigue. Chronic pain can also lead to feelings of fatigue. Certain life style factors that can trigger an increase in fatigue include poor nutrition, lack of exercise and a decrease in the amount of sleep you are getting. Anxiety and depression can also increase fatigue. (2) It’s important to rule out certain conditions that can also mimic cancer related fatigue. For example muscle weakness can mimic fatigue. Depression can also mimic fatigue as well. (1)
What are some blood tests you can talk to your doctor about that can help to determine anything that maybe making your fatigue worse? First the doctor should check your iron levels and red blood cell counts to rule out anemia. They can also check for vitamin deficiencies such as B12, folate, or even vitamin D. Please check out my blog on Methyl-B for more information on the B vitamins. The doctor can also check for certain hormones that can trigger fatigue such as your thyroid hormones. You can also ask your doctor to check for inflammation, infections and even certain chronic diseases such as celiac disease and diabetes. (3) You can also fill out the attached questionnaire and bring it to your doctor’s visit! (2)
Questionnaire:
What can you do to help with your fatigue? The following suggestions are fine for both during and after treatment.
The following can be helpful for those who have cancer related fatigue that persists after treatment. Please note that these recommendations are for after treatment, not during.
Our next product highlight will be the confusing world of Iron!
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