Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
What is Healthy Aging? Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Healthy aging is one of those new trendy buzz words that tends to pop up all over social media. Due to this popularity I wanted to do a new series on this topic. But what even …
Understanding Fasting part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In our last blog on fasting, we were focused on shorter fasts such as water or juice fasting. We also talked about how you would go about doing a detox or cleanse, which lasts longer than a …
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 fasting’s include water fasting, juice fasting or not eating until after a certain time. At this time of the year many Christians are fasting for the religious observance of Lent. For some this may mean abstaining from meat on certain days of the week. For others it can mean following a strict vegan diet.
Now I know what you are thinking, what does this have to do with supplements? Obviously if your goal in fasting is to cleanse or detox it is important to know what nutrients can help with this goal. While water or juice fast is usually only done for 12-72 hours, supplements can still play a role towards keeping you healthy and promoting detox. During longer stricter fasting periods supplements can help you feel better overall and allow you to consistently follow your fast without feeling cravings or fatigue. In this blog I will make some supplement suggestions as well as make some recipe suggestions for you to try out! Remember, as I always say, have fun in the kitchen. You never know what you might cook up next.
Let us get into it, shall we?
When it comes to water, juice or even a detox fast it is important to start by eliminating all toxins such as caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and processed foods. For example, it is important to eliminate beverages such as soda since they contain such a high amount of sugar and other preservatives. (1) Now if it is not feasible for you to eliminate all these at once its ok. Reduce the amount of toxins at a pace you feel comfortable with. The goal to health should be a marathon not a sprint! What can you do to help support detox?
https://mapmygenome.in/blogs/learn/7-day-healthy-eating-plan-to-detox-your-body-naturally
As you can see there are plenty of ways to incorporate additional nutrients! For example, Greens Hx can easily be mixed into hummus! If you are not fond of beets Invite has powdered beets that can be easily mixed into smoothies or other foods such as soup.
That is all good but what about those doing a longer fast? What should those who are looking to maintain energy do when they are vegan or vegetarian? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! In our next blog we will be talking about the nutrients that can help maintain energy and overall health when you are doing a longer fast such as those observing a religious holiday such as lent.
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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 …
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 …
Managing Diabetes during the Holidays
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Managing diabetes during the holiday time may seem to be an insurmountable task. But with a little twist to some classic recipes and a little help from classic invite supplements, eating healthy during the holiday is not quite as insurmountable as you might expect! Let us get into it, shall we?
While there are several forms of diabetes in this blog, I will be concentrating on type 2 because it is the most common form that people call to talk about. Type 2 diabetes is a condition where your blood sugar is higher than normal. This can occur either because your body is not making enough insulin or it is not properly using it and glucose is building up in your blood. Diabetes is much more common than you might expect. In fact, approximately 11% of the US population has diabetes.
What is the most common symptom of diabetes? Well, there may be an increase in thirst, a feeling of dry mouth and even more frequent urination. There may be weight loss without any diet changes. You may find yourself feeling more tired than usual. Your vision may be blurry. Any sores or cuts may take longer to heal. There may be an increase in yeast infections. In some case’s there can be numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. (1) Diabetes can have dangerous complications. Please see my blogs on diabetes for more information on complications.
How does this relate to the holidays? As we all know, holiday time is a time that can be incredibly stressful. Stress can affect our blood sugar. Cortisol, the hormone that our body makes when we are under stress, can make it harder for insulin to work. That is because cortisol wants your body to have enough sugar or in other words fuel to “run away” from your stress. That is why the higher the stress, which triggers higher cortisol or stress hormone, the higher your blood sugar! (2)
Travel, another aspect of holiday time, can also impact blood sugar. I know what you are thinking, Dr. Claire HOW can travel impact my blood sugar? Well travel can be stressful and that stress can affect blood sugar. Travel can often lead to motion sickness and motion sickness can affect your blood sugar. (3) Lastly very often it can be difficult to find diabetic friendly options when traveling. Eating foods higher in sugar than you normally do can obviously affect blood sugar.
Alcohol is another common aspect of holidays. However, alcohol can be a concern for those with diabetes because it can raise or in some cases lower blood sugar! This can be dangerous since the symptoms of low blood sugar can be mistaken for those of alcohol or in other words you may think you are just tipsy but you are actually having an episode of very low blood sugar. (4)
Another aspect of the holidays is the sleep disruption. This can happen for a number of reasons. Are you having trouble sleeping in a different space? Is it too quiet or too noisy? If you have company, are you staying up late talking or cooking for them? As you can see, the holidays can wreak havoc on your sleep. Sleep is especially important for blood sugar control. In fact, studies have found that just 1 night of poor sleep can increase insulin resistance. (4)
Last but not least, is the food aspect of the holidays. Some people skip meals to have “space” for later. Then there is the idea that just a little is ok. In my experience a little tends to add up fast and in the case of many holiday foods this can involve much more sugar than you are used to eating. Many people find that after the holidays their treats have led them to having higher blood sugar readings than they usually have.
So, what can you do at this time of year?
Recipes for the holidays!
Cranberry goodness
Take 1 package of cranberries and cook them in water that has 2 scoops Reds Hx and 3 scoops Ribose complex mixed in. (Basically, mix the powders in water and use that water to cook the cranberries.). If it is not as sweet as you like you can add more Ribose complex. Feel free to add some nuts for a fun texture.
Blender muffins of health (lol)
With this recipe feel free to have fun! Take 2 eggs, 2 scoops of Invite Whey protein, 1 scoop Cocoa Hx, and 1 cup instant oats. As you blend add enough water so that it is a muffin like consistency. Generally, between 1/8 cup to 1/4 cup. Scoop into a muffin pan and cook at 350 for 20 min checking to see if they are done. Variations to this include using almond milk instead of water. You can also add fruit and nuts for texture! As I said it is not exact and you can have fun changing things up!
Green bean casserole
Take 16 oz. of green beans and steam until fork tender and put in a baking pan. In a separate bowl add 2 scoops of Greens Hx to 1 can of Cream of mushroom soup. Add ½ can of water (or at least enough water that you can easily pore the mix). Add spices of choice and mix. Place over the green beans. Add a liberal amount of dried onions or shallot. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Spaghetti squash? Yes, Spaghetti squash can be a fun food for the Holidays!
Cook your spaghetti squash as normal and then add the following sauce. To a mixing bowl add precooked onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Add some tomato sauce and the contents of 3 Probiotic Hx, 3 scoops of Greens Hx and 1 scoop of Beets Hx. Add in any spices you like! Mix till well combined and then add to your spaghetti squash.
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