Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Cancer and Weight Loss Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Weight loss is a common side effect experienced by those with cancer. This weight loss can occur for a number of reasons. To start with, having cancer can lead to weight loss. This is because in some …
Methyl-B Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Most people have heard that it can improve your health if you take a B complex. You may even have heard the term “methylation”. But do you know what that term means? Why does it even matter? This blog …
Combat Chemo Brain
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
One topic that comes up a lot is what to do about the side effects that can occur as a result of the different cancer treatments. The first side effect I will be talking about is called cancer-related cognitive impairment or cognitive dysfunction. You may have heard it referred to as chemo brain or chemo fog. Chemo brain refers to thinking and memory problems that can occur during and/or after cancer treatments. (1) In my professional opinion on working with those who experience chemo brain it is best to wait until treatment is complete before addressing the symptoms experienced with chemo brain. This is to ensure no potential interactions between the supplements and cancer treatments that could occur.
What are the most common symptoms of chemo brain that you may experience? Well you may notice that you are unusually disorganized and have difficulty concentrating. You may also notice that you feel confused and have a short attention span that may make it difficult to multitask. In fact you may find that it takes you longer to do things than it would normally. When you are speaking you may have trouble with finding the right words and later on you may find you have trouble with verbal memory or even visual memory. In other words you may notice you have trouble recalling conversations or in recalling a list of words. You may also experience difficulty planning activities. You may notice that there is an increased difficulty in learning any new skills. Overall you may find you have short term memory changes and a general feeling of mental fatigue. (1) Lastly you may even find it difficult to make up your mind or even plan things such as family outings. (2)
While anyone who is undergoing treatment for cancer can experience chemo brain there are some factors that can increase your risk. These can include having brain cancer or cancer that has spread to the brain. Having received radiation to the brain can increase your risk. Additionally if you receive higher doses of either chemo or radiation you are at a higher risk for chemo brain. Being either younger or older at the time of cancer diagnosis as well as treatment places you at a higher risk of developing chemo brain. (1) Being anemic or just not getting all the nutrients you need can also increase chemo brain risk. If you have an infection it can also increase chemo brain risk. Certain chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, trouble sleeping, chronic pain, anxiety or depression can all increase chemo brain risk. Additionally alcohol or other mind altering substances can increase your risk. Even certain hormonal changes such as menopause are risk factors. Lastly being weak or frail can both increase your risk of chemo brain. (2)
What can you do if you find that after treatment you have developed chemo brain?
Sources
Invite Health Powders Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Invite Health has an amazing line of superfood powders that can easily be incorporated into your vision heath protocol. These powders include Reds Hx, Purples Hx and both Greens Hx and Organic Greens. These powders easily complement …
THE KETO DIET~ IS IT OR ISN’T IT GOOD FOR EVERYONE? By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT The Keto Diet…we’ve all heard about it, we all have opinions on it, but what do we really know about this diet theory. It seems as though …
SHILAJIT~WHAT IS IT AND WHY DO YOU NEED IT?
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
Shilajit, pronounced she-lah-jeet, is one of the most versatile nutraceuticals available. However, it is not commonly discussed and is beginning to gain traction within the wellness community. But just what is it? Let’s discuss this further and learn how it may be beneficial to you to add to your current wellness regimen.
Shilajit come from the Himalayans and has been a staple in Ayurveda Medicine for centuries. As certain plants go through the decomposition process with microorganisms (living things only seen under a microscope), it creates a powerhouse nutraceutical known as shilajit…talk about a “circle of life”. It is believed to be a safe nutraceutical for most people to use. The article ‘Shilajit: A Natural Phytocomplex with Potential Precognitive Activity’ from The National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information, shilajit is a highly absorbable antioxidant making it ideal for promoting healthy cells and anti-aging.
Given the benefits of such a super antioxidant, Shilajit can be helpful for so many other areas of wellness. Men, particularly those over the age of 45, who are looking to increase DHEA, testosterone and/or free testosterone may want to consider shilajit, as it has been shown in studies to raise these levels when compared to those given a placebo. The abstract ‘Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia, has shown that shilajit has also been effective in studies when looking at male fertility. It was shown effective in increasing sperm count as well as sperm mobility, thereby increasing fertility.
Shilajit has been studied for its antiviral properties. It has shown to be helpful as an anti-inflammatory, for brain health and to support a healthy immune system. It’s been particularly effective when studied for such viruses as herpes simplex 1 and 2 and human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This is showing excellent signs of being a go-to immunity booster to aid in fighting certain types of viruses.
Brain health is a big concern for so many people. Shilajit has been shown to be a safe and effective for supporting healthy brain function. It has traditionally been used for enhance cognitive function and memory, including lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by slowing the aging of the brain cells. It can also be effective for those with epilepsy and reducing anorexia. While more clinical trials are being done to further prove these uses, the preliminary studies show a lot of promise.
Heart disease is one of the leading health issue affect us today. Shilajit has been considered to be helpful in reducing triglycerides and cholesterol levels when compared to using a placebo. Thus, helping to lower risk of heart attack and stroke. It has also shown effective in relieving some of the symptoms for those suffering from heart palpitations and abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmias. This has the potential to be a game changer for those with a history of heart disease.
So what makes shilajit so effective for such a wide variety of health and wellness issues? It is the fulvic acid that makes up a large part of shilajit. The fulvic acid comes from matter like soil, water sources and even peat. It forms in these types of natural matter when many types of plants breakdown and go through the natural process of decomposition, leaving fulvic acid. As you can see by the chart below, the list of benefits of shilajit, its minerals and furvic acid.
Fig. 1 Components of Shilajit (67)
As you can see, Shilajit can be helpful for a wide variety of health and wellness issues. As always, speak to one of our qualified nutritionists to find out the best way to incorporate this into your daily routine. I encourage you to try this versatile nutraceutical and let us know how you like this new addition to our amazing product line.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296184/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26395129/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20078516/
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320318#use
iris.unito.it/retrieve/handle/2318/1521394/38005/Paper%20post%20print.pdf
www.medicinenet.com/what_does_shilajit_do_for_the_body/article.htm
www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1320/fulvic-acid
Figure Ref: <a href=”https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Components-of-Shilajit-67_fig1_354861320″><img src=”https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354861320/figure/fig1/AS:1072656392654849@1632752621939/Components-of-Shilajit-67.ppm” alt=”Components of Shilajit (67)”/></a>
