Tag: energy

PROTEIN (POWDER): THE IMPORTANT NUTRIENT WE ALL KNOW

PROTEIN (POWDER): THE IMPORTANT NUTRIENT WE ALL KNOW

PROTEIN (POWDER): THE IMPORTANT NUTRIENT WE ALL KNOW By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT   Protein is that nutrient that everyone knows and everyone loves. But how well do we know all the proteins available? Let’s navigate through one of our favorite foods and discuss 

Nattokinase!

Nattokinase!

Nattokinase! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND What the heck is Nattokinase? Where does it come from? What exactly does it do? Is it just for heart health or does it do anything else for us? These are just some of the questions that people have about 

What is Angina?

What is Angina?

What is Angina?

Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND

 

Angina or heart/chest pain is one of the first signs that many experience when they have heart disease. However there are other conditions that mimic angina. One of these is anxiety. Angina and anxiety share many symptoms including a feeling of chest pain, nausea, rapid heartbeat, breathlessness and a feeling that the heart is being squeezed.  Because the two are so similar it is important to see a doctor to confirm what is causing the chest pain. As I always say it’s better to be safe than sorry.  (1)

Now let’s do a quick review of symptoms.  The general symptoms of angina include chest pain that may feel like its burning, squeezing or even just feels very full. There may be a feeling of pressure in the chest area. The pain may also radiate to the arms, neck, jaw, shoulder or back. There may be a feeling of dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, and even increased sweating.  Now remember how when I wrote about heart attack I mentioned that in some cases women are more likely to have atypical symptoms? Well that is also true with angina.  Some women may have the typical symptoms or may present with more severe stomach pain, nausea, shortness s of breath, stabbing pain or pain in the jaw, neck or back.  (2)

Now I know I spoke about how Angina and Anxiety resemble each other and even went over some of the symptoms of angina but what exactly is angina? Angina is a condition where there is chest pain caused by a decrease in the blood flow to the heat. General signs of angina are as I said a feeling of pain, squeezing, pressure and tightness in the chest. Angina is broken down into 4 types. These are stable, unstable, variant and refractory. (2)

Let’s start with the most common form of angina, stable angina. Stable angina is caused by activity or emotional stress. When you have stable angina the symptoms are often predictable because the same amount of activity will trigger angina to occur. The symptoms will improve with rest or medications. (3)

Unstable angina causes unexpected chest pain and occurs while you are resting. Unlike stable angina it is considered to be an emergency situation. Additionally unstable angina unlike stable angina is not relieved by rest or medication. (4)

Variant Angina is also known as Prinzmetal or vasospastic angina. In this case the angina occurs usually while you are asleep and resting. Unlike other forms of angina where coronary artery disease is the common cause of the decreased blood flow in variant angina the decrease in blood flow is caused by spasms of the coronary arteries. These spasms can be caused by medications, recreational drug use, tobacco and stress. This type of angina is considered rare and according to the American Heart Association accounts for only 2 out of every 100 cases of angina. (5)

The last type of angina is refractory angina and is defined as “a chronic condition of angina caused by coronary artery disease which cannot be controlled by a combination of medical therapy, angioplasty or bypass and the damage caused by ischemia is the cause of the symptoms.” (6) Ok I bet you read that and said ok now what does it all mean? It basically means that the treatments no longer help the angina pain because the decreased blood flow has caused damage to the heart and this damage not just the decrease in blood flow is what is now causing the symptoms.

Now that I’ve gone over the types of angina lets go over the most common risk factors for developing angina. Now I just want to point out that angina is a symptom of an underling heart problem. Having one of these will trigger angina.  One of the most common is coronary artery disease (CAD). Now I won’t go into too much detail here because I plan on doing a whole blog on CAD. What I will say is that in CAD the coronary arteries become blocked thus blood flow is reduced. Angina is also caused by coronary microvascular disease where the tiny arteries that branch from the larger arteries are damaged. Lastly, spasms of the coronary arteries can cause angina. Now I know these are underlying heart conditions that can lead to angina but what are the risk factors? Well the risk factors include age, family history of angina, exposure to pollution, alcohol use and a poor diet. Having a history of metabolic syndrome, heart failure, heart valve disease, high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy and even anemia can all increase the risk of angina. (7)

One of the most severe concerns when dealing with angina is that it may be sign you are having a heart attack. This is why if you are having chest pain that lasts longer than a few minutes or isn’t relieved with medications it is important to go to the hospital just to be safe. (2)

Now when it comes to angina it is important to concentrate on our circulation:

  • Grape Seed has great potential in helping with circulation according to studies. (8) Please see Invite’s Grape Seed Extract!
  • L Arginine according the Mayo clinic is helping for opening up the blood vessels and can be helpful for circulation. (9) Please see Invite’s L Arginine! And also please check out my product spotlight on Beets Hx which highlights how beets is a great source of L Arginine!
  • Aged Garlic has also been found to be very helpful for our heart health including improving our circulation. (10) Please see Invite’s Aged Garlic
  • Hawthorne as we know is amazing for heart health and according to studies it is very helpful in working with atherosclerosis which is a huge risk factor for poor circulation. (11) Please see Invite’s Cardio Hx and Normo- Tensive
  • Please see my product spotlight on Veins Hx for more on this amazing circulation formula!
  • Let’s not forget diet! Studies have found that the Mediterranean diet is amazing for our heart health. (12)
  • Our next product spotlight will be on Nattokinase

Sources

  1. https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/symptoms/angina
  2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/angina/symptoms-causes/syc-20369373
  3. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/diseases-conditions/stable-angina#:~:text=Stable%20angina%20is%20chest%20pain,%2C%20atria%2C%20arteries%20and%20veins
  4. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/angina-chest-pain/unstable-angina
  5. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21867-prinzmetal-angina
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6159461/
  7. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/angina/causes
  8. https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2022/11180/pilot_study_on_the_effect_of_grape_seed.38.aspx
  9. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/expert-answers/l-arginine/faq-20058052
  10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6966200/
  11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7047282/
  12. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313348

Purples Hx and the Heart!

Purples Hx and the Heart!

Purples Hx and the Heart! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND   I wanted to take the time to talk about one of the most under rated products at Invite health. What product is this you ask? Why its Purples Hx! Purples Hx is an amazing combination 

ALLIE’S WEIGHT LOSS TIPS AND TRICKS

ALLIE’S WEIGHT LOSS TIPS AND TRICKS

ALLIE’S WEIGHT LOSS TIPS AND TRICKS By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT   As we get into January, the hot topic always seems to be weight loss, as it’s probably one of the moth popular resolutions made…and also one that always seems to be one 

WEIGHT LOSS~A TASTY WAY TO HELP REACH THAT GOAL

WEIGHT LOSS~A TASTY WAY TO HELP REACH THAT GOAL

WEIGHT LOSS~A TASTY WAY TO HELP REACH THAT GOAL

By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT

 

As we enter a New Year, a common goal for many people is to lose weight…and their mantra is usually “New Year, New Me”. But, how can we stick to a plan and accomplish that goal? Well, a big key is meals. Here are my favorite meal replacement shakes to help reach that weight loss goal.

 

JUICY GARDEN SHAKE

1 cup water

1 cup ice

1 large tomato

1 scoop Plant Protein Powder

1 scoop Greens Hx

Cut tomato into quarters. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into large glass, drink and enjoy.

 

FRUITY PARFAIT SMOOTHIE

1 cup water

1 cup ice

2 scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

1 Tablespoon raw honey

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 scoop Reds Hx

1 mint leaf

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into large glass, drink and enjoy.

 

LEVELED UP ORANGE JUICE

1 cup water

½ cup orange juice

1 cup ice

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

2 scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

1 scoop Oranges Hx

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into large glass, drink and enjoy.

 

A SPICY MORNING

1 cup water

1 cup ice

½ avocado

1 scoop Plant Protein Powder

1 scoop Greens Hx

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Small handful cilantro

Juice of half a lemon

Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into large glass, drink and enjoy.

 

NUTS ABOUT GOALS

½ cup water

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 cup ice

1 scoop Plant Protein Powder

1 scoop Cocoa Hx

1 scoop Chia Seeds

2 Tablespoons nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew, etc.)

Dash of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and let sit 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator until thickened. East with a spoon and enjoy.

 

GREEN TEA PICK ME UP

1 cup water

1 cup ice

2 scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

1 scoop matcha powder

3 droppers Green Tea Tx

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into glass, drink and enjoy.

NOTE: This is a nice midday pick me up snack

 

“BEET” THE MIDDAY CRAVINGS

1 cup water

1 cup ice

1 scoop Plant Protein Powder

1 teaspoon raw honey

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

¼ avocado

1 scoop Beets Hx

Juice of a quarter of a lemon

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into glass, drink and enjoy.

NOTE: This is a nice midday pick me up snack

 

I hope these shakes a tasty way to help you keep focused and stay on track to accomplish your “New Year, New Me” goal. I also want to challenge you to take inspiration from these recipes and create one of your own, using your favorite supplement powders. Happy New Year and Happy Blending!!

 

Image by <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/glasses-bottles-with-colorful-drinks_4549261.htm#query=juice%20and%20bowls&position=49&from_view=search&track=ais&uuid=4caa3c9b-9159-4f10-ae83-8bbbf966ec90″>Freepik</a>