Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Dehydration Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND One topic that seems to come up frequently is dehydration. This topic is important, especially in the summer weather because a common cause of dehydration is simply sweating. As we all know, the hot, humid weather that is typical of …
Aged Garlic Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Garlic is a nutrient that as a supplement or even spicy food enhancer can be found everywhere. The benefits of using garlic as either a supplement or even just as a spice to add to our food are numerous. …
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 can be rather subjective.
When I think of health, I think of how to maintain my overall general health. This includes such areas as doctor visits and blood work, medications and supplements, and diet choices. While we know these are important, do we know why and are they necessary everyone?
Annual doctor visits for a physical is important to see your improvements, see where more focus needs to be, and to bring up any questions or concerns you may have for your doctor. During the visit you’ll have your physical exam, where the doctor will check such areas like blood pressure, listening to the heart and lungs, checking throat/lymph nodes and checking reflexes. Keep in mind that each doctor and patient has their own way of conducting these exams for the patient’s unique needs. This is also the time when the doctor will decide with lab work needs to be ordered or even make referrals for specialists based off of conversations with the patient, medical history and health concerns or goals.
So what lab work is commonly ordered? This lab work will usually start with a complete blood count or CBC. This is what most of us refer to as ‘routine blood work’. This is a great way for your doctor and other health and wellness professionals to see any improvements, establish areas of concern and monitor health markers. Some of these health markers include, but are not limited to A1C (blood sugar), CRP (inflammation), TSH (thyroid) and creatinine/BUN (kidney function). Often times these are looked at to see if there’s any fluctuation from blood test to blood test, which may help to notice a potential issue early to hopefully avoid future problems. Other test that may be recommended, may be stool test, urine tests or even a hormone panel. They are also used to help guide doctors and health professionals in recommending any necessary medications and/or supplements. Taking both prescribed medications, as well as any supplements, as recommended is incredibly important. They are recommended a certain way to help you to maximize your wellness and to help avoid possible interactions or further health problems. If you feel like something you’re taking isn’t right for you, speak with your doctor or health professional for guidance.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reminds us that a healthy diet is important for our overall general health. This is to help prevent malnutrition and help lower the risk of illness and disease. A healthy diet consists of lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, some dairy, healthy fats like avocado and plenty of water. As always, it’s recommended to avoid or lower the consumption of processed foods, sugar, salt and trans-fats.
Multivitamins are always my go-to as a baseline for a solid supplement regimen. Something like the Core Multi can offer a variety of essential daily vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They help to enhance our diets by not only supplying what we need, but also by giving he body what we may be lacking in our diet. I like to recommend taking a multi with a meal for maximum absorption and benefits. You may even notice and increase of energy from a good multi, which most are happy looking to increase.
Probiotic Hx is something everyone has heard of when it comes to supplements for general health. A good probiotic formula helps to add healthy bacteria to the gut, as well as balance out the flora within the body. Probiotics can also help to support a strong and healthy immune system.
Fish oil is an omega-3 fatty acid that’s made up of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). According to the The Mayo Clinic, studies have shown to be effective in helping those with heart disease. Fish oil has also been beneficial for those with elevated blood pressure and triglyceride levels.
As you can see, partnering with your doctor, and being open and honest about your diet, supplementation, goals and concerns, is a big key in your overall general health. Following your doctors recommendations is also important for health and protecting yourself against illness or disease, whether its medication, tests needed or any procedures that are recommended. Your holistic practitioner can help guide you and recommend complimentary strategies. I always tell people that the best wellness plan is diet, exercise, annual physicals and blood work, along with a combination of natural and traditional health plan.
health.clevelandclinic.org/why-you-need-an-annual-physical-and-what-to-expect
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/annual-complete-blood-count-an-important-step-in-assessing-health/
www.nebraskamed.com/health/questions-and-answers/primary-care/what-blood-tests-should-i-get-at-my-annual-physical-and
www.aamc.org/news/why-don-t-patients-follow-their-doctors-advice
www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-of-multivitamins
www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-benefits-of-probiotics
www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-fish-oil/art-20364810
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 …
From a Naturopathic Point of View Part 4 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND The importance of western and holistic medicine working together! One of the key pathways to helping people become healthy is learning how to balance both western and holistic medicine. These 2 ways …
Krill Oil vs Fish Oil
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
One of the most confusing topic’s in the vitamin world is the difference between krill oil and fish oil. I get asked pretty much all the time what exactly is the difference between the 2. How does one pick which one they should use? Well these are all important questions that I’ll be reviewing in this blog. So let’s get into it, shall we?
Before I get into this topic too deeply I want to emphasize that I’ll be strictly talking about Invite’s Krill Oil and Fish Oil. For example some krill oil brands may have fish oil added which would alter some of its properties. Other brands of fish oil may contain different types of fish when compared to Invite. This is neither good nor bad but just different. So to start with just what are krill oil and fish oil? Well both krill oil and fish oil are natural sources of EPA and DHA, or omega 3 fatty acids. Krill oil is an oil derived from tiny shell fish called krill. Invite Fish Oil is derived from Anchovy! Now before you go any further if you are allergic to shell fish it’s not advisable to use krill oil since it is extracted from a shell fish.
As I said fish oil and krill oil are both omega 3s. Krill oil omega 3s are attached to a phospholipid whereas fish oil is attached to a Triacylglycerol. This change in attached molecule can affect how well the omega 3s are absorbed. (1) Studies have found that in some cases krill may be easier to absorb. (2) Another difference is that krill oil is a natural source of Astaxanthin, which studies have shown is good for the heart. (3)
Fish oil has the benefit of being more easily assessable. It has also been studied more since it is older than krill oil. This means we have more information on how it works and any potential side effects or drug interactions. Another benefit to using fish oil over krill oil is that it tends to be higher in omega 3s at a lower cost. (4)
So when to use fish and when do you use krill? And then there is perhaps another of the most frequently asked questions, can I use both fish and krill at the same time? The simple answer is you absolutely can! Using either fish or krill oil is something that can involve several questions to help decide. First off are you allergic to shell fish? Well then you shouldn’t use krill but rather should use fish oil. Are you allergic to Anchovy? Well then you should use krill rather than fish. What is your budget like? Depending on our budget you may find it more convenient to choose one over the other or it may not matter. The next question is what are you goals in taking krill oil or fish oil? In my clinical experience as a Naturopathic I have found that krill oil use is associated with reports from customers as being better at improving memory and overall brain health. That is why when it comes to memory and brain health I usually recommend krill. Now when it comes to heart health and inflammation I find that customer feedback favors fish oil as being more helpful. So basically to sum things up in my clinical experience based on customer feedback I use krill oil for memory/ brain health and fish oil for heart/ general inflammation.
Now I know I mentioned allergies however I also want to mention that due to the fact that krill oil is attached to a phospholipid whereas fish oil is attached to a Triacylglycerol this means that krill is less likely to cause “fish burps” in anyone who is sensitive. Additionally krill oil capsules are smaller than fish oil so if you have trouble swallowing pills you may want to choose krill. Lastly if you do not eat shellfish due to religious reasons you may want to choose fish oil.
Now if you’re still feeling confused feel free to email me at carcidiacono@invitehealth.com!
Next up will be a Naturopathic viewpoint on the importance of Western and Holistic medicine working together to meet your health goas!
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