Iron Plus
Iron Plus Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND One vitamin that seems to come up in conversation quite frequently is Iron Plus. People often ask questions such as I’m tired all the time, do I need to take Iron? Or I’m a vegan I must need …
Tag: heart health
Methyl-B: Feel More Energy, Fight Daily Stress and More!!!
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 …
Bilberry for Eye Health and More!!!
Bilberry for Eye Health and More!!!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
In this blog we will be talking about Bilberry. Yes you read that correct, bilberry not blueberry. Now I bet your thinking but Dr. Claire what exactly is the difference between a bilberry and blueberry? Well that is exactly what I’m going to tell you. To start with yes bilberry and blueberries are cousins. Bilberry is considered to be the wild fruit of the family and is not cultivated or grown on farms whereas blueberry is the cultured form that you get in the supermarket. Nutritionally bilberry contains 4X the antioxidants of blueberry! Bilberry contains a higher concentration of the antioxidants anthocyanins. Bilberry also contains a higher concentration of vitamins A, C, D and even K! Bilberry and blueberries also look different. While blueberries are blue on the outside and white on the inside bilberries in contrast are dark blue- purple throughout! (1) But this article is on bilberry so let’s move on. To start with just what are the benefits of bilberry? Let’s get into it, shall we?
To start with studies have found that using bilberry can help keep our eyes healthy. (2) In another study it was found when using a combination of pine bark and bilberry there was a reduction in eye pressure, which is important in talking about diseases such as glaucoma. (3) Bilberry has also been found in studies to help reduce the risk of cataracts. (4) As I talked about in my blog on diabetic retinopathy studies have found that bilberry can help to reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy. (5)
In addition to helping protect our vision bilberry has other benefits that help keep us healthy. In fact studies have found that bilberry can help to strengthen our blood vessels. Studies have found that bilberry can even help with reducing LDL and improve circulation. Bilberry has even been found to help with poor circulation such as in those who have chronic venous insufficiency. Studies have found that bilberry may even help to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. While more studies are needed in people with diabetes those using bilberry have reported a reduction in blood sugar. (6) In fact according to diabetes. UK bilberry may be useful a useful addition in those looking to lower their glucose levels. Why is this so important? It is important because in diabetes and basically any situation where it’s important to have good control over your diabetes any supplement that can help is always a good addition to your protocol. In fact studies have found that those who have diabetic retinopathy and use bilberry have stronger blood vessels as well as reduced hemorrhaging. (7)
Bilberry has also been used to improve diarrhea due to the fact that it contains tannins which act both as an anti-inflammatory as well as an astringent. (6)
As you can see bilberry is a powerful nutrient. But where exactly can you find bilberry in the Invite Health line of products? It is found in Macula Advanced. But if you’re not a fan of pills it’s also found in the following powders – both Greens Hx and Organic Greens, Reds Hx and Purples Hx! For more information on where to find Bilberry please feel free to contact an Invite nutritionist! Our next topic will be dry eye!
Sources:
- https://arcticflavors.com/blueberries/blueberry-vs-bilberry-what-is-the-difference-between-blueberry-and-bilberry/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146147/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33536714/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/bilberry
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10181411/
- https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/bilberry#:~:text=Bilberry%20has%20been%20suggested%20as,degeneration%2C%20glaucoma%2C%20and%20cataracts
- https://www.diabetes.co.uk/natural-therapies/bilberry-extract.html
FATS~THE SKINNY YOU NEED TO KNOW
FATS~THE SKINNY YOU NEED TO KNOW By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT When talking about health, wellness and diet, the subject of fats always seems to scare people. I’ve heard such things as ‘fats are bad’ to ‘I don’t consume any fats because they’ll …
VEGETABLES~GREENS AND BEYOND
VEGETABLES~GREENS AND BEYOND By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Vegetables and greens always seem to be the most difficult for people to eat enough of on a daily basis. As I’ve talked to people over the years on this subject, I’ve noticed a few …
Heart Health: The Complete Summary
Heart Health: The Complete Summary
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I hope this series on heart health has been both informative and interesting! While I took the time in this series to review some rather severe heart conditions I also wanted to do a quick summary on what steps you can take before these concerns develop or to help slow down their progression once you are diagnosed with them. Let’s start at the beginning shall we? Many of the risk factors for heart disease such as blood pressure, high cholesterol have few if any symptoms. That is why I always recommend going to your doctor and getting routine blood work as a first step to staying healthy. The next step in getting our heart healthy is to do a life style review. Do you smoke? Drink alcohol to excess? Have a standard American diet? Do you have poor sleep habits? Be honest when you write down the risk factors you may have. Remember we can only help you if you are completely honest with us. As we always say there’s no judgement here! The next step is to talk to family members and find out what may or may not run in your family. Lastly before you visit or call an Invite nutritionist it is a great idea to make a list of any and all supplements as well as medications that you are taking. Once you haves all this information an Invite nutritionist can help get you on a protocol made just for you. For now I’ll just review a few of my personal favorite tips to help heart health.
- Life style changes! Working on our life style is never easy but it is one of the most important ways to positively affect both our heart health as well as our overall health. One of the best ways to help our heart is to stop smoking. It is also important to decrease alcohol intake. Reducing stress and increasing the amount/ quality of sleep you are getting can also help our heart. (1) L-Theanine has been found in studies to help with both stress and anxiety! When used at night it can also help to improve sleep. (2) Magnesium has also been found in studies to help with both cortisol (stress related hormone) and sleep. (3) Now I know what you are thinking – can I use both these things at the same time? Yes you can! The next life style change that can help our heart is maintaining a healthy weight. (1) For some amazing tips on this topic please check out Allie Might’s blog Weight loss tips and tricks.
- Studies have found that a Mediterranean diet is very good for our heart health. In fact the more closely the diet is followed the better the outcome that was experienced. (4) During this series I wrote about Invite Reds and Greens Hx. If you look at my blogs on these 2 items you can easily see how these powders are full of heart health nutrients! In addition to Reds Hx and Greens Hx, we can’t forget my personal favorite, Beets Hx! These powders are chock full of fruits and vegetables which is a large part of the Mediterranean diet that has been studies for so many different health concerns.(5)
- Resveratrol is one of my number 1 supplement recommendations for heart health. I know when most people think of Resveratrol they think of it for anti-aging. However Resveratrol has been studied and found to have numerous benefits when it comes to heart health. For example Resveratrol has been found to help with the symptoms of heart failure. Resveratrol has also been found to help with coronary artery disease and even atherosclerosis! According to studies Resveratrol can even help with our cholesterol and our blood pressure. (6)
- CoQ10 is another amazing nutrient when it comes to our heart. Studies have found numerous benefits for CoQ10 for heart health. These benefits include helping with blood pressure, signs of heart failure, enlarged heart and it can even help with ischemic heart disease or poor circulation to the heart. (7)
- Omega 3s are one of the first things I recommend for helping with our cholesterol. According to the Mayo Clinic there is strong evidence that Omega 3s can help with lowering triglycerides and even help raise our HDL! There is also strong evidence that Omega 3s can help with our blood pressure. (8)
- The next item I want to mention is Ribose Complex. Since I already did a product highlight on this amazing supplement I will simply direct you to my blog that highlights all the ways that Ribose complex is a heart healthy supplement.
- Lastly I want to point out how important it is to monitor your blood work. If you notice any consistent changes such as a slow but consistent increase in cholesterol it is important to start making changes before it becomes “high”. As I always say prevention is best!
I will be moving on from this topic, but I want to remind everyone that Invite nutritionists are always available to help answer any questions you may have.
Sources:
- https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/life-after-a-heart-attack/lifestyle-changes-for-heart-attack-prevention
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-aids/l-theanine-for-sleep#:~:text=L%2Dtheanine%20is%20also%20sold,for%20high%20quality%2C%20restful%20sleep.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/
- https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313348
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9317652/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6413130/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6131403/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-fish-oil/art-20364810#:~:text=There’s%20strong%20evidence%20that%20omega,%22)%20cholesterol%20also%20was%20observed.