Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Boosting Energy and Supporting Heart Health all with Ribose Complex Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND One of my favorite products for heart health is called Ribose Complex. This is an amazing and complete formula for keeping our heart healthy. Ribose Complex contains D-Ribose, Alcar, Malic Acid, …
What is a Myocardial infarction or Heart Attack? Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND What exactly is a myocardial infarction or MI? Well in layman’s terms, it is what is known as a heart attack. But what exactly happens during a heart attack? Basically during a …
Sterols Plus Hx: InVite’s Comprehensive Cholesterol Targeting Formula!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Our product spotlight is one that that I think is an amazing formula for cholesterol. What is this wonderful formula you ask? Sterols Plus Hx! Sterols plus is a combination of things that helps with our cholesterol. To start with what exactly is in sterols plus? There is Beta Glucan, Red yeast rice, phytosterols and cranberry.
Beta glucan is a very well known supplement for cholesterol. Studies have found that Beta Glucan can help with high cholesterol and even metabolic syndrome. If you recall my series on blood sugar you will recall metabolic syndrome includes high cholesterol among other things. Studies have also found that Beta glucan can help with obesity and even insulin resistance. Beta Glucans are an important part of lowering cholesterol in that studies have found that they are able to significantly reduce LDL and total cholesterol. In addition to helping with high cholesterol Beta glucan has shown promise in decreasing overall cardiovascular risk. In other words studies show it’s an excellent supplement to use to decrease the risk of a problem before it develops. Beta Glucan is also good for other parts of our body including our immune system. For this series however I’ll be concentrating on heart health and how the parts of Sterols plus helps our heart.
The next item in the Sterols plus formula is one that almost everyone has heard of. It is the famous Red Yeast Rice! Studies have found Red Yeast Rice to be one of the most effective cholesterol lowering supplements available. Additionally studies have found that Red Yeast Rice lowers both total cholesterol and LDL levels approximately 15-25% within 6-8 weeks. Additionally according to the Mayo clinic studies find that it helps to lower triglycerides. Another study found it helps to increase HDL. Red yeast rice is considered safe but, I would like to point out that it can interfere with certain medications. If you are taking any medications, it is important to reach out to an Invite nutritionist. Remember that is what we are here for.
Phytosterols or sterols are most likely my favorite things to use for cholesterol. I know everyone wants to hear about studies but, everyone also has clinical experience that can be just as interesting to hear about as studies. My clinical experience shows that sterols are amazing for lowering the total cholesterol and LDL. But it’s not just me saying how great sterols are, the Cleveland clinic also says that sterols can help lower cholesterol levels. The Cleveland clinic recommends using sterols to help lower risk of cholesterol for those with a family history of high cholesterol or for those with a family history or a personal history of heart disease and atherosclerosis. Now I know what some people are thinking and that is – what do the studies show? Studies have found that sterols lower LDL. By lowering LDL, you also lower the total cholesterol since the total includes LDL levels. In studies sterols were found to lower LDL by 6-12%.
Lastly, we have Cranberry Extract. Now I know what you’re going to say, cranberry extract is for a UTI! And yes it is amazing for that use but, it has other uses as well. Studies have found that cranberry is much more than just a supplement for our urinary tract. Studies have found it can significantly lower LDL and total cholesterol after 12 weeks. Additionally, studies have found that cranberry helps to lower the risk of atherosclerosis as well as lower LDL and total cholesterol.
Now there is 1 item in Sterols Plus Hx that I didn’t mention when I talked about the about the active ingredients. This was a surprise ingredient! What is it you ask? Stevia! Now I know people think that Stevia is just a sweetener. But studies show it is good at lowering LDL and increasing HDL!
Overall Sterols Plus Hx is a fantastic product that both studies and my clinical experience shows works well.
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Our next topic will be a more sensitive topic – Heart attack.
The Good and Bad of Cholesterol Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Cholesterol is a topic that gets plenty of attention. Atherosclerosis is another topic that gets a lot of attention. But what are these things? What is the relationship between them? And perhaps most importantly …
The Wonders of Veins Hx! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND For our product spotlight I wanted to pick one of my favorites for circulation. This formula is called Veins Hx! Veins Hx is a formula made of a combination of vitamins and extracts that studies …
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) and Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), also known as Poor Circulation!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Anyone who has ever had to stand for long periods of time knows what it feel like when you start moving around. That tired, cramping and overall discomfort is exactly like the early signs of PVD. When most people call and ask for help regarding poor circulation, what they are referring to is PVD or CVI. Both PVD and CVI are conditions that the earlier that they are addressed the better the outcomes. What exactly are these conditions?
Basically in PVD, what happens is your blood vessels become narrow, blocked or begin to spasm. As this happens, the blood vessel space becomes narrow and there is less room for the blood to flow. Blood flow to an area is thus reduced. This commonly occurs in your legs, arms, stomach, intestines and even kidneys! (1) CVI is very similar in that in this case the veins have trouble returning the blood to the heart and in essence it tends to collect and form a pool of blood. This is very common in the legs for example. In many cases this happens because the blood vessels are so wide that the valves that normally help promote blood upward do not function properly. In both cases our circulation is not up to par and needs to be addressed. (2)
One of the most common symptoms of PVD is called claudication. This is pain in your leg muscles when you are walking fast or for long periods of time. The pain goes away with rest. This pain occurs because the blood flow in reduced to the muscles. As the PVD progresses and gets worse the symptoms will occur more frequently and will take longer to recover from. In addition to pain when walking the legs will also have decreased hair growth. There can also be muscle cramps when lying in bed. The muscle may also start to feel numb or have a “heavy” feeling. If the PVD is in the arms/legs they may turn red /blue or become pale with pale thin skin. There could be ulcers or wounds that either don’t heal or are very slow to heal. The pulse in the feet may start to become weak. You may also notice that your toes become blue and that the toe nails are thick and opaque. I would like to take a moment to say if you suddenly develop a cold, painful pale limb with weak or no pulse that is an emergency! Go to the hospital or call 911. If treatment is delayed there may be severe complications including, amputations! (3) CVI can have similar symptoms but can also include swelling of the legs and the presence of varicose veins. (2)
What are the most common causes of PVD? In some cases blood vessels have an exaggerated response to the environment that causes them to become narrow and thus have poor circulation. For example in Raynaud’s disease stress and temperature can affect blood flow. Other common stressors that can cause the vessels to over react include operating vibrating machines or tools. Certain drugs can also cause this response. Other causes of PVD cause an actual change in the blood vessel. For example atherosclerosis causes the space in the blood vessel to become smaller. Other examples of things that can cause this change in blood vessels are smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and increased cholesterol. Injuries, inflammation and even infections are all risk factors for poor circulation. CVI is usually caused by standing or sitting all day, having a history of blood clots, and being overweight and female. Pregnancy is also a risk factor. (2)
What are the risk factors that you can look out for? First is having a family history of high cholesterol, high blood pressure or poor circulation. Being over 50 and being overweight can also increase your risk. A lack of physical activity, poor diet as well as smoking and drug use all risk factors as well. In addition to having a family history having a personal history of abnormal cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease or stroke are all risk factors. Having a history of kidney disease also increases your risk. (4) Standing on your feet all day or sitting at a desk are also a risk factor for poor circulation. (2)
As I stated earlier an early diagnosis is the key to helping prevent complications from poor circulation. If you suspect you have poor circulation it is important to see your doctor. Depending on the medications you need there are a few supplements that studies show can be helpful!