Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Green Tea, our most common questions!!! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Green Tea is probably one supplement that everyone has heard of! It’s probably been written about by almost everyone, including me! So why write about it again you ask? Well it’s recently come to …
Opportunistic Infections Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND What do we mean by the phrase opportunistic infections? Well it is exactly what it sounds like, it is an infection that takes the opportunity to grow when your immune system is compromised. Some types of cancer and …
Min Acid
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Min Acid is an excellent formula for helping heal our digestive tract. However I get quite a few questions about this item. In this blog I’ll be reviewing some of the most common questions I get asked! Let’s start with what is probably the most common question I have gotten thus far about this product. “I have high blood pressure is this product safe for me to use?” Licorice extracts normally contain a compound called glycyrrhizin. This is the part of licorice that affects blood pressure. DGL, or deglycyrrhizinated licorice does not contain glycyrrhizin and thus should not affect potassium levels. According to Mount Sinai DGL “does not seem to have the undesired side effects of licorice”. (1) In other words by removing the glycyrrhizin it makes the DGL form different in that it “does not alter blood pressure, kidney function or even hormones”. (2) Therefore YES it is safe to use!
The next question I will be discussing is also very common. If I take Min Acid will it stop me from breaking down my food? Simply put – NO it won’t. That is because of the way it works. For example DGL helps to promote mucous which protects the mucous membranes from harm. In other words rather than inhibit acid DGL works to improve our bodies’ defenses against the acid. (3) Marshmallow root, another nutrient in Min Acid is an anti-inflammatory. (4)
What does Min Acid do for us? DGL has been found to reduce gastric and intestinal discomfort. Studies have found DGL can also help with an inflamed throat. (5) Marshmallow as I said is found to have anti-inflammatory benefits. (4) Studies have also found that marshmallow root can help to heal wounds. It can also help to reduce pain such as when you have a sore throat. Studies have found that in addition to helping with ulcers, acid reflux it may help repair a damaged gut lining! Marshmallow may also help with constipation. (6) Plantain root adds certain benefits as well. One of these benefits is that it is a prebiotic and helps to “feed” the good bacteria that protect our GI tract. (7) Slippery elm has been found to help increase mucous secretion in our digestive tract. This is how it protects us form things such as stomach ulcers, colitis, diverticulitis and any GI tract damage. Slippery elm has also been found to help with either diarrhea or constipation and eve n reduce any inflammation in our gut. (8)
Another question I get asked is how do I take this product? Well it is recommended to chew and swallow after food. Now just as an aside I have had people who find that taking it before meals works better. If you find that Min Acid doesn’t work as well as expected you can try taking it before food or even in the middle of your meal. On a similar note I’ve had a few people ask me if they have to chew it. The answer is yes, it is better if you chew and swallow. If you think about it this makes sense. As you chew and then swallow the nutrients coat the cells of your mouth, throat and digestive tract thus promoting their health. In my clinical experience working with people who have digestive concerns a formula such as Min Acid works better in a chewable form than a pill.
How does all this related to my blog on mucositis? Well as I’ve said the benefits of Min Acid include reducing inflammation, heat gut damage and even help to reduce diarrhea/ constipation. These benefits are important for those who have mucositis. For more information on mucositis please see my blog on this topic!
Overall Min Acid is an excellent formula for our overall gut health. Our next topic will be Opportunist Infections.
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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 will answer those questions and more! Basically when you methylate a vitamin you are either adding or taking off a methyl group. When this process is done to the B vitamins it “activates” them. When you take a methylated B complex it is already activated, however when you take an unmethylated B complex the body must perform the methylation process itself. (1) To sum things up Methyl- B complex is an activated or turned on complex whereas an unmethylated B complex is a form that has to be “turned on” by the body.
Now I bet your thinking but why does this even matter? One reason why it matters is that it affects the speed at which the B complex goes to work. A methylated B complex will go to work immediately. This is because it’s already turned on. When you take unmethylated B complex you have to turn them on if you will. This takes time hence increasing the amount of time it takes to see affects. There is also a part of the population who have a gene variation called MTHFR. (1) This variation can make it difficult to activate or methylate our vitamins. For example having MTHFR can make methylation of folic acid and B12 difficult if not impossible. (2, 3) Thus for anyone with the MTHFR it is important to take the methyl form of B vitamins. However, even those without the mutation benefit from a methyl B since as I have said it works right away because it is already in the active form.
Now if you compare the vitamins in our Methyl- B you will notice some say methyl and some don’t. That is because some need to be methylated while the others don’t need to be but are included because they are important in the methylation process. (4) This is also why you may notice that there are some B vitamins in the B 100 complex that aren’t in the Methyl- B. The B 100 complex has all the B vitamins whereas the Methyl- B formula concentrates on those that must be activated or are important in the methylation process. Another difference you may notice is the amount of each B vitamin. Because the Methyl- B vitamins are easier for the body to use you often get the benefits at a lower dose. (1) So to answer your question no you don’t need to take multiple pills to get any benefit! If you’re confused which B complex is right for you I suggest speaking to an Invite nutritionist?
What exactly are B vitamins helpful for? Well B vitamins are important for our red blood cells, energy, and nerve and muscle health (including our heart). B vitamins are also important for our vision and eye health. Our brain also requires B vitamins to work optimally. B vitamins also impact both our appetite and digestion. Lastly B vitamins play a role in our hormones and even cholesterol health. For those that are pregnant or nursing B vitamins are important for the baby’s brain development as well as reduce the risk of certain birth defects. B vitamins can also help maintain energy, reduce nausea and even decrease the risk of preeclampsia in those who are pregnant. (5)
As you can see the B vitamins can help with many aspects of our health. Feel free to talk to an Invite nutritionist for more information. Our next topic will be dealing with weight loss during cancer treatments.
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