Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
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 …
INTRODUCING PROBIOTIC HX IMMUNE~GUT AND IMMUNE SUPPORT By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT We all know about the benefits of a probiotic. Whether you know about it through a healthcare or wellness provider or from commercials and advertisements, it’s rather familiar to us all. …
HERPES VS COLD SORES~ IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
Herpes…the word always seems make people cringe and curl their face in disbelief. It is associated with sores along the nether regions of the body. Many people are plagued with cold sores at one time or another. Some may even experience chronic breakouts. Herpes, cold sores…they look similar, but what are they and are they related?
Cold sores are something many people are familiar with, whether they’ve personally experienced them or just heard of them from television, articles or in conversations. What many don’t realize is that the technical name for a cold sore is herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1)…yes, those pesky, common cold sores are part of the herpes virus. This is recognized as sores that can eventually scab on the lips or mouth, but can also show up on the tongue, roof of the mouth, inside of the cheeks or gums. HSV1 is often transmitted through saliva by sharing food, drinks, and utensils or by kissing.
When most people hear the word HERPES they usually think of the same thing….genital herpes or herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2).
This type of herpes looks very similar to HSV1, but it’s found on and/or near the genitals and anus. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these sores can have a burning sensation and be rather itchy. Genital herpes commonly will be transmitted from person to person through skin-to-skin contact or bodily fluids. This occurs during normal sexual activity by touch, rubbing and/or intercourse.
One thing to consider is “can herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2 be transmitted between themselves?” For example, if one person has genital herpes can it be transmitted to someone else mouth and vice versa. The simple answer is YES they can. This has been shown to happen through oral sex, both giving and receiving and both men and women. HSV1 can be transmitted to the genitals and HSV2 can be transmitted to the mouth during oral sex. If one is experiencing any symptoms or an outbreak, its best to refrain from this type of activity until the outbreak is completely gone.
So, can herpes be prevented? Depending on the outbreak there are precautions that can be taken. While doctors can offer treatments, there are things that one can do themselves. In addition to supplements to help support a strong and healthy immune system, using appropriate protection (condoms) during sexual activity can help lower the risk of transmission. Choosing to abstain during an outbreak is also a sure-fire way to limit passing HSV1 and/or HSV2 to others.
Vitamin C Toning Serum is typically used as an all over face serum. The vitamin C and vitamin E in this formula, it can be very good to use topically for the herpes virus. I like to recommend dabbing a little on the affected area, but remember, a little goes a long way. Jut dab and cover the sore. However, just use this on sores near or around the mouth. It should not be taken orally or put on other parts of the body.
Probiotic Hx Immune helps support the immune system and keep it functioning smoothly. This has four different probiotic strains, a prebiotic, zinc and vitamin D. This is a perfect formula to start building the immune system to aid in fighting viruses. I always say “a strong and healthy immune system should be your first line of defense”.
L-Theanine is something that may help control breakouts from happening. We know that during times of increased stress and/or anxiety, the likelihood of a breakout increases. Therefore, managing stress and anxiety to help keep it to a minimum can help reduce breakouts of the herpes virus.
L-Lysine is often used by those with a history of herpes outbreaks, both simplex 1 and 2. It is believed that it blocks the absorption of arginine in the gut, as the herpes virus needs continuous arginine to copy and thrive in the body.
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex
www.cdc.gov/herpes/about/index.html
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
www.news-medical.net/news/20210212/Study-sheds-light-on-the-recurrence-of-herpes-simplex-virus.aspx
www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/cold-sores-at-home-care
www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/cold-sores-treatment
www.healthline.com/health/lysine-for-cold-sore#dosage
HEPATITIS~ THE TYPES, THE SUPPORT AND CAN IT BE PREVENTED? By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Hepatitis is a disease that we’ve all heard about and it also triggers fear for many when it’s discussed. It is often associated with hypodermic needle drug users, …
PINK EYE~ IT’S NOT JUST A CHILDHOOD INFECTION By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is often associated with childhood infections, as we have all probably had a classmate or even ourselves that contracted this during our school years. However, it’s …
Invite Health Gummies
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I wanted to take the time to talk about the new products Invite has recently released. You may have noticed something about them! They are in a gummy form. Now I know what you’re thinking – But Dr. Claire I thought you always said gummies aren’t very good for you? What makes Invite Health gummies different? Well that is exactly what I’m going to be blogging about today!
Let’s start with the colors in the gummies. Invite Health doesn’t use any artificial colors. So what do we use instead? In our gummies you will find Beta carotene and Black carrot extract used as colors. But does this point really matter? Well according to the Cleveland Clinic artificial colors such as red dye 40 can have side effects such as hyperactivity, irritably and can even trigger depression. There can also be allergic reactions such as skin irritation, hives and even asthma. Artificial colors can also trigger migraines. (1)
Invite gummies do not contain any artificial sweeteners. Studies have found many side effects to artificial sweeteners. So many that I couldn’t possibly begin to list them all! The most common side effects are to the digestive system, neurological system and even our heart health. (2) Now you may notice a small amount of sugar in the gummies. Why not use stevia? Well it’s simple. While stevia is a great choice for our powders when they tried them in a gummy form the extensive testing Invite does on all its products found that the results were not consistent with the type of product that is in keeping with Invite Health standards.
What else sets Invite gummies apart from other brands of gummies? There are no artificial flavorings used. So what does Invite use instead? We use natural flavors from sources such as orange, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry and even peach. Once again I’ll bet your asking why this is important. Studies have found that artificial flavors can have side effects. (3)
Another ingredient that is often found in gummies is palm oil. There is no palm oil in our gummies. Palm oil contains quite a bit of saturated fats. (4) This is that fat that is associated with an increase in blood LDL or “bad cholesterol” and this can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. (5) For more information please check out Allie Might’s blog on the different types of fats, it is entitled “Fats – The skinny you need to know.”
Now what about the doses. Aren’t all gummies so low dose as to be just fancy candy? Absolutely not! In the suggested dose of the new digestive probiotic gummy you will see it provides 5 Billion CFUs. That is exactly the same amount of CFUs as some of our other probiotics such as Probiotic Maintain. While at a glance the new collagen may seem low in how much collagen it has but it important to remember that it is a Marine based collagen and the peptides are smaller than a Bovine source would be. Thus the amount is a very reasonable amount. (6)
Lastly Invite gummies are free of both gelatin and gluten. These make them a great option for anyone who is looking for a gelatin or gluten free option. And before you ask – yes they are both KOSHER and HALAL! But HOW DO THEY TASTE? I mean they look great on the surface but a gummy that tastes bad is just plain sad. Well I have tried them and can say that they get the Dr. Claire yummy award. They taste great and have a great texture.
Invite knows that sometimes you might get tired of taking so many pills. Or you may be going on a trip where it would be impossible to take powders. Invite’s new gummies are easy to add in to any supplement protocol or even just stand alone. As always feel free to contact an Invite nutritionist with any questions.
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