Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
SHILAJIT~WHAT IS IT AND WHY DO YOU NEED IT? By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Shilajit, pronounced she-lah-jeet, is one of the most versatile nutraceuticals available. However, it is not commonly discussed and is beginning to gain traction within the wellness community. But just …
HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS~ WHAT EXACTLY IS HPV? By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Human Papillomavirus, or HPV as it’s commonly referred to as, has been discussed quite often lately. However, do we really know what it is and how it’s spread? Having a good understanding …
Summary on Respiratory Health
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I hope that this blog series on respiratory health has been both fun and informative! I have tried to review some of the most common respiratory concerns that come up here at Invite health. Additionally I have reviewed some of my personal favorite and in my opinion best products to use for both respiratory health as well as our immune system.
What are the best ways to naturally protect our respiratory system? Hands down the best way to protect ourselves from respiratory illness is by washing our hands!! And it is also vital to AVOID touching your face. If I could only mention 2 things to do to help protect ourselves from illness it would be to wash your hands and avoid touching your face. That is how important these things are to our overall health. The next tip is to clean regularly touched surfaces. Avoid sharing things that go into your mouth. Now I know you’re probably scratching your head saying wait – what does that even mean? Well by things that go into your mouth I mean eating utensils and obviously tooth brushes. If you are ill please be considerate and stay home if possible. Also always cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Overall good hygiene is the key to success when it comes to keeping healthy. (1)
Next and probably just as important as hygiene is life style. Studies have found that a Mediterranean diet can benefit our respiratory health. (2) Another life style that is important for respiratory health is to stop smoking. (3)
Over this blog series I have reviewed a number of products that I feel are the best nutrients from Invite to help with both overall immunity and respiratory health. One such nutrient is Immunity Hx. This is a combination of 3 nutrients, vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc. Studies have found that these are critical for “the growth and function of the immune cells”. (4) Please see my blog for more information on this fantastic formula. Another nutrient that has come up frequently during this series is Olive Leaf. Studies have found numerous benefits to using olive leaf. These include anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory benefits. (5) NAC is another favorite nutrient of mine! Once again studies have found many benefits for NAC including helping with thinning mucus and relieving the symptoms of conditions such as COPD and even bronchitis. (6) Black Seed is another personal favorite that has also come up quite frequently. However I’ll direct you to my product highlight for more information on this.
But how can you add these products to your daily life? For powders it is simple to mix them into smoothies or even juice or water. Pills can be swallowed or even opened and mixed into those same smoothies. If you aren’t fond of smoothies you can always mix these things into yogurt, applesauce or even into cooked oatmeal. Here are some yummy ideas to help you! Remember there aren’t any misstates in the kitchen, just an opportunity to learn!
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Understanding Probiotics Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND If there’s one topic that is sure to confuse people it’s the topic of probiotics. Invite health has a powerful line up of probiotics. But how are they different? How do you know which one is right for …
URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI) ~ EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW, BUT HAVE NEVER ASKED By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Urinary Tract Infections, or UTIs as they are commonly referred to as, can affect people of all ages for various reasons. However, women seem …
The Flu
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Flu season, the dreaded time of the year when it seems like everyone has the flu. Flu season or the time of the year when the flus is at its peak usually occurs from October – May in the United States. But what really is the flu? The official name of the everyday common flu is Influenza and it is caused by a virus. (1)
Let’s do a quick review of the common symptoms of the flu. At first the flu may just feel like a cold with symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing and a sore throat. However the symptoms are usually worse with the flu than you would expect. The flu often involves a fever and chills as well as the sweats. There is often muscle aches as well. There may also be eye pain, headache as well as fatigue. In addition to a cough you may have shortness of breath. Children are more likely to experience vomiting and diarrhea than adults.
While anyone can get the flu there are certain risk factors that increase your chance of getting sick. The first risk for more severe illness is age. In children under 12 months or in adults over 65 there is a higher risk of severe illness. Those who work or live in locations with residents such as nursing homes or hospitals are at an increased risk of getting the flu. Those with chronic illness and a weakened immune system are also at risk of the flu. Pregnant people are also at a higher risk of developing the flu. Those who have a BMI of 40 or more are at risk for more severe illness and even complications from the flu. While most people recover quickly from the flu there are some possible complications that can occur. What are these possible complications you ask? In those under 20 years old who use long term aspirin therapy there is a risk of developing Reyes syndrome if they contract the flu. Other complications can include pneumonia, bronchitis, ARDS as well as asthma flare ups. The flu can increase the risk of ear infections. Lastly the flu can affect our hear t and trigger heart problems. (2)
How is the flu transmitted? Well it’s a virus so it travels on airborne droplets just like any other viral infection. Just like with the other viral infections we have covered if Bob coughs either on you or on a surface that you then touch and then you touch your eyes, mouth or nose you can catch the flu. As you may have noticed touching a contaminated surface and then touching our eyes, mouth or nose is a very common way to get sick. So don’t touch your face and wash your hands folks! (3) Just a heads up when you have the flu you are contagious from 1 day before your symptoms start and up to 7 days after you start to feel sick. (1)
What can you do to slow the spread of the flu? Well as I’ve said before wash your hands, clean frequently touched surfaces and don’t touch your face! Be considerate and cover your coughs and sneezes. Lastly talk to your doctor to determine if the flu vaccine is right for you. In addition it’s important to support your immune system. How can we do that? Well there’s plenty of ways to help our overall immune health.
Our next topic will be the confusing world of probiotics!
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