Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Boost your Immune Health with Beta Immunity Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Today I want to talk about a supplement that is great for those times when you’re fighting off a cold or other upper respiratory infection. That supplement is Beta Immunity! Beta Immunity is …
Seasonal Allergies! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Achoo! Achoo! Is it a cold? It is just dusty? Nope! Its allergy season! And along with allergy season is all the symptoms of allergies. Having symptoms of allergies tend to come during what is known as allergy …
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 common reasons seem to come up. Let’s take some time together to get to know our vegetables and greens, as well as address some common reasons why many aren’t getting their daily recommendation.
Let’s start at the beginning….just how much vegetables and greens do we really need in a day? According to the guidelines from the USDA, an adult should consume 2 1/2-4 cups a day. This varies slightly, as greens usually need 2 cups to actually count as the 1 cup serving size. For instance, a salad consisting of 2 cups of kale, 1 carrot, 1/2 cup tomatoes and 1/2 cup of mushrooms would give you 2 1/2 servings for the day. I’ve heard many people count this as 4 servings because there’s 4 types of vegetables represented in the salad. This is definitely one way that causing some confusion and keeps some people from getting the correct daily recommendation.
Another misconception seems to involve cooking styles. We know that certain ways of cooking vegetables can be good, such as steaming, roasting or lightly sautéing. This helps to drastically cut down the fat from oils. According to an article from Harvard Medical School titled ‘How Much Will Fried Foods Harm Your Heart? We see that this way of food preparation may be a cause of increased inflammation in the body. This increased inflammation can be a contributing factor in heart disease, increasing the chances for such issues as heart attack or stroke. Keep in mind, even though it is a vegetable, once it gets battered or coated and fried it is more of an indulgent treat then a nutritious vegetable.
Vegetables are so important because of the nutrients they supply. MedicalNewsToday highlights some of these that include, but are not limited to, vitamins and minerals such as A, some B’s, C and K, folate, potassium, manganese and magnesium. Vegetables and leafy greens are also a good source of fiber.
I’m often asked which vegetables are the best. I always say there are no bad vegetables or leafy greens out there to avoid. Try focusing of the ones you already like and can tolerate well. I also like to recommend trying a new vegetable each week. For example, try traditional vegetable like tomatoes, zucchini and carrots with greens like kale and spinach. Maybe experiment with a cruciferous vegetable such as Brussel sprouts or cabbage (green or red). Remember, you can’t “overdose” on vegetables and greens so once you are consistently getting in your recommended serving outlined by the USDA, try to challenge yourself to get 5-9 cups a day. I find that this bulks up my meals in a healthy way without feeling “stuffed”.
GREENS HX: In order to help increase vegetable intake each day, adding a greens powder to make a healthy green drink is a good option. This contains a wide variety of vegetables, green and herbs allowing for an earthy taste with a dash of oregano. It even has some probiotics in the formula so this is great not only for nutrients, but to help with detoxification, healthy immunity and maybe even offer some increased energy…which is always a good thing.
BEETS HX: While beets are delicious, sometimes they can be difficult to cook. In order to get all the benefits to the circulatory system that beets offer, a good alternative is to incorporate this in a powder form. It can be added to water, smoothies or plain yogurt.
HAPPY GUT GREEN SMOOTHIE
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup Ice
1/2 cup Raw Organic Coconut Water
1 teaspoon Raw Honey
1 scoop Greens Hx
1 capsule Probiotic Hx
Add all ingredients to a blender, along with the contents of the Probiotic Hx (discard the empty capsule). Blend together, pour into a glass and enjoy!
PRO TIP: In my experience, if you find that you experience digestive distress when eating vegetables or greens, try cooking them and avoid raw. This can help cut down on gas developing in the gut, particularly for those that are exploring new produce or are increasing their daily intake.
www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/vegetables
www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2023/11/raw-vs-cooked-vegetables
www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/how-much-will-fried-foods-harm-your-heart
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323319#summary
Understanding the Complexity of Asthma Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND As I mentioned in my prior blog today I will be talking about a well-known respiratory condition. That condition is Asthma. Let’s take the time to go over just how common it is, shall we? …
Immunity Hx Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to do my product highlight on what I consider to be the cornerstone of immune heath. In fact Immune is in its very name, Immunity Hx! Immunity Hx is a combination of vitamin C, vitamin D3 …
RSV- Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I wanted to begin our series on respiratory health by talking about something that has been all over the news lately. And that is RSV. But what exactly is RSV? RSV stands for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. This is a virus that infects the lungs and respiratory tract. While RSV in adults and older children tends to be mild in younger infants and older adults RSV can cause severe infection and complications.
The symptoms of RSV usually resemble cold like symptoms. These can include sneezing, congested or runny nose as well as a cough. There may be a sore throat. There may also be headaches. If there is a fever it will be what is considered to be a low grade fever. In some cases RSV may also cause more severe symptoms. These symptoms can include a higher fever, more severe cough, wheezing, shortness of breath and a blue tinting to the skin. Infants may also experience lethargy, irritability and poor feeding. Infants may indicate trouble breathing when their chest muscles and skin pull inward with each breath. For those who experience more severe symptoms the disease can spread throughout the respirator tract leading to pneumonia and bronchiolitis. I would also like to say that RSV can lower our immune system leading to an increased risk of developing COVID-19. It’s very important to remember that if you or your child has difficulty breathing, a high fever or blue skin it is time so seek immediate medical attention.
I have said numerous times that for many people RSV causes mild symptoms. In more vulnerable individuals there can be more severe symptoms. For children 12 months and younger there is an increased risk of complications. Premature infants are also at a higher risk for more severe disease. Older adults (65+) are also at a risk for more severe disease. Anyone with any type of heart or lung disease are also at an increased risk of complications. For those with compromised immune systems there is a risk of severe symptoms and complications. (1) Pregnant women are also considered to be a high risk group. Children with neuromuscular disorders are considered to be a risk for sever disease. Children of American Indian and Alaska native descent are also at risk for more sever disease. (2)
How do we catch RSV? Well as it says in the name it is a virus and spreads like any other virus. It enters our body via eyes, nose or mouth. It can travel on infected respiratory droplets or in other words if someone coughs or sneezes next to you it can travel on those droplets to get to you. The virus can also survive on hard objects for hours. For example if someone sneezes on a table top and you touch it then you touch your eyes, mouth or nose you can get infected. An infected person is most contagious for the 1st week after getting infected. However an infected person can still be contagious and still spread the virus for up to 4 weeks after the symptoms stop. RSV season tends to be from fall to the end of spring. (1)
What are some of the most common complications of RSV? Severe complications can include bronchiolitis, pneumonia, bronchitis and even respiratory failure. RSV may worse existing conditions such as asthma, congestive heart failure or COPD and there may be hypoxia or even a notable decrease in oxygen levels. RSV can cause dehydration. There is also an increased risk of developing ear infections. In the US every year RSV leads to between 100-300 deaths in children under 5. It also leads to between 6,000-10,000 deaths in adults 65+. (3)
What can we do to help decrease the spread of RSV? The 1st step is to wash our hands and avoid touching our eyes, nose and mouth. Clean frequently touched surfaces. Cover your mouth and nose whenever you sneeze or cough. Be considerate and stay home when you are sick. Lastly avoid close contact with anyone who is sick. (2) What supplements can help to boost our immune system? Well let’s review those, shall we?
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