Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Homemade Toothpaste from Invite Health Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Toothpaste is an interesting topic because to be frank everyone has their favorite brand. Which brand do I think is best? The one you will use! If you like strong peppermint that is great. But if …
Hepatitis Part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In our last blog on this topic, we began with some background information such as just what is hepatitis? What causes hepatitis? And what are the symptoms you might experience with hepatitis? If you haven’t read the first …
Hair and Skin Changes Due to Cancer Treatments
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Cancer treatments can have different side effects when it comes to our hair and skin. Let’s start with our skin, shall we? Certain cancer therapies can cause skin to become dry. They can also cause a skin rash and spots that look like acne. You may notice that your skin is more sensitive. It may even feel itchy. Certain types of cancer treatment can make your skin very sensitive to sunlight. Other types of cancer treatments can change the skin of your hands and feet so they appear red and feel sore. Due to skin changes you may find that your veins become more visible. Additionally they may start to look broke. (1)
In addition to being dry your skin may become rough and flaky. This dry skin may be itchy which can cause you to feel anxious and even restless. As you scratch the skin it can become damaged leading to sores and even an increased risk of infection. In addition to making your skin red other color changes that can occur include yellow (due to changes in your liver), blue (due to breathing troubles), and bruised (due to blood disorders). Depending on the treatment you are receiving you may be bed bound or even bound to a wheelchair. This can increase the risk of bed sores. (2) Certain types of cancer can directly affect your skin. For example breast cancer can change the skin on the surface of the breast so that it starts to looks swollen and red/purple. The skin changes can also make the skin of the affected breast look similar to an orange peel. (3)
In addition to affecting to your skin cancer treatments can affect your nails. Cancer treatments can cause your nails to become loose or even fall out. There may be ridges or white/dark lines on the nails. These changes can occur on both the fingers and toes. (1)
Hair loss is a well-known side effect to different cancer treatments. This hair loss includes not just the hair on your head but also the hair on your body. Approximately 2-6 months after treatment is finished you will notice your hair begin to grow back. As the hair grows back you may notice it is slightly different. For example it may become more straight or curly. It may even be a different color. Depending on the type of treatment you may notice that the hair that grows back is thinner than before. In some cases hair on the body that received direct intense treatment may not grow back. (4)
What can you do if you experience these changes?
During treatment:
After treatment:
Our product highlight will be our Hair Enhance formula!
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Cancer Related Fatigue Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to talk about cancer related fatigue because it’s so common in those who have cancer. It can also be difficult to work with because there can be a number of reasons why a person feels …
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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