Tag: immune system

Being Supplement Savvy in the Summer, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 649

Being Supplement Savvy in the Summer, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 649

Subscribe Today! Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode. BEING SUPPLEMENT SAVVY IN THE SUMMER, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 649 Hosted by Amanda Williams, MD, MPH. InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our degreed health care professionals 

ANXIETY VS DEPRESSION, Part 2: OMEGA-3s AND SAMe

ANXIETY VS DEPRESSION, Part 2: OMEGA-3s AND SAMe

  Written By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, and ATT For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected]   We all know what an important topic anxiety and depression is, as so many suffer with these issues. In part one of this article, we discussed what 

Keeping The Brain Clean with Resveratrol, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 645

Keeping The Brain Clean with Resveratrol, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 645

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Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode.

KEEPING THE BRAIN CLEAN WITH RESVERATROL, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 645

Hosted by Amanda Williams, MD, MPH

*Intro Music*

InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our degreed health care professionals are excited to offer you the most important health and wellness information you need to make informed choices about your health. You can learn more about the products discussed in each of these episodes and all that Invite Health has to offer at, invitehealth.com/podcast. First time customers can use promo code, podcast at checkout for an additional 15% off your first purchase. Let’s get started.† [00:00:34]

*Intro Music*

Amanda Williams MD, MPH: [00:00:40] Have you ever walked down a really busy street, and as the cars are passing by, you can get that scent of the exhaust? We all recognize this. We know that pollution is not good for our body, but generally speaking, when you think about air pollution, we oftentimes think about the effects that that can have on our          respiratory system. We clearly know that air pollution is affecting every single system in the human body. And that’s what I want to zero in on today, is the impact of air pollution when it comes to brain health and the aging effects on the brain. There’s more and more research that has come out over the past decade that has really reinforced why we need to zero in on cleaner air. It really does matter. So, I’m going to talk about that and talk about a very important supplement that you can add into your daily routine that helps with targeting all of that air pollution that can start to cloud up your brain. I’m Dr. Amanda Williams, scientific director at Invite Health, and when it comes to air pollution in the United States, we’re not doing too great. We know that we come in towards the bottom of all of the wealthy democracies across the globe ranked 24th of the major European countries are well ahead of us when it comes to clean air. We can see that through different steps and regulations, air quality has improved in some regards, but with every you know, two steps forward, we take one step back. And the majority of Americans live in areas where air pollution is receiving failing grades close to 40% of the U.S. population lives in areas that definitely have failing grades, and then everyone else is kind of kind of at that limbo stage. So, we know that the unhealthy levels of air pollution in this country have significant effects on our overall health. And oftentimes we don’t talk about this enough. I always zero in on making sure that we’re doing the right things when it comes to detoxification every day. † [00:03:03]

[00:03:04] Our bodies trying to filter through all of the gunk and grime that were exposed to. You know whether we’re breathing that in or of something that we’re touching or applying to our skin or something that we’re actually ingesting through the foods that we’re eating. But in any event, we know that a cluttered-up body can lead to significant health issues. We’ve seen studies where in major metropolitan areas such as New York City, that exposure to all of the exhaust leads to cardiac dysfunction and has a significant impact on B vitamin status, which is why if you live in a major metropolitan city, you should be taking methyl B one capsule of that bioactive b complex. each and every single day. But my primary focus today, is on brain health. I read through a really interesting study that came out recently, the University of California, San Diego, where they were looking at air pollution being an independent risk factor for dementia. They looked at other components to this, we know that there is genetic underpinnings and epigenetic changes within one’s environment throughout their life that can put at a greater risk of development of cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Apo E happens to be the one gene that they have been able to zero in on, and with an APO E genetic mutation, this can put you into a higher risk category. Now, we also offer Apo E genetic testing, so, if that’s something that you’re interested in, you can certainly check that out on our website or speak with one of our nutritionists. We can’t change our genes, but we can definitely make modifications to what we do every day to kind of skirt around that issue. In the Journal of Alzheimer’s disease, they looked at the effects of air pollution when it came to dementia, and this was led by a group of researchers out of the University of California, San Diego. They were looking at exposure to ambient air pollution, such as car exhaust, power plant emissions, defining measurable outcomes to really zero in on what those exposures led to when it came to the risk of developing significant cognitive decline. The fascinating part of this study was that they were using the information that they had obtained from over 1100 men who were participating in an ongoing Vietnam era twin study of aging and looking at different factors throughout these gentlemen’s lives and doing this overall follow up as they were aging. They looked at exposure to fine particulate matter in the air and nitrogen dioxide. Nitrogen dioxide is created when fossil fuels are burned. And they looked at the overall impact that this could potentially have on memory, on executive function, verbal skills, brain processing. But they also looked at Apo E and looking at that gene as being a very strong risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Through this data extrapolation, they were able to determine that individuals who had higher levels of exposure to air pollution during their forties and fifties displayed significantly worse cognitive function by the time that they reached their late fifties and into their sixties. Now, those who had a double whammy effect also had that Apo E gene mutation. † [00:06:58]

ICYMI: INTRODUCTION TO BRAIN HEALTH & MEMORY, INVITE HEALTH BLOG>>READ NOW!

[00:07:01] So we know that there are many different things that we can do in terms of lifestyle modification. Clearly, if you live in an area that has high air pollution, you’re likely not to move, but what you can do is make better choices in terms of the foods that you’re eating to minimize additional toxic exposures and of course to make modifications in terms of the nutrients that you are supplementing with, as well as having good stress management skills. This is very important when it comes to the way that the brain ages. So, this takes me to resveratrol. Resveratrol often is thought of as the primary, anti-aging supplement, and it is for a variety of different reasons. We know that it works through cellular longevity by protecting the end caps of our chromosomes. But we also recognize that it has a lot of cardio-protective mechanisms to it. And then we get into how it works in the brain, and through its inhibition of neuroinflammation. This is very important, because if we have chronic exposure to higher levels of air pollution, this will drive up high amounts of free radicals or oxidative stress, which in turn will generate up more inflammation. So neuroinflammation, this low- grade inflammation that’s occurring in the brain, so what we can see through the clinical research trials is resveratrol, has this innate ability to inhibit the inflammatory response, in particular those inflammatory responses that are triggered by beta amyloid peptides. So, we think beta amyloid, we’re thinking Alzheimer’s disease, so we fast track this and we start to look at supplementation of resveratrol when it comes to protecting our brain as we get older. In the drugs and aging journal, they talk about this, they talk about the effects of resveratrol supplementation on cognitive function in patients who had Alzheimer’s disease. So, this is a very important study because you already have individuals who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s who are now being given, resveratrol. They talk about resveratrol being a neuroprotective agent, acting in the prevention of those brain cells from getting damaged. This is important in the setting of Alzheimer’s disease, they looked at multiple clinical research trials where resveratrol supplementation was given to individuals who had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment as well as Alzheimer’s disease. And they found that supplementation with resveratrol really seems to influence cognitive performance, as well, as to prevent further functional decline in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, very important. † [00:09:55]

 [00:09:55] The Archives of Medical Science talk about this in detail, how trans-resveratrol this very powerful polyphenolic compound derived from grapes. Oftentimes we think about red wine, when you think about natural sources of resveratrol, but they could see once again how the resveratrol is working on so many different mechanisms. Not only is it a powerful antioxidant, but it also helps to regulate inflammation, helps to protect the cell from damage. Which is why when we think about the brain, we should be thinking resveratrol. Now we have our resveratrol max formulation, this is an incredibly powerful form of trans-resveratrol, it is combined with oligomeric proanthocyanins from Grape Seed Extract along with Quercetin. And we know, Quercetin does a wonderful job when it comes to targeting those environmental pollutant exposures once again. So, by taking the resveratrol max, it’s like guarding your body with these powerful nutrients that have been shown in clinical trials to give us that layer of protection to fight off all of those different air pollutant exposures and the other toxins in our environment that we come in contact with on a regular basis. Now, our Resveratrol Max, is very unique in the sense that not only is it incredibly strong and potent, but we have this in a liquid form and the way in which we manufacture this is incredibly unique and incredibly difficult feat, I must say, oftentimes, if you’re using a resveratrol extract, it’s in a powder, ours is in a liquid. We use rosemary extract, to protect that resveratrol from any type of oxidation. So, when you’re taking our Resveratrol Max, you’re getting that highest amount of trans-resveratrol, so it hasn’t been degraded because it had exposure to oxygen. It’s manufactured in a very controlled environment, the room temperature and the humidity. There are medium chain triglycerides in this to help power up the brain. So, when people are using that Resveratrol Max, not only does it go in and kind of work as a little housekeeper for cleaning up the brain, but it is also powering up the brain with the use of that medium chain triglyceride. MCT oil is a super fuel for our brain and looking at all of the clinical research trials, that have been done year after year, showing how resveratrol in particular can really protect the body from those particulate matters. † [00:12:33]

RESVERATROL FOR THE LUNGS – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 573>>LISTEN NOW

 [00:12:34] The International Journal of Molecular Sciences talked about this. When they look at the inflammatory response that occurs in the human body upon exposure to air pollutions and how when we introduce resveratrol into our system, it gives us once again this layer of protection, which is what we’re after. So, we are aware of many things in our world. We recognize that we live in a country where air pollution is a real deal. We also recognize that there are many things that we can do, now that we understand more about how we can protect ourselves. They’ve done fascinating studies on how resveratrol can actually target methyl mercury exposure, which is important. Now people do have concerns about having exposure to mercury throughout their life, maybe from eating seafood for example, in the Toxicology and Applied pharmacology Journal, they talked about how resveratrol could protect the brain from those neurotoxins coming from that methylmercury exposure. So, when we’re thinking about ways to support our brain as we get older, in an environment where air pollution is existing, we can turn towards a formulation such as that Resveratrol Max, which is giving us not only that support for brain health, for cardiac health, for immune system health, for gut health, for overall systemic support, so we can age in a much more graceful way. And at the end of the day, that’s what’s so important. So, I want to thank you so much for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. Remember, you can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting, invitehealth.com/podcast. Do make sure that you subscribe leave us a review. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We will see you next time for another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. † [00:12:34]

*Exit Music*

The Wonders of Whey Protein Isolate, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 642

The Wonders of Whey Protein Isolate, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 642

Subscribe Today! Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode. THE WONDERS OF WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 642 Hosted by Amanda Williams, MD, MPH *Intro Music* InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our degreed health 

Magnesium Is The Ignored Mineral For Bone Strength, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 639

Magnesium Is The Ignored Mineral For Bone Strength, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 639

Subscribe Today! Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode. MAGNESIUM IS THE IGNORED MINERAL FOR BONE STRENGTH, INVITEⓇ HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 639 Hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph. *Intro Music* InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our 

Rheumatoid Arthritis, Invite Health Blog

Rheumatoid Arthritis, Invite Health Blog

Written by Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND

For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected]

 

Last week we started off our discussion of arthritis with osteoarthritis (OA). This week we will be looking at rheumatoid arthritis (RA). When most people think of RA they think of joint pain and while that is true RA is much more than just a joint disease. RA is an autoimmune disorder which involves the immune system attacking the joints. This inflammatory response affects both the cartilage and the underlying bone. However, unlike in OA where other parts of the body are relatively unaffected in RA multiple systems are affected by the disease. In RA for example the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, nerves and even the blood vessels can all be affected. † (1)
The first signs of RA involve the joints. Typically, the affected joints will be swollen, warm and in the morning, they will be very stiff and need to be “warmed up” as people say. Interestingly this is different from the joint pain we see in OA where there is no difference in the morning meaning that there is no morning inflammation or morning joint pain that just needs to be “warmed up”. As the autoimmune disease progresses in its severity the underlying tendons can become affected, and this leads to the structural changes typically seen in RA. I would like to point out that in addition to the structural changes seen in the fingers there can often be similar structural changes in the toes. This is important since it can affect mobility in the long run. (2) Please see the attached pictures.  † (3) (4)

Fingers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toes

 

 

As I said earlier due to the fact that RA is an autoimmune illness other parts of the body are affected and will show signs of the illness. As I discuss each individual aspect of the disease, I will go over how the systems are affected. To start with the very beginning the skin can develop something called a rheumatoid nodule. These typically occur over areas such as the elbow, heels, and the knuckles. † (5) Please see picture (6)

 

Additionally, vasculitis, which is inflamed blood vessels, can also occur in the skin. Other symptoms of RA that can occur in the skin include but are not limited to the following: Pyoderma gangrenosum, sweets syndrome, Erythema nodosum and even atrophy of the skin of the fingers. † (7)

RA can also affect the lungs and cause signs of respiratory illness. In fact, having symptoms of lung disease when you have RA is so common it even has a name – Rheumatoid lung disease or lung fibrosis. As I said this is a well-known complication of RA. Caplan syndrome is a diagnosis that describes lung nodules that occur when RA is present. † (8)
In addition to symptoms of lung disease individuals with RA often experience comorbidity of the heart and blood vessels. For example, these can include an increased risk of atherosclerosis, MI, and stroke. Other possible complications can include pericarditis, endocarditis, valvulitis and fibrosis. † (9)

Anemia as well as a decrease in white blood cells can also occur. When the inflammation is not well controlled, we can also see an increase in platelet count. † (10)
RA can also affect the kidneys and cause symptoms of kidney disease. It can affect the liver as well and cause symptoms of liver disease. In the long run it can even cause vision changes as it affects our eyes. Over time as the autoimmune aspects of RA starts to affect the nerves, we can start to see signs of neuropathy. † (11)

GENERAL SYMPTOMS
The general symptoms of RA include fatigue, low grade fever, malaise, morning stiffness, and periodontal disease. † (12)

COMMON RISK FACTORS
There are some very common risk factors for RA. For those with RA in their family tree the risk of developing RA increases 3 to 5X that of someone without a family history. In fact is estimated that genetics account for 40-65% of sero-positive RA and 20% of sero-negative RA. (13) Smoking has been found to increase the risk of RA 3X compared to nonsmokers! †(14)
Studies have found that having vitamin D levels that are lower than optimum can increase the risk of developing RA. † (15)
Anything that increases inflammation can also increase the risk of RA. This can include the standard American diet, stress and even other autoimmune disorders. As I mentioned in my article series on digestion having leaky gut is a risk factor for all autoimmune disorders including RA. Studies also show a link between RA and gluten sensitivities. † (16)
As I mentioned previously RA is diagnosed with blood work as well as certain imaging tests. Blood work can also be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatments. In addition to any treatments recommend by your doctor the following may be helpful:

WHAT CAN BE HELPFUL? 

1. Lifestyle changes such as stop smoking! †
2. Making dietary changes – A Mediterranean diet has been found to be anti-inflammatory in studies! (17) I would also suggest increasing anti-inflammatory foods – such as leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, berries of all types, cherries, oily fish, avocados, olive oil and nuts. † (18)
3. Working on the inflammation part of RA sometimes requires supplements in addition to diet! †
–> Turmeric has been found to lower inflammation and help with the morning stiffness as well as the inflammation seen in RA. (19) Please see Invite’s Biocurcumin, Turmeric with ginger and Curcumin blend! †
–> Boswellia has been found to reduce inflammatory parameters in studies. (20) Please see Invite’s Biocurcumin!†
–> Ginger has been found to reduce inflammatory factors hs-CRP and IL-1β or in other words it helps to reduce the inflammation seen in RA. (21) Please see Invite’s Turmeric with ginger. †
–> Omega 3’s may have an effect on disease activity especially the swollen and crooked joints. (22) Please see Invite’s Fish oil, Krill oil, and Inflammune.†
–> D3 is important to supplement when you are low. † (23)
4. If the leaky gut is causing the inflammation, it’s important to heal the gut! Please refer to my series on GI health. †

START Dr.Claire’s series on GI Health here–>THE BASICS OF DIGESTIVE HEALTH, PART 1>>READ NOW!

5. We also want to work on protecting the joints! †

–> Collagen has been found to lower joint inflammation and joint pain. (24) While more studies on collagen are important to do at this time current studies show that collagen may help to promote the growth of cartilage damaged by OA or RA. (25) Please see Invite’s Collagen Hx, Collagex HA, Collagen tablets and Cartilage Hx!†
–> Hyaluronic acid has been found in studies to help promote cartilage repair as well as reduce inflammation. (26) Please see Invite’s Hylauronic Acid with Devil’s Claw†

6. Lastly let’s protect some of the other organs affected by RA! †
–> For lung health there are a number of products that can help! NAC has been found to improve respiratory function. (27) Black seed is also amazing for lung health and respiratory function. (28) Please see Invite’s NAC and Black seed with Rosemary†
–> Coq10 is amazing for heart health! Please see all Invite’s Coq10 products! †
–>Resveratrol is amazing for so many different areas. It helps the lungs, heart and is just an amazing antioxidant! (29) Please see Invite’s Resveratrol 100mg Hx and our new Resvertrol Max formula†
–> Bilberry has been found in studies to help with vision and eye heath. (30) For this and other amazing eye nutrients please see our Macula Hx and Macula Advanced Hx†

For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected]

REFERENCES

1. “Handout on Health: Rheumatoid Arthritis”. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. August 2014. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
2. Majithia V, Geraci SA (November 2007). “Rheumatoid arthritis: diagnosis and management”. The American Journal of Medicine. 120 (11): 936–939. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2007.04.005. PMID 17976416.
3. https://www.orthobullets.com/basic-science/9085/rheumatoid-arthritis
4. https://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/how-rheumatoid-arthritis-affects-the-foot-and-ankle-b1016-440550/
5. Turesson C (May 2013). “Extra-articular rheumatoid arthritis”. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 25 (3): 360–366. doi:10.1097/bor.0b013e32835f693f. PMID 23425964. S2CID 21462453.
6. https://www.pcds.org.uk/clinical-guidance/rheumatoid-nodules
7. Genta MS, Genta RM, Gabay C (October 2006). “Systemic rheumatoid vasculitis: a review”. Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism. 36 (2): 88–98. doi:10.1016/j.semarthrit.2006.04.006. PMID 17023257.
8. arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease: the relevance of histopathologic and radiographic pattern”. Chest. 136 (5): 1397–1405. doi:10.1378/chest.09-0444. PMC 2818853. PMID 19892679.
9. 9). “Evaluating cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis”. Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine. 26 (8): 481–494. Archived from the original on 2012-07-23.
10. Gibbs JE, Ray DW (February 2013). “The role of the circadian clock in rheumatoid arthritis”. Arthritis Res Ther. 15 (1): 205. doi:10.1186/ar4146. PMC 3672712. PMID 23427807.
11. de Groot K (August 2007). “[Renal manifestations in rheumatic diseases]”. Der Internist. 48 (8): 779–785. doi:10.1007/s00108-007-1887-9. PMID 17571244. S2CID 28781598.
12. “Handout on Health: Rheumatoid Arthritis”. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. August 2014. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
13. Smolen JS, Aletaha D, McInnes IB (October 2016). “Rheumatoid arthritis” (PDF). Lancet. 388 (10055): 2023–2038. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30173-8. PMID 27156434. S2CID 37973054.
14. Sugiyama D, Nishimura K, Tamaki K, Tsuji G, Nakazawa T, Morinobu A, Kumagai S (January 2010). “Impact of smoking as a risk factor for developing rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis of observational studies” (PDF). Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 69 (1): 70–81. doi:10.1136/ard.2008.096487. PMID 19174392. S2CID 11303269. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2018-04-20.(subscription required)
15. https://www.keckmedicine.org/blog/could-more-vitamin-d-help-relieve-your-rheumatoid-arthritis/#:~:text=Studies%20also%20have%20found%20that,in%20the%20hands%20and%20feet.
16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33677948/
17. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/2061785/anti-inflammatory-mediterranean-diet-plan/#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20research%20has%20identified,oil)%20in%20the%20diet%20every
18. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-anti-inflammatory-foods
19. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33914984/
20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6477955/
21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7137811/
22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7362115/
23. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3539179/
24. https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/complementary-and-alternative-treatments/types-of-complementary-treatments/collagen/#:~:text=Four%20trials%20tested%20collagen%20against,the%20trials%20against%20a%20placebo.
25. https://blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1375
26. https://www.arthritis-health.com/treatment/injections/what-hyaluronic-acid#:~:text=Hyaluronic%20acid%20helps%20in%20the,by%20injury%20or%20tissue%20degeneration.
27. https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2020/ss/protect-your-respiratory-system#:~:text=NAC%20(N%2Dacetyl%2DL,%2C%20MD%2C%20in%20May%202022.
28. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-901/black-seed#:~:text=Taking%20black%20seed%20oil%20by,low%20lung%20function%20before%20treatment.
29. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-resveratrol#:~:text=Resveratrol%20has%20antioxidant%20and%20anti,for%20arthritis%2C%20and%20skin%20inflammation.
30. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146147/