Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Sinus Infections or Sinusitis Part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In my last blog on sinusitis I started with a description of what the sinuses are, where they are and even what they do. I then talked about what the symptoms of sinusitis are. (1,2,3) …
Understanding Vitamin C Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In my experience everyone has heard that Vitamin C is good for our health. In fact, it’s everywhere you look these days! But while you may have heard that using vitamin C is “good for the health of …
Hepatox Hx
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Invite Health has quite a selection of nutrients that are good for both our liver and kidneys. One such item is called Hepatox. It has a funny name I know but this particular supplement is a combination of things that have been found in studies to help our liver and kidney health. These nutrients include Phyllanthus amarus, Dandelion root and Milk Thistle. Let’s review these nutrients one at time, shall we?
Phyllanthus amarus sounds like a funny name for a supplement however it’s got a ton of benefits for our health. So what do studies have to say about it? Well studies have found that is a powerful antioxidant. Those same studies have found that it is hepatoprotective. (1) Studies have also found that it can help with diabetes and kidney stones. These same studies have also found that it can help with chronic inflammation. (2) Other studies have found that it is also antiviral and this is important because it also helps fight against hepatitis B. It has also been found to be hepatoprotective, good for overall inflammation and cytotoxic. (3) So just what does all this actually mean? Basically it means that studies find that it helps with our liver and kidneys in several different ways.
The next item in Hepatox is our old friend Dandelion root! Dandelion root, as I said in my blog on Daily Detox powder has quite a few benefits for our overall health. Now I’m not going to over this in too much detail because as I said I wrote a large detailed explanation of just what dandelion does in my blog on Daily Detox powder. So let’s just do a quick review on just what dandelion does for us. Dandelion has been found to help those with gallstones. This is important because gallstones can affect our liver health and even our ability to fully digest fats and any fat soluble vitamins. (4) As you know fat soluble vitamins include Omega 3’s and even Vitamin D among other things that are important for our overall health. Dandelion is also one of the nutrients that studies have found to help with our kidney health. (5) Studies have also found that dandelion is a strong natural diuretic that can help with bloating and fluid buildup in the body. (6) Other studies have found that when combined with certain antimicrobials it may help with our urinary health. (7)
Milk Thistle is the last item in Hepatox. Once again I’ll just be doing a quick summary since I wrote about this powerful nutrient in my blog on Daily Detox powder. As I talked about in both my blog on NAFLD and my latter blog on cirrhosis having NAFLD is a huge risk factor for damaging our liver. Studies have found that milk thistle has many benefits for NAFLD including reducing markers normally elevated in NAFLD such as triglycerides and GGT levels. (8) Milk thistle has also been found to be helpful in reducing kidney disease especially in diabetics. (9)
As you can see Hepatox sure has plenty of benefits for our liver and kidneys. Many people like to do a yearly detox as the seasons change and in my clinical experience Hepatox can be a great addition to these protocols. It can also be used every day for those who would like to support their kidneys and liver. As always feel free to reach out to one of Invite’s qualified nutritionists to determine if Hepatox is the right supplement to help reach your goals.
Our next topic will be Hepatitis.
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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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