Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
?: @culturekitty Beets are a powerful superfood. Its reddish-brown betalains are powerful antioxidants that protect the walls of arteries. Trimethylglycine detoxifies homocysteine; elevated homocysteine is implicated in clogged arteries. The natural nitrates create nitric oxide, responsible for healthy blood flow, heart and circulatory health, and …
Photo by A Fox on Unsplash Native to Southern Europe, North Africa and Southwest Asia, Nigella sativa, or Black seed, has been used as a medicinal plant throughout the world, including the Middle East and South Europe. The seeds of N. sativa and their oil …
Written By Amanda Williams, MPH
How often have you had an annual physical and are told by your healthcare provider that “everything looks good”? You leave their office feeling assured that everything is okay, health wise. But what does that “okay” mean exactly?
The question that I ask my customers who tell me they have had their blood tested is, do you really know what any of the results mean? If you are not sure what tests your provider is even ordering, then how are you to know that everything is “good”? It never surprises me when someone brings their blood results to me and states, “My doctor did a complete workup and tells me everything is normal”. And after one quick glimpse of the test, I find time and time again that the only tests that were ordered are a CBC (complete blood count), Metabolic Panel, Lipid Panel, and on occasion a TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test. These are the most basic tests that are ordered and do not provide you with the most important aspects of your overall health. So let us look at the tests that should be ordered to really give you a more comprehensive look into your health.
I believe it is essential to know what if any inflammation is occurring in the body. As many already know, all chronic diseases have an underlying component of inflammation. It is advisable to have the following tests run –
High sensitivity C-Reactive Protein will let you know if there is any low level of inflammation in the body. This level is not cardiac specific but can indicate an increased cardiovascular risk when elevated.
This is an assessment of blood vessel inflammation, which is a cardiovascular risk when elevated.
This test is very important, as low levels of Vitamin D are strongly linked with reduced immune system function. Nearly every autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorder is associated with low Vitamin D levels. Knowing and understanding your blood levels allow you to have a better idea of how much Vitamin D3 to supplement with daily.
Fibrinogen is a test generally utilized to assess the “stickiness” or coagulation of the blood. It can also be an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease when it is elevated.
This test looks at the size and the number of cholesterol particles. This is a more comprehensive way to assess your cholesterol than just looking at the total number. The size of the particles is a better indicator of your cardiovascular risk. The smaller the cholesterol particle, the greater the risk than if your cholesterol particles are larger. Size matters! Have your cholesterol particles tested.
This test will give you an accurate depiction of how much Coenzyme Q10 is in your system. This very important antioxidant is also the energy source for the cells throughout the body. We know that this level can be lowered through medications, such as statins for cholesterol and high blood pressure medications like beta blockers. Low levels of CoQ10 are commonly found in many health conditions such as Heart disease, Diabetes, Parkinson’s, Muscular Dystrophy, and cancers. Anyone taking a stain medication should request to have their level of CoQ10 checked.
This test is a must for any pre-diabetic or diabetic. It is the best way to assess insulin resistance. Elevated fasting Insulin levels are a sign of inadequate pancreatic function.
This very important adrenal hormone is responsible not only for making testosterone and estrogen, but it is also extremely important for immune function and our stress response. As we age, our DHEA levels begin to decline which can have a negative impact on muscle mass and immune defenses. It is critical to know what your DHEA level is, because low levels are associated with increased cardiovascular events, increased risk of infections, Sarcopenia (muscle loss), and shortened life span.
There are many more tests that would be important to assess for your overall health, but it is sometimes best to start with the basics and move on from there. It is your body and you should know what your blood test mean. Be proactive, not reactive about your health!
Amanda Williams holds a doctorate in medicine from Xavier University in Aruba, a Master’s degree in Public Health from Nova Southeastern University, and a Bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Mary’s College Orchard Lake. Her background in disease state management allows for a unique nutritional …
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions that especially threaten the health of the U.S. population, as high numbers of the population suffer from diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. A new …
Jerry Hickey is a pharmacist and radio personality and fills the esteemed role of Scientific Director and President of Invite Health. He has spent his professional life analyzing nutritional information and medical studies with the aim of creating the highest quality and most natural nutraceuticals for user’s maximum health benefits. Here, Jerry speaks about the benefits of NAC…
N-Acetyl-Cysteine, or NAC, is the stabilized version of the amino acid known as Cysteine. NAC is a conditionally-essential nutrient, required by the body in larger servings during times of stress, illness and recovery. It is known as a master antioxidant that helps support the regions of the brain that regulate mental health. It has many integral uses for the brain, liver and lungs. According to human clinical trials, NAC is effective in supporting lung health because it helps break down the immune system’s “chemical messengers”, known as leukotrienes. It also helps to break up mucus. NAC is the rate-limiting molecule involved in the synthesis of Glutathione, the Mother Antioxidant enzyme that protects your immune cells, neurotransmitters, and removes toxins in the liver. This makes NAC an extremely beneficial supplement for many people. It supports blood flow to the heart, protects the kidneys, and maintain a normal detoxification process in the liver.
In the winter, you want lung antioxidants. Why else would NAC be good in the winter? Because it gives energy to your immune system. The University of Genoa in Italy published their findings in the European Respiratory Journal about this – using almost 300 people over the age of 65 from 20 Italian medical centers. When they gave elderly people NAC over the winter it improved their immune function and strongly improved their resistance. Do you know why? N-Acetyl-Cysteine energized their immune cells, their white blood cells. Just like the lungs have to be soaked and rich in antioxidants like NAC, so does your white blood cell because when it encounters a virus or bacteria, it gobbles it up. That’s the process called phagocytosis. The white blood cell bumps into the bacteria that it doesn’t recognize it as being part of the person and it literally engulfs it and then it floods itself with hydrochloric acid and other chemicals that kill the bacteria. It literally dissolves the bacteria and the bacteria die. The white blood cell has to be protected from its own acids and its own chemical arsenal. It wages chemical warfare on viruses and bacteria and cancer cells. So, the envelope of the white blood cell, the membrane, the bilipid membrane, which is the outer layers of the white blood cell have to be rich in antioxidants. Once again, what are they? Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Selenium, B-Vitamins and NAC.
In the summer, you want it because of the pollution. I mean, the pollution rises dramatically in the summer. You know, I walk around in the city now and it feels clean. The air is clean, but it’s very dry so you want to NAC to protect your lungs from the dryness, because the dryness causes inflammation in your lungs. But in the summer, the pollution rates sky rocket. All that dampness holds the pollution down like it does in Athens, like it does in Los Angeles, all that moisture from the Hudson River, from the East River, from the Long Island Sound, from the Atlantic Ocean, holds the smog down. You need N-Acetyl-Cysteine to protect your lungs from that smog because that stuff causes violent inflammation in the lungs.
When you take NAC, you protect your immune system from its own chemical weapons, so it can go and fight bacteria and viruses and be energized. It has more energy to do its job. So, take N-Acetyl-Cysteine over the winter. You only have to take it twice a day with food. Always take N-Acetyl-Cysteine with meals. When you take NAC in the winter, take one with breakfast, one with dinner, drink your green tea. It will really help keep you healthy, because it’s really supporting your immune system. It’s a very important thing. In general, it’s great for the lungs. In general, it’s great for the eyeball. It’s great for the kidneys and liver. It is one of the best things for supporting good blood volume. You know, we’ve spoken about grape seed lowering blood pressure, well, NAC strongly supports blood flow too.
When is that important? Well, that’s important when you’re exercising. NAC opens up blood vessels, opens up blood flow and the channels that bring blood and oxygen and nutrition to your muscles. You get a better work out when you take NAC before workout. So, all you guys, 40, 50, 60 years old who are runners, take NAC about half an hour to an hour before the exercise with a meal will open up the blood vessels. Your muscles will get more oxygen. You’ll have greater endurance and you’ll be less sore and have less risk of an injury. You will do better and recover more quickly. N-Acetyl-Cysteine is also great for the brain but it also makes you feel good.
