Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Mushrooms contain a good amount of fiber, but are also packed with antioxidants. It’s these antioxidants that a lot of the scientific research has been focusing in on, especially for immune health and inflammation.
Quercetin is an extremely powerful flavonoid that provides the body with a significant amount of antioxidant power, giving us the ability to neutralize free radicals, that can otherwise damage or cells. Here’s how Quercetin works in the body.
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH
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On today’s episode, I am going to be introducing you to Greenlip mussel, or Greenshell mussel. We will also be delving into a really cool herb, known as Perilla, and what happens when you combine Greenlip mussel with this herb for your respiratory health. So we are talking lung function today! Let’s get started.
What is Greenlip mussel?
We’ve all hear of fish oil, krill oil, the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid (like flax seed and chia) but Greenlip mussel is very important. It is a shellfish that is native to New Zealand and it is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids. In particular, they are a really rare source of a type of an omega-3 that many people have not heard of. Fish and Krill oil contains EPA and DHA, and flax which contains ALA. Well, the Greenlip mussel contains something known as ETA.
ETA is a very powerful omega-3 fatty acid that is super important when it comes to the way our genes are working, relative to the production of what is known as cyclooxygenase. So when you are thinking about the inflammatory pathways in the body, we know that ETA has been shown to reduce the formation of arakidonic acid. Too much of this acid can cause more inflammation in the body. The Greenlip mussel is an excellent source of this really rare form of this omega-3 fatty acid.
Benefits of Greenlip mussel and Perilla
When you combine this with the powerful herb Perilla, you end up with a formulation that Invite offers called InflamMune. This is a really nice formula to have on hand during this time to help support a healthy immune system response. When you combine ETA along with the Perilla extract, you are really doing so much benefit at that cellular level when it comes to the inflammatory response and to the immune system.
Initially, a lot of focus in clinical studies performed on Greenlip mussel was focused on osteoarthritis and for those who had significant joint degeneration and joint pain. Researchers were looking into whether or not something such as the Greenlip mussel would be beneficial when it came to targeting that process that occurs in arthritis. They found that Greenlip mussel was indeed a very powerful way to go around the conventional treatment, and as adjunct treatment.
But then researchers started to focus on this shellfish and its benefit for respiratory health and inflammation. Published in the European Respiratory Journal back in 2002 looked at the treatment of asthma with Greenlip mussel from New Zealand. This was a randomized, clinical trial. Researchers wanted to see if Greenlip mussel would be effective in inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase in the cyclooxygenase pathways. They recognized that the lipid extract coming from that New Zealand Greenlip mussel, may have some beneficial effect in patients who have asthma. They studied the way that the body was actually utilizing that Greenlip mussel and it was regulating a lot of those main inflammatory factors that were being released and driving up that restriction in the airways.
So, right now when we are thinking about supporting our respiratory health, the Greenlip mussel in combination with the Perilla extract might be a great option.
Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast.
Questions about inflammation in your airways? Leave Amanda Williams a comment below!
On today’s episode, Amanda Williams, MPH discusses one of the world’s longest used medicinal foods available – Garlic. Many times, it is only looked at for its heart health benefit, but it really has advantages for overall health, especially in its supplemental form, Aged Garlic.
Cocoa is one of nature’s more powerful superfoods that contains essential minerals and polyphenols that have been shown to support heart health in amazing ways. Let’s get started!
Ouch! You stub your toe on your bedpost for the hundredth time. Almost instantly, the redness, pain, swelling and heat wash over your toe. These four symptoms are the classic and predictable signs of acute inflammation, and they serve a very important purpose. This type of inflammation is a healthy, normal part of the healing process; it is how the body heals itself and it is essential to maintain your health. But when there is a decline in the part of the immune system that fights infections and an aggravation of overreactions in your body – dubbed “inflamm-aging” – you need to pay attention to the signals your body is giving you.
Inflammation that occurs after stubbing your toe, for example, is acute and is normal. Chronic inflammation has a significantly negative impact on our vitality and long-term health. It impacts our immune system, tissue function, biochemical reactions and much more. It can be caused by our food choices, medications and lifestyle factors like stress and alcohol use.
Need More Information on Chronic Inflammation? Click here to learn more >>
According to integrative medicine physical Pooja Amy Shah, MD, “As we age, our bodies tend to have more consistently elevated levels of inflammatory biochemicals. While these chemicals are good to help our immune systems fight off infections and keep us healthy, if they are chronically elevated, they can lead to problematic things such as cancer and muscle wasting.”
1. Focus on the health of your gut
Gut microbial diversity generally decreases when people age, which is likely due to changes in diet, medication and other lifestyle behaviors. Decreased diversity has been linked to an imbalanced state and correlates with frailty, inflammation and disorders like Alzheimer’s, according to a January 2019 study published in the journal Aging (Albany, NY).
Delicious news! This study says Dark Chocolate Reduces Inflammation! Click here to learn more >>>
Dr. Shah explains, “The gut microbiota of elderly people generally has decreased diversity which may weaken the barrier of the gut mucosa against bacterial invasion, this can lead to increased and more chronic inflammation.” To help optimize your gut health, many healthcare professionals recommend Probiotics. A superior probiotic contains non-GMO bacterial strains, is vegetarian and is supplied in colony-forming units in order to survive stomach acids and intestinal enzymes.
2. Speak with your doctor about thyroid testing
According to the American Thyroid Association, ‘thyroiditis‘ is a general term that refers to inflammation of the thyroid gland. This can be brought on by numerous factors including infection. The thyroid’s job is to create hormones that the body uses for energy, to stay warm and to keep the brain, heart, muscles and other organs working as best as possible. When inflammation occurs in the thyroid, fatigue, weight gain, constipation and dry skin may occur. Speak with your doctor about thyroid testing.
3. Follow an anti-inflammatory diet
Certain foods can add to the inflammatory response in our bodies, including highly processed foods and sugar. Following an anti-inflammatory diet that is full of vegetables, fruit, unprocessed foods, getting enough sleep and ridding yourself of stress are important in minimizing inflammation.