Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Cerebral Care Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to take the time to talk about one of my favorite formulas for our memory and brain health. This formula is called Cerebral Care. But what is it about this formula that I like so much? …
The Wonders of Black Seed Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I am very excited to start this conversation on black seed. Black Seed is an amazing nutrient for our respiratory system. Invite health has a unique formula which includes Black Seed, Cordyceps and Rosemary Extract. …
Understanding the Complexity of Asthma
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
As I mentioned in my prior blog today I will be talking about a well-known respiratory condition. That condition is Asthma. Let’s take the time to go over just how common it is, shall we? Approximately 7.7% of Americans have asthma. That amounts to about 24.9 million Americans. Of those approximately 20.2 million are adults and 4.6 million are children. Asthma appears to be more prevalent in females. (1)
But what exactly is asthma? When you have asthma your airways become swollen and the pathway for air to travel comes narrow. There may be extra mucus in the airway. As you can probably guess this narrowing of the air passageway can make breathing difficult. Please see the attached picture for a side by side comparisons between a normal airway and in inflamed asthmatic airway. (2)
While symptoms of asthma can vary from person to person there are some common symptoms you can experience. These include shortness of breath, wheezing when exhaling and coughing/ wheezing attacks that can be made worse when you have a virus. Other symptoms can include chest tightness or pain. There may be trouble sleeping due to shortness of breath and coughing. Symptoms of asthma may flare up due to exercise, occupational irritants and by allergens such as pollen or pet dander. I would also like to point out that while some people have symptoms only under certain conditions such as during physical exercise others will have symptoms all the time. (2)
While the cause of asthma is unknown we do know what the most common risk factors for asthma include. One major risk factor for developing asthma is a family history. Having a family history of asthma can make up to 6X more susceptible to asthma. Children and adults that are overweight or obese are also at an increased risk for asthma. People who have a history of smoking or were exposed to 2nd hand smoke are also at risk. Certain allergies such as eczema and hay fever seem to be risk factors for developing asthma. Certain viral infections can increase the risk of asthma. Both air pollution as well as work place exposers are risk factors as well. (3) Asthma symptoms may be triggered by cold air. Certain medications such as beta blockers and aspirin may trigger asthma symptoms. Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) may also trigger asthma symptoms. Strong emotions, stress and even being in the cold can all trigger asthma symptoms. Even certain preservatives may trigger asthma symptoms. (1)
While some people may not consider asthma to be “series” I want to emphasize that yes asthma can have some series complications. In fact each year more than 3,500 people die from asthma. And in fact approximately 60% of adults and 44$ of children with asthma have poor control over their illness. (1) Complications from asthma can also include a permanent narrowing of the bronchial tubes which can affect how you breathe. Flare-ups can also lead to missed school or work and even interfere with activities of daily living such as sleep. There may also be side effects from long term use of medications used to treat asthma. Lastly asthma can lead to fatigue and even poor mental health. (4)
Asthma is treatable. While it is important to follow your doctors treatment plan there are things you can do to help improve your respiratory health.
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RSV- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to begin our series on respiratory health by talking about something that has been all over the news lately. And that is RSV. But what exactly is RSV? RSV stands for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. …
Nattokinase! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND What the heck is Nattokinase? Where does it come from? What exactly does it do? Is it just for heart health or does it do anything else for us? These are just some of the questions that people have about …
Omega 3s and the Heart!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Omega 3s are something that everyone has heard of. In fact many nutritionists including myself consider them to be essential to a healthy daily vitamin regimen. But many people I talk to ask a few simple questions and the first is usually why they are so important to our health? What are they and where do they come from? And just how do they help keep the heart healthy? Before I start to answer these questions I want to remind everyone that omega 3s are much more than just a heart supplement. In fact in our series on joints omega 3s were a frequent recommendation.
Let’s start with the simple question of why omegas 3s are so important. Well to start off they are very versatile in what they can be used to help with. Then there is the simple fact that the standard American diet is typically very low in omegas 3s. In fact studies have found that over 2/3s of US adults and 95% of US children do not consume enough omega 3s to meet their nutritional needs based on US dietary guidelines. (1) What this means is that most people are not getting enough omega 3s in their diet and can benefit from a supplement. But just what are omega 3s? They are a type of fat consisting of ALA, DHA and EPA. These fats are considered to be essential in our diet because they are essential for certain functions in our body and are important to keep us healthy yet they can’t be made by the body itself. In other words they can only be obtained by getting them in our diet. (2) Omega 3s are typically found in fish and other seafood. They are also found in nuts and seeds. Lastly certain fortified foods contain omega 3s. (3) Fish Oil, Krill Oil Advanced and Flax Seed are all supplements that contain omega 3s.
Everyone knows that omega 3s are good for our cholesterol. According to the Mayo clinic there is strong evidence that omega 3s reduce triglyceride levels in the blood. Additionally according to the Mayo clinic omega 3s can improve HDL or the good cholesterol. (4) Studies have found that omega 3s can help to lower triglycerides by between 25-34%. (5) Even for people with very high triglycerides studies have found that omega 3s can help to lower them. (6) Overall studies have concluded that omega 3s are helpful for triglycerides. (7) Due to the fact studies have found that omega 3s are helpful for both HDL and triglycerides I personally always recommend them for helping with cholesterol concerns.
In addition to helping with cholesterol studies have found that omega 3s can help to reduce the risk of blood clots. This appears to be due to the fact that omega 3s can affect platelet activity causing them to be less reactive. (8) This is important because blood clots can have series consequences. Omega 3s such as fish oil have also been found to be helpful when dealing with arrhythmias. According to Harvard those with a higher than average omega 3 level in their blood were approximately 30% less likely than those with low levels to develop AFib. (9)
Omega 3s have also been found in studies to help with blood pressure. According to the Mayo clinic omega 3s are very helpful for those with moderate to severe high blood pressure. (10) According to a study by the Cleveland heart lab omega 3s were able to help those with hypertension to either lower their medication or in some cases even avoid having to take medication at all. (11)
Omega 3s have also been found in studies to help patients with coronary heart disease. Other studies have found that omega 3s have a beneficial effect on the risks of having cardiovascular death, heart attack and even coronary artery disease. (12)
Overall in my clinical experience I find that omega 3s are an amazing supplement to add on to any protocol for heart health. Now one concern that comes up frequently when I discuss omegas is the smell and taste. A handy tip that works for me personally is to always refrigerate your omegas and take them with food. While they don’t technically need to be kept this way I find that this way prevents any odor.
In our next blog we will be talking about Mitral Valve Prolapse or MVP!
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