Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
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? …
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 Nattokinase. I get so many questions about Nattokinase that I wanted to take the time to explore this interesting supplement. Let’s start at the beginning. Nattokinase is an enzyme. It is extracted from a Japanese food called Natto. The way that Natto is produced is by adding a bacteria called Bacillus Subtilis to boiled soybeans. Now I just want to point out that while other soy foods may have enzymes only Natto contains Nattokinase. (1)
Nattokinase has been found in studies to have numerous benefits for our heart health including reducing the risk of heart attack and even improving overall heart health. (2) Studies have found that Nattokinase can help to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. (3) In addition to helping lower blood pressure Nattokinase has also been found to help lower LDL, triglycerides and even total cholesterol. (2) Studies have also found that Nattokinase may help with slowing the development of atherosclerosis. This is because Nattokinase has both antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects that may help to clean out the arteries. (4) Nattokinase has been found to be a very potent blood clot dissolving protein. (5) In fact when Nattokinase comes into contact with blood clots it has been found to break them up. (1)
Now I know some people might say but wait does it really work this way in the human body? Doesn’t it get broken down by our digestive juices and not really do anything? Well studies have been conducted and found that Nattokinase is active in the body when used orally. (6)
Due to the fact that Nattokinase helps to break up blood clots it has also been studied in regards to stroke. I know your probably thinking wait stroke? What does that have to do with heart health? Well to be honest the risk factors for many heart conditions and a stroke are very often the same and thus in my clinical experience those who have heart disease are often at risk of a stroke. So I wanted to mention it here. Plus as I hinted in the beginning of this blog Nattokinase isn’t just a “heart supplement”. It is useful for more than just heart health. Now back to Nattokinase and strokes. In one study in those who have had a stroke after 60 days of Nattokinase the patients had better control over their blood pressure and even cholesterol levels. (7) Nattokinase has also been found to help improve the cognitive function in those who have had a stroke. (8)
Nattokinase has also been found to be helpful in protecting our blood vessels after they are injured. In other studies Nattokinase was found to help reduce the amount of aortic plaque that builds up in those who have high cholesterol. Nattokinase has been found to be very good at breaking up blood clots. Research has explored using it to help break up other things in the body. New research has found that Nattokinase may be helpful at degrading amyloid fibrils suggesting it may be helpful for diseases such as Alzheimer disease. (9)
So let’s sum up a few things from all these studies. Overall studies have found that Nattokinase is good for blood clots, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and overall heart health. Other studies have found that Nattokinase can even help our brain and reduce our stroke risk. It has also been found to help with certain diseases where there is a buildup of amyloid fibrils such as Alzheimer disease. That is just amazing! (10)
Now just a PSA I’d like to point out that Nattokinase can and does interact with certain medications. This is why it is so important to talk to an Invite nutritionist to determine if Nattokinase is right for you!
Our next topic will be something that has cropped up quite a bit over these weeks of talking about heart health – Coronary Artery Disease!
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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 …
The Benefits of Beets Hx Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Everyone has heard about beets. Beet powder, beet chews and even beet juice! It’s everywhere you look! But what really are the benefits of using beet supplements? Why is the tart cherry in the Beets …
Congestive Heart Failure
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Our next topic is something that may seem uncommon but is actually more common than you would think. This is congestive heart failure. When people refer to having a “weak heart” they are referring to congestive heart failure. What is congestive heart failure? Basically what happens when you have Congestive heart failure or CHF for short is the heart is unable to pump blood throughout the body. Over time blood and fluids start to build up in different parts of the body. The 3 types of CHF are left sided, right sided, and high output failure.
What causes our heart to fail? There are a number of situations that can cause our heart to fail. Recreational drug use, including tobacco use as well as certain medications can lead to heart failure. Having a family history of CHF also places you at risk of CHF. Having a personal history of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, diabetes and having a past heart attack all increase risk of CHF. Additionally being over 65 increases risk of heart failure. Having an enlarged heart known as cardiomyopathy can also increase risk of CHF. There are congenital heart disorders which are present at birth that over time can cause CHF. Having a history of arrhythmia is also a risk factory. Life style risk factors that can increase our risk of heart failure include alcohol use, BMI over 30, being inactive and eating a diet high in saturated fat and salt. Lastly having a history of rheumatic fever can overtime increase the risk of developing heart failure.
Heart failure is broken down into 4 stages. These stages start with high risk of developing heart failure and end with having advanced heart failure. Other conditions that can affect heart function include chronic lung disease, thyroid disorders, anemia and even kidney disease. It is important to address these concerns to help keep our heart working as well as possible.
What are the classic signs of heart failure? While not everyone will experience these symptoms it is important to know what you may experience especially as the disorder gets worse over time. Now as I said the most common symptoms are swelling in the ankles, legs abdomen and even a bloated or heart stomach. This swelling occurs due to the hearts inability to pump fluids and gets worse as the heart fails to do its job. Because of the buildup of fluid in the body there may be weight gain without any change in diet. There may also be nausea. Our ability to breath can be impacted with a feeling of shortness of breath or SOB. You may also wake up with a feeling of SOB. There may also be a chronic dry cough. There can be chest pain and heart palpitations. As fluid builds up there may be a need to urinate at night. Lastly you will experience fatigue that gets worse over time.
Unfortunately, chronic heart failure gets worse over time. Because of the hearts inability to pump blood throughout the body there are some series complications that can occur. This includes a buildup of fluid in the lungs which can lead to pulmonary hypertension. There may also be kidney damage, liver damage and even heart valve damage. CHF can even lead to an irregular heartbeat. Due to nausea there may be malnutrition. Lastly, over time CHF can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Heart failure has to be taken seriously. While there is no cure there are certain things that can help improve our hearts function. (1, 2)
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