Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
WATER~THE INCREDIBLE LIFE FORCE By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Water is our life force. It is such a necessity but something that very few people seem to get enough of on a daily basis. As I discuss this topic numerous times each day, …
The Greatness of Green Tea!!! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Green tea is everywhere these days! Green tea is found in everything from tea bags to lattes and even ice cream! But as we all know these forms are chock full of sugar and additives …
FATS~THE SKINNY YOU NEED TO KNOW
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
When talking about health, wellness and diet, the subject of fats always seems to scare people. I’ve heard such things as ‘fats are bad’ to ‘I don’t consume any fats because they’ll back me gain weight’. There are so many misconceptions regarding fats out there so let’s explore this dietary group and breakdown the good and bad when it comes to fats.
Let’s start breaking down fats and get more comfortable including them into our diet. Just like anything, there are good and bad fats. It’s the bad fats that we think of when we think that consuming fats will cause weight gain so many tend to gravitate toward a low-fat or even fat-free diet. However, incorporating the right fats, the healthy fats, can have positive effects on our health and well-being.
Healthy fats are helpful for such areas like the skin, joints, heart and circulatory system and even the brain. These are also known as unsaturated fats. According to an article form Harvard Medical School titled ‘Know the Facts About Fats’, these fats have been shown to raise HDL (good cholesterol), reduce inflammation and nourish the brain and may even help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Unhealthy fats are just that…unhealthy and potentially harmful to one’s health. These are the saturated and trans fats. ‘Types of Fats’ from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health advised limiting or greatly reducing the amounts of saturated and trans fats in the diet. This is due to the negative impact they can have on one health. The potential risk factors include, but are not limited to, increased inflammation, increased LDL (bad cholesterol), increased risk of heart disease, stroke and heart attack, and may even contribute to insulin resistance.
Unsaturated Fats are what would be considered healthy fats. In this group you’ll find the good fats that can have a positive impact on one’s health. Some of these include such foods as shellfish, salmon, sardines, seeds, nuts and nut butters. Oils like extra virgin olive oil, grape seed oil and avocado oil. They have medium to high smoke point making them ideal to use when cooking.
Saturated Fats are the unhealthy fats that many people justify as being okay in moderation. These are the fats that most people gravitate to and love. These include cheeses, red meat, poultry (with skin) and even bacon. While these do have health benefits like calcium and protein, the fat content may have negative effects on one’s health and wellness.
Trans Fats are the worst of the fats that are consumed. These are the fats that we should all be most aware of as they are the ones to try to avoid. They can be a serious contributing factor to increasing risk of certain health problems. These can include heart problems and weight gain or obesity. This group is made up of such things like processed meats (think deli meats and hot dogs), many processed and prepackaged foods. Many times you’ll see the term partially hydrogenated oils.
A good way to remember the difference between these three types of fats would be UNSATURATED-FAT is UNFILTERED and CLEAN, SATURATED-FAT is SUFFOCATING and UNHEALTHY, and finally TRANS-FAT is HEAVILY PROCESSED (TRANSformed), UNRECOGNIZABLE and ATTACKING (to the cells).
FISH OIL: This is the most common thing we think of when talking about Omega-3s. Fish oil supplies the EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaeonic Acid) that is essential for numerous areas of the body.
BIOMEGA: This is the same type of omega-3 as above, but this is enteric coated. This coating causes the soft gel to dissolve for absorption in the small intestine instead of the stomach. Many people report that this helps to reduce having the fishy taste repeat on them.
KRILL OIL ADVANCED: This is an easy to take soft gel supplies EPA and DHA but also contains Astaxanthin. This is an antioxidant that is believed to support healthy heart, skim, brain and the immune system. It is also said to have anti-inflammatory properties. It is also advised that if someone is allergic (or sensitive) to seafood and/or shellfish to not consume krill oil supplements.
www.health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-choose-and-use-healthy-cooking-oils
www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/know-the-facts-about-fats
www.uclahealth.org/news/eating-healthy-fats-has-many-benefits
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5577766/
www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/dietary-fats
www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/types-of-fat/
www.pharmapproach.com/enteric-coating-2/
www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-astaxanthin
www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1172/krill-oil
Mushroom Hx Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Omelets, risotto and even salads are all places you might find mushrooms. But did you know mushrooms are also an amazing supplement for our immune system? There are so many different types of mushrooms that sometimes it can …
PROTEINS~WHAT ARE THEY? By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT While we all know protein, do we really know how much we need on a daily basis? It’s also something we all like as there seems to be endless choices. There is also no wrong …
The Common Cold!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Today we will be talking about something everyone knows about and that topic is the common cold! Having a cold is probably one thing that both children and adults understand. But what cause’s a cold? Well when you have a cold you are actually suffering from a virus, in most cases it is a Rhinovirus. When we talk about upper respiratory infections the common cold is an example of what we mean. How do we catch a cold? Well the virus enters our body through the eyes, nose and mouth. Like most viruses it travels on droplets in the air that are released when someone coughs, sneezes or even just talks! When someone who is sick touches an object or even shakes your hand the virus gets on that object. If you touch it and then touch your eyes, mouth or nose BAM the virus can infect you too!
Exposure is probably one of the largest risk factors for getting a cold. It is one of the reasons why people are encouraged to stay home if they are sick. Having a weakened immune system is also a risk factor. Having a history of smoking or being exposed to 2nd hand smoke also increases your risk of getting a cold. Infants and young children are also at a higher risk of catching a cold.
What are the symptoms of a cold? While I know most people can probably list these all by heart I just want to do a quick reminder of what they are. Usually in 1-3 days after exposure to the virus symptoms can start and they can include runny/stuffy nose, sneezing, sore/ scratchy throat, cough, low grade fever, headache and even just plain old “I don’t feel good”. (1) Unfortunately the common cold isn’t the only virus that can cause these symptoms. I’ve included a chart that compares them! (2)
Now while most people recover from a cold within a few days – a week there can be complications that occur. These can include sinus or ear infections. There may also be acute bronchitis. If you have asthma or emphysema or chronic bronchitis the symptoms can get worse. You may develop a cough that lingers after infections. (3)
While most people with a cold don’t need to see a doctor sometimes it’s necessary. For children up to 12 weeks if there is a fever of 100.4 degrees it’s a good idea to see their doctor. In older children if there is a rising fever or fever lasting more than 2 days, if there is any trouble with breathing, wheezing, ear pain, or just intense symptoms as well as unusual fatigue or fuzziness it can also be a good idea to see their doctor. Lastly if there is a change in appetite it’s important to see their doctor. In adults it’s a good ideas to see a doctor if there is a fever over 101.3 degrees that lasts more than 3 days, if the fever returns after being gone or there is shortness of breath, wheezing or the symptoms unusually severe. (1) If there is a high fever in either children or adults it may be a good idea to see your doctor. (3)
When it comes to a cold prevention is key! And that starts with 1 simple word- hygiene! Wash your hands and clean frequently touched surfaces. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneezes or cough. If your sick stay home! Don’t share glasses or eating utensils. If you can stay away from those that are sick. (1) It is also helpful to make sure that your environment is not too dry so that your sinus don’t dry out which would leave you at risk for a cold. (3) It’s always a good ideas to help boost our immunity. In that case what can we do to boost our immunity?
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