Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
HEPATITIS~ THE TYPES, THE SUPPORT AND CAN IT BE PREVENTED? By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Hepatitis is a disease that we’ve all heard about and it also triggers fear for many when it’s discussed. It is often associated with hypodermic needle drug users, …
Complete Eye Support with Macula Advanced! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND When someone calls and asks about a product for eye health one of the first things I recommend is our Macula Advanced. Personally in my opinion Macula Advanced really hits all the marks. Not …
Invite Health Gummies
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I wanted to take the time to talk about the new products Invite has recently released. You may have noticed something about them! They are in a gummy form. Now I know what you’re thinking – But Dr. Claire I thought you always said gummies aren’t very good for you? What makes Invite Health gummies different? Well that is exactly what I’m going to be blogging about today!
Let’s start with the colors in the gummies. Invite Health doesn’t use any artificial colors. So what do we use instead? In our gummies you will find Beta carotene and Black carrot extract used as colors. But does this point really matter? Well according to the Cleveland Clinic artificial colors such as red dye 40 can have side effects such as hyperactivity, irritably and can even trigger depression. There can also be allergic reactions such as skin irritation, hives and even asthma. Artificial colors can also trigger migraines. (1)
Invite gummies do not contain any artificial sweeteners. Studies have found many side effects to artificial sweeteners. So many that I couldn’t possibly begin to list them all! The most common side effects are to the digestive system, neurological system and even our heart health. (2) Now you may notice a small amount of sugar in the gummies. Why not use stevia? Well it’s simple. While stevia is a great choice for our powders when they tried them in a gummy form the extensive testing Invite does on all its products found that the results were not consistent with the type of product that is in keeping with Invite Health standards.
What else sets Invite gummies apart from other brands of gummies? There are no artificial flavorings used. So what does Invite use instead? We use natural flavors from sources such as orange, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry and even peach. Once again I’ll bet your asking why this is important. Studies have found that artificial flavors can have side effects. (3)
Another ingredient that is often found in gummies is palm oil. There is no palm oil in our gummies. Palm oil contains quite a bit of saturated fats. (4) This is that fat that is associated with an increase in blood LDL or “bad cholesterol” and this can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. (5) For more information please check out Allie Might’s blog on the different types of fats, it is entitled “Fats – The skinny you need to know.”
Now what about the doses. Aren’t all gummies so low dose as to be just fancy candy? Absolutely not! In the suggested dose of the new digestive probiotic gummy you will see it provides 5 Billion CFUs. That is exactly the same amount of CFUs as some of our other probiotics such as Probiotic Maintain. While at a glance the new collagen may seem low in how much collagen it has but it important to remember that it is a Marine based collagen and the peptides are smaller than a Bovine source would be. Thus the amount is a very reasonable amount. (6)
Lastly Invite gummies are free of both gelatin and gluten. These make them a great option for anyone who is looking for a gelatin or gluten free option. And before you ask – yes they are both KOSHER and HALAL! But HOW DO THEY TASTE? I mean they look great on the surface but a gummy that tastes bad is just plain sad. Well I have tried them and can say that they get the Dr. Claire yummy award. They taste great and have a great texture.
Invite knows that sometimes you might get tired of taking so many pills. Or you may be going on a trip where it would be impossible to take powders. Invite’s new gummies are easy to add in to any supplement protocol or even just stand alone. As always feel free to contact an Invite nutritionist with any questions.
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HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS~ WHAT EXACTLY IS HPV? By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Human Papillomavirus, or HPV as it’s commonly referred to as, has been discussed quite often lately. However, do we really know what it is and how it’s spread? Having a good understanding …
Summary on Respiratory Health Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I hope that this blog series on respiratory health has been both fun and informative! I have tried to review some of the most common respiratory concerns that come up here at Invite health. Additionally I …
Pneumonia
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I wanted to finish up this series on respiratory health with a discussion on pneumonia. While pneumonia can be mild it can also become life threatening. What is pneumonia? Basically pneumonia is an infection that causes inflammation in the air sacs in one or both lungs. As a result of the inflammation the sacs may fill with fluid or pus which can trigger a cough. Please see the attached picture. (1)
What can cause pneumonia? Pathogens that usually cause pneumonia include bacteria, bacteria like organisms, fungi and viruses. Pneumonia is classified according to type of organism that causes it as well as where you acquired the infection. The first type is the most common and is called community -acquired pneumonia. As the name implies this occurs outside of hospitals or other health care facilities, or in other words “in the community”. The next type is called hospital acquired pneumonia. This tends to be caused by bacteria more than the other pathogens. Related to hospital acquired is health-care acquired pneumonia which is pneumonia that occurs in people who live in long-term care facilities or receive care in outpatient clinics such as kidney dialysis centers. Lastly there is aspiration pneumonia which is where you inhale food, drink, vomit or saliva into your lungs. This is more likely if there is a problem with your gag reflux.
While anyone can get pneumonia there are certain risk factors that increase your risk. To start with the 2 age groups most at risk are children under 2 and adults over 65. Being hospitalized and being on a breathing machine increase your risk. Having a chronic disease such as asthma or COPD increase your risk. Having a weak or suppressed immune system can also increase risk. Lastly smoking can also increase the risk of pneumonia.
What are the most common symptoms of pneumonia? Well you may have a cough with phlegm. There may be chest pain when you cough or breath. There may be fatigue as well as fever, sweating and shaking chills. Your digestive system may be affected resulting in nausea, vomiting or even diarrhea. In those over 65 there may be a lower than normal body temperature as well as confusion. (1)
When it comes to pneumonia it is important to talk about complications. Pneumonia can lead to bacteremia which is where bacteria literally get into our blood. Sounds series right? Well it absolutely is. Bacteremia can lead to septic shock. Pneumonia can also lead to lung abscesses which are pockets of puss in our lungs. Pneumonia can also cause what is called pleurisy, pleural effusions and empyema. If the pneumonia is severe it can lead to respiratory failure. Pneumonia can even lead to failure of certain organs such as the kidneys and heart. (2) As you can see pneumonia can haves dangerous complications. What can you do to help reduce the risk of pneumonia?
Our last blog on this topic will be a nice summary to wrap things up before we move on!
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