Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
From a Naturopaths Point of View Part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Third Party Consultations One of the things we almost always mention is how you can call Invite for a consultation with a qualified nutritionist. You can even go to the website and …
Stress and Anxiety
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Before we move on to a different topic I felt it was important to talk about our mental health. Being diagnosed with cancer or any other chronic illness is much more than just the physical aspects of the illness. There is also the stress that is associated with diagnosis. In fact studies have found almost half of all people who are diagnosed with cancer have some degree of anxiety. In addition studies have found that approximately one fourth of people with cancer report a high level of anxiety. It has also been found that as the cancer spreads or the treatment becomes more aggressive the amount of anxiety experienced becomes more pronounced. (1)
What are some of the most common symptoms of anxiety? Well you may feel irritable or feel as though you’re “going crazy”. You may notice shortness of breath, fast heartbeat that may even make you feel like you’re having a heart attack. Additionally you may start sweating and feeling nauseated as well as dizzy. In some cases your muscles may become tight. (1)
What are some of the factors that can worsen anxiety? Having a history of anxiety as well as a history of physical or emotional trauma can also increase your risk of anxiety. Having a poor support system can also increase anxiety risk. Having cancer that is not improving with treatment or has metastasized can also increase anxiety. In addition having pain or other physical symptoms that are not controlled can also worsen the anxiety you experience. (1)
The amount of anxiety that is experienced can vary greatly from person to person. Just because your experience is different from someone else doesn’t mean that your personal experience isn’t still valid. If you feel that the anxiety you have impacts your life it doesn’t matter if you don’t have the classic signs. Everyone is different and so everyone has a different experience. Now some people who are diagnosed with cancer may have what is referred to as a normal adjustment. There may be psychological and social distress. Some people may also be diagnosed with an adjustment disorder. Lastly an induvial may be diagnosed with a specific anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can include diagnoses such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety and panic disorder. Lastly anxiety disorders can also include specific phobias (for example fear of mice) and agoraphobia. Even obsessive compulsive disorders and PTSD are forms of anxiety. (1)
What can you do to help control your anxiety?
Overall I hope that this series has been helpful for anyone who has any concerns about side effects related to cancer treatments. Remember if you have any questions you can always reach out to an Invite nutritionist.
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Hair Enhance Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to talk about a product that may be new to you, Hair Enhance! This is an excellent formula for helping with hair growth. It can help enhance hair strength as well. However some of the nutrients …
Hair and Skin Changes Due to Cancer Treatments Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Cancer treatments can have different side effects when it comes to our hair and skin. Let’s start with our skin, shall we? Certain cancer therapies can cause skin to become dry. They …
Iron Plus
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
One vitamin that seems to come up in conversation quite frequently is Iron Plus. People often ask questions such as I’m tired all the time, do I need to take Iron? Or I’m a vegan I must need to take iron! And last but not least I have frequently heard I am a woman does that mean I need iron? While yes in some of these situations iron is appropriate it is more complicated than that. Taking iron is more complex than just taking it because you’re tired. As I always say iron is something you take if you need it not just because you have read it on the internet that it is good for you. Why do I say this? Because iron isn’t something everyone should take. Let’s explore this in depth, shall we?
As I said iron isn’t just a vitamin you take to stay healthy. Iron can build up in our body over time. If you have a deficiency that means that over time taking iron will fill in or correct that deficiency. However this means that if you don’t need iron but take it any way you can end up with it becoming abnormally high in your body. This is called hemochromatosis.
What can happen if you have too much iron in your body? Well it can build up in vital organs and cause damage. These organs include the liver, heart and endocrine glands. If the iron concentrates in the liver it can trigger complications such as cirrhosis. Complications due to having an excess of iron can also include cardiomyopathy, diabetes and even hypothyroidism. Also iron overload can weaken our immune health leaving us at an increased risk of infection. (1)
All that being said how do you know if you need iron? According to the American Society of Hematology anemia is diagnosed when a blood test shows a hemoglobin level of less than 13.5 gm/dl in a man or 12.0 gm/dl in a female. (2) Basically if your doctor suspects you’re anemic they will recommend a complete blood count or CBC. This test looks at the number of Red blood cells (RBC) or hematocrit and the level of hemoglobin. The doctor can also check the color, size and shape of the RBC. (3)
Now I bet your thinking but Dr. Claire what is the plus in the iron plus? Well the plus refers to nutrients that are basically the cofactors that make iron work better. Vitamin C has been found to increase the absorption of iron. It works better if you take the iron and the vitamin c at the same time. (4) Taurine is an amino acid that helps the body to use iron better thus it can help correct a deficiency more effectively. (5) Both vitamins B12 and folic acid can help us to produce healthy RBC. (6) Overall the nutrients in Iron Plus all work to improve iron absorption, utilization and even RBC health.
Now I know that I said not to take iron unless you know you need to. So what are some signs that you should talk to your doctor about iron? Well some signs can include pale skin that is cold especially on the hands and feet. You will also notice extreme fatigue and weakness. You may experience shortness of breath and chest pain. There may be inflammation on your tongue and your nails may be brittle. Symptoms can also include headache, dizziness, and even changes in appetite. Lastly you may find yourself craving things such as ice. (7)
Iron Plus is an amazing non-constipating form of iron. To find out if it’s right for you feel free to contact a qualified Invite Health nutritionist.
Our next topic is changes to our Hair and Skin that can occur after cancer treatments.
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