Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
ORGANIC, GMO/NON-GMO, CONVENTIONAL~ UNDERSTANDING THESE DIETARY TERMS By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT There are so many different terms when deciding what to eat that it can be confusing. There are also many different opinions on what is good for you and what to …
From A Naturopaths Point of View Part 3 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Self-diagnosis? One of the most integral parts of a consult with an Invite nutritionist t is knowing exactly what is going on in your body. In other words it’s important to see …
Alcar with ALA Capsules
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
One of the most popular products here at Invite Health has always been our Alcar with ALA formula. If you have been using Invite’s Alcar with ALA you may notice some changes to it! Now the first change that you may notice is that it went from a tablet form to a capsule form. But why have we made this change? Well to start with Alcar with ALA has always been what most would consider to be a very large tablet. This can be difficult for anyone who has trouble with large pills. I know many people either cut the tablets or even crush them. However both of these in my experience can be a pain to do all the time. Most people will tell us that they find capsules easier to swallow. From my personal experience, as a person who has trouble swallowing pill in general capsules are easier to swallow than tablets. In addition to being easier to swallow capsules have no medicinal taste. This is especially noticeable if you have trouble with the large size of the tablets and try to cut them in half. Another benefit to having capsules rather than tablets is the rate of absorption. In general capsules are easier to breakdown and even digest. This means that they tend to “go to work” faster than tablets and you see the benefits faster. Since capsules can have a better bioavailability than tablets this basically means more of the medicine enters your blood stream. This means they have more of an effect than tablets. (1) Another benefit is that Alcar with ALA in capsules can be taken with or without food. As a person who loves to snack not having to worry about having an empty stomach is just the icing on the cake!
Another benefit is that tablets are more likely to irritate the gastrointestinal tract. This means that capsules are better for anyone with a sensitive stomach. Another possible concern with tablets is that they are more likely to breakdown inconstantly. This can decrease the medicines effectiveness and absorption. This is more likely to occur in tablets and is thus a benefit to using capsules. Capsules are also harder to split and are considered more tamper resistant than tablets. (2)
In addition to the change in format you may notice a change in the number of capsules. Rather than the usual 60 tablets there are now 120 capsules in a bottle! This because capsules in general can’t fit as much as a tablet. If you compare the tablets and capsules you will find that 2 capsules is the same as 1 tablet. So if you were doing 2 tablets a day you would do 3 or 4 of the capsules a day. (1)
What are the benefits of Alcar with ALA? Well the benefits to using Alcar with ALA in capsules are the same as the tablets! So feel free to take o look at our blogs on Alcar with ALA!
So how do you use Alcar with ALA? Well to start with you can take it at any time with food or on an empty stomach! You can also mix it into recipes! For example you can make Memory in a cup! This is a fantastic hot chocolate idea. You heat 1 cup of milk of choice and add 1 – 2 scoops of Cocoa Hx. Then open 2 Alcar with ALA and mix! Feel free to top with Marshmallows.
Our next topic will be a Naturopath’s view on “self-diagnosis” and why it’s not always a good idea.
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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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