Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
In this episode of the InVite Health Podcast, Amanda Williams, MPH concludes her series on the workings of the immune system. Learn about the important role nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin E and mushroom extract play in your immune defenses.
As the weather gets colder, it’s very common to develop itchy, scaly or dry skin. The good news is that there are nutrients that can help hydrate your skin from the inside, out.
DHA
InViteⓇ Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
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By now, you’ve probably heard of the importance of omega-3 fatty acids. Today, I want to focus in particular on DHA, which is docosahexaenoic acid. I want to zero in on this fatty acid in particular because it is very critical for proper brain development, even in an infant, which is why we’re starting to see infant formulas containing DHA. We understand so much more now about those essential fatty acids and why we need them for not just our brain, but for the entire body.†
DHA in particular plays a very vital role in the structure and function within the brain of children, developing infants and adults. This component of phospholipids is very essential, but our exposure to DHA is usually not sufficient enough, which is why we are more prone to issues with cognitive decline as we get older.†
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We have to think about what omega-3 fatty acids are doing within the brain itself. I want to talk about a study that was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, where they were looking at the effect of DHA supplement and how that could actually change the volume of the hippocampus while also helping to enhance cognitive function. This was a 12-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and they looked at how the DHA was playing a role in brain functions. They saw that a higher DHA intake was inversely correlated with that relative risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.†
The participants in this study received either two grams of DHA a day or they were receiving a placebo. The researchers were looking at global and specific subdomains of cognitive function, as well as measuring the hippocampal volume. They measure this at baseline, at six months in and again at the conclusion of the study. There were significant differences in terms of the hippocampal volume in the group that was given the DHA. The findings suggested that DHA supplementation for that 12 months in people who had mild cognitive impairment could significantly improve cognitive function and slow the progression of brain atrophy.†
The Department of Nutritional Sciences through the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan worked with researchers out of the University of Texas Health Science Center to look at the association between omega-3 fatty acids and markers for inflammation in people who had bipolar disorder. They wanted to assess if there was a correlation between low levels of omega-3, including DHA and EPA, and higher levels of inflammation found in the body. Indeed, that is exactly what they found. They found higher levels of things like interleukin-18 and tumor necrosis factor alpha. They also found that when these people had higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood, these levels of inflammation came down.†
We know that omega-3 fatty acids are playing this very substantial role when it comes to targeting and easing inflammation and at the same time, maintaining the structure and function of the brain.†
In this episode, Amanda Williams, MPH discusses the powerful omega-3 fatty acid, DHA. She explains why this nutrient is important for development and overall brain function and also details studies focusing on this essential fatty acid.†
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Thank you for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at InViteⓇ Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast.
Many people have been prescribed statin drugs to help with cholesterol levels and heart health. While these medications are very important, they can also deplete levels of nutrients the body needs to function properly.
Osteoporosis is often called “the silent disease” because people cannot feel changes in their bone density. This is why it is so important to make sure you are getting nutrients that can support your overall bone health.
triglycerides
InViteⓇ Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
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As we discussed in Part 1 and Part 2 of this episode, triglycerides can be exceedingly dangerous when they’re elevated. When they’re somewhat elevated, they can contribute to hardening of the arteries, coronary heart disease and an increased risk of stroke and heart attack. They also cause fatty liver disease and the development of prediabetes or diabetes.†
There are nutrients that can help fight elevated triglycerides. One of these is niacin, which is a form of Vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 is involved with energy production and can help slow the aging process. Niacin helps to lower your triglycerides, as well as your bad cholesterol, and can also help to raise your good cholesterol a little bit. The problem is that when this is used as a drug, it is used in very high doses and it can be very unpleasant. The amount of niacin that you get in our B-Complex or multivitamins is fantastic, but super high doses of this vitamin may not be great.†
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Psyllium husk can also be beneficial. Psyllium is a type of fiber. It has to be mixed totally with water, otherwise the water in your throat can mix with it and it can swell in your throat. You mix a teaspoon of the psyllium in a glass of water twice a day and take it with food. First of all, it is a fiber and this helps to clean out your colon and support regularity. Psyllium husk also helps to lower your cholesterol, blood sugar and triglycerides.†
Then we have plant sterols, which may be my favorite, as well as fish oils.†
A trial done in the United States looked at people who were being treated with statin drugs and also had elevated triglycerides, but low cholesterol levels. These people also had a history of heart disease and diabetes. The researchers gave them 4000mg of fish oil a day, without its natural DHA. Instead, they super concentrated the EPA and changed its molecular shape a little bit. This study found that even if someone had low cholesterol levels, high triglycerides could cause them to have a heart attack or stroke. But, when they gave them the high-potency fish oils for five years, it cut back on the number of people who had a heart attack or stroke. Lowering the triglycerides cut back around an additional 25% in these risks.†
Now let’s discuss krill oil. The EPA and DHA in krill oil are more bioavailable, which means that they’re better absorbed by humans. This is because the oils in fish oils are attached to triglycerides, whereas the oils in krill oil are attached to phosphatides. Phosphatides are very good for the liver, brain, memory and mood. The way that krill oil supplies these fish oils is also excellent for helping to lower cholesterol and triglycerides.†
There is another kind of fat called sterols which are very interesting. They block the absorption of cholesterol from food in your digestive tract. Studies over the past 50 years show that they can help lower the risk of developing heart disease, as well as cholesterol levels. More recent studies are showing that they also help to lower triglycerides.†
In this episode, Jerry Hickey, Ph. concludes his discussion on triglycerides. He offers suggestions for nutrients and supplements that can help people with high triglyceride levels and cites multiple studies.†
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Thank you for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at InViteⓇ Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast.
