Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
You’ve probably heard of the microbiome and good bacteria before, but do you know what role they play in your body? Learn about how your microbiome impacts digestion, immunity, skin health and so much more from Amanda Williams, MPH.
The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is on the rise due to poor dietary intake and lack of exercise. This disease puts people at risk of developing additional medical issues and also severely impacts the body’s primary detoxifying organ.
antinutrients
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
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Antinutrients are components in food which can block the absorption of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and other minerals. But they have health benefits and the truth of the matter is that, when you eat a healthy, balanced diet, they’re not an issue. You’d have to have very exaggerated amounts of these antinutrients for them to be a problem.†
Antinutrients can interfere with how your body absorbs nutrients. You typically absorb minerals through your stomach and intestines, but if there are antinutrients in those organs, they attach to the minerals and prevent you from absorbing them into your body. They mostly affect minerals like zinc, selenium, potassium, calcium and iron.†
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You can get antinutrients from consuming legumes, whole grains, black tea and cruciferous vegetables. Unless you have super high amounts of these nutrient-blocking components, they can actually be super healthy.†
One example is glucosinolates found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, bok choy and broccoli rabe. If you don’t cook these vegetables, there’s something in there that can slow down your thyroid, which can impact metabolism and energy. But, if you cook the vegetables and only have them four or five times a week, they don’t seem to affect the thyroid at all.†
The glucosinolates in these vegetables include sulforaphane, indole carbinols and glucuronic acid. While these components may be considered antinutrients, they also offer the body powerful support in defending itself from harmful foreign cells. Indole carbinols, for instance, stack up into diindolylmethane (DIM) within the intestines. DIM has been studied for its abilities to block the spread of certain viruses within the body.†
Another example is phytates. You find phytates in corn, rice, barley and whole wheat. Phytates help support immune system function and have been shown to have antioxidant activities that can help reduce chronic low-grade inflammation. This kind of inflammation can negatively impact the heart, kidneys, brain, circulatory system, skin and more.†
Tannins, which are found in black tea, coffee and grape seed, are another example of an antinutrient. Grape seed can help kill certain fungal and viral infections and can also help protect your heart and kidneys. But the tannins in black tea can be a bit of an issue because they can block the absorption of iron. You need iron for proper brain function, antioxidant protection, liver health, immune defenses and more. However, if you take some Vitamin C with the source of the tannins, the tannins won’t block the iron absorption.†
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In this episode, Jerry Hickey, Ph. goes into depth about what antinutrients are and where they come from. He explains that while they may be known for blocking the absorption of certain nutrients, they can actually benefit the body in other ways.†
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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.
Grape seed is a powerful nutrient that can help with fat loss and blood sugar health. Learn about grape seed’s ability to block the absorption of sugar and control appetite from Jerry Hickey, Ph.
Amino acids are necessary for proper brain function, heart function, blood pressure and more. It’s important to get an adequate amount of these nutrients in order to support your body. The good news is that there are supplements you can turn to to help.
immune system
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
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Welcome to the second part of our episode looking at 10 factors that affect the immune system. In part one, we discussed the microbiome, sleep, nutrients from food and cortisol levels. Today, we will discuss additional factors that impact your body’s ability to defend itself.†
Most people get some level of benefit from a multivitamin. For instance, you get B vitamins, which have been shown to help mitigate the effects of inhaled pollution on your immune system and inflammation. Your immune system also requires a certain level of Vitamin E, Vitamin A, zinc and selenium.†
Multivitamins can be especially important for elderly people as they are missing many nutrients. They absorb zinc poorly from their food and are generally lacking three or four B vitamins, like Vitamin B12. This is why we ensure that our multivitamins contain methylcobalamin, which is an activated form of B12 that also converts to the other forms of Vitamin B that the body needs. They also lack folate, so we include methyltetrahydrofolate in our multivitamin formulations. This helps protect older people and helps the immune system function properly.†
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Phytonutrients are nutrients that come from plants. For instance, Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and in red wine. It is also found as a supplement, where it is usually sourced from Japanese knotweed. Resveratrol works on several levels with the immune system. It helps contain inflammation, especially in the heart, lungs and brain. If you have an infection, the infection can inflame these organs. The immune system can also have a backlash against the infection, causing even more inflammation. This is what was happening to COVID-19 patients who were experiencing cytokine storms.†
Beta 1,3 glucan, which is found in mushrooms, yeast and euglena gracilis algae, is another phytonutrient that is important for immunity. It activates different parts of the immune system to attack and kill viruses and bacteria. Researchers have been studying beta 1,3 glucan for decades and they have found that it supports the body’s ability to defend itself.†
Some exercise is great for the immune system, such as taking several walks every day. But when you do intense exercise, like running or lifting heavy weights, it actually suppresses the immune system for about six hours after. Your antibody levels drop and immune cells decline.†
There are two supplements that have been shown to help prevent that from happening. One is called nucleotides. Nucleotides actually make us, but they also create energy in the form of ATP. When you take nucleotides, you make energy that can be used for healing and for immunity. A second supplement that helps offset a drop in immunity with exercise is a good probiotic. Research has shown that certains strains of probiotic help prevent the immune system from declining after exercise.†
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In this episode, Jerry Hickey, Ph. continues his conversation on factors that can impact your immune system. He shares multiple nutrients and phytonutrients that are important for promoting immunity and also discusses lifestyle choices that may impact your body’s ability to protect and defend itself.†
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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.