Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Protein Powders Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Invite health has a number of different type of protein powders. These include a whey based protein, a plant based protein and even a weight management powder that can help improve our overall nutrition. That being said why is …
Methyl-B Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Most people have heard that it can improve your health if you take a B complex. You may even have heard the term “methylation”. But do you know what that term means? Why does it even matter? This blog …
Neuropathy
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Neuropathy is usually something that most people associate with diabetes. This is an accurate connection because one of the most common causes of neuropathy is diabetes. But did you know that neuropathy can also occur after cancer treatments? To start off this topic I’ll ask a simple question, what is neuropathy? Well neuropathy, or as some call it peripheral neuropathy is basically a condition where the peripheral nerves or in other words the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord become damaged. This is very common in our hands and feet. (1)
The symptoms you can experience if you have neuropathy can include numbness or tingling in your feet, hands, legs or even arms. You may also feel as if you are wearing gloves or socks when you’re not. You may have sharp, jabbing pain that may even occur during activities that don’t normally cause pain. As the neuropathy progresses’ you may notice an increase in sensitivity to touch. There may also be muscle weakness and a lack of coordination. If your motor nerves are affected you may have an inability to move. You may notice an intolerance to heat. You may experience either excess sweating or an ability to sweat at all. There may also be a drop in blood pressure. You may also have bowel, bladder or digestive problems. (1) Lastly you may notice cramps in your feet. (2)
It’s important to see a doctor if you notice the symptoms of neuropathy starting to develop. When you see the doctor they will do a full medical history and a neurological exam. The doctor may also order certain blood tests, imaging tests and even nerve function tests. The doctor may also perform a nerve and skin biopsy. (3)
Neuropathy can lead to a loss of sensation. This means you may not feel if something is too hot to touch. As a result you may have complications such as burns. As a result of the loss of sensation you may end up with skin injuries or deeper wounds especially on the feet. Because of the lack of feeling in your feet you may not notice any injuries which increases the risk of developing an infection. (1) If an infection is left untreated it can lead to complications such as the need for an amputation. (4) Lastly neuropathy often leads to a lack of balance which can lead to an increase in your fall risk. (1)
What can you do to help with the symptoms of neuropathy? Well as I said in my blog on chemo brain it is often best to wait till after treatment is complete to start supplements. This is to avoid any potential interactions. However life style changes can be implemented at any time.
Our product highlight will be our Methyl-B formula!
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Cerebral Care Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to take the time to talk about one of my favorite formulas for our memory and brain health. This formula is called Cerebral Care. But what is it about this formula that I like so much? …
THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET~ THE FOOD AND SUPPLEMENTS By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT The Mediterranean Diet is often thought of as one of the best ways of eating. This is a great example of how a well-balanced diet, combined with complimentary supplements, can set …
Invite Health Powders
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Invite Health has an amazing line of superfood powders that can easily be incorporated into your vision heath protocol. These powders include Reds Hx, Purples Hx and both Greens Hx and Organic Greens. These powders easily complement each other as well as Invite’s Macula Advanced formula. In this blog I’ll be doing a general overview of nutrients that may be found in 1 or more of the powders mentioned. For more information on each induvial powder feel free to contact an Invite nutritionist.
Let’s start with antioxidants. We all know that antioxidants are good four our health. Studies have found that antioxidants have promising benefits for a number of different eye diseases. (1) While more studies have found antioxidants helpful for reducing the risk of cataract formation. (2) In addition to helping with cataracts antioxidants have also been found to “be a promising therapy for those with glaucoma”. (3) Studies have also found that antioxidants can help reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy. (4)
I know what you’re thinking, but Dr. Claire the powders you mentioned are full of fruits and veggies! Of course they have antioxidants. What else can I expect to find among the different nutrients? Grape Seed? Grape Seed extract is one of my favorite nutrients. Grape Seed has been found to help reduce the risk of cataracts. (5) Grape Seed has also been found to help protect eye nerve health in those with increased eye pressure. (6) For more detail on Grape Seed check out my blog Grape Seed for our vision?
Another nutrient you might spy among the 4 powders I mentioned is Quercetin. This nutrient has been found to have significant benefits for our eyes. Studies have looked at quercetin for conditions such as dry eye, eye inflammation and Neovascularization of the cornea. (7)
The next nutrient you’ll find amongst the different powders is astaxanthin. Recent studies have found that it promotes better outcomes for cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and even macular degeneration. (8)
Bilberry is another powerful eye nutrient you can spot in the powders I mentioned. To start with studies have found that using bilberry can help keep our eyes healthy. (9) In another study it was found when using a combination of pine bark and bilberry there was a reduction in eye pressure, which is important in talking about diseases such as glaucoma. (10) Bilberry has also been found in studies to help reduce the risk of cataracts. (11) As I talked about in my blog on diabetic retinopathy studies have found that bilberry can help to reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy. (12) For more information on bilberry please check out my blog on bilberry extract!
Lastly you may also spy Lutein amongst the nutrients. Lutein has been found to be beneficial for macular degeneration. Additionally lutein has been found to have powerful anti-inflammatory benefits which may be helpful at reducing the symptoms of various chronic diseases. (13) According to studies lutein can help to reduce the risk of developing cataracts. (14) In fact one study with over 30,000 participants found a “significant reduction in cataract risk in those with the highest levels of lutein”. (15) Another study found that after just 2 years of use lutein supplementation was helpful in improving vision. (16) A 24 week study found that in those with Retinitis pigmentosa lutein supplementation significantly increased the visual field. (17) Overall I have found that these powders are chock full of different nutrients for our eyes! When added to a vision plan they can be an easy way to increase your intake of these nutrients. Our next blog will be about something you may have heard of, “blue light”.
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