Tag: wellness

Immune System, Part 2: The Aging Immune System – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 492

Immune System, Part 2: The Aging Immune System – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 492

As we age, our bodies experience something called immunosenescence, in which the immune system begins to function less efficiently. This can impact our ability to fend off pathogens, allergens and more.

Exercise-Enhancing Nutrients – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 438

Exercise-Enhancing Nutrients – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 438

Do you know which nutrients your body needs before and after you exercise? It can depend on the person. Learn about some important nutrients for energy production and muscle recovery from Amanda Williams, MPH.

What Is Iron Overload? – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 437

What Is Iron Overload? – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 437

iron

InViteⓇ Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH

Subscribe Today!

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsiHeartRadioSpotify

You’ve probably heard of iron deficient anemia, but are you as familiar with iron overload, also known as hemochromatosis? This is certainly a problematic condition that is actually genetic. It is the most common autosomal recessive disease in the world. It’s estimated that 1 out of every 300 people have hemochromatosis. I want to talk about this in some detail and what you can be doing if you happen to have iron overload.†

GET PROACTIVE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH WITH COMPREHENSIVE GENETIC TESTING – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 113. Listen Now>>

Details about hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis is an abnormal accumulation of iron that goes to other organs, including the brain and liver, and creates a toxicity. One of the biggest problems is that roughly 75% of people who have hemochromatosis are generally asymptomatic and they don’t even know that they have this issue.† 

Some of the early symptoms that many people can experience are things like fatigue. Generally, when we think about fatigue, we think about iron deficient anemia, but the same thing can happen when we have iron overload. We can also look at some arthritic symptoms that occur with constant pain in the joints. In men, you may also see issues with sexual health and being impotent. Hemochromatosis is more common in men than it is in women. It affects men about two to three times more often as it does women. Women who have iron overload often become symptomatic later in life than men.†  

 

What nutrients impact iron levels in the body?

We know that there are many different nutrients that have been shown to help regulate iron levels. Vitamin C is an iron binder, so if someone has hemochromatosis, they have to be careful with how much Vitamin C they’re actually supplementing with or taking in through their diet.† 

Things like lactoferrin are really, really helpful when it comes to binding and removing excess iron. Where do we find lactoferrin in a very high amount? In colostrum. We carry colostrum, so if someone is known to have this problem with high iron stores, then it would be advantageous to include colostrum into your daily routine.†  

WHY COLOSTRUM SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM ARSENAL – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 142. Listen Now>>

There have also been studies looking at green tea, as well as grape seed extract, to help with the prevention of iron overload. One study at Georgia State University looked at these nutrients in relation to hereditary hemochromatosis. They found that when they looked at utilizing the polyphenols from green tea and grape seed extract, the bioactive components did a really great job in terms of being able to mitigate the impact of the intestinal absorption of iron.†

In this episode, Amanda Williams, MPH discusses hemochromatosis and how this can impact the body. She also provides recommendations for nutrients that can help regulate the amount of iron stored in the body.†

Key Topics:

  • How hemochromatosis symptoms present differently in men and women
  • Tje way this issue impacts the heart, thyroid and other organs

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.

 

Nutrients to Target Seasonal Bronchitis – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 435

Nutrients to Target Seasonal Bronchitis – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 435

Have you ever suffered from bronchitis? Millions of people deal with this every single fall and winter, but the good news is that there are nutrients that can help protect your respiratory system and bolster up your immune defenses.

All About Arrhythmias – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 434

All About Arrhythmias – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 434

Heart arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation are extremely prevalent worldwide. It is important to understand the symptoms and risk factors of this issue, as well as nutrients that can help maintain proper rhythm in the heart.

Urine Color and Health – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 433

Urine Color and Health – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 433

urine

InViteⓇ Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.

Subscribe Today!

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsiHeartRadioSpotify

You may have noticed that sometimes the foods that you eat can change the color of your urine. Your urine color can change rapidly. Most of the time it’s temporary and doesn’t mean anything, but sometimes it really does. There are thousands of things washed away in your urine and some of them affect the color.† 

Factors that impact urine color

If the color does change and it’s related to a health condition, the color may not be very specific. It just gives the doctor an idea of what to look at. The doctor must do a blood test and a urine test to get more concrete answers. The doctor also has to consider symptoms.†

Urine color varies according to how much fluid you drink. I happen to drink a lot of green tea and water and sometimes I’m overhydrated, so my urine is very clear. I should probably cut back on some fluid. But if it gets a deeper yellow, then you’re dehydrated and you need to drink more fluid. Urine gets its yellow color from urobilin, which is a breakdown product of heme. Your urine should be in some range of yellow.†  

GREEN TEA TARGETS INFLAMMATION AND MORE – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 245. Listen Now>>

So what if your urine is a dark brown color like cola? This could be related to food. Fava beans, rhubarb and aloe vera can cause this. Muscle breakdown from excessive exercise may also be a reason for this change, as well as something going on in your liver. There are many drugs that can turn your urine dark brown, such as chloroquine, primaquine, metronidazole and more.†

If the urine is pink or red, that could be blood, which may be indicative of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or kidney stones. If that’s the case, you will likely experience pain along with that. If not, you need to speak with your doctor, as it may be related to your bladder. There are also foods that can make your urine pink or red, including beets, rhubarb and blackberries, as well as a lot of drugs such as some laxatives and chemotherapy drugs.†

Green urine can be related to eating asparagus. When you eat asparagus, not only can it create a detectable odor in your urine, but it can also give it a slight green tint. A lot of times, if the urine turns blue or green and it’s really vivid, it’s a dye from something like candy or other processed foods. Infections such as yeast infections can also turn urine greenish. Again, this would likely be accompanied by some pain or burning and an unpleasant odor.† 

CONTROLLING CANDIDA – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 432. Listen Now>>

What about orange or dark orange urine? That could be the bile ducts, from the gallbladder and liver. If it’s orange, your stool is pale, your skin is becoming itchy and yellowish, and your eyes are looking yellow, you need to see a doctor right away.† 

Cloudy urine is usually indicative of a UTI or kidney stones and you should have this looked at. Foam in the urine once or twice is usually from something you ate. But if you’re getting foam all the time, especially if you have an autoimmune disease, that could mean that your body’s filters aren’t working properly and protein is leaking into the urine. This is a sign that there’s a kidney problem.†

Promoting kidney health

So what’s good for the kidneys? Drinking enough water is important. If you have too little water, the kidneys have to work really hard. This could cause kidney failure.†   

Grape seed extract is great for the kidneys. Studies in post-menopausal women showed that when they were put on grape seed extract, they didn’t lose any kidney function. There are also some studies on people with reduced kidney function. When the researchers gave these people grape seed extract, it helped to reduce inflammation in the body, restore antioxidant levels, protect the heart, brain and eyes, and support the body’s filtration systems.†

Carnosine is another nutrient that is amazing for the kidneys. Carnosine is a dipeptide that is made in the body that is very protective for the brain, eyes and muscles. Studies have shown that diabetics who develop kidney damage have an inability to use carnosine efficiently, so I always recommend carnosine to these people. I also recommend ubiquinol to these people. In studies of people with reduced kidney function, when they raised the level of ubiquinol in their blood, their kidneys started to work a little better.†

In this episode, Jerry Hickey, Ph. discusses the different factors that can impact your urine color, and how this can be indicative of your health. He also recommends various nutrients that can help protect and support the kidneys.†

Key Topics:

  • Stories relating to urine color
  • What is heme?
  • The dangers of severe dehydration

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.