Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Greens Hx….for our heart? Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Greens Hx is probably one of the most popular products at Invite! Everyone knows how amazing Greens Hx is for our liver, immune system, detox and even energy! What most people may not know is that …
PROTEIN (POWDER): THE IMPORTANT NUTRIENT WE ALL KNOW By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Protein is that nutrient that everyone knows and everyone loves. But how well do we know all the proteins available? Let’s navigate through one of our favorite foods and discuss …
Nattokinase!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
What the heck is Nattokinase? Where does it come from? What exactly does it do? Is it just for heart health or does it do anything else for us? These are just some of the questions that people have about Nattokinase. I get so many questions about Nattokinase that I wanted to take the time to explore this interesting supplement. Let’s start at the beginning. Nattokinase is an enzyme. It is extracted from a Japanese food called Natto. The way that Natto is produced is by adding a bacteria called Bacillus Subtilis to boiled soybeans. Now I just want to point out that while other soy foods may have enzymes only Natto contains Nattokinase. (1)
Nattokinase has been found in studies to have numerous benefits for our heart health including reducing the risk of heart attack and even improving overall heart health. (2) Studies have found that Nattokinase can help to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. (3) In addition to helping lower blood pressure Nattokinase has also been found to help lower LDL, triglycerides and even total cholesterol. (2) Studies have also found that Nattokinase may help with slowing the development of atherosclerosis. This is because Nattokinase has both antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects that may help to clean out the arteries. (4) Nattokinase has been found to be a very potent blood clot dissolving protein. (5) In fact when Nattokinase comes into contact with blood clots it has been found to break them up. (1)
Now I know some people might say but wait does it really work this way in the human body? Doesn’t it get broken down by our digestive juices and not really do anything? Well studies have been conducted and found that Nattokinase is active in the body when used orally. (6)
Due to the fact that Nattokinase helps to break up blood clots it has also been studied in regards to stroke. I know your probably thinking wait stroke? What does that have to do with heart health? Well to be honest the risk factors for many heart conditions and a stroke are very often the same and thus in my clinical experience those who have heart disease are often at risk of a stroke. So I wanted to mention it here. Plus as I hinted in the beginning of this blog Nattokinase isn’t just a “heart supplement”. It is useful for more than just heart health. Now back to Nattokinase and strokes. In one study in those who have had a stroke after 60 days of Nattokinase the patients had better control over their blood pressure and even cholesterol levels. (7) Nattokinase has also been found to help improve the cognitive function in those who have had a stroke. (8)
Nattokinase has also been found to be helpful in protecting our blood vessels after they are injured. In other studies Nattokinase was found to help reduce the amount of aortic plaque that builds up in those who have high cholesterol. Nattokinase has been found to be very good at breaking up blood clots. Research has explored using it to help break up other things in the body. New research has found that Nattokinase may be helpful at degrading amyloid fibrils suggesting it may be helpful for diseases such as Alzheimer disease. (9)
So let’s sum up a few things from all these studies. Overall studies have found that Nattokinase is good for blood clots, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and overall heart health. Other studies have found that Nattokinase can even help our brain and reduce our stroke risk. It has also been found to help with certain diseases where there is a buildup of amyloid fibrils such as Alzheimer disease. That is just amazing! (10)
Now just a PSA I’d like to point out that Nattokinase can and does interact with certain medications. This is why it is so important to talk to an Invite nutritionist to determine if Nattokinase is right for you!
Our next topic will be something that has cropped up quite a bit over these weeks of talking about heart health – Coronary Artery Disease!
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Purples Hx and the Heart! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to take the time to talk about one of the most under rated products at Invite health. What product is this you ask? Why its Purples Hx! Purples Hx is an amazing combination …
ALLIE’S WEIGHT LOSS TIPS AND TRICKS By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT As we get into January, the hot topic always seems to be weight loss, as it’s probably one of the moth popular resolutions made…and also one that always seems to be one …
Omega 3s and the Heart!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Omega 3s are something that everyone has heard of. In fact many nutritionists including myself consider them to be essential to a healthy daily vitamin regimen. But many people I talk to ask a few simple questions and the first is usually why they are so important to our health? What are they and where do they come from? And just how do they help keep the heart healthy? Before I start to answer these questions I want to remind everyone that omega 3s are much more than just a heart supplement. In fact in our series on joints omega 3s were a frequent recommendation.
Let’s start with the simple question of why omegas 3s are so important. Well to start off they are very versatile in what they can be used to help with. Then there is the simple fact that the standard American diet is typically very low in omegas 3s. In fact studies have found that over 2/3s of US adults and 95% of US children do not consume enough omega 3s to meet their nutritional needs based on US dietary guidelines. (1) What this means is that most people are not getting enough omega 3s in their diet and can benefit from a supplement. But just what are omega 3s? They are a type of fat consisting of ALA, DHA and EPA. These fats are considered to be essential in our diet because they are essential for certain functions in our body and are important to keep us healthy yet they can’t be made by the body itself. In other words they can only be obtained by getting them in our diet. (2) Omega 3s are typically found in fish and other seafood. They are also found in nuts and seeds. Lastly certain fortified foods contain omega 3s. (3) Fish Oil, Krill Oil Advanced and Flax Seed are all supplements that contain omega 3s.
Everyone knows that omega 3s are good for our cholesterol. According to the Mayo clinic there is strong evidence that omega 3s reduce triglyceride levels in the blood. Additionally according to the Mayo clinic omega 3s can improve HDL or the good cholesterol. (4) Studies have found that omega 3s can help to lower triglycerides by between 25-34%. (5) Even for people with very high triglycerides studies have found that omega 3s can help to lower them. (6) Overall studies have concluded that omega 3s are helpful for triglycerides. (7) Due to the fact studies have found that omega 3s are helpful for both HDL and triglycerides I personally always recommend them for helping with cholesterol concerns.
In addition to helping with cholesterol studies have found that omega 3s can help to reduce the risk of blood clots. This appears to be due to the fact that omega 3s can affect platelet activity causing them to be less reactive. (8) This is important because blood clots can have series consequences. Omega 3s such as fish oil have also been found to be helpful when dealing with arrhythmias. According to Harvard those with a higher than average omega 3 level in their blood were approximately 30% less likely than those with low levels to develop AFib. (9)
Omega 3s have also been found in studies to help with blood pressure. According to the Mayo clinic omega 3s are very helpful for those with moderate to severe high blood pressure. (10) According to a study by the Cleveland heart lab omega 3s were able to help those with hypertension to either lower their medication or in some cases even avoid having to take medication at all. (11)
Omega 3s have also been found in studies to help patients with coronary heart disease. Other studies have found that omega 3s have a beneficial effect on the risks of having cardiovascular death, heart attack and even coronary artery disease. (12)
Overall in my clinical experience I find that omega 3s are an amazing supplement to add on to any protocol for heart health. Now one concern that comes up frequently when I discuss omegas is the smell and taste. A handy tip that works for me personally is to always refrigerate your omegas and take them with food. While they don’t technically need to be kept this way I find that this way prevents any odor.
In our next blog we will be talking about Mitral Valve Prolapse or MVP!
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