Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Cancer Related Fatigue Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to talk about cancer related fatigue because it’s so common in those who have cancer. It can also be difficult to work with because there can be a number of reasons why a person feels …
Green Tea, our most common questions!!! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Green Tea is probably one supplement that everyone has heard of! It’s probably been written about by almost everyone, including me! So why write about it again you ask? Well it’s recently come to …
Opportunistic Infections
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
What do we mean by the phrase opportunistic infections? Well it is exactly what it sounds like, it is an infection that takes the opportunity to grow when your immune system is compromised. Some types of cancer and cancer treatments can weaken our immune system. One way that this occurs is by reducing the ability of the bone marrow to make the white blood cells that fight infections. One example of a low white blood count is called neutropenia, or low neutrophils.
Now I’m sure you have heard that our skin is covered with bacteria and other “bad guys”. Normally these bacteria aren’t a problem. However for someone with a compromised immune system the bacteria or viruses on the skin and in the digestive system can make them sick.
I bet your first thought is so Doctor Claire exactly what type of “bad guys” make us sick when we have a compromised immunity? Well there are 4 types of bad guys that cause infection. These include bacteria, viruses, fungal infections and protozoal infections.
Of these 4 different types of bad guys bacteria have been found to be the most common in those with cancer. These bacteria include Staph, Strep, Pseudomonas, C. Diff, E.coli and Listeria. Symptoms that indicate that you may have a bacterial infection can include upset stomach, stomach pain, and change in appetite, diarrhea and even a fever.
In addition to bacteria viruses’ can also be a common infection if you are exposed to them. These can include the viruses’ that cause the common cold, the flu, Varicella (chicken pox virus), Herpes virus, Cytomegalovirus virus and Coronavirus. Viruses in general can cause fever, muscle aches, coughs, headaches and sore throat. Herpes as we know can cause cold sores or genital sores. (1) For more information please see the blog on Herpes written by Allie Might. Varicella or chicken pox can also cause raised bumps on the skin as well as small fluid –filled blisters. After a few days these will form crusts and scabs. (2)
One of the most common fungal infections that can occur in cancer patients is Candida. You may have heard of an infection in the mouth called thrush. This is another name for fungal Candida in your body. In addition to affecting your mouth thrush can also grow in your vagina or on your penis. Thrush usually looks like a white patch with read and sore skin. Less common fungal infections include Aspergillosis and Pneumocystis.
Toxoplasmosis is a type of protozoa that can infect our brain if we have a compromised immune system. (1) This usually spreads via undercooked meat or exposure to cat feces. The symptoms of a protozoa infection include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, muscle aches, rash, eye pain, poor vision and floaters. For those with a compromised immune system it can also cause brain inflammation or encephalitis. This can present with confusion, poor coordination, muscle weakness, seizures and even changes in alertness. (3)
One dangerous side effect of having an opportunistic infection during cancer is an increase in the risk of developing sepsis. If you suspect you have sepsis go to the hospital. Sepsis is very dangerous. People can and do die from it. Some signs to be mindful of include slurred speech, confusion, extreme shivering or muscle pain, passing no urine (in a day), severe breathlessness, it feels like you’re going to die, skin mottled or discolored. SEPSIS is the acronym to help you remember the symptoms. (4)
Opportunistic infections can also leave to patients having to either reduce treatments or even stop treatments. It is important to support our immune system the best we can.
During treatments:
After treatments – I usually recommend the following after your treatments in order to avoid any possible interactions with the different cancer treatments.
Our product highlight will feature Green Tea and the most common questions I get asked about it!
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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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