Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Diabetic Retinopathy Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that is associated with diabetes. Diabetes as you can guess is a huge health concern. In fact in the United States in 2021 diabetes was found to be the 8th leading cause …
L Carnosine Plus Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Today we will be talking about a product you may have heard of. This product is L Carnosine. Now I just want to point out that in this blog I will be talking about L Carnosine not …
HERPES VS COLD SORES~ IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
Herpes…the word always seems make people cringe and curl their face in disbelief. It is associated with sores along the nether regions of the body. Many people are plagued with cold sores at one time or another. Some may even experience chronic breakouts. Herpes, cold sores…they look similar, but what are they and are they related?
Cold sores are something many people are familiar with, whether they’ve personally experienced them or just heard of them from television, articles or in conversations. What many don’t realize is that the technical name for a cold sore is herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1)…yes, those pesky, common cold sores are part of the herpes virus. This is recognized as sores that can eventually scab on the lips or mouth, but can also show up on the tongue, roof of the mouth, inside of the cheeks or gums. HSV1 is often transmitted through saliva by sharing food, drinks, and utensils or by kissing.
When most people hear the word HERPES they usually think of the same thing….genital herpes or herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2).
This type of herpes looks very similar to HSV1, but it’s found on and/or near the genitals and anus. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these sores can have a burning sensation and be rather itchy. Genital herpes commonly will be transmitted from person to person through skin-to-skin contact or bodily fluids. This occurs during normal sexual activity by touch, rubbing and/or intercourse.
One thing to consider is “can herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2 be transmitted between themselves?” For example, if one person has genital herpes can it be transmitted to someone else mouth and vice versa. The simple answer is YES they can. This has been shown to happen through oral sex, both giving and receiving and both men and women. HSV1 can be transmitted to the genitals and HSV2 can be transmitted to the mouth during oral sex. If one is experiencing any symptoms or an outbreak, its best to refrain from this type of activity until the outbreak is completely gone.
So, can herpes be prevented? Depending on the outbreak there are precautions that can be taken. While doctors can offer treatments, there are things that one can do themselves. In addition to supplements to help support a strong and healthy immune system, using appropriate protection (condoms) during sexual activity can help lower the risk of transmission. Choosing to abstain during an outbreak is also a sure-fire way to limit passing HSV1 and/or HSV2 to others.
Vitamin C Toning Serum is typically used as an all over face serum. The vitamin C and vitamin E in this formula, it can be very good to use topically for the herpes virus. I like to recommend dabbing a little on the affected area, but remember, a little goes a long way. Jut dab and cover the sore. However, just use this on sores near or around the mouth. It should not be taken orally or put on other parts of the body.
Probiotic Hx Immune helps support the immune system and keep it functioning smoothly. This has four different probiotic strains, a prebiotic, zinc and vitamin D. This is a perfect formula to start building the immune system to aid in fighting viruses. I always say “a strong and healthy immune system should be your first line of defense”.
L-Theanine is something that may help control breakouts from happening. We know that during times of increased stress and/or anxiety, the likelihood of a breakout increases. Therefore, managing stress and anxiety to help keep it to a minimum can help reduce breakouts of the herpes virus.
L-Lysine is often used by those with a history of herpes outbreaks, both simplex 1 and 2. It is believed that it blocks the absorption of arginine in the gut, as the herpes virus needs continuous arginine to copy and thrive in the body.
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex
www.cdc.gov/herpes/about/index.html
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
www.news-medical.net/news/20210212/Study-sheds-light-on-the-recurrence-of-herpes-simplex-virus.aspx
www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/cold-sores-at-home-care
www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/cold-sores-treatment
www.healthline.com/health/lysine-for-cold-sore#dosage
Macular Degeneration part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In my last blog I began the conversation on macular degeneration. Today I’ll be finishing that important topic. Let’s start with the most common risk factors for macular degeneration. One of the largest risk factors for …
Macular Degeneration part 1 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Macular Degeneration is more common than you might think. In fact according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology age related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of vision loss in those age 50 and …
Grape Seed for our vision?
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
A simple internet search for grape seed will show you how amazing grape seed really is! In fact most people know some of the benefits of Grape Seed. But what they may not know is just how amazing it is for our eyes. Let’s get going, shall we?
Grape Seed extract contains powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants are called oligomeric proanthocyanidins complex’s (OPCs). This is important because so many of the benefits of Grape Seed extract come back to this point. Additionally it is important because there have been studies that have found the antioxidants found in Grape Seed to be much stronger than other antioxidants. In fact in 1 study people who took 300mg of grapeseed extract saw an increase in blood antioxidant activity in only 5 days! Moving on to how this correlates to eye health a study in 2012 found that having a healthy level of antioxidants can protect our eyes from oxidative damage. (1)
Let’s start with a familiar topic, cataracts! Studies have found that Grape Seed extract can help to delay cataract formation by protecting cells from oxidative damage. (2) Another study found that Grape Seed extract can slow the progression of cataract formation. (3) One last study that I’ll mention before moving on found that Grape Seed extract may slow or even prevent cataractogenesis (process of formation of a cataract) or even secondary cataract formation. (4)
Since I’ll be reviewing so many conditions that affect the eyes I’ll only be reviewing these as they relate to Grape Seed extract. One of those I’ll be reviewing in full soon is macular degeneration! Please look out for my blog on macular degeneration soon. According to the Macular Society oxidants in the eye, which may contribute to the development of macular degeneration can be reduced by antioxidants. (5) As I mentioned earlier in this blog Grape Seed extract is an amazingly powerful antioxidant! The next topic, which I’ll be reviewing soon is glaucoma. Now in one study Grape Seed extract was found to protect the retinal from damage in those with glaucoma. (6)
Diabetic retinopathy is a concern that all diabetics face. Now I do want to point out that it is important to make sure that your diabetes is under control to help reduce the damage that the high sugars can cause. For more information please check out my series on diabetes! Now moving on studies have found that Grape Seed extract may protect you from diabetic retinopathy. (7) Studies have also found that Grape Seed can help to protect the retina from injury due to diabetes and elevated blood sugar. (8)
Overall to sum things up studies have found that Grape Seed extract can help protect our eyes especially by reducing oxidative stress in our eyes. (9) Now where can you find Grape Seed in the Invite health line of products? Invite Health has a formula called Grape Seed Extract with 250mg of grape seed per capsule! Grape Seed is also found in the Daily Multi with Grape Seed. Lastly there is Grape Seed extract in all of Invite’s Resveratrol products. For help picking out the best products for your needs feel free to reach out to an Invite nutritionist!
Our next topic will be Macular Degeneration!
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