Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
The Good and Bad of Cholesterol Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Cholesterol is a topic that gets plenty of attention. Atherosclerosis is another topic that gets a lot of attention. But what are these things? What is the relationship between them? And perhaps most importantly …
HORMONES: HOW THEY IMPACT MEN’S HEALTH By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT When it comes to men’s health, it’s best to start at the beginning….HORMONES. While there are a long list of hormones, lets focus on a three of the most commonly talked about….Testosterone, …
The Wonders of Veins Hx!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
For our product spotlight I wanted to pick one of my favorites for circulation. This formula is called Veins Hx! Veins Hx is a formula made of a combination of vitamins and extracts that studies have found to be helpful for circulation. In this blog I will be reviewing each of the 6 components that make up Veins Hx. To start with what exactly is in Veins Hx? Veins Hx contains Vitamin C, Citrus Bioflavonoids, Horse Chestnut, Horsetail Rush Silica, Gotu Kola and Bilberry!
Let’s start with Vitamin C! What does Vitamin C do for our circulation? To start with studies have found Vitamin C may help to slow down the buildup of atherosclerosis. This is important as it is a risk factor for poor circulation and also high blood pressure among other heart disorders. Additionally, other studies have found that Vitamin C can help keep our arteries flexible which is important for our blood pressure. Vitamin C also appears to help protect our arteries against damage. One way it appears to do this is via its anti-inflammatory properties that decrease inflammation. (1) Vitamin C has also been found to boost nitric oxide which leads to vasodilation or the “opening up” of the blood vessels. This allows the blood to flow easier through the vessels. (2) Of course Vitamin C is great for many things, but let’s concentrate on our circulation for now.
The next item is called Citrus Bioflavonoids. What is a Citrus Bioflavonoid? Plants have compounds called flavonoids. These are basically very powerful antioxidants. Bioflavonoids are flavonoids that do something helpful in our body. Citrus Bioflavonoids come from citrus foods and have specific benefits to our health. (3) Bioflavonoids are important for circulation because in studies they help to strengthen blood vessel walls. (4) Additionally studies have found that they help with atherosclerosis which is important for good circulation. Bioflavonoids are also helpful for helping with other risk factors for heart disease such as blood sugar, cholesterol and are anti- inflammatory! (5)
Next in the Veins Hx is Horse Chestnut. Horse Chestnuts are a very well-known therapy for poor circulation. Studies show that there is an improvement in circulation and in associated leg pain. In fact some studies have found that Horse Chestnut is as effective as treatment with compression socks! (6) Studies have also found that Horse Chestnut helps with chronic venous insufficiency, which is a type of poor circulation. Horse Chestnut has been found to help with signs of poor circulation such as leg pain, leg fatigue and even the rash associated with chronic venous insufficiency. Lastly studies have also shown that Horse Chestnut is anti-inflammatory, which is always good for circulation and overall health. (7)
Horsetail Rush Silica contrary to what you may be thinking does not actually come from a horse. It comes from the leaves of the horsetail plant and is rich in silica. Recent studies have found that silica can help with heart disease and circulation by decreasing atherosclerosis. (8)Studies have also recently found that silica can help with lowering our cholesterol which is a risk factor for so many different heart disorders. Lastly studies have found that silica can help form collagen which is a building block of skin, cartilage, blood, connective tissues and even our muscles and ligaments all of which make up our heart and circulatory system. (9)
Gotu Kola may have you squinting for a moment since most people associate it with brain and memory. But think for a moment – why is associated with brain and memory? Because it helps with circulation! Studies have found that in poor circulation those who took Gotu Kola had less symptoms than those that did not. Studies have also shown gotu kola to increase overall circulation and blood flow. (10)
Lastly we have Bilberry extract. Bilberry has some amazing benefits for our health. According to studies bilberry can help with cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and even reduce the risk of blood clots! Additionally, Bilberry can also help with our blood pressure. Bilberry has also been found to help circulation in our legs. And of course we can’t forget the other benefits of Bilberry including our eye health, liver health and even our overall digestive health! (11)
Overall, Veins Hx is a complex formula that is full of amazing nutrients that are amazing not just for circulation, but our overall health!
Our next blog will be about a topic that is so common I talk about it probably every day! Cholesterol and what it means.
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) and Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), also known as Poor Circulation! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Anyone who has ever had to stand for long periods of time knows what it feel like when you start moving around. That tired, cramping and overall …
Olive Leaf Extract for the Heart! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Now I know I said I’d be highlighting some unexpected products when it comes to heart health and this blog is certainly a unique take on a common supplement! This supplement is Olive Leaf! …
Blood Pressure Basics!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Blood pressure is something that we all have. Keeping our blood pressure healthy is a concern that affects people of all ages. While it may be easy to write off high blood pressure as just something that “older people” need to worry about this is just not true. High blood pressure can affect people of all ages. In 2021 it was found that nearly half of all adults had high blood pressure! (1) This is a huge problem as high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Let’s start simple. What is blood pressure? It is simply put the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. It consists of 2 parts, a top number or systolic number and a bottom number or diastolic number. Basically the systolic blood pressure is when the heart is actively contracting or is “working”. The diastolic pressure is when the heart is resting between the contractions. Blood pressure can vary throughout the day. It can also vary if you are feeling stress or when you exercise. This is why it is important to try and be calm and relaxed when your blood pressure is taken. This can help to avoid falsely high blood pressure readings. Blood pressure can be broken down into 5 categories. These range from normal, elevated to a hypertensive crisis. Anyone experiencing a hypertensive crisis should call 911 or got to the ER. This is a very dangerous situation and places you at risk of a stroke. It is better to be safe than sorry! For a breakdown of the different categories please see the attached graph. (2)
| BLOOD PRESSURE CATEGORY | SYSTOLIC mm Hg (upper number) | and/or | DIASTOLIC mm Hg (lower number) |
| NORMAL | LESS THAN 120 | and | LESS THAN 80 |
| ELEVATED | 120 – 129 | and | LESS THAN 80 |
| HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (HYPERTENSION) STAGE 1 | 130 – 139 | or | 80 – 89 |
| HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (HYPERTENSION) STAGE 2 | 140 OR HIGHER | or | 90 OR HIGHER |
| HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS (consult your doctor immediately) | HIGHER THAN 180 | and/or | HIGHER THAN 120 |
One of the biggest stumbling blocks when it comes to high blood pressure is that it is often asymptomatic. This means you can have very high blood pressure and not know it. Now possible symptoms can include a buzzing in the ears as well as headaches and feeling dizzy. I encourage anyone with these symptoms to monitor their blood pressure. Other signs can include nausea, vomiting, anxiety, confusion, nosebleeds and even more severe symptoms such as chest pain and a change in your heart rhythm. (3) However as I have said very often there are no signs that your blood pressure is high and the only way to know your blood pressure is high is to check it.
What are some of the risk factors for developing high blood pressure? While I’m hesitant to label pregnancy as a risk factor for any disorder the fact is that Pre- eclampsia is a disorder that is characterized by an increase in blood pressure during pregnancy. If left untreated it can have severe consequences. It is also a risk factor for developing high blood pressure outside of pregnancy. (4) Other risk factors for developing high blood pressure include family history, age and stress levels. Lifestyle risk factors can include lack of activity, smoking, poor diet and being overweight or obese. Alcohol consumption can also increase the risk for high blood pressure. (3)
Certain chronic conditions are also considered risk factors for high blood pressure. This is usually referred to as secondary hypertension. Any chronic disease that affects the kidneys will also affect the blood pressure. An example of kidney disease would be poly-cystic kidney disease or diabetic nephropathy. Any medical conditions that affect certain hormones can also affect high blood pressure. This includes thyroid disorders and disorders of the adrenal glands such as Cushing’s, or Aldosterone’s and even having adrenal fatigue can affect blood pressure. (5)
Do you remember the picture of the heart where the aorta was? Well in a certain birth defect known as coarctation of the aorta this artery is very narrow and this narrowing increases the pressure needed to move blood around the body. (6) A very common and well known risk factor is sleep apnea. I get asked all the time if sleep apnea is really that dangerous and the answer is yes. (7) Lastly certain medications can raise blood pressure.
Unfortunately just like with symptoms sometimes having high blood pressure has no discernible cause. In other words while we may be able to work with you to lower your blood pressure in some cases we may never know the “root cause”. In my humble opinion and experience keeping you healthy is more important than knowing the cause in some situations. Now what are some things that studies have found to help blood pressure?
In my next blog I will be highlighting a supplement for blood pressure that you may not expect! I won’t tell you now, but let’s just say it’s one of my favorites!
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