Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
What is Angina? Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Angina or heart/chest pain is one of the first signs that many experience when they have heart disease. However there are other conditions that mimic angina. One of these is anxiety. Angina and anxiety share many symptoms …
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 …
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Our next topic is one that will draw heavily upon the anatomy blog that I wrote a while ago. This topic is mitral valve prolapse (MVP). Do you recall how the heart was divided into left and right and then into top and bottom? Well the mitral valve is the valve on the left side. It is the doorway or divider between the left atrium and the left ventricle. As you may recall the mitral valve keeps the blood flowing in the correct direction. In other words it prevents the blood from flowing backward or what is medically referred to as “regurgitating”. Please see the attached picture for a refresher of what the mitral valve looks like. (1)
As we know sometime things can go wrong no matter how well the system is designed. Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a problem with the mitral valve. In this heart disorder the mitral valve flaps have become enlarged or stretched out. What this means is that they don’t close properly and therefore don’t form a tight seal and the blood can actually leak backward. One way to imagine this is to think of a doorway. Imagine if the doorframe is too big for the door. In this case there would be no seal between the door and doorway and thus a gap that allows wind to pass through. When this happens with the mitral valve the backflow of blood is called mitral valve regurgitation. (2)
Many people who have MVP have little to no symptoms. For those who do experience symptoms these can include a racing, irregular heartbeat as well as fatigue. You may have difficulty breathing and may even have dizziness. Lastly depending on the severity of the MVP you may experience chest pain that is not caused by heart attack or coronary artery disease. (2)
Now let’s move on to the most common causes of MVP. To start with MVP affects approximately 3% of the population. Women in general are more likely to be diagnosed with MVP than men. MVP does appear to run in families and can be inherited. There are certain chronic conditions that increase the risk of developing MVP. These include Marfan’s syndrome, Muscular dystrophy, Ehlers- Danlos syndrome, Graves’ disease, Ebstein’s anomaly and Scoliosis. (2)
Depending on the severity of MVP there can be complications that occur. Most common is mitral valve regurgitation which as I’ve said is where the blood flows backward. This backward flow of blood makes it harder for the heart to work. If there is severe regurgitation there may be swelling of the upper left atrium and this can lead to arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats. (3)
One important point I want to make about MVP, is that it can get worse as we get older. This makes sense since the heart like all things begins to “wear out” as we age. Certain heart concerns such as prior heart attack or coronary artery disease can hasten this process. This is why it is important to monitor the symptoms you experience due to MVP. As the MVP gets worse over time so will the symptoms. In some cases it will be helpful to take certain medications. In other cases if the MVP is severe enough surgery may be necessary. If the MVP is severe enough to re quire surgery it is very important to follow these recommendations. For those who need surgery but don’t have it the outlook has a tendency to be poor. For those who need surgery but don’t have it there is a 20% chance of dying within the year and a 50% chance of dying within 5 years. (4) I know surgery is always a scary option, but remember that Invite nutritionists are always available to help you with any concerns that you may have.
Now what supplements can help support our Mitral Valve?
Sources:
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 …
The Confusing World of Heart Arrhythmias Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Arrhythmia is a word that you may have heard of but may not know what it means. So what exactly is an arrhythmia? Basically an arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. In general we can …
COCOA HX: THE DELICIOUS SUPERFOOD
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
When it comes to enjoying something indulgent and decadent, the first thing that comes to mind for most people is CHOCOLATE. It’s comforting as it takes us back to our childhood and brings back all kinds of warm and happy memories. It can also make us feel rich and fancy as it pairs well with so many things, whether it’s in a dessert or as a drink. However, it’s also believed to be healthy and good for us too. How is this possible? Let’s explore everyone’s favorite superfood and find out.
Chocolate, or cocoa, has been around and used by many cultures for centuries. Cocoa is grown in warm climates, typically close to the equator. The beans are extracted from the pods and go through a drying process before they are ready to be ground down into the more familiar form we all know and love. From here, we can nibble on the bitter nibs which have the texture of coffee beans, or can be ground to a powder to be scooped into a drink or recipe or made into the all familiar chocolate bar.
Navigating which cocoa can offer health benefits can be tricky as there are so many types of chocolate varieties available. We see unsweetened, milk, dark, extra dark, and often with the percentage of cocoa on the label….like 72% cocoa. Some may provide health benefits, while others are strictly for taste.
NIBS: These are ground, dried cocoa beans that are extremely bitter. They can be adding to smoothies are you can nobble on them, but the bitterness makes them not very tasty. They thought to be the purest form to consume and believed to be rich in antioxidants and may even have some anti-inflammatory properties.
DARK CHOCOLATE: This is chocolate that usually contains 50%-90%, sometimes even a little higher, of cocoa. This has minimal added sugar while still tasting good. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this type of cocoa can have a wide range of health benefits. It’s shown to be helpful for a healthy heart, blood pressure, protects the skin and is a good source of fiber.
MILK CHOCOLATE/CHOCOLATE MILK: This is most common in commercial bars or in the popular chocolate milk drink. While this still contains cocoa, it is also high in milk/dairy and sugar. This can aggravate those with certain health issues, such as lactose intolerance. According to a study titled “Chocolate Milk Consequences: A Pilot Study Evaluating the Consequences of Banning Chocolate Milk in School Cafeterias” from The National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information, the high sugar content can also be a contributing factor to obesity, especially in school aged children. My Advice: avoid this type of overly processed cocoa at all costs.
COCOA HX is an easy, delicious and nutritious way to incorporate cocoa into a healthy daily diet. This supplies 4000mg of cocoa bean powder with natural sweeteners such as stevia and fruit extracts. It can easily be added to water, smoothies, recipes, plain yogurt or even almond milk for a healthy daily treat. What an indulgent way to get this centuries old superfood and get all the health benefits it offers without feeling guilty!
www.masterclass.com/articles/cacao-guide#KmmtqrcT5NyfUe47T3Hf4
www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-cacao-nibs
www.health.clevelandclinic.org/dark-chocolate-health-benefits
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8470865/
www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/nutrition/is-chocolate-milk-a-healthy-drink/
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3989166/
