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Two things that are definitely true about yeast infections: They strike the vast majority of women at some point, and they really f*cking suck.

Theres always some yeast hanging around your vag. In fact, a little bit is a good thing for keeping the overall ratio of good to bad bacteria in check! But sometimes the yeasties get a little overeager and start multiplying like rabbits. The result is a yeast infection, aka vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Yeast infections can happen any time the natural pH of your downstairs gets thrown off. Sometimes its just a hormone thing, but it can also happen as a result of taking antibiotics or birth control, having a weakened immune system, being pregnant, or having diabetes. FUN.

Chances are youll know somethings up by a burning or itching sensation down there that gets worse instead of better (esp when you pee). Your vag might look redder than usual or smell different, and you might even have white or clumpy discharge.

The good news is that yeast infections are often pretty easy to treat at home, usually with an over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal med.

But its important to get checked out by a medical pro first, since yeast infection symptoms are often mistaken for other issues like bacterial vaginosis or an STI that require different treatments. (Plus, using meds to deal with a yeast infection when you dont actually have one could cause your body to become resistant to the meds.)

If you know for sure that a yeast infection is what youre dealing with, try one of these go-to treatments.

You dont really want to mess around with treating an infection, right? So we stuck with tried-and-true treatment options containing active ingredients namely antifungals that have been proven effective and safe for yeast infections and earned the green light from board certified gynecologists.

Basically, we did our due diligence here. So please, please do yours by consulting a gyno before self-treating for a yeast infection.

They can run through your symptoms to confirm youve got the right diagnosis and make sure the treatment youre considering is the best option for you. TY!

Most OTC yeast infection treatments rely on antifungals to fight yeast overgrowth and bring your bacteria back into balance. But some other options can also be helpful, especially as possible preventive remedies to keep yeast in check and stop infections from coming back.

Price: $$

Monistat contains the antifungal ingredient miconazole, which is the gold standard for treating yeast infections and relieving discomfort. Seven-day treatments actually deliver the same overall dose as 1- and 3-day treatments. Its just spread out in smaller amounts over the course of the week, which some docs feel may be more effective.

The one-day products seem to get a lot of incomplete cure, says Megan Zaander, MD, a gynecologist in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

This cream is proven to work four times faster than prescription pills, can be used at night, and is safe to use during pregnancy (when yeast infections can be more common). And thanks to the included disposable applicators, its not messy.

Price: $

This cream has the same active ingredients in the same doses as Monistat, but it costs about half as much. Even so, most users agree it works just as well at easing the burning and itching and ultimately clearing up their infections.

Also nice: Each dose is packaged in an individual application tube, so theres less mess and no worrying about divvying up the doses.

Price: $$

Sometimes it can take a day or two for an OTC yeast infection cream to really kick in and ease your discomfort.

This combo pack has a 7-day cream with 2 percent miconazole (the same amount thats in Monistat and GoodSense), but it also comes with a pack of cooling anti-itch wipes with aloe and vitamin E to ease the burn ASAP. The wipes are individually wrapped, too, so theyre easy to toss in your bag and use wherever.

Price: $$

Not into a cream? Zaanders also a fan of suppositories containing boric acid, a compound that helps balance vaginal pH and support the growth of healthy bacteria that can keep yeast in check.

But I would definitely recommend women talk to their gynecologist first, as misuse can cause further vaginal irritation, she says.

Also, an important FYI: Boric acid can be toxic if ingested. Avoid taking the suppositories orally and steer clear of receiving oral sex while youre using them.

Price: $$$

Some research from 2013 suggests that oral probiotics could play a role in fighting yeast infections and keeping them at bay. Good bacteria like lactobacillus are thought to help promote a healthier vaginal microbiome overall, which might make you more resistant to yeast infections.

Especially for my patients who deal with chronic vaginal infections, I recommend a daily probiotic, Zaander says.

Uqoras probiotic supplement contains bacterial strains that live in a healthy, happy vag, like Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus, plus prebiotics to help the bugs survive their journey through your body.

Much as you might like to cottagecore your way through a yeast infection, natural home remedies like yogurt, garlic, vinegar, and tea tree oil arent going to solve your problems.

In fact, using an unproven remedy instead of an OTC med might make the infection worse, since it gives the yeast more time to flourish and could potentially make your tissue more irritated.

Theres no place for commercial yogurt or garlic in treating yeast infections. Douching with vinegar can actually increase the risk for other infections like bacterial vaginosis, and tea tree oil can actually kill friendly microbes, explains Felice Gersh, MD, an OB/GYN and founder of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine in Irvine, California.

One home option that might actually be helpful? Coconut oil. Test-tube studies, at least, suggest that it can help fight the bad bacteria that cause yeast infections about as well as conventional antifungals.

But its far from a proven treatment. So if you want to give it a try, definitely talk with your gyno first. They might recommend using the coco to complement a proven antifungal treatment.

OTC antifungal creams containing miconazole are the gold standard for treating and curing yeast infections, and there are plenty of options to choose from. Talk with a medical professional before starting any treatment for a yeast infection, since its easy to mistake your symptoms for something else.

Read this article:
6 Home Remedies for Yeast Infections That Actually Work - Greatist

WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc. ("Dragonfly" or the "Company"), today announced Dr. Alex Lugovskoy has joined the Company as Chief Operating Officer, and that the Company has strengthened its Scientific Advisory Board with the addition of leading drug developer and clinician Dr. Rob Hershberg.

"We are delighted that Alex has joined Dragonfly," said Bill Haney, co-founder and CEO of Dragonfly Therapeutics. "His extensive accomplishments and experience in drug development, specifically antibody and antibody-drug conjugates, will be invaluable in managing our deep pipeline and leading multiple novel drug candidates successfully into the clinic."

"Dragonfly's Scientific Advisory Board is thrilled to welcome leading clinician and drug developer Rob Hershberg," added Dr. Tyler Jacks, Dragonfly co-founder and Director of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and Professor of Biology at MIT. "The company has two exciting drug candidates advancing in patients in the clinic, and more than 20 more in development. Our SAB's invaluable guidance and insight is critical to accelerating the company's progress to urgently and effectively provide multiple breakthrough therapies for patients."

Alexey A. Lugovskoy, Ph.D. served as Chief Development Officer of Morphic Therapeutic Inc. for the past five years, where he was responsible for drug development into first-in-human clinical studies, and built and led safety assessment, technical operations, regulatory affairs, quality management, program and alliance management, information technology, data science, and business development. Previously, Dr. Lugovskoy served as Vice President of Therapeutics of Merrimack Pharmaceuticals for six years, and as Associate Director of Drug Discovery at Biogen Inc. for nine years. Dr. Lugovskoy has extensive experience in the development of small molecules, antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates, is as Associate Editor of the scientific journal mAbs, and is an author on more than a hundred patents and publications. Dr. Lugovskoy received a Ph.D. in Biophysics from Harvard University, and a M.Sc. in Molecular Biophysics and a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physics fromthe Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

Rob Hershberg MD-PhD began his career as an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Later, Dr. Hershberg co-founded VentiRx Pharmaceuticals and, as President and Chief Executive Officer, led the company through its transformational partnership with Celgene. Dr. Hershberg joined Celgene in 2014 to lead their efforts in Immuno-Oncology, was promoted to Chief Scientific Officer in 2016, and was subsequently Executive Vice President and Head of Business Development & Global Alliances and served as a member of the Executive Committee until the acquisition of Celgene by Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2019. Rob is currently a Venture Partner on the Frazier Life Sciences team. He completed his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of California, Los Angeles and received his Ph.D. at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Dr. Hershberg joins Dragonfly's distinguished Scientific Advisory Board which includes:

About Dragonfly Dragonfly Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing therapies that use its novel technologies to harness the body's innate immune system to bring breakthrough treatments to patients. Dragonfly has a deep pipeline of wholly owned programs developed using its platforms.

For more information visit: http://www.dragonflytx.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/dragonfly-therapeutics-inc./or https://twitter.com/dragonflytx

DRAGONFLY MEDIA CONTACT: Anne E. Deconinck | [emailprotected]

SOURCE Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc.

dragonflytx.com

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Dragonfly Therapeutics Expands Leadership Team with Chief Operating Officer and also Strengthens Scientific Advisory Board - PRNewswire

Digital Health coaching has emerged worth $7 billion service market, with a strong growth outlook. An estimated 128,000 health coaches and health educators advise and motivate clients to change bad lifestyle habits and to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes. Consumers, employers and insurers are each now more seriously focused on improving health and being proactive, in light of the pandemic, rising obesity levels, and chronic health conditions.

Digital Health Coaching, conveniently offered online, is designed to deliver highly personalized, insight-driven behavior change programs to help your members better focus on their health and well-being. With periodic check-ins, these coaching programs are designed to encourage long-term engagement and participation.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 99,400 health educators and community health workers, including health coaches, employed nationwide in 2012. By 2022, this employment figure is projected to increase to 120,800, which expresses a +21% growth change.

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A new market report documentation has been added with extensive research elements, evaluating the diverse growth propellants in the Digital Health Coaching Market. The report is a mindful representation of robust research activities undertaken by in-house research experts who have critically imbibed the output of various primary and secondary research endeavors in a bid to comprehend the impact of COVID-19 reflected upon the growth trajectory of the Digital Health Coaching market.

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New Delhi: The labour reforms brought in by the Narendra Modi government, coupled with those in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector and the new production-linked incentive scheme can change Indias industrial sector and lead to a surge in exports, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar told ThePrint in an exclusive interview.

The purpose of all these ideas is to boost manufacturing, at a time when India has suffered an economic contraction on account of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown. Last week, the National Statistical Office predicted the economy will contract by 7.7 per cent in financial year 2020-21, the worst mark ever.

However, with the Union Budget just under three weeks away, Rajiv Kumar said: A small positive growth can be expected in the January-March quarter. And Indias fast economic recovery will surprise everyone in 2021-22.

In this wide-ranging interview, Kumar spoke on many other key issues, such as India deciding not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade pact, and the need to promote natural farming.

The NITI Aayog vice-chairman also stressed on the need to usher in two key reforms in the financial sector creation of an overarching entity to mobilise resources for infrastructure development, and increasing the number of specialised banks that could pointedly assess and manage risks in specific sectors.

Here are excerpts from the interview.

Also read: Why Indian economy seems set for revival in the new year after a tough 2020

Twenty-nine central laws have been crunched into four labour codes on wages, passed in 2019; and on working conditions, social security and industrial relations, passed in 2020.

Essentially, they (the labour reforms) have greatly simplified and rationalised labour policies in our country, and the impact will be very positive because these provide a lot of flexibility to the employers, and at the same time, a much better social security net for the workers, the economist said.

One of the impacts (of the reforms) will be to bring in a much larger number of workers into the formal sector, so they will benefit as well, he continued.

The definition of MSMEs was also revised as part of the governments stimulus package announced under the lockdown, the turnover limit for a firm to be classified as an MSME being increased to Rs 250 crore from Rs 25 crore.

These reforms will really allow the firms to grow. The whole issue of Indian firms remaining dwarfs will finally be addressed, and this will permit Indian companies to become part of the regional production networks, Kumar predicted.

He also put the onus on states to implement these reforms. States will soon realise that they will lose investment if they dont undertake or implement these reforms. So, I think, the states will come forward, he said.

The PLI scheme worth Rs 1.46 lakh crore was announced in November for 10 sectors, and Kumar called it a historic step forward.

Never before has the government taken measures to encourage individual companies by giving them fiscal incentives as long as they achieve the results that they have promised. These results have to be in terms of achieving global scale of operation and the exports that they will achieve, the NITI Aayog vice-chairman said.

Each ministry is looking after a particular sector, and designing its own incentive structure and criteria. The ministries are in consultation with the NITI Aayog, and we are helping them in whichever way we can. Each sector has its own special characteristics, so that the PLI schemes will be designed differently. But the main feature remains the same they will encourage attainment of global scales, global competitiveness, and high export shares, Kumar explained.

Recently, Credit Suisse has estimated a 1.7 per cent increase in Indias GDP by 2027 as a result of the PLI scheme. But Kumar said it was probably an underestimate.

Also read: Production-Linked Incentives for 10 sectors show Modi govts intent, but need to be temporary

Rajiv Kumar mentioned some key sectors to be focused on when it comes to boosting Indias exports.

There are some very obvious candidates that have already done very well. In auto components, mobile telephones and garments, where we have lost market share, we can regain it; in gems and jewellery, we can improve access to credit, and as we do that, their exports can be ramped up very quickly. Then, there is the pharmaceuticals sector, in which our exports can grow in a very big way. Handicrafts can be very big and high value-added, he said.

I think it is important to focus on some of these sectors, and make a conscious effort to increase our share in the world market because that will be the key, rather than having a very dispersed approach.Look at the PLI sectors; in each of them, there is a possibility of ramping up exports, he added.

Kumar said with the benefit of hindsight, its very clear that the steps the Modi government took during the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown has engendered a much stronger economic recovery than what was expected.

At least at this point of time, one should not second-guess the government on the scale and nature of its fiscal response. The fiscal and monetary policy reform have to be taken together; they have been adequate in bringing back the economy on track, so much so that you can now expect a small positive growth rate even in the fourth quarter of this year from January to March, Kumar insisted.

Overall, (growth) will be negative, between 7 to 8 per cent, but in the fourth quarter, it could be a small positive growth rate. This has laid the foundation for a faster recovery in 2021-22; India will surprise everybody by the strength of its recovery going forward, Kumar said.

As the honourable finance minister has said, if more fiscal stimulus is needed, it will be directed at infrastructure, where the multiplier effects are much greater and employment generation is much higher. And I think, as you might see in the Budget, if this comes forth, this will provide further impetus to strengthening the economic recovery, he added.

Fifteen Asia-Pacific countries including China, Australia, Japan, South Korea and South-EastAsian nations, signed the RCEP in November 2020, but India chose to stay out of it.

Giving his own view on the issue, Rajiv Kumar said: We need to look at our own competitiveness, and take steps to reduce the cost of logistics, energy, make the labour market more flexible, and achieve global production scales. If we achieve that, then the problem of becoming a part of regional production and trade chains wont be a real issue.

The need of the hour, Kumar propounded, is to focus on Indias domestic supply-side issues, and make things more efficient, competitive, and globally scaled.

If we achieve this, we can form other trade pacts with Europe, Australia, and so on. And I dont agree that walking out of RCEP has moved us out of the Asian production chain, because we have agreements with ASEAN, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka which give us ample space. So, it is wrong to say that by opting out of RCEP, we have walked out of global markets. Not at all, he said.

We have trade agreements, but these trade agreements will become useful to us when we take the measures I spoke of on the domestic side, and make our firms more export-oriented.

Also read: RCEP wouldve led to flood of imports into India. Reform is a better way to boost exports

Kumar said India needs an entity that can mobilise resources for infrastructure development, because the current situation of scheduled commercial banks giving money for infrastructure projects leads to what is generally called asset-liability mismatch.

The private debt-to-GDP ratio in India is very low at about 50-53 per cent, while in other countries it is about 100 percent. That is also because there is not a robust-enough mechanism to extend private debt to large projects, he pointed out.

We had the India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (we need) something along those lines, but much more resourced and strengthened, the NITI Aayog vice-chairman added.

Another reform within the financial sector that Kumar recommended is to improve the competition within the banking sector by either having a larger number of banks or getting banks to specialise in particular sectors.

For example, one could possibly have a bank which specialises in the credit needs of the small and medium enterprises, or one which specialises in the agriculture sector. Basically, you need to develop better risk assessment and risk management capacity in the banking sector. Now, that can often happen if you have specialised in one segment or the other, he said.

Also read: RBI & Modi govt mustnt let corporates into banking sector without improving supervision

Rajiv Kumar also talked about another big reform reduction in the regulatory and compliance burden on companies which would bring real improvement in the ease of doing business.

According to some estimates, there are over 63,000 regulatory and compliance requirements if you add up all of the states. The NITI Aayog is working closely with the states to roll back the compliances one by one, just the way the central government did away with its 1,200 redundant laws, he said.

Kumar also went on to deny speculation that the NITI Aayog is considering merging allopathy, homoeopathy and Ayurveda.

There is a committee within the NITI Aayog to look at the advancement of integrated medicine, which does not mean a merger or mixopathy as it is being called, he said. What is desired here is that the practitioners from all disciplines know what the others are doing, and there is a more seamless interaction between them, and the proven qualities of one can be used by the other for the benefit of the patient.

The traditional medicine system has advanced a great deal in China, and they have made sure that some of those cures and medicines are even US Food and Drug Administration approved. In our case, that has not happened. So, what we need to do is give the AYUSH professionals the same standing as the so-called modern doctors, and for them to be on the same page in their training, he continued.

Whats also required is rigorous research-based evidence for the performance of traditional medicine. A committee is working under the chairmanship of Dr V.K. Paul (member, health, NITI Aayog), and it has a very large and full representative membership towards trying to promote integrative medicine in India, Kumar said, welcoming the move to let Ayurvedic doctors to work in primary healthcare, and suggesting they be given compressed courses in basic diagnostic skills to boost Indias low doctor-patient ratio.

Another big reform the NITI Aayog is trying to work on is to make agriculture chemical-free, known as natural farming.

This method has proved that you can achieve the same if not higher levels of yield even by making your agriculture free of chemicals, pesticides, or fertilisers, whose overuse has now quite visibly caused problems across the health chain, Rajiv Kumar said.

This also reduces the water consumption in agriculture because such crops are enabled to absorb the moisture from the air, and the atmosphere has seven times the amount of water present on the surface and underground, he explained.

The quality of the agricultural products produced in this way is far superior. Reducing the cost of agriculture while keeping the income the same will help farmers significantly improve their net incomes, Kumar added.

Thanks to the efforts of the NITI Aayog, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the International Council for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) have signed an MoU to undertake research, collect evidence on the outcome of natural farming, and do field experiments, he informed.

I have written to 14-15 agriculture universities asking vice-chancellors to start field experiments on these. As hard evidence emerges, farmers will shift to natural farming, he said.

Also read: The 5 factors that will determine the shape of the Indian economy in 2021

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Indias fast economic recovery will surprise everyone in 2021-22: NITI Aayogs Rajiv Kumar - ThePrint

A new meta-analysis finds what scientists outside the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health have long known - alternatives to medicine, now called Integrative Medicine after failing as Complementary and Alternative Medicine after failing as Traditional Medicine after failing as Folk Medicine, are not just useless, they are ecologically reckless.

The paper in Mammal Review only look at mammal species and still found that 155 commonly used in Traditional Medicine (Chinese, African. Latin American, also bought by people in America who thinks science is s corporate conspiracy) are threatened (vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered), while 46 are near threatened. Overall, they found that 565 mammalian species that have been used to source products used in traditional medicine around the world.

Killing this for your mystical potion will not prevent COVID-19, nor will it cure your chronic lyme disease, GMO poisoning, fracking headaches, or anything else people who believe in magic think it will cure. Image: Itamar Barbosa

While environmental groups target home ownership and food as causes for concern, their political proclivities may be the reason they turn a blind eyeto overexploitation in "medicinal" use - in wealthy countries the people most likely to believe in it are wealthy elites on the coasts, and they also donate to environmental groups.

"Our study revealed that an impressive mammalian species richness--9% of the 6,399 known species--is used in traditional medical systems worldwide. We also highlight that closely related species are used to treat similar diseases," said lead author Rmulo Romeu Nbrega Alves, PhD, of the Universidade Estadual da Paraba in Brazil. "The widespread utilization of mammals in traditional medicine (including threatened species) is evidence of the importance of understanding such uses in the context of mammal conservation. Sanitary aspects of the use of wild mammals by humans, and their implications for public health, are also key aspects to consider."

Continue reading here:
Alternative Medicine Is Ruining The Future Of 155 Threatened Species - Yet Helps No One - Science 2.0

If youve made it through 2020 without feeling stressed, congratsyoure a magician. For the rest of us, this tumultuous year has been trying enough to leave even the most positive of people looking for some support.

Since deep breaths and telling yourself to calm down only go so far, we asked Bindiya Gandhi, MD, whos double board-certified in family medicine and integrative medicine, to share her most impactful advice on how to actually managestress.

We are constantly exposed to stress, but our stress load is intensified because of the pandemic, Dr. Gandhi says. I encourage everyone to learn some techniques they can use later in life. My hope is after this pandemic is over, we will have become a stronger, more resilient society with better stress-management skills. Hows that for a positive outlook?

Dr. Gandhi says that some amounts of stress will always be normal (because life wont suddenly be worry-free once the calendar turns to 2021), but learning how to manage it is the key. From adjusting your diet and lifestyle to recommendations on the high-quality Solgar supplements to take, keep reading for the stress-less techniques you can implement ASAP.

Stress might make you want to down a whole box of cookies and a bottle of red, but turning to sugar, alcohol, or caffeine could actually make things worse, according to Dr. Gandhi.

When youre stressed, you usually experience a spike in the hormone cortisol, which can cause sugar cravings and sleep issues, she says. The trouble is, caffeine also increases cortisol, so its like throwing fuel on the fire: Youre stressed, so you dont sleep, so you drink coffee, which can increase your stress (and your sugar cravings), and the cycle repeats.

You might think a glass of wine would help break the cycle (alcohol makes people sleepy, right?), but Dr. Gandhi says think again. Alcohol disrupts your circadian rhythm and inhibits you from getting good, deep REM sleep, which is why its best to avoid when youre already feeling overwhelmed, she says. Instead, opt for some herbal tea and a savory snack during your wind-down time, and your sleep schedule (and your hormones) will thank you.

Yes, endorphins make people happy, but aside from the physical stress-relieving side effects of working out, adding more movement into your day gives you an opportunity to focus your energy on something positive, rather than dwelling on any negatives (looking at you, 2020).

Whether its a brisk walk in the park, a few yoga asanas, some lunges, or even training for a run, [routine] moderate exercises will decrease your cortisol production, help you sleep better at night, and elevate your mood, Dr. Gandhi says. Can you feel those endorphins already?

Dr. Gandhi is a big fan of using supplements to help with occasional stress, and often recommends them to her patients looking for support in facing less-than-stellar emotions.

If you want to stock your medicine cabinet with mood-supporting supplements, start with Solgar Stress & Anxiety Relief Tablets, which contain ashwagandha (an adaptogen that a 2012 study showed to support a healthy cortisol response) and saffron (which studies have shown can help maintain a positive mood).*

Some other heavy hitters in the stress-management game? Magnesium (which a 2017 review of 18 different studies showed can help with occasional anxiety), B vitamins, and 5-HTP.* Dr. Gandhi explains that 5-HTP is an amino acid thats a precursor to serotonin (the feel-good hormone), so it promotes a calm, relaxed mood.* The more you know.

Another of Dr. Gandhis go-tos for decreasing cortisol? Meditation. And regardless of what that looks like for you, anything from a quiet walk around the block (spending time outdoors is another big one on Dr. Gandhis list of chill-out techniques) to a full-on guided mediation session can help promote those feelings of calm youre after.

Taking time to implement silence for a few minutes a day goes a long way, Dr. Gandhi says. It changes the projection of your day and significantly decreases your cortisol production over the long term.

Now, you probably cant quit your job and move to a tropical island in the name of eliminating stress, but you can be intentional about scheduling time in your day to do things that make you happy.

Whether its reading, singing, or just playing with your dog, take a moment to take inventory of what makes you feel most joyfulthen find a way to do more of that thing every day, even if its just for five minutes. Heres to heading into 2021 with less stress, and more joy.

Photo: Getty/Westend61

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Has 2020 Been Stressing You Out? Try This MDs 5 Tips for Finding More Calm - Well+Good

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Weve already shared our favorite new American whiskiesand goodies for the self-proclaimed foodies in your life in other words plenty of ways to indulge your libertine vices. But what about ideas to actually improve yourself? You know, for those looking to hone their six pack, not stack another in the fridge. Whether its to pull yourself from the slump of quarantine-inspired indolence or for the insufferably fit friend you want to push off a treadmill, we offer 13 gifts to help make 2021 better than 2020.

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You can train till your muscles quiver with fatigue, but without proper recovery all that work is for naught. And the most important aspect of recovery is sleep. Thats why Molecule aims to optimize your rest and recovery period by crafting the most restful mattress in the world.

Their Molecule 1 combines three specialized layers working in symphony to do exactly that: a firm 7-inch bottom layer for maximum support, a middle 3-inch layer split into three zones to provide targeted self-adjustment to the hips/lumbar area, and a top level proprietary 2-inch memory foam. Finally its all wrapped in material made of temperature sensitive polymers that wicks both heat and moisture from the body to ensure a cool and refreshing nights rest. Youll sleep every night like its Thanksgiving.Esteemed athletes of the highest order like Michael Phelps and Russell Wilson swear by it, and rumor has it even Tom Brady rests his pliable, tomato-eschewing head on a Molecule. If its good enough for the GOAT its probably good enough for you.$700-$1,100

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Just because you can build a $2-million, 1,900-hp, 250-mph unicorn hypercar doesnt mean you can build a bicycle. Luckily for upstart Greyp, their parent company Rimac Automobili can. Their G6.3 is the flagship model of their e-MTB (electric mountain bike) line and is thusly loaded up with goodies: 460W motor, 36V/700Wh battery offering 60 miles of power-assisted range and a bunch of data-gathering hardware (e.g. GPS, accelerometer, barometer, Bluetooth, heartbeat-reading wrist strap and front and rear hi-def cameras). A 4G eSIM card allows for over-the-air software updates and provides 24/7 internet connectivity so youll never be completely off the grid.

But the point of these e-MTBs isnt the tech its to allow novice and moderate riders to climb hills and reach remote locations they normally wouldnt be able to without motor assistance. Conquer trails with the Greyp as if you were a mountain bike pro, its carbon fiber frame, RockShox Pike forks (with 150mm travel), Formula Cura 4-pistons brakes and Schwalbe Nobby Nic Performance tires offering world class off-road performance. $8,999

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While Peloton clearly dominates home cycling and wellness systems, many consider the pricing exorbitant. Thats where Stryde comes in. The Boston startups goal was initially to offer the broadest selection of cycling classes around, all streamed directly to your home. So they partnered with instructors and boutique studios across the country instead of relying only on a single company-owned studio to offer a broad choice of riding styles, music and instructor personalities.

They believe ultimately this would translate into better overall fitness results. After much research the Stryde team realized they could design and build a better bike as well, at a much better cost than the competition. Thus Stryde was born. With a 21.5 hi-def screen, twin speakers, built-in browser (stream whatever they like, including Netflix) and an ergonomically designed stationary bike, Stryde offers Peloton results at a fraction of the price. $1,550 ($30 monthly membership optional)

Theres a wide range in Urbanistas 10 Year Anniversary collection, but its Athens wireless buds are specifically aimed at the athletes ears. The Swedish brands sports earphones feature well-designed silicone loops (swappable for perfect fit) to keep the Athens earbuds firmly locked into the inner ear, delivering crystal clear bass and 8 hours of battery life. Crafted with IP67 waterproof rating the Athens will let you run in the rain, sweat downpours and even swim without worrying about performance. Its compact, lightweight charging case provides an additional three full charges providing 32 hours of total playtime before you gotta rest. Your thighs will give up before the Athens earbuds will. If youre looking for an Active Noise Cancelling option Urbanistas London model offers a new Ambient Sound Mode so you dont need to lower the volume or hit pause from your playlist to engage in conversation.$130 Athens,$150 London

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Few exercises work the entire upper body and cardio system like kayaking and Oru wants to make the process as easy as possible. Like inverse origami, transform their Inlet from a compact 20-lb box into usable watercraft in under three minutes. Cant get much easier than that. The 10 foot kayak is Orus lightest, most portable and easiest to assemble yet, perfect for beginners or experienced kayakers tight on space. The Orus large cockpit even offers enough room to throw a dog or child into the aquatic adventures.$900

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If you want to catch a light buzz but dont want to throw your training out the window, Pulp Culture claims to brew the healthiest alcohol on the planet. They take non-GMO cold-pressed juice and via trademarked wild fermentation create spirits loaded with live cultures (6 billion CFU's of live probiotics in every can) and botanical adaptogens from medicinal herbs and superfoods. All with zero sugars and only 99 calories. Their Hard Pressed Juice is available in five flavors. $15/4-pack

You cant train like a pro and refuel at Taco Bell. And even if you take your diet game seriously, sometimes you dont have time to prepare an entire meal. Thats where Tom Brady comes in: his TB12 fitness brand (co-developed with his trainer Alex Guerrero) isnt just about vibrating pliability spheres, resistance bands and foam rollers, its about healthy eating. In partnership with The Good Kitchen the GOATs Performance Meals offer high-protein, nutrient-rich whole foods free of processed ingredients.

Think options like Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables; Roasted Cod with Succotash and Chermoula Sauce; Quinoa and Chickpea Pilaf with Spiced Cauliflower; Thai Style Chicken Bowl with Rice Noodles; and Citrus Shrimp with Quinoa and Spiced Cauliflower. Stouffers this is not. We had a couple meals and the ingredients were far superior to what youll find in the frozen food aisle, with a surprisingly clean palate (even if flavor was a bit lacking nothing hot sauce couldnt cure).$13 for subscription meals ($15 a la carte)

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If any of your friends have one, then you dont need to hear anything from us because youve already probably been indoctrinated into the Cult of Theragun. The handheld portable massage system is a godsend for deep muscle treatment, basically pounding rebellious sore muscles into a state of lactic acid submission. You can adjust both speed and force of impact to modulate from softer massage to eye-rolling, deep tissue massage. Professional athletes like Paul George, Collin Morikawa, Amanda Anisimova, and Maria Sharapova all swear by the Theraguns ergonomic design. Theres a PRO model, but the Elite does everything you need with 120-minute total battery life, Smart App integration via Bluetooth and a sharp OLED display. $300

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If youve exhausted the gauntlet of stationary bikes, resistance bands and YouTube yoga instructionals, Liteboxer tries to switch things up. The Pelaton for Boxing alternate offers a first-of-its-kind full-body workout by triggering LED light pads for you to punch, all synced to music of your choice. Its hexagonal pattern offers nine striking points which record power and display your accuracy results via runway lights. You can connect your phone via the Liteboxer app for trainer-led workouts and challenges, and mirror the content to your TV with Apple TV or Google Chromecast. The unique fitness platform offers a full sweat workout that comes in somewhere between dance class and boxing, and comes complete with gloves, hand wraps and three months of premium membership free. $1,495 + $29/month

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Few things aid a good workout recovery like a steaming hot bath, and Neon Witch Markets strange brew worked wonders. Noticing the lack of holistic options in the mainstream market Neon Witch created its own Spell Bath alternative to all the chemical and toxin-laden bath products. Instead they opted to infuse their therapeutic Himalayan sea salt with sustainably sourced and organic essential oils, lavender botanicals and crystals hand-picked for their individual health benefits.

Known for stimulating the immune system, Quartz was purposely selected so the customer could set any intention before jumping in the water (the crystals are even blessed by a Reiki namaste!). While the anti-inflammatory ingredients in the Spell are recognized to alleviate anxiety, allergies, insomnia, eczema, nausea, and cramps, we used it for its efficacy profoundly reducing post-workout muscle aches and pains. $25

Its blizzard season, time to hit the slopes. Get geared up with Spy+s best goggles, the Marauder. The frameless design provides superb peripheral vision, and its magnetic Deadbolt system allows you to quickly, safely and easily swap lenses to adopt to winters capricious weather conditions. Those lenses are no joke, either: anti-scratch, anti-fog, 100% UV blocking and enhanced for impact protection, they all feature SPY+'s patented Happy Lens technology (scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness via long-wave blue light) so you dont get depressed on the mountain. Wait a second who the hell gets sad on the slopes?! With a unique Venturi ventilation system hot air is pulled out from behind the lenses for continuous clarity. Each Marauder comes with two lenses in a variety of Spectra mirrored colors. $144

The benefits of CBD on muscle recovery are well substantiated, the only question is not if to use but which brand to trust. The options are countless, but for organic quality you cannot beat boutique brand Halcyon Botanics. Launched in 2019 by Dr. Erica Oberg, one of the original founders of the Pacific Pearl La Jolla (private integrative medicine for the 1%), the NIH-funded researcher and founding Medical Director at Bastyr University San Diego formulated Halcyon Botanics with a focus on three pillars: 1. Purity of organic ingredients; 2. Potency of CBD; 3. Versatility of application.

Unlike many CBD options it is Broad Spectrum meaning 100% THC-free so moms and military can use safely and confidently without concern, but still contains all the valuable cannabinoids and terpenes that make CBD effective. Billing themselves as the Chanel of CBD is more than just marketing: using only the highest quality, 100% organic and vegan ingredients in both the essential oils (vetiver, bergamot and cedarwood) and cannabinoids, all packed with antioxidants to calm the autonomic nervous system and heal the body and mind. Beautifully packaged in frosted Italian glass, the High Potency Oil Tincture (1000mg) is loaded with anti-inflammatory properties and the Ritual Oil provides instant and profound effects when rubbed on sore muscles. $108

Nowadays a fitness tracker is a mandatory piece of equipment for anyone taking training seriously. And its unsurprising that Fitbit, who are all but credited with creating the wearable category, provide the best option. Their new Versa 3 has everything you need in a clean, easy-to-use intuitive package. Combining all the fitness capabilities of the best trackers (advanced fitness and sleep tracking metrics) with the modern functionalities of a smartwatch (receive texts, phone notifications, calendar appointments, incoming calls, etc.) with a crisp color display enlarged from the Versa 2.

The Versa also adds integrated GPS, a SpO2 sensor to measure blood oxygen levels while sleeping and fast charging in its third iteration. You can also use it for Alexa orders, contactless payment and to stream Spotify, Pandora and podcasts for your workout. With a wide range of band materials and colors available, the Fitbit Versa 3 allows for a surprising level of personalization. $200

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The Best Health and Fitness Gifts for Self-Improvement - Maxim

Heres the deal: All wrinkles form from a mix of the same factors. Neck wrinkles are caused by the same things that cause other wrinkles: a combination of aging of the skinbreakdown of collagen and elastic tissueand movement, says board-certified dermatologist Jeremy Fenton, M.D., of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC and Long Beach, NY. This is also especially true of the neck, as the skin here does tend to be thinner, and thinner skin is often impacted by aging faster (the same reason your eyes may show fine lines before any other part of your face.)

First up, collagen and elastin breakdown. As we age, our skin becomes less resilient with less of the collagen and elastic tissue to allow it to rebound to its original shape, he says. Besides this being a natural part of aging, it can happen faster with more exposure to sunlight (UV light). The neck can capture a lot of sun damage, particularly on the sides and lower portion.

Now combine aging skin with daily movements, and things start to settle in. The second main cause is the movement of the neck, says Fenton. We get horizontal lines in the neck due to the bending of the neck to look down. You can also get some of the more fine lines or wrinkles, particularly along the sides of the neck, from turning side-to-side and from sleeping on your side, but these dont tend to be the deep wrinkles.

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Here Is Everything You Need To Know About Tech Neck & Neck Wrinkles - mindbodygreen.com

Puberty, the transformational period where a child reaches physical and sexual maturity, is a near universal human experience, yet the fundamental processes behind how and when it starts is still a mystery.

For girls, puberty can begin as early as eight years old, with most instances of early puberty linked to childhood obesity. And puberty may be starting earlier in boys as well. Evidence points to the hormone leptin, which is produced by fat cells, as one of the likely culprits, says Carol Elias, Ph.D., a professor of molecular & integrative physiology and obstetrics & gynecology at the U-M Medical School. Her lab has been studying the role of metabolism in reproduction, looking for clues within the brain to help explain the effects of metabolic signals in pubertal onset and fertility.

Elias and her team have published a new study in the journal iScience examining two important regions in the brain, called the ventral premammillary nucleus and the arcuate nucleus, to try to understand how leptin influences pubertal timing.

Both areas lie in the hypothalamus at the base of the brain where the capillaries are relatively opened, allowing circulating molecules to flow easily, increasing the communication between the peripheral organs and the brain explains Elias, who was recently elected as a 2020 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Neurons that respond to leptin in this area have a fundamental role in pubertal development.

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Her team compared normal female mice to mice lacking leptin, who are obese and fail to enter puberty on their own. By giving leptin to mice lacking it, the researchers were able to control when puberty starts. Next, they compared brain samples from the ventral premammillary and arcuate nuclei in normal pre-pubescent and adult mice to the obese leptin-deficient mice. Data was analyzed and compared using three independent RNA sequencing methods.

Our goal was to identify the genes that were differentially expressed in these two brain areas that could provide some clues about the molecular mechanisms associated with pubertal onset and obesity-induced early puberty, Elias says. What they found was a high percentage of genes related to the development of the structures outside of the neuronal soma, called the neuropil. The genes that were expressed during pubertal transition were, in part, related to growing axons and dendrites, i.e. the extensions that are important for neuron-to-neuron communication, to the extracellular space and blood vessels.

What we think this means is that brain development is not completed and that puberty starts only when the entire neuropil, including blood vessels and components of the extracellular space, is ready, says Elias. Its possible that leptin is speeding up the development of these structures in the base of the brain.

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Some of the genes identified, such as MKRN3 and TAC3, have been previously linked to health conditions like precocious puberty, a genetic disorder that causes signs of puberty to appear before the age of 8, and infertility in humans.

Elias hopes the work will be used as a database for other researchers who are interested in the genes underpinning leptin, puberty and fertility. Her next goal is to further analyze the blood brain barrier and its connection to neuronal plasticity.

Says Elias, When you have new data, you also have a lot of new questions.

Paper cited: Hypothalamic and Cell-Specific Transcriptomes Unravel a Dynamic Neuropil Remodeling in Leptin-Induced and Typical Pubertal Transition in Female Mice, iScience. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101563

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The Link Between Obesity and Puberty - Michigan Medicine

BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020 Nov 23;20(1):353. doi: 10.1186/s12906-020-03151-8.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and responsible for a global pandemic. Despite there being no known vaccines or medicines that prevent or cure COVID-19, many traditional, integrative, complementary and alternative medicines (TICAMs) have been touted as the solution, as well as researched as a potential remedy globally. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of global research trends at the intersection of TICAM and COVID-19.

METHODS: SCOPUS, MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED and PSYCINFO databases were searched on July 5, 2020, with results being exported on the same day. All publication types were included, however, articles were only deemed eligible if they made mention of one or more TICAMs for the potential prevention, treatment, and/or management of COVID-19 or a health issue indirectly resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The following eligible article characteristics were extracted: title; author names, affiliations, and countries; DOI; publication language; publication type; publication year; journal (and whether it is TICAM-focused); 2019 impact factor, and TICAMs mentioned.

RESULTS: A total of 296 eligible articles were published by 1373 unique authors at 977 affiliations across 56 countries. The most common countries associated with author affiliation included China, the United States, India and Italy. The vast majority of articles were published in English, followed by Chinese. Eligible articles were published across 157 journals, of which 33 were TICAM-focused; a total of 120 journals had a 2019 impact factor, which ranged from 0.17 to 60.392. A total of 327 TICAMs were mentioned across eligible articles, with the most common ones including: traditional Chinese medicine (n = 94), vitamin D (n = 67), melatonin (n = 16), phytochemicals (n = 12), and general herbal medicine (n = 11).

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides researchers and clinicians with a greater knowledge of the characteristics of articles that been published globally at the intersection of COVID-19 and TICAM to date. At a time where safe and effective vaccines and medicines for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 have yet to be discovered, this study provides a current snapshot of the quantity and characteristics of articles written at the intersection of TICAM therapies and COVID-19.

PMID:33225948 | DOI:10.1186/s12906-020-03151-8

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Global research trends at the intersection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and traditional, integrative, and complementary and alternative...

With just under two weeks to go, we are excited to share some of the latest confirmed speakers at VOICES, BoFs annual gathering for big thinkers.

Farfetch founder, chairman & chief executive Jos Neves joins Alibaba Group president J. Michael Evans in their first live conversation about the recent game-changing partnership with Richemont.

The renowned sleep expert Matt Walker joins Oura chief executive Harpreet Rai in a discussion about the science of sleep.

Rent the Runway co-founder & chief executive Jennifer Hyman will share her learnings on the pandemics impact on the fashion rental model.

Belgian economist Jan-Emmanuel De Neve will reveal insights on wellbeing, productivity, economic growth and inequality from The World Happiness Report.

Deepak Chopra, the New York Times best-selling author and pioneer of integrative medicine, and Carmen Busquets, investor and entrepreneur, will speak on how meditation can awaken the mind.

Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change, a leading racial justice organisation driven by more than 7.2 million members who are building power for Black communities, will speak on the global racial reckoning of 2020.

Sinad Burke, activist and advocate for disability, will speak to Samira Nasr, editor-in-chief of Harpers Bazaar on inclusion in fashion and media.

Designer Jonathan Anderson and artist Anthea Hamilton will speak to BoFs Tim Blanks about their recent groundbreaking creative collaboration for Tate Britain.

Virgil Abloh, artistic director of Louis Vuitton Men will speak to Paul Davison, chief executive and co-founder of Clubhouse, the pioneering social audio app.

Discover the full agenda for VOICES 2020, where you can see an overview of each session and all the global experts we are convening for the fashion industrys most anticipated annual conference.

If youre a BoF Professional member, register here. If youre not, learn more and sign up for a 30-day trial to BoF Professional, which includes access to VOICES 2020.

For senior executives who want to go deeper, a VOICES 2020 Executive Pass will give you a more immersive VOICES experience.

VOICES 2020 is made possible in part through our partners McKinsey & Company, Affirm, SCAD and Invisible Collection.

BoFs ANNUAL GATHERING FOR BIG THINKERS

VOICES brings together the movers, shakers and trailblazers of the global fashion industry and unites them with the big thinkers, entrepreneurs and inspiring people who are shaping the wider world, hosted by BoF founder and editor-in-chief, Imran Amed, and led by BoF's expert editors and correspondents. Register now to reserve your spot.

1. THE WIDER WORLD: Making sense of 2020 and charting a way forward2. INSIDE THE FASHION SYSTEM: Addressing the industrys most important challenges and opportunities3. TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION: Exploring how new technologies will change consumer behaviour4. REINVENTING RETAIL: Understanding how forces accelerated by the pandemic are completely reshaping the retail landscape5. LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE: Finding the balance, insight and inspiration to be the most authentic, healthy version of yourself

JOIN US FOR A GLOBAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY

This year, VOICES will be delivered via a live broadcast adapted to the unique circumstances of the Covid-19 era and BoF Professional and BoF Professional Student members anywhere in the world can take part in this live global conversation as the industry looks ahead to 2021. If you are not a member, sign up today with our 30 day trial, including access to VOICES 2020.

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Learn from Leaders at Farfetch, Alibaba and, Rent the Runway at VOICES 2020 | BoF - The Business of Fashion

A man walks past the never-occupied building in Kaliningrad, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. The hulking building sardonically likened to a robots head that has loomed over the city of Kaliningrad for decades is to be demolished next year, the regions governor says.

MOSCOW A hulking, never-occupied building sardonically likened to a robots head that has loomed over the Russian city of Kaliningrad for decades is to be demolished next year, the regions governor says.

The 21-story House of Soviets was left unfinished when funding ran out in 1985 amid the Soviet Unions economic struggles. The building, which later was assessed to be structurally unsound, became one of the citys most widely known emblems, particularly when the fan zone for the 2018 World Cup matches in Kaliningrad was set up in a vast square next to it.

The Brutalist buildings protruding covered balconies resembling two eyes and a mouth led to its nickname The Buried Robot.

Regional governor Anton Alikhanov said demolition is expected to begin early next year and officials are discussing the possibility of making fragments of it available as souvenirs, the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper reported.

Associated Press

BEND A Bend man was experiencing depression as a result of his failing marriage so he went to his family physician, who counseled him on ways to improve his marriage and prescribed him marijuana and CBD.

The patient now states in a lawsuit that all along, the doctor, Ronald Rosen, was having an affair with his wife.

In a complaint filed Monday, Nov. 16, in Deschutes County Circuit Court, local musician and financial adviser Pierson Tone seeks $2.9 million from Rosen for professional negligence.

As a result of (Rosens) conduct, plaintiff sustained emotional distress including the loss of his marriage and emotional and social destruction of his family, the lawsuit states.

Rosen did not return messages left at his office.

From 2015 to 2018, Tone, his wife and two children received medical care at Rosens clinic, Open Paths Integrative Medicine, on N.E. Fifth St., Bend, according to the suit. At some point, Rosen began a relationship with Tones wife.

In November 2018, Tone went to Rosen to treat his depression, which was caused by stress in his relationship, the lawsuit states.

Rosen counseled Tone and offered him solutions to enhance and heal his marriage, and prescribed him herbs and breathing techniques for his depression, in addition to marijuana and CBD.

After the visit, Tone learned Rosen had been involved with his wife for an extended period of time, the complaint states. The couple later divorced.

Rosen has been licensed to practice medicine in Oregon since 1991, according to the Oregon Medical Board. He has no prior cases of medical malpractice.

Rosen offers patients a range of holistic alternatives, according to his website. Hes trained to perform acupuncture, osteopathic manipulation and biodynamic cranial osteopathy.

He also is a certified laughter yoga leader.

Tone, 47, has experienced success in the fields of music and finance.

Tones attorney, James D. Huegli, declined to comment.

The Bulletin

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News of the Weird | News | lagrandeobserver.com - La Grande Observer

Teresa Anne Palmer, Registered Nurse and Certified Nurse Practitioner, Holistic Healing and Integrative Stress Management Consultant, Certified Yoga and Meditation Therapist, Educator and Public Speaker for Wellness and Integrative Health Medicine was recently selected by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for the Top Holistic Health Practitioner of the Year Award for 2021. Her exemplary role as a business professional displays influence, capability, and proficiency in her industry.

While inclusion with the International Association of Top Professionals is an honor in itself, only a few members in each discipline are chosen for this distinction. These special honorees are distinguished based on their professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, longevity in the field, other affiliations, and contributions to their communities. All honorees are invited to attend the IAOTPs annual award gala at the end of this year for a night to honor their achievements. http://www.iaotp.com/award-gala

The President of IAOTP, Stephanie Cirami stated Choosing Teresa for this award was an easy decision for our panel to make. She is brilliant at what she does and her practices are unparalleled. She is humble, gracious and we are looking forward to honoring her at the gala this year. We know we will be seeing more amazing things from this incredible woman.

As an empowering force, Teresa is being recognized for having over 20 years of professional experience in the healthcare industry. Utilizing Meditation and Yoga, her main focus is on Stress Management. Teresa is highly skilled in the art of Integrative Health and Functional Medicine, meanwhile, she has demonstrated success and compassion as a Nurse Practitioner with a specialty in Cardiology for many years. Teresa believes in using Integrative Health Medicine to get to the root cause of a disease rather than just treating the symptoms.

Before focusing on a career in Integrative Health and the benefits of incorporating Meditation and Yoga, Teresa traveled to other countries, volunteering her time. While in Romania, she witnessed a monk fully recuperate from a heart attack because mentally he was determined to recover. His power of intention and positive mental attitude played a significant role in his ability to fully recover.

Completing her studies, Teresa is a Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner and a Certified Yoga Therapist with a special interest in medical conditions and expertise in stress recognition and reduction. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Nursing from Seton Hall University. Teresa is certified in Yoga Therapy through the American Yoga Academy and is certified in Functional Medicine and Complementary Care- Meditation. She also stands certified in Healthcare Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Throughout her illustrious career, Teresa has received awards, accolades and has been recognized worldwide for her outstanding leadership and commitment to the profession. In 2021 she will be featured in TIP (Top Industry Professionals) Magazine. For 2020, she was chosen for the Empowered Woman of the Year Award. In 2019 she was selected as Top Nurse Practitioner of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) and was honored at their Annual Awards Gala in Las Vegas. Teresa has been featured in several editions of Whos Who in America, Whos Who in American Nursing, Whos Who of American Women, and Whos Who Among Human Services Professionals.

Aside from her successful career in healthcare, Teresa has been invited to speak on topics of stress, functional medicine, and the importance of yoga and meditation. Teresa is also an accomplished Author, her book Finding Sanctuary in the Pandemic Age, was released in September of 2020, focusing on achieving and maintaining health and wellbeing during challenging times.She has contributed numerous articles to peer-reviewed journals and other professional sources in her area of expertise, and has also been interviewed on CUTV News Radio.

Looking back, Teresa attributes her success to her perseverance, mentors she has had the honor of working alongside and remaining passionate by empowering individuals to heal themselves with their body, mind, and spirit. When not working, she enjoys writing, playing tennis, practicing yoga, and meditation. Teresa says she has been blessed, absolutely loves her work, and feels it is just the beginning. For the future, she hopes to continue to inspire and empower other individuals to live their healthiest and happiest lives.

Watch her video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_e_4V4XkYc

For more information on Teresa please visit: wellbeinggal.com

About IAOTP

The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) is an international boutique networking organization that handpicks the worlds finest, most prestigious top professionals from different industries. These top professionals are given an opportunity to collaborate, share their ideas, be keynote speakers, and to help influence others in their fields. This organization is not a membership that anyone can join. You have to be asked by the President or be nominated by a distinguished honorary member after a brief interview.

IAOTPs experts have given thousands of top prestigious professionals around the world, the recognition and credibility that they deserve andhave helped in building their branding empires.IAOTP prides itself to bea one of a kind boutique networking organization that hand picks only the best of the best and creates a networking platform that connects and brings these top professionals to one place.

For More information on IAOTP please visit: http://www.iaotp.com

About IAOTP

The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) is an international boutique networking organization that handpicks the worlds finest, most prestigious top professionals from different industries. These top professionals are given an opportunity to collaborate, share their ideas, be keynote speakers, and to help influence others in their fields. This organization is not a membership that anyone can join. You have to be asked by the President or be nominated by a distinguished honorary member after a brief interview.

IAOTPs experts have given thousands of top prestigious professionals around the world, the recognition and credibility that they deserve andhave helped in building their branding empires.IAOTP prides itself to bea one of a kind boutique networking organization that hand picks only the best of the best and creates a networking platform that connects and brings these top professionals to one place.

For More information on IAOTP please visit: http://www.iaotp.com

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Teresa Palmer selected as Top Holistic Health Practitioner of the Year by IAOTP - PRUnderground

Microglia are a minority among brain cells, but a new study in mice is adding to the evidence that these trash collector cells may have a mightier role in brain health and disease, and could provide clues to new treatment targets for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers. Funded in part by NIA and published in Nature, this latest research suggests there is a microglia-driven negative feedback mechanism that is modifying how neurons act.

Neurons, which make up about 50% of brain cells, have long been viewed as the drivers of brain processes, such as thoughts and behavior. Meanwhile microglia, representing only about 10% of brain cells, have been seen as the clean-up crew. For their job as the brains immune cells, microglia remove dying neurons, prune synapses, and generally support the survival of neurons.

A research team at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai performed a series of experiments in mice, including the removal of microglia from specific brain regions. Led by Anne Schaefer, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, and a 2012 NIH Directors New Innovator Award Recipient, researchers compared neuronal responses to different insults and controls. When the microglia were removed, at first the neurons were fine, but then went haywire, showing a seizure response to insults.

The findings show a circuit between neurons and microglia that involve the molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP). When neurons are active, they release ATP, which attracts microglia. The microglia in turn break down ATP into forms of adenosine, which suppress synaptic transmission and neuron activity. Without microglia, or when microglia dont respond to ATP, the seizure response kicks in with excessive neuronal activity.

The researchers also looked at this circuit in an Alzheimers disease mouse model and saw the same seizure response. They hypothesize that this type of microglia-induced neuromodulation may go awry in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimers and Huntingtons, and contribute to increases in neuron excitability and behavior changes that are associated with those disorders. Targeting the microglia system could potentially be a therapeutic protecting the brain from abnormal activation seen in neurodegenerative diseases.

As a next step, Dr. Schaefer and colleagues are starting to investigate the epigenetic mechanisms of microglia activation during aging and its contributions to neurodegenerative diseases. NIA recently awarded the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai a $2.99 million grant (number RF1AG068558) toward this effort targeting microglial epigenetic regulators specific to inflammation.

This research was funded in part by NIA grants R01AG045040, U01AG058635, and T32AG049688.

These activities relate to NIHs AD+ADRD Research Implementation Milestone 2.A, "Create new research programs that use data-driven, systems-based approaches to integrate the study of fundamental biology of aging with neurobiology of aging and research on neurodegeneration, AD and AD-related dementias to better understand the mechanism(s) of vulnerability and resilience in AD across all levels of biologic complexity (from cellular to population level) and to gain a deeper understanding of the complex biology and integrative physiology of healthy and pathologic brain aging." They also relate to Milestone 2.B, "Establish new research programs that employ data-driven, systems-based approaches to understand the interaction between peripheral systems (in particular: immune, metabolic, microbiome) and the brain and the impact of this interaction on brain aging and neurodegeneration. These efforts should integrate human and animal model research and characterize the extent to which molecular (epigenomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic) variation identified in peripheral tissues can be used as a proxy for inter-individual variation in the trajectories of brain aging, AD and AD-related dementias."

Reference: Badimon A, et al. Negative feedback control of neuronal activity by microglia. Nature. 2020;586(7829):417-423. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2777-8.

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Microglia, the brain's trash collector cells, may play larger role in brain health, may reveal clues to disease treatments - National Institute on...

Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) who were treated with certain integrative medicine (IM) therapies had lower levels of negative symptoms and reported a higher quality of life (QOL). These findings, from an online survey, were published in Cancer Medicine.

For this study, 858 patients with MPNs were recruited by researchers at the Mayo Clinic Arizona through social media and email during 2016. Patients were assessed by the MPN-Symptom Assessment Form Total Symptom Score (MPN-SAF TSS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-2, Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) Usual, and for quality of life.

More than 2 dozen IM therapies were reported, including multiple forms of exercise, massage, nutrition, meditation, and several types of physical, group, and psychological therapies.

Lower average MPN-SAF TSS scores were reported by patients who participated in aerobic exercise (33.2 vs 39.7; P <.001) and strength training (34.0 vs 37.7; P =.013).

Mean QOL was reported as higher among patients who received massage (5.0 vs 4.6; P =.04) and went to support groups (5.4 vs 4.6; P =.002).

The likelihood of experiencing symptoms of depression was lower among patients who participated in aerobic exercise (odds ratio [OR], 0.60; 95% CI, 0.42-0.86; P =.006), yoga (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39-0.94; P =.025), and strength training (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.37-0.91; P =.019).

This study may have been limited by its overwhelming gender bias, in which the ratio of women to men was 3:1.

The study authors concluded that in addition to pharmacologic therapies, IM therapies may aid in alleviating negative symptoms of MPN and increase quality of life.

Disclosure: Multiple authors declared affiliations with industry. Please refer to the original article for a full list of disclosures.

Reference

Gowin K, Langlais BT, Kosiorek HE, et al. The SIMM study: survey of integrative medicine in myeloproliferative neoplasms. Cancer Med. Published online November 3, 2020. doi:10.1002/cam4.3566

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Integrative Medicine Therapies Effectively Increase Quality of Life for Patients With Myeloproliferative Neoplasms - Oncology Nurse Advisor

The practice of medicine is rapidly changing. Physicians can no longer afford to keep small, private practices with personalized care open for business. Soaring medical malpractice premiums along with high rent costs, staff salaries and uncompensated administrative burdens have physicians searching for a more cost-effective solution.

The Affordable Care Act, with high deductibles, turned doctors into collection agencies chasing unpaid deductibles. Many are finding the only alternative is to become employees of a large healthcare system or group. These systems tend to require physicians to keep referrals in house, essentially crushing small private practices that are not in their network. Hedge funds and venture capitalists who are buying up these practices are finding out that physician productivity drops once doctors become 95 employees. Patients dont like the new medicine where they are rushed in and out of an appointment while the doctor is busy inputting data on a tablet or computer.

There is a growing national movement of patients seeking private care, concierge care and integrative medicine. These patients are seeking an attentive physician who will give them the time and attention they require to seek and get answers for their visit. I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Magdalena Swierczewski, a board-certified internal medicine doctor who received her training at NYU Medical Center in New York. When asked what is Integrative medicine, Dr. Swierczewski explained that it is a healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and makes use of all appropriate therapies, both conventional and alternative.

As defined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Integrative Health at the National Institutes of Health, Integrative medicine combines the mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies for which there is some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness. Integrative health care often brings conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way. It emphasizes a holistic, patient-focused approach to healthcare and wellness-often including mental, emotional, functional, spiritual, social, and community aspects-and treating the whole person rather than, for example, one organ system. It aims for well-coordinated care between different providers and institutions.

When I asked Dr. Swierczewski what are the principles of integrative medicine, she explained that it was a partnership between patient and practitioner in the healing process and the appropriate use of conventional and alternative methods to facilitate the bodys innate healing response. She went on to say that they consider all factors that influence health, wellness and disease, including mind, spirit and community as well as body. They adhere to a philosophy that neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative therapies uncritically. Dr. Swierczewski recognizes that good medicine should be based in good science, be inquiry driven, and be open to new paradigms as well as using natural, effective and less invasive interventions whenever possible.

She also tries to use broader concepts of the promotion of health and prevention of illness as well as the treatment of disease. One of the goals as physician educators is the training of practitioners to be models of health and healing, committed to the process of self-exploration and self-development. Dr. Swierczewski stated, My mission is to help each patient achieve their optimal health through various treatment modalities, which are founded in Conventional as well as Integrative Complementary Medicine. My goal is to choose scientifically validated therapies from both conventional and CAM systems. I am not wedded to a particular dogma, Western or Eastern, only to the get-the-patient-better philosophy.

All acute and chronic medical problems/concerns are addressed using conventional internal medicine along with (if requested) Integrative Complimentary Medicine to achieve optimal health. Her practice offers 24/7 access to her via phone, email or video, face-to-face extended appointment time (90120 minute initial visit), same-day sick visits, and home visits/house calls.

I asked the doctor if the patient would be seeing her or a medical assistant, which seems to be the new normal, and she responded by telling me in her practice she spends two hours with her patient on the initial visit. Followup exams are one hour, during which physical exams are done with vitals; bloodwork and labs are reviewed as well as medication and supplement reviews, along with a medical plan. In most conventional offices, the patient is lucky to get 15 minutes with the physician, and sometimes they are only seen by the physicians assistant. Dr. Swierczewski stressed that her practice is focused on face-to-face patient-to-doctor extended visits.

Dr. Swierczewski limits the number of patients in her practice. This enables her to give the highest quality of care to each and every patient. She prides herself on getting to know her patients well on a medical and personal level as it pertains to their medical treatment. By doing this, she stressed that she can better understand and discover the root cause of disease which allows her to formulate a treatment plan that heals the patient and creates their optimal health.

The last question I posed to Dr. Swierczewski was why she went into medicine. Her response was that she comes from a long line of doctors, teachers and artists. She enjoys working with people and getting to know them with the intention of helping them get back to balance with body, mind and soul. There are not many things more satisfying than truly helping transform a persons life to optimal health and wellness.

It seems like private care is growing in America like Harley Street in London, where people seek private care outside the long waits and rationed care of socialized medicine.

Peter Michalos, MD is Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons; Past President of Medical Staff and Past Chief of Surgery Southampton Hospital; Chairman Hamptons Health Society. He has been a resident of Southampton for three decades.

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Health on the Frontlines: Integrative and Concierge Medicine Explained - Dan's Papers

In just two days, an online fundraiser to help a Franklin Square mother with her cancer treatment had surpassed its goal of $100,000.

It has been such an emotional rollercoaster, and these two days really took me back to every person Ive crossed paths with in basketball, life, elementary school and I was in awe at the countless messages that began with You dont know me, but, Margaret Elenis posted as an update on her GoFundMe on Oct. 28, adding that it is such a beautiful feeling to know I have an army behind me.

At the age of 28, with a new husband and a new baby, Elenis was diagnosed with Stage 2B breast cancer. Her family spent thousands of dollars covering integrative medicine treatment, and by her 29th birthday, she was in remission.

She then decided to dedicate her life to teaching, educating and spreading awareness about healthy lifestyles, and opened a wellness and holistic center in Garden City in February 2020, after quitting her job as a teacher in New York City. Unfortunately, only three weeks later, she had to close it down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Then, in April, Elenis found out she was pregnant with her second child. Shortly thereafter, she began to experience severe pains, and at five-and-a-half months pregnant, a doctor told her that he had found cancerous lumps in her bones, lungs and liver.

That same week, Elenis also contracted Covid and a staph infection that would not allow her wounds to hear, and would destroy her immune system. Due to the severity of her cancer, she had to give birth to her son at just 30 weeks.

He has since gained a pound in the newborn intensive care unit, where he remains to this day, while his mother tries to recover.

Elenis said she is so impressed by her son, but her treatments cost an average of three to four thousand dollars a week. Insurance does not cover it, which is why she needs help financially.

But still, she said, she remains positive that she will get better, as Franklin Square community members had raised $122,000 for her medical bills.

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Franklin Square community raises money for mother with breast cancer - liherald.com

Life as a new mom is hard as it is. Factor in a pandemic, spending months indoors, and having to wear a face mask to do basic things like head to doctor appointments and grocery store run, and it's completely understandable if your new mom friends are ready to pull their hair out. Now is the perfect time to show them just how solid of a support system they have in you with a gift to help ease their day-to-day challenges.

While they may not be dealing with the woes or homeschooling just yet, learning the ins-and-outs of caring for a new baby, all while trying to maintain some semblance of a self-care routine is a hell of a lot of work. Show them some love with these helpful items that'll make life as a new mom a lot more comfortable.

Between the pregnancy acne and chafing from nursing, dealing with pre- and post-baby skin can feel like it's on a wild roller coaster ride. Help your mom friends and family keep their skin soft, soothed, and chap-free with the help of Mutha Body Butter, a whipped blend of moisturizing shea, cocoa, and mango butters. Or for those areas that need a bit more love, Lano's Golden Dry Skin Salve is a multi-purpose balm that heals cracked, lips, hands, and heels.

And with its mousse-like texture and cocoa butter and jojoba oil-laced formula, the Allure Best of Beauty-winning Ever Lavish Ultra Rich Body Butter is an even more luxurious moisturizing gift to give.

The Conscious Coconut Home Bath Bundle comes with a jar of organic coconut oil and a dry brushing tool to exfoliate rough skin. New moms in your life who are already familiar with the fan-favorite Bio-Oil original formula will likely be into the brand's newest launch, the Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel. Thirty years after the launch of its first product, Bio-Oil introduced a gel-to-oil formula with glycerin and urea to help moisturize intensely dry skin. It's a perfect addition to any unpredictable, post-pregnancy skin-care routine.

The Burt's Bees Tips and Toes Kit Gift Set was made especially for dry extremities. The six-piece set has a hand cream, foot cream, multi-purpose salve, cuticle cream, lip balm, and travel-size hand cream all with skin-nourishers like sweet almond oil and vitamin E.

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23 New Mom Gifts Thatll Make The First Year Less Stressful - Allure

The story of the Trojan horse is well known: the Greeks allegedly delivered to the city of Troy a massive wooden horse, which the Trojans mistook for a gift and pulled inside their city. At night, this hollow horse released a band of Greek men who had been hiding inside of it, and they opened the city gates so that their army could strike the final blow in the Trojan War.

The concept of integrative medicine has gained in popularity since it was coined by Dr. Andrew Weil in 1994 and it is important to recognize it as the Trojan horse that it is. Although the metaphor usually implies deception, many fans of integrative medicine promote this gift horse without misleading intentions, but the damage may well be the same.

The claim at the heart of integrative medicine is that conventional medicine is not enough and that so-called complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is also insufficient, but that by integrating the two, patients get the best of both worlds. Medicine is accused of being hyper-focused on disease and on the use of pharmaceuticals, failing patients with chronic illnesses. CAM is positioned as the answer to this, the yang to conventional medicines yin to yield a complete, holistic perspective.

On its surface, the CAM half of integrative medicine looks wonderful. We are usually told it involves nutrition and exercise. Similarly, proponents of integrative medicine claim its added value is in holism, meaning focusing on the whole person. Strangely though, as has been argued by many people, conventional medicine at its best is focused on the whole person. But integrative medicines seductive, superficial messaging does not end there.

This Trojan horse has been making major in-roads inside of academic hospitals, and it moves on four wheels: the appeals to nature, antiquity, authority, and popularity. Hospital directors and patients alike are told that integrative medicine prioritizes natural treatments... without mentioning that synthesized products are not necessarily harmful and natural ones, not necessarily harmless (or useful). They are told that many of these interventions, like acupuncture, have been used for a long time... just like bloodletting was in ye olden days. They are told that many serious university hospitals, like Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Yale, are already offering integrative medicine... but keeping up with the Joneses is no substitute for a critical appraisal of the body of evidence. And they are told that many, many people are clamouring for these therapies. Market forces being what they are, the Trojan horse rolls into town and we may wonder what pours out of it.

Inside the Trojan horse of integrative medicine, painted in the colours of nutrition and exercise, we find unproven and disproven remedies like homeopathy, the 200-year-old philosophy that claims that the more a substance is diluted, the stronger it becomes. We find Reiki and other energy healing interventions, which pretend that hands-off massages of an undiscovered force field around the body can provide healing. We find poorly regulated herbal remedies, problematic therapies like acupuncture, and things like reflexology, where a foot massage can somehow help your stomach heal itself. The horse also contains more benign interventions, like art therapy and massages, but the majority of CAMs contribution puzzles the mind. These often pre-scientific folkloric therapies often lack plausible mechanisms. Given our extensive knowledge of biology, it makes no sense for the entire human body to be represented on the sole of our feet (see reflexology). Given our extensive knowledge of chemistry, it makes no sense for vast dilutions that leave behind no trace of the ingredient to work (see homeopathy). Yet proponents often throw their hands up when confronted with this and simply claim that it works, how ever it may work.

Universities can easily fall under the spell of integrative medicine because of what I would call the two towers. Imagine two towers that visually represent the evidence we have for conventional medicine and for complementary and alternative medicine, things like homeopathy and Reiki. The conventional medicine tower has an old foundation and is continually being extended and repaired with better materials. By comparison, the CAM towers foundation is made of cheap, imitation material, and while theres a shell that gives it its full height, the bricks have not been laid yet. But the structure is draped in a banner that illustrates what the tower will look like when finished. From a distance, both towers appear similar. Same height, same look. But when you get closer to the CAM tower, you notice how grossly incomplete it is. Dont worry, you are told, what we have so far is very promising and we will keep building it. This slogan never goes away. The CAM tower will always be sold as promising, year after year, convincing many people to invest in it.

Studies of ear acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, homeopathy and many other complementary interventions are usually small, poorly done, and encouraging. When rigorous trials are completed, they fail to demonstrate efficacy, which leads CAM proponents to return to smaller studies and extract hopeful results from those. This tower of promising results can then be presented to academic health centres by philanthropists who believe acupuncture or homeopathy cured them, and their generous donations can lead to the creation of integrative medical centres within these hospitals. Impressive consortia are created to advocate for integrative medicine and to put pressure on medical school curricula to pull the Trojan horse in.

There are clear harms to this. Obviously, if I were to argue that because astronomy is insufficient, it needs to hold hands with astrology in university faculties, it would be easier to see the potential for intellectual harm. Similarly, I have seen Canadians elevating Indigenous ancestral knowledge to the same level as science and asking for its integration into medicine, without testing these claims with the most rigorous tools we have, and I find this equally troublesome

Theres also the financial harm to selling invalid therapies to patients, but perhaps an even bigger eye-opener on the subject of harm is vaccination. Integrative medicine frequently does not embrace immunization, one of the most important public health interventions we have. Dr. Daniel Neides, former director of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, infamously wrote a furious anti-vaccination screed in 2017 on the website Cleveland.com. Meanwhile, a survey completed by 290 members of the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine revealed them to be more likely than their conventional counterparts to believe misinformation about vaccines (e.g. alternative schedules, toxicities, link to autism). Chiropractors, whose practice is often rolled into integrative medicine, are notorious for harbouring a significant percentage of antivaxxers; ditto for naturopaths. Given how many CAM disciples worship at the altar of Mother Nature and see toxins everywhere, a vote for integrative medicine often risks bolstering unnecessary vaccine hesitancy.

If you are caught looking this Trojan horse in the mouth, the most likely retort you will hear is that conventional medicine has problems. Yes, it does. It is true that medicine does not offer great solutions to many chronic conditions, chief among them chronic pain. Some of its solutions, like opioids, have also caused significant harm because of misplaced economic interests. But the medicine tower gets fixed. Moldy parts are extruded and replaced. Meanwhile, the CAM tower remains deeply flawed and mostly illusory. The bricks are coming, we are told, and soon we will have the proof we need.

If I may bring one more metaphor to this crowded landscape, it would be Dr. Ben Goldacres pearl of wisdom. Problems in aircraft design, he says, do not mean that magic carpets can actually fly. As the Trojan horse of integrative medicine knocks on the doors of our institutions, we must remember that what we need is not a hollow prize with a corrupting cargo; we need to keep fixing the real tower.

Take-home message:-Integrative medicine is a philosophy that advocates for the integration of conventional medical care with numerous complementary and alternative therapies, like Reiki and homeopathy- The evidence for these complementary therapies is often lacking but they keep being sold as a promising solution to the problems of real medicine- Its important to remember that just because there are problems with airplanes, the solution is not to switch to flying carpets

@CrackedScience

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Beware the Trojan Horse of Integrative Medicine | Office for Science and Society - McGill Newsroom

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You can vote now for the winner of the 2020 Health Hero challenge.

You can start voting right now for the winner of the 2020 Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge.

Were thrilled to announce that we now have our three finalists for the 2020 Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge presented by Independence Blue Cross. Here at Be Well Philly, we constantly strive to highlight people who are helping others in the greater Philadelphia area live healthier and better lives. The Health Hero Challenge is our way of honoring the incredible and often unseen work that people do every day, even in the most challenging of circumstances.

We set out at the beginning of this challenge looking for medical providers, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers, anyone really whos making a difference in our community from a health and wellness perspective. And, you all delivered. You shared powerful personal stories of the heroes making a difference in our community, which led to to the nomination of these three finalists. Now, its time to choose the winner.

Name: Asasiya Muhammad (@thepeoplesmidwife), womens health advocate and midwife at Inner Circle Midwifery (@innercirclephilly), a private home birth practice based in Germantown.

Nonprofit of choice: Maternity Care Coalition. Since 1980, Maternity Care Coalition has assisted more than 135,000 families throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, focusing particularly on neighborhoods with high rates of poverty, infant mortality, health disparities, and changing immigration patterns. A familys needs change as they go through pregnancy and their childs first years, and MCC offers a range of services and programs for every step along the way.

What motivates you to try to make Philadelphia a healthier place, and what policy would you institute if you could? I cherish Philadelphia as the place where I have had my most life-shaping experiences, some high such as graduating college, becoming a mother, and raising a family and others low. Ive had experiences that have left me feeling isolated, lost, and voiceless. As a Black mother, I have faced the feelings of fear and uncertainty many Black women in Philadelphia face, because of the haunting statistic that we are two times more likely to die during pregnancy, or within a year of giving birth due to pregnancy-related complications. As a midwife, I understand that the majority of these complications are preventable, and therefore have made it my mission to build a community-based a practice that is committed to diminishing this disparity in Philadelphia. My practice is unique in that it has a wraparound care component that bundles nutritional counseling and fitness classes into standard midwifery care.

I would institute a policy that expanded the use of and access to community-based providers and particularly related to those specializing in natural health and food access. This would look like expanding insurance access to providers like midwives, doulas, nutritional counselors, and fitness experts so that these services are both normalized and accessible to a larger part of the population. This would further look like creating sustainable food cooperatives in neighborhoods that are distant from larger markets and who now rely on stores that mostly carry processed foods.

Name: Vicky Borgia, a local doctor who utilizes Direct Primary Care (DPC), an alternative payment model for healthcare services. She specializes in reproductive health, LGBTQIA health and integrative medicine.

Nonprofit of choice: Womens Medical Fund. Racial justice and reproductive justice issues are intertwined. In 1976, Congress banned federal Medicaid coverage for abortion through the Hyde amendment. Then, in 1985, Pennsylvania prohibited state Medicaid coverage for abortion. Since then, Womens Medical Fund has provided funding to thousands of individuals struggling to get by and enrolled in Medicaid. Womens Medical Fund has expanded their mission to include advocacy and community organizing.

What motivates you to try and make Philadelphia a healthier place, and what policies would you institute if you could? I believe that healthcare is a human right. I serve communities that have historically been medically disenfranchised because I can use my skills and education to make changes in a system rife with health inequities. I center access, inclusion and equity in my direct primary care practice, which enables me to take the time I need with my patients and give the care they deserve.

Since it is well-established that racism and other forms of systemic oppression are major factors in increased morbidity, mortality, and generational trauma for all, my policy recommendations focus on dismantling systems of oppression in Philadelphia. This includes reprioritizing city investments from policing and instituting PILOTS where big health and educational nonprofits would volunteer a portion of their revenue to the general fund. These resources could be then be used to fund education and invest in communities by improving access to services, opportunities, food, and healthcare.

Name: Christy Silva, cofounder of Aidans Heart Foundation, a nonprofit committed to providing awareness, education, and support to the communities of the southeast Pennsylvania region and its surrounding area to create heart-safe communities for youth regarding the prevention of, or response to, tragic instances of Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

What motivates you to try to make Philadelphia a healthier place and what policy would you institute if you could ?

My motivation for wanting to make Greater Philadelphia a healthier place actually comes from a tragedy in my family. In September of 2010, my seven-year-old son Aidan, who had no prior health conditions, died without warning from sudden cardiac arrest, or SCA. I had never even heard of SCA prior to his death. As I struggled with my grief and tried to understand why my seemingly healthy child collapsed one sunny Saturday, I plunged into research. I learned that, nationally, approximately one out of every 300 youth has an undetected heart condition that could cause SCA. The American Heart Association quotes that more than 7,000 children under age 18 are struck by SCA each year. This equates to one young person, nearly every hour, every day, every year. Its a little known fact that Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death in student athletes on school grounds. As a result of what I learned, I became determined to still be Aidans mom and try to prevent SCA from taking more young lives in our local communities. Im motivated by these facts to do everything possible to decrease the number of preventable deaths in young people in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. I co-founded Aidans Heart Foundation shortly after Aidans death. To date, we have placed 89 AEDs in youth based sports facilities, trained 6,100 youth on how to perform CPR and how to use an AED, and we have partnered with pediatric cardiologists to provide 2,100 free heart screenings to kids and teens in efforts to detect heart conditions through a simple, non-invasive ECG exam.

If I could institute a policy to make Greater Philadelphia a healthier region, it would center around protecting hearts. Annual electrocardiogram exams at every well-child visit, particularly for young athletes; CPR and AED training for all teachers, coaches, instructors, etc. who work with physically active youth; and AED devices available in all schools, child care centers, dance, martial arts, gymnastics and other studios where kids are active, in addition to AEDs being prominently placed on every athletic playing field. These arent impossible tasks, but they do take the awareness of the public, particularly parents, to urge our community leaders and policymakers to implement these measures. We owe it to our kids to keep them safe at play.

Vote now to select your 2020 winner. Remember: the winner will be named the 2020 Health Hero and will receive a $15,000 donation to her charity of choice, and the two runners-up will each receive $2,500 donations to the charities of their choice.

Vote HERE now. (Remember, you can vote once a day until November 16th!) Stay in touch with @bewellphilly and @phillymagevents.

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Meet This Year's Be Well Philly Health Hero Finalists - Philadelphia magazine