Psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis are two types of spondyloarthritis. They can cause swelling, stiffness, and pain in the joints.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) usually occurs in people with psoriasis, an autoimmune condition that causes cells to develop rapidly, leading to various skin symptoms.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and lower back, though the effects can extend throughout the body over time.

Below, we explore the differences between PsA and AS, including their symptoms and treatments and how doctors diagnose them.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a type of chronic inflammation that occurs in up to 1 in 5 people with psoriasis. PsA often begins when people are between 30 and 50 years old, but it can emerge at any age.

The condition can affect a variety of joints, including those in the arms, legs, and spine.

Learn more about how PsA affects the body here.

PsA has five major subtypes:

PsA is similar to rheumatoid arthritis and, until 1964, the two were considered the same condition. But unlike rheumatoid arthritis, PsA does not create rheumatoid factors in the blood.

AS is a different type of spondyloarthritis.

It causes severe, chronic pain and inflammation in and around the spine and the sacroiliac joints, which connect the pelvis to the spine. In some cases, the condition causes spinal vertebrae and the sacroiliac joints to fuse together. AS may also affect other joints in the body.

AS is very complex, and it can be challenging to identify the cause. Research shows that there is a strong genetic component, but low vitamin D levels could also contribute to the development of the condition.

Learn more about the effects of AS on a persons body here.

Symptoms of PsA are mild and slow to develop in some people, and sudden and severe in others.

Common symptoms include:

Many people with psoriasis have the condition for at least 10 years before PsA begins to develop. Less commonly, people develop PsA before having noticeable symptoms of psoriasis.

The severity of AS symptoms and the speed at which they arise can vary, as with PsA.

Initially, a person with AS may experience a loss of appetite and possibly a fever. Pain and stiffness in the early stages often begin in the buttocks and lower back.

As the condition progresses, the pain spreads through the spine and into the neck. Tenderness may also develop in the hips, thighs, heels, ribs, and shoulder blades.

The effort of managing the inflammation within the body can cause fatigue. Also, the inflammation can lead to anemia. Bowel inflammation and eye conditions, including uveitis, are also associated.

Less often, AS symptoms begin beyond the spine in a peripheral joint, such as the ankle, shoulder, or hip.

When this happens, it can result from enthesitis inflammation where a tendon or ligament connects to bone. When symptoms are only present in peripheral joints, AS can be more challenging to diagnose.

There is no single test that a doctor can use to check for PsA or AS. Instead, they must use a combination of the following techniques:

For AS, the deciding factor is often the condition of the sacroiliac joints. However, AS may not affect the area until the condition has been present for 10 years, so other tests are necessary.

There is currently no cure for either PsA or AS. However, there are various ways to reduce the symptoms, maximize flexibility, maintain posture, and limit complications. Effective treatments also slow down the progression of both conditions.

Treatment options for AS are mostly drug-related and surgical, but they can also include:

Individual treatment plans vary slightly, depending on the person and the severity of the condition.

The following types of drugs may benefit people with spondyloarthritis, a type of disease that includes PsA and AS:

A 2019 study suggests that NSAIDs and TNF inhibitors are the leading classes of medication for these conditions.

People with severe PsA or AS may need to undergo surgery. Hip joint replacement is a common surgical procedure for people with spondyloarthritis.

If a person has a severely downward-curving spine, posture correction surgery can help, though the risks of this type of procedure are high.

Treatment options continue to evolve as researchers investigate new therapies.

PsA and AS are two types of spondyloarthritis. They cause chronic swelling, pain, and tenderness in and around the joints.

Both PsA and AS can be challenging to diagnose, and neither condition is currently curable. However, therapies can ease symptoms and improve the quality of life. Research into new treatment options is ongoing.

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Psoriatic arthritis vs. ankylosing spondylitis: What to know - Medical News Today

Global Integrative Medicine Market Professional Market Research Report, Growth Trends and Competitive Analysis 2020-2026

The Global Integrative Medicine Market report provides a holistic evaluation of the market for the forecast period (20182027). The report comprises of various segments as well an analysis of the trends and factors that are playing a substantial role in the market. These factors; the market dynamics, involves the drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges through which the impact of these factors in the market are outlined. The drivers and restraints are intrinsic factors whereas opportunities and challenges are extrinsic factors of the market.

The study will also feature the key companies operating in the industry, their product/business portfolio, market share, financial status, regional share, segment revenue, SWOT analysis, key strategies including mergers & acquisitions, product developments, joint ventures & partnerships an expansion among others, and their latest news as well. The study will also provide a list of emerging players in the Integrative Medicine Market Professional market.

Note In order to provide more accurate market forecast, all our reports will be updated before delivery by considering the impact of COVID-19.

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Top key players Pure Encapsulations, Inc., Nordic Naturals, Herbal Hills, Herb Pharm, Helio USA Inc., Deepure Plus, Columbia Nutritional Inc.

The main goal for the dissemination of this information is to give a descriptive analysis of how the trends could potentially affect the upcoming future of Integrative Medicine Market Professional market during the forecast period. This markets competitive manufactures and the upcoming manufactures are studied with their detailed research. Revenue, production, price, market share of these players is mentioned with precise information.

Global Integrative Medicine Market Professional Market: Regional Segment Analysis

This report provides pinpoint analysis for changing competitive dynamics. It offers a forward-looking perspective on different factors driving or limiting market growth. It provides a five-year forecast assessed on the basis of how they Integrative Medicine Market Professional Market is predicted to grow. It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future and helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segments.

Key questions answered in the report include:

What will the market size and the growth rate be in 2026?

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Trending factors influencing the market shares of the Americas, APAC, Europe, and MEA.

The report includes six parts, dealing with:

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All the research report is made by using two techniques that are Primary and secondary research. There are various dynamic features of the business, like client need and feedback from the customers. Before (company name) curate any report, it has studied in-depth from all dynamic aspects such as industrial structure, application, classification, and definition.

The report focuses on some very essential points and gives a piece of full information about Revenue, production, price, and market share.

Integrative Medicine Market Professional Market report will enlist all sections and research for each and every point without showing any indeterminate of the company.

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6 Europe

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11 Central & South America

12 International Players Profiles

13 Market Forecast 2019-2025

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Global Integrative Medicine Market Professional Market Professional Market Analysis by Emerging Growth Factors and Revenue Forecast to 2026 KSU | The...

Its about time to say goodbye to our beloved Chicago summer activities like meeting up with friends at the beach, enjoying an outdoor patio or biking the lakefront path. But preparing for shorter and colder days doesnt have to be all bad. It could be an opportunity to expand the ways you seek joy within yourself.

At least, thats what Deepak Chopra, Oprahs longtime health adviser, would challenge you to do.

After being trained as a physician, Chopra became an alternative medicine advocate, author and founder of The Chopra Foundation, a wellness-focused research nonprofit. He recently gave Reset a preview of his new podcast, Mind Body Zone: Living Outside the Box, in which he explores how we can improve our lives by paying closer attention to the connection between our mental and physical health. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:

What qualities do the guests on your new podcast share?

Chopra: Ive been a student of what people do and why they do it. Ninety-nine percent of us are basically biological algorithms, in that we are predictable, we have no original thought and were squeezed inside a box. The people I spoke to in my podcast are people who not only broke out of the box, but they basically were not even looking at a box. They had freed themselves from the conditioning that is part of our culture right now. Every single person I interviewed from Gbor Marte to Oprah Winfrey is not a victim of the conditioned mind. They are true creators and therefore role models for us all to see how we can break through our conditioning.

How did you make that mental shift?

Chopra: Forty-five years ago as a resident intern, I realized that what we call Reductionist Mechanistic Medicine was very good for [treating] acute illness, but not good for prevention or even for managing chronic illness. By chronic illness, I mean the major epidemics of our time obesity, Type 2 diabetes, inflammation, depression, anxiety, stress. These are very important factors in illness.

Only 5% of disease-related gene mutations are fully penetrant, in that they guarantee the disease. If somebody has a mutation like Angelina Jolie had for breast cancer its called the BRCA gene then you need to have a preventive mastectomy. Only 5% of gene mutations are like that.

The rest [of illness-related mutation] are dependent on our daily choices, including how much we sleep, how we manage stress, emotional resiliency, biological rhythms and, of course, food, exercise, movement and mind-body coordination. I got a lot of criticism 35-40 years ago for having even proposed the idea that there were alternative or integrative methods for treating most chronic illnesses.

What role can love play in healing?

Chopra: Love is frequently understood as sentimentality and emotions, which it is. But love is a much bigger truth than just mere emotion.

Wisdom traditions talk about how we are part of a matrix of inter-beingness. Thats part of the Buddhist teachings and Christian teachings Love thy neighbor as thyself. You might think its impossible to do, but if you experience it through meditation, you do find love as truth, love of an idea, love of service, love of a higher calling, love of children, love of your significant other. Its a whole new dimension of love that is healing.

In the Indian tradition that I come from, the word is love in action, which is called karma yoga. Love without action is meaningless and action without love is irrelevant. But when you practice love in action, then the whole world responds to you and wants to help you out. And thats been my experience.

How can meditation improve our physical health?

Chopra: There were many pandemics: One was the COVID-19 pandemic, the second was the economic disasters that occurred with people losing their jobs, etc., and the third epidemic was stress, which was actually worse than the other two epidemics.

Stress is associated in the body with something called sympathetic overdrive. If your sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the fight or flight response, goes into overdrive, then it produces intense inflammation both low-grade inflammation and what I call inflammatory storms. They are actually the precipitating factor in morbidity and mortality from the infection.

Our science has not emphasized the opposite of the fight-or-flight response, which is actually the name of your show Reset the reset response, the reinvent response, the digest response and the relaxed response which involves the parasympathetic nervous system. Many things like yoga, tai chi, qi gong, vocalization, chanting, singing and breathing exercises can actually override the sympathetic response.

What do you want people to take away from your new podcast?

Chopra: [People] have an immense amount of resources in their being for intuition, insight, inspiration, creativity, a higher calling and transcendence. Life can be a celebration instead of a disaster, which is the way were seeing it right now.

I had the opportunity to look at social demographics and what people call happiness. Only 10% [of happiness] depends on situation, circumstance and whats happening in the world. The remaining 80% is dependent on how we see the world and what we interpret as a problem or a disaster. The choices we make every day, are they only for ourselves or also for others? Do we have the capacity to give other people attention, affection, appreciation and acceptance? That is probably the most healing element that could create all sorts of joy and happiness for ourselves.

Claire Hyman is an intern for WBEZs Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons. Follow her @hyimclaire. Penny Hawthorne is a multimedia and audience engagement intern at WBEZ. Follow her @penny_eleanor_.

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In a new podcast, Oprahs health adviser draws the connection between mind and body - WBEZ

When COVID-19 first emerged, few could have predicted its far reaching and devastating impact or how long the pandemic would last. 2020 and early 2021 tested everyone's resilience, patience and strength, but possibly few were tested more than health care workers and the hospitals in which they serve.

After a long, difficult period, local hospitals have emerged with not only greater knowledge of how to treat and manage COVID-19, but also how to continue improving care across all aspects of their systems.

Just over one year after the pandemic began, hospitals reflected on what they've learned and the resilience of their staffs and are looking ahead to the new and innovative ways they're serving the community.

Treating COVID-19 looks very different today than it did a year ago. Hospitals have gained an immense amount of knowledge about the virus and how to care for those affected by it.

"We have learned how variable this virus can be -- not only in terms of exposure risk and contracting the virus and the severity of symptoms, but also the duration of symptoms," said Jean Lydon, Chief Nursing Officer at Elmhurst Hospital.

Patients are now treated by an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses and other health care professionals working closely together to address physical and emotional needs of patients and families.

"The treatment of COVID-19 positive patients continues to evolve. We have a consortium of physicians and other clinicians that meet regularly to review the latest science and treatment protocols," said Polly Davenport, senior vice president and regional operating officer, Amita Health, and president, Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center Hoffman Estates. "We've learned what it takes to contain the spread of this illness, protecting our associates, physicians and other patients."

Advocate Aurora Health, which includes Advocate Condell Medical Center, Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and Advocate Sherman Hospital, acknowledged that health care providers now understand COVID-19 far better than they did in March 2020 and have scaled new clinical best practices to treat patients in the system's hospitals as a result. Advocate Aurora Health also found ways to deliver important care and support to noncritical patients suffering from both COVID-19 and other illnesses. The system rapidly expanded consumer-first offerings, including telemedicine, self-management tools and an AI-powered COVID symptom checker.

Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) in Arlington Heights noted that treatment of COVID-19 changed frequently. They adapted quickly as understanding of the disease progressed and what was once a very frightening and labor-intensive situation has now become almost the norm with standardized protocols that are now part of NCH's daily routine.

As a result, length of stay for these patients has decreased along with the need for ventilator support and intensive care. Most importantly, the mortality has decreased significantly.

"We are in the process of transitioning from the care and treatment of COVID-19 to prevention as we roll out the largest vaccination effort in history," said Alan Loren, M.D., Ph.D., NCH Chief Medical Officer.

As soon as the pandemic hit, it became clear that hospital operations across the country needed to change to meet the growing crisis. Hospital systems drew on all the knowledge available within their networks to share best practices and lessons learned more than they ever have before, with the result often being developing even more efficient ways to operate as a cohesive system overall.

"There's not an area of care or process that hasn't been touched. For all the challenges faced through this pandemic, we have learned to be nimbler as we've dealt with a great deal of ambiguity and uncertainty," said Davenport.

Staff at Edward-Elmhurst Health (EEH) adapted operations in response to COVID-19.

Employees were quickly dispatched to work remotely with little to no interruption in business processes and productivity, communication among hospital staff became more robust, and telehealth was employed almost immediately following the outbreak and has continued to expand exponentially since then. In another operations change, testing tents were pitched adjacent to Edward-Elmhurst Emergency Departments and drive-through testing in the parking lot of their Corporate Center in Warrenville.

"It was so successful and well received by patients that we opened a new health center in Downers Grove and are piloting drive-through services for procedures not related to COVID," said Mary Lou Mastro, System CEO, Edward-Elmhurst Health.

COVID-19 affected Advocate Aurora Health at every level of the organization. The system responded quickly by shifting use of clinical space to expand ICU capacity and used predictive analytics tools to respond to the operational challenges introduced by the virus to best predict and respond to patient surges.

Creating predictive models of COVID-19 test positivity, infection control and bed and ventilator utilization helped Advocate Aurora Health allocate critical supplies and staff across sites to accommodate surges. While the past year undoubtedly tested the system in unthinkable ways, their COVID-19 response has allowed them to grow into a more flexible operation that is positioned to provide best-in-class care well into the future.

Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital also recognized the need for individuals and teams to be flexible not only in the face of the pandemic, but in preparation for whatever else the future may bring. The hospital cross-trained staff for other roles or departments, which promoted engagement, professional development, collaboration, efficiency and versatility. Changes to workflow helped the hospital manage the pandemic and now allows the facility to care for even more patients.

"Our ability to flex to take additional patients has been greatly enhanced post-pandemic. The ability to flex both staff and beds has allowed us to safely care for additional patients when historically, we may have chosen to go on bypass," said Suzanne T. McCoy, DNP, RN, Flinn Family Chief Nursing Executive at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital.

The second patient in the nation identified with COVID-19 was treated at Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center, as was the nation's first confirmed person-to-person transmission of the illness. Even in the face of the unknown, nurses, physicians, respiratory care specialists, infection control practitioners, environmental services associates came together as a team to take on a seemingly endless challenge and never missed a step.

"When all this began, we had no idea we would still be in the midst of it more than a year later. But, due to the resilience and dedication of every associate and physician who cares for our patients, COVID-19 care and precautions have simply become part of our normal operations," said Davenport.

Mastro has worked in hospitals and health care for more than 45 years and has never witnessed anything like the Edward-Elmhurst Health team's remarkable response to the pandemic. She said team members demonstrated incredible creativity while identifying solutions for patient care, safety, and infection control. They learned new roles as well as how to pivot at a moment's notice to keep up with constantly evolving CDC and IDPH guidelines, and through it all, they always supported and cared for one another.

"Although our team's dedication came with personal sacrifice, there was never a doubt that they would pull together to do whatever necessary to provide skilled and compassionate care for our patients, families and the community," said Mastro. "They are heroes who will forever be remembered for their unselfish and dedicated commitment to others."

Northwestern Medicine has always prided itself on having great teamwork and a staff committed to caring for their community, and the pandemic took those elements to the next level. At Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva, staff stepped out of traditional roles, work hours and their comfort zones to meet the challenges the pandemic presented, while keeping staff and patients safe. The relentless pace taught the hospital that they could make changes quickly and could utilize the creativity of staff members to navigate challenging situations.

"Allowing our staff to be part of solutions to situations we had never faced before was paramount to our success," said Gina Reid Tinio, Ph.D., MS, MPH, Flinn Family Chief Nurse Executive, Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital.

Now over a year into the pandemic, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield knows the full strength of its team. Each team member's tireless efforts new relationships and collaborations between departments were fostered and are here to stay.

"Our team is committed to providing excellent care in our community and have demonstrated time and time again that they will rise to any challenge presented with a 'can do' attitude," said Kate Matousek, vice president of operations at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital.

The pandemic reminded leaders at hospitals that are part of Advocate Aurora Health just how resilient and dedicated the system's team members and physicians are. All team members came together in an environment full of uncertainty to provide exceptional patient care.

Dr. James Keller, chief medical officer at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, part of Advocate Aurora Health, was impressed by how team members and physicians went well beyond their duties to continue serving patients, despite not knowing the risk to themselves when the pandemic first hit.

The team at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, part of Advocate Aurora Health, rallied around one another to not only provide care to patients, but ensure that colleagues had the support they needed to continue the fight against COVID-19. Patients needed team members' and nurses' strength and emotional and mental support more than ever, especially when visitor restrictions prevented friends and family from being physically present for loved ones.

"I'm proud of the many ways we pushed ourselves to find better ways to care for our patients -- from virtual visits to staying on the leading edge of COVID-19 treatments. The lessons and experiences of the last year will leave a lasting mark on our approach to health care, and on our hearts," said Mary Roesch, chief nursing officer at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, part of Advocate Aurora Health.

Although hospitals focused on COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, they haven't stopped providing exceptional and compassionate care to patients suffering from other conditions. Even amid uncertain and stressful times, hospitals continue to innovate, expand services and find even more ways to connect with patients.

Edward-Elmhurst Health has launched several initiatives to support and educate the community about the pandemic, including a virtual six-week complimentary COVID-19 Loss Support Group for those 18 and older who lost a loved one during the pandemic and opening a new location at 2205 Butterfield Road in Downers Grove that provides COVID testing for patients and COVID vaccinations for EEH employees. This fall, EEH will open the Woodridge Health Center in Woodridge at Route 53 and 75th Street. Patients will have the opportunity to see primary care and specialist physicians at the new location. In addition, Woodridge Health Center will feature a walk-in clinic for weekend and after-hours care, behavioral health services, diagnostic radiology (X-rays, mammography, ultrasound and MRIs), lab services, physical therapy and a weight loss clinic.

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital also developed innovative ways to support the community throughout the pandemic, including distributing nearly 40,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at the site's COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic and working to launch a post-COVID Clinic to support patients experiencing long-term or lingering health effects associated with the virus. In October, The Comprehensive Stroke Clinic opened at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital's Brain & Spine Institute (1700 Luther Lane, Suite 1170, Park Ridge) to provide patients with a multidisciplinary, comprehensive approach to stroke care. Additionally, the Center for Health and Integrative Medicine at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, recently opened to support patients' wellness journeys using a holistic, evidence-based healing approach. The center offers specialized yoga classes, therapeutic massage, acupuncture and nutrition counseling, along with personalized coaching. In addition, a Health Management Resources (HMR) program launched last year to help patients lose weight and keep it off through a structured, medically supervised program that combines diet plans, health education and behavioral change.

NCH is also looking to the future with the May opening of the new Women's Center, located on the hospital campus in Arlington Heights. The Center will offer breast health services, including a complete offering of screening and diagnostic services, as well as a Pelvic Floor and Bladder Program that includes pelvic floor physical therapy, bladder treatments, biofeedback, urodynamics and minimally invasive surgical treatments, with more offerings planned for the future. Additionally, NCH's newest Outpatient Care Center is also scheduled to open this fall at 15 S. McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove.

"Our goal is to make expert care easily accessible to all. This center will house a number of primary care physicians as well as a selection of specialty services. By consolidating all these services in a single location, it serves as a health care hub for the entire community, and a direct extension of our hospital services already available on our Arlington Heights campus," said Loren.

Throughout the pandemic, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital continued providing vital services in addition to its COVID-19 response. The hospital was able to continue removing brain tumors thanks to a new same-day brain surgery program, launched by neurosurgeon Dr. Osaama Khan. In addition, Northwestern Medicine expanded access to outpatient behavioral health services for adolescents and adults at 7 Blanchard Circle near Wheaton's Danada Square, bringing partial hospital outpatient programming to the same building that houses Northwestern Medicine Immediate Care and medical offices. No matter the need, the hospital wants the community to know that it's safe to return to medical settings.

"I would like people to know that it is safe to return to our hospital setting. We have seen many patients delay preventive tests and/or delay in seeking health care which has led to patients being sicker than what we usually see," said Angela Black, MSN, RN, vice president of operations, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital.

Amita Health System is also happy to welcome patients and visitors back for their recommended testing and screenings. Throughout the system, exciting technology is being used, including true augmented reality for spine surgery at Amita Health Alexian Brothers Medical Center Elk Grove Village and the latest generation of robot-assisted technology for general surgery and gynecologic and urology procedures at both Amita Health Alexian Brothers and Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center Hoffman Estates, among other technological advancements.

"In addition, we're happy to welcome Dr. Michael Rezak, neurologist, whose focus on movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, will allow us to begin deep brain stimulation treatment at Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center this summer," said Davenport.

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Stronger, more resilient: Hospitals respond to pandemic with growth, change - Daily Herald

DUBLIN, Jan. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "The U.S. Health Coaching Market" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Health coaching has emerged as a $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.

You are most likely to find a health coach in private practice, at a healthcare insurer, or via a corporate wellness program. Large self-insured companies are using coaches to improve employee health and cut claims costs, as are healthcare insurers. However, like coaching in general, the industry is loosely defined and certification in many cases is performed by many competing organizations. However, national standards have been developed and CPT billing codes and reimbursement are on the near-term horizon.

This new report covers the following: market definition - types of health coaches, what they do, where they work, their number, annual salaries, market structure, market size: 2006-2025 forecast, effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, profiles of the 8 major certification organizations, profiles of insurance company users (Aetna, Cigna, Humana, United Health Group), MD and Veterans Administration programs, demand factors and usage by consumers, findings of telephone interviews with key market influencers, list of the top health coaching apps, and the industry's major issues, obstacles and growth drivers. Includes list of 75 approved certification training programs.

Key Topics Covered:

Introduction: Study Scope & Methodology

Market Definition and Summary

Market Status Report

Market Size & Growth

Tables:

Profiles of leading Health Coach Certification & Training Organizations (Descriptions of organizations and their certification programs)

Consumer Demand Factors & Outcome Studies

Large Healthcare Organizations' Usage of Health Coaches

List of Most Popular Health Coaching Apps

Reference Directory

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6w3pso

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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United States Health Coaching Market Report 2021-2025 with Discussion of Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Operations/Growth - PRNewswire

Feeling young is great, but acting like an adult means taking care of your health

Mentally, 73 percent of Americans feel younger than they really are. So while they are feeling oldphysically they are young at heart, but perhaps this youthful spirit could be misleading them to believe they can eat and drink as they did in high school. It's time to change our diets to reverse the clock, not replicate our happy days.

The top struggle of growing up is being responsible for their physical health, 4 in 10 people said, including making their own doctors appointments.The same proportion of respondents admitted to not buying nutritious food when grocery shopping.

Sixty-three percent of respondents say they feel much older than they expected to at their current age.

The survey data reveals that nutrition gaps are more than common among adults in this age group, but thats not necessarily a surprise. For example, its understandable that busy adults dont necessarily have time to cook the recommended servings of fish per week, even though it is an excellent source of Omega-3s that support heart and immune health, said Dr. Taz Bhatia, Integrative Medicine Physician. (Note that the Mediterranean Diet includes fish while a plant-based diet gets Omega-3s from algae and plant-based sources.)

If you cant add more of these foods to your diet, one of the best ways to mitigate these nutrient gaps is with high-quality supplements, she added. Look at how the supplements are sourced, the quality and quantity of the ingredients, and any third-party testing.Sixty-three percent of respondents said that as theyve gotten older, the number of vitamins and supplements they take has increased. However, two-thirds still feel like they should be taking more than they currently do.

The biggest challenges ofbecomingan adult, according to the survey

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To Be Healthier, Boost Immunity, Reduce Pain, Just Go Plant-Based - The Beet

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) The United Kingdom is the first in the western world to launch a mass vaccination program against COVID-19.

While experts call it a historic day, there were two people who had a significant allergic reaction to the vaccine.

The National Health Service in England said in a statement both of the medical workers who experienced anaphylactoid reactions to the Pfizer vaccine had a strong past history of allergic reactions and that both had recovered after treatment.

I think this is something we should expect, news to come out everyday of people reacting differently to what is basically a brand new biotech public health weapon thats never been injected into humans before, said Dr. Michael Hirt, founder of The Center For Integrative Medicine in Tarzana.

Now they are advising people with severe allergies to not get the vaccine but its important to note they are not talking about seasonal allergies.

People who have severe allergies are those who walk around with an Epipen and need to inject themselves if they got a bee sting or ate a peanut or some kind of reaction where their throat is gonna swell, their eyes are gonna swell shut, have trouble breathing or swallowing, Hirt said.

British health officials warned that includes people who have had a significant allergic reaction to a vaccine or medicine in the past.

While the U.S. will likely start giving the Pfizer vaccine next week, healthcare workers and people living in long-term nursing facilities will be the first to get the dose.

But Dr. Hirt says people with the three Os should consider getting the vaccine when its available: those that are older, overweight or have other medical problems like asthma, heart disease, and diabetes.

People who have high risk of dying or being seriously ill of Covid need to look at this vaccine very seriously because the risks of taking it may be much less than the risk of facing down Covid one on one, said Hirt.

The state is expected to get doses of the Pfizer vaccine next week. About 84,000 of them will come to Los Angeles County.

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LA Doctor: We Should Expect Reports Of Severe Allergic Reactions To COVID Vaccine - CBS Los Angeles

Alternative medicine enthusiasts have subscribed to the power of essential oils for years. But with their increasing availability (and claimed health benefits), theyre going mainstream.

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Essential oils are fantastic. They have many benefits, says integrative medicine specialist Yufang Lin, MD. The problem lies in how people use them.

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts. Plants are made of structural materials and phytochemicals. These chemicals have properties that not only benefit the plant but benefit people, too, explains Dr. Lin.

It takes a tremendous amount of plant material to make essential oils. For example:

Because it takes so much of the plant to make an essential oil, its a powerful botanical medicine, she says.

Because essential oils are so strong, Dr. Lin recommends being mindful about why and how youre using them. Only small doses are required. Its also a good idea not to use them routinely, as your body can get used to them, lowering their effectiveness, she says.

There are three ways you can use essential oils:

Aromatherapy involves smelling essential oils to improve health. Its a great way to change your mood quickly. As you breathe in, the oils aroma immediately stimulates your central nervous system, triggering an emotional response, explains Dr. Lin. It can reduce anxiety and stress response quickly.

There are several aromatherapy methods. Whichever method you choose, avoid direct contact with the essential oil and dilute it first, says Dr. Lin.

Aromatherapy methods include:

One caveat is that aromatherapy may not work as well for older adults with dementia or behavior problems, she notes. That may be because people tend to experience loss of smell as they get older.

Some people take essential oils orally in teas, supplements or even via a drop or two on their tongue. Unless youre directed by a trained herbalist, I recommend against using them this way. Since theyre so strong, they may be harmful, advises Dr. Lin. Even with just a few drops of essential oil, youre taking a lot of plant material without realizing it. They can even burn the mucosal lining in your mouth.

You can also reap the benefits by applying essential oils to your skin, where its absorbed into your body. But Dr. Lin cautions against directly applying essential oils to your skin without diluting them. With few exceptions, its best to dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil, such as coconut or jojoba oil, to avoid skin irritation, she says.

Some people put their essential oil blend into a small rollerball bottle for easier application.

Studies have shown that essential oils may:

Lavender is Dr. Lins go-to oil. Its gentle and has a lot of benefits. You can also use it in a variety of ways, she says.

Lavender can help with stress, pain and sleep. Before they discovered antiseptics, lavender was also used as a cleaning agent in hospitals, Dr. Lin says.

Dr. Lin says most people use tea tree oil as an antiseptic, antimicrobial or antifungal. You can also use it to help:

One note of caution: Since tea tree oil can be neurotoxic, Dr. Lin says you shouldnt diffuse it if you have small children or animals at home.

Known as the king of oils, frankincense can help with inflammation, mood and sleep.

Peppermint oil is known to:

Peppermint tea can settle your stomach, too if you have irritable bowel syndrome or gastric irritation, adds Dr. Lin. Its very gentle and easy to use.

Eucalyptus is a great essential oil to have on hand during cold season. It soothes a stuffed-up nose by opening your nasal passages so you can breathe easier. (Peppermint oil can also help with this.)

Be careful when using essential oils in children, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and seniors. Some essential oils can be harmful to the liver and nervous system when used in excess. Tea tree and eucalyptus oil have also been known to cause seizures, warns Dr. Lin. Theyre toxic for animals as well.

If you are pregnant, these oils tend to be safe for use if you properly dilute them:

Citrus oils lemon, orange, lime, tangerine, grapefruit and bergamot are also safe, but they cause photosensitivity to light when applied to the skin, Dr. Lin says. If youre not careful, that could lead to a quick sunburn.

Potentially toxic oils include:

Dr. Lin also says to make a note of these very toxic oils:

The essential oil business is booming and mostly unregulated. Thats why Dr. Lin says its important to make sure youre getting the real deal and not some chemical-laden snake oil. Go for organic, minimally processed essential oils, she recommends. You can find good quality oils at natural and organic grocery store chains and health stores.

Look for oils that are:

Originally posted here:
Essential Oils 101: Do They Work + How Do You Use Them? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

NEWTOWN, PA A local family physician has opened a drive-up COVID-19 testing site in Newtown.

In response to rising COVID-19 cases in Bucks County, Dr. Lori Gerber, owner of Refresh Integrative Medicine & Aesthetics on North State Street, has opened a drive-up COVID-19 testing center in lower Bucks County.

"There are not a lot of testing options in this area right now, and I felt the need was pretty dire," Dr. Gerber in a news release. "Instead of only offering testing to my patients, I decided to work with a fast, dependable lab to better serve the entire community."

The test site opened on Tuesday at 530 Washington Crossing Road in Newtown, in the parking lot of Congregation Brothers of Israel.

A modular trailer has been set up where patients take a deep nasal swab test, which detects genetic material of the coronavirus. The sample is shipped overnight via Fed-Ex to a lab in Virginia, with an estimated turnaround time of 72 hours. Patients receive results directly from the lab via text message, and those who receive a positive test for the virus will receive a call from Dr. Gerber or a member of her team.

Testing is by appointment only and patients can schedule online. Both cash and insurance are accepted. For those without health insurance, the out-of-pocket cost for a test is $125.

Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Click here to schedule an appointment.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has signed a third renewal of a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Kara Seymour, Patch Staff

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COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing Site Opens In Newtown - Patch.com

Eu Yan Sang, a Singapore-headquartered private Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and wellness company, has partnered with MyDoc, a B2B digital healthcare company also based in Singapore, to bring consultations online.

WHATS IT ABOUT

Under the partnership, Eu Yan Sang physicians will be able to use MyDocs platform to easily communicate with their patients without being restricted to their location or needing an in-person visit. Patients currently registered with Eu Yan Sang would also be able to get convenient access to their preferred TCM physician no matter where they are. With MyDoc, patients seeking TCM care may now choose to minimize exposure to unnecessary risks of person-to-person transmission when traveling to or from the clinic.

Prior to performing video consultations, Eu Yan Sang physicians are required to go through MyDocs in-house skills training, to ensure a safe and effective delivery of online diagnosis for patients. The training program covers content specific to the workflows of providing care online, as well as clinical skills relevant for online video consultations.

Patients currently registered with Eu Yan Sang will be able to access the services today from the MyDoc app.

THE LARGER TREND

TCM practices and shops are quite common place in Southeast Asia, particularly in countries with predominantly Chinese population such as Singapore. TCM is a broad range of medicine practices sharing common concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage (tui na), exercise (qigong), and dietary therapy.

Eu Yan Sangs move to provide online TCM consultations not only brings convenience and peace of mind to its patients it could also provide opportunities for them to provide TCM related services to a wider, younger and more digitally connected audience.

In July this year, Singapore medical start-up Oncoshot partnered with MyDoc to give cancer patients access to second opinion advice from leading oncologists, MobiHealthNews reported.

ON THE RECORD

Eu Yan Sangs enduring innovation track record has allowed the company to pass on the philosophy of Care from generation to generation, something we will continue to do. Off-premise care is a huge trend now and we see care experiences moving from a doctor-centric, to a more patient-centric delivery model. At Eu Yan Sang, we have responded with new offerings like AskSinseh for e-TCM advice.

The partnership with MyDoc represents another milestone in our transformation journey to build frictionless, yet highly personalized care experiences that let customers have their follow-ups without the need to leave home, said Lim Swee Cheng, General Manager of Clinic Services & Operational Excellence at Eu Yan Sang Integrative Health, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eu Yan Sang.

Dr Matthew Lee, Director of Clinical Operations at MyDoc said, We are excited to be partnering with Eu Yan Sang, to expand our ecosystem of care to provide more convenience and treatment options to patients. By working together, we can ensure a seamless transition of care for Eu Yan Sangs patients from offline to online. This continuous care journey means patients are cared for every step of the way, allowing us to provide safe and effective care for the patients.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine company Eu Yan Sang to provide online consultations through partnership with MyDoc - Mobihealth News

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Months after the coronavirus (COVID-19) first ravaged Staten Island, health care workers on the borough are once again staring down a flood of infections that is slowly filling the boroughs hospital beds only this time, the mental stresses wrought by the first wave are an equally-daunting problem.

Interviews with three nurses, a hospital executive and a social-work expert have shed a light on the damaging mental effects the coronavirus outbreak has had on health-care workers as the city moves toward a new stage of the pandemic.

Those effects, coupled with the culture of the nursing profession viewed by experts as not being conducive to discussing mental health have raised questions on the effectiveness of services available to those who are suffering and concerns about a seemingly-inevitable fallout of issues exacerbated by the virus.

I think every nurse is a different person and a different kind of nurse now, said an ICU nurse at Staten Island University Hospitals (SIUH) Princes Bay campus who requested anonymity.

I dont know if its more being numb, or being more prepared, she said. I feel like theres definitely some sort of PTSD involved.

Approaching the height of the pandemic in March, nurses who spoke to the Advance/SILive.com detailed a coronavirus nightmare that saw a startling number of hospitalizations and deaths in quick succession within the Islands two health care systems.

You would just get hit with all these patients dying at the same time, and there was no time to process any of it, said the ICU nurse. You just had to keep going. Put your feelings aside and just work.

Now, as nurses are beginning to process the grief they endured during the first wave of the outbreak, a new wave is emerging as hospitalizations have now reached levels not seen since the beginning of June.

A doctor walks into Richmond University Medical Center on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/ Alexandra Salmieri) Alexandra SalmieriAlexandra Salmieri

TOLL ON PATIENTS BECOMING CLEARER

The mental health effects of the coronavirus on patients are becoming clearer as the pandemic progresses, and the outbreak has worsened addiction issues on the Island that experts feel are being largely ignored.

A nurse in Richmond University Medical Centers (RUMC) Psychiatric Emergency Room said she has seen an increase in drug-induced patients since the onset of the pandemic and has witnessed the disastrous effects of the coronavirus on the mental health of her patients.

You have your patients who are trying to use drugs to kill themselves, to forget things to kind of like forget whats going on, the nurse said, because they have nothing to do.

That increase of patients has also placed an undue burden on the nurses on the hospital floor, she added, explaining that it has become more important than ever to communicate with her colleagues about mental health.

We learn how to not internalize it, kind of work through our problems, she said. PTSD is a big thing for nurses in psych.

Her specific field psychiatry makes speaking about mental struggles more accepted than other nursing departments, she said, which has allowed her to leave her stress at work.

We work in such population that talking about mental health is not an embarrassment for us," she said.

That is not the case, however, across the nursing profession.

Dawn Cardello, an SIUH nurse of over 33 years and member of the New York State Nurses Associations executive committee, said she witnessed the stresses her nurses experienced first-hand.

Nurses, were traditionally flexible. We deal with a lot of things we bounce back and move forward, said Cardello, But we all know this was very different. It definitely has affected most nurses.

The onslaught of concerns over personal protective equipment that plagued staff early in the pandemic, coupled with the unfathomable number of deaths in quick succession, left even veteran nurses struggling.

I truly felt it, I felt the anxiety of my co-workers, an emotional Cardello said. A lot of nurses cry alone.

The emergency room at SIUH North in Ocean Breeze on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/ Alexandra Salmieri) Alexandra SalmieriAlexandra Salmieri

ADDRESSING CONCERNS

Dr. Timothy Sullivan, the chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at SIUH, called the stresses nurses faced during the spring extremely difficult and said Northwell Health which operates SIUH has established multiple efforts to address growing concerns surrounding the mental-health effects of the virus on staff.

They were on the front lines, they were in rooms with patients with active COVID, Sullivan said. Theyre having to talk to families about health care decisions, and so on, and all in an environment which we had not a lot of information.

Nurses were often given a difficult burden during the height of the pandemic on the borough, when over 500 residents were hospitalized between the Islands two health care systems, said Sullivan. Since then, a web of support was created by Northwell Health that includes an employee hotline and a program that specifically addresses stress and resilience.

Northwells Center for Traumatic Stress Resilience and Recovery, which previously focused primarily on working with veterans, began providing trainings to staff that would equip them with techniques such as psychological and stress first aid that are currently used by the military.

Sullivan said that transition was an integral one, as commonalities exist within the cultures of nurses and members of the armed forces.

Nurses often treat their co-workers like a team ... kind of like troops going into a battle, he said. While he recognized that approach as important, he also admitted that it makes it hard for people to acknowledge stress.

The program, implemented by Northwell and piloted at SIUH, is centered on both addressing the current mental state of staff while also cultivating an environment that makes mental health more accessible to speak about.

Stress first aid, for example, was developed in the military as a kind of prophylactic or preventative strategy that would help teams in military to be able to help one another to do self checks, said Sullivan, and to create a culture and a language that would make awareness of and comfort speaking about stress more normal.

There are roadblocks, however, to initiating programs like this. Buy-in among staff is necessary, and toppling decades-old expectations of avoiding mental health struggles within the profession is a tall task.

Staff members saw young people dying quickly, people dying alone, their families not able to be with them, and thats not stuff were used to. Sullivan said. So, that notion that it has affected people in a lasting way ... is understandable.

Weve got to find a way for people to talk about that with one another, he said.

The hospitals coronavirus hotline for staff, according to Sullivan, has quieted down since the height of the pandemic on Staten Island, and the unknown of the mental health struggles lying just under the surface is a considerable concern.

The difficult part is not knowing exactly whats out there, he said.

To overcome this, Sullivan said the health system is training leadership on the floors of the hospital to become coaches of the program in the effort to work within the already-established team mentality. Some members of SIUH were slated to complete the training by mid-November and were expected to enact the approach shortly afterward.

By integrating these techniques within the culture of the hospital, Sullivan said the health care system hopes it will help create constructive conversation.

So far, he said theres good buy in, but acknowledged, its really the iceberg under the water that we are unsure about.

And so thats why were pressing ahead with these efforts, Sullivan said.

Scenes from SIUH North in Ocean Breeze on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/ Alexandra Salmieri) Alexandra SalmieriAlexandra Salmieri

EMOTIONAL FALLOUT STILL TO COME

Dr. Paul Archibald, assistant professor within the School of Social Work at the College of Staten Island, said the fallout of the first wave of the coronavirus is expected to leave an aftermath of a lot of mental health issues once the PTSD kicks in.

Archibald said the timing of the second wave of coronavirus hospitalizations is especially concerning, as It takes about six to eight months for the symptoms of PTSD to start showing itself.

Its like me watching somebody get murdered and six months later Im going through treatment and working through it, symptoms start to show up, and then I see another person get murdered, Archibald said. Thats whats happening.

Nurses experience a range of traumas in their everyday routine, according to Archibald, and the effects of those mental wounds can start to alter an individuals world view causing a nurse to undergo a series of drastic changes, including becoming potentially cynical or fearful.

Even those not fully traumatized by the COVID-19 pandemic can suffer vicarious trauma, which is the result of working in the vicinity of others who have suffered immensely. That, said Archibald, could lead health-care workers to experience secondary traumatic stress or compassion fatigue.

Im really concerned for the nurses and first responders and people who are working this COVID-19 pandemic, Archibald said. We have to make sure that mental health is a major part of this.

When contacted by the Advance/SILive.com, Alex Lutz, a RUMC spokesman, said the hospital does not specifically have a program for nursing staff to address mental health; however, the hospital has created a hotline that can refer anyone who is need of ongoing treatment.

Services are provided through RUMCs Center for Integrative Behavioral Medicine at South Avenue, said Lutz, adding that the hospital has offered services to employees, their families and friends.

We have dedicated experienced Behavioral Health clinicians who are available to staff needs at all times and we also make sure staff members get immediate appointments in our clinics once the contact is made, said Dr. Joel A. Idowu, chairman of RUMCs Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences. We do the same for referrals coming from our employee health department for our services.

Commenting on the hospitals hotline, the RUMC nurse said that staff within her department are unlikely to utilize the service.

She said that collaboration between nursing departments or specific programs crafted with nurses in mind would be more effective in addressing underlying issues that are facing staff as the Island enters a period of heightened hospitalizations.

And as the second wave is coming up, the nurse said the staff are working through the same difficulties they pushed through mentally about eight months ago. Yes, were more prepared, but at the same time whos working through it?

Archibald stressed that having programs in place was an important first step, but acknowledged that just having the resources does not mean people are going to buy in to it.

You cant just have these services ..., he said. If I wasnt calling all along, Im not going to start now.

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The iceberg under the water: COVID mental health effects on nurses a major cause of concern - SILive.com

Seminole College Students Braintapping

DURHAM, N.C. (PRWEB) November 09, 2020

BrainTap, the leading enhanced meditation company, is launching a new study in collaboration with Seminole State College of Florida to evaluate the emotional and physical effects of Brainwave Entrainment on the 2019 NJCAA champion womens golf team. This study will allow further insight into the overall influence of BrainTap technology on college athletes, as well as how it affects the everyday user.

Brainwave entrainment was first discovered in 1934 and refers to the use of rhythmic auditory and visual stimuli to induce a desired state of mind. The digital revolution has vastly expanded entrainment possibilities and has created a growing demand for research in this area.

The study is being conducted using the BrainTap headset, a consumer digital wellness device designed to help users find improved clarity, quality sleep, and more energy. BrainTap uses a proprietary audio/visual algorithm to enable more relaxed brainwave states, contributing to health and wellness improvements.

Were really excited to be working with BrainTap on this study, said Dr. Geraldine L. Perez Director, Disability Support Services at Seminole State College. We want to give our students resources to help them balance their busy lives and BrainTaps entrainment technology has the potential to make a real difference.

The study continues a trend of research conducted by BrainTap, which earlier this year presented two studies at the prestigious International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health. The first was conducted at the Laboratory of Experimental Neuroscience - University of South Santa Catarina and found that audio-visual brain entrainment significantly increased quality of sleep amongst university students; the second showed that a single audio-visual brain entrainment session with the BrainTap Headset could significantly influence heart rate variability, parasympathetic activity, and decrease stress.

What makes BrainTap so effective is the powerful science at the heart of the technology. Were committed to incorporating the latest science and research in improving our products, said lead researcher Dr. Francisco Cidral, ND, PhD. This current study is part of our ongoing effort to provide valid methodology and controlled clinical evidence evaluating the effects of this non-invasive approach to enhancing performance and ultimately changing lives.

ABOUT BRAINTAP:BrainTap is the leader in enhanced meditation. Its products bring improved clarity, quality sleep, and more energy to users around the world. More than 3 million sessions have been played and BrainTap is trusted by over 2300 healthcare professionals. Based on the extensive work of Dr. Patrick Porter, PhD, BrainTap recently released a consumer-grade mobile application - BrainTap Pro - to advance its mission to better a billion brains. BrainTap offers over 1000 original audio sessions in 12 languages within its mobile app. The company also offers an optional, patent-pending headset. BrainTap has been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Fortune, Health, Inc., People, The Wall Street Journal and on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX.

For more information visit: http://www.braintap.com

ABOUT SEMINOLE STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA: Seminole State College of Florida, established in 1965, serves nearly 30,000 students across six sites in Central Florida. A comprehensive college, Seminole State has awarded more than 100,000 credentials, from bachelor's degrees to high school diplomas, and offers more than 200 degrees, certificates and programs designed for success. For more about the college, visit: seminolestate.edu, follow on Facebook, and Twitter.

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BrainTap Examines The Effects Of Brainwave Entrainment On College Athletes to Improve Overall Well Being - PR Web

Milton internist and integrative medicine physician Dr. Uday Jani and Lewes chiropractor Dr. Krista Griffin invite the community to a follow-up online discussion from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 16, about the award-winning documentary Is Your Story Making You Sick? Those interested can visit udayjanimd.com for the Zoom link to the discussion to further explore and understand the innovative approaches to healing compellingly portrayed in the movie.

We had the opportunity to hold three virtual screenings of this moving documentary with the community last week and thank the more than 100 viewers who asked numerous thoughtful questions about the alternative modalities highlighted, said Jani. In response, weve planned this follow-up event via Zoom to continue the vital dialogue inspired by the movie. Were so grateful for the opportunity to share our knowledge and resources, and help individuals work together on healing in this anxious, uncertain time of COVID.

Drs. Jani and Griffin, clinical psychologist Dr. Richard Todd and integrative health specialist Dr. Carolyn Trasko will explore more deeply healing techniques such as narrative therapy, integrative medicine, ceremony, and mindfulness healing, and share insights on how an individuals story can affect their health and life choices. In addition, the panel of experts will lead a series of illuminating exercises to help participants identify their shadow selves and find the present moment.

Well provide practical tools and information that people can apply to their lives now, said Griffin. Our intent is to illustrate firsthand how to take these initial, important steps toward positive, meaningful change.

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Medical experts to discuss award-winning health film Oct. 16 via Zoom - CapeGazette.com

TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CB2 Insights (the Company or CB2) (CSE:CBII OTCQB:CBIIF), one of the largest integrative healthcare systems in the United States, is pleased to announce it will be participating in the Gravitas Technology and Diversified Investor Day taking place Thursday, October 15th, 2020 virtually.

CB2s Chief Executive Officer, Pradyum Sekar, is scheduled to present on Thursday, October 15th at 3:00 PM EST. Mr. Sekar will also be fielding investor questions during the one-day virtual conference hosted by Gravitas Securities Inc. I am looking forward to sharing our growth strategy with investors at the Gravitas Technology and Diversified Investor Day, said Mr. Sekar. With the recent acquisition of Texas-based Maverick County Medical serving over 10,300 patients, the Gravitas Technology and Diversified Investor Day is an ideal venue to communicate our progress to investors.

This years Gravitas Technology and Diversified Investor Day will feature several leaders in Technology and Diversified industries and will be attended virtually by institutional and retail investors from North America and abroad. For additional details about the conference and Gravitas Securities Inc., please visit: http://www.gravitassecurities.com

Conference Details:

CB2 InsightsCB2 Insights (CSE:CBII OTCQB:CBIIF) is a healthcare services and technology company, working to positively impact patient health outcomes. The Companies mission to improve the lives of patients through the prevention and treatment of health conditions and using proprietary technology to monitor, assess, and generate insights to help improve patient outcomes. The Company owns and operates a proprietary virtual telehealth platform, and a network of over 30 medical clinics across 13 states in the US, providing integrative, primary, and urgent care services to over 110,000 patients annually.

The Company has created works primarily to roster and treat patients seeking traditional and alternative treatments due to the ineffectiveness of conventional medicine, inability to find support through their existing care network, or in some cases, inability to access a primary care network. The Company offers both primary care via a traditional insurable services model and a disruptive low-cost subscription based urgent care offering for patients seeking immediate need to a healthcare provider via telehealth.

The Company differentiates itself by being one of the largest integrative medical practices in the US that owns its own proprietary technology, data analytical assets, and clinical research expertise to support new market expansion, market access, data collection and analysis and drug discovery.

The Company operates a proprietary electronic health record platform Sail (Sail) to document, treat, monitor, and report on patient health outcomes. Developed in 2015, Sail is used internally across all of the Companys clinical operations. Sail features a robust telemedicine platform that the Company uses to provide care to its National patient base. To support patient care and positive health outcomes, the Company is also focused on advancing safety and efficacy research surrounding alternative health treatments by monitoring and assessing Real-World Data (RWD) and providing Real-World Evidence (RWE) through our proprietary technology, data analytics, and a full service contract research organization.

For further information, please contact:

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in CB2s filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will, could, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, potential, believe, should," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding the Companys unaudited financial results and projected growth.

Although CB2 has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, but not limited to: dependence on obtaining regulatory approvals; investing in target companies or projects which have limited or no operating history and are subject to inconsistent legislation and regulation; change in laws; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; hindering market growth and state adoption due to inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical-use and recreational-use marijuana industry and; regulatory or political change.

There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. CB2 disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and CB2 does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.

No securities regulator or exchange has reviewed, approved, disapproved, or accepts responsibility for the content of this news release.

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CB2 Insights to Present at the Virtual Gravitas Technology and Diversified Investor Day - GlobeNewswire

Both kids and adults are spending more and more time using screens for everything from work and school to socializing and having fun. But spending too much time using screens can have harmful consequences for your health, your emotions, and brain development in children.

Here's what you need to know about how much screen time is healthy and when you need to set limits.

For older kids and adults, it's hard to put an exact number on how much screen time is too much. However, research shows that there are many ways excessive screen time can damage your physical and mental health.

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Putting on the TV or playing a YouTube video may calm your child in the moment, but too much screen time can lead to behavioral issues over time. "Excessive TV viewing is associated with delays in cognition, language, and social-emotional development," Mattke says.

The type of media a child sees can also have an effect on their behavior, as children can imitate actions they see on TV as early as 6 months old. "There are strong associations between violent media content and child aggressive behavior," Mattke says.

Most of the time when you are looking at a screen, you are sitting or lying down. This means that as you spend more time on screens, you also spend more time being sedentary, which can increase your risk of obesity, along with chronic issues like heart disease.

Adults who spend more time on screens are also at greater risk for obesity. A very large 2003 study that followed middle-aged women over six years found that for every two hours spent watching TV each day, women were 23% more likely to become obese.

"There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that media use negatively affects sleep for both children and adults," Mattke says. This is partly because electronic devices emit a type of blue light that can lower your levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates when you sleep and wake up.

Experts recommend that you stop using screens ideally two hours, or at the least 30 minutes before you go to sleep.

A very large 2010 study found that teens who spent more time using screens were more likely to report having headaches and backaches than less frequent screen users.

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How much screen time is too much? Follow these guidelines for your child to avoid harmful health effects - Business Insider India

As one of the first two states in the United States to legalize cannabis, Colorado has been at the forefront of research. The Institute of Cannabis Research at Colorado State University Pueblo has just kicked off a series of virtual events during which researchers discuss their work, and where research is headed.

The first such webinar featured Stephanie McGrath, an associate professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She focused her presentation on her work covering the use of cannabidiol (CBD) for dogs that have seizure disorders, and how glioma cancer cells in dogs respond to CBD treatment.

The next CU Pueblo research webinar will feature David Shurtleff, deputy director of the National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health, and will focus on the National Institute of Healths interest in cannabis research.

(Read Cannabis Wires previous coverage of research out of Baylor College of Medicine, within the Texas Medical Center, on the therapeutic potential of CBD for dogs experiencing pain from arthritis.)

Like many medical professionals, McGrath didnt enter medical school with a decision on which path shed like to pursue, but she eventually settled on neurology. McGrath referred to epilepsy in dogs, the most common neurologic disorder in canines, as an eye opener that hit home, because existing treatments seemed inadequate, she said.

Until you witness this, its really hard to appreciate what owners are going through, McGrath said, referencing dogs undergoing grand mal seizures. But when youre looking at this dogs eyes and youre looking into the eyes of this family that are going through this very emotional, very traumatic and violent disease, she said, you connect to the real emotional aspect of it like this.

While McGrath completed her residency in Colorado, legal adult use cannabis sales were taking off. McGrath referenced Charlotte Figi, a young girl whose family moved her to Colorado for access to CBD to treat her seizures. (Figi, who became internationally known for helping to catalyze the CBD-as-medicine movement, died in April). Watching the Sanjay Gupta special on Figi and CBD on CNN, McGrath wondered if CBD might have the same seizure-reducing effects on dogs.

I went through school knowing marijuana is toxic for dogs. Its terrible. Dont use it. Stay away from it. We see marijuana toxicosis in our emergency rooms, McGrath said.

McGrath began her research on CBD at CSU under the 2014 Farm Bill, which allowed for states to launch hemp pilot programs. Hemp is abundant in CBD. But, she said, her work became easier when lawmakers passed the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed hemp, defined as cannabis plants containing .3% THC or less, from the list of controlled substances.

I think its made it a lot easier for collaborators and other researchers and scientists to start exploring cannabis at their institutions as well, which is great, McGrath said. She added that her own research began, in some senses at ground zero, because there were so few studies on dogs and CBD that could serve as a starting point for additional work.

We had essentially no foundation for using this drug despite it being around forever. And so we had a lot of questions about bioavailability, whether this drug would even be absorbed, she said.

McGrath started with a pharmacokinetic study during which 30 dogs were given three different CBD formulations. The dogs received a six-week course of two doses daily. The beagles used for the study were research animals that were purpose-bred for pharmacokinetic studies and that are adopted out once they reach middle age. Researchers looked for safety, drug tolerance, and any major adverse effects.

It was very encouraging that at least we had a foundation, somewhere to go with this, McGrath said, referencing that the oral preparations were at least measurable in the dogs blood streams. Fortunately for adverse events, those were also fairly well-tolerated, she said. The only major side effect was diarrhea, which was transient, but it did occur in all dogs at all dosages at various time points. There also was an elevation in one of the liver enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, and while the researchers didnt have concerns related to short-term liver toxicity concerns, that was definitely something we noted and wanted to continue to monitor.

Overall, McGrath said, she felt that this studys results would allow her to proceed to clinical trials in client-owned animals, starting with epilepsy. Her first effort was on the short-term effect of CBD on seizure frequency in dogs suffering from poorly-controlled idiopathic epilepsy. A total of sixteen dogs participated in this study, a limitation with such a small cohort, with nine in the treatment group and seven in the control group. All of these dogs had a confirmed diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy, and they all had to remain on their standard anticonvulsant treatment during the three-month study. Researchers then added either CBD to the treatment regimen, or a placebo.

We did see a significant reduction in seizure frequency in the treatment group as compared with the control group, McGrath said. But, she added, when they looked at responders, a common way of recording antiepileptic drug efficacy, they wanted the dogs to have at least a 50 percent reduction in seizure activity, which didnt happen.

We concluded from this study that, although we did get some encouraging results, theres still a lot more work to be done, she said.

McGrath said the most interesting part of the study, to her, was that she saw a significant correlation between plasma level and seizure change.

As the dogs, that for whatever reason, metabolize the drug in such a way that they reached higher plasma levels, they actually had a further decrease in seizure activity than dogs that never reach that level. And so seeing that correlation really gave me a lot of hope that if we can get more dogs sort of across the arbitrary threshold, that we may be able to see better, more positive results, McGrath said.

McGraths next clinical study was funded by the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, and was much larger, with 60 dogs. It was a prospective double blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. The dogs in the study received either CBD or placebo in the first phase, and then CBD or placebo for the second phase.

It gives us a bit more of a powerful study because each dog is able to be compared to itself as well as the treatment group and the control group, she said. For this study, CBG was also added, and doses were increased in an effort to get more dogs into a higher-level plasma range. During the course of this study, Epidiolex, a CBD-based cannabis plant extract, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which McGrath and her team started using as part of the study.

Spoiler alert: I do not have results of the study yet, McGrath said. She and her team wrapped up enrollment last month, and the last dog is expected to finish in March, allowing them to publish results sometime next year.

Overall, we didnt see any clinical signs that were of concern. We are also measuring antiepileptic drug levels throughout the studies. So we are going to also assess whether CBD has any effect on raising or lowering the antiepileptic drug levels as well, she said.

More here:
Colorado: Institute of Cannabis Research Series Launches With CBD and Dogs - Cannabis Wire

Play is one of the most important aspects of a childs life. Why? Because through peekaboo, patty-cake, and playing house, children learn to think creatively and interact socially.

Through play, they develop physically and discover a slew of emotional skills,and they learn how to process the world. In short, play is pivotal to your childs development.

Play is how children learn, says Dr. Tiff Jumaily, a pediatrician at Integrative Pediatrics and Medicine Studio City in Los Angeles.

Whats more, according to a 2012 study, play reduces stress. On the whole, play is associated with responses that facilitate learning [and] work off stress, says Jumaily.

But what are the benefits of play and what type of engagement, toys, and activities do children really need? We asked some experts to weigh in.

While the benefits of play are innumerable play helps children develop cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally there is more to play than fun and games.

Mayra Mendez, PhD, LMFT, a licensed psychotherapist and program coordinator at Providence Saint Johns Child and Family Development Center in Santa Monica, California, tells Healthline, Play is important because it provides a primary foundation for learning, exploring, problem-solving, and building an understanding of the world and your role within it.

But how do children learn through play? Well, its simple. Play allows children the chance to emulate what they see and practice skills. It gives them an outlet for creativity and experimentation, and play helps them learn how to interact and communicate with others.

Play promotes healthy development and critical thinking skills. It reinforces memory, helps children understand cause and effect, and, according to Mendez, helps children explore the world and their role in it.

Young children learn how things fit together through play. It allows them to use their senses and encourages exploration and curiosity, and these skills are the foundation of intellectual development and cognitive processing.

Play also inspires children to pretend, create, and imagine. Creative, open-ended play helps children conceptualize, brainstorm, and exercise critical thinking skills.

Physically, play benefits children in a few ways, namely in the development of their fine and gross motor skills.

Play benefits motor development by encouraging movement [and the] understanding of spatial relations, promoting motor planning skills, and supporting balance and dexterity, Mendez says. It also supports gross motor skills, such as energy, stamina, flexibility, and body awareness.

Examples of physical play include running, jumping, swimming, block building, dancing, riding bikes, and climbing trees. (When youre providing opportunities for these types of activities, remember key safety precautions from bike helmets to pool supervision.)

Play is also important for social development because it helps children learn how to interact with others.

Through play, children develop an understanding of social expectations and rules, and play provides opportunities to share thoughts and ideas, to listen, and to compromise.

Additionally, play helps children understand and process their emotions.

Kids process their emotions and new concepts through play, Kim Wheeler Poitevien, a child therapist in Philadelphia, tells Healthline.

When a child loses a game, for example, they learn to process sadness, anger, and grief. Playing also helps build confidence and encourages the development of their identity and self-esteem.

The ways children play vary, depending on their age and interests. Here are a few ideas for both parents and kids.

Playing with young children may seem hard after all, babies cannot sit, crawl, walk, talk, or stand. But according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), playful learning can start with babys first smile.

At this stage, children are most interested in faces and learning how to make these faces smile at them and laugh, Jumaily says. Babies love games like peekaboo. It helps teach them about object permanence. They love contrasting colors and textures. Think rattles and bits of crinkly paper, and they love making noise. Let them experiment hitting various pots and pans to see what sounds they make.

Holding conversations with your little one is also very important, as it helps them develop their linguistic skills.

As your child grows, their play options increase. Toddlers love brightly colored objects, like age-appropriate balls, cars, and blocks. Puzzles are a great choice, as are simple artistic supplies, and pretend play is excellent for children of this age.

You should encourage toddlers to engage in pretend play using dolls, blocks, common household objects, or by dressing up, Mendez says.

Read to your toddler on a regular basis and encourage them to color or draw, as these activities will help the development of understanding, cognition, and their fine motor skills.

Preschool-age children are staunchly independent. They have an understanding of the world, and their place in it, and for that reason, much of their play at this age is self-driven and structured.

Preschool age children are striving for independence in everything they do, Jumaily says. Parents will often notice that they insist not only on choosing their clothing, but putting it on all by themselves. For that reason, preschool is a great age to introduce solo activities, like puzzles, magnetic tiles, LEGOs, and tower building.

That said, it is important to note that preschoolers need socialization. It is key to their development. Trips to the playground and park are great ways to encourage this as are games like tag, red light/green light, and Simon says.

Much like preschoolers, elementary and middle school-age kids are very independent. They are also very focused on school-based activities. However, play is still integral to their development.

School-age kids need play too, Wheeler Poitevien says. Encourage outside play with a ball or bubbles, or plan a family game night. LEGO sets, Kinex, and other building toys are great too. Video games also count as play, but these activities should be done in moderation.

Play helps children grow into strong, healthy, and independent individuals. It also helps them develop emotionally and reduces stress. However, a lack of play can have negative and long-lasting effects.

Studies show that when kids dont have the opportunity to play outside in nature, they are at higher risk for attention problems and behavior problems, Jumaily explains. Without proper play, kids do not have the chance to stretch their imagination and build the skills they need to succeed in the workplace and in their life. A lack of play can also stunt an individuals social and emotional development.

A 2018 study by the AAP also found the absence of play can increase stress. Play is not frivolous it is brain building, Jumaily says. When play and safe, stable, nurturing relationships are missing in a childs life, toxic stress can disrupt the[ir] development.

Play is valuable to children very valuable. In fact, the benefits of play cannot be overstated. So run, sing, and dance with your children. Play games with your kiddos, and have fun!

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The Importance of Play: How Kids Learn By Having Fun - Healthline

Sep 25, 2020 12:32 PM ET

iCrowd Newswire Sep 25, 2020

Laurel, Md. Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) is pleased to announce a new partnership with the AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine. MUIH and AOMA have entered an educational collaboration with the goal of enhancing graduate education in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Through this partnership students from both institutions participate in case of study analyses together, virtually in real-time and guided by faculty from both institutions. This provides students with the opportunity to broaden their clinical treatment strategies and deepen their clinical knowledge.

This is an academically enriching partnership that we are excited to have in place. Both institutions are committed to academic rigor and integrative health, and this partnership will represent an effort toward academic diversity of thought in diagnosis and treatment approaches. This will serve the faculty, students, and ultimately, patients, said Alexandra York, Assistant Provost for Strategic Academic Initiatives at MUIH.

What we learn from one another and what we learn together will help us transform care. Partnerships like this will strengthen our ability to prepare truly outstanding clinicians who will put our values into action and fulfill our mission of transforming lives and communities, said Dr. Mary Faria, President, and CEO of AOMA.

MUIH has been training acupuncturists since 1981 and in 1985 became the first school accredited by the organization now known as the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). Since 1986, MUIH has offered graduate programs in the field including the Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Doctor of Acupuncture, Master of Oriental Medicine, Master of Acupuncture, and Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Chinese Herbs. MUIH also offers masters and doctoral degrees and graduate certificates in Ayurveda, cannabis science, health and wellness coaching, health promotion, herbal medicine, integrative health studies, narrative health, nutrition, and yoga therapy.

About Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH)

Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) is a leading academic institution focused on the study and practice of integrative health and wellness and one of the few universities in the U.S. dedicated solely to such practices. Deeply rooted in a holistic philosophy, its model for integrative health and wellness is grounded in whole-person, relationship-centered, evidence-informed care.

Since 1974, MUIH has been a values-driven community educating practitioners and professionals to become future health and wellness leaders through transformative programs grounded in traditional wisdom and contemporary science. MUIH has more than 20 progressive, graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, offered on-campus and online.

In the on-campus Natural Care Center and community outreach settings, MUIH provides compassionate and affordable healthcare from student interns and professional practitioners, which delivers more than 20,000 clinical treatments and consultations each year. For more information visit http://www.muih.edu.

About AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine

AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine offers regionally accredited masters-level and doctoral-level graduate programs in acupuncture and Chinese medicine that prepare students for careers as skilled, professional practitioners. Since AOMAs founding in 1993, the institution has grown rapidly in size and reputation, drawing students from around the nation and faculty from around the world.

AOMA is an active member of the national and international healthcare community and remains committed to scholarship, research, and engagement, as evidenced by the publication and presentation schedules of the faculty, the yearly Southwest Symposium it hosts, and the continuing education opportunities the institution provides. AOMA also conducts approximately 17,500 patient visits annually in its student and professional clinics.

AOMA works cooperatively with Western healthcare institutions and gives back to the community through partnerships with nonprofit organizations and by providing free and reduced-price treatments to people who cannot afford them otherwise. For more information visit https://aoma.edu.

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Kionne S. Johnson Communications Manager [emailprotected]

Keywords:Integrative Health, Partnership, Acupuncture, Health, Health and Wellness, Science

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Maryland University of Integrative Health announces educational partnership with the AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine - Reported Times

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, they go through a barrage of treatments to eliminate or help curb the disease. These powerful therapies often do a number on the cancer. But they also leave behind a trail of symptoms and side effects that linger, causing their own brand of suffering.

Amid traditional medical care, many people are turning to integrative therapies for relief, support, and healing. A growing body of research shows that massage therapy particularly helps with the physical and emotional impact of having cancer, says Spring Saldana, a board-certified massage therapist and massage therapy program chair at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington.

Saldana can personally and professionally attest to the benefits of oncology massage. She experienced them while being treated for breast cancer and during her recovery. When you go through something like that, you feel very alone, even when you have support, says Saldana, a three-year survivor. Being able to be touched, with care, in the safe space that was providedit did a world of good for me.

Since Saldana trained more than 15 years ago, theres been a shift in the thinking about massage for people who have cancer or are recovering. Then, massage was believed to be too dangerous because it could potentially spread cancer around the body.

Research does not support that theory, instead finding that massage can be beneficial. However, Saldana says, it is important to see a massage therapist who has trained extensively in oncology massage therapy.

There are a lot of people who go through this journey alone, and they dont have to.Forming a relationship with a massage therapist who knows what they're doing with this population would make their journey easier. It would definitely make you feel like your hand is being held through it. Spring Saldana, Northwestern Health Sciences University

Here, just a handful of ways that massage can help people with cancer cope:

Cancer patients experience all manner of pain stemming from surgery, chemotherapy infusions, radiation, or other medications. Its one of the most common and debilitating symptoms they face. But massage can reduce the intensity and severity of pain, according to the American Massage Therapy Association.

Its common for people with cancer to have significant anxiety and depression while confronting many unknowns, both during and after treatment. Massage boosts dopamine and serotonin levels, calming the nervous system through touch, Saldana says.

When going through chemotherapy, many people lose their appetites and experience nausea, constipation, or other digestive problems. Light abdominal massage often can restore order.

Sleep is key to healing, and massage certainly helps with promoting relaxation and rest.

Massage also addresses lymphedema, a common side effect for people with breast cancer especially. If surgeons remove lymph nodes, excess fluid often builds up and causes painful swelling in the arms and legs. Massage can assist with draining that fluid.

When an oncology massage therapist does body work, its different than a regular massage. These therapists have trained extensively in what cancer and treatments do to the body, mind, and spirit. They use different techniques depending on the individuals experience and needs.

Some people can handle a normal touch and frequent massages. Others can tolerate just a light, short massage, perhaps focused on the hands and feet. When even that is too much, some people benefit from Reiki, a form of energy healing that involves a gentle touch or a laying of hands, Saldana says.

Experiencing cancer can be traumatic, and massage helps people release some of that stress and trauma stored in the body. Saldana recommends that cancer patients try massage or healing work during their treatment so that they can release some of that pain along the way.

There are a lot of people who go through this journey alone, and they dont have to, she adds. Forming a therapeuticrelationship with a massage therapist who knows what they are doing with this population would make their journey easier. It would definitely make you feel like your hand is being held through it.

Located in Bloomington,Northwestern Health Sciences Universityis a pioneer in integrative natural health care education, offering degree programs in chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, medical assisting, medical laboratory programs, post-bac/pre-health, radiation therapy, and B.S. completion. At press time, itsBloomington clinicis open to the public and services include chiropractic care, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, naturopathic medicine, Bloomington Clinic offers integrative, natural care for the entire family in one location.

Join the Twin Cities top influencers in integrative health care on Tuesday, October 20 from 4:30-5:30pm CST to discuss the best treatments for our top-of-mind health woesnaturally. From chiropractic care to acupuncture and massage therapy, learn how the healing powers of these tried-and-true modalities go far beneath the surface at our first-ever virtual Healthmakers.

Telemedicine is a convenient way to care for yourself during these unprecedented times. Appointment times vary depending on the service. Providers are part ofNorthwestern Health Sciences University, a non-profit industry leader in integrative and natural healthcare education that provides access to the latest evidence and state-of-the-art technology so you get the natural solutions you truly need.

See more content fromNorthwestern Health Sciences University.

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The Benefits of Touch Therapy for Cancer - Mpls.St.Paul Magazine

Before the age of 2 or 3 years, the human brain grows very rapidly and, during REM sleep, is busy building and strengthening synapses. After 2 or 3 years, however, sleeps primary purpose switches from brain building to brain maintenance and repair, a role it maintains for the rest of our lives, according to new research led by the University of California, Los Angeles.

Cao et al show that differences in sleep across phylogeny and during late ontogeny (after 2 or 3 years in humans) are primarily due to sleep functioning for repair or clearance, while changes in sleep during early ontogeny (before 2 or 3 years) primarily support neural reorganization and learning. Image credit: Sweet Briar College.

All animals naturally experience a certain amount of neurological damage during waking hours, and the resulting debris, including damaged genes and proteins within neurons, can build up and cause brain disease.

Sleep helps repair this damage and clear the debris essentially decluttering the brain and taking out the trash that can lead to serious illness.

Nearly all of this brain repair occurs during sleep, said study senior author Professor Van Savage, a researcher in the Departments of Computational Medicine and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Santa Fe Institute.

I was shocked how huge a change this is over a short period of time, and that this switch occurs when were so young. Its a transition that is analogous to when water freezes to ice.

Professor Savage and colleagues from the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Minnesota, Santa Fe Institute, Imperial College London, and the University of California, Los Angeles conducted the most comprehensive statistical analysis of sleep to date, using data from more than 60 sleep studies involving humans and other mammals.

The scientists examined data on sleep throughout development including total sleep time, REM sleep time, brain size and body size and built and tested a mathematical model to explain how sleep changes with brain and body size.

The data were remarkably consistent: all species experienced a dramatic decline in REM sleep when they reached the human developmental equivalent of about 2.5 years of age.

The fraction of time spent in REM sleep before and after that point was roughly the same, whether the researchers studied rabbits, rats, pigs or humans.

The authors found that REM sleep decreases with the growth in brain size throughout development.

While newborns spend about 50% of their sleep time in REM sleep, that falls to about 25% by the age of 10 and continues to decrease with age.

Adults older than 50 spend approximately 15% of their time asleep in REM.

The significant dropoff in REM sleep at about 2.5 years happens just as the major change in the function of sleep occurs, said study co-author Professor Gina Poe, a researcher in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

For most adults, a regular 7.5 hours of sleep a night is normal and time lying awake doesnt count, she said.

While children need more sleep, babies need much more, roughly twice as much as adults.

The large percentage of REM sleep in babies is in stark contrast to the amount of REM sleep observed in adult mammals across an enormous range of brain sizes and body sizes.

Adult humans have five REM cycles during a full night of sleep and can have a few dreams in each cycle.

A good nights sleep is excellent medicine. And its free, she added.

The results were published in the September 18, 2020 issue of the journal Science Advances.

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Junyu Cao et al. 2020. Unraveling why we sleep: Quantitative analysis reveals abrupt transition from neural reorganization to repair in early development. Science Advances 6 (38): eaba0398; doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aba0398

Read more:
New Research Illuminates Dominant Functions of Sleep and How They Change Through Our Lives | Medicine, Physiology - Sci-News.com