Irvine, Calif., Aug. 18, 2020 UCI Health is pleased to announce the opening of its latest Newport Beach location, which is dedicated to preventing disease and managing health by considering all aspects of a patients mind, body and spirit. UCI Health-Newport Beach is the first to offer a comprehensive model of science-based medicine combined with a philosophy of care that makes use of all therapies and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing.

At UCI Health, we make a daily commitment to stop at nothing to meet and exceed the expectations of every member of our community, said Chad T. Lefteris, CEO of UCI Health. Our multidisciplinary clinical care teams provide world-class primary and specialty care driven by the discovery and innovation of Orange Countys only university health system.

UCI Health is built to advance knowledge that improves patient health and wellness, Lefteris said.

Advances in medicine are made every day. Community-based health providers treat patients within the standards of care, while academic health systems like UCI Health conduct the research that improves these standards. For example, UCI Health integrative health faculty physicians publish research into the effect of diet, mood and stress on specific conditions that they then translate into cutting-edge patient care.

UCI Health-Newport Beach is located at 2161 San Joaquin Hills Road, Newport Beach, on the corner of San Joaquin Hills Road and Avocado Avenue.

We take a balanced approach to wellness, said Shaista Malik, MD, PhD, associate vice chancellor for integrative health at the Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences. Integrative health means that when we care for you, we take into account every aspect of your life your health history, lifestyle, stressors and other factors to restore your well-being and quality of life.

This whole-person approach allows UCI Health caregivers to understand each patients unique circumstances and determine the most appropriate treatments and therapies, Malik said.

Our providers work together to develop treatment plans that adapt to your specific needs, to help you live a healthy and balanced life, she added.

Services available at UCI Health-Newport Beach include:

For more information or to make an appointment, visit ucihealth.org/newportbeach or call 949-386-5700.

UCI Health comprises the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at primary and specialty care offices across Orange County and at its main campus, UCI Medical Center in Orange, California. The 418-bed acute care hospital provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, and behavioral health and rehabilitation services. U.S. News & World Report has recognized UCI Medical Center among Americas Best Hospitals for 20 consecutive years. The enterprise is home to Orange Countys only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and regional burn center. It is the primary teaching hospital for the UCI School of Medicine. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the University of California, Irvine:Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. Its located in one of the worlds safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange Countys second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visitwww.uci.edu.

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UCI Health-Newport Beach center offers science-based integrative health - UCI News

Your circadian rhythm is controlled by the release of substances like the hormone melatonin, which can make you feel sleepy, says functional medicine doctor Heather Moday, M.D.

There's a whole cascade that happens when you get out of your normal circadian rhythm. It affects your light/dark schedule, which can put your mealtime and exercise routine out of sync, too, says Winter. Basically, something as seemingly minor as going to bed whenever you feel like it can throw a lot of things in your life out of whack.

Changing up your bedtime can also make you feel more tired, even if you're sleeping in the next day. "When you alter a sleep schedule more than an hour difference, your body feels tired because your circadian rhythm has not been synced," says double-board-certified integrative medicine doctor Amy Shah, M.D.

But fatigue is only one thing you might deal with if your bedtime is all over the place. "Everything from our digestion, immune system activity, and hormones are regulated by our sleep-wake cycles," Moday says. Getting out of a good sleep rhythm when you're also stressed out (like most of the world is at this moment) can even increase your risk of getting sick, Moday points out. And that's really not something you want to mess with right now.

Read the original post:
The 2 Alarms You Should Be Setting Every Day During Quarantine - mindbodygreen.com

This story appeared in the July/August 2020 issue as "When Hearts Attack."Subscribe to Discovermagazine for more stories like this.

911, whats your emergency? The call from dispatch alerts Cleveland EMS to a 57-year-old man with chest pain. The firefighters drop what theyre doing, while paramedic Kayla DeVor and her partner board the ambulance. The whole team is out of the station in less than a minute. Everything is in place for any emergency they may face, and they arrive on the scene in under nine minutes.The paramedics are already working as they approach the patient to determine whether he is conscious, whether he is breathing and how well he can respond to questions. DeVor asks, Hey, sir, hows it going? When did your symptoms start? What were you doing when the pain started? As the team continues to get crucial information on the mans condition and history of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, they take his vitals.

DeVor hooks up an electrocardiogram, or EKG, which tracks the hearts electrical activity. By now, the paramedics have been on the scene for five minutes, an eternity in the world of emergency medicine.

DeVor scans the markings on the strip of paper scrolling out of the EKG monitor. The patterns change shape during a heart attack, and not all of them signal the same level of emergency. Today, though, she sees the telltale signs of the most serious kind of heart attack. A major coronary artery, the hearts own blood supply, is completely blocked, depriving the heart of oxygen and other nutrients. The longer this patient goes without treatment, the greater the damage to his heart muscle. Cardiologists have a saying for this: Timeistissue.

Mindful of every minute, DeVor transmits the EKG results to the hospital and alerts the ER team that the patient is on the way. They load him into the ambulance, where DeVor hooks up oxygen and starts an IV while her partner gives him four 80-milligram tablets of baby aspirin and, since his blood pressure is too high, nitroglycerin to relieve his chest pain.

They head to the ER and, after a quick stop in a trauma room, a cardiac team whisks the patient to a specialized radiology room for a cardiac catheterization. Even though the EKG confirmed a bad heart attack, doctors still have to figure out which vessels are blocked and pinpoint wounded cardiac tissue. This procedure will allow the cardiologist to find out how bad the damage is and treat blockages in the coronary arteries, fast.

Getting patients to the cath lab, called door-to-balloon, in 90 minutes or less is critical. Oxygen-starved cells die off fast. Dead heart muscle from severe damage becomes scar tissue, so the heart pump often will fail to work well from that point forward if not treated quickly, says Nicholas Ruthmann, a staff cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Thats why, he says, We sometimes call the cath lab the table of truth."

Once in the cath lab, the cardiologist, guided by X-ray, snakes a balloon-tipped catheter through a blood vessel in this case, in the patients groin up to his heart. A contrast dye is injected so the blockages will show up on a monitor. This image, called an angiogram, is currently the best way to find blocked vessels in the heart. The cardiologist inflates the balloon, which smashes the plaque against the walls of the coronary artery, sending much-needed blood to the heart. In an artery thats completely blocked, the cardiologist places a stent, a wire mesh that holds the artery open and keeps blood flowing to the heart.

Most hospitals report back on patients whom paramedics bring to the ER to tell them whether the treatment was successful. And this time, our 57-year-old is going to be just fine. That is a fantastic part of our job, says DeVor. Seeing how what we did actually made a difference in a heart attack.

The plaque that builds up on the inner lining of our blood vessels atherosclerotic plaque is a byproduct of our bodys best intentions. Our cells need lipids (fats), but they dont dissolve in water. So, to travel through the bloodstream, they ball up into spheres called lipoproteins: tiny globes with cholesterol and triglycerides in the middle and proteins on the outside.

But at some point, perhaps from microscopic damage to the inner vessel lining, the low-density versions of these lipoproteins (nicknamed bad cholesterol), which shuttle cholesterol through your arteries, can get trapped along with white blood cells and other molecules. Over decades, this gunk morphs into plaque with a crusty outer layer and a cheesy inner layer, eventually squeezing off blood flow and starving the heart of oxygen and nutrients.

Today, more and more people are surviving heart attacks over 90 percent thanks in part to clot-busting drugs, angiograms and cardiac care units. But these people still have damaged hearts and, ultimately, still need more medical care. And despite this seemingly high survival rate, heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women. Thats why health care professionals ask us to tackle controllable risk factors on our own.

Hypertension, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, stress, high body mass index (or weight-to-height ratio, BMI) and waist circumference (a touchy subject, says Christina Adams, an integrative cardiologist at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California), all contribute. Smoking ups the risk because chemicals from cigarettes narrow vessels by inflaming the cells that line them. And, more recently, researchers have discovered that depression, lack of restorative sleep and sleep apnea all contribute to heart disease. The risk escalates even more after stressful events, such as the death of a loved one or a job loss.

Beyond that, there are disparities in risk based on where we live, our gender, and our racial and ethnic background. Black people and women are more likely to experience heart failure than white men of a similar age and theyre more likely to die from it, either in the hospital or within five years. Risk escalates for women post-menopause. And residents of the rural South are at higher risk for heart attacks as well. Part of what ups these risks is air pollution and socioeconomic factors: Researchers have even found that ZIP codes are one of the best predictors for heart attack survival a critical finding for minority and undeserved communities.

The disparities that drive treatment and survival rates are all the more worrisome because changes in diet and lifestyle can help prevent heart attacks, which are actually the endpoint of a very severe disease, says Adams. I like to empower people and say, Look, you can do something about this every day. You have a chance to improve your health even in your 50s and 60s even in your 70s.

Women and men experience heart disease differently, from risk factors to symptoms. While the most common symptom is chest pain, women are more likely to have pain in the arms, jaw or back, as well as experience fatigue, dizziness, indigestion and nausea. Some studies suggest that women also experience more silent heart attacks, which can happen with subtle or no symptoms.

Common risk factors like smoking and diabetes are more potent in women, and researchers are slowly understanding why. One common denominator is the rise in blood pressure, or hypertension, that these factors cause, says Susan Cheng, a cardiologist and population researcher at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles.

In a study published in 2020 in JAMA Cardiology, Chengs team analyzed repeated blood pressure data collected over 43 years in people ages 5 to 98. The researchers compared an individuals blood pressure with their younger selves and tracked those changes over decades.

Cheng compared women with women and men with men, something researchers hadnt done before. The results showed that womens blood pressure accelerates over their lifetimes faster than it does in men, and that acceleration starts earlier in life. It was eyeopening to us, says Cheng.

Cheng says this speed-up may come down to anatomy. Womens coronary arteries have a relatively smaller diameter than mens, even after correcting for body size, which also may make them more sensitive to other risk factors, such as sedentary lifestyle, high salt intake, obesity and high cholesterol. And that explains why smoking is a bigger risk factor for heartdisease in women: Cigarette smoke exposes the cells lining our arteries to toxic chemicals, making them ground zero for vascular disease, includinghypertension.

This could mean that doctors may need to be more aggressive in treating younger women with borderline high blood pressure, says Cheng, and make younger to middleaged adults more aware that high blood pressure is not just a condition of older age.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, were our own worst enemies. Adams says its typically obvious why patients have heart attacks except to the patients themselves. Theyre in denial. Their response is often, I cant believe this happened. I didnt have any symptoms. I am healthy. In response, Adams is usually able to pull up electronic medical records and show them, for example, how their weight has increased 2 pounds every year for the last five years. She shows them years of unaddressed, borderline high blood pressure and high triglycerides.

For patients who do worry about their risk, Adams may suggest a coronary calcium scan, sometimes called mammography for the heart. These specialized scans help assess risk by providing a three-dimensional reconstruction of the coronary arteries and a calcium score. The calcium-rich outer layer of built-up plaque lights up on the scan. Seeing the calcium on their arteries is often enough incentive to adopt preventive measures, says Adams.

The coronary CT scans are helpful, but limited, because they dont show soft, inner plaque. More recently, researchers have begun using the fat surrounding coronary arteries to scan for heart health. This perivascular fat lights up differently on a CT scan in areas where arteries are inflamed, which is where plaque tends to form. Results of a 2018 study published in The Lancet showed the fat could predict those at risk for dying of heart disease.

Even if researchers keep finding new ways of pinpointing signals of heart disease at its earliest stages, though, people still need to heed the call and change their lifestyles. Getting people to listen means reframing the message from cardiovascular disease to cardiovascular health, presenting heart disease as something preventable rather than as a problem they must learn to live with, says Vasan Ramachandran, principal investigator and director of the Framingham Heart Study, a multigenerational study begun in 1948 at Boston University to find common contributing factors to heart disease.

Ruthmann says he takes a practical approach to encourage heart health. He asks patients to consider their prized possessions. You wouldnt be careless with a new diamond engagement ring, your grandfathers watch he wore all his life or a brand-new car. No, you admire and take extra care of those things.

Take care of your heart the same way, he says. Its truly something we cant live without.

Jeanne Erdmann is a health and science writer who lives near St. Louis.

See the article here:
What Happens When Hearts Attack - Discover Magazine

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way physicians are seeing healthy patients these days. New Canaan Library is pleased to present a live webinar by Dr. Larry Leibowitz, joined by Michael Turpin, Executive Vice President at USI Insurance Services, who will explore the topic and seek to answer the question of whether telehealth is here to stay. The webinar is presented on Tuesday, July 14th at 6:30pm EST.

Dr. Leibowitz will craft his presentation around attendees questions; he encourages the submission of questions prior to the event through the listing on the Librarys calendar, https://newcanaanlibrary.org/calendar/month/2020-07/. Zoom sign in information is provided upon registration.

Through the power of technology, most routine medical appointments can be carried out without setting foot in a medical office. And, when an in-person visit is required, medical offices are taking new, necessary precautions to keep everyone safe. Dr. Leibowitz will discuss how he structures telehealth visits and the effectiveness of telehealth in comparison to in-person visits.

Practicing since 1999, Larry Leibowitz, MD is board-certified in family medicine and serves as the Director of Health for the town of Redding. He launched his concierge practice, Matrix

Personalized Medicine, in 2017. He has been recognized as a2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020 Castle Connolly Top Doc in Fairfield County. Prior to launching Matrix, he was the Medical Site Director of Stamford Health Medical Group in New Canaan. He continues to serve as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at New York Medical College, a position he has held since 2009. In 2015, he completed an Integrative Medicine fellowship at the University of Arizona, acknowledged as theleading integrative medicaleducation program in the world.

Michael Turpin, Executive Vice President, USI Insurance Services, brings over 35 years of experience in benefits and business insurance brokerage and consulting. Mike started his career with the brokerage firm Marsh & McLennan and served in various management national roles. In 2005, he joined United Healthcare (UHC )as President of Key Accounts for the U.S. and was promoted to CEO of the Northeast region, UHCs largest retail business with over $8B in medical spend.

In 2008, Mike came to USI as a corporate EVP responsible for the U.S. benefits strategy, operating structure, people and processes. He is a published author of three novels, contributing columnist for national industry and healthcare blogs and periodicals, frequent speaker to employer and investor groups and a pundit opining on issues relating to health care market reform, employee benefits, and business insurance issues.

Read more:
New Canaan Library Webinar with Dr. Larry Leibowitz: Is Telehealth Here to Stay? - HamletHub

As states gradually reopen even as the pandemic wears on, many of us are concerned about our health and well-being. Especially now, with some continuing to stay at home and social distance while others join the throngs at nationwide Black Lives Matter protests, it may even be a priority.From state to state, the loosening of restrictions vary, and within our local communities, the reality is that not only do people have different ideas on what constitutes social distancing but for many others still, in the face of racial inequality, the desire to create social change far outweighs the potential risk of spreading or catching the virus.It's all the more reason to make sure we're taking the best care of ourselves to fortify against the disease. But while living a healthy life may be a desired goal, how to achieve it is another story.Even if you're someone whose healthful habits were perfected to a tee during pre-pandemic times, you may find yourself struggling to engage in even the most basic self-care in these increasingly unpredictable days.That's where a wellness routine can come in handy.Related video above: Doctor sees increase in patients with chronic stressIt's not about having a spa escape every so often or even regular massages or chef-prepared meals (though all of that may sound really nice). It's about creating your own personalized routine that will benefit you physically and emotionally, one that simply requires a regular commitment to yourself.Creating a wellness routine allows you to shift from diet culture and adopt healthy habits that easily fit into your daily lifestyle. What's more, having a routine allows you to focus on health goals by creating structure and organization, which can be particularly beneficial when things seem out of your control, like life during an unprecedented pandemic and simultaneous upheaval as people fight against social injustice.In fact, predictable routines, or ritualistic behavior "developed as a way to induce calm and manage stress caused by unpredictability and uncontrollability, heightening our belief that we are in control of a situation that is otherwise out of our hands," according to researchers at Tel Aviv University."We need an internal structure because our external lives have become totally unstructured and that triggers anxiety and stress," said Robin Foroutan, a New York City-based integrative medicine dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics."In the beginning, we thought this was going to be a little break; a couple of short weeks, and then we'd resume life as we knew it. Now we know that probably is not going to be the case. We don't know how long this will last, but we can find ways to stay steady and structured on the inside amidst the chaos outside."Engaging in a wellness routine with a focus on good nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management can boost our health and well-being and strengthen our immunity during a time when we may need it most.And while social obligations, travel and other commitments typically make it challenging to start new habits, being stuck at home without these distractions provides an opportune time to start creating a wellness routine that is accessible, doesn't require a lot of money and is something that you can count on during this uncertain time and in the future, too.How to create a wellness routineHealth experts say it's important to create a manageable routine that you can stick with as part of a lifestyle not something overly ambitious that you can't sustain. One way to do that is to start small and build upon it, as you feel comfortable.Here are some tips to get started in creating your personal wellness routine.Set regular times for sleeping, eating and exercise"Most people feel better when they are going to bed and waking up at consistent times, eating regular meals and snacks and getting a steady dose of exercise, said Marysa Cardwell, a registered dietitian, nutrition therapist and certified personal trainer based in Salt Lake City, Utah.For sleep: Everyone's sleep schedule is different, and that's OK, as long as you stick to your natural circadian rhythms, experts say. That means going to sleep when the sun is setting (or a bit later) and waking up when sun is rising (or a little later, according to your individual needs).Aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep is key, as it helps to "reduce the stress hormone cortisol and your adrenal load," Cardwell said.Getting adequate sleep also bodes well for engaging in other healthful behaviors by going to bed at a reasonable hour, you'll be less likely to engage in nighttime eating or mindless eating in front of the TV, and you're more likely to wake up early and start exercise, Cardwell explained.For eating: Setting regular meal times, and taking a break to eat your food mindfully is key, Cardwell advised, but when you actually eat is up to you. "Some do well on three meals per day with an afternoon snack; others prefer three smaller meals and three snacks."Regardless of the pattern you choose, aim to eat at least every four hours, which prevents blood sugar from crashing and can lead to overeating. For example, if you're eating three meals and one afternoon snack, you might choose to eat breakfast at 8 a.m., lunch at 12 p.m., a snack at 4 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m.Taking a few deep breaths, enjoying the wonderful smells of the food you are about to eat and chewing food really well can all help make mealtime a healthful ritual, Foroutan explained.Additionally, dinnertime can become a daily social ritual by sharing the meal with family or friends, advised Jen Scheinman, a Denver-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Jen Scheinman Nutrition, a virtual nutrition coaching practice. "Even a Zoom dinner with a friend if you're by yourself can help you feel connected."For fitness: Pick a time that you're most likely to stick with. That might mean taking a morning walk before your day gets started, or scheduling your favorite fitness class on your calendar so you won't forget."I shut my day down with a run or yoga at around 5:30 p.m. That's my last thing for the day. The more you can make it a routine, the less you have to think about it," Scheinman said.Plan for food, fitness and sleepPlanning what you will eat and how you will exercise means that you are more likely going to do what you intend to do, which will ultimately help you achieve your health goals. For example, planning meals in advance means you'll be less likely to reach for quick sugary snacks when you run out of energy. It also helps to limit shopping trips."Not only does planning your meals ahead of time help cut down on the number of times you're going to the grocery store, but it can also help reduce food waste and ensure you have meals that were intentionally picked to fit your nutritional goals," said Denver-based registered dietitian nutritionist Kelli McGrane.For food: Eating a nutrient-rich breakfast sets the stage for making other healthful choices throughout the day.Choose protein-rich breakfasts like egg whites, cottage cheese or smoked salmon on a bagel; Greek yogurt, smoothies with low-fat milk, high fiber cereals with milk or peanut butter on whole wheat toast.Scheinman recommended preparing breakfast foods ahead of time, like making overnight oats with milk. "It makes the breakfast routine less daunting."For lunch and dinner, Cardwell encouraged a fist-size portion of protein, such as fish, chicken or beans; a fistful of carbohydrates like whole wheat pasta or brown rice; and a half plate of veggies. This will help meet your micronutrient needs, as well as fiber. Use fats sparingly, as a condiment, to make your food taste better, but limit fried foods and saturated fat, Cardwell advised.For snacks, choose protein and carb combos, like cheese with crackers, sliced fruit with peanut butter, nuts and seeds with dried fruit or Greek yogurt. Pairing protein with carbs "helps keep your blood sugar level stable, and helps you stay fuller longer," Cardwell said.Scheinman recommended using the weekends for batch cooking, like making chili or soups, which you can freeze to enjoy later in the week. Washing and chopping veggies and fruit during the weekend can also save you time during the week.For fitness: Pick a fitness activity that inspires you and is doable. There are a lot of fitness apps offering free trials and online Zoom fitness classes, so you can use this time as an opportunity to try something new. Cardwell recommended aiming for at least 30 minutes per day, if possible.If you are looking for a simple at-home cardio workout, MaryAnn Browning, founder and CEO of Browningsfitness in New York, recommended jumping jacks, high knees, butt kicks, burpees and switch jumps during which you'll jump to turn 180 degrees and then back again for 15 seconds each. Then repeat the circuit five to 10 times, depending on what you can handle. For at-home fitness essentials, Browning recommended getting a set of yellow, green and red resistance bands, which can be used for back, bicep, triceps, shoulders and leg work. She also recommended looped bands to go around the calves or thighs, which strengthen the glutes and can help prevent knee and back injuries.If you want to weight train but don't have equipment, anything that will give you muscle tension will be beneficial, such as jugs of water, books or even your children. "I use my kids I'll do planks and have them sit on me ... or I'll do leg presses while letting them do airplane," Cardwell said.And don't forget to keep moving throughout your day. Tracking apps like Lose It! are a good way to see how normal daily activities can all count toward our daily fitness goals."Dancing with your kids or partner, yard work, house projects, sex and cleaning are all trackable activities. Doing these activities with intention and extra vigor all count towards a healthy lifestyle," said Cardwell, who is also a contributing dietitian for Lose It!For sleep: Engage in a bedtime routine where you can quiet down and prepare for sleep. "Turn off electronics, including the TV, iPad, and cell phones an hour before bedtime," Scheinman advised. This helps to reduce exposure to blue light, which "the brain perceives as daylight, so your brain is not quite getting the signal that it's nighttime and melatonin is not produced."Unplugging also prevents you from checking one more email or scrolling through social media while in bed, which can be stimulating and interfere with sleep, Scheinman explained.Other tips for a successful wellness routine: a morning ritual and self-careMost experts recommended engaging in a morning ritual that brings you pleasure. "Starting your day with the same routine each morning can bring steadiness and calm to the rest of the day. You are starting from a more grounded and positive place, versus waking up; grabbing the phone and checking the news and getting stressed out," Foroutan said."The morning is a nice time to start integrating things you didn't have time for previously like taking the dog for a longer walk in the morning, making a nice cup of coffee you can sit and enjoy or engaging in a meditation practice," Scheinman added."It sets the day off with a healthy intention, with a sense of comfort. ... I know this is what I do," Scheinman said.Foroutan enjoys waking up and writing down three things she is grateful for. "Starting the day with a thought about gratitude can be really centering. Writing it down does something extra it solidifies the thought and intention. Not every day is good but there's something good in every day. Even if it's one small thing that gives you a sense of gratitude that's really grounding and it can help shift your perspective."Stretching your body after you wake up or doing a sun salutation can help to get your blood flowing and your body moving in the morning.It's also important to prioritize self-care. "Make stress relievers like enjoyable activities a non-negotiable right now," Cardwell said. That may include knitting, taking an extra-long shower or bath, reading, taking a tea break, enjoying a glass of wine or calling family members. Even better, schedule these stress relievers into your day just like mealtimes and other obligations."We're taking stock of what's important ... and health is important. Doing these things now can help you deal with the stress of right now," Cardwell said.It can also keep you healthy and feeling good well into the future, too. That's a gift from quarantine life if there ever is one.

As states gradually reopen even as the pandemic wears on, many of us are concerned about our health and well-being. Especially now, with some continuing to stay at home and social distance while others join the throngs at nationwide Black Lives Matter protests, it may even be a priority.

From state to state, the loosening of restrictions vary, and within our local communities, the reality is that not only do people have different ideas on what constitutes social distancing but for many others still, in the face of racial inequality, the desire to create social change far outweighs the potential risk of spreading or catching the virus.

It's all the more reason to make sure we're taking the best care of ourselves to fortify against the disease. But while living a healthy life may be a desired goal, how to achieve it is another story.

Even if you're someone whose healthful habits were perfected to a tee during pre-pandemic times, you may find yourself struggling to engage in even the most basic self-care in these increasingly unpredictable days.

That's where a wellness routine can come in handy.

Related video above: Doctor sees increase in patients with chronic stress

It's not about having a spa escape every so often or even regular massages or chef-prepared meals (though all of that may sound really nice). It's about creating your own personalized routine that will benefit you physically and emotionally, one that simply requires a regular commitment to yourself.

Creating a wellness routine allows you to shift from diet culture and adopt healthy habits that easily fit into your daily lifestyle. What's more, having a routine allows you to focus on health goals by creating structure and organization, which can be particularly beneficial when things seem out of your control, like life during an unprecedented pandemic and simultaneous upheaval as people fight against social injustice.

In fact, predictable routines, or ritualistic behavior "developed as a way to induce calm and manage stress caused by unpredictability and uncontrollability, heightening our belief that we are in control of a situation that is otherwise out of our hands," according to researchers at Tel Aviv University.

"We need an internal structure because our external lives have become totally unstructured and that triggers anxiety and stress," said Robin Foroutan, a New York City-based integrative medicine dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

"In the beginning, we thought this was going to be a little break; a couple of short weeks, and then we'd resume life as we knew it. Now we know that probably is not going to be the case. We don't know how long this will last, but we can find ways to stay steady and structured on the inside amidst the chaos outside."

Engaging in a wellness routine with a focus on good nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management can boost our health and well-being and strengthen our immunity during a time when we may need it most.

And while social obligations, travel and other commitments typically make it challenging to start new habits, being stuck at home without these distractions provides an opportune time to start creating a wellness routine that is accessible, doesn't require a lot of money and is something that you can count on during this uncertain time and in the future, too.

Health experts say it's important to create a manageable routine that you can stick with as part of a lifestyle not something overly ambitious that you can't sustain. One way to do that is to start small and build upon it, as you feel comfortable.

Here are some tips to get started in creating your personal wellness routine.

"Most people feel better when they are going to bed and waking up at consistent times, eating regular meals and snacks and getting a steady dose of exercise, said Marysa Cardwell, a registered dietitian, nutrition therapist and certified personal trainer based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

For sleep: Everyone's sleep schedule is different, and that's OK, as long as you stick to your natural circadian rhythms, experts say. That means going to sleep when the sun is setting (or a bit later) and waking up when sun is rising (or a little later, according to your individual needs).

Aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep is key, as it helps to "reduce the stress hormone cortisol and your adrenal load," Cardwell said.

Getting adequate sleep also bodes well for engaging in other healthful behaviors by going to bed at a reasonable hour, you'll be less likely to engage in nighttime eating or mindless eating in front of the TV, and you're more likely to wake up early and start exercise, Cardwell explained.

For eating: Setting regular meal times, and taking a break to eat your food mindfully is key, Cardwell advised, but when you actually eat is up to you. "Some do well on three meals per day with an afternoon snack; others prefer three smaller meals and three snacks."

Regardless of the pattern you choose, aim to eat at least every four hours, which prevents blood sugar from crashing and can lead to overeating. For example, if you're eating three meals and one afternoon snack, you might choose to eat breakfast at 8 a.m., lunch at 12 p.m., a snack at 4 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m.

Taking a few deep breaths, enjoying the wonderful smells of the food you are about to eat and chewing food really well can all help make mealtime a healthful ritual, Foroutan explained.

Additionally, dinnertime can become a daily social ritual by sharing the meal with family or friends, advised Jen Scheinman, a Denver-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Jen Scheinman Nutrition, a virtual nutrition coaching practice. "Even a Zoom dinner with a friend if you're by yourself can help you feel connected."

For fitness: Pick a time that you're most likely to stick with. That might mean taking a morning walk before your day gets started, or scheduling your favorite fitness class on your calendar so you won't forget.

"I shut my day down with a run or yoga at around 5:30 p.m. That's my last thing for the day. The more you can make it a routine, the less you have to think about it," Scheinman said.

Planning what you will eat and how you will exercise means that you are more likely going to do what you intend to do, which will ultimately help you achieve your health goals. For example, planning meals in advance means you'll be less likely to reach for quick sugary snacks when you run out of energy. It also helps to limit shopping trips.

"Not only does planning your meals ahead of time help cut down on the number of times you're going to the grocery store, but it can also help reduce food waste and ensure you have meals that were intentionally picked to fit your nutritional goals," said Denver-based registered dietitian nutritionist Kelli McGrane.

For food: Eating a nutrient-rich breakfast sets the stage for making other healthful choices throughout the day.

Choose protein-rich breakfasts like egg whites, cottage cheese or smoked salmon on a bagel; Greek yogurt, smoothies with low-fat milk, high fiber cereals with milk or peanut butter on whole wheat toast.

Scheinman recommended preparing breakfast foods ahead of time, like making overnight oats with milk. "It makes the breakfast routine less daunting."

For lunch and dinner, Cardwell encouraged a fist-size portion of protein, such as fish, chicken or beans; a fistful of carbohydrates like whole wheat pasta or brown rice; and a half plate of veggies. This will help meet your micronutrient needs, as well as fiber. Use fats sparingly, as a condiment, to make your food taste better, but limit fried foods and saturated fat, Cardwell advised.

For snacks, choose protein and carb combos, like cheese with crackers, sliced fruit with peanut butter, nuts and seeds with dried fruit or Greek yogurt. Pairing protein with carbs "helps keep your blood sugar level stable, and helps you stay fuller longer," Cardwell said.

Scheinman recommended using the weekends for batch cooking, like making chili or soups, which you can freeze to enjoy later in the week. Washing and chopping veggies and fruit during the weekend can also save you time during the week.

For fitness: Pick a fitness activity that inspires you and is doable. There are a lot of fitness apps offering free trials and online Zoom fitness classes, so you can use this time as an opportunity to try something new. Cardwell recommended aiming for at least 30 minutes per day, if possible.

If you are looking for a simple at-home cardio workout, MaryAnn Browning, founder and CEO of Browningsfitness in New York, recommended jumping jacks, high knees, butt kicks, burpees and switch jumps during which you'll jump to turn 180 degrees and then back again for 15 seconds each. Then repeat the circuit five to 10 times, depending on what you can handle.

For at-home fitness essentials, Browning recommended getting a set of yellow, green and red resistance bands, which can be used for back, bicep, triceps, shoulders and leg work. She also recommended looped bands to go around the calves or thighs, which strengthen the glutes and can help prevent knee and back injuries.

If you want to weight train but don't have equipment, anything that will give you muscle tension will be beneficial, such as jugs of water, books or even your children. "I use my kids I'll do planks and have them sit on me ... or I'll do leg presses while letting them do airplane," Cardwell said.

And don't forget to keep moving throughout your day. Tracking apps like Lose It! are a good way to see how normal daily activities can all count toward our daily fitness goals.

"Dancing with your kids or partner, yard work, house projects, sex and cleaning are all trackable activities. Doing these activities with intention and extra vigor all count towards a healthy lifestyle," said Cardwell, who is also a contributing dietitian for Lose It!

For sleep: Engage in a bedtime routine where you can quiet down and prepare for sleep. "Turn off electronics, including the TV, iPad, and cell phones an hour before bedtime," Scheinman advised. This helps to reduce exposure to blue light, which "the brain perceives as daylight, so your brain is not quite getting the signal that it's nighttime and melatonin is not produced."

Unplugging also prevents you from checking one more email or scrolling through social media while in bed, which can be stimulating and interfere with sleep, Scheinman explained.

Most experts recommended engaging in a morning ritual that brings you pleasure. "Starting your day with the same routine each morning can bring steadiness and calm to the rest of the day. You are starting from a more grounded and positive place, versus waking up; grabbing the phone and checking the news and getting stressed out," Foroutan said.

"The morning is a nice time to start integrating things you didn't have time for previously like taking the dog for a longer walk in the morning, making a nice cup of coffee you can sit and enjoy or engaging in a meditation practice," Scheinman added.

"It sets the day off with a healthy intention, with a sense of comfort. ... I know this is what I do," Scheinman said.

Foroutan enjoys waking up and writing down three things she is grateful for. "Starting the day with a thought about gratitude can be really centering. Writing it down does something extra it solidifies the thought and intention. Not every day is good but there's something good in every day. Even if it's one small thing that gives you a sense of gratitude that's really grounding and it can help shift your perspective."

Stretching your body after you wake up or doing a sun salutation can help to get your blood flowing and your body moving in the morning.

It's also important to prioritize self-care. "Make stress relievers like enjoyable activities a non-negotiable right now," Cardwell said. That may include knitting, taking an extra-long shower or bath, reading, taking a tea break, enjoying a glass of wine or calling family members. Even better, schedule these stress relievers into your day just like mealtimes and other obligations.

"We're taking stock of what's important ... and [our] health is important. Doing these things now can help you deal with the stress of right now," Cardwell said.

It can also keep you healthy and feeling good well into the future, too. That's a gift from quarantine life if there ever is one.

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Why a wellness routine is your top priority amid protests and the pandemic and how to start - WBAL Baltimore

Medical staff at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, have long been believers in meditation as a powerful integrative wellness method. However, many of the staffs issues with the use of meditation in a clinical environment revolve around the consistency of meditations, the variety of meditations and the scalability of meditation.

THE PROBLEM

In looking for a way to provide consistency to patients, Hartford Hospital sought to partner with a local company with expertise in both meditation and technology that thought in a similar way to the hospitals staff.

HIMSS20 Digital

Our partnership requirements included four things, said Dr. Eric R. Secor, chief of integrative medicine at Hartford Hospital. First, provider and practitioner involvement in the process. Second, high-grade, consistent meditations designed using evidence-based rubric. Third, ease of access. And fourth, ability to track the patients use of the meditations.

Hospital staff need to understand who is using meditation, how often they are using meditations and which ones they are using. In addition, the ability to collect data on outcomes was a critical decision-making factor for staff.

PROPOSAL

Hartford Hospital went with MediGrade, a vendor of machine learning-powered mobile health technology designed to reshape pain therapy and enhance self-care.

Dr. Eric R. Secor, Hartford Hospital

The company was very proactive in working with granting agencies such as the Connecticut Innovations, the state of Connecticuts venture arm, to raise funds with the goal of collecting data, Secor explained. In my 25 years in integrative medicine, we have seen a wide variety of breadth and depth of experience of folks who wanted to provide meditations, whether it be in hospital, in the ambulatory setting or in group settings. All these folks, although well-meaning, had such a wide diversity in experience and certifications that it was very difficult to provide a consistent meditation experience.

The nice thing about the mobile health platform, he added, is once its built and deployed, anyone within the hospital, in the ambulatory setting or at home can use the same, consistent meditation no matter where they are being seen throughout the health system.

MEETING THE CHALLENGE

Our app, which is now in a clinical pilot, eliminates the dependency on individualized meditation facilitators and the logistics of hosting group meditation events, Secor said. Our app provides us with a reliable, consistent, data-driven solution that allows us to solve the issues and bridge the gap.

To start, staff has deployed the m-health, machine learning meditation app to patients who are being treated for chronic pain, specifically neck pain, back pain, neuropathy and migraine headache. A future integration with Hartford Hospitals Epic EHR is in the early planning stages. Staff also is piloting bringing in telehealth access into Epic MyChart Plus to broaden use on the patient end.

RESULTS

Secor is in the process of writing the next innovations grant and preparing to analyze clinical pilot data.

Weve learned a lot about not only partnering with the folks on the digital meditation side, but also who are the champions for meditation within our system, he said. This grant had two big phases. Phase one was to build and deploy a white-labelled app within Hartford Healthcare, which we have achieved. Phase two was to launch a feasibility pilot, which is underway.

Now there is widespread interest in the digital delivery of meditation across the organization. In the process of building the app, it was surprising to Secor that there were more interested parties among more subspecialists than he ever thought possible.

Just in the process of hearing about the app, downloading the app and trying the app, we generated interest from specialists in addiction, orthopedics, oncology, womens health and migraine headache, he noted. Our migraine center is now interested in customizing some aspect of the app in their practice for their patients.

ADVICE FOR OTHERS

Partner with reputable people who understand how health systems operate and are reliable business partners, Secor advised. Your partner should possess expertise in delivering a high-quality application, but also offer evidence-based rubric in their writing that includes provider and patient input, high-quality voiceover talent, and custom-composed ambient music. Your partner should be able to edit, update and change your app with agility, and be flexible.

This movement is advancing Hartford Hospitals patients ability to become even more active members on their own wellness team, Secor concluded.

Twitter:@SiwickiHealthITEmail the writer:bill.siwicki@himss.orgHealthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.

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Meditation app improves pain management at Hartford Hospital - Healthcare IT News

The "Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2020 - 2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The pharmaceutical glass packaging market was valued at USD 15.6 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 23.35 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 6.5% over the forecast period 2020 - 2025. Glass packaging is one of the primary packaging material for the pharmaceutical industry as it limits the alkalinity and hydrolytic resistance of the glass container. Also, glass containers offer high transparency, which allows easy inspection of its contents, enables protection because it is relatively impermeable to air and moisture and chemical resistance to most of the medicinal products.

The economies across the globe are growing, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. With this, spendings on medicines are also increasing year on year. IQVIA states in its latest report that, in 2018, this spending has reached USD 1.3 trillion globally and is expected to reach USD 1.3 trillion by the year 2023. This is one of the factors forcing for the growing pharmaceutical industry worldwide and ultimately reflecting the increasing demand for the pharmaceutical glass packaging market.

According to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industris, Inc., the recycled glass is the substitute of 70% of the raw material used in making new glass. The initiatives of glass recycling are adding value to glass as a commodity.

Over 130 million tonnes of glass is currently being produced annually, out of which, 46% are of container glass. The recycling for container glass is the highest, which estimated to be 32% globally (Recovery Magazine). Effective recycling is driving the pharmaceutical industry for adopting glass packaging solutions apart from its other benefits.

However, the growing demand for alternative materials like plastics and its polymers, which are also used for sterilized packagings in the pharmaceutical industry is limiting the growth of the pharmaceutical glass packaging market to an extent.

Companies Mentioned

Key Market Trends

Ampoules Packaging to Hold a Significant Share

Europe Expected to Grow Significantly

Key Topics Covered:

1. INTRODUCTION

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4. MARKET INSIGHTS

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.3 Industry Value Chain Analysis

5. MARKET DYNAMICS

5.1 Market Drivers

5.1.1 Growth of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Emerging Economies

5.1.2 Commodity Value of Glass Increased with Recyclability

5.2 Market Restraints

5.2.1 Increased Relevance of Alternate Material

6. MARKET SEGMENTATION

6.1 By Product

6.2. By Geography

6.2.1 North America

6.2.2 Europe

6.2.3 Asia-Pacific

6.2.4 Latin America

6.2.5 Middle East & Africa

7. COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

8. INVESTMENT ANALYSIS

9. FUTURE OF THE MARKET

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4nenxb.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200603005338/en/

Contacts

ResearchAndMarkets.comLaura Wood, Senior Press Managerpress@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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Global Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Market (2020 to 2025) - Growth, Trends and Forecast - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Yahoo Finance

Dion Diep,1 Jasmine Ko,2 John Lan,3 Kinga T Koprowicz,3 Gordon Ko3,4

1MD Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 3Canadian Centre of Integrative Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

Correspondence: Gordon KoClinical Adjunct Lecturer, Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, CanadaTel +1416-480-4342Fax +1416-480-6885Email drgordko@rogers.com

Introduction: There is a paucity of long-term treatment benefit and safety data of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) for cervical dystonia (CD) and myofascial neck pain syndrome (MPS). Additionally, the prevalence of adjunct modality uses during this period is unknown despite evolving practices.Objective: To assess and compare treatment benefit, safety, and adjunct modality prevalences of long-term BTX-A injections between CD and MPS patients.Design: Retrospective cohort study.Setting: Private practice tertiary care clinics in Toronto.Patients: Convenience sample of 37 (52.9%) CD and 33 (47.1%) MPS patients treated for a meanSD duration of 7.2 4.3 and 8.3 4.7 years, respectively.Interventions: BTX-A injections administered at least once yearly, for a duration longer than 1 year.Main Outcome Measures: Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scales (TWSTRS) for disability and pain, Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) score, time to peak effect, duration of total response, adverse effects, and prevalence of adjunct modalities.Results: CD patients experienced improvements in TWSTRS disability (17.57 6.79 to 9.81 4.35, p< 0.001) and pain (14.61 3.08 to 9.05 3.49, p< 0.001) scores as well as PGIC score (52.00% 23.60% to 64.80% 23.60%, p=0.007). MPS patients experienced improvements in TWSTRS disability (15.86 7.70 to 10.07 7.01, p=0.01) and pain (15.25 4.09 to 10.85 4.49, p=0.01) scores. In both cohorts, there were no changes in time to peak effect and duration of total response. Adverse effects were minimal and self-limiting. Prevalences of adjunct modalities used by CD versus MPS patients were 28.13% versus 50.00% for anesthetic procedures, 23.08% versus 15.38% for image-guidance, 65.71% versus 56.25% for pectoralis minor injections, and 47.06% versus 53.13% for cannabis-use.Conclusion: There were demonstrated and comparable treatment benefit, safety, and adjunct modality prevalences. Our study is the first to demonstrate that long-term BTX-A injections for MPS, although commonly used off-label, can be effective and safe.

Keywords: botulinum toxin, cervical dystonia, myofascial pain syndrome

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Benefits, Safety, and Adjunct Modality Prevalences of Long-Term Botuli | JPR - Dove Medical Press

Calmaria means calm in Portuguese, and is the word chosen by Fabio Sasso to launch his first application. Sassos name may not sound too much to you, but its a designer who currently works for Google and he is the founder of Abduzeedo: a prestigious blog design that we have already talked about on other occasions.

In the midst of a global pandemic and seeing racial unrest increase in the United States, one could feel somewhat anxious. There are many breathing techniques to relax, and Calmaria invites us to try a well-known one.

Obviously, coming from the hand of Abduzeedo, design is one of its most striking points. A kind of minimalist sunset, with warm tones, will indicate the way in which we must breathe.

Although there are many websites and applications that use this method, the truth is that a nice and easy to follow interface It can help us establish a habit or that we feel like using it throughout the day.

Calm is based on the 4-7-8 technique, a method designed by Dr. Andrew Weil (director of Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona and a popular character in the United States).

As the name suggests, this technique is made up of three steps different: inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds and exhale for eight seconds.

It has a web app and an Android version (the iOS version will be soon)

We will not have to be counting time, since this app will indicate the missing seconds in each phase at all times. Currently it has a web app and an Android version, and they assure that soon the iOS version will arrive. Another positive point is that its completely free.

ShareAbduzeedo launches its first app: beautiful and minimalist design that helps us breathe and relax

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beautiful and minimalist design that helps us breathe and relax - Explica

What could you do if you sprained your ankle during the COVID-19 pandemic? Or if you suffer a bad cut? You may feel that the last place you want to visit these days is a hospital. But do you have options?

Maybe its time to learn more about light therapy. Its sometimes called low-level laser therapy or low-intensity light therapy. And with one of the many portable devices available on the market, you can safely treat yourself at home. So, what should you know about this therapy as you get older and invariably develop various aches, pains, injuries and infections?

Dr. Mary Dyson, Emeritus Professor at Kings College, University of London, England, is an international expert on wound healing. She reports that light therapy provides a jump-start to the bodys natural healing process, delivering energy thats transformed into biochemical energy. The end result is increased blood supply and accelerated healing.

Dr. Tina Karu, professor of Laser Biology and Medicine of the Russian Academy of Science in Moscow, is an expert on basic laser research. She, too, has published articles about the positive healing qualities of laser therapy.

Dr. Fred Kahn, director of the Meditech Laser and Rehabilitation Centre in Toronto, explains that light therapy triggers the release of endorphins, morphine-like substances, that inhibit pain sensation. It also increases cortisol, the forerunner of cortisone, and angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels.

Kahn says many medical conditions benefit from this therapy. The majority of his patients suffer degenerative arthritis involving the lumbosacral spine. And 60% of these patients also have degenerative disc disease causing compression of the spinal nerves.

Kahn adds that over the last 20 years he has treated hundreds of patients suffering from pain due to spinal disc disease. Many of these patients had previous back surgery or were scheduled for an operation. And by using light therapy he has been able to relieve their pain in a high percent of cases.

Another large number of patients suffer from a variety of sport injuries. Others complain of pain in the shoulder and neck due to long hours of working at the computer. These younger patients respond quickly to light therapy.

But light therapy treats more than aches and pains. It helps several skin conditions such as psoriasis, allergic contact dermatitis, acne, ringworm, impetigo, herpes lesions and warts, many of which fade away after five to 10 treatments.

The current epidemic of diabetes is causing more patients to suffer from chronic leg and foot ulcers due to decreased blood supply. Conventional medical treatments often involve compression, which requires months for the healing to occur, and pain medications become the common prescription for coping. Infected ulcers can require antibiotics. But light therapy can have a dramatic effect on healing these ulcers. A study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment reported an average 83% improvement from light therapy, with no side-effects.

Many patients are informed by their doctors of only their medical options. But few are told about the restorative potential of light therapy. Why? Because schools of medicine around the world have neglected to train physicians in integrative health practices that draw on natures many wonders.

Light therapy is a natural approach to muscle injuries, cuts and wounds, ulcers, and other ailments. It does not require prescription painkillers and is a non-invasive treatment. Today, any treatment that reduces the use of painkillers is a step in the right direction.

During our lifetime its hard to escape lifes aches, pains, injuries, infections and aging joints. Even without a viral epidemic its convenient to have a light therapy home unit on hand for use as needed it. Several types are available, some more expensive than others depending on the quality.

See http://www.docgiff.com for more information about light therapy and recommended products.

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What you should know about concept of light therapy - Antelope Valley Press

At some point, youve probably been told totake a deep breathin a moment of anxiety. As it turns out, theres more to the clich than you might think. We spoke to experts about 4-7-8 breathing, a technique that, in a matter of seconds, can ease your negative response to stress. Inspired by yoga, 4-7-8 breathingisnt just a psychological tool: It can actually change the speed at which your heart beats and promote the effective pumping of blood to various organs and muscles. Heres how (and why) to do it.

Its a breathing pattern based on pranayama, which is the part of yoga that deals with breath control. 4-7-8 is relaxing because it extends the exhale portion of the breathing, said Dr. Victoria Maizes, the executive director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Extending the exhale has a quieting effect on the body by interacting with the parasympathetic nervous system (essentially the flip side of the fight-or-flight stress response).

Its free,its simple, and you can choose to use it any time youre feeling stressed.

Sit upright with your chest open and put the tip of your tongue at the roof of your mouth. Theres a little ridge behind your upper front teeth where your tongue will stay for the entire exercise (the placement of which will cause a whoosh sound when you exhale). Inhale through your nose to the count of four, hold your breath for seven counts, and exhale slowly through your mouth for eight counts (you can purse your lips while exhaling if that feels more comfortable for you).

This is one breath, so do this three more times for a total of four breaths. If its helpful, you can count on your fingers to track how many cycles youve done. You have to exhale slowly or else youll run out of air pretty fast, since your exhale is now twice as long as your inhale, says Maizes. The ratio is whats important not the exact time you spend on each phase so you can speed the whole thing up or slow it down as long as you keep the 4-7-8 count intact.

I think its hard to learn anything new when youre really anxious, but in particular, I think its hard to learn to relax, says Maizes, which is why she suggests making 4-7-8 a practice by doing it twice a day, every day. You can do it more than twice a day do it 20 times a day if you want but you should only do the 4-7-8 breath four times in a row at a time. Once you get really good at it after practicing it for about a month or longer the typical recommendation is to bump it up from four to eight times in a row, but no more. (Its not exactly clear why this restriction exists, but Maizes theorises that its because you can blow off more carbon dioxide while slowly exhaling, and doing too much of that could make you lightheaded or uncomfortable.)

Because youre doing no more than four cycles (or, eventually, eight) at a time, the exercise will only take seconds. It is physiologically impossible to be stressed and relaxed at the same time, Maizes said. Practicing 4-7-8 breathing makes your nervous system smarter, so then if youre anxious, your body goes, Oh yeah, I know how to relax. Ive been practicing this for weeks. Sometimes, Maizes adds,if youre feeling really anxious, you might have difficulty both taking a deep breath and holding your breath. Thats why its helpful to familiarise yourself with the practice throughout the day, particularly in moments when you are not feeling stressed. The more you practice it and get better at it, the more helpful it will be for you when youre feeling a lot of anxiety, says Dr. Sarah Kate McGowan, assistant clinical professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Thats not to say that you shouldnt try 4-7-8 in the moment if youve never done it before it will likely still be helpful but ina highly anxious moment, its easier to draw on something youve done before.

Its free,its simple, and you can choose to use it any time youre feeling stressed. Part of anxiety is loss of control, says McGowan. With something like 4-7-8, you dont need to rely on anyone but yourself. Dont underestimate the self-efficacy aspect of this practice.

But there are physiological components at play, too. This sort of breathing helps regulate the bodys stress response the fight or flight reaction that helps us survive life-threatening situations. In stressful circumstances, your breath increases in order to get extra oxygen to your lungs and your brain helpful, should you actually have to fight or take flight. But in a lot of modern day stressors, there isnt a physical threatcreating that anxiety.So what were doing with breathing exercises is trying to slow down our bodys sympathetic response, McGowan said.

The bodys stress response isnt inherently a bad thing. Even fruit flies have a stress response, said Dr. Esther Sternberg, research director at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. You cannot live without it. The goal is not to get rid of the stress response thats not possible. The question is how you turn that negative stress into good stress and make it work for you.

And the way to do that is by engaging whats called the relaxation response. This response isactivated by the vagus nerve, which connects the spinal cord to the internal organs of the body. One way to quickly engage the vagus nerve in other words, to quickly engage the relaxation response is through deep breathing. Its like putting your foot on the brake and putting the brake on the stress response, Sternberg says.

Breathing deeply changes the speed at which your heart beats.

Breathing deeply changes the speed at which your heart beats. If you look at one minute of heart rate, youll see that your heart doesnt beat exactly evenly. This is whats called heart rate variability, which is the variation in the spaces between the beats. Thats because the vagus nerve is directly connected to the part of the heart that controls heart rate, the rhythm center, says Sternberg. When you inhale the heart rate increases, and when you exhale, it decreases. As you breathe deeply, it changes the speed at which the heart beats, so you get more variability. The greater the heart rate variability, the more effective the pumping of the blood to all your different organs and muscles.

Just as there are brain pathways engaged with negative experiences of stress, Sternberg says positive experiences such as deep breathing, walking in nature, and even prayer engage other brain pathways that are rich in endorphins and feel-good molecules. In addition to making you feel good, they contribute to putting that break on the stress response, Sternberg says. Remember,if youre feeling anxious, your body is telling you something. she says. As soon as you change course, you shift from feeling stressed to feeling exhilarated the difference between the two feelings is whether or not youre in control.

This article originally appeared on Science of Us 2020 All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content

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How to breathe using the 4-7-8 technique if you're feeling anxious - SBS

Heads up, ACT readers: According to a recent survey, your lifestyle is one of the healthiest in the country! In the inaugural AIA Vitality Wellbeing Index report, you score big on physical activity, you're non-smoking and you've ditched those sugary drinks. Take a flexible and well-hydrated bow.

For the rest of us, well it could be time for a friendly wake-up call, because the lifestyle choices we make now will contribute to our wellbeing long-term.

Lifestyle is often the driver of non-communicable diseases (think cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory disease and cancer) which are responsible for 90 per cent of premature deaths in Australia and New Zealand and, according to the World Health Organization, may make you more susceptible to COVID-19.

The good news is that a bit of preventative healthcare can help. "Proactive preventative healthcare means taking small steps now to improve and maintain all aspects of your life," explains preventative health expert Dr Zac Turner.

"By having a lifestyle focus which considers the impact of exercise, diet, smoking and alcohol, it can enable great health outcomes."

While the ACT is ahead of the rest of the country with 18 per cent of the population meeting the physical activity guidelines, the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week is something we can all aim for.

Trainer and co-founder of Sydney's Flow Athletic, Ben Lucas, agrees. "A moderate intensity is an intensity that makes you work hard enough to burn off three to six times more energy per minute than when you are sitting," he says.

"Take a very brisk walk, ride a bike at a medium effort, do some light toning/strength training that doesn't involve the heaviest weights or some high intensity interval training."

Victoria tops the country on nutrition, the survey revealed, while NSW is all over the recommended daily fruit guidelines, and Tasmania has the most veggie eaters.

But it's not hard for every Australian to get on track. Integrative medicine practitioner Madeline Calfas says the biggest no-no is sugar, which can lead to health issues like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

"The best way to ensure you truly have a healthy diet is to follow the J.E.R.F. protocol: Just Eat Real Food," she advises. "By minimisingfoods that don't come from a packet, you can not only avoid hidden sugars, but you are also avoiding preservatives and additives that can wreak havoc in our bodies."

Smoking? Stop, or at least start cutting down, says Dr Turner. "If you go from 20 a day to 13, then nine, to six and then three, for example, over a three-month period there will be a significant improvement in your health," he says. "If you stop all together, in five to seven years you will get your lungs back to a pre-smoking state."

As for how much is OK when it comes to your favourite tipple, lifetime alcohol guidelines say we shouldn't consume more than two standard drinks a day.

"Drinking every day, or binge drinking more than four standard drinks on one day, means that you are putting your body at risk of alcohol-related illness such as fatty liver disease, diabetes, heart disease and depression," explains Calfas.

"Also, try to reduce the number of sugary drinks and cocktails you consume it's not just the alcohol that's the issue here."

Got all that? Turns out this preventative health lark is actually quite straightforward.

"Yes," agrees Dr Turner. "It's really all about keeping healthy people healthy."

And that's important no matter where you live.

AIA, with AIA Vitality, is on a mission to get all Australians making the small changes they need to become the healthier version of themselves. Head to aia.com.au/onelife for more healthy-living inspiration.

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How healthy are you, really? - 9Coach

The new website Wellspring Global brings stress management and wellness into your home for free. It does so via evidence-based programs and events created by health care professionals from academic medical centers and tailored to the needs of people with cancer.

The site was born out of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing quarantines and increased stress and fear that it brought to the cancer community. But it was actually conceived a year and a half ago.

The goal: to make it easier for people with cancer to take advantage of techniques and practices that can dramatically improve quality of life. There is fabulous science that demonstrates that non-pharmacological but evidenced-based interventionsincluding exercise, meditation, breathing practices, stress reduction techniques and qi gongare capable of helping individuals with cancer control anxiety, depression, fear, fatigue, nausea and pain, says oncologist Gregory Mears, MD, a professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Wellspring Globals medical director. Its a tool kit that is applicable to many of the problems that cancer patients face on a daily basis.

Yet too few people take advantage of these services, even though they are available at major cancer centers. One reason is that oncology teams, focused on treatment, may not recommend them to patients, says Mears. But even when they are offered, many people with cancer dont want to schedule additional appointments. If you think about it, says Mears, nobody wants to come back to a cancer hospital to do yoga therapy.

So Mears, working with journalist and yoga expert Leigh Leibel, MSc, clinical director of Yoga Therapy for Cancer at Irving, decided to build a website to deliver these therapies at a distance. They started to enlist colleagues.

Then the pandemic arrived and the need got much, much bigger. We were pondering it, and COVID-19 came along and changed our lives and the lives of our patients, says Mears. People with cancer already face great anxiety, fear and depression based on the diagnosis and the daunting nature of many treatments, and now suddenly, they cant get their treatments, and they are scared.

A Pandemic Brings New Fears

Even under normal circumstances, being immunocompromised is terrifying, says Betsy Glosik, chair of the patient advocate committee at the Society for Integrative Oncology. Shes a survivor; she knows.

Diagnosed with melanoma in 2003 and breast cancer in 2007,Glosik turned to exercise to help her recover (I would get an infusion, take a nap and go to the gym) and since then has added yoga and mindfulness meditation to help her maintain wellness.Glosik, now healthy, seesCOVID-19 adding a new layer of anxiety for people with cancer that she didnt have to handle. Theyre bombarded from the media, and the descriptions were getting are very graphic, she says. It adds to anxiety and depression. She has worked with Leibelto help identify potential contributors for Wellspring content.

Leibel, too, has seen anxieties increase dramatically in the cancer patients she works with. She had been teaching yoga one-on-one, but now those sessions are canceled. I work with a lot of older cancer patients in my yoga practice, she says. I was working with them several times a week. Now they are all alone in their apartments, telling my they are scared, hungry. They are afraid to push the button on the elevator. Its heart-wrenching to see anxiety ramp up every day.

A Healing Community of Experts

So Wellspring Global was launched. The idea is to have a resource where people who are quarantined or isolated can turn to a community where they can learn techniques to manage stress and anxiety and promote wellness, says Leibel. These include mindfulness, breathing practices to self-regulate the nervous system, meditations, simple yoga practices you can do in a chair or in bed or holding onto a bed, exercise and eating well at home.

The practices are geared to the needs and concerns of people with cancer. Everyone who is contributing is from an academic medical center or hospital, says Leibel. These people work every day with cancer patients. They are highly trained in how to present these practices in a safe way. For example, some people with cancer have issues with their skeletal bonesespecially if there has been metastasis to the bone. There are certain postures that you shouldnt make, says Leibel. We are all very aware of that.

The collaborative project launched with 47 clinicians from 15 medical centers in the United States and Canada, including Columbia University Medical Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston), Roswell Park Cancer Center (Buffalo), University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore), University of Cincinnati Health, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill and others.

At launch, the site featured podcasts, Zoom events and recorded video classes on yoga, acupressure, qi gong, sleep and nutrition, exercise and breathing. Theres a podcast on happiness, a live Zoom event on an anticancer lifestyle, scheduled live dial-in mindfulness meditation sessions, interactive healing circles led by an oncology nurse, chair yoga classes, Spanish-language yoga and a sound bath meditation led by a licensed music therapist. The site is in English and Spanish.

People ask me, Where do I even start? Where can I begin? I want something that is simple and accessible, says Leibel. Now I can tell them, Start here.

For the Wellspring Global website, click here.

To learn more about coronavirus and cancer, click here.

Excerpt from:
Stressed by Cancer and Staying Home? This Website Can Help. - Cancer Health Treatment News

Dr Issac Mathais 30-acre healing facility on the outskirts of Bengaluru is a space where integrative medicine is practised. It has played host to visits from celebrities from all walks of life who come for various treatments: Prince Charles, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Rajnikanth, to name a few.

Holistic health is about looking at your body in totality, but Dr Mathai says it is also about taking into consideration the environment and community you live in. So eat local and seasonal and try and live in as clean and natural an environment as you can. If the coronavirus scare leads to better hygiene practices, all the better. Here, he takes us through easy lifestyle changes we can make and maintain.

COVID-19 cure?

1. Build your bodys immunity by kicking off the day with a concoction of turmeric, lime, honey, ginger (skip the honey and add cinnamon if you have diabetes). Avoid white sugar and sugary drinks; instead, use natural sweeteners like palm or coconut jaggery, pomegranate molasses and date syrup.

2. Go back to eating what your grandmother did, whether it is the variety of spices, grains, vegetables, and greens she used, or the methods of preparation. Remember, though, that we live a far less active life than she did, so eat only what your body needs. If you eat mindfully, your body will eat intuitively this practice can be cultivated over time.

3. Drink juices that contain the pulp. Pomegranate is especially good as it contains three times the amount of antioxidants compared to green tea or red wine (according to a Mayo Clinic article). Also try carrot, orange and ginger. (The combination of beetroot, orange, ginger, carrot in a 50:30:10:10 ratio was rated most acceptable on nine parameters, by a panel of judges the results of the study were published in the International Journal of Science and Research.)

4. Perform pranayama every day, preferably in the morning, and if possible in Nature. Begin with just breathing in and out mindfully, conscious of each breath. Then do the Anulom-Vilom (alternate nostril breathing) and the Bhramari (bee breath, that produces vibrations in the head). If a nostril is blocked, place the hand of the side that is blocked in the opposite armpit, and lie down on that armpit.

5. Give yourself a massage with medicated oils: Dhanwantharam thailam is soothing for the body, while Mahanarayana Thailam helps with inflammation and body pain. Ksheerabala Thailam for the head helps with headaches and migraine, and Sudha Bala Thailam again for the head calms nerves. If youre giving someone else a massage, your hand movements should be towards the heart.

Watch the full session on our IGTV channel @thehinduweekend here.

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Dr Issac Mathais guide to staying healthy in a Covidified world - The Hindu

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 12, 2020 / Joseph Yi, MD (@joyimd) is a Holistic Psychiatrist Board-Certified in Addiction Medicine based in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. He received his Doctorate of Medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and conducted his residency at Cooper University Hospital where he graduated with the honor of being Chief Resident.

He is the founder of Modern Behavioral, an outpatient mental health and wellness center that helps people achieve optimal mental health and overcome addictions of all kinds. Growing up as a first generation immigrant, Dr. Yi has connected with patients on the trials and tribulations of life. He not only sympathizes with his patients and colleagues, but also empathizes with them too. From cool, tattooed professional skateboarders like Brandon Novak to New York Times Best Selling Author Dr Joel Fuhrman - Joseph Yi brings together street smarts and science to give a unique, and sometimes critical perspective of the medical industry.

While in residency and early in his medical career, Dr. Yi has found most Mental Health facilities to be quite depressing. He states, "Just because it IS a mental clinic doesn't have to look and feel like it's a mental clinic." The interior design, and overall aesthetic of the buildings were, and still are gloomy to say the least. Furthermore, the traditional methods of just merely prescribing medications as a bandaid to a wound, instead of looking into the root causes of mental illness has inspired a new approach to mental health treatment. Now with hundreds of patients, Modern Behavioral is becoming not only a staple in its community, but a new experiment on how we address problems of addictions, Mind & Body health while providing a zen atmosphere that screams serenity.

Modern Behavioral is on a mission to change the Stigma of Mental Illness to that of Mental Wellness. Labeled by many colleagues and patients as the "Starbucks of Mental Health" - Modern Behavioral has a warm, stylish and comfortable atmosphere that helps people truly relax during their sessions. Whether you need a warm cup of tea, or a healthy snack, this is not your average mental health experience. They do not mindlessly prescribe drugs to patients, instead taking an integrative holistic approach to enhancing one's body, mind and spirit. So many doctors over prescribe and typically are just treating the symptoms, not the deep roots of the behavioral health condition. Although prescription medications can be helpful, Modern Behavioral views them as part of the solution and NOT the solution itself.

Most doctors listen to a patient and instantly consider what drugs will make the patient feel better - they are typically treating the symptoms, not the underlying conditions. With an emphasis on dietary changes, exercise regimen and other psychological tactics, Dr Yi helps people not only feel better, but helps them address the deep rooted feeling or circumstances that lead to addiction and drug use in the first place.

Prior to entering medical school, Dr Yi was a part of 2 electronic music bands including Project Skyward and The Invisible Kid where he played guitar, bass and electronic keyboard. He acknowledges that experimenting with various substances during his music days were essential to his success as an Addiction Psychiatrist, more so than anything he learned during his times in medical training. He is known for this quote, "Knowledge can be taught in school but wisdom comes from experiences in the University of Life."

Story continues

Dr Yi's hope is that one day, mainstream psychiatrists would be more open minded to Holistic remedies of treatment and to see symptoms as a 'distress signal' from the body rather than a checklist to diagnose disorders. His legacy will be empowering the people to become their #1 advocates for their mind & body health, NOT their doctors.

In 2019, Yi joined The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, a non-profit, drug prevention, education and advocacy group. And in 2020 Yi, joined the medical advisory board with the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition. Using his knowledge of social media and communications, Dr. Yi spreads his hopeful message to tens of thousands of people all over the world. In 2020, Dr. Yi Joined the wellness advisory board for the Newtown Athletic Club. Live Fit on the board of the program. He was a contributing author in the book "Hope for Help".

To follow Dr. Yi on his journey, follow him on Instagram.

CONTACT:

Trenten Huss(204) 698-6281tjh@highkeyagency.com

SOURCE: HighKey Agency

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/589563/Dr-Joseph-Yi-and-the-Holistic-Battle-Against-Mental-Illness

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Dr. Joseph Yi and the Holistic Battle Against Mental Illness - Yahoo Finance

With the new coronavirus epidemic forcing many Americans to stay at home, it can be difficult to stay in shapebut while regaining your fitness may be difficult, it's not impossible, Amanda Loudin reports for the Washington Post.

Slide decks: Your guide to a healthier, happier workplace

As a result of the new coronavirus epidemic, not only are Americans staying home, they're also more anxious and isolated than ever before, Loudin reports.

Darrell Gough, a personal trainer certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, said isolation can cause many people to feel unmotivated to exercise.

For example, Jenny Solpietro, a 39-year-old software engineer who formerly ran and consistently practiced martial arts, said the epidemic has caused her a lot of anxiety. "I have anxiety and it brings out self-destructive behaviors, like self-medicating with food and making excuses not to exercise," she said. "Social media doesn't help, eitherI see pictures and videos of people doing at-home workouts or talking about how much they miss the gym, and I feel even more inadequate."

Ryan McGrath, a 38-year-old competitive runner and triathlete, said he's also been suffering from a lack of motivation.

"I stayed in shape for most of winter, but was starting to gear up for spring and summer races," he said. "When they all started canceling, I just lost my desire to train."

Research has shown that even for the most in-shape athletes, it doesn't take long for deconditioning to result in muscle loss, and those effects extend to both the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, Loudin reports.

For instance, one study of male participants on bed rest found they experienced lean tissue loss and a lower VO2 maxmaximum amount of usable oxygen during intense exerciseafter just 10 days of muscle disuse.

Another study found reductions in heart muscle size just eight weeks after marathon runners scaled down their training. Those runners also saw a decline in treadmill performance.

According to Tony Boutagy, an exercise physiologist and owner of the Boutagy Fitness Institute, research on steps reduction indicates there's a two-week time frame in which health deteriorates, coming with both a drop in VO2 max "and half a kilogram of muscle mass loss."

Robert Mazzeo, associate chair of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said cardiovascular health and muscle mitochondria, which turn nutrients into energy, are linked. "[M]itochondria turn over quickly, so you will lose this area of fitness before you lose muscular strength, which turns over more slowly," he said. "But much of the loss and return to fitness is relative, and tied to your level of fitness prior to detraining."

According to Boutagy, returning to fitness takes longer than losing fitness, especially among older people. "One week of bed rest in the elderly can take six months of training to return to their pre-rest levels," he said. "Previous exercisers, however, will have a faster return to fitness levels after inactivity."

A study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise in 2000 found that people ages 20 to 30 saw an 8% decline in strength during a six-month detraining period, while people ages 65 to 75 saw a 14% decline.

However, while getting back to fitness may be hard, Mazzeo said it's not impossible. "It may take an older person longer to return to fitness, but they can get back to their former level if they are as dedicated to training as before," he said.

But while gyms remain closed and races remain canceled, Gough recommends "getting out for a brisk walk a couple a time a week [now]" to "help offset some of the loss" of fitness. "Find an accountability buddy and check in with each other to help stay connected and motivated," he said.

Mazzeo agreed. "You don't have to be working out at an intense level to maintain basic health," he said. "Moderate activity is great right now" (Loudin, Washington Post, 5/2).

Original post:
Why it's so hard to stay in shape while sheltering at home - The Daily Briefing

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has said it will allow firms that use its intellectual property to manufacture items for containing COVID-19 to defer payments for up to six months.

These will include diagnostic kits, personal protective equipment, drugs and health equipment.

In this time of grave crisis, it is desirable that technology licensing and knowledge licensing for technology and products developed by CSIR is facilitated enabling mass production, according to a note from the organisation.

Currently the 38 labs of the organisation have 41 dedicated technologies to deal with the pandemic.

They include a paper strip-based test to detect the virus, various kinds of hand sanitisers, a pre-fabricated makeshift hospital and a 3-D printed ventilator.

Being a publicly funded organisation, technologies developed by the CSIR are generally available to the industry on a non-exclusive licensing basis, that is any company can earn the right to manufacture and sell a product provided they pay a technology fee.

The clause for deferred royalty/upfront payment and co-branding will be included as an integral part of the agreement, according to the note.

CSIR Director-General Shekhar Mande told The Hindu that the deferment would not apply if a firm planned on exporting such equipment.

The organisations thrust areas are on developing diagnostic kits. The paper-based test uses gene editing technology to rapidly test for the presence of the virus and is being validated for mass manufacturing.

Mr. Mande said the organisation was working to develop serology or antibody tests that were cheap and could be quickly deployed for checking prevalence of the disease in community settings.

The Indian Council of Medical Research on Monday suspended contracts to deploy 6,00,000 antibody tests after they reported inconsistent results from field tests.

Three CSIR laboratories were already part of the network of government laboratories involved in testing for the disease. These were the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine and the Institute of Microbial Technology.

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CSIR to let firms defer fee on use of its technology - The Hindu

By Deepak Chopra, MD

Social isolation gives us time to examine our lives in a new light, suddenly faced with economic collapse, empty streets, current panic and future uncertainty, and death appearing out of nowherein other words, the conditions that confronted every person on a daily basis during the lifetime of Shakespeare. What feels horribly abnormal to us was routinely normal for him and every member of the human race in the 16th century.

In statistical terms, Shakespeare is just another survivor. Unlike his son, Hamnet, who died at 11, Shakespeare didnt die as a child, nor did his mother die giving birth to him. He also escaped the plague. Ever since the Black Death swept across the globe in the 14th century, bubonic plague remained a threat, killing on average one to three people in every house where it struck. In Shakespeares lifetime, there were four plague years, 1582, 1592, 1603, and 1607, when London, including its theaters, shut down because of the disease.

Syphilis had arrived in Europe from the New World in 1495, first appearing in a French garrison outside Naples, and it quickly infected every level of society. But Shakespeare didnt die of it, either, or of smallpox. He wasnt murdered in the street even though there was no London police force. He couldnt have been executed as a witch, not being a woman, although the practice was not only current but growing. Finally, unlike his father, John Shakespeare, Wills life and reputation werent ruined overnight due to charges brought against him by Queen Elizabeths huge network of internal spies.

As a survivor, Shakespeare stands out because of his genius, but the horrible conditions surrounding him persisted more or less unchanged until the middle of the 19th century. The causes of plague syphilis, and deaths in childbirth started to emerge, and more mundane but equally life-saving advances occurred in public health, like the first sewer system in America, which was built in Chicago in the late 1850s.

If humans were simply higher primates with very big brains, survival would be the beginning and end of our story. The Darwinian model for survival requires only getting enough food and finding a willing mate so that you didnt starve before you were able to pass on your genes to the next generation. Nothing much mattered after that momentous event.

Evolutionists persist in seeing Homo sapiens through the lens of basic survival, but we do all kinds of things to deliberately imperil our survival, from taking care of our weak and sick instead of abandoning them, to stockpiling nuclear warheads, just to make sure that total war can erupt if we feel like it. War, crime, and violence do nothing to improve human genes and in fact work against simple survival.

But if you put Shakespeare and the plague together, something mysterious emerges. Despite every threat of disease and death, crime, poverty, political oppression, and religious fanaticism (the Puritans in Shakespeares day railed against the London theaters as ungodly, but luckily they didnt shut them down until 1642, 26 years after his death), not to mention widespread illiteracy, no public sanitation, and no police force, these horrendous circumstances didnt wipe out creativity, discovery, love, compassion, and a vision of a higher ideals.

Homo sapiens is the only species that liberated itself from natural evolution, and this unprecedented achievement involved one thing only: going beyond. Not our higher brain but human nature envisioned life independent of physical circumstances. Miraculously, if you peer at the oldest cave paintings in Europe, such as those in Chauvet-Pont dArc, France, you dont see primitive scratching from 30,000 years ago.

You see art. The animals depicted are done with confident, artistic lines that are also scientifically accurate, depicting a wide range of Paleolithic creatures precisely enough that they can be identified by species. No one knows why sophisticated cave paintings suddenly appeared. The Chauvet depictions lie deep in the darkest heart of the caves. No sunlight penetrated, so the painters worked by the quavering light of torches. In addition, since the animals were not right before them, they worked from memory of how each one looked.

This act of going beyond exemplifies a trait that belongs to the human condition, the trait of creativity for its own sake. In fact, even though the modern world owes everything to discoveries that improved life, the rise of technology and all the practical benefits it has brought, going beyond has always happened in here before anything could happen out there. Before the first primitive flint blades could be hacked out, the concept of tool and weapon had to come first. And before a concept can be born, there has to be a mind capable of concepts.

My point is that you and I, like our ancestors, are the product not of genetic evolution but the evolution of consciousness. We were liberated from the Darwinian scheme by self-awareness. In other words, we said to ourselves, I just thought of what Id like to do, and with the combination of awareness, vision, and desire, we evolved into the human condition. The Greek word for beyond is meta, and we should apply it to ourselves more often. To be human is an expression of the metahuman. Shakespeare was a meta-genius, but everyday people are just as meta in their own way. Parents sacrifice for their children, even die for them, because they go beyond their own selfish needs. Any creative hobby is meta, because it has nothing to do with surviving.

The higher your vision, the more meta you are. Buddha was extraordinarily meta, but his followers, seeing the worth of his vision, had to be meta or Buddha would have preached in the wilderness. Likewise, without metahumans among Jesuss disciples, Christianity would have perished on the cross.

The COVID virus has put everyday life in peril for countless people, but it has actually risen the level of self-sacrifice, service, sharing, cooperating for the common good, laying down political antagonisms, seeking a global solution, and reflecting upon what really matters. Those are all meta qualities; they are perfect examples of going beyond. The fact that we can see a future past the devastation of the pandemic is a meta trait of huge importance. We arent human without being metahuman. For me, this is the lasting lesson and the deeper meaning to be taken away form a terrible time.

DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.

Original post:
Shakespeare, COVID, and the Plague - SFGate

Two Israeli researchers, one at UC Berkeley and the other at Israels Ben-Gurion University, have discovered a mechanism that may be responsible for some of the cognitive decline associated with aging. Not only that, they may have identified how to reverse that process, using a drug developed by a Menlo Park chemist.

Its super exciting, said Daniela Kaufer, professor of integrative biology at UC Berkeley. Its the sort of thing you dream to find in your career.

Kaufer, who came to California to study at Stanford, and longtime Israeli research partner Alon Friedman have been looking for years at the brain-blood barrier, which serves as a filter for the brain. While blood and whats in it circulates around the body fairly freely, the brain is very selective in making sure nothing harmful comes through the barrier.

In the brain, you dont want that, Kaufer said. Its the control system.

Now, in two papers published in December, theyve presented their research on the way the blood-brain barrier changes with age and how to reverse the negative effects. Kaufer explained that the mechanism that keeps the brain filtering the blood stream can degenerate with age, the case for an estimated 60 percent of people over age 70, she said. Most people, young people, they dont have it.

Kaufer and Friedman had earlier discovered that the blood-brain barrier functioned poorly when someone was under stress or injured, which could account for a host of symptoms associated with head trauma, strokes or epilepsy. Older brains resemble injured brains in many, so it was natural for the scientists to turn their attention to aging, as well.

Its the sort of thing you dream to find in your career.

About 10 years ago, Kaufer and Friedman found that the most common protein in the blood, albumin, caused inflammation when it leaked into the brain after head trauma. Recently the two infused albumin into the brains of young mice and saw that it made them resemble older mice with cognitive decline. In mice, that means being bad at mazes and other tasks. They then tested senile mice to see whether blocking the mechanism (first through genetic manipulation, then using the drug developed by Barry Hart, a medicinal chemist at pharmaceutical company Virobay) could make their brains function as if they were young again.

The answer was, yes, Kaufer said. You could.

Conceivably this discovery, culminating decades of work, could lead to therapies for the aging human brain.

Kaufer and Friedman started their collaboration in the mid-90s in Israel, when Kaufer was a grad student at Hebrew University and Friedman was an army physician. Both had full-time jobs, but in the evenings they did their own research, looking at the impact of stress on the blood-brain barrier. That led to their discovery of the cause of Gulf War syndrome, until then a mysterious condition among soldiers who had been given a drug to protect against chemical weapons. The drug was not supposed to pass the blood-brain barrier, but stress had made it vulnerable, they learned. It was a new concept.

Weve almost stumbled into it, to look at this from a different angle, Kaufer said.

Now that theyve established the connection between inefficient filtering and cognitive decline, they are thinking about how to use it to help people. One possibility is to use Harts drug to prevent the inflammation caused by a leaky blood-brain barrier. To that end, Kaufer, Friedman and Hart have set up a Bay Area company to research the drug further, a necessary step to bring the medicine to market. Although theres no way to rush a discovery like this into clinical use, Kaufer said she is motivated to make it happen as soon as possible.

We were getting a lot of emails and calls from very desperate people and family members as news of their papers hit the media, she said, calling it heartbreaking.

Kaufer hopes with the body of research she, Friedman and their collaborators in the field have developed over the past two decades, the drug may reach the first phase of trials within 18 to 24 months.

Thats optimistic, she admitted. But Im hoping, Im hoping.

Excerpt from:
Israeli researcher's work may be key to reversing aging's cognitive decline - The Jewish News of Northern California