Integrative Family Medicine – Montpelier | Central Vermont Medical …

Integrative medicine is healing-oriented medicine that considers the whole person (body, mind and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and uses all appropriate therapies, both conventional and alternative.

The providers at Central Vermont Medical Centers Rehab Services strive to meet your needs and return you to work and play as soon as possible. Our providers facilitate healing with many different therapies.

Learn more our Physical Therapy services.

To make an appointment, call 802-371-4242.

Emergency situations are given immediate attention. We provide 24-hour physician coverage for emergencies. After regular office hours, call the office number, and you will be given instructions on what to do. The on-call doctor will return your call if requested. In extreme emergencies, please call 911. When you arrive at the hospital, please identify yourself or your child as our patient.

If you have an appointment scheduled shortly after your test, we will go over the results with you during your office visit, otherwise your labs will be published to your portal. If you have not signed up for your provider portal, please contact our office. If labs or diagnostic imaging results fall outside normal ranges, a nurse or clinician will call to discuss them with you.

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Our practice requires payment at the time services are rendered. We will directly bill Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Medicaid, Medicare, MVP, and Cigna. We also accept cash, check, and MasterCard/Visa. We may bill other insurance companies as a courtesy to our patients; however, payment is ultimately your responsibility. We do offer a Financial Assistance Plan for those who qualify. Co-pays are due at time of service.

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Chiropractic Medicine | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Chiropractic medicine is based on the link between the alignment of the spine and the function of the body. A core tenant of chiropractic medicine is the belief that the body has the ability to heal itself if given proper support. The word chiropractic comes from the Greek words cheir and praxis meaning hand and practice. The wordsrefer to treatment done by the hands or hands-on therapy.

With use of manual manipulation of the spine, chiropractors believe they can improve a person's health without surgery or medicine. Some chiropractors also prescribe exercises to do at home. Chiropractors may do lab testing, diagnostic imaging, and other testing. Some also practice nutrition and complementary medicine.

Treatment may involve lying on your stomach on a special table, while the chiropractor uses his or her hands and elbows to realign the spine.

Chiropractic treatments have proven to be effective in treating certain lower back pain symptoms and muscle and other bone pains.

Chiropractic training is not equal to the training licensed medical doctors receive, but it is extensive. Doctors of Chiropractic Medicine have had at least3 years of college with an emphasis on biology or basic sciences. This is followed by a minimum of 4 years of training at an accredited chiropractic college.

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Chiropractic Medicine | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Stress Busters: 4 Integrative Treatments – Hopkins Medicine

Meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are therapies proven to help manage anxiety and depression.

Meditation is an ancient practice that helps you reach a relaxed state by focusing on breathing and awareness of the body in the present.

MBSR is a program that draws on the principles of meditation to help people become more aware of how negative thoughts impact physical feelings. Research has shown that benefits of MBSR include:

Evidence supports the idea that meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction are very helpful for managing mood disorders, and experts recommend it.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy focused on pinpointing and questioning negative, often mistaken thoughts that can lead to behavioral and mental health problems, such as anxiety.

Research shows that people who receive CBT have a greater reduction in mental health symptoms as compared to people who use medication alone.

There is solid evidence that CBT, meditation and MBSR are effective.

All of these techniques are safe and have no side effects. A motivated person can practice them on their own. While integrative medicine may support traditional medicine, it is not a replacement, so its important to talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice involving the use of tiny needles to stimulate the nervous and immune systems. During the procedure, a licensed acupuncturist inserts hair-thin needles into the skin at specific points on the body. Acupuncture is painless, and research shows it helps support conventional treatment for a range of problems that include stress, chronic pain and digestive disorders. Experts note that it may be particularly effective for insomnia.

While many of us think of massage as a rare, indulgent treat, studies indicate massage helps treat a variety of stress-related disorders, including anxiety and insomnia. While one treatment is good, a series of massage treatments can be even more effective.

It's important to talk to your doctor about whether massage is right for you. It may not be appropriate for people with certain conditions, such as bleeding disorders or osteoporosis.

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Stress Busters: 4 Integrative Treatments - Hopkins Medicine

Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Many different areas make up the practice of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). In addition, many parts of one field may overlap with the parts of another field. For example, acupuncture is also used in conventional medicine. In the U.S., CAM is used by about 38% of adults and 12% of children. Examples of CAM include:

Traditional alternative medicine. This field includes the more mainstream and accepted forms of therapy, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, and Oriental practices. These therapies have been practiced for centuries worldwide. Traditional alternative medicine may include:

Body. Touch has been used in medicine since the early days of medical care. Healing by touch is based on the idea that illness or injury in one area of the body can affect all parts of the body. If, with manual manipulation, the other parts can be brought back to optimum health, the body can fully focus on healing at the site of injury or illness. Body techniques are often combined with those of the mind. Examples of body therapies include:

Diet and herbs. Over the centuries, man has gone from a simple diet consisting of meats, fruits, vegetables, and grains, to a diet that often consists of foods rich in fats, oils, and complex carbohydrates. Nutritional excess and deficiency have become problems in today's society, both leading to certain chronic diseases. Many dietary and herbal approaches attempt to balance the body's nutritional well-being. Dietary and herbal approaches may include:

External energy. Some people believe external energies from objects or other sources directly affect a person's health. An example of external energy therapy is:

Mind. Even standard or conventional medicine recognizes the power of the connection between mind and body. Studies have found that people heal better if they have good emotional and mental health. Therapies using the mind may include:

Senses. Some people believe the senses, touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste, can affect overall health. Examples of therapies incorporating the senses include:

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Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Annual Pink Event slated for Saturday; raises awareness of cancer and funds for patients – Martinsville Bulletin

A Pink EventBreast Cancer Wellness Symposium & Fundraiser by the MLC Cancer Foundation will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at New College Institute.

The event is to honor the lives of cancer survivors. The foundation was founded by Patricia Via in 2012 to assist cancer patients and survivors. Via has raised over $180,000 since the creation of her organization, which is named for her mother, the late Myrtle Lee Carter.

There will be three speakers at the event: Indira Lindsay Roberts, Dr. Nayo Wills and Dr. Tiffany D. Morris.

Dr. Nayo Wills will explain the common functional medicine tests that she and other specialists do for initial screening. She said her message is just so people can understand some basic information that they would want to know.

This will be Indira Lindsay Roberts third time speaking at the Pink Event for MLC Foundation, and though her message has changed somewhat over the years with new technology and offerings, she said, the bare bones remain the same to raise awareness of the importance of genetic testing that taking charge of your health.

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Dr. Tiffany Morris message at the event will revolve around faith verses fact, she said, diving into the conversation that having strong faith does not mean that you cant also trust science to help heal. In her dissertation, and in her speech, Morris talks about how faith can sometimes be a barrier or conflict of interest when it comes to trusting the science.

Wills received her bachelors degree in anthropology at the University of Virginia and doctor of medicine degree at Jefferson Medical College, and completed her internal medicine residency at Washington Hospital Center. She has board certification in internal medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine and recently completed her education in functional medicine and received certified practitioner standing at the Institute for Functional Medicine. She is also certified in acupuncture.

Wills has been practicing functional and integrative medicine for almost 17 years now, has been speaking professionally for over 20 years and uses that knowledge to reach her audiences to find answers and get to the root cause of their symptoms.

Roberts is a regional manager in oncology and womens health with Invitae Genetics. She holds a bachelors degree from North Carolina Central University, a masters degree in jurisprudence from Seton Hall School of Law and a certificate of achievement in fundamentals of genetics from Harvard Medical School.

For Invitae Genetics, Roberts sells somatic oncology testing products and part of her job covers the area of Martinsville, she said. She met Misti Williams, a genetic counselor out of Salem, Virginia, who connected Roberts with Telesa Via, Patricia Vias daughter, and the MLC Cancer Foundation.

Morris is a Martinsville local who now lives in Eden, North Carolina. She earned certified nurse educator credentials from the National League of Nursing, a bachelors degree in nursing from the University of Virginia, a masters degree in higher education specializing in integrative studies and a masters degree in nursing. She has a doctor of nursing practice in executive leadership from Grand Canyon University and was inducted into the University of North Carolinas School of Nursing Faculty Fellows program.

Morris is the inaugural chair for Elon Universitys department of nursing. She has been involved with the MLC Cancer Foundation since its beginning, participating often. She became involved because of her connection to the Via family through going to school with Telesa Via.

The money raised will go towards assistance in providing mammographic breast screening and diagnostics to uninsured women, towards financial assistance to cover medical cost for treatments and to cover costs for genetic testing.

Two cancer patients at Saturdays event will be awarded $2,500 toward their cancer medical cost at the event, and all attendees will take home resources to help in their health journeys.

Destination DC, EH Hodge Automotive Group and Donohoe Hospitality are sponsors of the event, and Martinsville-Henry County Coalition for Health and Wellness, Martinsville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Upsilon Delta Zeta Martinsville Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Martinsville City Police Department and VCU Cancer Massey Center are 2022 Community Partners.

Donations can be made to the MLC Cancer Foundation before, during and after the event at http://www.mlccancerfoundation.org and clicking the donate button at the top right of the page.

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Annual Pink Event slated for Saturday; raises awareness of cancer and funds for patients - Martinsville Bulletin

Concierge Medicine’s Continued Rise Illuminated by Specialdocs Consultants at the Industry’s Leading Event – PR Newswire

Pioneering concierge medicine management company Specialdocs and physician clients to offer compelling perspectives at the Concierge Medicine Forum October 20th 22nd

CHICAGO, Oct. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Terry Bauer, CEO of Specialdocs Consultants, a 20-year pioneer in concierge medicine transitions and management, and several of the company's affiliated physicians will offer insights on the extraordinary growth of this dynamic and enticing practice model at the upcoming Concierge Medicine Forum (CMF) in Atlanta. Reflecting the surging demand for personalized care, the industry's signature event is on track in 2022 to be the most well-attended conference to date, according to organizers.

"What we're seeing is a genuine recognition of the pillar stone of concierge medicine - the tremendous value of a long-term physician-patient relationship," says Bauer. "The impact of the pandemic made that crystal clear and has inspired thousands of people to thoughtfully reconsider how they chose to deliver and receive care." He cited a doubling in the number of physicians converting to the Specialdocs concierge medicine model in the last few years, as well as a 10% average annual industry growth rate of the U.S. concierge medicine market over the next 8 years, as forecast by Grand View Research.

Bauer will lead key sessions covering qualities necessary for success as a concierge physician, and how to communicate the enhanced level of care to concierge patients inside and outside the exam room. He'll also discuss the expanding plethora of paths to becoming a concierge physician. "The options go well beyond traditional conversions from fee-for-service models to acquiring a practice from a retiring physician, transitioning from hospital employment or within a group practice, or joining a successful local concierge practice," he said.

In addition, Specialdocs-affiliated physicians will be featured at the conference, sharing expert perspectives that include:

"Sharing our passion for concierge medicine at CMF with insightful, long-time collaborators like Specialdocs and others is a privilege we look forward to each year," Michael Tetreault, CMF organizer and editor of Concierge Medicine Today."We're all thrilled to see the soaring interest in membership medicine practices which continue to bring balance to physicians' lives and elevate the care offered to the patients and communities they serve."

A pioneer in concierge medicine since 2002, Specialdocs is celebrating two decades of transforming physicians' professional lives, empowering them to deliver exceptionally personalized patient care.

CONTACT:[emailprotected]

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Concierge Medicine's Continued Rise Illuminated by Specialdocs Consultants at the Industry's Leading Event - PR Newswire

Needs and challenges for COVID-19 boosters and other vaccines in the US – EurekAlert

image:Of the 10 richest countries in the world, the U.S. ranks last in vaccination rates and first in both numbers and rates of COVID-19 deaths, view more

Credit: Alex Dolce, Florida Atlantic University

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), which was immediately endorsed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for new booster shots created to combat the most recent and highly prevalent omicron variants of COVID-19, specifically BA.4 and BA.5. Fortunately, these most recent and very highly prevalent variants, while more communicable, are less lethal.

In a commentary published in The American Journal of Medicine, researchers from Florida Atlantic Universitys Schmidt College of Medicine and collaborators, provide the most updated guidance to health care providers and urge how widespread vaccination with these boosters can now avoid the specter of future and more lethal variants becoming a reality.

Of the 10 richest countries in the world, the U.S. ranks last in vaccination rates and first in both numbers and rates of COVID-19 deaths, said Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.PH, senior author, first Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and senior academic advisor, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. The dedicated health care professionals in communities and hospitals across the nation continue to try to address existing and new challenges of COVID-19. We must redouble our efforts to promote evidence-based clinical and public health practices, which should include vaccination of all U.S. adults and eligible children based on the most recent FDA and CDC guidance.

The authors point out that, compared with influenza, the mortality rate from COVID-19 is about 30 times higher. Further, a positive COVID-19 patient is likely to transmit to about six people compared with one or two for influenza. Finally, the boosters will reduce the risk of dying and hospitalization by more than 90 percent.

The most simple and straightforward newest guidance we can now offer to health care providers is that all individuals ages 5 and older should receive a booster shot, said Alexandra Rubenstein, first author, clinical research coordinator, Department of Neurology, Boston Medical Center, and an aspiring physician. Specifically, based on the recent EUAs issued by the FDA and CDC, those 5 and older may receive Pfizer bivalent boosters, and those ages 6 and older may receive bivalent boosters from Moderna. While the absolute risks of severe COVID-19 are low in youths, the benefit-to-risk ratio was deemed to be favorable in a 13-to-1 vote of independent external advisers to the FDA.

According to the authors, vaccines to prevent common and serious infectious diseases have had a greater impact on improving human health than any other medical advance of the 20th century. Nonetheless, since 2019, the percentages of children in the U.S. vaccinated against common and serious childhood diseases has decreased.

In the U.S., diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus or DPT immunizations have decreased from 85 percent in 2019 to 67 percent in 2021, said co-author Sarah K. Wood, M.D., professor of pediatrics and interim chair, Department of Womens and Childrens Health and vice dean for medical education, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. Recently, a young adult unvaccinated against polio in a neighborhood in Rockland County, New York, contracted a paralytic disease raising concerns that the loss of herd immunity may portend new epidemics of avoidable serious morbidity and mortality in the U.S. and worldwide.

Ironically, the authors note, virtually all Americans would seek effective and safe therapies for any communicable diseases. Most individuals routinely accept major surgery, toxic chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy for cancer, which result in a far greater number of side effects than are caused by vaccinations. The authors encourage health care providers to recommend a COVID-19 booster vaccine to all eligible patients to protect individuals and communities.

Other co-authors are Vama Jhumkhawala, a first-year FAU medical student; and Mark DiCorcia, Ph.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and assistant dean for medical education, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine, as well as Dennis G. Maki, M.D., Ovid O. Meyer professor of medicine, director of the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit and an internationally renowned infectious disease clinician and epidemiologist from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Maki and Hennekens served together for two years as lieutenant commanders in the U.S. Public Health Service as epidemic intelligence service (EIS) officers with the CDC. They served under Alexander D. Langmuir, M.D., who created the EIS and epidemiology program at the CDC, and Donald A. Henderson, M.D., chief of the virus disease surveillance program at the CDC. Langmuir and Henderson made significant contributions to the eradication of polio and smallpox using widespread vaccinations and public health strategies of proven benefit.

- FAU -

About the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine:

FAUs Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine is one of approximately 156 accredited medical schools in the U.S. The college was launched in 2010, when the Florida Board of Governors made a landmark decision authorizing FAU to award the M.D. degree. After receiving approval from the Florida legislature and the governor, it became the 134th allopathic medical school in North America. With more than 70 full and part-time faculty and more than 1,300 affiliate faculty, the college matriculates 64 medical students each year and has been nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum. To further FAUs commitment to increase much needed medical residency positions in Palm Beach County and to ensure that the region will continue to have an adequate and well-trained physician workforce, the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Consortium for Graduate Medical Education (GME) was formed in fall 2011 with five leading hospitals in Palm Beach County. The Consortium currently has five Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited residencies including internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and neurology. The colleges vibrant research focus areas include healthy aging, neuroscience, chronic pain management, precision medicine and machine learning. With community at the forefront, the college offers the local population a variety of evidence-based, clinical services that treat the whole person. Jointly, FAU Medicines Primary Care practice and the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health have been designed to provide complete health and wellness under one roof.

About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visitwww.fau.edu.

The American Journal of Medicine

Literature review

People

Newest guidance and evidence for health care providers: COVID-19 and other vaccines

3-Oct-2022

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Needs and challenges for COVID-19 boosters and other vaccines in the US - EurekAlert

What Is Psoriasis And Can It Be Treated? – Forbes

Treatments for psoriasis fall into four categories: topicals, phototherapy, systemics and complementary or integrative medicine, according to the NPF. The choice of therapy depends on the severity of the disease, says Dr. Green.

Topical treatments are creams applied directly to the affected area, slowing the rapid production of skin cells and reducing inflammation. The most common topical medications are topical steroids, which contain an anti-inflammatory ingredient to heal swelling and redness and usually require a prescription from your doctor. However, topical steroids cant be used in some areas because they may cause side effects like bruising, pigmentation and redness.

In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new, nonsteroidal topical cream for adults for the first time in 25 years called tapinarof. Patients can use this treatment from head to toe without any limitations, which is great for those who have mild to moderate psoriasis, says Dr. Green.

The FDA has also approved several over-the-counter topical treatments for psoriasis, such as lotions, shampoos, tars and bath foams that often contain coal tar and salicylic acid.

Phototherapy is a type of light therapy that a dermatologist may prescribe if topical treatments are ineffective. This therapy involves regularly exposing the skin to ultraviolet (UV) light, particularly UVB light. UVB rays are found in natural sunlight and slow the growth of skin cells.

There are several types of phototherapy, and its most effective when patients receive therapy at least two to five times a week for several weeks, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD). Phototherapy is not prescribed for patients with skin cancer or in the case of any condition or medication that makes them more sensitive to UV light.

Systemic treatments are prescription drugs taken orally or through an injection or infusion and are usually prescribed when topicals and phototherapy are unsuccessful. These drugs, known as biologics or biosimilars, work throughout the body to target specific molecules inside immune cells and correct the overactive immune response causing psoriasis flares.

Biologics and biosimilars include medicines that come from live organisms, including animal cells and microorganisms like yeast and bacteria. Both treatments are highly regulated by the FDA and deemed by the organization to be safe and effective.

The best way to prevent psoriasis flares is to follow your dermatologists treatment recommendations, moisturize well and avoid trauma to the skin. Lowering stress can also help, says Dr. Stevenson.

The AAD suggests practicing stress-relieving activities, such as yoga, meditation and attending support groups. Lifestyle changes like reducing alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, avoiding skin exposure to dry, cold weather, treating infections and avoiding cutting yourself while shaving can also help prevent flares. Dietary considerations, such as increasing fruits and vegetables and avoiding foods that are high in fat, sugars, sodium and meat as well as limiting processed foods, may play an important role in minimizing psoriasis symptoms, according to an article in Immunity.

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What Is Psoriasis And Can It Be Treated? - Forbes

Utahs projected OB-GYN shortage prompts proactive changes for Park City Hospital – TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah Utah is predicted to have a significant need for obstetrics-gynecologist (OB-GYN) providers in the near future. By 2030, only 66% of the populations need is projected to be met. This shortage is compounded when considering that Utah has the fifth-highest fertility rate in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Recognizing the future problem and the current problem of growing wait times for treatment, Park City Hospital is being proactive with the addition of multiple providers to the practice.

Although a shortage of OB-GYN specialties is seen as being a large problem in the near future, the medical industry as a whole has seen a reduction in personnel.

I think one of the biggest reasons, if not the biggest reason, why were seeing a shortage of physicians, and in particular, OB-GYN, has a lot to do with this national trend called the Great Resignation, said Dr. Wing Province, Chief Medical Officer at the Park City Hospital.

The Great Resignation is described as a period of changing employment or retirement trends, which is in direct response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Although the Great Resignation has had an effect on multiple industries, the medical industry as a whole has been hit hard by changing employment numbers. The Mayo Clinic conducted a survey of the stress experienced by medical professionals during the pandemic. In the study, 20,665 respondents at 124 institutions were surveyed. The result showed that 1 in 5 physicians and 2 in 5 nurses intended to leave their practice entirely, while 1 in 3 physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses would be significantly cutting back working hours.

The pandemic, particularly the peak of the pandemic, really forced a lot of professionals and especially physicians, and particularly OB-GYNs, to really think about what are their priorities and what makes them happy. A lot of physicians dealing with the pandemic looked at their careers and looked at where they were in life and said, You know what, I think retirement is calling for me, and so a lot of them stepped away from medicine, and as a result of those three forces OB-GYN was one of those that was [hit] hardest, said Dr. Province.

Its not just the reduction in available providers causing a shortage for medical specialties but also the availability of more convenient ways to perform their practice. People are acclimated to Zoom or Microsoft Teams, among other video chatting options, and this is no different for doctors. Technological changes that occurred during the pandemic and lockdowns have added new ways for medical services to be provided, including Telehealth and locums.

According to Dr. Province, Telehealth became really attractive for a lot of physicians and allowed them to evaluate where they lived and then move to somewhere where they really wanted to live where they could still practice medicine via telehealth capabilities.

Locums, another popular option, allows a physician to sign a contract with a medical facility or hospital for a certain amount of time, normally shorter periods of three to six months, sometimes up to a year. Province explained the benefits of this allows physicians to bounce around locations where theyd like to live for a short amount of time without having to commit to a longterm contract. These contracts can also come with housing stipends and other bonuses.

Recognizing the growing need for healthcare providers, the Park City Hospital is being proactive in its efforts to both maintain, and expand, available medical services to the community. There have been recent additions of multiple permanent OB-GYN providers and recruitment of locum physicians. The idea is to not only provide patient care through scheduled appointments but also have OB-GYN specialists available at all times.

We just hired Dr. Michael Chin, whos a physician whos had a home here and has visited here in Park City for several years but has decided to make this his primary home. He has a lot of leadership experience coming to us from Missouri, where he helped to build a lot of programs in the St. Louis area, and has decided to bring that experience and the skills here to Park City. He is now our department chair for both Park City Hospital and Heber Valley hospitals OB-GYN programs, said Dr. Province.

In addition to Dr. Chin, key new members of the team are Jenny Hewlett, a nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife, and Dr. Jeanne Falk, an OB-GYN, who also practices integrative medicine that looks at the totality of womens health, including nutrition, emotional needs, and other concerns. The efforts that the hospital has made in being proactive in their staffing is a significant step in finding a solution to what is becoming a growing issue for women in Utah.

Park City Hospital and Heber Valley hospitals are unique in that they are one of the only ones in the Wasatch back, and a lot of folks come to us from Evanston and then from Coalville, Kamas, Francis, and all the outlying communities, said Dr. Province.

Seeing the writing on the wall and seeing what those national trends were, we just felt like we had to get ahead of that and make sure that were providing those services since theres not a lot of options for people in the Wasatch back.

It doesnt stop with the current staffing needs for the hospital; there are programs in the works that target children in the area to promote the study of medicine with a look toward future solutions to the projected staffing deficit.

We have a lot of partnerships with the local schools, particularly at the high schools and the middle schools to expose children to the idea of practicing medicine. A lot of them just think that they cant do it We also offer a lot of programs to provide educational funding or assistance for individuals who are interested in health care. With nurses, techs, or technologists, as it relates to OB-GYN, were hoping to get out in front of this by talking to kids while theyre young, said Dr. Province.

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Utahs projected OB-GYN shortage prompts proactive changes for Park City Hospital - TownLift

Kidney resident macrophages have distinct subpopulations and occupy distinct microenvironments – University of Alabama at Birmingham

This novel finding will help guide successful therapeutic design and strategies for acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease.

Macrophages are immune cells that engulf and digest pathogens, cancer cells or cellular debris. The kidneys like other tissues in the body contain kidney resident macrophages, or KRMs, from the time of birth. These KRMs protect the kidney against infection or injury and help maintain tissue health by phagocytosis of debris or dying kidney cells.

In other organs, the locations of macrophages affect their functions. Now James George, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Alabama at Birmingham report for the first time that the mouse kidney contains seven distinct KRM populations located in spatially discrete microenvironments, and that each subpopulation has a unique transcriptomic signature a measure of which genes are active, which suggests distinct functions.

Stratification of KRMs into specific zones within the kidney was previously unknown, George said. The spatial location of macrophages impacts their function in other tissues, such as the lung, spleen and liver, and shapes their response to an immunological challenge. Although many disease states have known connections with KRMs and targeting populations holds great therapeutic promise, successful design and implementation of such strategies are limited by our current understanding of KRM regulation and response to injury as a function of time.

The UAB study, published in the journal JCI Insight, is an application of spatial transcriptomics, which Nature Methods crowned as the 2020 Method of the Year.

George, co-corresponding author Anupam Agarwal, M.D., and UAB colleagues traced these KRMs in normal kidneys, and in kidneys after experimental injury caused by restricting the blood flow for 19 minutes. Such acute kidney injury can lead to chronic kidney disease, so knowledge of changes in the KRM subpopulations after injury is an important part of the KRM atlas of the mouse kidney. Such an atlas will serve as a point of reference for future studies into the role of the resident macrophage system in the normal and injured kidney.

The injured kidneys were examined at 12 hours and at one, six and 28 days after injury.

Following insult, we tracked the subpopulations as they appeared to relocate throughout the tissue, suggesting possible locomotion by these cells in response to injury, George said. Macrophages have the ability to move, similar to amoebas.

At 28 days after injury, three of the macrophage subpopulations largely returned to the locations where they were found before injury, but four subpopulations remained scattered throughout the kidneys. Thus, George said, our data support a long-hypothesized dysregulation of the immune system following acute kidney injury that could be a major factor contributing to increased risk for chronic kidney disease following an acute kidney injury event.

Humans have more than 1 million nephrons in each of their two kidneys. A nephron is the tiny, functional unit of the kidney, removing fluid from the blood, and then returning most of that fluid back to the blood while retaining waste urine that will flow through the ureter to the bladder. Different portions of the nephron perform different functions, and the researchers found that the distinct macrophage populations were associated with distinct portions of the nephron.

The research began with single-cell RNA sequencing of 58,304 KRMs isolated from whole mouse kidneys. Through analysis of 3,000 variable genes, they identified seven major distinct subpopulations that have unique transcriptomic signatures the messenger RNAs transcribed from active genes.

Anupam Agarwal, M.D.The differentially expressed genes in six of the clusters indicated at least one specific function. For example, George said, The most significant gene ontology terms in Clusters 1, 3 and 6 were involved in anti-bacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal responses. Cluster 2 contained terms related to responses to iron, phagocytosis and wound healing, suggesting involvement in homeostatic functions. Clusters 0 and 4 mapped to few terms, but the analysis contained references to tumor necrosis factor and apoptosis.

These disparate gene ontology mappings suggest that each cluster executes a distinct transcriptional program that could be a function of the location in which each cluster resides.

The locations for the clusters were found by placing a thin slice of the kidney on a Visium Spatial Gene Expression microscope slide that is about one-quarter of an inch square. The technology in the Visium system allowed the researchers to locate where in the kidney anatomy each subpopulation resides based on their transcriptomic signatures.

Two of the clusters in normal kidneys were located in the cortex, the outer region of the kidney. Four were in the medulla, the area below the cortex, and one was in the papilla, or central region of the kidney. One example of the importance of location was the coordinated positioning of three subclusters to protect the kidney from infection. The transcriptomes and locations of Clusters 1, 3 and 6 depict a strategic immune barrier from the ureter, the most common origin of kidney infections, George said.

Importantly, the KRM transcriptomic atlas at 28 days after injury with many KRM subpopulations no longer expressing their original profiles and existing within new locations was persistently altered. Given the continued disruption in transcriptional and spatial distribution beyond acute injury, KRMs may influence the transition to chronic kidney disease, George said. A single acute kidney injury event drastically increases the risk for the development of chronic kidney disease, although the mechanisms that underlie that transition remain unclear.

At UAB, George is a professor in the Department of Surgery, and Agarwal is a professor in the Department of Medicine Division of Nephrology. Co-first authors of the study, Resident macrophage subpopulations occupy distinct microenvironments in the kidney, are Matthew D. Cheung and Elise N. Erman, UAB Department of Surgery.

Other authors besides George, Agarwal, Cheung and Erman are Kyle H. Moore, Jeremie M. Lever, Jennifer R. LaFontaine and Rafay Karim, UAB Department of Surgery; Zhang Li and Bradley K. Yoder, UAB Department of Cellular, Developmental and Integrative Biology; and Gelare Ghajar-Rahimi, Shanrun Liu and Zhengqin Yang, UAB Department of Medicine.

Support came from National Institutes of Health grants DK079337, DK59600, DK118932, GM-008361 and AI007051; and American Heart Association grants 906401 and 827257.

At UAB, George holds the UAB Cardiovascular Surgical Research Chair, and Agarwal is interim dean of the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine. Surgery, Medicine, and Cellular, Developmental and Integrative Biology are departments in the Heersink School of Medicine.

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Kidney resident macrophages have distinct subpopulations and occupy distinct microenvironments - University of Alabama at Birmingham

Women and Drug Pay; Nondrug Pain Therapy; and Why Coffee Is Good – Medscape

Women Earn Less From Drug, Device Firms

Female physicians earn far less in compensation from drug and medical device companies than do their male peers, new research shows.

In fact, the gender-based pay disparity widened from 2013 to 2019, according to a study published in JAMA Surgery by faculty from the University of California and Weill Cornell Medicine surgery departments.

The study analyzed publicly reported financial compensation data in the Open Payments database from the 15 highest-grossing drug and medical device companies.

Big disparity: Female physicians received $41,320 on average compared with the $1,226,377 paid to male physicians, the study found.

Clear difference: Men received higher payments even after adjusting for academic rank, specialty, and the number of articles published, the study found.

New Rules on Nondrug Cancer Pain Therapy

New recommendations for the management of adult cancer pain give more attention to nondrug techniques such as massage, acupuncture, and music therapy.

The new guidelines were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and include discussion of integrative pain management techniques in a joint effort between the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Society of Integrative Oncology (SIO).

The recommendations reflect a growing body of evidence suggesting that integrative therapies can be useful in cancer pain management.

Step forward: PreviousASCO guidelines only touched on evidence related to nonpharmacologic options for pain management.

Guidance needed: Clear clinical guidance on when and when not to use nondrug approaches is lacking, said Heather Greenlee, ND, PhD, co-chair of the SIO Clinical Practice Guideline Committee.

Coffee Cuts Cardio Illness

A new study found that two to three cups of coffee daily may reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and death.

Caffeinated ground and instant coffee were linked with reduced risk for new-onset arrhythmia, includingatrial fibrillation, according to an analysis of the prospective UK Biobank published in theEuropean Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Drinking up to five cups of coffee per day was associated with significant reductions in the risk for incidentcoronary heart disease, congestive cardiac failure, and ischemic stroke, with the lowest risk for people who consumed two to three cups per day.

Risk reduction: Death from any cause was significantly reduced for all coffee consumption, with the greatest risk reduction observed in people who drank two to three cups per day, whether caffeinated or not.

Why coffee? Caffeinehas antiarrhythmic properties throughadenosineA1 and A2A receptor inhibition. Coffee also has vasodilatory effects and contains antioxidant polyphenols, which reduce oxidative stress and modulate metabolism.

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Women and Drug Pay; Nondrug Pain Therapy; and Why Coffee Is Good - Medscape

Best in the World 2022 winners presented by the Tulsa World – Tulsa World

The Best in the World was created by the Tulsa World to name the best of everything in Tulsa.

For years, the contest allowed Tulsans to nominate and then vote on more than 200 categories in 15 areas: automotive, beauty and wellness, community, drink, education, finance, food and dining, fun and leisure, health care, health-care professionals, home and garden, people of the year, pets, services and shopping.

This year we had more than 92,000 votes for this contest. Here is the complete list of winners for the 2022 Best in the World Contest, presented by the Tulsa World.

Automotive

Best Auto Dealership: Don Carlton Honda

Best Auto Detailer: Red Beard's Detail Shop

Best Auto Glass Repair: Safelite AutoGlass

People are also reading

Best Auto Paint: Gerber Collision & Glass

Best Auto Repair: Atlas Automotive

Best Auto Wrap: Outlaw Kustomz

Best Carwash: Tommy's Express Car Wash

Best Collision Repair/Body Shop: Gerber Collision & Glass

Best Limousine Service: VIP Limousine

Best Motorcycle Dealer: Myers-Duren Harley-Davidson

Best Oil Change: Jiffy Lube Oil Change

Best RV Dealer: Dave's Claremore RV

Best Tire Shop: Cecil & Sons Discount Tires

Best Wrecker Service: AAA

Beauty & Fitness

Best Barber Shop: All Good Barber Shop

Best Beauty Supply: Ulta Beauty

Best Cosmetic Surgery Center: Kimiko Medical Aesthetics

Best Day Spa: Emerge Medical & Well Spa

Best Gym/Fitness Center: Sports Performance Institute

Best Hair Salon: Ihloff Salon & Day Spa

Best Medical Spa: Soul Aesthetics

Best Nail Salon: Luxe Nail Bar

Best Place for a Massage: Emerge Medical & Well Spa

Best Place for Eyelash Extensions: Emerge Medical & Well Spa

Best Skin Care Facility: Soul Aesthetics

Best Tanning Salon: InnerGlow

Best Weight Loss Center: Emerge Integrative Medicine

Best Yoga Studio: Be Love Yoga Studio Tulsa

Community

Best Art Organization: AHHA

Best Customer Service: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa

Best Hotel/Motel: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa

Best Lake Resort: Shangri La Resort

Best Non-Profit Organization: George Kaiser Family Foundation

Best Place to Work: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa

Drink

Best Bar/Lounge: Track 5. - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Best Local Brewery: Broken Arrow Brewing Company

Best Local Coffee Shop: Coffee House on Cherry Street

Best Margarita: 3 Tequilas

Education

Best Arts School: DanceWorkz Tulsa

Best College/University: Oral Roberts University

Best Daycare: The Synagogue | Congregation B'nai Emunah

Best Learning Center/Tutor: Kumon Math and Reading Center of TULSA - SOUTH

Best Martial Arts School: Jenks Martial Arts Academy

Best Preschool/Early Learning Center: Happy Hands Education Center

Best Private School (K-12): Monte Cassino Catholic School

Best Vocational School: Tulsa Technology Center

Finance

Best Accounting Firm: Tax Teks

Best Bank: First Oklahoma Bank

Best Credit Union: TTCU Federal Credit Union

Best Loan Company: Gateway First Bank

Best Tax Service: Desi Tax Service LLC

Best Wealth Management: Scissortail Wealth Management

Food & Dining

Bakery/Baked Goods: Merritt's Bakery

Best Asian Food: JINYA Ramen Bar - Tulsa

Best Authentic Mexican Food: Los Cabos Mexican Grill and Cantina

Best Bakery: Merritt's Bakery

Best Buffet: Texas de Brazil

Best Burger: Arnold's Old Fashioned Hamburgers

Best Casino Dining: Hard Rock Hotel And Casino Tulsa

Best Catering Company: Andolinis

Best Chocolatier: Glacier Chocolate & Coffee

Best Donut Shop: Daylight Donuts

Best Family Restaurant: The Bros. Houligan

Best Fine Dining: McGill's on 19

Best Food Truck: The Po'boy roller llc

Best Frozen Dessert: Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Store

Best Happy Hour: Hodges Bend

Best Hot Dog/Coney: Coney I-Lander

Best Indian Food: India Palace

Best Italian Food: Mondo's Ristorante Italian

Best Outdoor Dining: East Village Bohemian Pizzeria

Best Pizza: Hideaway Pizza

Best Place for Breakfast: Neighborhood JAM

Best Place for Dinner: Nola's ...Creole & Cocktails

Best Place for Lunch: Queenies

Best Sandwich Shop/Deli: Trenchers Delicatessen

Best Seafood: White River Fish Market

Best Service/Waitstaff: McGill's on 19

Best Shaved Ice: Josh's Sno Shack

Best Sports Bar/Grill: Elgin Park

Best Steak: McGill's on 19

Best Tex-Mex Mexican Food: Ted's Caf Escondido

Fun & Leisure

Best Casino: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa

Best Craft/Hobby Store: Hobby Lobby

Best Escape Room: Eleventh Hour Enigma

Best Family Entertainment: Tulsa Drillers Baseball

Best Large Live Entertainment Venue: BOK Center

Best Local Entertainment: Cain's Ballroom

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Best in the World 2022 winners presented by the Tulsa World - Tulsa World

Zinc side effects: Signs of overdose and how to treat it – Insider

Zinc is an essential mineral for your health. It plays a role in:

Of all the trace minerals, only iron is found in higher concentrations in the body.

Yet even though zinc is important for your health, you can still get too much of it.

"The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for zinc, meaning the highest recommended daily amount, is 40 mg per day," says Dr. Jeffrey Gladd, an integrative medicine physician and chief medical officer at Fullscript.

Read on to learn the signs of a zinc overdose, how to get treatment, and what you can do to get the recommended daily amount of zinc.

A zinc overdose can involve different symptoms, depending on whether it's acute or chronic.

An acute overdose means you ingest a large amount of zinc in a short period of time.

Symptoms of an acute overdose usually won't appear until you ingest one to two grams of zinc, and Gladd says you don't need to worry about getting too much zinc from your diet.

A zinc overdose typically happens as a result of:

Symptoms of acute zinc overdose might include:

A zinc overdose can be life threatening. If you suspect you may have consumed too much zinc and have symptoms of an overdose, you'll want to contact 911 or a poison control center for emergency medical support, Gladd says.

The treatment for oral zinc overdose may include:

A chronic overdose means you've regularly consumed too much zinc over a longer period of time.

Chronic zinc overdose can occur when you ingest anywhere from 150-450 milligrams (mg) of zinc per day.

This generally happens as a result of taking too many zinc supplements, but using large amounts of zinc-containing denture creams can also expose you to excess zinc.

The symptoms of chronic excess zinc can affect your whole body and may include:

If you've taken more than the daily recommended amount of zinc for more than a few days and notice any of the above signs and symptoms, you should stop taking any supplemental zinc and check in with your doctor. Depending on how much zinc you've taken, and for how long, they may recommend treatment.

If you eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of zinc-containing foods, you likely don't need to supplement with extra zinc, Gladd says. This means, of course, you won't run the risk of getting too much zinc.

Foods that contain plenty of zinc include:

However, certain groups of people are more likely to have a zinc deficiency, including:

"If you're concerned about zinc levels, the best option is to get a zinc blood test. They are relatively inexpensive and allow you to get quick, accurate results," says Daniel Powers, herbal medicine expert and founder of the Botanical Institute.

Keep in mind it's always important to ask a healthcare professional before taking any supplement especially zinc, which you can easily overconsume.

The FDA doesn't regulate supplements, so it's important to check with your doctor if you're unsure about how much of any supplement to take. Opting for supplements that have undergone third-party testing can also help you ensure you get the supplement you want, in the advertised amount.

If you choose to supplement, keep in mind that experts recommend consuming no more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of zinc:

Zinc requirements for children and teens range from 2 mg to 11 mg per day, depending on age. If you think your child may not get enough zinc from their diet, it's best to ask your pediatrician about the correct dose.

Although you need zinc to maintain good health, you can take too much and excess zinc can have serious health consequences. If you've taken more than the daily recommended dose of zinc, you should get medical attention right away.

In most cases, a varied diet will provide enough zinc, and many people don't need to supplement. However, if you eat a limited diet, are pregnant or lactating, or have a health condition that affects zinc absorption, you may have a higher risk of zinc deficiency.

Your doctor or another healthcare professional can offer more guidance on how much zinc you should take for optimal health.

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Zinc side effects: Signs of overdose and how to treat it - Insider

Jefferson doctors publish new book, ‘Tapestry of Health,’ with tips on wellness – On top of Philly news – Billy Penn

Note: This article is a paid placement and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Billy Penn at WHYY.

With the United States long at the forefront of medical breakthroughs, why do so many Americans still get sick with preventable illnesses?

Around 60% of adults in the U.S. have a chronic disease, according to the CDC, and over 40% have more than one.

The fast-growing field of integrative medicine looks to address that problem. Its practitioners are trained to consider the whole patient the person instead of just the symptoms or the disease. Its the driving philosophy behind the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, where doctors just published a book with insights and tips on how you can use this thinking to further your own health.

Called Tapestry of Health: Weaving Wellness into Your Life through the New Science of Integrative Medicine (Kales Press), the book is by Marcus Institute founding director and CEO Daniel Monti, MD, and Medical Director Anthony Bazzan, MD.

It presents a step-by-step plan of evidence-based restorative approaches and emerging cutting-edge strategies. Its been well-received by readers, rocking a 4.4-star rating on Amazon, and by other experts in the field,

This book is so incredibly timely and important, writes Sara Gottfried, a doctor with four NYT best-sellers who provided the new books forward, because it helps you understand this new paradigm of health a massive shift that affects healthcare providers and patients alike,

As its currently structured, the authors say, the medical field suffers from an overemphasis on acute care, which is a reactionary approach. Under this model, when a person gets sick, medical care is sought and a standard treatment be it drugs or surgery is prescribed. Theres no doubt this approach has saved many lives. But it is not enough.

Heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are leading causes of death and disability in the U.S., accounting for the majority of the nations $4.1 trillion a year in health care costs.

In many cases, these illnesses are significantly exacerbated by key lifestyle risk factors. Some, such as tobacco use, are straightforward and easy to understand. Others, including the vital role of diet and specific nutrients, physical inactivity, and stress effects on immunity, are more complex.

In the case of immune resilience, the pandemic is a perfect example of how acute care medicine dominated the conversation.

Everyone understandably became very focused on the COVID-19 pathogen. However, what got lost was the state of the host i.e. people! For example, we know nutritional status affects the immune response to the virus, and that stress in general affects the immune system in very measurable ways. So while we very much needed an effective vaccine, we also needed tools to maximize immune wellness to maximize the host response to infection. That largely did not happen.

Some in medicine have begun to recognize the gap, which is why a new paradigm is emerging that integrates the best of modern medicine with proactive, holistic and preventive care.

Thomas Jefferson University is at the forefront of this movement. The Philly institution recently created the first-ever Department of Integrative Medicine & Nutritional Sciences at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. The new department includes the clinical programs of Jefferson Healths Marcus Institute of Integrative Health. These programs have introduced an approach to care that is a multifaceted partnership, connecting all aspects of well-being, including the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, and nutritional.

To learn more about the book and other resources, visit the Tapestry of Health website.

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Jefferson doctors publish new book, 'Tapestry of Health,' with tips on wellness - On top of Philly news - Billy Penn

How a Japanese Herbal Medicine Protects the Gut Against Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Neuroscience News

Summary: DKT, a Japanese herbal remedy containing ginger, pepper, ginseng, and maltose, reduced symptoms of colitis in mice, a new study reports.

Source: RIKEN

Zhengzheng Shi and colleagues at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Japan report the effects of a common herbal remedy on colitis, one of two conditions that comprise inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Published inFrontiers in Immunology, the study shows that DKTa standard formula containing ginger, pepper, ginseng, and maltosereduced the severity of colitis in lab mice by preventing the characteristic imbalance in gut microbes and by increasing levels of immune cells in the colon that fight inflammation.

Colitis is a chronic inflammation of the colon, characterized by an imbalance ingut bacteriaand an abnormal immune response. Prevalence has doubled over the last 20 years, and its currently a global health concern, particularly in Europe and North America. Although treatments are numerous, they are only partially effective.

This has led some researchers to take a closer look at traditional herbal medicines that originated in China, and are now commonly used in Japan and other Asian countries.

Daikenchuto (DKT) is a formula containing specific amounts of ginger, pepper, ginseng, and maltose, and is one of 148herbal medicinescalled Kampo, which have been developed in Japan and are often prescribed by doctors to treat a variety of illnesses.

Previous research has hinted that DKT might be useful for treating colitis, but evidence, particularly at themolecular level, has been lacking. Thus, Shi and the team of researchers at RIKEN IMS led by Naoko Satoh-Takayama conducted a detailed examination of its effects on a mouse model of colitis.

Colitis was induced in mice using dextran sodium sulfate, which is toxic to the cells that line the colon. When these mice were given DKT, their body weights remained normal, and they had lower clinical scores for colitis. Additional analysis revealed much less damage to the cells lining the colon.

Having thus shown that DKT does indeed help protect against colitis, the researchers proceeded to analyze the gut microbiome of the mice and expression levels of anti-inflammatory immune cells.

Gut microbiomes contain numerous bacteria and fungi that aid in digestion and help the immune system.

Colitis is associated with an imbalance in thesegut microbiota, and analysis showed that a family of lactic acid bacteria were depleted in the colitic mice of this study. Also depleted was one of their metabolites, a short-chain fatty acid called propionate.

Treating the model mice with DKT restored much of these missing bacteriaparticularly those from the genus Lactobacillusand levels of propionate were normal.

Colitis is also associated with an abnormal immune response that causes the characteristic intestinal inflammation.

When the team looked at innate intestinal immune cells, they found that levels of a type called ILC3 were lower in the untreated colitic mice than in the DKT-treated colonic mice, and that mice engineered to lack ILC3 suffered more and could not benefit from DKT treatment.

This means that ILC3s are critical for protecting against colitis and that DKT works by interacting with them. Lastly, qPCR analysis indicated that these important immune cells had receptors for propionate, called GPR43, on their surface.

Daikenchuto is commonly prescribed to prevent and treat gastrointestinal diseases, as well as for reducingintestinal obstructionafter colorectal cancer surgery, says Satoh-Takayama.

Here we have shown that it can also alleviate intestinal diseases likecolitisby rebalancing Lactobacillus levels in the gut microbiome. This likely helps reduce inflammatory immune responses by promoting the activity of type 3 innate lymphoid cells.

Author: Press OfficeSource: RIKENContact: Press Office RIKENImage: The image is in the public domain

Original Research: Open access.A Japanese Herbal Formula, Daikenchuto, Alleviates Experimental Colitis by Reshaping Microbial Profiles and Enhancing Group 3 Innate Lymphoid Cells by Zhengzheng Shi et al. Frontiers in Immunology

Abstract

A Japanese Herbal Formula, Daikenchuto, Alleviates Experimental Colitis by Reshaping Microbial Profiles and Enhancing Group 3 Innate Lymphoid Cells

Daikenchuto (DKT) is one of the most widely used Japanese herbal formulae for various gastrointestinal disorders. It consists ofZanthoxylum Fructus(Japanese pepper),Zingiberis Siccatum Rhizoma(processed ginger),Ginseng radix, and maltose powder. However, the use of DKT in clinical settings is still controversial due to the limited molecular evidence and largely unknown therapeutic effects.

Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory actions of DKT in the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis model in mice.

We observed that DKT remarkably attenuated the severity of experimental colitis while maintaining the members of the symbiotic microbiota such as family Lactobacillaceae and increasing levels of propionate, an immunomodulatory microbial metabolite, in the colon.

DKT also protected colonic epithelial integrity by upregulating the fucosyltransferase geneFut2and the antimicrobial peptide geneReg3g. More remarkably, DKT restored the reduced colonic group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s), mainly RORthigh-ILC3s, in DSS-induced colitis. We further demonstrated that ILC3-deficient mice showed increased mortality during experimental colitis, suggesting that ILC3s play a protective function on colonic inflammation.

These findings demonstrate that DKT possesses anti-inflammatory activity, partlyviaILC3 function, to maintain the colonic microenvironment.

Our study also provides insights into the molecular basis of herbal medicine effects, promotes more profound mechanistic studies towards herbal formulae and contributes to future drug development.

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How a Japanese Herbal Medicine Protects the Gut Against Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Neuroscience News

Depression and weight changes: The link and how to manage – Medical News Today

Depression can cause weight changes, which may be due to physical changes in the body as a result of depression itself, side effects of antidepressants, or changes in appetite and relationship to food.

There is a close link between depression and weight changes, which can work both ways. Drastic changes in weight may affect a persons emotional state and create physical changes in their body that can also affect their mood.

Depression can change a persons eating habits, level of physical activity, and metabolic system, which can all affect weight.

This article looks at the link between depression and weight and steps a person can take to manage depression and weight changes that may occur.

Changes in appetite, diet, and eating patterns are common in depression.

Depression can cause a loss of appetite, which may lead to weight loss. However, depression may instead cause an increase in appetite and therefore weight gain. Researchers now describe two types of depression:

Weight loss may occur if people lose interest or pleasure in eating, which may happen as a result of changes in the brains reward system that occur with depression.

Antidepressants can also cause weight loss or weight gain. And other possible side effects of antidepressants, such as nausea and insomnia, may affect eating habits and weight.

Research has shown that rates of depression are twice as high in people with obesity than in those without. Researchers are still unsure whether obesity leads to depression or whether depression leads to obesity.

Depression and obesity may occur as a result of a change in stress responses in the body. Other factors that may link the two conditions include:

Read more about the link between obesity and depression.

Obesity can cause risk factors for depression, such as:

Diet can affect both weight and mental health. A diet that is high in fat and sugar or includes more than the recommended number of calories can increase the risk of obesity.

People following a healthy diet have a lower risk of experiencing or developing symptoms of depression.

Weight changes can be a side effect of antidepressants, although medications may affect each person differently.

According to a 2018 study, antidepressants increase the risk of weight gain, which can vary depending on the type of antidepressant. The researchers found that the risk of weight gain was greatest during peoples second and third years of taking antidepressants.

The risk of 5% or more weight gain was 46.3% greater in people who were in their second year of antidepressant treatment than in the general population. These findings applied to people from a wide range of demographics.

According to a 2020 study, weight changes are a possible side effect of many antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants may lead to many side effects, including obesity. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors may also cause weight gain.

Certain antidepressants may lead to weight loss in some people. For example, a common side effect of venlafaxine is nausea, which could make people feel like eating less.

One of the significant side effects of long-term treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in study participants was weight loss.

Learn more about antidepressants and weight gain.

Anhedonia the loss of pleasure or interest in things a person may usually enjoy is a key symptom of depression. Anhedonia may affect a persons eating patterns.

Anhedonia and certain emotional states, such as depression, may have a link to certain behaviors that make it more difficult to lose weight, such as stopping a weight loss program or reducing cardiovascular exercise.

In people with obesity, high levels of anhedonia may also contribute to lower fitness levels and an increased risk of stopping a weight loss program.

Depression can affect sleep patterns, and people experiencing it may have difficulty sleeping. Insomnia can also be a side effect of some antidepressants.

Insufficient or poor quality sleep increases the risk of overweight and obesity, metabolic changes, dysfunctional eating patterns, and reduced physical activity.

A 2019 study found that emotional eating eating as a response to negative emotions is linked to depression and the development of obesity.

The researchers concluded that people with higher rates of emotional eating who slept for shorter durations at night may have a higher risk of weight gain.

Research suggests that increasing physical activity and sleep duration may help people reduce excessive intake of foods high in fat and sugar as a response to negative emotions. This may help them regulate their weight.

If people find that they lack motivation to exercise, they may start with short durations of low impact exercise such as walking. People can consult a healthcare professional for advice and to discuss an exercise program that may help.

If depression is affecting a persons sleep or a person thinks antidepressants may be causing insomnia, a doctor may be able to suggest treatments or a change in medication.

People may also need to alter their diet by reducing or increasing calories, depending on whether they want to gain or lose weight. People may find it helpful to speak with a doctor or dietitian who can help them create a tailored eating plan.

If people need urgent help or need to talk with someone, they can call a helpline such as the SAMHSA helpline or call 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24/7.

Learn about foods that may help with depression.

Treatment and lifestyle changes may help people manage depression and weight changes.

Losing weight may help improve symptoms in people who have depression and obesity.

If people with depression are concerned that they are losing weight, speaking with a health professional about increasing their calorie intake, as well as checking for underlying causes, may help.

A doctor can help people work out a treatment plan to target depression and any associated weight changes. A doctor can also help people find a mental health professional if necessary.

Depression can cause weight loss or weight gain. This may be due to changes within certain body systems, a side effect of medications, or mood changes that affect eating patterns and appetite.

If people with depression find it difficult to regulate their weight, they can talk with a healthcare professional about treatment options.

Treatment may include a change in medication type or dosage, an exercise program, and a dietary plan.

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Depression and weight changes: The link and how to manage - Medical News Today

Detection Of Rare Genetic Mutation In A Family Could Lead To Better Diabetes Treatment – Nation World News

A rare genetic mutation may help explain why some families are more susceptible to diabetes and kidney failure, according to a new study led by University of Utah health scientists. They say the discovery, made within several generations of the same family, could eventually lead to better treatments for these conditions among a range of patients, whether they have inherited the mutation or not.

In the past, we have seen sporadic cases here and there, but this is the first family to demonstrate that this mutation may be inherited. Marcus Pezolesi, PhD, MPH, corresponding author of the study and U of U Health associate professor of internal medicine in the department of nephrology, says. What is exciting is that treatments are being developed that can improve this condition not only within this family but in the vast spectrum of patients with diabetes at risk of kidney disease.

The study, conducted in collaboration with the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, appears in NPJ Genomic Medicine,

Scientists have long known that people who are overweight or obese produce less adiponectin, a hormone that promotes insulin sensitivity, inhibits cell death, and reduces inflammation. As a result, these individuals have a higher risk of developing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and other life-threatening conditions.

To determine whether there may be a genetic cause for diabetic kidney disease, Pezolsi and his colleagues analyzed DNA samples from 14 members of a family collected at the Joslin Diabetes Center. In all, six family members over three generations had diabetes and end-stage kidney disease.

Digging deeper, the researchers used whole-genome sequencing to isolate a defect in a gene called ADIPOQ, which encodes the adiponectin protein. The mutation shortens the gene, disrupting its ability to produce the hormone, which breaks down ceramides, a fatty substance similar to cholesterol. As a result, people with the mutation have higher levels of ceramides. Previous studies suggest that ceramides are a driving force behind the onset of type 2 diabetes and may contribute to diabetic kidney disease.

In laboratory studies of human embryonic kidney cells, researchers found that just one copy of this mutation was able to reduce adiponectin production. Researchers determined that this mutation occurs in about one out of every 57,000 people.

Overall, carriers of the genetic mutation had approximately 85% less adiponectin and 30% higher levels of ceramides circulating in their blood relative to non-carriers within the same family, who were used as a control group.

Whats most exciting to me is that this discovery allows us to confirm decades of research in animals, says William Holland, PhD, study co-corresponding author and U Health Associate Professor of Nutrition and Integrative Medicine. physiology. The biological effects of adiponectin in regulating insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance and ceramide levels are well established in rats, and the present study demonstrates that loss of adiponectin impairs metabolic health in humans.

Although the study was conducted in the same family, Holland says, its findings could have broad implications for the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions in many people. We can use these findings as a starting point for the development of personalized drugs that mimic the beneficial effects of adiponectin and reduce the risk of diabetes and kidney disease, he says.

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Detection Of Rare Genetic Mutation In A Family Could Lead To Better Diabetes Treatment - Nation World News