StemCell Therapy

Both studies were conducted as pilot studies in a pre-post observational design. Details are already reported elsewhere [13]. The primary outcome for both studies was the proportion of days with reaching the fasting goal of 15h out of the total number of days recorded per participant in the diary. According to the study protocol, secondary outcomes were, among others, changes in sleep quality and duration, and HRQoL between baseline and follow-up.

Participants at the Ulm University were recruited with the support of the occupational health management and by flyers. Exclusion criteria were pre-existing metabolic conditions. Patients at the GPs office were informed about the study by flyers in the waiting room or were invited by the doctor during a consultation. Exclusion criteria were insulin dependent diabetes or any other disease for which fasting is contraindicated [3]. Finally, 63 participants at the Ulm University and 40 participants at the GPs office were included in the studies.

Participants in both studies were asked to limit their daily food intake to 89h and subsequently extend their nightly fasting period to 1516h. The duration of the intervention was 3 months. At baseline, participants had an introductory conversation with the principal investigator or the physician to clarify possible questions and problems in advance, and were given an information brochure. In addition, all participants were offered to contact the respective study centre at any time if they had questions or problems.

Baseline assessment comprised a questionnaire to collect data on lifestyle, health behaviour and HRQoL (EQ-5D VAS) [14], and anthropometric measurements of waist, height, and weight (for details see [13]). All participants were given a diary to record the times of their first and their last meal, and the quality and duration of their sleep. The latter was assessed on a visual analogue scale ranging from 0 (worst possible sleep quality) to 100 (best possible sleep quality). The waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) was calculated by the division of waist by height in centimetre, abdominal obesity was then defined as WHtR 0.5, as recommended by the literature [15]. Body weight in kilogram was divided by height in meters squared to determine body mass index (BMI), and subsequently categorized into overweight ( 25) and obesity ( 30).

After 3 months, follow-up measurements were performed in the same manner, with some additional items in the questionnaire regarding the individual experience and attitudes towards TRE.

Baseline characteristics are reported descriptively for each study group and for both groups combined. Differences between groups were tested by applying t-test, Welchs t-test or Mann Whitney U test according to distribution and heterogeneity in variance for continuous data, and Fishers exact test for categorical data.

Follow-up data, and computational differences between baseline and follow-up data, presented as the respective , were treated the same way. Pre and post comparisons for both groups taken together were determined by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for related samples.

For each participant, mean values and standard deviations were calculated for the data from the diaries. Time of first meal and time of last meal were utilized to determine the duration of the fasting and the eating phase. For all days recorded, the percentage of days with fasting target reached was calculated. Differences between groups were tested as described above.

To assess differences between sleep duration and quality at the beginning and at the end of the TRE intervention period, mean values were calculated for the first 10% and the last 10% of data (or days), respectively. Subsequently the differences between the first and the last 10% of the data were calculated as the respective . They are reported together with the average number of days recorded per group and for the whole group.

Pearsons correlation coefficient was applied to test bivariate correlations between continuous variables.

Linear regression analyses were conducted for the pre-post differences in HRQoL and the differences in sleep quality between the first 10% and the last 10% of days recorded. Potential factors that might correlate with the HRQoL or sleep quality were identified and, together with variables that differed at baseline between both groups, tested in a stepwise backward elimination. Sex, age, baseline values of HRQoL, the sleep quality and sleep duration on the first 10% of reported days, mean duration of fasting, percentage of fasting target reached, and finally group membership were considered as potential associated factors. Anthropometric measures represented both, potential associated factors and differences between groups at baseline. Therefore, weight, waist circumference, BMI, WHtR, overweight, obesity, abdominal obesity as well as the respective between pre and post measures of the continuous variables were considered in the regression analysis. All assumptions of linear regression (linear relationship, multivariate normality, multicollinearity, auto-correlation, homoscedasticity) were examined.

The significance level for two-sided tests was set at =0.05. All statistical analyses were carried out by using the statistical software packages IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0. (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

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Associations of time-restricted eating with health-related quality of life and sleep in adults: a secondary analysis of two pre-post pilot studies -...

Eat This, Not That!

For months, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the coronavirus vaccines would be so safe, he'd take one. And in fact others have been looking to him to see if it's safe before taking theirs. "People like Anthony Fauci, who I know, and I've worked with, I trust completely," former President Barack Obama said. "So if Anthony Fauci tells me this vaccine is safe, and can vaccinate, you know, immunize you from getting Covid, absolutely I'm going to take it."Today, Fauci took it. Read on to see what he saidand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had Coronavirus.Fauci Feels "Extreme Confidence" in the VaccineBefore getting the first dose of the Moderna shot, Dr. Fauci said "it's important for two reasons. One is that I'm an attending physician here on the staff at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. And so I do see patients, but as important or more important is as a symbol to the rest of the country, that I feel extreme confidence in the safety and the efficacy of this vaccine. And I want to encourage everyone who has the opportunity to get vaccinated so that we could have a veil of protection over this country that would end this pandemic."When You'll Get Your Own VaccineWith two vaccinesone from Pfizer-BioNTech and one from Modernadistribution is expected to "speed up," say experts. "We know we have the vaccine available to get to 20 million people by the end of December and then a total of 50 million by the end of January," Alex Azar, the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, told the Today Show.Fauci has previously said he's hopeful that "by the time you get into the middle, towards the end of the first quarter of 2021, you will have accounted for and vaccinated those who are in the higher priority groups." Then, "I would project by the time you get to April, it will be 'open season,' in the sense of anyone, even the non-high priority groups could get vaccinated," Fauci said.His next few months will be devoted to convincing you to get yours; the vaccine needs to be taken by enough people so we can develop herd immunity. "Why do I say that it is the only way that we're going to end this epidemic?" he asked earlier this month. "If we get, I would say a range from 70 to 85% of the population vaccinated, we will create an umbrella or a blanket as it were of herd immunity over the population to the point that the virus is not going to have any place to go in us. In other words, we could essentially end this outbreak in this country, as we know it, and put it in the rear view mirror.""I think now that we have in our hands vaccines that are 94 to 95% effective," he said, "so we need to make sure that we make that efficacy turn into effect."RELATED: If You Feel This, You May Have Already Had COVID, Says Dr. FauciHow to Survive This PandemicAs for yourself, follow Fauci's fundamentals and help end this surge, no matter where you livewear a face mask, social distance, avoid large crowds, don't go indoors with people you're not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, get vaccinated when it becomes available to you, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don't visit any of these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.

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Robert Lewandowski is the best football player of 2020 - Yahoo Canada Shine On

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Natural Integrated Medicine

People with advanced cancer who experience breathlessness may benefit more from non-pharmacological interventions, such as handheld fan use, than medications, researchers at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have found.

Breathlessness is a common symptom of advanced metastatic cancer. As the body weakens, respiration becomes progressively more difficult, causing considerable anxiety and negatively affecting quality of life in the process. It is a major source of patient and caregiver distress, the researchers, led by Arjun Gupta, MD, wrote in the journal JAMA Oncology.

Oncologists have historically prescribed medications such as opioids and benzodiazepines for cancer-caused breathlessness, Gupta told MedPage Today. These drugs slow breathing, but their ability to provide relief to people with cancer is not strongly supported by available evidence.

The results of this study suggest that non-pharmacological interventions, including counseling, physical activity and touch therapyor some combination of the threeshould actually be the first line of defense. We believe these findings should catalyze a shift in how we approach and treat breathlessness, Gupta said.

Gupta and coauthors came to this conclusion by reviewing 29 recent studies on the impact of non-pharmacological interventions on 2,423 adults with advanced cancer. The interventions fell into several categories: respiratory, behavioral and psychoeducational, activity and rehabilitation, integrative medicine and multicomponent.

Nine of the 29 studies focused on respiratory interventions such as fan therapy and bilevel ventilation. Fan therapy is as simple as it sounds: A fan, often handheld, blows either room-temperature or cold air toward the mouth and nose of the person experiencing breathlessness. This may fool the brain into believing that respiration is more effective than it actually is, reducing physical discomfort. Bilevel ventilation refers to breathing on ones own while simultaneously being supported by a ventilator.

Seven studies focused on activity and rehabilitation interventions, such as exercise therapy, respiratory training and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; four focused on integrative medicine interventions, such as music therapy, acupressure, acupuncture and reflexology; and three focused on behavioral and psychoeducational interventions, such as behavioral therapy. Six of the 29 studies focused on multicomponent interventionsin other words, some combination of the four types.

In a statistical analysis of all 29 studies, the researchers found that some, although not all, of the interventions were associated with a modest to significant improvement in symptoms. Successful interventions included fan therapy and bilevel ventilation (in inpatient settings) and acupressure, reflexology and multicomponent interventions (in outpatient settings); unsuccessful interventions included behavioral therapy and relaxation.

Only five of the 29 studies reported that participants experienced any adverse effects at all, meaning that all interventions were relatively safe. By contrast, a 2016 study on opioids for the treatment of breathlessness reported that participants were 4.73 times more likely to experience nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and constipation than controls.

In view of the evidence, the researchers wrote, Guidelines and clinical practice should evolve to incorporate non-pharmacological interventions as first-line treatment for adults with advanced cancer and breathlessness.

However, they acknowledged that many people with cancer may face financial, logistical or physical barriers to accessing these treatments, adding several paragraphs down, Ultimately, an individualized approach to managing breathlessness in patients with advanced cancer is necessary.

To read about how the medication olanzapine can treat nausea and vomiting in people with advanced cancer, click here. To read about how a psychotherapy known as CALM can ease depression in people with advanced cancer, click here.

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For Cancer-Related Breathlessness, Fans May Be Better Bet Than Meds - Cancer Health Treatment News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Getty/Westend61

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

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

(Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Business Wire India A wellness-focused virtual read aiming to bring the body in harmony with nature An insightful and inspiring read to modify your lifestyle in accordance with the circadian rhythm Second-in-line as a free book to the world emphasizing on holistic health and wellness Luke Coutinho, a globally renowned Holistic Lifestyle Coach and an expert in Integrative Medicine has recently launched his second e-book A New Way of Living as a free gift to India and the world. Being authored by the wellness aficionado himself, this book emphasizes the intelligence of our bodies in connection with nature.Lukes previous e-book The Magic Immunity Pill Lifestyle with Shilpa Shetty, that was also a free gift to the readers, has crossed 60k+ downloads since its launch and is a huge success across India and overseas. Joining the bandwagon of books on healthy lifestyle is - A New Way of Living, an e-book- that has already garnered over 50K+ downloads from all across the globe within the first hour of its release.The goal of the book is to highlight the importance of syncing your body''s internal clock - the circadian rhythm and also mentions guidelines to be followed for being in harmony with nature. This virtual read is insightful and inspiring as it has positive stories and feedbacks from people who have embraced this way of living and seen phenomenal changes in their health and well-being. The book gives you an insight on each of these guidelines, along with scientific explanations. Adding a non-fictional touch to the book is a chapter dedicated to night-shift workers who due to their jobs, struggle to live according to the circadian cycle.Through years of experience as a holistic lifestyle coach, Lukes proficiency as a wellness leader has provided him with transformational tools to assist people in making the necessary lifestyle modifications. A New Way of Living emphasizes on the significance of having a strong immunity and uses it as a catalyst to make lifestyle changes for living within the boundaries and laws of nature. Through this book, Luke encourages readers to make an effort to sync back the body that has been operating outside the laws of the nature.Lukes backend coaching complements each chapter of the book thus aiding the readers with transformational tools that will change their life.According to Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Integrative Medicine, Through the launch of A New Way of Living, we aim to help masses regain their health in the most effortless ways by operating within the laws of nature. The outside environment that controls our inner setting is the bodys intelligence that exists in the trillions of cells present in our body. During and post-pandemic times, the way forward is to live according to the new way of living- circadian rhythm. This book is all about bringing our health and lifestyle in tandem with nature. We need to align all that we do, according to the circadian rhythm to help restore, regain and reset our health in a massive way.About Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems Pvt. Ltd.Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems Pvt. Ltd. focuses on integrative and preventative health care using lifestyle, with its team of medical doctors, nutritionists, clinical dietetics, emotional counsellors, lifestyle experts, yoga therapists, and elite trainers practising across the globe. Through personal consults and programs on health and wellness, condition management and supplementary cancer care, the integrative team works towards identifying the root cause of a particular health condition and helps people suffering from lifestyle-driven illnesses to reduce their pain and improve the quality of life. The Company has its main presence across India, Dubai, Middle East, Africa, the U.K., and the U.S. and its ecosystem includes building sustainable and healthy food chains across India.To View the Image Click on link Below:A New Way of Living - Circadian Rhythm PWRPWR

Disclaimer :- This story has not been edited by Outlook staff and is auto-generated from news agency feeds. Source: PTI

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Holistic Lifestyle Coach Luke Coutinho Launches a Free E-book - a New Way of Living, to Help Readers Discover the Wellness Route - Outlook India

Drive up for soup and sandwiches

The Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church north of Wellsville will offer carryout soup and sandwich from 4-6:30 p.m. Wednesday. There will be a variety of frozen soups in microwaveable containers, fresh bean soup and steak sandwiches. Donations will be accepted.

Church offering GriefShare support

Lake Mount Church of Christ, 6290 state Route 7, New Waterford, is hosting a loss of spouse seminar of GriefShare from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 5. GriefShare is a special seminar and support group designed to help you rebuild your life after losing a loved one. This group is led by caring people who have experienced grief and want to help you through the difficult days ahead. Cost of the program is $5 to cover workbook and materials. Social distancing will be in order. For additional information call the church office at 227-3636

Arthritis program

The Arthritis Foundation, a national, non-profit organization, announced a new Live Yes! Connect group has formed in Boardman. For now the program will be virtual for adults or parents of children living with arthritis. Deborah Andio, the new facilitator for the Boardman Live Yes! Connect group, said We want to get the word out that our support group is here, and we are planning our first virtual event. It will be held at 10 a.m. Dec. 12. Dr. Yufang Lin from the Cleveland Clinic Center for Integrative Medicine will be discussing the healing power of the human body. Discussion also will center on nutrition to help inflammation, discuss herbs and supplements as well as essential oils. The doctor will also share some recipes. The presentation is 45 minutes followed by a 15-minute Q and A. To sign up go to connectgroups.arthritis.org.

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Area briefings | News, Sports, Jobs - The Review - The Review

San Francisco, CA, December 1, 2020 Candied sweet potatoes. Egg nog. Mac n cheese. Stuffing. Pumpkin pie. Traditional holiday meals are resplendent with taste-of-home fare thats easy to overeat. Based on original research by holistic nutrition researcher Deborah Kesten, M.P.H., and behavioral scientist Larry Scherwitz, Ph.D., Whole Person Integrative Eating offers in-depth insights into the reasons we overeat and gain weight, and a science-backed, step-by-step dietary lifestyle that can halteven reverseovereating and weight gain during the holidaysand throughout the year.

Now is the time to reset and rethink what and how we eat; to replace traditional dieting with a scientifically sound way of eating thatlessens overeatingand that leads naturally to weight loss, health, and healing, says Kesten.

In their award-winning book, Whole Person Integrative Eating: A Breakthrough Dietary Lifestyle to Treat the Root Causes of Overeating, Overweight, and Obesity, authors Kesten and Scherwitz share a simple yet powerful premise: Identify the reasons you overeat (your overeating styles) and gain weightwith the illuminating self-assessment quizthen overcome overeating and lose weight by replacing your overeating styles with the antidotes: the elements of the Whole Person Integrative Eating program.

By shedding light on the root causes of overeating, Kesten and Scherwitz present a program that empowers readers with a personalized plan, and in turn new hope and new choices to help them reduce overeating, lose weight and keep it off.

WPIE is not a diet that a person goes on then off. It is a scientifically sound, dietary lifestyle designed to be practiced for a lifetime.

If people follow the revolutionary program outlined in this game-changing, insightful book, it may be the most helpful step they can take toward losing weight and keeping it off, says bestselling author Kenneth Pelletier, M.D., clinical professor of medicine at University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco.The authors paradigm-shifting message is that food influences not only the physical dimensions of health, but also our emotional, spiritual and social well-being. Their dietary lifestyle can build bridges between the millions who struggle with overeating and weight issues and the medical community. And it can inspire us all to re-envision our relationships with food, eating and weight, so that each time we eat, we are nourished for life.

Deborah Kesten, M.P.H., is an international nutrition researcher, award-winning author and medical/health writer, with a specialty in preventing and reversing obesity and heart disease. She served as Nutritionist on Dean Ornish, M.D.s first clinical trial for reversing heart disease through lifestyle changes, the results of which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. She has served as Director of Nutrition at cardiovascular clinics in Europe and on the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association, San Francisco.

Kesten has published more than 400 nutrition and health articles. Her first book, Feeding the Body, Nourishing the Soul, received the first-place gold award in the Spirituality category from the Independent Publisher Book Awards. Whole Person Integrative Eating has been honored with the No.1 gold, best-book award in the Health category by Book Excellence Awards and is a No. 1 Amazon best seller. Kesten is a VIP Contributor at Arianna Huffingtons Thrive Global, and is married to behavioral scientist and co-author of Whole Person Integrative Eating, Larry Scherwitz, Ph.D.

For more information, please visit http://www.IntegrativeEating.com. You can also connect with the author on the following social media sites: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeeating/;

https://www.facebook.com/WholePersonIntegrativeEating; https://twitter.com/IntegrativeEat1.

Whole Person Integrative Eating: A Breakthrough Dietary Lifestyle to Treat the Root Causes of Overeating, Overweight, and Obesity

Publisher: White River Press

ISBN-10: 1887043543

ISBN-13: 978-1887043540

Available from Amazon.com and integrativeeating.com

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Overcome OvereatingDuring the Holidays and Throughout the Year - Milwaukee Community Journal

David Sauro| COURTESY PHOTO

Third article of three-part series.

With the fight against COVID-19 for the past several months, we understand the importance of wearing a mask, washing your hands often and social distancing. Now that winter is here, we also need to take the necessary precautions to fight against the flu and the common cold, in addition to COVID. Medical experts also focus on the importance of boosting your immune system to give you the edge to stay healthy. It is more important than ever to make a commitment to a heathy lifestyle that will help to strengthen your immune system.

While there is no magic healthy pill, there are ways to make your immunity powers stronger. In our previous articles we talked about getting Vitamin D, and those "S" words, sleep, stress, and sugar. Getting enough quality sleep and reducing stress and sugar is necessary to enhance our immune system. This article will be on the importance of getting enough movement, proper nutrition, and hydration.

To move your body daily is a powerful way to boost your immune system. Regular exercise is one of the pillars for healthy living. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, and protects against a variety of diseases. The benefit of an active body is good circulation, which allows blood cells and the lymph to move through the body freely and do their job effectively.

Being active causes your bodys antibodies and white blood cells to circulate more rapidly, which means they may be able to detect and zero in on illness more quickly. Being active also lowers stress hormones, which reduces your chances of getting sick, said Dr. Mark Moyad from the University of Michigan Medical Center. If you already have a regular exercise routine, keep it up. If you do not, try to move as often as you can throughout the day. The body functions better when physically active every day. A minimum of 10 minutes a day but ideally up to 30 minutes a day. Exercise is individual, so always listen to your body, and consult a physician or healthcare professional if making a major exercise change. Moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, yoga, and light hiking, can reduce inflammation and help your immune cells regenerate regularly. Exercise improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure and helps control body weight. Like anything else, moderation is the key to exercise, finding that sweet spot that works for your body.

Diet is a big part of living a healthy lifestyle. Eighty percent of your immune system is in your gut, so when healthy, we tend to be able to fight off infections faster and better, says Yufang Lin, MD., at the Cleveland Clinic for Integrative Medicine. Choosing whole, unprocessed foods does wonders for overall health. The focus should be on incorporating a variety of whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and water in your daily diet.

Several whole plant foods contain antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C, all of which may lower your susceptibility to illness. Healthy fats like olive oil and omega-3s are highly anti-inflammatory. These food choices can help boost your immune system and combat illnesses. Another immunity booster selection is garlic. One-half of a clove is beneficial. Chop it in foods or roast it whatever is palatable for you. Also, Vitamin C-rich foods are beneficial.

Many people drink orange juice, but most brands have a lot of sugar, so it becomes counter-productive. It is best to get vitamin C from oranges, broccoli, or cantaloupe. Eating foods rich in antioxidants, such as colorful fruits and vegetables, including berries, carrots and spinach, will help build a strong immune system. Gut health and immunity are deeply connected. A healthy gut will support a healthy immune system and vice-versa.

We tend to be more mindful of water consumption during the warmer months, but we must also remember to stay hydrated during the colder months. You should be drinking at least half your bodyweight in ounces of water daily. Hydration does not necessarily protect you from germs and colds, but preventing dehydration is important to your overall health. Dehydration can increase your chances of becoming ill.

To prevent dehydration, you need to drink enough water daily, so that your urine is clear and odorless. A fluid in your circulatory system called lymph is largely made up of water and carries infection-fighting immune cells throughout your body. Being dehydrated slows down the movement of the lymph, which can lead to a weaker immune system.

Your immune system, when strong, does a remarkable job of defending against disease-causing microorganisms. Sometimes it fails, so when a germ penetrates your immune system, it can make you ill. It is possible to boost your immune system to prevent this from happening as discussed. If you do get ill, it is your body telling you to take some time off to rest and recharge, and to avoid getting others sick.

The benefits of a healthy lifestyle, by choosing healthy habits, will not only strengthen your immune system but will also have positive effects on the other systems of your body, leaving you feeling healthier and more energized for your life!

Also, continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and wash your hands often. Be Safe and Be Well!

The content shared from HOW (Heart of Wellness) is for informational purposes only and is not intended nor should it be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Consult with your doctor if any questions. HOW is a nonprofit based in Centerville, MA and Boca Raton, FL. that specializes in mindful wellness and self-care programs along with professional development for schools, business, and communities. We want to hear from you, whether it is about this article, COVID-19, or anything else health-related. Send questions and comments to: info@heartofwellness.us

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HEART OF WELLNESS Immune-strong movement and nutrition - Barnstable Patriot

Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems, a company that focuses on integrative and preventive medicine, disease and coaching has recently joined forces with conscious lifestyle store Saukhyam by adopting the shop-in-shop concept in to their business model. With its retail presence in Goa, Saukhyam has established a holistic and wellness product line that connects farmers and vendors across the country. The collaboration aims to showcase a part of Lukes Wellness Market within the store. With Saukhyams vision of creating a sustainable food chain being in line with Luke Wellness Markets approach, the tie-up aims to strengthen the brands coveted retail presence in the micro markets of Goa as well as across the country.

This launch comes close on the heels of success achieved by Lukes Wellness Market that is committed to sourcing products and connects farmers and vendors across the country doing ethical work in the food and lifestyle space. This is the first timeever that the brand is working with a lifestyle and wellness retailer in this capacity to have a concurrent retail presence in multiple markets.The brand has put up a Lukes Wellness Market section within the store that will be revised on a monthly basis. The section displays a variety of hand selected and handpicked products by the holistic mastermind himself. The brand has also infused products ranging from lifestyle categories like food, nutrition, utensils, skin care, cosmetics, books, clothing and fitness accessories, to lend a more holistic appeal.

The shop-in-shop model will enable buyers to touch and feel the product before buying. This initiative is aimed at translating Lukes Wellness Markets holistic approach into a tangible experience. With this strategic move, the brand aims to strengthen its multi-country presence through such models and is looking at scaling the business across various food, wellness and lifestyle stores in the country.

Speaking about the association, Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach-Integrative Medicine says, Through this launch we are very passionate about bringing an unparalleled level of trust, integrity and expertise to our clients, patients and followers. With this tie up, we aim to expand and create an ethical food chain with complete transparency to support the farmers and local vendors sourcing quality and authentic health products. This collaboration allows us to provide wellness in an engaging way, enabling to touch new markets and shoppers in the process.

About Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems Pvt. Ltd.Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems Pvt. Ltd. focuses on integrative and preventive medicine, disease and coaching with its team of medical doctors, nutritionists, registered dietitians, yoga therapists, lifestyle coaches, clinical dietitians, emotional and mental health professionals and integrative medicine specialists practicing across the globe. The Company has its main presence across India, Dubai, Middle East, Africa, the U.K., and the U.S. The companys ecosystem includes building sustainable and healthy food chains across India.

About Lukes Wellness Market:

Lukes wellness market is an extension of Lukes holistic health store that was launched with the objective of supporting the fair-trade farmers, sustainable and holistic living, and improving the food chain. Live markets are organized across cities wherein farmers and vendors bring in fresh, chemical-free produce and other lifestyle goods grown the ethical way. People across all age groups come together, shop, eat, indulge in fun activities, interact, build communities and make it a family event. It is a step towards resetting the existing food chain in our country and worldwide by making it an honest and ethical one. Lukes wellness market enables consumers to interact and meet the farmers to understand where their food actually comes from.

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Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems adopts the shop-in-shop model to revolutionize its retail presence - - Goa Chronicle

Global Alternative Healthcare Providers Market: Overview

Practice of complementary and alternative medicine comprises many different areas of medicines. In addition to that, it is possible that many parts of one field will overlap with another in another area. A case in point is acupuncture, which finds use in both alternative and conventional medicine. Alternative medicine refers to those medical treatments that find utilization instead of conventional therapies. Few people call them complimentary or integrative medicine. Many people make use of alternative therapies so as to make them deal and feel better with diseases like cancer. In this type of treatment, how one feels is an important part in how you cope up with the disease.

Many of the alternative healthcare therapies focus on the reduction of and relaxation from stress. These therapies increase general sense of wellbeing, relieve anxiety, and calm ones emotions. Several doctors, researchers, and nurses have exhibited interest in the concept of positive emotions making improvements in ones health. These factors are estimated to propel the global alternative healthcare providers market toward growth over the forecast tenure.

This report on the global alternative healthcare providers market takes a closer look at the key changes in consumer preferences and those preferences affect the growth of market. The insights offered into the report assist investors and the market players in making an informed choice about the market. The information shared in the report will help the stakeholders formulate strategies accordingly

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Global Alternative Healthcare Providers Market: Trends and Opportunities

Growing Faith and Awareness in Alternative Medicines Escalates Demand

The global alternative healthcare providers market has prospered on the back of the growing interest of people in such forms of medicines. Growing preference for alternative medicines has resulted from peoples increasing willingness to experiment with alternative medicines.

Alternative healthcare providers make an offering of a wide variety of products and practices and medical and healthcare systems that are used by patients sans medical supervision. Usually, alternative medicines and treatments are not availed by the people suffering from various chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, liver disease, and osteoporosis. However, there has been a slight change in attitude, a few patients suffering from such chronic diseases are opting for alternative medicines. Such changes in the behavior pattern of patients are expected to spearhead the expansion of the global alternative healthcare providers market in years to come.

Yoga, ayurveda, homeopathic medicines, acupuncture, and unani medicines are some of the types of alternative medicines. The global alternative healthcare providers market is likely to be driven by growing adoption and use of various natural wellness and supplements medicine. In addition to that favorable government initiatives in certain countries, particularly in the Asia Pacific, are expected to create substantial opportunities of growth for the global alternative healthcare providers market over the period of review.

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The report includes an elaborate executive summary, along with a snapshot of the growth behavior of various segments included in the scope of the study. Furthermore, the report sheds light on the changing competitive dynamics in the global Alternative Healthcare Providers market. These indices serve as valuable tools for existing market players as well as for entities interested in entering the global Alternative Healthcare Providers market.

Global Alternative Healthcare Providers Market: Competitive Landscape

Key players profiled in the global alternative healthcare providers market are The Healing Company, Columbia Nutritional Inc., Pure encapsulations, Inc., John Schumachers Unity Woods Yoga Center, Pure encapsulations, Inc., and Allen Laboratories Ltd.

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Global Alternative Healthcare Providers Market Analysis Size, Share, Trend, Current Demand, and Business Opportunities - Murphy's Hockey Law

Thousands of bears, locked in rows of rusty cages so small that they can barely move, stare out through the bars as their bile is drained into containers. Their captors intentionally drill holes into the bears gallbladders to collect their bile for a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) known as Tan Re Qing. These bears spend their entire lives, which often last for over 30 years, inside bile farms, which animal activists dub houses of horror. Animals Asia estimates that more than 12,000 bears are currently held in facilities like these in China, South Korea, and Vietnam.

In March, Chinas National Health Commission (NHC) began recommending Tan Re Qing to treat COVID-19 symptoms. Credible evidence that bear bile helps to treat COVID-19 symptoms does not exist, and according to Clifford Steer, a professor of genetics and medicine at the University of Minnesota, the Tan Re Qing treatment may even worsen patients conditions by decreasing their immune responses. Another inclusion on the NHCs list of TCM treatments for COVID-19 is a pill called Angong Niuhuang Wan, which contains illegally trafficked rhino horn and also has not been proven effective.

As another response to the pandemic, Chinas National Peoples Congress announced in February measures that ban wet market vendors from selling wildlife, including so-called bushmeat, for direct human consumption. However, the captive breeding of wild animals for use in TCM, and the sale of the resulting products (along with sales of exotic furs and leathers), remains completely legal. Breeding of captive wildlife is and remains widespread in China, despite the recent ban on wildlife sales at wet markets.

The NHCs Tan Re Qing recommendation shines a light on Chinas explicit support for the captive wildlife industry to produce animal-based TCM. Conservationists oppose the captive wildlife industry because raising generations of animals in captivity, in addition to sanctioning cruelty, does nothing to ensure the species survival in the wildborn-and-bred captive animals can never be safely released. China policymakers largely ignore the cruel conditions that captive animals endure and falsely claim that breeding animals in captivity reduces their extinction rates. The bear bile in Tan Re Qing is only the most prominent example of a wildlife-based TCM remedy that is sourced from generations of captive animals. Chinese law also permits the captive breeding of pangolins, tigers, musk deer, peacocks, cats, dogs, and rhinos.

Conservation leaders in China are continuously imploring policymakers to crack down on the captive breeding of wildlife, for TCM remedies and all other uses; captive breeding is indisputably driving the illegal poaching and trading of wild animals. The legal existence of the captive breeding industry makes it easier to pass off poached animal products for ones that have been legally harvested. A 2012 investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a conservation nonprofit organization, in China uncovered a common method among poachersinvolving the reuse and counterfeiting of legally-issued government permitsthat enables the trafficking of illegal animal products. The commercial sale of tiger parts, for example, is illegal in China, yet tiger breeding and the distribution of their skins and other body parts are exempt from prosecution if the parts are obtained under forestry administration permits, purportedly for educational purposes. This loophole, exploited since the mid-1980s, allows tigers to be continually trafficked into tiger farms, where they are forcibly bred and their parts harvested for profit. In a 2017 investigation, the EIA observed how tiger farms are thinly disguised as conservation-driven amusement parks; a few tigers in these parks perform for tourists while thousands are caged behind the scenes. Up to 6,000 tigers are currently held captive throughout China, while globally fewer than 4,000 tigers remain in the wildrepresenting a 96 percent population decrease since the start of the 20th century.

The TCM industry uses, usually ineffectively, many species of both trafficked and captive wildlife. Tigers genitals are used as an aphrodisiac, their teeth to treat fevers, and their brains to treat laziness; rhino horns are used as a treatment for fevers and convulsions; shark fins are used to help fight cancer and increase fertility. None of these remedies have been proven medically effective. According to TIME, the false idea that TCM ascribes extraordinary health benefits to rare animal parts has become a persistent misconception that is difficult to eradicate. Scientific evidence notwithstanding, TCM products derived from illegally-trafficked wild animals are perceived by some consumers as being more potent than those sourced from captive animals. Aron White, wildlife campaigner for the EIA, confirms that some TCM enthusiasts consider only products containing wild-raised animals to be the real deal.

In recent years, TCMs overall popularity has grown internationally and offerings from its various sects can now be found in more than 180 countries. Under the guise of TCM, wildlife traffickers are plucking many already vulnerable species from their habitats and leading them closer to extinction. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime identifies TCMs global growth as a primary cause of the recent large spike in wildlife trafficking. The TCM industry currently exploits 36 vulnerable speciesmany of which are not protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Florain various ways for their purported medicinal uses. The rising popularity of TCM is driving a proportional increase in demand for wildlife-based remedies.

Dr. Lixing Lao, President of the Virginia University of Integrative Medicine, and practitioners of reputable TCM state that wildlife traders do not necessarily believe in the supposed healing effects of wildlife-based TCM products; they simply exploit the TCM industrys popularity and push misinformation for their own profit. While the conservation community decries wildlife-derived TCM for its role in generating demand for endangered species, the medical community emphasizes these animal-based treatments lack of proven efficacies. Multiple Chinese nonprofit organizations recently proposed that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature assist with ending Chinese companies legal use of endangered species in TCM. Many TCM enthusiasts, both in China and worldwide, openly condemn wildlife-based remedies, which they feel tarnish the practices reputation. Some TCM practitioners, including Dr. Lao, believe that the wildlife industryboth legal and illegalhas infiltrated the TCM industry, thus exploiting and damaging the venerable traditions global image.

The ready availability of wildlife-based TCM is leading to an increase in misinformation regarding both its historic use in Chinese culture and its effectiveness. According to Dr. Lao, teachings dating back to the Tang dynasty state that TCM treatments should be derived solely from plants, not animals. Modern-day TCM practitioners continue to contradict these teachings by exploiting trafficked and captive wildlife for supposedly medicinal uses. Although the majority of TCM distributors have removed wild animal parts from their pharmacopeia in recent years, many vendors doing business in Asian countries and even online persist in selling remedies derived from animals.

Wildlife-based TCM may be in the minority of TCM remedies, but the NHCs recommendation of Tan Re Qing to treat COVID-19 is especially angering to animal activists, given that COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease. Zoonotic diseases are a classification of infectious scourges driven by exploiting animals and their habitats. The ongoing use of ineffective wildlife-based TCM treatments for a virus that was likely unleashed by wildlife exploitation and has escalated into a pandemic, aside from being deeply ironic, puts many human lives at risk while greatly exacerbating the mass species extinction event already underway. Strengthening the scientific link between the current pandemic and wildlife-based TCM, a 2020 microbiology study published by Chinese and German researchers deduces that the Rhinolophus ferrumequinum bat species used in some TCM treatments may be the very one that originally hosted the novel coronavirus before it crossed the species barrier. A TCM formula called Ye Ming Sha is sourced from these bats feces to treat eye conditions, while their dried body parts are consumed as a supposed detox remedy. Despite Chinas ban on the sale of live wild animals (including bats) at food markets, the loophole that allows the trading and handling of bats for TCM poses a serious risk for future zoonotic disease outbreaks.

The inclusion of Tan Re Qing in the NHCs medical compendium also raises questions about the agencys possible motive behind the poorly-timed endorsement. The Chinese government has a history of enforcing government policies that openly favor corporate profits over conservation. Chinas so-called Wildlife Protection Law, enacted in 1989, is a misnomer, as it classifies wild animals as a resource to be used for human benefit. Serving to further legitimize the commercial use of wildlife, the law was amended in 2016 to explicitly assert that animals can be used for TCM remedies. The China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), a nongovernmental organization operating under the framework of the China Science Association that is tasked with implementing conservation laws and policies, misleadingly promotes wildlife farming and captive breeding as animal protection under Chinas Wildlife Protection Law. The CWCA instituted the laws protection for human use clause, which declares that the state encourages breeding and farming of wildlife animals, thereby firmly establishing animals as a resource for human utilization. The willingness of the CWCA to promote wildlife productseven during a wildlife-linked viral pandemicis perhaps less surprising, given that several CWCA board members are executives of TCM companies that sell animal-based remedies. The continuation of Chinas policies that value profits over conservation further jeopardize the survival of endangered wildlife.

The World Health Organization (WHO) joins Chinese policymakers in refusing to unambiguously condemn wildlife-based TCM, despite its risks to global public health. The WHOs global medical compendium includes TCM but fails to specifically condemn the modalitys use of wild animal parts. Panthera, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to wild cat conservation, in 2019 released a statement expressing concern that the WHOs equivocation regarding TCM will be perceived by the global community as a stamp of approval from the United Nations on the overall practice [of TCM], which includes the use of remedies utilizing wild animal parts. The WHO has since stated that it does not condone the use of wildlife in TCM, but has not specifically excluded wildlife-based TCM from its medical compendium. Key conservation players including the EIA and the Wildlife Conservation Trust join Panthera in expressing fears that wildlife poaching and trafficking syndicates will interpret the WHOs ambiguity in their own favor. WHOs failure to unequivocally condemn wildlife-based TCM only makes it easier for wildlife profiteers to traffick animal parts under the guise of sanctioned medical usage.

While Chinas traditional herb-based medicines are popularizing TCM worldwide, wildlife traffickers are simultaneously exploiting the ancient systems popularity to expand their own market. Wildlife-derived TCM modalities should be vilified by all for their role in harming animals. Whether an animal-derived product is sourced from trafficking or captivity, the ecological impacts are similarly destructive. Though the sale of exotic wildlife in Chinese wet markets is now banned, the wildlife industry, both legal and otherwise, continues to exploit animals through the development and promotion of ineffective treatments for a wide range of medical conditions, including COVID-19 itself. In order to help with slowing the extinction rates of vulnerable wildlife, consumers everywhere must ostracize the wildlife industry and its hijacking of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and policymakers worldwide must explicitly condemn its morbid use of animal parts.

Read More

Has Earths Most Trafficked Mammal Stopped the World?

How to Prevent Future Pandemics: Fix the Broken Food System

Firsthand Look Inside Asias Busiest Wet Markets

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In China, Traditional Remedies for COVID-19 Are Fueling the Wildlife Trade - Sentient Media

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reference

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

This article originally appeared on Oncology Nurse Advisor

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Integrative Medicine Therapies Effectively Increase Quality of Life for Patients With Myeloproliferative Neoplasms - Cancer Therapy Advisor

RAKxa promises tailored wellness programmes that fuse science-led technology with holistic therapies and anti-inflammatory cuisine. Olivia Palamountain reports

Fully integrative wellness and medical retreat RAKxawill open this Decemberin Bangkok.

It will deliver tailored wellness programmes designed by certified medical doctors combining advanced medical treatments with holistic therapies.

The first of its kind in Thailand, RAKxa promises a fullytransformative experience through personalised three- to- fourteen dayprogrammes based on real results using cutting -edge technology.

The opening of RAKxa typifies the current appetite for Hyper Health and Extreme Wellness clinics, facilities and treatments, as reported in Globetrenders Future of Luxury Travel Forecast, now amplified more than ever before due to thecoronavirus pandemic.Situated on Bang Kachao, a protected island on the Chao Phraya Riverpopular with cyclists and nature lovers, the facility is surrounded bylush botanical gardens and comprises 40 Garden Villas, 20 Pool Villas and 2 Residences. The Pool Villas and Presidential Villas are expected in early 2021.A series of 10 different programmes are on offer, each focused on a different health goal. These include gut health, body/facial, and de-stressing solutions plus immunity boosting, 2020s hottest health trend.

Nightly rates for the Immunity Booster package start from US$2,000 per person with a minimum of a three-night stay.

Guests begin the RAKxa experience at home with a pre-arrival questionnaire to help the team establish long-term health goals and tailor the programme accordingly.

The medical side of things comes care of the VitalLife Scientific Wellness Clinic (a subsidiary company of the Bumrungrad International Hospital). It provides DNA tests, epigenetics, gut microbiome and inflammation analysis. The clinic will also offer light therapy, IV nutrient therapy, CryoSauna, infrared sauna and hormone replacement therapy. The VitalLife medical doctors will work alongside practitioners at RAKxas Holistic Wellness Centre RAKxa Jai. Holistic treatments span Traditional Thai Medicine (TTM), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurvedic treatments and energy healing practices.

Each day will be packed with acombination of these specialised holistic and scientific treatments along witha bespoke diet plan and activity schedule for optimum results.

Fitness training takes place in the Olympic-standard medical gym with hydrothermal spa facilities, while activities include dance classes, Tai Chi, Yoga, Muay Thai boxing and hiking.Fuelling the experience is cuisine from RAKxas two restaurants Unam and Ukhao eachguided by an anti-inflammatory philosophy and centred on local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients. Cooking classes and organic food lectures are also on the menu.

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RAKxa in Bangkok is a fully integrative medical wellness retreat - Globetrender

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When you hear the word "integrative," does it make you think of "woo-woo" pseudoscience?I'm here to tell you the reality is far from that. Integrative care simply means blending the best of modern, Western medicine with ancient and holistic practicesand I, like many experts, believe it's truly the future of health care.

It is a common misconception that integrative doctors don't believe in or follow science. I was trained in pediatrics at one of the top-rated Western pediatric residencies in America, and my partner trained in an Ivy League pediatric program.Science always guides our decisions.

Modern medicine is amazing and wonderful. We have cures for diseases that caused major suffering just a few years ago.If your child gets pneumonia, we have antibiotics that can heal them within days.If your child gets injured, there is technology like X-rays and MRIs that can show us exactly what is going on.This is nothing short of magic.

But unfortunately, in today's medical system, we focus our attention far more on treatment than on prevention or the root cause of disease. In many scenarios, we don't need to use a medication, but Western medicine is often quick to jump to a pill. That's because today's doctors (myself included) were taught all about pharmaceutical medicine, and it's often the only solution we know.

Integrative medicine doesn't reject pharmaceutical interventions but rather expands a practitioner's options to support the body.An integrative pediatrician may use supplements, tinctures, or ancient healing practices in place or alongside medications. The trick is in balancing those two worlds and recognizing when it would be unsafe to use a natural option in place of a medication.

Integrative pediatricians come in all shapes and sizes. Some are generalists who perform all regular pediatric functions with a natural spin.Others are more specialized and focus on specific conditions like autism, ADHD, cancer, behavior issues, Lyme disease, PANDAS/PANS, autoimmune conditions, gut health issues, and others.

Originally posted here:
I'm An Integrative Pediatrician & This Is What People Get Wrong About My Job - mindbodygreen.com

As COVID-19 surges across Minnesota and state hospitals near capacity, Sahan Journal checked in with a Minneapolis community health clinic to see how immigrant populations are coping.

Roli Dwiveldi is the chief clinic officer at Community-University Health Care Center in Minneapolis Ventura Village Neighborhood. A federally qualified health center, CUHCC specializes in serving patients who dont have health insurance.

Roughly 40 percent of CUHCCs patients are Black and East African, about 23 percent Latino, and the rest are white, Asian and indigenous.

Instead of contracting COVID-19 from going to the bars at night or informal gatherings, Dwiveldi said most of CUHCCs patients are contracting the virus from their living situation or workplace.

Many also dont have easy access to COVID-19 testing, which is why CUHCC has been going to their homes and neighborhoods periodically with mobile testing events.

We spoke with Dwiveldi about how the recent COVID-19 surge is affecting immigrant populations, what people can do to protect themselves, and what to expect in the coming months once a vaccine becomes available.

This conversation has been edited for clarity.

What has your COVID-19 patient volume looked like recently? Has it gone up as infections across the state have gone up?

Dr. Dwiveldi: Yes, definitely. The disparities are real, especially in our Latinx communities, our Black communities, and our indigenous and Native American populations.

The reason the disparities exist is because of the social determinants of health, which can be access to care, transportation, language barriers, and how a lot of folks are essential employees. To respond to these needs, we bring teams of folks to the communities to provide testing.

In the last couple of weeks theres been more demand for testing. Last week, in just three hours we had 40 patients show up for the testing.

Are patients who know theyre infected with the virus coming to the clinic to be treated?

We are trying to keep patients in their houses and provide the care that they need there. The main things that matter is if our patients have access to medication, to food, to supportive care. We serve a lot of patients who experience homelessness. So, having connections in the communities to provide housing so that they can quarantine themselves is key. In my mind, that is safer than getting medicine.

How many of your patients are experiencing mild and moderate symptoms versus serious symptoms?

Most of the patients are in the younger age group, up to age 35 or 40, and they are experiencing mild to moderate illness. Weve had some folks in their 70s or 80s who needed hospitalization to stabilize, and then they got discharged. The majority of folks are mild to moderate illnesses and can be managed at home.

What medications are you recommending for patients infected with COVID-19?

At CUHCC, one of our providers is very interested in integrative medicine. We have been recommending a lot of immune boosters like vitamin D, vitamin C, melatonin, black seed oil. If someone has a fever, then we recommend hydration and Tylenol. We had a patient with signs and symptoms of pneumonia. In that case, we will treat them with antibiotics and inhalers.

How long are symptoms in patients generally lasting?

It is unpredictable. There are acute symptoms and then there are chronic symptoms. Acute symptoms like a fever might resolve within two weeks; a cough might resolve in three weeks. But chronic symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, fogginessall those can take several weeks, or up to two or three months.

How are most of your patients getting infected? From the state level, were hearing the leading cause in recent weeks is people going out to restaurants and bars.

For us it is more like experiencing homelessness, living in crowded housing, being an essential employeethose are the factors which are mainly responsible for infection. Things like living in public housing, working in a crowded environment. People have a fear that if they dont go back to work they might lose their job.

There are some people who have not been able to follow recommendations like wearing a mask or keeping good hygiene because they dont have access to those things.

Because of the disparities, a lot of our patients also have uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled asthma, obesity, and heart problems. The bottom line is systemic inequities lead to comorbidities and put many of our patients at a higher risk of getting a severe COVID-19 illness.

What percentage of CUHCCs COVID-19 testing are coming back positive?

In the beginning we were around 25-26 percent. But since we launched mobile testing and started doing larger events, we are at 16 percent. I know this is way, way higher than the state or national average. (Editors note: Since the pandemic began in March, the overall number of peoples COVID-19 tests who came back positive across the state is 7 percent as of November 20. But positive rates across the state have increased sharply in recent weeks. Minnesotas most recent seven-day average was 15 percent.)

Are you advising the community to act any differently than a few months ago, given the recent surge of infections?

Religious gatherings are very common in the communities we serve. I have been asking people to not go to mosques, dont be engaged in any social or religious gatherings. Just pray at home. Also, I get a lot of questions from our patients like, Well, if I had it once, that means I had it and I cannot get it again. No, you can get it again, even if you had it once.

A lot of our community members are following masking guidance but are not using the masks correctly. So we have done a lot of education around using the masks correctly.

Come to the clinic only if it is needed. We can provide care by telehealth. Some patients dont want to come to the clinic at all because there is so much fear of, If I go to the clinic I will get the virus. While the other population, they will be coming to the clinic all the time because it is hard for them to do telehealth. Were trying to find the balance and making sure that we have adequate access for the people who need to come to the clinic to get the care, and also provide adequate care to the people at home. We have done a lot of work on telehealth education, setting up people on My Chart and engaging our interpreters to do education at mobile testing events.

Any other guidelines you want to tell people right now?

Stay home when you are sick; dont step outside at all. If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, quarantine. Take a lot of immune boosters. Stay healthy by eating healthy and also taking vitamin D and vitamin C, elderberry juiceall the immune boosters that can keep you safe.

Have you started talking to patients about the coming COVID-19 vaccine?

We have, and it is going to be a very long journey. It will be very hard to immunize the number of people to get the effectiveness where we want to be. There is so much fear and lack of trust around the vaccine. We will have to break so many barriers. I am working on a task force with community-based researchers, physicians from different health care systems, a lot of members from the Somali community, the Latinx community and Native American communities to build messaging around the vaccine. It will require a lot of work.

Have you come up with ways to earn community trust over the vaccine yet?

I had a meeting with an imam a few weeks ago, and we started talking about it. The best way will be engaging leaders that the community already trusts. I can say a hundred things and people might not understand or trust or believe me. But if a community leaderespecially a religious leader says something that the community can understand and process, it can go a long way.

We will be transparent with what the data is showing about the vaccine. Ultimately, our job is to be as honest as we can be to put the communities we serve in the drivers seat so they have the power to make the decision to get vaccinated.

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Access to medicine, food and supportive care: A clinic serving immigrant communities focuses on keys to getting people through the COVID-19 surge. -...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BoFs ANNUAL GATHERING FOR BIG THINKERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to schedule an appointment.

Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine said she expects masks will be necessary "well into" 2021. "Maybe until the end of 2021."

By Kara Seymour, Patch Staff

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

The new year is always a good time to 'reset' your life and implement new and improved health and fitness habits.

Maintaining new routines isnt easy, but here are four wellness retreats around the world that will help put the architecture in place that you need to live better.

Following the opening of Revivo in Bali in 2018, the brand will be launching a new wellness retreat in the Tarn region of France, in summer 2021.

Revivo Chteau de Fiac will take over a renovated castle on a three-hectare estate, and will feature 16 bedrooms, as well as a salt cave, a spa offering massages and hydrotherapy, bootcamp circuits, and the chance to eat freshly grown vegetables from the on-site garden.

Revivo is a proponent of teaching mind-body connectivity so always incorporates physical activity such as yoga with art classes and meditation, for example.

Also opening in spring/summer 2021, Qatars Zulal Wellness Resort will be the Middle Easts inaugural full-immersion wellness destination and the worlds first centre for traditional Arabic Islamic medicine.

Operated by wellness pioneer Chiva-Som, Zulal will have 120 rooms in a Family Wellness enclave, and 60 suites and villas in a separate zone for adults-only.

Just one hours drive away from Doha International airport, the extravagant hideaway will prescribe healing methods based on centuries of knowledge provided by Islamic medicinal historians and herbalists.

Situated in northern Goa, India, Kings Mansion will join Revivo and Zulal in making its debut in 2021.

Bringing together science and genomics with Ayurvedic medicine, the cutting-edge retreat will offer six wellbeing programmes, including areas such as:

Stays are a minimum of one week and both the Shodhana and Kshipra Shodhana detox programmes require a DNA test before arrival. These tests are to determine genetic pre-dispositions for certain health conditions, thereby allowing for highly personalised treatments.

Located on Lake Constance in southern Germany, Buchinger Wilhelmi is a hotel-clinic specialising in therapeutic fasting and integrative medicine.

In September it launched a new Immunity+ programme that is designed to boost wellbeing (with the specific aim of reducing the risk of getting Covid-19), and is bookable as a 110 add-on to its fasting packages.

After guests have been given a quick blood test on arrival to make sure they dont have Covid, they then get to relax in luxurious surroundings while embarking on a calorie-restricted regime (ten days costs 2,340 per person), which includes nurse checks, consultations with a doctor, daily activities, and a menu of freshly-made vegetable bouillon and pressed fruit juices.

Dr Francoise Wilhelmi de Toledo, scientific director at Buchinger Wilhelmi, explains, When you fast, all your digestive processes are in rest. Without needing the energy to digest, all stresses are diminished and you actually need less immunity.

"During this time, you change your microbiome. You stimulate the lungs, skin, kidneys, liver and the system itself triggers autophagy an extraordinary capacity of the body to eliminate damaged cellular structures. When you fast, you activate stem cells to rejuvenate immune cells.

Jenny Southan is editor and founder of travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender.

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Four life-changing wellness retreats from around the world - Euronews