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Editors note, April 9: This article is an opinion piece. Just like all opinion pieces, the opinions expressed within should be taken as such. It bears repeating that all personal medical decisions should be made with your primary care physician and not based on an opinion article.

By Mara Williams, ANP-BC

Orcas Island

Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, Ph.D., an internationally renowned physician, spoke at a virtual integrative medicine conference that I attended. He shared the latest information on COVID-19. He discussed pharmaceutical and integrative ways to treat the virus.

Seventy-five percent of those affected are male. Other risk factors are obesity, Diabetes and underlying respiratory disease. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) occurs in 30 percent of those who contract the virus. Incubation is 4-7 days, with a few cases at 12 days. A new antibody test is recently available that is more accurate. The virus can last on smooth, shiny surfaces for up to 72 hours. Soap and water work better than alcohol based sanitizers.

Symptoms are fever, followed by a dry, hacking cough, and fatigue.

To prevent catching the virus, wash your hands with soap and water frequently. Avoid touching your face. Avoid close contact. Wear a mask in public.

If you have high blood pressure and are taking an ACE Inhibitors like Lisinopril, ask your provider to switch you to an ARB Inhibitor, like Losartan. The ACE Inhibitors allow the virus to move into the lungs. Do not take non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, (aspirin, ibuprofen, Advil, naproxen) as they will allow the virus to get into the lungs. Do not take extra selenium besides what is found in a multivitamin/mineral as it speeds entry into the lungs. Finally, colloidal silver is not as effective as it usually is with viral illnesses.

Fortunately, the FDA has approved Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) and Azithromycin for use with COVID-19. It has been shown to be 100 percent effective. Another medication used as an anti-parasite drug also works. It is called Alinia.

For those that prefer an integrative approach, Andrographis and Vitamin C, in combination, are as effective as the two medications above. Dr. Klinghardt recommends using a tincture and a dose of two dropperfuls of Andrographis four times daily with Vitamin C at 2000 mg each time.

Also, it is important to use Liposomal Vitamin C as it is equal to the Intravenous route. Thus, 1000 mg liposomal C is equal to 1000 mg IV C. The amount of Vitamin C to take is based upon your weight. So, take 100-200 mg C/kg/body weight (a KG = 2.2 lb.). Quercetin is a strong anti-inflammatory that is helpful as well. Nettle is full of Quercetin, so in the islands, it is young, fresh and potent now. Propolis tincture to swish and swallow is helpful multiple times a day.

To prevent getting this flu virus, take a minimum of 2000 mg of Vitamin C daily with food. Add 5000-10000 IU Vitamin D3 daily with food. Vitamin D3 is excellent for the immune system. Optimum levels are between 60-80.

Editors note: Hydroxychloroquine, a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for malaria, has not been medically proven to cure or prevent COVID-19.

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An update on COVID-19 from an Orcas Island nurse practitioner | Guest... - Journal of the San Juan Islands

Limiting in-person contact with others is currently the best way to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Social distancing, also known as physical distancing, should be practiced by everyoneeven those who are seemingly healthy. According to the CDC guidelines, social distancing means "keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home."

Specifically, they recommend staying a minimum of 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowded places, and not gathering in large or small groups. "When COVID-19 is spreading in your area, everyone should limit close contact with individuals outside your household in indoor and outdoor spaces," the CDC writes. "Avoid large and small gatherings in private places and public spaces, such as a friend's house, parks, restaurants, shops, or any other place."

Only going back and forth between your apartment and one other person's apartment to spend one-on-one time together may or may not count as a group gathering. But it does involve coming into close proximity or contact with someone outside your home.

"If people want to see their partner regularly, it would probably be more beneficial not to commute back and forth," integrative medicine doctor Amy Shah, M.D., tells us. Instead, you can temporarily move in together, or choose to stay apart and connect virtually for the time being.

If the people in both households are practicing thorough hand hygiene, wearing masks in public, and are able to travel both ways without breaking social distancing guidelines, it might be OK to go back and forth. The risks of doing so are just higher than if you were to shelter in one place, especially if either of you has roommates.

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Is It OK To Visit Someone's House If You're Both Social Distancing? - mindbodygreen.com

Dr. Erika Schwartz is an internationally known pioneer in the field of preventative health care that focuses on preventing disease by addressing lifestyles, whole body and mind treatments. She was one of the first doctors in the US to treat patients with bio-identical hormones, conduct biomarker testing, and to administer preventative IVs. She is a graduate of NYU and received her MD from SUNY-Downstate College of Medicine Cum Laude. She is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and the author of six books. We discuss her journey from medical school to forming her own integrative approach to healthcare that seeks to prevent disease by taking a holistic and long-term understanding of each patient. (Our conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.)

What made you shift from a conventional medicine to a preventative, integrative approach?

The traditional route just wasnt working for me. I have always thought of myself as a healer. I come from a family full of doctors and was exposed to conventional medicine from very early on. From the age of five I wanted to be a doctor. In my mind, I thought becoming one was the ultimate access to becoming a healer. It would provide the credentials and scientific training to heal people. I was wrong. Conventional medicine does not have the tools necessary to heal. Conventional medicine waits for something to go bad, it is there to diagnose, label and treat disease. It is reactive rather than preventative.

Where did you start your journey?

My first job at the age of twenty eight was working as a trauma surgeon. When people are really sick and they are brought to a trauma centre, their lives are usually saved. But I also noticed that sometimes people survived when they shouldnt have and there were other times when people died when they shouldnt have. It occured to me that we didnt have the decision making powers that we thought we had to save lives. I moved from emergency trauma care to my own private practice because I wanted an ongoing relationship with my patients. I realised very quickly that I was wasting mine and my patients time by always looking for something wrong that I could diagnose and then kickstart the process of referring them to specialists. It dawned on me that there was this huge amount of time that was being wasted when you were waiting for something to go wrong. I never asked a patient for example, although everything is normal with your medical tests, I can see that you are clearly still fatigued and facing issues so let us talk about your family life, about the stressors in your life, your thoughts, sleep and eating habits. I started thinking about what I c

What was the perception from others when you started this alternative medicine route?

There wasnt much in the field and a lot of alternative medicine was quackery. Yoga and meditation were considered Eastern things, out there. Supplements were considered harmful because they treated everything and at medical school, we are taught that every drug treats something specific. This is not true. We just call it side effects in medicines. So it took me a while to unlearn these views and form my own opinion of how to effectively heal patients.

What led you to question the current healthcare system and adopt your own, unique approach to treating patients?

Conventional medicine is centred around public health, which has made a lot of incredible achievements such as eradicating smallpox. But its also done a lot of harm such as creating a world that is dependent on the outcomes of public health, when in fact we are all individuals with our own unique makeup and dont all necessarily fit into the same, unilateral approach. When you look at treating disease from a public health perspective, you are looking at numbers and the whole population at large. Youre not looking at the individual level, at patients. We become unimportant because we are only seen in the millions. I want to bring this down to the individual level, to empower people to take control of their health and remove the fear that is created by health officials. There is this prevailing notion that doctors know whats best for you. Its not doctors, its you. Its your body and only you can know what feels right for yourself. The role of a doctor should be to teach their patients to listen to their bodies.

Can you describe your current approach to treating patients?

After running a trauma centre and observing sick people, it dawned on me that doctors dont have to wait for people to suffer from disease. I thought we should figure out ways to help people prevent disease from occurring. I stumbled upon hormones because no one was looking at them. Hormones explain how we fit together and how the body is governed. I realised you need a complete approach, looking at diet, stress, mindfulness and all the psychological aspects of the patient. You need to understand the entire patient and their environment to know what is making them feel suboptimal. It takes decades from the point of feeling suboptimal to getting sick and it is possible to prevent something from going wrong by starting to detect the symptoms early on.

When someone comes in, the first thing I ask is how they are really feeling. It is a physiological response as when a patient knows that a doctor cares about you and is listening to you, you are more likely to heal. It gives me an instant, deep connection to the patient. They need to think about how they are feeling so they have to become mindful of themselves, separate from the doctor. Its in their hands to tell the doctor about their health and wellbeing and the doctors role to listen. The doctor serves the patient.

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The Importance of Medically Treating Both the Body and the Mind - Thrive Global

As China appears to emerge from the worst of its coronavirus outbreak, government officials are encouraging the use of traditional medicine for treatment and prevention a practice experts warned could give the public a false sense of security amid the pandemic.

Chinas National Health Commission reported last month that of the more than 80,000 people infected with COVID-19 since the outbreak began in December, 90 percent took some form of traditional Chinese medicine to treat their symptoms.

According to Yu Yanhong, secretary of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, speaking at a March 23 press conference in Wuhan, traditional remedies have alleviated symptoms, reduced the severity of the virus, improved recovery rates and reduced mortality rate.

But herbal remedies which China is exporting as part of its efforts to combat the coronavirus around the world pose both direct and indirect risks to patients, Dr. Edzard Ernst, a professor emeritus of complementary medicine at the United Kingdoms University of Exeter, said in an email.

"TCM mixtures can be toxic, contaminated or adulterated with prescription drugs; they can also interact with prescription drugs," Ernst said. It can also give patients a false sense of security, leading them to neglect proven medications or therapies.

Traditional Chinese medicine has been around for more than 3,000 years and includes a variety of diagnostic approaches, such as the physical examination of a patients pulse and tongue, and a range of treatments, including ingesting herbs such as ginseng, and acupuncture.

It accounts for up to half of all medicines consumed in China, according to the World Health Organization. More than 7,000 herbal drugs available through pharmacies are regulated by the National Medical Products Administration.

"It is a legal health system in China which is parallel with Western medicine, and of course, there is also integration between traditional medicine and Western medicine," Dr. Jianping Liu, professor of clinical epidemiology at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, told NBC News.

"It's a holistic approach."

The main herbal formulas recommended for treatment of COVID-19 are jinhua qinggan capsules, lianhua qingwen capsules and shufeng jiedu capsules, according to Liu.

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These remedies consist of a combination of dozens of herbs and a clear breakdown isnt widely available, Liu said.

The lack of detail about the remedies contributes to doubts over their efficacy, Dan Larhammar, a molecular cell biologist and president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, said in a phone interview.

We need to know which specific product is claimed to work and what is the evidence, he said, before going on to cite the importance of understanding different variations of penicillin.

Recent reports in the Japanese journal BioScience Trends and the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine support the various COVID-19 traditional treatments, but Larhammar said these studies and others like them lack scientific rigor not having adequate sample sizes, using vague terms and nonpharmacological concepts or testing too many combinations of herbs to parse out their specific effects.

They are like parodies. Nobody can take this seriously, he said in an email.

Yet, traditional Chinese medicine is being championed not only in China, but also overseas.

Since the rate of cases and deaths in Hubei province began to plateau, the Chinese government has offered aid to other countries overwhelmed by the spread help that according to the state media ranges from test kits to traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and products.

The country sent 100,000 boxes of a remedy called lianhuaqingwen to Italy this month, according to the Chinese broadcaster CGTN. A 12-member team of physicians also sent to support the outbreak in Milan included two traditional Chinese medicine specialists, the Global Times state newspaper reported.

In the United Kingdom, growing numbers of patients of traditional Chinese medicine have been asking for remedies to prevent and treat COVID-19 since the outbreak began in December, said Qikan Yin, general manager of the Institute of Chinese Medicine in London.

Although closed due to the ongoing U.K. lockdown, Yin said practitioners were still doing remote consultations and prescribing appropriate remedies to patients, including one London-based couple in their 50s who were confirmed to have the virus.

Addressing doubts surrounding the treatments, Yin said, The argument is always there, not only for this disease.

Clinical trials are very difficult to show the actual benefit of traditional herbs, not just Chinese but also traditional Western herbs, he said.

It would be fine if the method reduced the symptoms a little bit, and more the better, of course, but if that makes the person take more risks, then we are in deep trouble, Larhammar of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said.

People with the virus may prematurely resume interacting with others thinking theyre no longer infectious by taking traditional Chinese medicine, he explained. Others may take it thinking it prevents them from getting the disease, putting themselves and others at risk.

Until there is more evidence to suggest any effectiveness of such traditional Chinese medicine, it should be treated as a nonissue, Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at the SOAS University of London, said.

Its causing distraction from questions that could be embarrassing for the Chinese government, he explained of the political posturing.

Chinas alleged mishandling of the first few cases of human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus should be the focus of attention, he said, whether that involves asking whether China could have shared its data earlier, and the quantity and quality of supplies it's now exporting to other countries hit by the disease.

Instead, against the backdrop of President Donald Trumps comments referring to COVID-19 as a Chinese virus, the Chinese Communist Party can champion traditional medicine while dismissing its critics as being racist and play favorably to peoples emotions, Tsang said.

You love the party because the party is the one that defends your traditional medicine, your national honor, your heritage, he said.

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China is encouraging herbal remedies to treat COVID-19. But scientists warn against it. - NBC News

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The Centers for Disease Control has already started coronavirus antibody testing, which determines whether someone has had the virus in the past, to piece together a picture of how many Americans may have already been infected.

Scaling up antibody testing is critical to re-opening the economy, said Dr. Tania Dempsey of Armonk Integrative Medicine, who practices in hard-hit Westchester County, New York.

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"It is becoming more evident that there is a significant portion of the population who were exposed to COVID-19 but remain asymptomatic. These patients remain in isolation concerned about their exposure to this dangerous virus when, in fact, these patients have antibodies indicating they have already had the infection and have immunity to it now," Dempsey told FOX Business."These are the people who could go back to the workforce without the fear of getting infected. This is would be a tremendous improvement over our current situation and would really help keep some or even most industries in business."

The testing involvesdrawing blood from undiagnosed people of all age groupsin a community, STAT News reported. But getting Americans access to such testing, also known as serological testing because it measures antibodies in the blood,could prove difficult. So far, the FDA has only authorized one serological test for clinical laboratories under an Emergency Use Authorization, but FDA officials said more than 70 test developers havetests available.

New York, the state that has reported the most deaths from coronavirus, is working with FDA for approval of a serological test, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

"How do you start the economy back up? "How do you start getting back to work as quickly as possible?" Cuomo asked."It's going to come down to testing. You're going to have to know who had the virus, who resolved the virus, who never had it and that's going to be testing. And that is an entirely new field that we're just developing now."

FDA officialssaidthe tests "may potentially be used to help determine, together with other clinical data, that such individuals are no longer susceptible to infection and can return to work."

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Scaling up serological testing throughout the United Stateswill take the cooperation of scientists, doctors and the business world, Dempsey said. Health insurance companies may need to cover some of the tests, too.

"In addition, doctors will need to interpret the tests and help patients understand whether it is safe for them to re-enter the workforce," she said.

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Is the coronavirus antibody test key to reopening the economy? - Yahoo Finance

In the fall of 2019, my hospital put out word that it was looking for physicians who might wish to undergo intensive training to become certified health and wellness coaches. Having worked with patients who have used health coaching, I jumped at the chance. Their experiences were almost universally positive: many of them had attained health goals that had been otherwise elusive, such as the weight loss they invoked annually and fruitlessly as a New Years resolution. The few physicians I knew who were also coaches seemed to be able to fuse the different skill sets in a way that expanded their ability to connect with their patients and address their health needs on a deeper level.

Just as a sports coach can help an athlete develop and excel at a sport, a health and wellness coach can help anyone excel at living their life, even or especially if they have chronic medical conditions. The coaching process is similar to talk therapy in that it involves two people discussing ideas and issues, but it is different in that the person who is being coached is in the drivers seat, creating their goals as well as the strategies on how to arrive at these goals.

People tend to hire health coaches to help them with a broad variety of health issues, such as weight loss, stress reduction, the management of chronic conditions, improving diet and exercise, tobacco cessation, addiction, and adjusting to a life-altering health event, like a heart attack. There is overlap between what a health coach does and what a life coach does, but a life coachs domain is much broader, and includes career issues, executive coaching, and professional effectiveness.

A key technique utilized by coaches is motivational interviewing, in which a coach asks open-ended questions intended to help their client elicit his or her own reasons for change. Instead of the doctor saying, You need to lose weight, a coach might ask, How might your life be different if you lost the weight that youve been trying to lose? The concept, which has been proven effective in many research studies, is that people who are changing for their own reasons, on their own terms, are far more likely to succeed when compared with someone telling them what to do which is less motivating and is more likely to instill resistance to change.

Motivational interviewing has been creeping into the medical profession as well, with great success. With the intensive focus on it I received in my coaching training, I now put it in the forefront in my interactions with patients, trying to really hear what they are saying and to engage them as much as possible in coming up with solutions for the various health issues that arise. Patients seem to genuinely appreciate this, and while I havent conducted a study, this approach certainly seems successful in terms of both my relationships with patients and the results I am seeing.

Whereas traditional psychology has focused on what is wrong with people and what needs to be fixed, coaching philosophy focuses on what has, can, and will work better for you. This means that instead of rooting around for problems to dwell on, a coach will work with you to harness your strengths, in order to improve the health behaviors you want to address.

Coaching is effective for people managing a variety of health conditions. According to a recent study, coaching results in clinically relevant improvements in multiple biomarker risk factors (including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and cardiorespiratory fitness) in diverse populations. Coaching has also helped improve health-related quality of life and reduced hospital admissions in patients with COPD. No wonder some doctors offices are offering it, some insurance companies are paying for it, and private companies are even starting to offer coaching to their employees in order to lower their healthcare costs.

Coaching is a relatively new field, and it is an unregulated industry, so you do not need any certification to practice as a health coach. There is no strict definition of what a health coach even is, which adds to the confusion. In other words, anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves a coach. However, there are many programs that do train and certify coaches, both in person and online. Among the most popular and well-respected are: The National Society of Health Coaches, The American Council on Exercise, Dr. Sears Wellness Institute, Duke Integrative Medicine, and Wellcoaches School of Coaching (which is where I was trained). It is strongly recommended that you choose a certified coach, to ensure that they have a certain level of training and experience.

The time commitment and cost of coaching are highly variable. Some people do very brief coaching even one session for a discrete problem, such as whether or not to accept a job offer, whereas others may participate in coaching for months or years, for something like managing weight, diabetes, depression, or hypertension. The cost varies with the skill and experience of the coach. As mentioned previously, some employers and medical plans may cover this, as there is abundant evidence that, for example, health coaching around issues such as weight loss can significantly lower healthcare costs. It is important to note that coaches take privacy very seriously, and they have a professional code of ethics, but there are not the same HIPAA-level privacy protections as there are when you visit a medical office.

Coaching appears to be as effective when administered remotely by phone or the Internet when compared with face-to-face coaching. This provides great flexibility, as coaching can be performed in person, over the phone, or via videoconferencing.

Coaches resumes will often be available for you to review, so see if their interests and experience overlap with the issues you wish to address. Coaches enter the field from a wide variety of different backgrounds, and it might be an advantage to pick a coach who has a background in a health or wellness-related field, though many extremely talented coaches come from careers in different realms. Word of mouth is always an excellent way to find a coach, or you could call your insurance company and, if this is an offered benefit, its likely that they have coaches they can recommend.

Unlike health fads that come and go, health coaching has strong evidence behind it backing its effectiveness for improving health and well-being. Becoming a health coach has been deeply rewarding to me, because it is rare in life that you get to promote happiness, build resiliency, save people money, and help people live longer and more fulfilling lives at the same time.

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Health coaching is effective. Should you try it? - Harvard Health Blog - Harvard Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is telling everyone to wear a cloth face covering while out in public while maintaining proper social distancing from other people to help limit the spread of coronavirus. A lot of people have asked questions about what works best for covering their face.Dr. Eudene Harry of Emergency and Integrative Medicine says masks should not give you a false sense of security."We have to understand that surfaces are still contaminated," Dr. Harry said. "If we touch those surfaces and then touch our face and fiddle with the mask, we could rub our eyes. We could potentially still be introducing that virus."Harry says masks should be four layers thick and tightly woven. She also says you may need more than one, depending on what you are doing and where you are going, especially if you are going to more than one place."Assume when you've gone out and come in, assume it's contaminated," said Harry. "I would really suggest washing that mask. Here is what I would recommend: is having two so you can kind of wash one and then use the other."The CDC has instructions on how to make your own face covering and more tips on proper use. You can find them by clicking here.Several stores, like Ocean State Job Lot and JoAnn Fabrics, are offering free material and kits to make your own face covering.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is telling everyone to wear a cloth face covering while out in public while maintaining proper social distancing from other people to help limit the spread of coronavirus. A lot of people have asked questions about what works best for covering their face.

Dr. Eudene Harry of Emergency and Integrative Medicine says masks should not give you a false sense of security.

"We have to understand that surfaces are still contaminated," Dr. Harry said. "If we touch those surfaces and then touch our face and fiddle with the mask, we could rub our eyes. We could potentially still be introducing that virus."

Harry says masks should be four layers thick and tightly woven. She also says you may need more than one, depending on what you are doing and where you are going, especially if you are going to more than one place.

"Assume when you've gone out and come in, assume it's contaminated," said Harry. "I would really suggest washing that mask. Here is what I would recommend: is having two so you can kind of wash one and then use the other."

The CDC has instructions on how to make your own face covering and more tips on proper use. You can find them by clicking here.

Several stores, like Ocean State Job Lot and JoAnn Fabrics, are offering free material and kits to make your own face covering.

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Covering your face: what you need to know - WMTW Portland

4 fossilized ape teeth uncovered deep in the Peruvian Amazon.com give brand-new proof that more than one team of old primates travelled across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa, according to brand-new USC research just published in the journal Scientific research.

The teeth are from a freshly discovered types belonging to an extinct family of African primates called parapithecids. Fossils uncovered at the same website in Peru had earlier offered the first proof that South American apes developed from African primates.

The monkeys are believed to have actually made the greater than 900-mile trip on floating boatings of plant life that broke off from coasts, possibly during a tornado.

This is an entirely distinct exploration, stated Erik Seiffert, the researchs lead author and Professor of Medical Integrative Anatomical Sciences at Keck Institution of Medicine of USC. It shows that in addition to the New Globe apes as well as a group of rodents called caviomorphs there is this third lineage of mammals that somehow made this extremely unlikely transatlantic trip to get from Africa to South America.

Researchers have actually named the extinct monkey Ucayalipithecus perdita. The name comes from Ucayali, the location of the Peruvian Amazon.com where the teeth were discovered, pithikos, the Greek word for monkey as well as perdita, the Latin word for shed.

Ucayalipithecus perdita would have been extremely little, comparable in dimension to a modern-day marmoset.

Scientists think the site in Ucayali where the teeth were found is from a geological epoch called the Oligocene, which prolonged from about 34 million to 23 million years back.

It would have been extremely difficult, though very small animals the size of Ucayalipithecus would be at an advantage over larger mammals in such a situation, because they would have needed less of the food and water that their raft of vegetation could have provided, said lead author Erik Seiffert, a professor of clinical integrative anatomical sciences at Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. The study published Thursday in the journal Science. This is presumably why most of these overwater dispersal events that we know of in the fossil record involve very small animals, Seiffert said.

Based on the age of the site and the distance of Ucayalipithecus to its fossil relatives from Egypt, scientists approximate the movement might have happened around 34 million years earlier.

Taking a trip from the Santa Rosa fossil site to Breu, Per, by canoe. Credit History: Erik Seiffert

Were suggesting that this team may have made it over to South America right around what we call the Eocene-Oligocene Border, a time period in between two geological dates, when the Antarctic ice sheet started to accumulate and also the sea level fell, stated Seiffert. That may have played a role in making it a bit easier for these primates to in fact make clear the Atlantic Ocean.

2 of the Ucayalipithecus perdita teeth were recognized by Argentinean co-authors of the study in 2015 showing that New Globe monkeys had African forebears. When Seiffert was asked to assist define these samplings in 2016, he noticed the similarity of both broken top molars to an extinct 32 million-year-old parapithecid monkey varieties from Egypt he had researched formerly.

An expedition to the Peruvian fossil site in 2016 brought about the discovery of two even more teeth coming from this new species. The resemblance of these added lower teeth to those of the Egyptian monkey teeth verified to Seiffert that Ucayalipithecus was descended from African forefathers

The important things that strikes me concerning this research more than any other I have actually been involved in is just exactly how unlikely all of it is, said Seiffert. The fact that its this remote website in the middle of nowhere, that the possibilities of discovering these pieces is exceptionally small, to the fact that were revealing this extremely improbable journey that was made by these early apes, its all fairly amazing.

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Ancient teeth from Peru suggest monkeys rafted across Atlantic from Africa - The TeCake

By Natalie Andersonnatalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY As physical health has been on the forefront of peoples minds during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and local health professionals emphasize that managing mental health is just as important, too.

Furthermore, even people who have never experienced anxiety may not realize theyre experiencing anxiety right now, said Alyssa Smith, who serves as the community health manager for the Rowan County Health Department.

Smith said some indications that someone is experiencing anxiety can include fatigue, irritability and just sad days. And some triggers of anxiety can include increased exposure to news, social media and concern for loved ones who have underlying health conditions like asthma and COPD.

Life is not going on as normal, she said. Were social creatures.

Dr. Russ Greenfield, who serves as Novant Healths integrative medicine director, said other symptoms of anxiety can stem from the sense of being on edge without being able to point to a source for it, the inability to sit still, a change in appetite and sleep issues.

Smith said its important to remember that responses to trauma are individual and based on each persons experiences. Therefore, emotions may not manifest the same for every person.

Greenfield said some people manifest their emotions physically by upset stomachs or headaches that arent usual.

And stress can affect immune systems, both Smith and Greenfield said.

We crave control, Greenfield said. And when we dont have that sense of control, the only thing we can do is take control of what we can and make peace with what we cant.

Greenfield added that when people are under stress, they reach for comfort food like snacks and sweets. But its important to eat healthy because heavily processed foods can contribute to inflammation and mood disorder.

And Smith said bodies can build resilience when people practice mindfulness.

While everyone is vulnerable to mental health issues during this time, people with a prior history of mental health concerns and health care workers are particularly at risk of heightened stress and anxiety.

The CDC notes on the Daily Life and Coping section of its website that people with pre-existing mental health conditions should continue taking their medication and treatment while monitoring any new or worsening symptoms.

Greenfield said hes seen more health care workers reaching out for mental health resources amidst the pandemic, adding that its frustrating for them to see whats happening globally without being able to help like theyre trained to do.

But fortunately, Novant Health is making a big effort to acknowledge and recognize the stress and sacrifice being taken on by its health care workers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Novant provides services on the daily, including employee assistance programs, chaplain services and exercise activities that allow workers to take a pause and take care of themselves.

Those who give, and give, and give, and give, can end up running on empty, he said.

Some of those services include videos of meditation techniques and breathing exercises, as well as interaction with the chaplaincy to help manage loss and answering the call to serve in the health care field from the perspective of meaning and purpose, Greenfield said.

Both Smith and Greenfield suggest being kinder to ourselves and each other by taking time to disconnect from the constant news flood, and connect socially with family, friends and support systems.

The CDC also recommends avoiding drugs and alcohol, as well as sharing the facts about COVID-19 to understand the actual risk to yourself and loved ones in an effort to reduce stress.

The WHO suggests seeking information updates at specific times during the day, once or twice as the sudden and near-constant stream of news reports about an outbreak can cause people to feel worried. Additionally, avoid misinformation as the actual facts can help to minimize fears.

Additionally, the WHO recommends finding opportunities to amplify positive and hopeful stories and positive images of local people who have experienced COVID-19.

And for parents, the CDC recommends monitoring children for symptoms of excessive crying or irritation, poor school performance, difficulty concentrating or avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past.

Greenfield added that theres a difference between social distancing and social isolation. Even social distancing, he said, can allow for time outside to enjoy the sunshine or the stars at night. And listening to music or reading books can provide solace for people during this time. Additionally, some meditation apps that usually charge are free and could serve as an additional resource, he said.

Health is wealth, Greenfield said, adding that never before have people been paying more attention to taking care of their health.

Andif there is a silver lining to be had in this, he said, its that health professionals across the globe are confident that eight out of 10 people who come down with the virus are going to be fine. The problem with the other 20%, however, is that its still unknown which two out every 10 people are going to be the most impacted, adding that many precautions are being taken right now for that reason.

Understand this is hard, but we will get through it, Smith said. And well get through it by leaning on each other.

Greenfield added that healing takes place in community.

Individuals who need additional resources for managing mental health issues can visit the CDC website, the WHO website, contact the county health department or contact Novant Health.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.

Excerpt from:
'Health is wealth': Professionals urge people to take care of mental health during COVID-19 pandemic - Salisbury Post - Salisbury Post

Webinar is part of Clarion Events Food and Beverage Groups free resources to help restaurant and foodservice community stay connected within this rapidly changing environment

(RestaurantNews.com) Members of the restaurant and foodservice community are among the groups that are most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In these anxious times, its more important than ever to take care of our physical and emotional health. Dr/Chef Rob Graham,Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officerof FRESH Medicine and Peggy Neu, President of The Monday Campaigns, will share advice for staying healthy and managing stress during these challenging times.

Dr/Chef Graham and Ms. Neu will hold a webinar about how to stay healthy and calm during these anxious times.

When: Monday, April 13, 1:00 PM 2:00 PM EDT

Register for free:

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5701723560459738893

About the Experts:

Dr. Graham is a Harvard-trained physician, Board Certified in Internal and Integrative Medicine with a Masters in Public Health, and Chef. In 2018, he obtained his culinary degree from the Natural Gourmet Institute. As one of few doctor/chefs in the world, he brings a unique perspective on the role of food in disease treatment and prevention. He founded FRESH Medicine with his wife Julie Graham, which promotes the FRESH Five Food, Relaxation, Exercise, Sleep and Happiness as the key ingredients for a healthy body and mind.

Ms. Neu has a background in marketing and public health promotion and, in her role leading the Meatless Monday campaign, has worked extensively with restaurants and foodservice companies. She also promotes broader health and wellness programs through The Monday Campaigns, which encourages people to use Monday as the day for a fresh start and to take simple steps to move more, reduce stress and eat healthier. Ms. Neu is also a long-time meditation and yoga practitioner and serves on the board of the Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science.

Contacts:

Amy RiemerCommunications Director for Clarionamy@riemercommunications.com978-502-4895

Cherry DumaualPR & Partnerships DirectorThe Monday Campaignscdumaual@mondaycampaigns.org917-838-7269

See the rest here:
Hungry for a Fresh Start to Stay Healthy and Calm in Anxious Times? Experts Share Insights in Webinar Series - RestaurantNews.com

By Wesleyan University Staff

Erika Taylor, associate professor of chemistry at Wesleyan University, is among the Top 35 Women in Higher Education in the March 20 issue of Diverse.

Erika Taylor, associate professor of chemistry at Wesleyan University, is among the Top 35 Women in Higher Education in the March 20 issue of Diverse.

Photo: Hearst Connecticut Media File Photo

Erika Taylor, associate professor of chemistry at Wesleyan University, is among the Top 35 Women in Higher Education in the March 20 issue of Diverse.

Erika Taylor, associate professor of chemistry at Wesleyan University, is among the Top 35 Women in Higher Education in the March 20 issue of Diverse.

Wesleyan chemistry teacher among Top 35 Women in Higher Education

MIDDLETOWN Erika Taylor, associate professor of chemistry at Wesleyan University, is honored among the Top 35 Women in Higher Education in the March 20 issue of Diverse Education.

Taylor joined the faculty in 2007 and teaches courses in the areas of organic chemistry, biochemistry, environmental chemistry, and bio-medicinal chemistry, among others.

Shes also associate professor, environmental studies, and associate professor, integrative sciences, and takes a multidisciplinary approach to investigating problems at the biological chemistry interface.

Diverse acknowledged Taylor for striv(ing) to find ways to exploit enzymes found in nature to perform reactions that can help advance the fields of chemistry and medicine. Her research group has included over 75 students to date, spanning high schoolers to PhD students, with women and other underrepresented students comprising more than three-quarters of her lab members.

Taylor also serves as the faculty director of Wesleyans Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Program, which assists students from underrepresented groups in preparing for, entering, and progressing successfully through post-graduate education.

Diverse cited her for being a passionate advocate for diversity and lending time and energy to provide opportunities in science for female, minority, and low-income students.

In 2018, Taylor received Wesleyans prestigious Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching for her dedication to supporting the academic and personal development of all of her students.

Beyond Wesleyan, she founded and continues to run a Girls in Science camp for elementary through middle school-aged girls, which highlights the diversity of women in science.

Taylor holds a bachelors degree in chemistry with honors from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, a PhD in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and was a postdoctoral research associate at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

See more here:
Wesleyan chemistry teacher among Top 35 Women in Higher Education - Middletown Press

Joint venture between Universal Health and Knightsbridge Group

In a joint venture to be announced later today Universal Health and Knightsbridge Group will launch a New Biotech, the 1st product, an Immune System Booster program is already on sale in Australia.

https://www.unihealthco.com/

Coronavirus has forced changes on all levels of society, and shown how being able to ship goods and people around the world in 24 hours helps viruses spread.

The creation and maintenance of a healthy individual and a healthy environment has become increasingly important in the modern world.

Unihealth are researching and developing products and services with a focus on Anti-Viral individual patient care as well as technologies that provide healthier indoor environments.

When you look back into the history of humanity, our whole approach to emerging viral threats has been to wait and react, we are taking a proactive approach in working on technologies that reduce the ability of a Virus to survive in the environments we interact with and there ability to spread outside the body.

For the individual not only are we researching treatments but we also have a range of products designed to keep people in optimum health and reduce their susceptibility to Viral infections.

Unihealth is an Integrative Biotech Joint Venture between Universal Health and the Knightsbridge Group.

The 30 day supply of Immune Boost Supplements will assist and enhance your general immunity.

This will optimize your Immune System function.

Supplements Enclosed

C-Max 1 level teaspoon twice daily Vitamin C supports the immune system by aiding white blood cells activity and antibody response.

BicoZn 1 capsule twice daily Zinc is an immune supportive antioxidant and assists in reducing free radical damage in the body.

Lactoferrin Enhanced 1 capsule twice daily Glycoprotein with an antimicrobial and anti-viral influence safeguarding against a range of pathogens.

BioTress 1 capsule twice daily Vitamin B Complex supports the bodys immune and nervous system whilst enhancing energy levels.

1. Eat Well & Re-hydrate Give your body the essential materials it needs by eating well and consuming plenty of water.

2. Kick the Habit Moderate your alcohol in- take, quit smoking and other recreational drugs and maintain a healthy weight.

3. Sleep A restful nights sleep gives your body the opportunity to rejuvenate.

4. Emotional Stress Try to embrace each day and minimise the emotional impacts by learning to forgive and forget.

5. Embrace the Spiritual Take comfort in your higher power. Have faith, healing can take time.

6. Exercise Regularly Moderate exercise such as walking and gentle stretching will enhance the healing process and reduce the impact of stress.

7. Seek Advice Understanding your health issues and following our recommendations will enable us to work together in creating lasting improvements to your health and well being.

EAT ALKALINE FOODS

Lots of vegetables Pluses, Beans & Lentils Fruit

2 pieces a day Seafood Poultry

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Eggs Brown & Wild Rice Amaranth Oats (Wheat free Red Mills brand) Quinoa Buckwheat Corn Flour Corn Pasta, Vegetable Pasta Corn/Rice Crackers Rice Noodles Gluten & Yeast Free Breads Almond Milk, Almond Meal Rice Milk Coconut Milk Goats Milk, Cheese, Yogurt Sheeps Milk, Cheese, Yogurt

10 15 glasses water daily

N.B. Avoid Known Allergies

AVOID ACIDIC FOODS

Sugar/Artificial Sweeteners Alcohol Yeast Wheat and Gluten Products (Bread, Pasta) Mushrooms Pickles Vinegar (Balsamic, White Wine) Soy Sauce Miso Processed Food (Frozen/canned Meals) Refined Starch (Biscuits, Sweets) Red Meat Caffeine (Coffee, Tea, Cola, Chocolate) Fried Food Dairy Products (Cows Products) Soy Products (Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, Tofu, Noodles) Tomatoes (Especially ripe)

Vitamin C and its role in Immunity

Zinc and its role in Immunity

Lactoferrin and its role in Immunity (Anti-Viral activity)

Vitamin B and its role in Immunity

Universal Health is an Integrative & Functional Medicine Clinic. We have the philosophy of using evidence based complementary medicine and therapies with a focus on the whole person approach and individual patient care. Our practitioners are Integrated Physicians with over 45 years of expertise.

There is a wide range of disciplines at Universal Health. The combination of old and new, conventional and complementary, healthcare to maximise the natural healing of the body is what we offer at Universal Health.

Your Integrative Clinician looks for the cause of illness rather than treating the effect or symptoms, thus treating the whole person. Our treatment incorporates physical, chemical and emotional factors, conducted in an environment which encourages trust, development, achievement and harmony.

The whole is more than the sum of its parts-Aristotle.

Integrative & Functional Medicine combines the best available in Health Care to obtain optimum results by maximizing the bodys natural healing mechanisms.

Via the fusion of the best in conventional western medicine, evidence-based complementary medicine and other therapies within current mainstream health practice, Integrative & Functional Medicine Medicine aims in restoring, sustaining and advancing ones health. We take into account all aspects of the patients wellbeing with specific emphasis given to the patients physical, chemical and emotional spheres. Integrative & Functional Medicine models are individualised patient-centred science-based approach to empower the patient and practitioners to collaborate together and address underlying causes and not just focus on the symptoms. Integrative & Functional Medicine focus is always to apply the most suitable, safe and evidence based treatments currently available. These include but not limited to: Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Naturopathy.

Currently worldwide research is being carried out to explore the potential benefits of Integrative Health in pain management, relief of symptoms in acute /chronic suffering patients and programs to promote healthy lifestyle.

Integrative & Functional medicine is not the same as alternative medicine, which refers to an approach of healing that is utilised in place of conventional therapies. Integrative medicine refers to using healing modalities that complement allopathic approaches. Health Care can be Integrative regardless of which modality is used. Strategies are used to consider the patients unique conditions, needs and circumstances; using the most appropriate evidenced based interventions from an array of scientific disciplines to rectify illness and disease whilst assisting the patient in regaining and maintaining optimum health.

Natural Products such as probiotics, vitamins, minerals and herbs are also utilised in Integrative & Functional Medicine to assist in the process of attaining and maintaining optimum health.

The defining principals include but not limited to:

In addition to addressing the immediate health problem(s) as well as the deeper causes of the disease or illness, Integrative & Functional Medicine strategies also focus on the prevention and foster the development of healthy behaviours and skills for effective self-care the patients can apply throughout their lives. Ultimately making patients independent rather than co-dependant on care the rest of their lives.

coronavirus, Covid

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Read more here:
Universal Health and Knightsbridge Group Launch Immune Response Kit - Live Trading News

(By The University of Tennessee Medical Center)

As coronavirus news floods our news and social media feeds, it is easy to become overwhelmed by fear and anxiety. The anxiety felt because of coronavirus uncertainty, or many other stresses, can affect your physical and mental wellness in numerous ways. Headaches, insomnia, panic attacks, depression, stomach aches, and muscle pains are just some examples of the health issues caused or increased by anxiety. However, in these times of fear and unrest, Dr. Clayton Bell, an integrative medicine specialist at The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC), offers some tips on how to alleviate stress and become more grounded.

Dr. Clayton Bell is an integrative medicine specialist at The University of Tennessee Medical Center.

When experiencing stress, the first thing I try to remind myself and my patients to do is pause and breathe, said Bell. When we get anxious, our breath shortens. I suggest intentionally taking deep breaths to activate the diaphragm muscle and parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) or relaxation arm of the autonomic nervous system.

Bell suggests some other actions to mitigate anxious feelings:

Take breaks from watching or reading news stories, especially in the evening before bed. Meditate or read a good book instead.

Eat healthy, well-balanced meals, made from whole foods. Its very important to optimize your nutrition during this time as real foods are full of immune boosting vitamins and minerals. Processed foods made from nutrient-void white flour or with added sugars actually prevent your bodys white blood cells (immune system) from fighting off infections.

To boost your immune system and keep down stress, get outside and move your body every day. Make sure to get plenty of sleep as well.

Talk about your concerns and how you are feeling with people you trust. Now is the perfect time to connect with loved ones, rekindle old friendships via telephone, or have a Zoom/FaceTime party or dinner with family and friends.

Bell says making these simple changes to your daily routine boost your immune system as well as help you maintain a sense of calm and purpose.

We often focus so much on our own anxiety, that we may forget that others around us are also feeling anxious, said Bell. Children are very susceptible to the energies of others and they react according to what they see and feel from the adults around them.

According to Bell, children express anxiety through different emotions and habits. Some of the most common ways are excessive fussiness or crying, regressing back to behaviors they have outgrown, excessive worry or sadness, unhealthy eating or sleeping patterns, and avoidance of activities they enjoyed in the past.

Bell recommends the following steps for parents or caregivers to practice with anxious children:

Dont be afraid to talk with your child about the COVID-19 outbreak. It is much better to learn what is going on from you than from the media.

Share with your child how you deal with stress, so they can understand they are not alone with their feelings and can learn healthy techniques that can help them cope as well.

Limit your familys exposure to news coverage of coronavirus, including social media.

Have a daily routine. Create a schedule that includes learning, relaxing and fun activities. This is especially important while schools are closed.

Bell explains mental health is always important, but especially right now.

When we neglect our mental health, our physical health will also feel the repercussions, said Bell. Making small, daily changes will create long term benefits and make lasting impacts on how you experience and deal with anxiety.

Bell says it is important to remember that you are not alone during this time.

We all are feeling the effects of the coronavirus, and it is important to take the necessary steps to maintain good mental and physical health in addition to following the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), such as practicing social distancing, washing your hands, and avoiding touching your face, said Bell.

For reliable information on taking care of your health or a loved ones health, contact UTMCs Health Information Center at 865.305.9525 or online at http://www.utmedicalcenter.org/hic. Staffed by medical librarians and certified health information specialists, the Health Information Center offers an extensive health library, digital and printed resources, walk-in assistance, and help with the research on specific health conditions all free of charge and available to the public.

See the article here:
Tips on how to deal with anxiety during the coronavirus The News Journal - The News Journal

Deepak Chopra, Special to SFGate

By Deepak Chopra, MD and Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D.

Self-care should be uppermost in our minds during the COVID-19 crisis, for several urgent reasons. Self-care returns a sense of control over your own life. It gives you an integrative approach to mind and body. It aligns you with the best knowledge currently available about who is more at risk for developing acute symptoms after being infected.

Your immune status is complex, and in mainstream medicine the chief determining factor is traditionally considered to be genetic. However, there are strong links to underlying low-level chronic inflammation connected to lifestyle that is found in most if not all common disorders including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and even obesity. COVID-19 has a mortality rate that increases with age and pre-existing conditions, as we all know by now.

What is less publicized is that the hospitalization rate, which is very high at over 15%, also affects younger age groups even though their death rates are lower. In those who are most susceptible, the virus creates an acute and severe form of inflammation referred to as a cytokine storm, which then leads to severe symptoms and respiratory damage, even death. Cytokines are the chief protein mediators of inflammation in the body.

We can use this information about the dangers of having an elevated pre-existing state of low-level chronic inflammation to perhaps offset the possibility of the kind of acute inflammation that puts a person at risk for severe infection and hospitalization. Let me emphasize the perhaps caution. The research on low-level chronic inflammation grows by the year and is very significant. You can go to many websites or our recent book The Healing Self to discover the kinds of foods and lifestyles that are either inflammatory or anti-inflammatory.

But it is only in the field of integrative medicine that there is a cumulative understanding that anti-inflammation practices need to embrace mind and body. The general public, including mainstream doctors, are more often than not ill-informed of the research that connects meditation and yoga to the benefits of anti-stress, anti-inflammation, and anti-infection. Without a doubt, meditation and yoga have no side effects and are backed by decades of research over their benefits. To this has been added so-called vagal breathing, related to the ability of the vagus nerve to induce a relaxed state simply by doing regular deep breathing that equalizes breathing in and breathing out (there are numerous websites providing instructions on this simple but effective technique, which is now a standard recommendation for countering stress).

Biophysical anthropologist William C. Bushell points to the damage created by the bodys own immune defenses. To quote a recent article at Medium.com by Maureen Seaberg, Bushell says that inflammation is the primary way COVID-19 kills. Spread of the virus through the body leads to widespread and intensive activation of the inflammatory defenses throughout the body, though originally intended to combat the pathogen, but at this point instead resulting in widespread tissue damage, and fatally, to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), in which the lungs become flooded and respiratory failure ensues; the viral toxins themselves play a much lesser role in the tissue damage that ultimately can produce extreme critical disease states (pulmonary aspiration, septic shock), and potentially death.

The uncharted frontier is whether chronic inflammation, which is thought to be widely prevalent in our stress-filled, junk food eating, sleep-deprived society, increases the odds that the body might erupt into acute inflammation, e.g. a cytokine storm, when infected with viruses like COVID-19. One can think of this of this storm as a kind of over-reaction by our immune system. The big question is whether low-grade chronic inflammation may set the stage for this over-reaction and increase the odds of a cytokine storm in the presence of a nasty virus like COVID-19. Meanwhile, meditation, yoga, vagal breathing, and other relaxation techniques might provide an edge in the current crisis by reducing the chronic inflammatory state of the body. Weve joined Bushell and other concerned figures, including Michelle Williams, S.D., Dean of Harvards School of Public Health, in advising that meditation and yoga (in addition to a healthy diet and ample sleep) be included in front-line efforts against COVID-19.

The public is woefully uninformed about the mind-body benefits of these simple, effective measures, and every model of the pandemic foresees a huge overload on this countrys hospitals. The virus is more contagious and infectious than the flu, and it hospitalizes and kills a much higher percentage of cases. The message about COVID-19 and inflammation is very important. It needs to be received by all of us for our common well-being at any time, but most urgently, now, we all must strive to reduce our base level of chronic inflammation.

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

Rudolph Tanzi, Ph.D. is the Vice-Chair of Neurology, Director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Co-Director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health, and Co-Director of the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease at Massachusetts General Hospital. He also serves as the Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Tanzi discovered several Alzheimers disease genes, including all three early-onset familial Alzheimers genes, and serves as director of the Alzheimers Genome Project. He is also developing therapies for treating and preventing AD using human mini-brain organoid models of the disease, pioneered in his laboratory. Dr. Tanzi has published 600 papers, received numerous awards and was on the 2015 TIME100 Most Influential People in the World list. Dr. Tanzi is a New York Times bestselling author, who has co-authored Decoding Darkness and three bestsellers with Deepak Chopra: Super Brain, Super Genes, and The Healing Self.

See the original post:
What Is the Best Self-Care during the COVID-19 Crisis? - SFGate

Taking control of your health is not easy, particularly when you have a busy, stressful job, and live in a society that does not promote an individuals mental and physical wellbeing. Walking on Earth is your digital wellness coach. It will empower you to take control of your health by creating a bespoke wellness regime grounded in the latest scientific research, and connect you to the most trusted and sought after practitioners in yoga, meditation and complementary medicine.

Last year in the UK, over two-thirds of the population felt so stressed that they reported feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope. Stress caused more than one third of the population to experience suicidal thoughts and was responsible for over half of the sick days from work.

These results are staggering. Millions of us are experiencing damagingly high levels of stress in our workplaces and these incidents are only set to increase each year. Stress is one of the greatest public health crises of our time. It doesnt just have a negative impact on our mental health, it also causes a series of adverse reactions in our body that, over time, lead to debilitating and chronic illnesses. Yet we live in a society that applauds stress and views it as a necessary byproduct of success.

I witnessed first-hand how stress permeates our society. I studied at the best institutions in the world and received top grades. Suffice to say, I had my fair share of stress. I was always told that I could achieve my dreams in life if I worked hard. Whilst studying at Oxford University, I became passionate about understanding how our brain works, publishing research on the neurological underpinnings of how we perceive the world and how our senses interact in space and time. Keen to experience living in India, where my parents grew up, after university I decided to work for a film production company in Mumbai and stumbled across yoga.

It was as if I had unlocked a superpower. I realised for the first time what it felt like to not be stressed or anxious. The simple act of training my attention and focusing inward provided me with a transformative sense of clarity. It helped remove the clouds of indecision, uncertainty, and noise that had previously dominated my mind and provided me with a strong sense of conviction.

We are permanently flooded by so much external influence that it is no surprise we have lost the ability to be in control of our health. We are brought up by society to view taking time out for ourselves as a sign of weakness. With the constant pressure to adapt and innovate, it feels like time is constantly running faster and faster. Our society teaches us to thrive under pressure.

I completed my 300 hour teacher training in Jivamukti yoga to deepen my understanding of the ancient practice and learn about its transformative effects on our body. I delved deeper into the modern day science behind ancient wisdom, and became fascinated by Ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine created 5,000 years ago. It amazed me to learn that the ancient rishis prescribed different treatments to people depending on their unique body composition, a concept modern medicine is only recently adopting and terming a personalised medicine approach. I realised that Ayurveda has survived and lived on for thousands of years because of its transformative power in viewing health as an interconnected network of our mind, body and environment, providing a solution to the complex lifestyle related disorders of our increasingly overstimulated lives. I started speaking to the leading modern day scientists in the field of integrative health and found really compelling evidence of the scientific explanations for these ancient, holistic practices.

At the same time, I was working for one of Londons hottest tech startups, creating an AI platform to transform the way we design and develop new medicines. The more I learnt about the industry, the more I realised how disempowered we, as individuals, are when it comes to our health. The drugs that are developed to treat our ill health are chosen by pharmaceutical companies who are driven by sales potential rather than true human need. Insurance companies, hospitals, pharmacies, and physicians are deciding our health and each brings into the equation their own biases that weigh into what medicines ultimately end up in the market. On top of this, the best selling medicines only work in under half the people theyre prescribed for, and thats before you take into account all the side effects from the treatment.

Coupled with poor lifestyle practices, we have created a society where 70% of deaths are due to chronic diseases for which we have no cure. Our current healthcare system just isnt equipped to tackle these diseases that require a complete understanding of the mind, body and the environment we live in. We are living longer but we are not living better.

As an aspiring entrepreneur and someone who had witnessed the power of ancient practices in addressing the challenges of modern life, I knew I had to do something to help people take their health and wellbeing back into their own hands. I started Walking on Earth to provide individuals with the tools and knowledge to take control of their health. To help them set and achieve realistic wellness goals through a platform that brings together the most qualified practitioners, and explains the science behind the method.

With so many different trends, fads and new health practices, people find themselves receiving conflicting information and having to spend hours researching to find the right methods, practitioners and health information they need to live better. Walking on Earth meets this urgent need. It filters the latest research, sources the worlds best integrative health practitioners, and leverages technology to design a bespoke wellness programme catered for each users specific needs and profile. Each individuals progress is monitored through the platform and their individual health data is analysed to create a truly personalised solution allowing them to better understand their health and meet their performance goals.

And I realised this had to start in their workplaces. Workplace stress is a problem that we can no longer afford to ignore. It has become so severe that the World Health Organisation officially recognised burnout as a phenomenon of chronic workplace stress. We spend roughly one third of our lives at work. We need to bring our mental, physical and emotional wellbeing back in balance and it is an employers duty and best interest to be responsible for this.

In an age where we use technology to advance all aspects of our life, we shouldnt be leaving the most crucial element behind. Through Walking on Earth, I am creating a new model for health, where we as individuals are conscious of the impact of every action we take, from the food we eat, to the things we put in our body our every movement and emotion. I hope to create a world where we are able to experience each moment in life, rather than float past it in a distracted, absent-minded way. Where we are in control of our wellbeing and, in turn, collectively create a society that is more empowered, connected and fulfilled.

Follow ushereand subscribeherefor all the latest news on how you can keep Thriving.

Stay up to date or catch-up on all our podcasts with Arianna Huffingtonhere.

Here is the original post:
It's Time We Took Control of Our Health and Well-Being - Thrive Global

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) are working together for testing COVID-19 samples. Dr Ram Vishwakarma, Director, IIIM said that samples of 400 people have been collected.

"In the coronavirus crisis, CSIR and our institution Jammu are contributing to three things. The main problem is testing. Along with Jammu Medical College and state government we are doing testing. We have tested samples of 400 people. This help to segregate those people who are infected with COVID-19," he said. Vishwakarma said IIIM is also conducting synthesis procedure of 15 molecules which are in different stages of clinical trials.

"The new medicines which are in clinical trials in India and abroad. They are in advance phase 2 and phase 3 trials. If they are approved there, even then our people will not be benefited. So, we want to prepare the synthesis procedure of 15 molecules which are in clinical trials. As soon as they are approved, we will able to manufacture them quickly," he said. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of coronavirus positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir has climbed to 116. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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IIIM joins hands with CSIR to conduct COVID-19 sample testing in J-K - Devdiscourse

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has galvanised all its labs into action to battle COVID-19 in the last few weeks, with the Director-General Shekhar C. Mande, forming five verticals to coordinate various research activities into drugs, vaccine, testing, sanitisers, hospital equipment and the likes.

The digital and molecular surveillance is led by its directors Dr. Anurag Agarwal of Institute of Genomics & Integrated Biology (IGIB), rapid and economical diagnosis by Dr. Rakesh Mishra of Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB), development of new drugs/re-purposing of drugs by Dr. S Chandrashekhar of Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), hospital assistive devices by Dr. Jitendra J. Jadhav of National Aerospace Laboratories, personnel protective equipment and supply chain & logistics by Dr. Anjan Ray of Indian Institute of Petroleum.

A CSIR Strategic Group (CSG) has also been constituted with a video zoom meeting organised every day and presided over by the DG to review the progress made by these verticals. Any lab or scientist willing to contribute to any of the five verticals can write to the lead directors mentioned above. The Director of Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Dr. Ram A. Vishwakarma, has been made the overall coordinator.

Sequencing of coronovirus is being done at IGIB and CCMB including that of the host and virus RNA. Incidentally, the former has developed a paper-based diagnostic test while CCMB is setting up viral cultures for testing of drugs and making a vaccine, said informed scientific sources, privy to the meeting of top heads.

CSIR DG has mentioned the contribution of Dr. Debojyoti Chakraborti IGIB, for developing crispr/case-based paper diagnostics, Dr. Anthony Adlagatta of IICT for producing reverse transcriptase in large quantities, CCMB scientists for developing cell line and virus culture, sanitisers by IICT, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Central Electro Chemical Research Institute CECRI), North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST), etc., food packets by Central Food Technological Research Insitute (CFTRI), and Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT).

Dr. Mande informed during the interaction that a platform for open innovation will be developed and hosted at the CSIR headquarters and a partnership has already been formed with the Ministry of Ayush for development of four botanicals/drugs.

CSIR labs are already working with private sector giants like Reliance for PPEs, diagnostics; Tatas for hospital assistive devices; Intel & TCS for digital surveillance; CIpla for repurposed drugs; Cadila for coronavirus therapy; Bharat Biotech for inactivated vaccine development; BHEL for electrostatic spray and ventilator; BEL for thermometer and Oxygen enrichment unit, etc,

Three of its institutes CCMB, IGIB and IIIM have been allowed to take up Covid-19 testing and other eight other CSIR labs too are ready to take it up once regulatory approvals come, said informed scientific sources.

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CSIR forms five verticals to combat COVID-19 - The Hindu

Posted on 4/8/2020

(Editors note: A media tool kit with photos, videos and additional resources is available in the WVUToday Media Center.)

MORGANTOWN, W.VA. -- The West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, WVU Medicine, and smart ring maker Oura Health today (April 8) announced a national study designed to accelerate early detection of the COVID-19 virus symptoms and contagiousness. Leveraging an artificial intelligence -driven predictive model, wearable ring technology, and a COVID-19 monitoring app, RNI scientists and partners are developing an innovative digital PPE approach that potentially can identify infected frontline healthcare professionals before they become symptomatic a possible breakthrough in monitoring capabilities and limiting the spread.

The RNIs approach not only measures the onset of increased body temperature from the Oura ring and physical symptoms but goes beyond that by looking at the individual holistically integrating physiologic measures with psychological, cognitive and behavioral biometrics, such as stress and anxiety. In real-time, this holistic approach can provide an early and more comprehensive assessment, tracking the mind-body connection and homeostasis in the context of asymptomatic infection. Through this analysis, the team can forecast and predict the onset of fever, cough, fatigue and other physical symptoms linked to viral infections.

Over the past three weeks, Oura smart rings and the RNI COVID-19 monitoring smartphone app have been deployed to physicians, nurses and other frontline healthcare workers in the ED, ICU, testing sites, and urgent care settings in West Virginia. In addition, the RNI is partnering with hospitals across the country, including those in New York City, Philadelphia, Nashville and other critical emerging areas, to monitor more than 1,000 front-line healthcare personnel with exposure to COVID-19.

We are continuously monitoring the mind-body connectivity through our integrated neuroscience platform measuring the autonomic nervous system, fatigue, anxiety, circadian rhythms, and other human resilience and recovery functions, Dr. Ali Rezai, executive chair of the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, said. Our AI-driven models are currently predicting symptoms 24 hours prior to onset, and we are working toward a three-plus day forecast. This forecasting capability will help us get ahead of this pandemic; limit the spread to protect healthcare workers, their families, and our communities; and improve our understanding of health recovery.

More broadly, the RNI is continuously monitoring and analyzing more than 30,000 subjects through its integrative neuroscience approach, gaining insight and predictive success in chronic pain, addiction, aging and other illnesses, as well as the readiness and recovery of our military.

At Oura, weve heard firsthand from our users how the physiological signals tracked by the ring have predicted the onset of the virus before other symptoms manifest, Harpreet Rai, CEO of Oura Health, said. Were grateful we can apply this knowledge to help vulnerable caregivers swiftly identify the earliest signs of the disease, and take the appropriate protective measures to limit its spread.

We have done extensive research in the wearable space, and Ouras accuracy and usability is unparalleled to anything we have tested, Rezai added, We are proud to partner with Oura and its innovation to serve our population.

About the Rockefeller Neuroscience InstituteWe are improving lives by pioneering advances in brain health. With the latest technologies, an ecosystem of partners, and a truly integrated approach, we are making tangible progress. Our goal is to combat public health challenges ranging from addiction to Alzheimers, benefiting people in West Virginia, neighboring states, and beyond. Learn more about the RNIs first-in-the-world clinical trials and the top caliber experts joining us in our mission. For more information, visit http://www.wvumedicine.org/rni/.

About Oura HealthOura Health helps people improve their sleep, better understand their bodies, and reach their goals. The Oura Ring and app track all stages of sleep and activity to provide daily feedback and practical steps to inspire healthy lifestyles. Founded in 2013, Oura Health has raised $47M of funding from Forerunner Ventures, Gradient, Square Inc. and MSD Capital, and angel investors. Oura Health is headquartered in Oulu, Finland, with offices in Helsinki and San Francisco. For more information, visit http://ouraring.com/.

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WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute and Oura Health unveil study to predict the outbreak of COVID-19 in healthcare professionals - WVU Medicine

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Article content first published on DrGregoryBurzynski.com

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In my recent blog post "Understanding Approaches for Pain Management and Patient Care" I speak on the lasting effects of holistic health care and the benefits that it has in terms of managing pain and taking care of the "whole" patient.Before I get started, it is important to mention that the holistic approach to health does not reject conventional medicine, but is a sensible, complete form of healing that considers your child's entire picture of health and uses the best and most appropriate options for healing. It is a process of strengthening every system of the mind-body and allowing your child's natural healing potential to flourish.Many of the chronic health problems that affect children will respond best when addressed from a holistic point of view.

Conventional v.s Alternative Medicine

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch? Register for a user account.

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Understanding Holistic Care in Relation to Chronic Illness - Patch.com

Is Now the Time to Try Meditation?

As many of us hunker down in our homes at this frightening and stressful time, there are all kinds of things we are doing to fill the time. Some things we havent done in a while, like the 1000 piece puzzle that is near completion. Other things are brand new, like using Duolingo to learn a foreign language. How about trying out meditation? The science is clear, meditation is a quick way to reduce stress, something we could all use. For those who havent tried before, it can take a little time to get started, so how about now?

When my husband, Nez, was being treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) a few years ago, our stress and anxiety was at an all-time high. This is when we both began a meditation practice. We used a free 21-day series by Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra to get started. A new series was just released yesterday #HopeGoesGlobal. You register online and can access the free meditations on your computer, or you can download the app on your phone or iPad. Oprah and Deepak give inspirational thoughts and then there is roughly 15 minutesof meditation.

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There are other choices of course. If you Google free meditation you will get over 400,000 results. MSKCC has a series online as part of their Integrative Medicine. The App Stores have all kinds of offerings, such as Headspace or Calm. You can find meditation on many fitness apps like Peloton, and YouTube is a treasure trove. Find something that speaks to you, find a quiet corner, get comfortable, and get started. Help clear and calm your mind; even if only for a few minutes.

Emily & Nez Nikoo

After meeting at Purdue University, Emily & Nez Nikoo (both Electrical Engineers), married and began their professional journey working together first for the space program and then in media & entertainment. After tackling lifes challenges, Emily gravitated to healthcare innovation and Nez to STEM advocacy and education.

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Finding a Peaceful Place: Is Now the Time to Try Meditation? - TAPinto.net