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Demographics Linked to Choice Not to Vaccinate Children in Texas, Study Finds – UT News | The University of Texas at Austin

Wednesday, March 11th, 2020

AUSTIN, Texas Texans who are college-educated, live in suburban or urban areas, have higher median incomes and are ethnically white are less likely to vaccinate their children, according to analysis by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin. The findings could help public health officials identify pockets of low vaccination rates where communities within the state are at higher risk for an outbreak of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.

In a paper published today in the journal PLoS Medicine, professor of integrative biology Lauren Ancel Meyers, a computational epidemiologist, and her team at UT Austin compared publicly available census data with the number of conscientious vaccination exemptions from public, private and charter school systems across Texas. The state is one of 15 to allow families who cite a philosophical objection to vaccines to opt out of immunizations for their children that are otherwise required for enrolling in school. A total of 45 states and Washington, D.C., allow religious objections to immunizations.

The study not only provides a window into local vaccination patterns throughout Texas, but also allows us to make predictions, Meyers said. If you dont have data on the vaccination rate for a given community, you can use demographic factors to predict outbreak risks for vaccine-preventable diseases.

Researchers consider vaccination exemption rates of 3% or higher in a school or school district to be the threshold for high risk of an outbreak of vaccine-preventable illness. A growing number of schools exceed that threshold in Texas. Between the 2012-2013 school year and the 2017-2018 school year, the percentage of school districts reporting high-risk levels of exemptions doubled in public school districts across the state, rising from 3% to 6%. High-risk private schools increased from 20% to 26%, and charter schools increased from 17% to 22%.

The study examined the top 10 metropolitan areas in Texas, including rural, suburban and urban communities within each area. Suburban and higher-income urban communities were more likely to have high vaccination exemption rates than rural counties, the study found. Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston were the cities with the highest risk of vaccine opt-outs. Areas with higher percentages of young children, ethnically white people and people with a bachelors degree were more likely to have higher vaccination exemption rates.

On the flip side, researchers found that counties with lower median income and a higher percentage of people who spoke a non-English language at home were more likely to have a lower vaccine opt-out rate.

We wanted to identify potential pockets of hidden risk throughout Texas stemming from declining childhood vaccination rates, Meyers said.

To do this, Meyers and colleagues took a more detailed look at the data. Prior studies looked at average exemption rates within counties and concluded that most Texas counties did not cross the 3% exemption rate. By instead tracking the number of individual schools and districts above this threshold, the team identified unseen pockets of risk. Travis County, for instance, has a 2.3% conscientious exemption rate across all grade levels, according to the Department of State Health Services. But using her more fine-tuned model, Meyers was able to predict pockets within Travis County where the vaccination exemption rate in schools with grades K-8 was higher than 3%.

This study allows us to detect potential hot spots at a finer geographic scale, she said. The increasing numbers of exemptions are already alarming. In addition, the clustering of unvaccinated children in tight communities only amplifies the risk of an outbreak.

Similar studies have been performed in other states, such as California. Meyers study was the first to look at Texas, which is considered a high-risk state for an outbreak of vaccine-preventable illness, at such a granular level. Meyers and her team estimate that 5% of public schools in metropolitan areas of Texas, 28% of private schools and 22% of charter schools are at risk for an outbreak.

The study did not offer any clues about why some demographic groups are opting out of vaccinating their children at such a high rate.

Undergraduate Maike Morrison, a member of the Deans Scholars Honors program at The University of Texas at Austin, and Lauren A. Castro of Los Alamos National Laboratory co-authored the paper. Meyers holds the Denton A. Cooley Centennial Professorship in Zoology at The University of Texas at Austin.

The researchers were supported by the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program and the National Institutes of Health Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study Grant.

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Rocking The Riverfront – My New Orleans

Wednesday, March 11th, 2020

Better Than Ezra, Riverboat City of New Orleans and Port Orleans raise funds for alternative medical treatments

NEW ORLEANS (press release) The Riverfront Experience: 16th Annual Ezra Open presented by Better Than Ezra Foundation, the Riverboat City of New Orleans and Port Orleans Brewing Company benefitting the Better Than Ezra Foundation and their goal to raise money for alternative medicine through music therapy not covered by insurance.

This event is a culmination of what New Orleans is known formusic, food, beer, and good times, while raising money for a great cause, said Kevin Griffin, BTE lead singer and co-founder of the BTE Foundation. Its important for us to recognize that there are people in our community struggling to pay for the medical treatments they need on their journey to wellness. This event will specifically support those patients utilizing integrative oncology through music therapy.

The night of live music, craft beer, and food on the New Orleans Riverfront is the only scheduled New Orleans performance in 2020 by the platinum rock band Better Than Ezra (BTE). They will be joined by the boisterous blend of funk, jazz, rock, and hip-hop of Big Sams Funky Nation and New Orleans own indie pop six-piece band Sweet Crude, who blends Louisiana-French and English into their work.

Im proud to be a part of this event and working with the Better Than Ezra Foundation, said Zach Strief, Port Orleans owner. This community comes together better than any other community Ive seen, always willing to lend a helping hand whenever its needed.

Early Bird General admission tickets are $15 each. VIP tickets, $200 each, include all-inclusive access to the Riverboat with VIP exclusive concert viewing from the boat, full bar, gourmet menu prepared by a celebrity chef, pit access to the stage, surprise celebrity DJ performance afterparty, exclusive performance by Big Sams Crescent City Connection, and access to silent auction. Ticket are available online here.

On-site valet parking and Park & Ride Limo Bus from Metairie and the Northshore will be available.

WHEN:Friday, April 36 11:30 p.m.

WHERE:Waldenberg Park & Bienville Street at the Capital One Pavilion1 Canal St.

WHO:Better Than Ezra Foundation, founded by platinum selling rock band Better Than Ezra, is committed to raising funds to support the renewal of the structural and cultural heritage as well as education in New Orleans and Southern Louisiana. Since its inception, the Better Than Ezra Foundation has raised over $1,700,000 for various causes in and around New Orleans.

Riverboat CITY of NEW ORLEANSPort Orleans Brewing CompanyBetter Than EzraBig Sams Funky NationSweet Crude

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Rocking The Riverfront - My New Orleans

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CSIR lab working on drug to combat COVID-19 – The Hindu

Wednesday, March 11th, 2020

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Director-General Shekhar C. Mande said in Mysuru on Monday that the Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), one of the CSIR labs, has started work on synthesising chemical formulations for the manufacture of drug for COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters after his lecture at the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) here, Dr. Mande, who is also secretary for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, said the scientists at the CSIR lab have taken up the challenge of developing the molecules towards discovering the drug.

Globally, researchers have shifted their focus on developing the drug and the national laboratories in the country have a collective role towards realising the urgency for the drug. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently reviewed the scientists efforts in this direction, he added.

D.r Mande said IICTs efforts will be to blend the chemicals that are needed in developing the drug.

He said a CSIR lab has obtained licence for developing cannabis-based drugs, particularly painkillers. The Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, had been working on the drug after the Centre approved the research using cannabis (marijuana), growing the plant for medical research.

Earlier, Dr Mande gave a lecture on the topic In science we trust where he touched upon contributions of modern science and the ancient Indias contribution to science and technology. We need to base our hypothesis with strong scientific evidence as the methods of modern science are time tested and trusted.

Field trials of pest-proof cotton variety soon: CSIR

In continuation of CSIRs farmer-centric approaches, a new pest-resistant cotton variety developed by a Lucknow-based research laboratory is ready for field trials which are expected to be done soon at Nagpur in Maharashtra.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, CSIR Director-General Shekhar C. Mande, who was in Mysuru, said the cotton crop usually faces the problem of pest attacks and scientists carried out a research for developing the pest-proof cotton variety.

The same variety will undergo further tests and trials before it is certified for commercial cultivation. The research has been carried out in collaboration with the ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research.

Dr. Mande recalled the Samba rice variety (Samba Mashuri), which was developed jointly by the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, a CSIR lab, and the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research. Today, this pest-resistant rice variety was grown in about 18 lakh hectares in many States, helping farmers fetch higher yields and higher returns.

Dr. Mande also spoke about the aroma and honey missions. The Khadi Village Industries Corporation (KVIC) has joined hands with CSIR for the Honey Mission. Honey is a good alternative to sugar since it contains medicinal properties. A MoU had been signed with KVIC, he said. The idea is to help farmers take up modern methods of beekeeping to improve honey yield and also get additional income.

He said a new programme would be launched by the DST from April 1 to promote basic sciences by setting aside a grant of 50 crore. It would help students come up with scientific ideas in an attempt to encourage them to pursue basic science.

On the Aroma Mission and the CSIR Floriculture programme, he said the Aroma and Phyto-Pharmaceutical Mission was intended to boost the cultivation of aromatic plants that have medicinal properties. This mission, taken by the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and medicinal plants such as lavender and others, will be promoted with the help of farmers in several States, including Karnataka.

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Precaution and prevention best medicines to avoid Covid-19 – Times of India

Wednesday, March 11th, 2020

CHANDIGARH: Prevention is the best strategy to combat corona virus opined the experts of Allopath, Ayurved, Homeopathy, Naturopath, Dietetics, Public Health, Molecular Biology & Yoga at a round table conference organised on Sunday by Joshi Foundation on the topic 'Integrated / Multi Disciplinary approach to combat CORONA VIRUS'.

For prevention experts were unanimous on boosting immunity, maintaining high standards of personal hygiene, nutritious diet and yoga exercises focused on strengthening of lung functions, detailed Vineet Joshi, chairman, Joshi Foundation; city based cardiologist Dr HK Bali who chaired the conference and Editor, Integrative Medicine Case Reports Prof. Akshay Anand who co-chaired.

Prof Rajendra Prasad, former head of the department, Biochemistry, PGI Chandigarh, said that blocking the cellular entry pathway is the best way and for which research in the field of immunotherapeutics is at the advance stage.

Sharing his views on "Why & How Anti Viral drugs are not helping in treatment of Coronavirus", Dr. Indranil Banerjee, assistant professor, Biological Sciences, IISER Mohali said as Coronavirus keeps changing its structure, hence vaccine discovery is a big challenge. His published research shows individual's genome is partly responsible for virus infection. This again indicates the importance of immune response.

Prof Ashish Bhalla, Department of Internal Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh and Dr Vishal Bhambri, medical specialist informed that these viruses keep on surviving medication but need not worry as the death rate in coronavirus is pretty low. The only way to counter it is by exploring innovative methods to get back our immune system, may be by healthy lifestyle, healthy diet and specific yoga asanas. Giving utmost importance to personal hygiene by avoiding to touch MEN i.e. mouth, eyes and nose. They asked people to limit travel and avoid public gatherings as much as possible.

Ayurveda experts Vaidya Naresh Mittal, Gen. Secretary, Shri Dhanwantry Educational Society (Regd.), Chandigarh; Vaidya Ishwar Sardana, Vice President, Arogya Bharti, Punjab; Vaidya Rajeev Mehta, Ayurveda Medical Officer, Department of Ayurveda, Punjab; detailed that the only way to prevent coronavirus is by boosting the immunity through intake of Amla, Trifla and Giloy.

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Precaution and prevention best medicines to avoid Covid-19 - Times of India

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Mount Vernon featured in Parliament film launch – Ealing Times

Wednesday, March 11th, 2020

A FILM featuring high-level work being carried out by acupuncturists across the UK was shown in Parliament today (11) and features Mount Vernon Cancer Centre.

The Northwood centre, run by East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, has been involved in several studies researching the use of acupuncture for people living with cancer and those in remission.

The 30-minute film, called To the Point and produced by the British Acupuncture Council, highlights the work of the Supportive Oncology Research Team, in a partnership with the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre at Mount Vernon.

It was shown at areception in Commons, alongside a report titled The Scope of Acupuncture.

Among those to be interviewed for the film were consultant oncologist Dr Rob Glynn-Jones and Dr Beverley de Valois, researcher in integrative medicine, both based at Mount Vernon.

Macmillan nurse Elaine Melsome, from the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre, also speaks about the impact acupuncture has had on patients at Mount Vernon as part of the film.

Patient Val Fear, who was treated by Dr de Valois, said: It didnt hurt. There was a funny, tingly sensation, but it relaxed me and made me feel calm. Long term I benefited so much from it. I started to sleep properly and the nightmares stopped.

To watch a clip, visit: https://youtu.be/YTLbnG5yJFs

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S2 Genomics and the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences Collaborate on Single-Cell Genomics on Solid Tissues – Business Wire

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

LIVERMORE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--S2 Genomics, a manufacturer and provider of automated tissue sample preparation systems, and the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), a leading genomics research institute, today announced that RIKEN IMS has joined the S2 Genomics Early Technology Access Program to evaluate and further develop single cell sequencing applications on the S2 Genomics Singulator tissue preparation system.

Achieving high-quality single cell data from solid tissues relies upon consistent and reproducible cell or nuclei dissociation procedures. To overcome the challenges often seen with manual cell dissociation methods, S2 Genomics has developed the automated Singulator system to process solid tissue samples into suspensions of cells or nuclei for single-cell analysis.

Current methods of cell isolation are a significant bottleneck for researchers and can lead to inconsistencies in their data. The Singulator automates and standardizes the dissociation of solid tissues and can improve the quality of single-cell and single-nuclei data from a variety of solid tissue types, said Dr. Stevan Jovanovich, President and CEO of S2 Genomics. We are excited to work with the RIKEN IMS to evaluate the performance of the system and to develop new applications for the Singulator platform.

Dr. Aki Minoda, Unit Leader of the Epigenome Technology Exploration Unit, commented on the collaboration: We are delighted to collaborate with S2 Genomics and incorporate the Singulator into our workflow for single-cell analyses.

About S2 Genomics, Inc.

S2 Genomics, founded in 2016, is a leading developer of laboratory automation solutions to process solid tissue for life science applications. S2 Genomics technology platforms integrate advanced fluidics, optics, and biochemistry capabilities to produce sample preparation solutions for the next generation sequencing (NGS) and cell biology markets. For more information, visit http://www.s2genomics.com.

S2 Genomics, the S2 Genomics logo, and Singulator are trademarks of S2 Genomics, Inc.

About the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences

The RIKEN IMS aims to elucidate the pathogenesis of human diseases and establish new therapeutic methodologies by conducting cutting-edge research on human genome and immune function. To that end, we have established four Divisions: (1) Division of Genomic Medicine, (2) Division of Human Immunology, (3) Division of Disease Systems Biology, and (4) Division of Next Generation Cancer Immunology. These groups work together to promote state-of-the-art research.

For more information, visit https://www.riken.jp/en/research/labs/ims/index.html.

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S2 Genomics and the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences Collaborate on Single-Cell Genomics on Solid Tissues - Business Wire

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The WELL Conference Welcomes Three More Speakers to its Lineup – Hospitality Design

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

February 21, 2020

Two globally recognized physicians, a renowned integrative medicine expert, and one of the worlds leading restaurateurs will join the more than 50 leading designers, architects, business leaders, academicians and public health professionals speaking at the WELL Conference, March 29th April 1st, 2020, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Dr. Jerome M. Adams, the 20th Surgeon General of the United States, is an American anesthesiologist and a vice admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which represents the whole gamut of public healthfrom engineers to doctors to nurses to pharmacists to environmental health officers. Prior to becoming Surgeon General, he served as the Indiana State Health Commissioner from 20142017.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent, CNN, multiple award-winning journalist, author and neurosurgeon, is frequently referred to as everyones doctor. He recently anchored a six-part CNN docuseries called Chasing Life, exploring unusual traditions and modern practices around the world that constitute a healthy and meaningful life.

Chef David Bouley, one of New Yorks most famous chefs, earned several four-star reviews in The New York Times, multiple James Beard Foundation awards including Best Chef in America, and countless others. He hosts The Chef & the Doctor, a collaborative lecture and dinner event with world-renowned doctors and nutritionists at his New York restaurant, Bouley at Home, demonstrating a practice of well-being that is accessible to home cooks anywhere.

Dr. Mark Hyman is leading a health revolutionone that revolves around using food as medicine to support longevity, energy, mental clarity, happiness and so much more. A practicing family physician and an internationally recognized author, speaker, educator and advocate in the field of functional medicine, Dr. Hyman is a regular participant in The Chef & the Doctor series and will join Chef Bouley onstage for a lively discussion on how what we eat is at the top of the list for creating the vibrant health we deserve.

In different ways, each of these globally renowned leaders is instrumental in shaping this movement towards a healthier future, said Rick Fedrizzi, chairman and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute, the presenter of the conference. They are tremendous ambassadors for health and well-being and their expertise will further the innovative and inspiring experience The WELL Conference is set to be.

The WELL Conference features an expanding roster of thought leaders who are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of people through better buildings and communities and stronger organizations. The education sessions are structured around six distinct tracksLead WELL, Learn WELL, Work WELL, Live WELL, Design WELL and Connect WELL. Attendees will hear perspectives that range from working dads (and their kids) discussing how wellness is advanced when they have more time with each other, to storytellers like Robin Raj, an expert in building citizen brands for organizations interested in living their purpose. Top editors of design publications Contract, Hospitality Design, Healthcare Design and Environments for Aging will report on changes, shifts and the creative thinking they expect to see in the new decade.

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Column: Nutrition for a Healthy Heart | South Lake Tahoe – South Tahoe Now

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

By Amy Smith, FNP, NBC-HWC

Besides being known for bringing candy hearts and lots of snow, February is National Heart Health Month. Heart disease is identified as the leading cause of death in both men and women by the Centers for Disease Control. In addition to screenings that can be done to monitor your hearts health, there are fundamentals of following a preventative heart health lifestyle that can help prevent heart disease and maintain heart health. In addition to not smoking, regular exercise, stress management, it is possible to significantly reduce your risk of heart disease by incorporating heart healthy foods in your everyday diet.

Eating foods known as phytosterols can lower LDL, or, "bad cholesterol. These include Brussels sprouts, peanuts, almonds and wheat germ. Foods that produce nitric oxide as a metabolite by-product can lower blood pressure and keep the lining of the blood vessels healthy; beets and kale are great sources of this beneficial metabolite. Also good for your blood vessels (and gut health) are fermented foods, like yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut. Magnesium-rich foods like almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds can help maintain a healthy heart rhythm and reduce blood pressure. Anti-inflamatory foods like mushrooms, red grapes, apples, blueberries, salmon and sardines are beneficial as well.

Besides eating a variety of whole foods packed with phytosterols, supplementing with Co-enzyme Q-10 is beneficial to heart and blood vessel function. This also reduces the risk of heart attack and improve cholesterol levels. It is always recommended to talk with your care provider, cardiologist or an integrative medicine practitioner prior to starting any specific supplementation plan.

Healthy fats from an omega-rich diet provides anti-inflammatory benefits and may reduce cholesterol levels. The skinny on fats is to eat sources of monounsaturated fats such as olives, avocados, and extra-virgin olive oil; and polyunsaturated fats from sockeye salmon, sardines and tuna.

Again, it is always recommended to talk with your care provider, cardiologist or an integrative practitioner prior to starting any supplementation. For more information about cardiology services available through Barton Health, visit bartonHealth.org/cardiology. And to schedule an appointment with an integrative medicine practitioner to learn more nutrition and other heart-healthy lifestyle choices, call 530.539.6620. Heres to your heart this February, and throughout the year.

Amy Smith, FNP, NBC-HWC is an integrative medicine practitioner and primary care provider at the Barton Center for Orthopedics & Wellness.

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Why the controversy over chronic Lyme disease is important to everyone – The CT Mirror

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

A response to the CT Viewpoints op-ed Treating chronic Lyme disease: Is it medical fraud? By Lawrence Zemel MD and Paul G. Auwaerter MD, Dec 13, 2019.

The authors reference to so-called chronic Lyme disease ignores the substantial body of evidence that suggests Lyme disease can be chronic and infection can persist following treatment with antibiotics.

The first investigation into the effectiveness of antibiotics for the treatment of Lyme disease was published by Steere in 1983. The study was conducted at a time when prevailing thought held that antibiotics would cure all infectious disease caused by bacteria. Because the findings of the 1983 study were not consistent with that belief, the data were re-categorized to generate the expected result. Critical analysis of the data reveals, however, that nearly 50% of the patients in the study who were treated with antibiotics for 10-20 days continued to experience significant symptoms.

Other studies have produced similar results, yet the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) ignores independent research and continues to claim that Lyme disease at any stage of infection is cured by a short course of antibiotics.

A 2019 subcommittee report to the Tick Borne Disease Working Group (established by Congress in 2016), stated that the results of more recent studies in animal models by different investigators, lend support to the probability that the effects of persisting organisms are a source, if not the likely source, of ongoing symptoms in patients who have unresolved Lyme disease.

In 2019, The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) Working Group published a paper in which they systematically reviewed over 250 peer reviewed papers in the international literature and concluded that Lyme disease is the result of ongoing and active infection by any of several forms of B. burgdorferi capable of causing disease in humans.

Zemel and Auwaerter refer to an unsubstantiated notion that 50% of patients with Lyme disease test negative by standard laboratories but there is abundant evidence demonstrating that the two-tiered testing method recommended by the Centers for Disease Control is problematic.

There are many reasons why infected individuals may generate a negative result. Chief among them is the fact that the test relies on the ability of the infected individual to produce antibodies when Lyme bacteria have the ability to suppress the immune system preventing antibody production. Further, there are over 100 species of Borrelia in the U.S. (not all cause disease in humans) and the current two-tiered testing method misses the majority of them. Independent studies have shown these tests to correctly identify only about 56% of those with Lyme disease.

In a 2018 publication in its own journal, the IDSA admitted that reliable direct detection methods for active B. burgdorferi have been lacking in the past but are needed and appear achievable. Despite this, the IDSA guidelines fail to offer treatment options to patients who test negative but have the disease.

The authors suggestion that vulnerable patients need to be protected from Lyme-literate practitioners is both intentionally misleading and unsubstantiated.

Lyme-literate practitioners have a wide variety of medical backgrounds. Many are board-certified medical doctors with expertise in a variety of specialties and have additional training in tick-borne disease, while others are board-certified osteopathic physicians, naturopathic doctors, or nurse practitioners. Many are members of ILADS. Some practitioners have a background in integrative medicine, a holistic approach to health and wellness that combines conventional medicine with complementary and alternative medicine therapies grounded in science. Others are trained in functional medicine whose aim is to determine how and why illness occurs and to restore health by addressing the root cause of illness for each individual.

Some practitioners use a multimodal approach to address factors that might be keeping a patient sick including poor digestive health, food allergies, inflammation, toxicity, and hormone imbalance. They may use prescription and herbal medicines as well as other supplements. Because treating Lyme disease is a time consuming process, it fits poorly into the current model for medical reimbursement. As a result, many practitioners do not accept insurance but will provide documentation that can be submitted to an insurance carrier.

Just as they would with any other medical professional, patients are capable of exercising due diligence when selecting a Lyme practitioner to ensure that the approach to care is consistent with their preferences and beliefs.

The authors reference to the careful scientific rigor associated with the IDSA guidelines revision process does not hold up to scrutiny.

In 2006, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal conducted a landmark anti-trust investigation into the IDSAs process for writing its 2006 Lyme disease guidelines. Blumenthals office uncovered undisclosed financial interests held by several of the most powerful IDSA panelists and found that the guidelines panel improperly ignored or minimized alternative medical opinion and evidence regarding Lyme disease, potentially raising serious questions about whether the recommendations reflected all relevant science.

One of the most egregious and dangerous recommendations by the IDSA is the use of a single dose of doxycycline to prevent the development of Lyme disease when given within 72 hours of a tick bite. This advice is based upon a single study with illogical and flawed methodology published nearly two decades ago. It has never been replicated. Data from this study show only that the dose was sufficient to prevent formation of the rash that sometimes develops at the site of a tick bite but not that it halted development of the disease itself. This treatment may promote antibiotic resistance and lead to negative antibody testing making diagnosis even more difficult.

Why this issue is important.

The problem that can arise when evidence is scarce is the misperception that guidelines are based on evidence rather than opinion. The evidence on which both sets of guidelines are based is weak. The authors of the ILADS guidelines acknowledge this directly and the fact that there two sets of conflicting guidelines. The authors of the IDSA guidelines fail to do so.

The 2011 report by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust, the 2006 IDSA Lyme Disease Guidelines were cited as an example of lack of transparency in guidelines development to illustrate the problems associated with it.

When evidence is weak, clinician discretion is especially important. The ILADS guidelines allow for this and for shared decision-making between patient and practitioner. In contrast, the IDSA guidelines severely restrict the use of clinical judgment.

Why is this important even to those that dont have Lyme disease? Clinical practice guidelines greatly influence the practice of medicine. When lack of transparency, scientific bias, and financial conflicts of interest are allowed to affect them, it places the health of all of us at risk.

Jennifer Shea lives in Longmeadow, Massachusetts.

CTViewpoints welcomes rebuttal or opposing views to this and all its commentaries. Read our guidelines andsubmit your commentary here.

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Why the controversy over chronic Lyme disease is important to everyone - The CT Mirror

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U. S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome M. Adams and CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta Join Chef David Bouley and Dr. Mark Hyman at The WELL…

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

The leading federal spokesperson on matters of public health, CNNs chief medical correspondent, functional medicine advocate and New Yorks favorite chef to speak at the inaugural wellness event March 29 April 1, 2020.

Two globally recognized physicians, a renowned integrative medicine expert, and one of the worlds leading restaurateurs will join the more than 50 leading designers, architects, business leaders, academicians and public health professionals speaking at The WELL Conference, March 29-April 1, 2020, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Dr. Jerome M. Adams, the 20th Surgeon General of the United States, is an American anesthesiologist and a vice admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which represents the whole gamut of public healthfrom engineers to doctors to nurses to pharmacists to environmental health officers. Prior to becoming Surgeon General, he served as the Indiana State Health Commissioner from 20142017.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent, CNN, multiple award-winning journalist, author and neurosurgeon, is frequently referred to as "everyones doctor." He recently anchored a six-part CNN docuseries called "Chasing Life," exploring unusual traditions and modern practices around the world that constitute a healthy and meaningful life.

Chef David Bouley, one of New Yorks most famous chefs, earned several four-star reviews in The New York Times, multiple James Beard Foundation awards including Best Chef in America, and countless others. He hosts The Chef & the Doctor, a collaborative lecture and dinner event with world-renowned doctors and nutritionists at his New York restaurant, Bouley at Home, demonstrating a practice of well-being that is accessible to home cooks anywhere.

Dr. Mark Hyman is leading a health revolutionone that revolves around using food as medicine to support longevity, energy, mental clarity, happiness and so much more. A practicing family physician and an internationally recognized author, speaker, educator and advocate in the field of functional medicine, Dr. Hyman is a regular participant in The Chef & the Doctor series and will join Chef Bouley onstage for a lively discussion on how what we eat is at the top of the list for creating the vibrant health we deserve.

"In different ways, each of these globally renowned leaders is instrumental in shaping this movement towards a healthier future," said Rick Fedrizzi, chairman and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute, the presenter of the conference. "They are tremendous ambassadors for health and well-being and their expertise will further the innovative and inspiring experience The WELL Conference is set to be."

The WELL Conference features an expanding roster of thought leaders who are committed to improving the health and well-being of people through better buildings and communities and stronger organizations. The education sessions are structured around six distinct tracksLead WELL, Learn WELL, Work WELL, Live WELL, Design WELL and Connect WELL. Attendees will hear perspectives that range from working dads (and their kids) discussing how wellness is advanced when they have more time with each other, to storytellers like Robin Raj, an expert in building "citizen brands" for organizations interested in living their purpose. Top editors of design publications Contract, Hospitality Design, Healthcare Design and Environments for Aging will report on changes, shifts and the creative thinking they expect to see in the new decade.

Visit thewellconference.com to register and review the schedule of events and speakers and follow along on social media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

About The WELL Conference

A first-of-its-kind wellness gathering, The WELL Conference is a curation of information and inspiration from thought leaders, experts and innovators representing multiple sectors of the wellness movement. Presented through thought-provoking and immersive content focused on how our buildings and everything in them can enhance, not compromise our health, this gathering will provide a deeper understanding how to live well at every turn. The event will take place March 29-April 1, 2020, at the Fairmont Princess in Scottsdale, Arizona. The WELL Conference is presented by the International WELL Building Institute in collaboration with the American Society of Interior Designers and powered by Emerald.

International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL, WELL Portfolio, The WELL Conference, the WELL Community Standard and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200220005961/en/

Contacts

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U. S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome M. Adams and CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta Join Chef David Bouley and Dr. Mark Hyman at The WELL...

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Alternatives to Drinking: How to Relax Without Alcohol – LIVESTRONG.COM

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

When most people clean up their diets to lose weight or boost their overall health, one of the first things they're told to cut out is alcohol. After all, no amount of alcohol is particularly "good" for you, per an August 2018 analysis in The Lancet and it's certainly not low in calories, no matter which type you're sipping.

Meditation is one way to relax without alcohol.

Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages

But for many, a glass of wine or a cold beer at the end of a long workday is a go-to way to de-stress and unwind. And that's nothing to sneeze at, because lowering your stress levels can be key for weight loss, too.

While a casual drink may seem harmless, there's often a biological component at play that keeps alcohol at the top of the list of favorite de-stressors, Roger Adams, PhD, personal trainer, doctor of nutrition and owner of eatrightfitness, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

"At its basic level, alcohol of any kind is a depressant, meaning it slows down the activity and processes of the brain and central nervous system," Adams says. "If used only occasionally for stress relief, alcohol is likely to be quite effective in the short-term. However, we tend to need to consume more over time to get the same de-stressed feeling, so consumption is likely to increase."

This increased alcohol consumption over time can cause myriad health problems, including mood and behavior disruptions, high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease and even cancer, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Many of us may find it difficult to relax without alcohol, but there are compelling health benefits to limiting your intake.

Credit: BrianAJackson/iStock/GettyImages

On the other hand, stress is also a major health issue. One March 2018 study in the journal Psychological Science found that even stress that is seen as small and insignificant can lead to health problems including heart disease, anxiety and depression, chronic pain and more.

Another November 2018 study in Neurology discovered that a high-stress lifestyle could lead to memory loss and brain shrinkage before the age of 50.

And, like alcohol, stress doesn't help your waistline either. Those who suffer from long-term stress are more likely to be obese, according to a study published February 2017 in the journal Obesity. The main culprit is cortisol, a stress-induced hormone that can encourage your body to hold onto fat.

In short: If both stress and drinking are bad for you, the healthiest lifestyle is one that includes less of both.

Luckily, there are plenty of stress-relieving solutions that can help you whittle your waistline and boost your health. Here, experts share their science-backed alternatives to drinking that can still help relieve stress.

Exposure to nature has a lot o benefits, including a better mental state of wellbeing as you leave all the noise of life behind, Adams says.

This was shown in an April 2019 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, which examined two biomarkers of stress when exposed to nature: salivary cortisol, a measure of the amount of stress hormone in the saliva, and alpha-amylase, digestive enzymes. They found that both stress biomarkers dropped in people when they were exposed to nature.

So instead of happy hour after work, suggest taking a walk or throwing a frisbee in the park with your pals, or simply take a walk through the trees after dinner instead of parking yourself on the sofa with a cold one.

Did you know that keeping a food diary is one of the most effective ways to manage your weight? Download the MyPlate app to easily track calories, stay focused and achieve your goals!

Meditation can be a powerful stress-reliever, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published March 2014 in JAMA Internal Medicine. After reviewing 47 trials, the researchers concluded that mindfulness meditation can improve levels of anxiety, depression and pain as well.

Another study, published July 2019 in Scientific Reports, found that it takes as little as 40 days of meditating to change your brain waves enough to improve stress.

"Progressive relaxation meditation involves a guided experience where you relax each part of your body, as well as calm the inner chatter that often feeds stress and worry and keeps us too stimulated for sleep," Roseann Capanna-Hodge, PsyD, psychologist and certified integrative medicine mental health provider, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

One of the best parts about meditating is that it's easy to do anywhere all you need is a safe and quiet place to sit, reflect and calm your mind. If you're looking for a little guidance, consider downloading one of the many meditation apps out there, such as InsightTimer or Calm.

Practice yoga as a healthy alternative to alcohol for stress relief.

Credit: fizkes/iStock/GettyImages

Like meditation, yoga is a good alternative to drinking that can provide boundless benefits for the body and mind, particularly when it comes to reducing levels of stress, anxiety and depression, per a February 2018 study in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine.

"By performing yoga moves and breathing properly, you can promote your mental health through the relief of stress," Jamie Bacharach, medical acupuncturist and yoga practitioner, tells LIVESTRONG.com. "Due to its use of meditation-like posing and deliberate breathing, yoga has the ability to increase your own body awareness, relax the mind and give you a sharper focus, all of which contribute to optimized mental health."

Being mindful of one's surroundings and using visualization to reduce stress has become an increasingly popular technique. Though it sounds quite similar, visualization is different than mindfulness or meditation.

"Visualization involves actually visualizing what you want and honing in on one's authentic purpose to create goals around it," explains Dr. Capanna-Hodge. "It's a powerful way to not only get clarity on your goals but to help manifest them."

To incorporate visualization into your day-to-day, Dr. Capanna-Hodge suggests taking a few minutes to sit in a quiet place and visualize what you want to accomplish and pair it with action around those goals that move them to positive outcomes.

"Whether you have a goal to better manage stress or address a specific issue, intent-oriented visualization is a great way to create positive momentum by getting to the core of the issue and its resolution," she says.

"The lasting effects throughout the day of a short workout can provide the calming effect that you may be looking for in that after-work cocktail."

It might sound simple and it is but getting your heart rate up is one of the best ways to reduce the effects of stress.

When you exercise, your body amps up its production of the "feel-good" hormone known as endorphins, while stress does the complete opposite, explains Joseph De Santo, MD, board-certified physician and addiction specialist for the BioCorRx Recovery Program.

Indeed, in responses gathered for the American Psychological Association's Stress in America 2019 survey, a whopping 53 percent of adults reported that they feel good about themselves after exercising, and 30 percent reported feeling less stressed.

"No matter what you are doing, if you are moving, oxygen is getting to the brain more efficiently and endorphins are being released," Dr. De Santo says. "The lasting effects throughout the day of a short workout can provide the calming effect that you may be looking for in that after-work cocktail."

Using essential oils is one way to relax without alcohol.

Credit: JGI/Tom Grill/Tetra images/GettyImages

Essential oils not only smell nice, but they can have a beneficial effect on both your brain and body.

Lavender oil in particular, has been shown to help alleviate symptoms of anxiety, according to one July 2017 study published in The Mental Health Clinician.

"When essential oil molecules enter the nose or mouth, they pass to the lungs and eventually the brain and other parts of the body, stimulating the olfactory system, which is the part of the brain connected to smell," Dr Capanna-Hodge explains. "As the molecules reach the brain, they affect several regions, including the limbic system, which is linked to the emotions, our memory and attentional systems, as well as our hormone and immune systems, and can lower cortisol and stress levels."

She recommends using an infuser to disperse essential oils around your home or workplace to keep your stress levels low and your body relaxed.

This nutrient has numerous health benefits, including enhancing bone health and reducing one's risk for diabetes, heart disease and anxiety. It also has impressive stress-relieving perks, as shown in a May 2017 study published in Nutrients, which found magnesium supplementation to be beneficial in relieving anxiety as well as stress.

"By supplementing with magnesium, you not only calm the nervous system, you help your body combat stress and give it what it needs to work at an optimal level," says Dr. Capanna-Hodge.

You can take a magnesium supplement, but you can also score the nutrient in certain foods, particularly spinach, almonds, avocado, tofu and dark chocolate.

Keep in mind the recommended daily intakes for magnesium, according to the National Institutes of Health:

Most Americans (1 in 3) are not getting their fair share of shut-eye and it's having a negative affect on their health and overall wellbeing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What's more: Oftentimes stress is the cause of inability to sleep well. A National Sleep Foundation poll found that 43 percent of young and middle-aged adults report difficulty sleeping at night as a result of stress at least once a month.

"Getting to bed and getting enough sleep for four to five REM cycles (typically six hours minimum) can provide your brain the healing time that allows it the chance to re-organize and refresh, so you don't carry stress over from the previous day," Dr. De Santo says.

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Should we give up flying for the sake of the climate? – BBC News

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

Investing in a good carbon offset project will probably help to do some good somewhere in the world, adds Hewitt, but it wont make the emissions from your flight go away. Offsetting just can't be a long-term solution, she says. Many people object to offsetting as it implies wealthier individuals can keep contributing to climate change without altering their behaviour.

While giving up flying can feel like a choice to curb your own freedom, travel and the opportunity to experience different cultures, its increasing role in climate change is putting many of our most cherished environments at risk.

But if we do choose to shift our mindsets, we could find the pleasures of slow travel and the discovery of what we have been missing on our own doorsteps could be worth the sacrifice.

* Jocelyn Timperley is a freelance climate change reporter. You can find her on Twitter @jloistf.

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Health Coaching Market 2020 To See Booming Ahead including top key vendors like -Aetna, American Association for Health Education, American Council of…

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

The Global Tuberculosis Diagnostics Market has observed continuous evolution in the past few years and is projected to grow even more during the predicted period (2020-2026). This research report represents a 360-degree overview of the competitive landscape of the Core Elements of Market. Moreover, it offers huge data relating to recent trends, technological progressions, tools, and practises. The research report analyzes every aspect in a detailed and concise manner for better insights into the business.

The latest on report the global Tuberculosis Diagnostics market provides thorough understanding of important aspects of industry. It prepares players as well as investors to take important decisions and plan for growth beforehand by forecast 2026.

Click to Download and Get the Free Sample PDF File of the report: https://www.globalmarketers.biz/report/life-sciences-/global-tuberculosis-diagnostics-market-research-report-2020-2026-of-major-types,-applications-and-competitive-vendors-in-top-regions-and-countries/143942 #request_sample

Major industry players:

DanaherBioMerieuxBDRocheQiagenThermo Fisher ScientificOxford ImmunotecHologicAbbottHain LifescienceEpistemAkonni BiosystemsCreative Diagnostics

The competitive outlook segment of the report presents a clear diffusion into the market share analysis of key industry players. It includes numerous important aspects counting leading competitors which include their business profiling, Tuberculosis Diagnostics market share, gross margin, sales, revenue, growth rate as well as it provides value chain analysis, capacity utilization analysis, SWOT analysis to dig deeper. The companies referred to in the market research report include

The report comprehensively investigates the Global Tuberculosis Diagnostics market status, supply, sales, and production. The global market divisions of production and exchanges are evaluated along with the review of the production, capacity, sales, and revenue. Various aspects such as Tuberculosis Diagnostics import/export, price, gross margin, consumption, and value are also examined.

Market Can Be Split Into Product Types As

Culture-basedSputum Smear MicroscopyRapid MolecularOthers

Tuberculosis Diagnostics Market Can Be Split Into Applications As

HospitalDiagnostic LaboratoriesOthers

The Geographical Analysis Covers the Following Regions

North America (Canada & U.S.) & Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)

Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg) & Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)

Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)

Middle-East & Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)

Inquiry Here For Detail Report @ https://www.globalmarketers.biz/report/life-sciences-/global-tuberculosis-diagnostics-market-research-report-2020-2026-of-major-types,-applications-and-competitive-vendors-in-top-regions-and-countries/143942 #inquiry_before_buying

Key Topic Covered:

Growth Opportunities

Market Growth Drivers

Leading Market Players

Market Size and Growth Rate

Market Trend and Technological

Company Market Share

Table of Contents for market shares by application, research objectives, market sections by type and forecast years considered.

This Report Provides Comprehensive Analysis Of:

Request for Detailed Report TOC (Table of Contents) @ https://www.globalmarketers.biz/report/life-sciences-/global-tuberculosis-diagnostics-market-research-report-2020-2026-of-major-types,-applications-and-competitive-vendors-in-top-regions-and-countries/143942 #table_of_contents

Table of Contents Describing Detail Research Report:

1. Tuberculosis Diagnostics Market Report Overview

2 Global Tuberculosis Diagnostics Growth Trends

3. Tuberculosis Diagnostics Market Share by Manufacturers by

4. Tuberculosis Diagnostics Market Size by Type

5. Tuberculosis Diagnostics Market Size by Application

6. Tuberculosis Diagnostics Production by Regions

7 Perfusion Imaging by Regions

8. Tuberculosis Diagnostics Company Profiles

9. Tuberculosis Diagnostics Market Forecast 2020-2026.

10 Value Chain and Sales Channels Analysis

11 Opportunities & Challenges, Threat and Affecting Factors

12 Key Findings

13 Appendix

Complete report on Tuberculosis Diagnostics market report spread across 100+ pages, list of tables & figures, profiling 10+ companies.

The report answers several questions about the Tuberculosis Diagnostics Market includes:

1. What will be the Tuberculosis Diagnostics industry size in 2026?

2. What will be the market growth rate in 2026?

3. Which key factors drive the market?

4. Who are the key market players for market?

5. Which strategies are used by top players in the market?

6. What are the key market trends in Tuberculosis Diagnostics market?

7. Which trends and challenges will influence the growth of market?

8. Which barriers do the markets face?

9. What are the market opportunities for vendors and what are the threats faced by them?

10. What are the most important outcomes of the five forces analysis of the market?

Request for Detailed Report TOC (Table of Contents) @ https://www.globalmarketers.biz/report/life-sciences-/global-tuberculosis-diagnostics-market-research-report-2020-2026-of-major-types,-applications-and-competitive-vendors-in-top-regions-and-countries/143942 #table_of_contents

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POTUS India visit: Trump expected to talk Kashmir,says US Officials – The Kashmir Monitor

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

New Delhi, Feb 22: In a bid to address the concerns of the local populace after the revoking of Jammu and Kashmirs special status last year, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday assured the people of the Union Territory that the domicile law is coming very soon which would be followed by the Land Act.He also announced that more than the promised jobs will be provided to the youth after the notification of the rules is worked out.The domicile act is coming very soon, which will be immediately followed by the Land Act, the minister of state in the Prime Ministers Office said.Many parties have been demanding enactment of a domicile law for Jammu and Kashmir to protect the interests of landowners and the unemployed youth after the erstwhile state lost its special status following nullification of Article 370 by the Centre.Singh was addressing a function after signing of a major scientific collaboration agreement between CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, and IndusScan, a Canadian pharmaceutical company, here.Describing the signing of the MoU as a historic moment, the minister said Jammu and Kashmirs journey to become a part of Indias five trillion global economy has started from the four walls of IIIM.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is saying again and again that we would have the same kind of focus on Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as we did for North-East which saw major transformation over the last five years. Those who have doubts about it would see all this happening in a short while of time, he said.The minister said this is possible because the earlier embargoes have been removed and the Union Territory is directly reporting to the Centre.Many of the politicians have become unemployedheard yesterday one of them raising the issue of jobs to the local youth. I want to tell that more than the promised jobs will be advertised but as per the rules and in an impartial manner. We are waiting for a notification of the rules to come out, he said.Alleging brazen disregard for the concerns of the educated unemployed and underemployed youth by the incumbent government, National Panthers Party Chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh had said not a single post, out of the promised 50,000 jobs, had been advertised for filling up in the new UT after the abrogation of Article 370 provisions.Everything will be done. It will not be like when your government was in power and ruined the future of the youths by backdoor appointments and corrupt practices. The youth who were provided jobs have turned 35 years but are still waiting for their regularisation, the Union minister said.He said the jobs will be provided under rules which will be in the best interest of the youth and those who have been deprived of it.Asserting that India is going through one of the best phases under the leadership of Modi, he said a lot of development had taken place over the last five years and the country is looking forward to become a part of the global economy.On the one hand India is eyeing five trillion economy, dont you want that Jammu and Kashmir should also be part of that. It is possible only when our youth reaches such a stage to live up to the parameters which are followed globally and therefore, even if some of us have any doubts, confusion and skepticism or still unconvinced, ask themselves that dont you want your children to be part of five trillion economy.If you understand it, I think all the murmuring and whispering which is generated from thoughtless minds will vanish away, Singh said.The minister said Jammu and Kashmir is also under the process of a new industrial policy and a new scientific policy.The greatest disadvantage that has happened from Jammu and kashmir remaining in isolation because of Article 370 is that we become lazy and lethargic. We learnt to live on easy freebies, he said.

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POTUS India visit: Trump expected to talk Kashmir,says US Officials - The Kashmir Monitor

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Nine dead, five injured in Kathua mishap – The Kashmir Monitor

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

New Delhi, Feb 22: In a bid to address the concerns of the local populace after the revoking of Jammu and Kashmirs special status last year, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday assured the people of the Union Territory that the domicile law is coming very soon which would be followed by the Land Act.He also announced that more than the promised jobs will be provided to the youth after the notification of the rules is worked out.The domicile act is coming very soon, which will be immediately followed by the Land Act, the minister of state in the Prime Ministers Office said.Many parties have been demanding enactment of a domicile law for Jammu and Kashmir to protect the interests of landowners and the unemployed youth after the erstwhile state lost its special status following nullification of Article 370 by the Centre.Singh was addressing a function after signing of a major scientific collaboration agreement between CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, and IndusScan, a Canadian pharmaceutical company, here.Describing the signing of the MoU as a historic moment, the minister said Jammu and Kashmirs journey to become a part of Indias five trillion global economy has started from the four walls of IIIM.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is saying again and again that we would have the same kind of focus on Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as we did for North-East which saw major transformation over the last five years. Those who have doubts about it would see all this happening in a short while of time, he said.The minister said this is possible because the earlier embargoes have been removed and the Union Territory is directly reporting to the Centre.Many of the politicians have become unemployedheard yesterday one of them raising the issue of jobs to the local youth. I want to tell that more than the promised jobs will be advertised but as per the rules and in an impartial manner. We are waiting for a notification of the rules to come out, he said.Alleging brazen disregard for the concerns of the educated unemployed and underemployed youth by the incumbent government, National Panthers Party Chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh had said not a single post, out of the promised 50,000 jobs, had been advertised for filling up in the new UT after the abrogation of Article 370 provisions.Everything will be done. It will not be like when your government was in power and ruined the future of the youths by backdoor appointments and corrupt practices. The youth who were provided jobs have turned 35 years but are still waiting for their regularisation, the Union minister said.He said the jobs will be provided under rules which will be in the best interest of the youth and those who have been deprived of it.Asserting that India is going through one of the best phases under the leadership of Modi, he said a lot of development had taken place over the last five years and the country is looking forward to become a part of the global economy.On the one hand India is eyeing five trillion economy, dont you want that Jammu and Kashmir should also be part of that. It is possible only when our youth reaches such a stage to live up to the parameters which are followed globally and therefore, even if some of us have any doubts, confusion and skepticism or still unconvinced, ask themselves that dont you want your children to be part of five trillion economy.If you understand it, I think all the murmuring and whispering which is generated from thoughtless minds will vanish away, Singh said.The minister said Jammu and Kashmir is also under the process of a new industrial policy and a new scientific policy.The greatest disadvantage that has happened from Jammu and kashmir remaining in isolation because of Article 370 is that we become lazy and lethargic. We learnt to live on easy freebies, he said.

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Nine dead, five injured in Kathua mishap - The Kashmir Monitor

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IIT Gandhinagar to organise International Conference on Urban Transformations, Youth Aspirations and Education in India – India Education Diary

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

Gandhinagar: Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) and the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), New Delhi, are jointly organising an International Conference on Urban Transformations, Youth Aspirations and Education in India on February 20-21, 2020. The two-day conference intends to evolve an inter-disciplinary engagement on the nature of urban transformations and the youth in India while understanding policy dynamics in these areas. It will also attempt to understand the challenges to educational access and skills provision for the youth and the constraints of rural-urban migration, social caste background, and peri-urban locations.

Dr Bhushan Patwardhan, Vice Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, will be the Chief Guest at the inaugural program. Dr Patwardhan is a biomedical scientist and a Fellow of National Academy Sciences (India) and National Academy of Medical Sciences (India). He has worked on several policy making bodies including Task Forces of National Knowledge Commission, Planning Commission and has been a consultant to the World Health Organization, Geneva. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine published by Elsevier and is on the Editorial Boards of many reputed Journals. He will speak at the Inaugural Panel on Education along with Prof Sudhir Jain, Director, IIT Gandhinagar; and Prof Pankaj Chandra, Vice Chancellor, Ahmedabad University.

There will also be two keynote lectures on each day of the event. Prof Craig Jeffrey, Professor of Geography at the University of Melbourne, Australia and Director, Australia India Institute, will deliver the first Keynote Lecture titled Fresh Contact: Empowering Youth Innovators in South Asia on February 20. Prof Jeffrey is the author of the book Time pass: Youth, Class and the Politics of Waiting, which is a study of youth which is a study of youth aspirations in small-town North India. The second Keynote Lecture will be delivered by Prof John Harriss, Professor Emeritus of International Studies, Simon Fraser University, Canada, titled Aspiration, Opportunity, Mobility: the prospects for development among Indias youth, on February 21.

The first day of the conference will also have a short film screening titled Lifelines: documenting social change in the Indian Himalayas by Jane Dyson, Professor Anthropology at the University of Melbourne.

Many scholars and experts from India and abroad are invited as speakers during various sessions that will cover a wide range of subjects such as Educational Conundrums of Indian Youth; Youth and Political Mobilisation; Studying the Youth: Methods and Approaches; Peri-urban/Small Town Youth Aspirations; and Urban Landscapes: Marginality and Circulation.

Postgraduate and doctoral students, senior undergraduate students, faculty and researchers in Humanities and Social Sciences from all over the country are going to participate in this international conference. More details about the conference and speakers can be found on the conference website: http://events.iitgn.ac.in/2020/UTYAEI/index.php

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IIT Gandhinagar to organise International Conference on Urban Transformations, Youth Aspirations and Education in India - India Education Diary

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Second batch of Union ministers to visit JK in April – The Kashmir Monitor

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

New Delhi, Feb 20: The second batch of about 40 Union ministers is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir in April to get first-hand information about various development schemes initiated thereby both the central government and the Union Territory administration, officials said on Thursday.

The PrimeMinisters Office (PMO) will decide the composition of the ministerialdelegation that will undertake the follow up of the first visit of 37 Unionministers, who had toured Jammu and Kashmir last month.

A secondbatch of about 40 Union ministers may undertake a visit to Jammu and Kashmir.Dates and composition of the team have not been fixed yet but it will be donesoon after the Budget session of Parliament, a government official said.

After the recess,the second part of the budget session will begin on March 2 and it will end onApril 3.

The PMO willfinalise the list of the ministers and each minister will be assigned aparticular district and focus will be on the Kashmir Valley, the official said.

Some of theministers of the first batch may also be part of the second batch, he said.

The ministerswill assess the development initiatives undertaken by the central government aswell as the UT administration on the ground and they will not talk aboutpolitical issues, the official said.

By interactingwith the locals, they will try to get first-hand information about the roads,healthcare facilities, power situation, functioning of academic institutionsetc. in the UT, he added.

As many as 37central ministers had visited Jammu and Kashmir last month following a directiveof Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who wanted an honest assessment of the variouswelfare schemes being implemented there.

Among those whohad visited Jammu and Kashmir were Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, SportsMinister Kiren Rijiju, ministers of state for home G Kishan Reddy and NityanandRai.

The Unionministers have already submitted their feedback to the PMO on theimplementation of various development schemes there.

There were twosets of feedback one on the initiatives taken by the UT administration andthe other on the Centres initiatives another official said.

Most of thecentral ministers stayed overnight at their respective places of visit such asBaramulla, Ganderbal, Doda, besides others.

In August lastyear, the Centre abrogated Article 370 provisions of the Constitution, whichgave a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, andbifurcated it into UTs Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Since then, theCentre has been closely monitoring the on the ground implementation of variousdevelopment programmes there.

Jammu and Kashmiris currently under the Presidents rule.

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It’s Time the AYUSH Medicinal Systems Developed a New Vocabulary – The Wire

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

The recent advisory from the Ministry of AYUSH on treatments available in traditional medicine against the new COVID-19 epidemic rightfully created an uproar. There is no scientific evidence that the prescribed medicines work. Indeed, at the time all classical medical texts were collated, people didnt have an understanding of a virus. What there was instead, and which still guides treatment in these medical systems, is a holistic plant-based approach to managing symptoms; in the case of the advisory, for respiratory conditions. So why did the ministry publish unscientific statements? And what drives the almost instantaneously binary reaction to claims from traditional knowledge practices?

To answer this, its necessary to understand the history of medical education in India. Like all education before colonial times, Ayurveda too was also taught in the guru-shishya parampara, a system in which the student was immersed in the gurus household and practice, with a strong hands-on training component. Modern medicine came with the colonialists. In 1822, instructions in western and Indian medicine (Unani and Ayurveda) commenced in Calcutta, but by 1835 Thomas Macaulay effected a policy to withdraw support for instructions in native languages as well as for native medical practices.

Hereon, the colonial and later Indian governments undertook investments to increase the number of medical colleges offering education in western medicine in the country. The Medical Council of India Act of 1956 institutionalised this process, and has since decided on the MBBS degree curriculum. Meanwhile, it was predominantly princely endowments that helped the Indian state setup institutions to train students in traditional medicine. The Maharaja of Travancore had established one of the oldest in 1889 in Thiruvananthapuram, and which has since become the Government Ayurveda Medical College. However, it was not until 1970, with the passing of the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, that Ayurveda and Unani training became institutionalised.

This regulatory divide at the top ensured that from the very start of professional training, modern and traditional medical practitioners are kept separated. To this day, an MBBS degree includes no courses in traditional medicine and vice versa, although Ayurveda doctors do study modern anatomy and physiology. While modern biological sciences like biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, etc. are part of an MBBS education, they find no mention in a BAMS degree. Each group is siloed off, and further divided by socio-cultural imprints, with a rather ungenerous alternate label attached to traditional medicinal practices. Even on campuses that have a cluster of excellent science research departments, there is no exchange of staff and students between the Ayurveda college and the rest of the sciences. Structural bifurcation doesnt stop at medical education: it also extends to biomedical research.

Also read: How the Calcutta Medical College Led to the Rise of Biomedicine in India

In 2014, the government decided to hive off what was until then the Department AYUSH as a separate ministry to boost teaching, research and engagement with Indias traditional medical systems. This would have been an excellent policy decision had it not resulted in programmes where, once again, researchers and practitioners of modern biology are not actively involved in grant-giving committees or policy discussions. Its almost certain that the AYUSH ministry did not run their new advisory by any virologist in the country either, not because there arent any but because they dont feature on their rolodex of experts.

Thus we have a treasure trove of information on medical practices that have not been examined in a system that we know as the scientific method. The practice of testing hypotheses and rigorously demonstrating cause and effect has not permeated AYUSH. A favourite refrain of traditional medical practitioners is that it is difficult to perform clinical trials in the strict reductionist approach of modern science because, by philosophy, traditional medicine is personalised.

This is only the start of differences in vocabulary that then precipitate a binary situation: either believe in traditional medicine or dont. But what if we removed belief from this conversation? We must embrace openness and look for commonalities, the most important being that both streams are about saving lives and improving the quality of life. Modern medicine needs to acknowledge that it doesnt have a treatment for all diseases just as much as traditional medicine needs to acknowledge the same thing. We need more conversations between practitioners and researchers of both medical streams to start unpacking the potential of integrative treatments: the success of traditional medicine for chronic illnesses plus the superior surgical skills and life-saving technologies of modern medicine.

Further, we need to reimagine clinical trials to include personalised approaches to healing with metrics that include formulations as well as single chemical entities. We need the participation of the research fraternity, from biologists to statisticians and engineers, to describe new metrics to measure the efficacy of traditional medicine. Unfortunately, the only way an Ayurveda vaidya interacts with these professions today is in the form of a patient.

A lack of cohesive policymaking that aims to rigorously evaluate and integrate knowledge streams for human wellbeing is preventing us from reaping the full potential of the two. Remarkably, the Charaka Samhita, a basic textbook in Ayurveda, describes a good physician as one who is dynamic and constantly evolving. Its time to take this classical advice seriously.

Megha is an assistant professor at the Centre for Ayurveda Biology and Holistic Nutrition, The University for Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bengaluru. The views expressed here are personal.

Read more from the original source:
It's Time the AYUSH Medicinal Systems Developed a New Vocabulary - The Wire

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Cannabis and integrative medicine in Canada – Health Europa

Saturday, February 8th, 2020

Dr Dani Gordon is a double board-certified medical doctor, working with integrative medicine, as well as wellness expert and leading expert in clinical cannabis/cannabinoid medicine after treating 2500+ patients in Canada in a referral complex chronic disease practice where she specialised in neurological disorders, chronic pain and mental health conditions.

She speaks internationally on cannabinoid medicine and in mid-2018 moved to London to train the UKs first cannabis medicine specialist physicians, developing a leading online cannabis medicine physician training programme, helping to set up the UKs first cannabis medicine clinics and become a founding member of the UK Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS), delivering the MCCS guidelines to 10 Downing Street.

Gordon is an American Board Specialist in Integrative Medicine, the newest American sub-specialty of mainstream medicine, focussed on the intersection of conventional and natural evidence-based medicine and therapeutics and she has studied herbal medicine and meditation extensively throughout India and south east Asia with traditional teachers, mind-body medicine at Harvard, neurofeedback brain training and EEG brain imaging techniques with leaders in the field in North America.

Here, she speaks to Health Europa Quarterly about her extensive background in cannabis medicine, patient experience, and the representation of women in the rapidly evolving industry.

I am medical doctor and Im trained in both integrative medicine, which is natural evidence-based medicine and a recognised speciality. I am also trained in family medicine in Canada, and I specialise specifically in herbal medicine, cannabinoid medicine as part of my integrative medicine practice.

I have been practising integrative medicine for the last decade in Canada and that is mostly what I do in my clinical practice. Around four years ago, I started experimenting with medical cannabis and I have been running a complex chronic disease clinic with a focus on medical cannabis for the last four years in Canada; at this point I have treated thousands of patients using medical cannabis and CBD.

I have also trained medical students, physicians and allied health care providers on how to use cannabis medicine. I am a writer, and I speak worldwide on cannabis medicine and other natural evidence-based medicine topics and integrative medicine. Last year I relocated back to the UK where Im also a citizen to get involved on this side of the pond.

Since that time, Ive been involved in quite a few major projects here, I advise on some of the high profile child epilepsy cases, and Im the vice chair of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society. I advise companies and I have overseen training the first group of UK specialist doctors in cannabis medicine along with overseeing the curriculum for the Academy of Medical Cannabis, which is the main body established to educate physicians and researchers on medical cannabis.

Integrative medicine is a subspecialty which started out in the States. I already had my postdoctoral fellowship and you already need to be a doctor to take the fellowship programme. Its a two-year fellowship which I completed in 2012 in the US, and the reason I decided to do it is because I was practising as a holistic medical doctor in Canada. I was already a conventionally trained medical doctor with the qualifications I had, but I wanted to add to my practice natural things such as herbal medicine, mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques and mind- body techniques for the benefit of my chronic disease patients.

I went to the states and completed this training in 2012, because there was no postdoctoral level training in natural medicine and I really wanted to have the most bona fide qualification. Since 2012, it has now become a fully recognised speciality in medicine in the US. Initially I wasnt interested in integrative medicine when I started my practice in 2009 as a family doctor helping people with chronic disease was my main interest. I realised that just using pharmaceutical drugs alone for complex chronic diseases, were not really cutting the mustard so to speak. It just wasnt really working very well for a lot of my patients with anxiety, stress related disorders, mental health conditions, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain and sleeping problems. Pharmaceutical drugs were just not helping enough on their own.

I became interested in cannabis specifically in 2015. At that time, I had been practising with herbal medicines and conventional drugs for almost half a decade. A lot of my patients started to tell me about their experiences with using cannabis therapeutically because I practised herbal medicine as well as the conventional kind.

I was really interested in the things they were doing, for example some of my patients were juicing cannabis in its raw form and saying that it didnt make them feel high. They explained that it was really a health supplement that their parents generation had been using it in West coast Canada where a lot of people grow cannabis on their land. That got me really interested in why they were juicing it and not getting high and what was what was happening with this plant; as a herbalist I became very intrigued.

I also had a few patients who were at the end of their life with terrible cancers and they told me how they were taking homemade cannabis tinctures to help reduce their morphine needs so that they could be more aware and alert. It allowed them to manage their pain, experience better quality of life and spend more time with their families in their final days.

I started to investigate it from there to find out how I could introduce it into my practice, so people wouldnt need to experiment with it alone and in isolation. I sought out additional training in cannabis medicine, and just found a few mentors but back in 2015, there really wasnt that much awareness. I started opening my door to cannabis medicine being included in my practice through the Health Canada legal system and I just started learning hand in hand with my patients. I was reading all the latest research and working with the plant just as I did with all my other herbal medicine practise. I started to see all these incredible changes in my patients so that really spurred me on to continue.

When I first started out in cannabis medicine, I was actually quite sceptical because I had a lot of ingrained training from medical school that cannabis was an addictive drug that it was going to make people lazy, hurt their brains and make them more tired.

What I found was the patients who were in orphan disease categories with conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic anxiety and chronic depression, chronic pain were improving when nothing else we had tried previously was really effective. When I started to study the endocannabinoid system, which is the cannabis system we have in our own bodies It made sense because essentially the cannabis plant regulates our own cannabis system which is involved in processes such as regulating our mood and pain signals.

We [doctors and researchers specialising in cannabis medicine] think that a deficient endocannabinoid system also known as Endocannabinoid Deficiency Syndrome theory may play a role in all of these overlapping symptom clusters that are very, very difficult to treat. Conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic daily headaches, chronic migraine, chronic depression and anxiety all these issues sometimes improve using traditional drugs, but it usually doesnt provide a good solution with few side effects.

What I started to do with cannabis is adding in different forms of cannabis medicines primarily the low THC and high CBD strains of the plant and then selecting different strains of the plant more specifically. I found with my background as a herbalist I was able to really personalise the therapy.

With many of my patients who suffered from chronic mental health conditions, I really wanted to get them practising something called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) which I went to Harvard to study alongside some of the top researchers in the world. I really believe in it; however, it is not a quick fix. Unfortunately, people with chronic pain and chronic mental health conditions are often so poorly that they cant summon the mental effort to keep the practise going long enough for it to start working.

Once I got them onto cannabis, even the low THC cannabis which did not make them feel high, I started to get them to use it before their mindfulness or meditation practise. I found that they started to do more mindfulness and from there they started to exercise more because they werent fatigued. Many patients started to lose weight and become more social; it was kind of a snowball effect that allowed them to do a lot of other things. It allowed them to engage with a lot of non-drug therapies such as CBT that they couldnt engage with before because they were too ill.

I think its been enormously important to the patient experience and I have to say that it has reinvigorated my love of medicine in many ways. It is the kind of medicine that is very well tolerated by most people and helps them with their quality of life so greatly, even though it doesnt cure their condition.

We dont know that cannabis cant cure things and maybe one day we can figure that out, but for now its about quality of life. It has changed my patients lives in ways I could never imagine. Nobody Ive ever prescribed an antidepressant to has ever said to me this has changed my life, but daily and weekly in my practice, I get letters from patients and verbal testimonials that starting them on cannabis has saved their marriage, or completely changed the relationship they have with their children because they can engage with their family life again.

I have seen patients who were so debilitated by very advanced arthritis that they couldnt work or play music anymore and they are able to go back to those things. I had one patient who surprised me with a concert; he hadnt played in 10 years and he was very depressed because his hands were so painful.

I have seen ranchers who live out in the middle of the countryside in Alberta who couldnt get on their horse anymore to round up their cattle and when I did a follow up consultation via a video app, they took me with them on a ranch ride for the first time in five years. It had been five years since theyd been on the horse.

Ive treated young adults with epilepsy who had been told that they would never be independent and that they were going to be in a care home for the rest of their lives, and seen them be able to go to a part time job and get an animal to keep them company these things were not possible before. It changes the whole familys lives not just the person with epilepsy. As far as a single thing I can give someone, although its not a cure it has been the single most powerful tool that I have found so far since going from a Western medicine doctor to a herbal medicine doctor.

One of the things that I get very excited about is changing the perception of cannabis because I think the old perception of cannabis was this kind of stoner culture. On the recreational side of cannabis, which is very different to the medical side. Its not a very wholesome image.

The images that were portrayed of women were often women in bikinis smoking cannabis which are not necessarily positive images of women in general and definitely not the image of cannabis the medicine as I practise it. I feel very lucky to be involved in kind of seeing the transformation of the image of the plant because a hundred years ago, it was a perfectly respectable botanical medicine and its coming full circle back to that.

I feel that women have played a large role in that to be honest, and really introducing a balanced movement into the modern era. It isnt just me, there is Hannahs Deacon, Alfies mother and Charlie Caldwell these are the women who have had kids with epilepsy and have had to fight for access to the treatment. Carly Barton is a good friend of mine and a patient advocate. I have needed and developed a network of women and through social media many of them have become my friends. I think it has been a powerful tool for connecting and empowering women.

One thing that you do find when you enter the business side of the cannabis world is a lot of the people may have come from a traditionally male dominated industry. Often, when I go to give a talk, I will be one of the only women there, but I do feel that is already changing. It is certainly the case that as with many male dominated, corporate professions, women are generally underrepresented which is something needs to be taken seriously; we might potentially have to work harder than men.

Dr Dani GordonIntegrative Medicine Specialistdrdanigordon.com

Please note, this article appeared in issue 11 ofHealth Europa Quarterly, which is available to read now.

Read the original:
Cannabis and integrative medicine in Canada - Health Europa

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Vibroacoustic Therapy Shows Brain and Sleep Quality Benefits in Clinical Trial for Insomnia – Sleep Review

Saturday, February 8th, 2020

Many people find it easier to sleep in a car or a train because of the vibration and noise that helps rock them to sleep. But a more specific approach for using a vibratory and auditory stimulation program helps improve brain function and sleep amount and quality in patients with insomnia, according to a study published in the journal Sleep Disorders.

Using fMRI scans, the study found improvements in the functional connectivity in the brain as well as in measured amount of minutes slept and self-reported sleep quality. The areas of the brain that were affected were a combination of areas that are involved in sleep itself as well as areas that have improved function as the result of having better sleep. Such an approach might be particularly useful for people with insomnia by helping them to improve their amount and quality of sleep. The study was performed by the Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences, as well as the Departments of Neurology and Radiology, at Thomas Jefferson University.

Approaches that use a combination of vibratory and auditory stimulation have the goal of matching the brains natural rhythms and help improve the amount and quality of sleep. Another goal is to help improve the brain areas affected by a lack of sleep. The current study found changes in areas of the brain associated with both auditory and vibratory sensation. In addition, areas such as the thalamus and prefrontal cortex, which are critical for memory and cognition, were also affected. The current study tested this by tracking changes in functional connectivity using resting state fMRI.

This study is essential for understanding how vibratory and auditory stimulation can improve sleep amount and sleep quality in insomnia patients, says senior author on the paper Daniel Monti, MD, chairman of the Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences and Director of the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University, in a release. The study shows how the intervention has a direct effect on vibratory and auditory processing areas of the brain, as well as on important cognitive areas that are impaired when people dont get enough sleep,

This study evaluated 30 patients with insomnia symptoms who continued their current treatments and were placed into two groupsthe first group received the auditory and vibratory stimulation for approximately one month; and the second group, the control patients, received only their standard-of-care treatment for insomnia for the same time period. Those patients in the active group were given an auditory stimulation program, lasting approximately 60 minutes that they used each night as they went to sleep. In addition, they came into the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health twice a week to receive a combination of vibratory and auditory stimulation for 24 minutes using a specially designed chair that merges the two stimuli. This combination of the vibration and auditory stimulation during the day, coupled with the auditory stimulation during sleep, is supposed to help the brain enter the sleep state more effectively.

Patients underwent brain scanning using resting state fMRI to measure functional connectivity that evaluates how different parts of the brain interact with each other at the start of the study and after a month. Changes in brain connectivity reveal how the brain rewires itself when people are sleeping better. Some of the changes are related to the effects of the therapy itselfthe impact of vibration on sensory areas of the brain and some are related to the effects of improved sleep. This fMRI scan was used to determine the changes in brain function associated with auditory and vibratory stimulation in patients with insomnia. Patients also were evaluated clinically using several different measures of sleep quality and quality of life.

Compared to controls, the patients receiving the auditory and vibratory stimulation had significant changes in functional connectivity in the sensory and auditory receptive areas of the brainshowing how the stimulation seemed to be having its effect. In addition, areas involved in higher cognitive and executive functions, such as the thalamus and prefrontal cortex, were significantly affectedshowing that improved sleep improves your brains function.

This is an exciting study that shows how vibration and sound stimulation affect the brain and improve sleep in patients with insomnia and could have important implications for better managing patients with sleep problems, says corresponding author and neuro-imaging expert Andrew Newberg, MD, professor and director of research at the Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences. The investigators hope that this research will open up new avenues of treatment for insomnia patients.

There are no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by a gift from the Marcus Foundation.

Link:
Vibroacoustic Therapy Shows Brain and Sleep Quality Benefits in Clinical Trial for Insomnia - Sleep Review

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