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Pfizer tips pipeline to add $15B to sales in coming years – FierceBiotech

September 15th, 2020 11:08 am

Pfizer has tipped its pipeline to deliver new products that add more than $15 billion to revenues by 2025. The anticipated pipeline contributions led Pfizer to predict it will weather the next wave of patent expirations that is set to start in 2026.

At its virtual investor day Tuesday, Pfizer predicted (PDF) that JAK1 inhibitor abrocitinib, antisense therapy vupanorsen and a 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine can generate peak annual revenues of more than $3 billion each. Pfizer also tipped its Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy to rake in an excess of $2 billion and identified six other potential blockbusters.

With Pfizer tipping another five pipeline prospects to generate revenues of $500 million to $1 billion, the Big Pharma said sales of as-yet-unapproved experimental products could come to $15 billion by 2025.

ESMO Post Show: Highlights From the Virtual Conference

Cancer experts and pharma execs will break down the headline-making data from ESMO, sharing their insights and analysis around the conferences most closely watched studies. This discussion will examine how groundbreaking research unveiled over the weekend will change clinical practice and prime drugs for key new indications, and panelists will fill you in on the need-to-know takeaways from oncologys hottest fields.

The peak years of the experimental medicines likely lie beyond 2025. The timing of the anticipated peaks of those products coincides with the years in which Pfizer expects to face another patent cliff.

In 2026 and 2027, the U.S. basic product patents on Prevnar 13, Eliquis and Xtandi are set to expire, potentially exposing products that generated sales of $6.3 billion in Pfizers home market last year to off-patent competition. All told, analysts expect Pfizer to lose up to $20 billion in sales due to patent expirations starting in 2026. Pfizers internal forecast is roughly in line with analyst estimates.

After Lyrica went off patent last year, Pfizer entered a window in which its portfolio is virtually free from the loss of exclusivity through to 2026. The lull gives Pfizer a period to get some of its pipeline prospects to market and start growing their sales, leading management to predict the current slate of experimental assets will at least replace the revenues lost to off-patent rivals starting in 2026.

That prediction rests on Pfizers ability to get key pipeline products to market. Pfizer used the virtual event to claim a growing effectiveness in that regard. As of 2015, 5% of the drugs Pfizer took into the clinic went on to win approval. By 2019, that figure had increased to 9%, causing Pfizers success rate to go from well below the industry average to slightly above the performance of its peers.

Pfizer also noted an improved phase 2 success rate. In 2017, 17% of Pfizers phase 2 trials succeeded. Since then, Pfizer has averaged 46%. The success rate so far this year stands at 53%. Pfizer claims to be moving faster, too, stating it is on course to reduce development timelines by 2.5 years between 2017 and 2021. Automation of processes accounts for the biggest anticipated time saving.

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VBL Therapeutics to Provide an Update on the OVAL Study Today at the H. C. Wainwright 22nd Annual Global Investment Conference – GlobeNewswire

September 15th, 2020 11:08 am

TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VBL Therapeutics (Nasdaq: VBLT) will present today a corporate overview, including an update on the OVAL pivotal study, at the H. C. Wainwright 22nd Annual Global Investment Conference being held virtually on September 14-16, 2020.

"Our OVAL trial of VB-111 in ovarian cancer continues to progress well, with over a third of the study participants already enrolled," said Dror Harats, MD, Chief Executive Officer of VBL Therapeutics. "We are pleased that the high response rate seen in our interim analysis in March, continues to be high in the total patient population to date. With blinded data becoming more mature, we currently see a good correlation between the CA-125 and RECIST responses, as well as with preliminary PFS and OS data. So far, OVAL blinded data recapitulate what we have seen in our positive Phase 2 study, which is very encouraging."

Presentation Details:

About VBLVascular Biogenics Ltd., operating asVBL Therapeutics, is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class treatments for areas of unmet need in cancer and immune/inflammatory indications. VBL has developed three platform technologies: a gene-therapy based technology for targeting newly formed blood vessels with focus on cancer, an antibody-based technology targeting MOSPD2 for anti-inflammatory and immuno-oncology applications, and the Lecinoxoids, a family of small-molecules for immune-related indications. VBLs lead oncology product candidate, ofranergene obadenovec (VB-111), is a first-in-class, targeted anti-cancer gene-therapy agent that is being developed to treat a wide range of solid tumors. It is conveniently administered as an IV infusion once every 6-8 weeks. It has been observed to be well-tolerated in >300 cancer patients and demonstrated activity signals in a VBL-sponsored all comers Phase 1 trial as well as in three VBL-sponsored tumor-specific Phase 2 studies. Ofranergene obadenovec is currently being studied in a VBL-sponsored Phase 3 potential registration trial for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as anticipate, believe, could, estimate, expect, goal, intend, look forward to, may, plan, potential, predict, project, should, will, would and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our programs, including VB-111, including their clinical development, therapeutic potential and clinical results. These forward-looking statements are not promises or guarantees and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described or projected herein include uncertainties associated generally with research and development, clinical trials and related regulatory reviews and approvals, the risk that historical clinical trial results may not be predictive of future trial results, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, operations, clinical trials, supply chain, strategy, goals and anticipated timelines and clinical results, that our financial resources do not last for as long as anticipated, and that we may not realize the expected benefits of our intellectual property protection. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks can be found in our regulatory filings with theU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year endedDecember 31, 2019, and subsequent filings with theSEC. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.VBL Therapeuticsundertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.

INVESTOR CONTACT:Michael RiceLifeSci Advisors, LLC(646) 597-6979

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VBL Therapeutics to Provide an Update on the OVAL Study Today at the H. C. Wainwright 22nd Annual Global Investment Conference - GlobeNewswire

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COVID-19 therapies in the pipeline – Drug Target Review

September 15th, 2020 11:08 am

As the global COVID-19 situation is rapidly changing, staying abreast with the latest news can be challenging. In this article, Sheraz Gul provides an overview of the broad range of potential treatments in development and discusses how the regulatory landscape can shift at any time.

IN EARLY AUGUST 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has exceeded 20 million including over 700,000 deaths. These staggering figures have come about despite global lockdown measures being in place for the past few months. The resulting flattening of confirmed cases and deaths is now being jeopardised because, as the lockdown measures are being relaxed, we are seeing a resurgence of cases in some locations. In order to prevent a possible second wave of COVID-19 cases and deaths, the wearing of masks in public places is now mandatory in many countries. At the start of August 2020, New Zealand, which had gone 102 days without recording a locally transmitted case of COVID-19, saw new cases emerging. This highlights that we are still vulnerable to the spread of the virus.

Thus far, no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapy for use to treat COVID-19 is available. In order to provide some respite, on 1 May 2020 the FDA, as part of its Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP), issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the investigational antiviral drug remdesivir to treat suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalised with severe disease. Although there is limited information known about the safety and effectiveness of using remdesivir to treat people in the hospital with COVID-19, this investigational drug has been shown in a clinical trial to shorten the time to recovery in some patients. It is noteworthy that prior to this, on 28 March 2020, the FDA also issued an EUA for chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. This was subsequently revoked on 15 June 2020, as the FDA considered that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine no longer met the statutory criteria for the EUA. In conclusion, the use and revocation of COVID-19 drugs can change at any time, so referring to official guidance is essential.

A recent update of the US ClinicalTrials. gov website listed around 2,000 COVID-19 interventional studies that are underway, around 90 of which are now completed. These cover a broad range of potential treatments including: 1) antiviral drugs to prevent viruses from multiplying; 2) immunomodulators aimed at reducing the bodys own immune reaction to the virus; 3) neutralising antibody therapies to fight the virus (manufactured, animalsourced and blood-derived from people who have previously had COVID-19); 4) cell therapy products (cellular immunotherapies and other types of both autologous and allogeneic cells, such as stem cells, and related products); and 5) gene therapy products that modify or manipulate the expression of a gene or alter the biological properties of living cells for therapeutic use. This diversity of therapeutic approaches is important as it allows opportunities for all types of treatments to be discovered, whilst expanding our understanding of the disease. Bearing in mind the timescale to discover a therapy for any given disease, the scientific community has made major advances towards developing a COVID-19 therapy. We eagerly await the output of various clinical trials over the next few months with the expectation that some of these yield sufficiently efficacious and safe therapies that gain approval by the regulators.

As the global COVID-19 situation is rapidly changing, it is advisable to stay abreast with the latest news only from reputable sources (see suggested reading below).

Sheraz Gul is an expert in drug discovery with experience gained in academia (University of London), industry (GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals) and the largest applied research organisation in Europe (Fraunhofer Institute). He is also an adjunct lecturer at NUI-Galway, Ireland and scientific co-founder of Transcriptogen Ltd. He has co-ordinated work packages in drug discovery projects, which have attracted more than 7 million funding and has organised 42 drug discovery workshops since 2011 across the globe and trained 780 scientists

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Institute of Integrative Medicine Conducting Clinical Trials of 3-4 Covid-19 Drug Formulations: Director – Yahoo India News

September 15th, 2020 11:07 am

The Jammu-based Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) is undertaking clinical trials of 3-4 formulations for developing a COVID-19 drug, a senior official had said. The IIIM is also in the final stages of validating a new machine-less coronavirus diagnostics kit, as already reported by the PTI, which can help the country scale up COVID-19 testing.

"For Covid-19, we are undergoing clinical trials. In collaboration with Ayush ministry and industry, we are involved in it. Three to four clinical trials are going in different plant species with regard to COVID-19 drugs on 3 to 4 formulations, Director CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Dr D Srinivasa Reddy, told PTI. If they (all the requisite trials) are successful, we can make medicines soon available, Reddy said.

"We are definitely getting closer. So many research groups from across the world are giving their best to find treatment for COVID-19. Discovering new medicines is a very long and costly process, he said. The director said that repurposing already known drugs to treat COVID-19 patients is the best option under the present circumstances.

"Several academic and industry groups across the globe are continuously working. In India, in particular the CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) is a frontrunner in this direction, he added.

Dr Reddy, who recently took over as the director of IIIM for the next six years, said the first activity that IIIM undertook under him was testing COVID-19 samples.

"We started testing in the first week of April, in collaboration with Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu. We have completed over 40,000 samples till date, he said. We are in the process of increasing the number of samples tested, he said.

The IIIM is also in the process of developing a new formulation based on Zinc Gluconate and natural Vitamin C coming from Acerola Cherry for boosting immunity, he said. It is in collaborations with a company.

He said that the development processes for Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API)as part of repurposing of drugs is underway and our scientists have made significant progress on this activity and one of the processes has been demonstrated to an industry partner in Jammu.

"We continue to work along these lines and start some new initiatives to address COVID-19 related problems. Our scientists and students rose to the occasion and contributed significantly in a short time, he added.

Dr Reddy said that the IIIM laboratory is a unique place for discovering medicines based on natural products everything is under one roof for plant-based or new chemical entity (NCE)-based drugs. It has got rich biodiversity in the region which is known for medicinal and aromatic plants. It has a diverse scientist pool with expertise and experience from various functions. I see a lot of opportunities here, he added. He said that IIIM can lead programmes of national importance in addition to existing assets and expand compound or natural product extracts library and open it to others research purposes.

The IIIM can develop agricultural technologies and commercial cultivation in the Western Himalayas Kashmir Valley and Ladakh regions, he said. There are high-value medicinal and aromatic plants, (but) they seem to be facing problems in the supply chain, in particular, for the international markets. The IIIM can put more efforts in that direction, he added.

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A message from the health center: complementary and alternative medicines – The Lion’s Roar Newspaper

September 15th, 2020 11:07 am

Western medicine, also known as traditional medicine, is the familiar system in which healthcare providers treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation and/or surgery. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a term used for medical products and practices that are typically not part of traditional medicine or included in standard medical care. The terms complementary and alternative both refer to treatments like herbal remedies or acupuncture. However, complementary medicine is when these therapies are used along with traditional western medicine practices. Alternative medicine refers to using alternative approaches instead of using traditional western medical approaches. Some practices of CAM include massage therapy, acupuncture, acupressure, Tai Chi, aromatherapy, herbal medicine and chiropractic.

When it comes to CAM, there are four major alternative medical systems that were developed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) in 2000. These four alternative medical systems include:

1. Mind-body interventions: involve using specific techniques to boost the minds capacity to influence bodily function and enhance health (i.e. meditation and yoga)

2. Biologically-based treatment: the use of substances found in nature (i.e. herbs, foods and vitamins)

3. Manipulative and body-based methods: focuses on applying specific treatments to address health issues (i.e. reflexology and chiropractic)

4. Energy therapies: based on the idea that energy fields surround and penetrate the human body (i.e. therapeutic touch and Reiki)

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As you can see from the four major alternative medical systems, CAM is used for physical, mental and spiritual health. In addition, CAM is widely used today and is increasing in popularity. In the United States, complementary and alternative medicine is used by about 38% of adults and 12% of children, according to John Hopkins Medical.

If you are interested in integrating or learning more about CAM, ask your primary care provider if integrated therapy is right for you. You can also ask your primary care provider if they can provide you with recommendations and/or contact your local hospital or medical school as they often keep lists of integrative medicine practitioners in the area.

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Best Essential Oils: How to Choose the Proper One and Use the Power of Nature – AmoMama

September 15th, 2020 11:07 am

In recent years, the popularity of aromatherapy has significantly increased, especially after celebrities like "Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo and "Sister, Sister" actress Tamera Mowry admitted that essential oils were included in their routines.

As Elizabeth Ko, medical director of the UCLA Health Integrative Medicine Collaborative, explained, essential oils carry the "essence" of the plant, and our smell receptors quickly absorb it.

AROMATHERAPY AND ESSENTIAL OILS

Depending on the plant you're using, the effect is different. Most commonly, they range from having anxiolytic or anti-inflammatory properties to boosting your energy and preventing acne.

It is worth noting that the best way to use essential oils is with a diffuser, which is a device that you have to fill with water and add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil.

Celebrities like Kerry Washington ("Scandal"), Gwyneth Paltrow ("Shakespeare in Love"), and Jenna Dewan ("Soundtrack") have been open about their use of aromatherapy, so after doing our research, we found some of the best essential oils on the market.

CHAMOMILE

This herb has been consumed for hundreds of years by different cultures as a natural remedy for a variety of health conditions, so it was only natural to have it as an essential oil.

Chamomile oil is recommended for people who want to go to sleep without struggling so much, but it is also a good option for sore muscles and to reduce swelling on the skin.

ORANGE

Since orange oils are extracted from sweet oranges, it is one of the most affordable essential oils on the market. If that wasn't enough, it has an anxiolytic effect on people due to its sweet aroma, making it one of the best essential oils for anxiety.

Apart from that, it can also reduce some symptoms of PTSD. It is one of Ellen Pompeo's favorites ("Grey's Anatomy"), so that should give you a good idea of its benefits.

CINNAMON

While cinnamon is commonly used as a spice to give your food that extra touch of quality, it can also be breathed in as an essential oil to boost your focus, as it can impact the area of your brain that governs alertness.

"Soundtrack" star Jenna Dewan confessed that she boosts her immune system by putting Thieves oil, which combines clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oils, under her tongue.

LAVENDER

Lavender is one of the best essential oils for sleep on the market as investigations have shown that people wake up more refreshed. Apart from that, it is used in dermatology to heal wounds quickly, ease the consequences of insect bites, and reduce redness.

"Sister, Sister" star Tamera Mowry recommends lavender oils to get rid of "a pesky migraine" due to its anxiolytic effect, so this one is a no-brainer.

YLANG YLANG

Due to its sweet floral scent, ylang ylang essential oil is mostly recommended as a soothing option, especially after investigators found that it helped lower people's heart rate and blood pressure.

If that wasn't good enough, this oil is reported to lift people's moodsand their self-esteem while also helping with inflammation.

TEA TREE

Also known as melaleuca, tea tree oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which is probably why Australian aboriginal people used it for wound healing in the past.

Nowadays, it is mostly recommended to prevent and treat acne and to help with your energy levels, but it can also be used to repel bugs.

ROSE

One of the best smelling essential oils out there is rose oil, which is reported to relieve pain, including the unsettling menstrual cramps. Additionally, it has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which makes it an excellent option to prevent fungal and staph infections.

If you are like Ellen Pompeo and don't like too-flowery scents, you can combine rose oils with "a dash" of vetiver or sandalwood to give it "a little earthiness."

The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, and images contained on, or available through this NEWS.AMOMAMA.COM is for general information purposes only. NEWS.AMOMAMA.COM does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider.

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Exercise and diet are more important than ever with COVID at large – Salon

September 15th, 2020 11:07 am

If your life these days is anything like mine, a pre-pandemic routine that included regular exercise and disciplined eating has probably given way to sedentary evenings on a big chair, binge-watching reruns of your favorite TV series while guzzling chocolate ice cream or mac 'n' cheese.

But let's not beat ourselves up about it. Several doctors I spoke with recently said most of their patients and many of their colleagues are struggling to maintain healthy habits amid the anxiety of the pandemic. "The Quarantine 15" (pounds, that is) is a real phenomenon.

The double challenge of protecting our health, including our immune systems, while battling unhealthy temptations "is a struggle everyone is dealing with," says Dr. David Kilgore, director of the integrative medicine program at the University of California-Irvine.

Well before COVID-19, more than 40% of U.S. adults were obese, which puts them at risk for COVID-19's worst outcomes. But even people accustomed to physical fitness and good nutrition are having trouble breaking the bad habits they've developed over the past five months.

Karen Clark, a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, discovered competitive rowing later in life, and her multiple weekly workouts burned off any excess calories she consumed. But the pandemic changed everything: She could no longer meet up with her teammates to row and stopped working out at the YMCA.

Suddenly, she was cooped up at home. And, as for many people, that led to a more sedentary lifestyle, chained to the desk, with no meetings outside the house or walks to lunch with colleagues.

"I reverted to comfort food and comfortable routines and watching an awful lot of Netflix and Amazon Prime, just like everybody else," Clark says. "When I gained 10 pounds and I was 25, I just cut out the beer and ice cream for a week. When you gain 12 pounds at 62, it's a long road back."

She started along that road in July, when she stopped buying chips, ice cream and other treats. And in August, she rediscovered the rowing machine in her basement.

But don't worry if you lack Clark's discipline, or a rowing machine. You can still regain some control over your life.

A good way to start is to establish some basic daily routines, since in many cases that's exactly what the pandemic has taken away, says Dr. W. Scott Butsch, director of obesity medicine at the Cleveland Clinic's Bariatric and Metabolic Institute. He recommends you "bookend" your day with physical activity, which can be as simple as a short walk in the morning and a longer one after work.

And, especially if you have kids at home who will be studying remotely this fall, prepare your meals at the beginning of the day, or even the beginning of the week, he says.

If you haven't exercised in a while, "start slow and gradually get yourself up to where you can tolerate an elevated heart rate," says Dr. Leticia Polanco, a family medicine doctor with the South Bay Primary Medical Group, just south of San Diego. If your gym is closed or you can't get together with your regular exercise buddies, there are plenty of ways to get your body moving at home and in your neighborhood, she says.

Go for a walk, a run or a bike ride, if one of those activities appeals to you. Though many jurisdictions across the United States require residents to wear masks when out in public, it may not be necessary and may even be harmful to some people with respiratory conditions while doing strenuous exercise.

"It's clearly hard to exercise with a mask on," says Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases at Stanford University's School of Medicine. "We go hiking up in the foothills and we take our masks with us and we don't wear them unless somebody starts coming the other way. Then we will put the mask on, and then we take it off and we keep going."

If you prefer to avoid the mask question altogether, think of your house as a cleverly disguised gym. Put on music and dance, or hula-hoop, Polanco suggests. You can also pump iron if you have dumbbells, or find a cable TV station with yoga or other workout programs.

If you search on the internet for "exercise videos," you will find countless workouts for beginners and experienced fitness buffs alike. Try one of the seven-minute workout apps so popular these days. You can download them from Google Play or the Apple Store.

If you miss the camaraderie of exercising with others, virtual fitness groups might seem like a pale substitute, but they can provide motivation and accountability, as well as livestreamed video workouts with like-minded exercisers. One way to find such groups is to search for "virtual fitness community."

Many gyms are also offering live digital fitness classes and physical training sessions, often advertised on their websites.

If group sports is your thing, you may or may not have options, depending on where you live.

In Los Angeles, indoor and outdoor group sports in municipal parks are shut down until further notice. The only sports allowed are tennis and golf.

In Montgomery County, Maryland, the Ron Schell Draft League, a softball league for men 50 and older, will resume play early this month after sitting out the spring season due to COVID-19, says Dave Hyder, the league's commissioner.

But he says it has been difficult to get enough players because of worries about COVID.

"In the senior group, you have quite a lot of people who are in a high-risk category or may have a spouse in a high-risk category, and they don't want to chance playing," says Hyder, 67, who does plan to play.

Players will have to stay at least 6 feet apart and wear masks while off the field. On the field, the catcher is the only player required to wear a mask. That's because masks can steam up glasses or slip, causing impaired vision that could be dangerous to base runners or fielders, Hyder explains.

Whatever form of exercise you choose, remember it won't keep you healthy unless you also reduce consumption of fatty and sugary foods that can raise your risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension all COVID-19 risk factors.

Kim Guess, a dietitian at UC-Berkeley, recommends that people lay in a healthy supply of beans and lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds, as well as frozen vegetables, tofu, tempeh and canned fish, such as tuna and salmon.

"Start with something really simple," she said. "It could even be a vegetable side dish to go with what they're used to preparing."

Whatever first steps you decide to take, now is a good time to start eating better and moving your body more.

Staying healthy is "so important these days, more than at any other time, because we are fighting this virus which doesn't have a treatment," says the Cleveland Clinic's Butsch. "The treatment is our immune system."

This KHN story first published onCalifornia Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

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Can Forsythia Cure Coronavirus? Herb With Antibacterial, Antiviral Properties Is Popular in TCM – International Business Times, Singapore Edition

September 15th, 2020 11:07 am

Coronavirus contagion spreads by just talking

Forsythia is a plant that produces fruits called Lian Qiao, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to help treat various symptoms including fever, nausea, swelling, and sore throat.

There is limited evidence to prove the forsythia's effectiveness. The Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine suggests that Lian Qiao can be used to treat or prevent Coronavirus. The journal also lists Radix astragali (Huangqi), Radix glycyrrhizae (Gancao), Radix saposhnikoviae (Fangfeng), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Baizhu) and Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (Jinyinhua) for Coronavirus treatment.

As of now the majority of studies on forsythia's medicinal properties were conducted either in animals or in vitro, performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. That is why there is very little scientific evidence on its effectiveness in humans. But from animal and vitro studies, scientists have found many properties that could help explain some of its benefits in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

A 2017 study found that in vitro dried Lian Qiao has shown a potential to combat bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and streptococcus, while a 2013 research revealed the effects of both forsythia and Japanese honeysuckle on the influenza virus, the researchers found that they both restrain the virus from multiplying and boost immune cell function.

A vitro study, which came in 2010 in the Journal of Medicinal Plant Research, said that the plant, mostly native to eastern Asia, could be effective against H1N1. As per another 2017 study, which was conducted on mice, forsythia has shown promising signs in treating intestinal inflammatory conditions like ulcerative colitis.

Forsythia has been studied in treating certain cancers. In a study published in Molecular Medicine Reports, esophageal cancer cells were put into mice, and researchers found that forsythia inhibited the growth of the cancer cells. But further study is needed to completely understand the effectiveness of this herb.

The Use of Natural Remedy

The name 'forsythia' may sound familiar because it was mentioned in the 2011 movie, "Contagion," which became highly popular during the Coronavirus pandemic. There is no solid proof that forsythia can be useful to treat or cure Coronavirus. But, for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties, the plant is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat bacterial and viral infections.

As per the experts, the safest and best way to take forsythia is to discuss dosage with an herbal medicine expert, as there is not enough and reliable information to know the side effects of this herb. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. has not approved forsythia products.

Deborah Ann Ballard, MD, MPH, internal medicine doctor at Duke Integrative Medicine said she does not prescribe forsythia to her patients and does not recommend anyone to take forsythia without consulting a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor. "Proper use of this or any remedy requires an individualized assessment and approach," she added.

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Haims: Inflammation the good and the bad | VailDaily.com – Vail Daily News

September 15th, 2020 11:07 am

In general, inflammation is good. However, when inflammation is bad, its very bad. Inflammation is good when it is the bodys response to tissue damage or the invasion of a harmful intruder like a toxin, bacteria, virus, or even a splinter.

Inflammation is bad when it becomes chronic (long-term) and has the potential to cause diseases like obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, blood vessel disease, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and even Alzheimers.

When inflammation lasts for a short duration (a few days), it is called acute inflammation. This is the bodys short-term response and attempts to fix a localized effect.When acute inflammation occurs, the body produces proteins, white blood cells, hormones, and nutrients that are carried from the circulatory system to the site of the problem.This type of inflammation is a protective healing process. As the body heals, the acute inflammation gradually subsides.

Conversely, when the duration of inflammation last longer, this is called chronic inflammation. Although acute inflammation is a healing process, chronic inflammation is most often just the opposite.As inflammation persists for weeks, months, or even longer periods of time, white blood cells often end up causing harm to healthy tissue.

As inflammation persists, it often contributes to the progression of many chronic diseases affecting physical and cognitive health. Some of the physical health issues associated with chronic disease are heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and Inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease.

The link between inflammation and cognition is complicated and somewhat unclear as it is difficult to be sure about cause and effect. Dr. Robert H. Shmerling from Harvard Medical School says: Its a chicken-and-egg scenario, does chronic inflammation increase the risk of these ailments, or is it a byproduct?

Daniela Kaufer, a University of California at Berkeley professor of integrative biology and Alon Friedman of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel and Dalhousie University in Canada have been studying inflammation in the brain cognitive decline for some time. In a publication from the journal Science Translational Medicine, Mr. Kaufer stated, We tend to think about the aged brain in the same way we think about neurodegeneration: Age involves loss of function and dead cells. But our new data tell a different story about why the aged brain is not functioning well: It is because of this fo of inflammatory load. But when you remove that inflammatory fog, within days the aged brain acts like a young brain. It is a really, really optimistic finding, in terms of the capacity for plasticity that exists in the brain. We can reverse brain aging.

One of the best counter measures we can do to prevent or reduce chronic inflammation is exercise. Both observational studies and controlled trials have shown that exercise suppresses production of proteins that have harmful effects on inflammation. Further, exercise increase the production of certain molecules that play an important role in inducing anti-inflammatory defense mechanisms

Foods are anther powerful tool to assisting in fighting inflammation. By choosing to avoid certain types of food and integrating others, you can make a profound difference to your ability to fend off chronic inflammation.

Here are some of the foods that combat inflammation: tomatoes, fruits (berries, oranges) olive oil, green leafy, vegetables (spinach, kale), nuts (almonds and walnuts), fatty fish (salmon, tuna,) omega-3 fatty acids; high-fiber foods; and foods high in zinc and magnesium.

Here are some of the foods that exacerbate inflammation: sugar, saturated fats (dairy, fatty meat), refined carbohydrates (fruit juices, pastries, white bread), processed meats (sausage, deli meats high in sodium)

Physical, cognitive, and emotional health can all be tied to chronic inflammation.When you get too tired of the boob tube, go online and educate yourself about inflammation.Do a search for terms like, health risk of inflammation, chronic inflammation symptoms, or reducing inflammation in the body.

When diet and exercise are not accomplishing what you need, consider talking to your medical provider.There are prescription medications that have proven to be helpful in mitigating inflammation.

Judson Haims is the owner of Visiting Angels Home Care in Vail, Beaver Creek, and throughout Eagle County. He is an advocate for our elderly and is available to answer questions. He can be reached at http://www.visitingangels.com/comtns or 970-328-5526.

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Medsafe takes action to prevent the supply of illegally marketed medicine linked to liver harm – New Zealand Doctor Online

September 15th, 2020 11:07 am

Medsafe has withdrawn its prosecution of Promisia Integrative Ltd in relation to its product Arthrem, in return for an agreement that will see the product removed from supply.

The settlement means Promisia accepts it breached the Medicines Act and will now cease manufacturing, advertising and selling Arthrem which has been linked to serious cases of liver harm.

In turn, Medsafe has agreed to withdraw the nine charges laid in the District Court against the company last year.

The prosecution of Promisia Integrative Limited, began in January 2019, followed Medsafes earlier warnings to the company about the sale, supply and advertising of Arthrem.

The company was warned that its advertising of Arthrem breached the Medicines Act.

Promotional claims made by the Company about Arthrems use for arthritis effectively made the product a medicine, which was unapproved, and was in breach of the Act.

In 2018 Medsafe published two privileged statements made by the Director-General of Health warning of the possible link between the Artemisia annua extract contained in Arthrem and reports of liver harm in people using it.

Despite the warnings, Promisia continued to supply Arthrem both within New Zealand and overseas, resulting in Medsafe laying charges.

Medsafe Group Manager Chris James says a settlement was seen as preferable given the length of time likely to be involved in pursuing a prosecution.

Under the Medicines Act, a substance that is supplied for a therapeutic purpose and that is to be administered to human beings is (with some exceptions) a medicine and, except in closely limited circumstances, cannot be sold, supplied, distributed, or advertised unless first approved by Medsafe on behalf of the Minister of Health. Promisia was supplying Arthrem for a therapeutic purpose without the necessary approvals.

Medsafe contends that Arthrem was intended to be taken for a therapeutic purpose but was being marketed under the guise of a dietary supplement.

Mr James emphasised that this is an example where a potentially harmful product was illegally marketed to the public as a dietary supplement, with fewer safety controls, when it should have been subjected to the more rigorous controls required for medicines.

Background

Promisia was first warned in 2016 that its advertising of Arthrem breached the Medicines Act because a therapeutic purpose was being claimed for the product.

Information on the safety issues relating to Arthrem can be found in the following links to the section 98 privileged statements: 15 Feb 2018; 27 Nov 2018. The New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre reported that up till 28 February 2020 it had received reports of 46 cases relating to adverse reactions reported in association with the use of Arthrem.

Medsafe operates an approval system for medicines that ensures they are safe, effective and of an acceptable quality.

The nine charges related to breaches of section 20 of the Medicines Act 1981; specifically, sections 20(2)(a) (selling) and 20(2)(c) (advertising).

The penalty, on successful prosecution, for a breach of section 20 is, for a body corporate, a fine not exceeding $100,000.

A product is a medicine if it comes within the definition of medicine in the Medicines Act 1981. Sections 3 and 4 of the Act are relevant.

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Phoenix Specialty Mfg. Co. Focuses on Growth and Longevity – PRNewswire

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

BAMBERG, S.C., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --For more than a century, Phoenix Specialty has made small, precision components that are critical to a host of industries all made to the exact specifications of the customer. Phoenix is a fourth-generation family-owned company, with a long history of stability and growth. Built by people with a passion for service, quality and reliability, Phoenix has become a trusted supplier of specialty parts to OEMs around the world over the last 113 years.

Since its inception a century ago, a lot has changed. What hasn't changed, however, is Phoenix Specialty's commitment to reliability and dedication to excellence. The company has ensured its growth over the years by making significant investments in their equipment. Phoenix's in-house tool & die shop is home to many state-of-the-art CNC lathes, CNC milling machines and Wire-EDMs. Its production machining department also houses cutting edge equipment, including Swiss screw machines, water jets, CNC lathes, CNC milling machines and numerous stamping presses. Phoenix most recently announced its plans to expand operations in Bamberg County in a $5.5 million dollar investment. The expansion is projected to create 35 additional jobs over the next three years.

Made right here in the USA, Phoenix Specialty manufactures parts to exacting standards, for the most technically advanced industries of the 21st century. In fact, Phoenix became one of the first AS9000 certified company in the United States, and later achieved AS9100 accreditation.

In a time when supply chain disruptions are becoming more frequent, it would be hard to find a supplier more reliable than Phoenix Specialty. As an essential American-made supplier, Phoenix is dedicated to investing in the future of the industry, its people, customers and facilities. Even during tough economic times, Phoenix has proven their ability to stand the test of time.

Since 1907, Phoenix Specialty has been the leading supplier of custom parts to America's Original Equipment Manufacturers. Located in Bamberg, South Carolina, Phoenix delivers high-quality precision parts all made in the USA. Serving all industries, this business has manufactured millions of parts, for thousands of customers worldwide. With an extensive raw materials inventory and an in-house tool & die shop, Phoenix has the capability to produce specialty parts fast. Offering a written Risk-Free Promise and a Managed Inventory System, Phoenix Specialty has made sourcing custom components easy for more than a century.

For more information about Phoenix Specialty Mfg. Co., visit PhoenixSpecialty.com.

Contact Info:

Abby Lee, Marketing Assistant[emailprotected]7433 Main HighwayBamberg, SC 29003803.245.5116

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Microbiome and Longevity: High Abundance of Longevity-Linked Muribaculaceae in the Gut of the Long-Living Rodent Spalax leucodon – DocWire News

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

This article was originally published here

OMICS. 2020 Sep 9. doi: 10.1089/omi.2020.0116. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

With a world population living longer as well as marked disparities in life expectancy, understanding the determinants of longevity is one of the priority research agendas in 21st century life sciences. To this end, the blind mole-rat (Spalax leucodon), a subterranean mammalian, has emerged as an exceptional model organism due to its astonishing features such as remarkable longevity, hypoxia and hypercapnia tolerance, and cancer resistance. The microbiome has been found to be a vital parameter for cellular physiology and it is safe to assume that it has an impact on life expectancy. Although the unique characteristics of Spalax make it an ideal experimental model for longevity research, there is limited knowledge of the bacterial composition of Spalax microbiome, which limits its in-depth utilization. In this study, using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, we report the gut and skin bacterial structure of Spalax for the first time. The diversity between fecal and skin samples was manifested in the distant clustering, as revealed by beta diversity analysis. Importantly, the longevity-linked Muribaculaceae bacterial family was found to be the dominating bacterial taxa in Spalax fecal samples. These new findings contribute toward further development of Spalax as a model for longevity research and potential linkages between microbiome composition and longevity.

PMID:32907488 | DOI:10.1089/omi.2020.0116

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Adding this one simple food to your diet may help you live to 100, according to the world’s longest-living people – CNBC

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

A few years ago, I traveled to Okinawa in Japan, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Ikaria in Greece, Loma Linda in California and Sardinia in Italy all "Blue Zones," or homes to thelongest-lived people to find out what centenarians ate to live to 100.

I also asked dozens of theworld's leading nutritionists and food scientists what we should eat to enjoy a long and healthy life, while also taking care of the environment.

One conclusion leaped out like a flashing neon sign (and might come as a shock to fans of the latest trendy diets): Of the top 10 recommended foods, half belonged to the bean family lentils, soybeans, peanuts, chickpeas and black beans.

On Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, for example, the day might begin with a warm corn tortilla stuffed with savory black beans. On the Italian island of Sardinia, lunch might be a steaming bowl of minestrone, packed with fava beans, cranberry beans and chickpeas. On the Japanese island of Okinawa, dinner might include a tasty stir-fry with green beans, soybeans or mung bean sprouts.

Coincidental? I don't think so. A 2004 study of people 70 years or older in three different cultures around the world found that for every two tablespoons of beans a day individuals consumed, they reduced their risk of dying by 8%.

Other research has shown that beans not only provide the complex carbohydrates, proteins and trace minerals our bodies need, they also supply the fiber our microbiomes require, boosting our immune systems. That makes sense, because Blue Zone residents don't achieve their extraordinary longevity by relying on superior genes alone, but also by avoiding obesity, diabetes, heart disease, dementia and cancers better than the rest of us.

By contrast, nearly two thirds of Americans now report themselves to be overweight or obese, according to Gallup. And according to arecent Harvard study,we have a shorter average life expectancy than residents of nearly any other high-income nation largely because of our diets and lifestyles.

In every Blue Zone I've ever visited, generations of cooks have made beans a key ingredient in their most popular recipes.

Here are a few to make in your own kitchen:

TENDER BEAN, POTATO AND ONION STEW

Tender Bean, Potato and Onion Stew

(National Geographic | David McLain)

Featured in almost every Nicoyan meal, black beans contain high levels of anthocyanins and have 10 times the antioxidants of an equivalent serving of oranges. Rich and hearty, this one-pot meal is a staple in Costa Rica. It's easy to make and costs less than $1 a serving.

Cook time: 1 hourServings: 6

Ingredients:

Steps:

CHICKPEA SOUP WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Chickpea Soup With Lemon and Herbs

(National Geographic | David McLain)

Greeks and Ikarians especially have mastered the art of blending lemon, olive oil and herbs. This simple recipe is a warming alternative to chicken soup in the winter and provides yet another way to creatively incorporate beans into your daily diet.

Cook time: 2 hours, 20 minutes; 45 minutes if using canned chickpeasServings: 6

Ingredients:

Steps:

BLACK-EYE PEA SALAD WITH MINT AND ONIONS

Black-Eye Pea Salad With Mint and Onions

(National Geographic | David McLain)

This recipe represents one of my fondest revelations from cooking in Ikaria. I would never have thought to pair beans with vinegar and mint, but the result was a symphony of new and magical flavors. The vinegar not only adds the healthful digestion and immunity-boosting effects of fermentation and probiotics, but also helps maintain the texture of the beans so they don't disintegrate as leftovers.

Cook time: 1 hour if using dried beans; 10 minutes with canned beansServings: 8

Ingredients:

Steps:

SWEET POTATO BLACK BEAN BURGER

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

(National Geographic | David McLain)

This burger is a longevity powerhouse. Loaded with beans, greens, sweet potatoes and pepitas, it's the perfect example of a Blue Zonesinspired twist on a classic American comfort food.

Cook time: 35 minutesServings: 4

Ingredients:

The Patty and Buns:

The Sauce:

The Toppings:

Steps:

On top of being good for you, beans are cheap to produce and grow practically everywhere, from equatorial zones to northern regions, so they don't need to be transported vast distances to reach markets. They also don't require refrigeration and can be stored for a long time.

Beans are even healthy for the land itself, because they restore crucial nitrogen to the soil. Accounting for the environmental impacts of what we eat has become more urgent as Earth's climate crisis has worsened. The global food system now contributes more than a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from livestock production.

Shifting our diets to favor plants over meat could be so important. If people followed standard dietary guidelines, we could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food production by as much as 70%, according to a team from the University of Oxford.

So, what's the bottom line? Can we be good to both ourselves and the planet? Our research suggests we can. And the first step on that quest to achieve a long healthy life should be to embrace the simple magic of beans.

Dan Buettner is a longevity researcher, National Geographic Fellowand award-winning journalist. He is the author of"The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest" and "The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World's Healthiest People." His latest bestseller,"The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes for Living to 100," fuses scientific reporting, National Geographic photography and recipes that may help you live to100.

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Exploring the health-wealth connection – Marin Independent Journal

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

Dr. Sal Iaquinta

The song God Part II on the album Rattle and Hum by U2 has the lyrics: The rich get healthy, while the sick stay poor. Bono sung those words in 1988. Since then, a number of researchers have tackled what exactly is the link between wealth and health, and why.

At first glance, one would expect a simple explanation: people with more money live longer. Clearly such a relationship cannot be strictly linear, as people dont fall dead if they declare bankruptcy and at some point, wealth has a ceiling in which no matter how much more money you have to spend, you cant buy any more medicine or access to doctors.

Yet it isnt all about access either. Studies in European countries with free access to health care have still demonstrated that income disparities in longevity are considerable, so it is more than just access that creates the difference and that difference is significant.

A Harvard study examined de-identified tax records, the United States Census and the Medicare database, along with other population surveys, to try to determine the link between longevity and income in people age 40 or older. Obviously, they had to adjust the income and how it related to health for the retired group separately from those employed the higher earner at age 61 who retired at age 62 was kept a high earner at age 63 using their study design.

They looked at 14 years worth of data to see trends related to income both longitudinally per person and by each age group. For example, there were a lot of low-earning 40 year olds in every year that were studied. There were fewer 45 year olds in that same income percentile because some of them got better jobs and some of them died.

They found that men in the top 1% income bracket lived to 87.3 years old, a whole 14.6 years longer than men in the bottom 1% of income, living only 72.7 years. For women, the gap was narrower with the top 1% living until 88.9 years and the lowest 1% at 78.8 years.

During the period studied, they also found that the lifespan increased more for wealthier people than for poorer people. The disparity of being poor versus rich increased from 2001 to 2014 with the top 5% of earners adding three years to their lifespan, whereas the bottom 5% had no advance.

The studied databases also included zip codes, so the researchers were able to determine which parts of the country did better with longevity. New York and San Francisco had the longest life expectancy and places like Detroit fared far worse. In the lowest income brackets, the lifespan in Detroit is five years shorter than in San Francisco.

Then they looked at the data with available health information. No surprise, obesity and smoking lowered lifespan and exercising increased it. It is important to know that a woman who is a lifelong smoker on average has almost a 10-year shorter lifespan than one whom doesnt. These relationships were strongest in the lowest 25% of income earners. This age group suffers a higher incidence of heart disease and cancer than higher-income brackets, whereas automobile accidents and homicides are equal to the other income brackets.

Increased population density was associated with better longevity. The air might be fresher out in the country, but the folks are polluting themselves by smoking at a higher rate than their urban counterparts. At the same time, people in rural areas are more likely to be obese. Interestingly, increased access to health insurance didnt seem to make a significant difference joining Medicare at age 65 doesnt affect the trajectory of longevity, whereas income bracket and lifestyle does.

Your money or your life? Not really. The take-home lesson is that preventative health care getting people to quit smoking, maintain an ideal weight and exercise is far more important than just throwing money at building more hospitals and hiring more doctors.

Dr. Salvatore Iaquinta is a head and neck surgeon at Kaiser Permanente San Rafael and the author of The Year They Tried To Kill Me. He takes you on the Highway to Health every fourth Monday.

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Livermore Man Helping to Change the Face of Winemaking – NBC Bay Area

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

Wine making was always a team effort for Phil and Debra Long. When they relocated from Southern California to Livermore and were seduced by the growing wine region -- dabbling in the time honored tradition of crushing and aging grapes -- it was together.

When the hobby outgrew the garage and transformed into a full-blown winery business, both had a hand in it. Debra worked the front of house, Phil toiled in the back crafting Cabernet Sauvignon and his own Debruvee blend.

"It was something we started together," said Phil, sitting in his now silent tasting room in Livermore, home base for his Longevity brand. "It was something we shared together."

Phil designed a heart label on the wine bottles, a tribute to the crystal hearts he used to buy his wife, which sparked her obsession with all-things heart shaped. The design of hearts and vines is even tattooed on his arm. Debra sat with him as he got the needle.

As another display of their romance, Phil installed a mural in the tasting with a picture of the two of them. He assured her she would be part of the business, even when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2016. Even when she died in 2019.

"I said that's never coming down," Long said. "You were the face, are the face and always will be the face."

With Debra now gone, Longevity winery sits firmly on Phil Long's shoulders. But because of COVID-19, his tasting room is now closed , and his long-planned launch of his own national white label line was delayed by the virus.

"All the sales meeting I had lined up, they started falling like dominoes," he recalled.

In the wake of the death of George Floyd, Long found a growing need for his voice. Not only is he one of the nation's few Black winemakers, he also serves as president of the Association of African American Vintners. It's a group that is minuscule in contrast to the behemoth of the wine industry.

"African-American wine makers and certified minority," he said, "you can count them on one hand."

As Long's own business saw a sales jump in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, so did his desire to promote Black owned wineries across the country. He said Black owned wineries currently make up just a tenth of one percent of the entire industry. His take on the statistic is that African-Americans don't come from a culture of winemaking. But he hopes that creating opportunities for young winemakers of color, will become the ground floor of a changing culture.

"It's our job now to say 'hey this is something we can do," Long said. "We can do it, and we can do it just as good."

As Long revives the national launch of his Longevity brand while also promoting virtual wine tasting packages and wine club sales. He acknowledges he's weathering a pandemic, a national soul-searching on equality, and the launch of his brand without his partner Debra.

But somewhere in that loss, is a roadmap for the future.

"For me, I think if I can be comfortable, and happy and continue to honor Debra's memory," Long said, "that's what's making it, to me."

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Be Like Brady: 5 Functional Movements To Focus On For Athletic Longevity – mindbodygreen.com

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

The term "functional movement" may sound new and complex, but the idea is actually pretty simple: that your training should include movements that are similar to those that you do every day. In the case of Brady himself, that means lots of motions that replicate the motion of throwing a footballbut for the average person, it's about finding exercises that support muscle balance.

Coutts recommended these moves, which focus on "things that are easy to do but are really essential for your spine health and keeping your body symmetrical." If you're a die-hard spin class attendee or a dedicated yogi, you may repeat those activities all week and assume that's enough movementbut Coutts encourages using a simple series like this one to support your body in addition to those favorite activities.

"I always talk to clients about being careful about doing just one activity," she told mbg. "I think when you do one activity over and over again that can lead to different kinds of dysfunction, especially if you're not doing anything to work the other muscles that you need from your body."

That doesn't mean you can't do to five classes a weekbut it's worth planning on including other quick trainings, in particular ones that support the muscle groups that will support your ability to continue those activities you love. "These are some core exercises," she shares. "We're always focusing on strengthening your glutes, strengthening your coreif you don't have those things, you're going to have issues with longevity."

Here are five easy foundational moves to start with or add to your existing routine.

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Human-induced erosion could make some soils around the world unfarmable by the end of the century – ZME Science

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

Human-induced soil erosion is a serious threat to global sustainability, endangering global food security, driving desertification and biodiversity loss, and degrading other vital ecosystem services, researchers say. According to a new study, erosion is affecting the longevity of the soils across the world.

Soils have underpinned the health and longevity of every society. They are a critical global resource, providing the basis of food production and storing and filtering our water resources. Soils also represent the largest organic carbon store and a platform for economic development. But pressures on the soil resource grow as food demands rise and land degradation increases.

To date, 36% of the worlds cultivable land has been farmed and in many areas of the world, conventional plow-based agriculture is accelerating local soil degradation. The UN estimates that 66% of the worlds soils suffer from some form of degradation. Human-induced erosion is estimated to outpace soil formation, which means we now have thinner soils.

Our soils are critically important and we rely on them in many ways, not least to grow our food, said lead author Dan Evans in a statement. There have been many headlines in recent years suggesting that the worlds topsoil could be gone in 60 years, but these claims have not been supported with evidence. This study provides the first evidence-backed, globally relevant estimates of soil lifespans.

A study by Lancaster University in collaboration with researchers from Changan University in China, and KU Leuven in Belgium, looked at soil erosion data from around the globe, spanning 255 locations across 38 countries on six continents. They calculated the time it would take for the top 30 cm of soil to erode at each locationthe soil lifespan.

They focused on that top layer of the soil as its usually rich in nutrients and organic matter, making it important for growing fibers, food, feedstock, and fuel. In their study, they included soils that are conventionally farmed as well as those managed with soil conservation techniques. That way they can see how changes to land-use practices can alter the lifespan of soil

The findings showed that 90% of the soils conventionally farmed around the world were thinning, with 16% having a lifespan of less than a century. At these sites, soil erosion is a significant threat to the soils capacity to grow food, support ecosystems, store and regulate water, cycle carbon and nutrients, and thus to the overall functioning of the soil system.

But there were reasons to be optimistic. The study showed soils managed with conservation strategies had a longer lifespan, promoting soil thickening. Only 7% of the conservation plot dataset had lifespans of less than 100 years, with nearly half exceeding 5,000 years and 39% exceeding 10,000 years

Soil is a precious resource and we cant afford to lose that much over a human lifetime, said co-author Jess Davies in a statement. We have the tools and practices to make a differenceemploying the appropriate conservation methods in the right place can really help protect and enhance our soil resource and the future of food and farming.

The researchers suggested using a set of strategies to extend soil lifespans and promoting annual soil gain, such as conservation and zero till practices, contour cultivation and terracing. These extend soil lifespans and may promote soil thickening, increasing the potential for water, carbon and nutrient storage, and thereby soil conditions.

The study was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

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Is Working Long Hours Worth It In Your Country? – Longevity LIVE – Longevity LIVE

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

Weve all likely stayed later at work when weve been super busy or had to catch up on work, however sadly, in recent years, long working days and taking work home has become the norm for many employees. Not only is this causing employees to miss out on enjoying the pleasures of life and spending quality time with family and friends, but it also might not be worth it for your health or wealth.

Last year, Microsoft trialed a four-day workweek, resulting in a 40% boost in productivity, suggesting that perhaps it isnt necessary for employees to be working overtime. Putting their lives and soul into their job when the same amount of work can be done in a considerably shorter amount of time. Productivity can be enhanced through technology. Some businesses may discover that the path to increasing productivity isnt working hard but working smart. With innovation in software, such as accounting software for small businesses, business productivity is constantly evolving.

Here, well look at different countries overtime and compare it to how well a companys economy is performing to see if theres a correlation. Will it be more favorable to work overtime in certain countries based on the hours they work a week?

From the data, South Africas workweek is the longest at 2,209 hours a year. Considering the long hours workers are putting in, their economy is worth $349.4 billion, the 10th smallest of the countries analyzed. South Africans have been hailed as some of the hardest working across the world. Research shows they are three times more likely to work a 60-hour workweek than their American counterparts, despite labor laws forbidding more than 45 hours a week.

Mexicos economy is worth $1.27 trillion, Costa Rica $57.06 billion, Korea $1.63 trillion, and Russia $1.64 trillion. Although Costa Ricas GDP is relatively small in comparison to other countries, it is a small but stable country that wouldnt generate trillions of dollars. In June 2018, South Koreans were forced to cut down on the hours they were working to introduce a better work-life balance and help boost the falling birth rate. With so many more Koreans previously working 50 hours or more a week than other countries, the GDP doesnt outrank many others.

Germany works the fewest hours per week at 1,362 a year, with 4.3% of the population working 50 hours or more. Considering a significantly lower workweek than other countries, Germanys economy is the third largest at $3.86 trillion. At the start of 2018, millions of Germans won the right to reduce their workweek to 28-hours to help them achieve a good work-life balance and spend more time with their loved ones and doing things they enjoy. It seems that countries dont need to work long hours to get more work done Germany has been recognized as one of the most productive countries with a booming economy despite a cut in hours, striking the ideal work-life balance while being 27% more productive than the UK.

The second country to work the fewest hours was Denmark (1,392) with 2.3% working 50 hours or more. The third was Norway (1,416) with 2.9%, fourth was Netherlands (1,433) at 0.4%, and fifth was Iceland (1,469) at a higher 15.1%.

Iceland has the smallest economy at $23.91 billion, followed by Finland at $251.9 billion, Denmark at $324.9 billion, and the Netherlands at $902.36 billion. A 2017 report found that Norway is one of the most productive countries despite having one of the shortest working weeks.

Lead researcher at Expert Market, Adelle Kehoe, said: Our data has shown, both this year and last year when we first ran the study, that there is a definite correlation between a shorter working week and productivity.

Countries that have shorter working weeks, in general, are more productive, whereas countries which have a culture of presenteeism and long hours get less out of their teams.

Theres more to life than work hopefully, more countries will realize that long hours dont necessarily mean productivity.

Here are 11 tips for maintaining a healthy work-home life balance. Click here.

Lucy Desai is a content writer at QuickBooks, covering a wide variety of topics from accounting and finance, to business and software.

http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/south-africa/

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/the-countries-where-people-work-the-longest-hours/

https://qz.com/africa/1282780/south-africans-are-among-the-hardest-workers-in-the-world/

https://www.costarica.org/facts/economy/

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-4-day-work-week-boosts-productivity-2019-11?r=US&IR=T

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/za/cloud-accounting-software/

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/the-countries-where-people-work-the-longest-hours/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-42959155

https://www.iamexpat.de/career/working-in-germany/working-hours

https://www.expertmarket.co.uk/crm-systems/the-ultimate-guide-to-work-place-productivity

https://www.thelocal.no/20170816/norway-most-productive-country-in-europe-research

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Sixty-Something Could Be The Happiest Time Of Your Life – Longevity LIVE

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

Sixty-something today has a completely different meaning today. In fact, it actually means being at your healthiest. Perhaps sixty-something could mean having more opportunities than ever before. Youre not getting old. Were being for real here. Think about 60-year-olds today, they often do the things 40-year-olds used to do. Moreover, its no longer a shock to hear about people working well into their 80s. Scientists believe this is because human lifespans might eventually extend to 150 or beyond. Insane right? So all those few of you who are sixty-something, youre technically spring chickens.

Experts in cognitive psychology are attempting to translate brain science for the public. This is so that we can better understand the neuroscience of aging and why it is changing. That moment when you get frustrated at yourself for losing your keys again. Or not being able to remember your friends name. Try not to beat yourself up over it. Even worse, dont blame your age! Neuroscience is discovering that us, sixty-something folk are actually just as smart now as we were in our youth.

You see, the study of the brain is a complex one. Mainly because we are always learning more about it and how it works. Information is ever-changing. Its a rapidly fast area of expertise and lots to study. Studies claim that two-thirds of the people over 65 who have ever lived are alive today (and three-quarters of those over 75). So theres definitely evidence that were healthier and living much longer than before. Were just as smart, if not more so too.

We need to start creating new perceptions of age in our minds. You can no longer picture stereotypical images of old frail ladies with walking sticks. Or grouchy old men in armchairs. Recent science argues for a very different vision of old age that sees our final decades as a resurgence. Maybe this is the time we truly live life. Perhaps were reborn when we reach sixty-something.

However, theres no doubt that there are going to be a few physical differences between an 80-year-olds and a 30-year-olds. But mentally there are some distinct advantages. For example, when you hit sixty-something you have much better control over your impulses. You also have the ability to delay gratification, to get along with others and make better decisions. This has a significant impact on the way your life unfolds.

I bet you wouldnt believe us if we told you thatlife after 75 can be a period of true intellectual growth? It is. According to research, at 80, the great cellist Pablo Casals was asked why he continued to practise so much. His reply was: Because I want to get better! Casals believed self-improvement was possible at any age and we agree. In fact, after youve reached sixty-something its been known to be a decade of true happiness. Why? Surveys show that aging and happiness often form a U-shaped curve. This is because the line dips slowly from your youth to your middle years. It then rises to your 40s and 50s.

However, about 1 in 3 people at sixty-something say theyre very happy. This is a bit more than those under 35. this is probably because youve finally learned to embrace all the good times and know that bad times will pass. However, the sixty-something decade can be difficult too. It depends on whether or not you choose to focus on those things. Sure, getting older can bring new challenges, like health, money worries and also the deaths of loved ones

This is not just because of their ability to be patient or embrace the good times. Its also because their brains, neurologically speaking, have gotten smarter and more aware. More often than not, whenever people are asked to pinpoint when in life they were happiest. If you ask any younger person most of them wont be able to tell you that they feel completely happy or content due to some worry or another.

Most people state that 82 is their happiest. I mean, wow, thats quite interesting. Is it really possible that we have to go our whole lives to truly learn what sustained happiness feels like? Thats why neuroscientists are trying to help raise that number by ten or even 20 years. Apparently, science says it can be done.

Thanks to Dr Daniel Levitin for the Daily Mail, weve got some myth-busting research to prove this. In fact, when you reach sixty-something, you are very far from losing your mind because in your golden years you are just entering our prime. Dr Daniels myth is:

MYTH:Memory declines steeply with age.

REALITY:It declines far less than you think.

Dr Daniel explains that the difference between a short-term memory lapse in a 70-year-old and one in a 20-year-old isnt what you think. He adds that hes taught undergraduates his entire career. And they make all kinds of short-term memory errors. In fact, they will walk into the wrong classroom; turn up to exams without a pencil; forget something that he taught two minutes ago. Guess what? These are very similar to the kinds of things 70-year-olds do. Or so we think.

Whats the difference between a twenty-something and a sixty-something mindset? Well, they each describe their memory loss differently. For example, a twenty-something will just think that theres a lot going on in their head. Or maybe they just need some more sleep. Whereas, when you reach an older age, your first thought is that you might be losing it. Like, youve got to be experiencing early-onset Alzheimers. Why is our first reaction simply to question the state of our brains health?

Youd be surprised at how life experience makes the brain significantly more powerful and smarter, and probably healthier. Thats just it though, as you experience more life. It brings you more wisdom. You are more likely to be in touch with what does or doesnt bring you joy and to be able to make choices accordingly. Thats the benefit of entering life as a sixty-something. We need to question why we have this perception of our elders as frail, forgetful, demented or even lost.

Were not saying thatAlzheimers and dementia-related memory impairments are not real. They are very real and very tragic. But just because you experience a burst of forgetfulness, in your short-term memory doesnt necessarily mean youve got a biological disorder.

According to neuroscientist Deborah Burke, of the Project on Cognition and Ageing at Pomona College, in California. When older sixty-something adults find it difficult to retrieve individual words, this is a by-product of atrophy in the left insula of the brain. This is the region associated with the phonological form of the word. What does this mean?

It means that at sixty-something, we dont actually forget the word itself, just the sound of it. Burke says this is why it feels as if its there on the tip of our tongues. Thats why as soon as somebody says the word, we recognise it immediately which means we have not forgotten the word. You wouldnt recognise the word at all if youd forgotten it.

So, as a matter of fact, we should be more gracious to our elders and sixty-something mentors. When they forget a word, note that they havent forgotten it. Its time to let go of those stereotypical grumpy old woman perceptions weve got going. We think thats probably why you get more tolerant and forgiving with age

It is possible that as you age and reach your sixty-something point in life, you might start to notice that your mind might not feel quite as sharp as before. But this doesnt necessarily mean your memory is declining. It might just mean youre taking slightly longer to recall names and facts, recognize patterns, or solve problems. However, on the upside, your vocabulary, knowledge, and long-term memory will likely only improve.

Recent studies state that the adult hippocampus is a part of the brain crucial to memory storage and retrieval. Apparently, this part of the brain grows 700 new neurons a day on average. Moreover, there seems to be no decline in that number with normal ageing. This same study conducted by Dr Daniel Levitin presents the following two myths:

MYTH:Older people are grumpy.

REALITY: Sixty-something folks are more affable than under-50s.

Lets face it. There is a common perception that youll enter a grumpy old man or woman phase in your sixty-something years. On the contrary, In fact, sixty-something adults are generally more concerned with making a good impression. They are more co-operative and get on easily with others. Moreover, this same study discovered that the chemical changes in the brain as it ages are more empathetic. Sixty-something people are often more understanding, forgiving, tolerant and accepting.

Whats even more interesting is how mood disorders, anxiety and behavioural problems decrease in the sixty-something years. These kinds of problems generally dont happen in your later years. I suppose we start to wisen up as we age and things dont feel as overwhelming because we know how to handle them. You should have formulated coping mechanisms into your sixty-something years. Interestingly, some people even describe their sixty-something years as a time of burning off their previously distressing mental states.

Take the singer and poet Leonard Cohen. He was amazed that his chronic depression, which no medication had been able to relieve, disappeared when he reached his 70s.

You see as you hit your sixty-something years, your brain level of practical intelligence peaks. Dealing with challenging situations in life happen often and those in their sixty-something years deal with them better than those younger than them. Logically we would just call this wisdom, which comes with age. However, in neuroscience wisdom is the ability to see patterns where others dont. It is when you are able to extract generalised common points from past experiences. Then you can use these to predict what is likely to happen next. That sounds pretty intelligent to me.

More importantly, we have the incredible ability to learn as we age. Its a myth to say that we cant continue learning. It just requires more time and patience and consistency to learn new things at the sixty-something mark and older.

Dont get us wrong, sleep is vital to our health. However, just because youre getting older and youve reached those sixty-something years doesnt mean youve got to sleep more.

Truth is that all of us, young or old, require at least eight hours of sleep a day. We all differ in our requirements, but as soon as you get less than five hours youll start showing major impairment. In fact, when we reach sixty-something and older we dont need more sleep. Its the changes in the ageing brain that make it difficult for older adults to get the sleep they need. Changes in neurochemistry, disruption of core body temperature rhythms and more frequent urination all lead to poor sleep quality and quantity.

Ultimately you want to make sleep a priority throughout your life despite your age. And when it is difficult to sleep, prioritize it even more. Poor sleep can increase the risks of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimers.

The bottom line is that when youre in your sixty-something years you need to prioritise sleep and practise good sleep habits. You also need to use your brain because its wiser and sharper than you think. Probably more so than ever before.

Beauty Product Review.If theres one tool that you need in your anti-aging beauty arsenal, its definitely oil serums. Heres why.

Dr Daniel Claims 70-Year-Olds And 20-Year-Olds Make Similar Memory Errors. The Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7984305/Youre-just-smart-youth-70-really-new-30.html

Cognition and Aging Lab. Pomona College. http://www.lcs.pomona.edu/cogaging/

Could your 60s and 70s be the best decades of life? The guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/membership/2017/feb/20/retirement-60s-best-decade-life-ageing-joy

What To Expect In Your Sixties. WebMD. https://www.theguardian.com/membership/2017/feb/20/retirement-60s-best-decade-life-ageing-joy

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WHO reports record-breaking one-day increase in coronavirus cases on Sunday | TheHill – The Hill

September 15th, 2020 11:06 am

On Sunday, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a record number of new confirmed coronavirus infections across the globe.

BBC writes that the global health organization reported 307,930 new cases worldwide over a 24-hour timespan. Notably, the largest increases were seen in the United States and Brazil two countries leading the world in the volume of COVID-19 cases, reportingmore than 6.5 million and 4.3 million cases, respectively.

Our country is in a historic fight against the Coronavirus. Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

In between the U.S. and Brazil is India, the second country with the most COVID-19 infections. The country reportedly sawmore than 2 million cases occur in August, the highest monthly infection count reported since the pandemic began.

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Along with the U.S. and Brazil, India reported some of the highest recently confirmed cases on Sunday.

Worldwide, Johns Hopkins data indicates there are roughly 29millionconfirmed cases of the coronavirus.

Prior to Sundays spike in global COVID-19 infections, the previous record for a single-day increase in the coronavirus occurred on Sept. 6, when the WHO saw 306,857 positive infections.

The latest data to emerge from theWHO showcases a steady incline in newly confirmed cases worldwide, with the United States's new case count still trending upward, albeit at slower rates than seen over the summer months.

Deaths in the U.S. have largely plateaued, with the current record high having occurred on April 17, wheremore than 6,000 Americans died due to the virus.

In total,more than 194,000 Americans have lost their lives during the pandemic.

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WHO reports record-breaking one-day increase in coronavirus cases on Sunday | TheHill - The Hill

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