StemCell Therapy

Stem Cell Center, a subsidiary organization from the Global Stem Cells Group international network of doctors, practitioners, researchers, and other passionate stem cell research personnel, this week excitedly announced they have appointed a new medical director at both their operations in Morocco and Baghdad. Now welcoming Professor Yasser Safiani in Morocco, and Mazin Shakir Mahmood MD in Iraq, the Stem Cell Center network expanded out this week.

Borne from a passion for constantly working to expand and contribute to the study of regenerative medicine in our world today, Stem Cell Center oversees workshops, fellowships, seminars, and more for sharing the organizations new stem cell findings.

We are incredibly excited to be welcoming two greatly esteemed individuals into our network, said Benito Novas, Founder and Owner of Stem Cell Center. These are two individuals who, combined, bring more than 6-decades of immersive training and experience in medical fields, specifically regenerative medicine. We are incredibly excited to be working with them as our medical directors.

Dr. Mahmood received his Bachelors Degree from the Baghdad College of Medicine in 1988. From there, he pursued a post-graduate degree in medicine at the University of Baghdad, and went to work as an Iraqi commissioner for medical specializations, as well as a professor for the German Hear Center. In 2010, he returned to Iraq and established his private center, which is still in operation today.

Professor Sefiani completed his primary education at Guessous in 1979. From there, he pursued a scientific Bachelors Degree, and became a medical faculty member at Rabat. Today, he is an esteemed professor of cardiovascular education, and he brings with him close to 4-decades of education experience.

For more information, visit: http://stemcellcenter.net/.

About Global Stem Cells Group

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Stem Cell Center Announces Two New Medical Directors In Their Moroccan And Baghdad Offices - PRUnderground (press release)

Inflammation is the bodys attempt to protect itself by removing harmful substances as part of the bodys immune response.

It releases chemicals from the bodys white blood cells into the blood or affected tissues.

The process is essential for our infections, wounds and damaged tissue to heal.

However, if the inflammation becomes chronic - lasting for several months or years - it can cause problems.

Indeed, it can trigger a number of well known diseases and conditions.

Asthma

Its a condition where breathing becomes difficult, causing shortness of breath and chest tightness.

Inflammation of the air passages results in a temporary narrowing of the airways that carry oxygen to the lungs.

Rheumatoid arthritis

The conditions symptoms are caused by inflammation, triggering redness, swelling, warmth and pain.

Its initially triggered by a substance that gets into the joints that the body is trying to kill off.

Sinusitis

Its an inflammation and swelling of the tissue lining of the sinuses.

Normally they are filled with air, but if they become blocked with fluid, germs can trigger an infection.

Tuberculosis

Its an infectious bacterial disease that tends to affect the lungs.

Research has found inflammation to be behind its growth.

Periodontitis

It literally means: inflammation around the tooth

Its a common disease triggered by bacteria and local inflammation triggered by those bacteria.

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Immune system warning: These five conditions are because of inflammation - Express.co.uk

News Release

Thursday, July 27, 2017

NIH-funded study suggests role for specific immune cells in brain disease.

A new study suggests that T cells, which help the bodys immune system recognize friend from foe, may play an important role in Parkinsons disease (PD). The study, published in the journal Nature, was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.

This collaboration between neuroscientists and immunologists provides important new evidence for ways in which the immune system can play a role in PD, a link that can be used to further define this interaction, said Beth-Anne Sieber, Ph.D., a program director at NINDS.

A research team led by David Sulzer, Ph.D., professor of neurology at Columbia University in New York City and Alessandro Sette, Dr.Biol.Sci., professor of infectious diseases at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology in California, examined the role of T cells in PD.

Drs. Sulzer and Sette, along with their colleagues, collected blood samples from 67 individuals with Parkinsons disease and 36 healthy controls. Immune cells were extracted from the samples and mixed with portions of the alpha-synuclein protein, which accumulates in the brains of people with PD and can result in cell death.

They found that T cells from people with PD responded to the presence of alpha-synuclein to a much greater degree than those gathered from the control group.

In particular, two regions of alpha-synuclein evoked reactions from T cells: a section that often contains mutations linked with PD, and a portion undergoing a chemical change that can lead to accumulation of the protein in the brain.

The researchers identified four genetic variations that were associated with T cell reactivity to alpha-synuclein. More than half of people with PD carried at least one of those variants, compared to 20 percent of controls.

These findings expose a potential biomarker for PD that may someday help in diagnosing the disease or be used to evaluate how well treatments are working, said Dr. Sette.

According to the authors, the results suggest that PD may have characteristics of an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system incorrectly attacks the bodys own cells.

As we age, proteins throughout the body undergo various molecular modifications. If they become unrecognizable, the immune system may start going after them, thinking they may be dangerous invaders, said Dr. Sulzer.

PD is a neurodegenerative disorder in which dopamine-producing brain cells die off, resulting in tremors, muscle stiffness, loss of balance and slow movement. Additional symptoms may include emotional changes and disrupted sleep.

More research is needed to learn about the interactions between immune cells and alpha-synuclein. Improved understanding of those interactions may lead to information about disease progression as well as potential connections to other neurodegenerative disorders.

This study was funded by grants from NINDS (NS38377).

For more information:https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Parkinsons-Disease-Information-Page

The NINDS is the nations leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system.The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

ReferenceSulzer D et al. T cells of Parkinsons disease patients recognize alpha-synuclein peptides. Nature. June 21, 2017.

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Link:
Immune system may mount an attack in Parkinson's disease - NIH - National Institutes of Health (press release)

Credit: German Cancer Research Center

In order for cancer cells to successfully spread and multiply, they must find a way to avoid the body's own immune system. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center have published an explanation for how this occurs with chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL).

Degenerated cells cause an inflammatory reaction and influence other blood cells to the extent that the immune system is suppressed. The cells send out their messages via exosomes. The discovery by the DKFZ scientists paves the way for new therapy approaches.

Tumor cells influence their environment in order to avoid an immune response and to facilitate favorable conditions for growth. It has been known for a long time that solid tumors, those which grow as solid tissue inside an organ, manipulate macrophages, the 'big eater' cells of the immune system, for their own purposes. "Recently, we have seen increasing evidence that something similar must be happening in leukemia," says Martina Seiffert of the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. So leukemia cells acquired by the patient through CLL could only survive in a culture cell if it also contains macrophages or monocytes, the precursors of the 'big eaters.' They serve as a form of nourishment for cancer cells.

Seiffert's team has now discovered how the interplay between leukemia cells and monocytes becomes a catalyst for cancer development. "We know that the so-called PD-L1 receptor occurs more frequently on the surface of these nourishing cells, and suppresses the immune response," says Seiffert. "What we have here is a so-called immune checkpoint, which prevents excessive immune responses." In this case, however, the immune response is suppressed so much that the cancer cells can multiply unopposed. In addition, the monocytes send out semiochemicals, which belong to the inflammation response of the immune system and support the growth and multiplication of the cancer cells.

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The question has been how the leukemia cells can manipulate the monocytes in their environment. The scientists initially presumed that exosomes might play a rolethese are little bubbles which are transmitted from cells to their surrounding environment. They help cells communicate with each other and influence each other's behavior. The blood plasma of CLL patients does, in fact, exhibit a larger number of exosomes sent out by leukemia cells. The analysis of these exosomes has shown that among other things, they contain Y RNA. This is a class of short RNA molecules with little-understood functions.

In order to evaluate the effect of the Y RNA, the scientists treated monocytes and macrophages of humans and mice with suspect exosomes, as well as purified Y RNA from those exosomes, in a culture dish. In both cases, the cells changed similarly to how they would in CLL patients. "They carry more PD-L1 receptors to their surface and emit semiochemicals thst accelerate the immune response and create favorable growth conditions for leukemia cells," explained Franziska Haderk, principal author of the publication.

Another discovery: The Y RNA message of the so-called toll-like receptors 7 and 8 (TLR7/8) is found in the monocytes. These serve to register foreign RNA, such as from pathogens, and to activate the immune response. At the same time, the activation of the toll-like receptors also strengthens the immune inhibitor PD-L1. "This creates an environment that supports the survival of the cancer cells and recruits cells of the immune system, but at the same time, stops an effective response of the immune cells via the PD-L1," says Haderk.

The DKFZ researchers have identified multiple new therapeutic approaches. In addition to a suppression of the PD-L1 receptor, it is conceivable to inhibit the recognition of the Y RNA message. "This could succeed by adding TLR inhibitors such as Chloroquin, a medication used for malaria and rheumatic inflammation," explained Seiffert. In experiments with mice given CLL cells, the agent was able to suppress the reproduction of cancer cells markedly. "That makes Chloroquin an interesting candidate for a combination therapy along with other agents," said Seiffert.

Explore further: New types of blood cells discovered

More information: F. Haderk el al., "Tumor-derived exosomes modulate PD-L1 expression in monocytes," Science Immunology (2017). immunology.sciencemag.org/look 6/sciimmunol.aah5509

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Cancer cells put the brakes on immune system - Medical Xpress - Medical Xpress

Spectral Design/ShutterstockIn the 20th century, an estimated 300 million people died from Smallpox. The disease scourged humanity for upwards of 12 millenniaand was finally eradicated in 1980, thanks, in part, to cows, or rather, a disease which afflicted cows.

In 1796, Edward Jenner brought forth a theory, a proposed solution to Smallpox, an epidemic which was, at the time, killing approximately 300,000 Europeans per year.

His theory was based on the observation that milkmaids who contracted cowpox would never go on to contract Smallpox. Why not infect people with Cowpox, a treatable disease, to prevent them from contracting Smallpox, which was basically a death sentence? Suddenly, Jenner had the first vaccine on his hands. (Here are 10 vaccine myths you can safely ignore.)

(The term vaccine actually comes from the scientific name for Cowpox, Variolae vaccinae)

And now, two centuries later, cows may be serving as a key to solving another one of historys deadliest diseases: HIV.

A study published in Nature showed that the immune system of cows was able to adapt and combat HIV at an unprecedented ratea rate which basically rendered the disease toothless. Cows were able to neutralize 20 percent of the virus strains after 42 days, and 96 percent after 381 days.

Dr. Devin Sok, one of the researchers involved in the study told the BBC that the cows response blew our minds, especially when put into perspective to typical HIV response, It was just insane how good it looked, in humans it takes three-to-five years to develop the antibodies were talking about.

The study did not produce a vaccine or treatment quite yet, but the results certainly are encouraging. (By the way, are your teens up to date on their vaccines? They probably arent.)

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This Animal's Immune System Holds the Clue for an HIV Vaccine, According to Science - Reader's Digest

In boosting the effectiveness of our immune system, we might already be practising many of the right habits, but it does not hurt to have a reminder of what we should be doing while learning new information about the immune system.

The four key areas that we should always pay attention to are food, exercise, hormonal balance and nutrition.

This week, we discuss hormonal balance and nutrition.

Balance your hormones

It is easy to forget how hormonal balance can impact your immune systems response to external attacks.

The thyroid and adrenal glands, two key hormone-producing parts of our internal system, play a big role in many immune system-activating functions.

Imbalances in oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone can also impact immune responses negatively, be it overproduction or low levels of hormones.

Briefly, heres how different types of hormones help boost the immune system.

The adrenal glands produce hormones that are needed for metabolic function. This includes DHEA, the most prolific hormone that influences the production of oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol.

DHEA levels can drop when you are stressed or tired, causing your white blood cell count to also drop, lowering your immune response.

Thyroid health affects our developmental, cardiovascular and metabolic function, all of which are important to an effective immune system. Low thyroid levels disrupt the bodys response to viruses and slows response to inflammation.

Oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels all affect the activity of B-cells and T-cells lymphocytes that are integral to the disease-fighting mechanism of your immune system.

Low levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone have its consequences, but it should also be noted that an overproduction of each hormone can cause problems like autoimmune diseases.

Its not easy to fully understand what is happening inside your body, but a few telling symptoms of hormone imbalance include tiredness, low moods and weight gain, amongst others.

Hormonal balance does not have a one-size-fits-all solution. If you suspect hormonal imbalance, seek a doctors advice.

Depending on your age, hormone replacement therapy might be recommended, but instead of synthetic hormones, ask him or her about bio-identical hormones a term for hormones that have the same chemical structure as naturally-occurring hormones.

Get the right amount of nutrients

Good nutrition is essential for a strong immune system, which offers protection from seasonal illnesses such as the flu, and other health problems, including arthritis, allergies, abnormal cell development and cancers.

Help protect yourself against infection and boost your immunity by including the following nutrients in your eating plan.

Protein is part of the bodys defense mechanism. Eat a variety of proteins including seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, unsalted nuts and seeds.

Vitamin A helps regulate the immune system and protects against infections by keeping skin and tissues in the mouth, stomach, intestines and respiratory system healthy.

Get this immune-boosting vitamin from foods such as sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, red bell peppers, apricots, eggs or foods labeled vitamin A fortified such as milk or cereal.

Vitamin C protects you from infection by stimulating the formation of antibodies and boosting immunity. Include more of this healthy vitamin in your diet with citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and tangerines, or red bell pepper, papaya, strawberries, tomato juice, or foods fortified with vitamin C, such as some cereals.

Vitamin E works as an antioxidant, neutralises free radicals and may improve immune function.

Include vitamin E in your diet with fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, vegetable oils (such as sunflower or safflower oil), hazelnuts and peanut butter

Zinc helps the immune system work properly and may help wounds heal. It can be found in lean meat, poultry, seafood, milk, whole grain products, beans, seeds and nuts.

Other nutrients, including vitamin B6, folate, selenium, iron, as well as prebiotics and probiotics, may also influence immune response.

There are herbs and vitamins that you can take to replenish the nutrients in your body that will help strengthen your immune system, e.g. elderberry, green tea, ginseng, Echinacea and vitamin C can be found in their original form or in supplements at the health food store.

Below are a few more nutritious foods that will help boost immunity.

Echinacea is found mainly in the United States and parts of Canada. It stimulates antibodies, reduces inflammation and is used to treat infections in Europe.

Researchers have found that Echinacea lowers the incidence of the common cold by up to 55% and shortens the recovery period for upper respiratory infections. However, it is not advisable to use Echinacea daily for more than eight weeks.

Licorice has phenolic compounds that contain antioxidant activity. One of the compounds is called beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, and it reduces inflammation and allergies.

Licorice root can slow down abnormal cell growth, decrease liver inflammation and encourage macrophage production, helping to reduce stress on the immune system.

Up to 600mg can be taken each day for up to six weeks.

Olive leaf extract contains flavonoids and phenolic compounds that have antioxidant properties.

One of those primary compounds, oleuropein, is found to delay the growth of fungus and bacteria that can damage the immune system. Up to 1,500mg can be taken each day in divided doses.

Astragalus has been around in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Its a herb that is part of the legume family and protects against infections by activating antibodies like B-cells and T-cells, as well as macrophages that fight bacteria and viruses. About 1,000mg of astragalus can be taken daily.

Shiitake mushroom is used in Chinese medicine for herbal therapy. It can prevent bacterial strains from attacking the immune system and improve its function. Up to 400mg of shiitake mushroom can be taken each day in divided doses.

Vitamin C should be consumed every day to improve the production of lymphocytes.

A body that experiences stress usually falls low on vitamin C, but by replenishing it, your body can stave off symptoms of infection, or shorten the time one might be sick.

Up to 3,000mg of vitamin C can be supplemented each day.

Goldenseal root has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine because of its immune-enhancing properties. It is used to fight bacteria, fungi and parasites.

Goldenseal root improves immune function by increasing the activity of immunoglobulin antibodies. Up to 500mg can be taken daily in divided doses.

Elderberry is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids that activate immunity.

It can increase the production of cytokines to stimulate the immune response and decrease flu symptoms. Up to 1,500mg of elderberry can be taken daily.

Green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols and is a strong antioxidant that stimulates immunity by boosting T-cell production and encouraging macrophage activity.

Green tea also decreases the proliferation of bacterial antigens. Up to 500mg per day can be taken daily.

Grapefruit seed extract, or citrus paradisi, is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral. It has been found to inhibit the development of 67 different bacterial strains. The recommended dosage is 100mg to 300mg each day.

Nutrients are your immune regulators and impaired immunity can be enhanced by modest amounts of a combination of micronutrients as supplements.

Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist. For further information, visit http://www.primanora.com. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the readers own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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Helping immune function - Star2.com

WASHINGTON

New technology allows scientists working on new vaccines to combat infectious diseases to test their products' effectiveness on a model immune system in a laboratory, without putting the upgraded vaccine into humans.

Researchers have begun building model immune systems using human cells, and this lab technique should make early vaccine trials quicker, safer and cheaper, according to scientists in the United States and Britain involved in this novel approach. The technology also has the potential to be used to mass produce antibodies in the lab to supplement real immune systems that are compromised, or battling pathogens like Ebola.

A report announcing the new "in vitro booster vaccination" technique was published Monday in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, a prestigious peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Rockefeller University Press. The research project involved produced antibodies that attack strains of tetanus, HIV and influenza.

Selecting specific antibodies

When a pathogen invades the body, the immune system develops antibodies specific to that pathogen. The antibodies latch onto the pathogen and either flag it for destruction, disrupt the life cycle of the pathogen, or do nothing.

Before now, when scientists tried to get immune cells in the lab to produce antibodies, the cells would do so indiscriminately, producing all sorts of antibodies, not just the relevant ones. Now scientists are able to get the antibodies they specifically desire by using nanoparticles that connect antigens, the active parts of a vaccine, with molecules that stimulate the immune system.

"We can make these cells very quickly in vitro in a Petri dish to become antibody-producing cells," said a lead author of the new report, Facundo Batista. "This is quite important," he told VOA, "because until now the only way that this has been done is though vaccinating people."

Batista was one of a number of scientists involved in the study from the Ragon Institute, established in the Boston area by experts from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with the goal of working toward development of an effective vaccine against HIV/AIDS. Others contributing to the new report were from the Francis Crick Institute in London and other institutions.

New technique saves time, money

The new laboratory technique will save time and money. After all the work of planning, funding and getting approval for a vaccine trial in humans, "you're talking at least about three years in a best-case scenario, if you have a very promising product," said Matthew Laurens, an associate professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Maryland who was not associated with the study. That lengthy process will now be shortened to a matter of months.

This can eliminate, or at least greatly reduce, long and costly trials, and fewer volunteer subjects will be exposed to potentially dangerous vaccines.

The ease of testing new vaccines will also allow scientists to tinker more and better understand how vaccines work. With better understanding, they may be able to develop more sophisticated vaccines that can be effective against more pathogens those that differ as a result of genetic variations. This will be important in the fight against rapidly evolving pathogens like HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Outside of vaccine testing, immune systems in laboratories can lead to greatly improved methods for the mass production of antibodies. Scientists have been trying to identify antibodies that can attack all strains of the Ebola virus; this new technology will improve their chances of developing an effective therapy.

Laurens, who studies malaria vaccine development at Maryland, called the research exciting.

"This would allow vaccine candidates to be tested very early and very quickly," he told VOA, "with rapid turnaround and reporting of results to either advance a vaccine candidate or tell scientists they need to go back and look for other candidates."

Link:
Test-tube Immune Systems Can Speed Vaccine Development - Voice of America

The terms complementary, alternative and integrative medicine are often used interchangeably. However, they are not the same, and each field is a distinctive approach to the treatment of disease. The following terms explain the differences between these medical fields.

Conventional medicine is the "traditional" medicine as practiced by a medical doctor (M.D.), a doctor of osteopathy (D.O.) and other allied health professionals.

Alternative medicine is used in place of, or instead of, conventional medicine. Many alternative therapies and drugs do not have scientific evidence to back up their claims of effectiveness. Some have no therapeutic benefits at all or can even be dangerous.

Complementary medicine is a group of mostly non-medical approaches to help patients cope with cancer and treatment side effects, pain, depression and anxiety.Research data has verified the benefits of many complementary therapies, including acupuncture, yoga, massage, stress reduction techniques and nutritional supplements.

Integrative medicine is the practice of combining scientifically proven complementary therapies with conventional medicine as part of a comprehensive plan to treat both the disease and its physical and emotional side effects.

Many cancer patients find relief from complementary therapies, while others have found them to be ineffective or have reported problems.Although some complementary therapies are useful for cancer patients, others may be harmful in certain situations.

We strongly encourage you to consult with your oncologist before trying any complementary therapies. It also is important to inform them about any therapies you currently use that may affect your cancer treatment.

MD Andersons Integrative Medicine Center offers many complementary therapies for cancer patients that have been shown to be safe and effective.

Originally posted here:
Alternative Medicine for Cancer - Integrative Medicine | MD ...

Western medicine once shunned alternative treatments like acupuncture, acupressure or the Indian system of Ayurveda. But the field of medicine is now taking them more seriously.

Proof can be found in the emerging field of integrative medicine. Its approach is to combine modern medicine with alternative and complementary approaches, to take into account the whole person. Dr. Sudha Prathikanti a strong believer in integrative medicine. As the daughter of Indian immigrants, she grew up around meditation, yoga and Ayurveda. Like her father she went to medical school and more recently, established the first integrative psychiatry program at UC San Francisco's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. She's also researched the effectiveness of using yoga to treat major depression.

PRATHIKANTI: We no longer have to have this argument about "is it in the domain of the physical or is it in the domain of the psychological?"; And then the larger question is "what is spiritual?"

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Integrative medicine seeks to mend the mind-body split | KALW - KALW

St. Luke's promoted Jennifer Viergutz to director of laboratory, replacing Jean Elton Turbes, who retired from the same position after 15 years.

Viergutz graduated from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth with a bachelor's degree in clinical laboratory science as well as dual Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees. She started as a generalist at Lake View Hospital in Two Harbors 17 years ago and then moved to St. Luke's. She has held a variety of positions in the laboratory including technical specialist of the immunology section, technical services coordinator and most recently, operations manager.

Essentia Health announced the following.

Jacob Swette, a licensed acupuncturist joined the integrative medicine department at Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic in Duluth. Swette is a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and earned his master's degree at Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, Colo. He's certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and licensed to practice in Minnesota by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.

Dr. Steven Haasken, a pediatric intensivist, joined Essentia Health-St. Mary's Children's Hospital in Duluth. Originally from Mora, Minn., Haasken earned a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. He completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City and a fellowship in pediatric critical care at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatrics.

Orthopaedic Associates of Duluth hired Tanner Hermes as a physician assistant. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and health promotions in 2006, and from Arcadia University in Newark, Del., with a master's degree in medical science in 2010.

Hermes has more than 13 years of experience, with more than six years of clinical and surgical orthopaedic experience including sports medicine and joint replacement. He was previously an orthopaedic physician assistant at multiple practices in Washington state, including Orthopedic Physician Associates in Seattle and Western Washington Medical Group in Everett. While in Seattle, Hermes was the physician assistant to Dr. Edward Khalfayan, the head team physician for the Seattle Seahawks and Mariners teams.

He is a member of Physician Assistants in Orthopaedic Surgery and the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Hermes is board certified by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Lakewalk Surgery Center hired Ann Fosness of Alborn as administrator. Fosness has more than 20 years of industry experience, most recently serving as director of nursing at Essentia Health East for three years. She was responsible for more than 170 managers and staff members in the operating room, post-anesthesia care unit, maternal child health, medical/surgical, inpatient rehab, telemetry, intensive care unit and emergency departments. She served on the Patient Advisory Council and formed Nurse Practice Councils in each unit to enhance patient safety and satisfaction. Before that Fosness served as director of clinic operations, clinic manager of orthopedics and nursing supervisor for Essentia Health East since 2001.

She holds a bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's degree in business administration, both from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, and is a member of Mesabi Range College Advisory Council and the Minnesota Organization of Leader in Nursing Professional Group.

The law offices of Maki, Ledin, Bick and Olson in Superior hired attorneys Joseph Rosenthal and Lucas Wyshnytzky.

Rosenthal, a Twin Ports native, is a 1999 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a 2008 graduate of City University of New York School of Law. He was a Peggy Browning Fellow at Bernstein and Lipsett in Washington, D.C. in 2007, a fellowship awarded to law students interested in pursuing a career in union-side labor law. During law school, he also worked for Service Employees International Union Local 1199P and for the New York State Attorney General's Office-Labor Bureau advocating for worker's rights issues.

Most recently Rosenthal worked in St. Paul on trial and litigation matters. He is licensed in Wisconsin and practices in the areas of criminal defense, family law, labor and employment law, and Social Security Disability.

Wyshnytzky is originally from Hawthorn Woods, Ill., and earned bachelor's degrees in political science and legal studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He interned in the Governor's Office, which led him to be hired as an external relations coordinator for the Governor's Advance Team.

He attended Marquette University Law School with a primary focus on environmental law, and served as an intern for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Bureau of Legal Services and for Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. He also served as President of the Environmental Law Society.

Wyshnytzky practices in the areas of criminal defense, landlord tenant, collections, juvenile, guardianships and family law, and is active in the Superior Jaycees and PLAST-Ukrainian Scouting Organization.

AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS

Bigfork Valley Hospital in Bigfork received five-star ratings in all 11 categories for patient satisfaction in a survey coordinated by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Ninety-nine percent of Bigfork Valley patients say they would definitely recommend the hospital. More than 4,000 hospitals participated in the survey. Within Minnesota, Bigfork Valley scored at the top of 108 reporting hospitals in six of the 11 categories measuring patient perception of a hospital experience.

Hermantown Area Chamber of Commerce announced Julie Lupa was named the recipient of their Outstanding Ambassador Award during a July 19 Ambassador luncheon.

Lupa, a mortgage originator with Superior Choice Credit Union, has over 21 years of experience in the credit union mortgage lending field. She promotes homeownership in the community and is a volunteer with 1Roof Housing for homebuyer education classes. She became a new Chamber Ambassador earlier this year and quickly became a leader within the chamber's membership. She helps with monthly luncheon registration, makes sure everyone is welcomed and everything is organized. She conveys new ideas for the Ambassador Program and ways to help the Hermantown community.

Real Living Messina and Associates in Duluth was awarded a 2017 QE Top 10 Medium Companies award for exceptional customer service satisfaction. The QE Award spans 22 states and is based on the results of an independent survey limited solely to buyers and sellers who were in a real estate transaction that closed with participating real estate companies from Jan. 1, 2016 through Dec. 31, 2016. The award was created by Quality Service Certification Inc. to foster, encourage and recognize the highest levels of service quality and customer satisfaction.

St. Luke's was the recipient of an American College of Cardiology's NCDR Action Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2017. St. Luke's is one of less than 200 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes St. Luke's for consistently following treatment guidelines in the Action Registry for eight consecutive quarters. Guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling, and cardiac rehabilitation. The hospital also met a performance standard of 90 percent for specific performance measures.

Bob Falsani, Jim Balmer, Jim Peterson and Sean Quinn, partners of the law firm Falsani, Balmer, Peterson and Quinn, were recognized as 2017 Super Lawyers by Minnesota Super Lawyer magazine.

Falsani, a certified civil trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, has been honored 25 times. He has published more than 80 articles on worker's compensation and personal injury litigation and lectures widely on the subjects.

Balmer has been named a Minnesota Super Lawyer every year since 1998, and is a certified civil trial specialist by the NBTA and a senior civil trial specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocacy and has lectured extensively on trial tactics, court rules and evidentiary issues.

Peterson is a certified civil trial specialist by the NBTA and a senior civil trial specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association. He's been named a Super Lawyer fourteen times.

Quinn has had more than 40 articles on workers' compensation and Social Security disability published and currently teaches community education classes on these subjects. He has chaired the Volunteer Attorney Programs board of directors since 2012, and is a member of the Minnesota Association of Justice board of governors, where he co-chairs their workers' compensation committee. He has been named a Super Laywer eight times.

CERTIFICATIONS/ACCREDITATIONS

Viewcrest Health Center announced registered nurse Amanda Blaskowski obtained her Nadona Certificate for Infection Prevention Board Certification.

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Biz Buzz for July 31, 2017 - Duluth News Tribune

KOCHI: A two-day conference, beginning on August 6, on integrative Ayurveda and modern medicine, titled Amrita Samyogam 2017, is being held in collaboration with Amrita Universitys School of Ayurveda. More than 60 experts and 1,000 delegates from around the world will be taking part. It will be inaugurated by the Union Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Yasso Naik.

The event will bring together allopathic doctors, Ayurveda practitioners and modern scientists on a common platform. It will identify strategies for integrating Ayurveda with Allopathy in the management of cancer, auto-immune diseases like arthritis, diabetes, neuro-degenerative diseases, and mental health. The conference will demonstrate how integrative medicine can be made a reality through examples of clinical integration, basic science studies, and application of new technologies.

Said Prof. Shantikumar Nair, Director, Centre for Nanosciences & Molecular Medicine, Amrita University: Integrating Indias ancient tradition of Ayurveda with evidence-based modern medicine has the potential to revolutionise world healthcare. Integrative medicine is becoming a popular specialty among physicians in Western countries because of the myriad ways in which it can benefit patients.Dr Nair says that it focuses on healing the person in his entirety rather than merely treating the symptoms by investigating the root cause of illness. It is much more patient-centric and can positively impact chronic and lifestyle diseases for which modern medicine has no answer. Western medicine and Indian ancient healing sciences can be a win-win combination to effectively tackle the enormous healthcare challenges facing humanity, says Nair.

The event is expected to trigger important collaborations across the world in the field of integrative medicine, especially academic collaborations and funding opportunities.

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Conference on integrative ayurveda - The New Indian Express

When Deb Lynams golden retriever Benny suffered a major medical episode, she initially sought out traditional veterinary medicine. Unfortunately, she concluded that the recommendation she received could have harmed or even killed him.

Two years ago Benny had a massive seizure.

It was such a scary event, recalled Lynam. His body was flipping out of control all over the living room. But the vet wasnt going to do anything because it was just one seizure.

Lynam brought Benny back to the Spokane-area home also shared by Flinn, another golden retriever, and Twosie, a Jack Russell terrier. Then Benny had two more seizures.

He was so out of it that he grabbed my hand and wouldnt let go. The vet ran tests: idiopathic epilepsy from an unknown cause. She prescribed barbiturates.

As a nursing assistant at St. Lukes Rehabilitations brain injury unit, she knew that side effects of barbiturates could include stupor, loss of coordination, instability, irritability, and even death, at least in human.

Her son suggested cannabis oil, she never had considered for pets.

I finally agreed. We gave Benny a dose after that third seizure, and another dose the next morning, Lynam said. He had one more seizure, which only lasted five seconds. He got up, walked away, and has not had another seizure in more than two years.

CBD hemp oil is typically made from low-THC hemp. THC is the molecular compound that causes mental and physical reactions associated with general marijuana use, while CBD is another natural compound that provides pain relief.

Lynam now spends about $50 a month on treats for Benny, including CBD oils that she drizzles over his food, along with Canna-Pet, a brand of flavored organic biscuits suggested for dogs. She finds some items online and at Sativa Sisters, a Spokane retailer.

Im a big advocate for CBD in treating seizures in dogs, she said. Im sticking with what works and hopefully it will continue to be readily available.

Now, Benny isnt the only pet to benefit from them.

Flinn, her 9-year-old golden retriever, has come up with a limp so Im starting to use CBD on her. She has bad anxiety when we go to agility and obedience trials, where she gets really nervous. I give her CBD dog gummy treats, and she seems better in public Im a true believer.

The American Veterinary Medical Association has encouraged its members to investigate cannabis use for ailing pets. In a 2013 professional journal article, Veterinary Marijuana? the AVMA suggested that further research could prevent accidental overdoses from owners well-meaning attempts to relieve pets pain and suffering.

The article continued identifying CBD use to treat behavior-based disorders, including separation anxiety and noise phobia, as well as irritable bowel syndrome and feline immunodeficiency virus infection; for management of pain, nausea, and seizures; and as an appetite stimulant. Cannabis oil is also being used topically to treat tumors.

During the 2016 Nestl Purina Companion Animal Nutrition Summit, veterinarian Susan Wynn of BluePearly Georgia Veterinary Specialists Nutrition and Integrative Medicine Department, discussed therapeutic intervention and the use of cannabis on companion animals.

Wynn told attendees that although veterinarians cannot recommend cannabis, they can advise on toxicity, since dogs have more brain receptors for cannabis than humans, which makes them especially sensitive.

Similar conflicts in providing advice are seen at Washington State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, where due to federal funding, cannabis is considered an illicit substance so cant be researched for possible medical use in pets. But toxicity can be discussed.

Currently, most pet products containing CBD are not regulated, something the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finds troubling. In letters sent to companies selling CBD products for pets in 2015, the FDA expressed concerns about marketing messages and labeling that claimed the products help pets with asthma, cancer, chronic pain, dementia, seizures and other maladies.

This uncertainty over verbiage and effectiveness also caused the FDA to caution owners about using any cannabis products for pets, without first talking to their vet about other treatment options.

Despite the FDAs lack of guidance, many pet experts report nothing but success in CBD oil treatments. One of those experts is Montana-based Nancy Tanner, certified professional dog trainer, and owner of Paws and People. She has several clients who give products to their dogs for anxiety.

For dogs under 20 pounds, and especially picky eaters, CBD is available in small tablets containing powder in clear vegetarian capsules. Bigger dogs can have oils mixed into food, or dog treats such as Canna-Pet.

Its not a sedative. It allows a dog to take a deep breath and reset, she added, noting that it also helps dogs suffering from past trauma, but not necessarily specific events such as thunderstorms or fireworks.

Though some pooch owners say dogs can benefit from cannabis, cats may not be as receptive. While oils like lavender and chamomile work for dogs, they are toxic for cats, said Nancy Tanner, certified professional dog trainer and owner of Paws and People. Felines and canines are built differently. Humans and dogs, however, have similar receptors and are receptive to CBD as a medicinal plant. With the exception of a few Canna-Pet products especially for cats, most pet products are intended for dogs only.

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Cannabis for our canines - The Spokesman-Review

Six days before the official opening of the James M. Stockman Cancer Institute in Frederick, the sand-colored lobby was already bustling with radiology patients coming in for treatment.

I hope your doctor has good things to say today, one smiling nurse told a man waiting with family members. Other patients settled into chairs beside wide plate glass windows overlooking the institutes newly landscaped healing garden. Across the lobby, a row of touch-screen check-in kiosks blinked, set up and ready for use.

The overall atmosphere hushed and efficient and full of natural light was exactly what Dr. Patrick Mansky pictured when he thought of an optimal healing environment for cancer patients. Holistic care including the importance of creating comfortable clinical conditions has become a prime focus in treatment over the past 10 to 15 years, said Mansky, the medical director of medical oncology at the new institute.

Its a big change, and the idea of optimal healing flowed into how the new building was constructed, he added. We wanted an environment that was centered around the patient and supported recovery.

The Stockman Cancer Institute, set to fully open July 31, is the newest expansion of the oncology program within Frederick Regional Health System the umbrella organization that encompasses Frederick Memorial Hospital and its affiliated clinics. The new building will replace the FRHS Cancer Therapy Center on Seventh Street and offer several new services to patients, said Dr. Mark Soberman, the medical director of the FRHS cancer service line.

One new amenity, on the second floor of the institute, is an integrative medicine suite that accommodates supplementary treatments such as acupuncture and yoga. The Complementary Therapy Clinic painted a sunny yellow includes a large front room for movement therapy classes and several adjoining areas fitted with massage tables and a row of lockers.

The institute also includes brand-new oncology equipment, including the latest model of the CyberKnife radiosurgery system. The large, sleek machine stark white and reminiscent of a prop from the USS Enterprise cuts radiation treatment time in half and is the only one of its kind in Maryland, D.C. and northern Virginia, said Dustin Simonson, a medical physicist at the SCI.

In the old model, the radiation beam only came out in a circle, but this new beam can shape the radiation to the tumor and allows us to treat larger growths, he added. Its also more flexible and heavy-duty, so we know were able to treat patients at least 50 percent faster.

The biggest coup detat, though, is the institutes ability to provide the same level of care in a much nicer environment, Soberman said. The gently curved building was designed to minimize so-called patient pong the practice of sending visitors to different areas of the hospital to meet with different specialists.

In the SCI, changing rooms flow into treatment rooms via sliding wood doors, and patients will be seen by multiple specialists in the same exam room. On the second floor, a multidisciplinary clinic allows physicians to confer and design a coordinated treatment plan for patients.

Mansky also excitedly pointed out five different color schemes in various areas of the building. Green for the infusion center, where all 20 open bays are equipped with touch-screen tablets, and blue for exam and changing rooms. The radiation and integrative medicine clinics are painted a joyful yellow, while the multidisciplinary clinic is turquoise to symbolize strength, he said. Purple reserved for the Center for Chest Disease is meant to denote courage.

Thats part of the optimal healing environment and also helps with wayfinding, Mansky said. The color, lighting, architecture everything was designed to put patients at ease.

On a solidly practical level, the SCI will also be cheaper, Soberman said. Because the center is separate from the main campus of Frederick Memorial Hospital, FRHS executives negotiated with the state Health Services Cost Review Commission to categorize the institute as part of the unregulated medical market the same classification as doctors offices or free-standing clinics. The new classification allows the SCI to offer services at lower rates than the main hospital.

Up to 40 percent lower, in fact, Soberman said. You dont have facility fees, you dont have physician fees. This is basically no more expensive than going to a private doctors office.

A dedicated financial counselor will also be on staff to consult with patients on payment options and financing treatment.

When it opens on Monday, the institute will host 92 staff members, including eight physicians and one nurse practitioner, Mansky said. The building measures 62,500 square feet and cost a total of $40.5 million, including new oncology equipment. $19.5 million of the total cost was raised through community philanthropy, according to Soberman, including a $3 million gift from local business owner James M. Stockman. Stockman, 86, owns Rockledge Plaza on the Golden Mile.

Construction took a little more than 16 months, from the groundbreaking on March 16, 2016, to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new institute on Thursday.

Stockman, who attended the ceremony, hoped his donation to the new institute would be an image booster for the local health care system. While the gift was inspired by his father, a cancer survivor, he said he also wanted to help the county overall.

As far as Im concerned, theres nothing the matter with hometown pride, he said. Its a good thing for Frederick County, but I think it will also put the hospital on the map. Frederick Memorial will be much more recognizable in the region.

FRHS has also been part of the MD Anderson Cancer Network since May 2016. The 16-member network, centralized at the University of Texas, allows local oncology specialists to offer patients more access to clinical trials and experimental treatments, Mansky said.

Follow Kate Masters on Twitter: @kamamasters.

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Frederick Regional Healthcare System set to open new cancer ... - Frederick News Post (subscription)

Vickie Holder was preparing to kill herself.

The intense, undiagnosed pain she endured for three years had taken its toll. She started to pay down credit cards and put her affairs in order, deciding that if the pain didnt stop on its own, she would stop it her own way.

I could not live with that pain. I just couldnt live with it. I would just go crying, Holder said.

Sitting at a table at Fays Country Kitchen, the Carlisle restaurant she runs with her husband, Jim, Holder shared the darkest chapter of her story, hoping that it would help someone anyone in a similar situation find an answer.

And, shes certain the answer is Lyme disease.

If you have something thats wrong with you and nobody can pinpoint it, you have Lyme disease, Holder said. If youve been to all kinds of doctors and nobody can find anything wrong with you, I guarantee its Lyme disease.

Finding a diagnosis

It all started three years ago with pain behind her eyes that felt like it was in the eye socket itself, Holder said.

She went to an ophthalmologist who diagnosed her with dry eye. Holder said she had dealt with dry eye in the past and knew this was something different. She sought a second opinion, and that person also rendered the diagnosis of dry eye. A third opinion from Johns Hopkins Hospital after numerous tests also cited dry eye as the cause of the pain.

Holder remained unconvinced.

It wasnt that dry that it should have caused me the problems I was describing to them, Holder said.

The pain persisted, and eventually she said it felt like something was eating away at the nerves in her face.

Holder started trying anything anyone suggested in search of relief. Looking at a list in a folder containing the paperwork chronicling her journey, she started checking off all the ways she tried to ease the pain: acupuncture, muscle testing, ionic cleanses, detox programs, visits to a salt cave, meditation, reiki, clean eating, chiropractic care, massages and essential oils. She even bought a pulsed electromagnetic field therapy mat.

I was doing all of this all along with going to my family doctor numerous times, and him giving me numerous medications and numerous diagnoses, Holder said.

Doctors, including a neurologist and an infectious disease specialist, tried CAT scans, brain scans and numerous blood tests over a three-year period to try to get to the root of the problem. Four of those blood tests included tests for Lyme disease that returned negative.

All four tests were negative. All at my expense, she said.

Doctors even told her that what she needed might be a psychologist.

Through it all, Holder had the nagging feeling that her condition could be Lyme disease.

Nobody even said Lyme disease. None of them. I was asking them, Could this be Lyme disease? Holder said.

Other symptoms that could have helped to pinpoint Lyme disease were easily explained away by other causes. Aches in her leg? Thats from putting in 12-15 hours a day at the restaurant. Feet hurting? Holder thought she needed new shoes. She had no energy, but she was taking care of her father in addition to working long hours.

I had a reason for everything except for my eyes, she said.

The pattern continued for nearly three years at the cost of around $20,000 until a friend made a suggestion that proved to be the turning point in Holders search for answers.

A friend of mine said, I want you to go see Dr. Noonan. I am telling you, you have Lyme disease, Holder said.

Confronting Lyme disease

Dr. Noonan is Dr. Frank Noonan, who practices family medicine at Central Pennsylvania Integrative Medicine in Myerstown in Lebanon County. Type his name into Google, and the words Lyme disease will come up along with his name as a suggested search. What doesnt come up in this age of connectivity is a website or an official Facebook page.

Holder contacted Noonan and spent a few hours filling out paperwork in preparation for her first visit. Based solely on that paperwork, Noonan was almost certain he knew the cause of Holders persistent pain.

Just by my paperwork, he was 99.9 percent sure I had Lyme disease, she said.

Noonan ordered yet another test for Lyme disease, but this one was different. These test results went to a lab in California that specializes in tick-borne illnesses, a lab that is reputed to perform one of the most accurate tests in the country for Lyme disease.

It took three weeks for the test results to come back, but Holder finally had her answer on March 6 she had Lyme disease.

All these four tests that I had? I just assumed I didnt have Lyme disease because they all came back negative, but theyre called false negatives, Holder said.

Dr. Timothy Stonesifer of Cumberland Valley Parochial Medical Clinic in Shippensburg said he sees patients like Holder often. Doctor after doctor will diagnose other causes for their symptoms until one doctor is willing to do different blood testing.

We really dont have an accurate test, he said. The sad part is its the FDA-approved test.

Stonesifer said better testing would help with early detection and treatment. It could also help to define how persistent the disease is or determine whether extended use of antibiotics or the use of multiple antibiotics would be effective for some patients.

More funding for research is essential to finding that better test. Funding for Lyme disease at both the state and federal levels lags far behind funding dedicated to other health concerns.

I believe theres more money for leprosy and swimmers ear in the United States, Stonesifer said.

The road ahead

Holder started treatment on March 30. Noonan prescribed three antibiotics that she takes twice a day. She also takes a probiotic as well as another medication that affects the gel surrounding bacteria to allow the antibiotics to do their work.

Noonan told her that it would take at least five weeks before she would start to see results.

It was exactly five weeks until I felt relief, Holder said.

Eight weeks after the treatments started, Holder returned to Noonans office for a change to her antibiotic routine and to undergo an IV treatment.

Every six weeks, Holder travels to Myerstown to receive one bag of vitamin C and B vitamins to boost her immune system and a second bag containing a detox agent that allows the dead Lyme bacteria to be eliminated from the body. The whole process takes about two hours.

This will be the routine for the next six to nine months. Each treatment will cost $460, which is not covered by insurance, Holder said.

Speaking now, with a diagnosis and with a treatment plan, Holder almost sounds incredulous when she thinks about where her undiagnosed Lyme disease almost took her.

To take your life over something thats been misdiagnosed over three years? she asked

She knows now that her condition is treatable, but not curable. Its likely she could experience a flare-up in the future.

I can live right now with whats going on with me, Holder said.

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Living With Lyme: Diagnosis took three years for Carlisle woman - The Sentinel

Ever since I was a kid, I was always curious about the secrets to longevity and what made people live to 100. I mean, 100 is kind of a random number, but triple digits?! Thats pretty amazing there must be some kind of secret. Seeing as you usually hear that peoples grandparents die in their 70s or 80s I was totally intrigued by these long-lived peeps.

My great grandma, who I knew until I was about 10 years old, lived to her later 90s, 97 or 98 and I was still hanging out with her at that age talking about life. Unfortunately since I was so young, the only thing I remember was how creepy she was. She was really small. Really thin. And really veiny.

Anyway, as I got older I became more interested in longevity not because I actually wanted to live to 120, but because the kinds of people that live to 120 are the ones who usually enjoy an unprecedented quality of life throughout their lives.

The people who take good enough care of themselves to live to that ripe, old age, also suffer from a fraction (or none) of the health problems that plague the majority of people today.

Interestingly enough, as I researched the secrets to their longevity I found much of the same advice, over and over.

You can find that advice below.

Exclusive Bonus: Download this bonus guidethat tells the story of how a Chinese herbalist lived to 200+ and his 4 pieces of advice.

Based on her Wikipedia entry, at age 85, she took up fencing and continued to ride her bicycle up until her 100th birthday. She was reportedly neither athletic, nor fanatical about her health.

Calment lived on her own until shortly before her 110th birthday, when it was decided that she needed to be moved to a nursing home after a cooking accident (she was having complications with sight) started a small fire in her house.

Calment smoked from the age of 21 to 117, though according to an unspecified source, she smoked no more than two cigarettes per day. (Damn babygirl you smoked for 100 years?!)

Calment ascribed her longevity and relatively youthful appearance for her age to olive oil, which she said she poured on all her food and rubbed onto her skin, as well as a diet of port wine, and ate nearly one kilogram (2.2lb) of chocolate every week.

Not a bad life, eh? Smoke, drink and eat chocolate.

Based on biographical information via Wikipedia:

Her only child, Kathryn Knauss Sullivan, who was 96 at the time of Sarahs death and lived to be 101 herself, once explained Knauss longevity by saying: Shes a very tranquil person and nothing fazes her. Thats why shes living this long.

On his 115th birthday Mortensen gave his advice for a long life: Friends, a good cigar, drinking lots of good water, no alcohol, staying positive and lots of singing will keep you alive for a long time.

He credited his longevity to funche, a boiled corn, codfish and milk cream-like dish, which he ate every day as a habit. Mercado also claimed that his sense of humor was probably responsible for his long life, and he would tell jokes and humorous anecdotes almost to the end of his days.

He would not elaborate on details of his love life, but would humorously hint about them: in one of the many interviews he gave to Puerto Rican media, Mercado claimed to have been at the dancing club (a euphemism for a bordello) owned by Isabel la Negra the day she was assassinated.

He was 82 years old at the time and reportedly hid under a table when Oppenheimers killers started firing gunshots. Asked what he was doing there, he said: praying or at least I was when the bullets started flying!

Mind your own business and dont eat junk food. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated, work hard and love what you do.

Laughter keeps you healthy. You can survive by seeing the humor in everything. Thumb your nose at sadness; turn the tables on tragedy. You cant laugh and be angry, you cant laugh and feel sad, you cant laugh and feel envious.

Do the right thing, dont smoke, dont drink, eat right and dont overdo it. If you need a little extra help, take some vitamins. Going to work is what keeps me going.

Look inside your soul and nd your tools. We all have tools and have to live with the help of them. I have two tools, my words and my images. I used my typewriter, computer and my cameras to ght injustice. Whenever I see a possibility of helping people who are in danger, I want to help them.

Eat right and do what you love. Whatever you love to do is play; doing what you dont like to do is work. I have never worked a day in my life!

Have a good appetite, lots of friends, and keep busy.

Stay active even at 100. Eat in a balanced way Dont stay mad at anythingyou have to get used to the losses, otherwise you cant win. Lastly, stay close with your family, they keep you thinking.

Have a good wife, two scotches a night, and be easy-going.

It is very important to have a widespread curiosity about life.

Take it easy, enjoy life, what will be will be. Sleep well, have a Baileys Irish Cream before bed if you have a coldyou will wake up ne the next morning.

Dont smoke, dont drink, and dont retire!

Take one day at a time and go along with the tide.

Keep busy! Do things that youve never done before.

Dont ght the day, just let it be. Get up and be positive. Avoid any and all drama; I dont get involved with silly minutiae or difcult personalities; people respect me for that.

Be good, dont complain, just get up and do. Keep on working, keep on going, and have a good time.

Get involved. Youll nd pleasure and sometimes disappointment but there is a sense of achievement if you participate in a successful undertaking, whether it is organizational or professional. Work hard, it will pay off.

Whatever is hard, you make hard, but if you take it as it comes, it doesnt come hard. Dont worry, dont want so much, and be satisfied with what youve got. Be willing to share with your friends and those less fortunate.

You must keep active or you will just wither away. Always be involved in some activity.

You have to make the best out of your life and have a good attitude.

When you live for God, talk to him, go to church, have nice people around you; that is the best medicine. God provides for you. Sometimes you dont know when it is coming, but it is coming.

Try to understand the kind of person you are and accept who you are; but if you want to improve your situation, change it. Keep your eye on the stars and try to succeed at what you want to do.

For a long, healthy life, you need a plan and a purpose. It could be family, writing a book, becoming president. Without a purpose, plan or objective, what do you need?

Never run out of responsibility; if you dont have one, nd one. Find a cause and knock yourself out for it. It will enhance your brainpower, interest in life, and keep you alive longer. Im alert because I work. Virtue is its own reward.

My longevity is attributed to my long happy marriage. We did everything together. She was perfect in my eyes.

You know whats cool?

There are definitely a few things repeated over and over.

I went back through the list and wrote down the top 5 things that appeared the most frequently. Do you know what they were?

The most commonly cited things:

[See Also: A 256 Year Old Man Reveals His 4 Secrets to His Longevity]

I think that many of us intuitively know some of the things that contribute to a long life, like relaxing and enjoying life, keeping your mind busy, and obviously eating right and exercising.

One of the craziest things Ive come across in the past few years is that some people have willed themselves to death. In extreme survival situations, people have been found in safe, secure places, with food and water, who simply gave up. Sometimes there was a journal, but other times these people had no verifiable medical reason for their death. They just didnt want to fight.

The external is seriously overrated in our society people seem to neglect the power of the mind to make a person happy or miserable, successful or unsuccessful, lazy or driven.

The oldest woman in the world smoked every day for almost 100 years. Was she lucky? Maybe.

But listen to all of these people talk they just freaking love life. A good cigar, a glass of wine, some chocolate, and good friends. Theyre living the good life no wonder they want to go on living.

So what about you? Do you know anyone who lived to a ripe-old age? What do you think contributed to it?

Yes, Im pretty biased since Im the author of the book.

But it was an instant #1 Amazon bestseller in the health category, and heres why.

Its not about diets.

Its not about stupid eating less and moving more advice.

Its not about willpower, discipline and grinding it out.

It all comes down to habits just a few in particular.

I cover all of them in my bookMaster The Day: Eat, Move and Live Better With The Power of Tiny Habits.

Check it out on Amazon here.

There are over 55 5-star reviews now. What are you waiting for?

Alex

***

Sources: Some adapted from the book Extraordinary Centenarians in America.

Other quotes were compiled from interviews listed in Wikipedia.

Images: Indian Man, Countryside, Empire State Building, Puzzle, Bridge, Sunset, Ice & Sunset, Green Vegetable, Desert

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23 People That Lived to 100 Spill Their Secrets of Longevity

Researchers have identified the largest-ever number of genetic markers most of which are brand new to science that are linked to life expectancy.

A research team based in Switzerland has pinpointed a massive haul of genetic markers. It is the largest group of such genetic markers ever identified. The vast majority of them are new to science. They are directly tied to the life expectancy of human beings. All but two of these SNPs are brand new to science. The research was made possible thanks to the support of the Swiss Initiative in Systems Biology. The findings were recently published in Nature Communications.

The Genome's Role

The length of an individual's life is predominantly determined by his environment. As an example, the place one resides, his level of wealth, dietary intake and whether he smokes all play major roles in how long he will live. Yet between one-quarter and one-third of variations in life expectancy arelikely determined by the genome.

About the Discovery

Scientists think variations at certain locations along DNA sequences, referred to as nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), provide clues about the genetic aspect of lifespan. Yet only two of these markers have been identified. The Swiss research team comprised of experts from Switzerland's Institute for Bioinformatics, the University of Lausanne, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and the Lausanne University Hospital have utilized an innovative computational means of pinpointing a remarkable 16 SNPs tied to lifespan. It is the largest group of genetic markers associated with lifespan ever discovered.

How the Discovery was Made

The Swiss research team studied a data set comprised of more than 116,000 people derived from a United Kingdom Biobank study. They analyzed about 2.3 million SNPs. Priority was given to DNA variations known to be associated with sickness tied to age in order to scan the genome in a highly effective manner. The research determined one in ten individuals carries a configuration of these newly identified markers that can decrease lifespan by more than a year versus the population at large.

The majority of the newly identified SNPs were linked to several different risk factors or diseases like a predisposition to develop schizophrenia or the likelihood of developing a drug addiction. It is clear that it is not as simple as pinpointing places along DNA molecules that code for a distinct lifespan. The research performed by the Swiss scientists approached the links between longevity and genetics in more of a holistic manner.

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16 Genetic Markers Linked to Lifespan | Worldhealth.net Anti-Aging ... - Anti Aging News

Just as smaller animals of a given species generally live longer than their larger cousins, one might expect that taller humans are genetically programmed to sacrifice longevity for height.

But its not that simple.

A major multinational study of 841 men and women from across four populations found lower levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in men living to age 100 and yet most of them were taller than men in the younger control group.

The apparent explanation for this head-scratcher is that some long-lived men and only men have a genetic mutation that makes their growth hormone receptors more sensitive to the effects of the hormone. The cells absorb less growth hormone, yet protein expression is increased by several times.

This mutation seems to be responsible for their ability to live about 10 years longer than the control group of 70-year-old men without the mutation, even though they have a lower amount of growth hormone and are about 3 centimeters (1.18 inches) taller.

The lead author of the study is Prof. Gil Atzmon of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and head of the Laboratory of Genetics and Epigenetics of Aging and Longevity at the University of Haifa. Since 2001, Atzmon has been studying the human genome and its impact on aging and longevity.

Longevity genes

The researchers working with Atzmon looked at four elderly populations: 567 Ashkenazi Jews in the Longevity Genes Project at Einstein, 152 from a study of Amish centenarians, and the rest from an American cardiovascular health study and a French longevity study.

In 2008, the Longevity Genes Project found a genetic mutation in the IGF-1 receptor of some women, though its not the same as the one affecting mens lifespan.

We knew in the past that genetic pathways associated with growth hormone were also associated with longevity and now we have found a specific mutation whose presence or absence is directly related to it, said Atzmon.

This study makes it an established fact that there is a relationship between the function of the growth hormone and longevity. Our current goal is to fully understand the mechanism of the mutation we found to express it, so that we can allow longevity while maintaining quality of life, he added.

The 16 researchers involved the study, published June 16 in Science Advances, are associated with institutions in Israel and France as well as the US states of New York, Maryland, California, Vermont, Massachusetts and Washington.

Clue to longer life

While more research is needed to understand why the receptor mutation affects longevity and why it happens only in men, the study suggests that making a slight change in this specific piece of DNA could possibly make people live longer.

Although the presence of the mutation almost certainly ensured longevity, Atzmon stressed that many other factors affect longevity and that many men without the mutation also live to 100 and older.

Atzmon is one of the principal researchers in the Longevity Genes Project at Einstein along with Israeli endocrinology specialist Dr. Nir Barzilai.

Their groundbreaking 10-year study of healthy Ashkenazi Jews between the ages of 95 and 112 and their children attempted to understand why humans dont all age at the same rate, and why only one in 10,000 individuals lives to 100.

The centenarians were found to have genetic protective factors (longevity genes) that overcame factors such as diet and lifestyle.

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Mutation explains why some men live to 100 - ISRAEL21c

Jacques Laplante andDavid Riendeau

Sunday, 30 July, 2017 08:00

UPDATESunday, 30 July, 2017 08:00

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The secret of the longevity of centenarians? A combination of genetics, healthy living and unshakable confidence in itself, said Dr. Judes Poirier, to whom we owe the book Young and centenary.

The book of popular science explains the mechanisms of human ageing through the phenomenon of centenarians, always more numerous in our society.

For 15 years, a colleague has sought to know the secret of longevity of several century-old French. The answers were very varied. One swore by a glass of red daily, while for the other, it was his spoonful of honey, says Judes Poirier, director of research at the Institute of mental health Douglas.

Archival Photo Chantal Poirier

Dr. Judes Poirier has explored the factors that contribute to the longevity of centenarians

However, all claimed to have worked for all their lives and get a great pride.

The same exercise has been done, this time with their children and grandchildren.

They held that the centenarians were people decidedly positive, determined and confident in their abilities. They lived fully in the moment, and remain constantly active.

The same explanations of regularity, temperance, and work come back in most of the major studies on centenarians conducted in various countries, notes Dr. Poirier.

A complex issue

The causes responsible for the aging are multiple and it is possible to age beautifully, emphasizes the scientist, citing by example the benefits of physical activity.

The exercise by itself does not prolong the life of the human. However, it improves the quality of life of the past few years. The goal is to mitigate the risk of emerging chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

Young hundred-year-old also addressed the issue of blue zones, these areas of the world where the life expectancy of their inhabitants is superior to the rest of the world.

If they have the same genes, their mode of life is different, observes Judes Poirier, who has compiled some general trends in their habits, such as having life goals clear and to live a long time with their family.

Six tips for aging well

Number of centenary over time

In 2061, it is estimated that there will be nearly 34 000 centenarians in Quebec.

Source : Institut de la statistique du Qubec

Irene Richard, 106 years

Photo Pierre-Paul Poulin

The life of Irene, Richard, 106 years, can be summed up in two words : hard work. Click here to read more

Geraldine Crevier, 100 years

Photo Chantal Poirier

When asked, Geraldine Crevier, 100 years old, replied that there was no secret to his longevity, especially as she smoked until the age of 50 years. Curious by nature, this is perhaps not his thirst for learning that keeps it alive, but it is certainly making his old days as interesting. Click here to read more

Winnifred Rees, 100 years

Photo Marc QMI Agency, Desrosiers

My secret is prayer and the Bible. I believe in the power of God, says Winnifred Rees, who will soon be 101 years old. Click here to read more

Joacquina Lalande, 106 years

Photo Chantal Poirier

From the top of its 106 years, Joacquina Lalande refuses to impose. The only daughter of a family of seven children, she has always been a go-getter who wasnt afraid of hard work. Click here to read more

Sarah Patenaude, 110 years

Photo Agence QMI, Marc Desrosiers

According to Sarah Patenaude, to live well, it takes work, but do not lay claim to. It is necessary to take a vacation, eat fruit and meat and well practice his or her religion, whatever it may be. Anyway, there is some good in all religions, she said. Click here to read more

Gisele Bright, 101 years

Photo Ben Pelosse

If several of the centenarians attribute their longevity to a trick or a secret of any kind, such as a healthy life, away from tobacco and alcohol, this is not the case of Gisle Brilliant, which celebrated its 101 years in may. Click here to read more

Read more from the original source:
How to live old - The Sherbrooke Times

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The answer to how long each of us will live is partly encoded in our genome. Researchers have identified 16 genetic markers associated with a decreased lifespan, including 14 new to science. This is the largest set of markers of lifespan uncovered to date. About 10 percent of the population carries some configurations of these markers that shorten their life by over a year compared with the population average. Spearheaded by scientists from the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), the University of Lausanne and the EPFL, the study provides a powerful computational framework to uncover the genetics of our time of death, and ultimately of any disease. The study is published today in Nature Communications.

Why do some of us live longer than others? While the environment in which we live including our socio-economic status or the food we eat plays the biggest part, about 20 to 30 percent of the variation in human lifespan comes down to our genome. Changes in particular locations in our DNA sequence, such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), could therefore hold some of the keys to our longevity.

"Until now, the most comprehensive studies had found only two hits in the genome," points out Prof. Zoltn Kutalik, Group Leader at SIB and assistant professor at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (CHUV).

In a new study, a team of scientists, led by Kutalik, has used an innovative computational approach to analyse a dataset of 116,279 individuals and probe 2.3 million human SNPs.

An unparalleled number of SNPs associated with lifespan (16) were uncovered, including 14 new to science. "In our approach, we prioritized changes in the DNA known to be linked to age-related diseases in order to scan the genome more efficiently," says Kutalik. "This is the largest set of lifespan-associated genetic markers ever uncovered."

About 1 in 10 people carry some configurations of these markers that shorten their life by over a year compared with the population average. In addition, a person inheriting a lifespan-shortening version of one of these SNPs may die up to seven months earlier.

The approach also enabled the researchers to explore how the DNA changes affected lifespan in a holistic way. They found that most SNPs had an effect on lifespan by impacting more than a single disease or risk factor, for example through being more addicted to smoking as well as through being predisposed to schizophrenia.

The discovered SNPs, combined with gene expression data, allowed the researchers to identify that lower brain expression of three genes neighbouring the SNPs (RBM6, SULT1A1 and CHRNA5, involved in nicotine dependence) was causally linked to increased lifespan.

These three genes could therefore act as biomarkers of longevity, i.e. survival beyond 85-100 years. "To support this hypothesis, we have shown that mice with a lower brain expression level of RBM6 lived substantially longer," comments Prof. Johan Auwerx, professor at the EPFL.

"Interestingly, the gene expression impact of some of these SNPs in humans is analogous to the consequence of a low-calorie diet in mice, which is known to have positive effects on lifespan," adds Prof. Marc Robinson-Rechavi, SIB Group Leader and professor at the University of Lausanne.

"Our findings reveal shared molecular mechanisms between human and model organisms, which will be explored in more depth in the future," concludes Prof. Bart Deplancke, SIB Group Leader and professor at the EPFL.

This study, which is a part of the AgingX Project supported by SystemsX.ch (the Swiss Initiative in Systems Biology), therefore brings us a step closer to grasping the mechanisms of human aging and longevity. It also proposes an innovative computational framework to improve the power of genomewide investigations of diseases more generally. As such, the framework could have promising applications in the field of personalized medicine.

Explore further: Study shows smoking doesn't always mean a shortened life span or cancer

More information: Aaron F. McDaid et al. Bayesian association scan reveals loci associated with human lifespan and linked biomarkers, Nature Communications (2017). DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS15842

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The 16 genetic markers that can cut a life story short - Medical Xpress - Medical Xpress

Sketchy stem cell "cures" infiltrate trial database

Stem cell clinics offering unapproved treatments for ailments from hip pains to erectile dysfunction increasingly use a federal clinical-trials database as a marketing tool a strategy that confuses patients and exposes them to "unjustifiable" safety risks and costs, according to a new study.

At least 18 purported clinical trials all of which involve unregulated therapies and require patients to pay to enroll are listed on ClinicalTrials.gov, the comprehensive registry for public and private clinical trials that is run by the National Institutes of Health, according to the journal Regenerative Medicine.

Leigh Turner, who authored the study and is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota's Center for Bioethics and School of Public Health, said NIH should use much tougher screening tools to exclude from its database unapproved treatments.

"Do we really want ClinicalTrials.gov to be 'caveat emptor,' where no one is paying attention to the substance of studies being listed?" said Turner. "A lot of these studies are just marketing pitches designed to appeal to people with COPD, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease."

Most legitimate trials do not charge patients, though they might face incidental costs such as travel.

Laurie Mcginley, The Washington Post

Canadian study find a sugar spike after NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement may have dramatically changed the Canadian diet by boosting consumption of high-fructose corn syrup, a new study suggests.

That boost arrested a years-long decline in total sugar consumption. And it shifted Canadians away from liquid sweeteners such as maltose and molasses toward high-fructose corn syrup, a sweetener that has been linked to the obesity epidemic.

The peer-reviewed study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that as tariffs on high-fructose corn syrup dropped over a four-year period, consumption grew: from 21.2 calories of corn syrup per day in 1994, to 62.9 calories per day by 1998.

NAFTA may thus have contributed to growing obesity and diabetes rates over that time, its authors say.

"There are free-trade deals being negotiated all over the world, and NAFTA has been used as a blueprint for many of them," said Pepita Barlow, a doctoral student at Oxford University and the lead researcher on the paper. "In some ways, this is an opportunity to think about who benefits from these deals, and who loses and how we can craft them to better promote health and wellness."

Caitlin Dewey, The Washington Post

The smarter the kid, the longer the life?

Intelligent children tend to live longer than their less gifted peers, a new study suggests.

Scottish researchers began their study with 75,252 men and women born in 1936 94 percent of the Scottish population born that year who had taken standardized intelligence tests in 1947. By 2015, they were able to confirm a cause of death for 25,979 of them; 30,464 were still living in Britain.

After controlling for many health, socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics, they found that lower scores on the childhood intelligence test were associated with death from heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, lung cancer and stomach cancer. All of these diseases are highly associated with smoking, and smoking did partially explain the association with mortality. But even after controlling for smoking, the link to lower scores on the intelligence test did not disappear.

The study, in BMJ, found no association of lower intelligence with cancers not related to smoking or with suicide, but there was a strong association with death by accidental injury.

The reasons for the link are far from clear. We dont know yet why intelligence from childhood and longevity are related, and we are keeping an open mind, said the senior author, Ian J. Deary, a professor of differential psychology at the University of Edinburgh. Lifestyles, education, deprivation and genetics may all play a part.

Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times

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Health Shorts: Stem cell 'cures,' Sugar spike, Longevity - Sarasota Herald-Tribune