Elizabeth R. Betsy Cantwell has been appointed as senior vice president for research and innovation for UA.

Cantwell will lead the UA Office of Research, Development and Innovation, which includes the Corporate Engagement Program, Tech Launch Arizona and the UA research parks.

She will be responsible for expanding the universitys capacity for knowledge creation and discovery; integrating efforts by faculty, students, staff and executive leaders to move inventions and technologies to the marketplace; increasing the UAs connectivity with external collaborators; spearheading industry and public partnerships; and increasing total research funding.

She joins the UA after serving as the CEO of Arizona State University Research Enterprise.

Cantwell moved to higher education after working for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where she was director for economic development and currently serves as a guest scientist.

Cantwell earned a masters in business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania after earning a doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, in mechanical engineering and a bachelor of arts in human behavior from the University of Chicago.

Continued here:
Tucsonans who have been moved, promoted or appointed in July-December 2019 - Arizona Daily Star

One of the most common health challenges of our time ischronic stress, which, we know can cause, or play a major role in the development of chronic disease. In the midst of multiple demands in todays world, and the fast pace of life, its hard not to be in the fight or flight mode most of the time. We all feel the weight of the stress of work, family, health, social stressors, or unexpected events. The process of evolution hasnt yet caught up to the fast- changing world of multitasking, the speed with which we communicate, make decisions and create and execute our to-do lists. Its hard to be present and appreciate the moment. While naturally programmed to seek security and control, its hard for us not to worry about things that are uncertain (read: everything in life!).

It is no surprise that the U.S. adult population reports significant levels of stress about the future, finances, healthcareto name a few examplesin recent surveys of theAmerican Psychological Association.

We cannot control the outside world, but we CAN CONTROL how we RESPOND to it.

Here are simple, yet powerful tips of how you can cultivate a practice of mindful responsiveness and awareness, rather than be in a loop of never-ending stress, worries and negative thinking.

Whether meditation is new for you, or has been something youve tried but couldnt do, I invite you to view it with a beginners mind. Allow yourself to be patient even when those thoughts are racing, and you are not paying attention to your breath, mantra, or the object of your meditation. A key aspect of the practice of meditation is that we feel acceptance of discomfort, boredom or distraction. This acceptance will lead to a sense of comfort (even with discomfort!) and greater ease with which we practice, which will lead to a more consistent practice. The results are limitless and can range fromimproved moodin individuals with depression,better sleep, andless chronic pain. Beware, consistent practice can also lead to a complete mind and body transformation and a more optimistic outlook on life!

Here are some ofmy favorite meditation resources:

In order to realize our full potential and ease our bodies into the healing mode, it is necessary that we turn down the always on fight or flight mechanism, and activate our parasympathetic nervous system. Regular mindfulness and meditation practice will help with this.

I hope that as you create your own mindfulness journey, you let your inner beauty, love and compassion shine, and that you illuminate this world with kindness and wisdom that are more powerful than ever. I trust that you will find more peace and more ease, as you follow the steps here. Keep me posted on your journey!

Namaste,Dr. Bojana

*This article originally appeared on http://www.drbojana.com

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How to reduce your stress and thrive, starting today! - Thrive Global

While most people in developed nations may not think much about dietary iron, almost a quarter of the global population lacks this essential nutrient.

Iron plays a critical role in providing oxygen to the bodys cells. Too little iron can lead to iron deficiency anemia and symptoms such as fatigue, heart palpitations and shortness of breath. Too much can lead to iron overload and a disease called hemochromatosis, which can cause heart failure.

Michigan Medicine researchers have unlocked a mechanism behind how the body decides whether or not to absorb iron from the food--one that involves the trillions of bacteria in our guts known as the gut microbiome.

If you have a low-iron diet, the body absorbs more of it in an adaptive mechanism to get enough, says Nupur Das, Ph.D., a research investigator in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology. Our gut microbiomes are also dependent on iron. Different microbes have different iron needs to survive.

He along with Yatrik Shah, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and their research team have shown that the bacteria in the gut actively compete with the human body for iron from the diet. They describe their work in a new paper in Cell Metabolism.

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Using mice, they found that certain bacteria in the gut produce metabolites that inhibit the transcription factor HIF-2 in the intestine. By doing so, the gut bacteria block iron absorption by the body.

During a pilot experiment, we found that germ-free mice [mice specially bred to have no bacteria anywhere in their systems] were resistant to anemia, says Shah, senior author on the paper. The easiest explanation is that youve gotten rid of a trillion bacteria and they no longer need iron. But interestingly, we saw that the iron absorptive mechanisms were all highly upregulated in the absence of microbiota.

In other words, without the gut bacteria there to dial back iron absorption, the bodys systems for taking iron in were turned all the way up. To confirm this observation, the group administered antibiotics to normal mice. They found that mice treated with antibiotics also saw an increase in iron absorption. Further, germ-free mice that had gut bacteria transplanted into their systems had reduced iron levels.

What these intriguing findings suggest is an unconventional treatment for iron-related disorders. In an anemic patient, you could help by getting rid of the gut microbiota. Conversely, reintroducing the microbial metabolites that inhibited the absorptive system would reduce iron absorption in patients that have iron overload disorders, says Shah.

Das and Shah note that the antibiotics are inexpensive, readily available and could hold promise for the more than 1.5 billion people globally with iron-deficiency anemia. In the anemic scenario, some places of the world cant afford food with enough iron. These findings suggest we can still improve anemia even when faced with a low iron diet, says Das.

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Furthermore, they note that there are gut specific antibiotics, reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance and can be administered to lower but not completely eliminate beneficial gut microbiota.

Says Shah, We feel that decreasing the microbialburden for a short time would outweigh some of the consequences as anemia, especially in developingnations, can be quite crippling for individuals.

Paper Cited: Yatrik M. Shah et al. "Microbial metabolite signaling is required for systemic iron homeostasis", Cell Metabolism. DOI:10.1016/j.cmet.2019.10.005

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Gut Microbiome Puts the Brakes on Iron Absorption - Michigan Medicine

by Luke CoutinhoHolistic Lifestyle Coach- Integrative MedicineBeing chronically anxious and stressed, to a point where it starts affecting your health is not healthy. And being anxious or depressed and sedentary at the same time makes the whole situation all the more complicated. Not only does it lead to weight gain, it also slows down metabolism and causes stress eating... you end up having a lot of unused energy that should ideally be spent exercising or walking.Depression and anxiety are becoming a huge problem for human health because it upsets the entire hormonal balance. One of the best ways out of this mess is exercise. The magic of endorphins Physical movement stimulates the production of happy hormones called endorphins. Heard of runners high? Its exactly that. And mind you, exercise doesnt have to be a gym session or heavy functional training. Something as simple as a 10-15 minute walk amid nature can give you all the benefits. Endorphins are also natural pain killers. What a breather!The first thing that goes out of balance when we are stressed is our breath. It becomes quick and shallow. We either exhibit short breathing patterns or are hyperventilating. This means less oxygen going in and more carbon dioxide storage, which is why it can make us feel dizzy and nauseous. Some may even undergo an anxiety attack and pass out. So, bringing our breath back to balance is the first step towards managing stress. Breathing is one of the quickest ways to bring our bodies from a state of fight and flight to a state of rest and digest. When you break into exercise, you start breathing better which means you start taking in more oxygen. The more oxygen you inhale, the more balanced are your levels of cortisol, progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, and androgens. good distractionGenerally, when you are depressed, you tend to focus on all the negatives. You form a shell around yourself and start to move deeper and deeper into that shell. Hence, distraction can be very useful. It could be going out, speaking to a friend, listening to music, reading a book or even exercising. If you start engaging in walking or yoga or even mild stretching, you immediately create a distraction. If you are lucky and live in a place where there is contact with nature, even better. It brings instant calmness that is going to lessen your anxiety immediately. At the same time, it is necessary to practice balance and moderation even with exercise, especially if you are using it as a tool to manage your stress levels. There are some people who end up burning out through exercise. This is not a good thing because over-exercising can only add up to more stress. Listen to your body, know when to stop and focus on adequate rest and recovery.BREATHE EASYBringing our breath back to balance is the first step towards managing stress. Breathing is one of the quickest ways to bring our bodies from a state of fight and flight to rest and digest.

Read more:
Exercise the best antidepressant - Times of India

The Veterans Administration has traditionally been an incubator for innovations that improve quality of life not only for veterans but also for civilian populations around the worldideas like bar-coding machines, or the discovery that daily aspirin cuts the rate of heart attacks for certain patient populations. For many years and in a range of capacities, Penns School of Nursing has been a close VA collaborator.

In 2011,for example, in addition to her role at Penn, palliative care professor Mary Ersek became director of the Veteran Experience Center, a national quality-improvement initiative housed at Philadelphias Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center. Rosemary Polomano, Penn Nursings associate dean for practice and a professor of pain practice, helped change the standard pain scale employed by the VA.

There are many examples of this partnership, with innovative solutions aimed at the largest integrated health system in the U.S. and the top employer of nurse practitioners, according to the Veterans Health Administration. Along the way, the VA has also built systems for tracking outcomes, leading to a treasure trove of data.

Its a great time for evidence-based research and training, saysCoy Smith, associate director of patient care services and nurse executive at the Philadelphia VA, as well as assistant dean for clinical practice at Penn Nursing. A lot of this work is transferrable to non-VA patients.

Here, a look at the work made possible because of the Veterans Health Administration-Penn Nursing collaboration.

Evidence-based health care practices are interventions based on the best, latest scientific findings. Penn sleep and health behavior researcher Amy Sawyer is currently leading 15 evidence-based quality improvement projects at the Philadelphia VA, on subjects like preventing injury in surgical patients and secondary traumatic stress in health care providers.

Change, no matter how you look at it, is hard, Sawyer says. Its hard to accept, and its hard to convey to others that change needs to happen. But implementing it can have real results, like with a recent occupational health project that involved switching the type of tuberculosis testing the VA used for incoming employees.

Unlike the standard test, called purified protein derivative or PPD, a newer test called T-SPOT.TB does not require a follow-up visit after 48 to 72 hours. During a PPD shortage two years ago, VA clinicians put in place the T-SPOT.TB procedure and followed it for a year. The program has since rolled out across the entire VA system, leading to a 29% increase in employee compliance, a 40% drop in costs, and a 50% reduction in time to clear new hires.

We used to think of quality improvement and research as separate, Ersek says. But over the years weve gotten more sophisticated. We use research methods. We sort of mimic, statistically, a randomized control trial.

To that end, Ersek and her team use the Bereaved Family Survey (BFS) in their VA work. The BFS, developed through a VA-funded research project and now used throughout the system, asks respondents to evaluate quality of care at the end of life. Its mailed to the next of kin of every veteran who dies at a VA facility or in one of several VA home-based primary care programs. Facility-level scores are calculated quarterly and sent to each facility. The Veteran Experience Center also works directly with care teams to help them interpret their scores and develop strategies to improve care and outcomes.

For example, we might identify chronically low scores on an overall item, as well as those related to communication for a specific facility, Ersek says. Training in family conferences might then follow. We continue to monitor their BFS scores during and following the training to see whether it had an impact on outcomes, she adds.

The survey is a unique way to keep a pulse on the quality of care at the VA for veterans and families, saysAnn Kutney-Lee, an adjunct associate professor of nursing who studies the effects of nursing care organizations on patient outcomes. We ask about communication with providers, whether their preferences were met for treatment, she says. We ask about emotional and spiritual support. Did they get the amount of support they wanted? Did they see a chaplain if they wanted one?

Veteran demographics are shifting from those who served in World War II and the Korean War to those who served in Vietnam. This has implications for end-of-life care, as veterans from the Vietnam era are more likely to have been exposed to dangerous combat situations, says Kutney-Lee. Many veterans were fighting in jungles and mountains; there were hidden explosives planted, all with a near-constant threat of being ambushed, she says. The nature of the direct combat situations was very different.

The way society welcomed them home was different, too. World War II vets were hailed as heroes, enjoying national support. Vietnam vets experienced the opposite, says Kutney-Lee. Things were thrown at them when they got off the planes. Today, they are less willing to talk about their experiences, something that can resurface, emotionally, at the end of life.

Its something Kutney-Lee and colleagues are trying to understand to better prepare health care providers to treat these vets. They are seeing higher rates of anxiety and post-traumatic stress, as well as more chronic illnesses that correlate with chemicals such as 2,4,5-T, an ingredient in the herbicide Agent Orange, to which many soldiers in Vietnam were exposed. In an effort to be proactive, the VAs Hospice and Palliative Care Program Office and the Veteran Experience Center are using the BFS and other data to create educational programs aimed at helping providers meet this groups unique end-of-life needs. We want the vets and their families experience to be as peaceful as possible, Kutney-Lee says.

She is involved in another project with Ersek andMargo Brooks Carthon, another Penn Nursing researcher, to study racial and ethnic disparities in quality end-of-life care for vets. Some of their work has found that the next of kin of African American vets were 50% less likely than other groups to report that their loved ones received excellent care at the end of life. The researchers want to know why.

One clue: Members of racial and ethnic minorities tend to be more sensitive to changes in nurse-staffing levels. The researchers hypothesize that in facilities where staffing is better, nurses are better positioned to meet the complex care needs of patients, which may also apply at the end of life. They have the resources they need and the time to spend with their patients, says Kutney-Lee.

Pain management entails a complex matrix of mind and body, which makes having a standard scale on which to measure pain crucial.

Penn Nursings Rosemary Polomano specializes in managing acute pain following combat-related injuries. After learning that clinicians in 28 facilities who used the standard numeric pain rating scale (0-10) found it inadequate to help patients and health care providers communicate about pain-intensity levels, Polomano collaborated with leaders from the Defense and Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management and others to develop the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS).

The scale integrates word anchors (from no pain to as bad as it could be, nothing else matters) with color-coding and facial expressions to help patients rate their pain.

According to Polomano, DVPRS is now the official military pain scale, with the goal of being used in all Department of Defense health care facilities. Other health systems are free to use it too, Polomano says. It is in the public domain.

Polomano also teachesPain Science and Practice, a class open to students from Penn Nursing, Penn Dental, and Penns Perelman School of Medicine. This year, in partnership with the Uniformed Services University Graduate School of Nursing in Bethesda, Maryland, 30 active-duty military personnel from their nurse anesthesia program attended the class.

Nurses work at the heart of the changes in veterans care and, therefore, help to shape the future of American health care. Much of the VAs innovative models of care delivery are due to the leadership and contributions of VA nurses, says David Shulkin, a Distinguished Health Policy Fellow at Penns Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and a former secretary of veterans affairs. Its often their affiliation with leading academic centers like Penn that help to ensure the VA remains at the forefront of these innovations.

Ive often felt that the VA is the best place for advanced practice nurses, saysPatricia DAntonio, the Carol E. Ware Professor in Mental Health Nursing and director of the Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing. One of the best jobs she says she ever had was working with VA nurses to identify and help patients with compelling emotional or psychological needs. One patient, an outgoing, lovable former boxer, would sometimes lash out and punch someone when he got upset. The VA nurses developed a plan to appoint him an unofficial nursing assistant. He followed a nurse around, carried water, etc. He had a job to do, says DAntonio. With a new sense of purpose, he could control his anger. No more punching.

Ersek was similarly drawn to the VAs work. Being involved in the military, thats a big honor. Our mission as care providers is not about prestige, she says. We get to use rigorous research methods, but I like that we stop and say its not just an academic exercise; its about using these advanced analytic methods to improve care for veterans.

That sense of purpose goes a long way. I havent practiced clinically at the VA since 1992, says DAntonio, but I still describe myself as a VA nurse. Its part of my identity. Thats true for many among the ranks of Penn Nursing faculty, who work hand in hand with the nations largest integrated care system treating a unique patient population thats changing every day.

A longer version of this feature, by Louis Greenstein, originally ran in the Spring 2019 issue of the Penn Nursing Magazine.

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Working hand in hand with the nation's largest integrated care system | Penn Today - Penn: Office of University Communications

TORONTO, Nov. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CB2 Insights (CSE:CBII; OTCQB: CBIIF) (CB2 or the Company), a leading data-driven company focused on bringing real-world evidence driven from the point-of-care to the medical cannabis community, announced its results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019. All figures are reported in Canadian dollars ($), unless otherwise indicated. CB2 Insights financials are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

This was a milestone quarter for us at CB2, it was the first full reporting period that included the contributions of all three clinical businesses. We now operate one of the largest networks in the US, serving more than 100,000 unique patients annually, said Prad Sekar, CEO of CB2 Insights. Beyond our clinical business, we started to see our technology and research and development services begin to materialize into revenue-generating divisions. The Company has now booked approximately a quarter of a million in trials that will commence over the next 6 months, with $4 million of opportunities in the pipeline. We continue to blend the three divisions to gather Real-World Data and provide Real-World Evidence with our global partners. Going forward, the Company will remain focused on transformative growth in all areas of our business. Therefore, giving us a clear path to profitability in the near future.

Financial highlights for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019

The following are the major financial highlights of CB2s operating results for the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2019:

Corporate Highlights for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019

For a more detailed overview of the Corporate Highlights, please refer to the Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019.

Subsequent highlights to the quarter ended September 30, 2019

Results from Operations

The following table set forth consolidated statements and financial information for the third quarter of 2019 ended September 30, 2019, and second quarter ended June 30, 2019. For further information, please refer to the Companys Managements Discussion & analysis on SEDAR at sedar.com.

* Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, adjusted by significant one off, non-operational expenses and partially offset by the cash impact of certain accounting treatments during the period.

Financial Measures

This news release makes references to certain non-IFRS measures, including certain industry metrics. These metrics and measures are not recognized measures under IFRS do not have meanings prescribed under IFRS and are as a result unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. These measures are provided as information complimentary to those IFRS measures by providing a further understanding of our operating results from the perspective of management. As such, these measures should not be considered in isolation or in lieu of review of our financial information reported under IFRS. This news release uses non-IFRS measures including "EBITDA", "adjusted EBITDA". EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA are commonly used operating measures in the industry but may be calculated differently compared to other companies in the industry. These non-IFRS measures, including the industry measures, are used to provide investors with supplementary measures of our operating performance that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS metrics.

Conference Call Details (phone audio only)

CB2 Insights management team will hold a conference call to discuss our 2019 Q3 Earnings on November 8, 2019 at 9:00am EDT.

Milestone Update for Rae of Sunshine Health Services LLC

CB2 is pleased to announce that during the quarter, the acquired assets of Colorado-based medical clinic group Rae of Sunshine Health Services LLC (ROSH), operating as Relaxed Clarity has achieved their milestone and out-performed initial estimates. On September 28, 2019, ROSH was granted 900,380 shares as part of its milestone incentive payments. The team continues to demonstrate that having a strong management team, solid operational platform and economy of scale are key to achieving great success in a mature cannabis market like Colorado.

Story continues

CB2 Insights Completes Payment Obligation to MedEval Clinics LLC

CB2 is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed its payment obligation to its previously announced acquisition of MedEval Clinics LLC (See April 10, 2019 press release). The initial terms of the agreement included a combination of cash and stock paid on closing of US$150,000 and 450,000 shares of CB2 Insights with a deemed value of US$225,000 and milestone payments up to US$300,000 in additional shares over a full 12-month period, however both parties have agreed to an early payout of 100,000 shares in exchange for a discount on the total value of the acquisition. All shares issued are subject to a minimum hold period of four (4) months plus one (1) day from the date of issuance. By completing these payment obligations early, we can immediately satisfy any additional earn-out payments and are able to concentrate on continuing to grow the Colorado market driving even more impact to our bottom line

Interest Payment to Merida Capital

During the quarter, the Company issued 971,179 shares to Merida Capital as part of its interest payment on a debt note.

About CB2 Insights

CB2 Insights (CSE:CBII) is a global leader in clinical operations, technology & analytics solutions and research and development services with a mission to mainstream medical cannabis into traditional healthcare. Providing immediate market access through its wholly-owned clinical network across 12 jurisdictions, proprietary data-driven technology solutions and comprehensive contract research services designed for those in both the medical cannabis and traditional life sciences industries, CB2 Insights is able to support its partners across the entire data and research spectrum.

CB2s Clinical Operations business unit leverages extensive experience to develop clinical models with standard operating procedures, advanced workflows, training and ongoing management support. CB2 also owns and operates its own speciality clinics including the brands Canna Care Docs and Relaxed Clarity which assess nearly 100,000 patients seeking medical cannabis treatment to provide immediate market access to US-based product manufacturers for clinical trial and research programs.

The Company has built both electronic data capture (EDC) and clinical data management software (CDMS) which work to support its partners of any size to execute their data and clinical strategies.

CB2 also offers comprehensive contract research organization (CRO) services including full scale clinical trial management, trial design, monitoring and other key research functions used by licensed producers, multi-state operators and traditional pharmaceutical companies entering the medical cannabis space.

For more information please visit http://www.cb2insights.com.

For additional information, please contact:

Kim Nguyen Director, Investor Relations1.855.847.4999 ext. 212kim.nguyen@cb2inights.com

Disclaimer Regarding Financial Information

The financial information presented in this press release is based on preliminary, unaudited financial statements prepared by management, for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019. Accordingly, such financial information may be subject to change. All information contained in this press release will be qualified with reference to the interim/ unaudited financial results for the three- and nine-month period ending September 30, 2019, which will be released on November xx.2019, and will be posted on sedar.com. While the Company does not expect there to be any material changes to the financial information provided in the press release. Any variation between the Companys actual results and the preliminary financial information set forth herein may be material.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in CB2s filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will, could, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, potential, believe, should," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding the opportunity to provide services and software to the U.S. cannabis industry.

Although CB2 has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, but not limited to: dependence on obtaining regulatory approvals; investing in target companies or projects which have limited or no operating history and are subject to inconsistent legislation and regulation; change in laws; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; hindering market growth and state adoption due to inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical-use and recreational-use marijuana industry and; regulatory or political change.

There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. CB2 disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and CB2 does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.

No securities regulator or exchange has reviewed, approved, disapproved, or accepts responsibility for the content of this news release.

See more here:
CB2 Insights Announces Record Revenue of $4.2 million for the Third Quarter 2019; Sequential Growth of 29% - Yahoo Finance

Its becoming pretty clear to us that the vitamin conversation is never really over. There is so much to know about the pills we pop on a daily basis, and we want to be experts on every. little. thing. While we have solved the mystery that is the multivitamin, were now asking ourselves WTF the difference is, if anything, between vitamins and supplements. Seriously, what even are ~supplements~, and why is Elle Macpherson plugging them? Were done being naive with these things, which is exactly why we consulted MD Sara Gottfried, to get some answers. You may recognize Gottfried's name from Goop Wellness as she is the one who creates one of their well known vitamin regimes (they're so good), High School Genes. When we chatted Gottfried, not only did she set a few (JK, a lot) of things straight, but she also let us know about three supplements we had no idea existed let alone should actually be taking. Prepare to be enlightened.

The actual difference between vitamins and supplements:

Supplements are any product that adds nutritional value to your diet or augments health. Vitamins are a type of supplement. Other types of supplements include minerals, herbs, or nutrients like fiber.

Is it possible to overdo it with a vitamin or supplement?

Yes. In health, theres almost always a U-shaped curve, meaning too little is bad and too much is badgetting the right dose is crucial. In addition, not everyone needs vitamins or supplements, so its important to determine whether any supplement is totally necessary. Too little vitamin A causes eye problems; too much vitamin A can cause hair loss, dizziness, nausea, headaches, coma, and even death. Too little vitamin D can cause osteoporosis, bone pain, muscle weakness, heart disease; too much can cause buildup of calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia), poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, weakness, frequent urination, and kidney problems. Consult with your doctor. In functional medicine, we track the blood levels of many supplements over time to make sure our patients are absorbing them well and getting the correct dose.

Three-lesser known supplements to get familiar with:

Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus)for PMS. Also known by several other terms, including chaste tree, chaste tree berry, and vitex. It is proven to reduce PMS and infertility, presumably by raising progesterone. Chasteberry, used by the ancient Greeks more than two thousand years ago, restores normal progesterone levels in the body. In Germany, where integrative medicine is practiced as the standard of care, chasteberry is approved for menstrual irregularity, PMS, and breast pain. A Stanford University School of Medicine study shows that in women with low progesterone, fertility rates are higher among those taking chasteberry.

Berberine. Blood sugar rises with age (starting at fifty), and berberine is one of the supplements proven to help you normalize serum glucose. Not only that, berberine will cool inflammation in your body, lower cholesterol, assist weight loss, and behaves like an antioxidant. Taking 300 to 500 milligrams once to three times per day has been shown to activate an important enzyme called adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, or AMP, nicknamed metabolic master switch.

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). This powerful antioxidant significantly lowers blood sugar levels and reduces nerve-related symptoms from diabetes. [It] acts to prevent cell damage and restore the function of neurons in [diabetics]. Even with a whole-foods diet, its hard to get enough to keep your oxidant/antioxidant status in balance. ALA repairs damaged cells, and its one of the most critical anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant agents you can ingest. When applied as a serum, alpha-lipoic acid (5%) has been shown to reduce aging in the face over twelve weeks. ALA is 400 times stronger than vitamins C and E.

The most common misconception with vitamins and supplements:

That they are regulated by the government. Supplements, including herbal therapies (also known as botanicals), often lack the scientific scrutiny that the Federal Drug Administration requires prescription medications to have. Since the mandatory regulation is minimal, its a case of buyer beware. Quality of a product is left to the manufacturer, which means that you must take great care when choosing your supplements.

Pro tip:

Consider taking only one new supplement at a time so you are able to determine whether it is helping you. Give it at least 6-12 weeks, and if it isnt working after this period, move on to another choice.

[As always, we are definitely not doctors or medical know-it-alls. And everybody is different, so make sure to check with a doctor before trying anything!]

Photo: Trays,Herms; Supplements, HUM Nutrition

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MD Sara Gottfried Talks the Differences Between Vitamins and Supplements - coveteur.com

By Oliver Giles November 08, 2019

Its been around since 3000 BC, but traditional Chinese medicine is not only survivingits thriving. Practitioners and manufacturers explain why and what the future holds

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In the future, people will send photos of their tongue via WhatsApp, says Lin Zhixiu. Hes not talking about the latest quirky internet craze or teenagers Snapchat habits. Lin is predicting how people will contact their doctors.

Lin is associate director of the school of Chinese medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), a department whose very existence may seem surprising in an era when medicine is so closely tied to technology that computers powered by artificial intelligence are diagnosing patients in Shanghai hospitals.

Everyone from toddlers to 90-year-olds comes to our clinic for traditional medicine, says Lin. I also see a growing trend of young people opting for Chinese medicine, especially when they have things like a cold, cough, flu or pain such as back or neck pain.

Hes not the only one. Rather than quietly closing shop as robots steal their jobs, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners are arguing that there is a place for their ancient remedies in the 21st centuryand theyre generating cutting-edge research to prove it.

In 2015, chemist Tu Youyou from the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine won a Nobel Prize for deriving an anti-malaria drug from sweet wormwood. Other researchers have proved traditional remedies effectiveness at tackling everything from eczema to infertility, and for the first time this year the World Health Organisation has listed TCM in its annual global compendium that instructs doctors around the world.

This scientific backing is contributing to a global boom in TCM, which as an industry is estimated to be worth about US$60 billion a year and is growing 11 per cent annually.

Theres been a big change in the image of traditional Chinese medicine, says Viola Man-Chan, an executive director of PuraPharm, a major manufacturer of traditional medicines. Were disrupting the Chinese medicine industry by changing it from a very old-fashioned industry to something that is trendy, modern and accepted by the young generations. In modern life we cant just rely on traditions; we need evidence-based science to understand how it works.

PuraPharm operates its own laboratory, which collaborates with universities around the world. Weve been working with the University of Hong Kong faculty of medicine for, I think, 10 years now and we have identified a new active ingredient in one of the herbs, Man-Chan says. Weve found that this herb has very powerful antiviral and anti inflammatory effects, which is similar or comparable to the best-selling antiviral Western medicine.

Wai Yuen Tong, a Hong Kong-based company founded in 1897 that manufactures premium Chinese medicine sought-after around Asia, is similarly investing heavily in science.

Our research and development team is not focused on creating new drug formulas, explains Vivian Tang, the companys executive director. Instead, were focusing on two aspects: how to measure and improve traditional formulas efficacy and how to translate century-old production methods and re-engineer it as modern-day mass production.

Re-engineering traditional formulas is key to the industrys newfound success with younger generations. For centuries, Chinese herbal medicine has relied on patients cooking their own medicine, normally by boiling herbs, sometimes for hours at a stretch. Many people now simply dont have the time, so manufacturers are releasing their formulas as granules that dissolve quickly in boiling water.

At the CUHK clinic, Lin estimates that half the patients opt for granules. When it comes to Wai Yuen Tongs customers, Tang believes the proportion is even higher. Ninety-nine per cent of our younger clients will never spend an hour boiling raw traditional Chinese medicine themselves, says Tang.

See also: Vivian TangFrom Wai Yuen Tong Talks Traditional Chinese Medicine

Refining recipes to pill or granule form has also made it easier for TCM to be dispensed in hospitals. The way forward for traditional Chinese medicine for me is combining it with Western medicine. This could offer the best of both systems to the patient, says Lin, who is also director of the Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine.

One of the most successful examples of the disciplines being combined is in treating cancer patients.

Cancer treatmentoperations, chemotherapy and radiotherapycauses serious side effects, says Lin. Patients may lose weight, they may lose their appetite, they may feel tired all the time. In these cases, we can give them herbal medicine to try and boost their immune system. Herbal medicine can also really help digestion and improve their energy levels. This is a very common practice in Mainland China and increasingly in Hong Kong.

Despite these steps forward, the industry still commonly hits headlines not for scientific discoveries or its rapid modernisation, but for some unethical doctors continued and controversial use of animal products.

Ingredients such as rhino horn and pangolin scales have long been prized by TCM practitioners, which has decimated wild populations and driven these animals, among others, to the brink of extinction. The trade of these ingredients is now illegal in almost all countries, and academics are searching for alternatives to try to curb the black market trade.

There are almost always substitutes, and I see a big trend towards plant-based medicine, especially with millennials, who care deeply about the environment and sustainability, says Man-Chan. Feng Yibin, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong, has found plant-based alternatives to bear bile, for example, and multiple herbal substitutes for rhino horn.

People who might choose to pop an aspirin before boiling a medicinal brew might find that TCM is finding its way into their lives in other ways.

Herbal, a cocktail bar in Beijings trendy Sanlitun district, serves drinks inspired by ancient remedies. Singaporean Jamie Koh, the founder of Brass Lion Distillery, the citys only gin brand, scoured local TCM shops for ingredients when she was developing her infusion. LVMH is also betting on increasing interest in Chinese healthcare with Cha Ling, a skincare brand that combines traditional medical knowledge and the anti-ageing properties of puer tea.

In Shanghai, entrepreneurs Jen Hau and Polly Zhang are building a whole lifestyle brand inspired by Chinese medicine. The pair launched Jova Health in 2013 with three different blended juices, all of which were based on traditional medical recipes.

Purify is a pear juice-based drink with rock sugar, to purify your lungs and your system; Replenish has a lot of iron and vitamins and is great for women having their period; and Nourish is a great substitute for milk drinksits almond milk and almond is a big ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, says Hau.

Since then, theyve expanded their drinks range, released candles made using classic ingredients from TCM and launched Jova Senses, wellness classes that combine yoga, meditation and TCM.

As a millennial herself, Hau understands why TCM appeals to younger generations. It is all about implementing things into your daily life to improve your health, and its all natural, says Hau.

As opposed to, I dont feel well so Im going to take a painkiller. Or, I dont feel well so Ill drink some cough syrup, and on and on. Those are very short-term solutions, while Chinese medicine is a very long-term way of conditioning your body to put you in better health. And when you do need to see a doctor, the approach is very different. Chinese medicine always looks for the root cause, and its a lot less invasive, says Lin.

Its so non-invasive that, in five years, when you feel a cold coming on, you might not even need to see a doctor. Youll simply stick your tongue out and snap a photo from the comfort of your bed.

In Chinese medicine, we always look at the tongue. It says a lot about your health, says Lin. If the patient WhatsApps a photo of their tongue and leaves a message about symptoms, the doctor can make a diagnosis and write a prescription. I think that will become more and more popular in the future.

See also: Urban Escapes: Where To Find The Cleanest Air In Asia

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In Good Health: How Traditional Chinese Medicine Is Evolving In Leaps And Bounds - Hong Kong Tatler

Recently, World Health Organisation (WHO) pledged support to the federal government to integrate traditional medicine into national healthcare, what is your take on this?That is hugely awesome and no doubt it is an encouragement for practitioners of traditional medicine that the days of more honour and recognition for our practice is here. As it is said, the future is here. With this kind of support from the global apex health body, it further goes to show that the world knows and confirms that indeed nature cures. Of course, this is not the first time we would be telling the masses that nature has cure for all that affects our body, but this kind of recognition speaks volume to the wide acceptability of our call. In no time, we would begin to see even medical doctors rallying around traditional medicine for integrative treatment for ailments just as we have seen in other climes where the practice of natural medicine has been more established and controlled. Even as natural therapies continues to bask in the glory of its richness and wellness as an efficient cure system, this kind of support at this time in our country is needed to harness all the potentials. We look forward to seeing in practice and learning of this healthcare system, which we believe will fight against incompetence and lack of best practice that ravages the traditional medicine.

What is the likely outcome of this synergy?If by this you mean the synergy the integration of traditional medicine into the healthcare system will birth, then one thing I would say is, let us look at the Chinese and the Indians. What did the synergy foster for them? A sustainable healthcare system, assured healthy living and a population living more hale and hearty. This is because with traditional medicine and implementation of best practice which is a function of structured learning, just as we have for the orthodox medicine, will not just treat the surface of ailments or treat the effects of diseases, rather traditional medicine will imbibe the very message of natural treatment therapies which is to treat the root cause of every diseases and create true cure for the body. As abundantly blessed as the Nigeria has been blessed with almost all kinds of herbal and other traditional medicine therapies, we are yet to harness this into both health wellness and economic growth. The reason for this being that there are a lot of quacks in the practice of traditional medicines.

But with a synergy like this, it will bring forth more standard which will enable us to sieve the shaft away from the substance, making the business of health primarily based not on making money but that of saving lives and empathising with those with ailments of different kinds. Lastly, with a synergy like this, we would find standards in our traditional healthcare management system just as I saw in my recent travel to Malaysia for an International Course on Neuroacupuncture and Non Invasive Pain and Paralysis Management.

How do you think traditional medicine can fit into healthcare?Traditional medicine, which is primarily about utilising nature in the process of administering cure, is synonymous to effective healthcare just as life is synonymous to living. Any healthcare system that is yet to embrace traditional medicine as a mode of treatment is not only lagging behind, it is almost nonexistent because the very basis upon which living is formed, that is nature, has been neglected. I remembered when I was learning at the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine where I first bagged my Doctor of Natural Medicine after having graduated from University of Ilorin as a first degree holder in Biochemistry, my learning made it clear that even the synthetic drugs used in curing humans has a greater element of natural cure in it. Why then would someone not want to go to natural cure through expert guidance and make-up to cure that which affects the body.

You have had success in treating patients with chronic and severe pain within few minutes, what can you say about this?We as doctors are only applying treatment protocols with best practice, we cannot totally lay claims to our knowledge and practice as the basis for the success. God Almighty cures and no doubt about that. But then as humanly possible, yes, it is true that I am having success in treating chronic pain related ailments such as sciatica, paralysis patients and so on and within minutes, my patient experience instant relief from pains they have suffered in years. In fact, my teacher that taught me this treatment system would treat over 200 patients in a day when I was learning with him. These are patients with different chronic pain and paralysis related health issues. So, the treatment methodology I employed is Non-Invasive Neuroacupuncture which I learnt during my last learning tour to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. One thing I am passionate about is to continue to research and learn the best and less troubling ways to bring smile to the faces of my patients. This is why aside from putting a lot of efforts into research; I have interest in continuous learning which has made me travel to Colombo, Sri-Lanka where I bagged my Doctor of Medicine in Acupuncture. Still, I am not stopping. My aim is also to bridge calibre in Traditional African and Chinese Medicine to give pristine admiration to natural healing.

How does neuro acupuncture work? Arent there side effects of this therapy?No. Neuroacupuncture is a very good treatment procedure with no known side effects. This treatment is based on knowledge of traditional acupuncture and neurology. It is done by inserting acupuncture needles into loose areolar tissue layer of the scalp to stimulate the brain neurons of the underlying area. Since the skull protects the brain and there are no organs in the scalp to injure it is a very safe treatment. Its a non-invasive procedure and works by stimulating the brain cells that are related to the impaired functions. The mechanism is three-fold: to wake-up the brain cells that are not dead but lacking in proper functioning, to encourage the recruitment of healthy brain cells to perform the lost function and to promote a healthy reintegration of the brain system. It does not only treats pains but also paralysis, Parkinsons Disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, motor neuron diseases, Alzheimers disease, restless leg syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other neurological issues. Scalp acupuncture can help regain speech in all kinds of Aphasia: expressive, receptive, anomic or global. The speed and amount of recovery vary with the individual and the severity of damage but progress is usually readily seen within few minutes of treatment.

You treat people with cancer and other chronic diseases, is it only acupuncture that you are using or there is another treatment method you are adopting?First thing I will say here to clarify the misconceptions that there are some incurable diseases is that which I have said in past interviews. I as a person do not believe there are incurable diseases, but I know for sure that there may be incurable cases. So this has influenced my belief and interest in always researching on how we can improve on treatment because people are out there in pains and need healing. Why then would we not as practitioners continue to make research on how to improve the wellness of the people. So going back to the question, no, it is not Acupuncture alone that we use as the treatment protocol. We utilise a system called integrative system that allows us to use different therapies in treating our cancer patients. But then Acupuncture is an integral part of that protocol because it helps us manage pain for our cancer patients. We integrate different therapies in order to achieve success as early as possible. Our local herbs and spices play major role in treating these conditions, also, massage, diet and nutrition therapies. I combine as many therapies as possible. For cancer, up-to seven therapies will be combined depending on the type of cancer. I hold that not any therapy is self-sufficient. Every therapy has its own limitations. Combining them will bring meaningful results and may lead to cure in maturation of time.

Visit to your centre shows some children affected by Autism recovering fast, how do you manage to achieve this?Yes, we have really worked on autism and sincerely I would say that we can assist autistic children get better. We have been successful in about three cases and many more successes are approaching by Gods grace. The major treatment methods are herbalism and neuro acupuncture. Also, administration of Camels milk, black seed and natural honey have really been effective in alleviating the symptoms associated with autistic especially speech difficulty and walking. We appeal that the WHO and FG continue looking into traditional medicine. No doubt, there is a need for integrative medicine in order to achieve better results.

You have treated many HIV patients, but not many are too keen to face the media due to the stigma attached to it, what are you doing differently?Should I say its not curable so that I wont get held? Well, let me simply say the truth. There is no diseases that isnt curable if given integrative natural approach and enough treatment durations. HIV is one of the easiest diseases to treat but unfortunately many still believe its cure is just a claim. There are natural herbs and spices that get rid of this virus in the body within few months, no doubt. Some of what I use are garlic, Indian costus and black seed. They are very potent and give good result if taken for many months. How to prepare, required dose and dosages for different individuals is key and thats where I come in.

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Medical doctors will soon rally traditional medicine for integrative treatment of ailments - Guardian