Monthly Archives: November 2019

Surprising No One, The FBI’s Watchdog Says The Agency Is Handling Its Informants Improperly – Techdirt

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from the consummate-professionals dept

Confidential informants are only as trustworthy as their law enforcement handlers. The FBI isn't the only agency to have problems with handling confidential human sources (CHSs), but it's one of the more notorious, thanks to its botched handling of James "Whitey" Bulger.

This questionable legacy lives on, as the FBI's Inspector General reports. "Whitey" Bulger is name-checked early on in the report [PDF], setting an appropriately cautionary tone for the rest of the document.

The FBI loves its CHSs. Without them, it can't radicalize random people into arrestable would-be terrorists. Without the assistance of criminals, it apparently can't go after other criminals. While a certain amount of criminal activity is necessary to maintain cover, the FBI doesn't appear to be keeping close tabs on its informants, which isn't going to minimize collateral criminal damage during investigations.

The FBI spends $42 million a year paying CHSs but doesn't seem to care whether that money is being wisely spent. The actual number of informants the FBI employs is redacted, but the IG notes that 20% of these are "long-term," having been used by the FBI for at least five years.

The longevity of CHSs is a concern that the FBI doesn't seem to be concerned about. The longer the FBI uses the same informants, the greater the risk they'll be exposed. But beyond that, there's the problem of familiarity. Every five years, CHSs are supposed to be assigned new handlers in order to prevent agents from becoming too close to their charges. The FBI isn't doing this. In fact, the FBI doesn't appear to track length of service with any accuracy, which means the agency potentially has more "Whitey" Bulgers on its hands: criminals whose close relationship with a single handler allows them to engage in far more criminal activity than guidelines (and human decency) would allow.

According to this report, the FBI's inability to properly track CHSs has led to a backlog of required "enhanced reviews" -- the validation process put in place to ensure proper handling of long-term informants. To make matters worse, the FBI unilaterally decided to remove "long-term" as a potential risk factor for CHSs, allowing these problematic informant-handler relationships to fly under the radar.

The few people performing CHS validations are further restricted by FBI policy. It's almost as though the FBI has decided that what it doesn't know can't hurt it. The limitations prevent reviewers from accessing anything more than one year of files, denies them access to other helpful FBI databases, and discourages them from providing recommendations or drawing conclusions from the limited info they can actually access.

The FBI also has problems with automation. The system does not automatically flag CHSs when they hit the five-year mark. This has to be done manually by the informant's handler. Without this feature, handlers and reviewers are left in the dark about CHS longevity, which further hinders the review process and adds to the backlog the FBI will never catch up to at its current review pace.

The FBI knows this is a problem but continues not to care.

Although the FBI has considered improvements to address the shortcomings, it has not taken corrective action by implementing an automated mechanism in Delta.

This refusal to fix this issue has lead to further failures up the line. Handlers with long-term CHSs are supposed to obtain approval from Special Agents in Charge (SAC) for continued handling of these informants. Since the system doesn't flag long-term informants, SACs are not automatically notified and CHSs continued to be handled by the same agents in direct violation of FBI policy.

The problem becomes exponential once FBI field offices are factored in. CHSs in use at field offices are subject to the same review, but review personnel at FBI HQ appear to believe they are there to grease the wheels, not act as oversight.

Several FBI officials suggested to us that there is a risk that field offices may avoid the selection of certain CHSs for validation review because the field offices may wish to continue using those CHSs despite the presence of particular risk factors. In fact, one of these officials told us that the field offices may be sending "softballs," meaning field offices may be sending CHSs lacking any significant risk factors.

It's not just the field offices. The FBI is actively avoiding documenting negative information about CHSs to subvert the justice system. It's just that simple.

[O]ne Intelligence Analyst told us that he was permitted to recommend a CHS receive a polygraph or operational test to the handling agent by phone by not permitted to document the recommendation in the CHS's validation report. Additionally, multiple FBI officials told us that they believe that field offices do not want negative information documented in a CHS file due to criminal discovery concerns and concerns about the CHS's ability to testify. For example, one FBI official told us that some U.S. Attorney's offices will not use a CHS at trial if there is negative documentation in the CHS's file.

The Inspector General obviously recommends the FBI stop doing this sort of stuff but it's obviously already entrenched in the FBI's culture. Officials recognize field offices are harboring shady CHSs but have done almost nothing about it.

Then there's the infosec part. Confidentiality is key to the handling of confidential human sources. But FBI agents don't appear to care that they're putting their sources at risk by carelessly handling communications. Since no policy specifically forbids the use of government equipment to contact CHSs, many agents simply use their FBI-issued phones. The use of electronic communication methods is discouraged, but simply telling people they shouldn't do something is rarely an effective deterrent.

In addition, the central CHS database is on a shared site that grants access to personnel not involved with handling human sources. This increases the risk to CHSs by eliminating the "confidentiality" of the arrangement. The only thing mitigating this increased risk is the fact that the database is riddled with errors and incomplete information. Incompetence might save the day as CHS files improperly accessed may not contain enough accurate information to expose a confidential source. Win-win, I guess.

That the FBI concurs with all of the OIG's recommendations is hardly heartening. Included in this review are recommendations issued by the OIG six years ago in response to CHS handling issues that occurred in 2006. To date, the FBI has only implemented five of the eleven recommendations from the 2013 report.

It's a mess. And it's a mess the FBI continues to make worse. The underlying problem appears to be the FBI's unwillingness to cut loose informants who might be a liability. The only effort that gets made in these situations is to find some way to work around an already-very permissive system to ensure agents can retain the CHSs. A system that fails to flag risk factors or periodic review periods is the kind of system that allows the FBI to engage in business as usual with just enough plausible deniability to avoid the few accountability tripwires built into the system.

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Surprising No One, The FBI's Watchdog Says The Agency Is Handling Its Informants Improperly - Techdirt

The Future of Meat – Truthdig

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The Meat Question: Animals, Humans, and the Deep History of Food

A book by Josh Berson

In the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Aunt Voula, played by Andrea Martin, learns that her nieces fiance is a vegetarian. She says, He dont eat no meat?WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE DONT EAT NO MEAT? Oh, thats OK, thats OK, I make lamb!

Its funnyor is it? For those of us who eschew consuming animals and their byproducts, its hard to understand why most people today still enjoy eating flesh, seeing meat as something rather than someone. In The Meat Question: Animals, Humans, and the Deep History of Food, Josh Berson digs deep, literally, going back to the earliest times of human existence to find out when and how and why our relationship with animals as food began. The book considers three questions: 1) Did meat make us human? 2) Is growing affluence the cause of increased meat consumption? and 3) Will we see the end of meat?

As a vegan for 31 years and vegetarian for even longer, I rejoice with every new study or book published on the devasting impact that eating animals has on our health, quality of life and longevity. With hundreds and hundreds of scientific references, surely, I think, people will reduce or eliminate their meat consumption in order to reduce their risk of chronic disease. So many people have shared their stories in films, books and websites on how they reversed their heart disease or diabetes, achieved a normal weight, and regained their lives, by discovering a healthy, plant-based diet.

And yet, the consumption of animal flesh and animal byproducts continues to rise. The world population is projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050 and people will be devouring more meat than ever before. There is no longer enough land mass on Earth to allow livestock to graze freely before slaughter. Today, the CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation, AKA the factory farm) is the answer, but for the individual animals being raised in a CAFO for food, it is hell on earth.

What about the environment? As stinking lagoons of untreated livestock excrement are piled higher and deeper, surely we would realize our folly of raising tens of billions of animals for food. But no, it seems no amount of air and water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, rainforest destruction, aquifer depletion, soil exhaustion, species extinction, etc. can curtail our desire for consuming flesh.

Click here to read long excerpts from The Meat Question at Google Books.

I have waited for decades for the discussion on climate change to heat up, for it to be considered for regulation in government policy and for it to headline mainstream news on a regular basis. Are we there yet? The late Robert Goodland, lead environmental adviser at the World Bank Group, wrote passionately and profusely about climate change and how we could all, simply and easily, prevent our demise by choosing plants instead of animals for food. Mitigating global warming by changing our diet was his plea, because it would buy us time to transition our factories and modes of transportation to sustainable energy sources.

Was his message heard? Do we have the capacity to hear this message?

Berson acknowledges the devastating impact on health, environment and animals due to meat consumption very briefly, early in his books prologue. He writes as if we all know this information already, no need to elaborate in detailalthough he does paint the nightmarish image of current reality, transporting cattle from Australia to China by air! We use all our best inventions, concentrating cattle into airplanes to satisfy the gluttonous desire for flesh while making a nice profit. Is no thought made of the reckless use of energy resources or abundant release of greenhouse gas emissions in this scenario? We have created our own little shop of horrors at home on Earth, responding to the escalating cry, Feed Me!

Are we who we areare we humanbecause we eat meat? To address the first question, Berson presents to us a dry and academic history of humankind. This is not easy reading. As we travel to periods 1 million to 5 million years ago, the text is riddled with archeological terms that even an above-average reader would not be familiar with. It takes patience to comprehend it all, moving back and forth through ancient and unfamiliar times.

Berson explains that our evolutionary history was a result of our diet versatilitybeing able to find and consume a variety of plant and animal-based foods, available in different periods and locations. Berson addresses the tenuous relationship between the consumption of meat and the evolution of human brains:

Where do we get the energy to run our big brains? Over the past twenty-five years, this has been a key question in evolutionary anthropology. For many observers, our expensive brains represent exhibit A in the case for meats role in human evolution. Meat, the argument goes, supported encephalization [the evolution of large brains] [But] the brain cant do much with the energy in meat. The brain relies on glucose as its primary fuel the energy in the lean meat of wild ungulates is mainly in the form of protein. The body has a limited capacity to convert amino acids into sugars. Protein does not represent a sustainable source of energy for the maintenance of nervous tissue.

Berson goes on to explain that energy is not the sole expense of the human brain, which is 50% to 60% lipid by dry mass. DHA (omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid) is vital in supporting the high lipid content of our brains. DHA can be hard to find in human dietsits primary direct source is aquatic foods. It can, however, be synthesized from alpha-linolenic acid (LNA). [C]linical evidence indicates dietary LNA represents a more-than-adequate source of DHA for the growth and maintenance of the central nervous system, Berson writes. Where are the terrestrial dietary sources of alpha-linolenic acid? Its highly concentrated in chloroplast membranes, so leafy green plants represent a strong source, as do mosses, the fatty tissue of herbivores that consume these things, and the usual range of oilseeds, including flax, hemp, and walnuts.

He concludes, Meat may well have played a role in buffering the vagaries of access to a higher-quality diet in early humans. But it wasnt because it was essential to brain development. Nor is meat essential to how we eat in the future.

Later in the book, we arrive in the present day. Here, we can scrutinize our history more carefully as the abundance of evidence improves resolution. Question 2 is addressed: Is growing affluence the cause of increased meat consumption? To balance Western influence dominating the telling of human history, Berson writes, I offer an Asia-Pacific perspective on the modern meat economy. My aim is to nudge the food systems literature away from the North Atlantic and toward those parts of the world whose tastes, expertise, and climate will dominate global patterns of change in diet over the next two or three generations. We learn that affluence alone does not drive the demand for meat. Rather a complicated economic and political system has been created that forces those disempowered, impoverished individuals to choose the convenience of cheap meat because they have no access to affordable alternatives.

Berson writes, Until we recognize that marginalized humans and animals raised under industrial conditions occupy coordinate roles in a single system of economic violence, we will make no progress unworking meats power.

In the epilogue we learn that Berson has been a vegetarian for 25 years and a vegan for 19, except for a handful of exceptions. He admits his original motivation was unclear but over time it was about reducing his footprint: I wanted to limit my claim on the Earths resources to levels that would allow the largest number of people to enjoy the quality of life that I took for granted. He began to question his reasons for being vegan after about a decade, which became the motivation for this book. The dispassionate tone throughout is intentional; Berson desired to present information as objectively as possible, without judgment that might alienate the reader.

Will we ever see the end of meat? The author believes if humanity survives, its possible that few if any animals will be on our plate. After reading The Meat Question, I have a better understanding of why it is not effective to use single issue arguments like health, environment, climate change and animal cruelty to convince people to reduce or eliminate their animal consumption:

To imagine a world in which humans no longer get any part of their subsistence from animals is to imagine a world where the bond of economic necessity, of precariousness, between humans and animals has been succeeded by a bond of mutual regard, among humans and on the part of humans for other living things. This is a more radical vision than that which underlies arguments for the cessation of meat eating on grounds of health, or carbon footprint, or animal sentience.

Berson shows us how to think about eating animals in broader terms. Gambling on food prices with agricultural derivatives and investing in agricultural land acquisitions negatively impact the access to adequate food. Meat consumption is one piece of a complex and violent capitalist system.

There was one question I couldnt help but ask myself while reading The Meat Question: Are humans naturally violent? Berson concludes with this question as well, asking whether human beings are fundamentally cruel, condemned to reduce one another to lumps of meat. He acknowledges that if we dont want to accept systemic violence as our reality, a divergence will be required, in diet among other things, as radical as any we have experienced before.

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The Future of Meat - Truthdig

Global Nanorobotics Market : Industry Analysis and Forecast (2018-2026) – The Market Expedition

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Global Nanorobotics Marketwas valued at US$ 3.7 Bn in 2017 and is expected to reach US$ 9.2Bn by 2026, at a CAGR of 12.06%during a forecast period.Global Nanorobotics MarketDevelopments in nanotechnology coupled with demand for minimally aggressive procedures are expected to drive market growth over the forecast period. Nanobots possess likely in the medical sector for destroying cancerous cells at the genetic level. Increasing support for nanomedicine by many nations and the increasing geriatric population are factors which can augur market demand.

Utilization of nanobots in the ranostics can be beneficial for the market in the near future. A rise in miniaturization and demand for automation across various sectors are anticipated to fuel market growth. Training of new personnel to use nanobots can restrain market growth in the upcoming years.Nanomedicine application segment to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Nanorobotics is widely used in nanomedicine owning to its healthcare features. The large share of this application aspects to the large level of commercialization in the healthcare sector for drug delivery, in vivo imaging, biomaterial, in vitro diagnostic, active implants, and drug therapy.

North America region accounted for the largest share of 12.2%, in terms of value, of the nanorobotics market globally. Presence of many nanotechnology companies, well-developed healthcare infrastructure, and government initiatives to create patient awareness are factors driving the market. The U.S is anticipated to contribute to market revenue owing to the increase in cardiovascular diseases and the rising elderly populace.

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Europe follows North America as the second biggest nanorobotics market. Presence of chronic diseases and the burgeoning population are factors expected to indicate the Europe nanobots market. Establishment of organizations to develop standards pertaining to nanotechnology can expand market growth. In 2018, DNA-Robotics, an organization including 12 European companies, has outlined steps to expedite production of nanobots on a large scale. These standards can help scale the market exponentially in the upcoming years.

A recent development in nanorobotics market: In March 2018, Thermo Fisher Scientific acquired Gatan, an exclusively owned subsidiary of Roper Technologies. Gatan is an electron microscopy solutions provider in the U.S, which accompaniments the Thermo Fisher Scientifics electron microscopy solutions business.In March 2017, Oxford Instruments (U.K) Asylum Research introduced its new SurfRider HQ-Series of high quality, budget-priced AFM probes, which are also existing in a model suitable for nanomechanical image mode.

The objective of the report is to present a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, industry-validated market data and projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. The report also helps in understanding Global Nanorobotics Market dynamics, structure by identifying and analyzing the market segments and project the global market size. Further, the report also focuses on the competitive analysis of key players by product, price, financial position, product portfolio, growth strategies, and regional presence. The report also provides PEST analysis, PORTERs analysis, SWOT analysis to address the question of shareholders to prioritizing the efforts and investment in the near future to the emerging segment in the Global Nanorobotics Market.

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Scope of the Global Nanorobotics Market

Global Nanorobotics Market, By Type

Nanomanipulatoro Electron Microscope (EM) Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)o Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) Atomic Force Microscopes (AFM) Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) Bio-Nanorobotics Magnetically Guided Bacteria-Based

Global Nanorobotics Market, By Application

Nanomedicine Biomedical Mechanical Others

Global Nanorobotics Market, By Region

North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa South America

Key players operating in Global Nanorobotics Market:

Bruker JEOL Thermo Fisher Scientific Ginkgo Bioworks Oxford Instruments EV Group Imina Technologies Toronto Nano Instrumentation KlockeNanotechnik KleindiekNanotechnik Xidex Synthace Park Systems Smaract Nanonics Imaging

Key Innovators:

Novascan Technologies Angstrom Advanced Hummingbird Scientific NT-MDT Spectrum Instruments Witec

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MAJOR TOC OF THE REPORT

Chapter One: nanorobotics Market Overview

Chapter Two: Manufacturers Profiles

Chapter Three: Global nanorobotics Market Competition, by Players

Chapter Four: Global nanorobotics Market Size by Regions

Chapter Five: North America nanorobotics Revenue by Countries

Chapter Six: Europe nanorobotics Revenue by Countries

Chapter Seven: Asia-Pacific nanorobotics Revenue by Countries

Chapter Eight: South America nanorobotics Revenue by Countries

Chapter Nine: Middle East and Africa Revenue nanorobotics by Countries

Chapter Ten: Global nanorobotics Market Segment by Type

Chapter Eleven: Global nanorobotics Market Segment by Application

Chapter Twelve: Global nanorobotics Market Size Forecast (2019-2026)

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Global Healthcare Nanotechnology Market 2019 by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 – Avon Lake Ledger

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The "Healthcare Nanotechnology Market" report contains a wide-extending factual assessment for Healthcare Nanotechnology, which enables the customer to separate the future complicity and estimate the right execution. The advancement rate is evaluated dependent on insightful examination that gives credible information on the worldwide Healthcare Nanotechnology market. Imperatives and advancement points are merged together after a significant comprehension of the improvement of the Healthcare Nanotechnology market. The report is all around made by considering its essential information in the overall Healthcare Nanotechnology market, the essential components in charge of the interest for its products and administrations. Our best analysts have surveyed the Healthcare Nanotechnology market report with the reference of inventories and data given by the key players (Amgen, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Abbott, UCB, Roche, Celgene, Sanofi, Merck & Co, Biogen, Stryker, Gilead Sciences, Pfizer, 3M Company, Johnson & Johnson, Smith & Nephew, Leadiant Biosciences, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Shire, Ipsen, Endo International), flexible sources and records that help to upgrade cognizance of the related methodological conditions.

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The Healthcare Nanotechnology market report shows a point by point division (Nanomedicine, Nano Medical Devices, Nano Diagnosis, Other) of the overall market reliant on development, product type, application, and distinctive techniques and systems. The point-to-point elucidation of the Healthcare Nanotechnology market's assembling system, the usage of advancement, conclusions of the world market players, dealers and shippers' order, and the explicit business data and their improvement plans would help our customers for future courses of action and movement planned to make due in the Healthcare Nanotechnology market.

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The overall Healthcare Nanotechnology market is made with the fundamental and direct conclusion to exploit the Healthcare Nanotechnology market and participate in business progression for imperative business openings. The correct figures and the graphical depiction of the Healthcare Nanotechnology market are shown in a represented strategy. The report shows an examination of conceivable contention, current market designs and other basic characteristics all around the world.

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Global Healthcare Nanotechnology Market 2019 by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 - Avon Lake Ledger

Analysis on the World’s Bioinformatics Market 2017-2019 and Forecast to 2023 – Review of Challenges & Opportunities following the Adoption of…

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DUBLIN, Nov. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Bioinformatics: Technologies and Global Markets" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The scope of the study encompasses the global bioinformatics market based on geography, category, and application. It provides a detailed analysis of recent advances in omic technologies and examines their impact on the bioinformatics market.

It discusses the ways in which bioinformatics has been utilized by the pharma and biotech industries to streamline the research and development (R&D) process and improve efficiencies. It provides a detailed analysis of the leading countries, companies, and technologies that will drive the field forward.

The report includes:

The rapid growth in raw data generation and advances in IT software and infrastructure have enabled researchers to integrate disparate datasets in order to decipher complex biological processes and develop predictive models of disease, for the purposes of identifying and validating novel biomarkers and developing precision medicines.

Since scientists unraveled the blueprint of the human genome more than 10 years ago, they have been exploring new ways to utilize omic data to understand more complex diseases. Researchers are eager to analyze as many different types of data as possible to gain a better understanding of what is happening at the cellular and molecular levels. Service providers have developed new analytical tools and IT infrastructures to enable scientists to interrogate complex data sources and quickly and efficiently disseminate information for better decision-making to achieve this goal.

More recently, improvements in cloud computing capabilities, advances in data analysis software services and the growth of NGS technologies have helped to expand the evaluation of available datasets, allowing researchers to build systems biology models of various diseases.

Key Topics Covered

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Summary and Highlights

Chapter 3 Global Bioinformatics Market: Overview

Chapter 4 Bioinformatics: Data Generation and Data Management

Chapter 5 Bioinformatics: Data Analysis and Software

Chapter 6 Bioinformatics: Data Processing and Storage

Chapter 7 Bioinformatics: Sequencing Services and Platforms

Chapter 8 Bioinformatics: Sequencing Applications

Chapter 9 Bioinformatics Applications in Pharmaceutical R&D

Chapter 10 Market Trends and Analysis

Chapter 11 Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ywqdiu

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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Analysis on the World's Bioinformatics Market 2017-2019 and Forecast to 2023 - Review of Challenges & Opportunities following the Adoption of...

Alphabet-Backed Insurer Clover Health Committing to Home-Based Strategy – Home Health Care News

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Clover Health similar to many other Medicare Advantage (MA) players has its sights firmly set on the home.

But unlike its larger and older MA peers, the relatively smaller and newer Clover isnt held back by certain structural constraints. That ability to build a home-focused model from the ground up is a big part of Clovers future, Chief Scientific Officer Kumar Dharmarajan told Home Health Care News.

And the technology-enabled Clovers future is bright: Founded in 2013, San Francisco-based Clover has raised about $925 million since launching. Among its backers: Google parent company Alphabet Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOGL).

HHCN recently caught up with Clovers Dharmarajan to learn all about its in-home care ambitions, its approach to partnerships and evolution into a payer-provider hybrid.

Highlights from that conversation are below, edited for length and clarity.

Dharmarajan: If youre asking about specific bids and plan offerings, those vary by location. Clover doesnt just have one U.S. plan, in other words.

We have a number of different offerings where we engage with members in the home. One of those is our in-home care program, where we provide in-home primary care services for some of our most vulnerable members, people with multiple chronic conditions, frailty and advanced illness.

Many of these folks are frequently hospitalized and have limited life expectancies. For those members, we wanted to provide a technology-enabled house calls experience. House calls have been shown by CMS and some of its demos to be really important to those who have trouble accessing care, including those who are homebound.

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Many of the Clover members in this program do have difficulty leaving the home.

We give them access to physicians, nurses, social workers people who will see them monthly if needed. Theyll spend an hour or so at a time with our members. Contrast that to getting 10 minutes with your doctor in the office.

We focus on very comprehensive, holistic care thats aligned with members values, preferences and prognosis. We provide a number of interventions that are on the cutting-edge side.

We do pharmacogenomics testings. We want to make sure members medication regimens are best-aligned with how their bodies metabolize drugs. A lot of folks are on 10, 15 medications.

In some of these cases, its like a witchs brew, right? We want to make sure the regimen our members are on promotes their health and doesnt cause side effects.

For some of our members, we also give them access to what we call the Clover button, which is an ability for them to contact their provider directly. They dont have to remember a phone number. They just press a button, then they could talk through that and speak with their medical team.

And we do a bunch of other things where we really integrate payer and provider. Clover is a technology-enabled health insurance company, but this in-home care practice, this house calls practice is wholly owned by Clover.

Clover the health plan has access to a lot of different streams of medical information that we provide to Clover the practice.

For example, we often know when a member of ours is hospitalized or heads to the ER. We can get real-time data feeds a lot of times from those institutions. We then feed that info to the medical practice so they know exactly when a person leaves. In turn, we can engage with those individuals in the home as soon as theyre discharged.

Were really excited about that partnership between plan and provider.

At this point, Clover does not provide skilled home health services and things that fall into that bucket. We do have social workers who see our members and help with financial challenges. We have nurses who are part of our team, experts who are well-trained in, for example, wound management.

Were not trying to be a home health agency, but we do have some of those skillsets naturally within the team. And we do partner with home health agencies to really advance the care of our members.

In general, home health is probably underutilized for a lot of frail elders. We look to use home health care wherever it could benefit a member.

Unfortunately, its not a coincidence that some of the sickest, most vulnerable patients are also the most vulnerable from a social perspective, whether thats in regard to finances, housing, food or language barriers. For us, addressing social determinants is just part and parcel of the practice.

Its not something that we see as a unique strategy or something new that we need to suddenly start doing.

Its certainly en vogue now to talk about addressing social determinants of health. We just think its always been very core to the model of, you know, improving care for homebound older adults.

Regardless of that, committing to a home-based strategy is something that Clover has been interested in doing and has been investing in for some time. Home-based care is very scalable compared to brick and mortar.

Its also clear to us that home-based care allows you to pick up on and address issues that you would never see in an office setting. You go into the home of an older adult, you see six different bottles of insulin, all of which are different. This literally just happened with one of our members, who was actually blind. She didnt know which [insulin] to take.

When you go into the home, you see that. You can see whats in the refrigerator. You can engage with family members. Theres an incredible amount of data.

With our in-home care program, weve seen reductions in [hospital] admission rates, reductions in ER visitation rates. Weve seen reduced medical expenses overall. And weve heard from a lot of members who are just positive and grateful for the program.

Many people have never had house calls before.

I dont think I can tell you our specific partners at this point. But generally, I think there are a few things that are very important to us.

One is responsiveness. If you have a home health need, being able to quickly make the referral and have a team get in there ASAP is so critical.

Also having bi-directional communication is important. Once the home health provider is in there working with our member, we want to hear from that provider if they see something theyre concerned with. Even if its just, The member doesnt look at good today.

Provider groups need to be collaborators and, in a sense, sensors. Home health providers might be in the home more frequently than we are, depending on a members needs.

We have spoken with some and have embarked on some pilots. We do recognize that non-skilled services are an important part of the overall picture.

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Alphabet-Backed Insurer Clover Health Committing to Home-Based Strategy - Home Health Care News

RIT offers health and well-being management MS degree – RIT University News Services

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A new graduate degree in health and well-being management at Rochester Institute of Technology will prepare students for careers in primary health care, corporate America and community health programs, or for medical/dental school and health-related Ph.D. programs.

RITs Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition is accepting students to the health and well-being management program for fall 2020. The programs emphasis on employee health and workforce productivity aligns with projected job growth.

According to the U.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor Statistics, the outlook for health educators and community health workers who teach behaviors promoting well-being is expected to increase by 11 percent, a faster than average rate, within the next decade.

The job forecast is a reflection of staggering health care costs, said Barbara Lohse, head of RITs Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition. Governmental and corporate sectors look to contain costs through healthy lifestyle management and disease prevention programs. Provisions created by the Affordable Care Act and throughout corporate America embrace wellness initiatives to improve health outcomes and reduce high health care costs linked to preventable behaviors, Lohse noted.

The rise of chronic diseaseType 2 diabetes, heart disease and chronic pulmonary conditions in the United States is tied to inactivity, poor nutrition, tobacco use and alcohol consumption, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lifestyle management is at the core of RITs new program. The MS in health and well-being management is designed for students who are:

The health and well-being management is a hybrid program that blends traditional and online courses and can be completed in one academic year and a summer term. Students will complete 30 units of required and elective coursework, and a research-focused capstone course in which they design and execute a project relevant to the health-promotion industry. The health and well-being management program will prepare students to:

This is an especially good program for students planning to apply to medical, dental, physical therapy or other post-graduate health programs and who are looking for a pertinent, useful educational experience in their gap year, Lohse said.

For more information about the health and well-being management MS program, go to https://www.rit.edu/study/health-and-well-being-management-ms, or contact Barbara Lohse at 585-475-6117 or at balihst@rit.edu.

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RIT offers health and well-being management MS degree - RIT University News Services

FitKids 360: Northern Michigan Youth Have Fun Getting Healthy – Traverse City Ticker

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America has an obesity problem, and Michigan is one of the biggest offenders. According to recent research, the state ranks second to Mississippi for the highest percentage of obese children.

Dr. Tom Peterson recognized the trend years ago, so he set out to do something about it: FitKids 360, a program offered locally through Munson. The concept comes from my experience as a pediatrician, he says. I never had a place to send kids.

He started FitKids 360 in Grand Rapids, and eventually took it with him to Colorado. Since relocating to northern Michigan, he has introduced it here to help local general practitioners and their patients.

Its a seven-week, free course that incorporates nutrition, behavior, and exercise with a wide range of physical activities.Peterson adds that its high-quality and evidence-based, meeting standards set by the American Academy of Pediatrics and fun for the kids who participate. If its not fun, kids wont do it, he says.

He says the program is also family-oriented. You have to have the family involved. Parents have to be involved. In fact, if a child is referred into the program, the childs parents and siblings are able to attend as well.

Through a partnership with Health Net of West Michigan in Grand Rapids and The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA, FitKids 360 offers classes locally at the YMCA. Others have been offered in Cadillac, Kalkaska, and Frankfort. Alyson Kass is the Shape Up North Coordinator, of which FitKids 360 is a part. Susi Worden is a community health educator who oversees various Munson health programs.

Worden says FitKids 360 is about positive reinforcement, from the exercise segment to the healthy snacks to education. We dont bring up losing weight. The goal is to focus on teaching how to achieve a healthy lifestyle, she says.

Very often, a child battling weight problems has siblings or parents who facing similar challenges. The fact the entire family is invited to be a part of it extends its appeal, and its success. And the program extends far beyond simple nutrition, including goal-setting and dealing with self-esteem and bullying issues, all of which impact physical health.

Worden says the presence of parents and siblings helps make the program more comfortable for all those involved. There are typically between 14 and 20 families present, for a total of 30 to 60 participants. That diversity is also a strength of the program. Theres a lot of peer support there. We do a lot of learning, but theres always activities and games. The Y helps us with activities, Worden says.

At the end of the night, participants get healthy snacks: peanut butter and banana, veggies and hummus, guacamole with vegetables, fruit and yogurt parfaits. We show how (healthy) snacks dont have to be complicated, says Worden.

Kass says some participants become regulars at the Y or engage in other healthful activities. They post on social media that they ran a race. I had one mom tell us she lost 60 pounds. Getting healthy habits going in a family is contagious, she says.

Peterson says the program helps offset the changes in lifestyle over the past few decades, as people have become more sedentary and screen time has eclipsed active playtime. Its harder to get people active, to get more activity in schools, he says. Thats as true in an area famed for its natural beauty and outdoor opportunities, such as Traverse City, as it is for large urban areas. FitKids 360 continues downstate, in the Detroit area as well as Grand Rapids and elsewhere.

Perhaps the best measure of its success is the enthusiasm of those who have been through the program. Graduates become mentors. They want to do it again. They share their experiences, help other families, says Kass.

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FitKids 360: Northern Michigan Youth Have Fun Getting Healthy - Traverse City Ticker

Outrunning the risk of dementia – Harvard Health

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Even if dementia runs in your family, smart lifestyle changes can help you improve your chances of staying ahead of it.

Published: December, 2019

There are many things you can change about your life, but unfortunately, your genes are not among them. For better or worse, you are dealt a specific genetic hand when you are born. But that does not mean you are defenseless.

Take dementia, for example. If this cognitive disorder runs in your family, new research suggests there are ways to perhaps avoid the same fate.

"Just because you have a family history of dementia does not mean you are doomed," says Dr. Andrew Budson, a lecturer in neurology at Harvard-affiliated VA Boston Healthcare System. "Adopting certain lifestyle practices may offer protection against dementia, delay its appearance, and even slow its progression."

Dementia is an umbrella term, much like heart disease, that covers a range of cognitive problems, such as memory loss, problem-solving difficulty, and other impairments in thinking skills. (Alzheimer's is one type of dementia and the most common.) Dementia occurs when brain cells are damaged and thus have trouble communicating with each other. This in turn can affect a person's thinking, feelings, and behavior.

The science behind what causes dementia, and who is most at risk, is evolving. Old age is a common factor, of course, but a family history of dementia also is associated with a higher risk.

How much of a role do your genes play? For many years, doctors just asked about first-degree relatives parents and siblings as an indicator of a family history of dementia. But now that has expanded to include aunts, uncles, and cousins.

At age 65, the chance of getting dementia among people without a family history is about 3%, but the risk increases to 6% to 12% for those with a genetic link, according to Dr. Budson. It's common to develop early symptoms around the same age as a family member who had dementia, but this can vary.

Symptoms of dementia can vary from person to person. According to the Alzheimer's Association, common examples include repeated problems with

Many symptoms begin slowly and worsen. If you or someone else notices early signs of dementia, see your doctor. An early diagnosis can help you get the maximum benefit from available treatments.

There is no cure for dementia, and no 100% certain way to protect yourself, but you can lower your risk even if you have a genetic connection. Studies have suggested that certain behaviors can offer some protection.

These include engaging in regular aerobic exercise; following a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean, DASH, or MIND diet; not smoking; and keeping alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day on average. "The same lifestyle habits that can protect the average person can also help those with a family history of dementia," says Dr. Budson.

A recent study published July 14, 2017, in JAMA looked at the association between lifestyle choices, family history, and dementia risk. Researchers recruited almost 200,000 people, average age 64, who had no symptoms of dementia.

The researchers compiled information about the participants' lifestyle habits, including exercise, diet, smoking, and drinking. Genetic risk was assessed from medical records and family history.

Everyone was given a score based on lifestyle and genetic profile. (A higher score was better for lifestyle factors, and a lower score was better for genetic factors.)

After 10 years, the researchers found that people with a high genetic score meaning they had a strong family history of dementia lowered their risk of dementia if they also had a high lifestyle score.

In other words, this finding suggests that adopting healthy lifestyle habits could help prevent dementia even if it runs in the family.

The researchers found just the opposite for people who had low lifestyle scores and high genetic scores. They were more than twice as likely to develop dementia compared with people who followed a healthy lifestyle and had a low genetic score.

This means that if you have a genetic link with dementia, you can further raise your risk if you are sedentary, eat an unhealthy diet, smoke, and/or drink too much alcohol.

"This research is great news for those with a family history of dementia," says Dr. Budson. "It points out that there are ways to take control of your life."

The sooner you can make these lifestyle changes, the better, but evidence also suggests it's never too late to begin. You also don't have to make all these changes at once, adds Dr. Budson.

"Making lifestyle changes may take time, so adopt one now and focus on that, and then pick up another one later when you are ready."

Here are some suggestions from Dr. Budson:

Image: Nastasic/Getty Images

Disclaimer:As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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A nutritionist’s advice for what to do if your weight fluctuates as much as your mood – Now To Love

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Flicking through the first few pages of Michele Chevalley Hedge's new book, there is a chapter about how no matter what we do or how healthy we are, sometimes life just has other plans for us.

Her younger brother Greg was a firefighter, and found himself at the scene of the World Trade Center tragedy on September 11, 2001.

Three years later, despite his healthy lifestyle, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and given only months to live.

Given Michele is both a qualified nutritionist and an ambassador for Cure Cancer; one might naturally expect that the story to follow would be of how his cancer was cured with the power of nutritional medicine.

But that isn't what happened at all.

"After the diagnosis, I would tell Greg we were going to have a green smoothie, but he would say, 'No Michele, we're not. I'm going to have a beer and you're going to have a martini, and this is how we are going to play this out,'" she says.

"It was a really big turning point in my life and how I thought about health.

"Previously, I'd say to people that if you practise yoga, do meditation, drink green smoothies and stay hydrated, the stats will tell you that you'll have better wellbeing and a longer life. But that isn't the full truth, because my brother Greg was as healthy as a horse, he just happened to be exposed to toxins.

"It doesn't matter if you're living the healthiest of lives, sometimes things just happen beyond your control."

Her new book, Eat, Drink & Still Shrink, honours her belief that while a healthy lifestyle is essential for feeling at your best, life is meant to be enjoyed.

A life of 'no' is no life at all, and a healthy lifestyle doesn't need to feel like punishment or deprivation.

Prior to becoming a nutritionist, Michele was working in the corporate world.

"My weight was fluctuating and it wasn't just my weight it was my moods, my self-esteem, my productivity, and my hormones. It was everything!

"Food is the secret power to good skin, energy, brain function, libido everything really but there is so much fear around food and weight gain."

At every meal, Michele recommends looking at your plate and ticking three simple boxes: healthy fat, lean protein, and smart carbs a formula that is flexible enough even for people who have food intolerances.

So that means no calorie counting and no detoxes and carbs are on the menu, as is the occasional drink.

"Your body needs something that is sustainable. I'm not a big fan of fads, diets, restrictions or eliminating food groups, because although they have quick results, they usually come with a rebound effect or aren't feasible. I'm after long-term, lifetime habits for people to always feel vibrant, productive, creative and connected.

"Good health doesn't need to be a hassle. Crowd in so much good food that there's no room for junk, but give yourself the pinot and be happy."

As a nutritionist, one of Michele's greatest joys is seeing her clients try eating well for a week or two, then noticing the immediate changes.

Weight loss aside, the afternoon bloat often vanishes, they aren't feeling wiped out or chewing their fingers off by five o'clock, and they go from passing 'pebble poos' to regular, easy bowel movements.

"It's not just about the number on the scales. In fact, I think very little of the number on the scales. A lot of women are spending 95 per cent of their time obsessing about an extra five per cent of weight on their body. Those couple of kilos from eating joyfully aren't going to be what's impacting your health.

"The real problem is your mindset and when obsessing about it starts shifting your mood, your sleep, your concentration, your memory and your self-esteem."

Women tend to berate themselves over moments of indulgence.

But self-sabotage not only hurts your mental health, it takes a toll on your body too.

Stress alone has a big impact on the body, and a common pattern she sees is for people to beat themselves up, then skip meals or restrict food in an attempt to make up for some false perception of failure or a fear of weight gain.

This however, messes with blood sugar and can throw your whole body out of kilter.

Banishing guilt is one of Michele's five non-negotiables micro habits that have a massive impact.

Supporting a nourishing, guilt-free diet with sleep, exercise, stress reduction and gratitude is her winning formula.

"Energy is something I prefer to use as a measure of health," says Michele.

"Are you coming home each day with enough energy in your tank to be able to connect to your family? That is a true sign of wellbeing."

By improving what you eat, you're also likely to see a natural improvement in your sleep, stress levels and energy.

Given her passion for using food as medicine, a portion of the profits from all of her books goes to the Food and Mood Centre at Deakin University.

In their previous three-year SMILES trial study, participants with symptoms of depression were either given a healthy lifestyle plan and social support, or just social support alone.

After three months, the results showed that the dietary intervention correlated with a greater reduction in their depressive symptoms compared to those who only received social support.

Low levels of these nutrients can symptomatically show up as feelings of low mood or depression. For this reason, she stresses the importance of blood tests each year for those who are vegetarian or vegan, as it can be harder to get adequate levels of iron and B12 without animal products.

"Of course, there's a time and place for medications for anxiety and depression, but what we don't want people to do is mistake low B12 or iron for a mental health issue. There's so much powerful evidence that supports the connection between gut health and mental health. There are always many factors involved, but good nutrition can really help underpin good mental health," Michele says.

"If we can harness the power of food, but also make it joyful and not so restrictive, it is without a shadow of a doubt our secret weapon."

While coffee and alcohol aren't health foods, for a lot of people they are two of life's best little pleasures.

Here are a couple of Michele's tips for making the healthiest choices:

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Vegan and fitness expert Stefanie Moir on how to become stronger, healthier and happier – HeraldScotland

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STEFANIE Moir is a vegan lifestyle blogger, avid gym goer and fitness website owner. Since 2015, the 26-year-old has shared tips on how to become stronger, healthier and happier on her blog, YouTube channel and Instagram. She has now written her first book, Naturally Stefanie, which will be published this week.

You do not have to go plant-based overnight, nor do you have to go to the gym and have a six pack, to benefit from my book, she says. My aim is to help you incorporate more plant-based meals into your life, and help you look and feel better along the way with workouts and routines aimed at people of all fitness levels.

A plant-based lifestyle is not a diet nor is the gym the only place you can successfully, and happily, get fit. I do not advocate diets in any way, shape or form. I believe in eating whole plant-based foods that are good for the body and soul and leave you feeling and looking your absolute best.

Moir, who grew up near Glasgow, has always loved sport and exercise. I was part of my local swimming club for more than 10 years. I went to university to study psychology in 2012 and it was around this time I moved on from swimming to weight training at the gym. Ive been hooked ever since.

As I progressed with my training, I started looking into how to complement my new gym regime with a healthy diet and found veganism. I soon found I was feeling better than ever before and started my blog and Instagram account, to document my vegan and weight training journey.

During her time studying at Strathclyde University, Moirs love of fitness and nutrition continued to grow. Once Id graduated, I decided to put my heart and soul into my Naturally Stefanie brand. I now run my vegan fitness site veganaesthetics.co.uk which has built an amazing community of like-minded individuals from across the globe who have all been inspired to transform their health and wellbeing.

Here, Moir answers some common questions about veganism and attempts to banish the myths.

What about protein in a vegan diet?

People often ask this in relation to nutrition or training, without quite knowing what protein does and how much we actually need. Ive found that its not difficult to meet your protein requirements as a vegan and there are plenty of quality food sources to choose from.

If people are still unsure about my health, my response is to ask (with a smile): Do I look undernourished? Do I look like theres not enough protein in my diet?

But what about cows ...

Dairy farming is centuries old, but factory farming, and farming on the huge scale that exists now, obviously isnt and this is where the problem lies. Whether you are concerned for animal welfare or climate change, the demand for beef and cheap dairy products is taking its toll on the environment and on the wellbeing of the cows themselves. There are plenty of readily available plant-based sources of calcium to choose from instead an optional, more ethical approach.

How will one person going vegan make a difference?

In an average lifetime, a meat eater in the Western world might well eat more than 7,000 animals. By choosing to reduce your meat consumption, animal suffering is reduced, and the worlds resources are saved.

In its simplest terms, the rule of supply and demand means that when demand decreases sufficiently, so does supply. As more people buy fewer animal products, supermarket chains will gradually reduce their orders, and so fewer animals will be bred and killed, and fewer resources used.

READ MORE:Burnistoun star Robert Florence on his new BBC Scotland show The State Of It

The key is reduction if you can cut your meat and dairy consumption down to once or twice a week rather than once or twice a day, youre hugely decreasing your impact on the planet and on animals.

But isnt veganism expensive?

Most of your cupboard essentials such as pasta, rice, beans, tinned tomatoes, lentils and fresh seasonal or frozen veggies are relatively cheap, and youre likely to be buying those anyway whether or not youre eating a plant-based diet. Granted, meat alternatives can be expensive but if you compare the price of tofu to responsibly sourced meat, you will notice that in most cases the tofu will be cheaper.

Isnt veganism too extreme?

Livestock farming contributes more to climate change than all the cars, planes, ships and trains on the planet combined. It is also a significant factor in deforestation.

A plant-based diet is kinder to the earth and all its animals, including the human race, while also having lots of health benefits. Unless you consider pasta, beans, peanut butter and bread to be extreme... there is nothing really extreme about not eating animals.

Instead of asking: Why dont you eat meat? perhaps the question should now be: Why do you eat meat?

Veganism is so restrictive. I cant eat my favourite foods.

When people tell me that they cant go vegan because theyll miss meat or cheese too much, I usually say:

But will veganism make me feel better?

For many of us, our relationship to food is complicated. Deciding to no longer eat certain foods that you love, that bring you comfort, or that your body has come to rely on, is hard.

READ MORE:Burnistoun star Robert Florence on his new BBC Scotland show The State Of It

However, as you transition to a more plant-based diet, the benefits of eating this way will eventually start to balance out the sadness you feel at no longer eating a meaty cheeseburger ... trust me, Ive never felt better. And, surprise, you can still enjoy vegan cheeseburgers.

In her book, Moir shares a series of recipes. Here are a couple of her favourites:

JALAPENO, LIME AND CHICKPEA BURGERS

Serves 4

I love this hearty burger patty with a salad or with some homemade fries. These burgers last well inthe fridge for up to three days and are also great in a nourish bowl or wrap.

Ingredients

1 x 240g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

block tofu (approx. 150g)

red onion

60g jalapenos

30g oats or plain flour

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

lime, juiced

For the sriracha mayonnaise

1 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

1 tsp sriracha

To serve

burger buns

lettuce leaves

chopped tomatoes

extra jalapenos

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180C and line a tray with baking paper.

2. Add the chickpeas, tofu, red onion, jalapenos, flour, paprika, cumin, coriander, lime to a food processor and pulse until the ingredients combine to form a loose dough.

3. Using your hands, make four patties.

4. Place the four patties onto the tray and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turning the burgers after 15 minutes to ensure theyre cooked evenly.

5. Make the sriracha mayonnaise by simply mixing together the sriracha hot sauce and mayonnaise.

6. Once the burgers are cooked, add the burgers to the buns, layering in the lettuce leaves, tomato, extra onion, jalapenos and top with sriracha mayonnaise.

READ MORE:Burnistoun star Robert Florence on his new BBC Scotland show The State Of It

CHOCOLATE AND STRAWBERRY LOAF

Serves 8

I made this on Valentines Day for my hubby, Marco, and it turned out to be quite a success.But it doesnt have to be limited to Valentines Day, I love making this on all special occasions.

Ingredients:

230ml almond milk

1 tsp vinegar

120g plain flour

90g coconut sugar

60g mashed banana

40g cacao powder

tsp baking powder

tsp salt

For the ganache

90g cacao powder

60ml melted coconut oil

60ml pure maple syrup

200g fresh strawberries (or any fresh berries of your choice)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a loaf tin with baking paper.

2. Mix together the almond milk, vinegar and mashed banana in a bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cacao, baking powder, salt and coconut sugar.

4. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until fully combined to form the cake batter.

5. Pour the cake mixture into the lined tin and cook in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the centre.

6. While the cake cooks, melt together the ganache ingredients in a saucepan or in the microwave.

7. Remove the cake from the oven. Leave to cool for a few minutes in the tin and turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

8. Transfer the cake to a plate or cake stand before pouring over the ganache and topping with the strawberries.

9. Place in the fridge to set for at least an hour before serving.

Why exercise?

Exercise is an integral part of living a healthy lifestyle. Many people view exercise as a way to look better, either to lose weight or change their body shape in some way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it is important to have reasons to exercise other than just the aesthetic benefits. If you only view exercise as a way to lose weight, the chances are you are not going to stick to it.

I was previously a swimmer and, as a teenager, I never viewed my swim training as exercise or a way to achieve a certain physique. I viewed it as a social club where I made friends, as a competitive sport, as a hobby and it was fun.

Dont get me wrong, the training was hard going, but I enjoyed it. This is why I also enjoy weight training in the gym because it is a challenge for me mentally and physically and I can push myself to do things I couldnt do before. Of course, I do train a certain way to gain aesthetic benefits from my work at the gym but that is not my only reason for going.

Exercise is often sold to us as a way to lose weight, burn calories and get in shape for summer. But, to really benefit long-term from exercising, it is important to shift your mindset and focus on all of the other health benefits it can provide. Focusing too much on weight loss and aesthetic goals can have negative effects on how you perceive exercise and will impact on the duration for which you actually stick with it.

Thinking of exercise simply as a means of weight loss can lead us to feel guilty if we do not stick to our exercise regime and this guilt can result in over exercising and restricted eating behaviours. In addition, it is typically found that the majority of individuals who do lose weight via exercise will regain it again because they are more likely to stop exercising when they attain their target weight.

READ MORE:Burnistoun star Robert Florence on his new BBC Scotland show The State Of It

Yo-yo dieting can have detrimental effects on both our mental health and physical health; thus focusing purely on weight loss as a reason for exercise can actually have negative effects on our overall health. Physicians often tell patients to work out to lose weight, lower cholesterol or prevent illness such as diabetes. Unfortunately, it can take months before any physical results of your hard work in the gym are apparent, which means that many people give up on exercise.

With this in mind, lets shift the conversation around exercise onto the many other benefits it can provide. You dont have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the rewards of working out. Research has suggested that small amounts of exercise can make a significant difference across all ages and fitness levels.

Naturally Stefanie by Stefanie Moir is published by Black & White on Tuesday, priced 16.99

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Vegan and fitness expert Stefanie Moir on how to become stronger, healthier and happier - HeraldScotland

How this Bengaluru-based startup blends AI and nutraceuticals to give consumers a healthy choice – YourStory

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Coming from a sports background, friends Abhimanyu Rishi (38) and Kusum Bhandari (42) are strong believers in natural health care.

Their startup, Bhookha Haathi, was born out of a realisation that there were no true 100 percent natural products among the existing health solutions available in India. These entrepreneurs primary aim was to help people replace unhealthy and harmful chewing products.

Founders Kusum Bhandari and Abhimanyu Rishi

Bengaluru-based Bhookha Haathi was thus founded by the duo in 2018, with the vision of creating products that would help people do away with the widespread vice of tobacco-chewing.

Says Abhimanyu,

Apart from natural mouth refreshers, Bhookha Haathi, at present, offers a range of health foods that, according to the founders, not only cures many long-term and hereditary diseases but also, resolves a range of nutritional deficiencies with no side-effects.

The startup claims to have pioneered a nutraceutical-tech domain powered by its proprietary AI software. With this technology capability, Bhookha Haathi also provides subscription-based, personalised health solutions at an affordable cost to consumers who wish to substitute or replace their dependencies on expensive, strong, processed, and chemical-based products.

Its offerings are 100 percent natural compositions based on dried fruits, nuts, herbs, spices, seeds, grains, and honey, among other whole and natural ingredients.

Abhimanyu and Kusum recount that they met each other through a common acquaintance and, over a few cups of coffee, ended up sharing their thoughts on the need for affordable nutraceutical solutions.

Abhimanyu has held various management, leadership, and strategic positions during his stints at Snapdeal, Tastykhana, and Styletag over two decades. Kusum, on the other hand, has over 18 years of experience. She has previously worked in various leadership and strategic-level positions at Images Bazaar, Triton Communications, and the Sahara Group.

Today, including the founders, Bhookha Haathi is a 15-strong team.

We believe that a healthy lifestyle starts with selecting healthy food. We are constantly thinking of our consumers and looking for innovative ways, to help them make healthier food through alternative food products. Bhookha Haathi takes its consumers one step closer to a healthier diet by offering them nutritious, wholesome, and tasty choices as an alternative to the nutrient-deficient ingredients in the average daily diet, explains Kusum.

The startups products include dry-fruit mouth refreshers, a dry-fruit health-booster starter pack (natural, daily health boosters for sports, fitness, and health enthusiasts), and pro-health booster packs (for gym, yoga, and bicycling experts). The range is priced between Rs 199 and Rs 399 per 100 gms.

Adds Kusum,

Consumers also have a range of speciality honey to choose from, which can serve as a healthy replacement for the sugars used in beverages and for other daily consumption.

Sourced directly from farmers and producers, our range of proprietary health food products celebrate pure, powerful, healing, and health-promoting ingredients which are 100 percent natural and organic without any preservatives, added colours, or artificial flavours, shares Abhimanyu.

The startups personalised subscription plans for medications involve plans that are set based on the lifestyle the customer follows. The customers can get these services by signing up on its website.

Its AI works between profiling and the current medication patterns and it suggests a nutraceutical package which includes nutraceutical products based on subscription.

The plans are priced between Rs 4,999 and Rs 19,999 per annum, depending on the ailment, tests conducted by its AI software and frequency of treatment.

According to the founders, the health food products are sold to customers through chemists, retailers, and panwalas across north and east Bengaluru, some parts of Mumbai, and Hyderabad. Its personalised subscription plans are available to consumers across the country.

Some of Bhookha Haathis repeat B2B partners are Easy Day and Natures Basket, apart from enterprise and individual partners like yoga centres, gym trainers, and medical practitioners. It is also selling its products on online platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart.

According to research on global markets, the nutraceuticals segment was valued at Rs 26,000 crore in 2017 and is expected to reach Rs 80,000 crore by 2023 at a CAGR of 17 percent.

Says Kusum,

She adds that 70 percent of its customers, currently numbering around 25,000, are in the age group of 25-45.

"We have generated 4,000 pre-sales orders from the US market and are expected to reach 30,000 by the end of our pre-sales campaign in January 2020. We also have aggressive plans and strategies to expand to other international markets," says Abhimanyu.

Bootstrapped so far, the company has plans to raise funds in the coming months to scale up its operations, expand its customer base, and advance its proprietary AI technology.

It has plans to automate the AI technology to an API-based system that its partners can lease for a minimal cost to enhance their consumers health experiences.

(Edited by Athirupa Geetha Manichandar)

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How this Bengaluru-based startup blends AI and nutraceuticals to give consumers a healthy choice - YourStory

Eisenberg: The Chicken or the Egg Conundrum on Team Chemistry – BaltimoreRavens.com

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Does winning football produce good team chemistry? Or does good team chemistry produce winning football?

Its a fair question, an eternal question, the sports version of a chicken or the egg conundrum.

Whats the answer? Obviously, even if players are best friends forever, that wont help them win unless they also have talent. So I guess you have to lean toward winning being the more fundamentally important factor.

But a positive locker-room vibe, also known as good chemistry, can help matters a lot. And this years Ravens are Exhibit A.

I can pinpoint several examples of where good chemistry is helping their greater good. For instance, there are no issues between the offense and the defense. (A bugaboo around here more than a decade ago.) The wide receivers are fine with an unusual job description that prioritizes blocking over catching passes. The tight ends are tighter than the stars in a bromance comedy.

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey opened up on the subject earlier this week, describing a locker room in which players get along so well they hang around together off the field and even stay late after practice to talk football a hugely positive sign, with the alternative being hitting the exit and fleeing the scene as quickly as possible.

Ive always felt like the biggest thing you can do with the team is have that family approach, because it shows on the field. We keep growing as a team and just keep getting to know each other, Humphrey said.

Asked to identify where the good vibes come from, Humphrey said it starts with Head Coach John Harbaugh, who is having, no doubt, a stellar year, not only with Xs and Os but with calibrating the teams mindset. He commands the locker room, but he also has eye-level relationships with his players, meaning he talks with them.

He listens to us with different things, Humphrey said.

The cornerback also identified Lamar Jacksons leadership as a key ingredient. He is humble and personable, a natural gatherer of troops. And, like Humphrey, he feels the good vibes.

Its a family thing going on here, Jackson said this week.

Jackson is so focused on the communal goal, winning, that he views all other factors as meaningless distractions and Im talking all other factors, from the MVP race to making his debut on Monday Night Football. His ability to smile and yet focus on that communal goal sets a tone any coach would want.

Hes always been like that, since hes been here, Humphrey said.

Yes, its easy for the players to be happy and laugh at each others jokes when theyve won six games in a row, taken command of the AFC North and rightfully been identified as serious contenders for playoff glory.

But if you think their good chemistry is just a byproduct of that, Humphrey wants to convince you otherwise:

I just think you start to know each other really well on the field. As soon as you know somebodys game, you know this guy struggles with that, on the field, it all just meshes together. Theres never a time when youre like, I feel like I cant go talk to this guy about something. There were a lot of egos in the past, and in the past, Ive seen a lot of different confrontations and different things with coaches and players and players and players. And I havent really seen much of that this year There hasnt been a lot of conflict. Its always, Hey, man, lets do this. Its never bad blood, no feelings or egos in between us. Its all just, I want to do whatever I can to win.

Winning helps, no doubt. But I get the sense the bond could be an asset in tough times, too.

You never know when a group is going to develop good chemistry. The conditions have to be right. But you know it when you see it. And the Ravens have it.

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Eisenberg: The Chicken or the Egg Conundrum on Team Chemistry - BaltimoreRavens.com

Young Horizon hawks will build on good chemistry – Hood River News

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Horizon Christian Schools varsity boys basketball team began its season with their first practice Monday night. Darrin Lingel, head coach for the Hawks, said he looks forward to competing this upcoming season. One aspect that this team has is chemistry, Lingel said.

One thing that this team has is that theyre friends outside of basketball, Lingel said. So, when your friends that means that when you play something thats competitive chemistry is pretty quick to come together. Because of the young Hawk squad, Lingel said hell have them do basic drills, conditioning and work on defense. Lingel builds on defense first and expects offense to develop later in the season.

When you start any new season off part of is conditioning but its also learning the plays, Lingel said. So, were working at playing together, building that chemistry, how were going to move, how were going to screen, how were going to do things. Im starting out with fundamentals.

Despite the teams limited experience, Lingel said the team never gives up in a game.

The only thing thats going to stop them is the clock running out, Lingel said.

Another aspect Lingel is proud of is of the success the team has had in previous years. The Hawks have had multiple district championships, have been to state championships in three consecutive years and won state in 2012.

Saturday the Hawks will be doing an in-team scrimmage called Hawk Madness. Modeled after Division 1 school practice schedules, HCS will display and showcase their skill in an exhibition match starting at 5 p.m.

On the college level on a certain day and time youre allowed to have your first practice. So, when the clock strikes midnight you can officially start practice, Lingel said. That first week of our practice we have an inner squad scrimmage. So its fun. The parents come, some fans come and watch the kids.

The Hawk squad will have their first game Friday, Dec. 6, against Damascus as Horizon hosts the Hawk Invitational that weekend. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m.

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Young Horizon hawks will build on good chemistry - Hood River News

A.I.’s are being taught quantum mechanics to help speed-up chemistry – Inverse

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In the fast-paced, complicated world of quantum chemistry, A.I.s are used to help chemists calculate important chemical properties and make predictions about experimental outcomes. But, in order to do this accurately, these A.I. need to have a pretty strong understanding of the fundamental rules of quantum mechanics, and researchers of a new interdisciplinary study on the topic say these quantum predictions have been lacking for some time. A new machine learning framework could be the answer.

While previous renditions of quantum-savvy A.I. algorithms have been useful, say the new studys researchers, they have also failed to capture some of quantum chemistrys most important characteristics in their prediction models. Namely, these previous models have neglected to account for electronic degrees of freedom in these trials which are the number of changing factors required to describe a specific state of a system.

Quantum mechanics, famously, allows for states to simultaneously exist and not exist, and using degrees of freedom can help scientists better understand how to accurately and usefully describe a system. Without accounting for these degrees of freedom, previous A.I.s have described these quantum chemistry experiments in more classical scalar, vector and tensor fields, which required much more calculation time and energy.

Researchers of this new study have instead designed a framework that will describe them in the more quantumly accurate, and faster, form of ground-state wavefunctions. The study describing their approach was published last week in the journal Nature Communications.

One of the studys authors, Reinhard Maurer from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Warwick, said in a statement that their algorithms combined flexibility and quantum know-how will help make it an important tool for quantum chemistry.

This has been a joint three year effort, which required computer science know-how to develop an artificial intelligence algorithm flexible enough to capture the shape and behaviour of wave functions, but also chemistry and physics know-how to process and represent quantum chemical data in a form that is manageable for the algorithm, said Maurer.

The study authors write that this deep-learning framework, called SchNOrb (which we can only imagine is as fun to pronounce as it looks), allows them to predict molecular orbits with close to chemical accuracy which in turn provides an accurate prediction of the molecules electronic structure and a rich chemical interpretation of its reaction dynamics.

The capabilities demonstrated by this algorithm would help chemists more effectively design purpose-built molecules for medical and industry use.

However, while the authors write that SchNOrb is proof that such an application is useful and feasible, the large number of atomic orbitals its able process also leaves it vulnerable to increased prediction errors as well. The authors write that the accumulation of these prediction errors eventually led to a bottleneck in the prediction process in many ways the same kind of efficiency error they were trying to improve from previous approaches.

In order to account for this problem, the authors write that in future studies theyll need to learn more about and improve the neural network used in this study.

That said, the authors are still confident that this preliminary research demonstrates a path forward toward more effective collaboration between quantum chemists and these quantum-savvy A.I.s, and that this collaboration will become an essential part of the discovery process in years to come.

>Abstract:

Machine learning advances chemistry and materials science by enabling large-scale exploration of chemical space based on quantum chemical calculations. While these models supply fast and accurate predictions of atomistic chemical properties, they do not explicitly capture the electronic degrees of freedom of a molecule, which limits their applicability for reactive chemistry and chemical analysis. Here we present a deep learning framework for the prediction of the quantum mechanical wavefunction in a local basis of atomic orbitals from which all other ground-state properties can be derived. This approach retains full access to the electronic structure via the wavefunction at force-field-like efficiency and captures quantum mechanics in an analytically differentiable representation. On several examples, we demonstrate that this opens promising avenues to perform inverse design of molecular structures for targeting electronic property optimisation and a clear path towards increased synergy of machine learning and quantum chemistry.

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A.I.'s are being taught quantum mechanics to help speed-up chemistry - Inverse

#27 – David Sinclair, Ph.D.: Slowing aging sirtuins, NAD …

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In this episode, David A. Sinclair, Ph.D., a Professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biological Mechanisms of Aging, provides insight into why we age and how to slow its effects based on his remarkable work on the role of sirtuins and NAD in health and diseases. He also presents the case that stabilizing the epigenetic landscape may be the linchpin in counteracting aging and disease.

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David A. Sinclair, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biological Mechanisms of Aging.

He is best known for his work on understanding why we age and how to slow its effects. He obtained his Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics at the University of New South Wales, Sydney in 1995. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at M.I.T. with Dr. Leonard Guarente where he co-discovered a cause of aging for yeast as well as the role of Sir2 in epigenetic changes driven by genome instability. In 1999 he was recruited to Harvard Medical School where his laboratorys research has focused primarily on understanding the role of sirtuins in disease and aging, with associated interests in chromatin, energy metabolism, mitochondria, learning and memory, neurodegeneration, and cancer. He has also contributed to the understanding of how sirtuins are modulated by endogenous molecules and pharmacological agents such as resveratrol.

Dr. Sinclair is co-founder of several biotechnology companies (Sirtris, Ovascience, Genocea, Cohbar, MetroBiotech, ArcBio, Liberty Biosecurity) and is on the boards of several others. He is also co-founder and co-chief editor of the journal Aging. His work is featured in five books, two documentary movies, 60 Minutes, Morgan Freemans Through the Wormhole and other media.

He is an inventor on 35 patents and has received more than 25 awards and honors including the CSL Prize, The Australian Commonwealth Prize, Thompson Prize, Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Award, Charles Hood Fellowship, Leukemia Society Fellowship, Ludwig Scholarship, Harvard-Armenise Fellowship, American Association for Aging Research Fellowship, Nathan Shock Award from the National Institutes of Health, Ellison Medical Foundation Junior and Senior Scholar Awards, Merck Prize, Genzyme Outstanding Achievement in Biomedical Science Award, Bio-Innovator Award, David Murdock-Dole Lectureship, Fisher Honorary Lectureship, Les Lazarus Lectureship, Australian Medical Research Medal, The Frontiers in Aging and Regeneration Award, Top 100 Australian Innovators, and TIME magazines list of the 100 most influential people in the world. [medapps.med.harvard.edu]

David on LinkedIn: David A. Sinclair, Ph.D. A.O.

David on Twitter: @davidasinclair

(Boston, MA - 3/23/17) David Sinclair, director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School, discovered how to reverse aging in mice, Thursday, March 23, 2017. Staff photo by Angela Rowlings.

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#27 - David Sinclair, Ph.D.: Slowing aging sirtuins, NAD ...

What Does David Sinclair Eat and Supplement? (2019 …

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You might have heard about Dr. David Sinclair on the Joe Rogan Experienceand you are now curious about what does he eat and what supplements he does take.

Together with Dr. Rhonda Patrick, he is one of the main proponents of wholesome food eating to delay aging.

In this post, you will get all Dr. David Sinclair' anti-aging tips so that you can slow down your own aging.

David Andrew Sinclair (born 1969 in Australia) is a biologist and professor of genetics. In the longevity circles, he is known for supporting resveratrol (one of the compounds found in red wine) as a supplement to slow the aging process.

What Companies Does David Sinclair Own?

Dr. David Sinclair is co-founder of several biotechnology companies (Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Genocea Biosciences, OvaScience, CohBar, MetroBiotech, ArcBio, Liberty Biosecurity) and is on the boards of several others (most notably Shaklee).

Is David Sinclair Legit?

Yes, David Sinclair is legit. He holds a PhD from the University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia) and is a Full Professor at Harvard where is working since 1999. He is author of hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific publications.

Is David Sinclair Vegetarian?

David Sinclair is not vegetarian. Nevertheless, he limits his red meat consumption because it contains Trimethylamine N-oxide which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

What Does Dr. David Sinclair Eat?

As you are interested in extending your life span, you might be interested in knowing what David Sinclair eats so that you can also gain some benefits.

David Sinclair's diet consists of:

What Supplements Does David Sinclair Take?

The anti-aging doctor keeps it simple when it comes to longevity supplements.

Here the list and dosage of anti-aging supplements that David Sinclair takes (from the Joe Rogan podcast):

He has been taking resveratrol for 12 years while NMN and metformin for about 3.

To properly absorb resveratrol make sure to have some fat when you take it. For example you can have some whole milk, full fat yogurt, or some nuts.

Due to a family history of high cholesterol, he also takes a statin but it doesn't mean that you need as an anti-aging supplement.

Watch out: NMN can be pretty expensive!

Where Can You Buy Metformin?

To get metformin, you would need a prescription from your doctor. This is not always easy to come by as it depends from doctor to doctor to make the final call.

As alternative, you can substitute it with berberine which you can easily find on Amazon.

Why NMN For Longevity?

Calorie restriction is the best "therapy" against aging.

You can imagine, though, that it's not sustainable as a long term solution not only because you'd be constantly hungry but also because you'd be malnourished.

When we get older, our levels of NAD+ decline. Calorie restriction, can reverse the decline of NAD+.

The problem of NAD+ is that if you were to take it (either as a pill or inject it), it is poorly absorbed by the cells. This means that it cannot work.

Interestingly, when older mice were fed NMN, they had the same NAD+ levels of younger mice. Cool, isn't it?

Supplements He Does NOT Recommend

There are some supplements that Dave Sinclair does not recommend either for safety reasons or because they can accelerate aging:

David Sinclair Workouts

David Sinclair runs one to two times per week at fairly high intensity on the Assault Fitness AirRunner.

Two to three times per week he does resistance training and boxes. No specific details are available at the moment. He frequently uses a sauna in conjunction with a cold bath.

David Sinclair Longevity Tips

David Sinclair Book

If you have found Dr. David Sinclair' tips valuable, you will just devour his book: "Lifespan: Why We Ageand Why We Don't Have To".

In the book he goes in great detail on how we can slow down, or even reverse, aging. Check it out on Amazon.

David Sinclair on Joe Rogan's Podcast

David Sinclair on Rich Roll's Podcast

David Sinclair on Peter Attia's Podcast

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What Does David Sinclair Eat and Supplement? (2019 ...

David Sinclair Supplements For Anti-Aging – What He Takes & Why

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David Sinclair is a professor of genetics at the forefront of anti-aging research.

I've taken note of his work, and as someone extremely interested in maximizing my longevity and vitality, I have incorporated a couple of his daily supplements into my own routine that I wasn't already using.

These are the supplements and drugs he uses to preserve his youth.

David Sinclair's takes 500 mg of Resveratrol with yogurt upon waking up.

Resveratrol is a natural phenol produced by plants when they are under attack by pathogens, or in response to injury.

It is essentially produced as a defense mechanism, and interestingly enough, when humans ingest it, it is purported to produce a similar hormetic that activates certain longevity pathways.

In addition to Resveratrol, David Sinclair takes one gram (1,000 mg) of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) at the same time each morning with his homemade yogurt.

David takes raw NMN powder, but NMN is also available in tablet form.

A common misconception is that NMN is the same as NR (Nicotinamide Riboside), and they are often confused with one another.

The main difference between the two is the molecule size, which will likely impact how it is absorbed and assimilated.

People often get confused between the two and they'll buy NR supplements, and think that they're getting NMN, but that's often not the case.

I'm not going to say one is superior to the other because NMN has less data on it than NR.

NR is the one that has human trials to show that it boosts NAD+ a significant amount.

There's going to be more data coming on NMN in the near future, but for now, NR seems to be a more predictable bet in terms of choosing between the two.

Obviously, David Sinclair has a lot of confidence in NMN as he's using the research chemical on himself, which I'm not against personally.

It all comes down to risk tolerance when using anything without sufficient human data.

The mechanism of action of both NR and NMN essentially boil down to the fact that they can significantly boost NAD+ levels in the body, which is something that the body produces significantly smaller amounts of as you age.

By supplementing with an exogenous NAD+ precursor and boosting levels up to that of a young health adult, it is theorized that one can maintain healthier cell function in the body in old age and lower the incidence of disease, degradation, and a decline in quality of life.

Personally, I use Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) because it is more cost effective right now, and it has human data to back up its efficacy and safety profile.

I take 2 servings of ResveraCel per day as of now.

ResveraCel is a NR supplement that also contains Resveratrol and Trimethylglycine (TMG).

Something less commonly spoken about is that TMG may be essential to use as a methyl donor alongside NR or NMN, depending on your genetic predisposition, in order to prevent deleterious effects from occurring.

In addition, David Sinclair takes Vitamin D-3 with vitamin K2.

First of all, I can tell you right now that contrary to popular belief, you're not going to get enough Vitamin D from the sun outside, regardless of how long you're out there.

It's very likely that you're going to need to supplement with it.

I highly advise you get a blood test to see where your vitamin D levels are at (I recommend getting a comprehensive health panel while you're at it).

HOW IT WORKS1. Click blood test link above and it will redirect you to Private MD Labs Website

2. Select Male Athletic Anti-Aging Panel and add to cart

3. Add a Vit D, 25 Hydroxy test to it

4. Use DC15 as a discount code for 15% off

They will email you a form that you will print out and take to the nearest Labcorp for the blood draw (the site will guide you to the nearest lab).

Then they email you the results within about 3 business days.

Vitamin D is crucial and a super cheap supplement too.

Get your blood test, see where you're at, and then create a protocol based on how much you need.

Personally, I take 8,000 IUs of Vitamin D-3 per day.

8000 IUs would be considered a mega-dose by many, but this is what it puts my blood work at:

As far as a Vitamin K2, that's something that you can get from egg yolks, butter, dark chicken meat, cheese, Natto, and a variety of other foods.

However, I do not believe that most people are hitting their requirements for Vitamin K2, and certainly not the vitamin K2 homologue MK-7.

MK-7 is thought by many to be the most beneficial Vitamin K2 homologue.

There is an abundance of information all over the web that can be overwhelming to take in.

My advice would simply be to hit the daily requirements for all of the Vitamin K homologues.

Vitamin K2 is the only vitamin that's proven to support arteriosclerosis reversal, the attenuation of further arterial calcification, and scavenging plaque in the arteries.

A high menaquinone intake reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease.

Vitamin K Dependent Proteins and the Role of Vitamin K2 in the Modulation of Vascular Calcification: A Review

Vitamin K-Antagonists Accelerate Atherosclerotic Calcification and Induce a Vulnerable Plaque Phenotype

Dietary Intake of Menaquinone Is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: The Rotterdam Study

Vitamin K Status and Vascular Calcification: Evidence from Observational and Clinical Studies

Effect of vitamin K2 on progression of atherosclerosis and vascular calcification in nondialyzed patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3-5.

Vitamin K2 is responsible for getting calcium into where it's supposed to go in the body and preventing calcification in the arteries,

If you're deficient in vitamin K2, you're not going to have sufficient assimilation of that calcium into where you want it to be, and you may experience arterial calcification if your diet model supports it (most diets aren't optimized to avoid this).

I would advise a 1 soft gel of the Jarrow Formulas Vitamin K-Complex per day.

If you've seen my other articles on health supplements, you'll know that I've used this product for a while now.

It's one of the main supplements that you should religiously take, especially if you're a bodybuilder.

K2 is a more obscure vitamin that not a lot of people look at seriously, but it's one of the most important ones in my opinion.

David Sinclair also takes a Statin, which is not a supplement, it's a prescription drug for modulating lipids/cholesterol levels.

I don't advise that you haphazardly take a Statin just because David uses 0ne.

There are natural ways to improve your lipid profile, and you may not even have a poor one to begin with.

Again, this is only something that would be recommended by your doctor based on your current blood work should you have a genetic predisposition to poor lipids that cannot be corrected via diet, supplementation and lifestyle changes.

David Sinclair also takes 1 gram (1,000 mg) of Metformin per day.

He started with 500 mg per day, and then he bumped it up to one gram.

One of the main side effects of Metformin is impaired digestion, so I'm assuming that's why he started lower and titrated up to 1 gram.

Metformin is a drug that is typically given to type II diabetics to increase insulin sensitivity and control their blood sugar.

Chronically elevated blood sugar and insulin levels are thought to be one of the main causes of cancer, microbiome disturbances, and cardiovascular disease.

This all stems back to diets including crappy food and sugar, and things that spike inflammation in the body, thus causing:

If you get your insulin sensitivity up, it will not only help lower the incidence of the aforementioned issues, it promotes a healthier body composition as well.

There are a myriad of benefits that come from being insulin sensitive.

This includes muscle growth potential.

If you're weight training and eating in a calorie surplus, you will gain a far more favorable ratio of muscle to fat if you are insulin sensitive as opposed to if you had insulin resistance.

Insulin acts as a nutrient transporter in the body, and if you have severe insulin resistance, you will assimilate nutrients very poorly and experience countless negative consequences, not only on your health, but your body composition and results in your athletic endeavors.

Getting as insulin sensitive as possible is not just conducive to health and longevity, it's also something that's going to improve how you physically look, as well as how lean or how muscular you can get.

I thought David Sinclair would have some massive supplement stack.

I use more supplements than him, which surprised me.

It just goes to show what areas he feels hold the significant majority of importance.

Obviously, he has a lot of confidence in this NAD+ theory and Hormesis.

Insulin sensitivity is also greatly taken into account because he's not diabetic, but he's taking Metformin anyways.

Of the supplements and drugs mentioned, I take Resveratrol, a NAD+ precursor (NR as opposed to NMN), Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D.

Although NMN looks very interesting, I'm waiting for more clinical data to emerge on that before I incorporate it into my protocol.

Metformin is also something I've looked at personally.

I haven't incorporated it yet, but it is something I'm seriously looking at myself.

My fasting glucose levels are always spot on and I have great insulin sensitivity as is, so I have to weigh out the risk:reward of me using it.

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David Sinclair Supplements For Anti-Aging - What He Takes & Why

David Sinclairs anti-aging science | Harvard Magazine

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Decades of research have shown that calorie restriction extends lifespan and delays morbidity in many small, short-lived species: yeast, spiders, and various fish and rodents. In humans, though, the benefits of calorie restriction are still unproven, and probably less straightforward. And how calorie restriction slows the aging process is still not well understood. The interesting thing about calorie restriction is that we used to think the body was in some way slowing down, maybe in the number of heartbeats or production of free radicals, says professor of genetics David Sinclair. But it turns out thats wrong.When were calorie restricting, what were really doing is telling the body that now is not the time to go forth and multiply. Its time to conserve your resources, repair things better, fight free radicals, and repair broken DNA.

Sinclair believes that a compound found in all living cells, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), could be used to mimic these effects in humans without the starvation or decreased reproductive capacity associated with calorie restriction; his human trials of a therapy that could increase NAD levels are due to begin this month. Meanwhile, a similar compound is already being marketed as a supplement by a health start-up with several distinguished scientists (including three Harvard faculty members) on its advisory boardeven though theres still no evidence that the substance works.

Sinclairs approach is based on a broad view that links diseases of age such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimers, and heart failure to common cellular processes. His lab aims to understand these processes and then use that understanding to develop medical therapies.

Underlying the wide-ranging benefits of calorie restriction, Sinclair explains, are sirtuinsa group of seven genes that appear to be very important in regulating the aging process. These longevity-gene pathways are turned on by changes in lifestyle such as exercise and calorie restriction, he says. They control a variety of protective processestheres hundreds of things that they do, and we still dont know everything. But they protect the chromosomes, they protect stem cells from being lost, they protect cells from senescing. Sirtuins can be activated by a lack of amino acids or of sugar, or through an increase in NAD. (The compounds level in the body declines with age.)

Earlier this year, research from Sinclairs lab showed that feeding mice nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)a related, precursor compound that the body converts into NADmay slow aging in the animals, mimicking the effects of calorie restriction. We get the same effects as exercise or dieting, he says. The mice are leaner, have more energy. They can run further on a treadmill. That research continues, and is poised to be tested in humans: the first stage of the trials of NMN that he was preparing to begin in August at a Harvard-affiliated hospital will test for NAD increases in the blood; after that, he plans to study NMNs efficacy in treating diseases. Sinclair has been taking the compound himself for about a year. Hes reticent about that, to avoid sounding like a kook, but claims his lipid profile has improved dramatically and he feels generally less fatiguedthough he admits this is not scientific.

There is a cautionary note to sound, says Jeffrey Flier, Walker professor of medicine and former dean of Harvard Medical School (HMS). The NAD precursor already on the market as a dietary supplement, nicotinamide riboside (NR), is sold by New York-based Elysium Health, founded by MIT biologist Leonard Guarente, Ph.D. 79, who played a central role in establishing the link between sirtuins and aging, and was Sinclairs doctoral adviser. The company doesnt make any specific claims about aging prevention (legally, it cant); instead, it promotes its product as the one daily supplement your cells need. Flier has criticized the company for using the names of the highly credentialed scientists on its advisory board (featured prominently on its website) to market an unproven product: Elysium is selling pills [without] evidence that they actually work in humans at all, he says, echoing the strongly worded Boston Globeop-ed he wrote earlier this year condemning the companys marketing scheme.

Sinclair, who co-directs the Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at HMS, is not linked to Elysiumhis clinical trials go squarely down the traditional medical route, rather than through the loosely regulated supplement industry. Thats the contrast, he says. Im taking a pharmaceutical approach, FDA approval. Still, whatever animal research portends about the potential of NAD (and however alluring the promise of a cure for aging), the history of pharmaceutical development suggests its much too soon to expect any benefits for humans. Often molecules may be helpful to animals in a limited set of studies, but then are not shown to be helpful in humans, Flier warns. There are many, many, many examples of that.

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David Sinclair’s biological age was 58 after taking 1000 mg …

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Maxwatt, I don't see any mention in the Daily Mail article of +/- 13 years for Sinclair's age as you wrote. Sinclair, 47, said his pre NMN biological age was estimated to be 58 and after taking NMN for 3 months had an estimate of 32 years old. Is Sinclair lying about his estimated biological age as you suggest? It is possible, but I doubt it.

You quoted the daily mail as: with resveratrol at age "45 in 2015 and [he] still had a biological age of 58 according to what he recently revealed in an interview. Before he began taking 500 mg of NMN, he said his blood work showed that his biological age was that of a 58 year old but after the NMN, it had reversed to 32.

"

I subtracted 45 from 58 to get 13, and 32 from 45 to get 13. Hence +/- 13.

I know one of Sinclair's former postdoc students. He might ask for us what Sinclair was using for a test.

In the meantime Rapamycin looks more promising, but I am not ruling out NMN or dasatinib and quercetin, or a host of other molecules as being potentially beneficial. We need more data.

FWIW, for what its worth, I took one of those "age tests" and scored 14 years younger than my birth year. I'd been taking resveratrol for years. Tried NR with no noticeable effect. And this proves nothing.

Edited by maxwatt, 01 May 2017 - 03:28 AM.

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David Sinclair's biological age was 58 after taking 1000 mg ...