Wake Wellness, a health shop in Asbury that sells CBD oils and creams and recently added a juice and smoothie bar called Pulp, which includes the oils in its drinks, on Bangs Avenue in Asbury Park, NJ. Asbury Park Press

Looking back at her life with a clear lens, Dr. Neda Gioia, owner of Integrative Vision in Shrewsbury, remembers spending her early years on the move.

Born in Iran, my family moved to the U.S. when I was about 5, said Gioia, 40, who grew up in Wayne and now lives in Little Silver.

Though she loved to draw and thought about being a cartoonist, my parents nudged me into the medical world and I volunteered at Wayne General Hospital as a teen and then worked at a dentistry office and an optometry office through high school and college, she said.

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The latter experience resonated with her and, following her graduation from Rutgers with a degree in biology and psychology, she attended theState University of New York College of Optometry in Manhattan. As her husband Kevin finished medical school and began his career, she moved with him to Chicago, Long Island and Seattle, working in optometry practices all along the way, and then returned to New Jersey with him and their two daughters in 2017.

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Integrative Vision owner/founder Dr. Neda Gioia is reflected in one of the frame displays at year-old eye care, nutrition and vision therapy practice in Shrewsbury Tuesday, September 8, 2020. . I(Photo: Thomas P. Costello)

Based on my connections in the field, I found a job easily, she said of joining an optometry practice in the Garden State, but the lifelong entrepreneur was beginning to set her sights on a larger goal based on her life experiences.

In her early 30s, learning that she had a rare neurological disorder that had been misdiagnosed, I lost some of my hope in conventional medicine and went back to school for certification in functional and integrative medicine and a fellowship in ocular nutrition with the Ocular Wellness and Nutrition Society, she said.

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Id been planning to open my own practice all while we were moving around the country and knew that there was an openness to health and wellness in the Shore area, she said.

After assessing different locations and meeting a supportive landlord, Gioia landed a 2,300-square-foot space in Shrewsbury and opened Integrative Vision in 2019.

Integrative Vision owner/founder Dr. Neda Gioia has a fun photo at year-old eye care, nutrition and vision therapy practice in Shrewsbury Tuesday, September 8, 2020. . I(Photo: Thomas P. Costello)

For Gioia, Integrative Vision bridges two worlds in the field of vision offering core eye care with the latest technology while also promoting the importance of whole-body health and the power of the body to heal itself with proper nutrition and lifestyle, she said.

We give recommendations to help prevent vision-related issues such as glaucoma and macular degeneration and invest in the latest technology to enable accurate diagnostics, she said.

Among that technology is a carotenoid scanner, which assesses ones level of antioxidants and is an important marker for eye disease, as well as high-tech ocular coherence tomography (OCT), which enables clear views of the retina.

We also do functional diagnostic testing and ocular nutritional consulting to address ocular symptoms such as dry eye and inflammation, and are always looking for the root causes of different conditions, she said.

As a full-service optometry office, we also carry a broad range of eyewear frames, including unique, independent brands like Salt and Moscot, Gioia said.

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Integrative Vision owner/founder Dr. Neda Gioia takes a client call at year-old eye care, nutrition and vision therapy practice in Shrewsbury Tuesday, September 8, 2020. . I(Photo: Thomas P. Costello)

In an effort to help "fill the gaps"in the vision arena, a colleague in my office provides vision therapy for individuals with traumatic brain injuries, or physical therapy for the eyes, and were also a contact lens recycling center for Monmouth County, she said.

Within a field of both local and national vision outlets, we take our time with patients and arent competing with larger, national chains, Gioia said of Integrative Visions unique approach. We offer a very personalized experience and patients appreciate our concierge service.

As the pandemic bore down this spring, Gioia said that she didnt panic.

Integrative Vision owner/founder Dr. Neda Gioia is shown in one of the exam rooms at year-old eye care, nutrition and vision therapy practice in Shrewsbury Tuesday, September 8, 2020. . I(Photo: Thomas P. Costello)

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We shut down for basic care but remained open for emergencies and worked on our plans relative to PPE protocols, electronic paperwork and no-touch operation; we even made a precautionary COVID video and helped secure protective eyewear for other medical practitioners, she said.

Today, our business is back to pre-pandemic levels and our patients feel very safe based on our adherence to cleaning protocols, mask-wearing and social distancing, Gioia said.

With both children and adults now spending more time on electronic devices and video conferencing tools than ever before as a function of the pandemic, Gioia has been promoting awareness of computer vision syndrome, or "digital eye strain."

Its caused by staring at screens that are only a short working distance away, she explained. This near work stress is being pushed to the limit and causes everything from blurry vision and headaches to double vision, loss of focus and dry and irritated eyes as a result of less blinking.

Some of the frames sold at Integrative Vision, the year-old eye care, nutrition and vision therapy practice in Shrewsbury Tuesday, September 8, 2020. (Photo: Thomas P. Costello)

She noted that the growing absorption of harmful blue light emitted from computers and electronic devices is also concerning, as it can interfere with circadian rhythms and cause disease.

Childrens pupil sizes are a bit larger than adults, which lets both more good and bad light in, she noted, adding that she recently participated in a webinar on this subject. To help combat the fallout of this trend, people should use the 20-20-20 rule 20 minutes of near work stress, then 20 seconds of visual break looking at something 20 feet away to unlock the focusing and crossing of the eyes that results from doing near work.

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She also recommends that people increase their blink rate while focusing to avoid dry eyes and ensure that their room lighting complements their computer screen to reduce glare.

Its also important to position the computer screen slightly below your eye level to reduce the amount of corneal exposure, she said. Gioias full range of tips and suggestions for lessening digital eye strain in the current era of remote learning are shared in her video, "Back to Zoom.

Since starting her dream venture, Gioia hopes that her practice will positively influence fellow health care practitioners across the range of medical subspecialties.

Launching Integrative Vision wasnt necessarily about having a successful local practice, but about creating a model which promotes the best of the holistic world in combination with conventional medicine and which can be replicated by other practitioners, she said.

Patients are so grateful when we help them explore the power of nutrition and other options and I love giving hope to people and empowering them to understand what they can do to help support healthy vision and healthy living, Gioia concluded.Our community is already very health-conscious and Im excited to be a bridge who provides the holistic vision care that residents want and deserve but which wasnt previously available.

Some of the eye nutrition products sold at Integrative Vision, the year-old eye care, nutrition and vision therapy practice in Shrewsbury Tuesday, September 8, 2020. (Photo: Thomas P. Costello)

Location: 180 Avenue at the Common #6, Shrewsbury

Phone: 732-389-2792

Owner: Dr. Neda Gioia

Launched: 2019

Website: http://www.integrativevision.com

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Integrative Vision: Shrewsbury doctor's practice is more than meets the eye - Asbury Park Press

Fenugreek shares a long history of usage and its traces were identified in Tutankhamuns tomb in Egypt. The first documented evidence on fenugreek is recorded its presence in 1500 BC. It is highly aromatic which makes it a perfect ingredient for traditional cuisines especially belonging to India and some Middle Eastern regions. In addition to this, it has roles in various medicinal treatments and a new study evaluates its risk to treat type 2 diabetes.

A study published in the journalAyu,reveals the benefits of fenugreek for diabetic patients. During this study, 60 diabetic patients were investigated to know the potential benefits of fenugreek on their sugar level.

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Half of these people were given 10g of fenugreek per day. These fenugreek seeds were soaked in the water which is a typical way of using them for medicinal reasons. They used these soaked seeds 20mins prior to the meal. The other group was allowed to continue their daily routine which involved taking diabetic medicine only.

The group which consumed fenugreek seeds experienced low sugar in their blood within 5 months of this study. They also experienced low HbA1C levels recorded after 6 months of using fenugreek seeds.

Although this study highlights the positive impact of these seeds for diabetic patients still it requires more detailed analysis to know how fenugreek treats type 2 diabetes. Right now, they only assume that it could have a synergistic effect on the patient when added with a controlled diet and moderate activity level.

Typically, the fenugreek seeds are associated with healing digestive issues and skin problems. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine (NCCIM) acknowledges its beneficial role in treating eczema and other skin conditions. It also improves blood pressure and digestion according to Kellie Rodriguez who is a certified diabetes educator and serves as director of the Global Diabetes Program in Parkland Health & Hospital System (TX).

The medical experts encourage diabetic patients to maintain desirable body weight and aim to be active by doing any light to moderate physical activity. Contrary to popular opinion, diabetic patients can do any type of exercise including aerobics and strength training. In addition to this, they should eat healthy meals and refrain from processed and sugary foods and beverages.

Fenugreek is available in seeds, powder, and capsule form. These seeds contain a high amount of soluble fiber in them which promotes sugar absorption inside the stomach.

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It adds an amino acid named 4-hydroxy isoleucine in the body which promotes insulin production. Also, these seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals all of which are necessary for immunity and cellular repair functions of the body.

Both seeds and leaves of fenugreeks could be used to treat type 2 diabetes. Adding them to food recipes gives them a unique nutty flavor and aroma. If not to add in recipes, one can consume fenugreek capsules as per standard dosage, usually mentioned on the label.

There are no side effects of using fenugreek seeds or supplements but the new users may experience mild diarrhea, stomach main, or bloating which goes away on its own within hours.

People with underlying medical conditions should consult their doctor before taking fenugreek supplements. Those who are taking diabetic medicines, thyroid medicines, or insulin should avoid fenugreek supplements on their own.

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Can Fenugreek Treat Type 2 Diabetes? New Information Revealed - TheHealthMania

NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

Medical Marijuana: A Clinical HandbookBy Samoon Ahmad, M.D., and Kevin P. Hill, M.D., M.H.S.Publisher: Wolters KluwerPublication Date: September 9, 2020Price: $69.99ISBN: 9781975141899

Despite the booming cannabis industry and increasingly popular medicinal cannabis programs throughout the country, very few people, whether patients or clinicians, understand the complex science of the plant or its effect on the brain and the body. While there have been dozens of books that celebrate cannabis and just as many that denigrate it, there has yet to be one that offers an unbiased and cleareyed look at the science of cannabis and the cannabinoids. By taking an evidence-based approach and avoiding familiar political tropes, Drs. Samoon Ahmad and Kevin P. Hill have finally done just that with their new book: Medical Marijuana: A Clinical Handbook (Wolters Kluwer, September 2020).

Cannabis has been cultivated and used for thousands of years, yet it remains not just enigmatic but deeply polarizing. As they write in the book's prologue, "It is our hope that we can eliminate unwarranted stigmas that continue to hound this quirky plant and to dispel any notions that cannabis is either a miracle drug or the devil's weed. If nothing else, we hope to provide our peers in the medical community with some degree of clarity so that they can make decisions based on the best available evidence and pass on accurate information to patients."

Both authors have extensive clinical experience and academic backgrounds. Dr. Hill is an addiction specialist and currently Director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard University, and author of Marijuana: The Unbiased Truth About the World's Most Popular Weed. Dr. Ahmad is a practicing physician in New York City, Founder of the Integrative Center for Wellness, and a Professor of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He has also written extensively about PTSD and coauthored multiple books, including the recent edition of Kaplan & Sadock's Pocket Handbook of Clinical Psychiatry.

"Excellently written," said Dr. Stephen Ross, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Addictive Disorders and Experimental Therapeutics Research Laboratory at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, "The book provides an enormous amount of concise and clinically relevant information on everything related to medical cannabis including historical and regulatory aspects, the dizzying diversity of the many cannabis constituent components, review of the endocannabinoid system, relevant pharmacology, therapeutic preparations and the existing and potential clinical applications of medical cannabis throughout medicine, psychiatry and neurology."

Apart from focusing on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the intoxicating substance in cannabis and typically the focal point of medical marijuana programs, the authors also examine the relevant science on many other cannabinoids found in the plant, especially cannabidiol (CBD). They have also painstakingly researched the local and federal laws governing its use and created a state-by-state guide for clinicians and patients. To ensure this information is current, they have also created a companion website, cannabistextbook.com, that will monitor changes to local, state, and federal regulations as they occur. The site will also publish recent cannabis-related research articles.

The book is organized to allow for easy reference. The initial chapters focus on general information about the plant, including its classification, morphology, history, and constituents. It then moves on to a cultural history of cannabis and marijuana in the United States to provide a context for the regulations and laws currently governing its use. It then describes the body's endocannabinoid system and the pharmacological profile of CBD and THC before moving on to applications for cannabis in specialty practices such as:

Finally, the authors describe the dangers of excessive cannabis use, cannabis use disorder, and potential adverse effects.

"Patients will continue to turn to medical cannabis," Dr. Hill writes in his prologue. "We want to educate health care professionals so that they are in a better position to help patients when this happens."

About the Authors

Samoon Ahmad, M.D., is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and serves as Unit Chief of Inpatient Psychiatry at Bellevue Hospital Center. A practicing physician for over twenty-five years, Dr. Ahmad has dedicated his professional life to helping individuals find balance in their mental and physical well-being. He founded the Integrative Center for Wellness to execute his innovative vision of incorporating psychiatric treatments with holistic therapiesincluding nutritional therapy, meditation, and plant-based medicinesto emphasize wellness of the body and the mind. He specializes in treating patients with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, stuttering and weight management issues.

Kevin P. Hill, M.D., M.H.S., is an addiction psychiatrist and Director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hill has conducted clinical research and written on a wide variety of topics including medical cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD), and addiction to alcohol, cannabis, and opioids. As a leading cannabis expert, he has spoken nationally and appeared often on radio and television on the topics of cannabis policy and treatment, offering a balanced, evidence-based stance on these issues.

Reviews

"...a powerful asset for any medical professional to add to their arsenal of knowledge as much of the scientific advancement regarding cannabis has been suppressed up until recently." - Noemi Gonzales, Green Market Report

"The authors have written an extremely comprehensive book that will give readers a more nuanced appreciation of cannabis. This includes its potential therapeutic value, its effects on the endocannabinoid system, and the part it has played in cultures throughout the world."-Joyce Cenali, Founding Partner & COO of Big Rock Partners, a strategic advisory firm

"Drs. Ahmad and Hill have written a very timely, unbiased book that presents the benefits and risks associated with the use of cannabis and that will help bring greater transparency to the debate over cannabis' legitimacy as a therapeutic drug. Clearly written and very well organized, the book's second half allows readers the ability to jump between chapters to learn how THC and CBD affect different bodily systems. The first half of the book, meanwhile, provides an in-depth look at the pharmacology of both CBD and THC, examples of how cannabis has been used by numerous cultures for medicinal or ritualistic purposes, and a detailed timeline that follows the history of cannabis regulations in the United States through the 20th century. Though written primarily for healthcare practitioners and clinicians, anyone hoping to gain a greater understanding about cannabis and its therapeutic applications will find this work extremely informative and helpful."-Marion Mariathasan, CEO of Simplifya, the leading regulatory & compliance software platform serving the cannabis industry

Contacts: Kimberly Macleod[emailprotected]917-587-0069

Joe Flattery[emailprotected]917-474-2689

SOURCE Integrative Center for Wellness

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MEDICAL MARIJUANA: A CLINICAL HANDBOOK Brings the Science of Cannabis to Wider Audience and Describes Risks and Benefits of Cannabis-Based Medicines -...

By Deepak Chopra MD and Rudolph E. Tanzi, PhD

The global pandemic has disrupted everything we call normal life. The disruption has been so catastrophic that there is fear among experts that this is only a starter pandemic. COVID is less infectious than the measles and less fatal than SARS. Instead of using this fact to stoke fear, we can do a great deal to heed COVIDs wakeup call.

A new way of looking at life itself holds out hope and optimism, because the popular image of deadly viruses assaulting humans like microscopic aliens is incorrect. Microbes are the very basis of life. We interact with them constantly, and much more than 99% of the time life is enhanced. Every advanced life form, including us, has microbial DNA woven into its own genome. A vast colony of bacteria known as the microbiome together with viruses (the virome) and fungi (the mycobiome) that inhabit every animals digestive tract, and when it comes to mammals, the microbiome not only makes digestion possible, but it connects us to the planetary biomethe totality of viruses, bacteria, and fungi that truly rules the earth.

It is a very benign rule. Look around at the astonishing diversity of life that evolution has produced. Evolution in higher life forms is the visible outcome of activity in the planetary biome. To keep the creation of new life beneficial, as it has been for billions of years, the first lesson of the new model is to realize that we are life itself. Our actions affect Nature directly in ways that either enhance life or lead it into destructive patterns.

If we look at COVID as a response, or even a message from the planetary biome, what is the message about? It is about disruption and imbalance. The microbial world responds quickly, at times instantly, to aberrant conditions. Fortunately, it can also respond quickly to rebalance itself, since balance is the natural tendency of every level of life.

Human beings are responsible for imbalance and disruption in many ways, most of them the product of modern life. We can begin with viruses. The earth has a global virome, which is currently being mapped at Stanford. This Earth database, once completed, which also allow us to identity the viruses in the human virome.

As in the human virome (and the microbiome and mycobiome), there can be dysbiosis, when one microbe goes out of balance and becomes opportunistic, amplifying itself at the expense of others. On a larger scale, humans, among all mammalian species, are being opportunistic as we remove forests and wetlands and pollute the land and oceans, leading to an unprecedented rate of extinction of species.

The novel COVID virus was most likely introduced into humans from other mammals as we insist on eating food from species that are too close to our genetic makeup (a notorious example being Chinas so-called wet markets). By design in our evolution, the human microbiome prefers plants (our teeth, stomach acid, colon structure, and our need for plant fiber to feed our gut microbiome all support this conclusion).

The consumption of animals, especially mammalian species that are genetically more similar to humans, leads to putrefaction and microbial dysbiosis. As we make ourselves sick, we also propagate the production of opportunistic bacteria that disrupt the earths microbiome. Through the same meat diet we also propagate viruses and fungi that disrupt the earths virome and mycobiome. Our disruption extends to inducing and accelerating new mutations across all species on Earth with increasing levels of pollution at the chemical, electromagnetic, and radioactive levels.

As essential as electricity is to modern life, our pollution-generating activities accelerate mutation in ourselves as well as in life forms below us. We, and the planet as a whole, are healthiest when we create maximal evolutionary and genetic distance in our food chains. Genetic distancing is now needed more than ever. Otherwise, our many activities that pollute the earth first accelerate the introduction of new mutations in viruses and bacteria in ourselves and in other mammals (we arent the only species susceptible to COVID, for example). Then we eat these other mammals and disrupt our own microbiomes with new infections, some of which are potentially fatal.

The message from the pandemic wont be received immediately or completely understood and accepted. But hope arises because the planetary biome is the true foundation of life and the ecology that entangles all living things. Humans are the pivot point, now and in the future. We are the mirror of the earth and of life itself. A conscious alliance with the evolutionary gifts of the biome opens the way for a future free of pandemics and many disorders that can be treated from the microbial level on up to cells, tissues, and the whole person. The potential in medicine alone is enormous. What we need to do now is to take this new model seriously and to learn how best of live as part of the planetary biome.

DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, , a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day whole health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 90 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. For the last thirty years, Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution and his next book, Total Meditation (Harmony Book, September 22, 2020) will help to achieve new dimensions of stress-free living and joyful living. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century. http://www.deepakchopra.com

Dr. Rudolph E. Tanzi is the Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Vice-Chair of Neurology and Co-Director of the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Tanzi has discovered numerous Alzheimers disease genes, including the first one, and is developing new Alzheimers therapies using human mini-brains pioneered in his laboratory. Dr. Tanzi has published 600 research papers, received numerous awards and was on the 2015 TIME100 Most Influential People in the World list. He has also co-authored several books, including Decoding Darkness and three bestsellers with Deepak Chopra: Super Brain, Super Genes, and The Healing Self. In his spare time, he plays keyboards with guitarist, Joe Perry of Aerosmith and other musicians.

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The Planetary Biome: A New Theory of Life and Survival - SFGate

The end of the day often comes too fast, and many of us may find ourselves not quite ready to settle down. There may be those last-minute emails to send, dishes to do, others in the household who need your attention, or anxieties about tomorrows to-do list. All of that buzz makes it tough to drift off to sleep.

Thats where before-bed yoga comes in. The gentle physical movement is relaxing itself, and the principles yoga is founded on gratitude, self-compassion, and contentment when practiced before bed can be calming, too, helping to promote sleep, says Carol Krucoff, a yoga instructor certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists and Yoga Alliance and a yoga therapist at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, North Carolina.

RELATED: 9 Ways Practicing Yoga Benefits Your Health and Well-Being

Restorative yoga is becoming more popular, particularly since COVID-19 has people on edge, says Krucoff, who has a gentle yoga class on YouTube. A review and meta-analysis published in May 2020 in the journal BMC Psychiatry looked at 19 studies with nearly 2,000 women with sleep problems and found that, overall, a yoga practice (at any time of the day) improved sleep quality compared with not practicing yoga.

RELATED: The Basics on Hatha, Kundalini, and Other Types of Yoga

Before you try these poses, set the stage for sleep by centering your mind. Krucoff recommends practicing the Three Good Things exercise. The intention is to think about three good things that happened to you that day. It can be as little as having a really great cup of coffee that morning, she says. (For more details, find this how-to from the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California in Berkeley.) It helps alleviate worry and get you into a positive mindset that helps you relax.

Then try these five gentle poses and exercises to get you all set for sleep:

If you can only do one thing to prepare yourself for sleep, take a few minutes to work on your breath, says Krucoff. What shes referring to is the relaxed abdominal breath, also known as the yoga belly breath. During the day, you are likely in the habit of breathing shallowly from your chest, but deeper breaths fill the lungs completely. This triggers a cascade of physiological changes. Your heart rate slows, your blood pressure decreases, and muscle tension eases, she explains.

How to Do It Lying down, put one hand below your belly button. Breathe in through your nose to fill your lungs (your belly should rise). Breathe out through your nose. Repeat for a few minutes.

RELATED: 7 Quick Stretches for Stress Relief You Can Do Right Now

Here, youll take your joints through their full range of motion. This is something thats quieting, releases tension and tightness, and is convenient because it can even be done lying down in bed, says Krucoff. Whats more, it helps bring attention to body sensations, making you consider not just whatever happened with your family or at work, or what was on the news over the course of the day, but also how your body actually feels. Are certain muscles sore? Are certain muscles tired? Many of us spend much of our day in our heads, Krucoff says. This practice guides you back into your body, which is a good way to prep for sleep.

How to Do ItLie down on the floor or in your bed. Circle your ankles. Extend your legs out long then bend your knees. Lift and lower your hips to make circular movements. Bend your elbows, then extend your arms long at your sides. Shrug and circle your shoulders. Repeat as needed and as feels good.

If you have back issues, the knee hug will feel particularly nourishing, Krucoff says. In fact, low back pain is one of the most common reasons for seeing a doctor; it also keeps people out of work, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Working hunched over at a desk all day can cause the ache. This pose will relieve it.

How to Do ItLie down and hug one or both knees into your chest. (Whether or not you do one or both depends on your physical abilities.) If you can hug both knees into your chest at the same time, rock from side to side to massage your spine.

RELATED: The Best Home Remedies for Back Pain

Its common to hold tension in your neck and shoulders, says Krucoff. Its even more common for tightness and pain to creep up here if you spend your day working at computer or staring at your smartphone.

How to Do ItSit on your bed, sitting up straight with good posture. Inhale and bring your shoulders up to your ears and squeeze your arm and shoulder muscles tightly. Exhale and release your shoulders, pulling your shoulder blades downward. Repeat a few times.

If you practice yoga, you know this as Savasana, which is the final pose of class. It looks extremely easy to lie down and do nothing, but its among the hardest poses to master because it requires you to release all physical and emotional tension and let go of mental thought, explains Krucoff. But no need to stress about getting Savasana right: Just lie down, be still, and try to not think about anything in particular and it will help you relax. Krucoff calls it relaxed alertness which might sound contradictory but is really about noticing whatever thoughts and feelings do come up without dwelling on any one particular one.

How to Do ItLie down with your arms at your sides, palms up and relaxed. Close your eyes and focus on the rise and fall of your breath. If you have trouble with intrusive thoughts, acknowledge their presence and picture them floating away.

RELATED: Yoga Poses for Beginners

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Yoga Poses and Exercises to Help You Sleep - Everyday Health

Newswise According to the American Stroke Association (ASA) and the American Heart Association (AHA), more than 100 million Americans have high blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure is a major avoidable cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide due primarily to increased risks of stroke and heart attacks. Elevated blood pressure is the most important major and modifiable risk factor to reduce stroke. In fact, small but sustained reductions in blood pressure reduce risks of stroke and heart attacks. Therapeutic lifestyle changes of weight loss and salt reduction as well as adjunctive drug therapies are beneficial to treat and prevent high blood pressure.

Mindfulness is increasingly practiced as a technique to reduce stress through mind and body interactions. In some instances, mindfulness includes paced breathing defined as deep and diaphragmatic with slow rates typically about five to seven per minute compared with the usual rate of 12 to 14. Researchers from Florida Atlantic Universitys Schmidt College of Medicine and collaborators have published a paper in the journal Medical Hypotheses, exploring the possibility that mindfulness with paced breathing reduces blood pressure.

One of the most plausible mechanisms is that paced breathing stimulates the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system, which reduce stress chemicals in the brain and increase vascular relaxation that may lead to lowering of blood pressure, said Suzanne LeBlang, M.D., a neuroradiologist, second and corresponding author, and an affiliate associate professor in FAUs Schmidt College of Medicine.

The researchers believe the hypothesis they have formulated that mindfulness with paced breathing reduces blood pressure should be tested. To do so, FAUs Schmidt College of Medicine co-authors are already collaborating with their co-authors from the Marcus Neuroscience Institute, Boca Raton Regional Hospital/ Baptist Health South; and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health on an investigator-initiated research grant proposal to the National Institutes of Health. The initial pilot trial would include obtaining informed consent from willing and eligible subjects and assigning them at random to mindfulness either with or without paced breathing and examining whether there are sustained effects on lowering blood pressure.

This pilot randomized trial might lead to further randomized trials of intermediate markers such as inhibition of progression of carotid intimal thickening or coronary artery atherosclerosis, and subsequently, a large scale trial to reduce stroke and heart attacks, said Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.PH, senior author, first Sir Richard Doll Professor and senior academic advisor in FAUs Schmidt College of Medicine. Achieving sustained reductions in blood pressure of 4 to 5 millimeters of mercury decreases risk of stroke by 42 percent and heart attacks by about 17 percent; so positive findings would have important clinical and policy implications.

According to the ASA and AHA, cardiovascular disease (CVD), principally heart attacks and strokes, accounts for more than 800,000 deaths or 40 percent of total mortality in the U.S. each year and more than 17 million deaths worldwide. In the U.S., CVD is projected to remain the single leading cause of mortality and is rapidly becoming so worldwide. Stroke alone ranks fifth in all-cause mortality in the U.S., killing nearly 133,000 people annually as well as more than 11 percent of the population worldwide.

Now more than ever, Americans and people all over the world are under increased stress, which may adversely affect their health and well-being, said Barbara Schmidt, co-author, teacher, researcher, philanthropist, bestselling author of The Practice, as well as an adjunct instructor at FAUs Schmidt College of Medicine. We know that mindfulness decreases stress and I am cautiously optimistic that mindfulness with paced breathing will produce sustained lowering of blood pressure.

Study co-authors are Jacqueline Brenner, first author and a seven-year B.S. to M.D. candidate at Pennsylvania State University/Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University; Michelle Lizotte-Waniewski, Ph.D., an associate professor, FAUs Schmidt College of Medicine; Patricio S. Espinosa, M.D., chief of neurology, Marcus Neuroscience Institute and Boca Raton Regional Hospital/Baptist Health South Florida and an affiliate associate professor, FAUs Schmidt College of Medicine; Andrew Newberg, M.D., an associate professor, Marcus Institute for Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University; and David L. DeMets, Ph.D., professor and chair emeritus of biostatistics and informatics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

- FAU -

About the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine:

FAUs Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine is one of approximately 155 accredited medical schools in the U.S. The college was launched in 2010, when the Florida Board of Governors made a landmark decision authorizing FAU to award the M.D. degree. After receiving approval from the Florida legislature and the governor, it became the 134th allopathic medical school in North America. With more than 70 full and part-time faculty and more than 1,300 affiliate faculty, the college matriculates 64 medical students each year and has been nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum. To further FAUs commitment to increase much needed medical residency positions in Palm Beach County and to ensure that the region will continue to have an adequate and well-trained physician workforce, the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Consortium for Graduate Medical Education (GME) was formed in fall 2011 with five leading hospitals in Palm Beach County. The Consortium currently has five Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited residencies including internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and neurology.

About Florida Atlantic University:

Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAUs world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAUs existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit http://www.fau.edu.

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Mindfulness with Paced Breathing and Lowering Blood Pressure - Newswise

In a season when we would usually be out cheering on our local sports teams, we are spending more time at home and repeating a new mantra: Wash your hands, practice social distancing, wear a mask.

But what if you could play offense instead of defense to fend off colds and viruses? What if adjusting your daily habits could build your immunity to help your body fend off illness, not only this year but every year?

Thats not only possible, says Katie Moksnes Bowman, its something she encourages her patients to do every day.

Stress is the number one way we increase inflammation in the body, says Moksnes Bowman, a licensed acupuncturist and Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) for Northwestern Health Sciences University. She says inflammation can affect digestion, sleep patterns, pain, and your bodys immunity.

The key to improving your immunity is to reduce inflammation in your body.

The amount of stress that has been created from the pandemic is causing issues for people physically and emotionally, she says. In Chinese medicine, your digestion matters, sleep matters, your immune system matters.

When I am in practice with a patient, we talk about sleep, bowels, diet and movement at every single treatment. I really want to work with them where theyre at.

She sees patients ranging from professional athletes to seniors with mobility issues and everyone in between, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment.

In Chinese medicine, we really view the body as a whole, she says. For example, if a patient has shoulder pain, Moksnes Bowman proceeds knowing the shoulder does not work independently from the rest of the body.

"The amount of stress that has been created from the pandemic is causing issues for people physically and emotionally. In Chinese medicine, your digestion matters, sleep matters, your immune system matters." Kate Moksnes Bowman, Northwestern Health Sciences University

If you are not digesting your foods properly, if youre not getting a good nights sleep, she says, I can do a ton of work on your shoulder, but its not going to repair well.

To help patients improve their health and build their immunity, she suggests small changes in diet and exercise, such as drinking enough water, reducing caffeine and sugar consumption, adding anti-inflammatory foods to their diet, and getting more movement every day.

I am not going to overhaul your whole diet, she says. If you do not want to stop eating pizza, I cannot make you stop eating pizza. But she might suggest that you try goat cheese on your pizza or sample a cauliflower crust.

I see myself as a reminder person, she says. I have patients come in and I say, How did your diet go this week? Did you eat something green? That means a plant, you know, not a green Jolly Rancher.

That question always gets a laugh, but the point is that little changes can make a difference in reducing inflammation and improving immunity.

When we are talking about diet and exercise, both of those things reduce inflammation and so does sleeping. Sleeping is a time to repair your body, Moksnes Bowman says. Asked what tops her list as the most important step, she says: Its not a hierarchy for me. Its more of a circle than a list, because all of those things are going to influence the next thing.

Small adjustments in diet and exercise are something patients do on their own between clinic visits, where Moksnes Bowman and other practitioners offer a range of therapies, from acupuncture and massage to cupping, Gua Sha, herbal medicine and even recipes to help improve your immunity.

If you have a lot of stress and are getting the common cold five times a winter, I would suggest you consider herbal medicine, she says. She advises against buying supplements in the grocery aisle. Seek a health professional who is specialized before taking Vitamin D, C or Elderberry syrup. They are all really good things, but theyre not always the right thing for everybody. Its always important to make sure you are taking the right amount.

Creating good sleep habits and a good sleeping environment are important, too. If you are on your phone or watching TV at night, the blue light from the device stimulates a part of the brain that doesn't allow you to fall asleep as well, she says.

Improved diet and exercise, combined with acupuncture or other types of Chinese medicine, can reduce inflammation over time by increasing blood flow and releasing endorphins, which Moksnes Bowman describes as that calm, happy hormone. That is our own bodys way of reducing pain in the body.

And that calm, happy hormone can lead to a good nights sleep, as described in a text from one of Moksnes Bowmans patients, who said: I cant believe how much my sleep improved by getting acupuncture.

The results arent anecdotal, she says. Sleep-tracking devices demonstrate that acupuncture can improve sleep; they record how well and deeply you are sleeping and if you are waking frequently during the night.

And while youre getting those extra ZZZs, your body is resting and fortifying its immunity.

One of the side effects of social distancing and working from home has been an increase in loneliness. Moksnes Bowman says that after a brief shutdown of the NWHSU Bloomington Clinic several months ago, she noticed two things when the clinic reopened: Patients who had missed appointments were in pain, and they were lonely.

People wanted to talk for so long, she says. I made my treatments a bit longer so patients could just talk, because people were feeling lonely.

She and other practitioners frequently refer patients to therapists, Tai Chi or Pilates instructors or others when they see an opportunity to help the patient move, relax or sort things out. Taking a deep breath and getting some release is also good for building a sense of well-being.

Think of amping up your immune system as the ultimate DIY project. Add some green to your diet, make sure you drink enough water, cut out some caffeine and get enough sleep for starters, and then add some acupuncture or massage. Together those steps can help fortify your immunity.

And keep in mind that this year, none of that replaces the need to frequently wash your hands, socially distance wherever possible and wear a mask when its not.

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Located in Bloomington,Northwestern Health Sciences Universityis a pioneer in integrative natural health care education, offering degree programs in chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, medical assisting, medical laboratory programs, post-bac/pre-health, radiation therapy, and B.S. completion. At press time, itsBloomington clinicis open to the public and services include chiropractic care, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, naturopathic medicine, Bloomington Clinic offers integrative, natural care for the entire family in one location.

Each monththe Bloomington Clinic providers host a Provider Talks webinar that discusses topics from foot health to the ABZzzzs of Sleep to Promoting Health through the Seasons. Learn more about the webinar serieshere.

Telemedicine is a convenient way to care for yourself during these unprecedented times. Appointment times vary depending on the service. Providers are part ofNorthwestern Health Sciences University, a non-profit industry leader in integrative and natural healthcare education that provides access to the latest evidence and state-of-the-art technology so you get the natural solutions you truly need.

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Immune-Boosting Strategies to Stay Ahead of the Cold - Mpls.St.Paul Magazine