Category Archives: Alternative Medicine

Doctors often prescribe opioids for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. However, opioids have a high potential for misuse, and long-term opioid use can lead to dependence.

Consequently, in recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on finding safer pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches to alleviating pain.

Several studies have shown that mindful breathing has analgesic, or pain-relieving, effects. Thus, mindful breathing could be a safer alternative to pharmacological methods for relieving pain.

Mindful breathing requires individuals to focus their attention on their own internal experience, specifically the sensation of inhaling and exhaling.

Mindful breathing can be particularly difficult for beginners, as it involves focusing on an internal sensation for longer periods. VR-guided breathing has the potential to address this challenge.

VR allows individuals to interact with a computer-generated, three-dimensional, immersive environment.

Studies show that engaging with the external stimulus in the form of the immersive, or realistic, sensory environment that a VR system presents can help reduce pain.

However, scientists do not fully understand the mechanism by which VR modulates brain activity to reduce pain perception.

Experts believe that the amount of attention directed at the painful experience modulates the perception of pain. Engaging with VR requires visual and auditory attention, and this distraction reduces the attention directed toward pain. This in turn lowers the perceived levels of pain.

Moreover, recent developments suggest that exposure to VR may reduce pain even when individuals are not actively engaging with it.

In other words, VR may help alleviate pain by a mechanism other than the distraction of attention.

A recent study that appears in the Journal of Medical Internet Research used brain imaging to investigate the mechanisms underlying the analgesic effects of VR.

The researchers compared the brain activation patterns in healthy individuals practicing traditional mindful breathing with the patterns in those who used VR-aided mindful breathing.

The study reports that individuals using either of the techniques had a higher threshold for pain after practicing mindful breathing for 1 week.

Significantly, the two breathing practices produced different brain activation patterns during the breathing exercise and when the participant was subjected to a painful stimulus immediately after the breathing exercise.

The studys lead author, Dr. Alexandre DaSilva, professor at the University of Michigan (U-M), told Medical News Today,

We found that both meditative breathing methods decreased pain sensitivity, but our study showed two distinct analgesic mechanisms in the brain, like yin and yang.

In the traditional mindful breathing practice, he continued, more frontal regions of the participants brains modulated pain sensitivity by prioritizing their attention on the internal sensations (interception).

In the VR breathing group, more sensory-related regions in the brains modulated pain sensitivity by prioritizing the processing of the external VR [] immersive experience (exteroception).

In short, standard breathing techniques reduced pain by focusing the mind on internal sensations, and VR-guided breathing reduced pain by focusing the users attention on external sensations.

The present study involved 40 healthy adults who practiced either traditional or VR-aided mindful breathing for 7 days.

The traditional mindful breathing group and the VR mindful breathing group performed their respective breathing technique in the lab on the 1st and 7th day. They also practiced these breathing routines at home during the remaining 5 days.

In the VR breathing technique, the headset displayed a 3D image of virtual lungs that moved in synchrony with the participants breathing patterns. The participants wore headphones that played breathing sounds that were also synchronized with their own breaths.

Since the participants in the VR group did not have access to the VR headset at home, the researchers asked them to recreate the VR experience by imagining and visualizing their lungs as they practiced the breathing routine.

After the completion of the breathing activity in the lab on the 1st and 7th day, the researchers administered a test to measure the participants pain thresholds.

They recorded the brain activity of the participants during the breathing exercise and the pain threshold test. They tracked changes in brain activity levels using an imaging technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

fNIRS uses low levels of harmless nonionizing light to continuously track blood flow changes in brain regions. This technique uses the principle that when a brain region is activated during a task, there is an increase in blood flow.

The researchers found that both traditional and VR-aided mindful breathing increased the participants pain thresholds after 1 week of practice.

They then looked at the differences in brain activation patterns between the traditional and VR mindful breathing groups during the pain test.

Perception of pain activates brain regions involved in processing sensory information and emotional responses. Processing pain also involves brain regions that are associated with higher-level cognitive functions, such as the prefrontal cortex.

Previous studies have shown that mindful meditation lowers activity in the anterior prefrontal cortex. Importantly, scientists associated lower activity in this brain region with a higher pain threshold.

Both groups in the present study showed a reduction in the anterior prefrontal cortex activation after 7 days of mindful breathing practice.

The VR breathing group also showed greater activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex than the mindful breathing group.

Scientists associate activation of the dorsolateral region of the prefrontal cortex with reduced unpleasantness and intensity of pain. They also associate activation of this region with reduced activity in brain regions that process sensory and emotional components of pain.

Additionally, the VR breathing group showed increased activity in brain regions involved in processing sensory information, including visual and auditory stimuli, compared with the mindful breathing group.

The present study thus shows that VR breathing can modulate pain even aftercompletion of the VR breathing exercise. Also, an increase in pain threshold occurred alongside activation of specific brain regions.

These results show that VR can produce analgesic effects through an alternative mechanism, not just through the distraction of attention due to active engagement with VR.

The researchers assessed differences in functional connectivity associated with the performance of the two breathing exercises. Functional connectivity refers to the coordinated or correlated activity of brain regions during the performance of a task.

The researchers observed that coordination of activity among brain regions involved in processing sensory information was greater during traditional mindful breathing than during VR-aided mindful breathing.

They then investigated whether the degree of coordination between two brain regions during the breathing exercise was correlated with pain thresholds during the subsequent pain test.

The brain regions whose coordinated activity predicted pain threshold differed between the traditional and VR mindful breathing groups.

These results show that traditional mindful breathing and VR-aided mindful breathing modulate the activity between different brain regions in a distinct manner to increase the pain threshold.

MNT spoke with Dr. Jeffrey I. Gold, founder and director emeritus of the Pediatric Pain Medicine Clinic at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and investigator at The Saban Research Institute of CHLA.

Dr. Gold, who was not involved in the study, said:

Its a very well-constructed study, looking at traditional breathing methods for pain management and the use of VR in this augmented way, which is really fascinating. And they integrate wonderful technology with fNIRS, which is a method of measuring brain activation, which I think is great.

It looked like both were effective at reducing pain or increasing thresholds for pain, he explained. But clearly, it appeared that the VR aspect of it was able to interrupt that sensory experience, such that they were able to tolerate even more stimulus and create a higher pain threshold.

I think it really does demonstrate the brains capacity through either conditional mindful breathing and VR-augmented breathing to have an impact on pain, Dr. Gold concluded.

The first strength of the study was the development of the VR breathing technology that synchronized 3D lungs, like an avatar, with the patients own breathing in real time, said Dr. DaSilva.

This captivating experience facilitated their attention to the practice, decreasing distractions common in the traditional mindful breathing method.

Dr. DaSilva further noted: The second strength was the use of fNIRS as a neuroimaging technique to examine our participants brains. fNIRS is quiet, relatively portable, and perfect for providing a more natural environment for our meditative breathing protocol, instead of the usual noisy and confined MRI scanners from other previous studies.

The authors acknowledge that there were a few limitations to their study. Dr. DaSilva observed:

Between the immersive day 1 and [day 7] lab visits, participants were asked to mimic the virtual experience for at-home practices [], which might have dampened its effect. We are working on a mobile VR device solution via smartphone for our future studies to address this issue.

The authors also note that they did not have a control group to compare the brain activity levels and pain thresholds observed in the traditional mindful breathing group and the VR mindful breathing group.

To make our [VR] breathing technology more portable in the future, we are about to start a clinical trial at [U-M] with chronic pain patients. Now that we better understand the analgesic mechanism of [VR] in the brain, we intend to extend and adapt the technology to various pain disorders, including migraine, one of the focuses of our laboratory, said Dr. DaSilva.

See the original post here:

Could VR-guided breathing help reduce pain? - Medical News Today

Breadcrumb Trail Links

Sources such as friends, the Internet and dispensaries not doctors are the preferred options for information about cannabis.

Author of the article:

Publishing date:

By: Maria Loreto, The Fresh Toast

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Cannabis has long been used by some to help ease cancer-related symptoms. But now a new U.S. survey shows that while this is still the case, many patients are wary of sharing this information with their doctors.

The survey was conducted online and anonymously, involving more than 600 breast cancer patients. While the vast majority of participants were women, there were also a few men involved in the survey. The responses were gathered through Breastcancer.org and Healthline.com.

Per the results, 42 per cent of participants reported using cannabis to treat their symptoms, which included vomiting, pain, nausea, insomnia and stress. Responses indicated that while 39 per cent of participants mentioned cannabis use to their doctors, only four per cent of them asked further questions to obtain more information about the drug from their physicians.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

According to participants, sources such as friends, the Internet and dispensaries were preferred options.

When it comes to why these patients are turning to cannabis, 70 per cent of participants considered the drug to be an alternative treatment similar to plant-based medicine, resulting in fewer side effects than the chemicals often present in other medications.

Dr. Marisa Weiss, lead author of the study, spoke with NBC News and shared some of her insights on the survey findings. Dr. Weiss reported that while its okay that people are using cannabis to treat cancer-related symptoms, she voiced concern that their doctors not being in the loop.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Some of these products can interact with treatments they are taking, and there is a safety issue there, she said. We want to make sure they get relief from their symptoms without interfering with the treatments.

Its important for doctors to have all information about cannabis to help them guide their patients, including understanding the possible side effects of choosing an alternative treatment like weed.

Patients, for their parts, should be open with their doctors to ensure doctors can advise on how best to treat their diseases.

The FreshToast.com , a U.S. lifestyle site that contributes lifestyle content and, with their partnership with 600,000 physicians via Skipta, medical marijuana information to The GrowthOp.

Subscribe to Weekend Dispensary , a new weekly newsletter from The GrowthOp.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Vancouver Sun Headline News will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

See the article here:

Breast cancer patients are using cannabis, but many are missing this key step - Vancouver Sun

The consistentAlternative Medicines and Therapies Marketsurvey report is an absolute overview of the market that takes into account various aspects of product definition, market segmentation, and the existing merchant landscape. This market document is comprehensive and encompasses a mixture of parameters of the market. Complete company profiles included in this report also highlights what are the recent developments, product launches, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions are taking place by the several key players and brands that are driving the market.Alternative Medicines and Therapies MarketReport in no doubt will help businesses for the informed and better decisions and in this manner managing marketing of goods and services.

A range ofAlternative Medicines and Therapies Marketreport can be extended from market scenarios to virtual pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. This market research report is prepared in such a way that it turns complex market insights into simpler version with the help of well established tools and techniques. The report reflects high quality and transparency which makes it more reliable for the customers. The most relevant, unique and praiseworthy globalAlternative Medicines and Therapies Marketresearch report is delivered to the valuable customers and clients depending upon their specific business needs.

Get sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts Here:https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-alternative-medicines-and-therapies-market&Shiv

The top most players with the entire requirement cover in this report:

The major players covered in the alternative medicines and therapies market report are Weleda, Wrights Dental, Green Health, Syndy Pharma, Jiva Ayurveda., Bio Veda Action Research Co., Tansukh Herbals Pvt. Ltd., Quantum-Touch., The Healing Company Ltd, Columbia Nutritional, Herb Pharm, Helio USA Inc., Nordic Naturals, Nestle, Pure Encapsulations, LLC., ALCES LLP, Dr Willmar Schwabe India Pvt. Ltd., GUNA SPA, BIORON Diagnostics GmbH, Ainsworth, Kanak Drishti Infotech Pvt. Ltd. and Random Beauty, Inc. among other domestic and global players

Segmentation

Global Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market, By Intervention Type (Homeopathic Medicine, Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda Medicine and Others), Disease (Chronic Diseases, Neurological Diseases, Reducing Pain, CNS Disorders and Others), Therapy Type (Magnetic Therapy, Herbal Therapy, Yoga Therapy and Others), Dosage Form (Tablets, Powder, Syrup, Capsules and Others), Route of Administration (Oral, Topical and Others), End Users (Hospitals, Homecare, Specialty Clinics and Others), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, Germany, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Hungary, Lithuania, Austria, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Rest of Asia Pacific, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Kuwait, Israel, Egypt, Rest of Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2028.

Rise in the exposure to certain toxin or change in environment may increase the Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market will uplift the market growth, also increase in the awareness about treatment and technological advancement and rapid adoption of newer formulations and novel dosage forms are some of the crucial factors among others driving the Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market. Moreover, rise in the research and development activities in the market and rise in the demand from emerging economies will further create new opportunities for the Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market in the forecast period of 2021-2028.

However, inadequate knowledge about Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market in some developing countries and patent expiry from many companies and introduction of generic drugs of branded version are the major factors among others acting as restraints, and will further challenge the Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market in the forecast period mentioned above.

Access Full TOC, Table & Figures:https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-alternative-medicines-and-therapies-market&Shiv

The Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market report provides details of market share, new developments, and product pipeline analysis, impact of domestic and localized market players, analyses opportunities in terms of emerging revenue pockets, changes in market regulations, product approvals, strategic decisions, product launches, geographic expansions, and technological innovations in the market. To understand the analysis on the Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market scenario contact Data bridge market research for an Analyst Brief our team will help you create a revenue impact solution to achieve your desired goal.

The Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market is segmented on the basis of product, wound type and end user. The growth amongst these segments will help you analyze meager growth segments in the industries, and provide the users with valuable market overview and market insights to help them in making strategic decisions for identification of core market applications.

On the basis of product, the Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market is segmented into enzymatic debridement products, autolysis debridement products, mechanical debridement products, surgical debridement products, ultrasonic debridement products and other debridement products. Autolysis debridement products are further sub segmented into gels and ointments. Mechanical debridement products are further sub segmented into mechanical debridement pads and medical gauzes.

Access Full Report:https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-alternative-medicines-and-therapies-market?utm_source=Shiv&utm_medium=Shiv&utm_id=Shiv

Other debridement products are further sub segmented into maggots, irrigation products, and solutions. On the basis of wound type, the Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market is segmented into diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg, pressure ulcers, burns, and other wounds. Other wounds are further sub segmented into infectious wounds and radiation wounds.Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market Analysis

The Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market also provides you with detailed market analysis for patient analysis, prognosis and cures. Prevalence, incidence, mortality, adherence rates are some of the data variables that are available in the report. Direct or indirect impact analysis of epidemiology to market growth are analyzed to create a more robust and cohort multivariate statistical model for forecasting the market in the growth period.

Competitive Landscape andAlternative Medicines and Therapies MarketShare Analysis

The Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market competitive landscape provides details by competitor. Details included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, clinical trials pipelines, product approvals, patents, product width and breadth, application dominance, technology lifeline curve. The above data points provided are only related to the companies focus related to Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market.

See the original post here:

Alternative Medicines and Therapies Market 2021 Key Players and Production Information Analysis with Forecast 2028 IMIESA - IMIESA

The placebo effect, where symptoms improve despite a non-active treatment, could be at work if alternative healing is effective, said Lee.

The placebo effect doesnt mean its not real, because now we know the placebo effect is as real as some active ingredients. Our mind and body are so intertwined that if we believe in certain things, this may have impact on our bodies, he said.

Placebos work through patient expectations, meaningful procedures, and a positive practitioner-patient relationship, he added.

But people with physical or mental health problems should still consult mainstream healthcare providers, the experts advise.

Should they wish to concurrently see alternative wellness providers, they should seek recommendations from friends or people they know, and be aware of the consequences, said Lee.

If individuals, despite using CAM, are feeling very distressed or find that their mental health issues have affected their daily functioning, they should seek help from a mental health professional, said Mythily.

They should not rely on just CAM to address their issues and avoid professional medical treatment.

As CAM grows in popularity, such practitioners can also help refer individuals to medical services if they feel the person is not getting better or worsening in terms of symptoms or functioning, added Mythily.

Meanwhile, the alternative wellness providers say they do not try to convince sceptics about what they do. In the early days, I would try to explain from a point of validation, getting approval, said Teo. These days, she embraces the fact that sceptics may not change their minds, and she is a hippie living in Singapore.

Link:

Alternative therapies draw the pandemic-weary, but they're no substitute for mainstream medicine - CNA

Two deaths of people using naturopaths this summer have provoked a warning about the dangers of alternative medicine.

In one case, a 44-year-old woman paying 1,000 a week for a fasting treatment in a Loire chateau was found dead in her room after taking no water for several days.

The prefect ordered the course to be closed and a judge at Tours is investigating possible involuntary homicide. The naturopath who ran the course denied involvement in the death and said the only explanation was her Covid vaccination.

Participants told French media they drank only water during the fast and one man had been taken to hospital after he stopped taking medicine for his diabetes.

In the other case, the widow of a 41-yearold man who died from testicular cancer laid a criminal complaint against a naturopath who advised him to stop chemotherapy treatment and to rely on natural treatments such as fasts and purges.

The naturopath is facing a Paris court on charges of illegally practising medicine and usurping a doctors work.

Both cases throw light on naturopathys growth, especially during the Covid crisis.

The Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and the Fight against Sectarian Movements (Miviludes) is investigating, saying 38% of complaints in 2020 were about health, with 160 for yoga and meditation. It said pseudothrapeutes were using the Covid crisis to spread anti-system messages on medical totalitarianism to people left anxious by the health situation.

Claire Cavelier, spokeswoman for the LaFna federation of eight naturopath training schools, said: There is enormous interest in naturopathy at the moment, which unfortunately has attracted many charlatans or would-be gurus into the area because there are no regulations in France.

You could buy a brass plate with your name and naturopath on it today, and be open for business tomorrow.

Charging 1,000 a week for a fasting treatment, or telling people to ignore a doctors prescription, is not something any naturopath should do and is an example of charlatan practice, and could even be classified as running a sect.

Naturopathy is recognised as a traditional medicine by the World Health Organisation, and is regulated in Germany, Portugal and Switzerland.

Ms Cavelier would like similar regulation in France, saying cases like the ones we have had this summer always slow down or reverse any progress we have made.

In the absence of regulations, LaFna has set up a core course of study, involving at least 1,200 hours, with each school having its own specific areas of study.

Naturopathy is seen as a branch of traditional medicine which seeks to establish equilibrium in the body through natural means, but non-conventional treatments struggle for official recognition.

Instead, they encourage people to undertake treatments such as changing diet, fasting, phytothrapie (using plants, often in tisanes or tinctures), massages or sport to improve health, and say illnesses can only be understood by looking for deep-rooted causes and treating them.

In recent years, many naturopaths have started running yoga courses as treatments.

Go here to see the original:

Alternative medicine warning following two deaths in France - The Connexion

Sipping ginger tea is one potential way to get rid of bloating.

Image Credit: Maria Kovalets / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages

Bloating is common as many as 25 percent of people experience it from time to time, according to the Cleveland Clinic. But that doesn't make it any less uncomfortable. Fortunately, when GI troubles strike, bloating remedies can help you ease that too-full feeling.

Although bloating is common, it typically signals that something unusual is happening in your digestive tract, says Brooks Cash, MD, professor of gastroenterology at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School.

For instance, lifestyle habits may be to blame. "Eating quickly, chewing gum, using straws and smoking are all associated with swallowing air, which can cause bloating," Dr. Cash says. Your diet is another potential cause of bloat, as some people report gas and bloating after eating foods that contain lactose, sucrose, starch, excessive fiber or sweeteners, according to the Mayo Clinic.

For others, bloating can be a sign of gastrointestinal disorders including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Bloating is so widespread, in fact, that professionals experience it too. That's why we asked gut health experts about their tried-and-true methods for how to debloat.

Physical activity may improve your bloating, Dr. Cash says. He recommends starting gently with a 15- to 30-minute walk to see how it makes your stomach feel.

Other gentle activities may also help relieve bloating. Take yoga, for instance it has been found to safely decrease IBS symptoms, including bloating, according to a December 2016 review in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The review analyzed various styles of yoga and frequency and duration of practice, so try different kinds of yoga to see what works best for your body and schedule.

Although strenuous exercise like running or interval training can be great for your body, it may not be the best when it comes to bloating. That's because intense activity can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea, per a June 2017 study in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

"Bloating can be brought on by a miscommunication in the digestive process," says Abigail Hueber, RD, LDN, an integrative functional dietitian specializing in digestive health and owner of Above Health Nutrition. "Bitters can jumpstart the digestive process."

Bitters are much like the name implies liquids made of bitter-tasting plant extracts, and typically contain alcohol. They're commonly used in plant-based medical systems to treat indigestion, per May 2015 research in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

And there's a reason for that according to the research, sipping bitters may stimulate digestion in a number of ways:

You can take bitters before, during, after or between meals, Hueber says.

Ginger is a known digestive aid, and it can be helpful for bloating and an upset stomach. "Ginger is a great motility agent, meaning it helps move food down and through the GI system. It's also soothing and anti-inflammatory," Hueber says.

She either drinks ginger tea or puts slices of fresh ginger into a bottom of a mug and pours hot water over it to steep.

It's common to be stressed during the day. But those worries can do a number on your gut.

"During stressful situations, blood is shunted away from the digestive system to muscles because your body considers that the priority," says Heather Finley, DCN, RD, a gut health expert and registered dietitian.

In other words, your body is preparing to fight or flee a threat. Although this response is helpful in life-or-death situations where you do indeed need to fight or flee, it may not be so handy if the stressor is your overloaded email inbox.

And because your body diverts most of its resources to your muscles during the fight-or-flight response, your digestive system slows or stops and leaves food sitting in your stomach, according to Harvard Health Publishing. The result? Bloating.

Relaxing your nervous system can help your digestive processes rev back up. Here are some tips to help:

5. Try a Breathing Exercise

Deep breathing isn't just a useful tool to release stress. Hueber says it's also a wonderful way to stimulate motility.

There are numerous types of breathing exercises you can try, but her favorite is the box breath. To do it, inhale for a count of four, then hold your breath for a count of four. Exhale for a count of four, then hold your breath for a count of four. Repeat as needed.

6. Activate Your Vagus Nerve

Your vagus nerve starts in your brain and travels throughout your body, according to Harvard Health Publishing. And it's linked to your nervous system. "Your gut and brain are connected via the vagus nerve. When your mind is anxious, your gut is anxious, and vice versa," Finley says. "Reducing stress on both sides can help these two systems work together."

Stimulating the vagus nerve is a bloating remedy because it can promote GI contraction to move things along, she says. You can trigger it with activities like:

If you're bloated, the last thing you may want to do is tuck into a big meal. But eventually, you'll need to eat.

"Your body needs fuel regardless if you're bloated or not," Finley says. What's more, skipping your next meal can increase your body's stress response, which could actually make things worse.

Instead, Finley recommends eating foods that are easy to digest and therefore gentle to your GI tract, like well-cooked, mashed or pureed foods. Specific options include:

Chewing your food thoroughly can also aid digestion, according to the Cleveland Clinic, which may help prevent further bloating.

8. Give Yourself a Massage

A self-massage is another bloating remedy that can relax and aid GI function, Finley says. She recommends trying her "I Love U" massage. Here's how to do it:

This self-massage helps the muscles around your colon contract, which may expel waste and trapped air that can contribute to bloating or constipation, Finley says.

Read the original post:

8 Bloating Remedies From Digestive Health Experts - Livestrong

It was the afternoon of 4 July 2020, and Melissa Rein Livelys video was about to go viral. A PR executive in Arizona, she already had the appearance of a person for whom a viral video was part of the plan, but with the super-groomed blondeness better suited to a branded beauty tutorial than a clip of face masks being torn from their racks. Finally we meet the end of the road. This shit is over, we dont want any of this any more! she screams, holding the phone camera in one hand and tossing face masks with the other, in a video that swiftly became known as QAnon Karen. When two employees at the Scottsdale branch of Target confront her, she continues, Why? I cant do it cause Im a blonde white woman? Wearing a fucking $40,000 Rolex? I dont have the right to fuck shit up?

Rein Lively had always thought of herself as a spiritual person. Her interests were grounded in wellness, natural health, organic food, she lists for me today from her home in Arizona, yoga, ayurvedic healing, meditation, etc. When the pandemic hit she started spending more time online, on wellness sites that offered affirmations, recipes and, on health, the repeated message to Do your research. Shed click on a video of foods that boost immunity and shed see a clip about the dangers of vaccines. A significant number of influencers previously focused on wellness and spirituality, she noticed, seemed to become dominated with what we now understand to be QAnon content. QAnon is the conspiracy theory that Donald Trump is fighting a deep-state cabal of Satanic paedophiles. It originated on far-right message boards before entering online wellness communities, where it found a largely female following, who continue to share phrases like Save the Children. The phrase was first used by QAnon believers spreading the false claim that Hillary Clinton abused children and drank their blood. Today that phrase is seen on social media posts by yoga teachers and wellness influencers speaking out against human trafficking.

Much of what I read took a hard stance against the pharmaceutical industry and western medical philosophy, and was particularly critical of individuals like Bill Gates, who seemed to have an incredible amount of influence and involvement in public health policy, continues Rein Lively. At first, she enjoyed what she was reading. She liked learning. She liked the community. She liked the idea that there were patriots in the government who were working quietly to help save the world. But as she clicked on and read about imminent genocide under the guise of a health crisis, she felt herself changing.

In 2011, sociologists Charlotte Ward and David Voas coined the term conspirituality. Ward defined it as a rapidly growing web movement expressing an ideology fuelled by political disillusionment and the popularity of alternative worldviews. It describes the sticky intersection of two worlds: the world of yoga and juice cleanses with that of New Age thinking and online theories about secret groups, covertly controlling the universe. Its a place where you might typically see a vegan influencer imploring their followers to stick to a water fast rather than getting vaccinated, or a meditation instructor reminding her clients of the dangers of 5G, or read an Instagram comment explaining that vaccines are hiding tracking devices. Its a place where the word scamdemic might comfortably run up the side of a pair of yoga pants (88% polyester, 40, also available in Defund the Media print, World Hellth Organisation and Masked Sheeple, in millennial pink).

While the overlap of left-wing, magazine-friendly wellness and far-right conspiracy theories might initially sound surprising, the similarities in cultures, in ways of thinking the questioning of authority, of alternative medicines, the distrust of institutions are clear. But something is happening, accelerated by the pandemic the former is becoming a mainstream entry point into the latter. An entry point that can be found everywhere from a community garden to the beauty aisle at a big Tesco. Part of what makes a successful influencer is the ability to compel their followers to trust them, and they do that by sharing their lives, their homes, their diets, their concerns. Its become clear, both by the products they buy and the choices they make, that many people trust their influencers more than their own doctor.

The wellness industry today is reportedly worth $4.5trn, with Gwyneth Paltrows Goop brand worth $250m alone; in May, on the Goop site Paltrow curated a list of products recommended by her functional medicine practitioner to help ease long Covid, including an $8,600 necklace, for hiking in. This is a growth market, an industry that draws on ancient traditions to offer solutions to people who feel unlistened to and uncared for by modern medical practices. It can be stirred into tea, or pressed into the skin, or lit in the evening, or worn round the wrist. It is shaped as a quest. And as the pandemic chewed its way across the world, those following certain wellness channels closely noticed a shift in tone.

One night, Melissa Rein Lively saw a meme: an image of Polish Jews being put on a train in 1939, edited so they were wearing face masks. The caption said: First they put you in the masks, then they put you in the box cars. The granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she says, It was the most disturbing image I think I have ever seen. Everything I was learning and everything I have ever been afraid of connected in a way that convinced me that at least some semblance of what I was reading was true. She was becoming convinced that nothing was really what it seemed; that there was a carefully constructed narrative being told, which was designed to control society. I was willing to expand my thinking and consider a completely alternative theory, especially during a time of unprecedented chaos. What if nothing was what it seemed? It was shocking, she says, and horrifying, and also, Oddly comforting. What I had felt I knew was true, and others knew the same thing. The truth as I saw it, was infuriating and I felt compelled to help others awaken . Which is when she went to Target and started shouting.

Research conducted during the pandemic suggests a link between Covid-related uncertainty, anxiety and depression and an increased likelihood of believing conspiracy theories. A report from the Centre for Countering Digital Hate showed the most-followed social media accounts held by anti-vaxxers increased their followers by more than 7.8m in 2020. They have used the anxiety around Covid vaccines, the speed with which they were authorised, the politics that surrounded them and the systemic racism that led to communities of colour losing trust in the medical establishment, to spread their message. We are living in odd and untested times, when influencers and Facebook algorithms draw vulnerable people underground through the tunnels of the internet.

There are, however, silver linings. One benefit of the rise of conspiracy theories is the rise of conspiracy-theory explainers. Dr Timothy Caulfield works tirelessly, occasionally with a note of weariness, to explain and debunk misinformation. Hes studied the subject for decades, but has never seen it taken as seriously as it is right now; the World Health Organisation is calling this an infodemic. The toleration of wellness pseudoscience has helped to fuel the current situation, he says. The key to changing minds is to debunk it before it takes on an ideological spin.

There is a strong correlation between the embrace of wellness woo and being susceptible to misinformation. And as conspiracy theories and misinformation become increasingly about ideology, it becomes easier to sell both wellness bunk and conspiracy theories as being on brand. In other words, if you are part of our community, this is the cluster of beliefs you must embrace Big Science is evil, supplements help, you can boost your immune system, vaccines dont work He could go on. I truly hope that one of the legacies of the pandemic is a greater understanding of the harm that tolerating pseudoscience can do. The good news is that we are seeing more and more individuals get involved in the fight against misinformation.

Like Abbie Richards, a chirpy Lena-Dunham lookalike whose disinformation videos have gone viral on TikTok. She has become famous for her conspiracy theory pyramid, which she uses to lead viewers away from reality, through things that really happened (like the FBI spying on John Lennon), to the antisemitic point of no return. She is fabulous. In the Monological thinking section, she explains how everything is connected to a rejection of authority. If you dont believe in climate change, youre saying you dont trust the scientists. If someone is feeling discontented, these ideologies provide them with a sense of community, and someone to blame, she says.

Where Richards simplifies big ideas, offering them sugar-coated with a glass of Coke, the Conspirituality podcast, presented by a journalist, a cult researcher and a philosophical sceptic, goes deep, unravelling the stories, cognitive dissonances and cultic dynamics in the yoga, wellness and new spirituality worlds every week over a soft-spoken hour. It is dense and fascinating, and moves in and out of topics alternately Instagramable and apocalyptic within two breaths. Certain thoughts stay with me. If you keep getting enlightened, are you ever really enlightened? When you attempt to integrate a holistic practice into a capitalist society, more is always demanded. And, Conspirituality is an ideology, but its also a financial racket and its also a way of being with other people. As I listen, I become aware of how the intimate nature of a podcast encourages me to think about the subjects with a particular empathy aside from the words spoken, the speaking itself encourages the listener to consider their own vulnerability to misinformation.

Watching Melissa Rein Livelys videos is disturbing. In one she calls police Nazis, in another she uses the N-word repeatedly. That summer, she says now, shed begun, to experience a rapid mental health spiral. On 4 July, I experienced a mental break that peaked at a Target store. Mental illness is not uncommon in conspiracy theorists. In February, the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism reported that over two-thirds of the 31 QAnon followers whod been charged around the January insurrection in Washington, DC experienced severe mental health conditions. Many of the women sampled became involved in QAnon after learning their child had been abused.

Rein Lively was hospitalised for 10 days. Her husband filed for divorce. I was shamed and harassed online as the internet called for me to be cancelled. I was close to the edge of suicide. In hospital she worked with therapists unpicking unresolved trauma, including the death by suicide of her mother. The instability and chaos of the pandemic brought back all of those life experiences. I was forced to re-experience them and ultimately seek help.

Today, she is reunited with her husband, her Instagram a rainbow of bikini shots and videos about mental health. Does she feel differently about wellness and spirituality now? I do. I think it is very easy to get drawn into that world. People fail to realise that wellness and spirituality is ultimately an industry. There are a lot of useful lessons, she says, but, I think its best to take them with a grain of salt. Caulfield sees Rein Lively as a good example of how we need voices within the communities. People who understand the values and experiences of people who have embraced wellness and conspiracies. Its never been more important, he believes, for wellness influencers to use their influence well.

View original post here:

The dark side of wellness: the overlap between spiritual thinking and far-right conspiracies - The Guardian

A2Z Market Research announces the release of Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market research report. The market is predictable to grow at a healthy pace in the coming years. Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market 2021 research report presents analysis of market size, share, and growth, trends, cost structure, statistical and comprehensive data of the global market.

The top companies in this report include:

Arab Yoga Foundation (AYF), Soul Warrior, Sukoun, Aura Wellness, Intouch Clinic, Landmark Fitness Ltd., Osana Family Wellness, Cairo Osteopathy, Blue Tree Clinics, House of Nature Medical Center, Zen Yoga, Salmiya SKY Meditation Centre, Jordan Chiropractic & Acupuncture.

Get Sample Report with Latest Industry Trends Analysis: https://www.a2zmarketresearch.com/sample-request/571658

As analytics have become an inherent part of every business activity and role, form a central role in the decision-making process of companies these days is mentioned in this report. In the next few years, the demand for the market is expected to substantially rise globally, enabling healthy growth of the Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market is also detailed in the report. This report highlights the manufacturing cost structure includes the cost of the materials, labor cost, depreciation cost, and the cost of manufacturing procedures. Price analysis and analysis of equipment suppliers are also done by the analysts in the report.

This research report represents a 360-degree overview of the competitive landscape of the Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market. Furthermore, it offers massive data relating to recent trends, technological advancements, tools, and methodologies. The research report analyzes the Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market in a detailed and concise manner for better insights into the businesses.

The report, with the assistance of nitty-gritty business profiles, project practicality analysis, SWOT examination, and a few different insights about the key organizations working in the Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market, exhibits a point-by-point scientific record of the markets competitive scenario. The report likewise displays a review of the effect of recent developments in the market on markets future development prospects.

Global Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market Segmentation:

Market Segmentation: By Type

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs)ObesityDiabetesInfertilityOthers

Market Segmentation: By Application

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs)ObesityDiabetesInfertilityOthers

Geographic analysis:

The global Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine market has been spread across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and the rest of the world.

Get Exclusive Discount on this Premium Report: https://www.a2zmarketresearch.com/discount/571658

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

The pandemic of COVID-19 has emerged in lockdown across regions, line limitations, and breakdown of transportation organizations. Furthermore, the financial vulnerability Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market is a lot higher than past flare-ups like the extreme intense respiratory condition (SARS), avian influenza, pig influenza, bird influenza, and Ebola, inferable from the rising number of contaminated individuals and the vulnerability about the finish of the crisis. With the rapid rising cases, the worldwide Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine refreshments market is getting influenced from multiple points of view.

The accessibility of the labor force is by all accounts disturbing the inventory network of the worldwide Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine market as the lockdown and the spread of the infection are pushing individuals to remain inside. The presentation of the Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine makers and the transportation of the products are associated. If the assembling movement is stopped, transportation and, likewise, the store network additionally stops. The stacking and dumping of the items, i.e., crude materials and results (fixings), which require a ton of labor, is likewise vigorously affected because of the pandemic. From the assembling plant entryway to the stockroom or from the distribution center to the end clients, i.e., application ventures, the whole Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine inventory network is seriously compromised because of the episode.

The research provides answers to the following key questions:

Buy Exclusive Report: https://www.a2zmarketresearch.com/checkout

Contact Us:

Roger Smith

1887 WHITNEY MESA DR HENDERSON, NV 89014

sales@a2zmarketresearch.com

+1 775 237 4147

View post:

Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market to Witness Growth Acceleration | Arab Yoga Foundation (AYF), Soul Warrior, Sukoun ...

The most common frontline treatment for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine sulfate, and prednisone (CHOP). However, approximately 1 in 3 patients relapse after CHOP, and alternative therapies are still needed.

According to Jason Westin, MD, the leader of the DLBCL research team at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the strategies for DLBCL treatment have not changed drastically since the mid 1970s. Additionally, more information is needed as to why patients relapse after CHOP.

For patients who are CHOP resistant, the standard of care is strong chemotherapy followed by an autologous stem cell transplant. However, according to Westin, more personalized and targeted therapies are needed.

In an interview with Targeted OncologyTM, Westin discussed the future of DLBCL treatment in both the frontline and later-line settings, along with current unmet clinical needs.

TARGETED ONCOLOGY: Can you give a background on current treatments in DLBCL?

WESTIN: DLBCL is the most common lymphoid cancer in adults, it's diagnosed in about 30,000 people each year in the US. And the treatments of that most common lymphoid cancer have been effectively stuck in the 1970s and the 1990s. We use a combination chemotherapy approach called CHOP, which was originally prescribed in 1976. We've changed a lot in life from 1976 to now, but we're still using this old combination chemotherapy in the curative setting for lymphoma. So obviously, new approaches are needed.

What does the current DLBCL treatment landscape?

Most patients are treated with the combination chemotherapy CHOP, and that cures approximately 2/3 of patients. It's a fairly effective standard therapy. However, at least 1 out of 3 people need additional treatments, and we don't do as well in the relapse setting as we'd like. So, we're constantly trying to innovate and improve that frontline setting and get beyond the 2/3 cure rate with initial treatments, and that will take a better understanding of why those 1/3 don't respond to CHOP, and a better understanding of the biology of what makes them resistant to treatments.

Do we know anything right now about the mechanisms of resistance to CHOP?

We know some, but I argue that we don't nearly know as much as we think we do. We understand the biology in the sense of understanding which mutation is present, or what type of gene signature. But often, the actual reason as to why a given patient doesn't respond to CHOP is very poorly understood. Patients that have the same biopsy, same genetic signature, some of those patients are cured and some of those patients are resistant. And it's difficult to predict prior to therapy which of those patients are resistant.

For patients that are resistant to CHOP, what options exist for them?

The standard of care for the past 20 years for those resistant to CHOP has been strong chemotherapy followed by an autologous stem cell transplant. Beyond the second line setting right now, there are a number of FDA approved agents for patients with relapsed BLBCL, and many of those FDA approved agents are being studied in combination CHOP and rituximab [Rituxan; R-CHOP].

What clinical needs are still unmet in this patient population?

The needs that are still unmet are finding more personalized therapies, specifically for those patients who are not cured with R-CHOP. But I would argue even in those patients who are currently cured with R-CHOP, that we don't want to use 1970s, chemotherapy in 2050. We want to be able to have personalized approaches and be able to move beyond effectively sledgehammer kind of blunt force instruments and use more precision medicine. So, we clearly need to do better urgently for the folks who are currently resistant or not responsive to chemotherapy. But I'd argue in the long run we need to do better across the board.

Do you see more aggressive approaches like autologous stem cell transplant and targeted therapies moving to the frontline setting in the future? Or do you think they'll remain a second- and third-line option?

I think that CAR T cells have the potential to move to the frontline for a subset of patients, for those that are not going to be responsive to our standard treatments. I think that's an approach that has merit, to try and use a powerful weapon at an earlier time point. I don't think stem cell transplant will do that. But I do think some of the other targeted therapies, the antibody drug conjugates, the bispecific antibodies, antibodies in combination with other immune therapies do potentially have a role to play in the frontline setting.

Where do you see the DLBCL space going in the next 5 to 10 years?

Well, I'd love to say things will be dramatically different. But we could have said that at any point over the last 20 years and would have been wrong. There are multiple ongoing studies looking at ways to improve the frontline setting. But innovation is more likely in the relapse space, which then filters up to the frontline space. And I think that the CAR T-cell studies showing potential advantages in the second line will change the landscape for patients who have relapsed after R-CHOP in the next 5 to 10 years to favor using CAR T-cell therapy. I think based on having that better cure fraction in the relapse space, more innovation may be possible in the frontline space. And so therefore doing studies that are not handcuffed to the 1970s chemotherapy for fear of not giving a patient the old curative therapy and missing a potential window for cure, I think that will allow us to do more innovative studies. I've done a handful of clinical trials using targeted therapy combinations prior to chemotherapy. And what we've shown in those studies is the response rates are very high. And patients tolerate it very well. And so that's still on a clinical trial stage. But it does show the potential that these targeted treatments can work better in newly diagnosed patients and potentially forego the need for chemotherapy.

I think the R-CHOP plus combination trial designs a failure. And I think that more innovative trial designs are needed. But clinical research still remains the best weapon we have to fight cancer in general and specifically DLBCL.

Follow this link:

Newer Agents for DLBCL Show Potential for Earlier Use in the Course of Treatment - Targeted Oncology

Absolute markets Insights has added a new statistical data titled as, Complementary and Alternative Medicines Market to its exhaustive database. It explains dynamic aspects of the businesses to get comprehensive data for better understanding of the customers.

Latest technologies and new trends which have been adopted by top-level industries are explained to get proper directions for the businesses. It is aggregated on the basis of some significant market segments such as type, age group, and end-users.

Moreover, it focuses on leading industry key players across the global regions such as North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and India. Different internal and external factors such as, size, shares, demands, dynamics, challenges have been mentioned, which are responsible for fueling or restraining progress of the companies. Informative data regarding the challenges faced by the industries and approaches adopted by them to overcome those threats has been included. This research report is helpful for both established businesses as well as startups in the market.

Request for Sample Copy of This Report@https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/request_sample.php?id=314

In terms of revenue, the Complementary and Alternative Medicines Market stood at US$ 2,498.24 million in 2020, and is anticipated to reach US$ 9,759.38 million by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 16.4% during the forecast period (2021-2030).

In terms of geographical locations, the Sao Paulo city accounted for the highest market share in 2020 owing to the huge number of population in the location and increasing prevalence of non-contagious ailments

Traditional Alternative Medicine Therapy segment hold the largest market share among the different alternative medicine therapy types available in the global market due to the changing perspective towards a more healthy approach.

On the basis of age group, adolescent segment hold the largest share in the Brazilian market due to the high prevalence of diseases in the location. According to an article published regarding the effects of Clustering Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases among Adolescents from Southern Brazil, it is been concluded that Adolescents had a high prevalence of simultaneous risk factors for NCDs (Non-Communicable Diseases).

Key players operating in the Brazil complementary and alternative medicines market are Optum, Inc., Ach, Quantum-Touch, and Herboflora amogst others.

Enquiry before Buying @ https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=314

Key Highlights of the Report for 2021-2030:

Shifting trends from a standardized treatment approach to a combined treatment, where people were provided natural unconventional treatments along with the standardized treatments is anticipate to assist the Brazil complementary and alternative medicine market. Complementary and alternative medicine includes practices like consumption of dietary supplements, massage therapy, acupuncture and drinking green tea amongst others. A company named Sanofi is one of the leaders under dietary supplements sales in Brazil. However, the company faces intense competition from other market participants owing to the fact that these aforementioned companies tend to offer cheaper alternatives options than those offered by Sanofi. Technological advancements (the Vcaps Plus Purple Carrot and Blue Spirulina capsules by Lonza) carried out by manufacturers for sports nutrition and others high growth market segments is expected to assist the healthy living trend in Brazil

Request for Customization@ https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/request_for_customization.php?id=314

Queries Resolved In This Report:

Complementary and Alternative Medicines Market segmentation:

By Type

By Age Group

By Disease Indications

By Distribution Channel

By Region

For More Information Visit@ https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/reports/Complementary-and-Alternative-Medicine-Market-2019-2027-314

Contact Us:

Company: Absolute Markets Insights

Email id: sales@absolutemarketsinsights.com

Phone: +91-740-024-2424

Contact Name: Shreyas Tanna

The Work Lab,

Model Colony, Shivajinagar, Pune, MH, 411016

Website: https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/

Read the original:

Complementary and Alternative Medicines Market By Global Business Trends, Future Demand, Segmentation , Top Key Players and Forecast to 2030 | Optum,...