Healing Ways

A little light reading for people who aren’t sure acupuncture “works”:

https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/publications/esp/acupuncture-evidence-map.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1kOgJBkM9DEyxUZu7MgLru0_OOWuMmzs_xBCqYkYWrtUT3eis9E-Mh6QY

www.hsrd.research.va.gov

7 Yoga Poses to Open Your Heart and Shoulders Looking for a sequence that uses yoga for heart and shoulder opening? Try these 7 poses that use the support of two blocks.

"A Womb of Their Own" Screening w/ filmmaker Cyn Lubow &midwife Ray Rachlin Join us for a screening of the film "A Womb of their Own" followed up by a Q&A with the filmmaker Cyn Lubow and midwife Ray Rachlin

"Of the coronavirus’s many side effects, perhaps the least appreciated are psychological. Those who’ve had a bad case and survived, like people who’ve been in war or accidents, may suffer post-traumatic stress for years. And even people in the as-yet-healthy majority are hurting. Young adults, in particular, are getting more depressed and anxious as SARS-CoV-2 uproots whatever budding life plans they’d been nursing."

Analysis | An Epidemic of Depression and Anxiety Among Young Adults As Covid-19 spreads, so do mental-health problems, especially among Gen Z and Millennials. A lot of this has to do with uncertainty.

Finding and Eliminating Endocrine Disruptors is important to your Health Goals Many people have health goals which are significantly undermined by toxic endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors block the body’s ability to regulate itself using hormones. An example are xenoestrogens, which raise the level of estrogen in the body making it difficult to lose weight, and are i...

I’m not really someone who takes a ton of supplements, but I’m adding Vitamin D3 back into my daily diet at 10,000 IUs. Also considering other supplements, along with the herbal formulas I already take.

WashU says boosting immune system could be 'treatment strategy' for COVID-19 "We think if we can make our immune systems stronger, we’ll be better able to fight off this coronavirus, as well as other viral and bacterial pathogens"

Reasons to work toward better health, measured by hearth health, blood pressure, blood sugar, and obesity.

Frank pointed to research published by healthaffairs.org that shows the U.S. with higher rates than Europe for heart disease (21.8% to 11.4%), high blood pressure (50% to 32.9%), diabetes (16.4% to 10.9%) and obesity (33.1% to 17.1%), among other factors.

“Nothing has demonstrated the point more than COVID. It has really exposed cracks in the U.S. health care system. It is more like fissures than cracks.”

U.S. high ranking for obesity, diabetes, heart disease not a good mix with coronavirus U.S. has higher rates than Europe for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

“During a Facebook Live event associated with Walter Reed Medical Center, Fauci said temperature checks are so inaccurate that the White House has dropped them altogether, as has Fauci’s office (he’s the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases).”

Dr. Fauci explains why temperature checks to fight COVID-19 are pointless Temperature checks are a pretty inaccurate method to rely on to screen people for the coronavirus. That’s according to White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, who said the White House …

Painkillers such as aspirin 'do more harm than good' for chronic primary pain NHS health officials say paracetamol, ibuprofen and opioids also unsuitable for chronic primary pain

The renowned actor Patrick Stewart has been a longtime outspoken advocate for survivors of domestic violence. He grew up in a home where his mother suffered frequent abuse from his father and has called violence against women the "single greatest human rights violation of our generation." Stewart has also called on other men to speak out on violence against women, saying: "Violence against women is learned. Each of us must examine - and change - the ways in which our own behavior might contribute to, enable, ignore or excuse all such forms of violence. I promise to do so, and to invite other men and allies to do the same."

"The work that I do in campaigns about violence towards women, particularly domestic violence, is something that grew out of my own childhood experience," Stewart said in a speech where he talked about his work with organizations that support survivors of domestic violence, including the UK-based group Refuge. "I do what I do in my mother's name, because I couldn't help her then. Now I can." He also added he had recently learned that his father suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to WWII-related combat. After this discovery, he began to work with Combat Stress, an organization that helps combat veterans deal with their experiences in a healthy, non-abusive manner.

For two excellent resources for tweens and teens struggling with anger issues, we highly recommend "What to Do When Your Temper Flares" for ages 6 to 12 (https://www.amightygirl.com/when-your-temper-flares) and "The Anger Workbook for Teens" for ages 13 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-anger-workbook-for-teens)

For an invaluable book for adults about the early warning signs of abusive relationships, myths about abusive personalities, and how to get help, we also recommend "Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men" at http://amzn.to/2g1f8gk

To help your Mighty Girl learn how to build supportive, mutually respectful relationships, there is an excellent guide that provides foundational advice on approaching relationships in a healthy manner, "A Smart Girl's Guide to Boys," for girls 9 to 13 at https://www.amightygirl.com/a-smart-girl-s-guide-to-boys

For LQBTQ youth seeking relationship guidance, we recommend "Q***r" for ages 13 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/queer

For stories of girls and women experiencing and overcoming abuse and violence in their lives -- which offer a helpful way to talk to young people about the widespread problem of violence against women -- visit our “Abuse & Violence" book section at http://amgrl.co/2BFzFSf

And, if you’re a parent concerned that your daughter may be in an unhealthy relationship, check out the books “But I Love Him: Protecting Your Teen Daughter from Controlling, Abusive Relationships” (https://www.amightygirl.com/but-i-love-him) and “Saving Beauty From The Beast: How to Protect Your Daughter from an Unhealthy Relationship” (https://www.amightygirl.com/saving-beauty-from-the-beast)

Prevention is wayy better than your other options here.

1. Social distancing/ avoiding crowds, esp indoors
2. Mask wearing
3. Hand washing (you were *always doing that, right?*
4. Adequate sleep, good stress management practices, good nutrition

From ‘brain fog’ to heart damage, COVID-19’s lingering problems alarm scientists Some COVID-19 survivors are still sick months later. Doctors want to learn why and what they can do

Boing Boing

While excessive scrubbing rituals may make you feel better, there are more effective practices to focus on to reduce your transmission risks.

If you think that COVID is ‘just like” the flu, I have bad news for you:

What Happens After You Recover From COVID-19? As recovered patients return home, medical professionals are learning about lingering health effects from serious cases of COVID-19.

I’m planning to wear both, starting in September, when I reopen:

Face masks vs. face shields: What should we be wearing? As Americans “mask up” to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a new trend is emerging with more people wearing clear plastic face shields. But are they the best choice?

Neuropod: how the gut is literally hardwired to the brain. And there is now newly published proof that microbiota run the show.

"The human gut is lined with over 100 million nerve cells. To determine whether gut cells and neurons communicate via the same interactions that nerve cells to communicate with each other, the team injected a fluorescent rabies virus known to be transmitted through neuronal synapses into the colons of mice to find out whether their neuronal counterparts would become fluorescent too―which they did. The partner neurons were discovered to be vagal neurons, and newly named neuropod cells of the gut were shown to stretch out and interact with them to form synaptic connections."

"In the lab, the gut cells were also shown produce glutamate, a neurotransmitter involved in smell and taste, which was detected by the vagal neurons within 100 milliseconds, a lot faster than hormones can travel through the bloodstream from the gut to the brain."
https://www.europeanscientist.com/en/public-health/the-gut-brain-connection-newly-discovered-neural-circuit-directly-links-the-brain-to-the-gut/?fbclid=IwAR1ehj7nKsdr6D4xvXDWX4nZWBbzXNL0vfWEfrhvWptea8ottgD8psfgc-c

Photo credit:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352345X19300074?fbclid=IwAR2ELp7zQIQTO5wu1dhqZ0p4zSB541mCNc-g-ohDmZuN-FFUxL_Go6DaqO0
"Figure 1. An enteroendocrine cell neuropod. A confocal microphotograph shows an enteroendocrine cell within the mouse small intestine. An enteroendocrine cell (green) stained with a fluorescently labeled PYY antibody possesses a neuropod that extends below the basal surface of surrounding mucosal cells (eg, enterocytes). Nuclei are stained blue with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. Scale bar: 10 μm."

2023 note: Let's explore neuropod relationship with enteric glia given new research:
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scisignal.adg1668

Stop doomscrolling!

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1283436193863041024?s=20

The New York Times on Twitter “You’re doomscrolling again. Here’s how to snap out of It. https://t.co/Zf8fnRjUDv”

“Steroid injections are frequently used to relieve pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, but new evidence suggests the treatment may do more harm than good for some people. Experts now stress the need for better informed consent about potential risks and benefits of injections.
Data from more than 450 patients who received intra-articular corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis at Boston University show that the treatment may speed the pace of osteoarthritis and contribute to joint destruction.
The article was published online October 15 in the journal Radiology.
"We are now seeing [that] these injections can be very harmful to the joints, with serious complications such as osteonecrosis, subchondral insufficiency fracture, and rapid progressive osteoarthritis," senior author Ali Guermazi, MD, PhD, said in a press release. Guermazi is chief of radiology at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System and professor of radiology at Boston University School of Medicine.”

Knee, Hip Steroid Injections May Speed Joint Damage With evidence that steroid injections may speed joint destruction in some patients with osteoarthritis, experts stress the need for informed consent about potential risks and benefits of injections.

Please stay safe.

"This is a no-brainer" - airborne spread of Covid-19 and the need to change official guidance A review of the evidence for airborne transmission, and why WHO, PHE and CDC guidance needs to change urgently

Check out this article that explains the benefits of body scan meditation on chronic pain, stress, and sleep.

https://www.insider.com/body-scan-meditation

3 health benefits of body scan meditation, and how to practice it Body scan meditation has many health benefits, and it's easy to practice it on your own. Here's how.

It’s about your brain:

Adult-born neurons grow more than their infancy-born counterparts - Neuroscience News Neurons created as a result of adult neurogenesis mature for longer and grow larger than those created during infancy. Findings suggest adult-born neurons may have a more powerful function than those created during infancy and may play a critical role in neuroplasticity.

Unraveling the Circuitry Controlling Cancer's Spread New research has revealed novel insights into the molecular circuitry controlling the growth and spread of cancer. The researchers have uncovered new pathways involved in these key processes of cancer progression that may hold potential as therapeutic targets.

It was always a good idea to reduce our intake of carbs and sugars, but now here is a strong motivator to do so:

Sugar-Coating Disguise Allows for Coronavirus Infection Using the NSF-funded Frontera supercomputer, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Rommie Amaro, along with her UC San Diego colleagues and researchers from the Hamilton Institute at Maynooth University in Dublin, Ireland, reveals the atomic makeup of the coronavirus's sugary cloak.

Do I need to tell you that this is “not just the flu”?

“A new autopsy study that investigated lung changes in response to COVID-19 down to the genetic and molecular levels has revealed new details about damage from the infection -- offering even more insight into how different this disease is from the flu.”

Blood Vessels in Lungs Split in Response to COVID-19 The small study confirmed two things research previously hinted at.

Acupuncture is particularly effective for most kinds of Migraine. I love working with the hormonal migraines (the ones that are related to the monthly cycle) but most migraines are very responsive to acupuncture.

Famous Migraine Sufferers Movie stars, professional athletes and famous politicians share their stories.

I would caution against over-reacting to this - instead, please see it as a possibility for further research.

Study Ties Blood Type to COVID-19 Risk; O May Help, A Hurt A genetic analysis of COVID-19 patients suggests that blood type might influence whether someone develops severe disease

Any time is a great time for nourishing bone broth.

5 Reasons (with 5 Recipes) to Have Broth for Breakfast - Healthy Home Ideas and 5 creative, easy recipes for incorporating homemade, nourishing broth for breakfast with delicious and healthy results guaranteed.

Via telemedicine, I'm offering sessions that focus on breathwork. Obviously you can also breathe on your own.

Email me if you are interested in a "telebreath" session.

How The 'Lost Art' Of Breathing Can Impact Sleep And Resilience While researching his book, Breath, James Nestor participated in a study in which his nose was completely plugged for 10 days, forcing him to breathe solely through his mouth. "I felt awful," he says.