Category Archives: Integrative Medicine

There are some folks who can seemingly drink and drink without feeling any consequences (well, at least in the short term), but as our college days grow further and further out of sight, that actually gets to be increasingly rare.

As we get older, our body's ability to process alcohol decreases due to a combination of changes," says Erika Schwartz, MD, an integrative medicine doctor who founded Evolved Science. "This is due to both natural aging, the buildup of exposure to toxins throughout life, as well as deterioration of enzymatic processes necessary to detoxify alcohol from our system."

Dr. Schwartz goes on to explain that as we age, muscle is replaced by fat and fat cells hold less water than muscle cells, largely diminishing the positive effect that muscles can have on the processing of alcohol. Not only does this mean your body cant metabolize alcohol as quickly as it did when you were younger, it also increases the direct damage to your liver from alcohol, she says.

That said everyone is different.

Some peopleincluding those who are elderlymay get wobbly after one alcoholic beverage, while others need a few drinks to feel any impact. Body size and composition are significant factors in alcohol detoxification and tolerance regardless of age, says Dr. Schwartz. Many [people who identify as] men tend to have larger bodies, which indicates more area to distribute alcohol in lowering the overall alcohol content. They also tend to have more muscle, which in turn leads to a higher water content, helping to dilute and diminish the effect of alcohol on the body. Also, some [people who identify as] women have less alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme that breaks down alcohol, leaving more alcohol in the bloodstream for longer periods of time. This is why the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend keeping drinking habits to a minimum, which they define as no more than two drinks per day for men and one per day for women.

Moderate to heavy drinking over an extended period of time may increase the risk of a dangerous type of irregular heartbeat in adults over 40 years of age, too cardiologist Suzanne Steinbaum, MD, DO, medical expert for American Heart Associations Go Red for Women movement previously told Well+Good. Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, occurs when the heart's upper chambers beat irregularly and can increase stroke risk fivefold if left untreated. The condition is estimated to affect 12.1 million people in the United States by 2030. Studies have linked higher alcohol consumption to increased risk of AFib. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor may [also] advise you to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.

Having progressively more and more trouble tolerating a glass of pinot is no fun, but there are a few things that can be done to mitigate the negative effects of alcohol. Dr. Schwartz suggests limiting sugar-laden mixed cocktails, which can increase the inflammatory effects of alcohol further and may cause you to drink in excess. Outside of that, studies on effects of alcohol in the body show that the kind of alcohol isn't as important as the amount over time. Again, she suggests limiting yourself to one, but preferably none (she is a doctor after all!).

Frequent physical activity may also help thwart the negative effects of alcohol. As we age, our bodies metabolize alcohol less efficiently and blood alcohol levels remain high in people who are less active and ill-prepared to detoxify its untoward side-effects, says Dr. Schwartz.

That said, rewinding to the part about cutting back on drinking, its worth noting that alcohol speeds up the aging process because regular drinking can result in a loss of skin elasticity, which may mean an increase in fine lines and wrinkles. Alcohol also decreases cellular efficiency throughout the entire body, making our vital organs function less efficiently, leading to chronic disease. Plus, its a depressant affecting behavior and making it difficult to think clearly and make executive functions, Dr. Schwartz explains.

And thats not all. While an occasional drink is fine, consuming more than what is considered a moderate amount of alcohol has been shown to have a significant effect on hormonal levels, particularly testosterone. Many studies of adults over the years have shown that consuming two to three drinks per week had a significant decrease in testosterone after three weeks, while others show alcohol intake may increase intestinal inflammation, says Brigid Titgemeier, RD.

Bottom line? Its always important to be mindful and honest with yourself about how many glasses you are consuming and how often. With that in mind, like most doctors, Dr. Schwartz would suggest working on cutting out alcohol versus working on getting your body to better tolerate it. Thinking about the price of getting sick can certainly help meet Dr. Schwartzs recommendation. If not, flavored sparkling water or a good ol mocktail can ease the transition.

Other alternatives? Try one of the new-to-market alcohol-free wines (which are shockingly delicious), a booze-free spirit, or sign up for Raising the Bar, a monthly subscription box that delivers alcohol-free craft cocktail ingredients to make zero-proof drinks at home.

Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cutting-edge wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness insiders, and unlock your rewards instantly.

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Heres What Happens to Your Alcohol Tolerance as You Age - Well+Good

Two mRNA vaccines, which received emergency authorization in late 2020, have proven critical in the fight against Covid-19. These vaccines, the first of their kind, were the culmination of decades of research on RNA. Delivered as strands of mRNA that encode a viral protein, the vaccines enter cells and begin producing proteins, allowing the immune system to recognize the virus if encountered later. Following the success of Covid-19 vaccines, researchers hope that mRNA vaccines and therapies will prove useful against many other diseases.

Daniel Anderson, a professor of chemical engineering at MIT and a member of MITs Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, has spent many years working on ways to package and deliver mRNA. Anderson, who recently co-authored a recent Nature Biotechnology review on mRNA therapies, answered some questions from MIT News on the progress of this technology.

Q: What are some of the advantages of RNA vaccines, and how were they developed so rapidly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic?

A: The beauty of RNA vaccines is that once an effective nanoparticle delivery system has been developed, new vaccines targeting new diseases can be rapidly created. For example, Moderna was able to build an optimized mRNA construct a single day after the SARS-CoV-2 DNA sequence was made public, and began dosing patients only weeks later. Conventional vaccine technology is much more slow to develop, and relies on bulk production of a vaccine using mammalian cells in a bioreactor or chicken eggs, while mRNA vaccines turn into the final product only once inside a patients cells. In some ways, mRNA vaccines are using the human body as its own vaccine production facility.

We were lucky that researchers and companies had been working for decades on RNA and nanoparticles, and specifically on the use of mRNA for vaccines for many years. Just as one example, the first RNA nanoparticle drug, Onpattro, was FDA-approved in 2018. While this drug is designed to affect the liver of patients, and has small RNA, not mRNA, the lessons learned in the creation of this drug along with all of the other work helped scientists advance the mRNA vaccines we benefit from today.

Q: What lessons has the development of the Covid-19 vaccines yielded that could help researchers with development of future RNA vaccines?What are some of the challenges that still need to be addressed?

A: There is no question that a lot of important information about Covid-19 vaccines has been learned in the last few years. Today, billions of doses of mRNA vaccines have been given to patients, providing important information about their function, safety, and manufacturing. We have learned that these drugs can be both safe and effective and, importantly, that it is possible to rapidly create a new vaccine to an emergent pathogen. We have also recognized challenges with mRNA vaccines, such as the fact that they must be kept frozen, some at very low temperatures. In the near future I expect we will see mRNA vaccines with improved stability and shelf-life.

Q: What are some examples of diseases where RNA vaccines and other mRNA therapeutics could prove valuable in the future?

A: We are at the beginning of what I believe will be a revolution in medicine. In the near term we will see new mRNA vaccines to new strains of the coronavirus, as well as vaccines against other important diseases like influenza. I am also optimistic that we will see mRNA vaccines and mRNA therapies for diseases where we really dont have solutions, such as HIV and some types of cancer. Longer term, I expect that mRNA therapies will play an important role in certain genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, where mRNA delivered to the lung could allow lung cells to function more normally. Finally I am excited by the progress in genome editing, and the potential for mRNA nanoparticles to provide a permanent therapy for patients. While this may sound like science fiction, we already have evidence from human trials that in vivo genome editing of the liver is possible.

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3 Questions: Daniel Anderson on the progress of mRNA vaccines - MIT News

Dr. Heather Moday

NEW YORK (PRWEB) May 12, 2022

Kyowa Hakko, an international health ingredients manufacturer and world leader in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and food products, is excited to announce a new educational partner, Dr. Heather Moday, a board-certified Allergist, Immunologist and Integrative and Functional Medicine Physician.

We are so pleased to have such a knowledgeable immunity expert working with us to support our educational efforts for IMMUSE commented Karen Todd, MBA, RD, Vice President Global Brand Marketing, Kyowa Hakko USA, Inc., Dr. Moday is able to explain the complexities of the immune system and the importance of immune system balance in clear and concise ways that are helpful in understanding what a postbiotic is and how an ingredient like IMMUSE can support immune system health.

In her book The Immunotype Breakthrough, Dr. Moday explains that, for the most part, what our immune systems truly need is not boosting but balancing. She identifies four distinct immunotypes and gives actionable steps we can each take to prioritize our immune system to elevate our overall health. The immune system affects every aspect of our health yet theres no test to see if its functioning as it should, says Dr. Moday. Thats why education is key and why Im so grateful to work with a science-based company like Kyowa Hakko that prioritizes education.

Dr. Moday will focus on educating fellow physicians and the general public on IMMUSE, a unique patented strain of Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma, characterized as a heat-killed lactic acid bacterium (postbiotic), and that stimulates the bodys natural defenses* and supports year-round health* when taken regularly.

*The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

About IMMUSE: IMMUSE is a postbiotic that delivers a new, breakthrough approach to broad range immune support*. As a clinically researched immune activator* supported by 29 published studies, including 14 human trials, IMMUSE proactively supports the immune system through a novel method of action that activates pDC (plasmacytoid dendritic cells)*. The pDC, a rare type of immune cell, functions as the a key leader of the immune system and has been shown to activate pivotal cells such as NK, Killer-T, Helper-T, and B cells, for a more comprehensive approach to immune support*. Its unique mechanism of action, discovered by Kyowa Hakkos parent company Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd., is opening doors for discovering postbiotics concerning immune health.

About Kyowa Hakko USA: Kyowa Hakko USA is the North & South American office of Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd., an international health ingredients manufacturer and world leader in the development, manufacturing, and marketing pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and food & beverage products. Kyowa is the maker of branded ingredients, including IMMUSE LC-Plasma, Eyemuse Lacticaseibacillus paracasei KW3110, Cognizin Citicoline, Pantesin Pantethine, Setria Glutathione, as well as L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine. For more information, visit http://www.kyowa-usa.com.

About Dr. Heather Moday:Dr. Moday is the owner of the Moday Center for Functional Medicine and Integrative Medicine, which offers comprehensive medical and nutritional programs for adults that focus on preventing and treating chronic diseases to achieve optimal wellness. She has a special interest in immune system dysfunction, including autoimmunity, allergy, the stress-immune connection, Chronic GI dysfunction, cognitive decline, and mood disorders. Dr. Moday received her MD from Tulane Medical School in New Orleans and completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at Montefiore/ Albert Einstein Medical center in New York City. After years of working as an allergist in private practice, she completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the Arizona Center of Integrative Medicine. She is also a certified practitioner through the Institute for Functional Medicine.

Media interested in setting up an interview with Dr. Moday or Karen Todd, please contact Giselle Chollett: giselle@adinnyc.com or 917.386.7116.

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Kyowa Hakko USA Announces the Appointment of Dr. Heather Moday as an Educational Partner for IMMUSE LC-Plasma - PR Web

EVANSTON, Ill., May 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Decades of research have demonstrated the efficacy of massage therapy for relief of chronic pain and show its value in reducing the need for opioids. Pain, especially chronic pain, can be difficult to treat. For too long, the first option considered for pain management was a prescription, most commonly for opioids. As the United States continues to struggle with the opioid epidemic and its devastating effects on lives, society and the economy, the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) believes it's important for those who suffer from pain and healthcare providers alike, to consider the role massage can play in an integrative approach to pain relief.

Visit findamassagetherapist.org to find a qualified massage therapist in your area to help with pain relief.

Research supports the efficacy of massage for relief of chronic pain and shows its value in reducing the need for opioid use.

Recent Research Studies on Massage for Pain Relief and Health ConditionsA recently published study from the Cleveland Clinic shows that multidisciplinary, non-pharmacological integrative therapies, including massage therapy, can improve physical, mental and social health for patients with chronic, non-cancer related pain without increased use of opioid medications. Patients received an evaluation and evidence-based therapies from a team of integrative and lifestyle medicine professionals, including acupuncture, acupressure, massage therapy, cognitive therapy and chiropractic work. Relaxation techniques of meditation, yoga, breathing, and hypnotherapy were also used.1

Another recent study from the Stollery Children's Hospital and the University of Alberta indicates that hand self-shiatsu massage therapy is effective in promoting sleep in young people with chronic pain. Participants self-applied a standardized hand shiatsu protocol and were measured for one week at the baseline before learning the hand self-shiatsu technique, and then at four- and eight-week follow-ups. At the various measurement points, the participants completed self-reported evaluations of their sleep quality and daytime fatigue. The standardized self-report measures demonstrated statistically significant improvement in perceived sleep disturbance, sleep-related impairment and daytime fatigue.2

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In addition, a separate study is currently underway, examining how to help differentiate between the specific effects of myofascial massage and non-specific effects due to prolonged touch and attention from a massage therapist for post-surgery breast cancer patients. The massage therapy profession will be examining this and further research at the Massage Therapy Foundation's International Massage Therapy Research Conference this month.3

"Research on the efficacy of massage therapy for chronic pain continues to show great promise," says Michaele Colizza, AMTA President. "Patients should discuss massage therapy as part of an integrative approach to their care with their physicians, as it can provide real value and relief."

Why Massage Therapy For Pain Is More Important Than EverDuring the pandemic, many chronic pain services were disrupted as healthcare systems throughout the country were forced to redistribute resources for non-urgent, outpatient care towards intensive care units for COVID-19 patients. This delayed access exacerbated the pain crisis in the U.S., contributing to drug over-reliance and substance abuse. Now that massage therapists are practicing again, non-opioid pain therapies, such as massage, are more important than ever. Consumers continue to value massage therapy as 92% consider it to be effective for reducing pain. In fact, pain relief is the top reason consumers talk to their physicians about massage.4

About The American Massage Therapy AssociationThe American Massage Therapy Association, the most trusted name in massage therapy, is the largest non-profit, professional association serving massage therapists, massage students and massage schools. The association is directed by volunteer leadership and fosters ongoing, direct member-involvement through its 51 chapters. AMTA works to advance the profession through ethics and standards, the promotion of fair and consistent licensing of massage therapists in all states, and public education on the benefits of massage. To find a qualified massage therapist in your area, please visit AMTA's Find a Massage Therapist Locator Service.

Resources1 Znidarsic J, et. al. (2021). "Living Well with Chronic Pain": Integrative Pain: Integrative Pain Management via Shared Medical Appointments. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.), 22(1), 181190. Retrieved May 9, 2022 from https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnaa418.

2 Brown, C. A., Rivard, A., Reid, K., Dick, B., Bellmore, L., Qin, P., Prasad, V., & Wang, Y. (2020). Effectiveness of Hand Self-Shiatsu to Promote Sleep in Young People with Chronic Pain: a Case Series Design. International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork, 13(4), 311. Retrieved May 9, 2022 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33282031/

3 Sehgal, A, et al., (2020-2024). Pain and Immobility After Breast Cancer Surgery: A Community-Based Randomized Controlled Trial of Myofascial Massage Treatment. Investigators propose a randomized controlled trial looking at myofascial massage compared to a light touch group to look at the effects on pain and immobility following breast cancer surgery. Retrieved May 9, 2022 from https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04233385?term=massage&cond=Breast+Cancer&draw=2&rank=5

4 AMTA 2022 Massage Profession Research Report, based on data from the annual AMTA Consumer Survey, conducted by CARAVAN ENGINE Insights in July 2021.

Media Contact: communications@amtamassage.org

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New Research Continues to Reinforce Effectiveness of Massage Therapy for Relief of Chronic Pain - Yahoo Finance

If grandma liked working out, her pain may be your gain. It may seem unlikely, but recent research out of the Joslin Diabetes Center says it just might be the case. Laurie Goodyear, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and section head for integrative physiology and metabolism at Joslin, has found that a grandmothers exercise during pregnancy may make her grandchildren healthier metabolically, with less body fat, better insulin control and, in some, healthier bones. Goodyear and postdoctoral fellow Ana Alves-Wagner, who worked on the project in Goodyears lab, discussed the research published recently in the journal Molecular Metabolism with the Gazette.

GAZETTE: Your latest research has implications for understanding the potential of exercise to affect metabolism even generations on. Can you briefly describe what you found?

GOODYEAR: Weve been doing studies in mice to understand whether grandmaternal exercise can affect the health of grandoffspring. In this study, we took female mice and put them in wheel cages, where they could voluntarily exercise as much as they wanted for two weeks. Then we bred them and let them exercise voluntarily during their gestation.

Their male offspring, which is termed the F1 generation, were bred to females whose mothers had not exercised, and we studied their offspring, whose exposure to exercise was only through their grandmothers. Their mothers and fathers didnt exercise; their grandfathers didnt exercise. And the grandchildren themselves, which we call the F2 generation, the second generation, had no exposure to exercise.

Ana studied these animals over a year. The typical lifespan of a mouse is about two years, so she studied them into middle age. What she found was, as the animals got older, their glucose tolerance was much better if the grandmothers had exercised compared to mice whose grandmothers did not exercise. To measure glucose tolerance which is also measured in humans the animals are given a sugar bolus, and we measure glucose in the blood. People with diabetes have high levels of glucose during this test compared to healthy people. We found that the blood sugar levels were much better in the grandoffspring of grandmothers who had exercised.

GAZETTE:Were there any other effects in the grandkids as well?

GOODYEAR:There were. They had lower fat mass as they got older. We also found a difference between the males and the females. Both had lower fat mass, but the males also had higher bone mineral density, healthier bones essentially. What we also found which was very striking in the males was that they had much lower insulin concentrations if their grandmothers had exercised. Thats a really important aspect of metabolic health, to have lower insulin concentrations.

In the male mice, this worsening of insulin levels as the animals aged was completely negated if the grandmothers had exercised.

Laurie Goodyear

GAZETTE:Isnt insulin important in controlling glucose?

GOODYEAR:It is, but what happens in Type 2 diabetes is that many people become hyperinsulinemic. Their blood sugar levels are high, and in order to compensate, the pancreas keeps putting out more and more insulin. So, a hallmark of Type 2 diabetes, at least in its initial phases, is a high insulin concentration.

GAZETTE:It shows that the pancreas is working overtime?

GOODYEAR:Right, to try to control the blood sugar level. In the male mice, this worsening of insulin levels as the animals aged was completely negated if the grandmothers had exercised. Their pancreases were not working harder. Interestingly, in the females, it was a minor effect because in contrast to males, insulin remains at low levels as all female mice age. However, although insulin did not change in females, as we mentioned, there were major effects of grandmothers exercising on glucose levels in the female grandoffspring.

GAZETTE:What might the mechanism be for these multigenerational effects? Do we know whats going on?

GOODYEAR:These are the studies that Ana is doing right now to try to understand exactly whats happening. We can hypothesize that when the grandmother is doing the exercise, the first generation is being exposed in utero we have a whole line of research studying exactly whats happening in the first generation. We know that there are adaptations occurring in the grandmothers placenta that affect the first generation. But also, when you think about it, the gametes (sperm and egg) in the first generation that will make the second generation are also being exposed to exercise at that point.

GAZETTE:Ana, what might you find in the eggs of the second generation? What are you looking for?

ALVES-WAGNER: We are looking for epigenetic alterations in the DNA, because epigenetic alterations can be changed as rapidly as two generations. We will analyze micro RNAs, some methylation situations in the F1 generation eggs and sperm to see whats going on. We are currently investigating how mothers exercise affects their childrens gametes.

GAZETTE:In such a short amount of time, is the only possible explanation changes to the genetic regulatory system, these micro RNAs that switch genes on and off, rather than an actual mutation of the underlying gene that produces these effects?

GOODYEAR:We dont know. One of the things weve also thought about is whether the first generations behavior changes in a way that affects the second generation F2 by virtue of their mothers exercising. That could contribute as well, because we know that there are major effects of the mother exercising on the F1, though most of those effects we dont see until later in life. At the age where the F1 are breeding to generate the F2, we dont observe any metabolic effects. They have normal blood glucose levels. So, we think that that the effect is primarily coming from the grandmother.

GAZETTE:Could it be that the first generation is more active even absent an exercise wheel they move about the cage more, that kind of thing?

GOODYEAR:Weve looked at that and in the F1 generation, we dont see any effects on exercise capacity that is tested using a treadmill, or, if we put the mice in the running wheel, we dont see differences in the amount of voluntary exercise they do. So we dont think thats the mechanism.

GAZETTE:How different are mice and humans likely to be in this regard?

GOODYEAR:That is an important question, and we would love to do these types of studies in humans, but theyd take 60 or 70 years. This is a great example of how mouse models can be extremely helpful. What we know from our studies in the F1 generation and our studies where we looked at adaptations in mouse mothers versus human mothers is that the mechanism by which mothers have effects on the F1 generations metabolic health is a change in the placenta.

There is a specific protein, called SOD3, that increases in the placenta and increases in the maternal blood. We discovered in the mouse that increased SOD3 is having beneficial effects on the F1 in utero that continues into adulthood. When we looked at this in humans, we saw the same thing: SOD3 levels were greater in highly active women, both in their blood and in their placenta. Therefore, we think that the mouse studies are very relevant to whats happening in humans.

There is also precedent from studies that investigated the outcome of the Dutch famine, where pregnant women had extreme undernutrition as few as 400 calories a day that caused detrimental effects on the children and grandchildren, showing that environmental stresses that happen to the grandmother can be passed down through generations.

Im confident in saying that women who are pregnant should try to be as physically active as they can, depending, of course, on the condition of their pregnancy.

Laurie Goodyear

GAZETTE:Can you elaborate a little bit more on that famine? That seems to be a horrible natural experiment on humans.

GOODYEAR:During World War II, there was a blockade of the Netherlands, and people lived on as little as 400 calories. But women still got pregnant, and their children were exposed in utero to this terrible undernutrition. Studies of large cohorts of people found that the grandchildrens metabolism was negatively affected, as was their overall health.

ALVES-WAGNER: They were more obese, and we know that this predicts development of diabetes. The studies also compared siblings, and if the mother had one child during normal times and one during the famine, the child exposed to the famine had worse health outcomes.

GAZETTE:What are the implications for todays obesity and diabetes epidemic? As a society, we explain it as we eat too much and exercise too little and leave it there. Might there be generational effects that were beginning to see?

GOODYEAR:Absolutely. This is why we started working in this area. I remember listening to a seminar, probably 10 years ago, and hearing about how obesity and Type 2 diabetes could have negative multigenerational effects, and that the huge explosion in rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes may be due in part to parents passing on obesity and diabetes through epigenetic mechanisms. My thoughts were, This is terrible, but could this be reversed if the moms or the dads exercise?

There had been research on how exercise during pregnancy can improve the health of the mother and the children at very young ages, but there werent studies looking at the effects of mothers exercising during their pregnancy on their children when they are middle-aged, the time when metabolic disease due to obesity starts to occur. So thats why we got into this: to try to understand whether the exercise could help. We first studied the effects of maternal exercise on the F1 generation and found greatly improved metabolism in these mice. And with Anas work, we are seeing these important effects of maternal exercise occurring not only in the first generation, but that maternal exercise also benefits the second generation.

GAZETTE:What comes next?

GOODYEAR:Were working on a number of different areas to understand more about the mechanism. One of the questions we get all the time is how much exercise does a woman need to do in order to have these beneficial effects on their children? Again, these are difficult studies to do in humans, so were using animal models. Our previous studies have focused on blood glucose, insulin, and systemic metabolism, but what are the effects of maternal exercise on the health and function of various tissues in the offspring? Were looking at adipose tissues, liver, skeletal muscles, and brain. And in the future we want to understand if there are behavioral effects in the offspring. Ana has some interesting data on beneficial nurturing behaviors in the mothers when they exercise during pregnancy, but are there also effects on behavior and brain health in the offspring?

GAZETTE:Is there a take-home message? Do you feel confident enough to tell people that, if youre pregnant, start exercising for the sake of your grandkids?

GOODYEAR:Im confident in saying that women who are pregnant should try to be as physically active as they can, depending, of course, on the condition of their pregnancy. Theres strong human data showing that exercise during pregnancy improves the mothers health; numerous animal studies showing improved first-generation health; and now we have evidence that maternal exercise will positively impact the health of the second generation. Im not an obstetrician, and there are certainly conditions where a woman cannot perform exercise during pregnancy, but, when medically approved, being physically active is important for the mother, the first generation, and now even the grandchildren.

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Grandma's workouts may have made you healthier - Harvard Gazette

May 14, 2022

From Alfred University:

ALFRED, NY Dr. Robert S. Langer, world-renowned biomedical engineer and co-founder of more than 40 biotechnology companies including COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna, has followed four guiding principles throughout his career as a research scientist.

On Saturday, May 14, Langera professor in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Departments of Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering, and faculty member in MITs David H. Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Researchdelivered the keynote address at Alfred Universitys 186th Commencement, relating to graduates the role those principles have played in his professional success.

Langer is viewed as the founder of the field of tissue engineering in regenerative medicine, and is the pioneer of hundreds of technologies, including controlled release and transdermal drug delivery systems, which allow for the non-invasive administration of drugs through the skin.

I hope to leave you with some simple messages, Langer said. First when you choose a job, follow your passionchoose something you love, not what makes the most money. Second, try to dream big dreamsdreams that can change the world and make it a better place. Third, oftentimes you will run into roadblocks but, no matter how bad things look, dont give up. And fourthtreat all people with respect and kindness.

Langer earned his bachelors degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University and his doctoral degree, also in chemical engineering, from MIT. He said when he finished his graduate studies, he was unsure what to do professionally. It was in the 1970s, when gasoline was in high demand, and professionals in his field were being paid well to work for oil companies. I got 20 job offers from oil companiesfour from Exxon alone, he said. On a flight home from an interview with Exxon in Louisiana, he realized that was not the career path he wanted to follow.

What did I want to do? he asked. Well, I had this dream of using my background to improve peoples lives.

To that end, Langer would take a position as a researcher at Harvard and Boston Childrens Hospital, where he would work on two related problems: trying to discover the first substance that could stop cancer blood vessels from growing (and thus stop tumor growth); and developing tiny particles called microparticles and nanoparticles that might be able to deliver these and other large molecular weight substances such as proteins or RNA to the body.

While the research was met with skepticism in the scientific community, Langer persevered.

His research led the discovery of the first blood vessel inhibitors which fight cancer. It took 28 years from his earliest publication in this areaa 1976 article in the Journal of Science until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first blood vessel inhibitor. Today, such inhibitors, like Avastin, Lucentis, and Eylea, are among the most successful biopharmaceuticals in the world for treating cancer and eye diseases such as macular degeneration. They have been used to treat hundreds of millions of patients.

When we started developing vaccines to treat COVID, the Boston Globe ran a front-page article on this entitled This is not how you do science with my picture underneath it, Langer recalled. But Moderna and its terrific employees, some of whom are my former students, never gave up. Today the Moderna vaccine and one somewhat like it made by Pfizer and BioNTech also using nanoparticles is used all over the world.

Langers final piece of advice to graduates involved how they treat others.

Many people ask me why the people in our lab have done well, he said. I like to think its because weve tried to treat everyone with respect and kindness; treating people the way you hope they would treat you. No matter what you do with your life career-wise, there is nothing more important than being a good, caring human being.

Langer and Charlie Joyce, a Wellsville, NY, resident and member of the Universitys Board of Trustees, were awarded honorary degrees Saturday.

Langer received a Doctor of Science degree, honoris causa, for his work in biomedical engineering research. He holds more than 1,400 granted or pending patents, which have been licensed or sublicensed to more than 400 companies. He is the author of more than 1,500 articles, and with more than 363,000 citations, he is the most cited engineer in history and fourth most cited individual in any field of academic research. He is recipient of 36 honorary degrees and has been elected to theNational Academy of Sciences, theNational Academy of Engineering,National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Inventors.

Joyce, past president and CEO of Otis Eastern Corp.one of the energy industrys leaders in the construction of pipelines transporting oil, natural gas, and petroleum productsreceived a Doctor of Commerce degree, honoris causa.

A member of the Alfred University Board of Trustees since 2001, Joyce has been a generous supporter of the University. He and Alfred University alumna Sherry Walton 80, 88 MS Ed. provided funding for the Joyce & Walton Center, which opened in 2014, and the Joyce & Walton Strength and Conditioning Center, which opened in 2018.

A generous commitment from Joyce and Walton in 2018 helped provide support to attract Alfred Universitys next vice president of Student Affairs; helped launch Alfred Universitys new leadership minor; and underwrote the offering of the LEAD 301: Improving Alfred University course taught by the dean of the Inamori School of Engineering and the president of Alfred University. Joyce joined with fellow trustee Marlin Miller 54, HD 89, 19 to underwrite the hiring of a consulting firm to help Alfred University develop a residence life master plan. In 2018, Joyce made a generous commitment of $2 million toward enhancing Alfred Universitys athletic facilities on Jericho Hill.

Joycea resident of Wellsville and native of nearby Andover, NY has long been active in supporting charitable organizations in the Wellsville community. In 2012 his philanthropy established the Catholic Charities Food Pantry of Wellsville. In November 2019, he was honored for his selfless support of others as Catholic Charities renamed its Wellsville food pantry the Joyce Family Food Pantry and Outreach.

It is very humbling to be on the same stage as my fellow honorary degree recipients, said Joyce, who recognized his fellow trustees and members of his family in attendance.

Joyce remarked that while he is not an Alfred University graduate, the University has long been a part of his lifehe recalled growing up in Andover and skipping school each year to attend the annual St. Patricks Day parade in Alfredand he noted the vital role the University plays in the economic well-being of the largely rural Southern Tier of western New York.

The University serves as a cornerstone to the region. It has a huge impact on the quality of life in the area, Joyce said. The importance of Alfred University to the region is why Joyce serves on the Board and supports the University through his philanthropy.

Ive been a trustee for more than 21 years. Weve faced a lot of challenges, COVID being the most complex, he commented. One thing that has been consistent has been the dedication and love for this University by our trustees, the students, faculty, and students. We always ask, How can we make Alfred better for the students? Thats what makes this place so special.

Addressing their classmates were 2022 Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior Award recipients Merveille Bulonza, a biology/pre-med major (chemistry minor) from Cheektowaga, NY, and Makenzie Cashmer, a mechanical engineering major (minors in mathematics and computer science) from Weedville, PA.

Winners of the Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior Award are chosen based on scholarship, extracurricular achievement, personal character and conduct, and nominations by faculty, students, staff, or alumni. The award was established to honor Alfred University alumnus Marlin Miller 54, H 89, H 19 one of Alfred Universitys most generous supporters. Miller has been a member of Alfred Universitys Board of Trustees since 1972.

Bulonza, who aspires to attend medical school after graduation, served as president of the Student Senate from March 2020 to March 2021 and is also former secretary to the Student Senate. She is a recipient of numerous scholarships and awards, including the Diana Mossip Memorial Scholarship and the Health Professions Scholarship, and participated in the Alfred University Honors Program.

She graduated from Alfred Universitys Womens Leadership Academy, where her capstone project focused on improving student leadership training and increasing leadership opportunities on campus for all students.

The daughter of Joseph Bulonza Tembo and Nabintu Namwira, Bulonza is a graduate of Cleveland Hill High School in Buffalo. She spoke of how her family, and the people she has known at Alfred encouraged her to pursue her ambitions.

Weve all heard the phrase, never give up on your dreams. Not giving up on your dreams means believing in yourself, she said. To my parents, I thank you for instilling in me a passion to learn. To my professors, I thank you for seeing the potential in me, even when I didnt see it myself.

Bulonzas advice to her fellow graduates was to set their own standards for success and achievement and pursue their dreams and passions. No one can measure your success except yourself. Only you can measure how far youve gone and how far you will go.

Cashmer is a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, the Society of Women Engineers, has served as president and vice president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, participated in the Alfred University Honors Program, and was also a member of the Alfred University womens soccer team. She has served as a teaching assistant for the Alfred University Division of Chemistry and as a student instructor in Calculus I, II, and III.

She attended Alfred University on a four-year U.S. Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship and is the recipient of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Award. Upon graduation, Cashmer will commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

The daughter of David and Kimberly Cashmer, Makenzie is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in St. Marys, PA.

Cashmer spoke of the various villages at Alfred University that have supported her and helped her growfrom the time she left her hometown to come to Alfred through her graduation Saturday.

Some say it takes a village to raise a child; no, it takes a village like Alfred to raise a child. At Alfred, I didnt have to do it all on my own, she said. Those villages included the womens soccer team, the ROTC program and military affairs staff at Alfred, and her faculty. She spoke with pride of how the ROTC program has grown during her time at Alfred, and how the experience has shaped her life.

Over the span of four years, we now have a thriving (ROTC) program. When I first got to Alfred, I planned on serving (in the Army) part-time, but I realized that full-time active duty was my true calling, she said.

I will carry all my Alfred memories close to me heart, she said, advising fellow graduate, Wherever you go next, find a village. If there isnt one there, create one.

The University recognized as the following top students (highest GPAs in each school and college) for the Class of 2022:

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Karina Morling, athletic training major from Canisteo, NY, who earned a 4.00 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

School of Art and Design: Samuel LaPell, fine arts major from East Nassau, NY, who earned a 4.00 grade-point average.

Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering: Austin Schunke, a materials science and engineering major from Springville, NY, with a 4.00 grade-point average.

College of Business: Emma Johnson, business administration major from Sanborn, NY, with a GPA of 3.99.

Alfred University President Mark Zupan closed Commencement by congratulating graduates for their achievements and commending them for how they met and overcame challengesthe biggest being the COVID pandemic and its impact on higher educationduring their time at Alfred.

Today is a momentous occasion for the member of the Class of 2022, Zupan said. What youve done to get to this pointthere were times the last two years especially, that seemed like a combination if 1918, 1929, 1939, and 1968. The fact that you persevered and earned those hard-earned degrees, you have our respect, our recognition, and our gratitude.

Alfred University awarded 303 baccalaureate degrees, 65 masters degrees and five doctoral degrees to graduates who completed their degree requirements in May 2022. The University has already conferred 121 baccalaureate degrees, 28 masters degrees, and four doctoral degrees to August 2021, December 2021, and 2022 Allen Term (January) graduates.

Graduates from the Universitys AU-NYC programwho have earned masters degrees in School Counseling and Public Administration, or completed Advanced Certification programs in Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling, at satellite campuses in New York Citywill be honored in a separate ceremony on June 16 at 5:30 p.m. at St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, NY.

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The National Academy of Sciences has elected 120 new members and 30 international associates, including three MIT professors Angela Belcher, Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, and Ronitt Rubinfeld in recognition of their achievements in original research.

Angela Belcher is the James Mason Crafts Professor of Biological Engineering and Materials Science, a member of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, and the head of the Department of Biological Engineering.

She is a biological and materials engineer with expertise in the fields of biomaterials, biomolecular materials, organic-inorganic interfaces, and solid-state chemistry and devices. Her primary research focus is evolving new materials for energy, electronics, the environment, and medicine.

She received her BS in creative studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She earned a PhD in inorganic chemistry at UCSB in 1997. Following her postdoctoral research in electrical engineering at UCSB, she joined the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Chemistry. She joined the faculty at MIT in 2002.

Recognitions include the 2013 $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize; the 2010 Eni Prize for Renewable and Non-conventional Energy; and being named a 2018 National Academy of Engineers Fellow, 2015 National Academy of Inventors Fellow, and 2012 American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow. In 2009, Rolling Stone magazine listed her as one of the top 100 people changing the country. She has founded five companies, and also holds 36 patents, with many pending. In 2019, she began her tenure as head of the Department ofBiological Engineering.

Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics, investigates the quantum electronic transport and optoelectronics properties of novel two-dimensional materials, with special emphasis to their superconducting, magnetic, and topological properties.He is known for his groundbreaking research on twistronics in 2018, the Jarillo-Herrero group discovered that by rotating two layers of graphene by a magic angle, the bilayer material can be turned from a metal into an electrical insulator or even a superconductor.

A native of Spain,Jarillo-Herrero received his licenciatura in physics from the University of Valencia, an MSc degree from the University of California at San Diego, and his PhD in 2005 from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. After a one-year postdoc in Delft, he worked at Columbia University as a NanoResearch Initiative Fellow before joining MIT in 2008.

His early career awards include an NSF Career Award (2008), a David and Lucile Packard Fellowship (2009), a DOE Early Career Award (2011), a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE, 2012), an ONR Young Investigator Award (2013), and a Moore Foundation Experimental Physics in Quantum Systems Investigator Award (2014 and 2019). He has been selected as a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate Analytics-Web of Science (2017-present), and was elected APS Fellow in 2018. Jarillo-Herrero is the recipient of the APS 2020 Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize, the 2020 Wolf Prize in Physics, the 2020 Medal of the Spanish Royal Physics Society, the 2021 Lise Meitner Distinguished Lecture and Medal, the 2021 U.S. National Academy of Sciences Award for Scientific Discovery, and the 2022 Dan Maydan Prize in Nanoscience Research.

Ronitt Rubinfeld is the Edwin Sibley Webster Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), and a member of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratorys Theory of Computation group. Her research interests include randomized and sublinear time algorithms, with a particular focus on what can be understood about data by looking at only a very small portion of it.

Ronitt received her PhD from the University of California at Berkeley in 1991, and prior to that graduated from the University of Michigan with a BSE in electrical and computer engineering. Before coming to MIT, Ronitt held postdoc positions at Princeton University and Hebrew University. In 1992, she joined the faculty of the Computer Science Department at Cornell University, where she was an ONR Young Investigator, a Sloan Research Fellow, the 1995 Cornell Association for Computer Science Undergraduates Faculty of the Year, and a recipient of the Cornell College of Engineering Teaching Award. From 1999 to 2003, Ronitt was a senior research scientist at NEC Research Laboratories, and in 2004, she was a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.

Among other honors, Rubinfeld gave an invited lecture at the International Congress of Mathematicians in 2006. She has been recognized by MIT with the Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising in 2018, and the Seth J. Teller Award for Excellence, Inclusion, and Diversity in 2019. She became a fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery in 2014 for contributions to delegated computation, sublinear time algorithms, and property testing; and she was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2020.

Those elected this year bring the total number of active members to 2,512 and the total number of international members to 517. The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations.

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After Marianne Sarcich underwent treatment for breast cancer in 2016, she called an acupuncturist in hopes of easing her cancer-related anxietybut made sure to be upfront.

I told her right away that I didnt think this would work, I didnt believe in it, but I was desperate, she says. Absolutely nothing else was helping. I only considered acupuncture to knock it off the list of possibilities.

To her shock, it helped. Over a few months of sessions, she felt the tightness of anxiety began to loosen, and Sarcich began considering other complementary options shed dismissed previously. She was curious about breathwork; reiki, which is a form of energy healing; mindfulness; sound baths; and yoga. All of them ended up helping her side effects in some way, she says.

As these efforts layered on top of each other, it was a huge relief, she says. These complementary therapies werent treating her cancernor did she expect them tobut they helped relieve her anxiety and improve her mood during her arduous treatments. Sarcich joined the patient advocate committee for the Society for Integrative Oncology, which recommends evidence-based holistic therapies to complement FDA-approved treatments for cancer. She also started a 1,000-member peer support group for people with cancer who are interested in complementary therapies.

If something works to address common issues in cancer care like pain, anxiety, mobility problems, depression, and fatigue, she says, you grab onto it, and you help others do the same.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become increasingly popular in the U.S., and among cancer patients specifically, over the past few decades. People with cancer might use complementary therapies alongside standard medical careor, in the case of alternative medicine, instead of it. Little evidence exists to support the efficacy of either complementary medicine or alternative medicine to treat cancer (and replacing standard care with alternative treatments can be life-threatening.)

But some practices, when used alongside conventional medicine, may help ease some of the unpleasant side effects of cancer treatment, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), in a practice known as integrative medicine. A growing number of comprehensive cancer centers are offering integrative medicine, and in 2018, for the first time, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) endorsed the Society for Integrative Oncologys evidence-based guidelines recommending certain integrative therapies during and after breast cancer treatment.

Each complementary therapywhether meditation, hypnosis, yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, cannabis, supplements, chiropractic, reflexology, nutritional therapy, aromatherapy, energy healing, massage, music therapy, dance, or one of the many othershas a different level of evidence behind it, according to NCI, and people with cancer should discuss them with their health care provider before starting any.

One study published in JAMA Oncology in 2019, using data from 2012, suggests that about 33% of cancer patients in the U.S. use CAM. The real number is likely much higherprobably around 80%, says Dr. Steve Vasilev, medical director of integrative gynecologic oncology at Providence Saint Johns Health Center and professor at Saint Johns Cancer Institute in California.

When I started practicing 30 years ago, patients were asking about fad therapies like snake venom, he says. But now, theres much more interest in evidence-based therapy like acupuncture or nutritional changes. Fortunately, we now have more data that these really can be helpful.

One of the most significant upsides to complementary therapy is that it helps the patient feel empowered, says Dr. Lakshmi Rajdev, chief of hematology and oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. Being diagnosed with and treated for cancer can be overwhelming and stressful, and many people feel swept along in the health care system, she says. Choosing complementary options can help people feel in control, which is psychologically important.

Data supports the use of these complementary therapies in reducing stress and improving coping skills, which both benefit treatment overall, says Rajdev. They may not change the way the disease progresses, but they do help patients deal with their illness, and thats hugely important.

Another major benefit is that they can reduce treatment side effects, especially those that affect quality of life, like depression, nausea, headaches, and pain. With ASCOs endorsement and based on existing evidence, the Society for Integrative Oncology recommends meditation, music therapy, and yoga for anxiety, depression, and stress reduction among people undergoing breast cancer treatment, along with massage for improving mood and acupuncture and acupressure for reducing nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy.

Cancer treatment has also improved recently, which can make complementary therapies appear to be more effective than they used to, adds Dr. Jack Jacoub, an oncologist and medical director of MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in California.

Cancer therapy is dramatically different than it was even five or 10 years ago, he says. There are still side effects, but were moving away from chemo and into targeted therapies that come with less nausea and pain. That means complementary therapies dont have to be as intense to work. With minor muscle tightness, for example, maybe just a few sessions of massage can be helpful.

One challenge is that some therapies, such as acupuncture, may take weeks or months to result in meaningful mental and physical shifts, Vasilev says. A few months can be significant for someone with cancer, especially when theyre struggling through intense symptoms like nausea and anxiety.

The bigger potential downside is interference with conventional treatments, which is why patients should always tell their health care providers if they are using any therapies outside of what theyre prescribed. The JAMA Oncology study found that among the people with cancer who used CAM therapies, 29% did not tell their doctors, which is potentially dangerous. Interference with cancer treatments mainly occurs with supplements, herbs, and vitamins, Rajdev says. Even though these may be naturally derived, some have been found to reduce the efficacy of chemotherapy.

Nearly every patient asks me about supplements because they want to boost their immune system, and they tend to get deluged with advice from friends and family members about what to take, Rajdev says. The best advice here is to wait until after treatment for those, and focus instead on complementary therapies that dont have potential interactions with chemo or pain medications.

Usually, exercise is the most effective non-medical therapy to add to cancer treatment, she says. Ample evidence suggests that regular activity can significantly mitigate cancer treatment effects, so doing yoga, or even just walking more, can provide a safe immune boost.

Rather than integrating complementary therapies into a conventional cancer treatment plan, which might include typical treatments like radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy, a patient pursuing alternative medicine would do CAM therapies instead of standard medical treatment.

Alternative medicine has little, if any, evidence of efficacy and may cause harm. In some cases, using these therapies in place of medical strategies could worsen your condition, says Jacoub.

Its a natural reaction to search for other answers, especially if youre suspicious of the health care system or youve had negative experiences, he says. Cost may be another issue, where youre concerned about how much cancer care will entail, so you want to try an alternative therapy first. Unfortunately, there is simply no compelling evidence that any of these therapies work for standalone cancer care, and they may cause you to delay treatment.

A notable example is Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003 when he was 48. He initially decided to reject conventional treatments and instead used dietary changes, botanical formulations, juicing, and acupuncture, but he shifted his opinion nine months later and opted for surgery, followed by targeted immunotherapy treatment. He died seven years later, and experts say its impossible to know if that delay shortened his life or whether those alternative therapies had any benefits. However, Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson later noted that the tech icon came to regret his decision to delay surgery and subsequent treatment.

Despite the risk and lack of evidence, the lure of alternative medicine persists. According to a 2018 survey conducted by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, about 40% of Americans believe cancer can be cured through alternative therapies alonea statistic the American Cancer Society calls alarming, since research suggests people who use alternative therapies in place of standard cancer treatments have much higher mortality rates.

Standing at the precipice of cancer treatment can be terrifying. Complementary therapies may help you navigate forward, especially since they provide a much-needed sense of control, Sarcich says.

There is a sense that you need to do something, because if you feel powerless in the midst of all this, it can be terrible, she says. As long as its safe, Why not try everything? Its likely youll find a few options that will stick, and that youll actually love, even when you didnt think that would be the case.

If your chosen therapies arent potentially interfering with cancer treatment, there are usually only upsides to choices like art therapy, yoga, reiki, or massage, adds Rajdev.

The data on interventions like these is compelling, and Im a believer in some of these since Ive seen them help my patients, she says. The first step is to talk with your oncologist and make a plan together.

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When you think about hypnosis, what do you visualize? For many, its a clock-swinging magician or a comedy act that forces an unwitting volunteer to make embarrassing public admissions on stage.

But hypnosis has a surprisingly robust scientific framework. Clinical research has shown that it can help relieve pain and anxiety and aid smoking cessation, weight loss, and sleep. It can help children and adolescents better regulate their feelings and behaviors. Some people can even use self-hypnosis to manage stress, cope with lifes challenges, and improve their physical and emotional health.

Hypnosis creates a non-judgmental immersive experience, says Dr. David Spiegel, a Stanford University psychiatrist and leading researcher of hypnosis. Its been used in various forms for centuries, but it wasnt until 1843 that the Scottish surgeon Dr. James Braid popularized the term hypnosis. Braids central discoverythat concentration can guide the brain toward a more suggestible statewas and remains controversial. But physicians have continued to test and teach the technique over the centuries with great success, Spiegel says.

Today, a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other healthcare professional certified in hypnotherapy will first screen a potential client for their ability to be hypnotized using a validated suggestibility scale. (Not everyone is equally susceptible to hypnosis, but research has found that about two-thirds of adults are.) The hypnotherapist will talk with them about what sort of sensory experiences make them feel safe, like a lakeshore retreat or a beach vacation. Then, the hypnotherapist will conjure that imageryfocusing, for example, on the salt spray of the ocean, seagulls calling overhead, and sun-kissed skinto help the person go deeper into the calming visualization. If done right, the patients physical surroundings will melt away.

The result is a powerful combination of dissociation, immersion, and openness to new experiences, which culminates in what was once called a trance, but which modern hypnotherapists simply refer to as a hypnotic state. It can be achieved in just a few minutes, Spiegel says.

Such scene-setting techniques can create the ideal stage for positive transformation, says Binghamton University psychology professor Steven Jay Lynn. During hypnosis, people are more open to the suggestions of the hypnotherapist, whether those ask the patient to detach themselves from a past painful experience or visualize a solution to their problem. For some people, these changes may be catalyzed in a one- or two-hour session. For others, hypnotherapy or self-hypnosis may be a regular part of their mental health care. Hypnosis can modify consciousness in many ways, Lynn says.

This state of deep relaxation isnt particularly difficult for most people to dive into or emerge from. Its similar to a flow state, Spiegel says, or an altered state of consciousness in which a person is so immersed in a given activity, their focus narrows and their sense of time shifts. Its also reminiscent of what happens during meditation, except instead of training people to tune into the present moment, hypnosis makes them more receptive to suggestion. Like meditation practice, many people are capable of doing hypnosis on their own, Spiegel says. In 2020, he co-founded Reveri, a subscription-based self-hypnosis app thats structured a lot like Calm or Headspace. A user can access recordings that guide them into a hypnotized state, after which theyre given suggestions or statements that lead them toward a goal the person selects before the session. We do it all the time, Spiegel says of entering and exiting these mental states, but in hypnosis you do it more.

Brain-imaging studies have helped to illuminate what happens inside the hypnotized brain, though much still remains a mystery. During hypnosis, activity in a brain region that helps people switch between tasks quiets down, Spiegel says. This same region seems to disconnect from another area responsible for self-reflection and daydreamingwhich may be why hypnotized people arent worried about who they are or what theyre doing. Researchers have also found that hypnosis can calm brain regions that help control autonomic functions like heart rate, blood flow, and breathing. This is likely what leads to the physical relaxation thats a hallmark of hypnosis, Spiegel says.

One of the most interesting modern applications of hypnosis is in the operating room, says Lorenzo Cohen, director of the Integrative Medicine Program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. For some localized breast cancer surgeries, namely lumpectomies, the center lets patients choose between general anesthesia or a localized anesthetic and hypnotherapy. Those who choose the second option remain fully awake during their surgery, but a hypnotherapist first helps them enter a state of deep relaxation, or hypnosedation, Cohen says. The local [anesthesia] should be doing its thing, Cohen says. The rest is in your head.

More than 30 clinical trials have affirmed the use of hypnosedation, says Cohen (who is also researching the practice). Studies have shown that people who received hypnosedation experienced less preoperative anxiety, required less pain medication during surgery, and reported less post-operative pain intensity, nausea, fatigue, and discomfort than people who chose general anesthesia, Cohen says. The hypothesis is that the patients who are under general anesthesia, even though theyre not conscious, are having an intense stress response, he says. This can suppress an immune system that, in cancer patients, is already compromised by the disease and its treatments. When patients choose hypnosis, Cohen believes the bodys fight-or-flight response may be reduced.

Despite the mounting evidence, hypnosis is not without skeptics. Randomized controlled trials have found that hypnosis can help with pain and anxiety associated with a range of medical conditions, but even the best studies cant meet the gold-standard of a double-blind design, Spiegel says. While patients and practitioners can be kept in the dark about what pill theyre administering or receiving, its almost impossible to design a study where neither side knows hypnosis is being delivered, he adds.

And historically, the power of hypnosis hasnt always been wielded responsibly. The imaginative potential of hypnosis has been shown to create false memoriessometimes with devastating effects. At least 27 states ban hypnotically-elicited testimony from appearing in court. Hypnotherapists should avoid using the technique to recover memories, Lynn says.

But when conducted by a trained professional and properly applied, modern hypnotherapy can provide powerful results. Susceptibility to suggestion is often viewed as a liability or a weakness, Spiegel says, but its really a strength.

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-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Andrea Oswald, right, and Melanie Plain opened Prime Rejuvenation as a sister business to PrimeLife. Prime Rejuvenation, located at 1728 Central Ave. in Fort Dodge, is a premier wellness clinic that offers a number of health options including Botox and dermal fillers.

Andrea Oswald felt a strong desire to assist others just as she had been helped through PrimeLife Integrative Medicine.

So Oswald, who lives in Manson, opened Prime Rejuvenation as a sister business to PrimeLife alongside Melanie Plain.

Prime Rejuvenation, located at 1728 Central Ave. in Fort Dodge, is a premier wellness clinic that offers a number of health options including Botox and dermal fillers. That fits right under the umbrella of PrimeLife, which provides a more holistic approach to hormone health and all the factors that impact hormonal balance by helping patients regain their energy, balance and self-healing.

I first started seeing Melanie for my own health issues, Oswald said. I saw her first as a patient to get better before going back to further my own education and to learn more about functional medicine.

Basically, I knocked on Melanies door and wanted to be a part of this because there was nothing like it in the area and I just saw a purpose and value in getting people back to feeling better and healthier.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Melanie Plain, left, and Andrea Oswald opened Prime Rejuvenation as a sister business to PrimeLife.

PrimeLife also currently has offices in Webster City and Ames, with plans to open another in Clear Lake. They have six total employees and provide virtual visits for those who require it.

Its been super fun, said Plain, who now lives in Webster City. Its a ton of work running a business, but the worst day stress-wise is equal to the best day from my previous position. Its just a whole different life.

We get to work with people who want to get better, so that motivates me. Watching their transformation feeds my soul.

Oswald and Plain have been working on bringing these services to Fort Dodge since last year.

We want to provide all kinds of services, not just for women, either, but for men, too. With the aesthetic side through Prime Rejuvenation, that takes us a step in a different direction than what we believe we have going now, Oswald said. It allows us to add another layer of service to what we want to provide.

People are eager for this health.

Oswald worked on acquiring office space and putting the pieces together, all leading up to an open house recently.

I worked in family medicine for 15 years and noticed that people just were not getting the kind of treatment they really needed to get better, Plain said. Especially for women, they would go to a regular care doctor looking for help and were not having those needs met, so thats why we exist. Through my own learning, it has been phenomenal to change the lives of women for the better.

We joked for a while that we were the best-kept secret because we had very organic growth through referrals from other patients. But we have really seen a tremendous growth overall.

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