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Saturday, May 16th 2020 Written By: GreenMedInfo Research Group A biomedical revolution throws previous medical research into question as it opens new doors to wellness What causes disease? What can we do to improve our health? Modern medicine's answer to these questions lies in its understanding of the human body as a complex machine. Like any mechanical contraption, the body is bound to break down. Doctors serve as specialized mechanics who wield sophisticated tools and procedures to address our malfunction. They can numb our pain, carve out and radiate our cancers, trigger or suppress our immune systems, recalibrate our neurotransmitters, and they may soon be able to retool the genetic flaws thought to be the progenitors of disease. Compare this body-as-machine philosophy to the traditional medicine practices of our ancestors that looked to the natural world as a guide toward health. These old philosophies may seem primitive in comparison to the high-tech industry of modern health care, but they also hold an understanding that today's doctors and scientists are still working to comprehend: that our bodies possess the power to heal themselves. Details of this mysterious self-healing superpower can be found in a new book: "Regenerate: Unlocking Your Body's Natural Resilience Through the New Biology," by Sayer Ji. The book examines how our understanding of health and the human body has evolved over the last few 100 years, and how new research has forced us to reconsider everything we thought we knew. While it sounds a bit mystical, there is objective evidence of this self-healing characteristic. Ji talks about the "immortal thread within our stem cells" to describe the body's amazing regenerative ability. One example is an entire category of stem cells released from the bone marrow called endothelial progenitor cells, which are constantly at work to heal the damage caused to the lining of our blood vessels. "We really are this miracle that we can barely explain," Ji said. Ji's credentials include being co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed, a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, and advisor to the National Health Federation. His book falls in line with those interests and relies heavily on research to tell the tale. But for Ji, the story is personal. He came into the world a sickly infant and grew into a depressed, overweight, and asthmatic teen. Over the course of his young life, he was examined by at least a dozen doctors. They performed surgeries and prescribed an ever-increasing regimen of pharmaceuticals in an effort to suppress his symptoms. But Ji said the treatments he received were more traumatic than helpful. As his hope of healing dwindled, Ji believed he was doomed to a short and miserable life. Ji's health finally began to turn around during his first year of college when he discovered a new kind of medicine--one that traded the surgery and drugs he had known his whole life for a more natural approach. Decades later, Ji has become an outspoken advocate for natural medicine. Despite his sad and sickly youth, today he runs marathons, feels stronger than ever, and hasn't taken any pharmaceuticals in years. "I wouldn't be alive today had I not discovered natural medicine," Ji said. But how is this possible? A core belief of modern medicine is that it has the most effective treatments ever developed, far superior to anything our ancestors relied on for health. So how did Ji create vibrant health with some of the oldest forms of treatment--herbs, diet, and lifestyle changes--when modern medicine failed? While ancient medicine practices are based on things like tradition and observations of nature, with lessons passed down to future generations who verify that knowledge through their own observation, modern medicine demonstrates its worth through science. Peer-reviewed studies and medical journals show proof. This is what is known to the modern health care system as "evidence-based" medicine. But Ji says the science for much of what our evidence-based system stands on isn't as strong as we're led to believe. "It's eminence-based medicine. It sounds like evidence, but it's really eminence-based, or science-by-proclamation. It's all based on smoke and mirrors, and belief structures. When you look at the literature and tease it apart, and you look at funding sources, rarely do you ever see anything of value," Ji said. While modern medicine is responsible for creating some indisputable life-saving breakthroughs over the past century, it has also produced several undeniable disasters, despite the review of experts, journals, and clinical research. Ji explains that much of the process meant to show safety and efficacy in modern treatment methods has less to do with identifying something worthwhile, and more to do with manipulating public perception. "The critical biomedical literature is so contaminated with influence, money, and bias," he said. "They'll fund a 100 trials on a drug and try to convert one of its many adverse effects into a therapeutic one. So they publish the one finding that shows maybe a little relative risk reduction. Then, with a semantic sleight of hand, describe it as an absolute risk reduction." A 2008 article from the New England Journal of Medicine examining the selective publication bias of clinical trials came to a similar conclusion. The esteemed journal's own editor-in-chief stated: "It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines. I take no pleasure in this conclusion, which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as an editor." Look at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control or the World Health Organization and you'll find more eminence masquerading as evidence. These public health institutions urge everyone to get an annual flu shot, for example, but their recommendation doesn't reflect the conclusions of the scientific literature. A meta-analysis on flu vaccine studies by the highly respected and proudly independent Cochrane Collaboration found no unequivocal evidence in the literature on children, healthy adults, the elderly, or health care workers who worked with the elderly that the flu shot was safe or effective. Science is supposed to be a tool to reveal the truth. Unfortunately, we live in a world where, if your pockets go deep enough, you can simply buy scientific credibility. After the Cochrane Collaboration received a $1.15 million donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2016, the organization's founders were let go, and Cochrane soon published a very favorable review of one of Gates's pet projects: the HPV vaccine. Following the review, banished Cochrane co-founder Peter Gotzsche and his team put out their own read of the HPV literature, and came to a very different interpretation. "Part of the Cochrane Collaboration's motto is 'Trusted evidence.' We do not find the Cochrane HPV vaccine review to be 'Trusted evidence', as it was influenced by reporting bias and biased trial designs. We believe that the Cochrane review does not meet the standards for Cochrane reviews or the needs of the citizens or healthcare providers that consult Cochrane reviews to make 'Informed decisions', which also is part of Cochrane's motto," they wrote. Food as Medicine While modern treatments are described as evidence-based, natural remedies are routinely dismissed as "unproven," even when there may actually be science to support it. This is why Ji founded GreenMedInfo, the world's largest open-access natural health database. "For me, it was an activist passion," he said. "I would constantly find studies that were so amazing, like research on aloe curing different diseases. I was so excited to find it, and I knew no one would be talking about it in the mainstream media. I never thought it would become such a popular site." They may not be as respected, well funded, or widely promoted as drug studies, but natural remedies have been proven to have regenerative and disease-fighting properties. Just getting an adequate amount of B vitamins will directly affect whether you can silence certain key genes necessary for health. The process is known as methylation, or the attachment of one-carbon tags to DNA molecules that effectively turns off certain expressions of that gene. Food as medicine is a concept known since ancient times. The basic premise is that eating the right foods (and cutting out the wrong ones) can enhance your body's self-healing capabilities. The word "recipe," for example, comes from a Latin root that originally meant "take." Recipe was used in the Middle Ages to mean a medical instruction or prescription, inspiring the pharmaceutical abbreviation Rx. Healthy food is derived from living beings (plants and animals) that naturally have their own self-healing and regenerative mechanisms. In fact, our bodies resemble plants in that our susceptibility to pests and infection escalates when we don't get enough key nutrients, our environment is poisoned, or we don't get enough sun. "Why is there more influenza in places with higher latitudes? Because of lack of vitamin D due to sunlight deficiency. That's a more valid explanation than flu vaccine deficiency, obviously," Ji said. And the effect of food goes deep. With every bite we eat, we can deliberately choose which messages we send to our genome, and designate whether we strengthen or weaken our immune systems. Compare the messages of food to that of pharmaceuticals. While drugs are often based on compounds found in nature, drug makers create synthetic variants in the interest of patent exclusivity. Drugs can certainly change our physiology, but they act in a different manner than food. Pharmaceuticals essentially force the body to respond a particular way, rather than enhance its own capacity for healing. Plus, drugs are composed of ingredients we wouldn't normally ingest. "The medical system is based on taking petrochemicals--literally, some of the most toxic substances on the planet--patenting them, and selling them to the public as necessary," Ji said. "An average FDA approved drug has something like 75 adverse effects, and almost all of them have death as a possible consequence. Before their patent expires, 50 percent of FDA approved drugs are actually pulled from the market due to the fact that they cause disability." Rise of the New Biology Ji suggests that it isn't just corruption that undermines the modern medical model. He says its very philosophy stands on shaky ground, and new research proves it. One example is the widely accepted notion that genes are the main drivers of disease, and that changes to the genes happen slowly over the course of hundreds or even thousands of years. Recent research, however, has found that environmental variables can either activate or inhibit particular genes by influencing complex biochemical processes, and the changes can happen fast. Stress, a sedentary life, lack of sleep, processed food, exposure to industrial chemicals, pharmaceuti­cal drugs, a lack of social support, and minimal contact with nature all constitute the primary risk factors for disease. These lifestyle factors, which are largely under our control, determine whether our genetic blueprints express health or disease. But perhaps the biggest factor that has turned the modern medicine philosophy on its head is the microbiome. The discovery of this colony of bacteria that lives inside of all of us at around the turn of the millennium has been nothing short of a biomedical revolution. "It was a total eclipse of our previous state of awareness," Ji said. "Because none of the previous 29 million citations on Medline accounted for the role of the microbiome in any of the research. In a way, it non-validated all of the previous literature--the whole total sum of human knowledge in the realm of biomedicine." The old paradigm of germ theory--an idea where microorganisms are identified as the root of infection--no longer holds true once we discovered that our bodies are not only ridden with bacteria and viruses, but our physiology depends on it. Ji calls this new understanding the "new biology." "The new biology helps us understand that we are infinitely more powerful and self-sufficient than anyone ever believed," he said. "We're totally self-healing and we don't have to be dependent on a global medical-industrial complex to experience joy." Ji isn't a doctor, but a growing number of medical professionals are embracing the philosophy of the new biology he discusses. It's called "functional medicine," and its followers include MDs, naturopaths, osteopaths, acupuncturists, nurse practitioners, chiropractors, and nutritionists. Some may still occasionally prescribe drugs, but functional medicine practitioners are more likely to choose natural remedies and lifestyle changes that truly address the body's own capacity to heal. In the functional medicine model, the doctor is less a mechanic and more of a coach or teacher--helping patients to understand the vital role they play in their own healing. Compare this to the conventional medical system, where health and disease are considered too complex for the average person to grasp. When only a doctor has enough know-how to address our health problems, how can we take responsibility for our own well-being? Ji says that just realizing how much we can control our capacity to heal with the choices we make is like a medicine in itself. "Unless we believe we are capable of healing or overcoming some diagnosis that we were saddled with, we won't take the action to make it happen," he said. "The faith in the healing ability of our body is indispensable for it to happen. That gives us a lot of power that a lot of people don't want. But some do, and they embrace that fully." Get Sayer Ji's new book REGENERATE: Unlocking Your Body's Radical Resilience Through the New Biology. Available on AUDIBLE as well.  The Epoch Times is the fastest-growing independent news media in America. We are nonpartisan and dedicated to truthful reporting.The Epoch Times has received numerous awards for our reporting and design, including from the New York Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Society for News Design. The Epoch Times’ media network currently covers 21 languages and 33 countries. Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

Written By: GreenMedInfo Research Group Hot yoga is more than a sweaty fitness trend: it can help people with high blood pressure shift in a calm, soothing direction -- away from high blood pressure and heart disease A preliminary study confirms the benefits of hot yoga on symptoms of high blood pressure. In a presentation at the American Heart Association's Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions, findings were presented from the novel study exploring a drug-free method of treating elevated blood pressure and hypertension using heated yoga classes. The lead researcher, Stacy Hunter, Ph.D., wrote an article about the study, titled "Temps up, blood pressures down in hot yoga study," published in the American Heart Association Meeting Report (Presentation #P196; Session APS.1).[i] Hunter is assistant professor and lab director of the cardiovascular physiology lab at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. For the study, Hunter's research team recruited 10 adult men and women who had been diagnosed with either elevated blood pressure (EVP) or stage 1 hypertension (S1H). According to the Mayo Clinic, EVP is a systolic pressure ranging from 120 to 129 mm Hg and a diastolic pressure below 80 mm Hg.[ii] Stage 1 hypertension is a systolic pressure ranging from 130 to 139 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure ranging from 80 to 89 mm Hg. S1H elevates to stage 2 hypertension (S2H) when systolic pressure reaches 140 mm Hg or higher, or diastolic pressure rises to 90 mm Hg or higher.[iii] EVP tends to increase in severity over time unless steps are taken to bring blood pressure under control. [iv] Participants in the study were not taking any blood pressure medications and had not engaged in any regular physical exercise for at least six months before the study. Researchers randomly assigned five participants to an experimental group for 12 weeks of hot yoga classes, while the control group did not take yoga classes. Hot yoga is considered a vigorous workout, conducted in super-heated rooms that can reach 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) with 40% humidity. Sweating is induced as a form of general detoxification while high heat warms the muscles, enhancing flexibility. Weekly Hot Yoga Lowers Blood Pressure in Three Months The yoga group engaged in hour-long hot yoga classes three times each week for the three-month study period. Average blood pressures for the two groups were taken before and after the study periods and compared. The researchers looked at average 24-hour blood pressure readings, as well as perceived stress and vascular function of participants in both groups. After 12 weeks, the results of the study showed that members of the yoga group had lower blood pressure measurements than non-yoga group members. While researchers acknowledge that more studies on hot yoga are needed, these promising results add to the body of research on regular, room-temperature yoga's benefits for lowering blood pressure.[v] Yoga Balances Your Body and Mind (Without Drugs) Yoga has been practiced for many thousands of years as a way to integrate the body with the mind. A first-of-its-kind meta-analysis on the effects of yoga on blood pressure was published in 2013 in the peer-reviewed journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.[vi] A U.S.-based, cross-functional research team led by Marshall Hagins from Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York, examined results from 17 independent studies on the effects of yoga on male and female adults with prehypertension or high blood pressure, with or without cardiovascular disease. The featured studies assessed gentle yoga programs of relatively short duration, without focus on a particular style of yoga or individual fitness levels. This criterion, researchers hypothesized, would lead to findings within their research that would be applicable to the majority of individuals with elevated blood pressure. Results of this meta-analysis showed that yoga practice was associated with an overall "modest but significant" reduction in blood pressure. Larger, more clinically significant reductions in blood pressure were observed when the yoga practice incorporated three key elements -- postures, meditation and breathing -- as compared with more limited yoga interventions, which demonstrated less impact on blood pressure. Yoga compared to no treatment yielded significant blood pressure benefits, but not when compared to other forms of exercise. Researchers said these findings "are of clear clinical significance and suggest that yoga may offer an effective intervention for reducing blood pressure among people with prehypertension or hypertension." They are not alone in their assertion that these study results indicate yoga is a viable antihypertensive lifestyle therapy. They called for additional controlled trials to determine the optimal yoga program and treatment protocol. Hot Yoga Goes Mainstream; Should You Go, Too? For individuals interested in exploring hot yoga, Hunter recommends using extra precaution. Talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen. If you're cleared for practice, make sure you are well-hydrated when you arrive to class; it's not enough to merely sip water throughout the class. Dress in layers that can be removed during class and allow you to cool down gradually once you leave. Start slowly; don't over-exert during class and be aware of signs of heat exhaustion. You don't need to endure an hour of super-heated asanas to benefit from yoga. For some, it's simply the art of bending over. Try a class at your local studio, YMCA or YWCA, or check the class schedule wherever you work out. There are many levels of yoga, including classes suitable for beginners. To learn more, explore GreenMedInfo.com with nearly 300 scientific abstracts on yoga and its therapeutic benefits. References [i] American Heart Association. (2019, September 5). Temps up, blood pressures down in hot yoga study. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 1, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190905161410.htm [ii] Mayo Clinic, Patient Care & Health Information, Diseases & Conditions, Elevated blood pressure, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prehypertension/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376708 [iii] Mayo Clinic, Patient Care & Health Information, Diseases & Conditions, Elevated blood pressure, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prehypertension/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376708 [iv] Mayo Clinic, Patient Care & Health Information, Diseases & Conditions, Elevated blood pressure, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prehypertension/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376708 [v] Hagins, Marshall et al. "Effectiveness of yoga for hypertension: systematic review and meta-analysis." Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM vol. 2013 (2013): 649836. doi:10.1155/2013/649836 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23781266 [vi] Hagins, Marshall et al. "Effectiveness of yoga for hypertension: systematic review and meta-analysis." Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 2013 (2013): 649836. doi:10.1155/2013/649836 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23781266 The GMI Research Group (GMIRG) is dedicated to investigating the most important health and environmental issues of the day.  Special emphasis will be placed on environmental health.  Our focused and deep research will explore the many ways in which the present condition of the human body directly reflects the true state of the ambient environment. Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff. © [April 30th 2020] GreenMedInfoLLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission ofGreenMedInfoLLC. Want to learn more fromGreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here //www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter."

Don't Gain the Quarantine 15lb! I don’t know what to do! How can I get through this? I’ve been so bad, I’m totally failing! Have you ever had these thoughts in your head? With everything going on, or really not going on, it’s put many of us in uncharted territory. Our gyms are closed, work is stressful or lack there of has added extra stress on top what you already had, we feel stuck in our homes and there may not be much comfort in when this will end. So, where do we sometimes find comfort? The FRIDGE! I’ve been totally guilty of it too! And in times like this, I’ve heard many women state… “If I don’t change something soon, I might end up with the dreaded… QUARANTINE 15! Maybe cute in college but not past our 40’s! That’s why I put together 7 steps to avoid the quarantine 15 so you can guide yourself through this crazy time feeling good and looking good! And, as an additional BONUS... you’ll be able to use my mindset sheet to go along with those 7 simple steps to learn how to get what you want! Click here now for your FREE guide to avoid the quarantine 15 and make sure to share this with a friend! With all my love & support, Julie and the PHS team

Dr. DeSilva gives us some Quick Tips on cold and flu prevention

Reduce cortisol, the body's stress component in the clean mountain air at Valhalla Resort in Estes Park, Colorado.

2 incredible "cleaner home" devices - Air & SurfacePro and Laundry Pure2.0 help clean air and surfaces up to 3000 square feet. Laundry Pure 2.0 also uses space-age technology to provide money savings and cleaner clothes that could irritate the skin. #purify #technology #air #healthyhome #vollara #clean #allergies #allergens #mold #skinproblems #skin #eczema #asthma

Bioidentical hormone therapy resolves a number of issues you might consider as natural, inevitable effects of aging, such as: Body Leanness During age-related hormone decline, men and women can lose several pounds of muscle mass, however, improving hormone levels improves muscle tone and results in a leaner appearance. Libido Maintaining optimal hormone balance can increase sexual function and libido and minimize symptoms of vaginal dryness and erectile dysfunction. Both of which can improve intimate relationships and boost confidence in men and women. Appearance of Skin and Hair Proper levels of hormones, especially into old age, can help you maintain a lustrous head of hair and strong fingernails. Weight Management Balancing hormones with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy helps men and women to keep an active metabolism and prevent sudden hormone related weight gain. Brain Function Restoring hormones to healthy levels can help men and women improve and preserve their memory and cognitive function. Bone Mass Maintaining healthy hormone levels helps prevent bone thinning in men and women and even reverses some of the effects of osteoporosis.

PRP or “Platelet Rich Plasma” regenerative therapies utilize a concentration of platelet cells taken from the patient’s own blood. These platelets contain growth factors that accelerate hair regrowth and facial rejuvenation. The patients’ blood is drawn in the office and then spun in a centrifuge at a specific RPM which forces the blood components to separate into three levels. The distinct components are Red Blood Cells (RBC), Normal Plasma (PPP) and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). The PRP is then separated by our Registered Nurse and micro-needled into the scalp for hair rejuvenation or into the face for cosmetic rejuvenation. PRP is an excellent option for hair growth as the platelets contain vital growth hormones which stimulate the growth of stronger, fuller, and healthier hair. Patients can also reduce wrinkles and fine lines and improve texture and tone by restoring and enhancing their face and neck tissue. PRP leaves patients looking and feeling more youthful and rejuvenated!

Functional medicine takes a patient-centered approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Instead of looking at the patient as an illness or cluster of symptoms, Functional medicine considers your lifestyle, genetics, and environment when diagnosing and recommending treatments. This empowers you to take an active role in your own health. What are the core principles of functional medicine? As a functional medicine practitioner, Dr. Taylor recognizes that each patient is a unique human being whose biochemistry is influenced by genetics and their particular environment. She’s committed to patient-centered treatment and seeks to balance your mind, body, and spirit as a way to ultimate health. Dr. Taylor recognizes that all of your body systems are connected and a symptom in one may be caused by a disturbance in another. Functional medicine views good health as more than the absence of disease, but as the enhancement of vitality. Her practice aims to extend the quality, not just the length of your life. Dr. Taylor will always be respectful of your needs, values, and preferences. How does functional medicine differ from conventional medicine? In functional medicine, the emphasis is on nourishing the basic foundational aspects of your health. These include quality of sleep, nutrition, stress management, relationships, genetics, and exercise. When any of these are out of balance, it has a dire impact on your health. Hormone irregularities, nutritional deficiencies, an abundance of stress, and aging can all disturb this “foundation” and affect your health. Conventional medicine looks at the symptoms, often without regard to what may be causing them. While you may get resolution to acute problems with medication and other care, the underlying problems causing your symptoms may go undetected.

Meet our newest contributor, Dr. Julie Taylor

This 12-minute video runs through some favorite balance poses! 🥰🧘‍♀️

This is a restorative yoga routine, excellent for people recovering from anything, or who are needing a gentler workout. There’s some challenge built in but it’s focused on recovery and repair. Also—numerous cameos by my two superdoggies—Maximus & Samson. Enjoy! 😁

For those of you healing from upper body injury or overuse, here’s a yoga flow without downward-facing dogs, planks or chatarungas. 😁🧘‍♀️ We focus on balance and engaging our core. Enjoy!

A 12-min Mood Booster you can fit into your busy day. Last minute cancellation? Here’s your opportunity! 😁

Dr. Engsberg of AgeWellMD lets us in on symptoms that their men and women patients say they are experiencing, and a possible solution that AgeWellMD can help with.