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September 2022
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13:44 ,
A clinical trial showed a remarkable 20 percent advantage in the two-year overall survival rate for people with advanced melanoma who first received immunotherapy (72 percent survival rate) versus those who initially got targeted therapies (52 percent survival rate). Progression-free survival, where the cancer is stable or improving, was also trending in favor of those who started on immunotherapy.

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12:44 ,
Since their discovery over 100 years ago, neurons in the brain's olfactory bulb, called tufted cells, have been difficult to study. By leveraging new technology, neuroscientists were able to precisely dissect the neural activity of these tufted cells for the first time. They discovered the tufted cells were better at recognizing smells than mitral cells, their neighboring neurons in the olfactory bulb. Their findings offer new explanations for how the brain processes sensory information.

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11:44 ,
Today, machine learning helps determine the loan we qualify for, the job we get, and even who goes to jail. But when it comes to these potentially life-altering decisions, can computers make a fair call? Researchers have shown that with human supervision, people think a computer's decision can be as fair as a decision primarily made by humans.

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11:44 ,
The model of an ICU housed within an emergency department has been found to both decrease mortality rates and ICU admission rates for ED patients. A new study finds that the ED-ICU model achieves both of those measures without raising costs. Researchers say the model can be adopted by systems across the country to improve quality of care.

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10:44 ,
Herbaria collections have long served as a vital record of what plant species exist on Earth and where they grow. But hidden within the desiccated leaves, stems, flowers and roots is far more information on how the plants interacted with their environment while they were alive. Until now the only way to learn about these traits from herbarium collections has required destroying bits of the precious specimens. But recently researchers have developed a fast, nondestructive way of estimating the functional traits of herbarium specimens.

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16:44 ,
Researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School found that Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT) using capsules containing freeze-dried microbes taken orally has similar safety and effectiveness to colonoscopic administration of liquid FMT for treating recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

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15:44 ,
A new drug capsule can help large proteins such as insulin and small-molecule drugs be absorbed in the digestive tract. The capsule has a robotic cap that spins and tunnels through the mucus barrier when it reaches the small intestine, allowing drugs carried by the capsule to pass into cells lining the intestine.

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06:44 ,
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is associated with a greater capacity for selective and sustained attention in adolescents, while alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is associated with lower impulsivity, according to a new study. The results confirm the importance of having a diet that provides sufficient amounts of these polyunsaturated fatty acids for a healthy brain development.

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19:44 ,
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) researchers have unveiled a new lab technique they say represents a 'paradigm shift' in how pharmaceutical laboratories test and produce new protein-based drugs, such as therapeutic monoclonal antibodies being developed to treat a variety of diseases, from cancers to infectious diseases.

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11:44 ,
Tiny nets woven from DNA strands can ensnare the spike protein of the virus that causes COVID-19, lighting up the virus for a fast-yet-sensitive diagnostic test -- and also impeding the virus from infecting cells, opening a new possible route to antiviral treatment, according to a new study.

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05:44 ,
Long-term memories rely on both the repetition of events and an intricate neurological learning process in making these memories last, shows a new study by a team of neuroscientists. Its findings provide a more detailed understanding of how these types of memories are formed as well as insights into what may disrupt their creation.

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19:44 ,
Combining microbiology with engineering technologies, this novel 3D model uses a single microfluidic chip to study the complicated processes that take place in malaria-infected placenta as well as other placenta-related diseases and pathologies. The technology supports formation of microengineered placental barriers and mimics blood circulations, which provides alternative approaches for testing and screening.

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18:44 ,
In pregnancies conceived with assisted reproductive technology using frozen embryos, the risk of developing a hypertensive disorder may be 74% higher than during naturally conceived pregnancies. In comparison, the risk of hypertensive disorders in pregnancies from fresh embryo transfer was similar to naturally conceived pregnancies. High blood pressure during pregnancy may be a sign of preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that is serious and may be life-threatening to the mother and the fetus.

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17:44 ,
A new study found that lower initial cortisol levels may serve as a predictor for retention in treatment programs for substance use disorder.  Researchers found that participants who remained in the treatment program less than 90 days had significantly higher initial cortisol levels than those who remained in the program longer than 90 days.

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13:44 ,
Developing life-saving medicines can take billions of dollars and decades of time, but researchers are aiming to speed up this process with a new artificial intelligence-based drug screening process they've developed. Using a method that models drug and target protein interactions using natural language processing techniques, the researchers achieved up to 97% accuracy in identifying promising drug candidates.

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14:44 ,
Using the wrong mathematical formula to assess heartbeat rhythms may lead oncologists to inappropriately stop life-saving chemotherapy, according to a new study. Standardizing the mathematical formulas for measuring heartbeat rhythms with electrocardiograms, and avoiding one commonly used formula, could reduce this unintended outcome, the researchers reported.

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11:44 ,
The advent of small-molecule targeted therapies, a decade ago, revolutionized the treatment of metastatic melanoma, provided that the tumors carry the mutations to respond to these treatments. However, despite a remarkable initial response that can be seen in a majority of patients, most of them will undergo relapse even after spectacular initial responses. These relapses are due to 'dormant' persistent cells, unresponsive to treatment.

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23:20 , ,

While the globalist cabal claims “climate change” is the No. 1 threat to humanity, necessitating radical quality of life sacrifices and the total relinquishing of privacy and freedom, there are far more pressing problems. One key environmental threat facing mankind today is the increasing lack of potable water, thanks to a combination of water pollution and scarcity. Without potable water, we’re in immediate lethal peril.

Groundwater aquifers rapidly depleting, resulting in water scarcity, higher prices, land cave-ins and water wars. On top of that, much of the world's remaining water supply has become too contaminated to drink or even bathe in, and infrastructure — especially in the U.S. but also elsewhere — is nearing the end of its useful life and is in dire need of upgrades.

Water Contamination Commonplace Even in Developed Countries

News of dangerous water contamination in the U.S., reported in the first week of September 2022 alone, include:

• E.coli contamination in Baltimore, Maryland, thanks to aging water pipes and poorly maintained wastewater infrastructure.1

• Toxic arsenic levels in New York City tap water rendering it unsafe to drink.2

• The complete breakdown of the water infrastructure in Jackson, Mississippi, after the treatment plant got flooded, leaving some 180,000 people without running water.3 When something does come out of the tap, it’s mud brown.

As in Baltimore and Flint, Michigan,4 this crisis could have been avoided if proper maintenance and upkeep of infrastructure had been prioritized.

The Biden administration has now earmarked $429 million to help repair Jackson’s crumbling water and wastewater systems, but the final price tag has been quoted to run into the billions, and will take many months, if not years, to complete. In the meantime, residents are in a life-or-death crisis.5

According to the World Health Organization, more than 2 billion people worldwide drink water contaminated with feces,6 resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths due to preventable diseases each year.

Water sources in both developing and developed countries are also contaminated with toxic chemical pollutants that treatment plants are not prepared to filter. Among the most hazardous water pollutants are arsenic, fluoride, nitrate, pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics.7

Algae Blooms Are a Costly Problem

According to a September 5, 2022, article in the San Francisco Chronicle,8 wastewater from 37 sewage plants dumped into the San Francisco Bay has turned the water a murky brown, and dead fish litter the shores. (While hard to believe, an estimated 80% of global wastewater is released into the environment untreated.9)

An estimated 10,000 yellowfin goby and hundreds of striped bass and white sturgeon have washed ashore so far. The cause for the die-off: toxic algae bloom, triggered by the nitrogen and phosphorous from the feces and urine in the discharged wastewater.

Harmful algae bloom (HABs) will turn the water red and release neurotoxic compounds that are then passed up the food chain. It also depletes the water of oxygen, eventually — if not properly addressed — creating a dead zone where no life can be sustained.10 As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle:11

“The regional water board has told agencies that it will probably require caps on nutrients in wastewater when their regional permit comes up for renewal in 2024.

But upgrading dozens of aging treatment facilities could cost $14 billion, which would double or triple ratepayers’ water bills, [executive officer of San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, Eileen] White said in an interview.

‘It’s a multibillion-dollar Bay Area issue that needs to be thought through very carefully, taking the science into effect,’ she said. ‘There’s all of sorts of different treatments, and none of them are cheap’ ...

Federal, state and local governments and the treatment plants themselves have spent millions to research the issue, but like much of climate change planning, the science and policy are moving slower than the problem is progressing.”

Some water treatment plants could help address the problem using already existing infrastructure. The San Jose/Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility, for example, has been able to reduce the nitrogen load of its wastewater from 17 to 11 milligrams per liter, at no extra cost, simply by directing the water through a series of four tanks containing nitrogen-consuming bacteria before it’s discharged.

Wastewater Could Be a Source of Reusable Phosphorous

One of the important resources found in wastewater is phosphorus. This mineral is an essential nutrient for plant growth, which is why many fertilizers include it. And, while widespread across the Earth, there are limited areas where it is found in concentrated form.

However, wastewater contains a significant amount, as phosphorus is not only found in human excrement but also in detergents. Removing and reusing phosphorus from wastewater would not only increase supply, but would also reduce the risk of algae blooms.

The U.N. has proposed12 that removing and recovering phosphorus, nitrogen and other nutrients from wastewater could prevent hyper-growth of HEBs in lakes and rivers, while simultaneously providing a unique business opportunity to recuperate a finite resource essential for agriculture. The Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant has been doing this for years already, as seen in the 2012 video report above.

Pharmaceutical Pollution Is Widespread

Anything and everything you flush down the drain ends up somewhere and, oftentimes, the end destination is your local waterways. Pharmaceutical drugs are particularly problematic, as water treatment plants are not equipped to filter out these compounds.

Water treatment plants fail to filter out an estimated 93% of the drug compounds in wastewater, and a 2017 U.S. Geological Survey found 80% of U.S. waterways contained pharmaceutical pollution,13 which can have a devastating impact on aquatic species.

Proper disposal of drugs, lotions, creams and perfumes is paramount to the reduction of water pollution. By using all-natural and unscented personal care products, dropping off unused and expired drugs at a drug take-back site and not flushing any medication down the toilet, you can reduce your personal pharmaceutical footprint.

If you’re in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration has tools to help you find a local drug take-back location on its Drug Disposal: Drug Take Back Locations page.14

Firefighting Foam Contaminates Water Across the US

Firefighting foam also poses a serious threat to our water supplies. In 2015, investigative journalist Sharon Lerner published an extensive series15 of articles about the dangers of PFAS16 (two of the most well-known ones of which are PFOA and PFOS) and the industry’s attempts to cover up the damage.

Part 1517 addressed the U.S. military’s affinity for toxic flame retardants, despite the fact that billions of dollars are being spent trying to clean up drinking water contaminated by firefighting foam used on military installations. Many other PFAS chemicals18 — such as PFHxS, PFHpA, PFBA and PFBS — have also been detected in drinking water, yet the military is only attempting to clean up PFOA and PFOS contamination.

Around hundreds of U.S. military bases, PFAS have leached through the ground, contaminating surrounding groundwater. In addition to prostate cancer and thyroid problems, these chemicals have been linked to other types of cancer as well, including kidney, testicular and bladder cancer, as well as immune dysfunction, reproductive problems and hormone disruption.

Considering the public health threat posed by PFAS contamination, courtesy of firefighting foam, you’d think the U.S. government would take proactive measures to eliminate the use of these toxic chemicals. After all, other countries are using PFAS-free firefighting foam, and it works just as well. Alas, this is not happening.

Incomplete data make it very difficult to ascertain how widespread the PFAS-contamination might be, but drinking water near at least 46 military installations in the U.S. have been found to contain PFOA and/or PFOS at levels exceeding 70 parts per trillion (ppt), which is the EPA’s health advisory level for drinking water.19

If you live anywhere near a military installation or fire department fire-training area, consider getting your tap water tested for PFAS and other toxic contaminants. Water testing is a prudent step no matter where you live these days, as is filtering your water, as there are literally hundreds of potential water contaminants that can harm your health.

Factory Farm Contamination

Another major source of water contamination is runoff from factory farms. In addition to farming chemicals such as nitrates, which pose a serious threat to water quality, there’s the issue of drug-resistant bacteria, which are a result of antibiotic overuse in livestock.

When it comes to water pollution from farms, the problem is twofold. First, regular farming is exempt from the Clean Water Act. Second, while farms registered as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are regulated under the Act, many simply don’t apply for the required National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, which dictate what you’re allowed to discharge into national waterways.

Between 2011 and 2016, the number of CAFOs in the U.S. increased by 956, to a total of 19,496, yet the total number of CAFO discharge permits didn’t go up but actually declined by 1,806 during that period.20 Many farmers also don’t bother with nutrient management planning, which is voluntary, even though there are plenty of conservation practices that can help reduce water pollution.21

The Global Crisis of Vanishing Groundwater

Industrial farming also uses enormous amounts of potable water for irrigation, and in many areas, aquifers are being drained faster than they can be refilled, resulting in water scarcity.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 80% of U.S. consumptive water (and more than 90% in many Western states) is used for agricultural purposes.22

NASA mapping23 of groundwater storage trends for the earth's 37 largest aquifers reveals 21 aquifers have already exceeded their sustainability tipping points and are being depleted, and 13 of them are considered “significantly distressed, threatening regional water security and resilience.” Considering groundwater accounts for 99% of potable freshwater,24 the depletion of aquifers is a serious concern. As reported by the Pacific Institute:25

“Depleted groundwater aquifers can take thousands of years to be replenished by rain, snow, and other sources. This option can be off the table when an aquifer becomes so depleted it loses its capacity to store water.

In the U.S., the Ogallala Aquifer, which stretches across parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, illustrates this concern.

A history of groundwater overdraft threatens to deplete the aquifer. Once depleted, it’s estimated the Ogallala Aquifer could take more than 6,000 years to be naturally replenished ...

A 2021 Pacific Institute study26 highlighted connections between California groundwater management and local communities’ ability to access water — with significant water equity concerns.

California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was created to help protect groundwater, but the study showed minimum groundwater thresholds defined by SGMA would leave many people vulnerable to losing their water access.”

What Are the Solutions?

There tends to be a “free-for-all” mentality at play where the one who can afford to drill the deepest well wins in the short term, but everyone loses in the long term. Groundwater as a resource needs proper governance and management. Farmers also need more efficient irrigation systems, and we need engineering solutions to improve the refill rate of aquifers.

On a personal level, we also need to make changes in how we use water, and how we grow crops. Selecting the most appropriate crops for any given area would result in more efficient water usage, and would reduce the amount farmers would have to draw from our aquifers. In short, we need to grow food with less water.

The good news is we already know how to do that, and it’s called regenerative agriculture. It’s been well-proven that regenerative agriculture biodynamic farming is far more water efficient than industrial farming. To learn how, see “Regenerative Food and Farming: The Road Forward.”

With water wars becoming a reality even in developed nations (just look at California, where the battle over water allocation has been ongoing for more than a decade27), you’d be wise to give serious thought to emergency water preparations.

Not only do you need a source of water, were your tap water to stop running, but you also need to have the proper supplies on hand to filter and decontaminate that water to make it safe to drink.

Filtering the water you use for drinking, cooking and bathing is, I think, an absolute necessity these days, no matter where you live — unless you’ve had your water tested and are satisfied that it’s pure (which is rare). I recommend installing a whole-house filter system to ensure optimal water quality from your tap.

In an emergency situation, however, when tap water is unavailable, you’ll need to source your water elsewhere and that can be a real challenge, as people in Jackson, Mississippi, are now finding out.

In “How to Secure Your Water Supply for Emergencies,” I review ideas for alternative water sources, such as collecting spring water, or water from a local stream or river, which is far from ideal but might work in the short-term, and setting up a rain catchment system, which is a far more sustainable, long-term solution.

I also go over basic water purification and disinfection guidelines. Rainwater is often thought to be pristine, but it’s not, so even rainwater needs to be properly filtered before drinking.

The time to sort out your emergency plans is now, while municipal water and supply chains are still operational. Once an emergency hits, it’s too late to start thinking about installing wells or rain barrels and buying water filters, as by then the things you need might be incredibly difficult to get.



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11:44 ,
Neuroscientists have explored how individual neurons in mice are influenced by two different cognitive and behavioral states -- attention and running. These two states were once thought to share a common mechanism. However, in a new study published today in Neuron, researchers found that spatial attention and running influence individual neurons independently with different dynamics.

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12:44 ,
Scientists explore how digital health solutions can expand audiology services in clinical and research settings. Audiology assessment via telehealth would allow patients to access care while a specialist is located hundreds of miles away and, as a research tool, telehealth would allow for more representative and decentralized data on hearing, without compromising results. The team is currently scaling up several studies they conducted in rural areas of Alaska; their mission is to close the gap on hearing health disparities.

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10:44 ,
Lower immunity and recurring infections are common in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Researchers now show that the immune system of people with diabetes has lower levels of the antimicrobial peptide psoriasin, which compromises the urinary bladder's cell barrier, increasing the risk of urinary tract infection.

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08:44 ,
A medication for heart problems and high blood pressure may also be effective for treating alcohol use disorder, according to a new study. The study presents converging evidence from experiments in mice and rats, as well as a cohort study in humans, suggesting that the medication, spironolactone, may play a role in reducing alcohol drinking.

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23:20 , ,

Dr. Robert Malone, the inventor of the mRNA and DNA vaccine core platform technology,1 has unintentionally become a public figure for speaking out about the risks and ineffectiveness of COVID-19 shots. He's been deplatformed by LinkedIn and Twitter in the process, but that's only the beginning.

Malone is now earning most of his income from continuing to speak out via Substack, functioning not only as a scientist but as a citizen reporter. "To shut me down is basically anticompetitive," Malone said, speaking with WND in the video above.2

Malone Files Defamation Lawsuit Against WaPo

Yet, corporate media outlets are attempting to do just that, as they continue to publish defamatory hit pieces against Malone, as they have done to yours truly and many others who have shared information that's not in line with the official narrative. Now Malone is fighting back, as he's filed a $50 million lawsuit3 against The Washington Post (WaPo).4

If you've heard of Malone, it may be because his mention of the term "mass formation psychosis" on an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" December 31, 2021, which was viewed by more than 50 million people,5 went viral.

Those under the spell of mass formation psychosis obsessively focus on a failure of the normal world or a particular event or person who becomes the focus of the attention and can effectively control the masses.

Mass formation can occur in a society with feelings of social isolation and free-floating anxiety among a large number of people, and provides a coherent explanation of why so many people have fallen victim to the unbelievable lies and propaganda of the mainstream COVID-19 narrative.

Malone is also dedicated to speaking out because he wants to protect future generations. He's concerned about the pandemic response's effects on children, stating that public policies have had a particularly strong adverse effect on the young, and calling COVID-19 injection mandates "completely unjustified" for children.6 He also told WND:7

"I am of the opinion that a product that does not prevent infection, replication or spread of a pathogen to any substantial degree is not a vaccine.

And the fallback, of course, has been by the government that the genetic inoculations prevent severe disease and death, but unfortunately for all of us, the data are now showing internationally, and increasingly within the U.S., that the risk of severe disease or death is at a minimum equivalent between the unvaccinated and those who have received at least two inoculations.

And the data from most countries that are reporting this, like in Northern Europe, suggest the multiple inoculations — four or more injections, and even three injections to some extent — are associated with a higher risk of hospitalization and death."

It doesn't matter if what he's saying is true; if it creates "vaccine hesitancy," it will be censored. Toward that end, Malone has been targeted by the media and labeled an "anti-vaxxer," which is ironic since he's received COVID-19 shots.

Malone Attorneys File Cease-and-Desist Letters

Malone's attorneys sent cease-and-desist letters to the corporate media outlets that were most egregious in their attacks against him. This included The Washington Post, The New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, Rolling Stone and The Scientist, which published an inflammatory article against Malone and his response when a physician from Maui alerted the Maryland state medical board that Malone was promoting "COVID-19 misinformation."8

The reason he's suing The Washington Post, in particular, is because after his attorneys sent the media outlet a cease-and-desist letter, it put out another attack article repeating the same defamatory statements. "So that appears to show malice," Malone said, "and there's a number of other aspects in the words that they've used that appear to meet the criteria for malice."9

The Washington Post has continued to publish hit pieces against Malone, "accusing him of spreading 'dangerous lies' and 'leading his followers on a journey to illness, suffering and possible death,'" WND noted, adding, "Significantly, Post staff writer Timothy Bella labeled as "misinformation" Malone's statement that the vaccines 'are not working,' citing studies published by the CDC's sponsored journal as a counterpoint."10

Writing on Substack, Malone further explained that he had a gut feeling The Washington Post was up to no good when Bella first contacted him, asking to shadow him at the Defeat the Mandates rally in Washington, D.C., held in January 2022, where Malone was speaking:11

"Having been defamed and slandered by state-sponsored media before, I had learned enough about how these reporters approach their targets to politely turn down the offer to 'profile' me by a WaPo reported who has 'respect for you and your body of work' ...

In retrospect, my gut instinct was right. I felt like I was being set up (I can't get into the head or Mr. Bella and speak to his motives — maybe others can). Can you only imagine what would have been written and published IF I had agreed to have Mr. Bella shadow me — as he requested? Let my experience be a lesson to all concerned."

Malone is seeking more than $50 million in damages for injury to his reputation (past and future), insult, pain and mental suffering, lost income, career damage and impairment of future earnings.12 The lawsuit alleges:13

"WaPo falsely accused Dr. Malone of fraud, disinformation, dishonesty, deception, lying to the American public, lack of integrity, immorality and ethical improprieties. The gist of the Article is that Dr. Malone is unfit to be a medical doctor and scientist. WaPo exposed Dr. Malone to public ridicule, scorn, and contempt, and severely prejudiced Dr. Malone in his employment."

The New York Times Also Attacked Malone

Malone told WND that he was also "ground into sausage" by The New York Times, after one of their reporters, who he welcomed to his farm for what he thought would be a good faith interview, published another attack piece. He now says he's gotten to the point where he tells others who are speaking words that are not endorsed by the government or the current narrative to "just say no" if they're approached by the media.14

Indeed, The New York Times has also published repeated hit pieces against me, making multiple blatantly false claims and labeling me a "superspreader" of misinformation. Twitter has banned anyone from sharing any link to my website, YouTube banned my account with over 15 years of content, while Facebook and Google have done everything possible to make me disappear.

It certainly would be much easier to cave under the pressure, but if we don't stand up for our rights and freedom now — when will it be too late? I will continue 'superspreading' truth and health until my last days, and I suspect Malone will as well.

"The lesson learned by so many is that the likes of Business Insider, Atlantic Monthly, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN," Malone said, "these are media outlets which are paid by pharma and paid by the government ... more and more is coming out ... that the government has been actively promoting these forms of attack, cancelling and defamation."15

New York Times Paradox Explained?

Malone also spoke about the seeming paradox of the corporate-sponsored, narrative-aligned New York Times publishing an exposé in February 2022 that revealed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had been collecting data on COVID-19 hospitalizations according to age, race and injection status throughout the pandemic but didn't release most of it to the public.16

Such data certainly would have been of interest to a large portion of the U.S. population, but according to CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund, the CDC hadn't released all of the data "because basically, at the end of the day, it's not yet ready for prime time."17 The Times reported, "Another reason is fear that the information might be misinterpreted, Ms. Nordlund said."18

Malone said he believes that the CDC withholding evidence about COVID-19 shot safety is scientific fraud19 and, beyond that, the outcome of the Times exposé and other public criticism of the CDC may have been revealed by CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky's recent calls for sweeping changes at the CDC.20 Among them, Malone says, is the establishment of a committee:21

"The outcome of all of this is that a committee has been established — you know what that means in D.C., it means that nobody has to take a hit for any bad decisions ... responsibility is all diffused — to advise and provide oversite for operations at the CDC."

Another outcome is to make the CDC less academic and give them more money and more power. "They need the power to extract data from the states," Malone said, explaining:22

"Since the practice of medicine is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution as a federal mandate," — the regulation of the practice of medicine is done at the state level — "she wants to basically circumvent the Constitution and be able to demand data from the states, because apparently they don't have enough data at the CDC, even though there are multiple stories out that they haven't analyzed and reported the data that they do have, and they need more money to hire more people in order to do this.

They need to refocus their workforce on rapid response rather than putting out academic papers. The whole thing, to me, reeks to high heaven."

Turning an Attack Into a Badge of Honor

While being targeted by the media has ruined many reputations, it's possible to turn the attack into a badge of honor. One way to do this is to not back down under these signs of oppression and continue to fight for the truth, no matter the cost. Malone's lawsuit will not be the last that seeks to expose the true intentions behind the COVID spin.

And remember, in your own search for the truth — and in your journey to protect and maintain your health and that of your family — understand that the media intentionally uses Orwellian doublespeak, a weapon of tyranny in which words are twisted, reversing their meaning.



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10:44 ,
Like all living beings, human physiological processes are influenced by circadian rhythms. The disruption of our internal clocks due to an increasingly unbalanced lifestyle is directly linked to the explosion in cases of type 2 diabetes. By what mechanism? A team is lifting part of the veil: this disturbance disrupts the metabolism of lipids in the cells that secrete glucose-regulating hormones. Sphingolipids and phospholipids, lipids located on the cell membrane, seem to be particularly affected. This change in lipid profiles then leads to a rigidity of the membrane of these cells. These results provide further evidence of the importance of circadian rhythms in metabolic disorders.

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10:44 ,
In a proof-of-principle study, researchers have shown that smartphones are capable of detecting blood oxygen saturation levels down to 70%. This is the lowest value that pulse oximeters should be able to measure, as recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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09:44 ,
Currently, the only FDA approved biomarker for ICI melanoma treatment is the tumor mutation burden assay, but the mechanisms linking it to ICI remain unclear. However, new research now provides evidence of novel, reliable biomarkers that predict therapy response using advanced computer technology.

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23:20 , ,

Honey has been valued for its antimicrobial properties for thousands of years. Made from flower nectar, honey contains sugars, amino acids, phenolics and other compounds that combine to exert a wealth of medicinal properties. When it comes to broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, however, manuka honey deserves top billing.

Produced from certain manuka plants — also known as tea trees — of the Leptospermum species native to New Zealand and Australia,1 manuka is used for a variety of medical-grade applications, including honey gel, honey for wound dressings and nebulized honey used to treat asthma.2

The nectar from manuka flowers contains dihydroxyacetone, a precursor to methylglyoxal (MGO), an antimicrobial compound not found in most other honey. The presence of MGO is credited for much of manuka honey’s medicinal prowess, which includes the ability to combat complex antibiotic-resistant respiratory infections.3

Manuka Honey Treats Aggressive Lung Infection

Mycobacterium abscessus is a type of mycobacteria that often cause aggressive lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and other preexisting lung conditions. Conventional treatment often involves more than 12 months of antimicrobial chemotherapy, which still doesn’t get rid of the infection in many cases.4

According to researchers with the U.K.’s Aston University, patients often stop taking the drugs due to severe side effects, including nausea, vomiting, liver damage, low platelet levels and low white blood cell count. Even among those who do stick with the intensive drug treatment, it’s only successful 30% to 50% of the time.5

“New and novel strategies are urgently required to combat these infections,” the researchers wrote. “One such strategy thus far overlooked for mycobacteria is manuka honey.”6

The Aston University team conducted a study using samples of Mycobacterium abscessus from 16 infected patients with cystic fibrosis to determine the effectiveness of manuka honey against it.7 All four varieties of manuka honey tested showed antimicrobial activity against the bacteria, including 16 drug-resistant clinical isolates.8

The researchers used a nebulizer and lung model to test the results of manuka honey with the drug amikacin, which is used to treat bacterial infections. A typical dosage of amikacin used in the treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus is 16 micrograms per milliliter.

When combined with manuka honey, however, not only was the duo effective but far less amikacin — just 2 micrograms per milliliter — was needed.9 According to study author Jonathan Cox, a senior lecturer in microbiology at Aston University:10

"By combining a totally natural ingredient such as manuka honey with amikacin, one of the most important yet toxic drugs used for treating Mycobacterium abscessus, we have found a way to potentially kill off these bacteria with eight times less drug than before. This has the potential to significantly reduce amikacin-associated hearing loss and greatly improve the quality of life of so many patients — particularly those with cystic fibrosis.

I am delighted with the outcome of this research because it paves the way for future experiments and we hope that with funding we can move towards clinical trials that could result in a change in strategy for the treatment of this debilitating infection."

Honey Works for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), otherwise known as the common cold, are a common reason why people are prescribed antibiotics unnecessarily, exacerbating antimicrobial resistance.11 Honey makes a suitable option for symptom relief, working better than usual care, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.12

After reviewing 1,345 records from 14 studies, the researchers found that, compared with usual care, honey improved cough frequency and cough severity, as well as the combined symptom score. They noted:

“Honey was superior to usual care for the improvement of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. It provides a widely available and cheap alternative to antibiotics. Honey could help efforts to slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance, but further high quality, placebo controlled trials are needed.”

The results support previous studies with similar results. In one Italian study involving 134 children with a nonspecific cough, researchers compared the use of multiple doses of honey to the use of dextromethorphan and levodropropizine, two commonly prescribed over-the-counter cough medications in Italy.13

The children were given either a mixture of milk and wildflower honey or a dose of one of the medications, based on the group they were assigned to. The researchers found that the milk and honey mixture was at least as effective as the medications. Similar results were found by a study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews that looked into honey for the treatment of acute cough in children. It concluded:14

“Honey probably relieves cough symptoms to a greater extent than no treatment, diphenhydramine, and placebo, but may make little or no difference compared to dextromethorphan. Honey probably reduces cough duration better than placebo and salbutamol.”

How Do Manuka Honey’s Antibacterial Properties Work?

Different types of manuka honey have varying levels of antibacterial potency, which is related to its Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) rating. UMF is correlated to a particular honey’s content of MGO and total phenols. While some types of manuka honey may be more potent than others, no bacterial resistance to honey has been identified to date, possibly because it’s made up of such a complex mixture of MGO and other substances.15

Honey may also affect bacterial cell morphology and growth by altering its shape and size, according to an overview published in AIMS Microbiology.16 It also noted that manuka honey can stimulate macrophages to release mediators such as interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α, which are necessary for reducing microbial infections and promoting tissue healing.17 Other active compounds in honey that may affect its antibacterial activity include:18

  • Hydrogen peroxide (especially in non-manuka honey)
  • Acidic pH level
  • Hyper-osmolality effect
  • Bee defensin-1, an antimicrobial bee-derived peptide19

“Manuka honey can be safely used as an alternative natural antibiotic,” the researchers noted, adding, “Finally, the conclusion is that honey is a natural and safe antibiotic, since no literature published has reported bacterial resistance for honey, which is attributed to the complexity of honey components working solely or in a synergistic manner with other components.”20

Manuka Honey’s Wound-Healing Powers

Manuka honey has been widely explored for wound healing, in part due to its ability to wipe out bacteria living in biofilms, which often adhere to wound surfaces. Manuka honey is capable not only of disrupting existing biofilms, which can cause persistent infections, but also of preventing their formation.21

In addition to inhibiting the growth of all bacterial pathogens it’s been tested against, researchers noted, “Treatment with manuka honey results in a unique signature of differential gene expression with down-regulation of stress response and virulence-related genes.”22 When combined with antibiotics, it also works synergistically or enhances their effects, while preventing the development of resistance and even making resistant bacterial strains more susceptible to treatment.23

In the case of wound healing, honey has been used for this purpose for thousands of years, and in the U.S. the use of medical grade honey for wound care is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.24 Manuka honey has immunomodulatory properties that enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration.25

Even in cases of chronic, nonhealing wounds, such as diabetic leg ulcers, manuka honey dressings have been found to mostly heal the sores within three months. “The antibacterial component of manuka honey is a small water-soluble molecule that diffuses easily, which explains why manuka honey has also exhibited efficacy against bacteria contained in biofilms,” according to a review published in Wounds.26 The researchers explained:27

“The manuka honey used in wound-care products can withstand dilution with substantial amounts of wound exudate and still maintain enough activity to inhibit the growth of bacteria. There is good evidence for honey also having bioactivities that stimulate the immune response (thus promoting the growth of tissues for wound repair), suppress inflammation, and bring about rapid autolytic debridement.”

Choosing High-Quality Honey

Medical grade honey is now widely available and used by some hospitals for wound healing and wound infection control. Medicinal honey products are also available over the counter for home use. However, keep in mind that the health benefits of honey do not extend to the processed honey you find on grocery store shelves, which is often little more than fructose syrup.

Contamination with chemicals, including glyphosate, most commonly known as the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide, is also a concern. In their National Chemical Residues Program Report released January 2020, it’s noted that 300 raw extracted archival and retail packed honey samples were tested for glyphosate residues during 2017/2018, while another 60 retail packed Manuka honey samples were tested for the herbicide during 2018/2019.28

Out of the 300 samples, 22.3% contained glyphosate residues above the laboratory limit of reporting, with clover or pasture floral types testing positive more often than other varieties. About 1.7% of the unblended or unprocessed (raw extracted) honey samples contained glyphosate residues at levels above the regulatory limit.

Among the 2018/2019 retail samples tested, 18.3% contained glyphosate residues, though they were below the regulatory maximum. Beekeepers are, unfortunately, at the mercy of their neighbors’ glyphosate usage, as they can’t control which plants their bees choose to visit. Some beekeepers, however, are carefully managing where they put their hives to minimize pesticide exposure and keep track of when spraying occurs to help reduce exposures.29

If you see the Detox Project’s glyphosate-residue-free certification on Manuka honey, it means the product has no glyphosate residues down to government-recognized limits of detection (usually 0.01 parts per million), and lower levels than the default government Maximum Residue Limits in the European Union and Japan.30

For manuka honey, also keep an eye out on the UMF rating, which can range from UMF5+ to UMF30+. The higher the rating, the more MGO and other beneficial compounds it contains, so for medicinal purposes, generally the higher the UMF, the better.



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A few years ago, the term "gluten free" was mostly associated with wheat allergy and celiac disease. Those afflicted with either condition who adopted a gluten-free diet often reported a resurgence of health and well-being.

Today, gluten-free eating continues to attract attention, and there are likely more wheat-tolerant people eating gluten-free food than those who medically need it. Eating trends aside, here's what you need to know about gluten.

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and cereal grains that is made up of glutenin and gliadin molecules. In the presence of water, these substances form an elastic bond that gives bread and other baked goods a springy, stretchy and spongy consistency. Because gluten gives dough elasticity, comparable gluten-free items are often dense and tend to crumble easily.

Gluten is found not only in wheat, but also other grains like barley, oats, rye and spelt. Beyond the whole grains known to be glutinous, gluten can hide in processed foods under a variety of names, including, but not limited to:1

  • Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
  • Malts
  • Natural flavoring
  • Starches
  • Texturized vegetable protein (TVP)

While many foods such as whole fruits and vegetables are naturally gluten free, as are most dairy and meat products, grocery stores are full of gluten-containing products. Many of them fall into the category of ultraprocessed foods. Some of the most common gluten-laced foods include:

Beer

Cookies

Processed broth

Bouillon

Crackers and other snack foods

Sausages and hot dogs

Bread (white and wheat)

Lunch meat

Seasoning mixes

Cereal

Pasta

Soy sauce

Obviously, wheat-containing foods like wheat bran, wheat flour, wheat germ and wheat starch also contain gluten. Even though many think otherwise, white bread is also a source of wheat because it is made from wheat flour after the bran and germ are removed. Furthermore, because wheat is often used as a thickening agent, gluten is commonly found in canned soups and bottled sauces, as well as salad dressings.

How Gluten Can Negatively Impact Your Health

Gluten is known for its tendency to impede proper nutrient breakdown and absorption of foods, regardless of whether they do or do not contain gluten. Proper digestion can be impeded in the presence of gluten because in excess amounts it forms a glued-together constipating lump in your gut.

Some people react negatively to even small amounts of gluten because their body identifies it as a toxin, which causes their immune cells to overreact and attack it. In this scenario, the continued consumption of gluten will create inflammation and damage to the lining of the small intestine that may trigger more serious health issues over time, particularly if you have celiac disease.

Left unchecked, excessive gluten consumption and the inflammation that results may predispose you to malabsorption, nutrient deficiencies, osteoporosis and neurological and psychological conditions, as well as its potentially negative effects on your joints, liver, nervous system, skin and more.2

Beyond this, the Celiac Disease Foundation asserts undiagnosed celiac disease may contribute to the development of "autoimmune disorders like Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS), dermatitis herpetiformis (an itchy skin rash), anemia, osteoporosis, infertility and miscarriage … epilepsy and migraines, short stature and intestinal cancers."3

Signs of Gluten Intolerance

Signs of gluten intolerance include bloating, belly pain, diarrhea, fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell. Beyond this, other noticeable warning signs of your body's inability to handle gluten may include:

  • Anxiety
  • Confusion
  • Headache
  • Joint or muscle pain
  • Nausea

While just 1 in 100 people worldwide have celiac disease, countless others may simply be undiagnosed, including an estimated 2.5 million Americans.4 Lack of a proper diagnosis may put you at risk of long-term health complications, some of which were mentioned above.

If you think you might have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, it's best to talk to your health practitioner before you go gluten free. Once you have avoided gluten for a while, it becomes difficult to establish a conclusive relationship between gluten and your health problems.

You have a better chance for an accurate diagnosis of gluten-related illness if you are actively eating gluten at the time of the testing. Blood tests are usually the first step toward confirming celiac disease.5 If the blood tests and your symptoms indicate celiac, your doctor will likely suggest a biopsy of the lining of your small intestine to confirm the diagnosis.

If you suspect your body may not be able to tolerate gluten, pay attention to how you feel immediately after eating it. Feeling poorly after eating glutinous food may be a signal your body cannot handle gluten. For best results, you may want to keep a food diary, and you will definitely want to discuss your symptoms with your health practitioner.

Most Packaged Gluten-Free Food Is Glorified Junk Food

While the availability of gluten-free food options can be perceived as a help for those affected by a wheat allergy or celiac disease, I advise you approach a gluten-free diet and lifestyle cautiously. The reason: Most processed, packaged gluten-free food is glorified junk food.

I say that because packaged gluten-free foods are some of the most ultraprocessed foods on the planet. They lack fiber and are often loaded with toxic amounts of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, which increase the number of empty calories derived from these foods. About this aspect of gluten-free foods, U.S. News and World Report states:6

"[G]luten-free packaged foods have one important thing in common with their glutinous counterparts: The majority of them are absolute junk.

These include empty-calorie chips, crackers and bars that are high in starchy carbs and sugar, while low in fiber; breads made from the least nutritious starches on the planet and held together by food gums; and high-glycemic cereals made from white rice flour or refined corn that's been sprinkled with vitamin dust."

You Might Gain Weight on a Conventional Gluten-Free Diet

Given the higher amounts of sugar in many packaged gluten-free foods, it's common for people to gain weight after going on a gluten-free diet. With respect to eating gluten-free and weight gain, nutrition communications expert Rachel Begun, a scientific/medical advisory council member for Beyond Celiac, said:7

"Now that we have an ample supply of gluten-free foods on the market, we're seeing extended weight gain. Many gluten-free products are high in … sugar, while also being low in nutrients. When people go gluten free and eat too much of these highly processed, low-nutrient foods they're likely to gain weight.

There's also a 'health halo' surrounding gluten-free right now. It's important that consumers understand that just because something is gluten free doesn't necessarily mean it's healthful or is a good option for weight loss."

Watch Out: Arsenic Often Found in Rice-Based Gluten-Free Food

If you decide to go gluten free, but are not doing so in response to a diagnosed medical condition such as a wheat allergy or celiac disease, proceed carefully to avoid unintentionally damaging your health.

Registered dietitian Laura Moore, who is on the nutrition faculty at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston, warns, "If you go completely gluten-free without the guidance of a nutritionist, you can develop deficiencies pretty quickly."8

Part of how that can happen, especially if you eat a mostly processed food diet, relates to the enrichment and fortification of foods, which is a common practice in the food industry. The simple fact is fewer gluten-free foods are enriched or fortified with nutrients like folic acid and iron, as compared to products containing wheat.9,10

Rather than depend on processed foods for these and other vital nutrients, I recommend you eat a whole-food diet and take a high-quality supplement as needed. Beyond that, Consumer Reports says eating gluten free may increase your exposure to arsenic.

This is the case mainly due to the use of rice flour in many gluten-free foods and the uptake of arsenic in most of the world's rice crops.11 As such, you may want to think twice before choosing rice-based gluten-free products and risking exposure to a known cancer-causer like arsenic.12 About this, Consumer Reports stated:13

"About half of the gluten-free products Consumer Reports purchased contained rice flour or rice in another form. In 2012, we reported on our tests of more than 60 rices and packaged foods with rice (such as pasta, crackers and infant cereal).

We found measurable levels of arsenic in almost every product tested. Many of them contained worrisome levels of inorganic arsenic, a carcinogen."

In your attempts to avoid rice-containing gluten-free foods, you'll also want to steer clear of nonorganic products containing corn starch, corn flour, potato starch, potato flour and soy. That's because most conventional corn and soy crops are genetically engineered, while conventional potato crops are heavily sprayed with toxic herbicides and pesticides.

Not All Packaged Food Labeled Gluten-Free Is Free of Gluten

Another potential obstacle to gluten-free eating is the unfortunate reality that many packaged gluten-free foods have been found to be tainted with gluten.

"Cross-contamination can occur," Andrea Levario, senior public policy advocate for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C., explains. "Gluten-free products may be manufactured on the same equipment used for wheat or other gluten-containing products."14

The potential for cross-contamination is also of concern in instances where wheat is grown next to other grains, such as oats. Even though some suggest oats are a gluten-free food, you have to be careful to ensure the brand you purchase is certified gluten free.

Otherwise, it is very likely the oats were grown in or near wheat fields, in which case the product may be contaminated. A 2014 study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition15 evaluated 158 food products labeled as gluten-free over a three-year time frame.

When testing for the presence of gluten, the researchers discovered 5% of the packaged items they tested — including some certified gluten-free — failed to meet the limit set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for less than 20 parts per million of gluten. If you have questions about foods labeled as gluten-free, I encourage you to contact the manufacturer.

"They should be transparent about what tests they use to determine whether a product is gluten-free," said study author and registered dietitian Tricia Thompson, founder of Gluten Free Watchdog and creator of the Gluten-Free Dietitian website. "If they insist that it's proprietary information, that should set off an alarm."16

Finally, take care when purchasing food items labeled "wheat free," because being wheat-free doesn't automatically make a food gluten-free. That's because barley, rye and spelt-based ingredients, all of which contain gluten, may be used in products labeled wheat free.

Is a Gluten-Free Diet Right for You?

Whether or not you have a medical reason for choosing a gluten-free diet, nearly everyone can benefit from this style of eating. Grains, even whole sprouted varieties, tend to cause problems not only because of the presence of gluten, but also due to concerns around fructans, glyphosate contamination and wheat hybridization.

Furthermore, grains may damage your skin. Grains also have high net carbs and many people eat too many carbs. A healthier approach would be to reduce your consumption of grain-based carbs and increase your intake of healthy fats, thereby training your body to burn fat for fuel. (Be sure to moderate your protein intake, too.)

Becoming a fat burner will free you from the cycle of energy highs and lows that often result from overindulging in carbs.

While reducing your carb consumption may be a challenge, eating a gluten-free diet is relatively easy to do. You can accomplish this by focusing on whole, unprocessed foods that are naturally wheat- and gluten-free. As always, I recommend eating foods as close to their natural state as possible.

For that reason, I advise you forego the packaged gluten-free foods found online and in grocery stores. Below are a few of the foods you may enjoy on a naturally gluten-free diet:

Avocados

MCT oil

Organic fruits and vegetables

Coconut oil

Nuts (macadamias, pecans and walnuts)

Organic, grass fed meat

Fish (anchovies, herring, sardines and wild-caught Alaskan salmon)

Olives and olive oil

Organic, raw, grass fed dairy products (kefir and yogurt)

Grass-fed butter

Organic pastured eggs

Seeds (chia, pumpkin and sunflower)


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Back pain is one of the most common health complaints across the globe, with an estimated 80% of people experiencing back pain at some point in their life.1 Not only is back pain the No. 1 cause of job disability,2 it’s also one of the most common reasons for opioid dependence, the side effects of which can be lethal. In fact, opioids are now the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50.3

According to a 2018 study,4,5 opioids — which modulate your brain’s reaction to pain — are the most commonly prescribed medications for people with chronic low back pain and, as you’d suspect, these drugs are typically used long-term in this population.

According to Pharmacy Times, about 20% of patients on long-term opioid therapy end up developing an opioid use disorder.6 Up to 25% of opioid users also end up with other substance-abuse disorders,7 which have additional risks.

The use of opioids for back pain flies in the face of guidelines8 from the American College of Physicians, which recommends heat wraps and exercise as a first line of treatment, stressing that prescription drugs should only be used as a last resort, as they completely fail to treat the underlying problem.

Research9 has also shown opioids (including morphine, Vicodin, oxycodone and fentanyl) fail to control moderate to severe pain any better than over-the-counter (OTC) drugs such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen. In fact, those taking nonopioid pain relievers actually fared “significantly better” in terms of pain intensity.

Considering the immense risks associated with opioid use, you’d be wise to exhaust all other alternatives before jumping on that bandwagon to disaster. The good news is there are a wide variety of non-drug options available.

Unlearning Chronic Back Pain

Most recently, researchers have shown you can successfully reverse chronic back pain by retraining your brain with Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT).10 As reported by DW.com:11

“PRT aims to rewire neural pathways in the brain to deactivate pain and train the brain to respond to signals from the body more appropriately, using what's called pain education. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce a patient's fear of certain movements, so that when they do move in those ways, they are confident that it won't cause them any pain.”

The article tells the story of one of the study participants, Daniel Waldrip, who had suffered chronic debilitating back pain for 18 years. One month after the conclusion of the study, Waldrip was 100% pain free, and he’s remained pain free in the four years since. “It completely changed my life,” he told DW.com.

Pain Processing Gone Haywire

If pain can be “unlearned,” what does that say about the nature of pain? Contrary to popular belief, chronic back pain is not always due to some structural or mechanical problem. More often than not, it’s actually caused by nerves sending incorrect or faulty signals to your brain. As explained by DW:12

“Pain is like an alarm system that alerts us when we may have hurt ourselves or become injured. But regardless of where a person hurts themselves physically, their sense of pain is formed in the brain.

Nerves send signals to the brain to let it know that something has happened in the body and the brain then decides whether to produce a pain sensation, and that depends on whether the brain thinks there is danger.

Pain draws a person's attention to potential harm and diminishes when that warning signal is no longer needed. This is called acute pain ... But pain that persists for more than three months despite treatment is considered chronic.

‘It's really important that people are able to experience pain. It's critical for survival, and yet some people [continue to have] pain even though their bodies have recovered,’ said James McAuley, a psychologist and professor at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

While scientists have their theories, it is still unclear what causes chronic pain or how acute pain becomes chronic, said McAuley. But they do know that some changes occur in the brain when pain goes from acute to chronic.

‘The nerves are misfiring and advising the brain that the patient is having pain or is at a risk of damage,’ said Steven Faux, director of the Rehabilitation Unit at St Vincent's Public Hospital in Sydney, Australia.”

In all, two-thirds of the volunteers in the PRT group were either pain free or nearly pain free at the end of the treatment, compared to just one-fifth (20%) of those in the placebo group. Functional MRI scans performed at baseline and at the end of the trial also demonstrated that pain processing in the brain had been noticeably altered.

The Importance of Staying Active and Minimizing Sitting

Staying active and minimizing sitting are two strategies that can go a long way toward preventing — and treating — back pain. Both will improve muscle strength and coordination, reduce stiffness and improve blood flow, which may reduce back pain and lower your risk of developing back pain in the first place.

Oftentimes, back pain originates from tension and muscular imbalances. For example, sitting for long periods of time ends up shortening the iliacus, psoas and quadratus lumborum muscles that connect from your lumbar region to the top of your femur and pelvis.

When these muscles are chronically short, it can cause severe pain when you stand up as they will effectively pull your lower back (lumbar) forward. By bringing these muscles into better balance, you will remedy many of these common pains and discomforts.

This was certainly true for me when I had debilitating back pain about 10 years ago that failed to respond to all interventions. The only thing that worked was to stop sitting for over 12 hours a day. I shifted to a standing desk and the problem permanently resolved: Address the cause and you typically have a cure.

Overuse and misuse of the muscles supporting your spine, poor muscle strength and inappropriate posture while sitting, standing and walking are other common causes of low back pain. For instance, when walking with your toes pointed outward, the muscles in your hips and lower back tighten, increasing your risk for lower back pain.

Sitting with your shoulders hunched over a computer screen stretches muscles in your upper back and places added stress on your lower back, increasing your risk for both lower and upper back pain.

Walking with your head down is yet another posture-related problem that has repercussions on the rest of your back and hips,13 as your head is the single heaviest part of your body and will throw everything out of alignment. If poor posture is a culprit, consider doing some exercises to stretch out your shoulders, open up your hip flexors, and lift your chest.

Correct Improper Body Mechanics That Cause Pain

Techniques that can ease or erase back pain by teaching you proper body mechanics include:

• Foundation Training,14 which helps strengthen your core. This includes anything that directly connects to your pelvis, whether above or below it. Foundation Training teaches all those muscles to work together through integrated chains of movement, which is how your body is structurally designed to move.

• Neurostructural integration technique (NST), a gentle, noninvasive technique that stimulates your body's reflexes. Simple movements are done across muscles, nerves and connective tissue, which helps your neuromuscular system to reset all related tension levels, promoting natural healing.

To learn more, you can download Michael Nixon-Livy’s free ebook,15 “Neurostructural Integration Technique: A Better Way to Good Health” from nsthealth.com. Basic training videos are also available on Vimeo.16 To find an NST therapist near you, see our NST Therapists Page.

• The Gokhale Method,17 which helps restore your structural integrity by sitting, standing and moving correctly.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care

Spinal adjustment by a chiropractor can also ease back pain in many cases. In one 2017 meta-analysis18 of 26 studies, spinal manipulation was associated with “statistically significant benefits in both pain and function, of on average modest magnitude, at up to six weeks.”

The average patient reported greater ease and comfort in their day-to-day activities, such as walking, sleeping or turning in bed. However, while these results appear to be modest in nature, it is important to recognize the results are an average, and that the participants only underwent manipulation. In other words, they were not given any additional rehabilitative exercises designed to maintain functional movement of the spine gained after manipulation, or to reduce inflammation.

A study19,20 that did take physical therapy and/or anti-inflammatories into account, published in 2018, found this kind of multidisciplinary approach reduced discomfort and disability to a greater than standard medical care.

In all, 750 active duty military service members already being treated for lower back pain were evaluated. All were receiving physical therapy and/or drugs to ease pain and inflammation. The team added chiropractic treatment to half the participants, including spinal manipulation, rehabilitation exercises and treatment with cold or heat.

On average, the chiropractic treatment group received two to five treatments over a six-week period. After six weeks, patients who received chiropractic treatments experienced greater improvements in their lower back pain and less disability than those who did not receive the treatments. Lead study author and chiropractor Christine Goertz, Ph.D., commented on the results:21

“Spinal manipulation (often referred to as Hias chiropractic adjustment) may help heal tissues in your body that form as a result of injury, decreasing pain and improving your body's ability to move correctly.

It is also possible that manipulation impacts the way your body perceives pain through either the brain or spinal cord and or decreases pain from muscle strain, inflammation and or spasm in the muscles next to your spine.”

Aside from addressing any immediate spinal misalignment that might cause back pain, chiropractic care can also help address, prevent and treat deeper dysfunctions in your body. Chiropractic adjustments can actually affect the chemistry of biological processes on a cellular level, thereby reducing oxidative stress and improving immune function and DNA repair,22 for example.

Acupuncture and Massage

Acupuncture and massage also have their place, and often work well together. The WellBridge Clinic in Oregon is a proponent of acupuncture for back pain, stating on its website:23

“There is extensive, conclusive research behind the use of acupuncture for pain resolution and management, especially for back pain. Modern science has found that targeting specific points in the body with acupuncture pins acts as a nociceptive stimulation that leads to the activation of the nerve-endocrine-immune systems.

This activation helps the body to begin to heal at the sites of injury and pain. Effectively, this means it increases blood flow and circulation to injured areas. It changes the electrical current that is the foundation of our biology. That’s how acupuncture releases endorphins to ease pain, release muscle tension, and change cellular processes so the body can heal.”

Back problems that may respond well to acupuncture include pinched nerves, sciatica, herniated discs and spinal stenosis. Massage therapy, meanwhile, releases endorphins that help induce relaxation, relieve pain and reduce levels of stress chemicals such as cortisol and noradrenaline. It also reverses the damaging effects of stress by slowing your heart rate, respiration and metabolism, and lowering high blood pressure.

Benefits of Compression Breathing

Certain breathing techniques can even be helpful. Compression breathing is actually an important aspect of Foundation Training. It helps re-educate the muscles surrounding the spine of your rib cage, teaching them to be in a state of expansion rather than contraction. This technique is demonstrated in the video above.

Done properly, it will help lengthen your hip flexors, stabilize your spine and support your core using transverse abdominal muscles. This strengthens your back and keeps your chest high and open — all of which can reduce pain. Here’s a quick summary of how to do structured decompression breathing:

  1. Whether sitting down or standing, put your thumbs at the base of your rib cage, positioning your pinkies at the pointy bones at the front of your waist. Think of the space between your fingers as a measuring stick.
  2. Pull your chin back so your chest is lifting upward. Take three slow deep breaths as instructed below.
  3. The distance between your thumbs and pinkies should increase as you breathe in.
  4. When you breathe out, tighten your abdominal muscles so your torso will not collapse back down. This is the most important step: Do not let your torso drop back down toward the pelvis as you exhale. It should be challenging, allowing you to feel your abdomen engage as you exhale.
  5. With each breath, your aim is to increase the distance between your thumb and pinky fingers, as well as increase the width of your upper back. This occurs as you elongate the back of your rib cage. Each inhalation expands your rib cage, and each exhalation will keep the abdomen extended and tight. So, each in-breath fills up your rib cage, and each out-breath maintains the height and width of your rib cage.

Repeat five to 10 rounds with three to four breaths per round. Over time, your muscles will get stronger and your seated posture will gradually improve.

Simple Stretches to Help Relieve Lower Back Pain

Stretching is also important, as tight and stiff muscles and lack of flexibility will contribute to back pain. There are many options here. Below, I’ve highlighted six simple stretches commonly recommended for lower back pain.24 The Yoga Journal25 also has an online page demonstrating poses that can be helpful.

If these stretches are too painful to perform, stop doing them and consult your doctor, chiropractor or massage therapist before continuing. You may experience mild discomfort when you begin doing these stretches, especially if you are new to exercise or it has been a long time since you last exercised. My advice is to take it slowly and gradually increase your tolerance to these stretches over time.

• Baby Cobra — Lie on your stomach with your legs together, arms bent and palms on the ground at chest level, elbows bent. Inhale and lift your chest, keeping the back of your neck long and your chin relaxed. Exhale and return your forehead to the mat. Repeat a few times, focusing on your breath.

• Bird dog — Begin on all fours, then lift and extend one leg and the opposite arm at the same time. Hold for three to five breaths. Switch sides and raise and hold the opposite arm and leg for three to five breaths.

• Cat/cow — Begin on all fours. Place your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. On your inhalation, drop your belly and lift your gaze up to the ceiling. When you exhale, round your spine so your tailbone drops between your thighs and your head lifts between your arms. Repeat multiple times, slowly, to gently increase spinal mobility.

• Psoas lunges — Your psoas muscle extends from your lowest vertebrae to the top of your thigh, putting it in a good position to stress your lower back when it becomes tight. A great way to stretch your psoas is through lunges.

Begin by standing on your knees. Bring your right leg in front of you so that your right foot is on the floor and your knee is bent at a 90-degree angle. Tuck your buttocks slightly and place your hands on your right knee, or your hips. Allow your hips to gently shift forward as you breathe for three to five breaths. Repeat on the other side.

• Twist — Twists help rotate and lengthen your spine and can be performed sitting in a chair or while lying or sitting on the ground. Begin on your back and bring your knees up to your chest. Gently allow your legs to fall to one side and turn your torso in the opposite direction, extending your arm. Breathe in this position for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

You can do this stretch sitting by raising your arms and twisting gently from your torso. If seated in a chair, you can grip the arm of the chair with one hand and put the other hand on the opposite leg. Extend your spine on the inhale and twist a little further on the exhale. Repeat on the other side.

Addressing the Emotional Root of Back Pain

Last but not least, there’s evidence that back pain may originate in, and is certainly exacerbated26,27 by, psychological or emotional issues. The late Dr. John Sarno, a professor of rehabilitation medicine, gained notoriety using nothing but mind-body techniques to treat patients with severe low back pain.

His specialty was those who have already had surgery for low back pain and did not get any relief. This is a tough group of patients, yet he claimed to have a greater than 80% success rate using techniques like the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).

As noted by Sarno in the documentary "All the Rage" — a four-minute trailer of which is included above — "I tell [my patient] what's going on, and lo and behold, it stops hurting." The "what" that is going on is not a physical problem at all — it's emotions: anger; fear; frustration; rage.

When these kinds of emotions are suppressed, your brain redirects the emotional impulses to restrict blood flow to certain parts of your body, such as your back, neck or shoulders, thereby triggering pain. This pain acts as a distraction from the anger, fear or rage you don't want to feel or think about.

The pain essentially acts as a lid, keeping unwanted emotions from erupting. You may feel anger at the pain, but you won't have to face the fact that you're actually angry at your spouse, your children or your best friend, or that you hate your job, or the fact that you feel taken advantage of.

As noted by Sarno, working hard and constantly trying to do everything perfectly to keep everybody around you happy, "is enraging to the unconscious mind." The term Sarno coined for this psychosomatic pain condition is "tension myoneural syndrome,"28 and he firmly believed most people can overcome their pain by acknowledging its psychological roots.

While many of Sarno's patients got well without psychiatric help, he would often recommend seeking out a psychotherapist to explore repressed emotions, or to take up journaling to put your feelings on paper.

Another doctor who believes resolving suppressed emotions is key for those with chronic back pain is Dr. David Hanscom, an orthopedic surgeon. He prescribes expressive writing as a primary treatment tool for back pain. You can learn more about this on Hanscom’s website, backincontrol.com.29

When to See a Doctor

While back pain is rarely indicative of something medically dangerous, if your pain is accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms, a thorough medical checkup would be in order to rule out a more serious problem.30,31,32

Fever

Difficulty passing urine

Previous high risk of fracture

Loss of bladder or bowel control

Feeling like you need to pass urine but there is none

Loss of muscle strength or sensation in the legs

Night back pain not relieved by adjusting in bed or starting only at night

Impaired sexual function, such as loss of sensation, numbness or tingling in the genitals or buttocks

Pain in your upper or lower back not tied to a specific joint or muscle may signal a heart attack

Back Pain Is Common, yet Largely Avoidable

Once you understand that back pain is typically the result of poor posture, improper movement, faulty nerve signaling, emotional repression or a combination of these factors, it becomes clear why narcotics and surgery have such high failure rates. They simply don’t address any of the underlying causes.

So, if you’re among those seeking medical care for persistent back pain, I’d advise you to consider your options — several of which I’ve just reviewed — before filling that prescription or going under the knife.



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