Cultivating hope & wellbeing amid challenging times
From Melinda Ring, MD
Melinda Ring, Spiral Sun advisor, inspires positivity through her newsletter for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine.
In light of National Wellness Month, I would like to focus this month’s newsletter on sources of strength and wellbeing. For me, I find hope and courage in the resilience and accomplishments of Americans before us: citizens who have persevered through crises and repression before our time. Notably, 100 years ago this month, American women first secured the right to vote for themselves, and women thereafter have continued to pave the way for other women to impact our world.
I am focusing my attention to select triumphs of 2020: the spike in appreciation for more whole-person healthcare, the heroism of providers fighting the battle against COVID-19, the collective of global scientists working to solve a unified problem, the health systems who have quickly pivoted to telemedicine, and the overdue awareness for systematic racism.
In times of crisis, there is opportunity for transformation. We have entered this time of transformation. There is strength in this moment, to redefine who we are and how we approach the wellbeing of all. It is within this pivotal pause that we can bring our consciousness to the need for health and equity for all. It is with consciousness that we can address the present issues, and ultimately, evolve as a society.
“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment.”
Research & Integrative Medicine
Boston University study, published in Science journal, describes the cleansing process that human brains go through during sleep, which clears excess proteins and decreases risk for illnesses like dementia.
TIP: With the increase in research substantiating the connection between sleep and dementia, adults should aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night and improve their sleep hygiene through methods like shutting down blue light devices at least 30 minutes before bed.
Published in the Obesity journal, Northwestern Medicine study shows the Opt-IN remote weight-loss program led to significant weight loss, averaging to 11-13 lbs, among participants.
TIP: With obesity as a factor that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, this low cost and effective treatment should be considered to address the high rates of obesity in America, which the CDC reports plagues two thirds of our nation.
Published in JAMA Psychiatry, NYU researchers find that yoga is more effective in treating generalized anxiety disorder than stress management education, but does not have as long-lasting of an impact as cognitive behavioral therapy.
TIP: Yoga is a cost-effective treatment for anxiety and stress, which is widely accessible through free online sources, like Savana East, and other virtual platforms.
Recent Yale study, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, reveals the positive impact of breathing techniques and emotional intelligence strategies on wellbeing among a sample of college students.
TIP: With the CDC’s reported rise in mental health cases among young adults, wellness training programs that involve such tools could potentially improve mental health across college campuses, and can be taught virtually.
Published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine, a recent study conducted by University of New Mexico researchers discovered more than 90% of participants who suffer from migraines and headache-related pain reported a relief in symptoms after use of inhaled herbal cannabis.
TIP: This study has implications on how cannabis can complement medical treatment and possibly decrease medication costs for migraine patients.
Published in the Neuron journal, new research on mice suggests electroacupuncture could be used to activate the nervous system as a means to decreasing inflammation.
TIP: With inflammation at the core of many infections and disease, this science-based ancient medical practice could be implemented to improve health care outcomes across the US.