Pub Date : 2022-01-27DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2202015
D. Feinstein
The vague or controversial use of the term energy in the clinical subdiscipline known as “energy psychology” has been an obstacle to the field’s acceptance. This paper discusses five forms of energy and explores the role of each in energy psychology treatments. While patterns in (a) electrical signaling, (b) brain waves, and (c) electromagnetic fields are presumably shifted in any form of effective psychotherapy, a strength of energy psychology interventions is shown to be in their ability to initiate such effects in a deliberate and targeted manner. This paper examines the roles of these three well-established energy forms in explaining the rapid and durable outcomes seen with a wide range of conditions following energy psychology treatments. A fourth form of energy, “subtle energy,” is by definition too subtle for detection by conventional scientific instruments. These energies have, however, been recognized in at least 97 healing traditions around the world and are considered to be the infrastructure of the body’s physiological processes. Skepticism about subtle energies has, nonetheless, caused many critics to reject an energy psychology approach entirely, ignoring the substantial evidence base supporting it. Even more speculative are quantum influences that occur within energy psychology treatments, yet preliminary evidence for these dynamics, such as healing from a distance, has been accumulating. Although the more speculative mechanisms associated with energy psychology remain controversial, the measurable electromagnetic effects that have been shown to affect psychological states strongly support the use of the term “energy psychology.”
{"title":"The Energy of Energy Psychology","authors":"D. Feinstein","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2202015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2202015","url":null,"abstract":"The vague or controversial use of the term energy in the clinical subdiscipline known as “energy psychology” has been an obstacle to the field’s acceptance. This paper discusses five forms of energy and explores the role of each in energy psychology treatments. While patterns in (a) electrical signaling, (b) brain waves, and (c) electromagnetic fields are presumably shifted in any form of effective psychotherapy, a strength of energy psychology interventions is shown to be in their ability to initiate such effects in a deliberate and targeted manner. This paper examines the roles of these three well-established energy forms in explaining the rapid and durable outcomes seen with a wide range of conditions following energy psychology treatments. A fourth form of energy, “subtle energy,” is by definition too subtle for detection by conventional scientific instruments. These energies have, however, been recognized in at least 97 healing traditions around the world and are considered to be the infrastructure of the body’s physiological processes. Skepticism about subtle energies has, nonetheless, caused many critics to reject an energy psychology approach entirely, ignoring the substantial evidence base supporting it. Even more speculative are quantum influences that occur within energy psychology treatments, yet preliminary evidence for these dynamics, such as healing from a distance, has been accumulating. Although the more speculative mechanisms associated with energy psychology remain controversial, the measurable electromagnetic effects that have been shown to affect psychological states strongly support the use of the term “energy psychology.”","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43142941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-01-25DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201004
Interview with Dr. Paul J. Arciero. Precision lifestyle medicine and implementation science are the emerging frontiers of research in his field. He is an applied physiology and nutrition scientist, specializing in evidence-based scientific research on integrative and complementary lifestyle strategies to optimize health, wellness, and performance in individuals and organizations of all ages, fitness and health status. Specifically, his PRISE® Life protocol emphasizes a qualitative approach to nutrition, fitness, and emotional and cognitive well-being with particularly focus on body weight and composition management, cardiometabolic, hormonal, emotional, and cognitive health, as well as physical performance.
采访Paul J. Arciero博士。精准生活方式医学和实施科学是他所在领域的新兴研究前沿。他是一名应用生理学和营养科学家,专门从事基于证据的科学研究,研究综合和互补的生活方式策略,以优化所有年龄,健身和健康状况的个人和组织的健康,健康和表现。具体而言,他的PRISE®Life方案强调营养,健身,情绪和认知健康的定性方法,特别关注体重和成分管理,心脏代谢,激素,情绪和认知健康以及身体表现。
{"title":"An Interview with Dr. Paul J. Arciero","authors":"","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2201004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2201004","url":null,"abstract":"Interview with Dr. Paul J. Arciero. Precision lifestyle medicine and implementation science are the emerging frontiers of research in his field. He is an applied physiology and nutrition scientist, specializing in evidence-based scientific research on integrative and complementary lifestyle strategies to optimize health, wellness, and performance in individuals and organizations of all ages, fitness and health status. Specifically, his PRISE® Life protocol emphasizes a qualitative approach to nutrition, fitness, and emotional and cognitive well-being with particularly focus on body weight and composition management, cardiometabolic, hormonal, emotional, and cognitive health, as well as physical performance.","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42898809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-01-10DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2202019
M. Hales, R. Marx
Service-user volunteers in a National Health Service (NHS) Mental Health Trust in the UK have made an unusual contribution to mindfulness teaching, training, research and governance as ‘advocates’ of mindfulness-based therapy interventions. We explore the nature of what has been named internally as the ‘wisdom’ of the ‘advocate’ group in this NHS Trust, and its impact on mental health provision. A clinician (clinical psychologist) and an advocate (anthropologist) conduct an investigative conversational journey using a grounded theory framework in an institutional-personal landscape. They look for roots of the ‘wisdom’ in the mindfulness-based therapy, in the practices of the Trust, and in the tradition out of which the therapy has emerged. The investigators find themselves focusing on matters of institutionalisation and professionalism (as forms of exclusion), on journeying and arriving (as expectations - in life, and in embarking on therapy) and on the advocates’ ‘wisdom’ as a deepening recognition of the intrinsic inclusiveness of mindfulness as a practice. The paper stands at a distance from typical healthcare presumptions of professionalism and delivery of treatment. This particular (mindfulness-based) therapy is presented as an intrinsically inclusive life-practice within a community of deepening capability, rather than a medicalised treatment. The method of writing the paper parallels the fluidity of professional/patient role and mutual contribution and journeying that the mindfulness-based approach itself embodies, and this offers an alternative model of ‘service-user participation’.
{"title":"Mindfulness and the Wisdom of Advocates - Journeys in the Landscape of Health Care","authors":"M. Hales, R. Marx","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2202019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2202019","url":null,"abstract":"Service-user volunteers in a National Health Service (NHS) Mental Health Trust in the UK have made an unusual contribution to mindfulness teaching, training, research and governance as ‘advocates’ of mindfulness-based therapy interventions. We explore the nature of what has been named internally as the ‘wisdom’ of the ‘advocate’ group in this NHS Trust, and its impact on mental health provision. A clinician (clinical psychologist) and an advocate (anthropologist) conduct an investigative conversational journey using a grounded theory framework in an institutional-personal landscape. They look for roots of the ‘wisdom’ in the mindfulness-based therapy, in the practices of the Trust, and in the tradition out of which the therapy has emerged. The investigators find themselves focusing on matters of institutionalisation and professionalism (as forms of exclusion), on journeying and arriving (as expectations - in life, and in embarking on therapy) and on the advocates’ ‘wisdom’ as a deepening recognition of the intrinsic inclusiveness of mindfulness as a practice. The paper stands at a distance from typical healthcare presumptions of professionalism and delivery of treatment. This particular (mindfulness-based) therapy is presented as an intrinsically inclusive life-practice within a community of deepening capability, rather than a medicalised treatment. The method of writing the paper parallels the fluidity of professional/patient role and mutual contribution and journeying that the mindfulness-based approach itself embodies, and this offers an alternative model of ‘service-user participation’.","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43678090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-01-09DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203027
Zoi Portokalidou, Anna Huysse-Gaytandjieva, M. Peters
Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease affecting mainly middle-aged women. Hormonal replacement is the most common therapy; however, it tackles only the functionality of the thyroid and not the autoimmunity components. Thus, patients experience persistent somatic and psychological symptoms, thereby affecting their quality of life. The cause of HT remains uncertain. Primary evidence suggests that adverse experiences in childhood are associated with autoimmune disease manifestation in adulthood; therefore, the effect of early adverse events on disease course needs to be explored. This paper explored patients’ early life events and everyday experiences through the lens of compassion, as defined in compassion-focused therapy (CFT). In this study, nine participants were interviewed, and the transcribed interviews were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Qualitative analysis indicated that patients exhibited increased psychological distress and a lack of understanding from others. Common patterns of experiences and behaviors were identified, such as the lack of compassion and affiliation between significant others and themselves. Therefore, including psychological care in the therapeutic process of HT would improve patients’ well-being and quality of life. In particular, cultivating compassion could be a promising strategy for disease prevention and the healthy functioning of patients.
{"title":"Experiences of Patients With Hashimoto Thyroiditis Through the Lens of Compassion","authors":"Zoi Portokalidou, Anna Huysse-Gaytandjieva, M. Peters","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2203027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2203027","url":null,"abstract":"Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease affecting mainly middle-aged women. Hormonal replacement is the most common therapy; however, it tackles only the functionality of the thyroid and not the autoimmunity components. Thus, patients experience persistent somatic and psychological symptoms, thereby affecting their quality of life. The cause of HT remains uncertain. Primary evidence suggests that adverse experiences in childhood are associated with autoimmune disease manifestation in adulthood; therefore, the effect of early adverse events on disease course needs to be explored. This paper explored patients’ early life events and everyday experiences through the lens of compassion, as defined in compassion-focused therapy (CFT). In this study, nine participants were interviewed, and the transcribed interviews were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Qualitative analysis indicated that patients exhibited increased psychological distress and a lack of understanding from others. Common patterns of experiences and behaviors were identified, such as the lack of compassion and affiliation between significant others and themselves. Therefore, including psychological care in the therapeutic process of HT would improve patients’ well-being and quality of life. In particular, cultivating compassion could be a promising strategy for disease prevention and the healthy functioning of patients.","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46499045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201010
S. Vargas-Molina, J. Petro, D. Bonilla, Eneko Baz-Valle, L. Carbone, Roberto Cannataro, J. Benítez-Porres
Cluster-set resistance training is focused on performance improvements of sports by increasing the repetition maximum, jump height, and efficiency in the sprint. In this commentary, we present relevant aspects to optimize the use of cluster training under the context of muscle hypertrophy. Therefore, we address intra-sets pauses, the number of repetitions per block, and strategies that benefit this methodology. During a cluster set resistance training program, not only the total number of repetitions could be higher, which means a superior total volume, but also a higher mechanical output might lead to potential benefits to muscle hypertrophy.
{"title":"Cluster Sets for Muscle Hypertrophy: A Short Review †","authors":"S. Vargas-Molina, J. Petro, D. Bonilla, Eneko Baz-Valle, L. Carbone, Roberto Cannataro, J. Benítez-Porres","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2201010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2201010","url":null,"abstract":"Cluster-set resistance training is focused on performance improvements of sports by increasing the repetition maximum, jump height, and efficiency in the sprint. In this commentary, we present relevant aspects to optimize the use of cluster training under the context of muscle hypertrophy. Therefore, we address intra-sets pauses, the number of repetitions per block, and strategies that benefit this methodology. During a cluster set resistance training program, not only the total number of repetitions could be higher, which means a superior total volume, but also a higher mechanical output might lead to potential benefits to muscle hypertrophy.","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42921080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-23DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201011
H. Kempton
Mindfulness practices have exploded in popularity in public awareness and in therapeutic applications. While mindfulness in a therapeutic context is presented as a secular practice, its primarily Buddhist heritage may make some Christian clients wary of engaging. Research indicates that both reflection (co-creation) on poetry and creation of poetry can be therapeutic, and that both Buddhist and secular/therapeutic mindfulness texts use poetry to convey meaning through key themes of nature, change/impermanence, stages of practice, and acceptance. Taken together poetry offers a pathway to mindfulness, which in this article is applied to the Christian client. Examples are given of: how mindfulness-based practices are in accordance with Christian teachings (e.g., grace theology), that poetic practices already exist in Christian traditions (e.g., Lectio Divina and the Prayer of the Heart), and themes previously identified in Buddhist and secular/therapeutic mindfulness related poetry, are also present in Christian poetry. It is argued that poetry can provide an appropriate and palatable vehicle for introducing Christian clients to mindfulness, which allows for the individual’s spirituality to be harnessed as a mediator of the benefits of mindfulness practice.
{"title":"Holy be the Lay: A Way to Mindfulness Through Christian Poetry","authors":"H. Kempton","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2201011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2201011","url":null,"abstract":"Mindfulness practices have exploded in popularity in public awareness and in therapeutic applications. While mindfulness in a therapeutic context is presented as a secular practice, its primarily Buddhist heritage may make some Christian clients wary of engaging. Research indicates that both reflection (co-creation) on poetry and creation of poetry can be therapeutic, and that both Buddhist and secular/therapeutic mindfulness texts use poetry to convey meaning through key themes of nature, change/impermanence, stages of practice, and acceptance. Taken together poetry offers a pathway to mindfulness, which in this article is applied to the Christian client. Examples are given of: how mindfulness-based practices are in accordance with Christian teachings (e.g., grace theology), that poetic practices already exist in Christian traditions (e.g., Lectio Divina and the Prayer of the Heart), and themes previously identified in Buddhist and secular/therapeutic mindfulness related poetry, are also present in Christian poetry. It is argued that poetry can provide an appropriate and palatable vehicle for introducing Christian clients to mindfulness, which allows for the individual’s spirituality to be harnessed as a mediator of the benefits of mindfulness practice.","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42205722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-14DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201009
Maria Victoria, Sara Lodhi
Mindfulness is a form of meditation that can be defined as one’s ability to be present to the surroundings and environment, and not overreact to what is happening around us. With the recent pandemic still affecting the world, more studies have recently become known describing the suitability of mindfulness to prevent and manage mental health. This fact alone offers grounds for mindfulness practices to be added to any stressful environment, including Institutions of higher education and the workforce. Even more, mindfulness practices have a strong link to brain function, increasing cognitive ability, memory, and emotional regulators. The objective of mindfulness-based practices is to experience cognitive flexibility and attentional focus, essential traits for students and health-care professionals in today’s world. As a College of Pharmacy, training future healthcare workers, we wanted to decide whether mindfulness practices might be of benefit to be included in the curriculum. Herein we performed a selective literature review to determine how mindfulness affect human cognition and learning. We observed that, compared to non-meditators, meditators are more likely to experience less mental, emotional, and physical symptoms associated with stress, burnout, or feelings of hopelessness. Several studies discuss the improvements that mindfulness-based meditation has on cognitive flexibility and attentional functions. We widen our search to reveal the impact that mindfulness-based meditation has in the stress observed in education, students and healthcare professionals. Higher education and health professionals are more likely to experience severe stress and suffer from enervation. We concluded that, in our line of work, those pursuing higher education and health professional degrees would benefit from practicing mindfulness. Incorporating mindfulness-based meditation can help alleviate these symptoms and improve not only the quality of life and learning, but also the patient-doctor interaction.
{"title":"Mindfulness in Well-Being, Cognition and Learning: Benefits on Higher Education and Health-Care Professions","authors":"Maria Victoria, Sara Lodhi","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2201009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2201009","url":null,"abstract":"Mindfulness is a form of meditation that can be defined as one’s ability to be present to the surroundings and environment, and not overreact to what is happening around us. With the recent pandemic still affecting the world, more studies have recently become known describing the suitability of mindfulness to prevent and manage mental health. This fact alone offers grounds for mindfulness practices to be added to any stressful environment, including Institutions of higher education and the workforce. Even more, mindfulness practices have a strong link to brain function, increasing cognitive ability, memory, and emotional regulators. The objective of mindfulness-based practices is to experience cognitive flexibility and attentional focus, essential traits for students and health-care professionals in today’s world. As a College of Pharmacy, training future healthcare workers, we wanted to decide whether mindfulness practices might be of benefit to be included in the curriculum. Herein we performed a selective literature review to determine how mindfulness affect human cognition and learning. We observed that, compared to non-meditators, meditators are more likely to experience less mental, emotional, and physical symptoms associated with stress, burnout, or feelings of hopelessness. Several studies discuss the improvements that mindfulness-based meditation has on cognitive flexibility and attentional functions. We widen our search to reveal the impact that mindfulness-based meditation has in the stress observed in education, students and healthcare professionals. Higher education and health professionals are more likely to experience severe stress and suffer from enervation. We concluded that, in our line of work, those pursuing higher education and health professional degrees would benefit from practicing mindfulness. Incorporating mindfulness-based meditation can help alleviate these symptoms and improve not only the quality of life and learning, but also the patient-doctor interaction.","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43396081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-07DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2202014
R. Borlimi, G. Riboli, M. Nese, Matilde Buattini, Marella Colombardo, G. Brighetti
The length of the menstrual cycle (MC) varies among women, with an average regularity between 21 and 40 days. Six temporal frames can be observed within the monthly cycle, based on the fluctuations of the hormone levels. These fluctuations are accompanied by alterations in the central nervous system (CNS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) and can be quantified using psychophysiological techniques. In this systematic review, we discussed the studies conducted with healthy females that examined aspects associated with the functions of the ANS and the CNS, including psychological, emotional, behavioral, hormonal, and perceptive variables, relating their possible changes and alterations to different phases of the MC. The PubMed and EBSCO databases were searched for articles published between January 2010 and September 2020. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was applied. A total of 64 studies investigating ANS and CNS or perceptual systems across the MC were included in this review. Several studies found more alterations in the heart rate variability components during the days following ovulation compared to the days of the follicular phase. Behavioral alterations included a decrease in the percentage of REM sleep during the mid-luteal phase and an increase in calorie intake during the late-luteal phase compared to that in the follicular phase. Additionally, the reward system was found to be engaged to a greater extent during the luteal phase than during the follicular phase. The results differed considerably for many cognitive, behavioral, and autonomic variables. No significant alterations were found in most perceptual systems. A variegated picture emerged from the results of the various studies that applied different methodologies and measurements. The results suggested a new methodology that uses the temporal dimension for investigating the interactions between biological systems and psychological effects.
{"title":"Mind-Body Interactions Across the Menstrual Cycle Phases: A Systematic Review","authors":"R. Borlimi, G. Riboli, M. Nese, Matilde Buattini, Marella Colombardo, G. Brighetti","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2202014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2202014","url":null,"abstract":"The length of the menstrual cycle (MC) varies among women, with an average regularity between 21 and 40 days. Six temporal frames can be observed within the monthly cycle, based on the fluctuations of the hormone levels. These fluctuations are accompanied by alterations in the central nervous system (CNS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) and can be quantified using psychophysiological techniques. In this systematic review, we discussed the studies conducted with healthy females that examined aspects associated with the functions of the ANS and the CNS, including psychological, emotional, behavioral, hormonal, and perceptive variables, relating their possible changes and alterations to different phases of the MC. The PubMed and EBSCO databases were searched for articles published between January 2010 and September 2020. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was applied. A total of 64 studies investigating ANS and CNS or perceptual systems across the MC were included in this review. Several studies found more alterations in the heart rate variability components during the days following ovulation compared to the days of the follicular phase. Behavioral alterations included a decrease in the percentage of REM sleep during the mid-luteal phase and an increase in calorie intake during the late-luteal phase compared to that in the follicular phase. Additionally, the reward system was found to be engaged to a greater extent during the luteal phase than during the follicular phase. The results differed considerably for many cognitive, behavioral, and autonomic variables. No significant alterations were found in most perceptual systems. A variegated picture emerged from the results of the various studies that applied different methodologies and measurements. The results suggested a new methodology that uses the temporal dimension for investigating the interactions between biological systems and psychological effects.","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43664932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
YNCRG is a combination of five traditional Chinese ingredients with medicinal properties. We studied its effects and mechanism of action on a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver with metabolic syndrome. Eight-week-old male SHRcp rat(s) and Wister Kyoto (WKY) rats were adaptively fed for one week, after which they were randomly divided into three groups, including the control group (n = 9), the YNCRG group (n = 8), and the WKY group (n = 8). The WKY group could freely consume water, the control group was provided water every day, and the YNCRG group was gavaged with an aqueous solution of YNCRG (3.6 g/kg body weight/day) for eight weeks. After eight weeks of intervention, YNCRG effectively reduced the weight of rats and significantly reduced the serum levels of AST, ALT, CHO, and TG compared to the weight of the rats in the control group. The RT-PCR results showed that mRNA levels of NF-κB, TLR4, TNF-α, and IL-1β increased, and the levels of MCP-1 and ICAM-1 also increased, but YNCRG effectively reduced the mRNA levels. The results of the Western blotting assay showed that YNCRG did not affect the AMPK/ACC signaling pathway, but it strongly promoted the phosphorylation of PKA, ERK, and C/EBPβ in rat livers. YNCRG also significantly promoted the phosphorylation of IRS-1 (Tyr465) but inhibited IRS-1 (Ser1101); both are upstream factors of ERK. We found that YNCRG can reduce the accumulation of lipids in the liver of rats with metabolic syndrome, probably by affecting lipid metabolism and the signaling pathway associated with inflammatory reactions.
{"title":"YNCRG Alleviated Hepatic Steatosis in Metabolic Syndrome Model Rats by Improving Lipid Metabolism and Chronic Inflammatory Reaction","authors":"Bo-ju Sun, Maya Kudo, Misa Hayashi, Lingling Qin, Lili Wu, Tonghua Liu, Ming Gao","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2202023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2202023","url":null,"abstract":"YNCRG is a combination of five traditional Chinese ingredients with medicinal properties. We studied its effects and mechanism of action on a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver with metabolic syndrome. Eight-week-old male SHRcp rat(s) and Wister Kyoto (WKY) rats were adaptively fed for one week, after which they were randomly divided into three groups, including the control group (n = 9), the YNCRG group (n = 8), and the WKY group (n = 8). The WKY group could freely consume water, the control group was provided water every day, and the YNCRG group was gavaged with an aqueous solution of YNCRG (3.6 g/kg body weight/day) for eight weeks. After eight weeks of intervention, YNCRG effectively reduced the weight of rats and significantly reduced the serum levels of AST, ALT, CHO, and TG compared to the weight of the rats in the control group. The RT-PCR results showed that mRNA levels of NF-κB, TLR4, TNF-α, and IL-1β increased, and the levels of MCP-1 and ICAM-1 also increased, but YNCRG effectively reduced the mRNA levels. The results of the Western blotting assay showed that YNCRG did not affect the AMPK/ACC signaling pathway, but it strongly promoted the phosphorylation of PKA, ERK, and C/EBPβ in rat livers. YNCRG also significantly promoted the phosphorylation of IRS-1 (Tyr465) but inhibited IRS-1 (Ser1101); both are upstream factors of ERK. We found that YNCRG can reduce the accumulation of lipids in the liver of rats with metabolic syndrome, probably by affecting lipid metabolism and the signaling pathway associated with inflammatory reactions.","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43012064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-19DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201006
Jacy C. Downey, C. Gudmunson
Parents model and teach early health practices that persist into adulthood by establishing a family culture through which children learn related family beliefs, values, and expectations. This phenomenological study examined the ways in which a purposefully selected group of mothers (selected due to their high scores on the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity screening tool) shaped family culture related to physical activity, addressed screen-time behaviors, and established positive eating related routines. Findings related to mothers’ knowledge and belief systems about parenting within this domain pointed to the impact of family health history and mothers’ own upbringing; a finding that reinforced the powerful nature of early habit formation. Mothers prioritized this parenting domain and were intentional in their efforts as they maneuvered threats from the obesigenic environment and worked to support their children’s developing autonomy over related behaviors. This study presents a strengths perspective and imparts a new narrative which serves to complement existing obesity research in representative and at-risk populations.
{"title":"Mothers’ Strategies for Promoting Children’s Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Screen-Related Behaviors","authors":"Jacy C. Downey, C. Gudmunson","doi":"10.21926/obm.icm.2201006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2201006","url":null,"abstract":"Parents model and teach early health practices that persist into adulthood by establishing a family culture through which children learn related family beliefs, values, and expectations. This phenomenological study examined the ways in which a purposefully selected group of mothers (selected due to their high scores on the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity screening tool) shaped family culture related to physical activity, addressed screen-time behaviors, and established positive eating related routines. Findings related to mothers’ knowledge and belief systems about parenting within this domain pointed to the impact of family health history and mothers’ own upbringing; a finding that reinforced the powerful nature of early habit formation. Mothers prioritized this parenting domain and were intentional in their efforts as they maneuvered threats from the obesigenic environment and worked to support their children’s developing autonomy over related behaviors. This study presents a strengths perspective and imparts a new narrative which serves to complement existing obesity research in representative and at-risk populations.","PeriodicalId":74333,"journal":{"name":"OBM integrative and complimentary medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42680885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}