10 Companies Changing the Future of Healthcare

I have yet to hear of an industry that hasn't been massively disrupted by technology. Healthcare is no stranger to this disruption. The question is which companies will actually break through the barrier and solve some of the major issues healthcare faces today?

Major trends are becoming anything but, nowadays. Think precision or personalized medicine, genomic testing, diagnostic mobile apps and wearable devices, to name a few. But the powerhouses behind these innovations and new approaches to healthcare are what will bring them to fruition and to the masses.

Globally, there are organizations aiming to achieve just this. The question is, can they? Healthcare issues tend to get really complicated really fast, even in your dinner party conversations with family and friends. Can anyone solve these issues or bring innovative possibilities to life? Well, here are 10 companies changing the future of healthcare. Who will succeed?

You decide.

1. Google: Let's start with the giant on everyone's mind. Google has announced, began, and eluded major initiatives often behind their semi-secret division Google X, dedicated to making major technological advancements. Inside Google X is a special sector dedicated to medicine called Google Life Sciences. This small but fast-growing effort led by top physicians and researchers is looking to use data to help prevent people from getting sick rather than just treat sick people. From building a new robotic surgery platform in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson to genome storage, Google is arguably the biggest player. The reason? Google owns all of our information. Yes, you and me. Our searchers, our conversations, our email. Think about it. If they find a sweet spot of ensuring the privacy of our data but leveraging it to further health technology, Google may be able to affect changes in major areas of medicine and disease such as a cancer-detecting pill, Smart contact lens for diabetic patients, and even a medical record open sharing platform.

2. IBM: There's no denying IBM's a major disruptor for healthcare. Watson, the supercomputer designed to mimic how human cognition works (hence, how we learn), holds major promise to improve health care, administration and even more critically, cancer treatment. IBM began rolling this out to the medical world through insurance provider WellPoint and Memorial Sloan Kettering. Watson is currently diving deep into understanding how cancer is treated today from the world's expert oncologists. Watson has the ability to memorize the data of thousands of studies and trials. What could this do? It has the potential to provide healthcare professionals significant patient care improvements using artificial intelligence and sharing that information with the click of a button.

3. Beijing Genomics Institute: This genome-sequencing powerhouse is what made DNA sequencing mass-market. The Institute invested in more cutting-edge-sequencing hardware, bringing to life the ability train analysts on making sense of reams of data output. It's become a go-to destination for scientists all over the world seeking to collaborate on ambitious projects to unlock the mysteries of plant, animal and human DNA. The Institute has become the most prolific research body to sequence human genomes. It has vastly reduced the cost of genome sequencing from $3 billion to a few thousand today. Genome sequencing is what has led to the discovery of genetic testing for cancer and other chronic diseases. Their goal is to organize all of the world's biological information available and even further, make it useful and accessible for further research and innovation. Think of it as a biological Google.

4. Medivation: Here is a company focused on finding new therapies for chronic diseases such as cancer. Based in San Francisco, one of the company's drug products, Xtandi, has been shown to extend the lives of men living with advanced stages of prostate cancer. They tackle some of the most serious diseases that currently have limited treatment options. Diseases include breast cancer and prostate cancer, two of the most common cancers in men and women. This biopharmaceutical research entity hopes to provide sound treatments to patients with otherwise critical illnesses.

5. Partners Healthcare: A non-for-profit integrated health care system based in Boston, Partners has invested more than $1 billion a year in drug discovery, genetics and healthcare information technology. This large investment has made it one of the top research organizations in the world. Alongside that, Partners is affiliated with some of the best hospitals in the country including Massachusetts General. The company is working to take the lead on genomic advances in the field of personalized medicine.

6. Counsyl: A health tech start-up, Counsyl is focused solely on genetic testing. Their goal? They want to focus on helping patients make more knowledgeable decisions about their lives. Currently, Counsyl provides genetic counselors to help clients interpret their individual test results and evaluate a possible prevention plan. This ties back to personalized medicine. If an individual understands their individual genetic makeup, new doors open for better treatment plans and even preventing diseases before they develop.

They currently offer three screening tests:

• Family Prep Screen

• Provides future parents with information about their genes that could pass on to their children

• Gives clear answers even before conception

• Informed Pregnancy Screen

• A test that gives accurate information after conception

• Inherited Cancer Screen

• Informs adults on their risks for developing breast, prostate, ovarian and pancreatic cancer

• Provides knowledge to further support getting screened earlier or more frequently, or in extreme cases undergo preventive surgeries

7. Medisafe: About half of all Americans are prescribed medication they take regularly. And what's more, half of them don't even take it properly, whether it's forgetting, missing or taking too much of said medication. Medisafe is aiming to solve that problem. A new app from the MediSafe Project actually makes taking whatever your prescribed medication safer, more efficient and even fun, given the integration of gamification user design into the app. Medisafe is a mobile medication management platform that reminds patients to take their medications via smartphones and tablets, serving to improve medication adherence rates and curb the growing annual healthcare costs globally. Think of it as your virtual pillbox that set reminders for when to take your pills, requiring a scan of the medicine's barcode at each dose. If the patient forgets, a family member or friend will get an alert as part of the setup of the app. Medisafe is one of the leading companies leveraging wireless and cloud technology to improve drug adherence. Last year, MediSafe revealed that Type 2 diabetic users of its technology boasted adherence rates of at least 26 percent higher than standard rates for long-term therapies.

8. Blueprint Health: This co-working space located in SoHo brings medical entrepreneurs together with innovative ideas and couples them with venture capitalists and mentors to help further their idea. It's arguably the premier health care incubator on the East Coast and even in the United States. Those who graduate from Blueprint have started many diverse companies and healthcare disruptors such as AdhereTech -- the smart pill-bottle maker. Other graduates are focused on IT solutions to improve the efficiency of doctors, hospitals and outcomes for patient care.

9. Ginger.IO: This mobile app tracks behavioral data to improve care. They analyze patterns in communication and location through algorithms designed to alert caregivers of changes that may indicate new symptoms or an emergency. To date, they've collected more than 6 million data points from patients which will help the company's technology improve as the customer base grows.

10. Foundation Medicine: This genomic leader was one of the first to demonstrate that the age of personalized cancer treatment has started. Their first clinical product titled "FoundationOne" is one of the first genomic tests that analyzes DNA mutations in tumors. It works to assist doctors in matching specific drugs to specific cancer types, or help doctor's direct patients to ongoing clinical trials for experimental treatments. Foundation's innovative tests may expand to assist drug makers in creating more effective therapies. The company is backed by Google Ventures and Third Rock Ventures and this year alone raised $106 million in an IPO.

The Dirty 6: Watch Out for these Ingredients

Let's start with the problem. The problem today is obesity and diabetes are on the rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about one-third of American adults are obese. The American Diabetes Association estimates that 29.1 million Americans have diabetes and 86 million Americans ages 20+ have pre-diabetes. What's more, metabolic syndrome affects about one in three U.S. adults, according to a JAMA Study published in May 2015.

Why is this happening? In one word, our food. In two words, processed foods.

Food makers have adopted processed production methods over the last 30 years and consumers have welcomed them with open arms. Processed foods are packaged -- be it boxed, bagged, canned or jarred -- and processed using methods like dehydration, refrigeration, freezing and canning. If there's a laundry list of ingredients on the back of the packaging, rest assured it's been processed. Processed foods have to make up for a loss of nutrients. How do they do this? Healthy nutrients are replaced with synthetic vitamins and minerals to "enhance" the nutritional value of the food.

As a result, our taste buds become acclimated to the incredibly strong flavors of processed foods and even further, increase our cravings for more salt and sugar on whole or raw foods.

This leaves us to where we are today. We really don't know how to eat healthy or even where to begin. The truth is we barely understand the foods we eat and we don't invest enough time to learn. The book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser brought to light many of the facts about fast food and processed food and according to his research, about 90 percent of the average American's budget is allocated towards processed foods.

Why We Eat Processed Foods

Convenience seems to be the major reason for the high consumption of processed foods. The problem has surmounted to be about time. Who has hours upon hours to spend in the grocery store aisle analyzing nutritional labels, ingredient lists and Googling what they are, to then return home, prepare a meal without a lot of additives and actually enjoy the meal they end up with? The culture of food in America has changed in the last 30 years and we need to reverse it.

Eating a diet high in processed foods has been shown to lead to diabetes, according to a PNAS study from 2012, and liver disease, not to mention these foods increase cholesterol and blood pressure -- all proponents of heart disease.

Did you know the FDA doesn't require food makers to disclose every ingredient or additive, for consideration and full review, if the manufacturer deems the ingredient GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe), a 57-year-old regulatory law from the FDA. This means if this standard is "met" or "claimed," food makers get away scot-free from the FDA, especially if no immediate evidence exists proving the harm of the ingredient. Some synthetic chemicals injected into processed foods are known to have carcinogenic properties, promoting the development of cancer. The World Health Organization believes processed foods are to blame for the spike in obesity levels and chronic disease globally.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup is a common sweetener added to sodas, fruit-flavored drinks, breakfast cereals, cookies, cakes and salad dressings. There are many differing opinions on understanding if the body metabolizes HFCS in the same way it does regular white sugar. Regardless, too much of this additive can contribute to unwanted calories that have been linked to weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and high triglyceride levels, which all can boost the risk of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia and liver failure. A significant 2014 study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine showed that eating too much added sugar may raise the risk of dying from heart disease, even if you aren't overweight.

Refined White Flour

When flour is refined, about 14 vitamins, 10 minerals and proteins are cut from the natural state of the product. Sometimes you'll see "enriched white flour" in the ingredient list. Don't be deceived, this only adds about four vitamins to the product. White flour is chemically bleached and leaves behind a residue that is consumed. These chemical residues are also what help to develop gluten, which some people suffer allergies towards. Bleached white flour can be found in breakfast cereals, pasta, pizza, baked goods and breads. In order to process these refined foods, the body actually pulls the vitamins, minerals and enzymes consumed from healthy food sources out of the organs, tissues and bones. A diet rooted in eating foods with white flour can also lead to chronic fatigue syndrome. Refined white flour also has a higher glycemic index -- a measurement of how fast sugar is released in the blood -- which at a level of 100 means sugar is being released faster and in a greater amount, leading to Hyperglycemia. On a simpler note, once all of this stripped away, white flour is a starch and your body is likely to store these refined carbohydrates as fat, contributing to obesity. Look for "enriched flours" or "refined flours" on the packaging; this indicates white, bleached flour.

Refined Sugar

Ahh, refined sugar or commonly known as white (granulated) sugar, perhaps the most deadly ingredient on this list. It's nearly impossible to remove sugar completely from our diet, since it's naturally found in most foods. But refined sugars can directly impact an individual's risk for obesity and other chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. These sugars can be found in almost every processed food from baked foods, to boxed macaroni and cheese. The average American consumes approximately one-third of a pound of sugar each day, translating into nearly 130 pounds of sugar per person every year.

Artificial Sweeteners

Think Splenda, Sweet n' Low or Equal, more substantial evidence has been uncovered about the harms of artificial sweeteners in the last five years than ever before. Earlier this year, PepsiCo announced they would no longer use aspartame in their Diet Pepsi product. Aspartame, a popular artificial sweetener, has long been a controversial ingredient, even though the FDA claims it's one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives. Well, a number of studies have shown that aspartame in particular along with other sweeteners are linked to some of the most debilitating diseases including heart attacks, strokes, hypertension, cancer, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Over 6,000 food and drink products contain it, often hidden under labels marked "diet" or "sugar-free." Even with substantial evidence, artificial sweeteners remain popular among dieters and even diabetic patients looking for a sweet fix. But research speculates that when we consume sugar substitutes, the body expects to see a surge in glucose and when this expectation is not met, we continue to crave sweets, consuming food until the craving is met.

Synthetic Trans Fats

Last week, the FDA announced a three-year deadline for all food makers to eliminate synthetic trans-fat or "partially hydrogenated oils" from their products. These oils are the key source of trans fatty acids in the American diet. As a result, medical experts are rejoicing since major bodies of evidence exist that show an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer from heavy consumption of these fats. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,trans fats are found naturally in animal fats but PHOs are found in baked goods. Food makers have used these for many years because they're inexpensive and extend the food's shelf life. The problem? Artificial trans fat raise low-density lipoprotein or LDL (the bad cholesterol), which is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, the number one cause of death in America. The CDC projects eliminating these fats could prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths per year.

MSG

Topping the charts of dangerous additives is MSG or monosodium glutamate. The good news is many studies have been done on its effect on the body. This additive is not just in your Chinese food, but added to thousands of the foods you eat, especially prevalent in processed foods. MSG overstimulates our nervous system, exciting the nerves, causing inflammation -- a massive proponent for cancer. One 2013 study showed rats who ate MSG experienced a 40 percent increase in their appetite. In 2011, researchers at the University of North Carolina found that both men and women who ate the most MSG (an average of 5 grams per day) were 30 percent more likely to become overweight.

Our food culture in America needs a lot of reform. Bottom line, we need to spend more time on educating ourselves about the ingredients in our foods. In a perfect world, processed foods would be cut from our diet completely, but it's not that simple. Who loves dining out? We all do and how do we know what in those foods? Many questions remain along with differing opinions, but one fact remains, these six ingredients among thousands of others are not natural. They're designed to withstand long periods of time on a shelf regardless of temperature; how can we expect our bodies to break them down? We can't. Ask more questions when it comes to the foods on your grocery list. When you're about to eat that cracker or cookie, ask yourself, "What's in this?" and "Do I need it?" Be your own advocate when it comes to the food choices you make.

Outfitting offices with ‘active workstations’ improves employee health

Outfitting offices with ‘active workstations’ improves employee health

A seated desk job working at a computer many hours each day takes a toll on your body and health.  In a country afflicted by obesity and with an abundance of sedentary occupations, many employers are turning more and more to outfitting their offices with “active workstations.”  Taking a walk while working is no longer considered taboo.   Today, offices are outfitting themselves with treadmills, under desk ellipticals and desk cycles allowing employees to move more while on the job.

All of this is good news for any worker suffering from back and neck pain resulting from hunching over their desk for hours.  Sitting for long periods of time is also considered a major risk factor for weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. 

But just how effective are these in-office exercise equipment?  Is there sufficient evidence showing these active workstations to be of benefit for improving health and wellness among workers?

The answer appears to be “yes.”  Any movement that can be incorporated while at work is a far better solution to improving the health of our workforce than what we’ve been doing for decades.  Here’s what research is showing:

·      Alternative to a sedentary lifestyle

Here’s a scenario played out over and over every day for many of us – we drive or commute to work seated, we are seated at our desk for the entire day with little movement, we drive or commute back home seated, and then spend the evening seated in front of the TV or computer before going to bed. 

The active workstations are not meant to be in lieu of aerobic exercise but they are a far better alternative to a sedentary lifestyle.  Sedentary living or “sitting disease” has put America’s health in jeopardy.  A 2014 study published in Circulation: Heart Failure, followed 82,000 men for more than 10 years and found those who reported high levels of sedentary time and low levels of physical activity had 2.2 times the risk of developing heart failure than men reporting high physical activity and low sedentary time. 

·      Weight loss benefits

It makes sense that any movement will burn more calories than non-movement.  Maybe a 1.0 mph walk on a treadmill at work may not seem to be of much benefit but it’s more than most people realize.  A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found office workers who walked at a pace of 1 to 2 mph burned roughly 100 calories an hour more than those who remained seated all day.  It may not sound significant, but the cumulative effect can be powerful. After about a month of office treadmill workouts, employees could possibly lose 2 pounds without making any changes to their diet or going to the gym.  That averages out to 24 pounds a year making vast improvements in a person’s health. 

·      Improves resting metabolism

Seated at a desk for hours will do very little to anything for boosting metabolism.  But, get a person up and moving and suddenly their metabolism will be humming along at a higher rate of speed.  Do this the majority of their work day and suddenly they go from a sedentary activity level to a more active lifestyle.  When using an active workstation, people can double their resting metabolism by putting out 1.7 to 2.5 METs (measurements of energy output).  This can result in getting an individual’s maximum heart rate working at 60% allowing them to avoid the health risks of being inactive. 

·      Reduces boredom and improves job satisfaction

Sitting on your bottom all day can lead to feelings of boredom and less satisfaction with your job.  A 2014 study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that working while walking requires focus and concentration, reducing the dullness of tedious jobs while providing more fulfillment and gratification toward their work.    

While there is no guarantee a person’s productivity will increase, at the same time, it is unlikely to decline.  A Mayo Clinic study found workers who used a treadmill desk for one year had their daily activity increase along with a reduction in weight loss.  It showed there was no negative impact on performance and the participants became healthier as a result. 

·      Boost in job performance

All bosses are looking for employees who show improvements in performing their job.  Keep them active while working may be the answer.  With the ability to be actively exercising on the job, there is more incentive to continue working as opposed to taking breaks to get up and stretch your legs.  Not that an employee still wouldn’t want to do that, but knowing they are moving while working means less time spent in being away from the work at hand. 

In conclusion

Even though active workstations should not replace or be a substitute for actual exercise, they are a far better alternative to keeping employees seated for hours a day.  There are already too many seated activities many people do in addition to a sedentary job – online shopping, social media, playing video games, etc.  Active workstations are at least a move in the right direction for many workers who have been harming their health for years while seated on the job. 

Real-World Examples of Virtual Reality in Healthcare

There was a time when virtual reality seemed like a thing far away in the future or a recent science fiction movie we had seen but now it’s becoming more real and consumer friendly each day. The smartphone has created this accessibility of virtual reality. One of the most impactful ways virtual reality can be carried out in our society is through healthcare.

A growing number of health professionals including doctors and researchers are showing data showing the efficiency around virtual and augmented reality which grew from $525 million in 2012 to an estimated $976 million in 2017, according to Kalorama research report.

From treating pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, smoking cessation and even the dentist appointment you have to do every 6 months, virtual reality is showing promise and progress across healthcare. Here are a few real-world use case scenarios where VR could change the game.

1. Surgical Training

Educating current and potential physicians is conducted the traditional way through books, tests, pens and paper. Advocates of virtual reality believe this can all be changed around medical education especially when it comes to surgical training.

A few innovators are offering a different option for training around surgery, often done at only a few centers around the country using expensive artificial body parts. Osso VR, provides software that makes a virtual operating room on platforms for virtual reality like Oculus Rift/Touch or HTC Vive. Practicing surgery using VR brings more surgeons to get in more reps specifically on complex surgeries.

Osso VR, which just raised $2 million, provides software that creates a virtual operating room on VR platforms like Oculus Rift/Touch or the HTC Vive. Practicing surgeries in virtual reality allows surgeons to get in more reps, particularly on complicated procedures.

2. Pain Management

Virtual reality can affect pain management which hurts so many Americans and Cedars Sinai’s VR program is tackling this exact issue. Dr. Brennan Spiegel and his colleagues are experimenting with using VR to escape the “bio-psycho-social” isolation of living with pain or chronic pain. They use a headset to help patients manage pain and it’s been tested with 300 patients so far. Think managing chronic pain, depression, anxiety and even hypertension.

You can read more about Spiegel’s efforts at Cedars Sinai here and here.

3. Patient Education

Cedars Sinai is also partnering with Holman United Methodist Church in south LA on a community health education initiative aimed at reducing hypertension in a vulnerable population.

This educational program is bigger than VR but currently members use a VR program that takes them into a virtual kitchen where foods are labelled with their sodium content then taking them inside the body to show a visualization of what hypertension does to the heart. They then created a relaxation app to help members deal with stress which also contributes to hypertension.

4. Clinician Education

Text books and 2D anatomical images aren’t the only way doctors learn about common diseases and drugs. A New Jersey-based drug development company are focused on gastrointestinal conditions that were developed during an interactive VR platform to guide clinicians through an open-minded approach to treatment.  

5. Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

Virtual reality enhances 3D motion tracking cameras that currently track and gamify movement which could affect how patients are trained to bring back their mobility from physical therapy. Patients could potentially be sent home with exercises that motive them and simultaneously collect hard data on things like motion. And they could do this in the comfort of the own home, not just at the PT appointment once a week - potentially speeding up recovery.

On the backend, a physical therapist can see data collected through the device and can change the parameters of the game on the fly in order to guide the patient to the most beneficial exercise.

6. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD continues to be an area where researchers are trying to understand how to treat it. It’s one of the most pervasive mental health conditions in the U.S. and continues to be the most challenging to treat. Exposure therapy is what many professionals want to move treatment to and VR allows them to provide that exposure in a physically controlled and safe environment.  

Anything could trigger an episode in which the person with PTSD is transported back to the moment the traumatic event or events happened. It seems counterintuitive to purposely put a PTSD sufferer back in that place, but experts say using virtual reality creates a world where people with the condition can exert control over the situation, therefore experiencing a sense of resolution.

New Reports Show More Evidence of Coffee’s Health Benefits

Two new studies continue to prove why coffee is a good idea (most days and in reasonable moderation.)

Research noted this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal showed significant correlation between coffee and being in good health. Two studies further suggested the more coffee you drink, the more your risk of dying from an illness such heart disease - the number one killer of both men and women. Both decaf and caffeinated coffee had the same effect on the studies subjects.

One of the studies examined results from 185,000 people across multiple ethnicities include African Americans, Japanese Americans, Native Hawaiians, Latinos and caucasians. Their coffee consumption patterns were measured over a 16-year period layered on top of if they smoked or were currently living with an illness.

Conclusions included that greater consumption of coffee was linked to lower risk of death in all populations except Native Hawaiians, which showed no notable difference.

Those subjects that consumed 2-4 cups per day had an 18% lower risk of dying from diseases like heart disease, stroke and cancer versus those who didn’t consume the beverage.

The second study examined 520,000 people in 10 European countries over the same time period. Researchers found that coffee consumption lowered the risk for mortality, especially from digestive and circulatory diseases.

The first study did define a cup of coffee as 8 ounces but didn’t explicitly say what type of coffee it was or what was in it. Obviously drinking coffee with excessive amounts of cream and sugar can have nutritional impact but this was not identified in the study.

In most other studies regarding coffee’s health benefits, it was noted that coffee when consumed black was where the most health benefits came about.

Researchers still tout that it’s too soon to recommend endless amounts of coffee as naturally it’s a diuretic and can have an impact on energy levels being volatile but still worth considering and following this body of research as findings get consistently built upon.

Eat the same thing Most Days? Find out if this is healthy for you.

The Pros

Of all your meals and snacks, if fruit, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, healthy fat and dairy you’re off to a great start. Variability in your diet including all the important food groups is critical. About 90% of Americans don’t get enough recommended daily amount of vegetables and 85% don’t get enough of the recommended daily amount of fruit, as noted from the most updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Repetition and balance in your daily meal plans is good practice when it comes to meal preparation and planning. Having a healthy plan in place allows you to be prepared and not eat foods when you’re bored that you’re not even hungry for.

Other research does suggest a non-diverse diet is also a great alternative. A study from 2015 highlighted diet quality and variability in over 5K adults and found that the more diverse diet was associated to a greater waist circumference and a higher quality diet was associated with a lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Diversity in eating didn’t necessarily lead to a higher quality diet or better metabolic health.  

The Cons

But it’s important to think on the other side because if your daily diet is balanced, it probably doesn’t contain everything you need. There’s really no way you can meet dietary requirements by eating the same thing every day. Variety is essential to a healthy, balanced diet.

Studies have found health benefits associated with eating a more varied diet. A 2015 study, for example, examined the diets of over 7,000 adults who were at least 20 years old. It concluded that greater food variety was associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome compared to those who consumed a less varied diet.

The Bottom Line

Eating different foods is important, what’s more critical is what you choose to eat. A notable research study from 2002 evaluated healthy and less-healthy foods and how it affect mortality in close to 60,000 women.

A woman who followed a healthy diet by eating a high variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grain breads, cereals, fish and low-fat dairy products had lower mortality than women who consumes fewer of these foods.

Artificial Sweeteners: Weight Loss or Gain?

Despite intense scrutiny of artificial sweeteners for years, the product continues to be popular with dieters, diabetics and many just looking for a sweet fix. Even in the face of declining soda sales, the market share of diet soda continues to expand, with the second most popular soda being a diet variety. At the same time, the global market for non-sugar sweeteners has had impressive sales in recent years. In 2010, over 9 million dollars were spent on non-sugar sweeteners, with the industry anticipating continued growth in coming years.

A new report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal analyzed 37 studies on artificial sweeteners to measure their success for weight management. The studies followed over 400,000 people over the course of 10 years. Across the board, artificial sweeteners didn’t help any of the subjects lose weight. Consumption was evaluated over time , by people regularly consuming them and most patients had a higher risk for health issues like weight gain, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

This new study is an addition to the growing body of research suggesting sugar substitutes are not the cure for sugar addiction. There isn't enough qualified studies and results that would encourage any individual of any health status to use artificial sweeteners. But it’s not yet clear if they are dangerous but there is a correlation to increasing an individual’s appetite for processed foods when consuming sugar substitutes.

Artificial sweeteners have a role in controlling carbohydrate intake by diabetics and dieters, while also decreasing ones risk of dental cavities. Despite extensive studies, epidemiological research has failed to demonstrate any cancer risks. While, diet products are a safe alternative to their full sugar counterparts. Exercising at least 3 days a week, increasing fiber and focusing on healthy choices are the best way to lose weight and stay fit.

What scientists think is happening is that that when we consume sugar-substitutes, the body expects to see surge in glucose. When this expectation is not met, we continue to crave sweets, eating until the craving is met. So it will definitely take much more than replacing real sugar with fake sugar to lose weight.  Unfortunately there are no real shortcuts here. The key to weight loss is cutting the total number of calories consumed, with clean eating.

While, diet products are a safe alternative to their full sugar counterparts, diet and exercise for weight loss is what will truly help in the long run. Exercising at least 3 days a week, increasing fiber and focusing on healthy choices are the best way to lose weight and stay fit.

One-Minute Tips for Better Health

Sometimes all it takes is one minute to feel and be healthier. Good-for-you habits just take a bit of creativity and will to do wherever you are. Small effort, quick investment - fast return: We’ve done the work for you. Here’s the tips you need to become your happiest, fittest self.

Put SPF on your Ears

Dab a bit on your eyes while you're lathering up your face (hopefully everyday!) Nonmelanoma skin cancer that can be detected on ears has been found to be more aggressive. Tumors can grow deeper and larger than those appearing on the face. They aren’t deadly but can result in muscle and nerve damage. It can difficult to spot potential changes that would indicate skin cancer.

Bring Your Smoothie to the Next Level

Instead of trying Tumeric in your smoothie this morning, throw some coriander in yours. Coriander seeds come from cilantro seed and contain a blend of oils that help calm your gut. They can help relieve bloating symptoms. You only need a quarter of a teaspoon in a single-serve smoothie.

Start something new

Consider your goals and ask yourself what one small step could you take to move closer to your end goal? Getting started is the hardest part but using that first step can be a springboard to a larger and more repetitive habit.

Floss, Floss, Floss

We get it, no one feels like flossing at the end of the day. But flossing along with brushing twice a day and going to your dentist at least twice a year is essential for removing bacteria to stay gum disease-free and keeping your teeth healthy, according to the American Dental Association. From a study in 2011 on older adults who never flossed - many of them had 30% higher risk of dying during the study than those who flossed daily.

Pause for 25 Seconds

Sometimes we think we’re hungry but often we’re just bored or stressed. Wait 25 seconds next time before you each that chocolate or pretzels. According to preliminary research from Rush University in Chicago.

Planks!

This fundamental fitness move targets your abs and lower back and can help you avoid injury. By strengthening your core, you provide more stability to your spine. Start with a 20-second plank hold and work up to a minute.

Stretch Today

Try downward dog pose (from Yoga) to stretch out if you’re feeling stressed. It’s a great full-body stretch to help you rest.

Check the bowl

After you go number one or two, give a little glance—your pee and poop can tell you a lot about your health. If your urine looks dark yellow that’s a signal to drink more water - the ideal is pee that is very light yellow or even better, clear. Pinkish or reddish pee can indicate you have a UTI or other health issue. See your doctor right away!  

Take clues from your poo, too. Hard stool can be a sign of constipation - get at least 25 grams of fiber per day from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If your bowels are watery or loose, this could be IBS or black stools can indicate GI bleeding. See your doctor right away if you notice any of these symptoms.

How Artificial Intelligence Could Change Healthcare

Artificial intelligence has been in the mainstream media and cultural zeitgeist in the last year or so, particularly around concepts in the tech, business and healthcare world. Arguably, of all the places where artificial intelligence can be placed, healthcare could be the most opportune area.

A recent report from Accenture Consulting predicts the market for health-related AI to grow at a 40% rate through the year 2021 to over $6 billion.

A comprehensive research briefing from last September showed healthcare dominating over every other sector including finance, sales, marketing, security.  

The biggest returns on investment for health care will likely come from the substantial deals in terms of startup and deal volume. Two specific areas have been medical imaging and diagnostics and drug discovery in the pharma world.

Robot-assisted surgery integrated from pre-op medical records with real-time operating metrics to physically guide and enhance the physician’s instrument precision to minimize error. The technology can incorporate data from actual surgical experiences to inform new, improved techniques and insights. Another valuable use of artificial intelligence from virtual nursing assistant applications which would save money by letting medical providers remotely assess a patient’s symptoms and lessen the number of unnecessary patient visits.

Lastly, another innovation avenue are intelligent applications for administrative workflow, fraud detection and dosage error reduction.

Take Care of Your Eyes

Sometimes we forget about taking care of our eyes but it should never be taken for granted. Many studies over the years have showed that people would most be afraid to lose their eyesight of all the senses. Protecting our eyesight over the years is not to be neglected. But some myths confuse people on how to properly take care of their eyes.

But there are are so many myths when it comes to the health of your eyes. Here we debunk some of these myths with tips to better care for your windows to the world (so to speak.)

1. Reading in dim light will harm your eyes

   1. This is not true. But it can put a strain on your eyes making it hard to read or focus on the task at hand, therein causing short-term eyestrain. It’s not pleasurable anyway so the solution is to have a reading light directed to the page and not above you or over your shoulder. The biggest takeaway is having any light pointed directly at what you’re focused on.

2. Starting at the computer harms your eyes

   1. Looking at a computer for long periods of time as most of us do at work these days doesn’t cause long-term harm to the eyes but it can cause temporary eye strain, blurriness or tired eyes. Start to become aware of how often you blink during the day - try to do so as much as possible to no strain your eyes by looking straight at the screen. Couple tips: adjust the lighting so there isn’t a standout reflection or glare on your screen and every 20 minutes look away or at something 20 feet or more away. Consciously blink your eyes as often as possible so they stay lubricated.

3. Carrots are the most nutritious food for eye health

   1. Carrots are rich in Vitamin A which is good for eyes but so are many other fresh veggies and fruits. Antioxidants such as vitamin C and E have strengthen eye health over time. They help protect eyes from cataracts and age-related mascular degeneration.

4. Exercises for the eyes help you to avoid wearing glasses

   1. Eye exercises are not going to cure your need for glasses. Our vision depends on several other factors such as the shape of our eyeball (dependent on genetics) and the health of the tissues around the eye which eye exercises cannot alter or improve. No research to date showcases that eye exercises help.

5. Remove glasses or contacts to give your eyes a break

   1. The reason you need glasses is to see better in basic needs of reading, driving or vision for long-distance. If you take off your glasses or remove contact lenses during the day it can put more of a strain on your eyes, tiring them out instead of resting them because you cannot see properly so naturally you squint your eyes to see.

Patients May Be Using Medicare to Get Opioids

Latest reports showcase that patients may be taking advantage of what Medicare has to offer in order to gain access to opioids and the government could be doing more to stop this.

In 2016, one patient was able to get access to an inordinate amount of opioids from 46 different prescribers and 20 pharmacies, and managed to receive 11 different prescriptions from eight prescribers and 6 pharmacies across 5 different states.

The most alarming component of this is the indication that no medical professional involved checked the patient's prescription history.

Obviously, this is an extreme case, but notes a specific trend cited ina  new report from the US Department of Health and Human Services is essentially funding a huge number of opioid prescriptions through the Medicare drug program. It is likely enabling tens of thousands of opioid users to get the drugs for misuse, overuse or reselling.

The report produced several key findings for Medicare Part D beneficiaries and their opioid use in 2016:

• About one in three beneficiaries, or 14.4 million people, received at least one opioid prescription.

• More than 11 percent of beneficiaries, or 5 million people, received opioids for three months or more.

• The research shows the risk of dependence which goes along with addiction.

• Almost 90,000 beneficiaries are at “serious risk of opioid misuse or overdose”: Nearly 70,000 appeared to be getting “an extreme amount of opioids,” or 240 mg MED or more a day over 12 months. And more than 22,000 appeared to be doctor shopping, when patients go to various doctors and various pharmacies to try to obtain as many opioids as possible.

• And nearly 116,000 ordered opioids for at least one beneficiary at serious risk.

This new report focuses in large part the role of Medicare in this crisis and what they could be doing monitoring both patients and doctors for excessive prescribing practices. Specifically, Medicare could initiate prescription drug monitoring programs to establish a large database that prescribers can use to track patients who have access to a frightening amount of opioids.

Each state except Missouri do have a drug monitoring program in place but some states enforce more and employ comprehensive versions of this program.

One big caveat to the report: Not all the beneficiaries and prescribers that it calls out were necessarily doing something wrong. It is entirely possible that many of these patients and doctors — even those getting or ordering an extreme amount of drugs — have a legitimate medical reason for doing so. The OIG is merely warning that there are so many of these cases that chances are there’s still a lot of unscrupulous prescribing going on.

The report’s findings come at a crucial time in the crisis. It’s currently estimated that up to 65,000 people died of drug overdoses in the US last year alone. This is now the deadliest drug overdose crisis in US history. For an important federal health program to be potentially contributing to the crisis is very bad.