Epoch Fit 1-22-2016 by Epoch Fit

POGONICI, PAFFY69/ISTOCK: ILLUSTRATION BY JENS ALMROTH/EPOCH TIMES

B1 January 22–28, 2016

Hibiscus Tea

for Weight Loss, Blood Pressure, and Inflammation on B2

HOW YOUR GENES INFLUENCE WHAT MEDICINES ARE RIGHT FOR YOU

Someday doctors may be able to take into account an individual’s entire genome when they write a prescription.

Pharmacogenetics is the study of how genes affect the way the body reacts to pharmaceuticals.

By Julie A. Johnson

ou have a headache. Do you reach for Tylenol or Advil? Most people have a preference because they have learned over time that one works better than the other at relieving their pain. This type of variability from person to person is true for nearly every medication, whether it requires a prescription or can be purchased over the counter. Pharmacists, physicians, and researchers have tried for decades to understand why the same medication, at the same dose, can work well for some people but not for others, why some people need higher or lower doses of the same drug, or why some people have side eﬀects, while others do not. Many factors contribute to these diﬀerences in how people respond to the same medication, including age, other medications they may be taking, kidney function, and cigarette smoking, to name a few. But it’s become increasingly clear that genetics can also be an important factor.

Genes Influence How Well Drugs Work Understanding how these genetic diﬀerences work means that physicians can take a more personalized approach to selecting the right medication and dosage for each individual. This is called pharmacogenetics, and pharmacogenetic tests to guide use of certain medications are becoming increasingly common. This kind of personalized treatment is an example of what is called precision medicine, which is being touted as an important part of the future of health care. In fact, President Obama announced in the 2015 State of

Pharmacists, physicians, and researchers have tried for decades to understand why the same medication, at the same dose, can work well for some people but not for others.

the Union address his plan to launch the Precision Medicine Initiative: “To bring us closer to curing diseases like cancer and diabetes— and to give all of us access to the personalized information we need to keep ourselves and our families healthier.” Genes Influence How Well Your Liver Breaks Down Medicine Today the most frequently used tests look for variations (also called polymorphisms) in the genes that carry instructions for making the enzymes in the liver that metabolize (break down) drugs. For drugs that are already in an active form— which means that the drug has immediate effect on the body—enzymes in the liver break down the drug to make it inactive, so the body can then discard it. When the enzyme in the liver that breaks down a particular drug does not work properly due to a genetic variation, then the body can’t get rid of the active drug effectively. That can lead to too much drug in the body, which can in turn lead to serious side effects. Other drugs are consumed in a form that is inactive and are broken down in the liver into their active form. The liver enzymes that break down the drug are critical to making it work. For these medications, when the liver enzyme does not work properly because of a gene variation, the drug cannot be converted into its active form.

See Right Medicines on B6

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January 22–28, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochFit

The red part found at the base of the flower is what’s used to make tea.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

Hibiscus sabdariffa illustration from the “Watercolours of Surinam,” 1811–1824.

Heart, Mind, and Pain In traditional herbal medicine, hibiscus is used to calm the mind, and it also has an aﬃnity for the heart. A clinical trial from the American

OCK IS T

The hibiscus flower brings to mind a tropical paradise. The large, flirty bloom is a popular motif for Hawaiian shirts, but one particular variety—Hibiscus sabdariﬀa (also known as roselle or red tea)—originates from Egypt. Today, roselle is cultivated in nearly every warm region around the globe. Roselle is the source of hibiscus tea—a pleasantly tart, ruby red beverage drunk throughout North Africa and the Middle East for centuries. Egyptians have sipped hibiscus tea since the Pharaohs ruled the Nile. When roselle came to the New World, Mexicans and Jamaicans quickly developed a

Cooling Calyx While the flower is the showiest part of hibiscus, the choice piece for tea is the calyx— a deep red plant part from which the flower emerges. The term comes from a Greek word that means husk or shell. Calyx pieces are usually sold dried for tea, but fresh calyx buds are a popular sour vegetable in many parts of the world. They have a mucilaginous texture similar to another hibiscus variety, okra (Hibiscus esculentus). In traditional herbal medicine, a sour taste signifies a cooling herb, which explains why tart hibiscus is used to soothe conditions characterized by heat and inflammation. Roselle is frequently used in traditional Ayurvedic and Middle Eastern herbal medicine for diabetes, liver, and gallbladder problems, and inflammatory skin and bowel issues. The hibiscus calyx has a taste similar to cranberry, in fact it is sometimes called the Florida cranberry. Like cranberry, hibiscus tea is also used to soothe urinary tract infections. Refreshing hibiscus tea is great for hydration, but it’s also a reliable diuretic, which means it can rid the body of excess fluid. Hibiscus can also play a role in weight loss. Researchers have found that drinking hibiscus tea inhibits amylase, a pancreatic enzyme that helps break down carbohydrates and sugars. This indicates that in the presence of hibiscus, the body absorbs less of these fattening substances. Hibiscus is high in iron, vitamin C, and other antioxidants that support immunity. It also has antibacterial properties, so it is often used for colds, flu, and cough.

By Conan Milner | Epoch Times Staff

for Weight Loss, Blood Pressure, and Inflammation

X PA

HIBISCUS TEA

taste for hibiscus-based beverages, but it didn’t catch on in North America until the 1970s when Celestial Seasonings released its Red Zinger tea blend. Today, hibiscus is found in nearly every fruity tea on the market. It’s also used to flavor yogurt, ice cream, soda, champagne, and anything else that could use a tart taste.

Heart Association found that after six weeks of drinking hibiscus tea, blood pressure dropped as much as 13 percent. Several other studies have shown that hibiscus may also reduce cholesterol and prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Hibiscus may also treat arthritis pain. An animal study from the University of Bagdad, published in October 2015, demonstrated that hibiscus sabdariﬀa demonstrated “significant anti-inflammatory activity.” Further research suggests that hibiscus tea may also have some anti-cancer properties. Hibiscus tea contains protocatechuic acid, and one study found that it may slow the growth of cancerous cells. How to Use Hibiscus is very safe, although there are rumors that it can cause mild hallucinations in some people. However, for a popular product that has been used for so long, evidence for this claim is hard to find. To make a cup of tea, simply add a teaspoon of dried calyx pieces to a cup of hot water and steep for at least 10 minutes. Drink one to three cups a day. For many, plain hibiscus tastes too sour. The solution in Mexico and other places is to heavily sweeten hibiscus drinks with large amounts of sugar. Another option is to brew your hibiscus with sweet herbs, such as licorice root or stevia, to achieve a healthier sweet and sour balance.

Epoch Times, January 22–28, 2016

PLANES, TRAINS, BOATS AND VENOUS BLOOD CLOTS W

e have all heard the tragic tale of a friend or loved one dying unexpectedly from a mysterious “blood clot,” which is “thrown” from the legs into the lungs, heart, or even the brain. It is reason enough for many to avoid long car rides, not to mention flying, and in general to live with a certain amount of fear and anxiety. But what is the real story behind these blood clots and how can we protect ourselves from them? Let’s begin with a general understanding of our circulatory system. Circulation implies the cyclic motion of the blood around our body, carried for the most part by two types of blood vessels; arteries and veins. Arteries are the blood vessels which carry the oxygenated blood from the lungs to all the parts of the body. If the arteries narrow during a process called atherosclerosis, one may need to have a stent placed to hold them open. If they become totally blocked, a bypass is required to route blood around the blockage. Left untreated, atherosclerosis in the heart will eventually lead to a heart attack, in the carotid arteries - to a stroke, and in the legs - to gangrene. Veins, on the other hand, are the blood vessels which deliver the deoxygenated blood back to the lungs. Our long-evolved habit of standing upright allows the forces of gravity, unfortunately, to create a problem in our leg veins. While the work of the heart together with forces of gravity bring the arterial blood down into the legs, the veins, however, are left working against gravity without any help from the heart to bring the blood back to the lungs. With the development of atherosclerosis our arteries become narrow, but different types of disease affect our veins. One of them is called “Deep Vein Thrombosis,” or more simply DVT. This is when blood clots form in the deep venous system. As with the majority of diseases, DVT does not have a single , direct cause. Rather, several different risk factors are to blame, which fall into three categories: abnormalities of the vein wall, blood flow , and blood composition. The first risk factor encompasses trauma and surgery, including any prior DVT, all of which damage the inner walls of the veins, making them rough and causing blood cells to catch and stick to the area forming a blood clot.

In nature this mechanism is what stops bleeding. Unfortunately, it works so well that the blood will stick to any irregular surface, whether it is an actual wound or only a slightly damaged vein wall. Even the most high-tech stents, grafts, artificial valves and pacemakers, necessary to treat various vascular diseases, are coarse enough to trigger this clotting mechanism. The second factor, abnormal blood flow, may be the result of a pathological condition, as in the case of cardiac arrhythmia. During a normal cardiac cycle, blood moves through the vessels evenly. Arrhythmia alters this flow, causing the blood to move in a turbulent fashion, with areas of fast flow interspersed with areas of slower-moving and even stagnant blood. It is this stagnant blood which initiates the formation of clots. Therefore, everyone should have regular check-ups to make sure that arrhythmia is not left undetected, since any form of heart rate irregularities must be properly treated. Even those who do not suffer from cardiac arrhythmia, however, may still be at risk for developing abnormal blood flow. Most commonly this is caused by prolonged standing and on rare occasions even by prolonged sitting. Typical situations leading to this kind of restriction of movement include, most notoriously, the many hours spent cramped in your seat on long trips by car or plane. As a rule we should try to change our leg position, and periodically move and stretch our legs and feet when seated for long periods of time. We may suggest more specific leg exercises in the office, which should be performed at regular intervals at least once an hour. If circumstances allow, it is best to occasionally get up and walk around. The last group of risk factors for DVT is comprised of conditions which make our blood too thick. Among them, congenital increased blood viscosity is extremely rare and is almost always diagnosed at an early age. A more gruesome, pathological condition which can increase the viscosity of the blood is “paraneoplastic syndrome,” seen in those with cancer, caused by the secretions of malignant tumors. Of the factors which we can control, the number one cause for thickened blood is dehydration. So, we should be especially mindful to replenish our bodies of the water lost during strenuous activity, such as

running, and that which is lost to the environment, as in the excessively dry cabin of a plane. The most feared and serious complication of DVT is “Pulmonary Embolism,” or PE. This occurs when fragments of DVT become dislodged in the bloodstream and are carried into the lungs. A thrombus being carried by the veins is called an embolus. Contrary to common belief, however, such emboli do not affect our heart or brain. This is because, the deoxygenated blood from all over our body returns to our lungs first, where the body’s waste product of carbon-dioxide is exchanged for oxygen. Therefore, venous blood clots, regardless of where in the body they are formed, can only be thrown into the lungs and not the heart or brain. Yet in the lungs, they may still block circulation, leading to serious complications and even death. The symptoms of DVT are likely to include swelling and tenderness to the touch in the affected extremity. However, some people with DVT do not show any clinical symptoms, allowing it to go on unnoticed and only adding to the dangerous nature of the condition. In the case of severe chest pain or problems breathing, one should immediately go to the emergency room and seek the help of a qualified physician, as this may indicate PE in which a clot has indeed traveled to the lungs. While venous thrombosis is a serious condition with potentially fatal complications, understanding its processes and taking simple steps against its main causes will certainly help to prevent its formation and, if needed, to correctly treat blood clots prior to the development of their dreaded complications. If you have any reason to believe that you or your friends and family members have any of the diseases described above, or even if you just want to check your circulation, please contact an appropriate specialist as soon as possible. L. Khitin, M.D. , F.A.C.S.

ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM Achy, heavy or tired legs? Difficulties walking or standing? Muscle cramps or restless leg syndrome? Swelling, numbness, burning or itching? Varicose or spider veins? Blood clots, ulcers, bleeding, or infection? L. Khitin, M.D. , F.A.C.S. Dr. Khitin is a cardiovascular surgeon, board-certified in general and cardiothoracic surgery, Fellow of American College of Surgeons, member of American College of Cardio-Vascular Surgery, president, founder and a leading specialist of New York Vein Treatment Center.

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January 22–28, 2016

TIPS 4

TheEpochTimes.com/EpochFit ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

RECIPE

to Reach Your Fitness Goals

POMEGRANATE AND PEAR QUINOA SALAD I just love this sweet and savory quinoa salad because it can be both a side dish or a main meal. I have included optional ingredients to take it up another notch. If you want this dish to be vegan, don’t add the cheese. If you like a little bolder flavor, use a few of the cacao nibs. If you like it sweeter, add the stevia. And for the very best flavor in food, use Himalayan salt.

By Arleen Richards | Epoch Times Staff

As the end of January approaches, the enthusiasm many of us felt for our New Year’s fitness goals has started to wane, and the realities are starting to set in. So now is a good time to evaluate what’s working, what’s not, and refine your fitness plan. Sports and fitness specialist and master trainer, Chris Slate works with people of all types, from celebrities to professional athletes, millennials, and baby boomers, to help them meet their fitness goals. Here are a few of his tips for staying on track. A Good Plan Make a plan that you feel solid about and honestly believe you can stick to. If you’re too busy to make time for the gym, your plan may revolve around movements you can do in a few minutes at work or with lifestyle modifications like deciding not to take a cab a few times a week. “Take those few minutes out of each and every day and do Poland Springs curls, do dips oﬀ of the seat, or throw the leg up on the desk and stretch your hamstrings out a little. If you’re in NYC, walk or take the stairs. Walk to and from the grocery store or the restaurant,” he said. A good fitness plan is also flexible. “Things are constantly changing. Life is happening, so you have to be able to make those adjustments,” he said. Support Emotion It can be hard enough to drag our tired selves to the gym at the end of a long day, but slogging through negative emotions in addition can really stymie motivation. Slate said he’s found that tapping into emotions is key for staying on track. Connecting with another human can give you a better handle on your emotions. When he has clients come to a session feeling down, he says he makes a point to connect with them.

Tapping into emotions is key for staying on track.

Ingredients for success: hard work, discipline, and consistency.

Chris Slate, owner of Slate Fitness, works closely with clients to help them achieve their fitness goals.

“It’s eye contact, or sometimes it’s a hug. Maybe it’s sitting down and talking about it,” he said. Accountable and Connected There’s no need to wait until you’re out of sorts to connect. For many of us, working with other people can be motivating and help hold us accountable to our goals, especially if exercising is not yet an established habit. “It’s also important to have a support group or have a partner. If you’re trying to get back in the game, get a workout buddy or buddies because now you have that accountability factor. You don’t want to feel like you’re going to let somebody down if you don’t show up,” Slate said. Social media can also help you stay connected. Slate said he uses Instagram and finds it good for useful tips and working with others. “Create a fitness page on Instagram so you can get information from the followings and also there’s a level of accountability there,” he said. Eat Well No fitness or weight loss plan should ignore nutrition. Eating well will help keep your energy levels in balance, making any fitness goal much easier to achieve. Slate, who is also licensed in fitness nutrition, advises keeping meals as clean and organic as possible. “That means when we’re talking about meat, it should be hormone-free, no fillers, and as natural as possible. … When you’re out for dinner, be mindful of where you are because if you’re not careful, you may eat a lot of processed foods,” he said. He also likes to go low-sugar by avoiding juice and soda.

• • • • • • • •

1 cup organic quinoa 1 pear 2 large pomegranates 1 lemon, juiced 1/2 small red onion 1/8 cup roasted sunflower seeds Himalayan salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Optional Ingredients: liquid stevia extract, cacao nibs, feta cheese

DIRECTIONS Cook one cup of quinoa according to package directions. Put aside in a bowl to cool. In a food processor, blend the seeds from one pomegranate with the juice of one large lemon. Pour the mixture through a sieve to remove the pulp. If you prefer your dressing a little sweeter as I do, add a few drops of liquid stevia extract. Dice the pear and onion and remove the seeds from the remaining pomegranate. Once the quinoa is cooled, add the diced pear and onion, the pomegranate seeds, and dressing. Toss well. Add the roasted sunflower seeds and season with salt and pepper to taste. This dish is fantastic as is, but it tastes even better when you sprinkle on the cacao nibs for added crunch and flavor. I also like to add feta cheese crumbled throughout. Serve immediately, chill, or save it for tomorrow. It gets better with age. Martine Carlina is an entrepreneur who has spent the last more 15 years promoting organic and sustainable living. She published Canada’s first national magazine devoted to her favorite subject: organic living. This article was originally published on NaturallySavvy.com

THE TRUTH ABOUT POSITIVE THINKING A s a life and happiness coach I am all about a great inspirational quote, a feel-good TED Talk, and some groovy meditation music. I truly stand behind the message that positive thinking will change your life, because when you do it right, it really works. But I want to bring your attention to how to do it in a healthy and honest way. As a culture thriving on selfhelp (which is amazing,) we have been blanketing everything with the mantra: “Just think positively and you will get what you want!” To a point that’s totally rad, but it’s like pouring a jug of pure, filtered water into a full cup of dirty water. Before pouring this clean water into your shiny glassware, you gotta dump the junk. What am I saying with this analogy? I am saying that it’s okay to feel emotions and then let them go. We are all humans, here to express, feel, and learn to let go what’s not serving us. The reward of letting ourselves feel and then release is that we move internally to higher space of love and gratitude. In our fast-paced culture we need to make sure that we clean our emotional waters right. Feel, journal, talk, and get help to move through the yucky stuff, which is great for growth,

so don’t judge it. When you feel you stable and cleansed, this is when you can really think positively. Begin to honor your emotions: good, bad, and ugly. Honor them, feel, and then move forward. When you’re ready to fill up on that clean water, here are the next few steps for staying truly positive and happy: Own Your Thoughts Recognize what’s actually stirring around in your monkey brain. What do you say to yourself? Are you mean? Do you tell yourself that you’re not good, smart, or attractive enough? Listen to these thoughts with as little judgment as possible, then sympathize and mentally cross them out with a giant red X or visualize a stop sign to halt them in their tracks. Now shift yourself a positive, more loving brain space: “I am smart and qualified enough for this job.”

Find Gratitude We always hear that gratitude is the best attitude, but honestly… it is! Even in the darkest of times, we can notice little things for which to be thankful. So, when some low vibe stuff comes up for you, lean into gratitude. You can even make it a practice every day to reflect on three things for which you are grateful. Do you have a bed to

sleep at night? Can you read this paper? Has someone brought a smile to your face today? The happiness we ask and long for is staring us in the face and the only way to really tap into the big joys is to be thankful for all the miracles that we are graced with each day. Forgive Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Because when you do, you set yourself free of the burden of grudge-holding. Recognize that the person who wronged you is most likely doing the best he (or she) can with all of the knowledge he personally has. See this individual as an innocent child; could you seriously hate him? To take it another step further, note that we are all mirrors of one another. Is that thing you are hating on something you are carrying, and therefore resenting within yourself? It will only trigger you if it resonates with you. Clear it, forgive the person, and above all forgive yourself. You’re doing the best you can. Affirm Finally, is our gorgeous friend, affirmations. Like I said, once we move through the muck and deal with what is actually going on, make affirmations your BFF. I start and end my day with affirmations like, “Today is going to be an amazing day filled

with love, light, and miracles,” or, “ I am beautiful and highly attractive.” Start to fill yourself up with this fun, amazing tool. You can make up your own affirmations or email us at info@ wethelight.org and we can send you a list. I’m sure you’ve heard of these tools before, but they keep coming up for a reason. We all have something huge to contribute to our planet and the work we need to do begins within. We can’t give our all while stuck in negative mental cycles. When you say yes to life, it will support you in a bigger way, providing the resources you need to grow. These small steps changed my life tremendously. With them I transformed self-loathing and cynicism into happiness and passion. You’ve got this, you deserve to be the best for yourself and everyone around you. Keep smiling my friend, because life is brighter when we shine. Erica Wiederlight, We The Light LLC

info@wethelight.org WETHELIGHT.ORG

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January 22–28, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochFit

Mindfulness Can Improve Living With a Disability By Yoon-Suk Hwang

indfulness, a meditative practice focusing on attention and awareness training, has been shown to have positive eﬀects on mental and physical well-being. A recent review of studies has also shown that mindfulness meditation helps people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder reduce their mental and physical problems. Challenging behavior is the most prevalent problem faced by people with these disabilities. It includes aggressive, self-injurious, destructive, and disruptive behavior. These behaviors occur in as many as 15 percent of people with intellectual disabilities. Up to 95 percent of people with autism spectrum disorder also show some form of challenging behavior. Challenging behavior is a major threat to the education of children with these conditions. It is also a major reason leading them to criminal pathways.

What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness teaches how to be aware of what is happening to us in the present, both physically (such as breathing) and mentally (such as emotion). A total of 254 individuals with disability aged between 13 and 61 from 21 studies participated in this review. The review reported two approaches to teaching mindfulness. The first was developed specifically for people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder and is often used to self-manage physical and verbal aggression. One example is the “Soles of Feet” technique. Students are asked to breath naturally and remember an anger-provoking incident. They are told to imagine and experience the anger, and then shift all of their attention to the soles of their feet. Students keep breathing and focusing on the soles of their feet until they feel calm. The other approach employs pre-existing mindfulness programs, such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (a psychological therapy designed to prevent relapse into depression by changing the way you think with meditation), mindfulness-based stress reduction (intensive meditation and yoga

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focusing on greater awareness of the mind and body), acceptance and commitment therapy (a psychological intervention using mindfulness to increase psychological flexibility), and dialectical behavior therapy (a specific type of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy initially developed to treat borderline personality disorder).

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What the Study Found The review showed mindfulness meditation was effective for reducing aggression, both physical and verbal, reducing deviant sexual arousal, and for quitting smoking and losing weight in people with these conditions. Mindfulness meditation also alleviated anxiety, depression, and stress-related physiological symptoms, such as salivary cortisol (a stress hormone found in saliva) and alpha-amylase (a digestive enzyme sensitive to stress). These effects were either assessed against the condition of participants before their mindfulness training or individuals with similar disabilities who did not learn mindfulness. No side effects were reported for people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder from learning mindfulness meditation. However, mindfulness was only effective under certain conditions. Since mindfulness meditation is attention and awareness training, it can’t be forced, and participants have to choose to learn. Sustained engagement and long-term practice are essential for any positive effects mindfulness may have. People with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder require support to be engaged in learning. Training in mindfulness can be both labor-intensive and time-consuming. This is more so for people whose disability is more severe. Mindfulness instructors need to have both experiential and intellectual knowledge of mindfulness. In addition, teaching people with disability requires knowledge of disability and the capacity to adjust mindfulness training methods to meet a wide variety of learning needs. Yoon-Suk Hwang is a research fellow at the Learning Sciences Institute Australia, at Australian Catholic University. This article was originally published on TheConversation.com

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January 22–28, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochFit DIDESIGN021, POGONIC/ISTOCK: ILLUSTRATION BY JENS ALMROTH/EPOCH TIMES

HOW YOUR GENES INFLUENCE WHAT MEDICINES ARE RIGHT FOR YOU Right Medicines continued from B1

Attention New Yorkers who want better hearing, your next stop is...

Differences in how enzymes break down drugs can mean that people need different doses of a particular drug to achieve the same effect, or that some drugs might not be as effective for them. And many of these gene variations are very common in the general population and can affect decisions about the right drug or right drug dose in several ways.

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Using Gene Variations to Choose the Right Medication Children with leukemia are commonly tested for a gene variation for the enzyme that breaks down drugs called thiopurines. These drugs are commonly used to treat childhood leukemia and are consumed in an active form. If tests reveal that the enzyme that breaks down the drug and gets rid of it doesn’t work as well, they are given one-tenth the normal dosage. That tiny fraction of a dose gives them the same benefits as someone whose enzyme functions normally and gets 10 times the dose because their body breaks it down more efficiently. In cases like this, the genetic difference between people can be addressed by giving different dosages of the same medication. For drugs that are converted into an active form in the liver, genetic variations can mean that a person needs to take a different kind of drug entirely. One example of this is the drug called Plavix or clopidogrel, which is commonly used after heart attacks or balloon angioplasty to prevent blood clots from forming. It has to be activated by the liver—but gene variations in the most important enzyme for this process mean that at least 25 percent–30 percent of people cannot fully convert Plavix to its active form. When people with that gene variation take Plavix, it is less effective at preventing heart attacks and strokes. Here at the University of Florida, we began testing this gene in heart disease patients getting a balloon angioplasty and stent in 2012. For those who had the gene variation that made Plavix a suboptimal choice, we recommended a different medication be used. We followed patients who had this gene variation and found that the ones who actually took an alternate drug had significantly fewer heart attacks, fewer strokes, and were less likely to die than those who continued taking Plavix. These data highlight how using someone’s genetic information can lead to a personalized approach to their care and in turn lead to better health. These same approaches are also being used

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more and more often to select cancer drugs, although in most situations it is the genetics of the tumor, not the patient, that are being tested to pick the right drug. In fact, most of the new drugs that have been approved for the treatment of cancer in recent years are developed for specific tumor genotypes. Where Does Pharmacogenetics Go From Here? These are just a few examples of the potential for using genetic information to guide decisions about drug therapy. Currently over 100 drugs have pharmacogenetic information in their product label from the Food and Drug Administration. Over time, more and more medications will likely be added to the list of those for which genetic data may allow for more personalized treatment decisions. And the way genetic information is obtained will change in the coming years. In the examples provided above, the genetic information is gathered through a laboratory test that specifically evaluates the gene or genes of interest.

Most of the new drugs that have been approved for the treatment of cancer in recent years are developed for specific tumor genotypes. However, in the future it is expected that an individual’s entire genome (all three billion letters of their genetic code) will be defined and stored for use throughout their lifetime. When that happens, using genetic information to inform decisions about the right drug and the right dose will likely involve computerized approaches that marry the genetic data with knowledge about drugs and genes, leading to a personalized treatment recommendation. We are probably at least a decade or more from this reality. In the meantime, the number of drugs whose use can be guided by genetics and the number of people who benefit are expected to grow. Julie A. Johnson is the dean of the College of Pharmacy, distinguished professor of pharmacy and medicine, and director of the Health Personalized Medicine Program at the University of Florida. This article was originally published on TheConversation.com

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SECRETS OF KOREAN MEDICINE

Heal the Lungs to Treat Chronic Sinusitis A healthy nose will help prevent ear and eye infections Part 13 Your sinus troubles may actually be a problem with your lungs.

COURTESY OF DR. SEO HYO-SEOK

By Dr. Seo Hyo-seok

water gives rise to the conditions for decay, stagnated mucus induces further inflammation, eventually leading to sinusitis.

Stagnant Mucus Becomes Sinusitis The sinuses are four pairs of cavities that connect to the nose. The maxillary sinuses, located in the cheekbones, are where 90 percent of sinusitis manifests. As mucus flows through the sinuses, tiny hair-like organisms called cilia and the mucous membrane help filter it and eliminate germs. The sinuses also help cool the blood destined for the brain. However, when a common cold or inflammation of the mucus membrane manifests, and the mucous membrane swells, it blocks the entrance to the sinuses, preventing the inflow of fresh air and the removal of mucus. When mucus stagnates in the sinuses, pathogens and fungi can proliferate. Just as stagnated

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There are four pairs of sinus cavities in the head, each named after the bones of the skull in which they are located.

In Western medicine, the main treatments for inflammation of the nose are antihistamines and decongestants, and treatments for chronic sinusitis are antibiotics, steroids, and surgery. However, from the Korean medicine perspective, such treatments work against the natural processes of the body and will induce recurrence and side effects. Even though Western treatments may appear to be effective by suppressing the symptoms temporarily, they actually destroy the body to a greater extent. If pharmaceutical drugs are used continuously, they can cause serious side effects in very little time. Surgery is likewise not a surefire treatment for sinusitis. I once had a patient visit me who had a doctor tell him that his nasal inflammation and sinusitis could be healed by straightening his deviated (crooked) septum (bone and cartilage dividing the nasal cavity). This patient had three surgeries, but said they were “absolutely useless” because he still experienced repeated bouts of illness. I emphasize once again that artificial treatments with scalpels or chemical drugs cannot sever the chains of the vicious cycle of aggravation and recurrence that cause chronic sinusitis. In particular, when inflammation of the nose is allowed to persist, treating the other secondary conditions stemming from it will not get rid of it. On the other hand, if inflammation in the nose is treated properly and completely, the secondary diseases will automatically be treated. If the lungs are treated with Korean herbal medicines, after approximately three months the symptoms associated with inflammation of the nose, such as excessive mucus discharge, sneezing, stuffy nose,

In Korean medicine the lungs are said to govern the health of the nose.

R. S

Inflammation of the mucus membrane of the nose becomes particularly severe in winter when cold and wind make the nose work substantially harder to quickly warm up air entering the body. When the nose is healthy, it maintains appropriate levels of moisture and temperature. However, if the nasal cavity becomes excessively dry or moist with abundance of discharge, diseases will manifest in the nose. If the nasal cavity is too dry, mucus fails to perform its cleaning role properly, and viruses and pathogens can attach themselves to the inside of the nasal cavity and will not be discharged. On the other hand, if there is excessive mucus, it flows like floodwaters into places that it should not enter. When mucus settles in places it should not be, it becomes stagnant.

OF D

Since the nose is closely linked to the eyes, ears, and sinuses, inflammation in the nose can easily lead to problems in these areas.

TESY

Treat Nasal Inflammation to Prevent Many Illnesses Since the nose is closely linked to the eyes, ears, and sinuses, inflammation in the nose can easily lead to problems in these areas. If the inflammation of the nose spreads to the ears, it can manifest as an earache; if it spreads to the eyes, it can manifest as pinkeye; and if it spreads to the sinuses, it can become sinusitis. The nose is also closely connected with the lungs. In Korean medicine, the lungs are said to govern the health of the nose, and the nose is seen as a subsidiary organ of the lungs. Thus abnormalities in the lungs can manifest as diseases in the nose. Therefore, the treatment of inflammation of the nose should not be limited to the nose. It is possible to fully cure nasal inflammation only if pulmonary functions, which are the core of the respiratory system, are fortified. Cleaning the lungs restores the proper moisture balance and also fortifies the tonsils. When the tonsils are healthy, they generate a type of white blood cell (lymphocytes) that are key to the immune system and markedly improve the self-healing ability of the body. As your immune system works on inflammation of the nose, yellowish lumps will be discharged from it. This is a welcome sign because it means that mucus from deep in the nose and sinuses is being cleaned out. It is possible to have a complete cure only if this mucus is expelled and full functioning of white blood cells is restored.

Korean herbal medicine can heal the root cause of sinusitis.

R COU

Situated in the center of the face, the nose has many important roles. When you inhale cold air, it takes the nose a quarter of a second to heat it up to around 95 degrees, a temperature appropriate for the human body. It also adjusts the humidity of inhaled air and purifies it by filtering out foreign particles. The nose is also our organ of smell, and the nasal cavity is important for articulating consonant sounds like “m” and “n.” However, the nose is also vulnerable to numerous problems, including inflammation of the mucus membrane or rhinitis. When the underlying cause of inflammation of the mucus membrane in the nose is not treated, it sets the stage for chronic diseases like sinusitis, asthma, and COPD.

coughing, and postnasal drip, will be eliminated. Moreover, headaches will disappear, patients will find their heads feel clearer, and they will be better able to concentrate. As soon as the functioning of the white blood cells improves, this will eliminate the causes of inflammation of the nose, and the subsidiary diseases, such as sinusitis, earaches, and pinkeye, will be eliminated in no time. Once the root of the problem has been taken care of, it is important to prevent recurrence. The most definitive prevention is to prevent common colds that induce nasal inflammation in the first place. Through continuous pulmonary cleansing, the health of the tonsils, which are the guards of health for the body, will be maintained, and it will then be possible to thoroughly guard the body against any common cold virus.

Do salt-water rinses help inflammation in the nose? I’m frequently asked whether rinsing the nose with salt water is helpful for treating inflammation in the nose (rhinitis). I believe that although this may have a temporary effect on the symptoms, it can actually interfere with treatment in the long term because it also washes away the healthy white blood cells that are needed to deal with pathogens. Therefore, I recommend that patients with inflammation of the nose only rinse with salt water for two months after starting treatment with Korean herbal medicine. This is because after two months, the tonsils will regain their health, and rinsing with salt water will interfere with the white blood cells that are working to get rid of pathogens.

Dr. Seo Hyo-seok is the director of the Pyunkang Korean Medicine Hospital, which has seven branches in South Korea, one at Stanton University in California, and one in Atlanta. Dr. Seo entered Kyung Hee University in Korea at the top of his class and after years of research developed the Pyunkang-Hwan herbal formula, which improves immunity by strengthening lung function. It has helped cure over 155,000 patients of various conditions. Find out more at Pyunkang.com Email: Dr.Seo@wwdoctor.com