Saturday, November 16, 2024

HealthTech Report: The ALFASIGHT 9000


INTRODUCTION: In our constant search for the latest innovations in non‐invasive health and medical advancements, HealthTech Reporter met with DR. DANIEL BEILIN of Alfa Thermodiagnostics, the developer of the ALFASIGHT 9000. 

In August of 2024, HealthTech Reporter conducted a private interview with Dr. Daniel Beilin (CTO  & Founder) about establishing the science of Regulation Thermography and his ALFA System.

TECH DESCRIPTION FROM THE WEBSITE: 
The AlfaSight 9000™ (also known as the ALFA‐Scan System) is a robust, easy‐to use, and reproducible measurement system that utilizes streamlined infrared technology, artificial intelligence (AI) ‐ and years of world‐corroborated, accumulated data. It’s a whole‐body, early‐detection system that views a patient’s overall health while finding hidden issues and causes for many disease including pre‐disease contributing factors.

According to the manufacturer, this adjunct diagnostic device may detect the following Organ Dysfunctions:

‐ Diabetes and Pre‐Diabetes (Pancreas)
‐ Breast (Breast Health, DCIS and Cystic Changes)
‐ Vascular Brain and Headache Origins
‐ Liver Disorders and Disease
‐ Endocrine Function (Pituitary/Thyroid/Ovary)
‐ Cardiac Function (Efficiency, Electrophysiology)
‐ Early or Hidden Dental Infections
‐ Structural Integrity (Neuromuscular)
‐ Pulmonary Function
‐ Viral and Bacterial Disease Monitoring
‐ Kidney Dysfunction
‐ Lymphatic Monitoring




FROM DR. BEILIN'S INTERVIEW
Dr. Daniel Beilin is an American specialist in alternative medicine for over 35 years. He has a neurophysiology, gastroenterology, and herbal sciences background. His first research at the age of 16 included his own laboratory at the UCLA Brain Research Institute and is now internationally recognized for his contributions to detection of the causes of cancer and immune dysfunction with cutting‐edge precision‐based European diagnostic tools

PHILOSOPHIES: I was six and a half years in academic medical research when I decided that conventional medicine as it is practiced relies on quick recipe formulas that all too‐often disregard the individual case and differences of the constitutional strengths and weaknesses of patients. Whereas (truth is), every individual is different; the same pneumonia patient can have a different etiology and a different organ involvement that helps to make the person vulnerable to not only pulmonary disease, but lays a susceptibility to other diseases including cancers or autoimmune disorders.

I wanted to explore the terrain, which means that our own physiological functions affected by the
autonomic nervous system, our metabolism, environmental toxic exposures, our diet‐‐ all of these factors are usually ignored by conventional medicine. When someone walks in a clinic with a particular disease, physicians all too often target the end stage symptom and rarely identify CAUSE, thereby never addressing long term prevention. They can save lives as surgeons can definitely do a good job of that, but then what? In the search for a preventive world, there must be an understanding of how to see things that are originally invisible, diseases that are developing, ‐and not yet causing tissue damage or advancing pathology, as would be seeable in a blood test.

Alfa’s technology vaguely overlaps acupuncture, Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, however traditional medicine needs more objective and reproducible diagnostics that can finally be gained by the sensitivity and specificity of Regulation Thermometry. It's more in line with neurology. The doctors that can immediately understand what we're doing by our device are nuclear medicine physicians and cardiologists... because what we're really doing is a process of challenging the body and examining the responses to the challenge. We do this simply by subjecting the patient to the cooler air of a normal room, before and after clothing removal. By this dynamic temperature analysis, we can understand health, like opening up a new visual method of invisible causes that explain many disease processes from their beginnings. We are finally able to see the resilience characteristics expressed through each organ system by simple stress-analysis. From here, we take a 'before and after' exposure measurements, then we're able to define where in the body are the non‐ideal atypical responses, then corroborate with directed, specific laboratory tests or imaging diagnostics.

MY HISTORICAL PATH OF THE ALFASIGHT 9000: 
I started this path by visiting clinics and laboratories in Germany in 1979. Over the next 40 years, I attended in different integrative medicine clinics and hospitals in Europe. As you may know, Germany has always combined conventional medicine with alternative methods such as homeopathic medicine, herbal medicine and nutritional medicine. The Europeans are the most open‐minded alongside being science-based, and of course, very ‘logical’ in the way they think (over 50% of physicians in Germany utilize some form of unconventional medicine such as acupuncture, nutrition or physical therapeutic methods.


ALFA'S SYSTEM ORIGINS…
There was a Dr. Schwamm who invented this method of neurologically‐based regulation analysis. I explored his work through his students (since he had died by the time I got there). One of them was a Dr. Reimar Banis who was an internist who partnered with a gynecologist, told me about this great diagnostic tool. They had discovered hidden factors in their scans that proved to lead to breast and cervical cancers.

To clarify,  I did not invent the technology, but I led a team and improved the hardware (and software) it vastly to be more stable and accurate. We identified patterns of disease-complexes by repeated testing of hypothetical variants which led to establishing formulas or algorithms (pattern recognition). The values that we now acquire are more highly calibrated to detect disturbances in signaling from physiological systems and make them even more recognizable. Banis came to me and said, "I know the guy that is manufacturing the devices, so why don't you see if you can get it through the FDA, and then you could distribute them and then educate doctors." So that's exactly what I did.

I brought this original device to FDA, cleared it with the Department of Radiological Devices and distributed them to over 120 clinics in North America. I then improved the device and got the second one cleared with FDA. We began a new introduction to the device in leading integrative medicine conferences, as it clearly gives a new vision to the causes of many disorders and syndromes.  We were then endorsed by physicians who are leaders in the field of complementary medicine.


MORE DETAILS ON WHAT IT DOES
This method of measuring skin temperatures before and after a stress by temperature change, isn’t trying to look INSIDE the body like an X-Ray or MRI, but instead it is taking the skin's temperature within organ‐’reflection’ zones, -as the skin is controlled by the sympathetic nerves that control capillaries to open and close, letting heat out or keeping heat in. In fact, we're using the sympathetic nervous system by way of connections through the spinal REFLEX ARC, connecting with the internal organs carrying projected information from specific organ systems as well as tissues such as breasts, lymph and through pattern-recognition, identifies many more syndromes as well as neurological problems.

THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
It's a single 20‐minute test. It involves taking the first measurement from the head down to just below the waist, and then removing clothes to the underwear, so that the patient then becomes exposed to the cooler room-air for 10 minutes. This initiates a fight or flight reaction whereby the blood shunts to your core and to your head. The response is quantified according to known patterns that have been corroborated with laboratory tests and imaging over the last 45 years (Europe originally). 

By looking at the responses, before and after cooling, in approximately a hundred points, we're able to obtain information about organ systems that may be abnormally functioning those that are in their infancy stage up to their actual disease state. This opens up a whole new window for true, preventive care.

Five years ago, I presented at Beth Deaconess Hospital in Boston (Harvard) to 10 radiologists. One of them was the lead expert who leads all breast cancer radiological research, trying to use computer assisted diagnostics (CAD) and applying artificial intelligence to mammograms. She told me at the time that their computer assisted diagnosis was a near‐ complete failure and that the radiologist's eyes are still the most accurate assessment tool.

This uses up a lot of hours and manpower and very highly trained, trained people. She liked the Alfa system because it, as she said, “digitizes, making results objective”, and “it looks like you have algorithms that may depict developing breast cancers, which is what we are looking for in our research."

We planned a study on breast assessment in two categories. Ones that are not yet known, whether they're producing a neoplasm (cancer tumor) yet, and known breast cancers that have been treated, in order to better establish categories of patterns depicting recurrence probability. 

Within this time, the FDA cleared our 510k and declared our device, the AlfaSight 9000 system as an ADJUNCT diagnostic system. This means that it doesn't tell you that you have cancer; if you have hepatitis (per‐se), but instead, it tells you that "you better do some imaging in this area‐‐ or perhaps you ought to go out for a blood test here because we have the pattern of, say, autoimmune thyroid like Hashimoto's or Graves disease" but need to confirm in specific, cost‐effective ways.

This kind of information gathered by this dynamic, functional physiological analysis approach assists doctors in making better decisions on what to test for and ways to individualize protocol treatment strategies. The Alfa system has a very high specificity for about 35 conditions. The test takes 20 minutes and certified technicians can be taught how to operate it in an hour‐ which includes generating a report based on all the data that's accumulated for proper interpretation and strategy-planning.

To date, we have 180 devices in 14 countries right now. Planned is a new project with the now-largest hospital in Asia (AIMS Hospital, just outside Delhi with the lead physician, Dr. Prem Nair. We are advancing into projects with our device that may lead to a crucial step: functional physiological resilience analysis. 

Patients improve faster and more completely if they are systemically resilient, now there is a method to measure that resilience.  My hope and clear goal is to maximize that possibility with this reproducible data-driven comprehensive measurement tool. 

Contact: https://alfathermo.com 
info@alfathermo.com 
drbeilin@alfathermo.com  
tel: (831) 708‐2212




























Friday, August 16, 2024

FIGHTING RECURRENCE WITH POSTOP SCANNING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


8/6/2024- Dr. Robert Bard (Bard Diagnostic Imaging) and Cheri Ambrose (President of the MBCGA / Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance) officially launched the RECURRENCE DETECTION SCANS program- a life-saving diagnostic program in support of recurrence prevention.  

Program developer Dr. Lennard Goetze spearheaded this plan in 2019 during the launch of the "FIGHT RECURRENCE" educational program with the NY Cancer Resource Alliance. Under a collaboration with the AngioInstitute, Dr. Goetze aligned with national breast cancer organizations who adopted the Fight Recurrence campaign.  In the summer of 2024, a partnership with Ms. Ambrose was officially forged with a clinical blueprint for a postop diagnostic scanning program to monitor possibilities of cancer recurrence. "Getting checked for breast cancer has been an uphill battle for anyone- but it's equally important to not get complacent after surgery... saying 'cancer free' is an ideal that does not apply to everyone." 

Since the inception of his practice in 1972, Dr. Bard has been a staunch supporter of the use of the 3D Doppler Ultrasound to provide safe and quantitative scans of postop cancer cases. "Due to a significant number of cancer recurrence cases (estimated 40%) either before or after the 5 year 'cancer free' mark, we established a comprehensive and personalized diagnostic strategy for tracking potential RECURRENCE. We also wanted to send a message to maintain proactive vigilance after surgery."

One of the recognized voices for Male Breast Cancer awareness was Mark Futterweit, whose interview in the 2019 WBAB episode "Men DO Get Breast Cancer!" emphasized that he got breast cancer TWICE. This became the launch pad for the Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance and for Cheri Ambrose to be one of the first organizational partners to go national with Dr. Bard's message about proactive monitoring. 

Nancy Novack, founder of  NancysList.org, a major online cancer resource is a supportive backer of both Dr. Bard's cancer imaging practice and the MBCGA. She is an ovarian cancer survivor as well as a primary voice for the "Fight Recurrence" project. "Living with cancer is about ADVOCACY and AWARENESS ... and  maintaining regular checkups, both before treatment and after. We must be informed and wisely active regarding the tools of recurrence detection and survivorship."

Talks with the American Breast Cancer Foundation and other national cancer organizations are underway to join the FIGHT RECURRENCE educational campaign in underserved communities.  AngioInstitute outreach coordinator and research director Dr. Noelle Cutter says “In the cancer world, we see recurrence to be so prevalent and often arises with a vengeance – this detection program needs to be a default solution after every cancer procedure… I echo Dr. Bard who instills continued monitoring as a preventive measure!” 









RECURRENCE PREVENTION FROM A 3-TIME CANCER SURVIVOR: VANESSA SILVA

My name is Vanessa Silva. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 after my father was first diagnosed with breast cancer where he was identified as BRCA2 positive.   I found out in a very roundabout way. I only went for a check-up because my doctor wanted to be proactive, and she just wanted to confirm that I was healthy.  More importantly, she wanted to check to see that I wasn't carrying the gene. But during the mammogram, they told me to go upstairs to see my doctor.  Right then and there I knew they were going to tell me I had cancer. I spoke to my doctor and she confirmed it.

I can remember crying- then saying, "Okay, you need to get yourself together. There's options. They said it was at stage zero. It's not a death sentence. We're going to do what we have to do... but you're probably going to be BRCA2 positive, as well."  The battle for me started with chemotherapy- but not radiation. In a matter of weeks, they realized the cancer was more aggressive than they thought, and it wasn't at stage zero after all because it already had gone to the lymph nodes.


RECURRENCE: PART 1

During the treatment process, I pushed to do my part and changed the way I lived starting with the way I ate. I exercised, I stopped eating meat and I did everything by the book ... and sure enough, I was told I was cancer free!.  So after five years, I felt it was safe to go back to old habits and eat the things I missed the most – including meats. I was still working out, but admittedly, junk food managed to creep its way into my system.

My cancer came back after roughly eight years. 

One day, while taking a shower, I decided to check and feel for any lumps- just to make sure everything's okay.  Surprisingly, I felt a lump. It was small but experience says to keep an eye on it.  By September, it grew to the size of a pea and it was getting bigger.  My doctor elected a sonogram then an MRI just to confirm that my cancer came back.

This time, I was angry, because I felt like I did everything I needed to do. I did the chemo. I honestly didn't believe my eating would have brought my cancer back.  They recommended four treatments of chemo, but this time it was stronger. For the first time, I had to take Taxotere, and then, this time, I had to do the AC.

I looked at my husband and said, "This is a joke. I feel like I'm being punked… we're going to do this again!" I started the first chemo treatment and became really, really sick. I was hospitalized for a week. I could not tolerate the chemo's side effects; it was way too strong. And I told them, "What are my options, because I can't do four treatments with the way I was feeling."  It really hit my body hard- so they redirected me to 6 weeks of radiation treatments.

So again, I stopped eating meat, stopped sugar, went back to the juicing, I did my daily routine of walking (I live by Central Park, so I would walk the reservoir).  I was religious with my health especially during and even after I was done with the treatments.

But a year later, I kept up with my self exams to make sure there were no lumps, and then ended up finding another one - this time on the right side! Very small again, underneath my breast - and just like the last one, it started to grow.

For the third time, the cancer had come back.

Once again, I underwent surgery to remove the cancer. It did not go to the lymph nodes, so they didn't recommend chemo this time around, but I had to do radiation again for six weeks. This was my reality. I had cancer in 2007- then again in 2014, and then the cancer came back in 2016.

What was confusing to me was that this time, I was so diligent about prevention- not having any meat, and constant juicing and exercising.  I feel as if my body produces cancer cells much faster than a regular person. I just have to be more vigilant with checking myself.

I try to make sure that I'm stress-free, that I don't put myself in situations that would make my immune system just crash.  My doctor and I are both very diligent about checkups and often do sonograms at the slightest concern. I see my breast surgeon every six months. And now, she's finally pushed it to a year, so I'm so happy with that.


FOOD 101: GOING 'CLEAN' AND ORGANIC

I think, meat plays a huge part in all of this because of the hormones that are being injected into them.  I do my best to buy products that say Non-Hormones, No Antibiotics, etc., however, how much of that is true.  I was convinced that I needed to stop eating meats all together and to stop putting all of these processed products into my body and start eating a much healthier diet.

Eventually, I would like to become a vegan, but I know there's so many things that I really enjoy eating, like eggs and cheese. But slowly, I've been pulling away from eating eggs. It's been a year since the last time I’ve eaten eggs, but cheese is a hard one to quit. I'm just trying to eat a more "clean" foods-- a lot more vegetables, a lot more fruits, and making sure that I wash them, and they're organic.

Organic and gluten-free was the way to go for me! I don't drink dairy milk anymore only almond milk. I'm really trying NOT to introduce the bad stuff to my children. Two of them are already grown, I really try to give my youngest one ZERO red meat except maybe once a month.  Sometimes, it's turkey or chicken, but even that, we've really pulled away from. I try not to be as restrictive with them because they're young, and they should make their own decisions later, however, I want them to be knowledgeable of what they put into their bodies.  Zero sugar is hard to do but we try to stay away from candy, donuts and pastries.


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Sunday, July 21, 2024

PROSTATE CANCER IMAGING 101 + ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE- with Jim Hunt (feat. Dr. R. Bard)

 

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. It is widely recorded that the PSA test may give false positive results, whereby the PSA level may show elevated readings, but no cancer is actually present. False positive PSA tests have shown that out of all biopsies from elevated PSA readings, only 25% of the patients are found to have actual prostate cancer.  

Transrectal Ultrasound or TRUS is a guided biopsy and is one of the most frequently used guidance modalities for diagnosing prostate cancer. Although the procedure is performed in a systematic way, it does not function as direct visualization of suspicious lesions. MRI is another widespread technique to detecting prostate cancer noninvasively and is being increasingly used to guide targeted prostate biopsies. Multiparametric, MRI with T2W diffusion, or DWI and Dynamic contrast enhanced or DCE sequences is now the established approach to prostate MRI. This technique allows for improved detection, characterization, and staging of focal prostate cancer. Several new approaches are available to directly visualizing prostate cancer; Doppler ultrasound using elastography is one that is currently under development. In order to improve prostate cancer biopsy, accuracy of ultrasound elastography or UE can reveal stiff lesions that are not visible on traditional TRUS. The main methods for the UE diagnosis of prostate cancer include transrectal, real-time tissue elastography, and Shearawave elastography. [Courtesy of Dr. R. Bard / AIUM -UltraCon- download presentation on Prostate Imaging 2024]


Part 1: INTERVIEW WITH JIM HUNT
(Prostate Cancer Survivor & "Get Checked Now! Advocate) 

Courtesy of . Dr. R. Bard / AIUM (UltraCon)
I felt it was better to do something sooner than later and not wait till it got too bad. After doing the six years of the active surveillance, when they told me that the cancer spots did grow a little and there possibly could have been a fourth one, that's when my wife and I decided to discuss it consider treatment. Now I caught it right away and it had not gotten too big. I was able to do only five doses of the proton therapy.

 Over the years I've had conversations about someone who passed away of prostate cancer. When I hear about dramatic endings like “It went to his brain or it went to his lungs” – naturally, my having this same cancer leads me to ask, "is this gonna happen to me?"

DOCTOR-PHOBIA AND OTHER RESISTANCE ISSUES
Overall, I have never been a “doctor person”.  I personally have had trust issues with so many of them in the past. I've gone through five urologists through this whole journey and they don't make you feel comfortable.  For me, they're not very informative. They're just telling you what to do and they don't offer options.  I often walk out of their office feeling petrified and I think it's because they want to do surgery on you. That's the only thing I can think of. They seem to want to scare you into doing what they want to do.  Admittedly, I couldn’t help but think that most of them are about business, pushing surgery right away. 

Many of those who have been afflicted with Prostate Cancer in my immediate circle (in my observation) were pretty negligent (letting their cancer go). They weren't regular with checkups and they didn't treat it right away.  It's typical to be afraid of the doctor – and from experience, 'doctor-phobia' is because of the fear of the outcome.  But the question you really want to ask yourself is "do you want to catch it now when it's treatable? Or do you want to wait till it's out of control?" 

Now, unlike surgeons, the kind of doctor I found that was on my side is one that offers a SECOND OPINION.  Going to see Dr. Bard, a radiologist (specializing in advanced ultrasound imaging), became my best bet.  Getting second opinion scans with 3D Ultrasound became part of my ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE and this was what I felt I needed to keep me from worrying.  


EPILOGUE:
Dr. Robert L. Bard on ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE

Prostate cancer is extraordinarily common as you grow older. So the question is 'how deadly is it?' But a lot of it is low grade cancer. The body fights it off and the body is strong. It counteracts it. 

ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE: We actually have the technologies now that shows what it is, where it is and how aggressive it is.  In Jim's case, active surveillance allowed us to see there was something abnormal, but it was low grade. So he had time to look around and see what he wanted to do and decide on which one was the best for him at this time in his lifespan.


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Monday, May 13, 2024

INSIDE GENETIC PREDISPOSITION

PART 1: MUTAGEN HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER EXPOSURES
By: Lennard M. Gettz, Ed.D  /  Edited by: Roberta Kline, MD

First responders of every branch (police, firefighters, paramedics), as well as construction cleanup contractors, were exposed to the many toxic hazards around the World Trade Center (WTC) as a result of the events on 9/11/2001.  For the more than 91,000 individuals involved in this massive response and cleanup effort [1], exposure to the toxicants from dust, smoke, and incendiary chemicals has led to concerns for cancer, diseases, and other health injuries post-exposure.  The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act enacted the World Trade Center Health Program, a federal commitment to offer comprehensive care for 9/11-related conditions. [2]

Numerous environmental contaminants have been shown to have potential carcinogenic (cancer-causing) consequences. [3] Events such as 9/11 are just some of the scenarios that have alerted government agencies, the medical community, and individuals to study the types of common cancers from each scenario.  These exposures also bring new (and heightened) concerns for gene mutations that may be inherited or passed down to the next generations of those directly impacted.

"Learning about how cancer and other illnesses work... I would hate to contract this on the job and give this to my kids", states FDNY Ret. FF Sal Banchitta- 9/11 responder. "Firefighters get a lot of training and gear to protect us from exposure- but let's face it... part of the risk of the job is that there IS no 100% guarantee- ever!  Looking back on all this, from the local house fires of burning plastics and PVC's to the many chemicals and airborne poisons in ground zero-- exposure came from anywhere.  You can only hope that you're not someone who's predisposed, but you never know." 

According to the NCI (National Cancer Institute), up to 10% of all cancers may be caused by inherited genetic changes. Cancer itself (or genetic changes in tumor cells) cannot be inherited by children of cancer patients but a genetic change or mutation that increases the risk of cancer can be passed down (inherited) if it is present in a parent's egg or sperm cells. It is for this reason why cancer may sometimes appear to run in families.  [4]


WTC-RELATED CANCERS
There are now more than 15 cancers specifically associated with exposure to the WTC toxins, with prostate and breast cancer being among the top 3. [5]. Not only do survivors have higher rates of these cancers, but they are often more aggressive. Recent research has demonstrated that DNA mutations and epigenetic changes due to toxin exposures may play a role. [6, 7, 8] 

PART 2: TODAY'S GENETICS
In an exclusive interview about the science of gene expression, genomic specialist Dr. Roberta Kline, professor at the University of Western States, offered clarity on the fundamentals of the human blueprint: what DNA is, what it does, the impact of alterations to DNA on health, and how this is influenced by environmental exposures. 

Genes are specific regions of DNA that contain the code for all of the proteins that run our biology. Gene expression is the ultimate result of this complex process, and gene expression research has greatly accelerated the study of human biology and improved the practice of medicine. Up until the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, much of the focus had been on studying rare mutations linked to specific inherited diseases and cancers. We now know that these alterations of the DNA code are not the only ways people can be predisposed. 

The most common types of changes in DNA are called SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms), and we each have millions of these. These SNPs can alter our biochemistry and biology, but they typically have a much smaller effect individually than mutations. However, the additive effect of multiple SNPs can create significant predispositions to (or protection from) most diseases, including cancer. 

The latest gene expression research has added a third layer called epigenetics. Epigenetic changes don’t affect the DNA or genetic code itself. Rather, they respond to environmental cues to control when genes are turned on or off. Therefore, epigenetic changes can be easily modified throughout a person’s lifetime.

These processes all work together, and all of them can be inherited. Depending on diet, lifestyle, exercise, stress, medications, and environmental exposures, their impact can be increased or decreased. For example, someone with mutations, SNPs, or epigenetic changes that impair their ability to detoxify environmental chemicals can have a higher risk of DNA damage that can lead to disease or cancer. Diet and lifestyle strategies can counteract some of this risk - or can make it worse. This can help explain why not everyone exposed to the same toxins is affected in the same way, and why the same dietary and lifestyle factors can affect people’s health differently.



GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TESTING
With the existence of cancers in the family, physicians may recommend genetic testing.  Inherited mutations account for approximately 10% of all cancers, and these tend to be more aggressive and occur at an earlier age. [8] Genetic mutations have been identified for certain forms of pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, or breast or ovarian cancer.  These tests for cancers such as Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic are known to target pathogenic/ly pathogenic (P/LP) variants associated with increased risk (including BRCA1, BRCA2, CDH1, PALB2, PTEN, and TP53, and recommended approaches to genetic counseling/testing and care strategies in individuals with these P/LP variants. [10, 11]

Genetic testing supports proactive prevention initiatives and active surveillance for these specific cancers that continue to prevail. Gene SNP testing can further support personalized prevention and screening strategies. While epigenetics is emerging as another tool in efforts to identify predispositions and personalize strategies, it is still more informative than prognostic at this time.



PART 3: "BOTH MY PARENTS HAD CANCER... I NEED TO TEST!
Samantha Hunt, 24 is a young cancer awareness advocate due mostly to the upbringing of two cancer survivors who are outspoken about environmental cancers and proactive testing ("Get Checked NOW!" program).  She is in a graduate program for social work and grew up in a household in support of prevention and early detection.
Since she was 9 years old, Samantha took on personal studies on breast cancer when she watched her mother (Jennifer) undergo a bilateral mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer.  Samantha's father was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer, and her maternal aunt also had breast cancer. By her late teens into her college years, Samantha was convinced that she needed to have early screening, which is when she discovered she had dense breast tissue- a condition that is present in over half of women in the U.S.  [12]

Though currently testing negative for cancer, Samantha continues to undergo early detection through gene testing, ultrasound screening and maintains a significantly strict lifestyle of prevention (eating healthy/organic foods, no sugar, exercise, organic foods etc).  Early in life, she learned the value of staying proactive and getting a second opinion- never resting on reassuring words from physicians.  "Early on, my gyno didn't express any real sense of urgency about me getting an ultrasound test but gave me the referral just to make me happy...", stated Ms. Hunt.  "Even today (and sometimes even in the past with other breast exams), I often feel like they do it so quickly and carelessly, and I feel stressed out after...  I'm not convinced that I'm getting a proper examination!"


Samantha has received a total of 4 biopsies due to the "abnormally dense" breast tissue- a concern that scientists are now linking to breast cancer. [13] At an early age, Samantha took on a significant leadership role in her health to approve the biopsies despite the risk and concerns from her parents. "After my first sono, they found me to be 'very lumpy' and called on me to get a biopsy.  None of us were excited about this but if I was going to get any peace of mind, I made a decision to go for it and I'm glad I did. Honestly think I'd be more anxious knowing there's something that a doctor recommended that I should get a biopsy on!"


References:

1) https://www.nyc.gov/site/911health/enrollees/rescue-recovery-workers.page

2) The Toll of Heroism: Increased Cancer Incidence Among 9/11 Responders 

September 9, 2022 by Calley Jones, PhD  https://www.aacr.org/blog/2022/09/09/the-toll-of-heroism-increased-cancer-incidence-among-9-11-responders/

3) Tuminello S, Nguyen E, Durmus N, et al. World Trade Center Exposure, DNA Methylation Changes, and Cancer: A Review of Current Evidence. Epigenomes. 2023; 7(4):31. https://doi.org/10.3390/epigenomes7040031

4) https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics

5) https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/ataglance.html#top15Cancers 

6) Yu, H., Tuminello, S., Alpert, et al/ (2022) Global DNA methylation of WTC prostate cancer tissues show signature differences compared to non-exposed cases. Carcinogenesis, 43(6), 528-537. https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgac025

7) Tuminello S, Zhang Y, Yang L, et al. Global DNA Methylation Profiles in Peripheral Blood of WTC-Exposed Community Members with Breast Cancer. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Apr 22;19(9):5104. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19095104. 

8) Jasra, S., Giricz, O., Pradhan, K., et al (2022). High burden of clonal hematopoiesis in first responders exposed to the World Trade Center disaster. Nature Medicine, 28(3), 468-471. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01708-3

9) https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/genetic-testing-fact-sheet

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Monday, February 27, 2023

ADDICTION 2023- SMOKING CESSATION


Introduction: 

If it is to be human to recognize our weaknesses and to allow ourselves to indulge (for but a short while) in pleasures, releases and escapes, ADDICTION is the neuropsychological disorder that may result in the overuse and abuse of any specific substance.  Addiction is characterized as a disease that is driven by a persistent and intense urge to engage in compulsive behaviors including psychosocial, neurobiological, a preoccupation with substances or behavior, and continued use despite negative consequences. For many, a profound strategy in addressing addiction is tackling the patient's CRAVINGS.  It is for this that we asked Dr, Leslie Montoya (from Sta. Barbara, CA) to share her experiences and insights about her recent success with smoking cessation with her patients.  Learn about Dr. Valle-Montoya's custom approach to addressing addiction clinically and her non-invasive modalities of choice.


RECOGNIZING BRAIN HEALTH & ADDICTION  By: Dr. Leslie Valle-Montoya
It is well documented that tobacco increases the risk of different cancers such as lung, liver, and colorectal.  According to the National Health Interview Survey data from 2020, 47.1 million adults in the United States reported currently using tobacco products with 79.6 % of those being cigarette smokers [1].  If cigarette smoking continues to be one of the leading causes of preventable disease and deaths, why is cessation not easier to attain?

First, we must recognize the science behind nicotine addiction and its withdrawal effects.  Addiction is recognized to be a brain disease. Overcoming an addiction, whether it’s prescription pain pills, sugar, alcohol, nicotine or anything else, cessation is harder to exercise when the “pathways” or pleasure circuits of the brain have chronically been overstimulated. 

DOPAMINE is a neurotransmitter that is released and made in the brain as a chemical messenger.  It is known to play a central role in the effects of addictive drugs and natural rewards such as food and sex. When the reward system in our brain experiences a stimulation, a pleasurable surge of dopamine is released.  The increased changes in dopamine levels can lead to further neuroplasticity following repeated exposure to drugs of abuse. Neuroscientists discovered that addictive substances such as nicotine and cocaine could promote plasticity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain. 

Withdrawal symptoms as cessation begins - will cause irritability, increased eating, anxiety, sleep disturbances, depression, mood swings, and hedonistic homeostatic dysregulation.  Hedonic dysregulation is a disorder caused by a cycle of spiraling dysfunction of the brain reward systems which is increased by its compulsive use of addictive substances. Thus, neuropsychological behavior with any substance abuse makes cessation almost unattainable. 

 In modern days, there are different approaches to addressing addiction such as smoking cigarettes. Pharmacotherapy and behavioral interventions may be the first line of treatment; although, the time frame to see results may not be fast enough to fight the urge to light up again.


NON-INVASIVE BRAIN STIMULATION TO TARGET SMOKING

In my experience, an effective treatment to address smoking cessation involves non-invasive neurostimulation to modify neural oscillations and change the patterns of addiction and support the psychoemotional state at the same time.  Down to a cellular level, changing the brain wavelengths of cigarette smokers is the start of the transition into cessation.  With the combination of ONDAMED - frequency medicine (pulsed electromagnetic field) and Binaural beats, we can remind the body to self-regulate.  My approach to smoking cessation is a nonpharmacological intervention, neurostimulation, brain entrainment, and lifestyle modifications.  It’s important to support the body, the mind, and the brain during cessation as the process can bring up withdrawal symptoms and unconscious emotions not expected to address. 

ONDAMED is a personalized and non-invasive approach using biofeedback that a medical practitioner uses to determine which frequencies of sound, as well as pulsed electromagnetic fields, cause a response to your autonomic nervous system.  ONDAMED has the ability to deliver specific resonant frequencies to the source of dysfunction.  For smoking cessation, a patient will undergo 8-10 sessions along with water “charging” treatment.  The session will last sixty minutes and must return the following day to maintain the frequency of the treatment session until the last day of protocol.

 



TEST SUBJECT BECOMES SUCCESS STORY: 
“SMOKE FREE” ONE YEAR LATER
By: IPHA Editorial Team

3/22/2023- In a recent in-depth interview, IPHA-TV presented Dr. Leslie Valle-Montoya (Sta. Barbara, CA) and the framework behind her Smoking Cessation program at the Biomed Life Center. This unique and specialized protocol addresses the core cravings behind “one of the hardest habits and health hazards to quit”.  She is joined by Mr. Howard Binney, (now) former smoker and ex-firefighter/EMT who volunteered to undertake Dr. Valle-Montoya’s rehabilitation and recovery project exactly one year ago today.

In a prior interview, “Dr. Leslie” describes her strategy and the technologies she applied to help address the smoking addiction- by first targeting the smoking urges and cravings. “What makes addiction such a battle to overcome is its habitual ability to recur”, she stated. “The reaction to smoke is muscle memory linked to mental triggers that are linked over time within the parasympathetic nervous system and the fight-or-flight response… to sever that connection is our entry point to removing the addiction from controlling the body and the mind.”

For this disorder, she implements ENERGY THERAPY by using BIOFEEDBACK, PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetism) and a guided meditation device called BRAINTAP®.  “A common advantage to energy therapy is managing ANXIETY. To introduce the BrainTap® device while on… the ONDAMED® session has opened up that possibility that they can be able to manage their anxiety, which is sometimes not easy to do with a counselor or a psychologist.   There are numerous ways to incorporate different methods of ‘biohacking’ your mind and body into your daily routine”.

 “I started working with Howard last year on this protocol about smoking cessation. I continually explored and re-designed a few protocols with different patients and this is my first success story. It was remarkable to see change in a little amount of time. I could say it, the protocol was only for 10 sessions but his progress began to show response after the third day.  This included evidence of his body rejecting the taste of a cigarette and he began to repel the smell of cigarette smoke in the air and on others.

One of the primary tools I used was frequency medicine (Ondamed) with a combination of binaural beats and guided meditation. The protocol also called for charging his DRINKING WATER with electromagnetism- so the patient can continue to receive the same frequencies that have been programmed in the 40 minute session at home.” (To be continued below)





Frequency Medicine: Historically Proven
Success in Addressing Smoking Addiction

As the former owner of one of the largest stop smoking franchises, I have firsthand experience with the challenges of quitting smoking and overcoming addiction. Quitting smoking is a complex process that requires a comprehensive approach. Frequency medicine, such as non-invasive brain stimulation, biofeedback, and BrainTap, can be a helpful tool in reducing the stress that comes with transitioning from being a smoker to returning to a natural state of being a non-smoker.

Frequency medicine can modify neural oscillations and change patterns of addiction by addressing the underlying psychological factors that drive addiction. By using guided imagery techniques and frequency medicine, individuals can eliminate negative thinking focused on addiction and focus on positive new behaviors. This approach can provide relief from physical cravings and withdrawal symptoms and help individuals build a greater capacity to handle stress as a non-smoker over the following year after stopping.

The most successful smoking cessation programs incorporate a combination of behavioral interventions, strong mental processes, and frequency medicine. This approach provides a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of addiction. However, it is important to remember that overcoming addiction requires a deep understanding of oneself and a strong willpower to change.

While frequency medicine can provide some relief from physical cravings and withdrawal symptoms, addressing the underlying psychological factors that drive addiction is essential for achieving lasting success. Positive strategies for healthy new thinking must be provided for a true permanent change to occur.

In conclusion, quitting smoking is a journey that requires patience, perseverance, and a willingness to change. Frequency medicine can be a helpful addition to a comprehensive treatment plan, but it is important to address the psychological factors that drive addiction for long-term success.


Also see other related articles with Dr. Porter:






Contd. from part 1

REACTION 1: THE DETOXING PHASE
Upon the application of smoking cessation, a major reaction one may find is the physiological response from the DETOX that would occur from this protocol.  “To allow the progression of change toward wellness, we must first remove the chemicals that bind us to the habit and this needs to happen first”, Howard stated.  “I experienced a detox (probably) around the fifth day in between the two weeks where I brought myself to the ER thinking it was something worse.  We discovered dark stool and was given a low-dose medication for a slightly elevated BP. They ended up conducting an endoscopy and colonoscopy but found no issues whatsoever.  As a former EMT, logic dictated that this is a detox in action. Visually, it can be scary if you don’t understand it.”
 
Like so many, Howard Binney attributes the prevalence of his smoking habit to social exposures – having been surrounded by smokers at work in concert security and then a first responder for government installations. Having drinks in bars and social events also linked to smoking.  He began identifying headaches from three to five cigarettes and attempted to quit through the smoking patch, but eventually “it always seemed to come back”. On the job, Howard found much downtime working as a federal fire marshal in military installations where “everybody smoked… it became a habit of sitting around a lot where we used to smoke in the firehouse”.  His impetus to tackle smoking head on was having reached two packs a day during his retirement during the Covid-19 pandemic.  He earmarks having lost his wife and dear friends to cancer- which added inspiration for his targeting his addiction.

 “YOU HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT”
Howard shares his process and the evolution within him. “I think it's very important that people NOT let their minds play games with them and realize that you do have the power. (Dr. Leslie) has the stuff that can do it.  But you have to make that commitment to yourself.  I might still get cancer from it… but I'm giving myself a chance to live longer. If you want to drive that nail in the coffin, then keep smoking. If not, get ahold of somebody that could do this (treatment) for you and go into it with an open mind. You don't need drugs, gum or patches. Get yourself in a good spot and go for it. I think it works… or I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you smoke free one year later!”


WHAT IS “CHARGED” WATER?
With any addiction protocol I facilitate, such as smoking cessation, placing a “charge” (meaning frequency) is as important as the treatment session for addressing the addiction.  The same frequencies I program for a session are a version of what gets delivered to the glass bottle of water I prepare for a patient.

Patients experience a desperate bid to quench their thirst after sessions that can last days.  Therefore, having this added bonus of preparing “charged” water for them to take home is the highlight of their day and night when not in my office.

Besides extreme thirst, patients experience a sudden urge not to smoke by choice and find themselves consciously lighting up a cigarette out of habit to test if the first treatment session works.  Suddenly, a horrific taste of toxins surges the taste buds that force them not to finish the cigarette. What makes it hard to quit so abruptly is no longer the unpleasant taste but changing their habits of smoking. Most patients use it as an escape or break in their day and others have made it a ritual to always smoke while they start their coffee consumption in the morning and their beer in the evening. 

 And this is why just treating something at the physical level is not enough. The subconscious needs help, too.  Why I integrate the use of binaural beats to allow the body to absorb new brain entrainment not allowing to experience before while a brain in plasticity takes over your conscious decision making.

BINAURAL BEATS is a neuro-algorithm that produces brainwave entrainment, the synchronization of brainwaves to a specialized sound with no user effort. When two different tones, separated in frequency by only a few Hertz, one in each ear- the brain perceived a third, unique tone. These beats establish a deep meditative state within 3 minutes of use, in which, a person will fall into theta brainwave length and might fall asleep while listening to a guided meditation. 

Often, what comes out of the first session is a surge of emotions not expected.  Besides feeling a little “tingly” after neurostimulation and extremely thirsty, patients experience gradual loosening of their restraints of self-centeredness.  This experience of relaxation, calm and warmth, is the ‘natural high’ meditation entrains your brain in minutes passively with binaural beats and guided meditation. I expect patients to feel emotions without explanation and I invite them to release them in their safe space which I call the “Energy Room”. 

EPILOGUE: INNOVATIVE SCIENCE
“Years ago, I learned about biofeedback and electromagnetic field therapy. The market was robust with choices, but something called ONDAMED® won me over- largely due to the functional health strategy by design, indicating a heavy focus on a whole-body care. It combined the diagnostic abilities of biofeedback science to "communicate with the body" to monitor conditions and imbalances. Then the intuitive energy healing aspect comes in the form of its PEMF element (pulsed electromagnetic field) to 're-balance' the body or support the body to repair itself painlessly and non-invasively.  Treating patients showed many positive results including tissue stimulation for pain relief in soft tissue injuries and wound healing.”


1.     Cornelius ME, Wang TW, Jamal A, Loretan CG, Neff LJ. Tobacco product use among adults—United States, 2020.  MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022 Mar 18;71(11):397-405. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7111a1. 

 

 


CONTRIBUTOR:

LESLIE VALLE-MONTOYA, MD is the Founder of Biomed Life and the Santa Barbara Longevity Center. After medical school, Dr. Valle focused on managing chronic disease starting with its links to poor nutrition and then introducing them into the world of energy frequencies.  She explores and includes non-invasive modalities such as: frequency therapies (including biofeedback), PEMF, proper detoxification, nutritional guidance and binaural beats as needed. - visit: www.biomedlifesb.com

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