Recruit based on potential, not experience for the most part, unless experience is absolutely necessary. Experience can be obtained, but potential is usually something innate. It’s always worth listening to the voices and ideas of the people who will become future leaders. The main things I look for are highly driven team players who are non-egotistical, and show a willingness to learn.
Welcome to the AJT Wellity Insights March newsletter, a monthly thought leadership newsletter about all things wellness!
As a wellness consultancy, we’re always on the lookout for exciting developments in the medical wellness space.
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That when it comes to consultancy for the hospitality sector, it’s difficult to guarantee success and gauge ROI. There is no sure win. It’s a fair and common question I get asked, but the best I can do is let my portfolio speak for itself. As professionals, we also have a reputation to keep, and it would be doing ourselves a disservice if we’re unable to deliver.
SOURCE: entreprisezone.cc
The liver is exposed to several harmful substances that bear the potential to cause excessive liver damage ranging from hepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to extreme cases of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver ailments have been effectively treated from very old times with Chinese medicinal herbal formulations and later also applied by controlled trials in Japan. However, these traditional practices have been hardly well characterized in the past till in the last decades when more qualified studies have been carried out. Modern advances have given rise to specific molecular targets which are specifically good candidates for affecting the intricate mechanisms that play a role at the molecular level. These therapeutic regimens that mainly affect the progression of the disease by inhibiting the gene expression levels or by blocking essential molecular pathways or releasing cytokines may prove to play a vital role in minimizing the tissue damage. This review, therefore, tries to throw light upon the variation in the therapies for the treatment of benign and malignant liver disease from ancient times to the current date. Nonetheless, clinical research exploring the effectiveness of herbal medicines in the treatment of benign chronic liver diseases as well as prevention and treatment of HCC is still warranted.
Keywords: Celergen Caviarlieri; FOLHK; HCC; Hepatitis; NAFLD; NASH; Sho-saiko-to; YHK; hepatoprotection; marine biology.
Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.
SOURCE: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35297348/
Full text article: https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/121610
Emotion AI systems. Solutions that help monitor mental health in individuals through smart, wearable devices. It took the pandemic to exacerbate the importance of accessibility to treating mental illness. The technology is still currently in its infancy and there’s a lack of proper regulation, but I predict that in the next few decades or so, when the science catches up with the idea, this is something the wellness industry will fully embrace.
SOURCE: enterprisezone.cc
Cognition is defined as the mental process of knowing, and to that end the ability to perceive, reason, and make judgments. Some of us are predisposed to conditions that make us more susceptible to cognitive decline, such as gender, age, and genetics that make us prone to mental illness. Here, we explore the factors we can control, namely the number of unhealthy mental days, and cutting out bad lifestyle habits.
Mental health refers to the psychological and emotional ability to make decisions, contributing to overall behavioural and social wellbeing. We are fortunate to be living in a time where we are slowly dismantling the stigma surrounding mental illness and bad mental health. While there is still much to be done in that department, we’ve certainly made progress in demanding more recognition of mental wellbeing, particularly in the workplace. The link between mental health and physical health has been brought to the fore in recent years through a greater acknowledgement of the importance of mental wellbeing in general, especially during these unprecedented times.
Anxiety disorder is one the most common mental disorders affecting the global population. Anxiety is part of the fight or flight response, which is beneficial in alerting us from harm. Left unmanaged, however, this has deleterious effects on cognitive functioning. Prolonged stress and anxiety cause a shrink in the hippocampus over time and impairs the functioning of the prefrontal cortex. This could lead to an increased chance of developing depression and dementia down the line.
Anxiety is also linked to memory loss: repeated exposure to anxiety and stress releases excessive levels of cortisol, impairing memory retrieval. Research also shows that anxiety is an early predictor of impaired cognitive function in the future. For example, a study done by UC Irvine demonstrated how even short-term stress lasting a few hours can impair the process behind collecting and retaining information.
Chronic sleep deprivation caused by stress and anxiety leads to overworked neurons, which consequently lead to impaired cognitive function. In a study done by Michigan State University that involves a single night of sleep deprivation, participants who were deprived of sleep had a 30% error rate on a cognitive test done on them, a 15% increase from the previous evening. Further, the number of lapses in attention also tripled. By contrast, the rested group performed consistently. The current study showed that over a longer term, sleep deprivation can lead to cognitive decline and dementia.
Calorie intake and dietary composition have a significant and lasting impact on cognitive functioning and emotion. Some of us may have heard of the term “comfort food”. Numerous studies have demonstrated that physical or emotional distress leads to an increased consumption of high fat and sugar foods. Once consumed, the feedback effect that results is one that reduces stress-related emotions. Studies have shown that low glycemic index foods correlate with improved attention, memory, and functional capacity, while foods high in sugars cause concentration difficulties and low attention span. Amino acids and catecholamines are necessary for the synthesis of neurotransmitters- decreased levels of serotonin are associated with difficulties in memorizing, learning, and reasoning.
Some people develop an unhealthy relationship with alcohol to quell chronic emotional distress, to self-medicate. Studies have shown that those with specific mental health disorders, such as generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and social anxiety disorder are more likely to abuse alcohol consumption. Alcohol depresses the Central Nervous System (CNS), offering temporary relief from anxiety. However, unbridled consumption, over time, is detrimental to memory, leading to cognitive decline and increased chances of developing dementia. The good news is that abstinence from overconsumption of alcohol can repair cognitive impairment.
It should also be reassuring to know that beyond that, cognitive impairment caused by poor mental health is somewhat reversible due to our brain’s neuroplasticity.
A bad diet negatively impacts cognitive functioning, so it stands to reason that a healthy diet and nutraceuticals have been proven effective in improving it. The research area related to food supplement and brain physiopathology is attracting a constantly growing interest. AJT Wellity Asia has formed a partnership with non-profit scientific organisation ReGenera R&D International for Aging Intervention and Asia affiliates, which have done extensive research on how nutraceuticals, supplements, and vitamins are instrumental in maintaining cognitive function. The founder, Prof. Francesco Marotta, MD, PhD (JP) MACG (USA) illustrates that on an experimental basis it has been shown that docosahexaenoic acid, eicosopentanoic acid, uridine monophosphate, choline, iodine, zinc, and vitamin B12 are proven to be effective in a mouse animal-model of perinatal hypoxia-ischemia. Further, in a clinical setting, there is wide evidence that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are highly correlated to cognition and depression. More recent data have also pointed out the potential interactions among diet, gastrointestinal microbiota and epigenetic alterations on brain methylation and on cytosine methylation dynamics in the adult brain. For instance, non-digestible oligosaccharides seem to act as beneficial prebiotics while some probiotics, and “bioengineered” probiotics, have shown a significant pro-longevity and neural protection in experimental models of ageing or neurodegeneration.
Many people are struggling with the emotional long-haul of the pandemic in some way or another whether it is anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, or languishing. Importantly, there are things we can do to manage our mental health sustainably – after all, prevention from the root cause is far more effective than tackling each issue as they come.
Following from the properties of neuroplasticity and its capacity in reversing poor mental health, engaging in mindfulness practices can fundamentally change our brain structure. A meta-analysis of 47 studies have shown that anxiety and depression can be treated through meditation programs such as Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy and Stress Reduction (MBCT and MBSR, respectively). Interestingly, the reduction of mental stress post mindfulness practice is comparable to the effectiveness of an antidepressant. An equally important finding from a randomised trial looking at the Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse, published by Jama Psychiatry, is that when compared to antidepressants and other forms of treatment, mindfulness therapy reduces relapse rated by up to 60 weeks— this is an uniform result across all genders, age, or education.
In fact, just 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation (MBSR) has been shown to reduce stress, depression, and emotional exhaustion caused by burnout, a key problem facing society in the 2020s. The mindfulness meditation coaches at iRETREAT wellness retreats advise consumers to start out with short 5 to 10 minute daily mindfulness meditation sessions, and gradually increase the duration— what is emphasised during these sessions is not the duration of the meditation, but instead the consistency of practicing every day in order to clear the mind, and achieve better mental wellbeing.
Mindfulness meditation is also associated with improved cognition. Meta-awareness and cognitive flexibility resulting from MBCT helps with acknowledging negative thought patterns and developing a new perspective to respond to these experiences. Additionally, mindfulness practices can prevent the aforementioned common physical problems and vices stemming from bad mental health. A meta-analysis of 34 randomised controlled trials on mindfulness-based treatment of addiction found that mindfulness significantly reduced cravings, increased nonreactivity to emotional distress, and heightened executive functioning. Mindfulness meditation also helps with chronic insomnia: in a study, 54 adults suffering from chronic insomnia, followed a specifically tailored mindfulness program, Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI). The results showed significant reduction in sleep disturbances.
Developing positive habits as opposed to chasing vague concepts can ensure sustainability and consistency of achieving optimal mental wellness. This is a path I personally walked down, after having struggled with my own mental health as an entrepreneur and business owner when COVID-19 hit the world in 2020. I found solace in meditation and took a step further to live a simple life as a monk for a month last year to improve my own mental health. My daily mindfulness meditation practice is coupled with regular exercise, a balanced diet, and vitamin supplements which aid my cognitive and immune health.
You can watch AJT Wellity’s presentation on Connecting Immune Health and Mental Wellbeing at Vitafoods Insights Virtual Expo Asia 2022! Register here for free!
Learn more about mental health and wellbeing at our Vitafoods Europe Summit Day! Secure your place!
SOURCE: Vitafoods Insights
A lot of people don’t realize that the Wellness industry encompasses anything to improve one’s personal wellbeing. It’s not just fitness or spa retreats but it could be. It’s definitely NOT a line of deceptive products and services. If wellness to you means having better gut health for instance, any product or service that actually facilitates that goal is part of wellness. It could be to look younger. It could be to manage mental health. It differs from person to person. And yes, true wellness looks to science and medicine as a basis for everything that gets produced.
SOURCE: enterprisezone.cc
To build my business model around teaching & education as an entry into (medical) wellness consulting. This is especially true as a B2B company. Always provide knowledge and value first- customers who derive value from what you have to offer will naturally follow.
SOURCE: EnterpriseZone.cc
Anthony Jude Tan has grown his small wellness consultancy into an award winning organisation focusing on wellness for hospitality and medical wellness centres.
What’s your story?
What started as a medical wellness consultancy in 2013, AJT Holdings has now grown into a full-service turnkey medical wellness consulting, development and management company for healthcare, wellness, and hospitality sectors. AJT has its own brand of signature protocols and programs designed under our two brands – Wellity™ and DrMap™.
In 2019, AJT Holdings was awarded the Top 50 Healthcare Consulting Companies by IFAH – an organization dedicated to the mission of improving healthcare. Last year, AJT was given the honoree Brands For Good Leadership Award from Singapore for our efforts in advocating the importance of preventive health and wellbeing.
What excites you most about your industry?
WELLNESS is a full integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. It is a complex interaction that leads to quality of life. It is commonly viewed as having a complex dimension. Each dimension contributes to our own sense of wellness or quality of life, and each affects and overlaps the others. At times one may be more prominent than the others, but neglect of any one dimension for any length of time has adverse effects on overall health. The most differentiated and exciting part of what we do is integrating holistic medical wellness across 3 industries – healthcare, wellness and hospitality.
What drives you in business to push beyond what other people consider normal?
Medical Wellness is a niche, relatively new and boutique direction in terms of bringing healthcare to the modern platform. We believe in the importance of preventative health and wellbeing, and making modern medicine more accessible to everyone through education and giving back to the community.
Pioneering and integrating preemptive well-being beyond traditional mindsets, by providing holistically strategic business management to clients. Each project is personalized with strategic innovation, implementations, and marketing solutions, through utilizing its extensive network of wellness, healthcare, and hospitality connections; detailed programs and protocols; and technology.
What have been the most useful skills you have learnt and applied in your journey?
Adapting and being versatile would be one of the most important skills I’ve learnt through my journey.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Always believe in your passion, and continually focus on your health and greater vision in life.
Who inspires you?
What inspired me to get into the healthcare is basically because of my parents. I’ve seen my mum go through a lot suffering from diabetes, back then there was no preventive healthcare available in Singapore. Because of this I wanted to ensure that I prevented myself and my family from becoming diabetic or any other chronic illness. I also want to help the community look at preventative health options as an alternative. In the healthcare field the person that really inspires me is a very close friend of mine, our Lead Medical Director, Doctor Mark L. Gordon, whom I regard as a brother.
What have you learnt recently that blew you away?
Recently I have learned to look at things at other angles, and I’ve learned to let go of things that there’s totally no possibility of improving and achieving better results in life.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
Not only moving from Hospitality into the Healthcare field, I would also like to move towards more on products and manufacturing.
How do you unwind?
What I love doing best to keep me relaxed is cooking, listening to music and of course getting along with good close friends that fit into the same culture, interest in leisure lifestyle.
What is a major mindset change, belief shift or ‘ah ha’ moment that you’ve experienced in relation to your business?
Especially during this pandemic, some major mindset shifts were being agile, being able to adapt to situations quickly and also being flexible.
Everyone in business should read this book:
The first book that I’ve read in my business life and in what I believe is “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr Spencer Johnson. This is a book that every business person should read to be able to learn to accept and make changes. The other book that gives me the inspiration is “The China Study” by T.C. and T.M. Campbell. This book provided me with a very good overview of the healthcare industry and is a comprehensive know how of how to manage healthcare businesses globally.
Shameless plug for your business:
AJT is a comprehensive medical wellness service provider, consultant and manager for the healthcare, wellness and hospitality industries creating holistic wellness developments and concepts. With the foresight to usher in medical centers as well as incorporating wellness for hospitality, AJT established two unique brands: AJT Wellity™ providing wellness for hospitality, and DrMap™, focusing on medical wellness centers.
Under AJT Wellity, Anthony has expanded the group’s portfolio to offer Medical Wellness Resort Management in collaboration with Beacon Sky Hospitality. This collaboration is under one umbrella and offers overall management for Medical Wellness Resorts in the South East Asia region.
How can people connect with you?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjudetan/
Social Media Links?
Website: www.ajtholdings.com | www.ajtwellity.com | thewellity.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTWABKnZ1xqUlmZEIx5r6Eg
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ajtholdingspteltd
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ajtholdings
This interview is part of the CallumConnects series. Every entrepreneur featured has been recommended by one of our previous guests.
Wanting to feel good is a concept as old as time. Recently, owing to the pandemic and increasing societal awareness in general, mental health is being prioritized now more than ever before. We see mental health becoming a real business imperative in workplaces, and more people seeking help. Hopefully we will continue to dismantle the stigma around it! I think this is reflective of industry projections- McKinsey estimates the global wellness market at $1.5 trillion, with a projected 5-10% annual growth.
SOURCE: enterprisezone.cc
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(Age Management Medicine Group)