Provata Health Launches Groundbreaking Virtual Reality Guided Meditation App

PORTLAND, Ore. (November 22, 2016) -- Leading digital health company Provata Health announced the launch of Provata VR, a virtual reality (VR) guided meditation app available on the App Store. The app signifies the Portland startup’s aim to pioneer a new category of digital health: Virtual Reality Preventive Care.

With Provata VR, users escape to a variety of stunning locations around the world, including tropical waterfalls, secluded beaches, dazzling Northern Lights and even underwater coral reefs. Selecting from a collection of guided meditation exercises, users train their mind to positively impact their productivity and mood in immersive, idyllic settings.

The app also introduces meditation biofeedback, a patent-pending system that leverages advances in physiological monitoring to enhance the meditation experience. Users can sync popular wearable devices, such as Apple Watch, to visualize the effects of their meditation sessions on their heart rate. Through smart feedback, Provata VR helps users better understand which meditation exercises, locations, and times of day have the greatest impact on their heart rate.

“Virtual Reality presents an opportunity to expand digital health to new frontiers,” said Alex Goldberg, CEO of Provata Health. “The typical guided meditation approach—an audio recording instructing you how to meditate—hasn’t advanced much technologically in decades. Combining VR with mindfulness meditation and biofeedback monitoring lets users transport themselves to relaxing environments while seamlessly tracking their progress, bringing new dimensions to the meditation experience.”

As mindfulness meditation grows in popularity, scientific research reveals its benefits are widespread, including increased productivity, lower stress, as well as improved focus, cognitive skills and memory. The effects extend to physiological measures as studies indicate that meditation can help to lower risk of strokes and heart attacks. Studies suggest mindfulness meditation may even alleviate chronic pain by activating brain regions associated with pain control.

Provata Health provides the first commercial digital health program proven to improve both the physical and mental health of participants in a peer-reviewed medical journal. “Given the mounting evidence of the positive effects of meditation on our mental and physical health, Provata VR truly embodies our emphasis on providing holistic digital health solutions that address our total health,” Goldberg explained.

Currently the fastest-growing private tech and healthcare company in Oregon, Provata Health partners with employers, health plans, and hospital systems to provide evidence-based programs proven to improve the health of employees and lower medical costs. Provata VR marks the company’s first product available to both employers and consumers alike.

Anyone can download the app for free and upgrade to the premium version, which will be available at no cost to employees participating in Provata digital health programs through their employer or health plan.

Watch the Video: http://provatahealth.com/vr-health#provata-vr-video

Website for the app: http://provatahealth.com/vr-health

Download the app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/provata-vr-guided-meditation/id1121506806?ls=1&mt=8

Link to Release: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161122005302/en/Provata-Health-Launches-Groundbreaking-Virtual-Reality-Guided

THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT LIPOSUCTION? THINK AGAIN.  10 OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS/MYTHS ADDRESSED

OR YOU COULD DO IT VIA TRAINING - For PT inquiries and online training email go to www.trainitright.com/programs

GUEST POST:

www.zannisplasticsurgery.com

Liposuction is one of the top 5 most common surgical procedures in The United States. Approximately 363,912 procedures are performed each year. While  every lay person knows that ‘liposuction sucks out fat,’ many are misguided about the procedure in terms of who is an appropriate candidate, how long the results last, and what the procedure can and cannot accomplish. Dr. John Zannis is a New Bern, North Carolina plastic surgeon who seeks to set the record straight.

Fat Will Come Back Somewhere Else After Lipo

The “fat return” fear is something plastic surgeons hear about pretty often, which is understandable! “New fat does not ‘find its way’ elsewhere after liposuction. This is one of the most common liposuction myths out there.  Liposuction removes part of the fat in an area, but if the body is overwhelmed by a large amount of calories that are not burned they are stored proportionately in every remaining fat cell in the body, ” Explains Dr. Zannis.  Fat cells aren't distributed evenly to begin with, and after lipo (or any type of fat cell removal) they definitely won't be distributed evenly. Even though individual fat cells grow evenly, there will be fewer in the places where the lipo happened, so those places won't fill out the same way they used to (which is what lipo patients want). Remaining fat cells in the rest of the body will pick up the slack. These cells will gain fat evenly, but not in the areas you're used to gaining in, since the fat cells in those places were liposuctioned out. He adds, “The more fat cells removed, the more the remaining fat cells will gain when you gain weight.”

Are the results of liposuction permanent?

The results of liposuction are intended to be permanent. What this means is that the fat cells which are removed will not reappear, but if you gain weight in the future, fat can accumulate in surrounding areas and the remaining fat cells in your treatment area can become larger. Dr. Zannis adds, “While the fat cells are permanently gone, you can once again find yourself with unwanted fat if you gain weight, so your healthy habits will determine whether you maintain your liposuction results.”

Is Liposuction a Reasonable Treatment for Obesity?

“Liposuction is not a good treatment for obesity,” says Dr. Zannis.  He adds, “Liposuction is not effective, even as a last resort, for people who are unable to lose weight by dieting and exercise.”

Are There Non-Surgical Alternatives to Liposuction?

“Liposuction is still considered the gold standard for body contouring:  It’s the most predictable, and it’s performed in a single treatment, says Dr.Zannis. However, there are minimally invasive alternatives  though they won’t give you as dramatic results and treatments may need to be repeated for the desired effect. The most effective non-invasive options use heat, cold, or ultrasound on the surface of the skin. These alternatives include, but are not limited to:

CoolSculpting

UltraShape

Vanquish

Liposonix

Kybella (currently only FDA-approved for use underneath the chin)

How much weight will I lose from liposuction?

Liposuction actually has little effect on the number on your scale. It is not a method for weight loss but is instead a way to address specific areas of stubborn fat, also known as body contouring. However, many patients who want to lose weight find great success by reaching their goal weight first and then using liposuction to fine-tine the appearance they’ve worked so hard for.

Can liposuction reduce sagging skin?

“Liposuction solely focuses on removing fat, so it will not tighten excess skin. However, some patients benefit from a surgery which combines both fat removal and skin excision, like a tummy tuck or arm lift accompanied by liposuction,” says Dr. Zannis.

Will I have scars after liposuction?

Any surgery will leave a scar, but the scars from liposuction are particularly small and subtle. Dr. Zannis explains that, “The incisions only need to be large enough for the tiny tube which removes the fat, so the incisions are very small and are strategically placed in areas that are as discreet as possible.”

Does Liposuction Treat Cellulite

Cellulite is the fat right below the surface of the skin. It typically looks bumpy and uneven because the fat pushes through the connective tissue. While many people think it is unattractive, cellulite doesn’t present any health concerns. “It’s also not removed by liposuction, although the procedure might make your cellulite less visible. If it’s a concern for you, you can discuss options for reducing the look of cellulite with your doctor,” says Dr. Zannis.

Instant six pack abs & breast reductions are possible with liposuction 

But it's important to manage your expectations. “The less fat you have, the more likely you will achieve sculpted, six pack abs than patients with higher body fat (despite having more fat removed),” Dr. Zannis stresses.

The More Fat Removed, the Better

“Actually, the more fat you remove, the higher the chances for risks you don’t want to deal with such as lumps and bumps.These fears are most likely driven by the fact that patients request aggressive treatment of localized fatty deposits. The more fat that is removed, the greater the potential risk of developing these problems,” says Dr. Zannis. The American Society of Plastic Surgery recommends limiting liposuction to 5 liters (about 11 pounds) in an outpatient setting.

Hispanic Adults with Diabetes Could Benefit from Peer Support Interventions

MU study finds peer support interventions effective at improving blood sugar levels of minority patients

Diabetes is a global health problem that disproportionally affects individuals of ethnic and racial minorities. Minorities are more likely to experience complications from the disease, and the death rate from diabetes among Hispanics is 50 percent higher than non-Hispanic whites, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.

In the study, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine examined the effectiveness of peer support interventions, where diabetic patients received support from a person who had knowledge from their own experiences with diabetes or someone who had been affected by diabetes, but may not have the disease themselves, such as a caregiver or family member. The researchers found that the interventions were effective at improving the blood sugar levels of participants from minority groups, especially those of Hispanic ethnicity.

“Peer supporters can help diabetic patients better manage their disease by providing advice on diet and exercise regimens, monitoring blood sugar levels and coping with the new diagnoses,” said Sonal Patil, M.D., assistant professor of Family and Community Medicine at the MU School of Medicine. “Peer support interventions have been suggested by the World Health Organization as a way to improve self-care behaviors of diabetic patients, but an adequate review of the effectiveness of such interventions has not happened.”

Patil and her colleagues analyzed results from 17 randomized control trials on diabetic peer support interventions conducted from 1960 to 2015. The researchers compared blood sugar levels of patients who received peer support to those who received similar care, but did not participate in peer interventions. Patil found that peer support interventions modestly improved patients’ blood sugar levels, with the most significant improvements found in studies with predominantly minority participants.

“Previous research has found that when culturally appropriate health education is provided to people with diabetes who belong to ethnic minority groups, their glycemic control and knowledge of diabetes improves,” Patil said. “Our findings suggest that peer health coaches might provide more culturally appropriate health education in ethnic minority populations, particularly Latino ones.”

Patil said that peer support interventions not only help diabetic patients, but also provide benefits to the peers delivering the support.

“Previous research has found that being a peer supporter to others actually increases one’s own self-management of the disease,” Patil said.

More random control trials are needed with African American participants before she can determine the effectiveness of peer support for that specific community, Patil said.

Additionally, Patil noted that peer support interventions should be done in conjunction, and not in place of, regular visits with the patient’s health provider.

Patil’s study, “Peer Support Interventions for Adults with Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Hemoglobin A_1c Outcomes,” recently was published in the Annals of Family Medicine. The study was funded with internal funds from the University of Missouri Department of Family and Community Medicine.

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About the MU School of Medicine

The MU School of Medicine has improved health, education and research in Missouri and beyond for more than 165 years. MU physicians treat patients from every county in the state, and more Missouri physicians received their medical degrees from MU than from any other university. For more information, visit http://medicine.missouri.edu/.

Study Urges Public Health to Embrace Sunlight Benefits

TORONTO – Just weeks after research warned Canadians that vitamin D deficiency was costing Canadian healthcare $12.5B annually by leading to a higher risk of developing life-threatening illnesses, a new study from the US is supporting the Canadian research and challenging conventional sun exposure advice. The study calls for public health organizations to re-evaluate their current message of sun avoidance and to promote non-burning sun exposure for vitamin D and other health benefits.

The recently published study, written by one of the most qualified and diverse groups of researchers in the fields of pigment cell research, photobiology, melanoma research, dermatology and vitamin D, “The Risks and Benefits of Sun Exposure 2016” by David G. Hoel, Marianne Berwick, Frank R. de Gruijl and Michael F. Holick, has found that insufficient sun exposure is an emerging public health risk.

Published in Dermato-Endocrinology, the report says that the current state of the science behind the risks and benefits of sun exposure suggests that public health advice should be changed to recommend that all men, women and children accumulate sufficient non-burning sun exposure to maintain their vitamin D blood levels at 75 nmol/L (30 ng/ml) especially in northern climates. The research goes further, reporting about the positive benefits of vitamin D and outlines how many other photoproducts produced by sunlight exposure are beneficial to our health.

In Canada, lab tests relied upon by doctors, consider the sufficient vitamin D blood level range to be between 75 to 150 nmol/L or higher in some provinces. Currently 65% of Canadians, or 2 out of every 3, do not meet the 75 nmol/L vitamin D blood level and have insufficient vitamin D levels.

“The results of our study show that to live a healthier life, it’s important for North Americans to increase their vitamin D levels through non-burning sun exposure,” says Dr. Michael Holick, Scientific Advisor for the Vitamin D Society and Professor of Medicine at Boston University Medical Center. “Insufficient sun exposure has become a major public health problem, demanding an immediate change in the current sun-avoidance public health advice. Generating vitamin D with non-burning exposure to the sun every day or under artificial UVB sources can help prevent the development of serious diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and others. Remember that the UV index must be above 3 and your shadow shorter than you are to produce vitamin D from the sun.”

A new Canadian study reported that increasing vitamin D intake could spare 23,000 Canadians premature deaths annually and save Canada $12.5 billion in healthcare spending and associated costs. The study found that Canadians vitamin D levels have been dropping  due to lower sunlight exposure putting more people at risk of life-threatening illnesses.

“More and more research is being published urging individuals to increase their vitamin D levels through non-burning sun exposure,” says Perry Holman, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Society. We need to start looking at UV exposure differently and embrace the benefits while controlling for the risks of overexposure.”

Canadians can get their vitamin D levels checked by their physicians, or online, through a simple 25(OH)D blood test to ensure they aren’t deficient.

About the Vitamin D Society:

The Vitamin D Society is a Canadian non-profit group organized to increase awareness of the many health conditions strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency; encourage people to be proactive in protecting their health and have their vitamin D levels tested annually; and help fund valuable vitamin D research. The Vitamin D Society recommends people achieve and maintain optimal 25(OH)D blood levels between 100 – 150 nmol/L (Can) or 40-60 ng/ml (USA).

To learn more about vitamin D, please visit www.vitamindsociety.org

HelloFresh Canada expands nationwide

HelloFresh Canada is now delivering its healthy and convenient meal kits from coast to coast, to help all Canadians answer that age-old question: “What’s for dinner?”

“The entire team is proud of the progress we’ve made in just six months since our launch. We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our current customers in Ontario, and we’re certain people across the country will soon see the benefits of our meal kits,” said Ian Brooks, Managing Director, HelloFresh Canada. “This expansion reinforces our mission to provide nutritious, tasty meals to Canadians.”

HelloFresh’s unique culinary experience streamlines meal preparation by sending at-home cooks inspirational recipes and pre-measured, pre-chopped ingredients to make meals from scratch in 30 minutes or less. HelloFresh takes care of the meal planning, shopping, measuring, and delivery, leaving time for the fun parts: cooking and eating!

The service is simple – customers visit HelloFresh.ca, or download the app on Android or iOS. From there they choose their subscription option (Pronto Plan or Family Plan), and select their meals for the upcoming week. Meals are delivered weekly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays directly to customers’ doorsteps, packed in state-of-the-art boxes to ensure each delivery arrives fresh.

Recipes are developed in the HelloFresh test kitchen by an in-house culinary team headed by Irene Ngo. The meal kits contain seasonal ingredients, along with step-by-step recipes and nutritional information.

“We love sharing the joy of cooking every day in a way that is approachable and rewarding. We believe that healthy eating patterns start in the home, and our kits get Canadians started with easy and delicious recipes, and high-quality ingredients,” said Ngo.  “Our recipes explore new flavours and deliver crowd favourites, and get people on the path to healthy eating.”

The globally renowned organization first launched in Ontario, in June 2016, and will now reach nine provinces, excluding Quebec. The company continues to adapt its services to meet the ever-growing demand for “cook from scratch” meals. Subscribers globally are rediscovering the joy of food with HelloFresh by preparing healthy, tasty meals they can be proud to place on the dinner table. Canadian meal kits start at just $10.85 per plate. Visit HelloFresh.ca for all the available options.

Twitter: @HelloFreshCA

Facebook: Facebook.com/HelloFresh

Instagram: @HelloFreshCA

#HelloFreshLife

About HelloFresh

HelloFresh currently operates in the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, and Canada. HelloFresh delivered 22.1 million meals in the 3-month period up to 30 September 2016, to about 850,000 subscribers. HelloFresh was founded in November 2011, and is based in Berlin.

Additional offices are located in New York, London, Amsterdam, Zurich, Sydney, and Toronto. Current investors include Baillie Gifford, Insight Venture Partners, Phenomen Ventures, Rocket Internet, and Vorwerk Direct Selling Ventures.

Stroke rates have been declining in older people over the past 20 years — but have sharply increased in those under 55.

Researchers at Rutgers University used data from the New Jersey Department of Health on more than 227,000 hospitalizations for stroke from 1995 through 2014, calculating incidence by age over five-year periods. The findings appeared in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Compared with the 1995-99 period, the rate of stroke in 2010-14 increased by 147 percent in people 35 to 39, by 101 percent in people 40 to 44, by 68 percent in those 45 to 49, and by 23 percent in the 50 to 54 group.

Stroke is still far more common in older people. But the rate decreased by 11 percent in those 55 to 59, by 22 percent in the 60 to 64 group, and by 18 percent in people 65 to 69.

The reasons are unclear, but the lead author, Joel N. Swerdel, now an epidemiologist with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, said that increasing obesity and diabetes in younger people are probably involved.

“For a person 30 to 50, the good news is you ain’t dead yet,” he said. “With behavioral changes, changing diet, increasing exercise, there’s still hope for you. Behavioral change is hard, but this study is an early warning sign.”

Ending Homelessness Among People with Mental Illness Using a Housing First Approach is Sustainable

 A Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) sustainability study, released today, finds that nine out of 12 programs implemented during the MHCC's ground-breaking At Home/Chez Soi Research Demonstration Project on mental health and homelessness have made the transition from research to real world.  At Home/Chez Soi used a Housing First approach with participants offered immediate access to housing of their choice through rent subsidies and access to mental health services and supports, all without preconditions.

The sustainability study provides unique insight into what is needed to ensure innovative research is translated into mainstream services.  This study tracks the Moncton, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver programs after the At Home/Chez Soi project ended in 2014.

"Today we celebrate what we've learned that will help address people's needs," said Louise Bradley, MHCC President and CEO, at the report launch in Moncton.  "This sustainability study is a valuable roadmap.  It tells us what is working well and flags what still needs to be done to ensure Housing First becomes a mainstream option to serve some of Canada's most vulnerable people."

At Home/Chez Soi demonstrated that Housing First works to rapidly end homelessness for people experiencing mental illness—within months instead of years—the majority staying housed with an improved quality of life and connection to their community.  It also proved that this approach is a sound investment, with every $10 invested in Housing First services resulting in an average savings of $9.60 for participants with high needs and $3.42 for participants with moderate needs.

Although all programs experienced some reduction in funding during the shift from research to real world, participants continued to receive client-centred services and supports from multi-disciplinary teams.  In some locations the level of support was reduced and key positions such as housing coordinators were lost.

"Housing First in Canada has shown significant uptake since the end of the At Home/Chez Soi project, but those gains will remain fragile unless we address the funding and policy issues that are barriers to adopting a Housing First approach as a mainstream solution to homelessness and mental illness," says Dr. Tim Aubrey, Co-Principal Investigator of the Moncton site and a member of the At Home/Chez Soi National Research Team.

Some policies have already been adjusted nationally, provincially and locally.  In 2014, the federal government revised the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) to focus a significant portion of these funds on the development of Housing First.  In Moncton, the At Home/Chez Soi experience with the service model led to an expansion of services with plans to implement mental health teams across New Brunswick, something new to the province. In Winnipeg, Housing First has been expanded across the city.

"Strong leadership and partnerships at the federal, provincial, municipal and community levels as well as across health and housing sectors have been crucial to the continuation and expansion of the Housing First programs begun under At Home/Chez Soi," said Louise Bradley.  "Long-term collaboration between all these partners is essential for people to benefit."

Reports:

• The At Home/Chez Soi Project: Cross-Site Report on the Sustainability of Housing and Support Programs Implemented
• The At Home/Chez Soi Project: Sustainability of Housing & Support Programs Implemented at the Moncton Site
• The At Home/Chez Soi Project: Moving Evidence into Policy The Story of the At Home/Chez Soi Initiative's Impact on Federal Homelessness Policy in Canada

More on At Home/Chez Soi:   http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/at-home

THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION OF CANADA
The Mental Health Commission of Canada is a catalyst for change. We are collaborating with hundreds of partners to change the attitudes of Canadians toward mental health problems and to improve services and support. Our goal is to help people who live with mental health problems and illnesses lead meaningful and productive lives. Together we create change. The Mental Health Commission of Canada is funded by Health Canada.
www.mentalhealthcommission.ca | strategy.mentalhealthcommission.ca

Air Canada Foundation Makes Substantial Donation for Sick Children

 Opération Enfant Soleil is pleased to announce today that it has received a donation of $150,000 from the Air Canada Foundation to carry out projects at major pediatric centres in the province. The donation will be used to purchase specialized equipment and fund major projects at the Montreal Children's Hospital, the CHU Sainte-Justine and the Centre mère-enfant Soleil of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval. Thanks to this gesture of solidarity, children can receive better care and have an optimal quality of life during their hospital stay.

"The health and well-being of children and youth are at the core of the Air Canada Foundation's mission. That is why we are pleased to contribute to certain projects that will allow sick children to receive the best possible care during their hospitalization at pediatric centres in Quebec," said Priscille Leblanc, Chair of the Air Canada Foundation.

Over the past 10 years, the Air Canada Foundation has donated more than $700,000 to foster the well-being of sick children. With the combined efforts of Opération Enfant Soleil and all its donors and partners, the funds provided by the Air Canada Foundation have been used, among other things, to help equip various care units at the Montreal Children's Hospital, as well as the Medical Imaging department, the Emergency department and operating rooms, through the purchase of cutting-edge equipment such as physiological monitors, ultrasound diagnostic systems, ultrasound equipment, an X-ray system, a heart-lung apparatus and a digital electromyograph.

"Thanks to valued partners such as the Air Canada Foundation, we can support hospitals and make a real difference in the lives of sick children and their families. Thank you for your generosity!" said Anne Hudon, Chief Executive Officer of Opération Enfant Soleil, who expressed her gratitude for this sizable donation on behalf of the families and the organization.

For over 10 years, Opération Enfant Soleil has had the privilege of receiving the support of the Air Canada Foundation through airline tickets for fundraising events, the donation of thousands of Aeroplan Miles to the Hospital Transportation Program and cash donations.

About the Air Canada Foundation

The Air Canada Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focused on the health and well-being of children and youth, was launched in 2012. It offers financial and in-kind support, through travel assistance, to Canadian registered charities. Core programs include the Hospital Transportation Program, which donates Aeroplan Miles to pediatric hospitals across Canada, enabling children to access medical care unavailable locally, and the Volunteer Involvement Program, which recognizes the involvement of Air Canada employees in their local communities by providing airline tickets to registered charities in support of their fundraising activities. The Foundation, in collaboration with the airline, also participates directly in fundraising activities such as the Every Bit Counts program, which encourages customers to donate loose change on board flights or through airport collection containers. The Foundation also offers continued support to major health-related causes that benefit Canadians and actively participates in international humanitarian relief activity as the need arises. For more information about the Air Canada Foundation, please visit www.aircanada.com/foundation or the 2015 Corporate Sustainability Report: Citizens of the World, online at www.aircanada.com/en/about/corp_sustainability.html.

About Opération Enfant Soleil

Opération Enfant Soleil raises funds to support the development of high-quality pediatrics for all sick children in Quebec. Donations raised have made it possible to carry out hundreds of projects each year in local organizations as well as major pediatric centres, which are equipped with cutting-edge technology and welcoming environments, and in regional hospitals, where children can be treated near their families.

MedReleaf continues to lead on scientific research: Landmark, peer-reviewed study shows medical cannabis dramatically improves lives of veterans with PTSD

MedReleaf, Canada's premium licensed producer of medical cannabis, today announced the findings from a landmark study on the effectiveness of medical cannabis on military veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The study found treatment with medical cannabis improved aggregate patient reported outcomes by 50-60% with a 77% decrease in suicidal thoughts as well as a 50% reduction in the consumption of related medications.

The study, being presented today in Vancouver at the 7^th Annual Military and Veteran Health Research Forum, was conducted by Dr. Paul Smith, MD, using several of MedReleaf's proprietary strains of medical cannabis including AviDekel, Luminarium and Midnight.

From baseline to follow up, the study revealed a number of key insights on patient outcomes including:

• Aggregate score of both PTSD symptoms and social impacts improved by 59%
• Drug and alcohol overuse was reduced by 82%
• Marital and relationship harmony improved 65% and
• Severity of pain experienced by patients decreased 48%

Improvements in outcomes were also associated with a 50% reduction in the consumption of PTSD-related medications, including opioids. 36% of patients on PTSD related medications at baseline discontinued all such medications, for an estimated annual savings of $2,300 to $3,800 per patient.

"The evidence is overwhelming that cannabis is dramatically improving the lives of veterans with PTSD," noted Neil Closner, CEO of MedReleaf. "We're encouraged by Dr. Smith's work; it provides valuable insight and data that will assist the broader healthcare community in their quest to help veterans better manage their healthcare needs."

"In my practice, I see the worst of the worst in terms of PTSD; when all other treatment options fail, these patients come to me," noted the study's author, Dr, Paul Smith, adding "70% of veterans are dropping out of traditional PTSD programs in favour of a medical cannabis course of treatment and as the evidence overwhelmingly shows, it is remarkably effective."

Patients in the study required 9.4 grams of medical cannabis a day to achieve these results leading Dr. Smith to note, "There is no one-size-fits-all approach to effective cannabis dosing but I believe that when veterans get VAC coverage for cannabis oils and capsules, we'll see more veterans turn to this treatment and I think that with these new, accurate dosing methods of delivery we'll see a reduction in the amount of cannabis required for a course of treatment."

Following the presentation of the abstract at Forum 2016, Dr. Smith will submit the results for peer review with the goal of publication in the Journal of Veteran, Military and Family Health.

About the study

The study is based on chart audits of 100 patients with confirmed diagnosis of PTSD and who initiated a treatment of medical cannabis after January, 2014. Self-reported Patient-Related Outcomes (PRO) were captured at baseline and at a follow up visit between 3 and 18 months after initiation of a treatment of medical cannabis. The data review was conducted at a single medical practice with extensive treatment of medical cannabis and which serves a large number of military veterans.

The full abstract, including details on study background, methodology, epidemiology and detailed results can be found at www.medreleaf.com/research-overview.

About MedReleaf

MedReleaf is the leading, research-and-development driven, medical cannabis producer in Canada and the only ISO 9001 certified cannabis producer in North America. They offer the finest range of premium cannabis products sourced from around the globe and cultivated in their Ontario facility under the strictest guidelines and care. MedReleaf focuses on quality, safety, uniformity, and reliability, and they do it all to improve the quality of life for their patients. MedReleaf is setting The Medical Grade Standard^™, because quality assurance is at the core of every product they produce. Through tireless clinical research in concert with the Canadian medical community, MedReleaf is consistently striving to unlock the immense potential of medical cannabis, and is dedicated to leading the way in the discovery of its medical and therapeutic benefits.

For more information on MedReleaf, its products and processes, please visit MedReleaf.com

SOURCE MedReleaf Corp.