By Ann Barnet M.D. Soon after I finished my medical training, I was asked to help at a small clinic in Northern California.  The community had been traumatized by a pain medicine specialist who developed a habit of prescribing his patient’s absurd and unsafe doses of painkillers.  His dangerous practice of medicine resulted in dozens of people becoming both physically and psychologically addicted.  He was only shut down after several of his patients died. With the loss of his license to prescribe more of these substances and the other local physicians reluctant to take on such high risk clientele, many of these patients felt desperate and abandoned.  Unfortunately, this is hardly a unique situation.  Over half of the injury deaths in the US are due to drug overdoses and of these deaths - 75% are due to opiate pain killers.  This trend is especially bad in the US - where we make up approximately 4.4% of the global population but use 30% of the world supply of opiates.  Are we just better at treating pain? Worldwide date says no - we are not.  So why does this crisis exist?  Large pharmaceutical companies manipulated opiate related research data.  At least one unethical former official at the FDA certified opiate safety, when there was zero data to support this.  Deceptive and questionable partnerships between some influential U.S. physicians and pharmaceutical companies fueled the fire of the opiate crisis.  The problems trickled down from there.  Our healthcare system is mostly for profit, so there is incentive to see a large number of patients as quickly as possible and for those patient’s to be as happy as possible.  No physician wants to see a person suffering, so the practice of freely prescribing opiates for people in pain checked all three boxes  It’s quick In the short term it makes people happy  in the short term it can relieve suffering Short term benefits with high long term costs.  In the past few years, the amount of opiates a physician can prescribe has been limited by the government and prescriptions are closely tracked.  This has left many health care providers and patients in an awkward situation.  Why was it okay for my doctor five years ago to give me these but it’s not okay now.  Many patients are feeling judged and labeled as “drug seekers” if they even ask.  Most physicians are unaware that there are safe and effective alternatives out there.  We were not taught about these things in medical school (other than willow tree bark “aka aspirin).  It’s understandable to be wary of “natural” products if you don’t know where they come, how the body processes them and how they may interact with other medications. Luckily that data exists and we put it to use in our clinic, where we sat face to face with real people paying the long term costs.  People who were ready for a better, life affirming option.   From the now addicted father, whose daughter had been one of the accidental overdose victims, to the aspiring paramedic who went to see this pain specialist for work related pain and found himself  unable to work  - it was now unsafe for him to drive.   We found a way to help these people find a way to better manage their pain and start healing the underlying issues.  The ingredients found in our pain formula was an essential part of our prescription for healing, but were much more powerful when combined with mindfulness life hacks.  Learn more about some of the important things we discovered and our strategies to provide long term benefits across our website!

By Ann Barnet M.D. How much do you know about the powers of mushrooms? Join me for a few moments as we take a glimpse into the mysterious world of fungi . . . I had never thought much about mushrooms at all, until the day over 15 years ago at Burningman, that I stumbled upon a lecture at the “Earth Guardians” camp and entered the world of Paul Stamets, one of the giants in the study of fungi. He shared his passion and knowledge and also told a deeply moving story of the mushroom Coriolus Versicolor, commonly called “Turkey Tail”. Paul’s mother was In her mid eighties and she was dying. She had been diagnosed with end stage breast cancer and her oncologist told her there was no treatment. Paul offered her some of his mushrooms – a variety he knew had anticancer effects.  She declined her son’s medicine and decided she would enter a breast cancer clinical trial at Bastyr, the well known Naturopathic University in Seattle. She came home with the medicine the doctor in the clinical trial had given her – Turkey Tail mushrooms- they had been grown in Paul Stamets’ lab. With the help of these mushrooms, Paul’s mother unexpectedly recovered and she developed a deeper appreciation of her son’s work. Bastyr’s trial was successful and led to the identification of specific molecules in Turkey Tail Mushrooms that appear to kill solid tumor cells. The study was actually so impressive that the FDA approved additional mushroom studies that are currently underway. The work of Stamets and Bastyr highlighted something that we commonly see with plant medicine- “the entourage effect”. Packed all together by nature, the molecules found in a plant are exponentially more powerful than if they were separated and given one by one. Along the same line, we see that medicinal properties of a plant are less powerful when synthesized or isolated in the lab. The lab gives us purity, but at a price. What is even more exciting, is that we all have access to this healing power.  Each of us can buy, grow, forage and eat turkey tail mushrooms and gift them to a loved one with cancer. Back to the lecture in the desert: Paul went on to describe this intricate “internet of” mycelium, essentially the root system of mushrooms that literally spreads across this planet, helping not only mushrooms, but also trees and plants communicate and coordinate underground. From the ability to neutralize radiation from nuclear disasters, to breaking down oil in contaminating spills, beating out pharmaceutical antivirals in the department of defense sponsored efforts to find a treatment for SARS, to the mythology and pharmacology, mushrooms are mighty. In the West mushrooms haven’t always been appreciated. Some people immediately associate them with the mind altering properties of  “magic mushrooms”, some with poisonous varieties that have caused liver failure or death and some think of the environment of decay where mushrooms thrive and think – gross. This started to change when the “father of medicine “Greek physician Hippocrates (who fittingly also said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”) spoke of their abilities. Now it’s our turn.  Let’s take on these big world challenges together.  Let’s help the earth detox by funding more projects to clean up oil spills and radiation leaks with mushrooms.  Let’s protect the forests where these life forms call home. Let’s support our immune systems with these mysterious fungi. Let’s join the mycelium internet and allow this kingdom’s wisdom to guide our bodies and planet back into a state of balance. Intrigued? Since entering the world of Paul Stamets, I have developed a deep appreciation and respect for mushrooms and their abilities.  They are powerful medicine and food (teas and capsules are my personally preferred forms). Are you curious about how mushrooms may help improve your world? Stamets and his colleagues created a documentary called Fantastic Fungi. It’s a magical journey if you feel called. Let’s continue to learn about ways in which mushrooms can help us save the world.  From restoring balance in our ecosystem and in our inner systems, to the new frontier of psilocybin assisted psychotherapy for severe depression, and the role of breaking the torturous cycle of cluster headaches,  to immune modulation when dealing with viral invaders and cancers and natural termite repellent properties ….. these discoveries continue and this list continues to grow. Let’s amplify the power of mushrooms together!

Anxiety is the experience of feeling fear or worry. It is a signal from our body and our mind that something is out of balance or just not right. Anxiety can show up in our bodies and lives in a variety of ways, including with heart palpitations, pain, stomach upset, difficulty sleeping and headaches. In terms of behavior, it can manifest as worry, restlessness, depression, anger, difficulty with focus, irritability and impaired memory. On one end of the spectrum, it is an annoyance and on the other it can be completely debilitating, causing panic “attacks” and interfering with our ability to function and live a normal life.  So how do we approach our anxiety? First things first – recognize it for what it is. We can use anxiety as a signal to exam what needs extra attention in our life or recognize it as a cue that the impact of a traumatic event from the past has not been processed. When we look at it as an opportunity to make a course correction, use it to gain momentum and do the thing that we have been putting off, the potential avenues for healing can reveal themselves to us. Most often, if we are able to transfer our awareness from the racing and repetitive thoughts in our mind- we are able to hear and follow our inner wisdom that is calling us back to balance. Sometimes the sensations are too overwhelming and the perspective and support of a skilled and compassionate friend or guide are needed to help us make the adjustments that our bodies are calling out for.  Here are 10 strategies regain calm and find peace. Spend more time in nature. Conventional wisdom and personal experience teaches us that spending time in nature is vital for our physical and mental wellbeing. Multiple studies have confirmed that spending at least 30 -120 minutes (I would err on the side of 120) per week in nature results in a measurable decrease in the experience of anxiety and depression. I am incredibly fortunate to live close to natural hot springs, floating in spring water – soaking up the heat of the volcanic flow that runs under the mountains is my ultimate form of anxiety and stress release. Emotional freedom technique (EFT) and other emotional release techniques. I was taught this technique years ago but didn’t appreciate it until I found myself in one of the most emotionally overwhelming situations of my life – looking at a loved one on a life support machine. I instinctively used it in that moment and it helped – immensely. Ever since, EFT has been a “go-to” tool for me. It can be done alone or with the support of a facilitator. If you’d like to learn more about it, check out my previous blog post. Breathwork. Prolonged exhalation engages the portion of the Vagus nerve that triggers the parasympathetic pathway allowing for our nervous system to run in the rest, relaxation and healing mode. A simple breathing practice is to inhale for 5 seconds, pause for 2 seconds with full lungs, and then exhale for 7 seconds. Repeat 3 times. There are a number of traditional breathing practices, in particular in the tradition of yoga. Why not try a class some time and see if a particular practice or tradition feels right in your particular body. Gratitude Journaling. When we commit to the practice of writing down even 1 -2 two things per day that we are grateful – our busy, brilliant mind accepts an important mission. Some of the valuable mental energy that was previously spent on worry and anxiety is now dedicated to consciously and subconsciously scanning our environment for things to appreciate (we are creative beings and when we give our mind a task – it delivers). I was dealing with anxiety when I started this practice and I remember the first few days I wrote things like “I am grateful for my cat and indoor plumbing”. At the time, I judged these things as uninspired but I quickly learned that it didn’t matter – it was a place to start and soon my lists of gratitude came quickly – they felt easy and inspired.  Being seen and heard – connecting with another caring human. This one can feel tricky for people whose main source of anxiety is social anxiety – the mere thought of calling or meeting up with another person can send anxiety through the roof. In that situation, remember it’s okay to start where you are and go slowly. If they only connection you can handle today is to talk to the friendly neighborhood dog and the anonymous virtual friend in the anxiety online support group – do it, every step counts. If you are comfortable connecting in a deeper way – reach out, plan that walk in the park with your friend, it’s good for both of you. Eating mindfully and choosing foods that facilitate balance in our bodies. We were designed to eat foods the way nature delivers them. Today, processed foods have become overrepresented in our predominate modern culture and can wreak havoc on our systems- causing blood sugars and hormone levels to spike and then crash- this can exacerbate underlying feeling of anxiety and depression. Foods closer to their natural form retain the fiber that regulates our digestion and keep our blood sugars stable. Other such as dark chocolate, avocados and nuts are high in magnesium; which helps our muscles transition to a state of contraction to a state of relaxation. Other foods contain calm enhancing amino acids such as the tryptophan, which is found in turkey. Plant allies – investigate nature’s pharmacy. There are a variety of herbs, roots, fungi, vitamins and minerals that support our nervous system in adapting to anxiety provoking stimuli. Some of nature’s most potent anxiolytics include ashwagandha, hemp (CBD), valerian root, passion flower, kava, rhodiola, lavender, lemon balm, chamomile, polygala root and magnolia bark. (To learn more about these roots and herbs and how they support our bodies in decreasing anxiety please visit ligandceptor.com) Play, do the activities that elicit laughter and joy. It’s really difficult to worry and experience anxiety while you are laughing and it turns out that the ‘fake it ‘till you make it” works when it comes to laughter. So even if it’s just a few fleeting moments at a laughter yoga class, it’s enough to trigger feel calm and good endorphins to release into your blood stream. Seek out the activities that made you laugh as a child, the comedian with the most infectious laugh, the people and animals that make you smile and bring you joy. Meditation. There are many forms of meditation and you may not be suited to all of them. Some people with high levels of anxiety do better with guided meditations, as it can make it easier to shift the mind from a state of worry to whatever journey your guide is leading. However, others have experienced profound breakthroughs with meditations that are more focused on “clearing the mind” – sometimes the experience of fully being with and witnessing your mind – with all of its chatter and fears – is exactly what is needed to bring you fully into the present moment where the what ifs of the past and future dissolve. Move your body. Movement supports your body in releasing anxiety that your mind may not have even been aware of. There are so many ways to move, you can wring out your hands in frustration or “shake the anxiety off”. Increasing your heart rate for at least five minutes appears to be the most effective strategy. Pick your favorite sport, lift weights, put on your favorite song and dance, go for a brisk walk before lunch or do a few pushups. Move into what feels good and maintain a regular movement practice.  I invite you to try out one or all of these methods and I wish you success on your journey from anxious to calm. Feel free to check out the Anxiety Formula from Lig & Ceptor for additional support.

Low back pain is well documented to be an extremely common health problem, and is in the top list of reasons why someone would see their primary care doctor. It has approximately a 50-80% chance of occurring in one’s lifetime based on the current reported literature.  Multiple environmental and personal factors influence the onset and course of low back pain. Studies have found the incidence of low back pain is highest in the third decade, but can develop as early as childhood and with overall prevalence increasing with age until the 60–65-year-old age group and then it gradually declines. Factors like workplace environment, repetitive lifting, emotional/psychological stress and general physical deconditioning all contribute to this problem. Most therapies for acute and chronic low back pain involve a tincture of time and therapeutic exercises like stretching and yoga, along with topical therapies like ice and/or heat. Unfortunately, low back pain has a high recurrence rate often necessitating more aggressive treatment. Patients will often require manipulative therapies like chiropractic or osteopathic adjustments along with the use of NSAIDS and muscle relaxants to achieve relief. Despite these interventions some patients may go on to be prescribed medications for neuropathy, like Gabapentin and Lyrica or even anti-depressants like Cymbalta. Some stress induced back pain and back muscle spasms are treated with anti-anxiety drugs like Valium and Xanax, which can bring about dependence and unwanted side effects. In the 1990’s and the 2000’s a strong push for controlling back pain occurred with the prescribing of opiates in escalating doses. This was a large component of the opioid epidemic we saw unfold over the past two decades which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.  Sadly, low back pain treated with surgery has a poor track record with nearly 30-46% of those surgeries offering little to no help or even making conditions worse.  This actually has a recognized name in the medical community it is called ‘Failed Back Surgery Syndrome’.   With low back pain being so prevalent many adjunctive remedies have been used, including natural products like topical creams and ointments containing things like CBD (cannabidiol), arnica and mentholatum. Oral use of herbal anti-inflammatories like white willow bark, turmeric (curcumin), bromelain and Green Maeng Da (kratom) have all been used to some degree or another to address this problem. Many of these approaches have been shown to provide some temporary relief, while time and gentle exercise provide for healing. As the future of medicine unfolds other remedies like stem cell therapy and exosome therapy may offer a new way of addressing these problems in a regenerative way. As with many things in medicine there is always some common-sense methods to help deal with possibly prevent future low back pain events, they include reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, stress reduction exercises (meditation and breath work), regular stretching and light weight training along with appropriate aerobic exercise. At the end of the day you still are what you eat, so please try to follow an organic, whole food diet with a healthy balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein. If you are plagued with acute or chronic back pain please reach out to your primary care provider to seek help in clarifying your diagnosis and obtaining appropriate therapies for relief. Sean Devlin D.O. 

As we age and as stress increases our focus, concentration, effective cognition can all fade. A wandering mind, constantly feeling distracted, being pulled off track are  sensations that have become all too common for many of us. Especially as we have rolled through 2020.  There are many reasons for this. Modern life is complicated. We have families and friends that pull on us and have expectations. Socially we have an innate human desire to stay in contact. Let's not forget work pressures as well. In addition, text messages, phone calls, social media alerts, immerses us in a variety of interruptions and stimulations.   We are asking a lot of our nervous systems, we need be ready to connect and receive information at any moment. This chronic and episodic onslaught of stimulation can cause us to lose focus, decrease our mental clarity and bring on a state of brain fog; where we forget what we are doing, become easily distracted or start losing track of things.  Some solutions do exist in the forms of mindfulness/meditation, taking time out to rest the mind and even exercise, like yoga, can bring about clarity. Several solutions have been proposed in the pharmaceutical world, things like Adderal and Nuvigil have been available for many years and have been used to help bring focus to those with ADHD and help support a fatigued mind. However, side-effects and potential dependence have made these “fixes” problematic. From the natural world, a long line of herbs and extracts have been used for centuries to deal with some of these complaints. One such remedy includes a class of substances called Adaptogens.  Adaptogens have been used for centuries to help our bodies maintain a state of balance or homeostasis in the face of multiple and sometimes contradictory demands. Ingredients like Ashwaganda can support our endocrine, immune and nervous system making them more resilient. Use of these substances come out of the long tradition of “tonics”, which were used to “tonify” our bodies, to promote the optimal expenditure of energy. We want to stay in that well balanced sweet spot, not too tightly wound and not so loose that we are flailing through life.  If we imagined that our body was a stringed instrument - we want to be in tune, in a space of clarity, where we are resonant and alert but not wired or frazzled; comfortable and engaged in our life and our work. One of the most powerful things we can do to live in balance is to decide that a balanced life is a priority. Once we make this decision we can be creative in how this shows up in our life.  What boundary would I like to set first?  Turning off my phone and computer for certain times of the day or even days at a time. Consistently choosing foods that keep my blood sugars in a healthy range and keep me well nourished.  Monitoring and maintaining a healthy blood pressure.   Saying no to requests that are beyond your capacity.  Is there a ritual or routine that helps me increase productivity? Please answer the following honestly.  Am I getting quality sleep?  Am I exercising regularly?  Am I drinking too much alcohol or misusing stimulants?  Using these self-inquiries can help you mold a plan of action that is right for you.  For many years people have used breath work, yoga, meditation to attain states of clarity.  By using established practices, we can find our own state of being that enhances our ability to focus and maintain a crisp sense of mental acuity. Finding and being in a flow state can bring great rewards and satisfaction in life. The use of natural substances has helped many people incorporate and explore flows states, some of these items include micro dosing psilocybin mushrooms and taking apoptogenic cocktails.  By exploring some of these remedies you may find yourself with a more functional ability to concentrate and an improved mental focus. Ann Barnet, M.D. and Sean Devlin, D.O.

Lig and Ceptor has made the switch to eCheck and Cryptocurrency for two simple reasons, to make all of our product available, and to speak our true voice without censorship or restriction.   As thought leaders in the world of nutraceuticals we are not interested in watering down our formulas in order to sell them via credit card. Our formulas set us apart from the rest, they work because of the carefully selected ingredients. Things like Kava, Maeng Da, and Gaba are seen as high risk by credit card processors but thoroughly vetted and deemed safe and effective by our team of physicians. These ingredients can be bought over the counter but are restricted in the online realm. Our formulas are our true voice and in order to speak to that voice we needed to switch it up.   While this change is somewhat inconvenient for our customers, know that you will be getting a product that is unique to the market, well researched, and achieves the desired effect. By doing this we are able to bring you two new products, our Sleep Formula and Anxiety Formula, with new formulas in development for Cancer support, Autoimmune support, Neuro health, and Cardiac health among others. We want to make all of our formulas available without restrictions, so join us in this movement to evolve medicine.    eCheck and Cryptocurrency payment methods are fully secure.  Cryptocurrency is considered one of the safest ways to pay over the internet.  eChecks are encrypted and entered into a secure ACH online system which removes the risk of spying eyes and predatory fraudsters.    If you have any questions or concerns please email us at info@ligandceptor.com. 

Pain is truly one of sciences biggest challenges. Our acute pain response can serve to protect us, as in recoiling from an electric shock or hot surface. We are sensitive to acute pain and recoil before our brain even realizes it and this protective mechanism is a good thing. Some people are subject to debilitating chronic pain that seems to serve no purpose at all. Interestingly, there is no dedicated pain center in the brain, MRI research has shown a pain signal can surface almost anywhere in the brain and the same pain stimuli can show up in completely different part of brain. The signal does not travel through the hippocampus like our thoughts, therefore, pain cannot be stored as memory.  This may be why pain of childbirth is not remembered as acutely and in turn, allows the mother to be willing to go through the process again.  Just below the skin we have pain receptors call nociceptors, it is thought theses nociceptors respond to thermal pain, chemical pain, and mechanical pain. The signals are then transmitted to the spinal cord via fast A-delta fibers and the slower C fibers. The A-delta fibers transmit the sharp initial pain of a needle stick or stubbed toe and the C fibers are responsible for the throbbing pain that lingers after. Thankfully, nociceptors do not react to normal touch, those are conveyed through a separate set of nerves. A-delta fibers transmit at around 250 MPH, essentially instantaneous. The spinal cord can intercept these signals and reflexively cause a recoil before your brain can fully comprehend the situation.  A Few Different Types of Pain: Acute Pain or Stimulated Pain: If you hit your thumb with a hammer or fall and strike you ribs you will be left with a persistent pain. This pain is considered “good” pain and is telling you to rest the affected area to give it time to heal.  Inflammatory Pain: Tissues in the body become swollen and inflamed from a response of white blood cells and the chemicals they release. This response causes are area to become painful, red, and often swollen. This can be caused by untreated causes of acute pain, irritant exposure, infection, or the inappropriate inflammatory response seen in autoimmune disorders such as Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Phantom Limb Pain:  Perceived pain from an amputated limp may go on indefinitely and can be quite troubling. One theory suggests that the lack of signals from the missing limb causes the brain to interpret this as a severe injury and sends out an unending signal of distress that won’t turn off. Dysfunctional Pain: In dysfunctional pain there is no inflammation, trauma, or external stimuli. The pain is without an obvious purpose.  Fibromyalgia is the most recognized version of dysfunctional pain. Neuropathic Pain: The result of damaged nerves that instead of shutting off like most systems that are broken, stay turned on, and becomes sensitive. Such is the case with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.  Cancer Pain: This pain becomes evident only after cancer has spread to an area that has pain fibers and by that time it is usually wide spread. It would be much better if we were designed to feel pain from early cancer but many internal organs do not possess traditional pain fibers. Chronic Pain: This is pain that continues well beyond the time when acute pain should have resolved, some consider it a breakdown of the system. It’s a frustrating thing trying to figure out how to turn chronic pain off.  The US Institute of Medicine states that 40% of adults in US experience chronic pain and 20% of those for more than 20 years.  Chronic pain can be hugely debilitating, around 80% of chronic pain sufferers get no benefit from even the best medical treatment and those that do get relief don’t get much. Big Pharma now considers development of drugs to control pain a “pharmaceutical graveyard”. They have spent billions in development but as of yet there have been no drugs that control chronic pain effectively without detrimental side effects and addiction (see blog: Unpacking the Opioid Epidemic). There are however emerging techniques and therapies being used with good results in dealing with Chronic Pain.  Things like Spinal Cord Stimulation, acupuncture, yoga, and meditation along with a carefully managed, non-narcotic, medication regimen are showing promise.  In fact, here in Reno, Nevada an Urgent Care recently opened solely dedicated to the treatment of pain, unitedpainurgentcare.com.  At Lig and Ceptor we took a deep dive into the available literature and developed a plant-based formula that focuses on the modulation of inflammation, tuning down the broken chronic pain system, and altering the perception of pain.  Utilizing current science and years of clinical experience, we tackled the pain issue by developing our plant-based Pain Formula.  We included ingredients that are known to affect several different receptors involved in pain and the perception of pain. We believe we have developed an effective product that supports the body’s response to all types of pain. Early anecdotal evidence shows promise.  If you are curious check out our Relieve: Pain Formula, review the ingredients, and learn why we chose them for our formulation.  Please contact us at info@ligandceptor.com for any questions. Lanny Andrews M.D. 

  As practicing physicians, we have been seeing patients with COVID-19 for just over 10 months in our clinics and hospitals.  Here is our advice: #1) Turn off the news.  When we see patients, who are visibly nervous and upset we suggest that they turn off the news (because let’s face it - it’s mainly bad news)-  perhaps try the nature channel or phone a friend, listen to classical music or take a walk along the river… the beneficial results are almost instantaneous. We know it is important for us all to stay informed, however having a running commentary focused 24/7 on a variety of worst case nightmare scenarios is harmful to our health. Especially when we are sick, just as we need to consume a healthy diet in general, and this includes not only organic whole foods, but also safe and balanced sources of information. We need to actively eliminate our doses of fear and increase of intake of hope and inspiration. #2) Support your immune system. Ideally, start before you get sick. Although we have limited studies regarding vitamins, herbs and supplements when it comes to COVID-19 specifically, we do have more evidence that they help when it comes to other viruses, including the corona virus family. These observations by no means replace your physician’s evaluation and advice. Some of the research suggests that of our immune system’s best allies include Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, CBD, elderberry, Turkey Tail mushroom and melatonin. An optimal Vitamin D level is 60-100 ng/ml and the majority of hospitalized COVID-19 patients have much lower levels, we understand through direct observation that patients with low Vitamin D levels have a tendency to do poorly with this infection. Getting out in nature and exposing yourself to sunlight can help boost Vitamin D levels in the body as well as taking a Vitamin D supplement and checking your Vitamin D levels regularly can guide your usage.   #3) Move your body. Do things that bring you joy, dance, walk, run, play -whatever it is – doing yoga in your living room to playing in the yard with your dog. Exercise has been shown in numerous studies to support your immune system as well as stave off depression and anxiety. #4) Ask for help. So many patients that we care for in the clinic and the hospital struggle with asking for help. Whether if it is from pride, shame or just not knowing how they often wait until things have gotten really bad before they come in for help - had they come in earlier - their bodies would have suffered less damage and possibly recovered more quickly.  Especially with COVID-19, we want to intervene before you need the ICU and a ventilator. Even with limited resources and rationing - there are still many avenues of support available to all of us. Many of us are uncomfortable in the role of patient and that’s okay, during these times we are all potential patients and need to have compassion and empathy for each other. It is through asking for and providing help that will bring us all together. #5) Be patient. One of COVID’s great lessons is to slow down and pause. This takes patience and when you are scared and uncomfortable it is hard to just be. This is more challenging than ever but it can be an opportunity to become clear on what you truly need and want in your life. It can also show us how much we value the people in our lives and how truly interconnected we all are.  #6) Connect with people in appropriate and safe ways. COVID-19 has also amplified the experience of loneliness. We’ve all experienced the challenges of social distancing and this unfortunately is taken to a new level for patients.  Visitors are restricted to one single person per hospitalization for just a few hours each afternoon. It’s okay to let people know that we are all lonely, scared, bored at times and we should to ask for what we need. This is also an opportunity to make those phone calls, initiate video chats and even revisit the art of letter writing. Reach out in your own way but please reach out.  As humans, we have a need to socialize and being disconnected from others can cause significant emotional, physical and spiritual harm. To learn more about our medical partners please visit their website at www.gerbermedical.com And their podcast at www.themedicinewheel.org. Sean Devlin D.O. and Ann Barnet M.D.

Infectious diseases causing “demics” are strange and often unpredictable.  Some lay waste to an area and then suddenly disappear, sometimes for years, sometimes forever.  Some pop up at random in widely distant and variant geographic locales then go quietly only to show up somewhere else.  Others spread like wildfire to encompass the globe and wreak havoc.  So what are the factors a pathogen needs to run a successful pandemic? Lethality How lethal a pathogen is helps determine its success.  Take Ebola, with an average of around 50% lethality, the mere mention of it causes people to flee to a non-endemic area.  The infected are incapacitated fast, die rapidly, and thus are not able to effectively spread the disease.  Ebola is very infectious but held back by being too fast acting and deadly.  It would be more effective if it mutated to a milder form making spread easier.  In essence, what makes it terribly deadly also makes it less effective.  Infectivity How good is it at spreading? The most effective way to infect humans is to be airborne and have the ability to survive on skin and surfaces. Add in viral shedding before and after symptom onset as well as asymptomatic carriers and you have the ability to effectively find new hosts.  Containment How difficult it is to contain an outbreak? With global travel so prevalent in todays society pathogens that aren’t particularly deadly and are good at spreading have no problem subverting efforts of containment. Vaccines How susceptible is it to vaccines?  Influenza constantly mutates making vaccine effectiveness highly variable.  It is a best guess that is planned out months in advance, achieving an influenza vaccine that is 50% effective is considered successful.  There have been at least five mutations of Covid-19 that make it more infective but despite these mutations the vaccine is still projected to be effective. So the key to a successful pandemic is that the pathogen doesn’t kill too well, spreads easily so it can circulate widely, and mutates around vaccines. Let’s take a look at a few well known pathogens. Ebola Highly lethal with rapid onset making it difficult to spread combined with swift and coordinated response to contain, no vaccine as of yet. Small Pox Highly contagious, 30% mortality, susceptible to vaccines, global travel not as established as it is now.  Eradicated via aggressive global vaccination and rapid containment response via “ring vaccination” (isolating cases and vaccinating all people in that area).  Influenza Low mortality rate at 0.1%, easily spread, Host can spread virus 1-2 days prior to symptom onset and up to a week after recovery.  This along with global travel and its ability to mutate make it difficult to contain and vaccinate against. Coronovirus’ SARS (SARS-CoV-1)   Average to low infectivity with 10% mortality, spread globally with over 8000 cases.  Considered contained in humans due to strong global cooperation, but still exists in animals.  No vaccine but CDC has developed prototype. MERS (MERS-CoV) Less infective, 2500 cases, 34% mortality, still popping up in humans but, so far, rapidly contained.  No vaccine. Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Improved on the coronavirus strategy by being more infections with a lower mortality of 2-3% but much more deadly than influenza, not to mention asymptomatic carriers.  Luckily the development of mRNA vaccine technology has allowed rapid and highly effective vaccine development. Covid-19 far outpaces SARS and MERS in total number of deaths because of this lower mortality rate and higher infectivity. All three are zoonotic, meaning they jumped from animals to humans, and all appeared at the turn of century. Alarmingly scientists estimate there are over 800,000 unidentified pathogens in animals that have the potential to jump to humans, so the struggle is real.  Don’t be surprised as more of these pop up in the future. What can be done? Pandemic preparedness   Politics aside, The WHO and CDC continue to develop strategies to handle pandemics.  Vaccinations Vaccine development is evolving rapidly and has been shown to be safe and effective. Social Precautions Hypervigilance with distancing, masks, hygiene, and public vaccination buy-in makes these pathogens less likely to spread but it’s no guarantee that they won’t.  Personal Health Avoid vices that are known to be unhealthy, stay well hydrated, exercise, and don’t forget about addressing your overall wellness. Western Medicine Vaccines aside, modern western medicine has developed some pharmaceuticals that can reduce symptoms such as antivirals and monoclonal antibody treatment, but in reality there are not many options out there once you are sick. Naturopathic Medicine Vitamins, minerals, and plant-based alternatives do show some promise at protecting individuals from contracting disease and may optimize the body’s ability to resist and fight invaders.  There is evidence that some help modulate the inflammatory and immune response from invasive organisms and some have shown to inhibit viral attachment and replication. At Lig & Ceptor we developed our viral formulation based on years of clinical practice and taking a deep dive into the current available literature. If you would like to know more check out our Resist: Viral Formula, review the ingredients and the science to understand why we choose to them in the fight against viral invaders.  See "Lessons From the Covid-19 Pandemic". It’s crazy times but stay vigilant, care for yourself and your community, and remember…What you do matters! Laning Andrews, M.D.

Enhanced with cannabidiol, Lig & Ceptor formulas are effective, science-based products for those looking for a better and more proactive way to address symptomatic health issues while donating 2% of profits to Global Giving initiatives. RENO, Nev. - January 26, 2021 - Lig & Ceptor, a nutraceutical company producing natural, safe, effective alternative medicine for all people, launched three lines of novel plant-based formulas, enhanced with cannabidiol, inspired by healing traditions from around the globe while being firmly rooted in current scientific research designed to relieve, resist and renew. By fusing compassion and conscience with the data, science and knowledge accumulated through years of medical practice — Lig & Ceptor will help decrease suffering and increase peace of mind and comfort for their customers. For patients seeking new treatment options for chronic illnesses, for medical and health professionals looking for new and different ways to help, for people, young and old, who just want to feel better and increase their overall health and well-being – the three product lines were developed to live better, with more products launching soon.     Relieve: Pain Formula Focuses on several key receptors to aid in a safe and effective means of supporting and recalibrating stimulated pain receptors. Resist: Viral Formula Optimizes the body’s response to invasive organisms by helping to modulate the immune system and inflammatory response. Renew: Focus Formula Supports the body and mind to operate at an optimal level.    All of Lig & Ceptor’s formulas have a Cannabidiol (CBD) backbone, which enhances the wide-reaching benefits of other ingredients. By turning on or off certain receptors in the body, desired results can be achieved for a number of conditions. Over 43% of prescription medications are derived from plants. Mother Nature has been the birthplace of all indigenous healing traditions.   “'How can we evolve medicine in a way that makes it better for all and could even make all of us better? As integrative physicians on the front lines of healthcare, we ask ourselves this question every day,” said Sean Devlin, D.O., co-founder at Lig & Ceptor.   “For the past year and a half our team has tirelessly endeavored to review and study the scientific literature from around the world in an effort to address some of the most pressing medical concerns of our time. After seeing firsthand both the benefits and shortcomings of modern-day pharmacology, we’ve made it our goal to provide safer and more effective alternatives.”   The company is mission-based and committed to donating 2% of profits to supporting groups and initiatives that are having the biggest positive impact towards sustainable health for humans and planet earth. Optimal health arises when the most fundamental needs are met including access to clean water, food, shelter, medicine and safe, supportive communities.    Lig & Ceptor formulations are manufactured in an FDA approved facility and in accordance with the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) which validates the identity, strength, quality, and purity for all formulas.   For more details and to purchase visit: https://ligandceptor.com/.   Direct to consumer and wholesale opportunities available at launch.    About Lig & Ceptor Lig & Ceptor is a physician-founded company that produces natural, safe, and effective medicine for all people looking for a better and more proactive way to intervene, prevent, and discover alternative treatments for symptomatic health issues seen in society today. Through effective, thoroughly researched, science-based products along with their conscientious, compassionate approach to business and health, Lig & Ceptor is evolving the way to think about medicine, health, wellness and self-care.      

Over the past two decades opioid use in the US skyrocketed creating widespread misuse, addiction, and overdose, leading us to a modern day opioid crisis.  At its peak overdose deaths in the US exceed that of car crashes and the majority of these deaths are due to opioids.   2018 data showed that in the US 128 people died daily after opioid overdose.  Let's go back in time and explore some of the events that got us here.  In 1980  a Letter to the Editor written by Jane Porter and Hershel Jick was published in the well respected New England Journal of Medicine entitled “Addiction rare in patient treated with narcotics.”  It was loose science at best with a misleading conclusion that opioids are essentially non-addictive.  Drug representatives began using this letter as proof that it was safe to now prescribe opioids for a variety of circumstances.  Another article published in Pain in 1986 by PK Portenoy concluded that use of long-term opiates was safe for chronic, non-cancer pain.  The study had a whopping total of 38 patients!  38 patients is nowhere near the number needed to make such claims, nonetheless this paper was extensively cited as proof that opioids were safe.  As the patent for MS Contin ran out, OxyContin arrived in 1996 and was vigorously promoted as less likely to be addictive than other opioids because of its “extended release” variant, later proven to be quite the opposite.  Drug reps went nuts promoting OxyContin aggressively with advertising, sales benchmark bonuses, and free coupons.  The infamous Prudue Pharma spent $200 million dollars promoting Oxycontin in 2001 alone, stating risk of addiction as being <1%.  The Porter and Jick letter as well as the Portenoy study were in heavy rotation during this time.  Enter pain, the 5th vital sign.  Vitals signs (blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, temperature) are measured objectively.  Pain is subjective as reported by the patient and cannot be measured, thus it really has no place on the Mount Rushmore of vital signs.  JHACO (Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) began promoting pain as a 5th vital sign in the 90’s with the belief that health care professionals were not adequately treating pain.  This continued to gain traction and is universally used throughout the US today.  So based on the subjective account of pain levels usually on a 1-10 scale there was a push to get those high, subjectively reported, numbers down, most often with opioids.  Opioid makers gave millions of dollars promoting this campaign and within the first decade of its introduction opioid overdose deaths increased 4 fold, opioid prescriptions increased 7 fold.   The US, by far, has the largest amount of opioids in the world despite having a relatively small percentage of the worlds population.  As our opioid prescription practices increased along with the subsequent rise in overdose deaths the “Pill Mills” proliferated rapidly.  Glorified pain clinics began popping up throughout the US, willingly writing large doses of opioids for long periods of time for any “justifiable” pain complaint.  These clinics usually did not accept insurance, preferred patients pay cash, and were highly profitable.  Over time these clinics were shut down and other legit clinics were affected by new regulations.  We reached our peak opioid prescription total in 2011, after regulations began this number has steadily decreased.  So now we have a large population addicted to opioids and the access door was promptly shut.  With no access people were forced to turn to the streets due to lack of prescription opioids.  The street value of prescription opioids was very high and heroin was cheap so we start to see a rise in heroin overdose deaths.  It was reported in 2011 that 4 out of 5 heroin users stared with prescription opioids.  Over the last 5 years fentanyl has been increasingly added to or replacing heroin all together, why, simple economics.  They costs the same to make but the street value of fentanyl is roughly 6x higher.  So dealers began adding small amounts of fentanyl to diluted heroin to make it hit harder up front.  Fentanyl has 100x the potency of Morphine so even small additions of this drug can be enough to push a user over the edge.  Fentanyl can also be easily put in pill form and labeled as Norco, Vicodin, or Lortab for those that shy away from intravenous administration.  As we continue to climb out of this crisis approximately 30,000 Americans still die yearly due to opiates.  Fentanyl will continue to rise and prescription regulation will only partially address the problem.  People suffering from addiction to opioids will continue to get their opioids somewhere and pills containing high potency opioids will cause more overdoses.  Treatment options will continue to be limited as methadone/Suboxone clinics as well as rehab facilities continue to struggle.  Big pharmaceutical companies such as Purdue Pharma will be slapped on the wrist but others will continue to find loopholes and creative strategies to promote and sell their drugs.  As awareness grows about the true dangers of opioids and misinformation is quickly disproven, people will begin to discover better ways to get relief from pain.  Opioids do have a place in medicine for acute pain and some chronic pain conditions but for most things there are very effective, nonaddictive alternatives with no side effect profiles.  Plant-based medicine, physical therapy, yoga, acupuncture, meditation, and a myriad of other modalities are readily available and have proven to be highly effective in the treatment of pain.  In future posts we will break down pain and do a deep dive into a myriad of non-opioid treatment modalities.  We encourage your feedback and want to hear about your experiences with pain and what methods you use to mitigate that pain.  Laning Andrews, M.D.

We have all experienced anxiety to some degree.  Universally it is uncomfortable.  Anxiety can manifest as worried mind chatter, constantly asking “what if this bad thing or that bad thing happens… what if…? Underneath the distraction of anxiety, we find fear at the root.   The true path to healing anxiety involves acknowledging these underlying fears, accepting their presence and yes actually befriending them. Often when we have been able to understand the source of our fear from a different perceptive it can enhance our lives.  Our brains are wired to err on the side of fear, prioritizing the fear response over relaxation.  Many early experiences have left a strong imprint of fear in our minds so when we are exposed to even a shadow of a previously traumatic event, fear and anxiety can ensue. There are many plant allies that can assist us in transforming our relationship with anxiety producing fears.  Numerous plants contain compounds that help stabilize our nervous systems in the presence of fear, binding to receptors that maintain balance and optimum function through up regulation/ down regulation by occupying key receptor sites when the primitive parts of our brain are responding with the fight and flight response to a real (or more often perceived) threat.  Our limbic system guides the processing of our emotions in our amygdala, governing the resulting communication between other brain and hormonal centers.  Some of the most critical neurotransmitters that play a role in this process are GABA, serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Yes many of the “threat’s” that our vagal system responds to are only imaginary.  Using plant allies in conjunction with mind body therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique, EMDR or Somatic inclusive therapies can deeply support profound physical and emotional healing and help recalibrate our nervous system when we have become stuck in patterns of hyper vigilance and worry. Ann Barnet, M.D.

We recognize that optimal health arises when a variety of needs are met.  The most fundamental of these include access to clean water, food, shelter, medicine and safe/ supportive communities.  Overarching all of these things, we need to treat each other and our planet with respect and gratitude.   We are aware that basic needs are not being met for many of our fellow humans that live on this planet. We are dedicated to changing that. With enhanced awareness of the importance of protecting Indigenous wisdom, food bearing land, healing plants and natural medicines as well as supporting the communities that keep these ecosystems in balance. We are dedicated to supporting and sharing the importance and wisdom of nature’s ability to heal and the need for balance and harmony as we engage with nature. Across the globe, approximately 844 million people have limited access to safe drinking water or hand washing facilities.  In this time of pandemic, civil unrest and economic stress it is more critical than ever to show our love and support for those who struggle with just the basics…clean water! Some research has shown that 1/3 of high quality farmland in the world has been lost over the past 40 years. Over 20% of the Amazon rainforest are gone.  The very origins of some of the medicine we use in our formulas are being threatened as you read this. Over 43% of prescription medications are derived from plants.  Mother nature has been the birthplace of all indigenous healing traditions. We are committed to donating 2% of all our profits to supporting groups and initiatives that are having the biggest positive impact towards sustainable health for humans and planet earth.  These groups have been vetted for their fiscal transparency and overall integrity.  We will start by supporting Waterkeeper Alliance, a highly impactful nonprofit that is preserving and protecting water worldwide. If you know of a reputable nonprofit or group that supports our vision, please share their contact information with us so we can support planetary health on multiple levels.  With passion and resolve we remain fully vested in spaceship Earth With Peace, Love and Medicine Evolved, Lig&Ceptor

According to scientists the most dynamic and structured dreams occur during REM or rapid eye movement sleep.  REM sleep is an important neurodevelopmental process that involves selective pruning and maintaining new synapses.  During REM sleep, newly formed postsynaptic dendritic spines are pruned, facilitating subsequent spine formation during development and storage of newly learned motor tasks.  REM sleep is not a passive process. REM fosters developmental neuroplasticity, which starts during embryonic and fetal development and continues during the first 3 months of infancy. REM plays an important role in modifying and maturing brain circuits. The lack of this plasticity, or dysregulations of active sleep, may result in reduced intellectual ability, reduced learning and memory consolidation, and mental illness.  Even though we are not completely clear on the role of dreaming and REM sleep we know that dreams can be indicative that the REM sleep experience may be happening.  Dreams of course by subjective account can be extremely pleasurable and even life altering.  A phenomenon known as lucid dreaming can be so life like it can be confused with waking moments.  Lucid dreaming may allow for enriched creative processes and greater personal awareness.   All in all, we know dreams are critical for memory formation and maintaining our mental health.  The foundations of learning, emotional recovery, and processing may be deeply influenced by functional sleep and dreaming.  The importance of dream filled sleep is critical for our overall health and should be supported if not being achieved on a regular basis. Sean Devlin, D.O.