In the 1960s and early 1970s, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy showed great promise for treating a variety of conditions. After a long moratorium, medical interest in psychedelics is experiencing a dramatic resurgence. Recent studies show the ability of psilocybin to alleviate depression and anxiety in those with terminal illness, and MDMA to help with post-traumatic stress … [Read more...]
Psychedelics as Therapeutics
Psychedelic medicine is here, and as a psychiatrist, I think it’s long overdue. We are in the midst of a mental health crisis, with over a million lives lost in the world each year to suicide. This is especially tragic, because depression is treatable, even if the individual can’t see a way out at the time. About 1 in every 8 Americans takes an antidepressant medication every … [Read more...]
Sewing for Lives: 11,000 volunteers are sewing mask covers
“I was just thinking to myself that it’s crazy that we’re in a position where we may not have the necessary ‘personal protective equipment,’ (PPE)” says Megan Jansen, Registered Nurse at Salt Lake Regional Hospital and founder of Sewing for Lives, “How are we going to protect our patients if we can’t even protect ourselves?” Wanting to help her healthcare family during this … [Read more...]
The Other Side Academy: A Home for Recovering Addicts and Criminals in Salt Lake City
“We’re a family here. We’re all about connection. If addiction is disconnection, recovery is reconnection.” —Dave Derocher. I recently had the chance to meet with Dave Derocher, executive director of The Other Side Academy, a home for recovering addicts and criminals in Salt Lake City. I greeted him in their home-base building, a historic mansion located in east downtown. … [Read more...]
The Essential Facts: An expert reveals the slippery science behind essential oils
An expert in essential oils and public health, Dr. Jessie Hawkins, unpacks the slippery science on the popularly multi-level marketed products The following was written and reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with Utah Stories. A recent Utah Stories article quoted from a public health expert with both expertise in essential oils and … [Read more...]
Slippery Sales: Utah’s MLM companies push high volumes of “immunity boosting” essential oils during pandemic scare despite lack of scientific support
The following story was written and reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with Utah Stories. “Hi! I just need some advice please!,” read a panicky post made to the Facebook page of “DT Essential Oils – Best Recipes & Remedies” on March 24. The woman wrote that her husband was traveling for work to Washington and she wanted to know … [Read more...]
How To Beat The Virus Without Feeling Like a Prisoner
On Sunday, I was sitting at home with Nemo, my cat, minding my own business and practicing social isolation. (How’s that for an oxymoron?) As a single man, I’m accustomed to being alone, but I am not good at being forced to participate in the sort of unprecedented paradigm shift into social disintegration we are experiencing now. I had two options: Stay at home and fret … [Read more...]
Psychedelics Craze Spreads to Utah
As research and main-stream acceptance of psychedelics has spread across the United States, the movement officially arrived in Utah. An organization called Salt City Psychedelic Therapy and Research (SCPTR) was hosted and organized by Doctors Parth Gandhi and Dr. Reid Robison. Utah Psychedelic Symposium Shares the benefits of a mostly Illegal class of drugs to make a … [Read more...]
Health and Wellness: Spend Less on Healthcare
Eat well and be well “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” Hippocrates said this around 400 B.C. I want to use this introduction to unpack this statement and understand it beyond how readers might confuse what the old philosopher/physician meant. Hippocrates didn’t mean that when you are sick you should just eat your favorite foods … [Read more...]
Utah Stories’ April Issue Explores Health and Wellness
The caduceus is the traditional symbol that features two snakes winding around a winged staff. It is often mistakenly used as a symbol of medicine in the U.S. Doctor's offices and hospitals. The caduceus is actually a symbol (with ancient Greek origins) to represent commerce, negotiation and even trickery. The correct Greek symbol for medicine is the Rod of Asclepius —a … [Read more...]