It was 25 days ago when I first noticed tingling in my chest soon after recovering from #COVID. It progressed to #shingles. Weeks later, the pain is only now starting to calm. Shingles can be maddening. You don't want it. I have renewed empathy for people living with pain.
.@ClevelandClinic has launched a Center for Infant and Maternal Health. Infant & maternal mortality rates are key measures of the health of a community.
We're committed to finding solutions and working with partners to help solve this complex issue.

Cleveland Clinic Launches Initiative Focused on Improving Infant and Maternal Health
Supports at-risk women from pregnancy through infant's first year
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For more on the #vMed23 demo companies: @virtualmedconf @AppliedVR @TRIPPVR @siramedical @ConquestVR @NeuroRehabVR @cleanboxtech @Lenovo @FundamentalVr @NoroozClinic @HealiumXR @REALSystemVR @virtualmedconf. If you want to demo in a remaining spot, see: https://virtualmedicine.org/conference/demo
Wanna try out some great medical #XR? Join us for the annual #CedarsSinai "Virtual Med '23" (#vMed23) conference Mar 30-31st. We currently have >20 demo booths signed up. Room for 3 more. Over 50 speakers in agenda. Full lineup and registration info here: https://virtualmedicine.org/conferences/about
These are a few of the meals I've cooked during my detox:
- Celery Ginger Lemon Cucumber Juice
- Casserole with eggs
- Roasted veggies with lemon garlic tahini
- Orange egg yolks
- Bean Burgers
Tag me in your meals. http://bit.ly/3HinqMW
#quickcase you are asked to see a patient with a low lying GIST with upper sphincter invasion. Has had 3 months of imatinib with mild decrease size. What now?
What’s the first thing you do in the morning? #routine #breakfast
Love to see that #VR for pain management still leads the way in the latest version of @Berci’s #digitalhealth hype cycle (as in, VR has graduated well beyond the hype to lead on the plateau of productivity).

The Medical Futurist's Hype Cycle Of The Top 50 Emerging Digital Health Trends features 50 #digitalhealth trends, the heralds of the future, the ones that are to take us further on our road to digital transformation in healthcare.
cc @dgsomucla @UCLA
Congrats to @drfolamay for continuing to build a strong GI health services research program @uclahealth.
Great day! I was finally able to formally welcome our new @UCLA colleague, Utibe Essien (@UREssien). We are so excited about your arrival @UCLAHealth @DOM_UCLA and cant wait to read about all of the incredible work you do here in Los Angeles. #MedTwitter #BostontoLA @IntMedAbel https://twitter.com/UREssien/status/1616525978863554560
In elementary school, I was the daydreaming kid staring out the window, seemingly disconnected. Some teachers thought I was kinda slow. I came to believe I was. So, my little boy self would have been shocked to learn one day I'd be a dean at #UCLA! Renewal letter arrived today.
Increasing our hiring and promotion of diverse talent has always been important to @ClevelandClinic and aligns directly with the mission of @OneTen. Joining the coalition has helped us to improve our workplace inclusivity practices.

Our case study, released today in partnership with @ClevelandClinic & @GradsofLife, amplifies the growth and impact a company can have on Black talent w/o four-year degrees when they makes skills-first hiring and promoting a reality.
Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q01zfYsK0
Using my @HealwithHeat sauna daily to enhance my detox!
We are working hard to eliminate toxins from the mouth and body during the detox, adding the sauna to your routine will support removing a variety of toxins through sweat.
Start this detox with me! https://bit.ly/3HinqMW
Tonight I’ve been managing persistent pain from post-COVID shingles. I then explored fantastical, mind-bending, cyberdelic worlds in @TRIPPVR. No joke: I now feel an urgent drive to create, to build. I am not focused on pain. I’m focused on production. How the brain can change!
Try this nourishing, delicious Zucchini soup with fresh mint! I will be sharing other Detox Tips on Facebook and Instagram at noon LIVE today! Join me 🤳
Recipe by Dr. Mercola from his 'KETOFAST' cookbook.
This picture in the previous tweet is of Harmon Clarke, who allowed us to use his image. You can hear directly from Harmon about how he used #VR to support his own health in this moving talk he gave at #vMed19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DM3O8L2wgU&t=52s
Our strongest memories and insights were forged in a crucible of emotion, both positive and negative, both fear and wonder. I think this is why #VR has such potential for behavioral health. When used responsibly, it nudges the limbic system in a way that durably shapes cognition.
In this vid, I'm debating with philosopher @danieldennett (my prof @TuftsUniversity) about God's existence. But I'm actually debating w *myself* through Dennett's avatar in a twisted-up #VR exchange in @melslater's lab. I discuss this exchange my book VRx: https://amazon.com/VRx-Virtual-Therapeutics-Revolutionize-Medicine/dp/1541699769
Here is a link to the full open-access paper from @AmJGastro: https://journals.lww.com/ajg/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2022&issue=12000&article=00015&type=Fulltext #GITwitter
"Gravity Could Be the Cause of Your #IBS": @PopMech covers the "gravity hypothesis" of irritable bowel syndrome. Thanks to Monique Brouillete for her review of my recent @AmJGastro paper on gravity & the gut, with quotes from @umfoodoc @GregSayuk & others:

If You Have IBS, Gravity Could Be What’s Got Your Stomach In Knots
Gastroenterologist Brennan Spiegel theorizes that gravity may be a cause of irritable bowel syndrome—and possibly other health issues.
www.popularmechanics.com
Be sure to buy organic greens, vegetables, herbs, spices, low glycemic index fruits, healthy fats, and clean animal protein. A full list is available in my 14-Day @orasana Detox guidebook: http://orasana.com/collections/detoxification
Detoxing? Don’t forget about your mouth!
This Orasana kit was designed to help detoxify your mouth from inflammation, bad breath, yeasts, and cavities.
You can learn more about the Orasana 'Detox Your Body' here: https://bit.ly/3HinqMW & detox with me starting January 23rd!
It’s funny what things your brain decides to remember.
Thanks to @CrossComm for participating in #vMed23 at #CedarsSinai. They'll be among 20+ demos that conference registrants can experience on site. Come to @virtualmedconf to check out a wide array of healthcare #XR solutions on Mar 30-31st. Currently about 20% of tix remaining.
We're excited to exhibit at the @virtualmedconf this March and meet with global leaders at the intersection of medicine and immersive tech. Tickets are still available: https://twitter.com/BrennanSpiegel/status/1614420804598661120
I've created the @Orasana 14 Day Plant-Based Detox Program to support the process of metabolic detoxification.
This program is designed to improve digestion and bloating, eliminate toxins & increase focus and boost energy.
Join me: https://bit.ly/3HinqMW
I often lecture about the science of mind-body medicine. But right now, I'm experiencing the theory first hand. Earlier, I was in distress from #shingles pain. I used @TRIPPVR to meditate. Now I feel calm, without pain. It will return in time, but I have the power to push it back
Excited to announce this yr's Virtual Medicine conference will be co-sponsored by @UCLA_CTSI in a collab between @CedarsSinai & @UCLA. The grant will waive registration for the 1st 34 students from CTSI sites who apply (#UCLA, #CedarsSinai, @cdrewu, @HarborUCLA). More info soon!
How does #VR work, exactly? In this #vMed23 session, we'll hear from a neuroscientist, a psychiatrist, and an immunologist (sounds like the start of a joke!) to explore the manifold effects VR has on mind & body. Only 20% of tix remaining. Agenda/register: https://virtualmedicine.org/conference/agenda
Food insecurity is associated with higher rates of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. @ClevelandClinic is working with our patients and community to address the issue and help provide access to healthy food. #StateOfTheClinic
I'm proud of what @ClevelandClinic was able to accomplish in 2022.
Our caregivers are compassionate and dedicated to providing the best care possible to our patients and bettering the health of our community. #StateOfTheClinic
Read More: http://cle.clinic/3WhNzzU
As a doctor, I first learned about #shingles in med school. I read about it in books. Learned about it in lectures. Then, as a doctor, I diagnosed it many times and treated many cases. But now I have it. There's nothing like experiencing an illness to really know what it's like.
📢Open house tomorrow! We're now accepting apps for our 7th class in the #CedarsSinai online MS degree in Health Delivery Science. Learn from our world class faculty & study our unique curriculum. We accept 20 per year. Open house 12pm pst tomorrow. RSVP: https://conta.cc/3CzA1IM
A strictly low-fat diet puts extra stress on the body as it tries to make up for what you’re not providing nutritionally.
Cholesterol benefits so much for:
☑️ Brain function
☑️ Heart function
☑️ Anti-inflammatory hormones
☑️ Sex hormones
https://fal.cn/3vaK8
Pelvic floor disorders are more common than you might think. Dr. @annaspivs joins the Butts & Guts podcast to share updates in pelvic surgery and why it’s important to bring up symptoms right away with your doctor. Visit for the full conversation.

Updates in Pelvic Surgery
Dr. Anna Spivak shares updates in pelvic surgery.
bit.ly
I'll add that I'm using #VR to help manage the neuropathic pain. It really does help me while also giving me new insights about the nature of pain, appreciating the physical and mental demands of pain, and practicing how to manage focus and attention in times of distress.
Just writing a personal note to remind folks that #COVID remains a nasty-ass virus. I had it last month. Now, 3 wks after recovery, I've got post-COVID #shingles. I turned 50 last yr but didn't get zoster vax in time. Now I'm paying the price. Believe me: you don't want shingles!
How does therapeutic #VR lower pain, exactly? We've convened a multidisciplinary team at #CedarsSinai and @NIH to figure it out. Includes experts in neuroimaging, immunology, psychiatry, proteomics, regenerative med, and behavioral health. Grant submitted. We'll see how it goes!
January has traditionally been known as the month of detoxification. It’s now time to honor our bodies and our mouths, by cleaning up our lifestyle and oral hygiene habits and diet.
Learn more about the @Orasana Detox Your Body: http://ow.ly/FPXV50Ms3zw
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not just a day of remembrance. This is an annual reminder that we all have a year-round obligation to fulfill the ideals of justice and equality set forth by Dr. King. #MLKDay2023
Tomislav Mihaljevic on LinkedIn: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not just a day of remembrance. This is an⦠| 15 comments
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not just a day of remembrance. This is an annual reminder that we all have a ...
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It’s been three months since Rebecca discovered the Fast Metabolism diet and interacted on our Facebook group… and she lost 20 pounds!
Join our community today: https://fal.cn/3v91G #community
For the first time, we take you behind the scenes to see the remarkable planning and chain of events that came together to help save @HamlinIsland's life. Once you see this, you won't ever watch another game the same way:
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. championed justice and equality for all.
His legacy of servant leadership inspires our efforts to create a healthier community for everyone.
We honor him in a celebration w/@Microsoft’s Christopher Young. #MLKDay2023
https://youtu.be/ZnJBAKkGeHA
It's been two years since I wrote "VRx." In that time, #Metaverse has become a household term, "Medical Extended Reality" (#MXR) is recognized by @US_FDA, and hospitals around the world are using #VR. It's been a thrill to play a small part in this story: https://www.amazon.com/VRx-Virtual-Therapeutics-Revolutionize-Medicine/dp/1541699769
One of the joys of being a professor is seeing young students thrive. It was a pleasure to participate in the #CedarsSinai U-GROW program focused on preparing diverse and underrepresented students from @calstate for a future career in science. Info:

U-Grow Program Prepares Future Scientists for Graduate School
U-Grow is Cedars-Sinai’s partnership with eight Cal State University campuses to expose potential graduate students ...
www.cedars-sinai.org
It's an international affair! The medical #XR community continues to grow across the world. Here's a map of where registrants for #vMed23 are coming from so far. Still have ~25% tix left. Order by tomorrow night before early bird expires. Agenda/tix here: https://virtualmedicine.org/conferences/about
"IBS/VR" is our newest medical #VR program from #CedarsSinai. It's a virtual clinic patients experience from home over an 8-week treatment course to learn and practice evidence-based behavioral therapies for #IBS. Clinical trial starting soon in partnership with @MayoClinic.
Here's a pic of our last in-person Virtual Medicine conference prior to the pandemic. Looking forward to getting everyone together again in March for #vMed23. Info: https://virtualmedicine.org/conferences/about
Our @VirtualMedConf at #CedarsSinai is the only academic event I've seen to both sell out & have folks looking for tix at the door (pic from vMed19). We've now distributed 75% of tix for #vMed23. Reserve space by tmrw 11:59PM before early bird deadline: https://virtualmedicine.org/conferences/about
#quickcase. You are asked to evaluate a patient who presents with an acute large bowel obstruction with a large left non-reducible inguinal hernia. CT read as sigmoid mass as shown. How do you proceed?
The longer I work in #digitalhealth, the more strongly I believe what's written below.