Everyone knows heart disease is the #1 killer in America. Everyone also knows that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease, and that saturated fat is the cause of high cholesterol. So Americans dutifully avoid saturated fat (loading up on sugar and carbs instead), check their cholesterol level every year, and eagerly take drugs to get that cholesterol down.

The only problem is that the whole story about saturated fat, cholesterol, and heart disease was fabricated by a scientist named Ancel Keys and was known to be wrong at the time he promoted it with a fraudulent study created to push his narrative. As we have seen in so many other cases throughout history, the loudest voices win out in the scientific community…temporarily, at least. So it was with fats, cholesterol, and heart disease.

While industry and powerful forces in academia and physician organizations continue to defy numerous medical studies disproving the cholesterol theory of heart disease, Americans continue ineffective treatments and experience needless heart attacks and strokes as a result. When people throughout the country repeatedly suffer life-threatening vascular events in spite of taking drugs that were supposed to prevent those events, this should be a clue that we are barking up the wrong tree.
But if lowering cholesterol with a drug isn’t the answer, what is? There are actually several other causes of vascular disease that are completely ignored by conventional medicine. There is a simple reason for this: They are not treatable with drugs. As a result, we doctors don’t learn about them in medical school. One culprit even accounts for 40% of all heart attacks, and chances are pretty good that you have never even heard of it.

It has to do with the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which basically controls every function in our bodies that we don’t have to think about. Without the ANS, we don’t breathe, our heart doesn’t beat, we have no blood pressure, we can’t digest food or fight infections, and our glands, eyes, and sexual functions don’t work. There are two parts to the ANS: The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). There is a constant tug of war going on between these two. When we need to be alert to solve problems, avert danger, fight, or try to keep our cool when we see flashing lights in the rearview mirror, our SNS dominates, shutting down all processes that are not essential to immediate survival. When we are eating or sleeping, our PNS dominates, enabling us to relax, digest and absorb our nutrients, build and repair damaged tissues. The rest of the time, we want to have a balance between the two systems so we can carry out our daily tasks while being ready to respond at a moment's notice if necessary.

Unfortunately, we live in a society in which sympathetic dominance prevails, and by a long shot. What does this look like? If you are overweight (especially if you struggle even with the help of the latest drugs), stressed-out, anxious, irritable, depressed, tired all the time, OR constantly on edge, chances are really good that you have SNS dominance. If you have chronic pain, brain fog, insomnia, frequent headaches, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, Long COVID, or get sick often, you are probably SNS dominant. If your resting heart rate is over 62 beats per minute, OR if you overtrain, chances are good that you are SNS dominant.

“So what?” you ask. “Why should I care?” Well, you might care because SNS dominance puts you on the road to a heart attack. Or a stroke. Or Alzheimer’s, obesity, asthma, arthritis, autoimmune disease, and cancer. Or to stay in pain indefinitely. Or succumb to every illness that comes around. Elderly people with SNS dominance have a higher risk of falls and fractures. Moreover, when sympathetic overdrives prevents us from activating our PNS, we are unable to heal—whether from injuries, surgery, illness, or simply the wear and tear of daily life. This has profound effects on our quality of life. If that’s not enough, the longer we remain in SNS dominance (as measured by HRV), the earlier we die of any cause.

But how can you know for sure how well your ANS is functioning? The answer is to undergo formal heart rate variability (HRV) testing, not to be confused with the inaccurate HRV tests offered by watches and rings. The HRV test measures the variation in time between heartbeats, providing insight into the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. A lower HRV often indicates sympathetic dominance. Take Stephanie, for example: Stressed and overweight, she was a perfect candidate for SNS dominance. When we tested her, we were of course not surprised at all:
By contrast, a surprising number of people who are thin, feel fine, and have not a care in the world are shocked to discover they are in the same boat with Stephanie. This is why it is important to get tested: You can’t treat what you don’t know you have. And it’s not an exaggeration to say that what you don’t know you have can kill you.

So what can you do if your ANS is out of balance? The good news is that there are lots of things you can do on your own. The simplest of these is deep breathing. There are more effective breathing techniques you can learn, but simple deep breathing is a good start. A few other D-I-Y steps you can take include:
• Eliminate or reduce the stressors you can.
• Get enough rest.
• Replace sugar and processed foods with healthy alternatives.
• Get enough physical activity without overtraining.
• Take omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins.
• Take cold showers or baths.
• Yoga, tai chi
• Enjoy sexual intimacy if you have a committed partner.
• Get regular massages.
• Avoid alcohol.
• HYDRATE.
• Chew your food slowly, thoroughly, thoughtfully, and gratefully.

Utilizing a combination of these approaches over time may be all you need to restore ANS balance. If on re-test you still find yourself in the danger zone of sympathetic dominance, there is no need to despair. Similarly, if you have such severe SNS dominance that you are unable to function in life at the level you deserve, you’re in luck: At Prestige Wellness Institute, you can take advantage of a number of tools to supercharge and accelerate your own ANS-balancing efforts.

Whether you’re tired of suffering or are simply ready to take your performance to the next level, you can make your journey a lot easier and faster by consulting with the professionals at Prestige Wellness Institute, (435) 259-4466.

*This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult with a licensed and qualified professional before taking any action regarding your health.

Rising healthcare costs across the U.S. continue to create challenges for families, individuals, and healthcare providers. Moab Regional Hospital remains committed to ensuring that high-quality care is both accessible and affordable for everyone in the community.

Solutions to Ease Financial Stress
Understanding that medical bills can be overwhelming, Moab Regional Hospital prioritizes price transparency and billing accountability, ensuring patients know what to expect. Various programs and discounts are available to help reduce financial barriers, ensuring that cost never becomes an obstacle to receiving necessary care.

A Team Dedicated to Helping Patients
Moab Regional Hospital's financial services team is committed to providing compassionate support and guidance.

Connie Beason, Financial Navigator, emphasizes the hospital’s dedication to patient assistance:
"No matter the situation, help is available. Whether a patient has insurance or not, the team works to find savings. Many individuals in the community live paycheck to paycheck, and reducing medical expenses is a rewarding part of the job."

Kim Giron, Self-Pay Clerk, highlights the hospital’s welcoming approach:
"Life can be tough, and medical bills only add to that stress. The goal is to make the process easier, without judgment, and to ensure every patient feels comfortable and supported."

Programs Designed to Save Patients Money
Prompt Pay Discount – Patients can receive a 20% discount by paying their bill within 30 days of the first statement (excluding co-pays). Interest-free payment plans are also available for up to six months.
Uninsured Discount – Patients without insurance automatically receive a 39% discount on medical bills.
Financial Assistance – Patients that qualify can receive help with hospital bills, co-pays, and deductibles based on their income and family size.

Medicaid and CHIP Assistance
Moab Regional Hospital assists those seeking enrollment in state healthcare programs such as CHIP, Medicaid, and PCN. These programs provide comprehensive health coverage for eligible individuals and families, including doctor visits, hospital care, prescription drugs, and more. The hospital can help connect you with a State of Utah Eligibility Specialist who is available to guide patients through the process, answer questions, and assist with applications.

Patients can apply by:
Visiting the hospital's Business Office to pick up an application.
Downloading the application from Utah Medicaid’s website.
Applying online through Utah’s Medicaid Portal.

Impacting Lives in the Community
In 2024, Moab Regional Hospital provided over $1.3 million in financial assistance to more than 400 patients and supported over 3,000 uninsured individuals with more than $2.7 million in aid.

Contact Information
For questions about billing, discounts, or financial assistance, patients can contact the Business Office at 435-719-3536.
Moab Regional Hospital remains dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of the community by providing financial solutions that make healthcare more affordable.

Though previously a Taiko drummer, for the last 20+ years I have focused more on African drumming. I have played with the Arizona Dunun Ensemble, the Africa Hearwood Project, and Quinn Ressor in Salt Lake City for Rosie Banchero WOFA Dance Co. Before moving back to Moab (Nov 2023) I conducted weekly classes in Dolores, Colorado.

While innkeeper at the Red Moon Lodge, (2017) I had a weekly African drumming classes in yoga Barn. Right now, I invite you to consider being a part of a drumming group that would meet weekly in Dance Studio at the South Town Gym.

Drumming is not a distinctively human technology. The use of percussion as a form of musicality, communication, and social organization, is believed to stretch as far back as 8 million years ago to the last common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees and humans living somewhere in the forests of Africa.

6 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Drumming

1. Reduces Blood Pressure, Anxiety/Stress.
Conclusions from a 2014 study published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine showed a reduction in blood pressure, blood lactate and stress and anxiety levels in both middle-aged experienced drummers and a younger novice group after a 40-minute djembe drumming session.

2. Increases Brain White Matter & Executive Cognitive Function
A 2014 study published in the Journal of Huntington’s Disease found that two months of drumming intervention in Huntington’s patients (considered an irreversible, lethal neurodegenerative disease) resulted in improvements in executive functioning and changes in white matter microstructure, most notably in across the corpus callosum, the part of the brain that connects the left and right hemispheres.

3. Reduces Pain
A 2012 study published in Evolutionary Psychology found that active performance of music (singing, dancing and drumming) triggered endorphin release, whereas merely listening to music did not. The researchers hypothesized that this may contribute to community bonding in activities involving dance and music-making.

4. Reduces Stress (Cortisol/DHEA ratio), Increase Immunity
A 2001 study published in Alternative Therapies and Health Medicine found that drumming “increased dehydroepiandrosterone-to-cortisol ratios, increased natural killer cell activity, and increased lymphokine-activated killer cell activity in the immune system.

5. Facilitates Transcendent (Re-Creational) Experiences
A 2004 study published in the journal Multiple Sclerosis revealed that drumming enables participants to go into deeper hypnotic states, and another 2014 study published in PLOS ONE found that when combined with shamanistic instruction, drumming enables participants to experience decreased heartrate and dreamlike experiences consistent with transcendental experiences.

6. Facilitates Improvement in Socio-Emotional Behavior
A powerful 2001 study published in the journal  Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine  found that low-income children who enrolled in a 12-week group drumming intervention experienced improvement across multiple domains of social-emotional behavior to include anxiety, attention, oppositional and post-traumatic stress disorders.
New to drumming and want to try it? Call Annette to find out about group or individual instruction. Remember that inside all of us are rhythms waiting to be expressed. Bottom line is DRUMMING IS FUN!!