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DR. MONA VAND – THE MODERN PHARMACIST – EXAMINES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MICHEAL JACKSON’S FATHER, JOE JACKSON’S STROKE AND THREE HEART ATTACKS AFTER ALLEGEDLY TAKING VIAGRA

Date: 08/21/2015 Print This Post

LOS ANGELES – In light of the recent media spotlight on the Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson following a stroke and multiple heart attacks after he allegedly took three Viagra pills during his recent birthday celebration in Brazil, Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist discusses the safety profile of the popular drug, including interactions and adverse effects in a new video clip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBVZYLTJZAM&feature=youtu.be

Dr. Vand explains, “Viagra works by dilating your blood vessels which in turn increases blood flow; a common side effect is a decrease in blood pressure. With any drug, side effects can be increased when matched with a drug interaction.

“For this reason, Viagra has a severe contraindication with a class of medications called Nitrates, which are commonly prescribed to treat chest pain. They dilate blood vessels and drop blood pressure. Because the two of these taken together have such an intensified effect, it’s actually life-threating and they should not be taken together.”

Another dangerous and often overlooked interaction Dr. Vand points out is Viagra and alcohol. “As healthcare professionals, we often see these two taken together and most people don’t know it’s unsafe,” she adds. “Alcohol also can drop your blood pressure so when taken with Viagra it can be very dangerous.”

Additional key points she discusses are:

  • When it comes to any medication, whether prescribed or OTC, they all have a risk of side effects and drug interactions.
  • To prevent harmful drug interactions, she urges people taking medications to communicate with their healthcare providers across the board on exactly what they are taking.

Connect with Dr. Mona Vand on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and sign up for her newsletter or ask questions via her website at www.DrMonaVand.com.

Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness. 

Contact: Steve Levesque, Chrissy Sutphin
818.232.4175, info@luckmedia.com

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HAVING PROBLEMS WITH POLLEN ALLERGIES? DR. MONA VAND – THE MODERN PHARMACIST OFFERS COMMON SENSE LIFESTYLE TIPS TO REDUCE YOUR IRRITATING SYMPTOMS

Date: 08/21/2015 Print This Post

LOS ANGELES – Dr. Mona Vand (www.DrMonaVand.com) may be renowned as The Modern Pharmacist, but as part of her mission to illuminate the connections between pharmaceutical science and overall wellness, she’s also eager to share tips on how simple lifestyle adjustments can sometimes be as effective as medicine.

On the latest of her informative “Mona Minutes” video series, she once again tackles the problem of seasonal allergies with some practical advice. “One of the main causes of seasonal allergies is pollen,” Dr. Vand says. “It’s very irritating to our system, and when we experience it, our bodies look at it as a foreign attacker. This is where your immune system will kick in. When its springtime and all the pollen is blowing around, it literally affects you more because you breathe more in. On rainy days, pollen might be milder because it’s washed away.”

Dr. Vand believes that personal environment modifications can be as useful as medication in trying to fight off seasonal allergies. “Think of things that make sense to you,” she says. “Keep your windows closed. If you have carpets, make sure you’re always vacuuming. Dust and other things can make your symptoms worse. It’s also a good idea to keep an air purifier in your house. Anything that can keep it clean, pure and dust free is going to decrease your symptoms of any sort of allergy.”

The key points Dr. Vand makes are:

  • While there are many root causes of seasonal allergies, one of the main culprits is exposure to pollen
  • The first line of defense –histamines– are quickly released as your body attempts to fight off this foreign invader; these have some pesky side effects that we associate with seasonal allergies (runny nose, sneezing, etc.)
  • *Lifestyle modification is important – simple changes can go a long way!
  • These modifications include 1) Keep your windows closed; 2) vacuum; 3) Keep an air purifier in your house; 4) Wash your hair before bed
  • If these modifications don’t work, over the counter and prescription anti-histamines can help fight seasonal allergies.

Connect with Dr. Mona Vand on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and sign up for her newsletter or ask questions via her website at www.DrMonaVand.com.

Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness. 

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Biography

Date: 08/12/2015 Print This Post

SHANNON DECKER RIDES THE ‘HOLLYWOOD CYCLE’! 

THE MULTI-TALENTED COMMERCIAL ACTRESS, PRINT AND FITNESS MODEL, TV HOST AND SPORTS BUFF EMERGES AS A REALITY TV STAR ON E! ENTERTAINMENT’S NEW INDOOR CYCLING SHOW


Having moved just six months ago from her longtime home in Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, Shannon Decker is adjusting to life in the city, but loving every moment of it. The beach, especially in Santa Barbara, is her happy place, and she’s been surfing since she was a kid, finding her nirvana riding the waves between fishing trips and basketball games during her early years spent between Bellingham and Westport, Wash., which happens to be very close to Aberdeen – also the hometown of Kurt Cobain.

As addicted as she is to sunshine and the outdoors, the multi-talented media personality – whose expansive resume includes high-profile work as a commercial actress, print and fitness model and host of a regional Emmy Award winning show – is now emerging as a reality TV star in a decidedly indoor environment: a cycling gym.

Perfectly in line with her current goal of becoming a certified fitness trainer, Shannon is one of three trainee instructors on “Hollywood Cycle,” a new E! Entertainment series that explores the sexy, competitive world of indoor cycling.

As E! explains the show’s premise, the “sexy, cutthroat series dives deep into the world of Los Angeles’ famed Cycle House, and introduces viewers to their top instructors and devoted trainees who keep riders tapping it back on cue. Through six hour-long episodes, viewers will get a prized front row seat in the dark, rhythm filled studio as well as an inside look at their high drama, always complicated personal lives.” “Hollywood Cycle” premiered on E! Tuesday, July 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Drawing on her real life passion for and special skills in a vast array of extreme sports (including mountain biking, skateboarding, snowboarding, swimming and triathlons,) Shannon brings to the show a level of competitiveness never seen before in a Cycle House trainee – an intensity that quickly makes her both a leading contender and an instructor favorite.

Before she became a top fitness model, Decker believed that her athletic build, “jock” background and “attainable, every girl” vibe would be a hindrance to a successful modeling career. Turns out she was just ahead of the curve, literally, and during her most lucrative time as a print model, big agencies like Ford began to add athletic divisions.

Her print work has included spots for Athleta, Nike, Road Runner Sports, Target, Nintendo, Boater’s World, Runner’s World, Eddie Bauer, LL Bean, Fila, Dick’s Sporting Goods, TYR, Sports Authority and many, many more. Commercial-wise, Shannon played a triathlete for Coppertone, a soccer team member for Adidas and a stand up paddle boarder for the Visit California television ads (a campaign that included Arnold Schwarzenegger and fellow model Marissa Miller).

“I’m really excited that I get to bring my ‘A’ game for fitness to ‘Hollywood Cycle,’” Shannon says. “It’s a perfect fit! The interesting part is that because there was no dedicated cycle gym in Santa Barbara, every time I was in L.A. I would always go to these classes. I kept that up after I moved here, and have been working on getting my certificate, so being on the show is sort of a reality TV extension of what I already wanted to do. I always challenged myself to keep up with the instructor, and as I improved, I kept thinking, I could do that, I could teach it. It’s really an honor to be part of this because the three main instructors at Cycle House are like celebrities to the celebs. Everybody wants to get in their classes because they are so good at what they do.”

“Those who watch and who have never done indoor cycling should know, it’s harder than it seems to teach,” she adds. “You have to keep one step ahead of everyone, and stay on rhythm. It was fun doing it multiple times a day for the show and working so hard along side my fellow trainees, Chad and Sarafina. Outside the gym, I live with Nick, an instructor and the Cycle House Apparel Director, and have an on-and-off romantic thing going on with Aaron, the Chief Riding Officer and lead instructor.”

Shannon is still involved with one of her most exciting Santa Barbara based gigs, serving as onscreen host of “Back Beat” which airs on Cox Communications throughout Southern California. The show won a regional Pacific Southwest Emmy Award in 2012 for a special segment on Seymour Duncan, a world famous, Goleta, Calif. based guitar pickup maker whose clients include Madonna, Katy Perry and Aerosmith. The program included an interview of Duncan by Shannon.

Shannon’s experiences of hosting this monthly show and doing local sports broadcasting for football games to build her sports broadcasting resume hardly prepared her for the rough and tumble world of reality TV though.

“It was a crazy experience all around for me that I have equated to ‘The Hunger Games’,” she jokes. “Despite the personality clashes and unpredictability – which is very different from working, say, as a fit model – I feel like ‘Hollywood Cycle’ has been a great platform for me not only to showcase my athletic ability, but to convey a strong sense of body image to girls who may be more athletic and curvy than a traditional super skinny model.

“It felt good to be confident in who I was and to know that others might watch and be inspired by it,” she adds. “No matter how much work I’ve booked as a model, I’m always working on developing that comfort level with who I am and what I look like. Since wrapping the show, I’ve noticed that I’m also more comfortable and confident when I’m at auditions. I just booked a major Hanes commercial, and I think it’s possible that this was part of what got me the job.”

Another plus to being on a show where she can introduce elements of her real life is the opportunity for Shannon to share sides of herself that modeling and TV hosting hasn’t allowed. Folks will have to tune in to “Hollywood Cycle” to see her character on a daily basis, but for now, Shannon’s happy to share some fascinating things that many people don’t know.

She inherited her passion for surfing from her father, who left SoCal with her mom and moved up to Washington looking for less crowded, undiscovered breaks to surf. Westport is also a fishing town, and Shannon was as likely to be at the river catching Steelhead for dinner as she was to be seen riding the stormy waves. Her first major international surfing trip was to Indonesia, where she spent two weeks living on a boat in the Mentawai islands. She learned to snowboard at Mt. Baker while spending time with her mom in Bellingham, Wash. after her parents’ divorce. Ambitious from the start, at 20 she bought a local “flophouse” and, while babysitting and working as a cocktail server, did some extensive remodeling on her own accord. Shannon says, “Remodeling that house on my own start to finish has been one of my biggest accomplishments. I was young and dumb, and had no idea what I was doing…But I had heart and I learned to drywall, lay carpet and tile among other things and even painted the entire outside with the help of my girlfriends one weekend!”

Shannon received a Bachelor’s Degree with a teaching emphasis from Cal State Channel Islands in Camarillo, Calif. Her passion for teaching and her years of experience as a nanny, makes her, “a big kid myself,” so skilled in dealing with children that her friends call her “The Baby Whisperer.”  On her days off from work, she’ll pick up her godson Cash and take him for ice cream and to the beach with his buddies. She also loves to head up to Santa Barbara to spend time with her 19-year-old sister and 15-year-old brother.

“I’m not a big partier,” she says, “and my priorities are definitely family and friends. Still, I have my moments when I love to put on a dress and go out dancing, but only if it’s to hip-hop! Dining and food is also a big part of my life. I can eat Mexican food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Chips and guac, and the movie theaters with reclining seats, waiters and full menus are my real guilty pleasures. I work so much and work out so often that I like to take moments to myself as well, even if it’s just stopping off for a foot massage or a frozen yogurt treat. I push myself to the limit but I truly keep a balanced life. When I eat a lot, I work out that much harder. I always have to keep it real with myself.”

Shannon’s experienced major losses in her life, from an older brother to losing a family home in a fire, so there were times when she turned to working out – something she could control – as the one thing that kept her truly sane. Overcoming setbacks along the way has made her resilient and even more optimistic than ever as she emerges into the next phase of her career now as a reality TV star.

“I wish you could see the smile on face, because that’s the real deal,” she says. “I am the best me right now, and I feel great about who I am and what I have to offer. But I am also aware of the things I still have to work on. I know that there’s no way I could have been ready for this show even two years ago, but I believe everything happens when it’s supposed to and always seems to work out for the best. My extensive life experiences have led me to this place where I’m just really energized about life. I feel ready for anything and am excited about all the possibilities that could come tomorrow.”

Shows

Date: 08/06/2015 Print This Post

Arlene’s Grocery

Saturday, August 15, 2015

95 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002
Tickets: http://ticketf.ly/1fIbPXq

DR. MONA VAND – THE MODERN PHARMACIST DISCUSSES COMPOUNDING ALTERNATIVES FOR CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES TO TREAT SEVERE/CHRONIC PAIN

Date: 08/06/2015 Print This Post

LOS ANGELES – With clinical treatment for pain being such a common ailment treated and abused in the United States, Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist (www.DrMonaVand.com) discusses in her latest Mona Minutes” video an alternative form of medication available through compounding pharmacies for controlled substances, which are highly addictive.

Dr. Vand points out that when it comes to severe or chronic pain, oftentimes patients are prescribed narcotic medications which has caused a huge stigma attached to these drugs.

“When you take a narcotic by mouth, it does help the pain. Another aspect is giving some patients this feeling of euphoria…this doesn’t happen to everyone…but for a lot of patients, this is the feeling they like and get hooked on.

“The advantage of applying something topically is it doesn’t give you that effect,” she continues. “Less of it is getting into your bloodstream, and it goes right where it needs to…so by not experiencing that euphoria and not getting addicted to that feeling and craving it, you’re not going to abuse it.”

Dr. Vand’s article also highlights:

  • Pain is a by-product of the central nervous system. When someone is injured, nerve endings at the site of the injury send impulses directly to the brain alerting it that something is wrong, and immediately sends a feeling of discomfort.
  • Narcotics essentially block the last step in that process, and prevent the brain from sending that pain signal to the body by attaching to the receptors in the brain, then block those receptors from sending out signals to the rest of the body (which literally prevents the brain from telling someone they are in pain).
  • When taken correctly, pain relief narcotics are safe and effective.
  • You should be your own patient advocate. Talk to your doctor! Doctors will help find a compounding pharmacy that doesn’t lead to abuse.
  • Even if addiction / abuse aren’t a concern, compounded topical pain therapy (pain relief that’s compounded into a cream) helps the medication go directly where needed, and carries a much lower risk of addiction.
  • Compounded topical creams also do not get absorbed throughout the entire Gastro-intestinal tract prior to efficacy, which means there will be less side effects on the stomach.

Connect with Dr. Mona Vand on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and sign up for her newsletter or ask questions via her website at www.DrMonaVand.com.

 

Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.

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Biography

Date: 08/06/2015 Print This Post

For Immediate Release

Contact: Steve Levesque, Chrissy Sutphin
818-232-4175, info@luckmedia.com

ENERGIZING THE INDIE WORLD WITH ‘FOLK ROCK  YOU CAN DANCE TO,’ NYC CLUB FAVORITE TACOMA NARROWS KICKSTARTS THEIR CAREER WITH A DYNAMIC ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC ‘GOOD MOURNING’

 

Former English Teacher and His High-Energy Six-Piece Ensemble is Set to Release its Fan-Picked Debut Singles “This Is How It Starts” and “Life & Love” at their September 11 Show at Rockwood Music Hall (Proceeds will go the Tuesday’s Children Charity)

 

NYC – While Cheney Munson, chief songwriter, frontman and guitarist for fast emerging NYC-based indie band Tacoma Narrows (www.tacoma-narrows.com), cites traditional folk and bluegrass legends like John Prine, Paul Simon, Flatt and Scruggs and Bill Monroe as major influences, the six-piece ensemble’s explosive mix of acoustic and electric energy is an inspiring DIY offshoot of the folk-rock resurgence going on in mainstream pop in the 2010s.

But grooving beyond renowned counterparts like Mumford & Sons, The Avett Brothers, The Decemberists, Railroad Earth, Hozier, Philip Phillips and The Lumineers, Tacoma Narrows offers their lively Good Mourning – the name of their upcoming debut album – with an intense kick. Munson, band co-founder Will Roble (drums), Jason Theobald (fiddle), Jim Bisbee (bass), Joe Harris (electric guitar) and Jonah Chilton (mandolin and backup vocals) have been electrifying their growing fan base with a fun, freewheeling vibe they call “folk rock you can dance to.”

Evolving out of an acoustic duo formed by fellow Newark, N.J.-based middle school teachers Munson and Roble, Tacoma Narrows cut their teeth and then held court at folk and bluegrass jam nights at Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar and Sunny’s Bar in Brooklyn.

The loyal following they have since cultivated via performances at hotspots like Rockwood Music Hall, The Bowery Electric and Arlene’s Grocery gave rise to their successful 2014 Kickstarter campaign, which raised $21,000 (far surpassing their initial goal of $15,000) to record their ambitious 12-track project at two studios owned by renowned engineer Mark Dann, one in the city and the other up in Woodstock, N.Y.

Tacoma Narrows also trusted their fans to choose the album’s two lead singles, set for release on September 11th at their performance on Rocked Music Hall’s Stage 2, with all proceeds going to the charity Tuesday’s Children. The band put five SoundCloud tracks on their homepage. The winners perfectly reflect the unique dichotomy of the band’s sound.

Written not long after Hurricane Sandy, “This is How It Starts” is a spirited, traditional acoustic guitar-driven tune using storm imagery (including swimming in the streets) as a powerful metaphor. They used a video of a live performance of the song at Paddy’s to promote the Kickstarter campaign.

Reflecting Tacoma Narrows’  harder edged aesthetic, the second track is the high-octane, hard-hitting electric rocker “Life & Love,” which features an array of offbeat characters (a street beggar, a prostitute selling lilacs, a wandering shepherd selling Bibles, a young widow selling a sailboat) united in “life and love” as they sell their souls.

Tacoma Narrows will be playing upcoming gigs at Arlene’s Grocery (Aug. 15) and Carolina Jubilee, a food and music festival dedicated to sustainable farming at Vanhoy Farms in Harmony, N.C. (Oct. 16-17). They have also scheduled a fall residency at Pianos in the East Village (Sept. 30, Oct. 6, Oct. 20, and Oct. 27).

A big part of the band’s identity and sound revolve around each member’s personality, role and contributions. Munson’s journey will inspire those indie musicians who know they’ve got the goods but are afraid to cut loose and go for it. He’s a former middle school English teacher who resigned in 2014 after eight years to pursue music full-time. After teaching in Brooklyn and Newark, N.J., he currently consults for The Reading and Writing Project at Teacher’s College at Columbia University, traveling around the U.S. (on a schedule that leaves him free time for his musical pursuits) training administrators and teachers on how to help kids read and write more effectively.

“I’ve been playing music and writing songs since I was in middle school myself,” he says. “Ever since high school, I’ve had two passions: music and education. Until now, music had taken a back seat as a side gig, a hobby, something I squeezed in when I had the time and energy. In mid-2013, my close friend, Rowan, encouraged me to take a year off to focus on music. That hadn’t really occurred to me, because I had to make money and only did music when I had time for it. Not only that, but teaching was a huge part of my identity. But once he planted the idea of a Kickstarter campaign in my head, I couldn’t shake it. He was right. This was the time of my life when I could do this, start taking risks and pursuing what I love. I gave my resignation to the school in December of 2013 and started researching and planning the campaign.”

While teaching in Newark, after a similar stint in Brooklyn, Munson met Roble, who taught 6th grade math on the floor above him. When the two realized their mutual passion for music, they started jamming casually on their school’s stage/gym/cafeteria after work. At first, it was just a way to unwind, but they soon started playing for friends and co-workers at a dive bar in Jersey City called Lucky 7s. Then they discovered Paddy Reilly’s and started meeting the musicians who would eventually form Tacoma Narrows.

While the band has grown from two people to six, Roble and Munson have kept a similar structure and process since the beginning for crafting and refining their songs. Once Munson has written a song, he’ll bring it to Roble and the two of them will work on the rhythm, structure, arrangement and overall feel. Once that’s happened, they’ll bring the song to the whole band for re-working. On stage, Roble holds down and drives the pulse of the songs and works relentlessly off-stage to keep the culture of the band positive and collaborative. Roble now heads up a math program for a network of Charter schools at the forefront of the ed. reform movement.

Munson met their fiddle player Jason Theobald at the Sunday night bluegrass jam. Theobald thinks a lot about musicality and thematic consistency, paying close attention to the subtle interplay between the instrumental elements and trying to craft a signature sound, occasionally adding southern influence from his college days in Nashville. He’s also always listening for opportunities to enrich a song with a third vocal part. Theobald is a future Emergency Medicine physician who is finishing an MD/MBA dual degree at NYU.

Roble then brought in his old college friend Jim Bisbee to play bass. Bisbee holds down the groove while bringing a contagious joy to the band. With infectious bass lines, he makes sure everyone else is having fun while he does it. Jim is just wrapping up his PhD in Politics at NYU and hopes to one day field an army of his own research assistants.

Roble also brought on Joe Harris, another friend from college, as the band’s electric guitarist.  An insanely hard worker and passionate connoisseur of all types of music, Harris never stops improving or seeking new inspiration – which shines through in his solos and Tacoma Narrows’ choice of covers as he helps widen the band’s musical influences. He is also very positive and enthusiastic and keeps practices and shows lighthearted and upbeat. Joe is a high school history teacher at a school in the Bronx and has worked in NYC for the past 8 years.

Recently recruited at the Paddy Reilly’s Sunday night bluegrass jam, Jonah Chilton joined just before the band began recording Good Mourning. As a former Kansas mandolin state champion, he brings an unrivaled musical expertise to the band that has lifted Tacoma Narrows’ overall sound and skill level. He shares Harris’ insatiable appetite for an inexhaustible list of bands and styles of music. In the studio, he comes up with catchy and inspired licks and hooks that give songs a clearer and more substantial identity. On the stage, he lives for high energy improvisation. Chilton is an analytics guru who does high level problem-solving for an NYC tech start up.

Anyone who sees the raucous excitement and toe-tapping energy that Tacoma Narrows stirs up when they hit the stage can feel the impact of their high octane folk-rock sound. But a full understanding of the deeper philosophical concepts that drive the band takes a little more probing. The somewhat oxymoronic album title Good Mourning is a good entry point to Munson’s style of storytelling, which generally launches from a dark or chaotic place of grief, loss, death or destruction but also has a hopeful or joyful bent. To him, “morning” is something that starts out new, fresh and bright, but “mourning” implies grieving for its ultimate loss and destruction.

This is borne of personal experience. “When I was 9,” Munson says, “my mom was killed in a car crash. When I was 19, my younger sister also died in an accident. It tore apart my world, twice.  Music has been one of the main ways that I process and channel all that grief and sadness. ‘Good Mourning’ is just what is sounds like — all the ways that dark can be turned into light, and death into a gift.  My hope is that comes across in many if not all of our songs.”

Tacoma Narrows’ fans know just where to look (www.tacoma-narrows.com/blog) for the deeper story, which also explains their unusual band name. Why, some may ask, is a band that originated and works largely in a huge east coast city surrounded by famous bridges named after a suspension bridge that’s all the way in Washington State? Munson has been obsessed with the Tacoma Narrows suspension bridge (and its original ill-fated 1940 incarnation as “Galloping Gertie”) since hearing about its history in a college physics class.

The story and its metaphorical implications perfectly reflect the beautifully paradoxical musical and lyrical soul at the heart of his songs and the band’s music. As Munson explains on the blog (that includes a fascinating vintage video): “It’s a bridge that stood for four months and collapsed because of a structural flaw that caused it to twist and turn and ‘flutter’ in the wind…But for me, it’s become much more than a bridge. It’s a way of life; a way of being.”

The page also includes an ink print called “Resonance” — which will be used as the album’s artwork — by an artist named Gary Peterson of what looks like a man dancing on the bridge right before its collapse. For Munson, that triggers a more specific and profound meaning. “The man dancing on a bridge while knowing it’s about to collapse reminds me of a life well lived,” he says. “On one hand, he acknowledges that at some point all of this — buildings, bridges, trees, people, guitars, cars — all this stuff that seems so permanent — will give way to nature and entropy. But in the face of his demise, he reacts with celebration and joy rather than nihilism and despondence. And that idea, to exalt the certainty of death, is a worthy pursuit…The man dancing on the bridge reminds us that life is short, that we need to take risks, and that there is an urgency that comes with life’s brevity that should inspire rather than defeat.”

“And that,” he adds, “is kind of beautiful. With Tacoma Narrows, my bandmates and I have enjoyed taking something that started out small and building something that’s much bigger than we could have ever imagined. Those moments where we’re up there, performing live, getting everyone dancing and yelling for more when we finish a song, that’s been insanely fun – and worth celebrating in every moment we have.”

 

PLAGUED WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIES? DR. MONA VAND – THE MODERN PHARMACIST BREAKS DOWN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANTIHISTAMINES AND DECONGESTANTS

Date: 07/15/2015 Print This Post

Contact: Steve Levesque, Chrissy Sutphin
818-232-4175, info@luckmedia.com

LOS ANGELES – Continuing to share potentially life-saving tips as part of illuminating the connections between pharmaceutical science and overall wellness, Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist (www.drmonavand.com) tackles the perfect topic for summer – seasonal allergies – on the latest in her informative “Mona Minutes” video series that appears on her website (www.drmonavand.com/article/seasonal-allergies-1).

In the clip, Dr. Vand discusses the key differences between antihistamines and decongestants – and when to take which. “Seasonal allergies are common,” she says. “They affect about 35 million people a year and you can get them at any point in life. Antihistamines aren’t always the answer to seasonal allergies; it really depends on your symptoms. The two types of medication classes you should be looking for are antihistamines and decongestants.

“Simply put, an antihistamine is going to dry everything up, so when you think of symptoms like watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing, these are things you want to dry up with an antihistamine,” Dr. Vand continues. “Most make you drowsy, so it’s best to take them at night. When you experience symptoms causing congestion, like a stuffy nose, you need a decongestant, which shrinks the vessels in your nose and makes more space for air to get in. On the other hand, you should also know that this can increase blood pressure.”

Dr. Vand explains that decongestants can actually have an opposite effect of an antihistamine: “They can make you a little jittery and give you trouble sleeping, so you always want to take them in the morning. Sometimes, you might experience more than one symptom. You’re not always only going to have a runny nose or a stuffy nose. Sometimes you have both, which is frustrating. This is where you take a combination, like Claritin D. Whenever you see the letter ‘D’, that generally means ‘decongestant.’ If you look on the back under active ingredients, both antihistamine and decongestant will be listed.”

The key points Dr. Vand makes are:

  • Common symptoms of seasonal allergies include watery/itchy eyes, stuffy nose, sneezing and coughing
  • Antihistamines dry everything up, get rid of itching and will help you sleep
  • Decongestants will open everything up, but may also make you jittery and – very important – can increase blood pressure
  • For people who experience symptoms under both categories, a combination ingredient with an antihistamine and decongestant is best.
  • In addition to medication, lifestyle modifications that can help alleviant the symptoms of allergies include 1) try to keep your windows closed when possible; 2) use an air purifier; 3) keep your house clean and dust-free and make sure you vacuum if you have rugs; 4) protect your face with sunglasses and a hat. Don’t let that pollen near your eyes!

Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness. Learn more at www.DrMonaVand.com.

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CAN COMPOUNDING PHARMACIES SAVE YOUR DOG OR CAT? DR. MONA VAND – THE MODERN PHARMACIST EXPLAINS IN HER LATEST ‘MONA MINUTES’ VIDEO

Date: 07/15/2015 Print This Post

LOS ANGELES – The creator of a dynamic, multi-media platform dedicated to helping patients understand the connections between pharmaceutical science and overall wellness, Dr. Mona Vand (www.DrMonaVand.com) – The Modern Pharmacist’s mission to impart potentially life-saving information now extends to important tips on taking care of the pets we love when they become ill.

On her latest in a series of “Mona Minutes” videos (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eQsMpxJxu4), Dr. Vand explains the value of compounding pharmacies in creating the right doses of approved medication for dogs and cats. “For most people,” she says, “pets are like family, so when it comes to giving them medication, or any medical treatment, you want to treat them like family.

“Some things that are safe for us really aren’t safe for them. For example, if you were to give dogs an antihistamine like Benadryl, it would be okay. But if you were to give them a cough and cold medication, this could really injure them. Compounding pharmacies play a huge role when it comes to medicating your animals because not only can they create the right dosage but they can also flavor it.”

Acknowledging the difficulties dogs and cats have in swallowing pills, Dr. Vand suggests flavoring the medication with bacon or chicken (for dogs) and fish (for cats). “It’s really limitless,” she continues, “and that’s the good thing about compounding. As much as it’s individualized for patients, it’s just as individualized for dogs. In fact, most vets only give them medication that’s been compounded.”

She stresses that compounded medications are simply modified versions of FDA-approved medications and can be customized to the needs of your pet.

Listed below are helpful tips from Dr. Vand regarding pet medications:

  • · To save money on your pet’s medication, ask your vet to write you a prescription instead of buying the medication at the office. Compounding pharmacies may offer more reasonable pricing.
  • · Two medications you should never give your pet: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
  • · Two medications that are generally safe to give your pet: Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
  • · Compounding pharmacies can add specific flavors to your pet’s medication and make it enjoyable for them to take
  • · If your pet has trouble swallowing a pill, many times it can be compounded into a convenient liquid suspension

Dr. Mona Vand, The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.

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DR. MONA VAND – The Modern Pharmacist Turns to Addiction Recovery Expert Asher Gottesman to Explain the Difference Between Physical Dependence and Addiction

Date: 06/17/2015 Print This Post

DR. MONA VAND – THE MODERN PHARMACIST

TURNS TO ADDICTION RECOVERY EXPERT

ASHER GOTTESMAN TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE AND ADDICTION

ON HER LATEST ‘MONA MINUTES’ VIDEO

 

LOS ANGELES – Committed to education and the imparting of potentially life-saving information as part of her dynamic multi-media platform connecting pharmaceutical science and overall wellness, Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist (www.DrMonaVand.com) invites an outside expert in her latest“Mona Minutes” video to explain the difference between physical dependence on drugs and addictions.

Dr. Vand starts the clip (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb2I_CGskLY) by saying, “A lot of people don’t understand the difference…both of these can occur from taking a drug that has high abuse potential.” To help illuminate the differences, she turns to Asher Gottesman, CEO and Founder of theTranscend Recovery Community (www.transcendrecoverycommunity.com).

Gottesman explains: “Dependence is when somebody starts to take a medication and becomes physically dependent on it. They actually need it. When their doctor tells them to get off, they may need to go to a facility to detox. However, it’s not feeding any other symptom, whether that be emotional…it’s feeding a physical symptom.          

He adds, “The addict is told by his or her doctor to get off, but they look for every other possible way to get the medication, to feed the problem or provide a short term solution. Without access to their pain medication, they turn to the street to get heroin. That’s why we unfortunately have an opiate epidemic.”

Mona says, “I’ve seen drug addiction occur after patients become dependent on a medication they’ve been taking for years. It starts with needing higher doses to treat the physical pain, then turns into a mental addiction.”

 

The key points Dr. Mona and her guest make are:

* Everyday, over 100 people die from drug overdose

* In 2014, narcotics were listed in the 20 most prescribed drugs

* Drug addiction is a brain disease

* Drug dependence and addiction are often involuntary

* Withdrawal symptoms are very painful and often harmful to the body

 

Dr. Mona Vand, The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.

 

STASH Debuts Their New Video For The Cutmore Remix Of Their HMMA Winner ‘Strip Me Bare’

Date: 06/10/2015 Print This Post

FUELED BY THE EXPLOSIVE MOVES OF SUPERSTAR CHOREOGRAPHER BRINN NICOLE, POWERHOUSE

FEMALE DANCE/POP DUO STASH

DEBUTS THEIR NEW VIDEO FOR THE CUTMORE

REMIX OF THEIR HOLLYWOOD MUSIC IN MEDIA

AWARD WINNER ‘STRIP ME BARE’

“Strip Me Bare,” Which Original Video Received

Widespread Placement at Retail and on Television

and Internet Outlets across the U.S.,

Recently Made Its Billboard Dance

Club Songs Chart Debut 

LOS ANGELES - Rising dance/pop sensations STASH(www.danceSTASH.com) are making some of their most dynamic, daring moves yet, working with superstar choreographer Brinn Nicole on their new high energy video (www.youtu.be/MFf-UHz5weUfor the Cutmore remix of their of the title track from their debut EP Strip Me Bare.

The highly-anticipated release of the clip comes quickly on the heels of the debut of “Strip Me Bare” on the Billboard Club Songs Chart. Debuting at 49, the track is sharing chart space with the latest hits from some of the pop and dance worlds’ biggest superstars, including Madonna, Chic featuring Nile Rodgers, Rihanna, Ricky Martin featuring Pitbull, Nick Jonas, Erasure, David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Kelly Clarkson and Jason Derulo. 

The video is the second of a series of videos that STASH - L.A. based DJ/rapper/songwriter Steph Prost and classically trained singer Amanda Maze - is creating via their partnership with DanceON Network, an entertainment focused digital media company connecting music and pop culture through the universal language of dance. Empowering musicians and artists in the digital era, DanceOn was co-founded by CEO Amanda TaylorMadonnaGuy OsearyMachinima and chairman Allen DeBevoise.

The network’s more than three billion views, 20 million subscribers and 42 million fans across platforms showcase the influence of dance around music’s viral moments.

The first (www.youtube.com/watch?v=nukf_kgyKTI) of three videos rolling out over the next few months was a clip for STASH‘s breakout hit “Tear Me Down” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwUmMd9NdhM) performed by top Korean Dance Group Waveya led by sister choreographers Ari and MiU. Waveya is considered YouTube’s #1 Korean dance team and winner of the #1 UGC Channel from YouTube Korea in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Brinn Nicole launched her dance career at 20, appearing in music videos byPitbull (“Give Me Everything”), Enrique Iglesias (“Tonight I’m Lovin’ You”), Baby Bash (“Fantasy Girl”), Girlicious (“Stupid Shit”) and Teairra Mari (“My Body”). After performing live shows dancing for Baby Bash andNicole Scherzinger, at 21 she booked her first tour dancing for Snoop Dogg. She’s also popular in Brazil due to the popularity of “Sticky Dough” featuringWanessa, which featured Brinn’s vocals.

Reflecting on STASH and the video for “Strip Me Bare,” Brinn says, “I always try to think about what I haven’t done yet. I have been watching a Latin based soap opera recently so that definitely influenced my idea to start with a hint of acting! I was listening to the song and naturally started reciting some acting lines that would set up the dance scene. Why are we dancing? How did we get here? I know the attention span of YouTube viewers is quick, so I wanted it to be straight to the point!

“I thought it worked perfectly with the song that I was coming from a scenario of being hurt in reference to being (stripped bare) and that my friends knew how to fill me back up with LIFE, to dance,” she adds. 

Strip Me Bare” garnered a Hollywood Music In Media Award (HMMA) inNovember 2014 for Best EDM/Electronic Dance Music song. In addition, its original video clip received substantial spins in the retail arena and on numerous video channels and internet outlets. These include: Youtoo America, a traditional TV network available in approximately 28 million homes; the Screenplay national video pool, which has resulted in placements onDance Vision and Orange DoorVideo Hits! by Rainbow Productions; It’s all Good TV, including placement on stations from Rhode Island to New OrleansSidewalks TV and Sidewalks TV OnlineSkeelove House of MusicThe Vault (airplay throughout Louisiana); and online outlets MUZU.tv, Blastro.com, Daily Motion, Musica.publiweb.com and Tubestime.com.

STASH also recently unleashed an explosive new video for their Hollywood Music in Media Award (HMMA) nominated party manifesto “Red Cup! Pinky Up.” The track recently hit #24 on the Top POP chart of Beatport, an online music store specializing in electronic music and culture.