Restoring Gut Bacteria

[Persej]

Some interesting data. Thanks for sharing. Might be worth looking into further as time permits (such as which bacteria are needed to get the benefits, etc.).

Yeah, I hope that they will continue with the research.

Pomegranates are big in my country - a national symbol, even.

Really? :)
I just wondered yesterday where do they grow.

If it helps worms in the lab, then could it also help worms in your gut? Could be a double-edged sword.

I don't know. But some people say that pomegranate tea is good against parasites:

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a traditional treatment for tapeworm. Its bark contains an alkaloid called pelletierine that has a paralytic effect on the parasite, making it easy to expel. According to herbalist Henriette Kress, you can prepare the bark as a tea and drink it for several days, until the entire parasite is expelled. Take a laxative before and during this process to aid in eliminating the tapeworm. Pomegranate bark may cause vomiting and, in high doses, it will depress the central nervous system. Consult an herbalist or medical professional before taking pomegranate bark. Do not take this herb if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/76242-herbs-destroy-intestinal-parasites/

And if you have already got mitophagy started using resistance training, ketosis, cold showers etc, is there any benefit?

I don't know, but is supposed to boost your mitophagy, so perhaps you would get double boost in that case?

Personally I've noticed pomegranate is one of the things I can eat sparingly without any trouble, maybe this helps explain why. Apples, if absolutely fresh are another - but slightly old fruit can be a big mistake. I like the pomegranate kombucha.

I never had a problem with pomegranates, but I had never eaten them continually. But I will try them this season and see if I can feel any changes.

 

[Persej]

You can find the original scientific article here: https://documents.epfl.ch/groups/e/ep/epflmedia/www/20160711_pomegranate/documents%20%28release%20and%20article%29/

And here is the article that talks about differences among people in producing the urolithins:

Ellagic acid metabolism by human gut microbiota

Three phenotypes for urolithin production after ellagitannin and ellagic acid intake are consistently observed in different human intervention trials. Subjects can be stratified into three urolithin-producing groups. "Phenotype A" produced only urolithin A conjugates, which included between 25 and 80% of the volunteers in the different trials. "Phenotype B" produced isourolithin A and/or urolithin B in addition to urolithin A, this being the second relevant group (10-50%). "Phenotype 0" (5-25%) was that in which these urolithins were not detected. The three phenotypes were observed independently of the volunteers' health status and demographic characteristics (age, gender, body mass index (BMI)) and of the amount or type of ellagitannin food source ingested (walnuts and other nuts, strawberries, raspberries, and other berries or pomegranates). Interestingly, a higher percentage of phenotype B was observed in those volunteers with chronic illness (metabolic syndrome or colorectal cancer) associated with gut microbial imbalance (dysbiosis). These urolithin phenotypes could show differences in the human gut microbiota and should be considered in intervention trials dealing with health benefits of ellagitannins or ellagic acid. Whether this phenotypic variation could be a biomarker related to differential health benefits or illness predisposition deserves further research.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24976365

And also this one:

Metabolic fate of ellagitannins: implications for health, and research perspectives for innovative functional foods.

Consumption of dietary ellagitannins (ETs) has been associated with different health benefits. Nonetheless, ETs are not bioavailable as such and are metabolized in vivo. They are partially converted into ellagic acid (EA) in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but this first metabolite is also poorly bioavailable. In the lower GI tract, EA and residual ETs are metabolized by gut microbiota to produce urolithins, which, together with their conjugate relatives, persist at relatively high concentrations in plasma and urine for days after ingestion of dietary ETs. Thus, ETs and EA may exert local health benefits on the GI tract but systemic health benefits are more likely to result from urolithins. Cellular models suggest that, at physiological concentration, urolithins are active against chronic degenerative diseases. Health benefits have been proven in animal models and during clinical studies. Even so, the crucial involvement of gut microbiota in ET bioconversion induces important variability of physiological response among humans, giving rise to the concept of high and low urolithin producers. This variability among consumers in obtaining potential health benefits from dietary ETs raises new challenges for the functional food industry. Different research perspectives are discussed to tackle this significant issue for nutritionists, food technologists, and consumers.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24580560

 

[SeekinTruth]

Pomegranates, as I said, are pretty ubiquitous in Armenia. They should be widely available around the area too, like Turkey (but I don't know if it's good quality - there used to be widespread good quality one under Ottoman Armenia - the food that comes into Armenia from Turkey is pretty bad quality now compared to the local produce).

And yes, they're used as an anti-parasitic, as well.

 

[Debra]

I came across this pod cast interview this morning, and enjoyed the high level of intellect and critical thinking that these two young men exhibit.

Not only did they "get" what Dr. Hamer uncovered, and what German New Medicine is about, they are excited and delighted in much the same way I felt 20 years ago.

The honest and genuine sharing of information without ego, or arrogance was so very refreshing, and dare I say, Hopeful.

These young men share their stories of the horrific and life degrading experiences they endured during their "treatments" for IBS, Crohn's, Colitis, food intolerances and other gut issues.

They both have sharp mental acuity, and as they list off all the different vitamin supplements, diets, and other strange rituals and belief systems designed to profit from un wellness that they both invested in, I nearly fell off my chair.
The Big Business Medical aspect of "pharming humans for pain and emotional victim hood" is discussed as well, and a big reason why German New Medicine is disregarded, ridiculed and avoided.

Once they saw the facts, understood the reality of Biological Laws and intellectually grasped the empowering realization of what was going on, they both applied observation and integrity by staying conscious and curious, and in that Safety and Knowledge, their bodies completed the healing tracks that were stuck in survival mode.

Now, I fear they are both headed into a Gluttony program, because they can eat what ever they want and these young men are all ... PIZZA AND CHEESEBURGERS! LOL!

For those on the forum interested, here is the interview:

 

[Keyhole]

I came across this pod cast interview this morning, and enjoyed the high level of intellect and critical thinking that these two young men exhibit.

Not only did they "get" what Dr. Hamer uncovered, and what German New Medicine is about, they are excited and delighted in much the same way I felt 20 years ago.

The honest and genuine sharing of information without ego, or arrogance was so very refreshing, and dare I say, Hopeful.

These young men share their stories of the horrific and life degrading experiences they endured during their "treatments" for IBS, Crohn's, Colitis, food intolerances and other gut issues.

They both have sharp mental acuity, and as they list off all the different vitamin supplements, diets, and other strange rituals and belief systems designed to profit from un wellness that they both invested in, I nearly fell off my chair.
The Big Business Medical aspect of "pharming humans for pain and emotional victim hood" is discussed as well, and a big reason why German New Medicine is disregarded, ridiculed and avoided.

Once they saw the facts, understood the reality of Biological Laws and intellectually grasped the empowering realization of what was going on, they both applied observation and integrity by staying conscious and curious, and in that Safety and Knowledge, their bodies completed the healing tracks that were stuck in survival mode.

Now, I fear they are both headed into a Gluttony program, because they can eat what ever they want and these young men are all ... PIZZA AND CHEESEBURGERS! LOL!

For those on the forum interested, here is the interview:

I have been following this guy (Heal Your Gut Guy) for a long time. Not sure how his program has changed or shifted into "German New Medicine" aside from focusing more on the emotional/psychological/spiritual underlying factors contributing to illness.

However, he has been helping people achieve remission from IBD for several years before adopting the GNM philosophy (or ideology in my personal opinion) of health. His protocol basically consisted of a modified ketogenic/GAPS/SCD diet with fermented foods and specific gut-related supplements. Not all that much different from many of the other protocols iirc, but it worked and does work well.

He has numerous video testimonials demonstrating that the vitamin supplements and diets which you say are "designed to profit from unwellness" actually worked quite effectively in the past.

 

[Debra]

I have been following this guy (Heal Your Gut Guy) for a long time. Not sure how his program has changed or shifted into "German New Medicine" aside from focusing more on the emotional/psychological/spiritual underlying factors contributing to illness.

If you listen to this interview that I posted, Michael and "Josh" discuss exactly HOW his program changed.
Did you get a few moments to listen/watch this video?

They describe their cognitive dissonance, their shock, as well as their "Come to Jesus" moment that they both experienced when their belief system in "illness and disease" turned a 180 degree turn.
They mention and discuss, learning from Caroline, so I suspect they may have attended one of the online seminars that are offered by Caroline Markolin Ph D.
She was the instructor I learned German New Medicine from, when she was living here in Canada.

I did post about a few of the seminars in the German New Medicine thread.
Welcome to LearningGNM

So, back to the video I posted, in his moment of "the penny dropping" Micheal describes how he did NOT want to accept this Biological Laws knowledge, how he fought against it.
It is a common paradox, when one is confronted with changing a belief system for facts.

However, he has been helping people achieve remission from IBD for several years before adopting the GNM philosophy (or ideology in my personal opinion) of health

Yeah, achieving"remission".
Remission is a fancy medical jargon word, and really, its just describing a biological hanging healing track.
The Biological Conflict issue, which is the Healing phase, is Paused, whether by natural chemicals or drugs, or a circumstance, but still lurking, waiting to make a comeback at any time.
Nature is all about regaining balance and survival.

They, Josh and Micheal discuss that as well, in detail, in the video I posted.
In the interview, Josh describes the conscious, logical thought process he undertook in resolving his Original Psyche Shock conflict.
The look on his face as he describes the joy and freedom of being completely Healed, is amazing.

I have learned that there is a big difference between Natural Biological Laws in 3rd Density, Beliefs, and wishful thinking. I wouldn't challenge the gravity law, or consider it an ideology.
The results others have found in disbelieving that one, tend to have the same results, so far, and none of the results were very successful, without props.

He has numerous video testimonials demonstrating that the vitamin supplements and diets which you say are "designed to profit from unwellness" actually worked quite effectively in the past.

He mentions that...in the video I posted.
Supplements and diets can and do give much needed relief and reprieve, especially for someone locked into a loop of extreme re triggering of fear and pain.
People have been convinced, bullied, and scared into believing that what they are experiencing is unknowable, uncontrollable and an attack.
Give me hard core drugs and get me outta here, if that's the case, right?

The physiological responses and different aspects of medications, supplements and high protein diets are covered extensively in the German New Medicine research documentation, I posted the link above.

Sometimes a B-12 shot is all it takes to push enough energy for someone.
Sometimes a morphine shot is all it takes to completely stop someones respiratory system, and put them out for good.
Understanding this Natural law stuff is very interesting.

As you well know, @Keyhole, controlling molecular interactions, via chemically induced cellular excitation or relaxation are "symptom modifiers" but they do not, can not, Consciously address and resolve the initial Conflict, the Nano second impression, that started the Special Biological Program in motion.

I hope you get a chance to watch the video.

Oh, Synchronicity time!
I saw this quote of the Day, while I was reading a Signs of the Times article, this morning.

It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his income depends on his not understanding it.

- Upton Sinclair

As always:
What I am posting is Research for Entertainment Purposes Only.
I have no authority nor license to give any medical, psychological, or life skills advice, I just have information to share, for entertainment purposes only.

 

[seek10]

I don't know much about this 'heal your gut guy', but came across this article.

MIKE, THE HEAL YOUR GUT GUY, HAS GONE INSANE

I decided to write this article and to make a video about it because apparently my Youtube channel is targeted by Mike’s advertisements. With his ads, he’s promoting GNM as the miracle cure and he’…

thecandidaslayer.com

But unfortunately he shifted to an extreme, cult-like behavior and just decided to go full on GNM and to throw all of his old principles to the garbage. He says now that diet doesn’t matter and he even promotes McDonald’s on his channel.

This, to me, is a very shocking 180 degree turn, and it can be very confusing and even dangerous for fragile and easily influenced people who are desperate to heal.

 

[Debra]

I don't know much about this 'heal your gut guy', but came across this article.

MIKE, THE HEAL YOUR GUT GUY, HAS GONE INSANE

I decided to write this article and to make a video about it because apparently my Youtube channel is targeted by Mike’s advertisements. With his ads, he’s promoting GNM as the miracle cure and he’…

thecandidaslayer.com

Doesn’t surprise me in the least. I see a guy who finally stuck his head out of the main stream Big Pharma cave, saw the natural light, and the control system is on him! What’s that oft quoted line, “The best way to avoid seeing the truth, is either kill the messenger, or assassinate his character”
I did kinda see this coming, in a way. See my quote below, from my first post:

Now, I fear they are both headed into a Gluttony program, because they can eat what ever they want and these young men are all ... PIZZA AND CHEESEBURGERS! LOL!

I feel a lot of compassion and empathy for him. A young guy his age, doing all the right and accepted protocols, then finding out he was in a Psyche to brain to body survival program. He’s been living in fear of food for quite a while, from what I can see from his media presence.

 

[Debra]

I did a bit more looking around, and he’s on fire!
He has gained healthy weight back, and probably walks with a swagger, as well.
Dude is leaning into it big time, and he looks well and happy.
He posted this YouTube info video on June 2, 2021.
All I can say, is take them to Church, Mike!

 

[XPan]

MIKE, THE HEAL YOUR GUT GUY, HAS GONE INSANE

I decided to write this article and to make a video about it because apparently my Youtube channel is targeted by Mike’s advertisements. With his ads, he’s promoting GNM as the miracle cure and he’…

thecandidaslayer.com

That was a weird text / article

Not that i am defending the heal-your-gut-guy because i have not finished listening to the video yet, but the text written by thecandidaslyer.com just seem to oversimplify the NGM in an somewhat ignorant way.

I don’t for a moment believe that when you have a fight in a pizzeria, you then end up having pollen allergy or brain tumor a half year later. That is just nonsense, shaming NGM without engaging or honestly looking deeper into the territory. Then i also don’t think that one solution fits all - because that has never worked in real life, or has it?

I also see no real hindrance between keeping track of knowledge and insights coming from both worlds, minimum - as I see body and the soul intimately intertwined, there is a lot good to learn from both sides, which can come well to fruition for remedies & insights for health combined.

Humbly. Patiently. Openly.

 

[Debra]

That was a weird text / article

Not that i am defending the heal-your-gut-guy because i have not finished listening to the video yet, but the text written by thecandidaslyer.com just seem to oversimplify the NGM in an somewhat ignorant way.

I shared this video rebuttal/slander piece from “the candida slyer.com” with one of the German New Medicine groups I contribute to, as well as the first video, with Mike and Josh.

Guess who showed up, and gave the rest of the story?
Mike “The Heal Your Gut Guy” himself!
So, he explained that the young lady behind the hit piece was a very disgruntled “former employee”.
She was so very distraught, angry, and in absolute refusal to this knowledge, and mad at Mike!
and even though Mike put her in touch with a practitioner who helped her resolve a chronic eczema issue, a tracked biological program that had plagued her for years, she experienced an extreme response of “cognitive dissonance” and denial.

I also see no real hindrance between keeping track of knowledge and insights coming from both worlds, minimum - as I see body and the soul intimately intertwined, there is a lot good to learn from both sides, which can come well to fruition for remedies & insights for health combined.

Humbly. Patiently. Openly.

In GNM we always start with and include the third factor, which is the big dividing issue between “the worlds” as you termed it. Allopathic medicine and the “medicine/chemical based industry offshoots” are coming from the bottom up, and concentrate on symptom control of the body(cells).

What is missing In Darwinist materialistic Medicine, is the understanding that the unique, individual perceptions of each and every living biological being comes first.
One must “know themselves” to track back to the beginning of the “cause”.
I am in awe and wonder, as I continue studying these Biological laws.
There is a literal kaleidoscope of responses to all the different shocks and conflicts that happen all the time, in life, yet we all don’t respond the same, do we?

So, in German New Medicine, the third factor is always the individually programmed brain:
Psyche (Soul)-Brain(program control system)-Body (differentiated cell systems).

 

[Renaissance]

I have been following this guy (Heal Your Gut Guy) for a long time. Not sure how his program has changed or shifted into "German New Medicine" aside from focusing more on the emotional/psychological/spiritual underlying factors contributing to illness.

However, he has been helping people achieve remission from IBD for several years before adopting the GNM philosophy (or ideology in my personal opinion) of health

I'm only vaguely familiar with the Heal Your Gut Guy, but I have been looking at GNM over the past few months. One of the interesting things about is how it looks to deal with biological issues by understanding how the 'genetic mind' works. As far as I can tell, emotional and spiritual factors aren't really the focus, although there some aspects of the subconscious. It's a pretty complex system, but as far as I understand it, the basics are rooted in biology, the nervous system, the brain, and embryology. When a specific type of conflict shock happens to the genetic/animal body, there are regions of the brain where a lesion occurs that in turn affect corresponding organs. Brain scans show these lesions in the same spots in the brain for the same disease, and they also correspond to a specific type of shocks. When a conflict shock is resolved, the body heals the lesion in the brain, which can be experienced by an acute crisis that also involve the corresponding organs. There are case studies showing these patterns - the conflict, the lesion, the organs affected, and the resolution. I'm curious where you see ideology come into play.

 

[Keyhole]

I'm only vaguely familiar with the Heal Your Gut Guy, but I have been looking at GNM over the past few months. One of the interesting things about is how it looks to deal with biological issues by understanding how the 'genetic mind' works. As far as I can tell, emotional and spiritual factors aren't really the focus, although there some aspects of the subconscious. It's a pretty complex system, but as far as I understand it, the basics are rooted in biology, the nervous system, the brain, and embryology. When a specific type of conflict shock happens to the genetic/animal body, there are regions of the brain where a lesion occurs that in turn affect corresponding organs. Brain scans show these lesions in the same spots in the brain for the same disease, and they also correspond to a specific type of shocks. When a conflict shock is resolved, the body heals the lesion in the brain, which can be experienced by an acute crisis that also involve the corresponding organs. There are case studies showing these patterns - the conflict, the lesion, the organs affected, and the resolution. I'm curious where you see ideology come into play.

No doubt, the concepts are fascinating and the testimonials are awesome to read about. It is essentially an entirely different way of approaching healing and practicing medicine.

Much of my experience with GNM has been through run-ins with those who follow it, mostly on social media platforms and groups, so it probably has not been the most accurate representation. This made me interested enough to check out the website and the material presented on there to get a better idea of what was being proposed.

Reconsidering my comment, GNM may not fit all of the traditional criteria for being an ideology. It doesn't encourage activity at the sociopolitical level etc.

However, looking through their position on certain topics, there are some areas which IMO have an ideological "flavor" - in that GNM provides a complete system/paradigm through which to interpret every disease. A fairly rigid set of beliefs/ideas which explains health and disease, where EVERY problem can be answered or explained through their framework.

"GNM offers a complete scientific system that allows to identify the causes of diseases, accurately predict their development, and recognize symptoms that indicate healing. "

Because this is a "complete system", its adherents are taught to view all symptoms and illnesses through the lense of GNM's framework. Additionally, they are encouraged to disregard other models of health and medicine. In this sense, it is very difficult to have a conversation about infection with a GNM adherent, because they seemingly have an answer for *everything*.

For example: The belief pathogenic organisms do not cause disease, and that outbreaks are caused by "conflicts". This seems to me to overly reductionistic.

Diseases are not contagious!

Based on the two-phase pattern of every SBS (Second Biological Law), “infections” cannot be transmitted to another person since the symptoms (discharge, inflammation, fever) are already healing symptoms. Moreover, a DHS that activates a Biological Special Program is a highly individual conflict experience. If two or more people happen to have the same symptoms, for example, a cold, diarrhea, or a stomach flu, this means that all of them are in the healing phase of the same type of conflict (stink conflict, indigestible morsel conflict, territorial anger conflict) that took place, let’s say, at school, at home, or at work. The idea that everyone had a “weak immune system” just at that time is rather far-fetched. The same holds true for epidemics which are the result of conflicts affecting large populations (attack conflicts, territorial fear conflicts, death-fright conflicts). This was the case, for instance, with the Great Plague, the Spanish Flu, and the lung tuberculosis epidemic after World War I. Nowadays, such collective conflict shocks are easily evoked through frightening media reports (threats of an economic collapse, threats of a global war, threats of terrorist attacks, threats of a “deadly virus”). The ensuing pneumonia outbreak (termed SARS, the swine flu, and so forth) is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

NOTE: Cultural, political, social, or economic aspects are decisive factors as to why people in certain regions are more (or less) vulnerable to experience specific types of conflicts. For instance, the incidence and prevalence rates of diabetes (linked to resistance conflicts) are much higher among indigenous peoples compared to the general population. The fact that western women have greater rates of breast cancer (linked to separation conflicts) than Chinese women has nothing to do with their different diet, as suggested, but with the significantly higher rate of divorces of women living in North America and Europe.

They promote the idea that viruses do not exist and that viruses are "microparticles" of protein produced by the body to detoxify and heal. The movement has been gaining a lot more attention since Covid-19, and is generally used to justify the no-virus theory.

In line with evolutionary reasoning, VIRUSES should - theoretically - assist the reconstructions of organs and tissues deriving from the ectoderm (controlled from the cerebral cortex).

Concerning viruses, in GNM we prefer to speak of hypothetical viruses because the existence of viruses that cause so-called “viral infections” has never been scientifically substantiated. None of the alleged viruses (HIV et al) has ever been isolated from a host cell nor has their DNA been properly identified, which are the basic criteria for the proof of the existence of a virus (details presented in the “Virus Mania” GNM DVD). Since viruses that supposedly cause AIDS, SARS, pneumonia, the avian flu, bird flu, swine flu, hepatitis, herpes, measles, polio, cervical cancer, and the like cannot be found in the human body, orthodox medicine uses a rather unscientific method, namely to conclude from the rise of antibodies (produced by the alleged “immune system”) the presence of a virus and hence an “infectious disease". This method is called “indirect evidence”.


In their publication Virus Mania the authors demonstrate that the alleged viruses are in reality micro-particles produced by the body cells themselves. In biology, these particles are known as ribosomes, which are protein factories of the cells (viruses are defined by the absence of ribosomes!). This is in full accordance with Dr. Hamer’s view. Dr. Hamer is of the opinion that what is interpreted as “viruses” are actually protein globulins (“antibodies”) that emerge with the DHS (see antigens and tracks). During the healing phase, where they are measurable, antibodies (produced by white blood cells) assist the restoration of ectodermal tissue such as the skin, nasal membrane, bronchi, or the cervix. Proteins that are produced by endodermal organs (prostate, liver, pancreas) or old-mesodermal organs (breast glands) on the other hand, are already detectable in the blood during the conflict-active phase. These constitute the real tumor markers (see PSA).

I am not necessarily saying that the purpose of a virus is to infect and kill its host, because I don't believe that to be the case. However, viruses can kill people, and antiviral medication is effective in many cases.

Another is that all disease is a healing process caused by conflict:

All medical theories, whether conventional or “alternative”, past or current, are based on the concept that diseases are “malfunctions” of the organism. Diseases are thought to be caused by pathogenic microbes, malignant cancer cells, defective gene mutations, a weak immune system, environmental toxins, electromagnetic pollutants, geopathic radiation, carcinogens, smoking, a poor diet, obesity, nutritional deficiencies, imbalanced pH-levels, hormones, root canals, stress, negative beliefs, and the list goes on.

Dr. Hamer's ground-breaking discovery that diseases are not senseless “disorders” but in reality meaningful biological processes trying to save an organism rather than to destroy it, and his findings that diseases are not “errors” of Nature but instead Significant Biological Special Programs of Nature created to support an individual during emotional distress, turn medicine as we know it entirely on its head. German New Medicine is the biggest challenge medical science and medicine as a whole has ever faced.

Its an interesting theory, and without doubt holds merit in SOME people. But they throw the baby out with the bathwater. Sometimes diseases are caused by crappy genetics (think Genetic Devolution), nutritional deficiencies, pathogenic microbes, and toxins. That is what the evidence suggests, anyway.

Addressing those basic physiological factors with a supplement, drug, or some other external treatment, can solve the problem of malfunctioning pretty quickly. I am biased toward nutritional science/biochemistry and the efficacy of biochemical intervention, so take it for what its worth.

That said, my experience of people who follow GNM is that they can be one-track-minded and follow the teaching with a bit of religious fervor. This may not be reflective of the founder himself, but I can't help but thinking that they are somewhat responsible for promoting this way of viewing things.

 

[Obi]

Hello,

I just watched an interesting video about gut-brain connection.

Here is the link:

They do mention how important the diet is, so that's good. But they fail to discuss the role the vagus nerv plays in this and do not mention any stimulation of the v nerv via breething. Nonetheless, it is well worth viewing.

 

[eightyfour]

Apperantly covid detroys gut bacteria. Appart from probiotics, not drinking alcohol, not eating grains/sugar and eating raw almonds. Is their anything else that might be helpful ? I got some annoying long term fatigue that has lingered for almost a year.