Science based
mind-body medicine
& experiences that are yet to be proofed or refuted
The sophistication of the human body has always fascinated me as it has an enormous capabilities to heal itself. The progress of modern medicine during the last century has saved innumerable lives and given us more chances to travel through life in a healthy body. However, medicine as a discipline is not very good at curing chronic disease and malaise that so many of us suffer from. It does not address the root causes adequately.
This website is a place where I collect my research, reflections and tools on the mind-body connection and natural healing. It is not supposed to replace medical or health care of any kind and only reflects my personal opinion.
I believe that the best medicine is gained by studying the art of natural healing in order to master the scenic path to optimal health. No one knows the beauty of ones life better than oneself.
Lara G. Sig.
Lara
MD, PhD
EXPERIENCE
2017-present
Managing Director & Co-founder
at HÚÐIN skin clinic.
Author
Columnist at the newspaper Fréttablaðið.
Author and publisher of books about activities for families Reykjavik With Kids and Útivist og afþreying fyrir börn.
Creator of websites www.utipukar.is and www.heilsanokkar.is
2014-2017
Project manager
Physician and project manager at the Icelandic Cancer Society where I worked on several creative projects, such as designing and writing manuscripts for educational videos and health promotion campaigns.
Physician at the Screening Center of the Icelandic Cancer Society.
Yoga teacher at the Icelandic Cancer Society.
Columnist for the Icelandic Web of Science.
Hosted two outdoor family festivals in Öskjuhlíð to encourage families to engage in outdoor activities.
1998-2015
Physician and Researcher
Assistant researcher at the Icelandic Cancer Registry.
Senior House Officer at the Operating Theatre at Landspitali University Hospital.
District physician.
Intern at the department of Psychiatry at Landspitali University Hospital.
Nurse position at the department of Neurology at Landspitali University Hospital.
Teaching/Lectures
Physiology of wellbeing: Positive Psychology, Continuing studies at University of Iceland.
Sleep, Shiftwork and health: Starfsmennt and University of Iceland.
Lectures on the association between lifestyle and health.
Vocational training for medical students.
Instructor for MPH student.
Assistant teacher.
EDUCATION
2020-
Functional Med
Student at the School of Applied Functional Medicine.
2008-2015
PhD
Public Health Sciences, University of Iceland.
Thesis: The role of circadian system, sleep and melatonin in prostate cancer development.
Collaboration with Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and Icelandic Heart Association.
1995-2001
Cand.med. et chir.
Medical Faculty at the University of Iceland.
2013-2016
Yoga teacher
Yin Yoga (50h, 2016)
Rocket Yoga (50h, 2015)
Ashtanga (300h, 2013)
2005-2007
Surgery
Surgical resident at Landspitali University Hospital: Basic surgical training and research projects.
1990-1994
Undergraduate
Advanced level from the Icelandic Business School. Mathematics and physics as a major subject.
Courses
Beginning Italian I (Stanford, 2019)
Capturing the Hearts of Young Readers: Writing with Humor and Emotion (Stanford, 2019)
The Science of Being Memorable and Influencing Decisions (Stanford, 2019)
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (California, 2018).
The Herbert Benson, MD Course in Mind-Body Medicine (Harvard, 2018)
Writing, Publishing, and Social Media for Healthcare Professionals (Harvard, 2018)
Compassion Focused Therapy – Advanced Skills (UK, 2017)
Intensive Compassionate Mind Training and Meditation (Iceland, 2017)
Meditation for Everyday Living and Peak Performance for Mental health, Medical, and Surgical Practices (Harvard, 2016)
Positive Psychology Coaching (Iceland, 2016)
Active Lives: Transforming Ourselves and Our Patients (Harvard, 2015)
To bring bad news (Iceland, 2013)
Nordic Summer School in Cancer Epidemiology (DK, 2011)
Biostatistics III: Survival analysis for epidemiologists (Sweden, 2010)
PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES
2012-present
Bassi LA, Sigurdardottir LG, Sigurdsson S, Valdimarsdottir UA, Torfadottir JE, Aspelund T, Czeisler C, Lockley SW, Jonsson E, Launer L, Harris T, Gudnason V, Mucci L, Markt SC (2021). Explatory assesment of pineal gland volume, composition, and urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels on prostate cancer risk. The Prostate. 2021 April; 81 (2).
Nygard M, Hansen BT, Kjaer SK, Hortlund M, Tryggvadottir L, Munk C, Lagheden C, Sigurdardottir LG, Campbell S, Liaw KL, Dillner J. (2020). Human papillomavirus genotype-specific risks for cervical intraepithelial lesions. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2020 Sept 29;1-10.
Dickerman BA, Torfadottir JE, Valdimarsdottir UA, Giovanucci E, Wilson KM, Aspelund T, Tryggvadottir L, Sigurdardottir LG, Harris TB, Launer LJ, Gudnason V, Markt SC, Mucci LA. (2019). Body fat distribution on computed tomography imaging and prostate cancer risk and mortality in the AGES-Reykjavik study. Cancer. 2019 Aug 15;125(16):2877-2885.
Dickerman BA, Torfadottir JE, Valdimarsdottir UA, Wilson KM, Steingrimsdottir L, Aspelund T, Batista JL, Fall K, Giovanucci E, Sigurdardottir LG, Tryggvadottir L, Gudnason V, Markt SC, Mucci LA. (2018) Midlife metabolic factors and prostate cancer risk later in life. Int J Cancer. 2018 Mar 15;142(6):1166-1173.
Kjaer SK, Nygard M, Dillner J, Brooke Marshall J, Radler D, Li M, Munk C, Hansen BT, Sigurdardottir LG, Hortlund M, Tryggvadottir L, Joshi A, Das R, Saah AJ (2018). A 12-Year Follow-up on the Long-Term Effectiveness of the Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine in 4 Nordic Countries. Clin Infect Dis. 2018 Jan 18;66(3):339-345.
Kjartansdottir OJ, Sigurdardottir LG, Olafsdottir EJ, Jonasson JG, Ursin G, Tryggvadottir L (2017). Estrogen-progestin use and breast cancer characteristics in lean and overweight postmenopausal women. Breast Cancer Res Treat; ahead of print.
Sigurdardottir LG, Markt SC, Sigurdsson S, Aspelund T, Fall K, Schernhamer E, Rider JR, Launer L, Harris T, Stampfer MJ, Gudnason V, Czeisler CA, Lockley SW, Valdimarsdottir UA, Mucci LA. (2016). Pineal Gland Volume Assessed by MRI and Its Correlation with 6-Sulfatoxymelatonin Levels among Older Men. J Biol Rhythms; ahead of print.
Markt SC, Flynn-Evans EE, Valdimarsdottir UA, Sigurdardottir LG, Tamimi RM, Batista JL, Haneuse S, Lockley SW, Stampfer M, Wilson KM, Czeisler CA, Rider JR, Mucci LA (2015). Sleep Duration and Disruption and Prostate Cancer Risk: a 23-Year Prospective Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 2016 Feb;25(2):302-8.
Nygard M, Saah A, Munk C, Tryggvadottir L, Enerly E, Hortlund M, Sigurdardottir LG, Vuocolo S, Kjaer SK, Dillner J. (2015). Evaluation of the Long-Term Anti-HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 Immune Responses Generated by Gardasil. Clin Vaccine Immunol; ahead of print.
Markt SC, Valdimarsdottir UA, Shui IM, Sigurdardottir LG, Rider JR, Tamimi RM, Batista JL, Haneuse S, Flynn-Evans E, Lockley SW, Czeisler CA, Stampfer MJ, Launer L, Harris T, Smith AV, Gudnason V, Lindstrom S, Kraft P, Mucci LA. (2015) Circadian Clock Genes and Risk of Fatal Prostate Cancer. Cancer Causes Control; 26(1):25-33.
Markt SC, Valdimarsdottir UA, Sigurdardottir LG, Rider JR, Shui IM, Kasperzyk JL, Lockley SW, Czeisler CA, Stampfer MJ, Aspelund AV, Smith AV, Gudnason V, Mucci LA. (2015) Abstract B90: Variation in circadian rhythm genes and risk of prostate cancer in the AGES-Reykjavik cohort. Cancer Prevention Research; 01/2014; 5(11_Supplement): B90-B90.
Sigurdardottir LG, Markt SC, Rider JR, Haneuse S, Fall K, Schernhammer ES, Tamimi RM, Flynn-Evans E, Batista JL, Launer L, Harris T, Aspelund T, Stampfer MJ, Gudnason V, Czeisler CA, Lockley SW, Valdimarsdottir UA, Mucci LA. (2014) Urinary Melatonin Levels, Sleep Disruption, and Risk of Prostate Cancer in Elderly Men. Eur Urol; 67(2):191-4.
Mucci LA, Markt S, Sigurdardottir L, Lockley SW, Fall K, Stampfer MJ, Gudnason V, Kraft P, Rider JR, Czeisler CA, Valdimarsdottir UA (2014). Circadian dysrhythm and advanced prostate cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology;32(4)199-199.
Sigurdardottir LG, Valdimarsdottir UA, Mucci LA, Fall K, Rider JR, Schernhammer E, Czeisler CA, Launer L, Harris T, Stampfer MJ, Gudnason V, Lockley SW. (2013). Sleep Disruption among Older Men and Risk of Prostate Cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(5):872-9.
Sigurdardottir LG, Jonasson JG, Stefansdottir S, Jonsdottir A, Olafsdottir GH, Olafsdottir EJ, Tryggvadottir L. (2012). Data quality at the Icelandic Cancer Registry: Comparability, validity, timeliness and completeness. Acta Oncol; 51(2):880-9.
Sigurdardottir LG, Valdimarsdottir UA, Fall K, Rider JR, Lockley SW, Schernhammer E, Mucci LA. (2012). Circadian disruption, sleep loss, and prostate cancer risk: a systematic review of epidemiologic studies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(7):1002-11.
in Icelandic
Torfadottir JE, Sigurdardottir LG. (2014). Ávaxtasykur og lífsstílssjúkdómar: skiptir máli hvaðan sykurinn kemur? Læknablaðið. 10.tbl.100 árg.