A New Year Update

Nine months after treatment and a year after starting an integrative cancer care protocol, today, I am cancer-free. In January 2019 I was diagnosed with early stage invasive ductal breast cancer and chose to have my tumor frozen versus a lumpectomy or mastectomy. “Cryoablation” as it’s called is much less invasive and my results are… Read more »

Desert Health Celebrates 10 Years

Dearest Desert Health Readers,  It is hard to put into words how grateful I am to be celebrating our 10th anniversary. WOW. I cannot thank you, and all of our marketing partners, enough for your continued support over the years.  We began with the mission to “educate and unite” and continue to strive for those… Read more »

Your Health Matters - with Janet Zappala

Music has power

Music has the power to move us. It conjures up memories of days and moments gone by and can emit emotions that we may not even know we’re feeling until one particular song moves us to our core.  Music can also mend minds. Based out of Los Angeles, Music Mends Minds: Restoring the Rhythm of… Read more »

Cryoablation Proving Effective for Breast Cancer

This editorial is offered in response to a November 2019 Desert Sun article regarding Phillip Bretz, MD, of La Quinta. In the article, we learned that the California Medical Board placed  Dr. Bretz on probation due to factors related to offering cryoablation or “tumor freezing” to women seeking an alternative to surgery for early stage… Read more »

What Are these White Spots?

If you have white spots on your teeth and ever wondered why they are there or what can be done about them, you are not alone. These white spots, called demineralization, can cause some to be self-conscious about their smile. Luckily, advancements in technology have made this condition much easier to treat noninvasively and without… Read more »

What is Direct Primary Care?

Direct primary care (DPC) is a new way of receiving personalized health care from a primary care physician for a small monthly membership fee. In exchange for this fee, patients get unlimited access to their doctor. Depending on your day-to-day needs this can be accomplished by same day or next day in-office visits or, if… Read more »

Gallstones: When Is Surgery Necessary?

The gallbladder is a small pouch that sits just under the liver. Its function is to store bile produced by the liver. After eating a fat-rich meal, the gallbladder contracts, emptying its contents into the small intestine to help digest the fat. Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in the gallbladder.… Read more »

mentoring the future

Future Doctors with Advanced Knowledge of Nutrition

The rates of chronic diseases occurring worldwide have risen annually for decades and while our conventional medical system is populated by amazing practitioners with the best of intentions, most lack the education and training on lifestyle and diet to provide the best care possible for those suffering from chronic diseases. Indio High School Health and… Read more »

How Does my Thyroid Affect my Eyes?

Because our eyes serve many purposes beyond providing visual input, they can be important indicators of other health-related issues. A variety of systemic conditions have ocular manifestations. One overlooked organ that may cause significant changes to the eyes is the thyroid gland which functions as our inner “thermostat,” setting the rate at which our body… Read more »

What is an End of Life Doula?

You may have heard of birth doulas who work with pregnant mothers and have been in our health care system a very long time. Recently, we have begun to look at the other end of the life cycle, one that is hard to think about and even harder to talk about: death.  End of life… Read more »

Is a Weight Loss Coach for You?

Losing weight can be a challenge and having a coach as your partner along the journey can make a difference in successfully achieving your goals and maintaining results.  A study in the National Library of Medicine states that coaching raises awareness and responsibility for health behaviors.1 Being accountable to someone for your weight loss typically… Read more »

A Good Night’s Sleep with Moon Milk

Ayurveda is an ancient healing system from India that remains relevant for modern-day concerns such as stress and insomnia. An Ayurvedic drink known as golden milk, containing cow or plant-based milk along with turmeric and other spices, has gained popularity in the last few years as a remedy to induce restful, quality sleep and boost… Read more »

Restoring Balance through Craniosacral Therapy

Every day we are bombarded by input: computer screens, telephones, traffic, food, blaring TVs, and everyone else’s energy. Our bodies are constantly challenged to integrate all this information, which can be exhausting. When our bodies are not able to process all of this information, we can experience imbalance that affects our nervous system, resulting in… Read more »

A New Year, a New Beginning, a New You

If you have been battling unwanted pounds or gained weight over the holidays, you are not alone. There are many reasons we maintain unwanted pounds and even gain weight – all of which are within your control. More people die from feasting than from famine, so its important to remember that overeating is a crime… Read more »

The Healing Practice of Ritual Bathing

2020 is here: out with the old and in with the new! Now is the time to release negativity and stale energies from the past, replacing them with positive, healthy and life-affirming new energy. One way to achieve this result is through the adoption of new rituals that support health and improve wellbeing. One such… Read more »

Treating Cancer Metabolically

Despite the billions of dollars spent on cancer research and treatments, cancer rates continue to skyrocket. It is currently estimated that 1,735,350 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year and 609,640 people will die from cancer.1  Approximately 38.4 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their… Read more »