July/August 2018
Natural OptionsThe Benefits May Surprise You
Meditation used to be reserved for hippies, gurus, and rock stars. The practice has now entered the mainstream, and the reasons are all around us. Chaos in the world, our dependence on electronics, and the need-it-now mentality create unrest and an extreme pace. Many are simply looking for a way Read more…
InspirationSaving Bees in Our Community
We need our bees. They pollinate our food and help our flowers flourish. It may be surprising to learn that one out of every three mouthfuls of food in the American diet is a product of honeybee pollination—from fruit to nuts to coffee beans.1 However, bees are disappearing at alarming Read more…
Publisher’s NoteHappy Summer
Summer in the Desert is a great time to take stock of your life…clean out your closet, finish that project, join a yoga class, or learn meditation. We are doing just that at Desert Health, starting with our website which contains every article that has ever appeared on our pages Read more…
Medical NewsUnion Benefits Community
The three local hospitals managed by Tenet Healthcare – Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio, and Hi-Desert Medical Center/Hi-Desert Continuing Care Center in Joshua Tree – along with their region-wide outpatient health care centers have come together under one umbrella as Desert Care Network. Read more…
Medical NewsOne Stop Shop for Health Resources
The Coachella Valley now has a website for health and wellness resources offering everything from hiking trails to adaptive sports; education to legal services; and weight management to food assistance. Created by the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation (DHCD) in partnership with the City of Palm Springs, CV HIP (Coachella Read more…
Medical NewsLung Health: Smoking Marijuana
Many people tend to smoke marijuana because they think that it’s safer than smoking cigarettes. It’s an herb and it’s natural, but how safe is it? On April 20 of this year (the unofficial day celebrating all things cannabis), local doctor Eric Presser, MD, was invited to KATU-TV in Portland, Read more…
Medical NewsOur Mind Still Matters
Is there a mental health crisis developing in America, or just a popular topic in the media? National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH) 2017 statistics document a nearly 13% rate of depression affliction in teenagers, and nearly 7% in adults; hardly an epidemic, but concerning, nonetheless. Every day, we all Read more…
Medical NewsVisual Needs of Stroke Patients
Every year more than 750,000 people suffer a stroke, the most common disability for Americans. A stroke occurs when the blood flow to the brain is interrupted. There are two basic types: an ischemic stroke, most often due to a blood clot blocking a blood vessel, and a hemorrhagic stroke, Read more…
Medical NewsTaking Care of Our Kids
You may find it surprising to learn that the number of children 17 and under in the Coachella Valley exceeds the number of adults 65 and over.1 While schools and services are being built to support this growing demographic, our greatest need may be in medical care–especially in the east Read more…
Medical NewsDentures Got You Down?
Traditionally, when someone lost all of their teeth, removable dentures were the only option to restore a smile. With dentures come some compromises; they can be ill-fitting and uncomfortable, making chewing difficult. Today, technology has advanced and better options are available ranging from better fitting and more esthetic dentures to Read more…
Natural OptionsSulfur-based Foods to the Rescue
Sulfur, which is present in every cell of our bodies, is the third most abundant mineral in the body and is crucial in forming a variety of sulfate compounds that perform a vast array of biological processes.1 Many experts recognize we are at risk of sulfur deficiency due to diets Read more…
Natural OptionsThe Power of Silence for a Mom and Her Milennial Daughter
Opportunity often presents itself at the most meaningful time. The door was recently opened for this mom, after a bustling work season, and her millennial teen’s challenging and successful school year. An opportunity to get away from digital and social media promised to be rewarding. Our prescription for bonding was Read more…
Natural OptionsThe Meaning of Yin and Yang
Symbols are images which provide a visual representation of a concept. Upon seeing the Yin and Yang symbol, many have said they see good/evil, peace/war, feminine/masculine. The meaning and significance of this symbol goes far beyond what we see as opposites or opposing sides of one subject or topic. This Read more…
Natural OptionsThe Impact of Emotions on Health
Let’s face it, we are all spiritual beings, and as we go through life we store emotions, worries, stress and trauma on a subconscious level. It is called our cellular memory, the very genetic blueprint that our consciousness draws on for “deep memories” which play a significant role in determining Read more…
Integrative MedicineFood: What the Heck Should I Eat?
It is important news for the healthy nutrition world when Mark Hyman, MD, comes out with a new book. Dr. Hyman is the director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine and chairman of the board of the Institute for Functional Medicine. He practices and directs the UltraWellness Center Read more…
Integrative MedicineYoga, Cancer and Vulnerability
Shay Moraga is a triple negative breast cancer survivor and shares her journey with Desert Health® readers in an ongoing column… Do you ever wonder why so many people turn to yoga after a life changing experience? It is because yoga heals us in so many ways. Yoga and cancer Read more…
Integrative MedicineAddressing Autoimmunity with Gut Health
The prevalence of autoimmune diseases has risen astonishingly in recent years. The cause has been attributed to multiple environmental factors including toxic chemicals and heavy metals, dietary factors, ionizing radiation, prolonged emotional stress, medications, postmenopausal hormone replacement, bacteria and viruses. The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association estimates that at least Read more…
Integrative MedicineThe Connection between Alzheimer’s and Diabetes
It would be too easy to simmer the development of Alzheimer’s and other dementias down to a single etiology. Rarely are things so simple. Still the connection between dementia and diabetes has been acknowledged for many years now. Many have gone so far as to use the term “type-3 diabetes” Read more…
Integrative MedicineFacing the End of Life
All of us will eventually have to face the end of life, but some of us will find ourselves confronted with that prospect more quickly and unexpectedly than anticipated—after suffering an accident, for example, or when diagnosed with a terminal illness. Or it may be that a loved one must Read more…
