These past couple of years have been peculiar for me and my friends. Every time we stop to catch our breath, a new crisis occurs. As I write this, I have one friend returning from her third family funeral and another who lost her business partner and father in the same month. One is back… Read more »
In my work as a massage therapist and energy medicine practitioner I consider this question every day. Every client–each person–has a story. We are each on a healing journey. The details vary, but the quest is the same for all: we are searching for wholeness. What helps? What constitutes success? Recently I had a personal… Read more »
Thank you to all who took part in this year’s celebration and congratulations to all 2019 Desert Health Wellness Award winners and nominees! A special Thank Youto photographerLani Garfield For more photos visit PhotosByLani.com
Remember when you couldn’t wait for summer? In your young mind the word screamed freedom, bare feet, nature and fun. Where will you find those things this summer? July and August are the perfect time to escape on a new (or familiar) adventure. Whether it’s a drive to the beach, staycation at a local resort,… Read more »
I was sitting at a stranger’s kitchen table. In fact, I was surrounded by strangers. Strangers who had, with a single text at one o’clock in the morning, become my sisters. There were people congregated in the living room and sitting at the table with me and on the kitchen floor when I asked the… Read more »
As a society we are uncomfortable talking about dysfunction and pain in the pelvic region including urinary and fecal incontinence, constipation, and problems with sexual performance. Patients are embarrassed to talk about their issues and thus, continue to live with problems which can significantly affect their quality of life. Patients who want to seek help… Read more »
Over the past year, parents of the wealthy and privileged have been exposed for cheating the college admissions system. These individuals have personified the levels of desperation to which some parents descend in order to get their child into their school of choice. Stresses of college admissions and even competition among high school students contribute… Read more »
The hardest part of cancer? That’s a loaded question, but telling my kid about it ranks up there at the top of that list. Lauren had just turned 10 when my husband and I found a lump in my breast. A few days later, an oncologist predicted that I had three months to live. “We… Read more »
Accidents happen. And if the teeth are involved, especially the front teeth, it can be very scary. However, hope is not lost, even if the trauma is as severe as having a tooth completely come out, as most teeth can be saved and repaired as long as a few important steps are followed. There are… Read more »
Without a doubt, one of the saddest things that can happen with an Alzheimer’s or dementia patient is when family, friends and acquaintances desert those diagnosed due to fear, discomfort and misunderstanding of the disease. Being connected and involved with others is crucial for every human being, especially those with dementia, but not knowing or… Read more »
Support comes in many forms, especially when someone is going through cancer. We think about how awful everything that they must endure is – treatments, doctor appointments, fatigue, stress and so much more. Hopefully, the person going through cancer has a good support system and a caregiver that will be by their side through thick… Read more »
Occasional diarrhea from bad food, a medication side effect or illness is one thing, but to battle it on a chronic basis, along with other sometimes painful symptoms, is quite another. If you or a loved one has ulcerative colitis, you know how debilitating this type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be. In addition… Read more »
Summer is finally here in the desert. We had a blessedly cool May, but now the summer sauna has returned. As we enjoy (or lament) the sweat-inducing heat, what is the best way to keep ourselves smelling sweet while maintaining our skin and breast health? For many years, I have remained skeptical about the claims… Read more »
In the United States, drowning continues to be the second leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 claiming the lives of roughly 1,100 children in 2006¹. Those at greatest risk for water accidents or drowning includes this group and teenage boys. Summer also presents greater risk for water accidents as children are… Read more »
Have you been getting a tap on the shoulder that keeps telling you that you need a vacation? I believe that we never truly realize just how much we need an uplifting vacation, or “change of environment,” until we have actually make that change. I recently took a spur of the moment trip to Paris.… Read more »
In 2017, a campaign was launched to raise awareness on the benefits of wellness lifestyles and to inspire people around the globe to adopt healthier habits. Now in its third year, World Wellness Weekend has grown to include over 2,000 venues in 100 countries and local businesses and community members are encouraged to get involved.… Read more »
We often say, “Trust your instincts” and “Listen to your inner voice.” Yet, with all the external noise and internal conflict, how do we follow our inner compass? Our world revolves around strategy, data, knowledge and facts, which challenges us to navigate unknown territories. Over 4,000 years ago Phoenician sailors used the sun and stars… Read more »
Candida albicans is a yeast that lives in and on the human body. In small amounts it is not harmful, but an overabundance can cause infections in the genitourinary tract, the digestive system and on the skin. An overgrowth of candida in the gastrointestinal tract is associated with ulcers, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Along… Read more »
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This question has a new application for me as I pursue optimal brain function for patients. For most of my “doctor life” I’ve believed brain function to be dependent on the right environment and care – a fragile organ sustained by the right brew of vitamins, nutrients… Read more »
One of the most common chronic maladies affecting people is low thyroid function. Symptoms which bring patients to a doctor may include unexplained weight gain, fatigue, loss of hair and lateral eyebrows, brain fog, feeling cold when others are warm, cold hands and feet, and menstrual irregularities. These symptoms are caused by lack of the… Read more »