The world is seeking wellness. Whether at home in our daily lives or traveling abroad, more and more people are making health a priority and propelling the global wellness industry to a $3.7 trillion market. Wellness is the “state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal,” and the sectors that make… Read more »
Five years ago, the Coachella Valley received an incredible gift. We were chosen to be the model region for changing health behaviors in our community. The grand task would take many organizations working together for the greater good and the work of countless individuals making significant efforts – large and small – for themselves, their… Read more »
Today I had the honor of visiting a dear friend who wasn’t feeling herself. She is hardly ever ill, has eaten healthy her entire life, and is my greatest inspiration. I brought her a beloved avocado which, thanks to her, I now eat daily. We spoke about nutritious foods keeping you well, getting the girls… Read more »
The Desert Healthcare District (DHCD) is a leading organization connecting local residents to health providers, facilities, programs, and services. Each year they grant an average of $4 million to nonprofit, community-based and provider-based organizations to assist residents – especially the underserved – in accessing vitally needed resources, such as primary and behavioral health care, housing,… Read more »
As an alumni of La Quinta High School’s Medical Health Academy (’03), Andrew Kehl set his sights on using his new medical knowledge to help others. Deliberately enlisting in the U.S. Air Force as a firefighter, he finished his emergency medical technician (EMT) credential and responded to over 400 medical emergencies where his skills were… Read more »
In summer 2018, the Alzheimer’s Association will launch the first-ever U.S.-based study to examine the effects of lifestyle interventions for seniors at high-risk for cognitive decline. The 2-year clinical trial will enroll 2,500 participants from health systems across the country, and intervention categories will include: healthy nutrition physical activity social interactions and intellectual challenges frequent… Read more »
Each Friday, patients at JFK Memorial Hospital receive a visit from Zane, a six-year-old standard poodle, trained as a therapy dog. Owner Sherri Halstead wanders from room to room, gently knocking on each door to ask the patients if they would like to spend a few minutes with Zane. For most, he offers the irresistible… Read more »
This is the final pillar of a six-part series on brain health from Deborah Schrameck, NC, PT, of the Eisenhower Wellness Institute. For previous articles click here. My final pillar on brain health is “stimulation,” more commonly known as “use it or lose it.” In the Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Desert Health, the article Alzheimer’s… Read more »
Last June, ten members of Harvard’s incoming freshman class who had just received their acceptance letters to Harvard received another letter from Harvard. It was a letter rescinding their acceptance because of their posts on Facebook. How tragic and embarrassing for these students and their families! Social media can impact our lives in ways we… Read more »
Glaucoma, a group of diseases that leads to damage of the optic nerve, is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. Left untreated, glaucoma causes permanent vision loss and blindness. Given that it is so common (it affects about 3 million people in the US alone) and there are many available treatments for it,… Read more »
In my practice, I often encounter post-menopausal clients that are referred for recurrent urinary tract infections. While on some occasions, physically identifiable ailments account for these issues, more commonly, they suffer from a hidden condition named vaginal atrophy which is often ignored or not recognized by patients and/or their physicians. The goal of this article… Read more »
There used to be a television show called The Newlywed Game during which the host asked the newlyweds questions to discover how well the newly married couples knew each other. It was entertaining to hear the answer compared to what the spouse thought the answer would be. Exposed habits were frequently the brunt of the… Read more »
“Oil pulling” is an ancient Ayurvedic practice from India that has recently become popular in the US as a means of improving health of the oral cavity, especially gum health. The practice involves using an oil, usually coconut, and swishing it around the mouth and between the teeth for about 20 minutes. Advocates of the… Read more »
A recent article published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology1 helped highlight the difference in eye disease based on whether a diabetic patient is on insulin or not. The study involved over 15,000 patients followed for 9 years. What is interesting is that outcomes were differentiated by any eye disease, sight-threatening eye disease, and something… Read more »
Did you know that one of the greatest ways to transform the air you breathe in your home is to create your own aromatherapy oasis? This is not only fun, but one of the simplest ways to improve the wellness and ambiance of your home. The style, function and scent of our homes are very… Read more »
Why do we age? Your body is made up of about 10 trillion cells that form our tissue, organs, blood, etc. Each cell has an essential part called mitochondria which makes energy for the cell to use and a nucleus containing DNA to indicate how the cell should function. As our cells die or replicate,… Read more »
We’ve all had days we don’t feel like doing much. Sometimes, we consciously know that lack of motivation is due to a feeling of sadness or some other depressed emotion. But what about those times when we can’t identify a reason or aren’t performing up to par and can’t figure out why? Is it possible… Read more »
Recently, there was another school shooting. There was tragic loss of life and the unbearable grief that family members, friends, classmates and colleagues have had to endure. My mentor’s wife went to that high school and is now watching her high school classmates suffer imaginable loss. The grief and disbelief is palpable and left my… Read more »
Does life ever feel as though you’re sitting on a giant swing? Flying through the air to hit a peak, rushing back toward the earth just to rise up into another peak? Does it ever feel like this giant swing represents all of the emotional ups and downs you experience? If you have had these… Read more »
