Passion is a “strong and barely controllable emotion.” It’s that which physically lifts your spirit, warms your heart, and brings butterflies to your belly. For some, it’s a source that drives them; for others, it’s a long lost hobby, lingering idea or curious thought yet to be embraced. Some are fortunate to live their passion… Read more »
What happens when you take rescued horses – some who have been abused, starved or neglected – and pair them with veterans struggling to deal with deep wounds from their past? A miraculous program that participants call both life changing, and lifesaving. Like people, horses can have strong personalities. However, those who work with them… Read more »
The Heavens certainly have been earning their share of 5-star angels this year, including our beloved Edith Morrey who left us two weeks before her 106th birthday. Our friendship was one of great admiration; she was Desert Health’s biggest fan and I was hers. In our last visit, all she said was ‘thank you,’ two… Read more »
While there are over 5.7 million people living with Alzheimer’s today, there are 16 million more caring for loved ones affected. Added to that number are the many paid health professionals who provide care and support for the 24/7 management often required. In the Coachella Valley, it is estimated that over 50,000 are affected by… Read more »
Have you ever been told by your eye doctor that you have keratoconous [ker-uh-toh-koh-nuhs], a type of astigmatism that cannot be fully corrected with glasses or soft contact lenses? To understand keratoconus, you must first understand that the eye has many components that all work together to help you see including the cornea, lens, and… Read more »
Choosing a career is one of the most difficult choices a student has to make. The Palm Desert Health Academy provides real world experience for students to help them make decisions for their future. As students, we have learned that it is important to have a firm idea of what it takes to enter the… Read more »
Like many personal improvement expressions “Live Your Passion,” the title of this issue’s front page feature, is alluring in its simplicity, powerful in its promise, but difficult to achieve. Difficult, but not impossible. Identifying where we are and the personal energy we have left to contribute to achieving new goals in our life is a… Read more »
Strokes present in two manners. The first is ischemic stroke caused by a blockage of a large or small blood vessel to the brain. The second form, hemorrhagic stroke, is caused by bleeding of a blood vessel into the brain or on the surface of the brain as in subarachnoid spaces. Hypertension is the most… Read more »
Sixteen years after the approval and use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for generalized population screening by the FDA, an opinion editorial in The New York Times by the discoverer of PSA (and co-author of this article), Richard J. Ablin, directed attention to the shortcomings of the PSA test contributing to overdiagnosis and overtreatment… Read more »
When sexual intimacy with your partner causes pain, it can have a deep psychological impact. You may feel alone and uncertain where to turn. Many will suffer in silence, as the topic can be difficult to discuss. The pain can lead to a disinterest in sex and eventually you may avoid physical intimacy altogether with… Read more »
Congratulations on making the most difficult decision of your life: the decision to get sober. The journey of addiction and dependency can be a long and arduous road fraught with challenges in every aspect of life. Long-gnarled tentacles take hold wreaking havoc and then, ah…the early days of recovery are the calm after the turbulent… Read more »
This past February I found great pleasure watching athletes compete in the winter Olympics. One overriding impression, regardless of the sport, was the great degree of grace exhibited by athletes while performing. The expression of grace should not be underestimated. It is the smooth, controlled, effortless, invisible force that allows competitors to display elegance and… Read more »
Finding wisdom in the difficult moments can be challenging—especially when we are staring those moments square in the face. Sending your child off to kindergarten, being betrayed by a friend or making a painful decision about a family member’s health care—they all can hurt. There is no escaping it: The heart gets bruised, our trust… Read more »
Did you know that you can effectively clean your home while supporting the health of both your family and pets? With essential oils, you can make products that cleanse, purify and smell exceptional while avoiding harmful chemical-based synthetic cleaners. Everyone is raving about the “new” way to clean your home with natural products. Many essential… Read more »
Organic acids tests (OAT) can be a great help in determining the root cause of many pathologies, particularly those for which the source can be challenging to identify. OAT provides an accurate metabolic snapshot of what’s going on in one’s body in a way that can be far more helpful than standard blood serum labs.… Read more »
The ketogenic diet was developed in the 1920s to treat epilepsy. Physicians had long noted that there were fewer seizures when their patients fasted, so to mimic the fasting state, a diet high in fat and very low in carbohydrates was created. When carbohydrates are restricted, the body runs out of glucose quickly and must… Read more »
Moderate alcohol consumption has been touted for its health benefits. It is often stated in the media that it is healthy to have a glass of wine for the resveratrol it offers the heart; however, you should consider that eating half a cup of red grapes offers more resveratrol for the heart with no side… Read more »
Shay Moraga was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the beginning of 2016 and shares her journey with Desert Health® readers in an ongoing column… If a cancer diagnosis has changed your life like it has mine, then you have been immediately thrown into the world of doctors, treatments, surgeries, fears, and overwhelming opinions… Read more »
A cholecystectomy, or gallbladder removal, is the second most common surgery in the United States. The removal is a safe, conventional treatment for the diseased organ, but it can often result in various complications on a daily basis. A cholecystectomy does relieve pain, but 50 percent of patients still have digestive symptoms afterwards1 and most… Read more »
The Coachella Valley is fortunate to have Steven Gundry, MD, practicing restorative medicine here since 2002. The former head of cardiothoracic surgery at Loma Linda University, he changed careers when he realized the power of nutrition to transform health. I share several patients with Dr. Gundry and they all sing his praises and are grateful… Read more »