Holiday traditions are a treasured part of the season. They create warmth, wonder and closeness with family and friends. But often the special memories we grew up with are no longer compatible with our new, healthier lifestyle and can leave us feeling far from healthy. What if we take the time to create new holiday… Read more »
Choices for health can be complicated – especially when you have health care practitioners with different opinions and/or the information available is contradictory. This is why it is important for us as consumers to do our research and make informed decisions for ourselves. Such is the case with food sensitivity testing which has become a… Read more »
On a recent trip back east to Lancaster, PA, I excitedly embraced the chill in the air, the changing leaves and a landscape rich in tradition. Originally from the east coast, I often miss the history and nostalgia of this region as life in the Desert is so very different. However, so am I –… Read more »
If you’ve just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you may need some help adjusting your grocery list. By working with a dietitian, you can find foods that are healthy for you and taste good, too. However, to get you started on the right nutritional path, here are some points to keep in mind the… Read more »
Taking a lead role in the community, a group of students joined together with American Heart Association professionals to help spread awareness of cardiovascular health. Five students from Cathedral City High School’s Health Environmental Academy of Learning (HEAL) Medical Health Academy and three students from Palm Desert High School’s Health Academy have teamed up to… Read more »
The holiday season is supposed to be a joyous and fun-filled time surrounded by beloved family and friends who gather to reminisce, catch up the last year’s events and pass on childhood traditions that are held dear. This is the idealistic view held by many, yet there are many people who wish they could sleep… Read more »
We previously published Understanding Clinical Trials (July/Aug 2014) featuring an interview with Don Anderson, MD, principal investigator at Desert Valley Research. As a follow-up to that story, Desert Medical Imaging presented a client, Ed Dykstra, who wanted to share his story from the perspective of a clinical trial subject. Following is our interview with Ed:… Read more »
I hear the same story over and over again in my clinic. A distraught patient comes in for an evaluation and feels there is nothing that can ease their pain because they have been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. One in three people have osteoarthritis of the knee, yet only one in eight have symptoms or… Read more »
It is not often that the top executives from each of our valley hospitals come together for a night of smiles and socializing, but on a beautiful night in October, they did. Recognizing their common goal of increasing access to health care, each was honored for the contributions of their organizations to the valley’s only… Read more »
As a certified telemedicine diabetic reader, I participate in a program that is run through UC Berkeley called Eyepacs, a web-based non-proprietary application for exchanging eye-related clinical information. The bulk of Eyepacs communications involves bringing diabetic retinal assessments into the primary care physicians’ offices. The program works without regard to physical location, is validated, and… Read more »
You may have seen the odd acronym “PrEP” among the alphabet soup of medical terms so prevalent today. It stands for “pre-exposure prophylaxis” against HIV infection and is a very simple therapy: a daily dose of Truvada, the highly effective antiviral medication used since 2004 to treat patients who are already HIV-positive. Actually, Truvada is… Read more »
A staggering number of people are living with addiction, anxiety or depression and that number continues to climb. Recent statistics reveal that between 25 to 50 percent of Americans are suffering from these conditions – or even a combination of all three. Until recently, the treatment of addiction, anxiety or depression was mainly limited to… Read more »
Did you know that sitting for long periods is detrimental to your health – even if you get the recommended 150 minutes of exercising per week? It’s true. One study found that adults who sat for four or more hours per day were at a 125 percent increased risk for cardiovascular disease as compared with… Read more »
November marks the beginning of Coachella Valley’s busiest season. The weather is perfect, streets are full of cars, and your calendar is booked solid through March. After months of long days, lack of sleep, and poor eating habits, it is just a matter of time before it takes a serious toll on your body. You… Read more »
For any person with diabetes or pre-diabetes, the holidays can be a trying time. The season presents many opportunities to eat outside of a typical low-glycemic diet plan, and blood sugar levels can soar. However, there are ways to enjoy your holiday celebrations while maintaining your health, weight, and blood sugar levels. Dietary Choices The… Read more »
Autoimmune disease is an emerging health concern for millions of people. Autoimmunity results when components of the body’s immune system target one or more of a person’s own bodily tissues instead of attacking foreign bacteria or viruses. More than 40 autoimmune conditions have been identified, including type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Hashimotos… Read more »
Ayurveda is an ancient practice of healing which views health and disease from a unique perspective. Originating in India, Ayurveda considers four main qualities of health. The first is healthy relationships, which means positive supportive relationships with yourself and your community. The second is a means of prosperity, more specifically, a way in which you… Read more »
It was once thought that the term “post-traumatic stress” (PTS) was reserved exclusively for military personnel and veterans. More and more often, however, we are hearing the term used for many others— from women and children, to our friends and acquaintances. PTS not only occurs on the battlefield, but also in our communities and homes.… Read more »
If your thoughts about the holiday season elicit emotions other than pure joy, you are not alone. Stress increases during the holidays and relationships can suffer. Pack your Holiday Toolkit with some new tools this year. Have realistic expectations and talk about them. The discrepancy between what you expect and what you get causes disappointment.… Read more »
Fascia is the soft tissue component of the connective tissue system that permeates the human body. An integral part of the musculoskeletal system, fascia forms a whole-body, continuous, 3D matrix of structural support that also penetrates and surrounds all of the body’s vital organs, providing an ongoing physiological support for the body’s metabolically active systems.… Read more »