Think of those times in your life when you were alone doing something you love; those times you remember being filled with nothing but sheer joy…maybe immersing yourself in a hobby, creating something new, walking through a serene landscape or simply sitting in silence. How did you feel? Most likely, you weren’t thinking about your… Read more »
A new report in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology now ranks Alzheimer’s as the third leading cause of death in our country behind cancer and heart disease.1 It is estimated that 5.5 million Americans are living with the disease and that number is expected to triple by 2050 if no successful… Read more »
You know what I love about our beautiful Desert community? The sense of unity. Everyone seems to come together to support each other. Whether it’s a project, cause, social function, initiative, or simply a pat on the back, it’s exceptional and unlike most places I have lived. I’d like to think that our goodwill and… Read more »
Most of us are keenly aware that dieting can be a constant yo-yo. In our quest to maintain a healthy weight we’re often motivated to try just about any diet that’s been shown to have at least a modicum of success. Now take it a step further, when weight becomes such an issue that our… Read more »
The common problem of watery eyes has many causes which are most easily understood if we approach it like a plumbing issue. Tears are produced in glands (lacrimal glands) located in the outer corners of the upper eyelids, just underneath the bone above our eyes. The tears flow out of the gland through ducts in… Read more »
More than 268,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019. During that period, an additional 42,000 women will die of this disease. These numbers represent more than 15 percent of all new cancer cases and nearly 7 percent of all cancer deaths. Currently, 12.8 percent of American women are diagnosed with breast cancer… Read more »
Have you observed vague symptoms of fatigue, weakness, weight loss, bone pain and broken bones recently? Are you above 40 years of age and/or have a history of HIV? If so, you should see your primary care physician and ask for a referral to a hematologist as you are at risk of having a form… Read more »
It was early November and there was an itch near the top of my breast that would not go away. I vividly remember how annoying the itch was and thinking I felt a lump. During a boot camp workout, I asked my friend what she thought it might be, and of course she said what… Read more »
The HEAL academy (Health and Environmental Academy of Learning) is not the average high school academy. By giving students opportunities and experiences to work in their community, the academy helps students like me prepare for a career either in health care or in the environmental health field. I have been in the HEAL academy for… Read more »
Clients with Parkinson’s disease share the stiffness, shakiness, slowness, pain, fear, anxiety, dementia and sleeplessness that they experience with the disease. As part of integrated medical care, clinical hypnosis is a safe and drug-free approach for treatment that has shown to be effective in reducing these and other symptoms of Parkinson’s. In one National Institutes… Read more »
Where were you this past September when we honored men with a prostate cancer diagnosis? Did you know that an estimated 174,650 U.S. men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 286,600 new cases of U.S. women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2019? In short, 1 in 9 men will hear the… Read more »
Pregnancy is an exciting time for any mother, but it often comes with questions about what is safe and important for oral health and dental care. During pregnancy, as hormone levels change, there can be an effect on the oral cavity. One of the more common occurrences is “pregnancy gingivitis” where the gums can become… Read more »
I looked down at my toes as I lay in the restorative yoga pose and noticed one pant-leg pulled up on my shorter leg, accentuating the way I was born. My right leg is an inch shorter than my left leg and so my body has compensated. My back curves to balance above uneven hips.… Read more »
Erectile Dysfunction (ED), is a debilitating issue for many men after age 40 which includes the inability to obtain and maintain an erection or simply a soft erection. I have used a variety of procedures to treat erectile dysfunction, including extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) using staccato-like sound wave pulses along the shaft of the penis;… Read more »
The numerous holiday invitations making their way onto your calendar about now can pose some challenges, or even anxiety, when it comes to eating a gluten-free diet. The last thing you want during this busy and festive time of the year is to accidentally eat something that doesn’t agree with you. There is no doubt… Read more »
For most of us eating is a pleasurable experience, but for some it is a double-edged sword that leads down a path of emotional cues, cravings and bad choices. In previous issues of Desert Health, I discussed the neurotransmitter dopamine and how it drives us toward foods and substances to fulfill pleasure to get us… Read more »
As a wellness director, I conduct an ongoing personal and professional search for the most current trends of effective remedies in the marketplace. During a recent meeting of wellness professionals in the Coachella Valley, we discussed the topics of achieving radiant health by using structured water and vibrational therapy. These were intriguing topics featuring a… Read more »
Although naturopathic medicine has been in practice in the U.S. for over a century, I often still get asked, “Are you a real doctor?” In California, Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are licensed primary care providers, able to diagnose and treat illness as a general practitioner/ family practice doctor. NDs can order lab tests and imaging; perform… Read more »
“Humans are made out of energy and sustained by energy. Our bodies are ever changing dynamic fields of energy, not static physical structures. They are a hologram in which every part contains information about the whole.” — Christiane Northrup, M.D. Conventional Western medicine, at its foundation, focuses on the biochemistry of the physical body: cells,… Read more »
The festive season is here again, and we look forward to end-of-year celebrations, parties and get-togethers with family and friends. As the days grow shorter and the year winds to a close, we gather together to reminisce and to share our hopes for the year ahead. Yet, this time of year often brings increased stress–with… Read more »