Let’s Get Out of Our Minds…

When was the last time you were out of your mind? Not with the help of outside influences, but on your own accord. Completely and utterly absent from thought, rumination and responsibility.  Our minds never seem to stop thinking, planning and problem solving, especially during this vibrant time of year.  Busy brain has its benefits,… Read more »

A Life Dedicated to Improving the Life of Others

She didn’t speak until she was four; today, she lectures around the world. She didn’t read until she was eight and has now authored more than 15 books and 60 scientific papers. In her youth, she had difficulty working with others, then went on to revolutionize an entire industry. School was challenging, yet she earned… Read more »

Cultivating Self-Care

Summer winds have subsided, clear skies have returned and the holidays are looking bright. Welcome home to all our seasonal friends! How can I summarize all the splendor to be found within these pages? I am still reeling from the opportunity to interview Temple Grandin who I’ve admired for decades. All are encouraged to attend… Read more »

Finding Peace During the Holiday Hustle

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration and togetherness, but it can also bring a fair share of stress and anxiety. From the hustle and bustle of shopping for gifts to the pressures of hosting family gatherings, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. However, there are ancient practices that can help you navigate this… Read more »

CV High Honored as one ofAmerica’s Healthiest Schools

Coachella Valley High School (CVHS) recently received the distinct honor as one of America’s Healthiest Schools, a recognition awarded to only 781 schools nationwide for the 2022-2023 academic year.  Presented by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the distinction celebrates the key role schools play in advancing the health and well-being of students, staff, families… Read more »

Unlocking the Future: AI in Health Care

With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), the health care industry is witnessing a revolution like no other. AI has already begun to reshape the health care landscape, from diagnosis and treatment to patient empowerment. In this second of a three-part series, I’ll explore how AI is currently used in health care, its future potential… Read more »

Core Leadership Skills: Setting Priorities and Managing Time

This article first appeared in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice (Sept/Oct 2023) and has been edited for length. Health care practitioners are navigating a time of significant change and uncertainty. Many feel burned out and exhausted after surviving the pandemic and are seeking help to set priorities and manage time more effectively.… Read more »

HEAL Meets CERT

At Cathedral City High School, students in the Health and Environmental Health Academy of Learning (HEAL) are taking part in a course that prepares them to be ready and helpful when their community faces disasters. This course is called Community Emergency Response Teams or CERT. In CERT, students cover seven units: During this course firefighters… Read more »

Pregnancy and Oral Health

Expecting mothers commonly wonder if dental treatment is possible during their pregnancy. Annual exams and preventative dental cleanings are safe while pregnant and recommended.  Oral health care plays an important role in prenatal care, as poor oral health during pregnancy may lead to poor health outcomes for the mother and baby. Physiological changes, such as… Read more »

Too Sick of Toxic People?

Relationships are hard to navigate even in the best of times. We bring with us a myriad of life experiences that can enhance or detract from what once seemed like a blissful union. As time marches on, we can settle into a place of comfortability with an unconscious, invisible permission slip that says, “Because I… Read more »

Returning to the Joy of Medicine

Are you a health care professional wanting to give back to our community? Do you want to make a difference in the life of someone, and their family, by helping them maintain, or return to, a state of health? Do you want to volunteer where the joy of medicine is practiced every day? Volunteers in… Read more »

Palmer’s Brain Energy

This is a groundbreaking book that unifies mental health problems with physical health problems. Harvard psychiatrist Christopher Palmer presents a new way of thinking about mental health conditions as metabolic diseases rather than behavioral or brain chemistry disorders. His arguments are compelling, backed by solid science and put mental health in line with the most… Read more »

Ever Need Cataract Surgery Twice?

With over 3 million operations performed annually in the U.S., cataract surgery is extremely common.  But does it ever need to be performed twice? Once a cataract is removed, it does not grow back. That being said, there are rare instances when patients may need another surgery months or years after their initial cataract surgery… Read more »

Holiday Mindfulness

I love this time of year. As November draws near, I start thinking about my holiday menus, invite lists and the flurry of activity and travel that are sure to ensue. It’s time for cooking, entertaining and all the merrymaking of the season.  But with that also comes the temptation of veering off course from… Read more »

flexible and adaptable

The Power of the Pivot

The art of pivoting is an act of shifting performed in most sports and throughout our daily life. When we pivot effectively, it opens the opportunity to change direction and pursue a beneficial forward trajectory.  I grew up ice skating competitively. There is a fond memory of the elegant practice of a pivot creating the… Read more »

Nature’s Medicine All Around Us

In the July/August edition of Desert Health, I wrote about one of the impressive plants native to the Southwestern United States, Larrea tridentata (aka creosote bush). In this edition, I’m going to discuss yet another plant that is not only native to the South-Southwest, but also exclusive to it.  Fouquieria splendens (aka ocotillo) is a… Read more »

Holiday Dreams: Who’s In Your Party?

If our dreams are a microcosm of our waking world, is it any wonder we dream of living and deceased loved ones during the holidays? Dreams of people, parties and gatherings – whether soothing or stressful – can have many meanings and messages filled with hope and love. An email in my inbox read: Why… Read more »

Journey to Naturopathic Residency

As we celebrate our 15th anniversary, Live Well Clinic is proud to support the growth of the naturopathic profession by providing medical residencies. This year, we welcome our second active resident, Dr. Annissa Ceja, a graduate of the National College of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, Oregon. We would like to share Dr. Ceja’s unique… Read more »

Creativity Lives in the Now

It is true that change is the eternal constant. The average human body is replacing over 3.8 million cells a second, approximately 140 million babies are born every day and 275 million stars are born every year. And each moment of our lives is completely and uniquely different than any other moment that ever was… Read more »