What are you feeling at this moment? Are you taking a quick break from your to do list or does the title “Giving Thanks” put a smile on your face? If you chose the latter, you may already understand the transformation that living a life of gratitude brings. Giving thanks is more than a seat… Read more »
This summer did not go well. In July, I lost my mother to a brutal disease, and thus inherited her responsibilities: keeping her home, caring for my father, and the minutia of wrapping up her “paper existence.” At the same time, my own family expanded. Our grandson moved in for the summer and our son… Read more »
The heat has subsided, friends start to return, and the buzz of season begins. We are so lucky to call this gorgeous place home. While our picturesque landscapes are shared with the world through fashion commercials, and our colorful resort lifestyle is envied by those spending winters indoors, we shuffle through our days working (and/or… Read more »
Humans are funny. More often than not, it takes a dive in the wrong direction to make us consider doing something to prevent that fall in the first place. Science seems to follow the same bell curve. As problems or statistics start to rise, researchers (who are human by the way) increase their efforts to… Read more »
Recent media attention has been paid to the serious risk of traumatic brain injury in National Football League players. An upcoming film featuring Will Smith portrays the dramatic revelations of Dr. Bennet Omalu, who researched brain injuries in professional football players and documented evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a debilitating condition with… Read more »
Pain is a universal experience of the human condition. It has a protective function to notify us of damage occurring to the body so we may make changes and avoid further injury. In many cases, pain may continue beyond the usual tissue healing time and become a prolonged excruciating life-altering problem. We are in the… Read more »
Most of us were probably told from a young age that sugar is bad for your teeth, and it was pretty much left at that. Many have never received a full explanation of what really happens to our teeth when we consume sugar or carbohydrates. The good news is that there are “good” and “bad”… Read more »
Microbial keratitis, corneal ulcers, conjunctivitis and uveitis are all part of the day-to-day clinical presentations for eye doctors. Medications are often prescribed to combat these conditions; however, we are seeing more and more resistance to commonly used drugs. There is an ongoing study called the ARMOR (Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring in Ocular Microorganisms) Surveillance Study designed… Read more »
Too many people put their lives at risk driving themselves to the hospital when they’re experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. Indeed, only 30 percent of patients who come to JFK Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room complaining of chest pain come by ambulance. But reducing the time it takes to get medical treatment… Read more »
Concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI) prevention is an increasingly prevalent topic, especially with the current rise in incidence. Thankfully, new research is constantly being done to improve safety in the leading causes of TBI including falls, motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) and contact sports. Primary prevention strategies include proper safety equipment and fall prevention methods.… Read more »
Cathedral City High School held its annual disaster drill on Thursday, October 15th. The event goes hand in hand with the Great California Shakeout, which helps prepare all students in California for a massive 7.0 earthquake that could occur at any time. The drill offers a vital tool to inform students how to properly evacuate… Read more »
Most women associate hormones with menopause. However, most women are unaware that premenopausal women might need hormones too. Over 20% of all premenopausal women have a hormonal disorder termed polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The name is misleading because the defect does not lie in the ovaries. In spite of the name, the ovaries are not… Read more »
The eyelids are among the most delicate skin on the body. They are often symptomatic before other areas of skin. Rashes may appear rather suddenly accompanied by redness, itching, scaling and peeling, and causing much concern. A myriad of creams and lotions may be applied without relief. In fact, they may seem to worsen the… Read more »
Each year 360 million visitors access Healthgrades, the leading online resource helping consumers make informed decisions when seeking quality doctors, hospitals, and care. Their data is compiled through annual evaluations of clinical outcomes for over 4,500 hospitals across the country. Awards of excellence are given to those hospitals receiving 5-star ratings, and for 2016, JFK… Read more »
The holiday festivities, for most of us, revolve around a table piled high with family recipes and sweet treats. Avoiding gluten might be difficult during these gatherings, but here are some tips to ease your mind and still be a part of the tradition this season. There are many grains and flours that are naturally… Read more »
Floatation therapy incorporating restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST) has fascinated researchers, clinicians and explorers of consciousness for years, promising something special – a powerful transformation, a mystical peak experience, an intense change in biochemicals, improved performance, or a healing of our ills. The soundproof isolation tanks which were first used by John C. Lilly in… Read more »
Fall and winter are the perfect time for outside activities in the desert. While our counterparts are shoveling snow, desert fitness buffs will be hiking, biking and going on nature walks in our near-perfect weather. The City of La Quinta is the desert’s fitness destination. Packed full of hiking trails, bike paths and meandering walkways… Read more »
Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by exposure to the herpes-zoster virus. It can also be a reactivation of childhood chickenpox caused by the same virus. Shingles can be a very painful condition and early treatment is essential to reduce long-term discomfort. Of course antiviral medication can be warranted; however, natural therapies are highly… Read more »
One of the most concerning health issues of our time is the increasing exposure we all face to environmental toxins. There is mounting scientific evidence that toxin exposure is playing a significant role in triggering or amplifying many chronic diseases including obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancers, and multisystem conditions such as… Read more »
Denise Minger is curious, tenacious, witty and smart. She graduated summa cum laude with a major in English and aspirations of becoming a college professor. Her passion is writing and in school she was drawn to classes that culminated in 40-page research papers because she “deeply enjoyed producing them.” But upon graduating, life took a… Read more »