September/October 2012
Desert HealthDesert Health Comes to Your Club
We are entering a new season and with that we find inspiration, excitement, and a lot of things to do! You know all too well that a healthy body will help you enjoy all these activities – as well as each and every day – to the fullest. So September Read more…
Natural OptionsHow To Eat More Veggies
It is wonderful to see our government actively promoting the importance of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. In March 2007, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) launched the “Fruits & Veggies—More Matters” campaign promoting the benefits of fruits and vegetables in a way that will sustain consumers’ Read more…
InspirationHealth is a Choice: Yoga Awareness Month
September is Yoga Awareness Month. Most of us would admit that our muscles could use a little more stretching; however, we think ‘yoga is for the young, or for tree huggers, and my body could never do those crazy positions.’ But yoga is so much more than stretching, and how Read more…
Medical NewsA Fleeting Flutter…Or A-Fib?
Atrial fibrillation (A-tre-al fi-bri-LA-shun), or “A-Fib,” is a problem with the heart’s electrical system which causes the heart to beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. While many may consider their fluttering heart a strange but passing sensation, heart palpitations, coupled with dizziness and shortness of breath, Read more…
Medical NewsExercise, Balance and Fall Prevention
Exercise is the single most important factor in maintaining healthy balance and preventing falls. In fact, exercise can also eliminate some types of chronic dizziness! The key is in knowing what kind of exercises to do. Not all exercises are equally beneficial. Many people mistakenly believe that walking is the Read more…
Medical NewsDRMC Launches Fellowship Program for Stroke Specialists
Desert Regional Medical Center has launched an expansion of its stroke program which includes new technology and a new medical fellowship program. “Desert Regional Medical Center has crossed the Rubicon in stroke care for our community,” said neurosurgeon Javed Siddiqi, MD PhD, medical director for the hospital’s Institute of Clinical Read more…
Medical NewsFinding Local Health Statistics is Easy Thanks to HARCSearch
Do you ever wonder how many local people share your medical condition? Or are you a non-profit validating the need for your services for a grant application? Are you a teacher or student researching the socioeconomic profile of our local population? Or are you an employer wondering how the health Read more…
Medical NewsThe Importance of an Accurate Gleason Score for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men. About 240,000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, and in 130,000, the cancer is localized and low-risk. Although most prostate cancers are slow growing and unlikely to spread, most men receive immediate treatment with surgery or radiation. Read more…
Medical NewsDesert Blood Bank Donations at 15 Year Low
The other day I decided to give blood. I had recently heard that the two blood donor entities in the valley, Community Blood Bank and LifeStream, have combined resources to form one organization called Desert Blood Services. This united organization runs blood donation centers in La Quinta and Indio, with Read more…
Medical NewsSleep Apnea a Risk Factor for A-Fib
Numerous studies in recent years reveal a strong correlation between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where breathing stops while you are sleeping, and atrial fibrillation or “A-Fib”, a leading cause of stroke (see “A-Fib” page 3). Two primary conclusions of these studies are: Those with obstructive sleep apnea are at greater Read more…
Medical NewsCommon Ocular Myths and Misconceptions
Excessive tearing is always caused by dry eyes Excessive tearing (epiphora) affects many people and can be quite bothersome, interrupting activities of daily living routines. There are many causes of epiphora and a thorough examination is needed to determine the cause. Some patients may suffer from dry eyes and experience Read more…
Natural OptionsYou Were Born with a Road Map to Health
The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.1 Most Americans base their health on how they look or feel, referring to good health as a lack of disease. However, following this map has Read more…
Natural OptionsNatural Treatments for Migraine Headaches
If you have ever suffered with a migraine headache or seen someone who has, you know firsthand how debilitating the pain can be. Migraines can occur anywhere from once or twice a year to several times per month. The cost of treating migraine patients in the United States is estimated Read more…
Integrative MedicineThe Five-Part Nutritional Wellness Protocol
Patients often ask my advice on a basic, sound nutrition and supplementation regiment. Recommending a general rule of thumb for everyone can be difficult, but a discussion with one of my mentors, Dr. Alex Vasquez, DO, ND, DC, an expert in nutrition, introduced me to a five-part nutritional wellness protocol Read more…
Integrative MedicineWeight Loss: An Added Benefit of Testosterone Therapy
A five-year study presented at the annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society by Dr. Farid Saad shows that testosterone therapy can help men with hormone deficiencies reduce body weight and waist circumference. 225 men were treated with long- term testosterone replacement therapy over the five- year study, and 90% lost Read more…
Integrative MedicineThe Relationship Between Anxiety and Hypoglycemia
The number of individuals suffering from anxiety has been on the rise for years. Like many conditions, there are multiple reasons for anxiety and anxiety attacks to occur. From a naturopathic perspective, anxiety can stem from adrenal fatigue, food sensitivities, nutritional deficiencies, or hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is a condition in which Read more…
Integrative MedicineWhen The Body Turns On Itself
The National Institutes of Health reports 23 million Americans suffer from auto-immune disease. It lands on the list of top 10 causes of death in women under 64 years of age and children. Our immune system is like our protective army, diligently patrolling the body, looking for any molecular marker Read more…
