“I developed allergies after moving to the desert” is a common sentiment which I shared. Or so I thought. Shortly after my arrival from Northern California, I developed this chronic phlegm in the back of my throat. Claritin seemed to help, so I thought it was safe to assume that I had developed a seasonal… Read more »
When kids are involved in the choice, they are more inclined to take part. That is the philosophy behind FIND Food Bank’s Kids Summer Feeding Program: Don’t just feed the children, make them part of the selection, education and preparation. Teaming with valley Boys & Girls Clubs and local YMCAs, FIND’s summer program delivers produce… Read more »
Excitement is growing for the First Annual Desert Health® Wellness Awards! Designed to enhance the focus on health and wellness in our community, the event will recognize those who are making a difference, and inspire others to take action. Approved nominees will be recognized in the issues of Desert Health® leading up to the event… Read more »
If you have diabetes, heart disease can be a serious concern. In fact, cardiovascular disease leading to heart attack or stroke is by far the leading cause of death in both men and women with diabetes, says Dr. Om P. Ganda, a board-certified specialist in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Clinical Nutrition, a Senior… Read more »
The Desert Healthcare District (DHCD) has been named the 2014 Healthcare District of the Year by the Association of California Healthcare Districts. The top honor is awarded annually in recognition of a healthcare district’s noteworthy success in improving the health and well-being of its community. Director Kay Hazen and DHCD’s Executive Staff accepted the award… Read more »
Making a decision to be screened for certain medical conditions can be difficult, especially when the recommendations and guidelines are constantly changing. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so it is timely to review the recommendations of various organizations for both of these conditions. What is a screening… Read more »
Riverside County’s only free medical and dental clinic was awarded a $25,000 Coachella Valley Spotlight grant from the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation. Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine (CVVIM) will use the funds to upgrade its electronic medical records system as well as pay for critical medicines, laboratory tests and imaging services for patients… Read more »
Over the last year approximately 20% of my patients came in with a primary complaint of low back pain. The patient can often pinpoint a moment when he lifted an object or moved a certain way, and all of a sudden had onset of pain that ultimately sent him to our clinic. Alternatively, other patients… Read more »
Let’s say you are at a baseball game and 30 days into sobriety. Everyone around you is enjoying beer and the temptation starts to wear on you. Or, say you are traveling; you check into your hotel room and that old pattern of heading to the lobby bar is the only thing on your mind.… Read more »
Sjogren’s (SHOW-grins) syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease in which an individual’s white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands. Although the hallmark symptoms are dry eyes and dry mouth, Sjogren’s also causes serious complications throughout the entire body which can include dysfunction of the kidneys, gastrointestinal system, blood vessels, lungs, liver, pancreas and the central… Read more »
Bell’s Palsy is a condition resulting from damage to the 7th cranial (facial) nerve, usually affecting only one side of the face. Onset is rapid, with a mild weakness to total paralysis, which can cause the face to seem to “droop,” making smiling and other facial expressions difficult, and often impairing the ability to… Read more »
Dr. David Perlmutter’s 2013 book Grain Brain has a lot of people questioning previously held beliefs regarding low-fat diets, grains and cholesterol. Much of what Perlmutter has to say about these subjects is completely opposite from what most Americans have been taught for the past 40 years. Regardless of what you may have been told… Read more »
Researchers have been saying it for years: engaging outdoor activity improves both mental and physical health. You probably recognize some widely recorded benefits of being in the great outdoors. Have you ever felt better – less stressed or overwhelmed – after taking a quiet walk? Have you ever stepped outside and appreciated the feeling of… Read more »
As we start a new school year in the Coachella Valley, many parents are seeking ways to help their children cope with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to a National Survey of Children’s Health conducted in 2011-2012 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 11% of school-aged children in the U.S. have… Read more »
Being of Indian descent, Ayurveda (which follows a lineage of basic philosophies and principles) has been a practice and lifestyle throughout my upbringing. As with any practice, I believe that many Ayurvedic health theories have some truth to them, and others don’t. Ay-ur-veda, which consists of two Sanskrit words, Ayur meaning ‘Life’ and Veda meaning… Read more »
This summer I had the opportunity to travel to France for the first time. When asked what the most impressionable aspect of my trip was I always mentioned the food, or what I like to call “haute cuisine.” Food in France is taken seriously. The way the French eat reflects their heritage, and most foods… Read more »
“Most people have no idea how good their body is designed to feel.” – Kevin Trudeau About 20 million Americans have found that yoga is a fabulous way to feel good. I often wonder about this “magic” and how it works. The convergence of the experience of yoga – which has driven its popularity –… Read more »
Unless you are living with it or close to someone who has, you may not realize that 33 years have passed since AIDS was first identified. That was June 1981, when The New York Times reported an ominous “gay cancer” spreading among homosexual men. But few beyond gay activists and rogue doctors paid attention. There… Read more »
“Cancer does not grow too much; it dies too little,” states Robert Nagourney, MD. You can think about cancer cells as normal cells becoming immortal. Apoptosis is the process in which normal functioning cells are programmed to die. In cancer cells, this mechanism is over-ridden so the cell malfunctions and continues to grow, thus… Read more »
According to a survey on retirement readiness by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, only 14% of Americans are confident that they will be able to maintain a comfortable lifestyle after retirement. And among those, about 60% have less than $25,000 in savings, so depending on their age, they will most likely not be able to… Read more »