Functional Medicine Category
InspirationThe Growth of Functional Medicine
When I created Desert Health 10 years ago, one of the primary objectives was to elevate the work of our valley’s naturopathic doctors. Their philosophy of identifying the root cause of disease versus simply treating symptoms and “whole- person care” approach, taking time to understand and address lifestyle patterns, is Read more…
Integrative MedicinePower Up Your Cells to Reverse Disease
Sometimes it takes a personal struggle and a hero emerging from it, to teach the rest of us (doctors included) that we can and should do better when it comes to our health. Terry Wahls, MD, founder of the Wahls Protocol, did not seek to practice medicine in a way Read more…
Integrative MedicineMost Chronic Disease is Reversible
Chronic diseases are a recent part of human history. In the past, people only went to healers, physicians or hospitals when they became sick, generally due to infections, injuries or other maladies. Even cancer was very rare in the past as described by Mukherjee in The Emperor of All Maladies Read more…
Natural OptionsLearning from Those Preceding Us
While many look negatively at China and their cause and effect of COVID-19, there is much we can learn from their actions, insights and use of both Eastern and Western medicine. One of my teachers, John Chen PhD, OMD, is a pharmacist and fifth-generation Chinese medicine doctor who graduated from Read more…
Natural OptionsA Case for Vitamin C as Viable Treatment for COVID-19
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) has wide ranging actions on our body as an antioxidant, immunomodulator, co-factor for collagen and hormone production, and as a pro-oxidant burst in high doses.1 Vitamin C is well established for its treatment of infections and has been shown to shorten the duration of the common Read more…
Integrative MedicineReversing Autoimmune Disease
Terry Wahls could be considered a miracle. Bound to a reclining wheelchair with progressive multiple sclerosis, she reversed her condition and, today, enjoys an active lifestyle, returning to her medical practice and leading research to help others. However, her methods are far from miraculous; they are simply a change in Read more…
Natural OptionsEssential Oils for the Holidays
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 Read more…
Integrative MedicineMedical Aromatherapy
Medical aromatherapy (also known as clinical aromatherapy) is a practice that is rapidly gaining acceptance in the medical world. Education, awareness and practice-based evidence have been the drivers behind the emergence of this new aromatic healing paradigm. Each plant-derived essential oil has unique uses, benefits and healing properties, and many Read more…
Integrative MedicineEast Meets West for Comprehensive Care
“My back still hurts and I’ve done everything.” “I’m stressed and anxious and can’t sleep.” “My meds give me side effects and are so expensive.” Do these claims sound familiar? With so much technological advancement in medicine and a cornucopia of prescription drugs, it is not surprising that we have Read more…
Medical NewsAre You Grounded?
When was the last time you walked barefoot on the beach or lay in the grass with your face in the sun? How about camping in the forest or hiking without your shoes? This may be the perfect prescription for what ails you. Of course, this statement is nothing new. Read more…
Natural OptionsAssisting Our Internal River of Life
The lymphatic system is often referred to as the “river of life” as it flows with nutrients and substances that bathe our cells and flood the interstitial spaces under our skin. This vital system is key to sustaining homeostasis throughout our bodies, working silently and consistently to maintain fluid balance Read more…
InspirationNaturopathic Medicine: Karen’s Story
Karen was a vivacious young woman living the dream. An avid tennis and softball player, she loved doing yoga, had a private psychotherapy practice, and spent time between Redondo Beach and Palm Springs with her husband and their labradoodle Dood. Her family lived in Texas but her beloved sister, Stephanie, Read more…