Now more than ever, people are suffering from anxiety. In a time when our normal routine has been turned upside down and the ways in which we typically process our experiences (community, exercise, being outdoors, etc.) are less accessible, this makes complete sense. Let’s zoom out and discuss the perspective that makes up our experiences… Read more »
Spring is often a reminder of the annual cleaning of our homes, but what about our bodies? We accumulate environmental by-products and toxins throughout our lives, and over time, we carry a load of unwanted baggage that may take special attention to eradicate. I’m noticing that most of my patients have toxins hidden away in… Read more »
Blood sugar testing with a glucometer is a great tool for anyone to assess their body’s unique response to food and lifestyle choices. We normally associate blood sugar testing with diabetes, but this tool can be helpful to support health goals such as improving body composition, making exercise and diet changes, identifying your carbohydrate tolerance,… Read more »
Millions of people have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and the numbers, which include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, eczema, psoriasis and celiac disease to name a few, are increasing rapidly. With so many people affected and very little time and attention offered by traditional medical doctors, most people are left feeling helpless. However,… Read more »
The devastating loss of human life from COVID-19 has recently highlighted the immense power of tiny, invisible microbes to shape our human experience. Microbes are microscopic organisms, including a variety of widely diverse species of bacteria and viruses. Bacterial species are highly adaptable to surviving almost any habitat, be it boiling geysers, the depths of… Read more »
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 significantly more effective than the… Read more »
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 other than how she was… Read more »
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 (2010). The concept of chronic… Read more »
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 USC. He explained that China… Read more »
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 cold as well as reducing… Read more »
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 nutrition and lifestyle that reduced… Read more »
Ozone therapy has a wide range of clinical applications. While most clinical studies have focused on cardiovascular disease, ozone therapy also plays a role in the management of diabetes, cancer, chronic infections, auto-immune disease, aging and pain. Topical or local injections also are effective for dermatological infections, cystitis, colitis, osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tears and spinal… Read more »
We are familiar with daily self-care practices for our physical body – brushing our teeth, eating healthy food, regular exercise, solid sleep – but did you know it is just as important to maintain a daily self-care routine for our energy flow? Our physical body consists of energy systems and fields within and around us… Read more »
Chronic pain impacts over 50 million people in our country and, typically, there are few safe and affordable treatment options. For patients who are not candidates for surgery or regenerative injections such as prolotherapy and PRP (platelet rich plasma), NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), acetaminophen, steroids and opioids are the standard of care. Unfortunately, these medications… Read more »
Every day we are bombarded by input: computer screens, telephones, traffic, food, blaring TVs, and everyone else’s energy. Our bodies are constantly challenged to integrate all this information, which can be exhausting. When our bodies are not able to process all of this information, we can experience imbalance that affects our nervous system, resulting in… Read more »
Although naturopathic medicine has been in practice in the U.S. for over a century, I often still get asked, “Are you a real doctor?” In California, Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are licensed primary care providers, able to diagnose and treat illness as a general practitioner/ family practice doctor. NDs can order lab tests and imaging; perform… Read more »
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 year often brings increased stress–with… Read more »
Those who have discovered naturopathic medicine often consider it life changing. Many seek the practice when allopathic medicine runs out of answers or to complement conventional care. Others consider their naturopathic doctor to be their primary care physician preferring the body, mind and spirit approach to medicine. A licensed naturopathic doctor attends an accredited, four-year,… Read more »
Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, or TUDCA, is a water-soluble bile acid produced in our livers to help stimulate the release of bile into the gut. While humans only produce a small amount of TUDCA, the bile of bears is around 50 percent TUDCA and scientists think this may play a role in their ability to hibernate for… Read more »
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 oils work synergistically when combined.… Read more »
