I don’t know when I finally awoke and decided, “OK, enough thinking about it, it’s time to act.” A kidney transplant was a big personal commitment and would create the chance to make a huge difference. Patients that are candidates for kidney transplantation have already used up all their options and the end of the… Read more »
Are you a “stuff-aholic”? Many people collect stuff. Some even pay for storage units to house their extra stuff. Answer this honestly…when you walk into your home, is there a sense of overwhelm and frustration as you see piles of clutter from papers, magazines, clothes, gadgets and dishes? Don’t feel badly if this describes you.… Read more »
Working in the spa and fitness industry has definite benefits. It is an environment that allows one to feel inspired by individuals focused on health, wellness and personal motivation. I am constantly feeding off the energy of four personal trainers and other health professionals at Toscana Country Club where I work. It is with motivation… Read more »
“Knowledge is powerful and self-education is the only education there is.” — Isaac Asimov We have all benefitted from the unprecedented advances in technology, planetary exploration, and medicine that have taken place during our lifetime. Between 1945 and 1971 there were many breakthroughs, and the progress has accelerated ever since. For us seniors, it is a… Read more »
“Look!” my mother said in 1937 at the Berlin Zoo as she pointed to a huge flying object in the sky shaped like an enormous cigar. “This is a Zeppelin and it can fly to America.” Indeed, it was like a rigid airplane 420 feet long capable of crossing the Atlantic Ocean with passengers, sleeping… Read more »
Something swept over me recently. Suddenly I felt a compulsion to step away from Facebook and the avenue of social networking. I realized that I was habitually checking Facebook every morning and evening. Conservatively, this equated to 10 minutes per day or 56 hours a year posting my life, prying into other’s lives, and vacillating… 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 »
Desert Health® was honored to bring Terry Wahls, MD, to the Coachella Valley in May as part of the Eisenhower Wellness Institutes Speakers’ Series. The free presentation attracted over 525 people eager to hear how Wahls is beating progressive multiple sclerosis through nutrition and exercise. She has helped hundreds suffering from MS and other autoimmune… Read more »
The desire to write can emerge in any phase of life, and it deepens as the years advance. As the decision to write is made and the process evolves, memories become a catharsis of remembrance and feelings. The experience is wonderful and expanding. Writing is a powerful tool for self-discovery and for learning in general.… Read more »
Facing challenges and problem solving are strengths that Madelina Agawin has relied upon since she was a young woman, and they have formed the complex mosaic of who she is as a person today. Early on, Madelina’s father instilled in her the importance of education and being disciplined in her approach to achieving her goals.… Read more »
Mariel Hemingway knows balance. The Academy Award-nominated actress continues to pursue her career, while also succeeding as a health activist and author, eco-enthusiast, executive producer, and a loving mother of two grown daughters. Getting to the “best place in her life” took hard work and much conscious thought. She is an inspiration to many and… Read more »
In Berlin, when I was 6 years young, my mother took me to the opera “Hansel and Gretel” by Engelbert Humperdinck (1812), based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale. It held many wonders for the musical imagination. My grandfather was a signal trumpeter with the Ulan cavalry under Emperor Wilhelm. My uncle Otto played the contra… Read more »
An important factor of good health is allocating the time and freedom to create. It doesn’t matter how good or impressive the end result may be; allowing yourself the time, and enjoying the experience, is what matters. However, a large majority of us forego creative activities because we feel we are not “artistically inclined.” Experiences… Read more »
“You walk like an old man,” said my friend Gary. We had not seen each other for almost two years. I am not offended and listen to him, like it or not, because he cares for me. Gary is very independent, strong and invincible; or so he thought, until he suffered a heart attack caused… Read more »
Look where we are…one of the most beautiful places on earth. Our blue skies, stunning mountains, warm winter sun, and brisk morning air make our Valley one of the best places to spend your holidays, or to call home. And it appears that more and more people are calling the Desert home. It was a… Read more »
“Aside from losing my wife, it was the most devastating experience of my life.” Those who suffer a stroke know the incident is always a life-altering experience. For Robert Stack Pierce, the stroke he experienced in 2012 was a defining moment in a life filled with high expectations and much success. “Since my stroke, I’ve… Read more »
You think this is just another day in your life. It’s not just another day; it’s the one day that is given to you today. It’s given to you. It’s a gift. It’s the only gift that you have right now, and the only appropriate response is gratefulness. If you do nothing else but to… Read more »
A smile and laughter are the expressions of a positive attitude about life. With the challenges of advancing years it takes strength to meet the tests. That awareness is not a gift; it needs to be earned with quiet gratitude. Wake up each day and smile when you look in the mirror and say that… Read more »
Rancho Mirage resident and former Desert Regional Medical Center radiologist, Dr. Pam Meoli, had a stroke at age 51. Her prognosis included a walker or cane, little or no mobility of her left arm, and compromised speech. After nine months of speech therapy her ability to speak was much improved, but she was still not… Read more »
I don’t think mine does. My scale really doesn’t care that I am a great listener. It can’t define my purpose in life, or where I draw my personal strengths. My scale certainly cannot feel the love I have for my family or friends, or whether I am respected in my community. In fact, the… Read more »
