Do you find yourself drinking more these days? Life has been hard and it’s not surprising people are turning to happy hour to help lift spirits and get through challenging times. Over these past few years, we have experienced stress and unease like never before, and have struggled to adjust and adapt on a daily… Read more »
I don’t know about you, but I love the different seasons. Although we don’t have a lot of weather variations here in the valley, there is an energetic shift as the days get longer, the crowds disperse and plant life starts to bloom. As we move out of winter and into the longer days of… Read more »
Welcome spring! How are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions? In the fitness category may be the typical weight loss goal of 20 to 30 pounds or something as ambitious as your first marathon. Hopefully, you are working hard and on your way to obtaining those goals. Or, possibly you’ve given up out of… Read more »
Have you heard of “The Great Resignation?” The phrase is commonly used in the business sector today to reference the vast number of people resigning from their jobs. Many are moving around or out of the workforce and numerous companies are experiencing mass exodus. The reference makes sense. But when I first saw this expression,… Read more »
Welcome 2022! Have you set your resolutions, intentions or goals? Have you done this before and either quit by February (with the other 87 percent of the planet) or completed what you started, yet still felt nothing? You are not alone – and there is an alternative. About a decade ago, after setting countless resolutions… Read more »
Every New Year, if you’re like most everyone else, you make a list of resolutions, but they soon go by the wayside. What if you chose one goal for 2022? It sounds simple enough, but how do you pick just one? Most of us accept that the past is history and the future is a… Read more »
The intensity of the last 19 months might be lessening, but some of us still aren’t feeling the stability of years past. There is this frenzy to “get back to normal,” yet there is also an awareness that we are not sure what that is anymore. This holiday season might look different – different friends,… Read more »
Mother Earth has a measurable heartbeat of 7.83 Hz, and according to NASA, her heartbeat has fluctuated more in the past few years than it has in the past six decades. The last time scientists saw similar energy frequencies was in the ‘60s. Astrologers will tell you this is from the change in the planets,… Read more »
While the holidays are immortalized in song as “the most wonderful time of the year,” the fact is that they can also be the most stressful time of the year. This is true even if you and your family members are healthy and not filled with fear, anxiety or stress that comes with these challenging… Read more »
Earlier this year, we introduced our “Eat, Drink and Be Healthy” column to offer savory substitutes to your favorite foods. We’ve featured salty snacks to replace chips, hearty veggie pastas, sugar-free ice cream sundaes — even sugar-free margaritas. But what if you’re simply not motivated to choose the healthier option? How do you find that… Read more »
So often, we go through life tending to our daily tasks, relieved when we finally complete our list. We come home, make dinner, relax with a glass of wine, catch up on our favorite shows and go to bed. We then wake the next day and do it all over again. But are we living… Read more »
Tai Chi Chuan has been practiced by millions of people across the globe for centuries. Tai chi, at its most basic, is a set of movements based on martial arts and traditional Chinese medicine, which are memorized and practiced slowly and with intention. This “meditation in motion” deliberately focuses both your mind and body on… Read more »
Everything consists of energy, including our bodies — physics tells us that. Chronic stress, unresolved emotions, negative thoughts, injuries and pain are all things that impact your energy. They affect how you interact with others, how you feel about yourself and your overall well-being. Reiki is powerful healing energy within us that can help us… Read more »
Something strange is happening with my social circle. We finally get the green light to gather, and many don’t want to step outside. Even the most gregarious are experiencing a bit of apprehension at this unleashing we’ve all been anticipating — including me. While excitement to hang out with old friends, support restaurants and return… Read more »
First, you fall in love. Then you decide to adopt that adorable cat, dog, parrot, rabbit. So you set off together, learning to adapt to each other’s expectations. Life is fun. Life is fuller. Your pet cheers you up in ways you never imagined possible. You catch yourself speaking in funny voices. You both grow… Read more »
The art of relaxation comes naturally for some people, while for others, it is hard to turn off the chatter in their minds. You don’t need to sit in a lotus position and meditate; however, this is one way to start the feeling of easing out of fight or flight and into the parasympathetic response… Read more »
The importance of fitness training has become wildly accepted in the modern-day sport of golf. In past generations, there was a bit of stigma in the game with lighthearted teasing for “spending too much time in the gym and not enough time playing golf.” All golfers benefit from cross-training, especially seniors who need to maintain… Read more »
Over the past year, I’ve been working to bring mindfulness into all aspects of my life. In addition to starting my day with slow, deep breathing, happy thoughts, a crafted coffee, meditation and sunshine, I’ve been consciously working to “come back to the now” when thoughts race and actions get harried. Returning to sports has… Read more »
As we discussed in the January/February issue of Desert Health, the approach of accepting ourselves as multi-parted beings (mind/soul, body, spirit and ego) brings up a more significant meaning to our lives, but also to the process of healing, our health and sense of harmony. We will only find happiness and wholesomeness in our achievement… Read more »
I’m not sure where this fable comes from, but I remember first hearing it in church as a young adult and discussing it with my mother afterward. It is one of my favorites to share with patients and my own children because it really simplifies the difficult concept of recognizing how much power we have… Read more »