In January I was told I have breast cancer. The overwhelming news brought tears and the urge to crawl up in a ball and stay there forever. I didn’t want to face what lay ahead – more doctors, more tests, and many life-changing decisions to be made. How could this happen to me? You can’t… Read more »
Transformative. It’s the word I’ve heard most from those who attended Wellspring, the mind-body-spirit think tank produced by Wanderlust and held at the Palm Springs Convention Center last October. With over 150 influential speakers, yoga, meditation and fitness classes, and an array of spaces to experience products and practices, the event was overwhelmingly wonderful. Wanderlust’s… Read more »
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, a pediatric gastroenterologist, moved with… Read more »
More and more research is identifying “giving back” as a key factor to living a long and healthy life. If this theory is true, Trilogy at the Polo Club’s Women of Wisdom, or WOW, have a few extra years coming their way. The self-starting club has over 100 women who get together to inspire each… Read more »
We need our bees. They pollinate our food and help our flowers flourish. It may be surprising to learn that one out of every three mouthfuls of food in the American diet is a product of honeybee pollination—from fruit to nuts to coffee beans.1 However, bees are disappearing at alarming rates. The Center for Biological… Read more »
What happens when you take rescued horses – some who have been abused, starved or neglected – and pair them with veterans struggling to deal with deep wounds from their past? A miraculous program that participants call both life changing, and lifesaving. Like people, horses can have strong personalities. However, those who work with them… Read more »
Five years ago, the Coachella Valley received an incredible gift. We were chosen to be the model region for changing health behaviors in our community. The grand task would take many organizations working together for the greater good and the work of countless individuals making significant efforts – large and small – for themselves, their… Read more »
The time in your life between childhood and adulthood can be very challenging. Everyone expects you to be a grown up, but you may have no idea how to do that. Many young people in this age group also struggle with additional barriers including family dynamics, self-esteem, mental illness, even homelessness. This time in life can… Read more »
Since 2014, from time to time, while biking out to the high school track or out on the trail with my high school cross country team, I would catch glimpses of a willowy, 30-something runner with long blonde hair and an observable limp. Over time, I noticed that the hitch in her gait was gone,… Read more »
In 1986, I was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer. My medical treatment included removal of my lower left lobe followed by 35 radiation treatments. My road to recovery was long and difficult. At the time, there was little information out there for patients like me – no Internet to research and… Read more »
The third annual Desert Health® Wellness Awards once again united the valley’s doctors, health practitioners and health enthusiasts in an evening of celebration, education and recognition. The sellout event began with an outdoor reception and dinner followed by guest speaker Joseph Scherger, MD, vice president of primary care for Eisenhower Medical Center and 2016 Integrative… Read more »
It may be a little hard to swallow, but this latest trend is receiving praise from not only butter lovers, but the integrative health and fitness communities as well. The concept is simple. Most of us should start our day with a heavy dose of fats versus carb-heavy cereal, toast and bagels known as The… Read more »
Here we are, in the peak of our local high season. We welcome the influx of snowbirds from the cooler climates and recognize that all the Coachella Valley has to offer is in full flight! As a health and wellness professional, I see many people with commitments to activities, fundraisers, galas, tournaments and all sorts… Read more »
– gratitude for our family, our friends, our community and for those in our life who make each and every day a little better. Are you grateful for someone who inspires you towards good health and wellness? If so, we would like to help you honor them with the Desert Health Wellness Awards. Now in… Read more »
Drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014. In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is… Read more »
Whether it’s a workout buddy, Zumba class, or a Spartan team, working towards wellness alongside others creates a sense of accountability, motivation and fun. So why is it that the place many spend most of their day with the largest group of people–the workplace–is often the least healthy? From hours at the computer and stressful… Read more »
I have been grain free for the last 2+ years and love the physical benefits I continue to see and feel. I’ve made it through the cravings stage and while I do admit to a gluten-free wrap or crackers every once in a while, living primarily grain-free is a lifestyle choice I plan to maintain.… Read more »
This was the topic of a recent panel hosted by Women Leaders Forum (WLF) and moderated by Desert Health® publisher Lauren Del Sarto. The panel featured a medical doctor, chiropractor, acupuncturist/herbologist and naturopathic doctor discussing how conventional and complementary modalities are working together for whole person care. So why the change? Natural medicine has been… Read more »
Green smoothies are addictive especially when you make them at home where you can tweak the flavors and health benefits to your liking. Adding pineapple provides bromelain for achy muscles, cinnamon cuts the taste of heavy greens and helps stabilize blood sugars, avocado creates a smooth texture while providing healthy fats, nuts add the chew… Read more »
Why do some people survive cancer against all odds when others do not? That question sent Kelly Turner back to school to get her Ph.D. As a cancer patient counselor, Turner was searching for answers in an effort to help her clients and was angered at the fact that no one had studied this population to… Read more »