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 »
This summer did not go well. In July, I lost my mother to a brutal disease, and thus inherited her responsibilities: keeping her home, caring for my father, and the minutia of wrapping up her “paper existence.” At the same time, my own family expanded. Our grandson moved in for the summer and our son… Read more »
What did you do this summer to recharge your batteries? Hopefully you got away from the heat, spent time with friends and family, and simply checked out for a while. No matter how full your plate may seem, taking time away from the everyday is an important choice for good health. However, health care practitioners… Read more »
Doctors have the ability to heal. Unfortunately, the current health care system has turned many away from their natural ability to do so. But things are changing. A core aspect of integrative medicine is whole person care by doctors who take the time to listen and understand their patients, and a treatment protocol that incorporates… Read more »
Lyme disease is on the rise. Once prevalent only in the northeast, the infectious disease has now been reported in every state in the US, and throughout the world. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported 30,000 cases annually, only to revise that statistic to 300,000 in 2013.1 The probable stats are due… Read more »
Lisa Genova had a dream. She wanted to someday write a book, but as a Harvard-trained neuroscientist, her family and colleagues laughed at the thought. Ironically, life circumstances led her to that dream sooner than expected, while her grandmother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s led her to the valuable research that made Still Alice a New York… Read more »
Choices for health can be complicated – especially when you have health care practitioners with different opinions and/or the information available is contradictory. This is why it is important for us as consumers to do our research and make informed decisions for ourselves. Such is the case with food sensitivity testing which has become a… Read more »
When kids are involved in the choice, they are more inclined to take part. That is the philosophy behind FIND Food Bank’s Kids Summer Feeding Program: Don’t just feed the children, make them part of the selection, education and preparation. Teaming with valley Boys & Girls Clubs and local YMCAs, FIND’s summer program delivers produce… Read more »
In 1932, Edith Morrey was 20 years old. You may know Edith as the “Grande Dame of Fashion” whose chic clothing boutique, the first on El Paseo, helped launch the famed street. At 20, she lived in Portland and it was there she would attend the most impactful event of her life. That year, she… Read more »
Health is a choice, but when access to health care is a challenge, that choice can become a luxury. For some, the choice comes down to a dental filling for your child or food on the table; a pair of glasses for your spouse or paying rent; a doctor’s appointment co-pay or bus fare for… 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 »
How many prescription drugs are you taking? One or two? You are not alone. Nearly 7 in 10 Americans are on at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two, according to a recent report by the Mayo Clinic and the Olmstead Medical Center.1 20 percent of us are on five or more.… Read more »
As young women, we grow up hearing horror stories about “going through the change” when hormone fluctuations create often unbearable symptoms like hot flashes, crazy brain, and mood swings. And we know that when this time comes, we will have to make choices for ourselves. In my early thirties, I learned about hormone replacement therapy (HRT)… Read more »
Good health is a conscious choice often brought on by a strong passion for change. Choosing to go into health care often starts with the same passion, but is directed at helping others. And with the many changes and challenges facing today’s health care system, launching into medicine with that sincere passion and purpose is… Read more »
We often meet people who consider themselves ‘conscious eaters,’ but rarely do we meet someone whose passion is converting others. In her own personal effort to address America’s obesity issues, Registered Dietitian Sarah Gaete is teaching the value of nutrition to as many people as she can. She is passionate about getting others to make… Read more »