Hair loss is a common and challenging condition affecting millions worldwide. Hair loss is often associated with aging, however, other factors including genetics, hormonal changes, stress and illness can contribute to hair loss at any age. The condition can occur in stages and result in different types of hair thinning and baldness. The impact of… Read more »
Integrative Medicine
Surviving Cancer Against the Odds
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- July/August 2024
More and more people are discovering means for overcoming cancer against dire medical prognoses. For some, the words “get your affairs in order” are mentally the beginning of the end, while others find the recommendation tremendously motivating. Factors that contribute to the final outcome vary, and there is certainly no one-size-fits-all. However, those who… Read more »
The Power of Exosomes in Regenerative Medicine
- By Farris Sandhu, MD
- July/August 2024
Regenerative medicine is a transformative field focused on repairing, replacing and regenerating damaged tissues and organs by harnessing the body’s natural healing processes. Since 2024, this term has become increasingly popular as more people seek holistic and less invasive alternatives to traditional medical treatments. As a physician with over 20 years of experience in internal… Read more »
Dr. van Tulleken’s Ultra-Processed People
- By Joseph E. Scherger MD, MPH
- May/June 2024
Dr. van Tulleken’s Ultra-Processed People Chris van Tulleken, MD, PhD is an infectious diseases physician at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London. He trained at Oxford and has a PhD in molecular virology from University College London. He is best known in England for his interest in food science and the harms caused by… Read more »
Food as Medicine: Enhancing Education
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- May/June 2024
Fourteen years ago, Desert Health was launched to shine a light on the shift towards lifestyle medicine — doctors prescribing food and lifestyle choices over pills. Naturopathic doctors, who learn this in medical school, have led the way followed by a growing number of functional and integrative doctors today. However, there is still a major… Read more »
Consciousness Does Matter
- By Peter Canova
- May/June 2024
The title of this article is a double entendre. In part, it refers to an ongoing chicken/egg debate about which came first, consciousness or matter. But, it also refers to something long discussed in spiritual circles, which is that varying forms of matter exist just as varying forms of consciousness exist. We’ll discuss the matter… Read more »
Dr. Lyon’s Forever Strong
- By Joseph E. Scherger, MD, MPH
- March/April 2024
Gabrielle Lyon, MD has shifted the discussion of wellness to a focus on skeletal muscle as the key to long-term health. She is the founder of Muscle Centric Medicine and treats patients from all over the world in her New York City office. She is board certified in family medicine and geriatrics and studied nutritional… Read more »
The Healing Power of Honey
- By Emma Bermudez, C-FNP
- March/April 2024
Honey is an extremely effective homeopathic treatment for a wide variety of ailments. It has been used in the treatment of disease for thousands of years, as evidenced by early Stone Age paintings depicting its use and extensive references in religious texts. Traditional medical writings outline honey’s use as a treatment of eye disease, bronchial… Read more »
Does NAD+ Really Work?
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- January/February 2024
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a popular supplement in the anti-aging realm, as significant research supports its effectiveness in enhancing energy production. My husband’s integrative doctor, Joe Scherger, MD, has had him taking it orally for several years. But because it works at the cellular level, it’s hard to directly measure its efficacy, and while… Read more »
Omega-3 Benefits and Risks
- By Bruce Underwood, DrPH, CNS
- January/February 2024
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to deliver health benefits for cardiovascular support, cognitive function and joint integrity. However, it is important to also recognize the potential risks associated with their use. One of the primary risks associated with supplementation revolves around the potential for excessive bleeding or interference with blood clotting mechanisms. Omega-3… Read more »
Dr. Walker’s Why We Sleep
- A Review by Joseph E. Scherger MD, MPH
- January/February 2024
In his new book Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker, PhD gives us the hard truths about sleep, stating that if we do not get a full night’s sleep, we will be impaired, even at the level of a drunk driver. The science says we need 7-9 hours of restful sleep a night to be healthy,… Read more »
Prescribing Vegetables
- By Suzanne Duvald'Adrian
- November/December 2023
Many health practitioners find themselves excited by something relatively simple these days – vegetables. For decades, we’ve been told that a prescription is the easiest and fastest way to control a medical condition. But, every day it seems another study is released that supports using food and lifestyle as a treatment for many of the… Read more »
Expanding Consciousness to Counter Fears
- By Peter Canova
- November/December 2023
Fear is the greatest impediment to our health and well-being, not illness, pollution, GMO food tampering or war. Fear casts a shadow over our lives from the day we are born to the day we pass on. It’s the root cause of all the things mentioned above, affecting our mental, emotional and physical health. Hopefully,… Read more »
A shift is taking place in the choices we make about food. For generations, we’ve been influenced by taste, traditions and often our waistlines, prioritizing appearance, pleasure and personal satisfaction. But according to international advertising agency TBWA’s new Future of Food report, growing trends are putting people and our planet first. The fascinating compilation was… Read more »
The Miraculous Medicine of a Grateful Heart
- By Sharon R. Guthrie, PhD
- September/October 2023
Amidst the busyness of life, it is easy to forget the little things that contribute to our overall health and wellness. Gratitude, defined as an appreciation of the good things in one’s life, is one of those often-overlooked things. Recent research in quantum science and psychology, however, indicates that one of the most powerful components… Read more »
In 2021, the renowned New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care launched the Contemplative Medicine Fellowship, a 12-month training for physicians, advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants, designed to immerse participants in the alleviation of suffering while supporting clinic responsibilities. The following editorial, which first appeared in the international journal Palliative & Supportive Care,… Read more »
Look Up, Lean Back
- By Joseph E. Scherger, MD, MPH
- July/August 2023
We all look down too much. Our modern culture has us frequently looking down at devices, keyboards, papers and books. However, our neck is designed for us to be looking in the opposite direction. All the muscles in the back of the neck are erector muscles; our hunter-gatherer bodies should be looking forward and up. … Read more »
Understanding Vertigo
- By Agustin Orozco, DAOM, LAc, LMT
- July/August 2023
Dizziness, or vertigo, is a frequently reported symptom among those seeking medical attention. Patients often describe their symptoms as their body moving in a swaying or rotating motion, the environment around them appearing to do so or both. Vertigo can have a diverse range of causes and presents with varying characteristics. However, certain factors can… Read more »
Do You Know Your (New) Numbers?
- By Marly Paulus
- July/August 2023
Many of us set an ideal target weight based on what our scale tells us. But, that’s only a fraction of the story. Here’s how testing your body composition gives you the full story and how to most effectively improve it. Beyond weight and height, body composition considers your individual muscle, organs, bone, fat, tissue… Read more »
The Healing Power of Forgiveness
- By Reverend Dale Olansky
- July/August 2023
When most people hear the word forgiveness, they grimace at the prospect of having to let someone off the hook who has caused them harm. Let’s face it – letting go of anger and resentment doesn’t come easily to most of us. However, holding on to it is harming only one person: ourselves. It is… Read more »