When it comes to health, many underestimate the “power of the plate.” However, scientific evidence on food’s ability to hinder or heal continues to grow and is now referred to as the Food as Medicine Movement. Today, that movement is larger than ever. For 15 years, Desert Health has published articles about the effects of… Read more »
Integrative Medicine
Our Omnivore Heritage
- By Joseph E. Scherger MD, MPH
- November/December 2025
When I consider what the healthiest diet is for us, I think biologically. To fully understand current human biology, it helps to understand our evolutionary biology. Daniel Lieberman, professor of evolutionary biology at Harvard has distilled this complex subject in his 2014 book, The Story of the Human Body. He traces our evolution from chimpanzees… Read more »
How Healthy is Your Heart?
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- November/December 2025
Heart disease has been the leading cause of death worldwide for over two decades; more specifically, ischemic (coronary) heart disease, which accounts for over nine million deaths annually.1 However, while annual screenings for certain types of cancers are recommended for everyone, heart disease screenings are only recommended for high-risk individuals, leaving the decision for screening… Read more »
2025 Nutrition Health Care Conference
- By Jill Edwards, CEP, DipACLM
- November/December 2025
In September, clinicians, researchers and advocates from around the globe gathered to explore how food functions as medicine at the International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference (PBNHC). Four immersive days featured industry leaders along with the latest science and breakthroughs proving the power of nutrition and the purpose of compassion in health care today. PBNHC has… Read more »
The Morph Device for Addiction and Pain
- By John K. Gerard, MD
- September/October 2025
The Morph Device, AKA P.E.N.S. (Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), is an FDA-approved electrical nerve stimulator that offers real hope to individuals struggling with chronic pain or opioid dependence. Designed to fit behind the ear, the compact device uses gentle electrical impulses to stimulate areas deep within the brain. This stimulation can significantly reduce pain levels,… Read more »
Nourish Your Nerves
- By Monica Price
- September/October 2025
Do you find yourself anxious often or perhaps anxious in certain situations? You are not alone, and finding ways to calm your mind can really help. Anxiety is a complicated mental health disorder that requires a wide range of approaches to manage it effectively. Lifestyle changes, including nutrition, can help, as there are foods that… Read more »
City of Hope Embraces Integrative Cancer Care
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- September/October 2025
Each year, I return to City of Hope in Duarte for my annual follow-up after successfully receiving cryoablation for my early-stage breast cancer in 2019. This year, I was ecstatic to see the many changes incorporated with the completion of The Cherng Family Center for Integrative Oncology. Integrative oncology combines standard medical treatments with more… Read more »
Dale E. Bredesen, MD’s The Ageless Brain
- A Review by Joseph E. Scherger MD, MPH
- September/October 2025
If insults that degrade the brain are replaced by healthy nutrition and lifestyle, is the brain capable of healing, similar to other organs? Contrary to conventional thinking in neurology, Dale Bredesen, MD, gives a resounding “yes.” Dr. Bredesen, a research neurologist, has a series of cases dating back to 2014 when he published his first… Read more »
I am delighted to be joining Lauren and her team at Desert Health and also getting to know you, our wonderful readers! While the UK is my primary home, my work has brought me to the desert for many years and I have fallen in love with its landscape and tranquillity. But it is you,… Read more »
Diamandis’s Longevity Guidebook
- By Joseph E. Scherger, MD, MPH
- July/August 2025
Longevity is one of the fastest growing industries globally with theories and recommendations coming at us in warped speed. Peter Diamandis, MD’s Longevity Guidebook is a wild ride through the current science of extending our lifespan. The book opens with the question, “Has the first person who will live to 150 already been born?” and… Read more »
Variety Expands Services
- By Andrea Carter
- July/August 2025
For nearly 40 years, Variety Children’s Charity of the Desert has provided programs and services in support of the health, mobility, independence and social inclusion of special needs kids, also providing assistance in underserved communities in the Coachella Valley. Variety has now expanded these programs and services beyond its Palm Desert headquarters to two additional… Read more »
Ketamine: A New Frontier in the Treatment of Depression and Chronic Pain
- By Joseph Elisha, MD
- July/August 2025
As an anesthesiologist who has used ketamine in the operating room for years, I’ve watched with great interest—and no small amount of hope—as this powerful medication finds new footing in the world of mental health care. What started as a staple in surgical and emergency settings is now showing real promise as a treatment for… Read more »
Are You Experiencing a Personal Awakening?
- By Delphine Channels
- May/June 2025
In recent years more people have reported experiencing profound inner shifts—heightened intuition, deeper emotional sensitivity and a pull toward a greater sense of purpose. This phenomenon can be referred to as a personal or spiritual awakening—a period of personal transformation that expands awareness and invites individuals to reconnect with their most authentic selves. But what… Read more »
Dr. Longo’s Fasting Cancer
- A Review by Joseph E. Scherger MD, MPH
- May/June 2025
Good things happen in your body when you do not eat. Circadian code research shows that we spend 12 hours digesting and processing what we eat for a day. After 12 hours, we start burning fat for energy and releasing ketone bodies that have a number of health benefits. One of those benefits is to… Read more »
Welcoming the UK’s Monica Price
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- May/June 2025
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of meeting Monica Price, a business leader, broadcaster, writer and wellness expert from the United Kingdom. Price is a go-to health and wellbeing advisor for the BBC, ITV, Sky News, GB News, XPTV1, TalkTV and Times Radio, and a regular contributor to Great BritishLife magazines. She advocates for… Read more »
Update on Cryoablation for Breast Cancer
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- March/April 2025
As many readers know, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. Following extensive research, I chose to do cryoablation (cry-o-a-blay-shun), a minimally invasive procedure which freezes the tumor and was in clinical trials at City of Hope at the time. The therapy was successful for me and others, but with COVID, many facilities stopped… Read more »
Understanding Fat as Stored Energy
- By Joseph E. Scherger, MD, MPH
- March/April 2025
I want you to think differently about body fat. The biology of how body fat forms is simple: Carbohydrates are rapid-energy foods, but consuming more than we use for energy triggers insulin to form body fat. So, it’s important to understand that consuming fat from foods like nuts, seeds, eggs and cheese does not make… Read more »
Your Best Health Handbook
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- January/February 2025
The vast array of books on healthy foods, latest diets and proper habits can be overwhelming. They all seem to say something different and it’s hard to know which recommendations are right for you. What if you could hire a doctor to read them all and provide you with the best recommendations specific to your… Read more »
A New Era of Possibility
- By Delphine Channels
- January/February 2025
The world feels different lately, doesn’t it? People are talking about rapid change, heightened emotions and a growing sense that something profound is happening — both within and around us. This conversation, particularly vibrant in spiritual communities, often centers around a concept known as the Earth’s frequency shift. Some call it a journey toward the… Read more »
Food Is Love
- By Edie Jones-Poland, MD
- January/February 2025
When was the last time you prepared food for a loved one? Whether it was the favorite dish of a child returning home from college, fresh groceries and soup for a sick friend, or a celebratory feast to mark the new year, food is at the heart of relationships. It is a focal point when… Read more »
