Helping Kids Overcome Challenges

Did you know that many well-known film and television actors of have had to overcome speech or language challenges? That list includes Bruce Willis who struggled with stuttering; Eric Roberts who also grappled with stuttering, and his sister, Julia Roberts, who had to overcome her speech impairment. Bill Withers who wrote and sang, “When a… Read more »

New COPD Vaccine Designed to Reduce Acute Flare-ups

A worldwide clinical study is underway for an innovative investigational vaccine that may help people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) reduce episodes of exacerbations, commonly known as flare-ups. Palmtree Clinical Research (PCR), a multi-specialty clinical research firm based in Palm Springs, was selected as a study site, and volunteers are currently being accepted with… Read more »

Longevity May Start in Our Youth

According to a new study from researchers at Loma Linda University, the key to living a long life lies in the behaviors started as young children. The study, published in The Permanente Journal, looked at seniors and centenarians in North America’s only Blue Zone, Loma Linda, to determine their exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)… Read more »

Help Us Help Those in Need

Thank you for taking your valuable time to read this. We are first-generation college graduates currently applying for medical school. On our days off from work and applying to medical schools, we volunteer at Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine (CVVIM), a non-profit clinic that helps the underserved community of the Coachella Valley with medical needs.… Read more »

Goodbye Bad Breath!

Hallitosis, or bad breath, is something with which many people struggle. It can be embarrassing and uncomfortable to worry about constantly. There are multiple causes to bad breath but most cases stem back to odor-causing bacteria in the mouth. Multiple actions can be taken to reduce the number of these bacteria and lead to fresher… Read more »

New Non-pharmaceutical Treatment for Dry Eye

There are many ways to manage or treat dry eye, a common condition – especially here in the desert. Studies show that about 25% of patients over 50 have clinically significant dry eye. There is now a new FDA-approved treatment which utilizes nasal neurostimulation to increase tear production. This is a non-pharmaceutical way to manage… Read more »

mentoring the future

Health Career Connection Internship

Twenty-two undergraduate college students from the Coachella Valley participated in the Health Career Connection Internship program this summer though OneFuture Coachella Valley. They spent ten weeks as full-time, paid interns at eighteen healthcare related sites across the valley, working on high-impact projects for valley residents. A special focus for this year’s program was exploring the… Read more »

What is Disordered Eating?

In a nutshell, disordered eating is when an individual’s relationship with food causes problems in their life or that of their loved ones. People are often surprised to find out that what they consider to be a lack of self-control or poor discipline is really “disordered eating,” driven by a part of our brain over… Read more »

I Have Cancer…

Shay Moraga is a triple negative breast cancer survivor and shares her journey with Desert Health® readers in an ongoing column… I HAVE CANCER… Those are the dreaded words you never want to hear from a family member or friend. The person telling you those words is more than likely completely overwhelmed and in shock.… Read more »

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a bothersome problem that many women experience. It can be occasional and resolve with little or no treatment, or it may be a chronic problem that worsens over time. Either way, leaking urine can be a major social embarrassment and cause women to avoid the activities they enjoy most. The fear… Read more »

Union Benefits Community

The three local hospitals managed by Tenet Healthcare – Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio, and Hi-Desert Medical Center/Hi-Desert Continuing Care Center in Joshua Tree – along with their region-wide outpatient health care centers have come together under one umbrella as Desert Care Network. The goals of the union… Read more »

One Stop Shop for Health Resources

The Coachella Valley now has a website for health and wellness resources offering everything from hiking trails to adaptive sports; education to legal services; and weight management to food assistance. Created by the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation (DHCD) in partnership with the City of Palm Springs, CV HIP (Coachella Valley Health Information Place) brings… Read more »

Lung Health: Smoking Marijuana

Many people tend to smoke marijuana because they think that it’s safer than smoking cigarettes. It’s an herb and it’s natural, but how safe is it? On April 20 of this year (the unofficial day celebrating all things cannabis), local doctor Eric Presser, MD, was invited to KATU-TV in Portland, Oregon, to discuss marijuana and… Read more »

mentoring the future

Our Mind Still Matters

Is there a mental health crisis developing in America, or just a popular topic in the media? National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH) 2017 statistics document a nearly 13% rate of depression affliction in teenagers, and nearly 7% in adults; hardly an epidemic, but concerning, nonetheless. Every day, we all are faced with issues that… Read more »

Visual Needs of Stroke Patients

Every year more than 750,000 people suffer a stroke, the most common disability for Americans. A stroke occurs when the blood flow to the brain is interrupted. There are two basic types: an ischemic stroke, most often due to a blood clot blocking a blood vessel, and a hemorrhagic stroke, occurring when a blood vessel… Read more »

Taking Care of Our Kids

You may find it surprising to learn that the number of children 17 and under in the Coachella Valley exceeds the number of adults 65 and over.1 While schools and services are being built to support this growing demographic, our greatest need may be in medical care–especially in the east valley where the ratio of… Read more »

Dentures Got You Down?

Traditionally, when someone lost all of their teeth, removable dentures were the only option to restore a smile. With dentures come some compromises; they can be ill-fitting and uncomfortable, making chewing difficult. Today, technology has advanced and better options are available ranging from better fitting and more esthetic dentures to implant-supported porcelain bridges that look… Read more »