For many Latino families, healthcare has traditionally extended beyond the doctor’s office. Herbal teas, home remedies, traditional foods, prayer and other healing practices have long been part of family health traditions, and this has been supported by research. In one Southern California study, 90% of Latino patients reported using herbs, while another study found that… Read more »
Many women I meet say some version of the same thing: “I knew something didn’t feel right, and I couldn’t explain it,” or, “I saw the signs, and I still didn’t leave.” If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone, and there is nothing wrong with you. Unhealthy relationships rarely begin with something obvious.… Read more »
“You’re exactly where you need to be.” The words were carved into a worn bench that greeted me each morning at 6:55 a.m. as I walked toward the meditation hall during a recent seven-day silent meditation retreat. No talking. No phone. No reading. No writing. Could you do it? Would you want to? Do you… Read more »
You have heard of painting by numbers, but what about dreaming by numbers? What might dream numbers mean? Although dream interpretation can be very personal, numbers and mathematics are a universal language. Dreams use signs, symbols and numbers to communicate health information. An example of a number dream that saved millions from starvation and illness… Read more »
The energy we bring into conversations has the power to influence, connect and transform. Every interaction carries an emotional tone that can create either openness or resistance, understanding or division. Communication is more than words; it is the exchange of presence, emotion, perspective and intention. Often, how we communicate shapes the outcome of a relationship… Read more »
If you live with low back pain, you know how much it can interrupt your daily life. Sleeping is difficult, chores feel like a burden and even a short walk can be daunting. Moving your body is one of the most reliable ways to reduce back pain over time, and one of the most beginner-friendly… Read more »
If truth be told, when my cat Mazel showed up five years ago, just after the loss of my beloved dog Havi, I was pondering rescuing a dog. In hindsight, I’ve become acutely aware that God must get a good laugh while we are busy making plans. I’ve never really given much thought to… Read more »
Tangerine peel, known in Traditional Chinese Medicine as Chen Pi, is one of the most revered herbs in the Chinese pharmacopeia. It has been documented since the Han Dynasty (2nd century BCE) in the Shen Nong Bencao Jing, the foundational encyclopedia of Chinese herbalism, and still used today. The name tells the story: Chen means… Read more »
Summer promises relaxation, but many people continue to feel busy, overstimulated and stressed. This makes it the perfect time to embrace a “summer slowdown” and nurture one of the body’s most powerful pathways for recovery and resilience: the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve and serves as a major communication pathway… Read more »
Trust the beauty industry to coin another term designed to make desert dwellers tremble. Inflammaging. That glorious intersection of aging and inflammation. Yes, it’s real and well-documented.1 But no, it’s not a new disaster. It’s just a name for something skin does as it ages. And it’s not a women-only club; men’s skin ages this… Read more »
What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done? For me, it wasn’t changing careers. It wasn’t starting over in my mid-40s. It wasn’t letting go of a life I thought would unfold differently. It was choosing to pivot. Because pivoting asks us to do something that feels completely counterintuitive. It asks us to pause when everything… Read more »
An age-old activity is the simple act of casting a flat pebble over a body of water, watching it bounce and skip across the surface. This skimming effect is performed, often without thinking, to ease anxiety—a small ritual of release. Nowadays, “skimming the surface” describes something far more common; the way we move through everyday… Read more »
Last week, I stood in my kitchen preparing curry chicken and vegetable soup. I had discovered a new recipe and had been craving it all day. The vegetables were chopped with care, broth simmering softly, sunlight stretching across the counter. But while cooking, I answered a phone call. Replied to an email. Scrolled briefly through… Read more »
One of Desert Health’s primary goals is to encourage readers to be their own health advocates. This includes “knowing your numbers,” which has never been easier with today’s health-tracking devices, such as smart watches and Ouro rings. Adding to those options is the emerging category of smart scales. Bathroom scales measuring weight have been… Read more »
“Holding space” has become a familiar phrase in today’s wellness conversations, often described as new or “alternative.” In reality, it reflects a long-standing human practice rooted in connection, observation and presence. Across cultures and throughout history, people have gathered to listen, witness, grieve and celebrate together. What we now call “holding space” is not a… Read more »
Have you ever drooled on your pillow while dreaming of dining? You may have experienced a healing food dream. It begs the question, “Why did I eat what I ate in my dream, and what does it mean?” Remembering dreams of food can improve our lives. If we are what we eat, then food has… Read more »
When we think about improving our health and happiness, we often focus on diet, exercise, sleep and/or finances. But there’s another powerful factor that is less obvious yet deeply influential. That factor is the people with whom we surround ourselves. Business philosopher Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you… Read more »
Our world is in no short supply of stress these days. And no matter how well we manage it, chronic stress (living in constant fight-or-flight mode) can damage the cardiovascular system, weaken the immune system, increase weight gain, accelerate the aging process, cause mental health issues and more.1,2 Once admired philosophies, like “burning the candle… Read more »
With high season behind us, a good spring cleaning is warranted. But let’s not stop at clearing out home clutter. Let’s also clear out the heaviness accumulated from many eventful months that can leave us feeling mentally foggy, bloated or fatigued. From a naturopathic perspective, spring is an ideal time for gentle “mental and physical… Read more »
When an interaction with someone is memorable, it is also engaging. It captures attention and creates a moment that lingers. The individual may not change, but they remember how they felt. When it is meaningful, it creates a connection. The person feels seen, heard and understood. Trust begins here. And when it is transformational, something… Read more »