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 »
As conversations around mental health and personal well-being expand, many people are exploring different forms of support beyond traditional models. Two approaches often mentioned together, yet fundamentally distinct, are therapy and health or life coaching. Understanding the differences between them can help individuals choose the right type of guidance and recognize how these paths can… Read more »
The Year of the Fire Horse officially began February 17, according to the Chinese zodiac cycle, and was ironically ushered in by a “ring of fire” lunar eclipse on that very same day. Although visible from only a few places worldwide, this cosmic irony is considered extremely rare, as the Fire Horse year only occurs… Read more »
We live in an era defined by a polarizing news environment, leaving many in our society feeling deeply exhausted. In response to this inundation, many turn to a “news detox,” setting strict consumption limits or attempting to disassociate entirely. Technology apps such as Freedom and News Detox offer a much-needed hiatus from the deluge, promising… Read more »
There are many reasons people are drawn to Palm Springs. Ted Gibson and Jason Backe seem to encompass them all. The creative and colorful souls were called to trade the spotlight for inner light and the fast track for a path to wellness that led them here. As life and business partners for over… Read more »
In setting our goals for the year ahead, “eat better” and “exercise more” are often at the top of the list. Such lifestyle changes are admirable and can help prevent and reverse chronic disease. However, broad goals like these can set us up for disappointment; since they are so expansive, it’s often difficult to assess… Read more »
The New Year offers a time to reflect on what we’ve learned and imagine what’s ahead. This time of year, we traditionally make our annual resolutions to counteract the “bad” we have done and make corrections so we can be good. But unfortunately, less than 10% of us continue those resolutions past the second Friday… Read more »