If you have been battling unwanted pounds or gained weight over the holidays, you are not alone. There are many reasons we maintain unwanted pounds and even gain weight – all of which are within your control. More people die from feasting than from famine, so its important to remember that overeating is a crime… Read more »
2020 is here: out with the old and in with the new! Now is the time to release negativity and stale energies from the past, replacing them with positive, healthy and life-affirming new energy. One way to achieve this result is through the adoption of new rituals that support health and improve wellbeing. One such… Read more »
The numerous holiday invitations making their way onto your calendar about now can pose some challenges, or even anxiety, when it comes to eating a gluten-free diet. The last thing you want during this busy and festive time of the year is to accidentally eat something that doesn’t agree with you. There is no doubt… Read more »
For most of us eating is a pleasurable experience, but for some it is a double-edged sword that leads down a path of emotional cues, cravings and bad choices. In previous issues of Desert Health, I discussed the neurotransmitter dopamine and how it drives us toward foods and substances to fulfill pleasure to get us… Read more »
As a wellness director, I conduct an ongoing personal and professional search for the most current trends of effective remedies in the marketplace. During a recent meeting of wellness professionals in the Coachella Valley, we discussed the topics of achieving radiant health by using structured water and vibrational therapy. These were intriguing topics featuring a… Read more »
Although naturopathic medicine has been in practice in the U.S. for over a century, I often still get asked, “Are you a real doctor?” In California, Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are licensed primary care providers, able to diagnose and treat illness as a general practitioner/ family practice doctor. NDs can order lab tests and imaging; perform… Read more »
“Humans are made out of energy and sustained by energy. Our bodies are ever changing dynamic fields of energy, not static physical structures. They are a hologram in which every part contains information about the whole.” — Christiane Northrup, M.D. Conventional Western medicine, at its foundation, focuses on the biochemistry of the physical body: cells,… Read more »
The festive season is here again, and we look forward to end-of-year celebrations, parties and get-togethers with family and friends. As the days grow shorter and the year winds to a close, we gather together to reminisce and to share our hopes for the year ahead. Yet, this time of year often brings increased stress–with… Read more »
Many of us have heard the advice that, when making changes in our behavior, we should make a small change at first, establish it and see how it works for you. It got me thinking about how our yoga and meditation practices are ongoing. We make our way to the mat and see what happens.… Read more »
There is something deeply meditative in hearing the rustle of the leaves of a tree, in watching a hummingbird kiss the petals of a flower, or in kneeling in a garden when planting spring bulbs. All of us have found ourselves calmed, reinvigorated and inspired both in mind and spirit by the desert colors at… Read more »
The explosion of electronic devices has brought us instantaneous communication, ease of commercial transactions, and entertainment on demand. But increased screen time, estimated at 7-11 hours for adults each day, has also brought with it unforeseen effects on our bodies and our health. Perhaps the best-known negative effect of screen exposure is a decrease in… Read more »
Those who have discovered naturopathic medicine often consider it life changing. Many seek the practice when allopathic medicine runs out of answers or to complement conventional care. Others consider their naturopathic doctor to be their primary care physician preferring the body, mind and spirit approach to medicine. A licensed naturopathic doctor attends an accredited, four-year,… Read more »
When it’s time to “take action” on something, what are the thoughts and feelings that overcome you? Is it fear and anxiety, or excitement and enthusiasm? When we are called to action, many of us are energized to put our nose to the grindstone and dive all in. However, for others, the mere thought of… Read more »
Are you a good listener? With a strong cultural value on being the one at the top, our conversations these days are opinion heavy rather than an exchange of ideas involving both speaking and listening. Good listening is a lost art, and that causes many people to feel frustrated, unheard, and alone. The goal of… Read more »
It’s common for those who suffer emotionally to receive guidance to think positively. While this guidance is well-intended and might help in the short-term, some find themselves frustrated when they are still dealing with the same emotional state months or even years later. This makes them feel like they must not be thinking positively enough.… Read more »
Many of us never stop to think about our health until something goes wrong. But developing and maintaining healthy habits – even for as little as an hour a week – can go a long way toward cultivating a wellness lifestyle meant to keep your body working. Wellness is more than simply feeling good; it’s… Read more »
Modern conveniences developed over the decades have made it hard for us to know what “healthy” means or looks like anymore. Here are a few instinctual habits of healthy people that are more in line with our human design. 1. Eat real food. When we eat food that comes from the earth instead of a… Read more »
Summer is an ideal time to ascend to higher ground by way of the Palm Springs Tram to commune with nature. This journey is a reprieve from triple-digit temperatures in the valley and, at the same time, affords us an opportunity for healthy exercise. It’s also an invitation to observe the fascinating ability of trees… Read more »
Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, or TUDCA, is a water-soluble bile acid produced in our livers to help stimulate the release of bile into the gut. While humans only produce a small amount of TUDCA, the bile of bears is around 50 percent TUDCA and scientists think this may play a role in their ability to hibernate for… Read more »
Summer is finally here in the desert. We had a blessedly cool May, but now the summer sauna has returned. As we enjoy (or lament) the sweat-inducing heat, what is the best way to keep ourselves smelling sweet while maintaining our skin and breast health? For many years, I have remained skeptical about the claims… Read more »