Our military is well trained for the rigors of combat, but many veterans find themselves unprepared for the debilitating post traumatic stress many experience when they return home to their families. Coping with depression, anxiety, insomnia, and flashbacks of war experiences can be overwhelming. In January, Time magazine revealed that the number of male veterans… Read more »
Natural Options
So Much More Than Braille
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- July/August 2014
Today, less than 10% of visually impaired people can read braille. One might therefore question the purpose of the Braille Institute which was established in 1919. However, when you consider that macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss among people ages 50+1 and our growing baby boomer population, you clearly see the need… Read more »
Sports massage is a form of massage that utilizes specific protocols and techniques to help athletes obtain maximum performance and physical conditioning by increasing power, endurance and mobility. It is a vital tool for keeping athletes primed for top performance, and in the game for as long as possible. It is particularly beneficial when an… Read more »
Understanding and Coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- By Jan Silver Maguire
- May/June 2014
Last November I had the privilege of working on Homeward Bound, a national fundraising telethon presented by Haven from the Storm Foundation that supports military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury. Programs and organizations like these are vital, as the incidence of PTSD among our military veterans is truly alarming. Recent… Read more »
That Time Of Year Is Here…Once Again!
- By Karen McElhatton
- May/June 2014
May is here and many of our local residents have left, or will be going back to their main homes all over the country and Canada. I actually get a little sad saying “good-bye until next season,” although I realize there are more year-rounder’s than ever here in the Coachella Valley. And many of us… Read more »
Growing A Home Garden
- By Audrey Reed, Ph.D.
- March/April 2014
Last Spring, I had a neighborhood garden with some friends at a friend’s house. Although just 10 minutes away, once planted, I didn’t visit it very often. My husband and I wanted to plant more than herbs in our backyard garden, so last November we looked at the area around our pool. The soil was… Read more »
Do you suffer from IBS, bloating, dermatitis, migraines, an autoimmune disorder, or anxiety? Perhaps you’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. There are over 200 symptoms associated with gluten, and if you have been diagnosed, you may have been given a simple prescription: go gluten-free. With high hopes of feeling and looking better,… Read more »
Massage Therapy: A Rewarding and Expanding Career
- By Margaret Hines, MBA & Kathleen Shyptycki, CMT, HHP
- May/June 2014
Therapeutic Massage has come into its own as an industry. With alternative medicine accepted in more and more mainstream health establishments, bodywork has emerged as a rewarding, financially sound career. It’s especially well suited for people who want to prosper while remaining close to core beliefs about the true source of health and well-being. Locally,… Read more »
Eat Fats, Lose Weight: The Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet
- By John R. Dixon, DC, CCN, Dipl.Ac
- May/June 2014
Over the past ten years, numerous scientific studies have emerged forcing many doctors and nutritionists to revise their thinking of what is considered a “healthy diet.” Researchers have discovered more about the causes and mechanisms underlying diseases like diabetes, cancer, and arteriosclerosis, and for this reason, many previously held concepts of a healthy food pyramid… Read more »
Allergy Relief with TMC
- By Diane Sheppard, Ph.D, L.Ac.
- May/June 2014
As spring flowers blossom and release pollen, our allergies awaken, resulting in a variety of symptoms. For us desert dwellers the winds can not only blow these allergens around, but also dry our sinuses, causing sneezing, congestion, watery eyes and a runny nose. Spring is traditionally the main season when allergies blossom because of new… Read more »
Living in the Coachella Valley, we can be remiss in witnessing the pronounced entry and exit of the four seasons. Yet, the dramatic shift into summer is one we all experience. While the desert landscape transitions, plants and wildflowers lose their color and become dormant. The desert floor dries up and the sun emerges at… Read more »
Don’t Take Away My Wheat!
- By Lauren Del Sarto
- March/April 2014
If you’ve just read about Wheat Belly, you may be discouraged – or even downright angry – at the thought of living without wheat. It’s understandable when you consider that the large majority of our food is made with wheat flour or gluten. There is not an aisle in the grocery store without it, and… Read more »
Planting Seeds of Health in Valley Youth
- By Doris Steadman
- March/April 2014
Thanks to the Clinton Foundation’s Alliance for a Healthier Generation, 80 Coachella Valley schools representing all three districts now have wellness programs. Palm Springs Unified was the first district to create a Wellness Committee three years ago. The Coachella Valley District has incorporated a Wellness Policy developed and run by students and their families. Desert… Read more »
Law enforcement officers (LEO) encounter stressful situations on a daily basis which can affect both their physical and mental health. Their life expectancy is ten years below the national average at 66, and many are forced to leave the field for medical reasons. Even worse, studies show that the rate of suicide for our men… Read more »
The Health Assessment Resource Center (HARC) recently released their 2013 report on the health of our community. Not only is the information fascinating and easy to digest, it is also the comprehensive data many organizations use to secure grant funding and status. The survey results, which are available to everyone, have brought $7.1 million to… Read more »
TCM and Acupuncture for Headache Pain
- By Diane Sheppard, Ph.D, L.Ac.
- March/April 2014
More than 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches or migraines with the pain impacting every aspect of their lives. Relief is commonly found in prescription and over-the-counter drugs which can unfortunately have long-term side effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture have successfully treated headaches and migraines (as well as their underlying causes) for… Read more »
Home Is Where the Heart Is
- By Susan Fefferman
- January/February 2014
Home truly is where the heart is. That’s why it’s so important that your home is nurturing, supportive, safe, and makes you feel like you’re getting a big hug when you walk through the door. No matter what’s going on in the outside world, once you step inside, you should be completely relaxed and able… Read more »
Meditation Delivers Results in Schools
- By Doris Steadman
- January/February 2014
We know that stress can be detrimental to adult health, but what about children? Significant research now suggests that American children are indeed experiencing stress at new levels: suicides among adolescents have quadrupled since the 1950s; only 36 percent of 7th graders agreed with the statement “I am happy with my life“; and in the… Read more »
Some of the Valley’s most recognized instructors are coming together for a day of yoga, music, healthy food and community gathering – all to raise funds and awareness for Coachella Valley’s Volunteers in Medicine (CVVIM). Poses on Paseo will take place March 2 from 7am-11am at The Gardens on El Paseo second floor parking deck… Read more »
The Many Wonders of Dang Gui
- By Diane Sheppard, PhD., L.Ac.
- January/February 2014
Dang Gui, sometimes spelled Dong Gui or Dong Quai, is Chinese angelica root. It is a perennial plant found along ravine streams, marshy meadows, river banks and sea coasts. Long used in traditional Asian herbal remedies, Dang Gui root is among the most important of the Chinese blood tonics. It has a strong but pleasant… Read more »