Cover Story
It happens every year — desert temperatures rise until most of us retreat indoors to exercise. We escape to the gym or the mall or to a pool that’s still cool. Or… we head west to find the great Pacific. There is really nothing like the beach. With a backdrop of blue sky, sunshine, crashing waves and long stretches of sand, it’s hard to come up... click for more
Features
Brain Trust
In late 2009, then 66-year-old William Lopez did what he characterizes as a back flip on the ice in front of his Athol, Idaho home, hitting his head when he landed.
“I was out for maybe half a minute,” Lopez recalls. “I made it through Christmas, but then I started having headaches.”
Fearing that Lopez had suffered a concussion, his wife convinced him to see his doctor. Upon hearing about the fall and subsequent headaches, the doctor ordered a CT scan. click for more
Back On His Feet
The pain in his back and leg had gotten so severe that 74-year-old Jay Kepner could barely walk.
“Even with a walker, I couldn’t go any distance,” recalls the Bermuda Dunes resident, a former long-distance runner who, after a hip replacement in 2008, began to walk for exercise, customarily clocking five kilometers. “I was in excruciating pain. It hurt to sit or to stand for any length of time. I couldn’t trim my roses or pull weeds.”
Nor could he fulfill his service as a lay minister to give communion to Catholic patients hospitalized at Eisenhower Medical Center. click for more
New Gastroenterology Specialty Clinic
In January, Eisenhower Medical Center opened a new Gastroenterology Specialty Clinic with Board Certified Gastroenterologists Noel Curry, MD and James Conti, MD. Gastroenterologists specialize in the digestive system and related disorders affecting the gastrointestinal (or GI) tract. Consultations occur in the clinic and procedures are conducted in Rancho Mirage at two convenient locations. Procedures performed by Dr. Curry and Dr. Conti include colonoscopies, endoscopies, capsule endoscopies and esophageal manometry.
The Clinic is located in Rancho Mirage on the Eisenhower campus in the Bob Hope Classic Medical Building, Suite 101. click for more
Changing Lives
Don’t wait — exercise your right to great health at the Eisenhower Renker Wellness Center, which features dynamic cardiac and pulmonary wellness programs.
Offering exercise, education and support services, the Center provides the perfect balance of everything patients need to jump-start their health and move toward a goal of total wellness.
“We literally see people change their lives here,” says Julia Dugan, RN, RCP, Coordinator, Renker Wellness Center. “They come in not able to move 10 feet without getting breathless. Then, before long, they’re walking on a treadmill.” click for more
Physician Roundtable - Neuroscience
The anatomy of the cervical spine generally permits a good range of flexibility and motion under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, it is also vulnerable to unforeseen physical forces. Whether sitting, driving or using a phone or computer, our... click for more
5 Things you can do right now as part of your wellness routine
1. Browse Your Photo Albums
Spend some time flipping through some old photo albums or an electronic tablet and take a trip down memory lane. You may find yourself smiling often.2. Plan and Plant an Herb Garden
Liven up your morning omelette or evening soup with fresh, home-grown herbs. Plant newly discovered herbs as well as old favorites. click for moreThe Blink Of An Eye
Eyelids are vital structures many of us take for granted, yet we often forget about them when it comes to sun protection. Eyelid cancer accounts for up to 10 percent of all skin cancers. “The skin of the eyelid is very fragile and easily injured by the sun,” says Jennifer Hui, MD, FACS, Board Certified in Ophthalmology. “Most people forget about their eyelids when applying sunscreen and many go out without hats or sunglasses."
Symptoms and Types of Cancer
Sun exposure is cumulative — the older we get, the more likely we are to develop eyelid cancer. People with fair skin, and blonde or red hair and light eyes are particularly at risk. click for moreMichael’s Pizzeria
Italy has arrived in Rancho Mirage, fresh from the belly of an 850 degree oven — picture a hand-thrown, bubbled crust pizza dressed in tomato, mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil. The classic taste of fresh ingredients, housemade sausage... click for more
Portion Control
The issues surrounding weight gain can be complex, but there are strategies for losing weight slowly and sensibly, with a long-term goal of ongoing weight management and maintenance.
One strategy for weight loss/maintenance is portion control — examining one’s dinner plate size is a good place to begin. During the past 50 years, dinner plates have grown from what we now view as “salad plate” size to “serving platter” size. A 12- or 13- inch dinner plate is common and much larger than the 9-inch plates of the past. However, eating from a full 9-inch plate may feel more satisfying than eating the same amount of food from a larger plate.
According to Mallory Benavides, Dietitian, Eisenhower Medical Center Nutritional Services, portion control is one of the best ways to lose — and maintain — weight. For Benavides’ patients, portion control begins with education. click for more
Whitewater Preserve
Formerly home to the Whitewater Trout Farm, the Whitewater Preserve was purchased by the Wildlands Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that buys and restores landscapes throughout California. Through this effort, the Whitewater Preserve has become... click for more
Bubbles of Fun
Abigail Sanford enjoys a weekend in Catalina, scuba diving with her brother Daniel and her father, Eisenhower Urologist Michael Sanford, MD.