To view many of the following articles you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to download this free software.

Are You Stressed Out About Being Stressed? How Stress Management May Be Your Best Medicine
by Denise Dempsey and Ron Cotterel, M.D.

Is stress making you sick? In this lightning-paced age of long work hours, skyrocketing prices, sensory over-stimulation, and political turmoil, it's hard to imagine NOT being stressed out. But breathe a sigh of relief! Science is now showing that if we are smart about how we cope with stress, not only can we feel better but we can also prevent and even treat illnesses. more

The New World of Integrative Medicine
By Ron Cotterell, M.D., M.S.

Anyone who pays attention to trends in healthcare will have inevitably run across the term "Integrative Medicine" with increasing frequency. Articulate and charismatic physician spokespersons such as Depak Chopra and Andrew Weil have been spreadnig the term in every form of media over the last decade, and people are paying attention. So what kind of medicine is this, and what, exactly, is being "integrated"? more

Better Health Through Bodywork
By Heather Watne, C.M.T.

Your body is your home. It is also your vehicle. Just like a house or apartment, it needs cleaning, maintenance, and occasionally some reorganization and redecorating. And just like a car or bike, it also needs to be checked and tuned up every so often, to run at peak efficiency. Bodywork can help you maintain and even improve your home and vehicle, your body. Along with nutritious food, regular exercise, rest, and fun, bodywork can keep your body in optimum running condition. more

The Creative Arts as a Therapeutic Tool
By P. Nandi Szabo

When medically ill clients enter the realm of health and wellness, often they are faced with a need to listen deeply to their own truths. Movement and art can provide a vehicle for listening - listening to oneself, listening between selves, listening to the uniqueness of these exchanges. Listening is a crucial ingredient for healing, for, as the psychiatrist and artist Charles Johnston writes "health is as much a function of internal listening as it is external intervention." more

Back to top.

Naturally Healthy Alternatives to the Caffeine Roller Coaster
By Ron Cotterel, M.D., M.S.

We live in a caffeine-drenched world. Eight out of ten adults in the United States are habitual daily coffee drinkers. And, if you consider other caffeinated products such as sodas, tea, and chocolate, few would argue with the statement that caffeine is the number one stimulant of choice around the globe. And, keeping in mind the withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, drowsiness, nausea, and that dreaded "caffeine headache," caffeine may be considered the most commonly abused addictive substance around. more

Treating Colds and Flu Using a Natural Approach
By Brian Dempsey, L.Ac.

Catching a cold or flu can be a miserable experience, with the typical fatigue, achiness, fever, sore throat, cough, and the sad potential of going through entire boxes of tissue. Many people typically have two to four colds during a given season, often times causing them to miss out on family and recreational events, or even school or work. Here in Northern California our cold, wet winters provide an environment conducive for acquiring the viruses that cause colds and flu. Once they have started, these viral infections of the upper respiratory tract are not responsive to antibiotics (which tend to be over-prescribed), nor do non-prescription cold medications shorten the course of the illness. Fortunately, some simple herbal preparations and the Traditional Chinese Medical system offer substantial relief from this winter nuisance, and alternatives to long periods of bed rest, misery and loss of productivity. more

Tips For Back-Healthy Exercising
By Rich Naval, D.C.

Summer sun is back in Davis, so it’s the perfect time for exercise. Exercise is an excellent strategy in the management and prevention of back pain. The theoretical benefits of aerobic exercise are many: It may reduce obesity, an established risk factor for low-back pain; increase endorphins (the body’s natural pain killers); and alter the perception of pain, perhaps by reducing anxiety and depression. Whether you’re a top-notch triathelete, a weekend Nautilus warrior, young or seasoned, if you are going to exercise, you can stay in tip-top condition, and keep your back strong and healthy, by keeping in mind some simple suggestions. more

Back to top.