How does this help me stop drinking or smoking or judging everyone? The more aware we are, and the more engaged we are with our life force, the less we want to act in a manner that is dissonant to our natural rhythm. There are many paths to awareness, and they are as unique as each person, but their commonality is simplicity. Walking in nature or playing with your pets encourages an open heart and non-judgmental observation. Ancient practices such as acupuncture and meditation support the awakening of wise choice and wise action. Practice these. The next steps for you will come into view, whatever they are. “Each of us has an image of what we think we are or what we should be, and that image, that picture, entirely prevents us from seeing ourselves as we actually are,” writes renowned author and philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti. Because our minds are very complex, he adds, we have lost the quality of simplicity; the simplicity of looking directly at things without fear or preconceived notions; a simplicity that allows us to look at ourselves as we actually are without any distortion. Happy “Now” Year to you! May the practice of mindfulness help you discover the joy of simplicity and all it can bring. Patty Van Santen is a doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine with Circe Healthcare Solutions and can be reached at (760) 773.4948. As I witness my patients in the last decades of life, I observe that weakening immunity is a major factor for health decline in advanced age seniors. How do we maintain a healthy immune system? In addition to a healthy diet, an active lifestyle, and a diverse gut microbiome, exposure to viruses and vaccines is a main factor. If you lived in a "bubble" away from the organisms around us, you would die quickly. From a global public health perspective, vaccines have saved more lives than anything else in medicine, even antibiotics. Smallpox has been eradicated. Before the measles vaccine was available, I personally witnessed two young children die from the encephalitis caused by measles. When a healthy person gets a vaccine such as a flu or COVID shot and gets sick, often the person decides to never get the vaccine again. This is a mistake; the vaccine often gives you a mild version of the illness from which it is protecting you. No one ends up in the ICU on a respirator from a COVID shot; however, during the onset of the pandemic, many who contracted COVID did. Remember when we worried about not having enough respirators? We adapted to the COVID virus through natural immunity and vaccinations. Getting any vaccine is a boost to your immune system, and you should accept the usually mild side effects as a reflection of its benefits. Because the immune system plays a role in many other health problems, recently discovered benefits from vaccines have been found. Here are the highlights: Shingles vaccine may reduce risk of developing dementia. In December, The Washington Post reported findings from earlier that year indicating “that the shingles vaccine cuts the risk of developing dementia by 20% over a seven-year period.”¬ A large follow-up study published in the experimental biology journal Cell found that “shingles vaccination may protect against risks at different stages of dementia – including for people already diagnosed.”® The American Medical Association’s AMA Morning Rounds reported the research found that “cognitively healthy people who received the vaccine were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment, an early symptomatic phase before dementia.” The study suggests that the shingles vaccine “may help people who already have dementia,” adding that, “those who got the vaccine were almost 30% less likely to die of dementia over nine years, suggesting the vaccine may be slowing the progression of the neurodegenerative syndrome.”¯ Recent research on vaccines and cancer treatment Recent retrospective studies, including one published in Nature, have found an intriguing potential link between receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and improved outcomes for certain cancer patients receiving immunotherapy.° • Improved survival. In a study of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma, those who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine around the time they started immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy were twice as likely to be alive three years later compared to those who were not vaccinated. • Immune system "alarm." Researchers hypothesize that mRNA vaccines act as an alarm, triggering a robust, non-specific immune response that makes tumors more susceptible to immunotherapy drugs. mRNA vaccines are a new technology, and that makes some people hesitant to get them. I believe they are a significant improvement from older technology, and also provide a technological platform for the development of immunotherapy cancer treatments. Some people choose not to get vaccines and depend only on a healthy diet, healthy lifestyle and natural immunity. I accept that as a personal choice and only want you to be fully informed. Dr. Scherger is the founder of Restore Health Disease Reversal in Indian Wells, a clinic dedicated to weight loss and reversing chronic medical conditions. To schedule a consultation, call (760) 898.9663 or visit www.restorehealth.me. References: 1) https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/12/02/shingles-vaccine-slow-down-dementia-progression/; 2) https:// www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)01256-5; 3) https://www.ama-assn.org/about/publications-newsletters/top-news-stories-amamorning-rounds-week-dec-1-2025; 4) https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03496-5; www.DesertHealthNews.com January/February 2026 Integrative Medicine The Valley's Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 12 Studies are finding that vaccines may have health benefits beyond immunization. Simplicity can help us look at things as they are, without distortion. Bachir Younes, MD, MPH 760.636.1336 Roula Younes, DNP Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is recommended for treating a variety of medical conditions including expediting wound healing. Desert Hyperbaric Medicine is a part of Younes Medical offering comprehensive care for patients. The company encompasses aninfectious disease clinic, a state-of-the-art wound care center and the largest independent IV fusion therapy facility in the valley—Desert Infusion Center. Immerse yourself in healing 760.773.3899 At Vitara Wellness, we offer RCX™ Regenerative Cell Therapy— a comprehensive, non-surgical treatment designed to work with your body’s natural repair systems. This personalized therapy helps reduce inflammation, support functional recovery, and improve mobility so you can stay active, strong, and energized. ADVANCED REGENERATIVE & PRECISION MEDICINE Sports or soft tissue injuries Joint or arthritis pain Chronic neck or back conditions Age-related stiffness or degeneration Post-surgical pain & recovery P. JEFFREY SMITH, D.O. SCHEDULE YOUR CONSULTATION AT VITARA WELLNESS TODAY PERSONALIZED RELIEF FOR PAIN, PERFORMANCE & LONGEVITY IDEAL FOR 760-208-4011 bewell@vitarawellness.com 73345 Hwy 111 Suite 203B Palm Desert, CA 92260 Interventional Spine, Joint & Sports Pain Management Regenerative Medicine | Health Optimization Radical Reset Solutions Continued from page 8 Immunity, Vaccines and Unexpected Benefits By Joseph E. Scherger, MD, MPH
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA1MjUy