.www.cellrejuvenationspa.com www.DesertHealthNews.com May/June 2026 Natural Options The Valley's Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 9 Continued on page 17 www.acqpoint.com Get relief from pain and stress now! Acupuncture • Electro Acupuncture Cupping • Chinese Herbs K-Laser • Cold Laser For appointments, book online at AcQpoint.comor call 760.345.2200 Diane Sheppard, PhD, LAc ACUPUNCTURE CHINESE HERBS Dr. Sheppard is a California state-licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbologist. She earned her Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine degree from the oldest school of Chinese medicine in the United States – Samra University. She also holds a Ph.D. in Eastern Medicine. Reset Your Body. Restore Your Balance. Feel Your Best. Relaxation-focused therapies designed to support your nervous system and overall well-being Why PMST and Spinal Flow Work? The body can hold onto stress and tension from daily life. These therapies are designed to support the nervous system and help the body return to a more balanced, relaxed state. Clients often experience: A greater sense of ease in the body Improved relaxation and circulation A feeling of alignment and renewal Physio-Magnetic Transduction • Promotes relaxation and overall comfort • Supports mobility and body awareness • Encourages natural recovery processes Spinal Flow • Helps release built-up tension • Supports nervous system balance and mind-body connection • Encourages a sense of alignment and ease Purification Wrap • Supports relaxation and lymphatic flow • Encourages a refreshed, lighter feeling • Promotes full-body renewal Electro-analgesia + IV • Promotes relaxation and overall comfort • Available through physician-directed care • Typically 24 sessions per week • One IV session per week By appointment only 760.556.5781 44 419 Town Center Way, Ste. 134 Palm Desert cellrejuvenationspa.com Medicare accepted When we think about improving our health and happiness, we often focus on diet, exercise, sleep and/or finances. But there’s another powerful factor that is less obvious yet deeply influential. That factor is the people with whom we surround ourselves. Business philosopher Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” One intentional way to harness that influence is by creating your own personal board of directors. A personal board of directors is a group of trusted individuals who offer insight, accountability, and diverse perspectives on your life’s decisions. Think of yourself as the CEO of your life. As the CEO, you get to choose the people who help you navigate challenges, stay aligned with your values and grow in meaningful ways. This simple idea can have profound effects on your mental, emotional, spiritual and even physical well-being. Identify your needs. Before choosing board members, take stock of your life’s major areas: health, career, finances, relationships and personal development. Ask yourself where you need the most guidance right now. Maybe you’re trying to advance professionally, start a business, improve emotional well-being, prepare for retirement, lower your cholesterol or find a new relationship. Different goals call for different kinds of advisors. Clarity about your needs ensures you build a board that truly supports your growth. Who belongs on your board? Diversity is essential, not just in background, but in strengths, thinking styles and lived experience. Your board doesn’t need to be made up of people older or more accomplished than you; peers can be just as valuable. Consider including: • The Challenger: pushes you to think bigger and avoid settling. Unafraid to ask tough questions. • The Empath: listens deeply, helps you process emotions without judgment. Brings calm when life feels chaotic. • The Strategist: breaks big goals into actionable steps and helps you stay organized. • The Cheerleader: believes in you wholeheartedly and reminds you of your progress when you forget. A good sense of humor helps. • The Expert: a mentor, coach or someone with relevant experience in an area you want to grow. When selecting members, prioritize qualities over titles. Look for honesty, trustworthiness, good listening skills and a willingness to offer constructive feedback. No single person can fill all these roles. You’re building a team! Establishing the relationship. You don’t need to formally ask someone, “Will you be on my personal board of directors?” That can feel awkward or overly formal. Instead, Creating a Personal Board of Directors By Susan Murphy, PhD Actively choosing those who help inform decisions can lead to crowning achievements. Our world is in no short supply of stress these days. And no matter how well we manage it, chronic stress (living in constant fight-or-flight mode) can damage the cardiovascular system, weaken the immune system, increase weight gain, accelerate the aging process, cause mental health issues and more.1,2 Once admired philosophies, like “burning the candle at both ends” and “spinning seven plates at a time,” are fading as people become aware of their long-term effects on health and quality of life. While our bodies are amazing and will compensate to push through stressful circumstances, the cumulative effects of chronic exposure come at a cost. Humans simply did not evolve to live under chronically stressful conditions. Stress itself is not an enemy, but chronic stress is. Prioritizing the integration of calm moments into a daily routine can help counteract the exposure. In fact, the only variable we can effectively control in this equation is actively seeking moments of calm. Being in a calm state supports the body’s innate ability to self-regulate and function properly.º There are countless tools, practices and therapies geared towards stress reduction and calming the body. (Pro tip: Do not counterintuitively stress about your health and wellness routine.) Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a lesser-known treatment gaining momentum in the health and wellness arena. CST uses gentle and intentional hands-on techniques to rebalance and calm the body, reducing the nervous system arousal state (fight-or-flight) of the body’s physical and mental structures. It is in this rest-anddigest state that the body does its maintenance and repair work, similar to sleeping, and is a critical component of any wellness regimen. Benefits of CST include pain and stress relief, relaxation, and overall improved emotional well-being.» A meta-analysis of randomized control trials assessing CST for chronic pain (back pain, headache, fibromyalgia, epicondylitis and pelvic girdle pain), concludes not only significant improvement in pain and function, but that the improvement lasted up to six months after treatment.¼ Other clinical trials show significant effects using CST to treat symptom relief for a wide range of physical and mental conditions, including anxiety, developmental disorders, neurological conditions (including restless legs syndrome), tinnitus, insomnia, infantile colic, ADHD and asthma in all age groups.3,5,6,7,8 A prospective cohort study of 220 patients, ages from infancy to adults, received CST for both chronic and acute conditions. Researchers found a statistical significance in reduction of symptom intensity and disability and improvements in quality of life, before and after treatment. The study concluded that CST appears to be overall effective for prevention and therapeutic treatment in primary care, as well as safe in infants, children and adults.º In my experience as a naturopathic doctor and CST practitioner, I’ve witnessed some of the most profound effects using CST to address specific health conditions and as part of an overall self-care regimen. Dr. Shari Jainuddin is a naturopathic primary care doctor at One Life Naturopathic and a craniosacral practitioner. She can be reached at (442) 256.5963 or visit www.onelifenaturopathic.org. References available upon request. Craniosacral Therapy Healing through calm By Shari Jainuddin, NMD, BCB
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