Dr. Ali Amirzadeh, an expert allergy and immunology doctor with Mercy Medical Group in Sacramento, answers questions about hay fever and allergies below. 

What is Hay Fever? What does it mean if you have Hay Fever?

Hay fever is also known as allergic rhinitis. If you have hay fever it means that your body over reacts to allergens that don’t usually cause problems. These triggering allergens could be from outdoor sources (pollen or spores) or indoor sources (dust, pet dander or fur, etc.).

Q&A with Dignity Health Medical Group Director of Clinic Operations, Francie Barnett

Q: Dignity Health Medical Group chose Tehachapi for their newest clinic location. What drew you to this community?

A: We are so honored to provide primary care to the Tehachapi community with our new clinic location at 707 West Valley Blvd. We have served Kern County for a long time, and we knew that Tehachapi was a fantastic, engaged community. When Dr. Pesche, who formerly practiced in the space, was looking to retire he approached us and we jumped at the chance to continue his legacy with patient-centered, high-quality care!

Sarah Abraham is a Family Medicine Nurse Practitioner with Dignity Health Medical Group – Ventura Region, and an expert on preventive health care. 

If you've recently been diagnosed as diabetic or pre-diabetic, you may be wondering what sort of diet is best for you. First, it’s important to realize the differences between type 1 and 2 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas (an organ in the abdomen) stops making insulin. This condition is usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes that we see in adults, this is when the body stops responding to normal or even high levels of insulin, and over time, the pancreas does not make enough insulin.

Monitoring and maintaining a healthy blood pressure is important at any age. However, for seniors, high blood pressure is especially dangerous. Lindy Chavez, NPC, a family medicine nurse practitioner with Dignity Health Medical Group – Ventura Region, shares answers to common blood pressure questions related to those over the age of 65.

If you have ulcerative colitis (UC), a type of inflammatory bowel disease, you’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UC affects as many as 246 of every 100,000 Americans. But what is UC and what can be done about it?