Valley fever goes by many names. Some people refer to the infection as cocci, desert rheumatism, California fever or San Joaquin fever. This condition is caused by a fungus that lives in soil throughout Kern County and other parts of the world. When dormant soil with Coccidioides fungus growing beneath it is upturned, microscopic spores are released into the air. Inhaling these spores is what causes valley fever and it is extremely rare to contract the infection any other way. 

Last Friday afternoon, a group of employees from Dignity Health Medical Group – Bakersfield, a service of Dignity Health Medical Foundation, set out to deliver 120 sack lunches to the homeless. The employees raised money, purchased items, packed the lunches, and then delivered them firsthand.

Acne, dry skin, red patches, shininess… These are just a few reasons someone might try a new skin care product. If you’re fed up with breakouts or bad skin, you’re not alone! About 50 million Americans deal with acne on a regular basis, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Almost everybody experiences headaches from time to time. They are so ubiquitous that “a headache” has become a metaphor for mundane but manageable problems, such as tax preparation. However, for some unlucky few, headaches can be a debilitating and recurring intrusion—and on rare occasion, they can be a sign of a life-threatening condition.

Learn about skin cleansing, using retinol for its anti-aging effects, healing your skin from the inside out, preventing sunburns, and how to use chamomile to soothe them.