Dr. Joseph SchergerM.D., M.P.H.
Family Medicine
at Restore Health – Disease Reversal — Indian Wells, CA
About
Joseph E. H. has built a fifty-year career in family medicine on a single enduring belief: food and lifestyle are the most powerful medicines available. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Dayton in 1971, earned his medical degree from UCLA School of Medicine in 1975 with election to Alpha Omega Alpha, and completed both his Family Medicine Residency and a Masters in Public Health at the University of Washington in 1978.
After decades practicing and teaching in Davis and San Diego, Dr. Scherger moved to the Coachella Valley in 2009 to lead primary care and medical education at Eisenhower Health. He began studying functional medicine in 2011 and quickly achieved meaningful results helping patients reduce weight and reverse chronic disease without medications. Today he serves as Medical Director of Restore Health – Disease Reversal, Medical Director of Best Pain Care Centers, and Medical Director of the anti-aging company Intervene Immune. He holds Clinical Professor appointments at the Keck School of Medicine at USC, UC Riverside, and Loma Linda, and serves as core faculty in the Eisenhower Health Family Medicine Residency Program. The National Family Doctor of the Year award recognized him in 1989, and San Diego named him a TopDoc for six consecutive years from 2004 through 2009. He has authored four books, including "Lean and Fit: A Doctor's Journey to Healthy Nutrition and Greater Wellness" and "Restore Health – Disease Reversal", and he hosts a podcast on Spotify focused on food as medicine. Dr. Scherger personally follows a ketogenic diet, takes the supplements he recommends to patients, runs regularly, and receives his own stem cell infusions as part of his anti-aging practice.
Education & Training
Undergraduate
University of Dayton, B.S. (summa cum laude), 1971
Medical School
UCLA School of Medicine (graduated 1975, elected to Alpha Omega Alpha)
Residency
Family Medicine, University of Washington (completed 1978)
Additional Training
Masters in Public Health (M.P.H.), University of Washington, 1978
Conditions Treated
Who is Dr. Scherger right for?
Dr. Scherger works best with adults who want to address the root causes of chronic illness through nutrition and lifestyle. Patients managing obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia benefit directly from his functional medicine and ketogenic approach. He also supports patients pursuing cancer remission through diet-based strategies alongside oncology care. Those dealing with peripheral neuropathy, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, or cognitive decline find relevant options in his broader clinical toolkit. Patients who want an engaged physician who coaches them through every step will feel at home here.
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Family MedicineFrequently Asked Questions
Dr. Scherger treats a broad range of chronic conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, gastric reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune diseases, cognitive decline, and cancer. He also addresses peripheral neuropathy, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, arthritis, sciatica, and back pain. His approach focuses on reversing these conditions through nutrition, lifestyle change, and targeted therapies rather than relying on medications.
Dr. Scherger holds that most chronic diseases stem from poor diet and lifestyle and that the body can reverse them when given the right conditions. He uses functional medicine to identify root causes, then coaches patients through nutrition changes, ketogenic weight loss, and evidence-based therapies. He personally follows the same practices he recommends, including a ketogenic diet, regular exercise, and stem cell infusions.
Dr. Scherger holds board certification in Family Medicine. He trained at UCLA School of Medicine and completed his Family Medicine Residency and a Masters in Public Health at the University of Washington. His career in family medicine spans fifty years.
Dr. Scherger serves as Medical Director of Intervene Immune, an anti-aging company focused on immune rejuvenation. He offers stem cell infusions and recommends a range of evidence-based modalities to support longevity. He personally receives stem cell infusions as part of his own anti-aging practice.
Dr. Scherger uses a Wall-of-Light LED photobiomodulation system with a patented cooling design that allows deeper light penetration than standard LEDs. The FDA and CDC recognize the technology, and the VA has endorsed its use. He offers this therapy for general wellness and healing, with the first transcranial session free for new patients.
Sanexas is an electric cell-signaling treatment Dr. Scherger uses to address peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. Sessions run 30 minutes and cost $70 for cash-pay patients. The practice accepts Medicare with PPO insurance and VA/Tricare with a doctor referral for this service.
Dr. Scherger has authored four books patients can explore. These include "Lean and Fit: A Doctor's Journey to Healthy Nutrition and Greater Wellness" (Third Edition 2019), "Restore Health – Disease Reversal", "50 Years in Family Medicine", and "40 Years in Family Medicine" (2014). He also hosts a Spotify podcast on food as medicine.
Dr. Scherger earned his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from the University of Dayton in 1971. He graduated from UCLA School of Medicine in 1975 and was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha. He then completed his Family Medicine Residency and a Masters in Public Health at the University of Washington in 1978.
Dr. Scherger supports patients pursuing cancer remission through diet and lifestyle strategies. He stays current with research on nutritional approaches to limiting cancer growth and collaborates with oncologists. His goal is to complement conventional oncology care with evidence-based lifestyle interventions.
Dr. Scherger earned the National Family Doctor of the Year award in 1989 and received recognition as a TopDoc in San Diego for six consecutive years from 2004 through 2009. UC Davis School of Medicine named him Outstanding Clinical Instructor in 1984, 1989, and 1990. The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine elected him to the Bishop Society in 2019.
Doctor profile last updated June 11, 2026