The age-old saying “you are what you eat” is truly the fundamental necessity of what it takes to be healthy (if you want to read about the possible origin of this phrase see this webpage https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/you-are-what-you-eat.html it is interesting!). What you eat is the single most important way to become and stay healthy. When we nourish our body our cells rejoice, and we thrive. Every day our food choices define our health, and not just our physical health, but also our mental and emotional health (2). A study found that people who increased vegetable and fruit intake from 1 to 8 servings per day “would experience an increase in life satisfaction equivalent to moving from unemployment to employment (2).” Eating a healthier diet actually improves our happiness before it improves our physical health.

Are you a cycling enthusiast? Living here in beautiful sunny SoCal, I don't blame you! Over the years, I have noticed that certain sports tend to attract die-hard aficionados more than others. Cycling and running are two of the biggest! It is almost as if people get addicted, and strive to go longer, faster, and farther, taking their bodies to the limit. Unfortunately, this is also how people tend to injure themselves.

Your neck or cervical spine as it’s also called is composed of the base of your head and seven vertebrae. It is responsible for keeping our head upright and carrying its full weight which is approximately 10-12 lbs. The neck is capable of moving in various directions and is naturally very flexible. This flexibility, however, makes it susceptible to injury and pain.

The trauma from an motor vehicle accident or other major physical accident, such as a fall or sports injury, can have lifelong repercussions. The physical and emotional damage can cause problems later in life if not treated before more permanent damage sets in. Even if bones are not broken, lacerations are not present and you did not end up being taken to a hospital, soft tissue damage often occurs. If tissue damage is not treated, pain may go away after the initial period following the injury, or perhaps one thinks that they are doing alright because the pain can be reduced or eliminated with anti-inflammatory medications; however, scar tissue will form and the area can have decreased range of motion, reduced flexibility, and pain may develop from incorrectly healed tissue and/or scar tissue impinging nerves or narrowing joint spaces. Emotionally, you may suffer from post traumatic stress, anxiety, or depression.

2017-18 has been one of the worst flu seasons in recent history. Currently, every state except Hawaii is experiencing widespread flu, experts are calling it just short of an epidemic. Despite efforts to vaccinate, public health experts and officials are finding that this season’s predominant form of the flu, the H3N2 virus, has been particularly difficult to prevent against.

Our feet are our foundation of our body.  Whether you are a runner or stand on your feet all day, you know how important healthy feet are.  Many massage clients of mine suffer from a condition called Plantar fasciitis. It’s incredibly painful and they often ask me if Massage can help.  There are many benefits to a foot massage along with other treatments and it’s important to know why and where the pain is coming from.

Acupuncture is a wonderful way to naturally promote fertility without side effects. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are beneficial for women’s health issues such as reducing pain and premenstrual syndromes associated with menstruation, regulating the cycle and balancing hormones, and reducing or resolving reproductive health issues.

The older I get, the faster the passage of time seems to happen. Wasn't it just last week that it was January of 2017? I remember being a child, and thinking of the two long months of summer vacation, and whatever was I to do with the time. Nowadays, two months seem to go by in the blink of an eye!

A new year is upon us which means it's a great time to try something new. If you've never given running a try perhaps this article will convince you to at least give it a try. Don't be intimidated or think you can't do it because you're just not a runner. Most “runners” at some point felt the same way you did and despite what you may think, they weren't born runners. I started running while in college because the class fulfilled a graduation requirement and I figured it would be a good way to lose a few pounds. When I first started I couldn't run a mile. I've since completed a marathon, four half marathons and countless 5K and 10K's. Little did I know at the time that there were so many great reasons to run besides losing a few pounds. Here are 10 reasons why this new year you should give running a try.

Yoga is at the top of my list for ways to get out of pain, and more importantly, stay out of pain. It is the end of a long and busy day and I have been sacrificing my posture and trying not to hunch over while I treat patients with acupuncture, give massage, work at the computer, wash dishes, and carry my thirty pound child on my left hip. My mid and upper back are killing me. Going to bed in pain is the last thing that I want to do. My quick fix is ten minutes of yoga. I would love to practice for an hour or more, but if time and my child does not permit it, ten minutes is all I need to feel an incredible difference in the way my body feels.