Body

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The Power of Touch

By |July 11th, 2016|

In a High-tech World, It Pays to Reach Out Physician and holistic health pioneer Rachel Naomi Remen once confessed that as a pediatric intern she was an unrepentant baby kisser, often smooching her little patients as she made her rounds at the hospital. She did this when no one was looking because she sensed her colleagues would frown on her behavior, even though she couldn't think of a single reason not to do it. The lack of basic human contact in our high-tech medical system reflects a larger social ill that has only recently started to get some attention--touch deprivation. The cultural landscape is puzzling. On the one hand, we are saturated in suggestive messages by the mass media; on the other hand, the caring pediatrician is afraid someone might look askance at her planting a kiss on a baby's forehead. What's wrong with this picture?

Exercise After Massage?

By |January 11th, 2016|

When booking a massage, consider your schedule, and try to avoid any strenuous physical exertion for at least 24 hours following your bodywork session. Exercising after a session can both increase muscle soreness and compromise the value of the soft-tissue work you’ve just received. “Strenuous exercise” includes activities such as running, weight lifting, high intensity aerobics, or power yoga classes. Light exercise such as moderate walking, gentle stretching, or swimming laps at an easy pace is okay for healthy individuals. One widely accepted view in favor of this twenty-four-hour recovery period is that sustained pressure on connective tissue makes it more gel-like. The technical term for this change is thixotropic effect. This state of increased softness lasts about twenty-four hours, so high-intensity exercise may pull or move the tissue back to old patterns or even induce new strain patterns.

You’re Probably Hooked On Sugar & You Don’t Even Know It.

By |November 11th, 2015|

Break your sugar cravings. First, ask yourself if your cravings feel emotional, habitual, physical, or a combination of all three. It’s essential to understand the source of the craving as each type requires a different strategy for breaking it. Emotional cravings are tied to your state of mind. An example is rewarding yourself with a cookie for making it through a tough day. A habitual craving occurs when sugar is associated with an event. Foraging through your co-worker's candy drawer at 3pm everyday can be a habitual craving. A physical craving feels visceral and out of your control. From my experience as a nutritionist, these are four physical reasons why you may be craving sugar and what to do about it.

The Everyday Item That’s Causing You Serious Back Pain And How To Stop It

By |October 1st, 2015|

Like most people, you probably stuff your handbag with enough supplies to carry you through any situation. A walletful of membership cards. Reading material for a week. An extra pair of shoes. Just in case, right? But as a chiropractor, I know this can lead to serious problems. That's because your heavy bag is most likely pulling one side of your body down, causing a core imbalance. And that's one of the root causes of back pain. A heavy purse or messenger bag — yes, this can apply to men, too — can also cause tension in your neck and shoulder muscles.

Make Your Massage Last Longer

By |April 24th, 2015|

Massage is a long term investment. Make the benefits of your massage last longer by taking a few of these easy steps. 1. Hydrate with plenty of water before and after massage treatment. 2. Avoid strenuous exercise or lifting. 3. Plan properly prior to your massage. 4. Get regular bodywork. 5. Ask for what you want

Massage Treatment For Sciatic Relief

By |April 1st, 2015|

The sciatic nerve is a nerve bundle composed of several nerve roots that originate in the lower back and sacral area. This nerve goes down to the lower leg and foot and down the back of the thigh between muscles like the piriformis, which run down from the sacral area to the legs. A tightening […]