“The body stores the trauma of our lives in the muscular rigidity, thereby keeping us stuck in the past. When we release the tension in the body and align ourselves with gravity, we take a new stand in life. This allows us to be at ease with ourselves and in harmony in our relationship to others and to our planet.” - Joseph Heller, leader in the Structural Integration field

We invite you to begin the transformation of your body and your life through the dynamic experience of Structural Integration. Benefits include:

• Fuller and easier breathing
• Improved postural alignment
• Increased length and ease in the body
• Freedom from chronic pain and injuries
• Enhanced flexibility in movement
• Reduced stress and tension
• Expanded energy, vitality & aliveness
• Improved organ functioning
• Increased metabolism

Learn about the 10 Series of Structural Integration here.

Learn more from Hellerwork International, a leader in Structural Integration.

Call to setup an appointment!

Developed in the 1920s by the legendary physical trainer Joseph H. Pilates, The Classical Pilates Method is an exercise system focused on improving total body flexibility and strength, leaving you looking toned, feeling revitalized and moving with ease.

Classical Pilates is not just exercise. It is a series of controlled movements engaging your body and mind, performed on the mat or specifically designed equipment, and supervised by extensively trained instructors. It is this complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit that Joseph Pilates referred to as Contrology. Contrology body conditioning develops the body uniformly, corrects posture, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind and elevates the spirit.

Regardless of age or physical condition, balance and physical harmony can be achieved. Concentration lies on the “powerhouse” region – abdomen, lower back and buttocks. When this core area is adequately supported and strengthened, the rest of the body is enabled to move freely.

Call 310-376-0107 to setup a private Pilates session or register for a class!

Founded in 2003, Chocolate Sun is the first and only brand in the market place to open studios dedicated entirely to the art of sunless tanning. Because at Chocolate Sun, we design and create our own products, we have a knowledge and understanding of sunless tanning that is second to none in our industry.  Our Chocolate Sun studios have afforded us vast amounts of hands on experience, helping us become “the trusted brand” in organic sunless tanning.

Chocolate Sun uses the highest quality Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) which is a natural ingredient derived from the sugar of a beet, as our active tanning ingredient. We then add our proprietary blend of vitamins, herbs, and botanicals for a powerful combination of antioxidants. This proprietary blend of botanicals and herbs help our solution penetrate the skin deeply, extending the life of the tan and making it a beneficial treatment for the skin. We finish the blend with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30.

Because our product is organic and all-natural right down to the chemical-free preservative, Chocolate Sun is free of the unpleasant odor associated with other sunless tanning products. Our tan delivers the most natural looking color on every skin type. Rather than using the same solution on everyone, Chocolate Sun custom blends DHA percentages for each individual’s treatment. Whether you want to look like you were kissed by the sun or just returned from a tropical vacation, we will create the perfect tan for you.

Call 310-376-0107 now to book your next Chocolate Sun Treatment!

Pilates and Structural Integration have increased my range of motion, endurance and core strength. This combo is the secret to a long and healthy career as a pro athlete.

The integration between our emotions and our physical body is obvious to anyone who has gone through a period of great stress. By using emotion altering techniques such as meditation and visualization, a person can actually impact on the physical body, triggering its ability to auto-heal, an ability often referred to as the placebo effect. What is less commonly understood is that there is an energetic component to this mix and that both an individual’s emotions and physical body can be directly affected via energetic intervention.

To put things in perspective, let’s examine a few of the more widely accepted therapies that are based on an energetic understanding of the human being. Perhaps the most widely known system is acupuncture. Acupuncture has been around a long time. One of the classic texts of acupuncture, still held to be largely valid today, is Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Medicine Classic), believed to have been written in the second century BC.

The basic premise of acupuncture is that there is a vital energy (Qi) that sustains the body and gives it life. This Qi circulates throughout the body in a system of meridians (like flow lines or highways). Simplistically stated, when some part of this energetic highway system gets blocked or overcharged, then the body does not have what it needs to sustain proper health, and “dis-ease” then results. This “dis-ease” can take many forms. As an example, a weakness in the energy flow affecting the immune systems of the body can result in infection taking hold within the body. Another example would be that an imbalance in the flow of Qi caused by emotional stress or trauma can result in digestive problems. By treating the energetic imbalance, both the physical and emotional complaints can be directly improved.

The professional acupuncturist can diagnose imbalances in the flow of Qi. Once a diagnosis is reached, then the acupuncturist can increase or decrease the flow of Qi along the meridians that require correction. Acupuncture has documented results in dealing with a wide variety of conditions, including many conditions where western medicine has no effective treatment protocol. Because acupuncture is using the body’s own energies to help the body heal itself, treatments are generally safe and are often used as alternatives to medicine or even surgery.

Another type of energy medicine that is gaining popularity in North America is Homeopathy. The underlying premises of homeopathy are quite different from those of acupuncture. One of the fundamental principles of homeopathy is the “law of dilutions”. This law holds that the lower the dose of a remedy, the more effective the results will be. Homeopathic remedies begin with natural plant extracts which are then diluted to a point where virtually no active molecules remain. The belief is that the diluted remedy contains the essence of the original substance and that this essence will interact with the patient’s physical, emotional and energetic being to produce the desired improvement.

Unlike acupuncture, homeopathy has only been around a few hundred years, being first proposed by a German physicist named Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th century. Homeopathic remedies are best delivered by a homeopathic doctor, who will take into consideration the full situation of the patient in determining the remedy. A case history will include not only the physical symptoms, but will also explore in depth the emotional and mental well-being of the patient so that the diagnosis will result in a solution that considers the whole patient.

A lot of homeopathic remedies are readily available over the counter in pharmacies and health food stores. Some of these are highly effective – Rescue Remedy from Bach Flower Remedies is great for getting past a short term trauma (especially with children) and Arnica is often used in homeopathic form for muscle soreness and arthritis. Homeopathic remedies are completely non-toxic and when properly used can be an effective alternative to medication.
Many other forms of energy medicine are becoming increasingly available within the North American marketplace. Many of these involve interactions with a therapist who is using their own being (usually their hands) to transmit or impart energy to the patient. Some of these therapies have a long history, such as Qi Gong, which like Acupuncture dates to the time of the Yellow Emperor in China, or Chakra healing which dates back even further into the East Indian culture. Most are more recent such as Reiki, which was discovered by Dr. Usui in Japan in 1922 and was first taught in the west during the 1970’s. Therapies that began in the last two hundred years include Cranial Sacral Therapy, Healing Touch, Body Talk and others. While each technique is different, often these practitioners are channelling either their own energies or a “universal” energy into the patient, or are in some other way working to enhance the patient’s own natural energies, removing blockages and enhancing the energetic flows. A key ingredient in these treatments is often the intent to heal and to do no harm.
Numerous forms of energy medicine can be practiced by the individual themself. Yoga, Tai Chi and some martial arts are considered by many to be practices of energy medicine as they work directly on the integration of the physical, the emotional and the energetic.

There is little scientific documentation on the efficiencies of many types of energy medicine, in large part due to a lack of western research. However, more and more established institutions are beginning not only to explore these therapies, but to accept them into their array of healing tools. Brigham and Women’s Hospital is a teaching hospital affiliated with the Harvard Medical School. Included within their organization is the Osher Clinical Centre for Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies. The Osher Clinic is offering as well as researching such therapies as Acupuncture, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Therapeutic Tai Chi and Yoga along with other alternative therapies. As these therapies become both better known and better documented, we can expect to see more medical organizations responding to their clients’ needs with holistic, non-medicinal approaches.

References:
National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine – http://nccam.nih.gov
History of Traditional Chinese Medicine – http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/history/zhou.html
Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute – http://www.afcinstitute.com
Homeopathy – http://nccam.nih.gov/health/homeopathy/
Cranial Sacral Therapy – Upledger Method – http://www.upledger.com/
Cranial Sacral Therapy – Methode Surrender – http://www.methodesurrender.fr/
International Institute of Medical QiGong – http://www.qigongmedicine.com/
Reiki.org – http://www.reiki.org/faq/HistoryOfReiki.html#usui

The bottom line is simple: water is not just water! So, if you’re going to get educated and pick the BEST water for yourself, you may as well go straight to the future.

I had a chance to sample Beyond 02 Water, and this stuff is amazing. It tastes delicious, and you can feel it hydrating you so much efficiently thanks to its alkaline properties which reduce the pH in your body.

http://www.beyondo2water.com/

You can try Beyond 02 Water in the store in Santa Monica or order delivery. Check out this video with Dr. Alejandro Junger, the author of CLEAN, for more info!

Cheers! ~ Lo