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For years I have been fortunate  not been ill from cold or flu. Here are a few things that I did to prevent or shorten the duration of the common cold and flu.

When you are just beginning to feel under the weather is the time to go on the offensive.  Most bacteria and viruses don’t do well in an alkaline environment (the way your body chemistry is supposed to be). Unfortunately, many among us are too “acidic”; this actually promotes or encourages  these entities to find a home sweet home in your body. Let’s make them a bit more uncomfortable, shall we? 

Start drinking plenty of water,  adding just a spritz or two of juice from fresh lemons in each cup. Drink water at least once an hour while you’re feeling under the weather.  If you never drink water, don’t over do it. Onces of H2O is what your body needs, on average, say, 64 onces a day (8-80z. glasses). If you have a medical condition involving your kidneys, you need to consult your doctor as to how much water is appropriate. The water and lemon juice can begin to change your body more towards alkalinity, which makes you stronger and the germs weaker.

Also, this is  time to take your vitamins, like Vit-C, and minerals like zinc; both are stimulating to, and support  your immune system. The herb echinacea also stimulates the immune system to gear up. Your whole strategy early on is to prevent these pathogens from getting a grab hold. If you can hold them at bay for at least 3 days while your immune system gears up, the chances are you will beat your cold or flu before it really gets started.

If all that does not do the trick, I add some herbs and supplements that will directly attack these invaders. The list is long: I like garlic; high quality organic honey; oil of oregano; olive leaf extract;  cinnamon.

If you or a loved one are running a high fever  or  having difficulty breathing, please do consult your doctor.

Man up, okay? Women, too. Do you really want deep tissue massage? It’s not a challenge. Most people just want immediate relief of pain. Nothing wrong with that, but if you want optimum performance, or to resolve long standing issues, we are going to have to dig down deeper. Now, that does not mean that I believe in no pain, no gain,only that nothing comes without effort and dedication. Take Kobe Bryant, for example. Love him or hate him, no one would say he did not fully commit himself to the highest levels of achievement. If you work with me, you can be assured I will deliver.  Perhaps you would prefer the busty blond Swedish girl or hunky beef cake. Sure, I understand, but, to me, sports injury or medical massage is not about that. The difference is, one indulges, temporarily, some fantasy; the other can make a  meaningful Improvement in your health, both in terms of quantity and quality of your life.

Over the years, I have literally given thousands of massages. When I’m working with a new client, being experienced, I will quickly  zoom in to locate a problem. Maybe, It’s a sore tendon near the elbow, or a spasm in the calf, or a small tear on the trapezius.  It could be anything. The client will say, “can you feel that?” Yes, sure I felt it. New clients are often surprised by the pains they “feel” with just a bit of prompting from a proficient therapist, we both then agree there is a problem. Massage is, at it’s best, an interactive therapy, it is not something I do to you, like paint your house.

 Here is the typical situation. Most of these body problems can be found near the surface, but the kicker is this, often, I feel other abnormalities deeper into fascia, of  which the client is unaware . At times, if I add some pressure to the spot, they might say “Whats that?” Other times, the person may sense something is off, but they don’t know what it is, or they are entirely unaware. So, now, I may perceive a situation that my client does not realize exists. So, is there a problem? Moreover, how do I go about working on it? 

Have you ever seen the Matrix movie;  the part about the red and blue pill? Well, it’s a metaphor for being conscious. Do you want to wake up,to your dream? The red pill is real, deep tissue massage; the blue is the blond babe or handsome hunk surface, simply fantasy fluff,  The Matrix scene.

Over the years, I have observed that the deeper the problem, literally, the more internalized it becomes, and the less the patient or client is aware of a problem ever existing in the first place.Essentially, the problem and the person merge together, now  it becomes difficult to separate the person from their “problem”.The original problem, left unresolved, creates new problems, which are just adaptations  that    come about to resolve  the original problem.  Each new adaptation creates another imbalance, which your body will try, yet again, to resolve by adaptation.  Eventually, you run out of adaptations, now you’re a hurting pup and you want some help with the pain.

 So, you’re just getting older?Yeah, I hear that bull all the time. Work on this stuff now and reap the benefits of a fully functional body, or wait, until you can’t take the pain any more. Get real….massage.  For an appointment contact

After I graduated  massage school and started working with real patients, I made the startling observation that working on what my clients described as the source of their pain yielded only temporary improvement;  they soon returned with the same symptoms. I came to the conclusion that the pain a person felt and the source  of the problem were not synonymous. For one, seldom was just one isolated muscle injured, as muscles work in collective groups,and hurting one meant hurting others as well. Moreover, the injuries that were presented  often represented the weakest link in a chain. When the trauma or accident occurred, that was the area predisposed to giving out. To do a “good” job, I had to treat the link, but also had to fix the fence. To be a better therapist, I had to re-think  my notions about our bodies.

 My original ideas came from the prevailing medical model, which viewed the body as a collection of parts. This idea is being replaced with better understanding. Yet, orthodox medicine still lags behind.

People are sometimes confused when trying to understand the human body. As a Therapist, I know all too well that we add to the problem by way of our explanations. Often, we will use the analogy that your body is like an automobile, it requires regular maintenance to perform at higher levels, that much is correct. However, the body is not like an automobile; .You just can’t remove and replace parts and expect everything to be like new. If you develop large gallstones, for example, and need to have your gallbladder removed, the absent organ will be missed, you will never digest fats the way you did before (before you manifested the problem). The consequences are too many to be listed here. Removing your tonsils increases your chances of developing cancer. That “new” hip will never be as good as the one God gave you. Not that long after your hip replacement, you can expect your back to start aching, and, like most folk, you probably won’t even make the connection between those two events. “Old” school medicine recognized only the most obvious connections. For example, originally, before they knew better, doctors who “cracked”  open chests, first identified the thymus organ and, because it appeared as shriveled up in adults, the organs were routinely removed. They soon learned that these  patients promptly died, so they stopped surgically removing the thymus. As it turns out, we do not have spare parts. Take note!

Unlike a car, the “parts” do not function independently. They work together! And the best news of all, your body can repair itself!  It does require your commitment, and a willingness to want to feel and be healthier. First, however, you need to realize that it is possible to actually get better. Regular massage, by a skilled therapist, can help a great deal! Contact Info

Time to get real. If you have been a couch potato for a while, some things have changed. If you’re planning on making a comeback, there are a few things that you will probably want to know.

You can lose up to 80% of your conditioning by taking just two weeks off of your regular exercise routine. That is, if you have a regular routine. You are going to want to take a gradual approach, and, in doing so,` you will get back up to speed in no time.

Chances are, if you have been off for a while, several changes have occurred in your body.Your muscle mass will be considerably smaller. Your muscles may have shortened and lost flexibility. Muscles, tendons, and other structures will have begun to adhere together, restricting your body movements. Your posture is not as upright. Maybe, you have gained a few pounds. Because you have not used your muscles vigorously, they have accumulated waste products and are not as efficient. Your wind is less, which you notice once you start to push yourself.

Now for the plug. This is a perfect time for you to start getting regular Massage. Massage will get you  back up and running faster, and with less discomfort. In fact, many individuals try to make a comeback and fail, because the transition back to fitness is just too much of a struggle. Massage can make this a much easier route. You want back, don’t you? I want you feeling good again.

However, you have some folks who are betting against you. Every gym that signs up  new members knows that most of them won’t be taking advantage of their membership benefits.  They know you will probably make a good two- week effort, if that much, and give up.That works fine for the gym, because they know they can oversell memberships and make a fortune while you sit at home.   You see, the idea of being healthy is not the same as actually being healthy. I want you to succeed. We can do it!

So, do you agree?

Ladies, the debate rages on. I know the decision is a difficult one…….but maybe I can help resolve the potentially stressful internal conflict that just won’t go away. Chocolate or Massage?

Lets look at some of the pros and cons:

1. Massage  makes for more” Me” time. Chocolate pleasures are more ephemeral.
2. Massage is healthy for you. Chocolate  anti-oxidants taste the best.
3. The effects of the Massage can last up to a week. Me and my chocolate are as one; who cares about next week.
4. Massage is an expensive treat. Chocolates can be an expansive treat depending on how many you have.
5. Massage can leave you sore. Chocolates can make you bigger.
6. There are good Massages and bad . Most Chocolates are pretty good.

Ladies, don’t fret. We are not going to resolve this today. In the meantime, why not get both.  Start with a Massage followed by a Chocolate.

Hey, did you know that  petting your pet  not only feels good, but produces positive health effects?

Studies have shown that just petting the kitty or pooch can slow down your heart rate and blood pressure. It can also lower your cholesterol levels. Other studies show faster recovery times from illness.

Of course, you have to want a pet and be willing to take care of your new family member. Otherwise, you’re going to create more stress in your life.  I do prefer dogs, but I love my cat, too. My pet fish, “Hydro”, passed away last year.

My cat receives regular Massage; she loves getting the back of her neck and ears gently rolled between my fingers. Does your furry family member (cat or doggy) enjoy being massaged?

Rancho Cucamonga has an animal shelter.    http://www.rcpets.info/