Health-Massage-Bodywork Tips

Do you feel (physical, emotional) pain right now? How do you take care of it? Do you mask the pain by ignoring it and carrying on like nothing hurts? Drug yourself with over the counter remedies? Go to your doctor for (more) pain medication? After the pain gets so bad (years later), you’re at the doctor’s office and they are telling you need surgery or some other radical “procedure”. Why do you do this to yourselves?

The human body is a very powerful system that notifies you when something is wrong (pain, swelling, a constant dull ache, etc.). Your body does everything possible to get you back to “homeostasis” through your body’s own, natural pharmaceuticals (white blood cells, endorphins, and other chemical reactions) to alleviate pain and other discomforts. So if you feel pain or anything else that is abnormal, wouldn’t it be smarter to deal with it NOW rather than later and before it’s “too late”?

A similar scenario would be if your car didn’t start. Immediately you would “deal with it” and get it fixed so that it doesn’t happen again. Why wouldn’t you use this similar approach with yourself? If you feel pain or discomfort now, stop what you are doing and figure out how to alleviate it, naturally, without drugs, surgeries, over-consumption of food-alcohol-drugs, etc.

For instance, in the mid-1990’s I received a severe stress-fracture in my right hip. It was then I decided to pay attention to my body and began to figure out why I was suffering with so much pain – not just my hips and lower back were hurting, but I had constant headaches, my jaws were constantly popping, lots of stomach drama, and plantar fasciitis. Next, I stopped what was giving me the most pain (running) and through lots of research, paying attention to my body, and referrals from friends, I found that I was severely dehydrated; my body mechanics and alignment were horrendous; I was not resting enough; I didn’t consume healthy, nutritious foods; and I was not handling the stress in my life very well. Here’s what I did to get healthy again:

First, I went through the Structural Integration 10-Series. Afterwards, I was an inch and half taller; the series corrected my running/walking gaits; and I completely got rid of the popping noise in my jaws and most of the plantar fasciitis at the bottoms of my feet. Next, I went through a series of Rossiter System workouts and additional bodywork therapies to completely get rid of the pain in my hips and lower back.

Second, I began drinking LOTS of water daily. By drinking ~100 ounces a day (for my body weight, daily activities, and diet), I completely got rid of my headaches, most of my stomach drama, and the rest of the plantar fasciitis.

Third, I completed a 3-week raw food cleanse at the Optimum Health Institute, which also included a colon hydrotherapy program and drinking lots wheatgrass. This cleanse helped me change my diet and has kept me pretty much away from CRAP – candy, refined food, alcohol, and processed food, i.e. the Standard American Diet (with the acronym of SAD!). Also, it finally resolved all my stomach issues. Today, I live mostly on a plant-based diet with minimal consumption of CRAP.

Forth, I continued to exercise. Instead of continuously doing the same exercise everyday, I started to “cross train” and now I do all kinds of activities to keep me moving everyday, i.e. rebounding, stretching, yoga, running, swimming, hiking, walking, etc.

Fifth, I minimized or got rid of the stresses in my life. Through self-reflection, several, intense communication classes, and many self-healing resources and activities that are positive, natural, and readily available, I was able reconstruct my life to live joyfully everyday with hardly any stress and pain. Remember, all pain you feel, no matter the type of pain, it’s all related and has an effect in all areas of your life: body, mind, and spirit. Address one area of you life (like posture), it will magically start affecting other areas in your life (possibly releasing emotions, addressing issues, etc. – it’s different for everyone).

Notice I didn’t have to rely on drugs and revert to surgeries and other radical procedures to feel better? These natural ways of healing took time and effort to do. Most importantly, I’m not dependent on pharmaceuticals and supplements for the rest of my life nor do I have other conditions which I need to heal from. Lastly, these alternative ways of healing are not standard protocols you will receive from your standard American doctor (another acronym of SAD?), and probably not covered under your health insurance either.

With all the technology, industrialization, and the feeling about the lack of time to take care of yourself, most people generally choose to ignore what their bodies are telling them and follow the herd mentality of having something or someone else take care of them or do nothing at all. Find out what’s out there to help you verses just only your doctor’s recommendations. Start listening to your body, your intuition, and start taking responsibility of yourself, your health and well-being. With access to the internet and the abundance of natural healing books and websites that are available, I believe in the future, more doctors (and YOU!) will have to include natural alternatives for (your) health and well being, especially if YOU ask for them!

Acupuncture and chiropractic services are now provided at the San Diego military healthcare facilities and “outside” of the military healthcare system. Work within their guidelines/procedures in order to receive these services in the local community.

Be innovative and ask your military healthcare provider about seeing a massage-bodywork practitioner (that would be me!) if you are experiencing chronic pain, considering or recovering from surgery, been injured from the war, or wanting to add another harmonizing therapy to improve your current health situation (a great complement to yoga, talk therapy, etc.).

Currently, the military healthcare system does not recognized massage-bodywork services as a healing therapy. Share with your military healthcare providers the benefits you received from massage-bodywork therapies, and hopefully, eventually, massage-bodywork therapies will be incorporated into the military healthcare system and hospitals like acupuncture and chiropractic services.

I have reasonable session rates for active duty, retired, veteran, and government personnel.

Thank you University of Oklahoma College of Nursing Program for giving me the opportunity to speak to your nursing students through 3 workshops this month! I was able to provide demonstrations and information about specific, therapeutic-medicinal massage-bodywork therapies and how these therapies can help stimulate the body’s natural healing process, provide pain relief, improve body posture, and improve quality of life to our future nurses and their patients! A very interactive, fun experience! Thanks again!

If you need to release stress, change/improve your posture, look thinner and feel better, call me for an appointment and visit my website. My website is very informative, so please visit to learn more about my services, session prices, and my schedule along with massage-bodywork benefits and tips for before, during, and after your sessions.

If you have recommendations of dentists, doctors, chiropractors, counselors/therapists/coaches, gyms, exercise studios (like karate, yoga, dance, etc.), small businesses, etc. in the city of San Diego, where my therapeutic services could complement their services to help facilitate the health and well-being of their clients and/or employees, please, let me know and I would be happy to contact them!

If you have any questions about my services and would like to set up an appointment, please, call or email me. I look forward to working with you at your next appointment!