A good reason not to slouch: poor posture actually accelerates the aging process according to Alice Chen, a psychiatrist at New York's Hospital for Special Surgery. It lowers lung capacity, interferes with digestion, and puts abnormal pressure on the spine. Here's how to give yourself…
About 60% of the human body is made of water and staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do. Here are some benefits of water and ways to increase your intake: • Feeling tired is one of the first signs of…
Health and well-being require spaces of time for being still, where we can tap into the deep peace within, always present below even the most turbulent of surfaces. At Massage Therapy Center Palo Alto, stillness, mindful presence, and therapeutic touch help ground you in your body…
It’s well known that lack of adequate sleep can profoundly affect health and longevity. It can negatively impact the cardiovascular system, metabolism and blood sugar, cognition and learning, lead to anxiety and depression, lower performance and creativity, and increase your risk of accidents. It disrupts…
Relaxation is an inborn, integrated physiological process that can be easily triggered just by setting up the right conditions. In quiescent relaxation, in which the mind is at rest, most energy-consuming physiological processes slow down, and there is a sense that we are being restored…
Last week The Palo Alto Weekly announced that Massage Therapy Center Palo Alto has been voted BEST MASSAGE by Weekly readers in their yearly Best Of contest! After winning each year from 2011 through 2015, we received the Hall of Fame designation for three years and…
Mindfulness of the body—noticing our physical sensations—can be a useful tool for stress management and greater resilience. In a research study, participants who noticed their physical state sooner were able to reign in the stress response before it escalated. This is because it’s much easier…
We work very hard in our lives. Often we don’t get adequate sleep. And rarely do we make time to rest during our demanding day. Just as athletes know that they need recovery time after a strenuous workout, those with stressful lifestyles also need recovery…
While the brain has evolved to focus attention on negative stimuli to keep us safe, we now know that the brain is continually changing its structure, and we can nurture and build a more positive and happy brain. Rewiring our brain toward happiness is based…
Lara Berthiaume, CMT, has been a professional massage therapist since 1999 and has worked at Massage Therapy Center Palo Alto since 2000. Says Lara, “I have always known that I wanted to be a professional masseuse—to me, it is such spiritually rewarding work and keeps…