SOHMA Integrative Medicine

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Tai Chi for Muscle Flexibility, Balance & Agility

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As we age, we tend to lose a bit of our bodies to time. Whether it is due to compound injuries,  poor diet, aging, or static positions like sitting for hours in front of a screen. But, there is always hope to help recover some of what was lost.

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that has been shown to improve physical and mental wellness. Today, we will see how Tai Chi can help with putting a pep back in your step as well as what you may need in order to get started. At SOHMA Integrated Medicine in Long Beach CA we care about bringing balance and wellness in the most natural way possible, this is why we offer completely free Tai Chi classes.

What Causes our Bodies to Weaken

There are many reasons why our bodies lose balance, flexibility and agility. Some of the more common reasons are:

  • Aging
  • Injury
  • Lack of Stretching
  • Inactivity
  • Migraines
  • Nerve Damage
  • Arthritis
  • Weight

With a little bit of commitment and as little as one Tai Chi class per week, for a couple of months people have shown improvements in many aspects of their wellbeing.

Injury can cause a multitude of problems, not only does the injury leave scarring , depending on the nature of the injury it is possible that it leads to inactivity of the surrounding joints and muscles. This can lead to both loss in agility and flexibility.

Unfortunately there is nothing we can do about aging. But just because we are getting older does not mean we should not try to keep our bodies feeling as young as possible.

Sometimes we can let temptations win and make poor health decisions. Tai Chi is an excellent way of getting back on track, physical wellbeing takes a lot of mental fortitude in order to make the right choices. Oftentimes meditation is recommended to help with mental health. Tai Chi, often called meditation in motion, pulls double duty in this  case. As not only do you begin to be more active by practicing the martial art, you also help your mental health by taking calm rhythmic deep breaths that put you in a state of meditation. By choosing to actively change yourself, you will also improve your self esteem and confidence in yourself. This in turn will help make better choices about your health.

Due to the slow and low impact nature of Tai Chi as well as it being a weight bearing form of exercise, Tai Chi will engage many of your major muscle groups. This will improve endurance, strength, balance, flexibility and agility.

How to get Started Practicing Tai Chi

Getting started is easy. Do you have comfortable clothing? Do you have comfortable shoes with no heals? If you answered yes to these questions then you are halfway there.

One of the best ways to learn Tai Chi is to join a class. Having a teacher giving your feedback the positions and breathing rhythm is very helpful. While having other classmates to bond with and encourage each other is another big part of the experience. We offer completely free Tai Chi classes for beginners at Heartwell Park in Long Beach CA, usually around the duck pond.

Tai chi is an excellent exercise for anybody of any age or fitness level. If you are not yet convinced to give it a try, we welcome you to watch one of our free classes in order to help you makeup your mind. Feel free to ask the staff at SOHMA about any other information regarding our free Tai Chi classes.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

What is Vitamin C IV Therapy and Why You Should Know About it

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Vitamin C, often used as an immune system booster, as well as a supplement to prevent or shorten the length of viral infections like the common cold. But it does so much more, and it is far more important to your wellness than you might have thought. Today we’re going to see what Vitamin C is used for in your body, what happens when you have a shortage of Vitamin C and the best way to take a Vitamin C supplement without risking irritation from the foods you may have to eat.

What Does Your Body Do With Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is an antioxidant which helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals being molecules produced when the body breaks down food or is exposed to toxins like city pollution, tobacco some and radiation from the sun or medical procedures.Your body will also use Vitamin C in many different ways such as:

  • Creating Blood Vessels
  • Forming Cartilage
  • Building Muscle
  • Developing Collagen in Bone
  • Storing Iron

You often hear people say “Vitamin C helps when you get sick” and it is true. Vitamin C has been shown to Improve your immune system’s ability to fight viral fungal and bacterial infections.

Importance of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is important and valuable to your body’s well being. Unfortunately our body can not produce it on its own, therefore you have to supplement your body with foods rich in vitamin C in order to avoid Vitamin C deficiency which can cause:

  • Feeling Weak
  • Tiredness
  • Irritable
  • Rough Skin
  • Slow Healing Wounds
  • Joint Pain

In severe cases of Vitamin C deficiency, called Scurvy you will see more extreme symptoms like:

  • Bruising
  • Dental/Gum Problems
  • Dry Skin and Hair
  • Anemia

By increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables or supplements high in Vitamin C orally usually corrects the deficiency. But our bodies are not adequate at absorbing Vitamin C, and at high doses can irritate the stomach and digestive system.

IV Therapy, an Efficient Way to Absorb Vitamin C

The best way to combat the issue of orally ingesting Vitamin C is through IV therapy. 

Through the IV drip the body can more efficiently absorb the nutrients being offered. Giving you the ability to take advantage of a more concentrated dose of vitamins and minerals without having to deal with potential gastrointestinal discomfort by bypassing the digestive system.

At SOHMA Integrated Medicine in Long Beach CA we offer Myer’s cocktail IV therapy, which features a crafted blend of Vitamin C, B Complex, Magnesium and Calcium.

Take Care of Yourself, it’s Important! 

It is very important to take the time to care for yourself. Protecting your immune system is often overlooked even though your immune system is the first line of defense when it comes to your health. By offering your body enough nutrients such as Vitamin C it will help protect you from various infections such as bacterial, fungal and viral.

But you can always do a little bit more in order to maintain a healthy body. Myer’s Cocktail IV therapy can be used on its own but feel free to ask the staff at SOHMA about other complementary therapies that work well with our Myer’s Cocktail IV therapy such as ozone therapy which has amazing anti-inflammatory properties that fortifies your immune system and reduces the viral replication in your body.

At SOHMA we want to be able to work with you in order to ensure health and wellness in a natural way. By helping your body heal and recover without the use of drugs or surgery.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

How to Use Tai Chi for Mood Improvement

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Free Tai Chi Classes in Long Beach Ca

Did you know that there exists a martial art that can help with improving your mood? 

Yes, you heard that right, a martial art that can improve your mood. The best part is that it’s low intensity making it perfect for anyone who is willing to give it a chance and as you will later see, completely free.

Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese martial art, can be beneficial in many different aspects of life. Whether it is to get a work out, reduce stress, increase mobility, flexibility or improve your mood. 

In this article we are going to mainly focus on how Tai Chi can be beneficial in improving your mood as well as why it is important for your mental health to not let the stresses of your life affect or dictate your attitude and outlook on life.

What is Tai Chi?

Let us start with some basic questions, what is Tai Chi? Why is it being practiced now?

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art dating back thousands of years, in which practitioners perform different poses while taking in deep breaths.

The practice of Tai Chi in modern times has become a very popular form of low impact exercise for people of any age group or physical fitness. The simple reason being that due to the calming nature of the practice it  is sometimes referred to as meditation in motion

By coordinating mental focus, deep rhythmic breathing and body postures it has been shown that Tai Chi has beneficial effects on both your physical and psychological well being. Such as increased mobility and stamina as well as reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Why is it Important to Improve My Mood?

Improvement in mood is not as shallow as being able to tolerate people you work with or not getting upset at other drivers on the road.

Well it does also mean those things, but more importantly actively improving your mood helps you feel more in control. Because you are taking an active role in your own treatment, you will see improvement in your self esteem as well as your confidence.

Your mood affects your mental health, your mental health affects every part of your life; It affects your physical health, relationships and how you feel about yourself. Poor mental health has been linked with many mood disorders such as:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Bipolar Disorder

 As well as physical issues like:

  • Digestive disorders
  • Lack of energy
  • Heart disease 
  • Headache
  • Stomachache

So why Choose Tai Chi?

It is well documented that exercise of any kind and meditation help improve your mood and mental health as well as your physical health.

But why choose to practice Tai Chi over hitting the gym? Great question! I’m glad you asked.

Tai Chi combines both exercise and meditation making it a very efficient exercise, with many people seeing positive results by practicing as little as one hour a week. Tai Chi also has a very low barrier of entry. No special uniform or equipment is necessary, just some comfortable clothes and shoes with no heels.

Not to mention classes are completely free. We offer free Tai Chi classes for beginners and students of any level. Feel free to ask the staff at SOHMA Integrative Medicine of Long Beach CA about our free Tai Chi classes. You are also welcomed to watch one of our free classes at Heartwell Park in Long Beach CA, right around the duck pond.

Ultimately the decision is in your hands to better your mood and mental health. We are here to give you the best options we can offer without the use of pharmaceuticals or other drugs.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

Reduce the Stress In Your Life Through the Traditional Martial Art of Tai Chi

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Practicing Tai Chi for Less than 1 Hour Weekly Can Lead to Stress Reduction

You may have seen it at your local park or gyms, a slow moving martial art practiced by students of every age and fitness level.

Why is it so popular? 

What benefits does it have?  

Today we will take a deep dive into the traditional Chinese martial art known as Tai Chi. How Tai Chi can be used to reduce stress, as well as why it is important to minimize stress in your daily life.

How Does Stress Affect You?

Symptoms of stress can be affecting your health without you noticing it. You may be blaming headaches, insomnia, muscle pain, upset stomach or fatigue on an illness, when stress may actually be the cause. These symptoms may cause other effects on your mood and emotional health such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Lack of focus
  • Irritability
  • Depression

It is very important to your health to try to actively manage your stress, as it can spiral into many other negative behaviors in order to cope with it, examples may be:

  • Heavy Drinking
  • Smoking
  • Over/Under Eating
  • Social Withdrawal
  • Anger Issues

Slow and Steady to Manage Stress

When life is stressful we often look for the quick fix. Who can blame us right? We are constantly seeing messages for programs like “6 minute abs” and “1 hour taxes”. It makes sense we like to get things done quickly.

Reducing stress can often be achieved through a slow and steady process. 

Tai Chi may help you find the quiet and calm you may be looking for. Often called meditation in motion because you combine controlled breathing with slow movements. Once you enter a state of mindfulness you begin to relax and reduce some of the built up stress you may be carrying.

A Simple Way to Get Started in Tai Chi…Absolutely FREE

The best way to learn how to practice Tai Chi is by taking a class. Your level of fitness does not matter, and you can always perform the movements within your limits when you start. Seeing a teacher performing the actions and receiving feedback alongside other students are all advantages to learning. We offer free Tai Chi classes for any level of students and we welcome beginners. Feel free to ask the staff at SOHMA Integrative Medicine of Long Beach CA about our free Tai Chi classes.

Long Term Benefits of Tai Chi

What are some of the long term benefits of Tai Chi? Many people have reported a significant improvement in their quality of sleep as well as a decrease in anxiety and panic attacks with as little as 2 days of Tai Chi classes a week for a couple months.

It has been expressed that slow mindful breaths, accompanied with the slow movements of Tai Chi have a positive effect on the nervous system and hormones that regulate mood. Which may help you relax and recover from built up muscle tension due to stress.

Tai Chi is also a very safe form of exercise. Because of its slow moving nature, people who suffer from heart disease or are physically limited can get regular physical activity. Consistent Tai Chi practice may help with weight control, increased physical activity and overall life quality improvement.

Is Tai Chi Right for Me?

Tai Chi is an excellent option for everyone. Due to the nature of the martial art practice it is available to anybody, at any age or any fitness level. If you still have any questions on whether or not Tai Chi is the right option to manage your stress, feel free to watch one of our free classes at Heartwell Park in Long Beach CA (by the duck pond). If you feel comfortable you are alway welcome to join our free community Tai Chi class for beginners.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

Acute Muscle Spasms and the Use of the Myer’s cocktail

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Muscle Cramps and Muscles

Have you ever felt a sudden involuntary contraction of a muscle? This is most commonly known as a muscle spasm, a charlie horse or a cramp. Most frequently it is a simple muscle cramp which can occasionally be accompanied by a sudden burst of pain. Muscle cramps are usually harmless and end within a few minutes.

Although they are generally harmless, frequent occurrences can definitely be irritating. Due to their sudden nature, they can abruptly interrupt an otherwise relaxing day. In this article we will focus on what causes acute muscle spasms and how Myer’s Cocktail can be used in order to help alleviate and prevent future symptoms

Muscle Spasm

A muscle spasm goes by many names such as a muscle cramp, a witch, or a charlie horse. A very common occurrence, they tend to be very uncomfortable and painful. Many people would agree that if they had the choice, they would rather not have that experience again. Muscle spasms occur for many reasons, most notably:

  • Muscle Pain
  • Muscle Fatigue
  • Muscle Overuse
  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Low Electrolytes
  • Pinched Nerve

Though usually muscle spasms only cause discomfort, there are rare occasions when it is recommended visiting your primary medical provider if the pain persists for extended periods of time, have leg swelling, redness or other skin changes. As these can be symptoms of something more serious.

Causes of Muscle Spasms

Many times when you suffer a muscle spasm the cause is an oversight on our part either due to working too hard or working out too hard. Maybe you didn’t take enough breaks during work. Perhaps you forgot to stretch prior to exercising or maybe you went past your limits and this is an unwanted reward for your achievement. It is not uncommon for people to not hydrate enough while at the gym as well.

Other times it can be due to stressing in life or anxiety over events happening in the world or personal life.

What is the Myer’s Cocktail

The Myer’s Cocktail is a blend of vitamins and minerals including: magnesium, calcium, vitamin B complex and vitamin C. These are delivered via an IV drip, Meaning that by bypassing the digestive system you gain the benefits of the nutrients faster and at a more concentrated dose which shows results faster.

How does Myer’s Cocktail Help with Muscle Spasms?

Firstly since the Myers Cocktail is delivered intravenously through an IV drip, it rapidly re-hydrates the body, which can help your muscles loosen up.

Vitamin B complex is made up of multiple sets of B vitamins which the body uses to restore energy levels, promote cellular health and aid with proper nerve function. Vitamin B complex has also been shown to lift your spirits and improve cognitive effectiveness which helps with reducing stress and anxiety.

Vitamin C is a necessary nutrient that the body uses to develop and repair most muscle tissue. This can improve recovery and help with repairing the overused or fatigued muscles.

Is the Myer’s Cocktail the Right Treatment for Me?

Myer’s Cocktail can be the solution to your acute muscle spasm. But for us to be certain it is, we invite you to contact us at SOHMA at Long Beach Ca, so we can schedule a one on one consultation to discuss treatments. Or if you are unsure of anything regarding the Myer’s cocktail.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.