ANGELENO MAGAZINE FEB 2010

Check out our most recent press in the daily healthy online magazine Vital Juice.

We hosted the LA editorial team here for one of our weekend retreats and they absolutely loved it.

Click below to read the full review and save 20% off your next retreat.

http://vitaljuice.com/entry_detail/la/1037

by Janet Rifkin, Ph.D.

I was going to write about our rafting and hiking trip in the Grand Canyon where I put Scott’s program into an action-packed adventure. But before I do that, I thought a more immediate update would be in order. Having been “in training” with Scott for the months of September, October and ½ of November, I needed to head back to Massachusetts for 5 weeks which meant that I would be without my trusted guide. I had made lots of progress in those weeks with Scott-improving cardio-vascular conditioning, improving flexibility (I have already admitted in previous posts that I have the tightest hamstrings and calves on earth,) and had also begun-at Scott’s suggestion, a nutrition/exercise program (with an amazing woman named Teri Tom)  that would help me lose those 8 pounds I had gained while sitting behind my desk as a college dean (By the way, for the record,  I am 62 and don’t want to look like I’m 40 or 50, but I don’t want to look like I’m 80.)

All was going amazingly well before I left California. I was disciplined, committed and focused. But how would it be when I left this environment without my support team. More importantly, how would I do on my own, over Thanksgiving where I would be hosting a feast for 15 people, cooking all the traditional stuff that people want and expect, and wanting to start drinking early enough in the day to temper the inevitable tensions of large family gatherings?  So, here’s how it went. Let’s just call it a “good news/bad news” outcome.

The Good:

1. I went to my local gym 4-5 times a week and kept up with my cardio.

2. I followed Teri Tom’s nutrition plan pretty well, and didn’t eat too too much on Thxgiving.

3. I kept in touch with Scott via email and text which made me remember that he was still an important part of my world, that I would be seeing him again soon and that I’d better not let him down because that would be disappointing myself.

The Bad:

1. I didn’t focus enough on stretching and my tightness is in high gear.

2. I am slouching more than I did before I left LA

3. The afternoon drinking (couldn’t help it) on Thxgiving didn’t stop family craziness (although-still it was mostly fun.)

I’m headed back to LA in a week and already have scheduled multiple sessions with Scott. Let’s see what his reaction is when we start-up again….

You can enjoy a holiday shopping experience (with 7 local vendors) within an hour from either Los Angeles or Santa Barbara!  Soma Get Fit will be offering mini-massages from 1:30pm to 4:00pm and teaching a Gray’s functional movement class from 4:00pm to 4:30pm.  Plus, you can enjoy our other workshops on DIY skincare, goat cheese making, green living and pilates.  And don’t forget to meet the goats behind Chivas’s goat milk soap and skin care line and try the yummy goat milk-inspired appetizers and deserts that Chivas co-founder, Donna, will be making especially for this event.

Please be sure to RSVP at rsvp@chivasskincare.com!

Learn more about how Chivas Skin Care partners with Soma Get Fit

Part II: The Program

by Janet Rifkin, Ph.D.

So Scott began to work with me. He started by asking me to articulate the goals I had for myself. I had a lot of trouble answering his questions. I knew a few things: I wanted to stand up straighter, lose what I saw as the “humpification” in my upper back and lose the 8 pounds I had gained during the 8 years I was working as Dean of a College in Massachusetts. However, what I really wanted to talk about were my fears-my fear of not having a professional identity, my fear of looking like an old bag and my fear of falling into the abyss of the Grand Canyon where I was going in 10 days time.

Clearly, my most immediate need was to get ready for my upcoming rafting trip which involved a 7 ½ mile hike down the Grand Canyon carrying a 30 pound pack and daily hikes climbing over boulders and traversing narrow ledges. Scott had his work cut out for him. His first challenge was to stop me from chatting incessantly. People tell me I ask too many questions. My sons call me “the interrogator” and given that I once was a trial lawyer, cross-examination comes naturally. During our first two sessions, Scott let me chatter. Maybe it helped him to get to know the person, as well as the body he was training? Maybe it was to make me feel comfortable with him? Maybe it was because he was entertained? Whatever it was, by session three, he began by telling me that I wasn’t allowed to talk so much. I laughed but he was serious. More importantly, he was right. I needed to focus on what he was trying to teach me. Talking too much was a way to protect myself from feeling awkward and uncomfortable.

So Scott worked with me to open my hips-to move them front to back, side to side and to “twist.” I did this as I was stretching my calves and my Achilles tendon. Remarkably, the bump I had in my right Achilles got smaller and the pain that I was feeling abated. Every session with Scott ends with body work which “opens” the tight areas. To be honest, the work he did on my sore Achilles wasn’t a barrel of laughs. It hurt-a lot. But it worked and I now look forward to the end of every session when he works on me, finds tightness I didn’t even know I had and releases areas of tension and strain that have building for years.  But we also did more than this. He started me on a regimen of lunges, of abdominal crunches, of pullies, of push-ups and more. He even let me start talking again-of asking questions most of which he answered. He gave me a plan for what I should to on the days that I wasn’t working with him, most of which focused on building up cardio-vascular capacity.

After 10 days, I felt mentally prepared for my rafting trip. I was excited and no longer felt I was going to fall into the depths of the Canyon. My husband I left LA early on the morning of September 26 and got to Flagstaff 8 hours later. The next morning, we met our group and headed to the South Rim where we would begin our hike the next day at 4:30 am and where I was eager to start putting Scott’s program to the test.

Part 1: The Beginning

by Janet Rifkin, Ph.D.

On June 30, 2009, I retired from a 35 year career at major public university. I started my life there at the age of 27 and left at 62. While I can say that I accomplished many good things during my professional life, I felt tired and cynical and found it harder and harder to believe in what I was doing. I had been the Dean of a big college for 8 years, I had helped many people start their academic careers, I had taught many hundreds of students, built relationships with faculty, students and alumni, raised money, built interesting programs and more. But I was finding it harder and harder to believe that what I had done and was doing had much value. I had seen too many people get to this point in their careers, but couldn’t let go because of fear of loss of status, power and fear of a future without the professional identity that had given their lives meaning and security. I knew it was time to make a change, but like others before me, I was uneasy and conflicted. I had several things going for me that helped me embrace this moment of change. I have a husband who wasn’t conflicted and wanted us to change our relationship to work and place and pursue adventures that we had imagined; we have a son, daughter-in –law and 15 month old granddaughter who were living 3000 miles away in Los Angeles and even though another son is in NYC, the pull was strong to come out west; and we are lucky enough to have the means to live more than decently. So on August 20, 2009, we packed up our car and headed to LA.  While we were both feeling a sense of liberation and excitement, we also realized that we had no idea how we were going to organize our lives on a daily basis. We did however know two things. First, we had signed up for a 9 day rafting trip down the Colorado River which would require us, among other things, to hike down the Grand Canyon with 30 lbs packs for 7 and ½ miles. Second, that while both of us were relatively active, we wanted-and needed to find trainers who could help us get ready for this challenging adventure.

I found Scott Crawford.  I don’t think Scott knew exactly what he was getting into when you started working with me. What he did know was that I had two and one half weeks to prepare for the trip. What he also saw was a woman who couldn’t touch her toes, whose hips are extremely tight, whose right Achilles tendon was swollen and sore, whose hamstrings are like concrete and whose shoulders were hunched over and knotted. What I knew from the moment I started working with him is that he believed in my ability to change my body. Maybe more importantly, he was intent on helping me to change my attitude.

by Lauren Johanson

All of us here at Chivas Skin Care are excited to be sharing our line of all-natural spa products with Soma Get Fit.  What makes our line unique is that many of our products are made with goat milk.  “Goat what?” you might ask.  Yes, goat milk is the main ingredient in the massage lotion used by Soma Get Fit’s bodywork specialists, as well as the goat milk bath salts and goat milk facial crèmes used for the Soma body treatments and facial treatments (as well as our signature goat milk soaps).

Goat milk has long been regarded as the ultimate skin luxury. It is said that Cleopatra’s beauty secret was bathing in goat milk.  And we now know why!  Goat milk is:

• Nourishing because it has more vital vitamins and triglycerides (fats) than either cow’s milk or water. It is packed with vitamins A, B, C & D as well as protein, calcium, potassium and magnesium.  Great for mal-nourished skin!
• Gentle because it has a pH level that is closest to that of our skin.  It contains Caprylic Acid which maintains this low alkalinity. Great for sensitive skin!
• Moisturizing because its short-strand protein structure allows it to be easily absorbed into the skin.   Great for dry skin!
• And recommended by dermatologists to patients who suffer from dry skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

For more information about goat milk, including tips, news and recipes, visit our Chivas Skin Care blog.

By Katherine Stewart

In spite of the fact that I am still fully clothed, in yoga pants and a T-shirt, I haven’t felt this exposed since childbirth. I’m twenty minutes into an abdominal massage, and my therapist ventures an analysis I’ve never heard before: “Your diaphragm is loosening up,” he says with satisfaction. “It’s softer and more pliant. Do you feel it? Much better.”

Strangely, I do. When I opted to sample bodywork in the abdominal area, also sometimes known as Visceral Massage or Visceral Manipulation, I was expecting my therapist, Scott Crawford of the southern California-based custom wellness program SOMA Fitness, to take a fairly benign approach—gently rubbing the belly in a counter-clockwise direction in order to facilitate digestion and elimination. Little did I realize that he would spend the hour massaging my internal organs through my belly wall—kneading them gently to relax muscle fibers, break down adhesions, release toxins, and increase blood flow.

However, despite the benefits, I understand why many people shy away from receiving this type of work—the belly is the softest, least-protected area of the body, and lying here on the massage table, I feel very vulnerable.

“The abdomen is the seat of the emotions, and visceral work can bring up a lot of feelings,” says Crawford. On cue, I feel a flash of alarm. Reality check! A strange man is reaching for my liver!! What was I thinking?? But Crawford’s professional demeanor soon reassures. “There it goes,” he comments with satisfaction. “It’s releasing nicely, sliding back and forth.”

Advocates of abdominal massage extol its health benefits. It can improve the digestive processes and balance the hormones. It stimulates the gall bladder, the liver, and the pancreas, improving absorption of oxygen and nutrients and helping release waste. Abdominal massage breaks down adhesions, and enhances the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids. It helps align the pelvic bones and strengthens abdominal muscles. And for the stress-prone, abdominal work can release deep muscle tissue spasms.

With benefits like these, it’s no wonder that the abdominal area is a focus of traditional Shiatsu massage. At the Spa at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California, therapist Natasha spent many months studying the principles and practice of this distinctive Asian bodywork.

“Shiatsu places a strong emphasis on diagnosis through touch,” she explains. “Experienced practitioners learn how to ‘listen’ with their hands, feeling the subtle qualities of the abdomen, or ‘hara’ to discover information about the organs and energy channels. In this way, they diagnose and treat disease.” Natasha doesn’t perform such diagnostic work in the spa setting, which is, after all, not a medical environment. “But,” she points out, “the Shiatsu massage we offer in the spa relaxes and invigorates the whole body, assisting the flow of energy.”

During a shiatsu treatment, Natasha and other practitioners at the spa typically avoid the energy points located in the abdomen unless specifically requested to do so by the guest. According to the Torrey Pines’s Spa Manager Kim Cogswell, that’s because most guests are uncomfortable with it— perhaps due to widespread cultural taboos. “However,” she says, “massaging the abdomen can benefit the whole body, increasing blood flow in all areas.”

Early Asians were not the only ones to understand the benefits of abdominal bodywork. The ancient societies of the Americas had their own understanding of the practice. The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Massage was founded by Dr. Rosita Argo, a Chicago-born Naprapath who spent 12 years as an apprentice to Don Elijo Panti, said to be a Mayan shaman living in western Belize. Her studies with Panti, as well as with local midwives, prompted her to document the ancient bodywork and wellness techniques she learned. While she is the first person to have introduced them to North American and international audiences, they are said to be over 5,000 years old, passed down from generation to generation.

The Arvigo Technique is based on the idea that if a woman’s uterus is off-balance or otherwise out of place, it can restrict the flow of blood and lymph, disrupting nerve connections and causing numerous health problems throughout the body, such as constipation, fibroids, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. By repositioning a uterus that may have “tipped” or dropped, as well as manipulating other internal organs that have become displaced, the body is restored to a state of wellness.

The Arvigo Technique is said to be especially helpful for women experiencing fertility challenges. “There is a spiritual component as well,” says practitioner Ariane Amsz, who studied with Dr. Rosa Arvigo in Belize and whose New York City-based clinic, Wall Street Wellness and Physical Therapy, offers the technique. “It brings you in greater tune with your body. The abdominal pelvic region holds a lot of emotions, and any traumas from the past can be brought up during the session.”

During the session, Amsz presses her fingers in a scooping motion into the perimeters of the belly, from pubic bone to diaphragm, stroking toward the navel. She incorporates various techniques unique to the Mayan healers, such as a twisting motion in parts of the abdomen and a hip-shaking move that Dr. Arvigo named “The Blind Midwife” in honor of the sightless woman who taught it to her.

Ancient Hawaiian populations also performed a form of abdominal massage known as Opu Huli. A component of the traditional Hawaiian massage Lomi Lomi, “Opu” means stomach and “huli” means turn. This type of bodywork is used to help digestion, elimination, and peristalsis of the large intestine. It can relieve lower back ache and facilitate proper functioning of the nerves. Opu Huli was traditionally performed when a keiki—Hawaiian for child—had colic; it was also appropriate for a variety of upset stomach conditions of adults.

At the Spa at the Mauna Lani Bay on the Kohala Coast of Hawaii, the Opu Huli treatment begins with a foot massage. Afterward, warm oil is slowly poured into the navel, and the abdomen is rubbed in a circular motion.

Of course, abdominal massage isn’t for everyone. “People with any health concerns should consult with their doctor first,” advises Cogswell. In general, abdominal massage should be avoided if a person has inflammation anywhere in the abdomen or reproductive organs, and should not be performed on anyone with kidney stones, ulcers, excessive bleeding, or hypertension. And finally, common sense dictates that it is best performed before a big meal, rather than after.

in the Holistic Approach to Health And Fitness

by Robert McAlister

When Bob Hope reached 100 years of age, people wanted to know what his secret was. His answer: a daily massage.

As a massage therapist, I would certainly agree with Mr. Hope’s answer. Massage can indeed increase the length and quality of life, and volumes have been written about the physical, mental, and emotional health benefits of massage therapy.

The ancient Greeks had a saying: “Massage can never be fully appreciated by the common man.” By “common man,” they were not referring to a person’s financial status or social class, however. “Common man” in this context was a reference to someone who lacked athletic grace. In ancient Greece the athlete was an emblem of the best that Greek culture had to offer. These athletes pushed themselves and their bodies to the limit time and time again to achieve their goals; as a result, they were the ones who could fully appreciate the benefits of massage. While anyone might enjoy massage as a form of relaxation, as a catalyst for living a longer life, or as a method for relieving muscular problems, the athlete is in a special position to also recognize and value the performance benefits of massage therapy: that is, they know that the properly massaged body can go a little farther, perform a little better, than a body which is not.

While it has long been recognized that massage can raise athletic performance levels, most people in the fitness world seek out a massage only after the body has received a quota of physical abuse. They seek it out as a restorative technique, rather than as a performance and protective technique. When a sports massage is properly administered as a performance and protective technique, you can do whatever it is you like to do—no matter what your fitness level—better, longer, and more easily. Massage can effectively raise your performance levels at the same time it lowers the stress levels placed upon on your body.

5 BENEFITS OF THE SPORTS MASSAGE

1. Maintains your entire body’s physical condition
2. Helps prevent injury and loss of mobility in potential trouble spots
3. Boosts performance and endurance
4. Heals and restores mobility to injured muscle tissue
5. Extends overall good health, fitness life, and lifespan

Everything about sports massage is an “extra.” It works through a practical application of kinesiology, which provides additional help for motion problems beyond the scope of physical therapy. It administers a counterbalance to the effects of strain and overexertion, which means an extra measure of protection and performance unattainable by training and conditioning alone. In the end, sports massage will give you one of the greatest “extras” out there—that of time. Time to do what you want to do, at the level you desire to do it.

Increased performance, reduced strain, longer athletic life, more time—these among the many and varied benefits sports massage can provide to anyone willing to give it a try.

In our everyday busy lives, our body maintenance is often the first to go. Unfortunately, without strong bodies we don’t work to the best of our ability. If you too have fallen off the workout bandwagon, then Soma Get Fit Retreats might be the cure.

Soma is the Greek word for body and at Soma Get Fit your body becomes the number one focus. Located in Santa Barbara between majestic mountains and a peaceful coastline, it is the perfect location to work on your self from the inside out. Soma Get Fit was created by Scott Crawford, an elite fitness specialist who is dedicated to providing holistic wellbeing. He and the Soma team create personalized experiences that integrate outdoor fitness with wellness practices, bodywork, relaxation activities and nutritious organic eating. In other words, Soma retreats aren’t cookie cutter – you get to discuss your preferences with the team before you arrive to make sure they book exactly what you want.

YDT was lucky enough experience a Soma Get Fit weekend retreat and here’s a snapshot into our 3 amazing days. By far, the best thing about Soma retreats is that we didn’t have to worry about anything—we just showed up and it was already planned, organized and scheduled for us.

DAY 1: When we arrived in Santa Barbara, the Soma Team met us at a local wine bar to grab a drink and discuss the weekend’s agenda (per the preferences form we had filled out a week prior). Afterwards we were whisked away to do some light yoga and receive amazing massages that targeted our problem areas. For dinner our personal chef Jennifer prepared—wild Alaskan salmon served with delicious Israeli couscous followed by tasty organic soy ice cream for dessert. Local Santa Barbara wines were plentiful as well. The night ended shortly there after as we had an early wake-up .

DAY 2: The morning started off with a healthy breakfast of goat milk yogurt, organic peaches, and blueberry muffins. After breakfast, we met with our chef at the largest farmer’s market in town to pick out our dinner (we wanted it to be as fresh and local as possible). Once dinner was settled, the training staff took us up to the hills of Montecito to do some hiking and see breathtaking views all the way from Summerland to Northern Santa Barbara. The hike was challenging, but not too steep for novices. Little did we know that this was only the beginning.

After our hike, we were transferred to the beach for some serious Pilates and core work all while looking at beautiful Butterfly Beach. Exhaustion did not get the best of us however, especially when we heard that we were getting local lobster tacos for lunch. After our massive tacos, we headed to the Santa Barbara Harbor for a three-mile kayak ride around the Santa Barbara Pier. We were greeted by sea lions who we fighting amongst themselves to get on a warm dingy, one of which toppled Lauren over in to the cold water.

Slightly tired, wet and sore, we headed back for some soothing yoga followed by relaxtion time in the spa and sauna . Santa Barbara local Jaqua products were used for a foot soak and facial, which was followed by another round of bodywork and massage. By the time all of our pampering had finished, our dinner was ready. Our meal consisted of grass fed beef skewers, organic spinach and beat salad, savory olive bread and of course, more local wine. It was a perfect way to end an enjoyable, but physically challenging day.

DAY 3: Normally after being so active one would would wake up quite sore. Not the case thanks to the bodywork and massages we received the night before. This was also ideal as we were about to go and try paddle boarding for the first time ever. Paddle boarding is often best early morning while the water is calm. So after our organic breakfast we were quickly taken to the beach for our personal lesson. If you’ve never tried paddle boarding before, it’s sort of like standing on a giant surfboard, only you have a paddle and move around like you’re in a canoe. Unlike with surfing, from a standing vantage you can see all the way down into the ocean (which is cool, but kind of scary.) We spent about an hour and probably ventured a good mile and a half past shore. We we’re able to see some dolphins swim by too.

After a final stretch and meal on the beach, our retreat was sadly over. But thankfully Soma Get Fit helped reinvigorate my workout habits and I’m currently training for a half marathon.

What we gained most from the Soma Get Fit Retreat was the ability to turn off the technology, the crack berry, the constant need to stay “connected” and really just connect with ourselves. Each day we get 24 hrs and there’s no reason that one of those hours can’t be used to improve our body and spirit. So if you’re looking to make an escape, get in focus and in shape, head north to Santa Barbara—and let Soma Get Fit get you focused on your own Soma.