Aromatherapy is using plant essential oils to affect our moods and health.  Aroma has a strong influence on the brain and can induce feelings of relaxation and well being.  Aromatherapy in itself is very relaxing.  Aromatherapy coupled with massage or meditation can be an incredibly therapeutic experience.  Aromatherapy is a way to appreciate and explore the benefits of breathing 100% natural perfumes.  You can burn essential oils individually, or you can try one of our mixes below.  Once you familiarize yourself with the scents, try a mix of your own.  Different oils are said to have different benefits.  Oils can be heated with a candle, worn as perfume, or mixed with creams.  Essential oils are a wonderful thing to collect and keep in the home.  Soon, different scents will envelop your home creating a welcoming tranquil atmosphere. 

Meditation is the practice of shifting the focus on the mind to an object or thought.  Our daily lives involve focus on multiple objects or thoughts.  Along with modern life came the idea of “multi-tasking.”  We run errands, care for our children, plan dinner, and think about weekend plans all at once.  Focusing on numerous subjects at one time often causes stress.  If done for too long, multi tasking can lead to headaches and decreased energy and spirit.  We can’t avoid multi tasking, but we can insist upon incorporating times of peace and meditation in our lives. 

Before the industrial revolution, our working lives involved long periods of meditation, whether while tilling fields or while sowing textiles.  With the advent of machines that can do such work for us, we have more time to focus on less menial tasks.  Yet something was lost during this transition – a time everyday to rest our minds.  Visit one of the great places in our Ventura Recreation section, and take some time to enjoy nature and meditate. 

For more information on meditation, visit our yoga section. 

Traditional chiropractors or traditional chiropractic physicians practice a hands on approach to your health care. Chiropractors manually adjust the vertebral column. This is to help clear communication pathways in the nervous system. The nervous system, as stated on www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nervous_system, "coordinates the activity of the muscles, monitors the organs, constructs and also stops input from the senses, and initiates actions." Needless to say, the well-being of the nervous system highly impacts the quality of our daily lives.

The chiropractic approach does not include drugs. The chiropractic approach includes a patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. Treatment involves chiropractic adjustments to remove subluxations. Subluxations as defined by www.princetonreview.com/medical, "are disruptions or distortions of nervous system energy flow that may be caused by slight vertebral misalignments." In addition to treatment, chiropractic doctors are often able to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative activities.

Massage has an important place in human history.  Massage has roots in Chinese, Greek, Roman, Indian, and Egyptian societies.  Massage was used to heal a variety of illnesses.  Julius Caesar, for instance, was given a message everyday to treat his neuralgia.  Today massage is still used to treat illnesses.  Specialists think massage boosts the immune system by increasing blood flow, or by strengthening our Qi.  Massage doesn’t cure ailments, but it does help the body fight ailments.