the Somatics blog
Exploring somatic health, how the brain controls posture and movement, why we experience
muscle and joint pain, and how we can live our lives to the fullest.
7 Reasons Why Every Athlete Should Do Clinical Somatics
The benefits of Clinical Somatics exercises are so life-changing that every athlete needs to be doing them in order to improve their performance, prevent injuries, and extend their athletic career. […]
12 Causes of Chronic Inflammation
Chronic inflammation contributes to chronic pain, cancer, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and many other conditions. The good news is that most causes of inflammation are highly controllable or completely avoidable! […]
What really causes muscle cramps?
Muscle cramps have long been attributed to electrolyte depletion and dehydration, but research actually points to altered neuromuscular control and muscle fatigue as the culprits.[…]
Do you have joint hypermobility, and can Clinical Somatics help?
Do you have joint hypermobility, and can Clinical Somatics help? Generalized joint laxity (loose joints throughout the body) is fairly common, present in between 4% and 13% of the population. This hypermobility can occur in the absence of a systemic disease that affects connective tissues, like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or Marfan syndrome. While joint hypermobility [...]
5 Incredible Stories of Self-healing and Transformation
5 Incredible Stories of Self-healing and Transformation We have an incredible ability to heal ourselves, beyond what science can currently explain. I am fascinated by stories of people who have found ways to cure themselves of incurable conditions. In this post I'll tell you about five of my favorite books on self-healing from aplastic [...]
Creating Your Vision and Action Plan for 2020
Creating Your Vision and Action Plan for 2020 It's that time of year! The beginning of a calendar year inspires us to create new intentions and take action toward achieving our goals. I was very lucky to work for lululemon athletica for nine years, and one of my favorite parts of the job was [...]
The Telomere Effect: Taking Control of Your Cellular Aging
The Telomere Effect: Taking Control of Your Cellular Aging I just finished reading The Telomere Effect by Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn and Dr. Elissa Epel, and it was enlightening. The authors' discoveries about how telomeres (the endcaps on our chromosomes) affect cellular aging are a major advancement in our understanding of health and longevity. Blackburn and [...]
Figuring out the Cause of Your Chronic Neck Pain
Figuring out the Cause of Your Chronic Neck Pain Why is neck pain such a pain in the neck to get rid of? First, the muscles in your neck adapt to any postural imbalances you have in the core of your body. If your lumbar or thoracic spine is out of alignment in any [...]
Good vs. Bad Stress: The Critical Difference Between Challenge and Threat
Good vs. Bad Stress: The Critical Difference Between Challenge and Threat When we're faced with a potentially stressful situation, we automatically and subconsciously ask ourselves two questions: First: Could this situation cause me harm or loss, or is there potential benefit? Second: Am I capable of handling this situation? This is the transactional model [...]
How Muscular Learning Leads to Pain and Degeneration
How Muscular Learning Leads to Pain and Degeneration Chronic pain is invisible, and can be all too easily ignored by people who haven’t experienced it. But if you suffer from chronic pain, you understand the stress, helplessness, depression, and fatigue that accompany it. You might deal with financial hardship as a result of missed [...]
How Gratitude Changes Your Brain and Body
How Gratitude Changes Your Brain and BodyThere's a trend in recent studies on human health: Mom's advice is proving to be the best medicine. When your mom told you to eat your roughage, go outside and play, stop staring at the TV, and get a good night's sleep—she may not have understood the underlying science, [...]
Why Whiplash Turns into Chronic Pain
Why Whiplash Turns into Chronic Pain Whiplash is one of the most common acute injuries that results in chronic pain. Since many cases go unreported, we don't know exactly how often whiplash occurs. Some sources estimate that up to 3 million people suffer from whiplash in the U.S. every year. Studies show that at [...]
New Research on How Stress Affects Inflammation, Neurodegeneration, the Gut Microbiome, Cancer Treatment, and Relationships
New Research on How Stress Affects Inflammation, Neurodegeneration, the Gut Microbiome, Cancer Treatment, and RelationshipsStress is a particular passion of mine—I love learning how to reduce negative stress, and I'm fascinated by the ways stress affects our health. This is the first in a series of posts I'll be writing about stress in the coming [...]
