SOHMA Integrative Medicine

We offer the best of Eastern & Western medicine without using drugs or surgery

Summer Sun Care Tips

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SOHMA Integrative Health Center is committed to the wellness of the Long Beach and Lakewood community. Whether you’re headed for a hike, bike ride, surf session, or a swim, follow these time-tested sun care tips to avoid peeling and ensure a beautiful, bronze tan:

  • liberally apply aloe vera gel
  • follow with coconut oil
  • follow with sunscreen
  • apply at least thirty minutes prior to sun exposure

Aloe vera is applied first because it absorbs into the skin quickly. Coconut oil helps skin maintain its hydration and moisture levels. Sunscreen prevents burns and minimizes the risks of UV exposure.
For best results, reapply immediately after bathing, and apply at least twice a day for 2 -3 days after sun exposure. Together with proper hydration, this skin care regime will help you maintain youthful, glowing skin.

Join Us for a Healthy Happy Hour

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Beginning in December 2015, SOHMA Integrative Health Center debuted its Healthy Happy Hours. Since then, we have educated community members on a range of topics, including stress management, wellness, nutrition, hormone balancing, relationship health, and more. To stay current with upcoming SOHMA events, trips, lectures, and retreats, visit www.tinyURL.com/SOHMAevents.

SOHMA to Host a December Healthy Happy Hour

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Join SOHMA Integrative Health Center this December and get a head start on your New Year’s Resolution. Dr. Hoover and special guests will discuss the health benefits of detoxification and go over your options for shedding Holiday pounds and getting healthy in the new year.
Guests will learn about different cleansing options, including juice cleansing, the Master cleanse, and a super food cleanse (which features non-GMO, gluten-free supplements; comes from 100% real food; and has zero additives, preservatives, thickeners, or sweeteners). Additionally, the super food cleanse is easy to follow and the average person loses 11.2 pounds in 10 days. Together with Dr. Hoover’s tips for a healthy lifestyle, you’ll have all the tools you’ll need to start the new year off right.
This event is free to the public and refreshments will be provided. To RSVP, please visit our Facebook Event page or our MeetUp Event page.

Dr. Hoover in the News

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SOHMA’s own Dr. Daniel Hoover was interviewed by the host of Voice America, Nelinia Varenas, on Friday, December 4th, at 8:00 a.m.. He spoke about his personal experience and offered insights into how cultivating purpose can bring peace to one’s life.
Click here to listen.

Tips for Growing Young At Any Age

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George Bernard Shaw once said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Indeed, if you’ve ever thought, “this is normal for my age” or “it’s due to old age”, then you might be limiting your potential.
While there are many age-related challenges, most are not. Yes, as we mature, there are certain changes that are inevitable, from the accumulation of oxidative stress to general wear and tear from gravity. However, while most of today’s “age-related” complaints seem normal, they are often just common. They are the result of behaviors and choices we make over a lifetime that have been accepted as normal, and which accelerate the aging process. Common (unhealthy) behaviors that have been normalized (and contribute to rapid aging) are eating processed foods, living a sedentary lifestyle, and “growing up” and attributing every ache, cold, memory lapse, etc. to getting older.
Here at SOHMA, we encourage patients to look to the “exceptions to the rule” of aging. We invite patients to notice the differences in those who are amazing examples of graceful aging–to notice how they eat, move, and think. In fact, studies have revealed that aging is related to a sociological phenomenon. People age based on how the people around them age. Look to the cultures that have more centenarians than anyone else. What are they doing differently? How do they feel about their elders in their society? A great example of healthy aging are the Rarámuri or Tarahumara Native American people of northwestern Mexico who are renowned for their long-distance running ability both young and old.
Simply put: the single biggest difference between senior patients is how they think about their challenges. Those that attribute their aches and pains to a recent workout are almost always the ones that look and feel younger than their peers. Aging is inevitable, but the way we choose to eat, move, and especially think makes the biggest difference in how we age.
Food for thought: You either get better with age, or worse. Which outlook serves you the most?

Unveiling Acupuncture: Traditional Chinese Practices in the Modern Day

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Acupuncture is an often ill-understood, yet very important component of traditional Chinese medicine. It has been in practice, in one form or another, for roughly 2,500 years. The traditional thought process of acupuncture holds that a body’s life force or energy – called qi – is distributed via lines in the body called meridians. Disruptions in the flow of this energy result in pain, soreness, imbalance, or illness. The insertion of a very slim needle opens and loosens the meridians, bringing relief and allowing a normal flow of energy to resume. Almost all modern needles are single-use, stainless steel, and carefully sterilized to prevent any risk of infection.
Acupuncture has recently been undergoing a huge resurgence in popularity as people discover its potential for healing. It is most commonly sought to help relieve lower back pain, but can be used to address nausea, vomiting, and pain in other areas – particularly the knees. Acupuncture’s effectiveness at combating certain types of pain is detailed by some Cochrane reports, and a 2012 meta-analysis details the four types of chronic pain that it is most helpful against. Currently, every woman undergoing childbirth at the University College London Hospital is offered acupuncture to assist with the pains of the birthing process. The procedure has proven very popular in China, the US, Australia, and all of Europe – Germany alone boasts 45,000+ registered acupuncture professionals.
Acupuncture is an ancient practice that the modern day helps us to better understand, implement, and appreciate. We know now that, for instance, the insertion of the tiny needle likely stimulates a release of endorphins, which counteract the pain of the person being treated. In the hands of a skilled and licensed practitioner, this ages-old procedure becomes a potent tool to improve one’s personal health and happiness. Acupuncture perfectly fits SOHMA’s model of combining ancient wisdom with modern, enlightened practice. If you feel that acupuncture may be able to enrich your life and provide some relief, call us. SOHMA is dedicated to helping you improve your life at the crossroads between the old practices and the new.