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The New Year is upon us already—another year to savor and enjoy the many wondrous wines of the world. But then again, why travel out of state? I am encouraging my readers to support the wines of California, especially after the terrible fires that ripped through wine country in both Northern and Southern California last year. The state needs your support and the wines are so good, you need not look anywhere else.
Remember what Dorothy said in “The Wizard of Oz”? “If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any farther than my own backyard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.” California grows some of the best international grapes in the world. Some of the world’s finest winemakers live right here in The Golden State. If you can’t find a wine you love here, chances are, you won’t find it anywhere. Why not make this the year of the California wine?

From north to south, east and west, there are so many notable wine regions, you could taste new California wines every week and not run out of options for years to come. Many regions you may already be familiar with and many may be new to you. Most Californians are already fans of the incredible wines of Napa and Sonoma. Napa has been winning international wine competitions since the 1970s. Neighboring Mendocino is also celebrated for cool climate wines, including many exquisite sparkling wines.

The Livermore Valley is making a strong name for itself with its wonderful Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots. Paso Robles on the Central Coast has fairly exploded with wine production in the past few years and has become a real wine-lovers’ destination.
Santa Cruz was put on the map by creative genius of Randall Grahm and “The Rhone Rangers.” Their cutting-edge Rhone Valley-style wines are simply sublime and sought out by those in the know. Some say the wines of The Sierra Foothills are the real treasures of Gold Country and places like Temecula and Lodi are working hard to make a name for themselves. 

You may already be a fan of the world-class wines crafted in Santa Barbara, and if you’re not, you may want to ask yourself, why? Most wine producers in Santa Barbara are small, family-owned businesses. Santa Barbara has so much to offer in terms of history and culture, great restaurants and beautiful beaches, that people tend to forget that Santa Barbara is, in fact, a wine producing area.
Santa Barbara is known primarily for delicious pinot noir and chardonnay. However, due to the favorable climate and vine-friendly topography, producers are able to successfully grow many other varieties as well, including syrah and sauvignon blanc.

Santa Barbara ranked fourth in the state in terms of name recognition of wine producing areas, after Napa, Sonoma and Paso Robles. It is predicted that in the next ten years, Santa Barbara’s ranking may rise to the top of that list. There is already a strong trend of Napa winemakers coming down to Santa Barbara to produce wines. Santa Barbara is fresh and exciting and the wine world is taking note of the quality wines emerging from the region.

Wine production in California is an exciting journey for both producers and consumers and it just keeps getting better. Nevertheless, California took a real beating in the wild fires of 2017. We need to rally together to help our winemaking neighbors recover from the terrible losses they suffered. This year, when you raise a glass to health and good fortune, be sure the wine you are pouring hails from our Great State.

Cheers!

Do you wear a foundation? Are you correctly protecting your skin from the Sun’s damaging effects on the skin? Dermatologist are now recommending all women wear foundations instead of sunscreens. Researchers have found that sunscreen protects the surface of the skin, but does not give protection to the layers underneath the skin, so you cannot get the level of protection needed. The fact is, with only sunscreen, the delicate collagen under the skin is still damaged. Wearing a good foundation gives the skin a maximum blanket of protection against the Sun’s damaging effects.

Swap Your Foundation for a Custom Blended Foundation
Having a custom foundation made is the best way to go for color matching your skin, with perfect skin tone harmony and ideal, medium coverage. While matching your skin tone perfectly you will achieve confidence and self-assurance with an unmistakable, perfectly matched custom blend, that will smooth the skin and give it a youthful glow, all without lines around the chin or that “dirty face” syndrome. Make your new year so much better by knowing you have the most beautiful skin possible—perfectly matched and protected.

What A Custom Foundation Can Do for You
Fleur Visage Custom Foundations provide second skin coverage stability with a seamless flex formula, providing the skin with a perfectly balanced color made to match each and everyone’s unique skin tone and color. This all-in-one formula provides medium coverage, giving the skin that youthful, flawless and naturally-smooth appearance. Perfect for all skin types, this unique formula contains beneficial antioxidant ingredients with a SPF 25 sunscreen to protect and deflect the Sun’s damaging effects on the skin.

Dermatologist recommended
Dermatologist have discovered that applying a foundation everyday with SPF 25 not only protects the skin, it minimizes wrinkles, reduces sagging skin, and reduces damage from the Sun. With a shield of protection it’s like wearing a sweatshirt on the skin when using the correct foundation. While dermatologists recommend using a foundation everyday for complete protection, what better way to have a foundation that is perfectly matched and color-balanced to your own unique skin tone color.

The Rouge Cosmetics offers expertly and perfectly created, custom-blended foundations with second skin coverage and full protection SPF 25. They offer free consultations and walk-ins are always welcome.

Get protected for the New Year and save your fabulous skin!

If you are suffering from a pinched nerve or herniated disc, you know how debilitating it is and how the pain slowly leaks the vitality from your life. Since1999 when Align Healing Center opened its doors, we have been specialists in treating pain naturally; whether it’s back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain or any other pain, we have been there to awaken the healing potential in the body and relieve the pain. That said, we are always in search of miraculous new ways to relieve pain without the use of drugs, invasive procedures and certainly without inducing more pain! If you or someone you care about suffers from a pinched nerve or disc-related pain, it is worthwhile to explore the exceptional, non-invasive, natural therapies that are available today.

Can I heal my pain without drugs or surgery? Yes, here’s how:

1. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy
Non-surgical spinal decompression is a state-of-the-art treatment that has been helping thousands of patients with chronic neck or low back pain, sciatica, and herniated, bulging or degenerated discs. This is an entirely different treatment from traditional chiropractic adjustments. Many of the patients who are candidates for this procedure have already tried chiropractic, physical therapy, injections, and/or were told they would need surgery.

This breakthrough treatment works by gently separating the vertebra which decompresses the disc, thus causing the bulging material to be drawn back into the disc. It does this by reversing the internal disc pressure, thus creating a vacuum effect. According to the Journal of Neurosurgery (vol. 81, 1994), decompression was found to substantially reduce the pressure inside the disc, therefore allowing water and nutrients to be absorbed and initiate the healing process within the disc itself. Non-surgical spinal decompression is very effective, has a high success rate, and can be utilized for both neck and low-back disc injuries.

2. Class IV Laser Therapy
Laser treatments at Align Healing Center are done with the K-laser Cube Class IV Laser. Class IV Laser therapy gets to the root of the injury and treats it at the cellular level, providing energy to the cells so they can heal. This laser does not cut or burn but is gently absorbed by the tissue. During each painless treatment, laser energy increases circulation, drawing water, oxygen and nutrients to the damaged area. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness and pain. As the injured area returns to normal, function is restored and pain is relieved.

There is hope!

We have found that a combination of Class IV laser therapy and spinal decompression offers outstanding results in healing stubborn pain due to a pinched nerve, bulging disc or spinal degeneration.
As a general rule, most patients experience significant changes in symptoms within one to three sessions. Occasionally, a more advanced degenerative condition or multiple level herniated discs may take 8-10 sessions before realizing a major decline in symptoms. Relief response varies according to age, body morphology and the degree of severity.

This unique combination of non-invasive therapy offers a chance for realizing a permanent cure for back or neck pain. This eliminates the long-term care commitment forced upon patients by other symptomatic back pain treatments, such as drugs, injections or surgery. With proper care and rehabilitation of your spine you can be back to your healthy self quickly!

For more information about Dr. Niele Maimone, DC or to set up a complimentary consult call 925.362.8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com

In fact, any sounds coming from the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are warnings that something is wrong. Popping, clicking or sandy sounds when you chew or move your mouth indicate that the discs are not functioning correctly as the joints move. A sandy or gravely sound may indicate that there is bone on bone contact due to a displaced disc, a worn-down disc, or a hole in the disc. Long term disc dysfunction often leads to permanent degenerative changes to the joints, causing painful arthritis, limiting the ability to talk or eat.

It is amazing to me when I hear a patient say that the pain and clicking has been there for years, but “lately it started to hurt more.” Or, “I have been hearing the sounds off and on over the years, but the other day I was yawning and my jaw got stuck and now my back teeth don’t fit together the same.” These are issues that should have been addressed immediately. It’s even worse when the jaw gets stuck and a trip to the emergency room is necessary to put the jaw back into the correct position.

Ideally, the discs should always travel with the condylar heads and reside within well lubricated capsules. They are drawn forward by a muscle and retract back using elastic ligaments. Opening too widely such as when yawning, singing, eating a fat sandwich or due to traumatic force can over-stretch or even tear the elastic ligament and/or the muscle attachment. One of my patients had trauma caused by a snowball to the side of the face.

Treating soon after the start of the problem, in most cases, is quite simple and successful. Letting it go on for months or years can lead to months or years of treatment and possible surgery, not to mention the intense pain of a locked jaw or severely limited ability to open the mouth enough to eat. Catching it early can help the discs relocate and hopefully avoid permanent remodeling to the joints from long term dysfunction. Just like any other disease, neglect can result in a compromised prognosis requiring a much more complex treatment and an inability to solve the problem completely.

In my practice I have developed a custom fitting orthotic device that “unloads” the joints, often allowing the discs to relocate, heal and once again function normally. It is made here in office, not sent out to a lab. Due to the greatly increased force experienced during clenching or grinding your teeth while asleep, such a device can bring immediate relief from what can be severe pain. Needless to say, if the patient had come in when the first symptoms started, so much could have been avoided.

At AODTC (Advanced Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Center) we pride ourselves on the avoidance of medication use. For years it has been well established in alternative medicine that dietary changes can arrest arthritis and certain supplements can outperform many currently popular pain remedies without the harmful side effects.

Many of our patients are not only helped with their jaw problems, but leave with a much more healthy life.
If I were like most men of my age, I would have retired years ago, but the joy of bringing health and happiness back to my patients keeps me working.

For more information about AODTC please visit: www.aodtc.com.

The day after I received my license to practice chiropractic, a frantic mother came to see me. Her 1 ½ year old son was unable to stand, balance, or walk on his own. He could crawl and he could pull himself up, but he could not walk.

This mom had spent the past month or two taking him to every medical doctor, physical therapist, and specialist that she could imagine—no one seemed to have the answers. Finally, one of the specialists requested to have a Needle EMG test done to test the nerve conductivity to his legs. The doctors had concluded that most likely this boy was not getting strong enough nerve flow to his legs and they may have a much more serious condition to work with.

Panicked, this mother knew in her heart that nothing was wrong with her son and that there had to be a better option than shoving needles in her son’s legs in order to test his nerve functionality. That’s when this mom ended up on my doorstep. Desperate for help, she was willing to try anything in order to help her son walk for the first time.

I did an orthopedic, neurologic, and chiropractic physical exam on the young boy. I found that there was one part of his sacrum (tailbone) that was rotated out of alignment and choking off the motor portion of the nerves that ran down his legs. This was most likely the cause of the decreased strength and stability in his lower extremities.

After the exam, I explained my findings to his mom. I told her that I could re-align his sacrum and take pressure off his nerves, however, I couldn’t promise her that he would walk as a result of my treatment. But I certainly was hopeful!

The mom willingly gave me consent to adjust her son. I used very gentle pressure using only my fingertips and very precisely re-aligned his spine. I sent them home and told his mom to let him rest for the remainder of the day and I gave them instructions to come back and see me in three days.

Two days after that first visit, I opened an email from that mom. She had attached a video of him walking for the first time! Fast forward seven and a half years and that little boy is happy and healthy and has not had one issue with walking or the nerves in his legs ever since.

I often get asked why babies and kids need to see a chiropractor. Kids don’t necessarily have pain when their spine or joints are misaligned. Quite often they manifest as “developmental issues” instead. This mom saved so much time, money, and pain for her son by having me check him to see if there were any other options.

If your child is struggling with developmental issues including (but not limited to) difficulties with rolling over, cross crawling, walking, standing, balancing, and talking, your child might be a candidate for chiropractic care. The best way to know if your baby is a candidate for my care is to schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation. This way we can sit down, discuss your child’s specific symptoms and I can help determine which treatment option will be most beneficial. If you feel like you’ve tried everything, please do not give up hope. I welcome you to contact me to explore a gentle, natural alternative treatment option with proven results.

Dr. Kristin Moore, DC is a prenatal and pediatric chiropractor at Align Healing Center in Danville, CA. She offers a complimentary 15-minute consultation to the readers of ALIVE magazine. Call Dr. Kristin at (925) 362-8283 to schedule your appointment.