Beauty goes beyond facials and massages. Our 2016 guide to wellness in the Bay Area will make you gorgeous on the inside with the best local Chinese medicine, juice cleanses, chiropractors, healthy foods, and yes, even colonics.
Ayurvedic Healthcare Consultations @ Dakini Ayurveda
Courtney LaCava gains a full perspective of our everyday lifestyle, body build, and social tendencies to decipher which of three Ayurvedic doshas (Nasya, Swedana, and Shirodhara) we fall under. Diet, water intake, sleep patterns, and other factors can be defined by your dosha, so feel free to use her wisdom to live more purposefully. Connect with all aspects of yourself and sit down with this wise maven. —Michaela D'Artois // Ayurvedic Healthcare Consultations (free) at Dakini Ayurveda, 1317 18th St. (Potrero Hill), dakini-ayurveda.com
Chiropractic Neurology @ Azzolino Chiropractic Neurology & Integrative Wellness
Forget what you think you know about chiropractics and open your mind to functional neurology, an integrated brain-body approach that combines rehabilitation and kinesiology to treat movement and balance disorders, nerve entrapment, visual and vestibular issues, and more. Dr. Sergio Azzolino specializes in children with developmental delays, athletes (including some Bay Area pros) looking to maximize performance and rehab injuries, and 7x7 editors suffering from acute iPhone neck. Associate Rachman Chung has also treated us for nystagmus, vertigo, and migraines. Yep, we're regulars. —Chloé Hennen // Chiropractic neurology at Azzolino Chiropractic, azzolino.com
Juice Cleanse @ Juice Shop
We’ll take our juice cleanse and drink it too, thank you very much. Juice Shop packs options for everyone, with sixteen tasty, nutrient-rich bottles of organic juice per day. We add supplemental vials of aloe and blue-green algae for the perfect cleanse that doesn’t leave us (too) hungry. —Brock Keeling // Juice Cleanse ($60/per day) at Juice Shop, multiple locations, juiceshop.com
Acupuncture @ Moss Acupuncture
In her spare but well-appointed office, Jennifer Moss uses acupuncture, herbal medicine, reiki, and cupping to address conditions from fertility to tennis elbow. Got brutal PMS? Trust us, Moss can handle it. A careful listener, she considers a patient’s entire medical history and lifestyle before determining the best approach. —Emily Holt // Moss Acupuncture, 415 Spruce St. (Presidio Heights), mossacupuncture.com
Chiropractics @ Life Chiropractic SF
Encamped in a sunny little office just off Hayes Street, Life Chiropractic is the place to go for wimps afraid of neck adjustments. Dr. Austin Davis has the manner of a friend you’ve known forever, an easy ability to articulate his knowledge in a way that humans can understand, and a gentle approach that leaves us euphoric. —C.H. // Chiropractic Session ($75) at Life Chiropractic SF, 644 Laguna St. (Hayes Valley), lifechirosf.com
One Hour in the Pod @ Reboot Float Spa
Get naked and weightless! Reboot Float Spa brings all the health benefits and self-exploration of yoga without the work—imagine an hour of floating savasana. State-of-the-art pods filled with water highly concentrated with Epson salts allow you to float for one hour in virtual weightlessness. Float to deep relaxation, pain relief, and better sleep. —Erica McGuire // One Hour in the Pod ($69 for newbies) at Reboot Float Spa, 1912 Lombard St. (Marina), rebootfloatspa.com
Exercise Rehabilitation @ Chiro-Medical Group
Because 17 or so minds are better than one, the Chiro-Medical Group brings to the table wizards of medicine, chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, nutrition, and athletic training. It’s a one-stop wellness shop for us busy worker bees who need to slow down for a second. // Exercise Rehabilitation (pricing varies) at Chiro-Medical Group, multiple locations, chiromedicalgroup.com
(We also love the Samovar Tea mug, custom designed by Jesse Jacobs and Oakland’s Atelier Dion, photo by Stephanie Shih)
Chai Tea @ Samovar Tea Lounge & Bar
Ditch the coffee shops and treat your body to a soothing cup of freshly brewed tea. Sit down to a full meal overlooking the Yerba Buena gardens, or stop by the recently opened Tea Bar in the Mission for a cup of chai tea on the go. —Sarah Hawthorne // Chai Tea ($14) at Samovar Tea Lounges & Bar, 411 Valencia St. (Mission), samovartea.com
Gluten-Free Quinoa Waffle @ Nourish Cafe
Nourish Café uses is 100 percent plant-based organic ingredients to create delicious, wholesome, and healthy foods including salads, wraps, sandwiches, toasts, acai bowls, smoothies, and juices. We order the gluten-free quinoa waffle topped with banana and maple syrup for the perfect Saturday morning treat (available for brunch on Saturday and Sunday only). —S.H. // Gluten-Free Quinoa Waffle ($9) at Nourish Cafe, 189 6th Ave. (Presidio Heights), nourishcafesf.com
Healing Activation Sessions @ Tanya Corona Ascension Alchemy
To clear our chakras, we sign up for healing crystal therapy at Tanya Corona Ascension Alchemy. During the 75- and 90-minute sessions, we relax on the massage table as the therapist creates grids of crystals around our head and feet. Allegedly, they are clearing the path to our true life purpose. And who doesn’t need that? // Healing Activation Sessions ($100-200) at Tanya Corona Ascension Alchemy, 1069 York St. (Mission), tanyacorona.com
Sommerang Candle @ SvenskCo
Melt along to the lush summer tide scent of SvenskCo candles. Made by hand, each candle is hand-poured and cultivated to expel only the finest of smells. For maximum use, light this candle after a long day at work and zone out with a glass of wine. —Anthony Rogers // Sommerang candle ($38) at SvenskCo, svenskco.com
Chiropractic @ FitWell Chiropractic Sports Medicine
Marathoners, mountain climbers, and the SF Giants trust Lisa Covey and her team to find the source of their mysterious aches and pains and to cure acute injuries and chronic nuisances. If you’re new to (or nervous about) chiropractic, the docs here will take the time to educate you. Fear not, relief is on the way. —Kristen Philipkoski // Chiropratic ($225 for first instance / $90 after) at FitWell Chiropractic Sports Medicine, 900 Noe St. (Castro), fitwell.com
Colonic with Julianne @ TMI Colonics
When Elvis Presley died, his colon reportedly weighed more than 60 pounds. Urban legend or not, it appears the King was in need of a royal flush. At TMI Colonics, hydrotherapists Marianne Graham and Julianne Bice relieve clogged-up clients with the Libbe “open” system, which involves relaxing in a reclining bed with a hole in the center (for you-know-what). Water is gently pulled by gravity into your nether region until you flush it out using those strong bathroom muscles. TMI? But, of course. —Leilani Marie Labong // Colonic with Julianne ($135) at TMI Colonics, 1487a Church St. (Noe Valley), tmicolonics.com
Avocado Toast and a Sunshake @ Native Juice Co.
If you want to find a 7x7 editor on a weekday morning, look for us in line at Native Juice Co., where we get our daily fix of smashed avocado toast and Sunshake smoothies. The toast, served on pain au levain with Maldon sea salt, lemon zest, micro greens, and chili flakes is the ultimate breakfast boost—we add hard-boiled egg for extra protein. The Sunshake, meanwhile, is our chocolatey, decadent afternoon snack: With sunflower butter, banana, natural cocoa powder, coconut milk, coconut water, it's practically guilt-free. Enjoy! —Sarah Medina // Avocado Toast ($8) and the Sunshake ($6) at Native Juice Co, 168 Sutter St. (FiDi), nativejuiceco.com
Dental Exam @ Studio Dental
Today, pretty much anything can be delivered on-demand, event a dentist. Studio Dental will bring their mobile dental studio to your office, home, or pretty much anywhere, for quick and efficient dental care. They offer cleanings, whitening, Invsalign, and even cosmetic dentristry, and accept most forms of insurance. Welcome to the 21st century. —A.R. // Dental Exam (price depends on insurance) at Studio Dental, multiple locations, studiodental.com
Organic Aloe & Arnica Massage Lotion @ Heliotrope
Did you know that one of the best ways to enhance the healing properties of aloe is to add arnica? That's exactly what Heliotrope did with their soothing deep tissue massage cream. Try it for an all-over massage or for spot treatment, and there’s no need to rinse after treatment, let your skin reminisce throughout the day. —S.M. // Organic Aloe & Arnica Massage Lotion ($21) at Heliotrope, heliotropesf.com
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