Health & Fitness in Mountain View

When he returned from Vietnam as a US Army Ranger in 1969, Doctor of Chiropractic Watson brought back a souvenir that would change his life: a severely injured back. Disillusioned with the impersonal approach of his medical team, he refused surgery, even though his pain persisted. Finally, a friend recommended chiropractic care, which not only relieved Dr. Watson's discomfort but also inspired him to become a chiropractor himself. His commitment to the surgery-free, holistic discipline was redoubled years later, when his 12-year-old daughter was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis. Dr. Watson devoted his days and nights to scoliosis research, and his office became a certified scoliosis treatment center.

Today, Dr. Watson alchemizes his own health successes into a chiropractic practice that helps others lead lives free of pain and anvil-stuffed backpacks. Aside from treating aches with rehabilitation and chiropractic machines, he renders sleeker figures with nutrition counseling and Zerona treatments.

It seems Dr. Shahin Fazilat has had a hard time scratching his itch for education. The board-certified plastic surgeon first bolstered his medical degree from Howard University School of Medicine by completing general surgery training at The Washington Hospital Center. Then came his fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, followed by a yearlong cosmetic surgery apprenticeship, and finally another fellowship in hand and microsurgery at Stanford University. All this schooling and training serves him well at his practice, where he performs all of the surgical and nonsurgical procedures himself instead of entrusting them to a guy in a New Jersey Devils jersey who insists he can totally do surgery. To list a few of his duties, he doles out Botox injections and Vi Peel chemical peels, conducts liposuction treatments, and performs breast lift and reduction procedures that make as few incisions as possible.

After fulfilling his dream of becoming a Doctor of Medicine at Stanford University's School of Medicine in 2002, Duke T. Khuu, MD, F.A.A.D. dreamed again. This time, he would establish his own institution: a haven for patients to relish in his seemingly infinite dermatological knowledge. This dream, like all of Dr. Khuu's dreams, also came true. Today, Khuu Dermatology is a veritable haven for anyone suffering from dermal anomalies, including wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and unsightly veins. The board-certified dermatologist—alongside his team of registered nurses—immaculately execute a full repertoire of medical and cosmetic skincare procedures, from microdermabrasion facials to cancer screenings. Dr. Khuu also takes care to keep patients fully informed on treatment options, so each patient can achieve their time-reversing skin goals. In his spare time, Dr. Khuu likes to go figure skating.

At Stepz, professional Bollywood dance instructors imbue students of all ages with dance moves inspired by Eastern India. They foster an environment of support and encouragement as dancers soak up fundamental foot positions and learn to express themselves through fluid movements and flowing hand gestures. Students looking to shed excess pounds can speed up routines in one-hour aerobics classes, which lead groups though rigorous dance routines specifically designed to tone muscle.

Foster City Athletic Club’s 15,000-square-foot fitness emporium houses a stable of health-enhancing amenities to facilitate regular workouts and hasten patrons’ progress toward holistic health. Dedicated personal trainers help patrons turn dormant sweat glands into perspiration and molten Frito geysers with two individually tailored, 45-minute workout regimens. Additionally, a customized health assessment nudges customers toward fitness excellence, enabling them to identify shortcomings and then vanquish them with prescribed exercises and a custom nutrition program. During membership intervals, fitness fiends can sculpt muscles inside the cycling studio or don a pair of goggles for an afternoon of racquetball. Afterward, a steam room or jacuzzi soothes muscles and ornery backhands. For more populous sweat-pouring sessions, a bevy of group fitness programs streamlines paths to presidential physical fitness awards, and the studio’s full-size basketball court provides an apropos arena to hone jump shots or net-cutting skills.

Co-founder Gillian Clark's been teaching since 1987 and is certified as both an instructor and personal trainer through ACE, AFAA, and Cal State Hayward. After developing the Yoga Booty Ballet at Crunch, Clark and partner Teigh McDonough (a trained instructor, trainer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and movement director for more than 20 years) created the boutique body-shop Swerve.