Simi Valley Health and Fitness

After 16 years as a registered nurse, Sharon Dollase decided to make a change. She enjoyed helping patients but found herself restricted by traditional treatments, which too often treated the symptoms rather than their underlying causes. She yearned to help her patients to find natural, lasting solutions to common health problems and so enrolled in a nearby chiropractic college, where she completed her doctor of chiropractic degree and necessary licensing exams in 1997.

As the medical director of Conejo Valley Chiropractic & Wellness, Dr. Dollase works closely with patients to develop personalized treatments that blend adjustments, massages, and other restorative therapies, such as chiropractic adjustments—which benefit the muscular system, nervous system, and spine.

Founder of Limitless Health Chiropractic Dr. Tom Hibbard helps to prevent chronic disease by doling out holistic chiropractic services along with advice on evidence-based nutrition and simple lifestyle changes. After receiving his doctorate from Southern California University of Health Sciences, he studied chiropractic biophysics to better understand how spines move when dropped into a wormhole. When he isn't correcting postures and proffering nutritional supplements, Dr. Hibbard practices physiotherapy and myofascial-release techniques.

Ophthalmologic accomplishments and accolades abound on Dr. Paul Nazemi's CV. During his journey to become a board-certified fellow of the American Board of Ophthalmology, he studied at USC's Doheny Eye Institute and by the side of a world-renowned oculoplastic surgeon. He's presented lectures, published articles, and researched faster ways to diagnose eye diseases, such as 3D testing and running everywhere. In addition to performing eyelid lifts, treating conditions such as cataracts, dry eyes, and eye injuries, and detecting and managing glaucoma at Thousand Oaks Eye Center, he's also a clinical instructor in the USC Department of Ophthalmology.

Drawing from diverse yet complementary backgrounds in fitness, ten coaches heal, motivate, and strengthen trainees during small group classes at The Pilates Studio Fitness & Wellness Center. Coaches act as the in-house certified nutritionist and lead guests through Pilates-yoga fusion sessions. Their classes are capped at about 10 students, allowing them the luxury of lavishing students with the attention they need to hone their form, posture, and guttural grunting technique. Fitness classes range from the body-strengthening Pilates group classes to the cardio-heavy Zumba to TRX, which helps patrons enhance their flexibility, balance, and core strength.

Guests can further change their lifestyles with the aid of Colleen's nutrition counseling, and pamper themselves with aesthetic services such as waxing and skincare at the hands of aesthetician Maryam. To augment washboard abs or differentiate themselves from sentient snowmen, patrons can bronze up with a custom airbrush tan.

Although there aren't brain surgeons roaming around their rugged, warehouse-like space, CrossFit Synapse's owners delved into neuroscience when developing their gym's philosophy and name. More specifically, they drew inspiration from the section in the brain where electrical impulses guide the mind and body through their routines. The gym's staff of certified trainers strives to emulate these connections with an ever-rotating array of functional exercises, helping guests fortify both their body and their mind. During CrossFit Awesome classes, the intense, yet fun-loving team crafts challenging workouts, drawing from their repertoire of weightlifting moves, gymnastic techniques, and cardio drills. Although they design their sessions to push each student beyond their limits, they can scale the intensity of kettlebell swings and pull-ups to accommodate any fitness level. In addition to their signature course, they also offer personal-training sessions, yoga, and children's classes that aim to build the foundations for a healthy lifestyle and potential career in Olympic hopscotching at an early age.

At Optimum Health Chiropractic, Doctor of Chiropractic Michelle Santoro and her team of staff members view health through a holistic lens. Most sessions with the doctor begin with a debriefing of health history and a neurological and orthopedic exam. From there, Dr. Santoro may treat pain with a chiropractic adjustment via the hands-on “cracking” technique or with a more technological method using infrared lasers or magic. In addition, resident acupuncturist Dr. Tong uses hair-thin needles to open energy channels and relieve a range of symptoms, incorporating cupping and massage as he goes. Clinic staffers also prescribe specific herbal supplements to help heal from the inside out, and will even walk patients through diet and nutrition specifics in pursuit of weight loss or overall wellness.

Aside from boosting wellness, Optimum Health Chiropractic also stimulates relaxation with six types of massage—from Swedish to hot stone—and detoxifying footbaths. They swaddle clients in slimming creams to tighten skin, and use chocolate-scented body scrubs to smooth dry patches and attract feral sundaes during ice-cream-hunting season. They even maintain a menu of traditional spa services, including waxing, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and facials augmented by optional pumpkin peels.