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Massage: The Real History Of ‘Manual Medicine’
Massage: The Real History Of ‘Manual Medicine’

Massage is much more than a simple relaxation or pampering experience. The history of massage is in fact as old as civilization itself and it is not to be thought of as anything less than a medicinal practice. Often referred to as ‘Manual Medicine’, massage is a complementary therapy whose wellbeing effects stretch far past that of physical relaxation. Massage can aid injuries and strain of all kinds and provide a support to emotional wellness too. As Hippocrates himself said, ‘the physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly in rubbing.’

 

Through thousands of year of massage, specific techniques have evolved in relation to the needs of different bodies and areas. Such developments take on various names and uses depending on its place of origin, or the practitioner who came up with it. We can safely say that massage has developed and proliferated with one wellness aim at its centre; promoting the body’s innate ability to self-heal. What we sometimes write off as ‘mere relaxation’ is actually a physical therapy of the highest order. Calming the sympathetic nervous system through massage is actually an essential part of recovering the ‘fight or flight’ reaction and restoring the whole system to balance.

 

Another way to phrase the wellness aim of massage is to say that its purpose is to remove restrictions in the body. All styles of massage work on the body’s connective tissues, meaning primarily the musculoskeletal system but not forgetting tendons, joints, ligaments, fascia and sometimes even organs. Lighter, relaxing forms of massage can do wonders for circulation and lymph drainage and ensure that the bodily system stays in full flow. Deeper styles of massage are able to loosen tight muscle or areas of repetitive strain and can break up tendon and ligament adhesions.

 

The ‘Manual Medicine’ we find in the various massage techniques of the world maintains a central place in the modern scientific mindset, and for good reason. Whether we approach medicine as a preventative or curative modality, it always makes sense to help your body function to its maximum capability. Massage is the number one natural aid to achieving this, in removing blocks from the body and helping it access its innate ability to heal itself.

Age Old Remedies

The Greek Secret: Live Long and Drink Coffee...
Do you want to live longer? Deep amongst the Aegean Sea sits the small, remote island known as Ikaria – a place where “people forget to die.” It almost sounds as legendary as Zeus turning into a shower of gold or Helios rampaging through the sky dragging the sun behind him. The truth may be even stranger than you may believe. It is noted in the National Geographic by Dan Buttener that Ikaria is one of five “blue zones” (the other four being the Japanese island of Okinawa, Loma Linda in California, Sardinia in Italy and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica) – because of the mystery of its inhabitants' longevity, happiness and overall health. So incredible are its people's health that it is reported that those aged over 90 are of the healthiest in the world. The secret? A daily dose of coffee. Not just any coffee, however. Mediterranean coffee has some of the most incredible and natural substances to date – and in the case of Ikaria, they have the cream of the crop. Boiled in a stove known by the Greek inhabitants as a briki, the finely ground beans are tipped back into a small cup and served with sugar, where it gently foams as the roast beans sink to the bottom. So what makes it so special? Premature death through heart attacks are uncommon in Ikaria. Research done by Athens Medical School suspect that it is down to the daily amounts of coffee that the Ikarians drink. Whilst the exact reasons are unclear, the unusually happy disposition and the lack of cancerous or cardiac issues are certainly linked to the caffeine and antioxidants within the coffee. By increasing the heart rate, it may be the equivalent of regular exercise, where the blood is pumped thoroughly and quickly throughout the body. Buttener noted that it was difficult to get through Ikaria “without walking up 20 hills,” which indeed may be connected to Ikarian longevity. On the other side of the scale however, afternoon naps are also part of Ikarian – and indeed Greek – culture. In a study in Havard School of Public Health in Boston, it was noted that those that took afternoon naps were 30% less likely to die of heart disease. Caffiene, healthy living or pure luck? Perhaps it is worth finding out …
How to Use Herbs to Prevent Yourself Getting ...
Did you know that herbal tea could help to protect you against getting the flu? You may think that this advice does not apply to you as you have had the flu vaccination and have no need for complementary medicine. This is not quite true: the flu shot only protects against certain strains of the flu, that is, the ones that the manufacturers of the vaccine believe will be most prevalent this year. In order to protect your wellness against this horrible virus, the best thing to do is to build up your immune system. This does not stop you from contracting the virus, but ensures that you are strong enough to fight off the virus without being too detrimental to your wellbeing. One of the best ways to achieve this is through a combination of herbal teas and meditation. Keeping mentally strong through de-stressing techniques, thinking positive thoughts, prayer and meditation for around 5 to 10 minutes per day can help to ward off the flu. As far as tea goes, whole-plant infusions are the best possible kind to keep your body hydrated and well nourished. These types of herbs are packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and free radicals. Infusions should be made as strong as possible by using up to an ounce of the herb (or herb blend) with every quart of water, and it should be allowed to steep for at least four hours, or overnight if at all possible. The herbs that are best for boosting up the immune system and fighting viruses are St. John’s wort (proper name Hypericum perforatum) and Echinacea. If you actually have the flu, the dosage that you take should be greatly increased as at that point the herb is having to work harder to fight off the virus. Soups can also be used to get herbs like astragalus root, eleuthero, dandelion and burdock root into your diet, which also have excellent immune-boosting properties.

Ayurveda

How Ayurveda can help treat allergies...
During the spring season, many people find that their body is more sensitive to pollen and other allergens. The body's natural defence against allergies is for the immune system to create an anti-inflammatory attack on the allergen - it does this as it believes the allergen to be harmful. The dust, pollen and even the smell of flowers can cause an attack. The antibodies produced by the body in response to these allergens can cause hypersensitivity, such as sniffling, sneezing and rashes on the skin. Most people notice these more in the spring and summer as this is when flowers come into bloom, making the problem worse. In Ayurveda allergies, the symptoms of allergies are rarely caused by the allergens. It's thought that how the immune system reacts to these allergens creates the allergic response, which is why the main factor for allergies is food which has not been digested properly, according to Ayurveda. This is known as Ama - Ama is a toxic substance which blocks channels of circulation, which blocks the body's main line of communication. In order to allow the body to respond without the defensive attack that it usually opts for. Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient form of healing originating from India, which has been practiced for more than 5000 years. It's used to help bring the body up to optimal health and wellbeing. This form of healing focuses on how we interact with the world, as well as our beliefs, perceptions and thoughts. Those who practice Ayurveda believe that our actions coincide with how we live in harmony with the world, ultimately helping us to create a more harmonious relationship with our body. You can help to reduce your allergies through using these techniques - Ayurveda tailors each scheme to each body, as everyone is unique and reacts to allergens differently.
Is Ayurveda As Good As Drugs For Knee Osteoar...
We often think that drugs and chemicals are the only treatment that should be considered for serious health problems, like those caused by knee osteoarthritis. We have relied on traditional scientifically-led medicines for a long time and they are those that are prescribed by doctors and medical professionals. But increasingly we are looking for alternative ways to deal with debilitating conditions. One of the most promising of these is Ayurveda, a traditional Indian approach. Now an Ayurvedic preparation has passed a test as an alternative to high-end drugs for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Perhaps even better news for supporters of Ayurveda is that it has shown few adverse effects, according to the study, which involved government-supported clinical trials across the country. The trials were held in 2006-07 and the findings have been published now in the British journal Rheumatology. The drugs that are commonly used to treat osteoarthritis in the knees are the high-end glucosamine sulphate and celecoxib. According to a number of experts, patients may deteriorate to end-stage arthritis and often require joint replacement surgery, which is very costly and not available for everyone. Osteoarthritis can also be treated with analgesics, which provide symptomatic, long-term pain relief but also expose patients to potentially serious toxins. For the first time ever this study saw scientists making a head-to-head comparison for traditional medicine and the Ayurveda method. They chose Ayurvedic formulations based on texts and expert opinion. They found that two shunthi-guduchi formulations, called SGC and SGCG, were equivalent to taking oral glucosamine sulphate and celecoxib in reducing knee pain and improving knee function in patients. This is very important as it shows that we no longer have to rely on medical science for treatments.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Researchers Warn Many Asians at Risk of Banne...
The wellbeing of those in Asia may be at risk due to a commonly used complementary wellness therapy. The herbal remedy has already been banned in the US and many European countries, but the plant birthwort may still be harming users in Asia. Since an epidemic of kidney disease among Belgium women was detected in the 1990s, and herbal medicines from a weight loss clinic were found to be the culprit, scientists have monitored the remedy for other potential health risks. The kidney problems were traced back to aristolochic acid (AA), found in the group of plants called birthwort or Dutchman’s pipe. Many people used these plants to improve their wellness, in terms of asthma or arthritis treatment or as a weight loss device, but AA herbs have since been banned for medical use in many countries. However, researchers at King’s College London now report in the Annals of Internal Medicine that millions of people are still being exposed to herbs with aristolochic acid, especially in Asia. Led by Graham Lord, the director of the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London, the investigators found that the herbal medicines can still be purchased online, as well as being found in China and other Asian countries. According to Lord, ‘The reason we wrote this paper is to provide a diagnostic classification for aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) [the type of kidney failure associated with the agent]. For countries that haven’t asked the question of whether this is present, here is diagnostic criteria. We just don’t know what the levels of exposure are throughout the world.’ Lord’s team has developed guidelines to help doctors to recognize cases of AAN, as well as treat the disease’s symptoms, after reviewing 42 case studies and one trial related to caring for the disease. The study authors wrote, ‘We see an urgent need for research addressing many key areas, including determining the true worldwide extent of exposure; defining genetic variants that might confer increased sensitivity or resistance to the nephrotoxic effects of AA; testing the accuracy and utility of diagnostic criteria and optimum screening strategies, including the use of noninvasive biomarkers; and developing therapeutic agents that can reverse or delay progression of the disease.’
Could Traditional Chinese Medicine Improve Yo...
Complementary medicine may prove vital in diabetic wellness. This is according to a new study from Chinese and Australian researchers, who have found that a traditional Chinese pill could be a key weapon in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Led by The University of Queensland’s Dr Sanjoy Paul in Australia and Peking University’s Professor Lilong Ji in China, the researchers found that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) significantly improved the efficacy of conventional diabetes drugs, substantially improving type 2 diabetes patients’ wellbeing. This study was the largest, scientifically-designed clinical trial to ever evaluate the safety and efficacy of TCM on glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. 800 type 2 diabetic adults participated in the study, which compared anti-diabetic drug glibenclamide as a stand-alone treatment with the same treatment of glibenclamide in conjunction with the Xiaoke Pill – a compound of Chinese herbs. The Xiaoke Pill roughly translates to ‘wasting-thirst,’ which is a common description of diabetes in TCM. The pill contains 0.25 micrograms of glibenclamide, as well as Radix puerariae, Radix rehmanniae, Radix astragali, Radix trichosanthis, Stylus zeae maydis, Fructus schisandrae sphenantherae, and Rhizoma dioscoreae. Chinese medical journals have already published studies which show how the Xiaoke pill provides significant improvements in diabetes symptoms, but this new study, entitled Efficacy and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Diabetes: A Double-Blind, Randomised, Controlled Trial, is the first - as the title suggests – to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xiaoke Pill with randomized, double blind, and placebo-controlled research. After 48 weeks of treatment, the results of the study revealed that the patients who were given the Xiaoke Pill had a significant reduction in risk of hypoglycaemia, also known as dangerously low levels of blood sugar, compared with glibenclamide-only treatment. Those in the TCM group were also less likely to experience other symptoms of diabetes, such as fatigue, hunger, and palpitation. According to Dr Paul, Director of the Queensland Clinical Trials and Biostatistics Centre at the UQ School of Population Health, ‘TCM has long been used to treat diabetes in China and around the world but until now there has been a lack of evidence regarding its safety and efficacy. This absence of scientific understanding has caused scepticism and criticism about TCM.’

Complementary Wellness