A Month Trip of Healing – Turkey, Philippines and Cambodia

After Thanksgiving, we immediately left for our month-long trip. Christmas break was coming up, and we decided to take advantage of the holiday break. During our trip, we experienced profound meanings of healing, the sense of touch, and how emotions affect overall wellness. Combining Western and Eastern massage modalities can be beneficial in addressing some common health issues, such as pain management, inflammation, and others.  

Although Western and Eastern medicine are from both different spectrums, there is a striking commonality in how energy overlaps in the healing world. The principle of energy integrates Eastern and Western medicine in many ways. There are no right or wrong techniques in combining different massage modalities because all methods have a place in healing. 

Eastern medicine generally focuses on energy, intending to create a healthy Chi-blood flow in the mind. It is all about energy– yin and yang; from the body, energy fields, such as understanding the meridian lines and using acupressure points, can be beneficial in some way for the form to contribute to healing.  

Nutrition plays a significant role in healing. Highly energetic yang foods that are fresh and organic contain lots of vitamins and minerals; a healthy diet gives yang energy to the body, which optimizes the body and creates an ideal homeostasis.

MATTERS OF THE HEART. While we were in Istanbul, we gave a myofascial massage to a remarkable woman. We will call her Teyze, meaning auntie. She is 54 years old of age and went through heart surgery seven months ago. Her doctor diagnosed her with inflammation in her upper back a year ago, and then she was diagnosed with a heart condition. We conducted a thorough health assessment, and her doctor cleared her to receive a massage with light pressure.  

Blood pressure is significant during a massage because it moves fluid around your body, affecting the heart and circulatory system.  

If a patient has a heart device, the therapist should avoid the area where the device is inserted. Also, if patients take anticoagulant medication (blood thinners, such as warfarin or apixaban), they tend to bruise easily, so only gentle pressure. The benefits of massage include reducing blood pressure and improving sleep.

DETOX & EXCRETORY SYSTEM- An 87-year-old patient from the Philippines has complications from Diabetes, Heart Condition, Stage 3 Kidney Damage, and Chronic Gout Flares lymphedema in both lower extremities. Through the advisement of his doctors, no herbal medicine with a new slate of prescriptions includes medication for blood pressure, heart, and hemoglobin shots. MLD, Castor Oil Packs, Reflexology, and use of essential oils to address inflammation and detoxification. Nutrition and rest were keys to his recovery. Castor oil with Cayenne Pepper was also used to increase blood circulation.

ATHLETIC INJURY- A 26-year-old male from the Philippines, an outdoor biker who plays basketball and maintains a very active lifestyle, got injured almost ten months ago. He had a total knee reconstruction/implant due to a complete tear of the quadricep tendon, MCL, and ACL. He has been undergoing physical therapy for six months; however, his range of motion is still at 75%. There is tightness in the iliotibial band hamstrings, quad, and tibialis posterior. 

THE QUADRICEPS

Four quadricep muscles attach at the base of the femur, just above the knee joint:

1. The Rectus Femoris
2. The Vastus Lateralis
3. The Vastus Medialis
4. The Vastus Intermedius

THE HAMSTRINGS

On the posterior side, there are three hamstring muscles:

1. The Biceps Femoris
2. The Semimembranosus
3. The Semitendinosus

Myofascial release and modern cupping addressed the tightness of the muscles and released a build-up of scar tissue around the surgical areas of the knees.

POSTPARTUM/POST NATAL – The postpartum period can last six to eight weeks after the baby’s delivery, depending on when the mother’s body adjusts to its pre-pregnant state. A 28-year-old mother in the Philippines gave birth to a baby boy but had to stay longer in the hospital to take care of her newborn baby, who had an infection in the blood called Sepsis. It is a severe medical condition, and it is considered a medical emergency and life-threatening. The new mother went through a very stressful period for almost two weeks. Shirodhara, myofascial release, and cupping were applied to release stress and address her upper and lower back muscle tightness from carrying her baby. 

FLUID RETENTION: A 62-year-old woman with fluid retention needed a manual lymphatic drainage massage. Surprisingly, her body responded to MLD well.