Body and Being
NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTH AND BODY CARE
Monthly articles are supplied by guest writers who explore natural solutions to health and well-being issues.
The healing power of touch
by Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D.
(February 2006) — Human beings need to touch and be touched. A great deal of animal and human research shows that individuals deprived of physical contact are insecure, poorly adjusted and more prone to illness.
Fortunately, our rising acceptance of “alternative” health care has brought a surge of interest in healing touch, making therapeutic massage the second most popular alternative modality in this country.
Massage therapy encompasses a wide range of therapeutic approaches, all of which use hands-on manipulation of muscles and soft tissues. Once perceived as little more than a luxurious form of relaxation, massage therapy has emerged as a powerful means of treating not only stress-related ailments, such as insomnia, headaches and irritable bowel syndrome, but also countless health conditions ranging from sciatica to sinusitis, from dermatitis to diabetes and depression.
How can the simple act of touch promote so many health benefits? For one thing, the skin is the body’s largest organ, containing more than five million touch receptors that send messages to the brain.
Research shows that the rhythmic pressure of massage lowers your heart rate and blood pressure while it improves blood circulation, ferrying oxygen and other nutrients to the cells and removing waste products (such as lactic acid) from the muscles. It also promotes the flow of lymphatic fluid (enhancing immune function), lowers levels of stress hormones, and boosts production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers.
While the health effects of massage therapy have been studied scientifically for more than 120 years, a surge in research over the last two decades has resulted in more than 100 published studies, many of them conducted by the University of Miami School of Medicine’s Touch Research Institute. Among the findings:
Preterm newborns: A groundbreaking study of 40 preterm infants found that those given a gentle, 15-minute massage three times a day for several days gained 47 percent more weight, became more responsive and left the hospital six days earlier than controls (Pediatrics, May 1986).
HIV and immunity: A controlled study of 20 HIV-positive men who received a 45-minute massage five times weekly for a month showed that natural killer cells increased (suggesting positive effects on the immune system), and that anxiety, stress, and cortisol levels were significantly reduced (International Journal of Neuroscience, February 1996).
Asthma: Thirty-two children with asthma received either massage or relaxation therapy from their parents for 20 minutes before bedtime for 30 days. Only the massage group experienced increased peak air flow, improved pulmonary function, and decreased levels of stress hormones. What’s more, levels of anxiety decreased in the parents as well (Journal of Pediatrics, May 1998).
This information is intended for educational purposes only. It is not provided in order to diagnose, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease, illness or injury. Those individuals suffering from any disease, illness or injury should consult with their healthcare provider.
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