The Touch of Life and Healing

By Dr. Mao Shing Ni Expert Blogger

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Did you know that orphaned babies stop growing and even die from the lack of touch and love? Similarly, researchers have long observed that unconscious patients who are regularly touched recover faster than those who do not receive touch. I can confirm this through my own personal experience of being in a coma for a month, after an accidental fall from the rooftop of our three-story house when I was a kid. The loving touch from my parents kept me alive and fighting for my life. So, touch literally saved my life.

Snuggle, cuddle, hug - it's good for you

Human touch is an essential part of our health and well-being. Throughout the ages, hands-on healing has been recognized as a powerful therapeutic technique. Human touch elicits elevated production of endorphins, growth hormone, and DHEA, all of which lengthen your life span. Touch also lowers levels of stress hormones which can shorten your life. If you want to improve the quality and length of your life, heart felt touch is the way to achieve this. Grandparents cuddling their grandchildren, friends hugging one another, and spouses snuggling up to each other all achieve this beneficial effect.

The stress of losing your sense of touch causes loss of tactile sense.

Touch is not only important for the receiver, it is equally important for the giver. So, what happens when you lose your sense of touch or suffer from neurological damage? How do you overcome or make up for that loss of tactile sense? The loss of normal tactile sense may appear as symptoms of numbness, tingling or burning pain. The first thing you will want to do is look at the medication or substances you are taking. Some types of medications can cause peripheral nerve damage such as chemotherapy drugs, hormonal blockers or drugs to treat Parkinson disease, while other seemingly benign substances like alcohol, nicotine and diuretics can also diminish tactile function. The next step is to go to your internist and rule out a more serious neurological disease or cancer. There are many conditions that may lead to a loss of tactile senses, ranging from diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, brain or spine cancer, to carpal tunnel syndrome, shingles and panic attacks.

Natural help to get you back in touch

Once you determine the cause of your condition, a plan of action is necessary to start healing your tactile functions. Begin by avoiding the medications and substances that cause or aggravate it. Obviously in some cases these medications are a necessary part of a treatment protocol and cannot be discontinued, but in other cases they can. Look to your diet for natural healing agents.

Foods that help nerve regeneration and reduce inflammation include:

papaya, pineapple, cherry, grape, blueberry, dried plums, avocado, Shiitake mushroom, asparagus, fish or flax seed oil, seaweed, and spices like cayenne pepper, turmeric and ginger.

Foods that aggravate numbness include:

alcohol, caffeine, sugar, deep fried fatty foods, red meat, dairy products, and icy-cold beverages and foods.

Supplements that are helpful for nerve regeneration efforts include: vitamin B1, lecithin, chromium picolinate, and vitamin E.

Gentle mind-body exercise

Mind-Body exercise, including Chi Gong and Tai Chi has been found to be beneficial for restoring normal neurological functions. Studies have confirmed Chi Gong and Tai Chi's physiological effects, which include measurable changes in EEG of the brain, EMG of nerve conduction, respiratory movement, heart rate, skin potential, skin temperature and finger tip volume, sympathetic nerve function, function in stomach and intestine, metabolism, endocrine and immunity systems. In a nutshell, these deep breathing, mind-calming meditative exercises are among the most powerful self-healing techniques that help you balance and restore your health naturally.

Acupuncture helps neuropathy

Over the years the doctors at Tao of Wellness have treated many patients with varying forms of neuropathy. Side effects from chemotherapy drugs, viral infections, post-surgical damage and diabetes are just a few conditions that can result in neuropathy and have been treated by our practitioners. The growing number of research studies focused on the treatment of neuropathy with acupuncture point to what we have already witnessed over the years in our clinic's acupuncture works incredibly well at treating neuropathy. Please refer to our website if you wish to read some of these studies.

The invisible touch that connects people

Tactile touch is one of the five senses, it is the sense that most gives us the feeling of being connected with others. That connectedness and sense of belonging, brings us joy and opens our hearts and minds. Just as we seek to create a healthy, positive, flowing environment in our bodies and our homes, building a human community with similar characteristics will benefit our lives. Being surrounded by family, friends, and associates who are loving, uplifting, and helpful to your well-being can add years to your life. If you seek health and longevity, surround yourself with people who are supportive and share positive values, and above all please remember to snuggle, cuddle and hug, it's good for you!

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.