Originally published June 26 2005
Therapist says touch is vital for human development
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Manila Times recently interviewed Wisconsin family therapist Dr. Virginia Satir, who said humans need four hugs a day to survive, eight for maintenance and 12 for growth, according to scientific studies which show that stimulation by touch relieves pain, depression and anxiety.
Touch therapy has been practiced for centuries in ancient civilizations, while modern medical practitioners have begun to implement the program in the hospitals and other health institutions.
The most popular form of touch therapy is the massage.
Our loved ones at home can provide us the healing power of touch.
After next month, a campaign to spread new information about touch therapy will be spearheaded by Dr. Louisa Unson Peralta, chief of the Pediatric Critical Care Medicine section at the University of Santo Tomas.
Dr. Peralta is armed with more than 30 years of experience in pediatrics and touch therapy.
In an interview with 'Life & Times,' she indicated that, while touch therapy should begin as early as infancy, 80 percent of babies who are born outside the hospitals do not benefit from the simple practice.
For parents, fathers who gave massages to their babies exhibited better self-esteem as a result of being more involved in the care of the children.
Dr. Peralta added that because a baby's skin is very sensitive to friction, the best agent for a smooth, frictionless massage is baby oil.
� Gently rub your hands six times on the following areas for about one minute in each area: from the top of the head to the neck; from the to neck then across the shoulders; from the upper back to the waist; from the thigh to the foot and back to the thigh for each leg; and from the shoulder to the hand and back to the shoulder, on either arm.
� Finally, exercise each leg in the same way, followed by leg movements as if the baby were pedaling a tiny bicycle for five minutes.
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