Health Soup Teaches You How To Self-Heal With Marma Therapy

We're all acutely aware of acupuncture. But did you know that before the Chinese began sticking needles at various pressure points, in the Indian subcontinent, people used therapeutic massages to heal many ailments? While the world is keenly aware of the practice of yoga, Ayurveda as an alternative form of medicine is also gaining traction. The healing realm of Ayurveda places utmost importance on marma points, which by definition are nothing but dots or junctions where two or more types of tissues meet, such as muscles, joints, ligaments, veins or bones. Linked to the seven chakras in our body, Ayurveda regards a total of 107 marma points from head to toe. It believes that touching a marma point can unfold radical changes in our internal biochemistry by unblocking the flow of vital energy called chi or prana, and thus promote good health. During a marma massage, these points are deliberately stroked and stimulated in a particular sequence to bring balance to the body, calm the doshas and free the body of any diseases. So what are the benefits of a marma massage? Let's review:

• If you're experiencing severe muscle pain, and recovery exercises don't seem to help, marma therapy will give you deep pain relief both locally and distally.
• Marma therapy is effective in clearing of toxins on all levels.
• One will experience improved digestion and absorption after a marma massage.
• Marma therapy is effective in improving the function of internal organs.
• If you're looking for an alternative means of dealing with skin-related problems, marma therapy helps give you healthier skin.
• It is helpful in balancing body temperature and doshas.
• Marma therapy also help you build strong immunity.
• This therapeutic practice releases neuro-chemicals such as serotonin, melatonin for improved cognitive function and gives you deeper sleep.
• It is said that marma therapy can bring about a change of perception. It allows people to relax and let go of things that trouble them, and serves as an effective way to relieve stress.

The fact remains, touching marma points stimulates the body's biochemistry to produce exactly what the body needs whether it's neurochemicals or healing hormones to help the body rebuild, and create harmony in the body, mind and consciousness. Perhaps the biggest, and most prominent outcome of a marma massage, is the fact that you're left energized and revitalized, almost instantaneously. On this episode of Health Soup, host Ereka Vetrini meets Ayurvedic Physician & Healer, Damien, to get first-hand experience of what marma therapy is all about. As Damien says, Ayurveda is all about understanding your particular uniqueness, and what metabolism you have, [and] once you understand that, you know how to work with nature. Needless to say, finding that much-needed balance in an otherwise crazy world can prove to be all the help you'd really need. Watch this video to know more.