Touch for Health - What is it and how can it help me?

Touch for Health is one of the fastest growing wellness systems available today. It is a remarkable synthesis of ancient Chinese and Western discoveries, and is popular with people looking for a holistic, prevention-orientated approach that allows the body to heal or balance itself.

 

Beginning in 1964, Dr George Goodheart, a chiropractor from Detroit, Michigan in the United States, recognized that many chiropractic adjustments were not effective because they did nothing to relieve muscles that were in spasm. He made the brilliant observation that when a muscle is in spasm - and that is the reason for much pain in the body – it is because the opposing muscle is too weak. He then began searching for ways to bring weak muscles back into balance. He found that massaging osteopathic reflex points discovered by Dr Frank Chapman helped. Another method was to lightly hold reflex points discovered by another chiropractor, Dr Terrence Bennett. Tracing acupuncture meridians also helped. Gradually he developed a system for balancing the muscles of the body to realign its structure. This system developed into Applied Kinesiology but it can only be used by physicians with a licence to diagnose – mainly chiropractors but also medical doctors, psychiatrists, etc.

 

A Californian chiropractor, Dr John Thie recognized that much of this material could be safely taught to lay people and health professionals who did not have a licence to diagnose. He kept telling Dr Goodheart that he needed to write a book simplifying the AK material and making it available to lay people. Goodheart kept insisting that if John wanted a book for lay people, he needed to write it himself. By 1973, Dr Thie and colleagues put together the Touch for Health manual and began teaching lay people a system of balancing the body’s muscles and meridian energy pathways by massaging or holding specific reflexes, tracing meridians, working with nutrients, sound, colour and emotions, etc.

 

Touch for Health is now used by many licensed health professionals such as massage therapists, chiropractors, physiotherapists, medical doctors, acupuncturists, also athletic trainers, teachers, parents, other lay people and even horse trainers. Touch for Health has been taught in more than 62 countries and millions of people have benefitted.

 

Touch for Health’s popularity is due to its simplicity, its effectiveness, and its fast yet profound results to:

  • Reduce or eliminate pains – headaches, stomach aches, backaches, etc.
  • Increase energy and vitality
  • Speed recovery from injuries and illness
  • Improve posture, coordination, strength and flexibility
  • Enhance left brain/right brain integration and mental functioning
  • Improve athletic performance and prevent injuries
  • Identify foods that are undermining your health, and those that are more compatible with your system
  • Prevent more serious problems from developing
  • Manage emotional stress
  • Reduce medical and health care costs

 

In 1990, Dr Thie handed the Touch for Health synthesis over to the International Kinesiology College (IKC) to protect and guide the growth of Touch for Health and to provide training to certify Touch for Health Instructors worldwide. There are currently about 27 members of the IKC including Dr Wayne Topping.