Massage Therapy ✋ History

History of Massage Therapy 

Posted by Sean Miller on Thu, Jun 27, 2013

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The healing power of touch has been documented for treating and tending ailments for thousands of years, with the earliest use of massage by Egyptians and Chinese.  In China, documents authored between 480 and 722 B.C. have been found to contain references to ancient medical knowledge dating back to 2700 B.C. that detail massage therapy's healing abilities and benefits.
Beginning around 1000 B.C., Buddhist monks from Japan studying in China noted the healing power of massage as part of Chinese traditional medicine.  The Japanese customized the methods of massage and this developed into Shiatsu.  Focusing on the Chinese theory of imbalance in a person's energies, Shiatsu used massage to stimulate pressure points to restore balance.
Ancient Greece's use of massage dates back to 800 to 700 B.C., where massage was used to condition the bodies of competitive athletes.  Around 200 years later, Hippocrates advocated the benefits of massage therapy, along with rest, proper diet, fresh air, and music, to maintain one's body in a healthy state.
The use of massage therapy as one element of Hippocrates' total body conditioning was employed by the Romans in the first century B.C.  Wealthy Romans were given massages in their homes while the general populace would go to public baths, where they would receive massages to improve circulation and limber up their joints.  This practice, along with the public baths themselves, was condemned at one point due to the decadent atmosphere it encouraged.

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Until the 17th century, massage therapy took a back seat to other methods of treating ailments and injuries.  From 1600 to 1800, the benefits of massage therapy were documented but did not gain popularity in Western culture until the late 19th century and early 20th century.
During World War I, massage techniques were used to treat injured soldiers who had sustained nerve injuries or what we now call PTSD (post-traumatic stress syndrome).  Despite the benefits of massage, it didn't enter mainstream consciousness until  the end of the 1900s, when an preferential increase for natural healing methods took root.
With a renewed interest in the therapeutic benefits of massage came the government's perceived need for licensing and regulation, and massage therapy is now recognized as a legitimate practice for improving an individual's physical conditioning and emotional well-being.  Despite the centuries of evolution with regard to the practice of massage therapy, many practitioners still hold fast to the techniques and methods of massage's ancient beginnings.

*

Primary Source: http://www.naturalhealers.com/natural-health-careers/massage/massage-therapy-history

Secondary Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massage 

A Brief History of Massage Therapy
Dr. Nikita Vizniak, RMT, DC 

Written by: Dr. Jocelyn Taitt, ND
Edited by: Dr. Peter Taitt, PhD
Introduction

It seems to be a universally instinctive response that we should rub an area of our body where we are experiencing soreness or fatigue. Prehistoric cave paintings in the Pyrenees dating to BCE c. 15,0001 appear to depict some form of therapeutic touch, but it’s difficult to say exactly when and where massage practices first started to be performed in any kind of methodical way. Ancient literature, artwork and archaeological evidence reveal that massage practices existed in many ancient cultures such as India, China, Egypt, Greece, the Roman Empire, Japan, Thailand and Korea.
In English the word “massage” is directly borrowed from French. Earlier origins of the word may stem from the Arabic “massa” meaning “to touch, feel”, or the Greek verb “μάσσω” (“masso”) meaning “to knead, to handle, to work with the hands.” However, the word that ancient Greeks used when referring to massage was “anatripsis” (“rubbing up”), and the Latin word was “frictio” (“rub”).

Massage Practices from Antiquity to Medieval Times
BCE c. 3000 to 700: Shatapatha Brahmana is an ancient Indian Vedic text, the exact date of which is highly contentious – several scholars suspect that the oral tradition of the text dates to ~3000 BCE, while it may not have been written down until about 700 BCE, with a final version being produced in 300 BCE. The text describes Vedic history, mythology and rituals, including those with sacrificial fire. In the text it is written that the sacrificer is anointed as such: “A rubbing down of the sacrificer, with all manner of sweet-smelling substances takes place before sprinkling him with fat…” (translation by Julius Eggeling). Some scholars believe that the text’s references to the position of the Krittikas (the open star cluster Pleiades) indicate that the voice behind the prose of the text belonged to someone who would have been observing the stars at around 3000 BCE. Thus some scholars suspect that the oral tradition of the text dates approximately to that time.
Figure 3.1 Reproduction of artwork on the ancient Egyptian Tomb of Akmanthor
ancient Egyptian Tomb of Akmanthor

BCE c. 1000-100, India: Chapter 31 of the Sushruta Samhita (an ancient Sanskrit Ayurvedic medical text) discusses the use of sesame oil and ghee (clarified butter) for massage purposes. The text likely originated as oral tradition around 1000 BCE, with the written text being completed anywhere from the sixth to first century BCE. Additionally, a Buddhist text called the Khandhaka (dating to ~ 400 BCE) lists massage practices that Buddha deemed either acceptable or inappropriate, and the Mahabharata (an epic legendary text also dating to ~400 BCE) describes a lavish scene in which a prince is massaged by 108 servants in his bathing room, and is then washed with sweet-scented water poured out of golden pots.
BCE, Eighth to Second Centuries: Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey make reference to the practice of massage with oils and fragrant substances to aid wound healing and relieve muscle aches in tired warriors. Later ancient Greek writers such as Hippocrates, Aristotle, Lucian and others reveal that deep friction massage of muscles with olive oil was a commonly employed therapy for Greek athletes, and oil – kept in amphorae – was provided to all who attended gymnasia and athletic festivals.10,12 Hippocrates wrote that: “The physician must be skilled in many things, and particularly friction [massage].”

BCE 722-481: Massage is referred to in 30 chapters of the earliest Chinese medical texts called the Huang Di Nei Jing – a compilation of the known Chinese medical knowledge up to that time, and which became the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The knowledge contained in the texts, however, is believed to originate in the time of the Yellow Emperor (2711-2598 BCE, which pre-dates written Chinese history). 
BCE c. 7th century, Japan: Japanese monks travelled to China to study Buddhism. They were exposed to Chinese massage practices, which the Japanese later developed into their own style of massage called “anma”. Anma eventually developed into the practice known as Shiatsu, which uses massage to balance energy in the body. 
BCE 500: Jīvaka Komarabhācca1,19 – also known as Shivago Komarpaj or Dr. Shivago – was the Buddha’s personal physician and founded Traditional Thai Massage (Nuad Boran). He based Thai Massage on a combination of Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese traditions, including acupressure and assisted yoga postures. Rather than using oils, the massage recipient remains clothed, and instead of being rubbed the body is pressed, pulled, rocked and stretched.
BCE 493: The Book of Esther (2:12) in the Christian Bible’s Old Testament and the Jewish Tanakh documents the beauty regimen of the women who were presented to the Persian King Xerxes I (also identified as Ahasuerus), including “treatments” with oil and myrrh.

BCE 327-325: Alexander The Great campaigned in India, during which time Alexander and his soldiers were exposed to Indian massage traditions, and brought them home with them to the kingdom of Macedon. From this time forward Indian massage traditions were gradually incorporated into Greek, Roman, and Turkish practices.

BCE 100-44: Roman emperor Julius Caesar was known to suffer from sudden bouts of weakness, convulsions and fainting. In his time this was chalked up to epilepsy – seen by the Romans as a sign of divine possession. Modern scholars now believe his symptoms are more likely attributable to a series of mini strokes. After such episodes occurred, Julius Caesar would receive massage treatments to support his recovery.

CE 130-210, Roman Empire: Galen (Aelius or Claudius Galenus) was a revered Greek physician and philosopher living in the Roman Empire. He served as personal physician to Septimius Severus and several other emperors, as well as to the gladiators of the High Priest of Asia, to whom he administered massage with olive oil. Galen was a prolific author of medical texts that summarized and expanded on earlier Greek medical knowledge, some of which included discussions of the many health benefits of massage. However, Galen’s texts were not translated into Latin during his time, and as the Roman Empire fell and the period known as the Early Middle Ages (formerly referred to as the Dark Ages, roughly 5th-10th centuries CE) began, the study of Galen’s texts and ancient Greek medical knowledge (including Greek massage) practically disappeared from the medical practices of the Latin West, although massage continued to be practiced to a lesser extent by folk medicine women, midwives, and nuns (who began to take on the role of caring for the sick). Meanwhile, Galen’s works continued to be studied and preserved in Byzantium – the mostly Greek-speaking remnants of the Eastern Roman Empire. 
CE 581-618, China: Dr. Sun Si Miao – dubbed the “King of Medicine” – of the Sui and Tang dynasties developed ten new massage techniques and systematized the treatment of childhood diseases with massage therapy, and the Chinese Office of Imperial Physicians established a department of massage therapy. During this time Chinese massage practices (then called “anwu”) became popularized in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and the Islamic world.

CE 7th – 8th centuries: The Byzantine regions of Syria and Western Mesopotamia began to be conquered by Arab Muslims. After 750 CE, Muslims began to have Syrian Christians make the first translations of some of Galen’s works from Greek to Arabic. This sparked a renewed popularity and spreading of the knowledge of Galen and Greek medicine (including massage) throughout the medieval and early Islamic Middle East.

 CE 980-1037: Avicenna18,21 (or Ibn Sīnā) was a Persian physician, astronomer and philosopher who is now regarded as one of the most significant minds of the Islamic Golden Age – comparable to Italy’s Leonardo da Vinci (who lived centuries later). He produced over 450 writings consisting of a systematization and compilation of the Persian and Greco-Roman medical knowledge that had been translated into Arabic up to his time, and on which Avicenna expanded with the inclusion of his own medical insights. One of the most famous of these texts, “The Canon of Medicine”, included instruction on what became the established precedent for the logical assessment of conditions, and discussed the use of analgesic substances and massage for pain relief.

This text was so influential that it became a standard medical text in many Western and Eastern medieval universities and remained in use until approximately the year 1650. It is thanks to Avicenna and the Arabic translations of Galen’s writings that knowledge of Greco-Roman massage and medicine were not lost, but were instead revived in both the Islamic world and Christian West. The renewed interest in ancient Greek and also Latin texts eventually inspired a new era of innovation in medicine, art and technology in Europe – the Renaissance (c. 1300-1600).

Written by: Dr. Jocelyn Taitt, ND

Edited by: Dr. Peter Taitt, PhD

Introduction

It seems to be a universally instinctive response that we should rub an area of our body where we are experiencing soreness or fatigue. Prehistoric cave paintings in the Pyrenees dating to BCE c. 15,000 appear to depict some form of therapeutic touch, but it’s difficult to say exactly when and where massage practices first started to be performed in any kind of methodical way. Ancient literature, artwork and archaeological evidence reveal that massage practices existed in many ancient cultures such as India, China, Egypt, Greece, the Roman Empire, Japan, Thailand and Korea.

In English the word “massage” is directly borrowed from French. Earlier origins of the word may stem from the Arabic “massa” meaning “to touch, feel”, or the Greek verb “μάσσω” (“masso”) meaning “to knead, to handle, to work with the hands.” However, the word that ancient Greeks used when referring to massage was “anatripsis” (“rubbing up”), and the Latin word was “frictio” (“rub”).

Massage Practices 

from Antiquity to Medieval Times

BCE c. 3000 to 700: Shatapatha Brahmana is an ancient Indian Vedic text, the exact date of which is highly contentious – several scholars suspect that the oral tradition of the text dates to ~3000 BCE, while it may not have been written down until about 700 BCE, with a final version being produced in 300 BCE². The text describes Vedic history, mythology and rituals, including those with sacrificial fire. In the text it is written that the sacrificer is anointed as such: “A rubbing down of the sacrificer, with all manner of sweet-smelling substances takes place before sprinkling him with fat…” (translation by Julius Eggeling).Some scholars believe that the text’s references to the position of the Krittikas (the open star cluster Pleiades) indicate that the voice behind the prose of the text belonged to someone who would have been observing the stars at around 3000 BCE. Thus some scholars suspect that the oral tradition of the text dates approximately to that time. 

BCE c. 1000-100, India: Chapter 31 of the Sushruta Samhita (an ancient Sanskrit Ayurvedic medical text) discusses the use of sesame oil and ghee (clarified butter) for massage purposes. The text likely originated as oral tradition around 1000 BCE, with the written text being completed anywhere from the sixth to first century BCE. Additionally, a Buddhist text called the Khandhaka (dating to ~400 BCE) lists massage practices that Buddha deemed either acceptable or inappropriate, and the Mahabharata (an epic legendary text also dating to ~400 BCE) describes a lavish scene in which a prince is massaged by 108 servants in his bathing room, and is then washed with sweet-scented water poured out of golden pots.

BCE, Eighth to Second Centuries: Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey make reference to the practice of massage with oils and fragrant substances to aid wound healing and relieve muscle aches in tired warriors. Later ancient Greek writers such as Hippocrates, Aristotle, Lucian and others reveal that deep friction massage of muscles with olive oil was a commonly employed therapy for Greek athletes, and oil – kept in amphorae – was provided to all who attended gymnasia and athletic festivals.^10,12 Hippocrates wrote that: “The physician must be skilled in many things, and particularly friction [massage].”

BCE 722-481: Massage is referred to in 30 chapters of the earliest Chinese medical texts called the Huang Di Nei Jing – a compilation of the known Chinese medical knowledge up to that time, and which became the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The knowledge contained in the texts, however, is believed to originate in the time of the Yellow Emperor (2711-2598 BCE, which pre-dates written Chinese history).

BCE c. 7^th century, Japan: Japanese monks travelled to China to study Buddhism. They were exposed to Chinese massage practices, which the Japanese later developed into their own style of massage called “anma”. Anma eventually developed into the practice known as Shiatsu, which uses massage to balance energy in the body.

BCE 500: Jīvaka Komarabhācca – also known as Shivago Komarpaj or Dr. Shivago – was the Buddha’s personal physician and founded Traditional Thai Massage (Nuad Boran). He based Thai Massage on a combination of Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese traditions, including acupressure and assisted yoga postures. Rather than using oils, the massage recipient remains clothed, and instead of being rubbed the body is pressed, pulled, rocked and stretched.

BCE 493: The Book of Esther (2:12) in the Christian Bible’s Old Testament and the Jewish Tanakh documents the beauty regimen of the women who were presented to the Persian King Xerxes I (also identified as Ahasuerus), including “treatments” with oil and myrrh.

BCE 327-325: Alexander The Great campaigned in India, during which time Alexander and his soldiers were exposed to Indian massage traditions, and brought them home with them to the kingdom of Macedon. From this time forward Indian massage traditions were gradually incorporated into Greek, Roman, and Turkish practices.

BCE 100-44: Roman emperor Julius Caesar was known to suffer from sudden bouts of weakness, convulsions and fainting. In his time this was chalked up to epilepsy – seen by the Romans as a sign of divine possession. Modern scholars now believe his symptoms are more likely attributable to a series of mini strokes. After such episodes occurred, Julius Caesar would receive massage treatments to support his recovery.

CE 130-210, Roman Empire: Galen (Aelius or Claudius Galenus) was a revered Greek physician and philosopher living in the Roman Empire.²³ He served as personal physician to Septimius Severus and several other emperors, as well as to the gladiators of the High Priest of Asia, to whom he administered massage with olive oil. Galen was a prolific author of medical texts that summarized and expanded on earlier Greek medical knowledge, some of which included discussions of the many health benefits of massage. However, Galen’s texts were not translated into Latin during his time, and as the Roman Empire fell and the period known as the Early Middle Ages (formerly referred to as the Dark Ages, roughly 5^th-10^th centuries CE) began, the study of Galen’s texts and ancient Greek medical knowledge (including Greek massage) practically disappeared from the medical practices of the Latin West, although massage continued to be practiced to a lesser extent by folk medicine women, midwives, and nuns (who began to take on the role of caring for the sick). Meanwhile, Galen’s works continued to be studied and preserved in Byzantium – the mostly Greek-speaking remnants of the Eastern Roman Empire.

CE 581-618, China: Dr. Sun Si Miao – dubbed the “King of Medicine” – of the Sui and Tang dynasties developed ten new massage techniques and systematized the treatment of childhood diseases with massage therapy, and the Chinese Office of Imperial Physicians established a department of massage therapy. During this time Chinese massage practices (then called “anwu”) became popularized in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and the Islamic world.

CE 7^th – 8^th centuries: The Byzantine regions of Syria and Western Mesopotamia began to be conquered by Arab Muslims. After 750 CE, Muslims began to have Syrian Christians make the first translations of some of Galen’s works from Greek to Arabic. This sparked a renewed popularity and spreading of the knowledge of Galen and Greek medicine (including massage) throughout the medieval and early Islamic Middle East.

CE 980-1037: Avicenna (or Ibn Sīnā) was a Persian physician, astronomer and philosopher who is now regarded as one of the most significant minds of the Islamic Golden Age – comparable to Italy’s Leonardo da Vinci (who lived centuries later). He produced over 450 writings consisting of a systematization and compilation of the Persian and Greco-Roman medical knowledge that had been translated into Arabic up to his time, and on which Avicenna expanded with the inclusion of his own medical insights. One of the most famous of these texts, “The Canon of Medicine”, included instruction on what became the established precedent for the logical assessment of conditions, and discussed the use of analgesic substances and massage for pain relief. 

This text was so influential that it became a standard medical text in many Western and Eastern medieval universities and remained in use until approximately the year 1650. It is thanks to Avicenna and the Arabic translations of Galen’s writings that knowledge of Greco-Roman massage and medicine were not lost, but were instead revived in both the Islamic world and Christian West. The renewed interest in ancient Greek and also Latin texts eventually inspired a new era of innovation in medicine, art and technology in Europe – the Renaissance (c. 1300-1600).

The Renaissance and Enlightenment

CE 1316: The Bolognese physician Mondino de Luzzi (or Liuzzi) reintroduced the public practice of human cadaver dissection. He published the first modern treatise on human anatomy: “Anathomia corporis humani.”

CE 1368-1644 – Ming Dynasty, China: the Chinese massage tradition flourished and became known as Tui Na. Many texts on Tui Na were written during this time, especially on pediatric applications, and diagnosis and treatment techniques were further refined. Tui Na maintained its growing popularity almost continuously up to the present day.

CE c. 1510-1590: French military surgeon Ambroise Paré favoured the use of massage to enhance the recovery of orthopedic surgery patients. He also classified several types of massage movements.

CE 1543: Flemish physician Andreas Vesalius established the foundations of human anatomy in the West through his work: “De Humani Corporis Fabrica” (On the Fabric of the Human Body).

CE 1569: Italian physician Girolamo Mercuriale (or Mercurialis) wrote the first text on the field of sports medicine (including massage): “De Arte Gymnastica”.

CE 1584: While teaching at Cambridge University, English physician Timothy Bright published a medical text in two parts: “Hygieina, on Preserving Health” and “Therapeutica, on restoring health”, in which he encouraged the use of baths, exercise and massage for good health.

CE c. 1600: The Japanese publication San-Tsai-Tou-Hoei provided instruction on passive and active massage techniques.

CE 1608-1679: Italian physiologist and physicist Giovanni Borelli performed multiple animal dissections and made a study of biomechanics.¹⁸ Likening animal and human bodies to machines, he was likely the first to have introduced the concept that movement is a function of muscular contraction.

CE 1628: Prior to this date most Western physicians believed that the lungs were responsible for moving blood throughout the body, but then English physician William Harvey observed that it was instead the heart and blood vessels that were responsible for circulation. This new understanding illuminated the circulatory benefits of massage and furthered its acceptance as a therapeutic practice.

CE 1728-1797: Samuel-Auguste Tissot  was a prominent Swiss physician who enjoyed the high regard of Napoléon Bonaparte, and whose philosophical arguments were repeated by Kant and Voltaire. Strangely, Tissot gained great notoriety in his time for writing an entire medical treatise on the supposed ill effects of masturbation. Fortunately, he also went on to publish several works on gymnastic exercises and the use of massage for treating many ailments.

Figure 3.7 Cover illustration depicting human cadaver dissection on a 1493 version of Mondino de Luzzi’s “Anathomia corporis humani” (originally written in 1316).

Figure 3.8 English physician William Harvey.

Figure 3.9 Samuel-Auguste Tissot

 

The Modern Era

CE 1776-1839: Per Henrik Ling was a Swedish physiologist, educator, and pioneer of physical therapy. Having found that fencing and physical activity relieved his symptoms of gout he became keenly interested in the benefits of physical fitness. Ling versed himself in Franz Nachtegall’s Danish system of gymnastics, and established a gymnastic institute in Sweden in 1804. After completing further self-studies of the entire curriculum of medical doctors he established his own system of gymnastics called Medical Gymnastics. He also invented several of the pieces of equipment that we now more commonly associate with the word “gymnastics”: the box horse, wall bars and beams. Ling’s Medical Gymnastics included calisthenics, stretching and to a lesser extent massage. In 1813 he founded the Swedish Royal Central Gymnastic Institute and his system of gymnastics gained national recognition. Since that time he has often, and controversially, been thought of as the “Father of Massage”, and the development of Swedish Massage has often been attributed to him. However this credit is not exactly correct, as the massage techniques in his gymnastics were never codified or meant to be practiced independently of his whole gymnastics system.

CE 1838-1909: The true founder of the system of Swedish massage was Johann Georg Mezger, a Dutch physician who had a similar interest in gymnastics as Ling. At the time, the French had translated several Chinese books on massage into French (which was the international language of the nineteenth century). Mezger practiced French “friction methods” on patients with minor sprains, and in 1868 wrote his doctoral dissertation “The Treatment of Distorio Pedis with Frictions” which became the basis for Swedish Massage. Combining French massage techniques with his medical knowledge, and using the common French terminology, Mezger developed the five techniques for which Swedish Massage is known: effleurage (long, gliding strokes), petrissage (kneading of the muscles), friction (circular rubbing motions), tapotement (tapping or percussion), and vibration (shaking of the muscles). As a doctor Mezger was in a better position than Ling to promote massage on a medical and scientific basis, and his services became widely sought by European royalty and nobility. Mezger famously used massage to treat a major hip injury suffered by King Gustav V of Sweden, with great success.

CE 1888: In Washington D.C. Hartvig Nissen opened the Swedish Health Institute for the Treatment of Chronic Diseases by Swedish Movements and Massage – the first massage school in the United States.

CE 1894: In response to the prevalence of untrained and unqualified members of the public offering questionable massage services, The Society of Trained Masseuses (now known as the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy) was founded in Great Britain by four nurses. The Society developed a board certification program and emphasized a medical model of massage therapy training. Graduates of the program administered massage to World War I casualties, and by the end of the war the Society already had nearly 5,000 members.

CE 1852-1943: John Harvey Kellogg, a popular American doctor and developer of dry cereals (such as cornflakes) contributed to the general public’s enthusiasm for massage. His book “Art of Massage: A Practical Manual for the Nurse, the Student and the Practitioner” was published after his death in 1943.

CE 1936: Lymphatic drainage massage was introduced by Drs. Emil and Estrid Vodder in Paris.

CE 1943: The American Association of Masseurs and Masseuses was created in Chicago, and in 1983 was renamed the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). The AMTA now has over 58,000 members.

CE 1952: British doctor John Cyriax developed Deep Transverse Friction Massage – a form of massage that aims to stimulate connective tissue regeneration and prevent the formation of adhesions.

Figure 3.10 Pehr Henrik Ling

Figure 3.11 Swedish Gymnastics at the Royal Gymnastics Central Institute in Stockholm, c. 1900

Figure 3.12 Johann Georg Mezger, true founder of Swedish massage

Figure 3.13 John Harvey Kellogg

CE 1956: The first official Tui Na training course was established in Shanghai, and by 1978 there were whole hospitals completely dedicated to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM, including Tui Na), and all other hospitals included TCM departments. In 1987 the Chinese National Tui Na Association was established.

CE 1984: At the Olympics in Los Angeles, sports massage was made available to all athletes for the first time.

CE 1985: Chair massage was introduced by David Palmer.

CE 1991: The Canadian Massage Therapist Alliance (CMTA) was formed.

CE 1992: The American Massage Therapy Association established the standardized National Certification Examination for therapeutic massage.

CE 2003: The Federation of Massage Therapy Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FOMTRAC) was established. FOMTRAC represents the provincial agencies that regulate massage therapy under legislative authority.⁷ Its members include the colleges of massage therapists of British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador, which regulate the practice of massage therapy in their respective provinces. In other Canadian jurisdictions various other massage associations provide processes of voluntary self-regulation for their members. In 2013 FOMTRAC formed a National Accreditation Planning Committee that has set forth a proposal for the establishment of national accreditation standards for massage therapy education institutions in Canada.

CE 2005: The Federation of State Massage Licensing Boards was established in the United States.

 

Footnotes

Note that “BCE”(before the common era) – the newer convention of chronological notation – is used in this text, referring to the time before the life of Jesus Christ (formerly denoted “BC”), and the time since the approximate birth of Jesus Christ is now. 

Some scholars believe that the text’s references to the position of the Krittikas (the open star cluster Pleiades) indicate that the voice behind the prose of the text belonged to someone who would have been observing the stars at around 3000 BCE. Thus some scholars suspect that the oral tradition of the text dates approximately to that time. Save only for the years c. 1912-1934 when any forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (including Tui Na) were largely discouraged by doctors who trained in Western medicine, and were also temporarily banned

https://www.prohealthsys.com/blog/medical-education/history-of-massage-therapy

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Bob Fosse💃 Choreography🕺💃Rich Man's Frug🕺Big Spender

Bob Fosse Choreography

" The Rich Man's Frug "

The Frug (pronounced "froog") was a dance craze from the 1960s that evolved from another dance of the era, the Chicken. 

The Chicken, which featured lateral body movements, was used primarily as a change of pace step while doing the Twist. 

As young dancers grew more tired they would do less work, moving only their hips while standing in place. They then started making up arm movements for the dance, which prompted the birth of the Swim, the Monkey, the Dog, the Watusi, the Mashed Potato, and the Jerk. 

The Frug is sometimes referred to as the Surf, Big Bea, and the Thunderbird.

A perfect example of a Frug is found in the movie Sweet Charity, which contains a number called "The Rich Man's Frug", a wildly energetic dance number comprising three "movements" 

"The Aloof"

"The Heavyweight"  

"The Big Finish"

 

That showcases director Bob Fosse's distinctive choreography style, particularly his creative use of unusual poses, gestures, and arm movement.

Sweet Charity
" Big Spender "

Chita Rivera - Paula Kelly
 & Cast
 
Directed by
Bob Fosse

VIDEO

 

Avoid Common Food 🍊 & Medication 💊 Interactions

Food  &  Meds  Mixing

Could Be Dangerous

How to Avoid Common Food & Medication Interactions

February 14, 2025

      

Prescription medication labels advise how much to take, how often and for how long. But they often don’t explain how certain foods might interact with them. “Understanding how certain foods can affect the way medications work is essential for safety and to ensure maximum benefit,” says Yongjin Chen, MD, PhD, a family medicine specialist at University Hospitals. “Slower absorption, reduced effectiveness and an increased risk of side effects are just some of the potential risks.” He shares more about common medication and food interactions. 

What to Avoid and Why

You may be advised to avoid certain foods and beverages for a specific timeframe, such as two hours before or after taking the medication. In other cases, some foods and beverages should be avoided entirely. Your doctor or pharmacist can provide guidance about how to take a medication for maximum benefit and minimum risk. 

💊

Antibiotics. 

You may be advised to avoid or limit dairy products and antacids with calcium when taking certain antibiotics. Calcium can bind to antibiotics in the stomach, reducing absorption and effectiveness. In addition, pineapple and pineapple juice should be avoided. It contains bromelain, an enzyme that can interact with certain antibiotics and cause rash, nausea, diarrhea and mouth tenderness/irritation. 

💊

Antidepressants. 

Some antidepressant medications like monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors decrease the production of enzymes that regulate neurotransmitters in the brain, like serotonin and dopamine. With less MAO, the breakdown of these “feel-good” chemicals is slowed and their levels rise, which may improve mood and other depression symptoms.

You should avoid aged cheeses, cured meats, fermented vegetables, beer, red wine and soy products when taking MAO inhibitors. These foods contain high levels of tyramine, an amino acid that also requires MAO for breakdown. Too much tyramine in the blood can cause a sudden increase in blood pressure that can be life-threatening.

💊 

Blood Pressure Medications.

Common blood pressure medications like ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) increase potassium levels in the body. High potassium levels can cause muscle weakness, heart arrhythmias and/or worsening heart failure. You should avoid or limit high-potassium foods like bananas, avocados, tomatoes, potatoes and salt substitutes made with potassium.

People taking calcium channel blockers should avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice, which can increase drug levels in the body and cause low blood pressure, reduced heart rate, headaches and dizziness.

💊

Blood Thinners.

When taking blood-thinning medications like digoxin and warfarin, there are several types of food to avoid for different reasons:

• Dark green vegetables like kale, broccoli, spinach and chard can counteract the blood-thinning effects and reduce drug effectiveness.
• Grapefruit or grapefruit juice can interfere with absorption and reduce drug effectiveness.
• Liver, eggs, cheese and cranberry juice contain high levels of vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting and counters the effect of blood thinners.
• Alcohol, garlic, ginger, onions and tomatoes can increase bleeding risk.

💊

Immunosuppressants / Steroids.

When taking immunosuppressants, including steroid medications like prednisone, avoid eating black licorice, licorice dietary supplements or any desserts that contain licorice extract. Licorice can slow the breakdown of the medication, raising levels in the bloodstream while lowering potassium, which can affect muscle function, nerve conduction and heart rhythms. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice should also be avoided for similar reasons.

People taking immunosuppressants should also avoid raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs, unpasteurized beverages and soft cheeses. These foods are more likely to cause illness or food poisoning in those with a suppressed immune system.

 

Statins. 

Statins inhibit the production of cholesterol in the liver and promote its removal from the bloodstream. People taking statins should avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice as they can increase drug levels in the system, leading to a greater risk for side effects like muscle pain, headache and nausea.

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With or Without Food?

Most medication labels or packages will specify “take with food” or “take on an empty stomach.” It’s important to follow these recommendations carefully for effectiveness and to reduce potential side effects.

 

Taking medications with food may help to:

• Slow down digestion, allowing more time for the drug to be absorbed and more consistent levels in the blood.
• Reduce side effects like nausea, dizziness, stomach upset or ulcers.
• Protect medications from being destroyed by stomach acid or enzymes before they reach the intestines, where most absorption occurs.

Taking medications on an empty stomach may:

• Allow medications to be absorbed more effectively.
• Allow for faster action of drugs used for acute treatment like some pain relievers or anti-nausea drugs.

 

Talk to Your Doctor or Pharmacist

All medications have the potential to cause side effects, which is why it’s important to take them as directed. Those taking multiple medications should discuss potential interactions with their healthcare provider and develop a daily schedule.

Related Links:

University Hospitals has a team of primary care physicians and pharmacists with the advanced training and expertise to advise patients about the medicines they are taking and how to avoid potential food interactions. 

Tags: Yongjin Chen MD PhD, Medications, Diet and Nutrition

https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2025/02/how-to-avoid-common-food-and-medication-interactions

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Food & Meds Mixing

Could Be Dangerous

Grapefruit 🍊
Licorice     🍬
Chocolate  🍫
Leafy Green 🥬 (Kale 🥗 Collared Green)
Dairy Products 🥛  (Milk & Yogurt)
Black Pepper  🫙

🎤 Maybe you've heard that grapefruit can interfere with certain medications but it's worse than you think it turns out.

Grapefruit can cause side effects when combined with about 85 different drugs including things as serious as kidney failure breathing problems and internal bleeding. It’s not just grapefruit other common foods don't play well with some medications including chocolate Licorice and even black pepper. Let’s learn more from CBS medical contributor Dr Holly Phillips 
🎤 Dr Holly I'm worried now.
👩‍⚕️ Nancy yeah it is worrisome. The most important interaction is really between grapefruit and grapefruit juice and medications that bring down your cholesterol. That's the interaction we worry about most because it is the most severe -  basically grapefruit has a compound in it that prevents the breakdown of the medication in your intestine so your body absorbs more and you can end up having a toxic overdose just taking your regular pill every day so does this mean you have to give up great food for good if you're on one of these medications well you know what in a word yes and that's not easy to do a lot of my patients say it's part of their morning routine like coffee or cereal or whatever you do.
But there is a new designer grapefruit coming out –it's true some researchers in Florida are working on a hybrid between a red grapefruit and a pomelo fruit (The pomelo is a large, Southeast Asian citrus fruit, often called a shaddock, that is sweeter than its ancestor, the grapefruit. It's a natural, non-hybrid fruit native to Southeast Asia and is considered an ancestor to other citrus fruits like grapefruit, bitter orange, and mandarin) so it's supposed to be sweet and even juicier than other grapefruits but most importantly it doesn't have the compound in it that interacts with medications.
🎤 There are a lot of surprising things on this list including licorice really
👩‍⚕️ Yep we worry about licorice with the heart and blood pressure medications and it can affect them either way it can decrease the effectiveness of the meds or lead to a toxic overdose when you're not aware of it.
🎤 The next one is really troubling it's chocolate.
👩‍⚕️ It makes us all very sad.  it interacts with a number of medicines the most worrisome are the anti-depressants and stimulant drugs that are used for attention deficit disorder it can actually raise your blood pressure and your heart rate when mixed with those.
🎤 But are we talking about a lot of chocolate like you need to be eating bars and bars or just a little bit?
Just a little bit unfortunately Nancy it just takes a little bit.  it has to do also with frequency. The more frequently you have it even if it's a small amount the more likely you are to get the side effect.
Also on this list are leafy greens now what is what what's in that category vegetable spinach what are we talking about you know kale collared green.
The leafy greens are of course high in vitamin K and potassium which is wonderful unless you're uncertain drugs particularly blood thinners.
They block the effect of blood thinners.   so you think you're protected and you're not. 
The next one I had heard about before dairy products like milk and yogurt that can interfere with certain medications.
🎤 What kinds of medications are we talking about?
The most important are the antibiotics.   Dairy products can decrease the effectiveness of your antibiotic and they can also cause stomach problems 
Black pepper is on the list too.  Black pepper really interacts with allergy meds anti-histamines and of course it's pollen season now so we should pay attention to that it can increase your blood pressure and heart rate on those medicines and also cause nervousness and anxiety.
🎤How are people supposed to know about these interactions?  Are they on the labels of these medications?
Right you know some of them are right on the label.  In fact you can get some bright orange or yellow labels on your bottle with grapefruit but not every single one of these interactions is on the bottle.  Frankly it's hard for doctors to keep track of it.
The best thing to do is read that thick hand out that comes with your meds and also just asks your pharmacist directly.   Do any foods interact with what I'm taking?  

 

🎤 Advice very Eye opening Dr Holly Phillips. Thanks you so much great to be here.

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https://youtu.be/NJDSlPlDWi8?si=9wKDJmENvtxWIQR7

 

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Food Drug Interactions: 

What Should You Look Out For?

Most people know that medicines can interact with other drugs that you’re taking. But did you know the food you eat can interact with your medicines as well? Food-drug interactions can increase the risk of side effects or block the absorption of the drug into your body.

In this video, we talk about 4 different food & drug interactions:
1) High blood pressure/heart disease meds and potassium-rich foods like bananas, potatoes and licorice
2) Antibiotics and dairy products
3) Statins and grapefruit
4) Warfarin & vitamin K leafy greens

When taking the medicines listed above, it's essential that you avoid the foods that could cause food and drug interactions.

For more information on foods that can mess with your medicines and other medication side effects, go to www.medShadow.org where we help you balance the risks and benefits of medicines. We’re a non-profit, and since we don’t accept support or money from pharmaceutical companies, we can give you health information independent from big pharma’s influence

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Transcript
Most people know that medicines can interact with other drugs that you’re taking. But did you know the food you eat can interact with your medicines as well?
Specific foods can interact with your medicine to increase the risk of side effects or block the absorption of the drug into your body.  You should talk to your doctor as soon as the drug is recommended. In the meantime, here are four common drugs that are affected by the foods you eat.

ACE inhibitors and ARBs -- angiotensin II receptor blockers -- are used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease.
ACE inhibitors and ARBs can cause your body to store potassium, keeping it there longer and causing it to accumulate in your body.

Did you know that High potassium can cause an irregular heartbeat?
A little potassium is your food fine, but avoid eating large amounts of bananas, oranges, avocados, tomatoes, white and sweet potatoes and dried fruits — especially apricots.

On the flip side, licorice candy, licorice tea, and licorice root can all dangerously lower your potassium.
So while you’re on ACE inhibitors or ARBs, avoid these foods.  And stay away from salt substitutes! Many have replaced the sodium with potassium.

If you’re taking an antibiotic like Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin or if you are taking a tetracycline like doxycycline and minocycline don’t eat any dairy-rich foods. Milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and butter can lower the absorption of antibiotics in your gut and keep them from being effective.
Additionally, watch out for calcium-fortified foods such as some juices and cereals which will cause the same problems with absorbing antibiotics.
Your body can only absorb a portion of the drug in a pill or liquid, the rest gets flushed away.
This is calculated into how much of a drug you get prescribed.

In the case of statins, grapefruit increases the amount of the statin drug that your body absorbs. So eating grapefruit while you’re taking statins can increase the likelihood of worsened side effects. You may experience dizziness, muscle pain, kidney failure and other dangerous side effects.

Warfarin’s brand name is Coumadin. It’s a blood-thinner and slows your body’s ability to clot. This is very helpful if you are at risk for strokes or other heart conditions.

Vitamin K helps your blood clot so avoiding foods high in this vitamin is important.  Spinach, broccoli, turnip greens, collard greens and the highly popular kale are all high in vitamin K.

Can’t live without your kale smoothie? It’s Ok, your doctor can adjust the amount of coumadin you take based on how much vitamin K you eat each week. The key is to make sure you eat the same amount of vitamin K-rich foods every week.  
Talk to your doctor about how much blueberries, pumpkin and cranberry juice you have because they sneak in a lot of vitamin K too.  The bottom line is when your doctor prescribes a medicine, ask about interactions not only with other drugs, but with food as well.

Know the changes you should make in your daily diet.

For more information on foods that can mess with your medicines, go to MedShadow.org where we help you balance the risks and benefits of medicines.

We’re a non-profit, and since we don’t accept support or money from pharmaceutical companies, we can give you health information independent from big pharma’s influence.

https://medshadow.org/4-foods-can-mess-meds/

https://youtu.be/pant5rXow1U?si=O2HnDX1ThQIHTJYj

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