The notion that the health of one system of the body affects the whole should be a common-sense conclusion, yet in the last 80 years the world of medicine has been controlled by pharmaceutical companies promoting temporary solutions to ease the symptoms of disease rather than correcting the cause. Their advertising budgets have been sufficiently astronomical to sway the public to accept this as normal and healthy. Most of us were brought up with access to a medicine cabinet or doctor with a prescription pad when any sign of poor health became evident. It would be unheard of for a doctor to recommend massage therapy to a patient so that his immune system could be strengthened to help current problems and prevent future illness.

Pills and flu shots have proven to be unsuccessful in generating dynamically cured patients, only a very large selling market conditioned to buy pharmaceuticals for conditions that can be treated naturally. Most everybody walks out of a doctor's office without hearing a word about getting some exercise and eating properly. You are, however going to be asked if you want a flu shot. This casual request should be considered carefully: some batches of flu vaccine have caused side effects such as guillain-barre syndrome, vasculitis, anaphylactic shock and even death.

The decades of the 1960s and 1970s saw a revolutionary change in the way people saw their bodies. Those New Age visionaries who at that time seemed so strange developing lifestyles that revolved around yoga, Tai Chi, therapeutic massage, chiropractic adjustment, aromatherapy, homeopathy, and other old and new traditions that could benefit the mind and body. Most of these treatments and procedures involve clearing the flow of energy in the body. When the potential electrochemical energy of the body builds up in one area due to a blockage, then the balance of life-force is put off kilter, resulting in stress and eventual illness.

A person's mind cannot be left out of the equation when discussing overall health. Discomfort and pain of any kind will have an effect on the consciousness and ultimately the disposition of the sufferer. "A sound mind in a sound body" is a universally true axiom. Conversely, the power of the mind can perform wonders on the body when a person is able to focus an overwhelming optimism on the condition. One problem with drugs is that they can sedate the mind or make the patient feel depressed while he's waiting for the pharmaceuticals to work their magic. However, without removing the stress in muscles that is blocking the life force, there is insufficient energy to bolster the spirit necessary for the body to heal itself.

Some alternative therapies remain shrouded in mystery, but the facts on the effects of massage therapy are so obviously simple to understand that it stands out from anything labeled as "alternative" and must be accepted into the mainstream of medicine, not just for physical injuries but for general health. In our society today, stress is an epidemic that results in heart attacks, cancer, and a host of other serious conditions including mental states leading to violence against others or even suicide. The massage therapist provides treatment that stimulates the body to flush toxins out, making for a better immune system.

Yoga and Tai Chi are therapeutic in nature from every perspective; these arts provide exercise (with a heavy emphasis on breathing techniques) along with a peaceful state of mind achieved by meditation and awareness of body systems. The lines along which life force flows are known as "meridians" and centers of energy are called "chakras". These are basic to Zen arts and also to massage therapy. It would be impossible to imagine someone being in an upset or violent state after a relaxing hour-long massage treatment.