The piercing of the skin with needles, massage and the aligning of the bones is part and parcel of what Portuguese-born Dr Luis Filipe, an expert in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), uses to restore the sick to health.
But while these therapies have been known to work wonders, he said, the entire healing process hinges more on people’s decision to change their lifestyle and eating habits.
“You are what you eat” is a phrase that he has instilled in his patients since he first started practising in 1983. For Filipe, modern medicine and the booming business of food supplements just doesn’t cut it.
TCM is one of the oldest and most complete natural methods of healing. It derives from Taoist practice based on yin-yang theories and philosophy. Vegetables, herbs and fruit and a balanced lifestyle can all work towards a healthy physical and emotional self, he said.
Filipe, who has honed his skills in China and Japan for a decade, said TCM is especially beneficial for chronic diseases such as arthritis and prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate. Therapies for patients can include everything from acupuncture and Chinese herbs to Chinese massage.
However, this will probably account to nothing, if the patient does not change his or her lifestyle, he cautioned.
Based in Angola, where he has a thriving practice, Filipe has shared the benefits of TCM among large audiences in US and Europe. It is in Thailand, however, where he has felt most at home.
Since 2004, he has visited the Kingdom twice a year, offering free treatments for people from all walks of life.
“People might look at the work I do as charity, but for me it is a message to society saying that in life we should learn to give,” began the veteran TCM advocate.
“I am here to say that traditional Chinese medicine can be used to end the suffering of people. I am hopeful that through these free treatments more people will realise this fact as being true, and will concentrate on improving their lifestyle.”
Last year, Filipe spent two days in Chiang Mai, attending to more than 80 patients. This trip like many of his previous ones was arranged to commemorate HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birthday. The traditional medicine specialist said he has always been impressed with the respect and love Thai people have for their king.
In retrospect, Filipe said the first time an opportunity arose for him to use his expertise on a Thai patient was while dining at a restaurant in the heart of Bangkok.
“My wife and I were among a handful of foreigners dining at a Thai restaurant when a female patron fell ill. I got up to assist, and as I was working on her, the sound of her bones ‘snapping’ had attracted a sizeable audience. When the patron was back on her feet, everyone started clapping.
The restaurant manager later invited me to offer treatment to his patrons on a daily basis. Which of course I had to decline.”
Among the numerous cases he has worked on so far, Filipe said the most fulfilling have been the ones that involve patients who have suffered from medical conditions for a long period of time.
“Last May when I was in Thailand, I met a man who had been wheelchair-bound for two decades. His wife seemed anxious and asked me if I could make her husband walk again. And to that I said I would try. Half an hour after I did acupuncture on his skull, he was able to get up unassisted and walk. His wife was so shocked that she began to scream.
“Then there was this man who had a stroke, who could not lift his arm. After one acupuncture treatment he showed improvement. Stroke patients have a high percentage of getting better if they use this method.
“In my estimation, acupuncture is only 30% of the entire treatment, the remaining 70% is diet and herbal medication. You cannot address the root cause of your sickness if you do not change your attitude towards what you eat and drink, and [how you] lead your life.”
Filipe said that among a handful of causes that create medical conditions in humans is emotions — both extreme happiness and sadness can make the body malfunction. One thing that both Western and traditional medicine agree on is that the underlying reason for a number of diseases, including cancer, is emotions, he said.
In fact, emotions play an equally important part in the recovery period as well, he continued. It is a well-known fact that patients who are optimistic about overcoming their illness have a greater chance of recovery than those with a negative mindset.
The second cause of sickness is often related to weather, said Filipe.
He once had a patient who had a skin disease and a dry cough. After acupuncture, a change in diet and prescribed herbs, she recovered slightly, but the problem still persisted. Eventually, he found that her medical conditions continued to persist because she was residing in a tropical environment. When she moved closer to the city where the climate suited her better, she was healed.
Last but not least, he said trauma, stress and a poor diet, all contribute to not just ill health but also to a number of chronic diseases. “Diet can change your psychological condition greatly. With a correct diet, people can manage their stress levels. Modern medicine is increasingly making people reliant on medication that does get to the bottom of their ailment, so it is time for people to rethink their options.”