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Natural Healing
Sifu Tran has helped many people, I would like to tell you a few things on how Sifu Tran has helped me mentally, and physically.
Physically:
I injured myself while in the National Guard running. I thought I tore a tendon in my left calf. The pain would go away, but if I ran for any long period of time the pain would come back. I would walk with a limp for a few days to a few weeks. I thought that was just the way it was and I would have to deal with that for the rest of my life. I had that injury for about 5 years. Sure enough while practicing Kung Fu it came back. I told Sifu about it and he inspected my leg. He said that I did not tear anything, but my muscle has some kind of build up. He did some acupressure on it and could feel a lump. Along with the acupressure, Sifu Tran showed me some exercises to do. Sifu Tran said that if I still have the problem after about two week then I should have it X-rayed. BUT after a few more times of his acupressure I started to feel improvement. The injury would come back, but take less and less time to heal. Eventually I stopped having pain in my calf.
I had a back problem. I contribute it to not sitting up strait, lifting heavy things wrong (engine work when I was a mechanic full time), and of course jumping out of trees, jumping out of tree houses, jumping off the roof of my house, when I was young. No back problems until I was in my late 20’s, then it got harder and harder to get out of bed in the mornings. I had to roll out of bed (could not just sit strait up). I had to sit on the edge of the bed for a few minutes. Even after taking a shower and getting ready for work, I still had a hard time putting on my shoes. I had taken Kung Fu earlier in my 20’s, but had left. I was finally able to go back in my early 30’s. The bones in my lower back were stuck together. Sifu Tran used to tell me “Your back is like a stick, it does not bend”. After doing the exercises Sifu Tran showed me my back is finally moving. Things in my lower back are moving that I did not know what that felt like. Even as kid I was never able to do back bends. Now I can do back bends then stand back up.
Mentally:
There is no excuse for having a short fuse, but being Irish and part Italian does not help. I used to get upset at small things. Sifu Tran has reopened my eyes and taught me forgiveness. Reopened my eyes to look back on a good upbringing and develop my relationship with GOD. I would hold on to baggage for a long time, and in turn was my own cause to an unhappy life. It would effect my decisions and actions. Now that I am able to let that baggage go, I am happy most of the time and have that extra edge in making decisions that I did not have before. Sifu Tran seems to be able to get to the root of problems quickly.
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I've always had an interest in Asian cultures and martial arts. I observed our class one night and spoke with Sifu Tran about some of my physical concerns. I joined Zen Ki Do in my early 40's, expecting a regular exercise program, hoping to learn some of the Kung Fu moves that look so cool in the movies.
I had taken Karate years before and was surprised to find the Zen Ki Do program required much more than the simple kicking and punching from the other school I attended. The warm-up took longer and included many new techniques. The “Inner Strength” (or Chi Gong) exercises were completely new, providing a good upper body workout as well as flexing the joints of the arms to their limits. Afterward came punching, kicking, forms and then it all ended with a few minutes' of meditation. In time, I noticed improved coordination and balance which is important to me, since it helps compensate for partial paralysis in one of my feet.
My family has a long history of cardiovascular disease and heart trouble, so it was no big surprise when my doctor said that my cholesterol was slightly high and prescribed a “statin” drug, Lipitor, as a precautionary measure. However, I wasn't eager to start taking this drug, since it is usually a life-long therapy. Rather than going to the pharmacy, I went to the Internet and found two old remedies: Diet and Exercise. I then decided to start a more “heart healthy” diet. At the time, I had already been in Zen Ki Do for a few years (and even learned some of those cool Kung Fu moves). Upon talking with Sifu Tran, he was happy to help me increase my exercise routine. Three months and one blood test later, the doctor was pleased with the results, despite the fact that I wasn't taking the prescription.
The next year, my doctor said that the cholesterol was OK, but my blood pressure was high. At this point, I knew I had to decide a course to follow for the rest of my days: Drug therapy or Natural (Zen Ki Do) therapy. At this point I had reached a rank high enough to be considered for the Instructor Program and was asked to join. The decision was natural, in view of the increased requirements of the Instructor Program. I started a routine of getting up daily at 5:30 AM for one hour of warm-up exercises, push-ups and inner strength along with attending the Saturday Instructor class.
While visiting my doctor three months later, she took several blood pressure readings. She shook her head, said it is now normal, and also “Keep doing whatever you're doing”.
I've made my choice: Zen Ki Do for Health. |
When I was younger, I would faint a couple times whenever I got hurt, but it wasn't until 5th grade when I went to the doctor because of this. I had just hit my funny bone in class and felt a little dizzy, so I rested my head on the table. Next thing I know, I had fainted and ended up on the floor.
Talk about my teacher and classmates being worried, and definitely my parents. After that incident I went to the doctor immediately. It turns out that I have a heart murmur. A heart murmur is an extra sound caused by blood flow through a heart valve that is either leaky and/or narrow.
For this reason, whenever my blood pressure speeds up because of things such as pain, there is a possibility that not enough blood goes to my heart, causing me to faint. My cardiologist required me to have an appointment with her after every year. However, with the help from Kung Fu, each year that I went to the appointments, my heart improved extending how often I had to visit the doctor. Now after seven years of Kung Fu, my heart does not prevent me from doing anything.
On top of my heart murmur, I have a minor problem with asthma. Before I joined Kung Fu, I would often get sick. In the winters, I would get colds, and my coughs would be very heavy on top of having asthma. The doctor would either advise me to take medicine or sometimes tell me to use my inhaler to help myself from coughing so much.
Throughout the rest of the year, I would be just fine. However, even though my asthma was never a major problem, I still remember having problems breathing easily during the night in which I would need a humidifier when I was younger.
After all these years, I've gotten stronger and stronger. I still have a humidifier; however, I don't use it anymore. Thanks to practicing Kung Fu, I haven't fainted in many years and rarely get sick as often as I used to. Thank you, Sifu, for all of your help; you've helped me more than any of my doctors have.
Alice Nguyen |
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