Women2Women - Sara Beth Haring
Hima Dalal has been published in more than 100 national and international newspapers, journals and magazines. She has presented lectures and made media appearances discussing therapy, health and healing. Hima regularly conducts workshops on reiki- complementary therapy in medicine, sports fitness and nutrition in the US and India.
W2W: How did you get started with occupational therapy, and how do you feel this type of therapy benefits your patient as a whole as opposed to a more traditional method?
Hima: Growing up in India, I was exposed to different types of therapy. My family had a strong background in medicine, while my school had a very strong foundation in yoga and meditation. Since kindergarten, my school used yoga exercises to improve students’ attention spans and memories as well as to keep us physically fit.
In school, we also were exposed to different types of healing techniques and spiritual techniques, like reflexology. This uses pressure in different ways to help you feel better. I was always partial to working with alternative and complimentary therapies.
It was at this time that Hima discovered an emerging field called occupational therapy. While attending school in 1977, Hima discovered that she really liked the “overall approach of being with the patient and not just dispensing medicine.”
Hima: I was doing more than just treating my patients’ injuries. I was touching all aspects of my patients’ lives. I was helping them to regain their independence again at home and in the workplace.
Along with exercise and therapy, Hima considers food an important aspect of treatment. Approaching food as a “cooking science,” she discusses how to cook food with all of her patients no matter what treatment they are receiving. She firmly believes that properly cooked food can help patients heal both faster and stronger.
Hima If food is cooked properly; you can take out the negative aspects of that particular food. For example, beans are a gaseous food, but if prepared properly, you can diminish their gaseous effect. There are also foods that lose their nutritional value if they are not cooked correctly.
Along with Yoga, Hima practices an alternative healing method that encourages the body to heal itself. Similar to Reiki therapy, many people mistake this type of healing as a form of religion.
Hima: Besides yoga, we use a muscle energy treatment technique that encourages inner healing. Similar to Reiki and Myofascial Release therapy, our treatment stimulates the muscle energy flow that keeps everyone feeling alive and happy. The practice of tapping into this energy is called different names throughout the world. In India, the treatment is called prana. In China, it is called ki. Japan calls it chi. All the chemicals in the body are transported by that flow of energy, which can make us feel energetic and calm. At Vital Energy, we have learned to implement the muscle energy treatment with occupational therapy to decrease the pain. Everyone has the capacity to do inner healing—this method just brings it back to the surface. We are helping your body heal itself.
Hima’s clinic offers alternative healing methods that provide relief for patients suffering from many types of health problems, including chronic conditions and the side effects of chemotherapy.
Hima: We are able to help patients with many types of issues, including acute / chronic pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia TMJ, cardiac and post-fracture rehabilitation, weight loss, nervous system and more. I work on a lot of patients who have severe scaring and are unable to allow people to touch them due to sensitivity.
We offer a variety of therapy options, including a special clinic for those suffering with migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and breast cancer rehab. Underwater therapy makes exercising easier for patients by alleviating pressure placed on their joints.
We also offer treatment for cancer patients. Our aqua detox is a treatment that takes all the free radicals out of the body. It helps tremendously when used in conjunction with Reiki therapy by lessening the side affects of chemotherapy. This helps cancer patients by increasing their energy and helping them combat depression.
For patients suffering from diabetes, blood pressure or other chronic conditions, we provide them with a combination of therapy exercise and the correct diet. Certain diseases still need medicine, but with the help of therapy, you can manage these diseases and reduce the risk of damage to internal organs. We treat Pediatric patients suffering from birth injury, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Torticolis, writing issues, ADD and ADHD are all treated with complimentary therapy, Hydrotherapy, and occupational / physical therapy.
W2W: How big is your new facility, and what does it offer patients?
Hima: Our new 5,000-square foot office will offer complimentary and traditional, occupational, physical, and speech therapy. Hydrotherapy with underwater treadmill and pressure hose for massage and breaking scar tissue, Therapeutic massage, cosmetic laser therapy, and yoga for special population will be available for certain procedures.
W2W: What do you want our readers to remember about Vital Energy after reading this article?
