Alicia Falero on Chi Nei Tsang and Gut Health
By Jaz Grewal
As winter settles in, it’s not unusual to feel a little out of sorts. Sluggishness, fatigue, bloating and that familiar sense of heaviness can all take their toll, leaving us craving something more restorative than another early night or green juice.
With the festive season fast approaching, Alicia Falero, a seasoned practitioner who has lived and studied in Hong Kong, believes the answer to a happier (and noticeably lighter) gut lies in the connection between digestive health and emotional wellbeing.
‘The human gut is far more complex than we realise, and a well-functioning gut not only improves digestion but also supports the brain, the heart, the immune system, how we sleep and how we feel.’
And Alicia’s philosophy is supported by a growing body of research. The British Medical Journal has published research showing how gut microbes help break down dietary fibre, produce beneficial metabolites, and support overall digestive health.
Using her holistic approach to abdominal massage, she incorporates Chi Nei Tsang to transform the energy of the internal organs and, in turn, flush out emotional toxins and physical blockages.
A treatment with Alicia starts with a detailed consultation and a survey, one that focuses on all aspects of your health, through to mental wellbeing, anxiety, common digestive problems such as IBS and even fertility and sexual health.
Intrusive as it may initially seem, the calming breathing techniques and rhythmic touch used during the treatment rely on the direct neural connection between the gut and the brain to stimulate neurotransmitters, including serotonin, to support how we feel and think.
It quickly becomes apparent how these factors are all somewhat connected – and indeed, how the gut typically carries the weight of daily stress and other factors such as fatigue and lack of sleep, which cause stress and anxiety to live in your gut.
The gut–brain axis is a complex network of neural, hormonal and immune pathways, and research increasingly suggests that its influence extends well beyond digestion.
More than a superficial way to encourage fluid movement through the body, Alicia’s technique combines deep abdominal work that targets internal organs with advanced acupuncture that harmonises the body’s energy.
Using a four-point technique focused on the ‘Digestive Diamond’, the method creates a targeted matrix that speeds up slow motility whilst reducing gut inflammation and abdominal discomfort.
The results are incredible. An overall feeling of lightness and a deeper sense of happiness reset the gut, clear excess fluids, and free it from the emotional stress and imbalance caused by daily life.
Relief is almost immediate after one of Alicia’s groundbreaking treatments, but for long-term wellness, Alicia recommends a course of three sessions.
Having developed and refined her approach over years of practice, Alicia is now sharing her method with other qualified practitioners through workshops, hoping to introduce more people to the restorative possibilities of abdominal massage.
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