What I can do now that I cannot go to the disaster area. Gentle self-care I want to share from my experience of the Great East Japan Earthquake
I would like to express my deepest sympathies to everyone affected by the recent earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture.
I also wish to express my sincere respect to the medical professionals, nursing and welfare staff, government officials, firefighters, police, Self-Defense Forces, disaster rescue dogs, police dogs, and volunteers who are working day and night on the ground.
Every time I watch the news, I have been thinking, 'What can I do right now?'
I cannot rush to the disaster site.
I cannot participate in recovery or medical support like the professionals can.
Even so, perhaps the experience I gained through disaster volunteering during the Great East Japan Earthquake might be of some help to someone.
It is with that thought that I decided to write this article.
What I experienced during the Great East Japan Earthquake
After the Great East Japan Earthquake, I visited the disaster area as a disaster volunteer.
At the time, I was studying reflexology and working as a reflexologist.
In 2014, I visited temporary housing in the Tohoku region with my family and spent time with those affected through foot baths and reflexology.
My daughter, who was in junior high school at the time, also obtained a hand reflexology certification and worked with me.
Through that experience, I felt strongly that the warmth of human hands has a power that provides a mysterious sense of security.
It is not just about the technique of the treatment.
Placing a hand on someone, listening to them, and thinking of them.
I witnessed many times how that time could soften a person's heart, even if just a little.
Evacuation life places a heavy burden on the body
In evacuation centers and while sleeping in cars, people often spend long periods in the same position.
As a result,
Swelling in the feet
Tightness in the calves
Difficulty moving the ankles
General fatigue throughout the body
Many people experience these symptoms.
These symptoms are not limited to times of disaster; they are also common among those who spend long periods in the same position, such as in nursing care facilities or while receiving home medical care.
Gentle self-care you can start today
The content introduced here is not a medical procedure or treatment.
It is simple self-care that anyone can easily perform, aimed at making your body feel even a little more comfortable.
1. Slowly rotate your ankles
You can do this while sitting down.
Within a range that does not cause pain, try rotating them slowly to the left and right.
2. Gently rub your calves
Gently rub from your ankles toward your knees, as if wrapping them with both hands.
There is no need to press hard.
It is enough to do it to the extent that it feels good.
3. Slowly loosen your toes
Try moving your toes lightly one by one, or insert your fingers between your toes and slowly spread or bend them within a comfortable range.
Moving your toes makes it easier to loosen up your entire foot.
If you feel pain, please do not push yourself and stop.
4. Gently wrap your hands
If it is difficult to touch your feet, simply gently wrapping your hands and slowly loosening your palms and fingers can also help calm your mind.
It is also good to do this with family members.
The warmth of human hands can provide a sense of security not only to the body but also to the mind.
*If you have enough water and a suitable environment, a footbath is also one way to warm your body and mind and lead to relaxation.
Please never push yourself.
The content introduced in this article is not a substitute for the medical, nursing, and welfare professionals working on-site.
Also, in the following cases, do not force yourself and prioritize the instructions of doctors or medical professionals.
There is strong pain or swelling
You have a fracture or injury
You have an underlying medical condition
You have been told by a doctor to stop exercising or massaging
You are not feeling well
Putting safety first is the most important thing.
If my experience can reach someone
Even now, years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the smiles and words of the people I met in the disaster area at that time remain in my heart.
Now that I cannot go to the affected area, there is a limit to what I can do.
Even so, perhaps I can share the lessons I learned back then through my words.
With that thought in mind, I wrote this piece.
I hope that the self-care methods introduced in this article will help lighten the hearts and bodies of not only those affected by the disaster, but also those providing care or nursing, those supporting elderly family members, and anyone else who may need it.
Finally, I would like to once again express my deepest respect and gratitude to everyone who continues to provide support on the ground.
I sincerely pray that peaceful daily life will return as soon as possible.