Heilote by Ima's Wellness Center

25/11/2025

The Science of Pain: Applying Hilot to Chronic Conditions
Hilot's systematic approach is increasingly relevant for complex, chronic pain, aligning well with the management strategies for conditions like Fibromyalgia.

Understanding Complex Pain (Fibromyalgia Model)

Fibromyalgia is often characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and sleep interruptions. A key feature is shifting pain, or pain that moves to different parts of the body. Since the pain manifests physically in the muscle and connective tissues, Hilot's adaptive bodywork is uniquely suited to address it:

Systemic Treatment: Hilot treats the entire musculo-skeletal structure, acknowledging the systemic nature of chronic pain and fatigue.

Adaptive Palpation: The diagnostic system allows the practitioner to locate and treat the precise, current areas of somatic distress (hot/cold spots), ensuring the therapy follows and adapts to the shifting nature of the pain.

Key Components & Mechanistic Treatment
Modern Hilot utilizes structured manual techniques, moving beyond folk belief to focus on measurable physiological effects.

Hilot Massage Therapy & Panghihila (Stretching)

This is a structured massage method based on traditional techniques, focusing on bio-mechanical effects:

Focus: Muscular tension, circulation, and alignment of joints and tissues.

Panghihila
- Techniques adapted for safer, regulated therapeutic practice to mechanically adjust tense muscles and joints, reducing muscular guarding.

Binhubog (Sculpting)
- Deep-pressure strokes and kneading similar to myofascial release, targeting fascia and deep tissue to improve tissue elasticity and joint mobility.

For inquiries and appointment, please contact:
0917 507 1734

14/09/2022

04/12/2019

Did you know that massages can literally de-stress you and make you look younger?

massage therapy to reduce heart rate, cortisone levels and blood pressure while also bettering sleep quality and reducing migraine headaches. managing stress is critical to maintaining a youthful appearance for several reasons. “When we are stressed, our bodies initiate an inflammatory response. The less time we spend in the parasympathetic state, the less time we have for cellular regeneration and proper digestion. When our digestion is sluggish, we fail to absorb and utilize nutrients needed for essential life processes and that healthy skin glow, lush hair and beautiful nails."
While stress seems bad enough on its own, it also ages us—and not only emotionally—by shortening our telomeres (stretches of DNA at the ends of chromosomes, which allow cells to divide),

So what can we do to stop aging in its tracks? Do your best to book a massage appointment at least once a month to keep stress levels low. Turns out there truly is more to a spa day.

12/11/2019

FACIAL MASSAGE: THE SECRET TO YOUNGER-LOOKING SKIN

Just like the benefits of a body massage, facial massage can increase circulation for the face. Massaging our face promotes oxygen and blood flow in our skin. Not only does this result in reducing puffiness, it also creates a brighter skin tone and appearance. The massage will also increase collagen production, which prevents the formation of wrinkles. You can call it the ‘natural face lift’.

Another benefit of facial massage is that it also relieves tension. Just as firming and toning our muscles with exercise make our body look and feel better, facial massages works the same way too. These massages work our facial muscles by releasing tension while lifting the skin and making them firmer. Think of it as an anti-aging treatment and natural therapy.

02/11/2019

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HILOT AND MASSAGE.

Hilot is not just massage–it is our ancestor’s system of healing.

People who are not familiar with Hilot often think that Hilot is just another type of massage. After all, that is basically what Hilot looks like. On the surface, the manghihilot manipulates muscles–very similar, it seems, to what they do at the spa.

However, people who have grown up with, or have encountered authentic Hilot, know that this is not the case.

Traditionally, Hilot is known for its therapeutic benefits–Hilot is used to heal. Anybody who has experienced Hilot, or who lives within the vicinity where there is a well-known manghihilot knows that the people who seek out Hilot are not there for relaxation. People who go to the manghihilot are seeking relief from pain, illness, or other discomforts.

The major difference between Hilot and massage, especially as it is understood in the Philippine context, is that massage is mainly for relaxation purposes. Massage emphasizes the use of a sequence of pre-determined strokes, which is applied to all clients. Hilot, on the other hand, follows basic natural principles and tailors the healing session to each individual’s unique healing needs.

The actual experience of Hilot, (even the more modern Hilot for Wellness) can also be worlds away from your soothing massage at the spa. Authentic Hilot can in fact, be painful, because the manghihilot often works directly on the problematic parts of the body. But with a good manghihilot, you can be assured that afterwards, you will feel relief. Depending on the problem, a few more sessions might be needed, but Hilot is very effective, surprising even skeptics with its speed and efficacy.

Hilot has been around for a long, long time. It had been practised by our ancestors long before the Spaniards came.Before there were even doctors in the Philippines, there were albularyos and manghihilots ministering to early Filipinos’ sprains and broken bones, attending to childbirth, and preparing herbs to treat imbalances in the body.

30/10/2019

The 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬 also known as Goose Grass and its medicinal uses.

A Grass that can cure numerous diseases went viral.
Grass is considered as herbage which is suitable or used for grazing animals but never been used as a treatment for any kind of disease. Recently, a grass called Paragis, went viral because of its endless health benefits. We are blessed to have this in the Philippines and it can also be seen in tropical countries. Many people testified and prove the wonder of this grass in treating numerous diseases.

In Africa, Paragis is used as a natural way of treating different kinds of illness. In Porac, Pampanga, the tribe of Aeta used it as an insect repellent. Paragis is declared to have protein and its leaves have silicon monoxide, calcium oxide, and chlorine compounds. It is also known to have numerous properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antihistamine, natural diuretic, and cytotoxic properties. Its steam, roots, and leaves are used as herbal medicine by boiling it.

Paragis cure diseases such as:

𝟏. 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 – Paragis’ antioxidants prevent the growth of cancer cells in the body.
𝟐. 𝐎𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐲𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲𝐨𝐦𝐚 – Ovarian cyst can be treated by Paragis tea.
𝟑. 𝐊𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 – Paragis increase the amount of water in the body and expels the salt as urine because of its diuretic property.
𝟒. 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 – Apply the heated leaves of Pargis with scraped coconut on the affected area.
𝟓. 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬 – Paragis has antidiabetic properties. Drink of its tea regularly.
𝟔. 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 – Stops wound bleeding by applying the mixture on the affected area.
𝟕. 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 – It has laxative properties that fight parasites in the body.
𝟖. 𝐔𝐓𝐈 – Drink boiled leaves of Paragis to cure UTI.
𝟗. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 – It’s boiled leaves and stem helps balance and lower the risk of hypertension.
𝟏𝟎. 𝐅𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 – Drinking boiloed roots of Paragis lowers the fever.
𝟏1. 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐟𝐟 – Mixed the minced and stem of Paragis on coconut oil. Use it as a shampoo. It also uses for hair growth and stops falling hair.
𝟏2. 𝐃𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 – Drinking boiled roots of Paragis help cure gastroenteritis (Diarrhea with blood).

Paragis is also known to treat health issues such as asthma, epilepsy, malaria, infertility(women), bladder and liver problems, hemoptysis, and jaundice.

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. 𝐓𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐬.

30/10/2019

"HILOT"

HILOT is one of the oldest healing practices in the Philippines. Its beginnings cannot be specifically traced back, but it is widely spread and is being practiced for the longest time.

The main purpose of hilot is to heal by restoring harmony and balance within one’s body.
Healers would look for the imbalanced area of the body that’s causing the discomfort and illness of the patient. A good healer knows exactly where to press their skilled fingers on.

As mentioned, hilot is a traditional way of healing. Its primary purpose is to restore a person’s physical, emotional, and even mental health. At the same time, a hilot treatment can also be administered to relax muscles, reduce muscle pains, and relieve stress.