Forty years have already passed since graduating from the Varvakeio Model School, and the span of medical practice, as measured from earning a medical degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, has exceeded the duration of a generation. Participation in the “2nd Postgraduate Course Series in the History of Biomedical Sciences,” which predates the establishment and consolidation of modern postgraduate programs, ultimately led to the completion of a doctoral dissertation from the Medical History Research Laboratory. This undoubtedly had a profound impact on the thinking of a young doctor, offering a unique perspective on addressing daily clinical challenges.
Specializing at KAT Hospital and engaging daily with the surgical pathology of the musculoskeletal system similarly shapes the character of a young surgeon, particularly when they internalize the three levels of Surgery: a) HOW to operate, b) WHEN to operate, and c) WHEN NOT to operate. Further involvement in Metabolic Bone Diseases clearly broadens intellectual horizons and is strongly recommended to any thoughtful physician.
In parallel, systematic engagement with martial arts began during student years, initially with Japanese Karate and later with Korean Taekwon-Do in its original, authentic form. This enhanced both body and mind, particularly when combined with the systematic study of the most “documented” martial art. Taekwon-Do is the only martial art with a clearly defined training program, promotion timeline, curriculum, and examination material, as recorded by its Founder, General Choi Hong Hi, culminating in the fifteen-volume “Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do.”
After 15 years of involvement with Acupuncture and Eastern Medicine, all the aforementioned knowledge appears to coalesce into a unique blend of overlapping information. This blend encompasses the musculoskeletal system, anatomy, physiology, pathology, conservative and surgical treatments, disease prevention, and health maintenance, especially through the contributions of Eastern wisdom and the complementary use of acupuncture as an interventional medical practice.
This distinctive synthesis of Western and Eastern Medicine finds expression through writing books and a profound love for the entire process of producing and editing them. Paradoxically, this passion is shared by the tax authorities, which readily granted an expansion of activities under the same tax identification number to include “Authoring, Translating, Publishing, and Selling Books.” Concurrently, technological advancements led to the creation of an online store – an e-shop enabling direct retail sales from the publisher to the consumer, bypassing the conventional process involving physical bookstores.
The launch of the translation and publishing endeavor occurred in 2017 with “A Killing Art: The Untold History of Taekwon-Do,” a translation from English of the revised and expanded second edition of the global bestseller by Canadian journalist and Taekwon-Do practitioner Alex Gillis. That same year saw the publication of the previously unpublished doctoral dissertation, enriched with 200 black-and-white images and additional bibliographic references (339 Greek and 172 foreign-language sources), under the title “Greek Medicine in the Danubian Principalities.” This 464-page work includes 1,100 footnotes.
Drawing from the same primary material, enriched with new findings, a second book emerged: “Iakovos Basilikos Heraclides: His Actions in 16th Century Europe, From the Montpellier Medical School to the Princely Throne of Moldavia.” Published in 2021, the bicentennial year of the Greek War of Independence, this work includes the original Latin manuscript of the expatriate Asclepiad, published in Antwerp in 1555, accompanied by its first Greek translation, a critical reissue with extensive commentary, and a dedicated chapter on contemporary physician-philosophers. Spanning 336 pages with 56 endnotes, 315 footnotes, and 108 illustrations, it represents a significant scholarly contribution to early efforts of resisting Ottoman domination in Southeast Europe.
In the field of Martial Arts, a long-term publishing project began with the Greek series “Introduction to Real Taekwon-Do,” guided by Grandmaster Dimitris Balabanos from Larissa. This project is profoundly educational, illustrating that wisdom does not necessarily align with academic credentials and affirming that what is correct is rarely easy, while what is easy is unlikely to be correct. Nine volumes, corresponding to the black belt degrees, are planned, organized into three trilogies reflecting beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The first trilogy, aimed at young practitioners, was completed in 2018-2019.
A parallel attempt started in English with the title “Taekwon-Do Study Companion,” aspiring to match the fifteen-volume “Bible of the Art” and occupy the same shelf as the Encyclopedia. The first two volumes were released in 2020 and 2022, with a plan for biannual releases leading to completion by 2050. The target audience includes adult practitioners and likely instructors who transcend the “sport” aspect of “Taekwon-Do ITF.”
At the end of 2023, practically early 2024, the volume “Acupuncture and Orthopedics” was published. This work seeks to reconcile perspectives and explore the coexistence of Orthopedics and Acupuncture, requiring at minimum a medical degree alongside parallel training and deepening knowledge in Eastern Medicine theory.
Additional details on each book can be accessed through corresponding icons, requiring the correct language selection depending on the work’s language of authorship.
