3. What is Reflexology?
Reflexology is the application of pressure to areas on the
feet, hands and ears.
Reflexology is generally relaxing and may be an effective
way to alleviate stress.
Reflexologists use foot charts to guide them as they apply
pressure to specific areas. Sometimes these
practitioners use items, such as rubber balls, rubber
bands and sticks of wood, to assist in their work.
Practitioners of reflexology include chiropractors,
physical therapists and massage therapists, among
others.
5. What are the benefits of
reflexology ?
Nerve Function: As our bodies age, our nerve
endings become less sensitive in parts of our body,
particularly in our extremities. That being said,
reflexology has been connected with stimulating more
than 7,000 different nervous endings in a single
session, thereby increasing their function and
reactivity. Opening and cleaning out neural pathways
can help improve functionality and flexibility of many
areas around the body. Neural pathways are like
muscles, so it is good to work them once in a while to
keep them sharp!
6. Energy Levels: By aligning the
functioning of various organ and muscle
systems, reflexology can
increase metabolism and energy
creation processes within the body. If
you need a boost in energy or are always
feeling sluggish, perhaps a reflexology
session can help put some pep back in
your step!
7. Circulation: One of the most well-known
and verified benefits of reflexology is
an improvement in circulation throughout
the body, which means that blood and
oxygen are being cycled through the body
more effectively. This means more oxygen
reaches vital organ systems, thereby
optimizing their functioning and further
increasing the metabolism. This also results
in faster healing and re-growth of damaged
cells.
8. Relaxation: As mentioned above, reflexology
has been known to open neural pathways, and
this sort of free-flowing neural activity results
in a more relaxed state in the body, one of
reduced stress. For this reason, reflexology can
flood your system with relaxation, inducing a
state of calm throughout your body and mind.
In this same vein, reflexology is commonly used
to cure sleep disorders. Insomnia can be a very
troubling condition to suffer through, but
reflexology helps your body relax and get back
to its normal, healthy Circadian rhythms.
9. Toxin Removal: Reflexology has been
shown to improve bladder function and
to reduce urinary tract issues. What this
means in terms of toxicity is a more
efficient system of eliminating
toxins and other foreign substances,
thereby protecting your body from the
various diseases and health conditions
that can often arise from a compromised
urinary system.
10. Nervous System Stimulation: The
open neural pathways can benefit
our central nervous system in a variety
of ways. Not only will our brain be able
to handle the inputs more effectively,
thereby speeding up our cognitive
powers, but our physical reactions will
be faster, our memory will be boosted,
and generally, our entire brain will
simply work better and faster.
11. Migraines and Headaches: Reflexology is
primarily used by many people as a method of
eliminating pain. As an analgesic treatment,
reflexology can reduce the severity of
migraines and headaches, simply by relieving
tension in the muscles that can often result in
these conditions. Any headaches induced by
stress can also be eliminated, since stress and
psychological factors often manifest in the
physical symptoms of a migraine. This is
actually one of the most popular applications
of reflexology.
12. Speeds Healing: The combination of
increased nerve activity and circulation, as well
as the more balanced functioning of the
metabolism, means that cells re-grow faster
and wounds are able to heal faster. Also, the
pain-relieving qualities of reflexology mean
that patients feel better faster, and are more
willing to start physical recovery to get back
into life!
13. Cancer Relief: Although reflexology isn’t
connected directly to curing cancer, it has been
known to ease the side effects of cancer
treatments, such as chemotherapy. It helps these
patients get to sleep, reduce anxiety, and also
reduces the chances of vomiting or other
indigestion issues that are commonly experienced.
The more general effects of reflexology, such as
clearing neural channels and increasing
circulation, can help to slow the spread of cancer
and can stimulate antioxidant activity to destroy
cancer cells.
14. Reflexologists claim that reflexology
also can treat a wide variety of
medical conditions, such as asthma,
diabetes and cancer. However,
scientific evidence is lacking to
support these claims.
Reflexology is generally considered
safe, although very vigorous pressure
may cause discomfort for some
people.
15. Although much of the research on
reflexology has been criticized or cited as
unprovable, thousands of years of tradition
and reports of success speak rather loudly.
That being said, reflexology should be
considered as a supplemental treatment to
formal medical advice and treatment for the
more serious conditions that have been
touched on in this article. Kick Your Feet
Up and Get Healthy!
16. Do's and Don'ts
Drink warm water during and after reflexology to
boost the flow of qi (breath) and blood;
Exercise particular caution if pregnant. Poor
reflexology can even cause abortions, says masseur
Wu Lianjun;
Don't go for a massage either after a full meal or on
an empty stomach;
Don't go after drinking alcohol or smoke during
treatment;
17. Don't do massage on people with
injuries, serious cardiovascular disease,
hypertension, osteoporosis or severe
sickness;
Don't do reflexology during
menstruation - it may cause an excessive
discharge of blood.
18. People that are ill have lower pain
tolerances and can be very sensitive to
touch
And if they have been in bed for
more than 24 to 48 hours don't do
reflexology at all x
23. When you feel a tender spot, you have found a reflex
to an ailing organ. You should continue to work this
sensitive spot gently but with sufficient pressure to gain
relief.
The body reacts like this because it is now working
harder to create balance within its systems and to get
rid of waste
If this reflex button is sore, it is telling you that the
corresponding body part may be weak or in trouble.
When a gland is not functioning properly, it will
respond to the stimulation. However, the more serious
the trouble, the longer it may take to heal.
24. reabsorb fluids and process waste products from
the body and prepare for its elimination
the colon – formerly referred to as the large intestine
but now commonly known as the colon – is part of the
digestive system, which is a series of bodily organs
beginning at the mouth and ending with the anus.
the colon works to maintain the body’s fluid balance