BY: FRANKIE AVALON WOLFE, M.H.H., Ph.D.
In This Chapter
- Discover how to balance the body with reflexology
- Get prepared for detoxifying
- Use reflexology as an anti-stress therapy
- Learn who can and can't use reflexology
- Find out how often reflexology should be used
Now that you know what reflexology is all about, I'd like to fill you in on what makes it so good. For one thing, my husband tells me it's the most fun we have together with our clothes on (but for the best benefit you will need to remove your shoes!). Reflexology stimulates the body to produce those feel-good chemicals known as endorphins, and so far, I have found it to be the best way to get my family members to do big favors for me!
It also ranks right up there as one of the best romantic gifts you can give your partner, especially in a pinch. Pin this thought under your cap: "Of course I didn't forget our anniversary darling. Now lay back and kick your shoes off"
Whether you are practicing on yourself or on someone else, this chapter will help you learn about some general uses of reflexology, let you in on what you can expect, and even give you inside tips about when and how often you can use this hands-on tool for health and happiness, and why you should.
It's a Healing Feat
Reflexology is a natural way to stimulate healing in the body, and a healthy body is a body that feels good. Many folks have been amazed at the instant relief they have had from just a few minutes of deep pressure on the feet and/or hands. Since the hands are usually accessible, you can work on yourself almost any time in meetings, riding in a car (not if you're driving, please), watching a movie, getting your teeth cleaned or virtually anywhere you have both hands free.
The ears also have reflex points, and most of us have our ears accessible all the time. The point is that reflexology can be used almost anywhere and anytime to promote balance and give you an instant lift or quick pain relief.
A reflexologist friend of mine was on a plane recently and was fortunate enough to be sitting next to a charming young lady about seven years old. As the plane was descending, the girl began to experience excruciating pain in her ears because of sinus congestion. My friend, being the patient, healing woman that she is, instead of complaining about the little girl’s cries, asked her mother for permission to work on her. The mother agreed, and my friend began to work on the girl's palms. Within minutes, the girl was drying her tears and feeling no more pain.
Now, if you are not lucky enough to be sitting next to a loving reflexologist on the plane next time your sinuses are giving you grief, have no fear! By the time you are through reading this book, you will be able to work on yourself for relief. In the meantime, check with your travel agent for specific seating arrangements or turn to Chapter 9, "Remember to Breathe! The Respiratory System," for more details about sinus reflex points on the hands and feet.
A Delicate Balance
Spontaneous healing is great; however, most true healing takes time. Illness doesn't necessarily come about instantaneously, but is harbored and grows, sometimes long before you experience any symptoms.
My nutritional and holistic teachers over the years have all taught me the law of balance. It is only when we are imbalanced in some way, whether physically, mentally, or spiritually, that we experience ill health. We will primarily be addressing physical imbalances in this book, but keep the other two in mind for complete health.
It is great to be balanced nutritionally and maintain your health with physical therapies like reflexology, but your symptoms will continue to come back if you are in a continuing unhealthy relationship or situation. Make those changes first and then work on the physical health!
That's Good Enough for me--I'll order the book!
Homeostasis: Getting It Right
Reflexology is great because it helps the body get and stay balanced. I'm not talking balanced as in walking on a balance beam. I am talking about balance as it relates to the glandular functioning of your body, or homeostasis. Homeostasis is really just a biochemical balancing act played every day of our lives by our endocrine glands. Some of the functions controlled by homeostatic mechanisms are
- Heartbeat
- Blood production
- Blood pressure
- Body temperature
- Salt balance
- Breathing
- Glandular secretion
The Sole Meaning:
Homeostasis is the medical term used for the body's internal balancing act. It means that our unconscious body functions such as body temperature and glandular secretions are working for us to keep us alive and functioning. Life truly is a balancing act.
Our glands all work together just like a smooth-running corporation. When one of the glands are not up to par, the whole corporation suffers. This usually means extra work for the other glands as they try to make up the work left over by the slacker!
By using the reflex points on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands, we can stimulate those glands that are not keeping up and help the body become balanced again. For instance, symptoms of a sluggish thyroid gland could include unexplainable weight gain, lethargy, dry skin and erratic sleeping patterns. These symptoms are signs that the body is out of balance.
More than likely, when your thyroid is out of balance and you rub your thyroid reflex point on the bottom of your foot, it will yell back at you "ouch!" Keep on rubbing that's just the thyroid telling you that it doesn't like getting caught sleeping on the job! (We'll get to how you can tell which areas or glands are sluggish in later chapters.)
Tip Toe
Kelp is a seaweed rich in organic iodine. It is used as an herbal supplement by many to nourish an underactive thyroid.
It is not just the glands that can cause imbalance in the functions of the body. The major organs can become overloaded, tired or injured, the muscles, skin, bones, hair, fingernails, joints and all other parts of the body may show signs of imbalance. Bringing balance back to the body through stimulation is one goal of the reflexologist.
Detoxing that'll Knock Your Socks Off
Most imbalances occur because of malnourishment, overuse or abuse, or too many toxins in the body causing irritations and sluggishness in certain areas. Detoxifying the body means doing some internal house cleaning. Believe it or not, our internal bodies get dusty and dirty and need to be cleansed periodically, just as our homes need a good spring cleaning.
The body has four main eliminative channels that serve as exit routes for waste products. These include:
- The bowel
- The urinary system (kidneys and bladder)
- The respiratory system (lungs and sinuses)
- The skin
When the body, or a particular organ, is sluggish due to a build up of waste products and then we stimulate that organ to "get back to work," it will probably eliminate some toxins right away. This is called detoxification. When a body system is stimulated and stronger, it has the energy and ability to kick out toxins settling in it. You will know when your body is detoxifying because of the symptoms you experience.
Usually a full reflexology treatment will stimulate all the organs and therefore stir up a bunch of waste materials in the body. This is good, but you will need to know what to expect when this happens to you!
The Process of Elimination
One of the most common symptoms of detoxifying the body will be a loosening of the bowels. Many necessary, quick trips to the bathroom will prove to you that you needed cleansing. This form of detoxifying after a reflexology treatment usually lasts no longer than a day. It is also a positive sign. You should not try to stop this cleansing process by taking any medications that would constipate you. Let the cleansing begin!
The urinary system will carry out waste products in the form of urine. The urine may be stronger smelling, and you may have to visit the bathroom more often for a day. This should also be encouraged. Drink plenty of pure water to help flush out the toxins.
That's Good Enough for me--I'll order the book!
Sweating It Out
Sometimes when I work on someone with lung congestion, they will experience a cleansing through the lungs. This is usually in the form of a phlegmy cough. I believe the reflexology treatment loosens up old, hardened mucus giving the lungs the opportunity to get rid of it! So, if you get copious amounts of mucous coming from your sinus passages or from your lungs in the form of a cough after reflexology, you can count on this being a cleansing process.
Do not thwart the process by taking cough medications to inhibit your lungs from expelling the mucus. This will only stop the cleansing process, which the reflexology treatment was designed to do in the first place! Instead, drink lots of water to speed up the process. Foul breath is another strange symptom that may be experienced after a deep reflexology treatment. Again, this is due to toxins in the system, usually in the lungs, that have broken free and are leaving the body.
Detoxifying through the pores of the skin can show up as any type of skin eruption, including pimples, boils, rashes, or cold sores. Sweating during a deep treatment is sometimes experienced. This is the natural way your body rids itself of waste through the skin. When a treatment is effective in detoxifying, you should not be surprised if your body odor changes for a day. In fact, after my first treatment, I smelled like maple syrup! Just before I panicked about being nicknamed Aunt Jemima, the smell subsided.
Tip Toe
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Stressed Out?
Reflexology promotes the production of endorphins in the body. Endorphins are the feel-good hormones made by the pituitary gland in the brain. The flow of endorphins in the body acts on the nervous system to help reduce pain. The effects they cause on the body are similar to the effects of morphine.
I believe that many of the painful symptoms we experience in the body are increased by stress. Stress tends to make us uptight. Literally, our muscles get tighter when we are under stress.
The Sole Meaning
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Just think of yourself after having a confrontational meeting at work. Are your shoulders in your ears? Are your fists clenched? How about your jaw? Are you grinding your teeth or clenching them tight? These are all reactions to stressful situations, whether the stress is good or bad.
Good Stress, Bad Stress, Ugly Stress
Some examples of "good" stress may be moving to a new, nicer home, starting a better job, getting married or traveling to a new and exciting place. And of course we all experience the bad stressors too, like accidents, conflicts with others, financial worries, and so on. When the body and mind are adjusting to anything new, the muscles tighten in response, preparing for unexpected or new challenges.
But when we are stressed all the time, the effects can eventually tire us out! We can use reflexology to help stimulate endorphins so that the body can relax, rejuvenate, and be better able to tolerate the stresses of life. By utilizing reflexology as a stress-relieving technique, the body has a chance to relax the tight muscles that can cause pain.
A Balancing Act: Reducing PMS
Another form of stress is the ever-unpopular premenstrual tension. Fortunately, the stress, or tension, in the body can be released and this release can have a positive effect on symptoms of PMS. In fact, PMS symptoms are one of the most studied uses of reflexology!
Sometimes I am not sure who suffers more from PMS, women or the men who love them! But one sure thing is that reflexology has many effects on the body and can help balance the glands, reduce water retention, and promote relaxation all which are important factors in relieving PMS symptoms.
Besides promoting endorphin production that relieves pain and promotes relaxation, another reason reflexology seems to work on PMS is because it stimulates the glands to balance. The crankiness we feel when we are suffering from PMS is usually because our hormones are raging, our glands are going crazy and therefore, our highs and lows are intensified. By stimulating the glands to balance through reflexology, we can help make the highs and lows less drastic.
Many times women will hold excess water (known as edema) and feel bloated or puffy during certain times of the month. By utilizing the reflexology points on the feet, hands and even ears, we can encourage the urinary system to cleanse and release excess water. The effects are not only felt in the body as the swelling is reduced, but also in the brain. Excess water retention can affect certain nerves in the brain and make us ladies act very un-ladylike!
Tip Toe
Men, you don't need to think of PMS anymore as an acronym for Pack My Stuff! All you need to do is offer to give reflexology to your sweetheart and you can keep your suitcase in the closet!
Obviously reflexology has many uses for those of us suffering from any ailments or conditions caused by stress, tension, brain chemistry, or glandular imbalances. Relief of PMS is only one, but it is one a large percentage of the population can appreciate. We'll get into more detail in Chapters 12 "Gland To Know You: The Glandular System" and Chapter 23 "Keeping Your Glands In Order".
That's Good Enough for me--I'll order the book!
Gentle Enough For Baby, Yet Strong Enough For A Man
Reflexology is safe and effective and only helps the body do what it was designed to do anyway. So unless you are grossly negligent (or using instruments improperly) you really can't hurt anyone with reflexology.
If you are working on yourself, you will know what hurts and what doesn't. When working on another person, you will have to utilize your people skills to stay in communication with them so that you can push deep enough to get the desired results, yet still be gentle enough that they do not become tense. Later, I will cover the specific techniques and discuss how deep to go and so on, but for now we want to talk about who can, can't, should, or shouldn't get a reflexology treatment.
Reflexology is one area in life where you should consider yourself first. Working on yourself is the best way to get started feeling the effects of reflexology. For instance, I began utilizing this therapy as a crisis management plan. When something would hurt in my body, I would go to the corresponding reflex point, and sure enough, the reflex point would be sore. I would rub the spot every chance I got. As the pain went away in my body, the tenderness would go away in my reflex point! Using the techniques on yourself will help you get in touch with your body and its functions.
Kid Stuff--Working on Baby
Babies are especially responsive to reflexology. Many mothers will instinctively rub their children's feet and hands when their child is cranky, crying, or uncomfortable. Reflexology works very well for little ones since most babies enjoy being touched. Babies' feet have undeveloped arches, and their skin and bones are usually fairly soft. You don't want to dig too deeply into a baby's feet or hands! Gentle fingertip pressure is usually sufficient. Short, gentle sessions are most beneficial for infants. Ten minutes is usually sufficient to do each foot and hand. It is important to not overdo when working with little ones.
Many times, gas pains, nausea, and general lethargy can be relieved when you rub a baby's feet or hands for several minutes. All the babies I have ever worked on using reflexology have fallen asleep after a few minutes of working on them! This can be used as a trick for tired moms who need a break.
Also, babies will usually respond rather quickly to the detoxifying effects of reflexology. Therefore, this safe therapy can be used to help with gas pains due to constipation. I have found that the smaller the body, the faster the therapy works! So be aware that a child's reaction to most natural treatments can be almost instantaneous. In other words, be prepared to change a diaper if need be!
Tread Lightly
Baby’s feet should not be worked on too deeply. A gentle, but firm pressure while rubbing your baby's little feet and hands is sufficient. Results for babies are usually experienced immediately and can soothe a cranky baby or help to relieve gas pains or constipation. Since the results can show up in a diaper, make sure you leave home prepared!
Who Shouldn't Use It?
Men and women of any age like the feel of reflexology and can use it without problems. However, as I said earlier, pay attention to the person's pain tolerance. Someone who is generally healthy may not be very sensitive. If they already take good care of themselves and are used to other forms of bodywork such as massage, they may want or need deeper work to feel any real benefits.
Every therapy has its own set of contraindications and reflexology is no exception. Contraindications means that sometimes a therapy is not recommended for someone with specific problems. We will go over a more detailed list in later chapters, but for now, here are some general things to keep in mind when first starting out using reflexology.
Things to keep in mind when using reflexology:
The Sole Meaning
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Reflexology and Pregnancy
The one serious contraindication for reflexology that I always abide by is someone who is pregnant and who has had trouble carrying a pregnancy to term in the past. This could indicate that she lacks muscle tone in the uterus, and we would not want to stimulate a cleansing, or stir up the circulation process. Personally, I will not work on anyone who has had this problem before, so as to avoid being blamed if something does go wrong.
But don't let me scare off you moms-to-be now! Typically, reflexology during pregnancy is a great way to gently relax the muscles and alleviate some of the tenderness in the feet that sometimes come with pregnancy. Many midwives offer reflexology treatments to help their clients through labor pains!
So, for the future moms out there, here are my recommendations:
- Do offer gentle reflexology treatments to yourself or to your pregnant friends.
- Don't over-stimulate the reproductive organ reflex points.
- Don't use reflexology at all on someone who has had miscarriages in the past, or on anyone who is worried about miscarrying.
Tread Lightly
Pregnant women who have had past trouble carrying their pregnancy to term should not use vigorous or deep reflexology stimulation, especially on the reproductive organ reflexes.
Although I do believe that reflexology is a wonderful therapy for pregnant ladies, the female organ reflex points should not be worked on too much. Neither should the foot be worked on too vigorously. We don't want to over-stimulate the body when the body is busy building a new person!
That's Good Enough for me--I'll order the book!
All Things in Time
The beauty of reflexology is that it can be used almost any time, as almost as often as you wish, or as little as you want. See the Foot Note below for a good rule of thumb on timing. Since reflex points can be found on the ears, hands, and feet, there is a good chance that at least one or two of these parts will be accessible almost all the time. Reflexology can be used as a quick pick-me-up or to facilitate instantaneous relief, but it is best used as a regular therapy to promote overall balance and health.
I have found that, on occasion, the first reflexology treatment is not as effective as subsequent treatments. Sometimes this is because the person needs to get to know you a little better before they can relax totally and benefit from the stress-relieving effects. Healing through relaxation is a big part of the magic of reflexology.
For some, the first time you try reflexology you may just be breaking up some surface congestion, so you will not really notice any difference. If this is so, I suggest you try it again within a week. You may be surprised at what happens. Some of my best clients did not have anything to say after their first treatments but when they came back for a second time, they had results, and then I couldn't keep them from coming back again and again (not that I'd want to keep them away)!
Since every body is different, each person will respond to reflexology in a different way. Sometimes the effect is more emotional than physical. I have had clients burst into tears minutes after I began working on them! This is also part of a cleansing process. When your intent as a reflexologist is to help the person you are working on heal, you will get results, however they may manifest. Do not stress yourself by attaching expectations to your reflexology results. Your body will heal itself on its own time despite your ego’s personal goals!
Use It 'til You Loose It
How often should you use reflexology? The problem you are trying to deal with will give you a clue. Although the therapy can be used as a stress reliever any time, some folks use it more seriously as a part of their health care program. If you are working on a specific ailment or chronic problem, for instance, regular treatments until healing begins are the best way to start out. I always suggest, for chronic cases, that a person use reflexology once a week for three or four weeks or until they are feeling better, then maintain with bimonthly or monthly treatments. It is important to try to get the body balanced with several treatments up front and then maintain that balance.
Foot Note
One delightful reflexology student took my class to use reflexology to help her diabetic husband. She began practicing on him every other day. On our last class together, she reported that the husband went to visit the doctor and the doctor asked them what they had been doing differently. She told him that she had been learning reflexology and practicing on him. The doctor noted great improvement in her husband, including improved foot mobility and told her "whatever you are doing, keep doing it!"
Speeding Up the Healing Process
Other natural therapies used along with reflexology can compliment and dramatically speed the healing process. These include:
- Colonic irrigations
- Herbs
- Vitamin, mineral, and enzyme therapies
- Proper nutrition
- Energy work
- Aromatherapy
- Counseling
- Exercise
All can make a big difference in getting healthy and then maintaining your health. Just like other natural healing therapies, using reflexology to bring your body back to health is effective, but can take some time.
We do not "catch" disease. There are a series of factors that take place over a long period of time inside our bodies before we actually experience the symptoms of imbalance. These symptoms are usually labeled as ailments or disease. Feeling not as good as you should or having an ailment or disease is just your body's way of telling you that some things are not right. This is usually when reflexology and other forms of natural health care is sought.
By the time you are not feeling your best, there is a lot of healing that needs to take place before you can fully recover. Dr. Jack Ritchason, a well-known herbalist and nutritionist, says that it takes five to seven times the normal amount of nutrition to build and repair as it does to maintain health. I believe this holds true for using all natural therapies. One reflexology treatment will not solve all your problems, just like one magic herb pill will not. Consistency is the key to getting where you want to be.
Hering's Law of Cure
Another good thing to remember in all natural therapies is Hering's Law of Cure. Hering's Law states: "All healing starts from the head down, from the inside out, and in reverse order as the symptoms have first been acquired." In other words, in true healing, your insides will begin healing first. The outward manifestations of healing will come last so you may not even notice you're healing right away. Also the symptoms that you experienced most recently will be the last ones to go away.
The Sole Meaning
Hering's Law of Cure is used as a standard philosophy for healing naturally. It states: "All healing starts from the head down, from the inside out, and in reverse order as the symptoms have been acquired."
The body always takes care of the more chronic ailments or imbalances first. You may not be aware that your pancreas or spleen is healing but continued effort will eventually bring the outward signs of true health. Therefore, although reflexology may work instantly to alleviate symptoms of imbalance, it will take time and continued use of reflexology to experience true healing so be patient and enjoy the ride!
All in all, reflexology is an excellent, safe, efficient therapy that can be used on almost anyone, any time, anywhere. Being so simple and safe, it can be integrated into anyone's lifestyle and serve as either a healing therapy or a preventative maintenance tool for health. It can even detect imbalances before you experience any symptoms. It can help the body to heal itself by detoxifying, relaxing and balancing it, and to top it off, it makes you feel good.
These are all good reasons to get your feet rubbed. But before we address the techniques, let's dig up a little history on this subject in the next chapter.
The Least You Need to Know
- Reflexology assists the body in healing by balancing glands, relaxing muscles, promoting pain-killing hormone production, and detoxifying the body.
- Reflexology can be used by almost anyone at any age.
- You can use reflexology as a natural healing therapy and as a preventative maintenance tool for health.
- Never work too vigorously or too deeply on a pregnant woman, a baby or someone in a weakened state. And don't work at all on a pregnant woman who has had trouble in the past with carrying to term.
- Remember that natural healing takes place in the reverse order that you have experienced the problem. This means that you will need to be patient when healing naturally, as your most recent symptoms may be the last to disappear.
Order the book on-line now and enjoy healing, laughter and getting in touch with your feet!
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