Foot massage and reflexology to heal naturally
To some people, the idea that a foot massage can help heal the body seems quite strange. How on earth can massaging your feet help make you well? Reflexology can be defined as a science that works on the principle that there are areas of the feet, known as reflex areas, that correspond to all of the body's organs, glands and other parts of the body. It can also be known as meridian therapy. Reflexologists spend a long time in training, to ensure that they are familiar with anatomy and physiology, and are able to interpret the connection between the feet and the organs and glands of the body during treatments. It is actually not a simple foot massage. The treatment involves a therapist manipulating the feet using a thumb and finger technique on these reflex areas to bring about relief for symptoms of stress and tension, to improve blood supply and therefore improving general health, and to help the body achieve homeostasis (balance). It is often mistakenly referred to as a foot massage, but in fact works because of this special 'thumb walking' technique. Reflexology is an increasingly popular complementary therapy. Training is widely available nowadays, but it is wise to seek out a well-respected body to do your reflexology training with, and I would recommend learning the Ingham method of reflexology. Remember that it is not just straightforward foot massage you are seeking to learn about. It is a skilled job, taking dedication and lots of practice to become qualified.
It is used to help the body achieve homeostasis - a Greek word meaning 'balance' or 'state of equilibrium', no matter what the external circumstances may be. In other words, when our bodies are running well, and being kept in optimum health, outside influences cannot affect us so deeply. Reflexology is based on Zone Theory. What is it? The reflexes of the feet are linked to the glands and organs in the body. The zones are the 'wiring', and the feet are connected to this wiring. If you can imagine, a series of imaginary lines going from the top of the head down to the toes, with five vertical lines down each side of the body. There are ten zones in total (an easy way to remember this: one for each toe!). The book 'Better Health with Reflexology' describes zones in this way - imagine a cake baked in the shape of a gingerbread man. When the cake is sliced from top to bottom, each slice represents a zone. Everything that is in that slice belongs to that zone.
The above book, written by Dwight Byers, goes into deep detail about the principles and theories of Reflexology, and describes how his aunt Eunice Ingham became acknowledged as the founder of Foot Reflexology. I find the Ingham Method described in the book to be detailed and extremely helpful and would thoroughly recommend it to students.
Each zone contains an organ or gland and this organ or gland can be found in the relevant reflex of the foot. A reflexologist will be familiar with the zones and the glands and organs within it. Therefore, any sensitivity on the foot, will relate to an area of blockage within the body where there might be a problem building. Hand reflexology is another complementary therapy, and is used in the same way as foot reflexology, only working on the hands. (obviously!) It is therefore important to respect the health of our bodies and listen to and act of any signal that might indicate a problem. Approximately 75% of today's diseases are thought to be due to stress and tension, so what can reflexology do to help?
Go to Reflexology Treatments In reflexology, there are certain terms that are used and are described in more detail below:
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