Reflexology
Tools If you are interested in reflexology we
have everything you need. Reflexology Charts, Clothes with
Charts on them so you know right where to apply pressure. Some
Really UNIQUE tools direct from China and Japan.
Natural Herbal Heat
packs that work both hot and cold A couple of minutes
in the microwave and you are on your way to relief
Trigger
Point Release In Our Opinion Trigger Point Release
Massage is the most effective chronic pain relief treatment out
there. The draw back is that it needs to be done several times a
week preferable several times a day. We have just about every tool
made to make the daily home treatment easy and enjoyable.
Massagers
- Hand Held Massage tools that make giving a
professional massage a snap. Give a longer more penetrating massage
without tiring.
Our feet are our foundation. By being in constant connection with our brain,
they enable us to stand, walk and balance. Our feet can carry several hundred
tons of total weight in a single day. In confined spaces known as shoes, we walk
up to five miles or 9,000 steps on an average day! In order to do this, the foot
must maintain a certain level of tension. With repeated patterns of
uninterrupted tension, our feet get tired and sore, thus creating stress
throughout the entire body. That's where do-it-yourself reflexology, enhanced
with therapeutic-grade essential oils steps in. By the use of specific hand and
finger techniques, along with the application of essential oils to the feet, we
can begin to interrupt stress patterns and clear any blockages that occur over
time from everyday wear and tear.
Reflexology is an energy-based healing art that works through the nervous
system. There are zones and reflexes on your feet and hands that "mirror" your
entire body. Stimulating these reflexes sends messages to the associated body
parts. It relieves tension, improves circulation, aids in the delivery of oxygen
and nutrients to the cells, and assists in bringing your body to a natural state
of balance. Although there is no substitute for getting a professional
reflexology session, there are certainly many self-care techniques you can do to
help ease the discomfort of tired, achy feet and aid the body in its own healing
process. Some self-care techniques done on a regular basis, enhanced with the
application of therapeutic-grade essential oils, can bring you one step closer
to good health.
You've probably heard the term therapeutic-grade essential oils; now it's
time to explore what they are and what they do. Essential oils are aromatic
liquids extracted from flowers, trees, roots, bushes, rinds, and seeds. Each oil
essence has up to hundreds of chemical components that must exist in a unique
combination in order to be called therapeutic. These complex oils have been used
to support health for thousands of years. Essential oils are so small in
molecular size that they quickly penetrate the skin, providing numerous health
benefits. According to research, the topical application of essential oils can
affect every single cell of the body within twenty minutes! Among their many
benefits, they are antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and have
pain-reducing properties. They deliver oxygen and nutrients to the cells and
stimulate the immune system. The fragrances of essential oils can directly
stimulate the limbic lobe and the hypothalamus (in the brain), having a profound
effect not only physically but also emotionally and spiritually.
Applying essential oils to the feet is a safe and effective way to deliver
their healing properties throughout your body. In order to get the greatest
benefit from their true healing powers, it is very important that you chose the
highest quality therapeutic-grade essential oils. From the different schools of
essential oil applications, let's discuss the topical application of neat
(undiluted) therapeutic-grade oils along with their inhalation. When applying
the oils, first drop the appropriate amount into the palm of one hand and, using
the fingers of the other hand, rub on the desired area. After applying the
essential oils, vigorously rub your hands together. Close your eyes, and cup
your hands over your nose, sit for a few minutes and take several long, deep
breaths. This gives you the added healing benefits of aromatherapy.
Are you ready to begin self-care reflexology? Start by doing an ankle
rotation exercise. In a standing position, lift one foot up onto the ball of the
foot. From this position, rotate clockwise ten times, then rotate
counterclockwise ten times. Switch feet and repeat. This helps to relax the foot
by loosening the four major muscle groups connecting the foot and leg. The rest
of these exercises should be done in a seated position by placing the foot being
worked on onto the thigh of the opposite leg.
Many have reported success for sinus and respiratory problems with the
following technique. A couple drops each of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata) and
ravensara (Ravensara aromatica) essential oils are applied to the toes of each
foot. Eucalyptus (radiata) is a powerful antimicrobial oil used extensively for
respiratory infections. Ravensara is antibacterial and antiviral and is well
known for its support to the nerves and respiratory system. Now, with the left
hand on the dorsal (top) surface and the right hand on the plantar (bottom)
surface of all five toes, rub vigorously back and forth. This helps to send the
oils inward. Next, supporting the base of the toes of the left foot with the
left hand, grab the big toe on either side between the index finger and thumb of
the right hand and "crab walk" down to the base of the toe, taking about five to
six steps. Repeat in two rows, then "crab walk" along the inside and outside of
the toe in two rows. Do the same for each toe. Switch feet. This helps stimulate
the reflexes for the head, brain, and sinuses. Sit for a few minutes and breathe
in the aroma of these healing oils. This can be especially beneficial for sinus
and respiratory conditions!
For those days when you are experiencing intestinal or stomach discomfort,
several oils have been reported to be of help for these conditions. Of the many
essential oils that can be effective in relieving digestive problems, two
favorites are peppermint (Mentha piperita) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare).
Peppermint soothes digestion. It can be both cooling and warming and is well
known for its pain relieving properties. Fennel aids in digestion and supports
pancreatic function. Two to three drops of each of these oils are applied on the
plantar surface of the foot between the ball and the heel. Rub the oils in well.
Grasp the foot with the left hand along the dorsal surface of the foot, just
below the ankle. With the thumb of the right hand, "walk" up the arch of the
foot vertically, making several successive passes from the right to the left,
taking about twelve steps per pass. Be careful if you have long nails! Repeat at
least two times for each foot. Some of the many reflexes you will be stimulating
in this area are the stomach, liver, pancreas, colon, and small intestines.
Don't forget to inhale!
One favorite synergistic oil blend for helping relieve PMS symptoms and
headaches caused from hormonal imbalances is thirty drops clary sage (Salvia
sclarea), twenty drops fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), twenty drops marjoram (Origanum
majorana), five drops jasmine (Jasminum officinale) and eight drops sage (Salvia
officinalis). Pre-mix and apply five drops of this oil blend to the area below
each anklebone and then across the front of the foot, between the ankles.
Grasp the left foot with the right hand from behind the ankle. Position the
thumb at the midway point between the anklebone and the posterior edge of the
heel. Position the index finger in the same place, on the opposite side.
Exerting pressure with the thumb and index finger, rotate the foot in a
clockwise direction six times, then in a counterclockwise direction six times.
Repeat with varying pressure. Switch feet. This action helps stimulate the ovary
and uterus reflexes on women and the testicle and prostate reflexes on men. Once
again, sit and inhale.
For overall circulation, it is good to work the entire foot. A couple of oils
that are known to be very effective for this purpose are lemon (Citrus limon)
and cypress (Cupressus sempervirens). Lemon improves microcirculation and immune
function. Cypress is known to increase circulation, strengthen blood
capillaries, and support the nerves. Apply one or both of these oils to the
entire foot, top and bottom. With one hand on the dorsal surface and one hand on
the plantar surface, vigorously rub the entire foot.
Finally, have you heard about this special "hands off" tip for busy folks?
When sitting around a table or while on the phone, roll a tennis ball under your
foot. This is a great way to stretch the plantar fascia, that long tendon that
runs along the plantar surface of the foot from the heel to the ball of the
foot. It's also an easy way to stimulate all those reflexes on the planter
surface. By doing these simple techniques and applying essential oils on a
regular basis, you can begin to feel how your feet directly affect your entire
body.
Last but not least, try this tip after a long, hard day. Pour hot water into
a basin with one cup of Epsom salts and eight drops of lavender (Lavandula
angustifolia) oil. Sink your feet into a taste of heaven: aaahhh! Now that makes
scents ... from head to toe!
Reflexology is safe and effective and only
helps the body do what it was designed to do anyway. So unless you are grossly
negligent 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.
Reflexology is a method of stimulating the bodys healing mechanisms through
massage of certain reflex points on the feet and occasionally the palms of the
hands. The therapy, derived from ancient Chinese and Indian diagnostic and
therapeutic techniques, is based on the idea that the organs of the body are
represented on the feet, making them a vital map of the body. The foot is also
ideally shaped and sized for the human hand. We can hold a foot naturally and
easily.
General Overview of the Reflexology Zones in the Foot
The toes reflect the head
The balls of the foot reflect the ribcage
The fleshy instep reflects the soft abdomen
The firm heel reflects the pelvic bone
The anklebone reflects the hipbone
The bony ridge on the inside of the foot reflects the spine
The reflexology practitioner massages these reflexes using various
techniques.
Reflexology as preventive health care
Reflexology reduces stress and induces deep relaxation, improves
circulation, cleanses the body of toxins and impurities, balances the whole
system, and revitalizes energy. The Reflexology of the foot stimulates more
than 7-thousand nerves when touching the feet, and encourages the opening and
clearing of neural pathways. The body has built-in mechanisms for cleansing
itself, mainly the lymphatic and elimination systems (lymph nodes, the kidneys
and colon, and the skin). If these become blocked or function improperly,
toxins and waste matter build up. By deepening relaxation, reflexology causes
all the systems of the body to function more efficiently, including those that
eliminate waste products.
Self-help
Depending on how flexible you are it may be easier to massage your hands
rather than your feet in a self-help reflexology treatment. Exercise your feet
and hands by stretching out your toes and fingers as widely as possible,
curling them in and out, twisting ankles and wrists, and finishing with an
overall shake. Walk around on your bare foot as much as possible, which
stimulates the sensory output from the feet to the brain. Specialist foot
massage aids include contoured wooden shoes and sandals. You could also try
rolling a golf ball or a rolling pin around the sole of your foot against the
floor or between the palms of your hands. Allergy sufferers can relieve their
sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes by rubbing the top of the first segment
of the big toe with the thumb, in an upward movement toward the nail. For
abdominal bloating and digestive difficulties, rub and press under the joint
of the big toe (ball of the foot) and the entire digestive zone area the
middle part of the foot where the digestive reflexes lie. Women with menstrual
pain or irregularity, other pelvic area difficulties, or lower back pain,
should rub and press the area between the anklebone and the heel of the inner
foot. Doing this regularly can significantly reduce the intensity and duration
of menstrual cramping.
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.
WHAT CAN REFLEXOLOGY DO FOR ME?
Relaxes the muscles
Normalizes the glands Increases circulation Integrates body, mind and
spirit
Sends new vitality pulsating through the body
Lets you detect health problems before they are serious
Helps reduce mental, physical and emotional TENSION
Relieves sinus congestion almost instantaneously
Can help relieve pain and send healing energy to rest of body
Helps the body to "de-toxify" and cleanse
Remember
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.
Contra-indications
People who are very tender to the touch can
include people with degenerative conditions such as diabetes, urinary system
problems and the elderly. Do not overwork these people.
When working on your baby, it is important to
not over work them. Use a very gentle pressure and work no longer than 10-15
minutes for the entire treatment.
Do not work directly on any injuries or foot
conditions, and do not work an area that is painful to the touch.
Do not overdo pregnant women, especially if
they are prone to miscarriages.
Disclaimer: Information and products provided on this site are not
designed to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any illness, or injury and is provided
for general informational purposes only and should not be used as a
substitute for professional advice. The information on this site has not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. ."
Detailed Disclaimer
Ultimate Water Massage copyright 2000-2005
Modified 11/09/2005
