Reflexology is an alternative medicine that can help restore balance, and harmony to the human body. Reflexology uses pressure massage on the hands and feet to clear nerve blockage, allowing the transmission of healthy nerve signals.
A do- it-yourself reflexology massage would require a man to sit in a position that will allow his foot up onto the opposite knee. Then apply finger pressure onto acupoints to stimulate tense muscles and normalize hampered blood flow. Using finger massage on the reflex points in the feet could stimulate the body's self-curative ability to heal pains and ailments. When the acupoints are pressed, they release nerve blockage and muscle tension.
Dr. Michael Reed Gach, author of Acupressure's Potent Points: a Guide to Self-Care for Common Ailments wrote, “My clinical experiences have shown me that acupressure can be effective in helping relieve headaches, eyestrain, sinus problems, neck pain, backaches, arthritis, muscle aches, and tension due to stress.”
Foot Reflexology Removes Toxins and Body Waste
Foot reflexology works based on the ancient belief that the body organs are connected by nerves to the soles of the feet. Therefore, putting the right amount of pressure onto the reflex points can improve nerve flow to the major organs and throughout the body. But then again, the amount of pressure to apply depends on one’s state of fitness and health.
A full reflexology treatment can rid the body of tensions and toxins. Use the side of the thumb to apply firm pressure on the reflex points in the foot. Press hard for 30 seconds the front of the ankles, and then the space between the soles and the ankles. The pressure on the reflexes will cause the colon, lymph nodes, kidneys, and the skin to eliminate body waste. Continue the firm pressure on the reflex points near the center of the foot to unclog the lymph nodes.
Recently, a Japanese cosmetics company built stroll paths made of concrete, log, and rock that are designed to work on reflexes in the feet. The patterns would stimulate the toes and sole of the foot when employees walked on the rocks, logs, and concrete with embedded chipped marbles. The firm pressure between the feet and the path creates pressure sensors that travel through the nerves to the organs and other parts of the body. (Article: The Stroll Path, Kunz and Kunz, Reflexology-research.com)
Foot Reflexology Reduces Stress and Induces Relaxation
Reflexology practitioners apply pressure to reflex points on the feet to target body parts and reach the core of body ailments and conditions. Pressure on the reflex points creates waves of relaxation to reduce stress and induce relaxation.
Grab a foot! Start treatment with slow, and steady rotating movements using the pad of the thumb on the pressure points in the toes. Gently increase pressure while moving over the area. The reflex point that connects to the pineal gland is at the middle of the large toe pad in each foot. Apply finger pressure several times on the reflex points and then gradually increasing pressure in a very gentle manner. Keep movements slow and in rhythmic manner. “Many of my clients routinely fall asleep during a reflexology session and testify upon waking that the thirty to forty minutes of sleep were beneficial and restorative . . .,” wrote Laura Norman, author Feet First: A Guide to Foot Reflexology.
Foot Reflexology Ease Migraine Headaches
Foot reflexology can ease migraine pain. Migraine headaches caused by changes in the flow of blood in the vessels of the head can be very painful, and can immobilize a man for days.
Reflexology helps the body heal by stimulating reflexes to release endorphins. The American Migraine Study II conducted for the National Headache Foundation, 1999, by Strategic Insights, Inc., concluded that 68% of migraine sufferers experienced relief after taking prescription drugs. Likewise, the Danish study reported that 81% of the migraine sufferers who agreed to try reflexology were cured or relief for as long as six months after the end of the study. (Article: A Study of the Effects of Reflexology on Migraine Headaches by Gail W. Testa, August 2000, Gtesta.tripod.com)
The study validates the potential benefits of reflexology for men seeking treatment for back pain, headaches or stress. Such also draws attention to reflexology as a holistic approach that men can adopt to better health.
Start working on the reflexes to the head and sinuses for 15 minutes to release headaches. Continue to work on the different reflex points in both foot for full 45-minutes, particularly the points to the diaphragm, the head, the pituitary, and the spine. Stimulate the other reflex areas to reduce body pains and relax tense muscles in the shoulders, neck, scalp, and jaw. Use the pad of the thumb to apply pressure on the feet to create electrical impulses that will stimulate the healing power of the body.
References:
- Byers, Dwight, Better Health with Reflexology, Ingham Publishing, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL, 1983.
- Crane, Beryl, Reflexology: A Basic Guide, Barnes & Noble Books, New York, NY, 1998.
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