Reflexology works the body as a whole and every organ, body part and gland are targeted during a full session. Since stress effects the whole body, it is only natural that as a therapist we recognize this and make sure all areas are stimulated. When treating a client for stress or related issues, the body releases the feel good hormones like serotonin. The body then starts the process of healing which will put you in a relaxed state of mind, body temperature lowers and then specific areas will be targeted through pressure points of the foot, hand or ear.

The nervous system is a very important system of the body to work with when dealing with a highly stressed out individual. The client may not make the connection but there are probably going to be areas in the body that they have not made a connection to that are giving them grief as well. Eyes, ears, pain in the center of the chest,(solar plexis). These are some of the related areas of the nervous system. When working on stressed out individuals, the endocrine system also plays a major part in the recovery process. This is your hormone based system in the body and trained therapist know to work both systems well when dealing with stress. If a person is not sleeping well, the body goes into overdrive and the hormones in your body are all mixed up. Reflexology will balance this all out and allow the healing to rake place once the individual can relax and reduce stress.

Experts say that up to 90% of all disease is caused by stress. That is a huge number and more alarmingly, most of us do not manage stress properly and have all kinds of serious problems and illnesses that are not being dealt with at all. High blood pressure, heart palpitations, skin conditions, stroke, high cholesterol, shingles, sleep problems, constipation, these are some of the conditions that happen when stress is not managed properly.

A trained certified reflexologist knows that all the bodies systems have to be working together for the best outcome of a reflexology session. We can normalize a woman’s body by getting all organs and glands the blood flow that is needed to stay healthy, happy and pain free. Working both feet or hands for a full session by a reflexologist will lubricate all areas of the body that are of concern and stimulate the lymphatic flow so it is moving freely throughout and eliminate all toxins or viruses that tend to hang around in this clear fluid. By elimination, we mean though urinating, bowel movements or sweating. Do not be surprised if there are many bowel movements after a session of reflexology, this is very common and very good!

There has been many reflexologists that have been called upon to help naturally stimulate labor. This can work very well if the woman is ready to give birth and is showing some symptoms that the baby is coming soon.

There are numerous areas of the foot, hand and ear that work to stimulate contractions but will have different reactions for everyone. Through the years of practicing reflexology, refelxologists have come across some unusual feelings when stimulating certain areas. When putting pressure on the general sex organs of the client though the foot, there has been a uncontrollable itching in that specific area of the foot. It’s like a mosquito bite that would not go away. That specific area is located in the middle of the bottom of the foot where the arch is usually located.There are many areas that you can stimulate the reproductive system through the feet. Both sides of the heel, directly down from the ankle is the uterus and vagina. These areas tend to be very tender for the sole reason that they are preparing for labor.

Reflexology has been used many times during labor to help with pain management. There is a very specific gland located easily in the hand and foot called the pituitary gland. When stimulated correctly, this will help release the hormone Oxycontin which is naturally produced in the body and amazingly will help manage the pain of labor.

Reflexology has been around for any years, since the Egyptian time and has been used in most cultures around the world to help normalize a woman’s body for various reasons.
Not only will this natural therapy help with the discomforts of pregnancy and with pain management during labor but it will also help the reproductive system of a woman’s body work to its best way possible to accept the fertilization process. If a woman’s organs, body parts and glands are at their peak, this will only lead to a vibrant, healthy pregnancy.

We need to take care of our spine and the cervical vertebrae is an extremely important part of the neck that needs immediate attention when there is injury or discomfort. What many don’t realize is that there are other issues in the body that are directly linked to the spine, specifically the cervical vertebrae that can cause discomfort in areas that you may not have made the connection. Because the neck is located so close to the shoulders, most time this is a combined complaint and can be addressed through a certified reflexologist.  Though these pressure points are located on different parts of the foot, the body all works together and tension in the shoulders due to a neck pain can be relieved in a full reflexology session. A reflexologist will work the whole foot, (both feet equals the whole body) and specifically work the areas that relate to the neck. The beginning of the big toe on both feet, front and back will be stimulated and may be slightly painful but once the pressure is done there should be no pain.The shoulders on the foot are located under the small toe on the pad beneath it. There is also a general area across the foot on the top and bottom that runs from one side to the other, which equals to the length of the shoulders on the body. Shoulders are always worked on in a reflexology session when a client complains of neck pain, this is all related and has to have special attention to relieve the pain. Sometimes during a reflexology session there is a little discomfort but is definitely needed to increase the blood flow to the problem area to relieve any blockages and get the healing started. Increased blood flow to the neck means the organ, body part or gland will be functioning at its best and you will start to feel better quick.

Reflexology is all about treating the whole body and when the body as a whole is working at its best, your client will feel balanced and have a sense of well being. This is a proven therapy for all types of neck injuries and has given the client a holistic approach to relieving a variety of neck and shoulder issues. Reflexology will not hurt anyone and all ages can use this therapy. A trained certified reflexologist will know how much pressure and the amount of time to work on an individual for optimum results.

However most high blood pressure is addressed through patient medication prescriptions. Because of the seriousness of the condition, it is always recommended to take and stick to your physician’s advice – but you can supplement your blood pressure treatment with some reflexology.

Reflexology helps overall circulation in the body, and when your reflexologist targets your heart and related organs for cardiovascular health, it helps reduce your blood pressure.

A study was completed by Dr. Jesus Manzanares, M.D. at the University Hospital Vall DʼHebron and Sagrado Corazon Hospital in Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Manzanares study looked at 54 patients with high blood pressure, and split them into two groups. One group would have a general reflexology treatment done on a regular basis, while the second group would have a specific targeted reflexology session. The target sessions would focus on the heart, predominant frontal cortex, sympathetic thoracic ganglions, and kidneys. When the testing was complete the doctor found that 50% (27 people) were able to achieve lower blood pressure levels, even while reducing their regular medication.

Which Areas of the Feet Will Help High Blood Pressure?

Your heart reflex is located directly under the big toes on both feet, and your kidneys are located almost directly in the middle of each foot. Your reflexologist will be able to target these areas and more to help you with a high blood pressure condition.

You can read the full reflexology and high blood pressure study document here (PDF).

Allergy season, dust or just an old fashioned tickle in your nose, sneezes can come on at the worst of times. Now you can use a little reflexology to help stop them from interrupting a conversation or creating an awkward moment. Follow these instructions to stop a sneeze with a reflexology squeeze:

• When you feel a sneeze coming on, take your right hand and push firmly in the middle of your thumbnail
• Hold the pressure until the sneeze feeling goes away (when we tried we applied pressure, let up and re-applied for better results)

When you try this reflexology technique, leave us a comment and let us know how it’s worked and saved you from a sneeze. Special thanks to Helen Fowler (M.A.R.) for pointing out this brilliant bit of reflexology!

In today’s environment there are toxins around us. We eat, breath and absorb them in our bodies which creates the many health problems that we see today. A full reflexology treatment can help you:

• Be more energetic
• Reduce stress
• Improve a sluggish immune system
• Increase energy and improve blood circulation

The more that the blood and the lymphatic fluids are flowing freely, the more your organs will benefit and begin to work with full capacity. Reflexology helps return the natural blood flows throughout the body while special techniques, usually applied to the tops of your feet, help lymphatic fluids drain consistently.

Reflexology as a first step to a cleanse or body detox is a great choice. Choosing to do a traditional body detox or cleanse (like the gall bladder, kidney and liver cleanse) along with reflexology will only help move things along faster, giving you the feeling of renewal throughout your body.

Every organ, body part and gland are treated during a session and it would only make sense to start from the head and end at the feet. Gravity works by pulling everything down and out of the body and reflexology is a way of facilitating this by getting the blood flowing and breaking up all the “grit” to be eliminated through our bodies systems. Elimination is always stressed in reflexology.  The more the body cleanses itself, the better you will feel and the energy will increase.

If you look at a foot chart and put the feet together, that is how the body looks on the inside. For example, lungs and kidneys are on both sides, spleen is on the left as it is on the body and liver an gall bladder are on the right, just the same location on the body. All points of the foot chart relate directly to how every persons body is made up. The points that reflexologists stimulate in a full reflexology session all correspond to the whole body. All nerve ending end at the feet and by putting pressure on the nerve endings that relate to the specific body part or gland, you are actually sending signals through the nervous system to the area and giving it a jump start. Increasing all body fluids to move more freely is only going to make your body feel better and more energized.

There is a general path that certified reflexologists follow when administering a session. This can depend on the client and why they are there to see you. We always start with a massage and try to get the client to relax and ready for the treatment. Getting the blood flow to increase before starting a session will only benefit the client later. Most of the time the left foot is a good starting place. This can change due to injury or possible problems on the right side of the body that needs to be addressed before the full session begins. Often when people come with back issues, running your finger up and down the spine will increase the blood flow and when it is time to treat the ares it won’t be as painful for the client and healing will begin once the client is relaxed.

So when looking at a foot chart and you are interested in doing a session on yourself or someone else, start at the head (toes) and work your way down. Always end with a relaxing massage or some gentle breathing techniques. This is always a good tip for people that seek you out for stress relief and will leave your client  in that parasympathetic state of resting and relaxation. Healing begins when the body is ready to accept it emotionally, physically and spiritually.

As natural therapists, reflexology is a touch therapy and energy is a huge part of the healing process. We are trained to clear the mind before the session starts so we can give all of our attention to the client and listen to the reason why they chose reflexology and help the healing process move forward.

As caregivers, reflexologist or not, the importance of touch therapy and the energy that comes from this has endless amounts of benefits. If you are in a situation  of caring for a sick/terminal or elderly person just by stroking their hand or arm can give them great comfort and keep the nervous system relaxed and ready for what the future will bring. By massaging their hands or feet will release the feel good hormone seritonin and give them a calm state of mind. Massaging a baby when they are fussy will give them a relaxed mental state and hopefully be able to work out what has been bothering them.

Energy is all around us and as reflexologists, we are very aware of the benefits of a clear mind when going into a session with a client. The best advice anyone can give is to make sure you have a therapist that is right for you and feel very comfortable about talking about the reasons for starting reflexology. This way the energy will be good between the client and therapist and that all expectations will be met during the session.

A clean bowel is the best health tip most natural practitioners will give you since an unhealthy colon can cause so many other problems and diseases, its best to keep as regular as possible. This is not easy for some and reflexology can help with this.

Initially we will offer a foot reflexology chart as the free download and we may continue to release new charts depending on the demand.

Please comment and let us know if this is something you would like to see, or if you have any other ideas.