PMS Resource
Center
Reflexology:
Taking a New Look
by Christopher Shirley
It
isn't surprising that many people have dismissed reflexology.
After all, there just isn't
any obvious reason why a simple massage of the feet would
have any kind of important therapeutic benefit. Sure,
we can all agree that it might be pleasurable - even
very relaxing - but, that is about it, right? There
is absolutely no precedent for the basic premise
of reflexology that areas of the feet correspond to other parts of the body,
and, that stimulation of these areas of the feet therapeutically relaxes the
corresponding parts of the body!
And yet, advocates of reflexology have made far-reaching claims about
reflexology. Some recipients have their arthritis completely cured,
been cured of their headaches,
back aches cleared up, asthma symptoms relieved, sinuses cleared, have been freed
of their P.M.S., ovarian cysts disappeared, stomach ulcer healed – and
on and on.
In the December 1993 issue of the prestigious American Journal of
Obstetrics
and Gynaecology a research paper presented by William Flocco and Dr. Terry
Oleson showed reflexology reduced women's P.M.S. symptoms by 46 per cent for
the eight weeks of weekly treatments. This was sustained with 42 per cent reduction
of symptoms for eight weeks after treatment. It was not as effective as drug
treatments. However, reflexology had none of the side effects of drugs. The conclusion
was that reflexology should be considered an effective therapy for PMS. This
is the first scientifically accepted reflexology research study conducted in
North America.
Reflexology World-wide
We recently discovered that scientific research of reflexology has
been conducted in other parts of the world. For example, we learned
that when compared to North
America there has been a much more receptive attitude to reflexology in Denmark,
with the result that there are approximately 3500 practising Danish reflexologists’ vis-à-vis
3000 practising medical doctors. Some of these reflexologists are working in
medical settings including hospitals, and large corporations employ some others
for their employees. It is apparent that these corporations find the resultant
reduced sick leave and improved productivity of their employees’ worthy
of employing reflexologists.
Simultaneously, three Danish research studies that report positive results from
reflexology treatment for persons suffering from poor blood circulation, kidney
stones and constipation. Another study indicates that reflexology was beneficial
for women in a number of different circumstances during childbirth.
Research conducted in Australia evaluated reflexology's benefit for person's
suffering from arthritic pain, unexplained internal pain and tension headaches.
The study reported positive results. Similarly, in Switzerland, a research study
evaluated the benefits of reflexology for persons with terminal cancer, all of
whom were suffering from pain. The results showed that reflexology not only relieved
their pain, but also added quality to the dying person's life.
And in China, X.M. Wang of the First Teaching Hospital, Beijing Medical
University
published "Treating type II diabetes mellitus with foot reflexotherapy". This
study reports numerous symptoms greatly reduced by reflexotherapy and concludes
that it is an effective therapy for type II diabetes mellitus.
In summation, from around the world, scientific research has shown that reflexology
is an effective therapy for a diverse range of health conditions: P.M.S., kidney
stones, constipation, childbirth, arthritis, internal pain, tension headaches
and the pain suffered by persons with terminal cancer, and, diabetes mellitus
type II. Maybe it is time to take a second look at reflexology and all the claims
that have been made.
It appears that reflexology might be the difference between requiring
drugs/surgery, and helping your body to heal itself. In a preventive
sense, it’s the difference
between getting sick and staying healthy.
Reflexology therapeutically reduces stress and tension throughout the whole body.
Blood and lymph circulation improves, nerve supply to the cells is improved,
and the release of toxins from the body is increased. These physiological benefits
facilitate improvement in the body's assimilation of nutrients, elimination of
wastes, and the functions of the immune system.
Reflexology is also a very effective complement to other natural health therapies.
For example, it can facilitate more effective chiropractic adjustments that hold
for longer. Reflexology complements massage and other physical therapies by reducing
stress and tension in the internal glands and organs of the body, and, by relieving
stress from parts of the body that are too painful to be directly worked on:
i.e. whiplash. Reflexology complements nutritional and herbal therapies and colon
therapy by facilitating more efficient assimilation and elimination in the digestive
system.
Luckily, the instructional video "Recreational Reflexology" puts
the benefits of reflexology right at your fingertips. Helene Meurer
reviewed this video in
alive Magazine #128. She states that even her four-year-old was able to follow
the instruction and be effective. In short this video takes a person step-by-step
through giving a complete foot reflexology session, allowing you, your family
and friends access to reflexology whenever desired.
Article
syndicated from Pacificreflexology:
http://www.pacificreflexology.com/pacrflx2004/articles.html#REFLEXOLOGY:_TAKING_A_NEW_LOOK
