Feet First: Healing Through Reflexology
After a long day, you may enjoy the sensual pleasure of a foot massage. Now kick that up a notch. Imagine someone applying gentle pressure to selected spots on each foot. Each area of the foot is connected through nerve-ways to another part of your body. You start to feel a warm, tingly surge of energy through your body. You are totally relaxed.
This is the goal of reflexology, a technique used to relieve stress and promote health by targeting reflex points in your feet. Each reflex point is believed to be linked by nerve-ways to a specific organ or body part. It's thought that stimulating these reflex points can promote healing and improve circulation. Sometimes, reflex points on your hands or ears are used, too.
Some research suggests that reflexology can help to relieve pain, anxiety and other symptoms. Larger clinical studies are needed to confirm this.
