27 Feb Reflexology, Happiness, Tea Tree Oil
IN THIS ISSUE: * Incorporating Reflexology into your life – Life’s too short for uncomfortable feet * Happiness is Contagious – LOL! * and The Power of Tea Tree Oil – from the “Land Down Under” to your home
Incorporating Reflexology into Your Life
Footprints for Health
You walk on them all day, but did you know your feet do more than carry you from one place to the next? They also have a unique connection to balanced health and well-being. In a form of bodywork known as reflexology, the feet are said to contain reflex areas that mirror and connect to all parts of the body–and pressure on these points can actually influence your state of health.
What is Reflexology
The roots of reflexology draw, in part, from the ancient healing art of foot massage, practiced the world over, from Asian and Egyptian civilizations to tribal communities of the Americas. Early archaeological digs have revealed statues of Buddha in China and Japan, and Vishnu (a Hindu god) in India, depicting markings of specific areas on the feet. But it has only been within the last century that this work has established a foothold, so to speak, in Western practice.
As we know it today, reflexology is viewed primarily as a stress reduction or relaxation technique. Using the thumb, finger, and hand, gentle pressure is applied to reflex areas of the feet in order to decrease stress and bring the body into equilibrium. While some reflexologists also apply treatment to the hands and ears, the foot–with its greater quantity of sensitive nerve endings–is considered the most amenable to this approach.
Although simplistic in application, the effects of the treatment can be profound. Through activation of nerve receptors in the hands and feet, new messages flood into the body system, changing its tempo and tone. In essence, the foot or hand becomes a conduit for sharing information throughout the …Click here for full publication Spring 2013