Reflexology & Wellness: Reflexology may rub you the right way

Contrary to popular opinion, reflexology is not just another foot massage. Don’t get me wrong, stand-alone foot massage is an amazing experience, but there are notable differences between a general foot rub and reflexology.

Reflexology is a very specific complementary and alternative therapy based on the idea that different points, areas, and regions of the feet correspond to different organs, systems, and areas of the body. For example, the tips of the toes are said to correlate to the brain, and the arch of the foot is said to have an impact on the spine. Also notable is that while often reflexology sessions focus on primarily the feet, it is believed that there are similar corresponding points on the lower legs, hands, face, and ears. You can do a search on the Internet and find many pictures of assorted reflexology charts.

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Think Positive: Learning emotional skills may confer better health outcomes

Not long ago I was seeking out new and interesting options for continuing education to add to my existing practice. In my travels, I discovered something called Positive Psychology. My interest was piqued. I had never heard of this practice before. When I did a search for the term I came across nearly 7 million results. Of course, you will find varied definitions of what Positive Psychology is, but in summary, it is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living. It focuses on psychological science and practice to look not only at the problems we face or supposed weaknesses, but to be equally concerned with our strengths and on building those strengths. When we seek out conventional, traditional therapy, it tends to be to address specific problems in life. In that situation, the focus of our sessions is often fixing what may be “broken,” for lack of a better term. What I find most interesting about Positive Psychology is that it seeks to build upon the best things in our lives in addition to repairing the worst.

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Breath Work & Its Benefits

One of my biggest thrills is finding new ways to take care of myself. Perhaps that makes me a complementary and alternative medicine nerd. If that is the case, so be it.

Certainly, there are times when I see another professional to take care of me. I never give myself a ninety-minute massage, nor would I perform self-acupuncture or chiropractic work, even if I was trained and licensed to do so. Yes, I am constantly amazed by what a licensed practitioner in the holistic heath field can do for me, but I am equally amazed at what I can learn to do for myself. I am in awe of what our bodies can do for themselves. Several months ago I started to see someone who practiced conscious breath work, also called conscious breathing. There are a lot of different types of breath work with a variety of names, but whatever you call it, it is generally a universal term for different conventional medical and holistic therapeutic methods to improve the breathing function and thus enhance different aspects of your wellness.

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Reiki & HIV Wellness

In the past, I have discussed different forms of energy work. Shiatsu, for example, being one of them. There are many different kinds of energy-based modalities to choose from. What I find most interesting is that while they all work with energy, generally, in some capacity, each modality works with the energy differently. Energy healing is being woven into patient services and treatment programs for people with cancer, fibromyalgia, pain, and depression. Like many other forms of complementary and alternative medicine, Reiki is now viewed by many as an effective, accepted alternative practice in mainstream America, where at least 1.2 million adults have tried the energy healing therapy. More than sixty U.S. hospitals have adopted Reiki as part of patient services, according to a UCLA study, and Reiki education is offered at 800 hospitals.

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Massage and Muscle Recovery

There are various types of massage therapy – deep tissue, Swedish, sports and many more. The type of session you have should be discussed with your massage therapist and based upon your specific therapeutic goals. While massage therapy is often both seen and advertised as a means of relaxation, which has health benefits all its own, there are other physiological benefits, such as muscle recovery, that we should not ignore. Muscle recovery is just one of the benefits that can enhance your workout, help prevent injury and assist you in reaching your goals.

As a whole, our bodies require nutrition and oxygen to thrive and survive. Our muscles, specifically, are no different. After any workout, muscles can become inflamed and there is always some level of tearing of muscle fibers. But, how do muscles repair themselves? How do they recover? Nutrition and oxygen are needed. How do we increase nutrition and oxygen to a specific area? Improved circulation – and massage therapy is known to increase circulation.

In addition to enhanced nutrition and oxygenation to muscle tissue, there have been many studies regarding the impact of massage therapy on a cellular level and relating to muscle tissue recovery. One such study, for example, put participants through a difficult workout to examine muscle tissue. In order to see the impact of massage therapy, samples of muscle tissue were taken before and after the exercise. The study revealed that massage reduced the production of something called cytokines. This compound plays a substantial role in the process of inflammation. Massage also stimulated something called mitochondria. These cells, which live in the muscle, convert glucose into the energy essential for muscle cell function and repair.

In another study, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, strength and proprioception were assessed in two groups - massage participants and non-massage participants. Proprioception, by the way, is our ability and awareness to sense where our body parts are in space. It’s how we place our foot on the ground to walk without stomping with every step and how we reach to scratch our noses without punching ourselves in the face. Proprioception is important for both injury prevention and the expression of strength and technique.

The results of this study showed improvement in levels of proprioception in the group that received massage after their workout. In addition, muscular strength analysis showed strength was greater in the group that received the massage as well.

Guided Imagery

Welcome to 2017. First and foremost, I wish each of you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. May the coming days be rich in wellness.

Without question, one of the most common conversations at this time of year centers around resolutions. Many of us see January the first as an opportunity to refocus and reach new heights. Everyone wants to know what big plans you have and what big changes you plan to make in the New Year. Everyone is discussing the goals that they wish to achieve and the accomplishments that they wish to make in the next 365 days.

I am a firm believer that any random day, of any week, of any month of the year is stellar time to make positive changes in your life, but, it’s a tradition to focus more heartily on those goals using the coming of a new year as a marker. The question is, how do we reach those goals and accomplish the various things we set out to do.

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The Road to Wellness

Every morning I wake up and go to the medicine cabinet. Inside it are the pills for my high blood pressure. Really, it’s all a very simple process when we look at things from a conventional medicine point of view. My doctor runs some tests, sees some numbers and prescribes a pill. The label says take one capsule by mouth daily. Again, a simple process. Whole medicine, is not quite that simple. It is a very personal journey that one embarks upon out of a need to treat not just the physical body, but the mind, the spirit, the energy and the soul as well.

It would be wonderful if we could see our physician or pharmacist, tell them what we think, we feel, we lack or suffer from, and get a prescription for tai chi, aromatherapy, or meditation. The truth is that sometimes it’s not quite that simple. But starting down a path of whole medicine is exciting. Are there obstacles? Certainly. There is research to do. There is trial and error. But it is a journey well worth it. It is taking some matters into your own hands and empowering yourself toward enhanced wellness. 

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