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The Role of Reflexology in Wellness
by author Christopher Shirley

Reflexology is an effective way to relieve stress. Ask anyone who has experienced reflexology; they will describe how it relaxed them, and they often go on to describe the benefits that resulted.

For many people, a reflexology session is a way to be pampered. In fact, many people find it more relaxing than a full body massage. It is certainly more convenient. There is no need to disrobe since the reflexologist works only on your feet, your hands or your ears. It is amazing, even to the practitioner, that by working just one part, the whole body deeply relaxes.

Imagine the delight of experiencing the relaxation slowly ooze into your body and eventually envelop it, sending you into a pleasant slumber. No one knows how this occurs. There is conjecture, there are favourite theories, and there is even some research that attempts to determine how it works. As you drift off into dreamland, you don’t care anymore. All that matters is that it is working, and that it feels so blissfully good.

Start with Stress Reduction

It is a wonder that something so pleasurable is proving to be such a powerful therapy, too. Stress, as we know, plays a vital role in the evolution of illness. To quote from a medical dictionary: “The physical manifestations of an illness, unless caused by mechanical trauma, cannot be divorced from a person’s emotional life. He responds in his own unique way to stress.” In short, stress makes the body vulnerable to disease.

Have you ever wondered why some of us succumb to the flu or a cold, whereas others are not affected? Similarly, why are some people inclined to suffer from respiratory conditions such as asthma, colds, and flu, while others are more inclined to experience digestive system disorders such as stomach ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, and indigestion? How you cope with stress in your life determines which, if any, diseases you are susceptible to. Individuals have their own unique set of coping mechanisms and their own unique predisposition to
disease. When reflexology relieves your stress, it also reduces your vulnerability to disease.

Research shows reflexology is a potent therapy for a wide range of health conditions, including PMS, constipation, asthma, headaches, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, allergies, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, insomnia, tinnitus, and whiplash. Reflexology is also a valuable complement to other therapies. It prepares you for manipulative treatments such as chiropractic, physiotherapy, craniosacral therapy, and massage therapy. It also enhances the effectiveness of herbal, nutritional, and homeopathic therapies.

Reduced stress improves blood and lymph flow, as well as nerve supply, which facilitates rejuvenation and revitalization of the cells, thereby strengthening the healing process. Well-trained reflexologists work to minimize stress throughout the whole body and tailor each session to the individual’s current needs. If you haven’t experienced reflexology, seek out a practitioner today, and consider joining the expanding number of people that make it a regular part of their personal wellness program.

Christopher Shirley practises, promotes, and teaches reflexology at the Pacific Institute of Reflexology in Vancouver, BC. pacificreflexology.com

Source: alive #286, August 2006