PREGNANCY & REFLEXOLOGY

It is well known that reflexology can be very beneficial during pregnancy, also before and after pregnancy. Because reflexology is covered by many health insurance providers it can also be a very cost-effective form of treatment.

But in what areas can reflexology help?

Pre-conception and fertility
Can help to balance the endocrine system
Can help to prepare your body before childbirth
Can help to soothe your body after childbirth
Balances emotions and spirit

Here is a list of some of the benefits:

Pregnancy & Labour:

• can reduce fluid retention (oedema)
• can ease morning sickness
• can regulate blood pressure
• alleviates stress (this can have a very calming effect on the baby)
• can help to balance hormones
• eases constipation
• reduces insomnia
• can help to improve the flexibility of the pelvis easing labour
• can regulate appetite
• can ease backache
• helps to regulate body temperature

Puerperium, Post-pregnancy:

• enhances respiration and encourages deeper breathing
• eases fluid retention (oedema) and swelling - lymphatic drainage
• encourages deep relaxation
• can aid lactation
• eases fatigue
• eases constipation
• regulates the endocrine system
• can help with post-natal depression
• can ease backache and aching joints

It is important that during pregnancy that you have consulted with your medical team before receiving reflexology. Reflexology is contra-indicated under certain circumstances such as in the case of bleeding, pre-ecclampsia, vomiting, deep vein thrombosis and pica syndrome.


Some further reading on pregnancy and reflexology:
Can reflexology help overcome infertility?
Reflexology: can it aid fertility?
Is reflexology the new cure for infertility?

Woman who suffered three miscarriages becomes a mother of two after using reflexology

MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS

This article is written from my personal perspective about what has specifically helped me to manage my condition (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) for the past few years. My hope is that this information will be of benefit to others. Everything I've listed below I have experienced first hand. Please speak with your consultant or GP before considering modifying your treatment plan.

I have had severe and chronic Crohn's/Colitis (the jury is still out on this one) for many years and I've personally found that conventional treatment was starting to become less and less effective for me and so in turn I became interested in the complementary health field.
Conventional medicine has been a life-saver for me on many occasions and I'm not about to negate any of its benefits. I have had my fair share of hospitalisations, immuno-suppressants, infusions, transfusions, drips and steroids, even surgery, however, in my chronic case I have found the medication to become less and less effective over time and more dramatic lifestyle changes have had to take place. This is what I hope to share here.

It took me a long time and a lot of trial and error to isolate what worked and what didn't and for that reason I've decided to share the information and experience I have in the hope that somebody else might benefit from it. I am not a nutritional therapist, this is merely my own personal account of what worked for me.

1. Reduced these foods - sugar, transfat, red meat, cheese
2. Increased these foods - berries, fish/fish oils, green leafy veg
3. For absorption, a digestive enzyme before I eat really helps, this also seems to help with bloating
4. A probiotic supplement I found to be excellent was VSL#3, although it can be difficult to stomach as it comes in powder sachets. Taking this was very significant in reducing my symptoms however. It started to work in the space of a couple of days
5. AVOID SUGAR (this made a massive difference to me, but read labels in supermarkets, there is sugar in items you wouldn't think of)
6. Eat organic and cut down on processed and deep-fried foods
7. Reduced caffeine and started to substitute with some herbal infusions. Some that are good for the digestive system are peppermint, liquorice & ginger. I now only have caffeine in the odd Green Tea. Insomnia's peppermint & liquorice is one of my favourite infusions and a lovely one for those of you with a sweet tooth
8. Nettle Tea really helped me with the pain of inflammation (Women's Fitness Infusion from the Yogi range is very good, has nettle in it, available in health stores)
9. Reduce stress!! - reflexology is very effective here but it is most important you find the right therapist for you. What is reflexology?
10. Aloe Vera Juice works well to cool and soothe (you can get a cranberry flavour one in the health stores as it's quite bitter otherwise) It can really help to balance things out if you are suffering from diarrhoea or constipation
    
11. A great book - Hard to Stomach by John McKenna
12. Get checked for food allergies
13. Breathing exercises - yoga belly breathing really helps
14. Chew food thoroughly. Everything should be practically liquid before you swallow. This makes it easier to extract nutrients, is more gentle on the gut and lessens the side-effects if you suffer from leaky gut which can trigger an immune response.
15. Lots of rest and keep the the lower back warm, maybe with a hot water bottle
16. Avoid alcohol

Receiving regular reflexology worked so effectively for my condition it evoked a passion in me to learn more. A healthy balance of conventional and complementary treatment has helped me in the continual management of my condition.

The benefits of reflexology in the case of chronic illness are as follows:

1. Reflexology significantly reduces stress. (Stress is usually a massive trigger for flare ups.)
2. It aids digestion.
3. It can help with pain relief.
4. It gives the individual a greater awareness of their body and helps them to listen better to their body's rhythms so that they can find solutions.
5. Due to increased circulation, it helps nutrients and oxygen to flow more efficiently on a cellular level.
6. It helps to move lymph and speed up the natural detox processes of the body. This can be extremely beneficial to a person who has had to take a lot of medication for their condition. Through this some side-effects of medication can be lessened.
7. It can help to balance the emotions and spirit. Chronic illness does not solely affect the physical body.
8. As reflexology only involves working with the feet or hands, it is far less invasive than other treatments. People who have spent a lot of time in hospital or with doctors may not be comfortable with the idea of touch. Reflexology is a gentle treatment and I always adjust my pressure according to the client's level of comfort. The client is wrapped up warm and covered in a blanket with only the feet exposed.

Figuring out what keeps my condition in remission allows me the energy and strength to now enjoy meals out, play sports, do yoga, and help others to achieve the same.

I hope this helps!

DETOXING WITH REFLEXOLOGY

Ah the New Year Detox! A cliche? Yes... but it is the season for resolutions so what better time than now to write about the benefits of detoxing and how reflexology can facilitate this.

WHY DETOX?
Reason number one is, for me, in order to feel better! Detoxing your system brings your body back into homeostasis and maximises your ability to heal physically, emotionally and mentally.
When your body is toxic on a physical level, it can cause fluctuations in thought and mood, sometimes making you feel down, de-motivated and cranky.

Reason number two .. to have more energy? Do you find that you are currently tired, lethargic and sluggish? Detoxing can help to boost your energy levels and your motivation.

Reason number three .. to look better? Detoxing helps the skin, hair, eyes, nails and your overall glow.

WHY REFLEXOLOGY?
There are many different methods of detoxing, a lot of which involve diets and colonic flushing. These cannot be disputed as very effective ways of flushing the system. With any detox, it is encouraged that you eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water but the one thing that reflexology can offer on top of this is relaxation and a level of pampering. Reflexology has been proven to be extremely potent in helping to remove toxins from the body.

The definition of 'toxin' is...
A poisonous substance, especially one produced by a living organism. Toxins can be products or byproducts of ordinary metabolism, such as lactic acid, and they must be broken down or excreted before building up to dangerous levels.
- www.dictionary.com

Reflexology works by increasing circulatory and lymphatic movement on a very physical level and so delivers more oxygen and nutrients to your body on a cellular level. This, in turn, leads to greater energy. Increasing circulatory and lymphatic movement also speeds up the exit of unwanted substances in the body from the appropriate organs. Drinking lots of water is essential to help support this process. Reflexology works to balance the endocrine system and moderate the adrenal gland (produces cortisol), which is known to typically go into overdrive at Christmas with all the stress. Balancing the adrenal gland again, can take you out of that lethargic and de-motivated feeling or can help to calm you if you are still under the influence of high-stress.

Serotonin is a happy neurotransmitter that plays a major role in transmitting messages in the nervous system. When it is plentiful, we feel wonderful about the world, even if it is posing challenges. Our stores of serotonin can run low particularly if over a period of time our cortisol levels have been elevated, our blood sugars swinging and our gut function disturbed.
Signs of low serotonin include feeling overwhelmed, lowered mood, insomnia, lack of motivation and feeling that we are not good enough.
- an excerpt from an article by April Ivory (M.Sc.Dip.nat) in the winter 09 issue of Positive Life magazine

Reflexology also boosts the immune system, aids the digestive system, calms the nervous system and stimulates the release of endorphins, a well-know feel-good factor, into the bloodstream.

Aside from all of these benefits, a session of reflexology can also just give you the time out to relax and de-stress. Reflexology has been proven to help improve sleep, and so, can offer a step in the right direction when it comes to rest and recuperation.

OTHER TIPS FOR DETOXING
While you are receiving reflexology the following can also aid and speed up your detoxification process.
1. Epsom salt baths. My fave!
2. Drink plenty of purified water (2ltrs a day is recommended as a guideline)
3. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
4. Herbal teas. I would personally recommend the yogi teas as they are my favourite and I find them to be very effective.
5. Recognise when you are stressed and take sufficient rest. Try yoga, meditation, swimming or maybe even just read a book you enjoy.
6. Invest in a neti pot and use it (see article on sinus problems)

SINUS PROBLEMS

I've come across quite a number of people who suffer from sinus pain and blockages and thought it might be beneficial to some if I were to share my personal experience with it.

Sinus issues were the main reason I got into reflexology in the first place. I had chronic sinusitis for the best part of a year and had tried practically all medications, including over the counter and prescribed medications in order to treat it. The relief was always temporary if at all. I went to a number of doctors and in the end it was decided that I should go into hospital and have my sinuses scraped. The thought of having this done horrified me. At that time I spoke with a person who had had the procedure done and he said that again the relief was temporary and he had to have the procedure multiple times.
Anyone who has suffered with sinus problems, especially, the pain, will appreciate how debilitating it is, not to mention how cranky it makes you. I put the procedure on the long finger and decided to stick with the medications for now, even though I was taking multiple tablets on a daily basis.

Then reflexology found its way into my life. I bumped into a friend of a friend who just happened to be a reflexologist and somehow the sinus problem came up in conversation. (I most likely had a headache at the time). She offered me a complementary session of reflexology to see if it would help. I was highly sceptical but desperate. I had had reflexology years earlier and remembered how it had significantly reduced the symptoms of PMS at the time and I thought, maybe it could help now.
I was a little worried going for the session as I also had a condition known as palmar/plantar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating on the hands and feet which is believed to be due to a malfunction in the sympathetic nervous system) and it made me very self-conscious regarding my feet and hands. I had this condition for as long as I could remember. Very embarrassing in school. The reflexologist made me feel completely at ease however and I trusted her and soon I was able to relax. She noted that there were a lot of 'crystals' around the sinus reflex points which infers a build up of toxins in the area. She told me that I should drink more water and try and cut back if possible on the over the counter medications as they were possibly adding to my toxicity. She also told me it would take more than one session to clear the problem.
The next day I had bad sinus and didn't feel so good. I learned that this was known as a 'healing crisis' and thankfully the reflexologist had pre-warned me. Although, this obviously wasn't the desired result, I was intrigued that the reflexology had seemed to affect me at all even if it was seemingly for the worst. I decided to go for a few more sessions. I booked in for three more, each a week apart.

After the subsequent sessions I did not feel as ill which was nice. I made a conscious effort to drink more water and take less painkillers (even though this sometimes meant just having to go to bed early because I couldn't function). I was lucky that I was in a position to do this. I understand that if you have a couple of children running around that the luxury of going to bed when you're ill is not always available.
The most amazing thing was that after the fourth session (so this is only after a month long treatment, when I had had this condition for a year) my sinusitis completely subsided. I was shocked. I was waking up in the morning without pain for the first time in a year! Also, as an added bonus, my hyperhidrosis had stopped! I had had that condition for 25 years and had been to see doctors with it all to no avail! I was sold. I decided there and then that I would have to train in reflexology so that I could understand this and possibly help other people with similar issues. I haven't had a sinus attack to the same degree since then and that was 4 years ago.

Another gem I have been blessed to discover is the 'neti pot'. This is a little pot which you fill with salted water and use to irrigate the sinuses. If I feel a touch of sinus coming on, I use this and I feel much clearer. The neti pot has also helped me with sinus issues at high altitudes. I recently bought a lovely ceramic neti pot at Atlantis Crystals in Wexford.


The article above is based on my own personal experience and does not necessarily mean that this treatment is suitable for all individuals. Reflexology is a complimentary therapy and is not designed to replace the advice of a medical doctor or specialist. Please mention any health concerns or medications etc. when making an appointment so that the reflexologist can advise you on whether or not the treatment is suited to your needs. It is not a reflexologist's place to attempt to diagnose or claim cure to any illness. If in doubt whether a reflexology treatments is right for you, please consult with your doctor.

HAND REFLEXOLOGY

Do you want to know more about hand reflexology and when it is used?

Hand reflexology is generally used when, for one reason or another, the feet cannot be accessed. It is believed that to work on the feet delivers a more powerful reflexology treatment but I have had some pretty profound moments working on the hands too. Not to mention how relaxing it can be for someone who uses their hands a lot in their working day.

The feet may be inaccessible for many reasons, maybe the person is self-conscious of their feet or extremely ticklish. Perhaps the client has a form of infection, fungus or injury on the feet which prevents them from receiving a treatment. Perhaps the client is an amputee or there is restricted access to the feet where the legs cannot be raised. Or maybe it is a simple case of location and wanting to be discrete while delivering a treatment. The hands are easier to access in general as no covering needs to be removed and some people find it to be less invasive. The hands are also ideal for self-treatment and first aid situations e.g. to comfort someone who is in shock or to work on someone on a plane or boat where there is limited space.

Another good reason for working the hands as opposed to the feet is that the fingers are so much larger than the toes! The toes and fingers, you see, represent the head area in the body, this includes (but is not limited to) the sinuses, teeth, cranial nerves and cervical spine. As a compromise, the abdominal reflexes on the hands are considerably smaller than those of the feet. The benefit of having better access to the 'head' area when using the hands is that you can offer a more in-depth treatment to somebody who may suffer with problems in this area e.g. neck problems, jaw problems, eye and ear issues and headaches, sinus and migraine.
As reflexology is a holistic therapy, however, it is important to mention that in the treatment of any illness or imbalance the entire body is taken into account and treated, but being able to focus more on certain areas can be very beneficial to the client.

Each of the 12 phalanges of the fingers (and toes) represent a cranial nerve as is outlined in the diagram below:
A tender sensation in any of these areas can help you to figure out what, if any, energy imbalances exist in your system.

THUMB:
Cervical Spine, Neck, Sinuses, Pituitary Gland, Pineal Gland, Hypothalamus, Thyroid Gland, Mastoid, Occipital and Temple regions as well as the face and the incisors

INDEX FINGER:
Olfactory Nerve: Relates to our sense of smell
Optic Nerve: Relates to our sense of sight
Oculomotor Nerve: Relates to eye movement
Also the index finger contains reflexes for the canines, sinuses and the eyes

MIDDLE FINGER:
Trochlear Nerve: Relates to eye movement
Trigeminal Nerve: Relates to our jaws and temples
Abducens Nerve: Relates to eye movement
Also the middle finger contains reflexes for the premolars, sinuses and the eyes

RING FINGER:
Facial Nerve: Relates to facial movement
Acoustic Nerve: Relates to our sense of hearing and balance
Glossopharyngeal Nerve: Relates to swallowing
Also the ring finger contains reflexes for the molars, sinuses, eustachian tube and the ears

BABY FINGER:
Vagus Nerve: Relates to our parasympathetic nervous system
Accessory Nerve: Relates to our spine, neck and shoulders
Hypoglossal Nerve: Relates to our sense of taste and salivary glands.
Also the baby finger contains reflexes for the wisdom teeth, sinuses and the ears

As a reflexologist working on the hands one can sit directly opposite the client with a pillow to support the hands and arms. My preference, however, is to seat my client in a reclining chair where they can completely relax and I work to the side supporting the arm and hand on a pillow.

TICKLISH? SORE? SELF-CONSCIOUS?

Feet can be a strange concept and people I meet nearly always find it fascinating that I have taken it upon myself to work with feet. I often hear questions like; "What if the person is ticklish?", "Does reflexology hurt?" and "I don't like people looking at/touching my feet"

Every reflexologist has their own unique way of touching, holding and working with the feet. These are my solutions.

TICKLISH FEET:
As somebody who initially was so ticklish I couldn't bear the thought of someone even looking at my feet, never mind touching them, I feel I am sufficiently equipped to explain how reflexology deals with this.
I feel that trust is a massive factor when it comes to clients with ticklish feet. I have had a number of clients with ticklish feet and I generally found that the psychological outweighs the physical, in that, they were so in anticipation of the 'tickle' that they were feeling it before I had even touched them. Clients with ticklish feet will generally find the initial touches a little uncomfortable, however as soon as they realise that the pressure is firm they begin to trust and relax. The more they relax the less ticklish they become.
As the reflexology treatment progresses there are certain areas of the feet which, typically, are more ticklish than others e.g. in between the toes. Certain areas like this can be avoided in the initial treatment if it becomes too disruptive to the individual. In all of my experiences with clients and their ticklish feet, including my own, I have found that over a number of treatments the tickle completely subsides. It is said that people who initially have ticklish feet come to love reflexology all the more as they are more sensitive to the subtleties of movement and pressure and so can sometimes find the treatment more profound than others. I can honestly put my hand up now and say that I no longer feel any tickle at all when receiving reflexology, even between the toes!

SORE FEET
People often ask, is reflexology painful to receive? This is a very subjective question and one that is difficult to answer but I will attempt to. In my personal opinion, reflexology is not painful to receive and if for any reason it becomes painful to the individual the pressure should be reduced accordingly. I believe, and there are many others who agree with me, that in order to fully stimulate the reflexes strong pressure is not always necessary.
I have received reflexology in the past that was painful and even a bit rough at times but this is not something that is common to all reflexologists. If it is a concern of yours, feel free to ask the therapist prior to making that initial appointment.
All of that said, when there are energetic and physical imbalances in the body, these are reflected on the feet and often the areas on the feet which correspond to the imbalance are tender to the touch. They can feel 'bruised' and as the reflexologist presses on these they can feel uncomfortable. Generally the reflexologist will be able to discern what these areas are and adjust the pressure accordingly.
I feel that it is imperative to have clear communication with my clients so that they feel free to discuss these issues with me and draw my attention to if and when they feel discomfort. Although the pressure I use in my treatments is firm and deep I vary the pressure as I work across the foot and the majority of my clients actually fall asleep. I think relaxation is paramount to the treatment's success and depth of healing and therefore would not like any of my clients to be in pain or discomfort during as I feel this would detract from the benefits of reflexology.

PODIAPHOBIA (Strong aversion to feet):
Some people have heard of the benefits of reflexology and long to try it out but as soon as they learn that it involves the feet they are disgusted. Some people genuinely have a fear of feet or podiaphobia, others just have a very strong aversion to feet. I am sometimes asked what can be done in these situations.
I believe that if somebody is having such a strong reaction it is wrong to force them to confront it face on unless you are a specialised therapist in that area so I don't encourage people to jump in at the deep-end with a reflexologist. In the case of a potential client having this fear I merely offer hand reflexology as an alternative. Hand reflexology (believe it or not) can be just as profound and relaxing as foot reflexology. Hand reflexology can also be a great option in situations where there is impaired mobility, injury or if the feet are inaccessible for any reason.

I will be writing more about hand reflexology and its benefits in upcoming posts.

WHY IS MORE THAN ONE TREATMENT OFTEN RECOMMENDED?

If you have been to any complementary health practitioners you may be familiar with the concept of needing to return for a certain number of treatments. The reason for this is, generally, unlike Western medicine where a prescription medication is designed to stop or suppress certain symptoms, the complementary approach is to kick-start your body's own innate healing mechanisms. In comparison to Western medicine this can sometimes be perceived by people as 'the hard way' but when successfully applied is also the most healthy and ideal path to wellness. Often with more chronic illness, over time medication starts to lose its effect and it is only then that it becomes apparent that restarting your body's own innate healing mechanism is paramount to your well-being.
(In the case of illness always consult with your doctor first. It is also worth mentioning here that Reflexology is 'complementary' which means that it can be used safely alongside conventional Western treatment and is not designed to contradict it.)

How you can begin to tap into this is to start 'listening to your body'. Sometimes it can be difficult to tune into the subtle messages that our bodies send us but sometimes even when we hear those messages we refuse to listen. Not listening to our bodies and not fulfilling the body's needs ultimately results in some form of dis-ease e.g. when we are tired and refuse to rest, we may get a headache or pain or in the long-term we may start to experience chronic fatigue. Apart from some genetic illnesses a lot of the day-to-day maladies that we experience could be prevented if this communication could be restored.

Reflexology works on the premise of reflex points and zones within the feet that communicate with the systems of the body. Reflexology, like other complementary therapies reunites the individual with their innate ability to self-heal. For the most part, dis-ease and illness are a culmination of years of negative patterns and negative lifestyle. These patterns are not always apparent to the individual, they may have been instilled in them from a very young age. If a negative pattern is not corrected it can influence and spawn another negative pattern and so the web thickens. These patterns can be physical, emotional or even mental.
When a person starts on the path to self-healing they must be willing to truly look at themselves from an objective viewpoint. How you interact with yourself, others and the world around you. Often the symptoms a person may present with are not the problem at all but on further investigation a 'root cause' becomes visible. As it takes years to develop these negative attitudes and patterns, often out of a place of survival rather than a desire to be negative, it in turn, also takes some re-conditioning to straighten them out.

On an initial treatment, one is dealing predominantly with the symptoms which are essentially just the 'crust' of the problem. This is what the world sees, this is how you are. In the initial treatment, a therapist will most likely be able to determine whether or not there is a deeper issue present. If this is the case, then further treatments are recommended to help the person to come to terms with the root cause. To acknowledge it and to begin to take steps to alleviate it.

Persistently working only on the symptoms will not solve the problem and the symptoms will simply keep re-occurring. (When you weed your garden you need to pull out the roots or the weeds will simply grow back when the conditions allow.)
In the same way, aside from the root cause of the issue there are most likely certain conditions in one's life which perpetuate the symptoms of their malaise. These conditions may involve the presence of negative people or environments. It is not the place of the reflexologist to act as a psychotherapist or counsellor and if it becomes apparent that that is what the client needs then they should be referred onto the relevant party. A reflexologist is not going to probe into your personal life to try and find out why you act the way you act, or do what it is you do but by helping you to create better communication within your body a reflexologist can help you to gain a greater self-awareness so that you may start to explore these issues for yourself.

Like anything in life, the body needs a certain amount of repetitions before it is trained to do something, like typing or knitting. Reflexology can help to build that system of communication where you can start to feel imbalance in your body before it is manifest as illness. This is unlikely to happen after just one treatment. After years of giving and receiving reflexology I now find that my feet will tell me that something is about to occur in my body before it actually does. This gives me the space and time to do something about it. I may need to take more rest, drink more water, change my diet, get some exercise, have my spine or joints re-aligned. There are many possibilities.
It is not essential for you to have years of experience however to benefit from this form of communication. I have clients who tell me that they are now much more aware of their feet and they too take special note when they feel discomfort or sensations in any one area of the foot. On further investigation it becomes apparent to them what they need to do.

I believe that the concept behind multiple treatments is to firstly help the body to fully detox from a presenting ailment, secondly train the body and thirdly teach the individual how to read certain signals so that they may live a more balanced and healthy life.