The Benefits of Reflexology for Babies

Reflexology is a form of treatment started by the ancient Chinese in centuries past.  It was found that by stimulating specific reflexes of the feet and hands, you could not only bring healing to the body, but could cleanse the body of common toxic substances and even parasites.  Reflexology was brought to the West in the early 1900’s and has been proven to be a very successful therapy for most sicknesses and diseases. 

So why is this technique so beneficial on babies and children?  The biggest reason that reflexology is so beneficial to children is that they do not have years of toxic buildup in their systems.  Furthermore, they have not yet been “programmed” to societies way of handling sickness.  When the mind is more receptive and does not contain the boundaries that many adults have, it is understood that the body works more effectively and efficiently.  Moreover, practicing reflexology on your baby is a great way to bond, stimulate and provide the tender touch that actually promotes health. 

If you are curious as to what types of problems reflexology can alleviate in babies and children, here is a list I have compiled.  Keep in mind that it is just a sample list and in no way represents everything that reflexology can benefit. 

·         Ear infections   

·         Teething pain

·         Asthma

·         Colic

·         Allergies

·         Constipation & tummy problems

·         Childhood eczema

·         Colds and flu symptoms

·         Sports related injuries

·         Respiratory infections

·         Depression and other emotional problems

·         Hyperactivity & auditory problems

·         Learning and concentration challenges

·         Acne and psoriasis

·         And many more

You may be asking how to do it safely and effectively.  First of all, I would recommend that you seek the advice and expertise of a trained reflexologist.  If you simply want to try the techniques for yourself without formal training, keep in mind that when applying pressure to an infant’s foot, it should be done with a gentle forward creeping motion.

If you want basic instructions on where to start, check out the information at universalreflex.com.  The following instructions are directly from their website.

• Start on the sole of the right foot start at zone 5 and work heel to toe, then move over to zone 4 and work heel to toe, then zone 3, 2 and finally zone 1.  Remember to work the inner aspect of the foot, which relates to the spinal reflexes. Stay on the same foot and follow exactly the same procedure - gentle pressure working from heel to toe, again starting at zone 5 and moving across to zone 1.  Finish off by gentle stroking of the entire foot. Move over to the left foot and carry out the same routine.
  
  Because baby's feet are so small, the procedure can be carried out once or several times and the entire session can be as short as a couple of minutes to just over five minutes. The golden rule is little, lightly and often! Better to give many two-minute sessions than one long one - or none at all!

Reflexology for Colic

If you have a child that suffers from colic, it is probably safe to say that you are desperate to find an effective treatment.  If you are expecting and would simply like to be prepared in case you have an infant that suffers from colic, then these suggestions will help you also.  Although doctors usually say there isn’t much you can do except bear with it until it passes, I am here to tell you otherwise.  There are some easy and effective holistic treatments that do alleviate symptoms.  For example, putting a small amount of catnip, chamomile or peppermint in the baby’s bottle at the first sign of distress and giving the baby a warm lavender bath, both work well.  If you breastfeed, eating a diet rich in fennel (a common household spice) can also help alleviate symptoms rather quickly.

In conjunction with the above recommendations, I would seriously consider reflexology treatment as well.  Reflexology is safe for everyone and proven effective.   If you are not familiar with reflexology, it is the practice of strategically applying pressure to areas of the feet and hands as they correspond with specific body organs.  By stimulating nerves on specific areas of the feet and hands, we can stimulate blood flow, reduce stress and eliminate toxin buildup in the corresponding organs and systems of the body.  With this, many forms of sickness and disease can be reversed or at the very least, the symptoms can be effectively treated. 

So why should this technique be used on children?  The most obvious reason is because it works.  However, it is also known that reflexology is so beneficial to children because they have not yet been “programmed” to societies way of handling sickness.  When the mind is more receptive and does not contain the boundaries that many adults have, it is understood that the body works more effectively and efficiently.

A study was done with ten colicky babies and their response to reflexology treatment for the alleviation of their symptoms.  All of the babies in the study were significantly helped by the treatment.  It took between one and six treatments to get the babies crying spells below the norm for a baby with colic.  Some babies responded sooner than others, however they all improved with exclusive use of reflexology. 

You may be wondering if you will need to learn reflexology yourself or if you will need to pay for professional services.  That is a personal matter of preference.  If you are not concerned with the cost of getting professional services, more power to you.  However, most people simply cannot afford the services on a regular basis.  One of the most attractive things about reflexology is that it is simple to learn.  Not to say that there isn’t a technique that should be followed, because there is.  However, of the many forms of massage and healing techniques, reflexology is probably the easiest and fastest form of therapy to learn.  Many believe it is part intuitive and part learned skill.   For me, it comes quite naturally.  There is nothing more powerful than the feeling you get from being able to help your child in such a way.

Reflexology Expectations

Although reflexology is proven to be beneficial for a multitude of problems, your reflexologist cannot diagnose or claim to cure any diseases.  They are not medically trained to do so.  The practice of reflexology is meant to bring your body to a state of well-being.  Only in this state is your body able to heal itself and perform at an optimal level.  If your body is full of toxins, your immune system is severely compromised, making you much more likely to succumb to sickness and disease. 

Once you have made the decision to visit a trained reflexologist, you may be wondering what you can expect from him or her.  You may also be asking yourself, what if I am embarrassed about my feet, or my feet are ticklish, how will I be able to handle the therapy?  All of these are viable questions. 

As far as the appearance of your feet, don’t worry about them.  All feet are different and there is nothing to be ashamed about.  The only possible thing that might come up in direct relation to the appearance of your feet may be if you have a severe problem with corns or the like.  In this case, your reflexologist may recommend treatment options. 

Ticklish feet are not usually a problem for a reflexologist.  Once pressure is applied, the sensation will quickly turn from a tickle to massage and you should be ok.  Very, and I mean very few people that claim to have ticklish feet are unable to go through with the therapy.

Your therapy session will begin with a questionnaire or one on one question and answer session.  This is, of course to get your personal history and determine where your therapy should be most concentrated.  For example, if you are going in suffering from frequent migraines and neck pain, your reflexologist will concentrate on the areas of the feet and sometimes the hands, in areas that deal with the head and neck.  Of course, you will be treated in all areas of the feet.  In order to bring your body to a state of well-being, you must detoxify your organs and this is exactly what happens during reflexology therapy. 

After the initial interview, your ears, feet and hands will probably be thoroughly looked over for discolorations and tender spots.  According to the theories reflexology stems from, these things can be warning signs that correlating body parts are not functioning, as they should. 

At this point the therapy will begin.  It will usually start with rubbing of the ears, hands or feet and then will turn into pressing.  It closely mimics acupuncture, but without needles.  By pressing in certain areas of the feet, hands and even the ears, the brain will send signals and release neurochemicals to stop pain and relieve tension. 

Probably one of the biggest expectations is the relaxation factor.  It is true; you will become very relaxed during the therapy.  Believe it or not, some people even fall asleep.  It is one of the single most powerful ways to relax and eliminate stress in your body.  Once you try it you will be a believer, furthermore you will be hooked. 

Reflexology’s efficiency

Reflexology is a certain type of alternative treatment that many people choose to undergo in order to help them to feel better from suffering from many different symptoms. It is quite unique in terms of its methodology; reflexology is often performed by a practitioner who massages certain areas of the feet and the hands in the hopes that a different part of the body will be affected. Reflexology charts are used in order to determine which areas of the feet and the hands pertain to which parts of the body. Many people wonder about exactly how effective reflexology can be in terms of treating illness, so in this article, we’ll study some research that has been conducted in the past in order to determine if reflexology is a practice that is worthy of your time.

Traditionally, reflexology has been practiced in Asia for centuries. One study that has been conducted in order to weigh the efficiency of reflexology was the China Reflexology Symposium Report, which was composed in 1996. Over eight thousand separate cases of reflexology treatments were consulted in order to draft the report, and the findings stated that reflexology massage involving the feet was useful almost ninety four percent of the time for treating sixty three different types of disorders. The report further stated that approximately forty eight percent of all of the cases that were examined resulted in the condition being completely cured by reflexology, while in about forty five percent of the cases, the symptoms were improved but not completely healed.

A separate study, conducted in Britain involved the study of fifteen different women who received half-hour long reflexology treatments for a period of eight weeks. After the study was completed, it was shown that the women that were test subjects stated that they had noticed physical and emotional improvements in their life, with an increased sense of self esteem and a better sense of concentration.

Many other studies have been conducted across the world, many of which have stated that reflexology has marked benefits for the individuals who are partaking in it. A study conducted by the American Cancer Society Journal showed that approximately one out of three individuals with cancer underwent reflexology therapy as an alternative form of medicine. Studies in Australia and South Africa have shown that reflexology can be a useful methodology for an anesthetic effect when an individual has arthritis, neck or back pain, or headaches. Other studies have measured reflexology’s efficiency when it comes to helping diabetics to reduce their insulin levels as well as blood flow to the feet.

Without a doubt, reflexology has been proven to be useful for many different problems that people can have with their health. More studies will be conducted in the future as we continue to learn more about this exotic alternative therapy. If you are thinking about visiting a reflexologist, be sure that you do as much research as possible in order to discover exactly how the therapy can be of benefit to you.

Natural Cures for Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety is a much bigger problem than many people believe.  It affects people of all ages, although it usually starts in teenage years or the mid twenties, and it appears to affect twice as many women as men. 

Anxiety problems can be acute or chronic.  Acute anxiety usually is shown by episodes known as panic attacks.  A panic attack is essentially when our body’s natural “fight or flight” reaction occurs at the wrong time for very odd reasons, and is totally involuntary. 

Chronic anxiety is usually milder and more generalized.  Patients feel anxiety most of the time, however it rarely reaches the intensity of a full-blown panic attack. 

There are many things you can do to help control your anxiety disorder without the use of prescription drugs.  A key consideration is to do whatever it takes to relieve day-to-day stress.  Many patients that suffer from panic attacks have taken trips to the emergency room, just to be told they are suffering from stress. 

So, how do you relieve stress effectively and safely?  You can certainly use calming herbs, but I recommend using them in conjunction with reflexology treatments for the best effect. 

Reflexology, a technique used in Thai massage therapy and ancient Chinese medicine, is based on the belief that applying pressure to reflexes on the feet and hands can effectively treat the entire body.  By stimulating nerves on specific areas of the feet and hands, reflexology stimulates blood flow and eliminates toxin buildup in the corresponding organs and systems of the body. 

One of the most common uses for reflexology is for stress relief.  In our fast paced society today, everyone is looking for a way to unload the stress of everyday life and for good reason.  Stress is a silent killer.  The effects of stress have been studied for quite some time and it is known that if you do not release stress from your body on a regular basis, it will eventually wreak havoc on your body in the form of one of many different sicknesses or diseases. 

Besides being a beneficial tool for promoting relaxation and stress relief, it is also an effective tool for improving circulation, relieving pain, and as an immune and nervous system stimulator.  In fact, many people with illnesses such as allergies; chronic sinus problems; acid reflux; migraines; PMS; menopause; insomnia; chronic fatigue, fertility problems and even arthritis have been helped tremendously by reflexology treatments.  

If you decide to combine your reflexology treatment with herbal medicine, some good herbs for this condition are catnip, chamomile, cramp bark, kava kava, hops, valarian root, linden flower, motherwort, passionflower and skullcap.  All of these promote relaxation and aid in preventing the onset of a panic attack.  Fennel relieves anxiety related gastrointestinal upsets and abdominal tension sometimes associated with anxiety.  It is most effective taken as a tea.  St. John’s Wort, probably the most well known herb for anxiety, works well, although like most herbal remedies, does not give immediate effects and takes two to four weeks before real results are seen.