Author: jasmine@reflexologylife.co.za

Categories
reflexology

How Reflexology Helps to Regulate The Endocrine System.

Hormones and the Endocrine System

Hormones are the powerful chemical messengers of the endocrine system. Unlike the nervous system, which uses rapid electrical signals, the endocrine system uses hormones secreted by specialised glands (like the thyroid, pituitary, and adrenal glands) directly into the bloodstream.

From the bloodstream, these hormones travel throughout the body until they reach their specific target cells or organs, bind to receptors and trigger a specific action. The endocrine system operates relatively slowly because it relies on blood circulation, but its effects are profound and long-lasting. It is often the case that what you did in the past, i.e., the stress you were under, the health choices you made, and the exercise you did, determines how you are feeling and how the body is working right now.

How Hormones Influence Your Life.

Hormones are responsible for regulating most major bodily processes. Their influence is constantly felt, from early development through old age, shaping physical form, emotional state, and energy levels.

  1. Growth and Development

Hormones govern physical changes from birth through maturity:

  • Growth & Puberty: Growth Hormone (GH) is essential during childhood and adolescence, stimulating bone and tissue development. Sex hormones (testosterone in males; oestrogen and progesterone in females) drive the development of secondary sexual characteristics, leading to physical maturation.
  1. Metabolism and Energy Regulation

Hormones manage how your body converts food into energy and maintains stable internal conditions:

  • Energy Balance: Insulin (from the pancreas) regulates blood sugar levels, directing glucose into cells for energy or storage. Hormones from the thyroid (T3 and T4) set the body’s overall metabolic rate.
  • Stress Response: Cortisol (the main stress hormone) and adrenaline prepare the body for “fight or flight” by increasing heart rate and spiking blood sugar for immediate energy.
  1. Mood, Sleep, and Emotional Stability

Hormonal balance plays a direct role in mental health and daily emotional experience:

  • Mood: Hormonal imbalances can significantly contribute to anxiety, depression, and irritability. These hormones can be sex hormones or thyroid hormone-related.
  • Sleep: Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm), promoting rest when light levels drop.
  1. Reproduction and Sexual Health

Hormones dictate fertility, sexual function, and the reproductive cycle:

  • Fertility: Oestrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, FSH, and LH work in a complex cycle to regulate menstruation, ovulation, sperm production, and libido.
  • Pregnancy: Hormones maintain pregnancy and prepare the body for childbirth and breastfeeding.
  1. Homeostasis and Fluid Balance

Hormones ensure the internal environment remains stable, a process called homeostasis:

  • Fluid & Salt Balance: Hormones like ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone) control water reabsorption in the kidneys, helping regulate blood volume and preventing dehydration.
  • Calcium Levels: Hormones maintain precise calcium levels, which are critical for nerve and muscle function.

How Can Reflexology Help Regulate Hormones and affect the endocrine system?

How Reflexology Influences Hormone Regulation

  • Endocrine Reflex Points: Reflexologists target pressure points on the feet that correspond to endocrine glands, such as the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and reproductive organs. This pressure aims to stimulate these glands, helping them function more effectively and balance hormone levels.
  • Promotes Relaxation: Reflexology activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which supports relaxation (rest and digest) and reduces stress. Lowering stress levels can help decrease the production of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, allowing the body to regulate other hormones better.
  • Enhances Circulation: Reflexology techniques can improve blood circulation. Better circulation ensures that hormones, oxygen, and nutrients are delivered more efficiently to cells and organs, supporting overall hormonal health and function.
  • Supports Overall Well-being: Reflexology promotes balance and relaxation, which helps the body heal and function efficiently. When the body is relaxed, it can better regulate itself, including its hormonal systems.

How to Use Reflexology for Hormone Balance

  1. Consult a Registered Reflexologist: Seek out a fully qualified and experienced reflexologist who can assess your needs and provide a treatment plan specific to your needs.
  2. Consider a Course of Treatment: Reflexology can have a cumulative effect, so a series of sessions over several weeks or months may be necessary to achieve significant results.
  3. Incorporate Lifestyle changes: If necessary, your reflexologist may recommend specific lifestyle changes or things to incorporate into your daily life, such as diet, movement, stress management techniques, and environmental changes. Combining reflexology sessions with these lifestyle changes enhances their effects on hormone regulation.

Reflexologists worldwide are working hard to get more case studies and clinical trials done to show the effectiveness of reflexology. Here are a few research-backed case studies to show how effective reflexology can be. Here are some evidence-based studies related to the endocrine system:

  •  Diabetes: reflexology work reduces physiological measures for diabetes and is an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus.[1]
  • Infertility and increasing rates of ovulation: reflexology has been documented numerous times for its ‘success rates’ in helping women become pregnant[2]
  • Insomnia – reflexology shows clinically important improvement of sleep, the frequency and how long a person has been having reflexology treatments seems to affect the length of the effects.[3]
  • Menopausal symptoms reduced such as anxiety, depression, hot flushes and night sweats by 30 – 50%.[4]
  • Premenstrual syndrome – relief of symptoms such as fatigue; insomnia; abdominal pain; lower back pain & constipation.[5]
  • Prostate (hyperplasia & hypertrophy) – foot reflexology and drug therapy was the most effective treatment for hyperplasia. With hyperplasia, most symptoms were relieved with hypertrophy.[6]
  • Thyroid – significant reduction of related symptoms, but not always a change in levels of thyroid hormones.[7]

 

Sources & references:

Kunz, B & Kunz, K. Evidence based reflexology research. For Health Professionals & Researchers. (2008). ISBN 9781534981898.

Kunz, B & Kunz, K. Evidence based reflexology research. For Health Professionals & Researchers: [1] Page 23; 66; 67; [2] Pg 82 and pg 96; [3] Pg 83; [4] Pg 88, 89; [5] Pg 113; [6] Pg 114;[7] Pg 117

Marieb, EN, R.N., Ph.D., (2012). Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology. 10th Edition. Pearsons: San Francisco pages 309 – 330

Categories
Foot health reflexology

An Insight into Foot Analysis

Therapeutic reflexologists use foot assessments as a key diagnostic tool in understanding what is happening in the body. These assessments involve observations of the colour, texture and tactile structure of the feet, as well as the temperature.

What is the difference between a foot assessment and a foot reading assessment?

As a professional reflexologist, it is not in our scope of practice to read the feet on a deeper psychological or emotional level. We can only bring to a patients attention that which we see on the feet. We generally tend to work with the ‘first layers’ which is what is happening on a physical and basic emotional level. Your reflexologist may only go as far as to tell you what they see in the feet. If the patient would like, and the reflexologist is able to, a deeper analysis may be done, but the patient should then be referred to another therapist to deal with the processing of any underlying issues if the reflexologist is not qualified to do so.

The main aim of a reflexologist doing a foot reading is to create awareness in the patient, identify strengths and weaknesses, and determine what issues, life events, etc., have been ‘imprinted’ on the body (through the feet).

If you have any questions about reflexology, foot assessments, or foot reading, please feel free to contact me!

What is foot reading?

Foot reading is apparently just as old as reflexology. It is said to have been around in China and India over 5000 years ago. The Ancient Chinese were known to observe the body instead of performing dissections of cadavers. To understand what was going on internally, they used the diagnostic and evaluation tools, such as assessing and observing the tongue, face, feet, pulse reading/palpitation and meridian assessment, to identify what was going on in the body and what imbalances there were, so that they could remedy them by endeavouring to re-balance the body.

Foot reading is perhaps a similar diagnostic tool to iridology. Reflexology is often confused with being a principle similar to iridology, which is only half true. Reflexology can be ‘split’ into two parts: 1. The assessment of the foot (and/or hand, face, ear) and 2. Working on the reflexology points and meridians using a massage-like technique to help facilitate self-healing and balance in the body.

Why (some) Reflexologists use foot reading as an assessment tool and How is it beneficial to a reflexology treatment.

Therapeutic reflexologists assess the feet on some level, whether they are just working with the physical aspects, looking beyond to the psychological and emotional aspects, or the subtle metaphysical energetics of the body.

To give you a general understanding, the different parts of the feet correspond to the specific organs in the body and to specific psychological or metaphysical aspects of one’s life.

  1. The toes represent our Thought, beliefs and ideas;
  2. The ball of the foot represents our feelings;
  3. The upper arch of the foot represents what we are doing and the drive and determination we have (or do not have) doing things;
  4. The lower arch of the foot represents relationships and our attachments;
  5. The heel of the foot represents our motivations and security.

These sections cross both horizontally and vertically—starting with 1. Thoughts and beliefs at the big toe, going across, and ending with 5. Motivation and security at the 5th toe.

Different markings on the feet represent what is happening in that area of the body.

The shape, size, colour and temperature of certain areas of the foot also indicate a person’s temperament, constitution as well as the health and condition of the organs and body.

An Example:

I’ll give you a very brief example of an anonymous pair of feet (permission received to use these images) to show you some aspects of what would be ‘read’. This example shows the soles / plantar aspect of the feet, but when doing a foot reading, we also look at the tops and sides of the feet.

A foot reading analysis should not be a ‘definitive’ remark, but should be open to some interpretation based on holistic aspects of the person’s life. The reflexologist is only there to tell you what they see or what the foot is telling them. A weakness should not be seen as a limitation, and a strength should not be taken for granted – work on the weaknesses and cultivate the strengths.

  1. How the toes line up – The 3rd toe is shorter than the line, this may indicate that this person is not very aggressive or assertive, or they lack creative energy. The big toe pad is large and the toe is over the line, which can indicate that this persons’ energies get lost. They could be full of ideas and like to talk a lot. They could achieve great thing, but first need to find clarity of thought.
  2. Yellow hue to the stem of the second toe – This indicates something chronic – on a physical level it could either indicate chronic inflammation of the eye; or chronic sinus / mucous. In a psychological level, this person might be fed-up of what they are seeing
  3. The 4th toe pad is noticeably larger on the left hand side which may indicate that relationships with people occupy a lot of ‘space’ in their minds, relationships and people may be very important to them.
  4. The 2nd toe on the RHS is ‘hidden’ by the 3rd toe – this may indicate that their feelings where suppressed by what they were doing (RHS = past).
  5. Yellowing of the chest / heart reflex – this person may have mucous or inflammation in the chest or they are unhappy, but keeping their bitterness and frustration to themselves.
  6. Cross (x) on the heart reflex, more noticeable on the LHS foot. This could indicate some damage to the heart, or a heart break that really ‘cut deep’
  7. Yellow, hardness and slight protrusion of the shoulder reflex. Strain on the shoulders. Could also indicate frustration with having to bear other people loads.
  8. Some puffiness of the stomach reflex – this may indicate that they are feeling that it is difficult to ‘stomach something’ or s situation, or they are weighed down with worry.
  9. High arches – this person may feel most comfortable in their own company; they like their independence and may struggle to ask other for help.
  10. Deep lines in the 4th vertical zones may indicate that emotions are getting in the way of whatever is going on in relationships.
  11. Blister on the heel – blisters indicate emotional friction rubbing up against their ideas or beliefs or a continuous habit that irritates them. The RHS heel related to fear.

In most reflexology practices, we just perform foot reading on a physical level. But sometimes it is necessary to bring to the patient’s attention what we are seeing from an emotional / psychological level. An intensive foot reading assessment can take at least 2 hours.

One question I get often is, can the feet change? Yes, definitely! While the general shape and size of the foot will very likely stay the same, other parts of the feet are constantly changing. Maybe not so obviously, but the toes might start to change direction, the colours and texture of the feet change, and blisters and callouses may form and disappear.

Categories
Foot health reflexology

The Link Between Reflexology and Your Nervous System

Your nervous system is your body’s control and communication centre. It’s a vast network of the brain, spinal cord, and sensory organs, all connected by an intricate web of nerves that allows every part of your body to talk to one another.

To truly appreciate its structure, Anne Hilarius-Ford from Energy Reflexology likens a neuron (the fundamental cell of the nervous system) to a tree.

   

  • The neuron is the tree itself.
  • The soma (cell body) is the canopy.
  • The dendrites are the branches.
  • The axon is the tree trunk.
  • The terminal buttons are the roots.

These neurons are specialised to transmit messages throughout your entire body, enabling you to react, feel, and control your movements.

The Body’s Chemical Messengers: Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that allow neurons to communicate with each other. They can either excite or inhibit signals between cells, making them the “key” that unlocks a specific response.

When this communication is balanced and working efficiently, your body can function at its best, which is essential for your physical and psychological well-being. These messengers are affected by everything from diet and stress to disease and drugs.

How Reflexology Influences Your Nervous System

Your feet are incredibly sensitive. With over 7,000 nerve endings, they constantly communicate with your central nervous system. This is where reflexology can have a profound impact. 

Many theories exist on how it works, but one of the most powerful effects is a calming message sent from the peripheral nerves in the feet to the central nervous system. This helps shift your body from the “fight or flight” stress response to the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for “rest and digest.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

When this system is engaged, you can experience:

  • Improved digestion, respiration, and circulation
  • Enhanced healing, immunity, and repair
  • A more profound sense of relaxation
  • Improved creative thinking and problem-solving
The Role of Nutrition and a Healthy Lifestyle

We now know that your mood, concentration, and behaviour are deeply linked to the health of your nervous system. When you are stressed, your neurotransmitters can become depleted. Reflexology helps promote deep relaxation, supporting your body’s natural regulation processes.

Nutrition also plays a vital role in the synthesis of these neurotransmitters. A healthy diet can support your brain health and help your body process stress more effectively.

A professional reflexologist can help promote balance in your body. They may also offer advice on lifestyle and nutrition to support your overall health. There is much more to learn about the nervous system, and these sources below provide a great starting point for further reading.

Sources

  • Hilarius-Ford, A. Energy Reflexology. Reflexology and neural pathways. 2013/04/08.
  • Bridgewater Community Healthcare. Podiatry foot facts.
  • Cherry, K. Identifying a neurotransmitter.
  • Wurtman, RJ. Food consumption, neurotransmitter synthesis and human behaviour (abstract).
  • Minich, D. Eating for your neurotransmitters. 2018/10/11.
Categories
Foot health reflexology

What Your Feet Reveal: Decoding Your Health with Therapeutic Reflexology

Have you ever wondered what your feet reveal about your health?

My journey into reflexology began at 17, with a visit to a reflexologist who seemed to know so much about me just from my feet. When I asked how, she called it a ‘gift,’ and I honestly thought she had ‘psychic powers’!

Now, with my studies and many years of practice, I understand that these ‘gifts’ are actually learned skills. Reflexologists use specific, documented observations, refined through countless case histories, to gain deeper insight into a patient’s health.

I’ve found many new patients, curious about reflexology, prefer that I identify their issues simply by examining their feet – and I completely understand the excitement of hearing someone articulate concerns you haven’t even mentioned! However, as professional reflexologists, we deeply respect your privacy and never use these insights as mere ‘party tricks.’

Why Do Reflexologists Ask for Your Case History?

If we can gain so much insight from your feet, why do we still ask about your health history?

While foot observations are incredibly powerful, therapeutic reflexologists use them to enhance your treatment. Our main goal is to address the primary reason you came to see us. Your case history helps us:

  • Confirm and identify key problem areas and patterns.
  • Understand the “why” behind what we’re observing in your feet.
  • Most importantly, develop a personalised treatment protocol so you get the maximum benefit from your session.

Of course, it’s always fascinating when we identify something you might have forgotten to mention, often leading to curious questions about “how we knew that!”

What Does a Reflexologist Observe on Your Feet?

Once we’ve reviewed your case history, it’s time to examine your feet (and sometimes hands, face, or ears). Here’s what we might observe:

  • Colour: Pale feet often suggest low energy, chronic illness, or anaemia. Some techniques, like the Vacuflex boot, intensify these observations: blue might indicate organ stress or acute pain; yellow, mucous or inflammation; white, chronic conditions; and red, inflammation or acidity.
  • Temperature: Foot temperature can reveal circulatory quality and even temperament. Hot feet might indicate someone who is rushed or prone to anger, while cold feet could suggest a lack of confidence or a tendency not to complete tasks.
  • Shape & Size: Beyond physiology, the size and shape of your feet can offer insights into your personality, attitude, and general approach to life.
  • Texture: Dry skin often signals dehydration, digestive issues, or insufficient healthy fats. Puffy feet (oedema) could indicate water retention, dehydration, or circulatory/heart concerns.
  • Abnormalities: We look for swollen areas, calluses, peeling skin, bunions, corns, or other skin hardness. A reflexologist considers where these abnormalities correspond on the reflex map and what they might signify. For example, a callus over the oesophagus reflex area could indicate ongoing irritation or strain related to heartburn/reflux.
  • Nails: Your nails offer a fascinating story about your liver, kidney health, circulation, and heart well-being. (In fact, I wrote an entire article on nails as an assessment tool.

So, during your next reflexology session, feel free to ask questions! Don’t hesitate to ask what your feet reveal, why you might have dry skin, or what a specific callus or bunion could signify. It’s all part of understanding your body better.

Interested in diving deeper?

Ready to discover what your feet can tell you? Book your therapeutic reflexology session with Jasmine in Somerset West or Marina in Modderfontein today!

Categories
Foot health

The Nails as a Health Assessment Tool

Nail assessments are used in several health care practices, including Ayurveda, Chinese, integrative, and orthodox medicine.
A smooth, pinkish nail with a white crescent (the lunula) at the base generally indicates good health.

TCM & ELEMENTS / MERIDIANS

The general Traditional Chinese medicine point of view concludes that nails can signify an imbalance in different ‘elements’ and organs in the body. The two main elements the nails represent are wood (liver and gall bladder) and water(bladder and kidney). This can indicate that any nail manifestations reflect the wood element, meaning that the body lacks adequate nourishment.

For example, Vertical ridges on the nails signify excessive acid levels.
Horizontal grooves in the nails are caused by major/sudden lifestyle changes or when one is ill and given strong medication.
White spots on the nails that gather together are from excessive sugar intake.

The general condition of the nails: Brittle, split, soft, or peeling nails indicate an imbalance in the sodium and potassium balance (kidney and bladder meridians).

Each finger and toe represents a specific meridian; we must note that to assess the source of the malnourishment or imbalance.

Here are a couple of nail conditions, their explanations and solutions:

nail conditions

  1. LUNULA ON NAILS

Lunula on the nails are a sign of good health. The absence of these Lunula/moons could be a sign of:

  • Low immune system
  • Weak digestive ‘fire’
  • Poor circulation
  • (Low yang energy)

Solutions:

  • Avoid cold beverages. Best to drink warming herbal teas like ginger
  • Eat a piece of ginger and some lemon juice before each meal to increase digestive fire.
  • Spices which aid digestion include
  1. WHITE SPOTS

Mineral deficiency – usually magnesium and zinc. This can be from pollution, diet, heavy metal toxins, stress,  poor digestion, low stomach acid, inflammation, consumption of allergen promoting foods and Parasites in the intestines

Solutions:

  • Eat more zinc-rich foods. Supplementation may be needed
  • Adjust lifestyle to deal with stress and pollutants
  • Repair the gut
  • Natural parasite cleanse, such as wormwood tea.
  1. PALE NAILS

Pale and brittle nails are usually a sign of anemia. Anaemia can be caused by an iron, folate, or vitamin B12 deficiency. It can also be due to ulcers, parasitic or viral infection, certain medications, chronic illness, or malabsorption.

Solutions:

  • Wheatgrass juice – because the chlorophyll closely resembles haemoglobin.
  1. VERTICAL LINES

Vertical lines/ridges are usually a sign of malabsorption of nutrients.

It also indicates that minerals are not getting to the nails, which can be caused by poor circulation, thyroid problems, candida, parasitic or viral infections, or heavy metals.

Solutions:

  • Cut out main allergenic foods: gluten, dairy and sugar
  • Identify the root cause of malabsorption, which can be from a current illness, gut microbiome imbalance,or  heavy metal toxicity
  • Ginger tea/ginger to help the stomach
  • Liquorice tea (unless you have hypertension)
  • Healthy healing fats
  1. HORIZONTAL LINES / GROOVES

Generally, deep horizontal lines are a sign of serious illness, infection, or depletion during the nail’s growth period.

It usually appears after heart attacks, viral infections and severe fevers.

You may have a chronic condition if the horizontal lines are a constant issue.

  1. NAIL BED INFLAMMATION

Signs of nail bed inflammation include puffy redness on the skin at the base of the nail bed.

This is a sign of a parasite or viral infection. Usually, these infections develop because the immune system is already compromised by a chronic viral infection.

Solutions:

  • Cleanse your system and gut
  • Herbal anti-viral supplements such as wormwood, cat’s claw, lemon balm, liquorice root, and colloidal silver
  • Zinc
  • Cut out processed foods, dairy, excess animal fat, gluten and sugar
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

Integrative and orthodox medicine have similarities in their thinking about causes for nail conditions. A standard assessment in integrative medicine includes assessment of:

* Shape – clubbing or curling nails
* Colour – yellow, blue, pale
* Lunula – missing = lack of protein or absorption thereof
* Strength – weak nails are also a lack of protein
* Texture – vertical ridging –zinc deficiency
* Temperature & circulation

More serious conditions

If you haven’t already, seek medical attention. The root cause must be addressed before the nail symptoms go away.

Beau’s line (horizontal depression/dent) – a sign of malnourishment, and can also indicate signs of other conditions :
beaus lines
Beau’s lines
  • Diseases that cause high fevers, such as measles, mumps and scarlet fever
  • Peripheral vascular disease
  • Pneumonia
  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Zinc deficiency
Clubbing nails (thickening and curving around the fingertips) – a sign of low oxygen in the blood, and can also indicate signs of:
newnailclubbing-56a5c4ca5f9b58b7d0de68f0
Clubbing nails
  •  Cardiovascular disease
  •  IBS (inflammatory bowel disease)
  • Liver disease
  • Pulmonary disease
  • AID’s
Spooning nails (Koilonychia)
  • Iron deficiency anaemia
  • Heart disease
  • Hemochromatosis (a liver disorder that causes too much iron to be absorbed from food)
  • Lupus erythematosus (an autoimmune disease that causes pain and inflammation)
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Raynaud’s disease (limits blood circulation)
    Spoon-Shaped-Nails
    Spooning nails
Mee’s Lines (transverse white lines across the nails)
  • This is a sign of arsenic poisoning
Onycholysis (when the nail plate separates from the nail bed, causing a white/yellow discolouration) can result from infection, trauma, or products used on the nails.
onycholysis
Onycholysis
  • Psoriasis
  • Thyroid disease
Pitting nails (small depressions in the nails)
  • Systemic disease
  • Psoriasispitted nails
Terry’s nails (tip of each nail has a dark band). Often due to aging, but can also be a sign of:
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Diabetes
  • Liver disease
  • Terry's nails
Yellow nail syndrome (nails get thicker and grow slower and may pull away from the nail bed)
  • Internal malignancies
  • Lymphedema
  • Pleural effusions (fluid build up between the lungs and chest cavity)
  • Respiratory illness
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
Dark spots on the nails – bleeding and poor coagulation
Blurry or dark lunulas – you should seek medical attention.

In summary, most of these nail conditions have common factors – mineral deficiencies (especially zinc), infections and poor circulation or blood deficiency. In orthodox medicine and nutrition, zinc is known to be essential for skin and nails. However, it is also vital for the immune system, and poor-quality nails are a symptom of poor immunity. Most medical sciences are starting to convey that gut health issues (gut dysbiosis) seem to be a starting factor for all disease, so perhaps if we repair the gut, we can heal most of our illnesses.

Sources:

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH527j4vb0U

Categories
Foot health Uncategorized

Do your feet need exercise?

We focus on our core, legs, arms, and back but rarely consider exercising and strengthening our feet. Good foot strength, structure, and mobility play a considerable role in keeping us mentally and physically healthy. We often take for granted that we can walk and move around relatively freely. If you cannot walk or move due to some foot injury or condition, you may become reliant on others for help, and your movement and abilities are limited. Just walking alone is great for your mental health and wellness. Movement is an essential element in health and wellness.

The feet deserve more credit than we usually give them. They have over 7,000 nerves, 26 bones, 33 joints, and 20 muscles, of which four layers contribute to movement and stability. The fascia must remain flexible enough to prevent inflammation and tightening of the muscles and tendons.

If our feet are not balanced, this can contribute to ankle, knee, hip, back, and even shoulder pain and issues.

Studies have found that we need at least 5,000 steps daily to maintain good mental health and wellness [1] and 7,500 steps daily to prevent Alzheimer’s disease [2].

Building a strong foundation in your feet is important for not only day-to-day living but also for other exercises, sports, running, lifting weights, hiking, etc.

Include foot strength and stretch into your weekly routine.

You will need:

  • Toes spacers/separators
  • A resistance band
  • Toe strengtheners (if possible or available in your area)
  • 1 or 2 balls – spikey ball, golf ball or softer ball the size of a golf ball
  • A step
  1. Toe separation and strength

1.1. Can you separate all the toes from each other by widening the foot?

If you cannot separate your toes, use toe strengtheners to help ‘pull’ your toes apart. If you cannot find toe strengtheners, use your toe strength to try to spread the toes apart.

1.2. Can you lift the big toe while the other four toes are on the ground?

Place a resistance band under the big toe and pull it up while keeping the 4th toes on the ground.

1.3. Can you lift the other four toes while the big toe stays on the ground?

Place a resistance band under all four toes and pull them up while keeping the big toe on the ground.

        2. Rolling a ball underneath your foot

2.1. Use either a spikey ball or a golf ball (or the size of a golf ball) and roll it underneath your foot to help loosen the fascia (and stimulate some reflex points too).

        3.  Stretching out the calf 

This will also help keep the fascia flexible.

3.1. Simple lunge calf stretch with your hands against the wall. Stretching one calf at a time with one foot in front of the other.

3.2. Place your toes on the edge of a step and pulse your foot down (support yourself on a rail or the wall to help with balance)

3.3. Sit up straight on the floor with your legs outstretched. Loop the resistance band around the ball of your foot, holding one end with each hand and pull towards you with a flexed foot and then a pointed foot.

Other factors to consider:
  • Walk barefoot or wear barefoot shoes – shoes with a wide toe box
  • Key components of a barefoot shoe include wide toe boxes and a thin and flexible sole.
  • If you suffer from bunions or neuromas, wearing toe spacers can assist.

According to Dr Courtney Conly, a chiropractor specialising in foot health, training in barefoot shoes will help strengthen your feet. She recommends wearing barefoot shoes to train and go about daily life, and on race day, your feet will feel stronger and less prone to injury[3].

If your favourite shoes have pointy toes, cushioned soles, and are fashionable but not functional, it’s fine to wear them for a few hours on a special occasion or if you’re going out. But ideally, you should prioritise wearing or walking barefoot.

Chronic foot pain is not something that you should ignore. Unfortunately, I often have patients come to me for the first time after suffering months with chronic foot pain with little help from other professionals. Along with reflexology treatments, I would also recommend seeing a chiropractor who specialises in or is familiar with foot mobilisation and/or a podiatrist with more holistic thinking who would rather assist by recommending exercises and support instead of orthotics and surgery.

Sources:

[1]  Psychology Today

[2] Healthline

 

 

Categories
Uncategorized

The Essence of Reflexology

Reflexology can be explained in one simple sentence: Reflexology helps the body heal itself. This usually occurs on the body’s own terms. Your body knows what kind of healing is a priority at any given time. This is sometimes referred to as the body’s innate wisdom. Innate wisdom can be explained as the intelligence that keeps our BodyMind complex and re-establishes balance (this balance is called homeostasis).

Does the body need help in healing itself?

Although the body is sometimes very good at healing itself, there are many times when it needs some assistance and guidance, particularly when we are stressed.

Reflexology is one of the ‘tools’ used to assist with the healing process.

Daily, our bodies and minds are put under pressure.

The body is constantly healing itself, or trying to heal itself – this can be called homeostasis, which is the self-regulating process by which an organism tends to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are best for its survival. Maintaining homeostasis can become difficult for the body to do on its own, especially when it has to contend with stress, external environmental factors such as pollution (including electromagnetic frequency radiation) and even our minds and emotions (when they are negative or self-sabotaging).

When this happens, the body is likely to just keep you from tipping over the edge until the energy is no longer sufficient and disease manifests. The absence of sufficient homeostasis results in disease.

Techniques and strategies used by (most) reflexologists
  1. Find out the priority
  • At the initial consultation, the patient is asked about the main reason for coming for reflexology and their primary health complaints.
  • Next, we get our information from observing the feet and other reflex areas (and any other indicators) of where the body is most stressed. Reflexologists look for areas of congestion, stress, and weakness on the reflex points and along the body meridian lines.
          2. Stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system[1]
  • For healing to occur, the parasympathetic nervous system must be ‘switched on’.
  • The parasympathetic nervous system’s primary functions are rest, repair, and digestion, and it assists with undoing stress’s effects on the body.
           3. Body communication.
  • Communication of organs, reflexes and elements
  • Identify the cause instead of only treating the symptoms.
  • Reflexologists’ specific treatment plan.
          4. Lifestyle recommendation
  • To assist the effects of reflexology, the therapist often offers lifestyle and dietary advice specific to the patient’s needs.

Because of the nature of reflexology being to help the body to heal itself, essentially, it is suitable for any condition or issue one has, but reflexology is best known for:

  • Boosting immunity
  • Alleviating sinus congestion
  • Alleviating headaches
  • Alleviating digestive discomfort
  • Assisting with sleep issues
  • Fertility and hormone balancing
  • Relaxation

 

[1] The parasymethic nervous system is responsible for the body’s rest and digestion response when the body is relaxed, resting, or feeding. It basically undoes the work of sympathetic division after a stressful situation. The parasympathetic nervous system decreases respiration and heart rate and increases digestion. (www.sciencedirect.com)

Categories
Uncategorized

The Difference Between Reflexology and a Foot Massage

Most people understand that reflexology is a lot more in-depth than a massage. But what makes reflexology different from a foot massage?

Therapeutic Reflexology is both a science and an art. Although it may be classified as a form of massage, it goes much deeper than that. The principles and techniques are very different.

During therapeutic reflexology treatments, the therapist works on specific reflexes on the feet that correspond to different organs, nerves and energy pathways in the body.

The masseurs who do the foot massage use various techniques to massage the foot but do not work specific reflexes.

Foot masseurs stimulate soft tissue by working from the outside in, using techniques such as ‘kneading’, ‘stroking’, and ‘milking’.

Reflexologists work from the inside out because they stimulate the nervous system. They stimulate the reflexes using the ‘crawling’ technique or firm pressure and rotations.

Reflexologists study the reflexes mapped out on the feet, which correspond to the organs of the body. They also study the physical manifestations on the feet, such as bunions, calluses, nail disorders, cracked skin, swelling, temperature changes, etc. This helps them identify the organs or parts of the body that are stressed, imbalanced, or not working effectively.

The purpose of a foot massage is solely for relaxation and de-stressing. Although reflexology can be very relaxing, its intention is to stimulate the body’s self-healing mechanisms and allow balancing and healing to take place.

In South Africa, Reflexologists are registered with the AHPCSA (Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa) and called Therapeutic Reflexologists. Therapeutic Reflexology is one of the official alternative / complementary healing modalities in South Africa. The AHPCSA gives guidelines to health professionals to protect patients. Practising reflexology without a registration number from the AHPCSA is illegal.

To further enhance the distinction between reflexology and foot massage, reflexology therapists must adhere to a number of rules and regulations regarding how they ‘advertise’ and where they have their practice rooms. Allied Health Professionals also need to attain a certain number of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points to remain registered with the council and keep up to date in the health field.

The Scope of practice for therapeutic reflexology consists of:

  • Verbal and physical assessment of the patient’s state of health
  • The application of therapeutic reflexology treatments by use of hands or other suitable tools
  • The use of Vacuflex concepts machines
  • Relaxation techniques
  • Offer lifestyle and nutritional advise
  • Other modalities should be used to enhance the reflexology treatment after appropriate training.
  • Attend to patients outside of the practice
  • Education on optimal health
  • Delivery of emergency CPR
  • Inter-disciplinary consultation, liaison and/or referral

Sources:

http://www.sareflexology.org.za/scope-of-practice/
http://www.ahpcsa.co.za

Categories
Uncategorized

How to Use ‘FEAR’ to Achieve Your Goals.

The first month of 2025 has come to a close. By this point, some of us have given up on our New Year’s resolutions, while others are still holding on, and some didn’t bother making any. After all, it can be disheartening to start with such good intentions only to see that enthusiasm dwindle a few weeks later.

Is there something specific you want to achieve in 2025? How do you envision this year for yourself?

Humans are fundamentally goal-oriented, which is crucial for our survival. We need goals to motivate us to get out of bed in the morning and cultivate the enthusiasm for life that keeps us moving forward.

While you can change direction or get out of a slump at any stage of your life and any time of the year, society often makes us feel that we must do this at the beginning of the year. Perhaps it’s not such a bad idea to take this time to reset, slow down, and reflect on your life and the direction you’re heading in.

Making changes, creating new patterns, and breaking old ones can be challenging. Discipline can sometimes be hard to maintain, but if you genuinely want to achieve something, you must prioritise discipline during the initial attempts. With time, this discipline can become a habit, eventually transforming into a lifestyle that no longer requires as much discipline.

Discipline is when, at the moment, you are placing your future self’s needs ahead of your own. You can view it as a delayed gratification. For example, going to bed earlier so you feel refreshed in the morning, eating healthier meals for sustained mental and physical energy and ‘eating the frog’ earlier in the day instead of procrastinating.

Most of our failures are due to future self-neglect, such as not planning ahead or staying out late the night before a big event, which can impact our overall performance.

We tend to get upset with our past selves, forgetting that what we are doing now impacts our future selves and that our past selves are still a part of our current selves.

Discipline creates habits. Habits are the pathways to achieving your goals. Therefore, forming new habits makes you more likely to achieve your goals. You’re more likely to be disciplined if your goals really matter to you and have a strong emotional driver.

Chase Hughes, a behavioural specialist, talks about a “brainwashing formula” to achieve your goals. He uses the acronym F.E.A.R.

F – FOCUS

Clearly define your goal. Be as specific and detailed as possible. Concentrate on it and eliminate as many distractions as possible that distract you from it so that you can direct your energy toward your objective.

E – EMOTION

Strong, reoccurring emotions facilitate behavioural changes. Vision boards that can generate a strong emotional response can be very beneficial. Put things around you that remind you of what you want to achieve. Ask yourself what are the positive outcomes of achieving this goal and what are the consequences of not achieving this goal? Then, write down your answers.

Make it as sensory-rich as possible.

A – AGITATION

Change things around in your environment. Making things different signals to your brain that things are going to change. Change your environment, change your appearance, change your routine – whatever works for you. Perhaps this is why when we want to change our lives, we want to change our hairstyle ;). Disrupting that pattern makes it difficult for autopilot mode to take over and the old patterns of the subconscious mind – you’re consciously changing your behaviour and habits. The brain has to be more conscious and begin to ‘undo’ the old patterns to create new ones.

R – REPETITION

Neurons that fire repeatedly form a bond, creating new neural pathways and habits. Consistently reinforcing specific thoughts and actions becomes a habit. Neurons fire and neural connections are made, hopefully aligning with the goals you set out to achieve. These thoughts, actions, and habits become ingrained in the new default setting.

Hughes’ brainwashing’ technique … ‘brainwash’ yourself to achieve your goals by focusing your mind, attaching strong emotions, creating a sense of urgency and repeatedly reinforcing your objectives.

Categories
Uncategorized

Creating Your Inner Peace

In a scenario when the people around you are panicking and flustered. Chaos is raining; how do you react? And how does it make you feel?
Do you think it is impossible to remain calm in a storm? It may not be easy, but it is possible.
In a situation you cannot control, it is possible to remain level-headed and calm and merely observe the chaos around you instead of feeling overwhelmed.
Of course, certain chaotic situations might be more difficult to remain calm in than others.

Step out of the drama and be the director of your own life. That’s the kind of analogy you can think of when you try to comprehend what it is like to find inner peace. Even though you may be in the midst of the chaos, you are an observer and have control over your emotions and reactions.
The Serenity prayer* reminds us that we should be calm in situations we cannot control and possibly change the things we control.

Why is inner peace important?
Most people today are highly strung and, therefore, default to having the amygdala in control most of the time. To function at our best, our prefrontal cortex needs to be in control. When stressed, our primitive brain centre, the amygdala, takes over. This is good for physically stressful situations when reacting or taking action is necessary to survive or prevent harm to ourselves or others around us. Physiologically, we know that stress is ‘unhealthy’ for our body and mind.

More specifically, stress harms our minds – when stressed and in ‘fight or flight mode’, the amygdala is in control. This is our more primitive brain. It is excellent if you have to act without thinking. However, it acts on past experiences and instincts. It is usually reactive without thinking. This is good for physical danger, like avoiding a car accident, running away from danger, and in situations where you have to think fast, but not necessarily intellectually. It is also a highly emotional part of the brain. It acts based on feelings and emotions rather than logical thinking.
Our prefrontal cortex is used to make logical decisions and think creatively. It is linked to executive functions such as self-control, planning, decision-making, problem-solving, and learning new skills. This part of the brain can help us control our emotions and actions. The prefrontal cortex is usually dominant when we are calm and relaxed.

Two people can go through the same or similar path in life and have different experiences – one person could become completely overwhelmed. In contrast, the other person can cope with the drama that is going on
around them. Depending on the person, it is easier to find peace in certain events and situations than in others. For example, in a room full of angry people, one person might take on the room’s energy and become
angry, while another may have a more stoic approach and remain calm. For example, when there are many tasks to complete, one person may become overwhelmed, and another might find it easier to approach the tasks without feeling overwhelmed. To improve when you feel stressed, you first need to be aware of your actions (or feelings), then strategize how you will approach the situation(s) so that you do not feel overwhelmed or stressed and can execute plans better.

There are a couple of things you can do to switch over to having the prefrontal cortex as your brain’s ‘primary operator’. In essence, it’s about practising an “Inner peace” mindset.

Here are some tools to use to create that mindset shift:

– Awareness and mindfulness mindset: Face your fears. Specifically, identify what is making you feel stressed. If you can control or change the situation, implement ways to do so. How can you accept or make peace with it if it is beyond your control?
– Teachings, meditations, mantras, books, podcasts, and practice what you have learnt. There are many resources on how to find peace and calm. Find something that resonates with you and actively implement those strategies and lessons.
– Spend time in nature. Take time out to relax and do things that you enjoy.
– Meditate
– Breathe: Breathing can reset your nervous system to parasympathetic mode, also known as rest, repair, and digest.

If you can find inner peace, you can function at your best, even in a stressful situation.

“Inner peace begins when you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions”.