Jennifer Gale
CN, FDN-P, CHCC, CNP, TIC
Classical Naturopath & Holistic Practitioner
The American Reflexology Certification Board (ARCB) Definition is as follows:
“Foot and hand reflexology is a scientific art based on the premise that there are zones and reflex areas in the feet and hand which correspond to all body parts. These techniques are applied to reflex maps resembling the human body, which are believed to exist on the feet and hands.”
Through this therapy called Foot Reflexology, one can explore how your two feet relate reflexively to your entire body and your health.
Feet are a grounding source of our energy, they connect us with the earth. Yet our awareness of them is often literally the furthest thing from our minds.
What is Reflexology?
The origins of reflexology can be traced back to about 2330 B.C. Hieroglyphs found in Egyptian tomb walls showcase people doing Reflexology on clients’ feet! The caption below these wall paintings show an interaction between the practitioner and the client. One reads “Don’t Hurt Me” and the answer is “I shall act so you praise me”.
In 1913, Dr. William FitzGerald, M.D., rediscovered zone therapy – the early naming of Reflexology. He found that pressure on certain reflex points helped corresponding body organs function more normally and also to decrease pain. This practice has come to be known as reflexology, an approach to holistic health that many people have adapted over the years.
How Does it Work?
There are several theories about how reflexology works. One point of view says that each of the 7,200 nerve endings in the feet connects to a different area of the body. By direct pressure on specific areas of the foot, we send a stimulation to the corresponding body area. Dr. FitzGerald’s zone theory divides the body into ten zones – five on each side of the body—with each zone having its own nerve-stimulation pattern, so that when pressure is applied to a reflex point on that zone, a stimulation is sent to a corresponding organ or gland.
Other theories discuss channels of energy coursing through the body and each important organ and muscle is connected by a network of nerves to a tiny point on the foot where the energy terminates. As circulation in the feet slows down—through illness, wearing shoes, or lack of exercise—crystalline deposits form at the nerve endings. By working a deep-compression foot technique, the deposits are broken up, encouraging the whole body to keep perking along at peak efficiency. Newer theories suggest a connection to Embryology – with general nerve tissue and the feet reflexes having the same genesis. Whatever theory a practitioner ascribes to, the therapy WORKS WONDERS for clients.
Reflexology as a modality has very simple explanation in terms of what it does for a client. When applied correctly, it relieves tension and allows the body the chance to normalize or find balance. This is fundamental for all natural therapies.
EVERYONE can find benefit in Reflexolgy – regardless of a current state of health. It’s worth noting that the National Institute of Health has numerous studies showcasing the benefit of Reflexology for Cancer patients. They were able to document that Reflexology improved their quality of life for everything from pain relief to mood improvement and mobility.
Clients often experience IMMEDIATE effect from a Reflexology session and enjoy the benefits for quite some time following a session. Sessions take approximately one hour and I incorporate an infrared, warming foot soak before every session! Used regularly, Reflexology can be a potent health balancing tool to increase well-being. If you have never listened to what your feet are telling you, Reflexology is the place to start.
I am a Certified Reflexologist through the Branch Reflexology Institute AND Nationally Board Certified through the American Reflexology Certification Board (ARCB). I offer Reflexology services ala carte as well as part of the Concierge program.
PLEASE NOTE:
The Urban Naturopath site and brand contains articles and discussions on many medical topics – many of which may cover past or present health challenges encountered by you or someone you know. Remember that every statement made about medicine or any aspect of health from a naturopathic perspective MAY OR MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU AND YOUR SYMPTOMS. Naturopathy is a fully individualized approach. Please keep that top of mind. The health information provided through The Urban Naturopath cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional (for instance, a qualified M.D., D.O., nurse, pharmacist and so on). Only M.D.’s and D.O.’s can legally diagnose, treat, and cure illness.
The Urban Naturopath brand takes no responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site or any social media bearing this name. That discussion and information sharing should not be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine.
Naturopathic healing is a system that employs the wisdom of the natural world in concert with the wisdom of the body to rebalance and rebuild.
