Basic Reflexology Information

In modern day society, many people choose to undergo whatever their doctors tell them will be the best for their health. Alternatively, however, there are many different forms of therapy that can offer results but are less widely known than types of Western medicine. In this article, we’ll help you to learn more about reflexology so that you can find out whether or not this special type of alternative therapy can be useful in helping you to get over the problems that you are having with your health.

First, we’ll go over some of the basics to give you a better idea of what reflexology is. It is sometimes referred to as zone therapy, and more often than not, it is used as a type of complementary therapy to conventional medical treatments. It is very different from other forms of therapy, as it focuses upon the manipulation of the nerves that are found in the feet, hands and the ears in order to help other parts of the body. The reflexologist generally uses their thumbs and fingers to manipulate specific ‘zones’ located on the feet, hands, and eras in order to address a specific problem. Different zones of the feet, hands, and ears are known to correspond to helping specific different parts of the body, and many reflexologists keep charts that help to illustrate exactly which parts of the feet that they should focus on in order to treat a specific problem.

There are numerous positive health effects that individuals report after they receive reflexology treatment. Amongst the many benefits include a decreased level of stress, as well as a higher level of energy, increased circulation, and a boosted immune system. People claim that the practice can also be helpful when it comes to eliminating or lessening symptoms of PMS, as well as helping to assist with lessening the pain that headaches can cause. Those who suffer from cancer pain and victims of multiple sclerosis also may find relief from receiving treatment from a reflexologist.

There is no real scientific consensus on why reflexology is so helpful in benefiting the health of different parts of the body. Some contend that the practice works by helping to correct energy levels throughout the body. Others believe that the manipulation of the nerves in the feet helps to break up stress patterns that may be present in other parts of the body since there are around seven thousand nerves in the feet alone. Still others claim that reflexology techniques help the body to release neurotransmitters in order to help the individual to feel better. Although there are many different hypothesis, science has been unable to accurately explain how reflexology works as of the writing of this article.

Hopefully, this article has helped to give you a good basic idea of what reflexology is and the types of problems that it may be able to remedy. Remember that reflexology is often used as a complementary therapy, meaning that you should not cast aside Western medicine, and instead use reflexology as additional treatment to the care that you are already receiving.

Reflexology Mapping

Alternative Medicine Schools

If you are interested in learning all there is to know about alternative medicine, you should check into attending an alternative medicine school. Also called holistic health schools, these learning centers offer courses and degrees in many of the subjects those who are into natural healing will appreciate.

Alternative medicine schools can be an option for the young person who wants a career in medicine, but is not too keen on the idea of spending so many years of his life earning a degree. They are ideal for someone who is already involved in the conventional medical field and would like to branch out. And, they are a fine choice or anyone who is just interested in learning about one or more of the branches of alternative medicine.

No matter where you live, there is an alternative medicine school of one kind or another not too far away. Using the Internet, it is easy to research the many different schools. You will find comprehensive lists of the schools and their courses, laid out in such a way as to be simple for you to find the type course you are looking for.

What kinds of courses are available at alternative medicine schools? Some of the most popular include –

• Massage Therapy
• Chinese Traditional Medicine
• Acupuncture
• Homeopathy
• Nutrition
• Chiropractic
• Herbal

It is certainly possible to have a career based on what you learn at alternative medicine schools. In fact, alternative medicine careers are among the fastest growing careers in the nation. This is because more and more people are beginning to realize that conventional medicine is not for them. They want to get back to nature and away from the side effects of the prescription drugs that allopathic doctors hand out so freely.

You could feel very proud of yourself for going to an alternative medicine school! Once you earn a diploma or are certified in whatever discipline you choose, think of how you could help others. There will be a real need for your services as a natural nutritionist, massage therapist, or chiropractor. People will be eager to for you to instruct them on what herbal remedy would be useful for whatever complaint they might have if by chance you study homeopathy. Taking a course in Chinese Traditional Medicine would make you quite popular, as requests for your services would climb once people discovered how much you could help them.

If the alternative medicine school you are attending is an accredited institution, you can get help in paying your tuition. Attending any accredited school makes you eligible for Federal tuition aid from your state and from the government. You can receive grants, loans, and participate in work study programs just like at any other college.

Look into alternative medicine schools if you want a satisfying career!

Reflexology Foot Chart

Reflexology Foot Chart: What to do about Tender Tootsies

Forms of reflexology have been practiced for centuries in the east, dating back to ancient China, where the peoples of the past upheld the significance of applying pressure to various zones or areas in the feet. The ancients who cultivated a therapy called acupressure (later to advance to acupuncture in China) realized early on that putting pressure on the feet released “the life force”, chi, or energy which was blocked within the human body. They also saw how different body organs and systems benefited from massaging these pressure points. Much of their focus was on the foot, where they believed massage could benefit the rest of the body.

Some modern day historians maintain that it was the ancient pharaohs of Egypt circa 2300 BC who actually practiced hand and foot massage. A diagram of the earliest rudimentary reflexology foot chart has been located on the tomb of Ankhmahor the “overseer of the great house”, vizier, and physician to the Pharaoh. There are several expert opinions of what these ancient carvings actually  represented. Much attention was paid to the foot during this time in Egyptian  history.

To the modern day reflexologist though the Pharaoh and other dignitaries of the society may have been transported about, the common slave or laborer walked far and wide and was constantly on his feet. These poor tender feet needed care. The tired sojourner or visitor to the society may very well have sought help from the country’s physicians. Therefore it is conceivable to say that physicians of the time were interested in foot therapy. Since hieroglyphics was the language of communication at the time, it makes sense that findings of the physicians on basic foot care would be represented in a reflexology foot chart. Some Egyptologists confirm that these ancient drawings do depict a reflexology foot chart of sorts. They have seen from the Egyptian court culture the drawings of servants massaging the legs of their Pharaohs on Ptah-hotep’s tomb. There are also carvings of foot soldiers having their feet attended to during the time of Ramesses II.

We find evidence of the use of a reflexology foot chart in modern day North American culture dating back to 1913, when an ears, nose and throat physician and surgeon by the name of Dr. Fitzgerald, noticed that when he applied pressure to certain areas on the feet, different parts of the body seemed to response well to the touch. These findings lead him to develop the concept of zone therapy now known as reflexology and to develop a reflexology foot chart to aid in the explanation and teaching of this new founded discipline. The first reflexology foot chart that the good doctor designed was divided into 10 vertical areas which he called zones, each zone corresponded to a different area of the body which he had observed through his practice.

Since then reflexology foot charts have been in wide use as training tools for practitioners and laypeople alike.