REFLEXOLOGY:  TREATS YOUR ENTIRE BODY THROUGH YOUR FEET!
Foot reflexology is an ancient form of healing using touch.  Although many people think it is a form of massage therapy, it is not massage.  Massage works primarily with the muscular system.  Reflexology works with the nervous system by way of reflexes.  A reflex is a nerve pathway. With over 7000 nerve endings in each foot, reflexology is a tremendous messenger for healing.  Through the reflexes on your feet your whole body can benefit.  There is, in fact, a reflex map of the entire body on the feet!
Benefits of Session                                               
More and more people are turning to foot reflexology because it decreases and in many cases eliminates pain.  It is thought to be as effective as acupuncture but without the use of needles.  According to Thomas Claire, in his book “Bodywork What Type of Massage to Get—and How to Make the Most of It”, “Research study conducted by Ralph Alan Dale, Ph.D. of the Acupuncture Educational Ctr. in north Miami Beach demonstrated that manipulation of the reflex zones of reflexology have the same effect of stimulating the same energy balancing that is accomplished using traditional acupuncture points.”
According to Dwight C. Byers, in his book “Better Health with Foot Reflexology”, reflexology increases relaxation and circulation, decreases “stress”, and brings the body “back into balance.”  When the body finds its balance chronic pain patterns often dissipate or disappear.  As circulation increases we start to get well.  According to Denise Austin, fitness expert, “Circulation is what heals us.”
Reflexology has been known to help almost any bodily condition by stimulating its corresponding reflex.  Reflexology affects internal parts of the body that massage cannot reach such as organs.  Many people report needing a lower dosage of medication when receiving regular sessions.  Reflexology also eases soreness from being on our feet so much.  The massage lotion that your therapist uses at Tampa is organic, which means it is free of chemicals or preservatives.  The lotion also moisturizes and supplies nutrients for your skin.
Experiencing a Session                                             
You do not need to disrobe.  The session will be done while you are lying down on a comfortable massage table.  You can cover up with a sheet and blanket.  Your practitioner will briefly massage your feet in order to warm and relax them.  Then she will use a series of finger-walking movements by putting pressure on the foot reflex points with her thumb and fingers.  She will also use a series of stretches for the feet.  
It is helpful to let the practitioner know when she finds areas that feel sore.  Any tender, grainy, or calloused areas are given extra attention.  During your session, you may feel heat or various sensations in other parts of your body.  It is a natural process of healing.
The amount of sessions recommended varies according to one’s needs.  For instance, someone with peripheral neuropathy may need two sessions a week for up to eight weeks, while the nerves on the feet regenerate.  Those with plantar fasciitis sufferers may want to experience reflexology once or twice a week until pain is gone.  Someone looking to reduce stress or improve chronic health conditions such as allergies, headaches, back pain, kidney disorders, etc., will benefit from bi-weekly or monthly sessions.  Alternating with another form of bodywork such as massage therapy, Raindrop Therapy, or hot/cold stone massage therapies can be helpful.
History of Foot Reflexology                                        
Foot reflexology has its roots in several ancient cultures. Primitive cultures in Egypt, China, Africa, India, Russia, and Japan worked on the foot as a way to heal the body.  Native Americans worked on the foot as a means of connecting to the earth.
Dr. Fitzgerald took the ancient forms of working on the foot a step further and divided the foot along with the body into ten different regions called zones.  His work is called zone therapy.  There are five zones on each foot from the big toe side of the foot to the little toe side representing the body from the middle to the outside.  He found that working a particular zone on the foot affected the same zone in other parts of the body.  In 1917, Dr. Fitzgerald wrote the book “Zone Therapy, Relieving Pain at Home.”
Soon after zone therapy, a noted physical therapist, Eunice Ingham (1889 – 1974), experimented with her patients until she created a detailed map of the foot and its related parts of the body.  She developed the system of working on the foot known as foot reflexology, which is still used today.      
Treat your feet to a session today and let all of your reflexes be worked.  Not only will your feet thank you, your whole body will, too!                       
By Melanie Herendeen, State & Nationally Certified Massage Therapist