Part of my fitness philosophy is that healthy living does not have to be difficult. I try to manage my lifestyle choices to pursue healthy living and the simplest choices make all the difference.
This brings me to the subject of reflexology: the simple practice of regularly pressing on tender “reflex points” to remove blockage that is slowing circulation and reducing energy flow in the body as described in the book “Body Reflexology Healing at Your Fingertips” by Mildred Carter1. According to Carter, “The reflex points are energy junctions that relay and reinforce energy along meridian lines of the body, passing energy toward the organs and nervous system.” (20) By pressing on reflex points you may remove the blockage described by Carter as interrupting your nervous system.
This book and its method of healing was brought to me by a fellow entrepreneur who previously ran her own preschool after a career in nursing. Her credentials in the medical field and the complex business of taking care of children accredit her opinion on healing techniques from my point of view. She introduced me to the topic of reflexology by massaging my head using a technique pictured in Carter’s book and it felt great! I immediately set out to read Carter’s book and test my perception of its effectiveness.
I searched for reflex points in my feet, hands, and face and pressed on the ones I found. In some instances, I felt almost immediate results while in others I did not notice a change and am not sure that I ever will. I am not discounting unnoticed health benefits though as I do not expect to be consciously aware of changes in energy flow to most of my internal organs.
I felt the most relief by massaging the facial reflex points pictured on page 23 of Carter’s book. I used my facial massage roller to massage the pictured areas and I felt tension release in my face and neck almost immediately. I also believe that my face looked noticeably younger than before as my cheeks seemed to fill out in a refreshing looking way.
The healing power of reflexology is similar in principal to the healing power of stretching which is the backbone of Sampson12’s online workouts. Stretching is critical in improving muscle function and releasing accumulated toxins from your body. As we continue to go about our lives I encourage you to stretch regularly and seek manageable lifestyle choices for health and wellness.
Sources:
1Carter, Mildred. Body Reflexology Healing at Your Fingertips. Parker Publishing Company, 1983.