Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Mind the facts

Thoughts for 2009

In the Tube stations in the UK there are signs that say "Mind the Gap" referring to the gap between the station platform and the passenger car. I altered that phrase to emphasize the facts about reflexology.

There is an abundance of research on Reflexology.
There are several high tech studies on Reflexology.
There are logical explanations for the workings of Reflexology.
There is ample evidence that Reflexology has ancient origins.
The effectiness of Reflexology is still under review but Reflexology has been demonstrated effective for certain conditions.

Happy a Happy New Year.

Kevin Kunz
http://www.reflexology-research.com
http://www.dk.com/reflexology

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Vote For Reflexology

Hey I just received this. Please go Vote For Reflexology and then leave your comments.

Thanks.

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com
http://www.dk.com/reflexology


************************************************************************************************************
Hello Kevin,

We wanted to let you know that the first round of voting for the Ideas for Change in America competition will end this Wednesday, December 31 at midnight Pacific Time.

The idea you have voted for, "Preventive medical care : Reflexology," is currently in 17th place in the Health Care category, and needs 829 more votes to qualify for the final round.

If you think this idea deserves the attention of the Obama Administration, you can help increase its chances of reaching the final round by emailing the following link to friends and encourage them to vote:

www.change.org/ideas/view/preventive_medical_care_reflexology

You may also want to try posting the link on Facebook or your blog to raise further awareness.

If you have any questions, please let us know. Also note that the final round of voting, which will include the top 3 ideas in each category, will begin next Monday and end just before the Presidential Inauguration in mid-January.

Best of luck!

- The Change.org Team

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Light pressure massage for patients with severe anxiety

ScienceDirect - Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice :
Light pressure massage for patients with severe anxiety


this has to do with massage but I thought it was a pretty interesting read. We have always said that it is important to be able to vary your pressure when applying reflexology technique. Here's some evidence that light touch can be effective.

Abstract

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is common in the western world with a lifetime prevalence of 4.3 to 5.9% and is twice as common in women as in men. GAD can have a decisive impact on a patient's everyday life as it is surrounded by unfocused worries and the severe anxiety may interfere with normal social functions. The treatments include cognitive behavioural therapy and/or psychopharmacological drugs.

In previous studies the positive effects of massage on anxiety have been shown. The present study described the experience of receiving massage for eight patients with GAD. Findings revealed that the patients were able to rediscover their own capacity during the massage period. This was illuminated by the experience of being relaxed in body and mind, the experience of unconditional attention, the experience of decreased anxiety and the experience of increased self-confidence. The paper ends with a discussion of clinical implications.

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com
http://www.dk.com/reflexology

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Cobblestone walking parties


Barbara and I have found that it is both productive, creative and fun to walk on cobblestone mats while planning the day. That gave Barbara the idea of having cobblestone walking parties.

Why not? It improves your health while socializing.Research has shown socializing is very important for your health. Cobblestone mat walking parties. Neat idea. Both the health benefits of cobblestone walking and socializing can be done at the same time.

But then a curious thing happened. I was looking up cobblestone mats on Amazon to give people a source for mats and I ran into ORI as a source of mats. Sort of. Allegro Medical is selling the mats for Oregon Research Institute, But Oregon Research Institute did the first scientific study of cobblestone mat walking. It was a NIH study that was blinded.

"Cobblestone Mat allows 16 Weeks to Improved Health - Allegro Medical will supply the 16 week training program designed by ORI with the purchase of any Cobblestone Walkway. How does Cobblestone Mat Walking work? Cobblestone mat walking is rooted in traditional Chinese holistic medicine and the principles of reflexology . Stimulating or regulating the reflexes or acupoints in the feet, which are associated with all parts/systems of the body, impacts the corresponding part of the body reducing tension, improving circulation and promoting natural function of the related areas."

The best part is that the mats are only $39.00. That is the best price we have seen for a long while. On Amazon and elsewhere you will see them as high as $80. They even provide the official instructions used in the study.

Now our next big question is- does cobblestone mat walking have any impact of weight control. Not sure but some curious reactions from walking on them. More later.

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com
Free Reflexology Stuff http://www.dk.com/reflexology

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

A Frugal Holiday Gift Idea

I was thinking as the snow flew here in New Mexico about gift giving in these tight times. With the changes in economic times there seems to be changes in our views on material goods.

What comes from the heart has more meaning this year. I think that you can still give even if money is limited. Human touch in our high paced societies is often a rare comomity.

So this holiday season you might consider giving some of your time and some of your touch to someone you care about.

Make up a gift certificate for a foot or hand Reflexology session. Spend sometime learning some basic techiques. And then give the one you care about some of yourself.

The best Reflexology sessions come from the heart. And the effect is more than some object.

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com
http://www.dk.com/reflexology

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Vote For Reflexology

I'm not sure if you've heard, but there's a movement of citizens inspired by the presidential campaign who are now submitting ideas for how they think the Obama Administration should change America. It's called "Ideas for Change in America."

One idea is titled: Preventive medical care : Reflexology. I thought you might be interested in getting involved and recommend you check it out. You can read more and vote for the idea by clicking the following link:

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/preventive_medical_care_reflexology

The top 10 ideas are going to be presented to the Obama Administration on Inauguration Day and will be supported by a national lobbying campaign run by Change.org, MySpace, and more than a dozen leading nonprofits after the Inauguration. So each idea has a real chance at becoming policy.

I look forward to hearing what you think,

Kevin

Thursday, December 4, 2008

NeuroLogica Blog- Reflexology in UK Schools

NeuroLogica Blog- Reflexology in UK Schools

This web site directly attacks our writing. It is a Yale professor of Neurology. He calls our work bunk so I feel obliged to respond.

First issue

Reflexology is based upon the belief that the body is divided into zones, and these zones are mapped on the hands and feet. The reflexology research website explains:

Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hand with specific thumb, finger and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion. it is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands with a premise that such work effects a physical change to the body.

This is an archaic homonculus or mapping-based system - the idea that one part of the body maps to the entire body. Iridology is another example - proponents believe that the flecks in the iris relate directly to specific organs or parts of the body.


This is a standard tactic by skeptics. I call it guilt by association. Iridology uses a similar system therefore... But here is the problem with the professor's remarks. There are homunculi in the brain that do mirror the entire body. I have no idea why the existing homunculi are "archaic" according to the professor.

Now what we have projected is that this information sharing system exists outside the brain. In fact the body relays and shares information about the condition of each body part in order response in an integrated manner to demands placed upon the body. Information sharing gives us the ability to adapt appropriately taking into account all body parts.

Second issue

Reflexologists claim that by massaging the foot they can affect remote parts of the body by influencing “energy”, detoxifying, blood flow, or through nerve impulses.

Is the professor saying that pressure to the feet does not produce a nerve impulse?

Has the professor failed to do his research and looked at the doppler sonogram studies which show increased blood flow to the kidneys and the digestive system in response to pressure to the feet?

And we have never used the terms of massaging and influencing energy to describe our work.

Third issue

Again, reflexology research enlightens us:

"Pressure sensors in the feet and hands are a part of the body’s reflexive response that makes possible the “fight or flight” reaction to danger. Feet ready to flee and hands ready to fight communicate with the body’s internal organs to make possible either eventuality. The sudden adrenal surge that enables a person to lift a car is an example of this reaction. Reflexology taps into this reflex network, providing an exercise of pressure sensors and thus the internal organs to which they are inextricably tied."

The problem, as anyone even vaguely familiar with human anatomy knows, is that this is all bunk. Pressure of the feet does not provoke a sympathetic “fight or flight” response, there is no direct physiological connection between specific locations on the feet and specific organs or body party, nor is there any reflex network tied to pressure sensors in the feet. This is simply made up - it’s fiction. It is not part of any text of anatomy or physiology. As a side note, there are pressure sensors on the hands and feet, the purpose of which is to feel pressure. But these specialized sensory nerve endings exist throughout the body - it’s how you feel pressure. Again - this is not part of any imaginary reflex network.


The professor is parsing words carefully here. When he says, " Pressure of the feet does not provoke a sympathetic “fight or flight” response..." he is putting words in our mouths. We flat out did not say that. But pressure to the feet does provoke a sympathetic response from the body and that message must be integrated with all the other sensory messages to make a proper response to an threat. Therefore pressure to the feet is a part of our overall survival response. It must be taken into account to make adequate response to threats and it is a key set of messages as it is tied into our locomotive system which provides a means of confrontation or a means of escape.

There is nowhere in our writing where we even imply that there is a direct connection between areas in the feet and the internal organs. This must all be mediated by the brain and by referral forwarded onto the internal organs. But neural networks do exist. Feedback and feedforward systems do respond to changes under foot. Adaptation does take place reflexively. And while there are generalized touch systems there are also highly evolved precise localization systems.

Fourth issue

And of course there is no credible scientific evidence for any specific effects claimed for reflexology. It therefore fails on both theoretical and evidentiary grounds.

Again the good professor hasn't done his homework. There are plenty of studies. They are not obscure research. These studies are catalogued on Medline, a peer reviewed database for the National Library of Medicine. Shame on you professor. You didn't look.

As far as reflexology being made up that is the professor's opinion. There are now a series of fMRI studies that seem to contradict the professor's biological prejudice. But time will tell whether the theory of reiteration will hold up to scientific scrutiny. But so far the theory is doing rather well. Bring on more research.

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com
http://www.dk.com/reflexology

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

New MS Study

Robert Carswell (1793–1857)

We just put out a newsletter. There is a new study out on multiple sclerosis. While looking for a depiction I found this illustration.

I have always had fairly good effect on MS sufferers. I really concentrated mostly on the spinal reflex areas. But this drawing actually had the following caption. "Depicts Multiple Sclerosis lesions before the disease had been described by Charcot." This illustration dates back to 1858.

This depiction of lesions on the brain stem is a curious one. Back then they knew of these type of lesions.

 It makes me think the next MS sufferer I work on will have special attention to the brainstem reflex area. The brainstem reflex area is located at the first joint of the big toe and below. You could say it is at the base of the bulb of the big toe.


I use thumb walking on this area with multiple passes up into the brain reflex area. I also believe it to be important as an aid to a lot of disorders. but for MS sufferers I will definitely pay closer attention to this area.

Kevin Kunz
http://www.reflexology-research.com
http://www.dk.com/reflexology

Monday, December 1, 2008

Haven't blogged for awhile

I haven't blogged for awhile both because of the holidays and the avalanche of interest on our new Evidence Based Reflexology Series has kept us busy.

But I am back and there is a lot to comment on. Lot of worries out there over the economic times exist and yet I have a real feeling of hope. It is only in times of great stress that big changes tend to take place.

We now have an opportunity to make dramatic changes to our approach to health care approaches. So I thought I would fantasize a bit in the next few blogs about ways reflexology could be integrated into the "new" health care system. It would not be a replacement but rather a complement to standard care. In fact, people who have fought so hard against reflexology might have a change of heart after one of the longest recessions since the Great Depression.

We will see.

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com
http://www.dk.com/reflexology