10 Awesome Ways Reflexology Can Help Your Family

By AlexanderHovanec - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64379278

1. Take control. You can manage how your family feels just like you manage your family’s budget and meals and so many things. 

2. Target those complaints. Tummy aches, owies, headaches—there’s a reflexology solution for everyday problems.

3. Create some face time with your family. Everyone’s busy these days and reflexology creates time to sit and talk.

4. Show you care. Hugs are great but reflexology lets that loving touch go on longer.

5. Create a special relationship. One woman is called Aunty Foot by her young niece who loves her reflexology time.

6. What’s wrong, honey? I don’t know. When it’s one of those times when no words describe what your loved one is feeling, reflexology can bridge the gap.  

7. Take care of yourself. Your family needs you. That little thing that’s bothering you (nagging headaches, bad menstrual pains etc.) needs some attention for you to be your best. 

8. Take the edge off. Life is more of a tension filled roller coaster ride for some of us. As told to Kevin by more than one reflexology client, my family is glad to have me come and see you to make me easier to live with. 

9. Special care for special ages. Whatever the age, reflexology offers solutions medicine doesn’t. Whether it’s teething and colic for infants, growing pains for the teenager or reassurance for the elderly, you and reflexology can be there. 

10. You’re not alone. You’re not helpless. When life takes a turn with a serious illness or family problem, reflexology offers an opportunity to reach out when there are no words to help.

Coming of Age for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

A recent St. Louis Dispatch article titled Athletes Get Massage Message addresses what will soon become the newest standard to effect complementary and alternative medicine. It is the use of dosing. In other words, how much, how long and how often massage should be used with athletes is being a center stage issue. With the increasing pressure to win these factors are now under the microscope.

According to a recent study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, researchers at Ohio State University found that Swedish massage helped speed muscle recovery at the cellular level for rabbits who got mechanically intense exercise.

Athletes also use Swedish massage -- stroking, kneading and pressing soft tissue. Thomas Best, professor of family medicine at Ohio State University and senior author of the rabbit study, said it's too soon for clinical trials on humans. But he considers the rabbits a strong start toward confirming massage's benefits to athletes.

Best said he hopes further research "will dictate how much massage is needed, for how long and when it should be performed after exercise."

We just finished a very extensive survey of 168 studies and found that the most successful studies took into account the frequency of technique application. The Chinese for years have taken a very close look at frequency, duration and strength of signal when trying to produce results.

Could the failure of some studies to achieve results have to do with these factors rather than whether reflexology "works" or not? Could adjusting the dose of reflexology make the difference?

The Chinese reflexology researchers certainly think so. Working with people with serious illness the researchers adjust the dose to a rather high level of once a day ( a half an hour) for 6 days then taking a day off. They do this treatment regime for 2 weeks and then evaluate the disorder. If it needs further action they continue unto another 2 week series of sessions. The Chinese get remarkable results. They are very keen to make sure the frequency in particular is enough to cause change.

If we are to move from reflexology being a "treat" as one study put it to a "treatment" will we need to look closely at these three key factors? We think so. It is hard to come away from these evidence based studies without drawing that conclusion.

But if one has a serious illness and it could be helped by this level of intensity would that be an incentive enough to try a more intense treatment regime?

I would think so. But more research is needed to pin down the required factors.

Would you be willing to give it a try if you had a serious illness?

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com

Why reflexology grows during economic tough times

© LuMaxArt. Image from BigStockPhoto.com

A Right to New Health Care

Consumers are now seeking to make up for what they’ve lost in the faltering economy: their health care safety net. The loss of a job means loss of health care benefits. A tighter budget translates into consumers who are cutting back on expenses including prescription medication, especially the elderly and retired. Yet, in spite of economic set backs, health continues to be an issue for all. And, reflexology can help meet those needs.

A September 22, 2008 Wall Street Journal article noted the cut back in purchase of prescription medicine. Once thought to be an ever growing market, sales of medicine have declined as consumers cut back to save money. One example was a Florida retiree who can no longer afford her medication for acid reflux and asthma. While one’s heart certainly goes out to anyone in such a position, this author’s immediate thought was: Hey! Reflexology’s helped me out with (and taken care of) both those problems. It’s too bad this woman doesn’t know about reflexology.

Loss or limited access to medical care doesn’t mean that the consumer has to abandon hope in taking care of health needs. The anxiety of facing health concerns is perhaps the most stressful part of the situation. By fully investigating what one can do to meet his or her needs as well as that of the family, one can take control and lessen the stress of the situation. And, reflexology provides such an opportunity.

Take for example an e-mail correspondent. She had written a glowing review of our newly published book (Reflexology, Health at your fingertips, DK) and we began an e-mail correspondence. She wrote about how she took care of her health care problems and those of her family’s with reflexology learned from our book. When we wrote another book and volunteered to send her one, she declined. While she appreciated the offer, her original book served her needs. It was totally personalized and customized with Post-Its and notes in the margins to easily find the information she needed to meet her family’s health concerns.

This is not to suggest that reflexology is a replacement for conventional medicine. It is still complementary in nature. But when times are tough people need something to keep going. Doing nothing isn't really an option.

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com

Getting into Reflexology Part 1

In a lot of interviews I am asked how I got into reflexology. The answer is quite simple really. I picked up a  reflexology book off the bookstore shelf and  tried it out. One thing led to another as I found people really wanted reflexology for not only their health problems but also the stress they faced.  

The rest is history. After over 30 years of practice, 11 books in 19 languages and countless extraordinary experiences with reflexology I often wonder where I would be if I hadn't picked up that book. 

Learning reflexology is getting easier. Back in the seventies when I started there were few books on reflexology. And the books available then weren't really so richly illustrated as books are today. A lot of reflexology was taught without textbooks. 

But even back then it was fairly easy to get started. You bought a book or learned from some mentor. Then you sought out "guinea pigs"(usually family and friends) and proceeded with what I jokingly call "human experimentation". After awhile you might even take a course if you wanted to go further. 

Sooner or later when word circulated about your skills (and hopefully your results). People outside the circle of family and friends asked if you would work on them. The money question suddenly came up. What to charge and who do I charge? One of many dilemmas you faced. 

And even more challenging is professionalism. It has only been the last few years where a professional class of practitioners has developed. The lack of licensing bodies and professional associations has meant much of professionalism has been left to the individual.  

In this short series I plan to help you get into reflexology whether it is for yourself, your family, or as a profession. Reflexology is still fairly simple to get into even with increasing requirements for professionals. 

Please send me your questions. I will do my best to answer them. 

I wish you the best with reflexology. I hope reflexology will bring the joy to you that it has brought us. 

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com