So let's say you are cooking some delicious dinner, a stew of some sort, and as you pick up the spoon to stir, you realize you are unable to grip the spoon. As the spoon falls to the floor, pain shoots up your arm from your wrist. I know this sounds like a bad commercial, but it is a problem all too common for my patients. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

CTS has many causes including repetitive motions, commonly found in the workplace. (Think typing or stapling, yes, stapling). There are quite a few things you can do to help CTS, but since we are in the business of natural healing, let's talk about the pressure points that can relieve the pain from CTS.

 

The first point that can help treat wrist pain is located at the center go the inner side of the forearm two finger widths above the wrist. Gently massaging this point on both arms using the fingertips can help in relieving carpal tunnel syndrome, wrist pain and nausea. This point is also beneficial for treating motion sickness and vomiting during pregnancy, digestive disorders and headaches.

The second point is especially useful for treating neck , shoulder and arm pain associated with CTS. This point is located on the outer side of the arm, in the hollow in the center of the wrist at the crease. Stimulating this point also helps in relieving rheumatism, tendinitis and tennis wrist pain and strengthens the wrist. In addition, it is also useful in treating ear problems, deafness and painful throat.

The "Great Mound" is effective in treating wrist and thumb pain. This point can be found in the middle of the inner side of the wrist crease. This point aids in relieving all types of wrist problems like wrist tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and rheumatism. 

Last is a point known as the Arm Three Li, and it is extremely beneficial for treatment of wrist and arm pain. This point is located on the outer side of the wrist crease, two finger widths away from the crease. This point is very effective in treating wrist, elbow and shoulder pain issues along with general ache in these areas and paralysis in the upper limbs. This point is also helpful in treating nausea, vomiting, ulcer pains and digestive disorders and building of energy level in the body.

If you are experiencing spoon dropping pain, talk to your reflexologist about what their recommended course of treatment, as well as what you can do at home to help things move along!

Fall is in the air. You can almost tell the exact moment when it hits can't you? You walk into the grocery store to grab a gallon of milk while it is still Summer and walk out into Fall. If the crisp air, pumpkin spice lattes and colorful leaves haven't given you the tip, chances are your sinuses have. What a time to have to slow down. It feels so good, you actually want to be outside. School is in swing, tailgating for football is a must and that fall festival is getting closer and closer. The good news is that you can take your sinus issues into your own hands, literally!

We've mentioned it here before, but the hands, like the feet, are a map to every organ in your body and by gently massaging individual pressure points, you can provide the balance you need to thrive. 

So what about those sinuses? As you can see, the sinuses (in bright green on the diagram) are located at the tips of the fingers (and toes). When we are feeling the pressure, we like to gently massage the tips of each finger alternately as well as giving our lungs a little extra power by running our thumbs along the base of the fingers. It is so easy, you can do it while cooking, cleaning, watching tv, going for a walk outside, enjoying a tailgate, you name it!

Regular reflexology treatments are beneficial in regulating the hormones involved in the reproductive system. This is demonstrated not only in successful pregnancy, but also in improvements in PMS, heavy or irregular periods and painful menstruation, with patients reporting positive feelings, better relaxation, deeper sleep, improved sex drive, regular cycles, better flow and of course, in some cases, pregnancy. 

"That is all fine and great," you say, but it doesn't apply to me because I have (insert a reason here). On the contrary, studies that have been conducted on reflexology and infertility, did not take the finest of women, who were most likely to become pregnant anyways. The studies include (and some done solely on) women with polycystic ovaries, recurrent miscarriage, annovulation, dysmenorrhoea, unexplained infertility and hostile cervical mucus. And guess what? Balancing the body, releasing toxins from reproductive organs and clearing energy pathways through reflexology can help not only relieve the symptoms, if not eliminate problems altogether.

Let's talk about babies and how they get into this world. No, this isn't th ebirds and the bees talk. Watch enough television and you can have that figured out. Today we are talking about reflexology and the effects it can have on pregnancy as well as labor and delivery.

the changes a woman's body endure while pregnant, can often be overwhelming. Luckily, maternity reflexology has been effective in treating morning sickness, lack of energy, pain and discomfort, digestive disorders, heartburn, indigestion, fatigue, swollen extremities, backache, cramps and incontinence.

Studies have shown that continual treatment during  pregnancy reduced heartburn, hypertension and swelling by a sweet 50 percent. The study also used reflexology as an alternative for labor inducing drugs with much success.

In another study, first-time mothers between the ages of 20 and 25 who received reflexology regularly during their pregnancy had an average labor time of just five to six hours (with some lasting two to three hours). Many of these women did not require anesthetics during or after delivery.

Be warned that maternity reflexology is an art and should only be performed by professionals who have their certification in maternity reflexology. Without proper training, one could induce labor far too early on accident.

Lucky for you, I have my certification and have seen first-hand the benefits of reflexology during pregnancy!

Join us on Monday as we talk about reflexology and infertility!

When dealing with achy joints and painful movement, these are the areas of the feet to focus on! Refer to this foot map for the exact placement of the corresponding areas.

Arthritis is one of those things that we recommend regular treatments for. it is much easier to keep under control when the reflexes are worked often! Be Well!

The number one tell-tale sign of years starting to pile up is arthritis and joint pain. It is a constant reminder, especially in the mornings, of just how many times we have threaded a needle or ran a mile. Things that were once easy and painless are now activities we avoid at all costs because of the pain! But there is hope, symptoms can be manages and your quality of life can be improved tremendously through reflexology.

There is quite a bit of information on the subject of reflexology and arthritis, pain and stiffness, so erring on the side of caution (we never want you to get bored), we will discuss the benefits of reflexology this week, and the actual practices next week. We have to keep you coming back for more!

Want to know ways you can supplement at home in between sessions? Check back on Monday for all the details! Be well!

It's Monday! Tired? Weekend too much? Or are you energized now but know around 4 o'clock you will be wishing your desk was a pillow?

What is it all about? Say it with me. BALANCE. Do I sound like a broken record yet? But really, if you think about it, your body is telling you something when you are exhausted. Why is it that one person can work full-time, have three kids, keep a clean house, cook dinner from scratch every night, all while writing a New York Times Bestseller?  A maid. Well, maybe they do have a maid, maybe they don't. It is clear however, that they have a lot more energy than someone who can barely make it through a day without needing a nap. Try these three reflexology points to rebalance your body for more energy!

Long-term stress can fatigue the adrenal glands. Stress causes the adrenals to release adrenaline and cortisol and if you’re always stressed, your adrenals are working overtime. (Remember our talk about adrenals and weight gain?)

The reflexology point for the adrenals is located right below the pad of your feet at the top center of your soles. To massage this point, use the knuckle of your index finger. Press into the point and then twist your wrist back and forth as if you’re turning a door knob. Massage for 15 to 30 seconds at a time, up to a total of 2 minutes two to three times a week.

The Thyroid 

Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones, slowing down your metabolism. Low thyroid function can cause people to feel tired, sluggish and depressed.

The reflexology point for the thyroid is the curve just below the ball of your foot. To massage this point, use the knuckle of your index finger. Start at the top of the ball of the foot just under the point between the big toe and the second toe. Press into this point and follow the curve of the ball of your foot with your knuckle until you reach the inside edge of the foot. Then repeat. Massage for between 15 to 20 strokes.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys are considered “the root of life.” Essentially everything that can feel like depression, tiredness, weakness, lack of energy can be attributed to the kidneys.

You’ve got a kidney reflexology point on each foot. It’s located on the sole of the foot. To find this point, imagine a horizontal line dividing your foot in half from the tip of your big toe to the base of your heel. It is located right below the adrenal pressure point.

To massage this point, press it with your thumb and rub up and down. If you feel extra-sensitive spots, press deeply and massage in small circles. Alternately, you can use your knuckles to rub in an up and down motion.

There is no "quick fix" for energy, unless you buy it in a bottle, and those are worse for you than having no energy at all! Keep practicing. Day by day your body will feel more and more energized. You will surprise yourself with how much you can accomplish when your body is balanced!

The need to "earth" has only recently come onto the scene. Recently as in, the last few decades or generations. Let's just face it. Most of us have become "city folks." Even if we don't technically live in the big city, we are more likely to sit inside and watch a movie or surf pinterest than we are to go outside and play barefooted. It is what it is.

So what are we missing out on? A. LOT. Believe it or not, when you are connected with the ground, say through walking barefoot in grass or even gardening with bare hands, you are exchanging electrons with the earth. It acts as a detox for your body. This allows for better sleep. reduced stress and tension, less pain and better immune function. Not only that, but it could potentially eliminate the harmful effects of electromagnetic fields given off by all the electronic devices in our world (think cell phones people).

So how can you earth? So easy!

1. Walking outside barefoot

2. Sitting on the ground

3. Gardening without gloves (think hands in the dirt).

4. Even small things like mud masks!

According to earthing experts, electrons drawn into the body from the earth neutralize damaging free radicals and by extension reduce disease-related chronic or acute inflammation. 

So how does this relate to reflexology? Walking barefoot (the most common way to earth) stimulates the pressure points on the feet. If you've been with us for any time at all, you know that those pressure points directly correlate to the systems in your body. Stimulating the points means stimulating the whole body, Detoxing the whole body!

How cool is that?

Happy Monday! Mondays get a pretty bad reputation don't they? I personally like to look on the bright side of things and say that Mondays means only FOUR more days until the weekend! Whatever works right?

Let's get right down to the topic again today. Essential oils. I use essential oil blends on practically all my clients (unless they request otherwise). The benefits astound me everytime. They add the extra punch in a 1-2 punch when balancing and aligning your health. But why do we put oils on our feet? 

1. The bottoms of our feet are known to be one of the strongest places of the body.  Our feet support our weight for at least several hours a day. That is no easy feat (pun intended). 

2. The skin on the soles of the feet are far less sensitive than the skin throughout the rest of the body, allowing us to use oils that the body needs but can sometimes cause a mild skin irritation elsewhere for people with sensitive skin.

3. While the skin may be thicker on the bottoms of our feet, they house some of the largest pores on our body. This allows the essential oils to be absorbed very quickly, some within 20 seconds!

4. Sometimes a particular oil might smell a little more medicinal than pleasant. Each oil blend is unique. Whether it is sinuses or arthritis or hormones, the oil will smell different. Now, I love almost all oils and how they smell, but that doesn't mean you will. Applying the oils to the soles of the feet and then covering with socks lets us get the benefits from our oils, without having to smell the constant potency.

And last but not least, our favorite reason to use essential oils on the bottoms of the feet:

5. The bottoms of our feet are connected to the rest of our body. If you have been with us for any length of time, you have heard this before and we will keep saying it. So when we use essential oils on the bottoms of the feet, we are able to direct the benefit of the oils towards specific organs in the body. How cool is that? How healing is that? 

Monday morning blues got you down? Give us a call, and I'll oil you right up!

And by muffins we mean muffin tops. As in that extra tummy that spills over jeans that are too tight. Not something any of us want, but we deal. So why is it that belly fat is the last to go? We exercise and our legs look great and our arms tone up, but our tummies still stay the same. Stress. 

When we are stressed, our bodies produce three hormones, one of which is cortisol. This hormone is responsible for getting your body back to normal after it has experienced stress. The problem is when we experience chronic stress, which our high-paced lifestyles tend to throw at us, these cortisol levels go up, but never go back down.

When your cortisol levels are high, your body hoards the fats you eat. Not only that, it takes fat from healthier areas, like your hip and butt and move it to your tummy. And of course, your tummy has more cortisol receptors, Hello Muffin Top! This ab flab then leads to more cortisol production because it has higher concentrations of an enzyme that converts inactive cortisone to active cortisol. 

The more belly fat you have the more belly fat you will have.

That is a scary thought.

So what to do? De-stress your routine. I know what you’re thinking. You don’t have time to de-stress. But studies have shown that 10 minutes of meditation a day can reduce your cortisol levels by up to 60% when done consistently.

Not to mention adding reflexology into the mix. Through the process of relaxation through reflexology, the body is more capable of dealing with stress placed on it by daily living. Reflexology releases feel-good hormones that help to improve blood and lymph circulation, increase nerve supply to the cells and release toxins from the body’s tissues. Most importantly reflexology supports self-healing which is the only-long term cure for belly fat. Bodies need the ability to take on stress, and get rid of it just as easily.