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.

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!

When you think of meditating, what do you see? Someone sitting on the floor, crosslegged, hands posed on their knees saying "OMMM" with incense burning in the background, right? And thats just TOO weird. So you don't meditate, you don't quiet you mind and you miss out on all the benefits.

Getting the most out of a reflexology session is so important. Most of us don't have sessions every day, or even weekly, so we are wanting deep, lasting results. Mindfulness Meditation (MM) is a big part of this.

MM is simply the act of being aware of what you are doing, or rather, being in the present. Simple right? It sounds simple, and really it is, but with our fast-paced lives, it can get tricky. Our days tend to look more like this: In the shower you are thinking about breakfast and getting the kids to school, while at work you think about cleaning the house and your son's baseball practice, at baseball practice, you think about what is for dinner, and during dinner you think about all the things you need to get done before bed. It is rare that we stop and think about what it is we are actually doing, and it is a shame, because that mindset leads to the rushed feeling we all struggle with!

Reflexology sessions are already designed to be a calming and relaxing experience. By approaching the session as a way to relax even more, you are going to benefit longer and more deeply.

When most people start doing reflexology they may notice that their mind wanders, thinking about things that have happened during that day, or things they need to do. It is a natural tendency, but we must work to re-focus on the reflexology session we are experiencing. Quieting the mind and spirit during reflexology adds these meditation benefits to the long lists of reflexology benefits.

Who wouldn't want this? We are so thankful for such a simple step towards complete and total health!

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!

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.