I recently had the luxury of experiencing a 90 minute foot reflexology treatment by Joanne Salem from Changing Lives. I purchased a Groupon and chose a 30 minute foot detoxifying bath followed by a 60 minute session of reflexology.
I was rushing on my way to the appointment (as I do pretty much daily) and it was a hot day, so when I arrived I was a little out of sorts. I was quickly taken into a room where Joanne met with me and began our healing session. She explained a little bit about the foot bath and how the colors will change depending on which part of my body are being detoxified. Sounded scary, but I was happy to see that my biggest issue with in my joints, which makes sense since I sit in a chair all day. Joanne was very easy to talk to and we had a great conversation while my feet were soaking. After my feet were thoroughly soaked, I climbed up on the table and Joanne worked her magic. It was the best one hour foot rub I ever had. Joanne had a variety of aromatic oils, and I was able to choose the one I wanted for my treatment. I can't honestly remember which scent I chose, but the idea behind it was relaxing. And it worked. I was so relaxed, I think I may have fallen asleep at one point. When I was done, I drove home on Cloud 9. I spent a few minutes extra just driving around aimlessly because I didn't want the calm to go away. When I got home and back to the reality of busy, busy life, I was still able to bring back the memory of that feeling and the sense of peace I had that afternoon. Overall, the feeling lasted a few hours and then the everyday pace of life brought me back to baseline. However, I can say that it is money well spent to devote a few hours to restoring your balance.. Even the simple hour of solitude and peace is healing on its own!
RESULTS? Definitely worth the Groupon and something that I can see myself doing a few times a month when I am in need of some de-stressing and soothing solitude. I would recommend it to anyone who is in need of some serious relaxation:)
Here is a little background information of reflexology from the Mayo Clinic:
Reflexology is the application of pressure to areas on the feet, hands and ears. Reflexology is generally relaxing and may be an effective way to alleviate stress. The theory behind reflexology is that these areas correspond to organs and systems of the body. Proponents believe that pressure applied to these areas affects the organs and benefits the person's health.
Reflexologists use foot charts to guide them as they apply pressure to specific areas. Sometimes these practitioners use items, such as rubber balls, rubber bands and sticks of wood, to assist in their work.
Several studies funded by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health indicate that reflexology may reduce pain and psychological symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, and enhance relaxation and sleep. Studies also show that reflexology may have benefits in palliative care of people with cancer.
Reflexologists claim that reflexology also can treat a wide variety of medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and cancer. However, scientific evidence is lacking to support these claims.
Soooo, while it may not be "officially" supported by scientific evidence, there are scores of people who would tell you it works for them, including me!
No comments:
Post a Comment