Reflexology

Background

After finishing with yoga and pilates, we had our first experience with reflexology. Reflexology involves manipulation and massage of the hands and feet in order to reduce stress, combat certain illnesses, and improve organ function. As you can see from the diagram above, different spots on the foot are said to correspond to different parts of the body. Practitioners of reflexology view the foot as a 'mirror' for the rest of the body. For example, when the practitioner presses on a certain part of the foot said to correspond to the liver, it is supposed to stimulate the production of bile and detoxify the blood. It is also believed that reflexology improves circulation, balances the system, and revitalizes energy, and is therefore often uses as preventative health care. Reflexology is also supposed to produce a calming effect, which is why some practitioners add in relaxation techniques such as a foot soak in hot water.

Our Experience

For our reflexology treatment, we went to J.F. Foot Spa in Millbrae on Tuesday. The spa offers services in reflexology and various types of specialized massages.

When we arrived, the two practitioners, one male and one female, immediately led us from the empty lobby to a private room, where we sat side-by-side in two lounge chairs with blankets on our lap and our feet soaked in near boiling water. Without any explanation, they left us alone and told us to relax. Little did we know, there was no way we could relax ourselves enough for what was about to occur.

When the practitioners came back, they assured us that the treatment wouldn't be much different from a pedicure. They told us not to be scared, that they knew what they were doing. I don't doubt that they did in fact know what they were doing, we just didn't expect the pain that came along with their expertise. To start, they rubbed each one of our 10 toes, and we understood the pedicure reference. Moments later, each toe was revisited, and not left alone until the fatal sound of a cracked toe could be heard. Ouch. As we winced in pain, the practitioners looked up and saw the horror on our faces. Rather than trying to console us, they smiled and continued.

They began to apply pressure throughout our feet. Sounds like it'd be a pleasure, but really, it was torture. With their magic fingers, they managed to find the most sensitive areas of our feet. However, they pushed so hard that we were flinching in pain. Our reflexes told us to pull our legs away and kick, but we knew we had to maintain composure and endure the endless amounts of pain. The male practitioner asked how we were doing, and when we responded with "it's a little painful", he so kindly assured us that it was "good pain". It wasn't good pain at all. For the entire hour long session, we constantly clenched our fists, dug our fingers into our seats, and squeezed our eyes shut, but the pain would not subside. For an hour, our feet were poked, prodded, rubbed, and beaten to death. When they had finished, there was no comfort in knowing that we were already half way done, because that meant we had to go through the pain all over again.

Regardless, we went back today for round two, hoping this treatment would be better. It was less shocking because we knew what was coming, but still excruciating. The practitioners told us we would be "lighter on our feet", and maybe we will be. But in the future, we'd rather sacrifice a little heavy footedness in order to spare ourselves the agony. In the final post, we will discuss our beliefs on the effectiveness of this practice, as well as yoga, acupuncture, and herbal treatments.

Comfortably awaiting our reflexology treatment... How misleading this foot soak was.

Herbal Medicine

On Friday, we went up to the city to go herb shopping! We first went to a Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy. This pharmacy combined Western medicines with Eastern medicines. They had products like Aveeno and Burts Bee's, which you can find in a Walgreens or a Target. Aveeno products, for example, only contain natural ingredients like feverfew, soy, oats, natural shiitake, lavender, chamomile, and ylang-ylang. Aveeno is FDA approved as 100% natural and is commonly recommended by dermatologists and doctors. This pharmacy also carried several brands of tea like Yogi. The different teas are labelled according to what they do for your body rather than their ingredients. For example, Emma bought a tea called 'DeTox', which "promotes healthy liver and kidney function". There were other types such as 'Calm' and 'Sleep'. They also carried more nontraditional medicines, such as homeopathic medicines. For example, Sarah bought a Boiron homeopathic medicine targeted to improve complexion.

Homeopathic Medicine

The alternative medicine method of homeopathy originated due to the work of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician from the 1770’s. After receiving his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1779, Hahnemann began to analyze the effectiveness of medical practices at the time. Critical of ineffective remedies such as purgatives, Arsenic poisoning, and blistering plasters, Hahnemann started to develop a revolutionary new form of treatment: homeopathy. Hahnemann believed that the most effective way to treat a particular disease was to give the patient a remedy that produced similar symptoms to the disease itself. He thought that this artificial induction of the disease would get rid of the pathological disturbance in the body (in other words, the actual disease) and replace it with an artificial one that the body could cure. Through extensive research and many clinical trials, Hahnemann was able to discover the pharmacological or toxicological effects of many natural products, which he referred to as symptoms. In the year 1810, he published his findings in Organon of Rational Therapeutics, a book that is still regarded as an authority on homeopathic medicine today. By the time of Hahnemann’s death in 1843, his theories had gained popularity and the first homeopathic hospital had even been opened. A possible testament to the effectiveness of his homeopathic methods, which he practiced for fifty years, Samuel Hahnemann lived until the age of eighty-eight.

Obviously, homeopathic medicine is very different from Western medicine. But, according to fans of this alternative form of treatment, it might be better for a few reasons. First of all, it is safe to administer. Unlike several prescription medicines, homeopathic medicines are not associated with harmful side effects, risk of addiction, or risk of structural damage to the body. Next, it is preventative. When administered correctly, homeopathic medicine strengthens the immune system and reduces the body’s susceptibility to illnesses. It is also a long-term solution to health problems, not a temporary cure. When a patient takes a treatment for a specific ailment, the treatment is supposed to fully correct that ailment, not just reduce symptoms for a short period of time. Also, homeopathic medicine is easy and convenient. Many homeopathic treatments are distributed in sugar pills, which are easy for all patients to take, including children. For example, the medicine Sarah bought is meant to taken three times a day by dissolving five small pills on the tongue. And lastly, homeopathic medicine is individualized to suit the needs of each patient. Treatments are created based on factors such as age, gender, lifestyle, mental state, emotional state, personality, and many more.

We next went to The Scarlet Sage Herb Company. This store was much more 'nontraditional', and did not contain any mainstream products like Aveeno. They had several interesting books about homeopathy, herbology, mind/body healing, reflexology, reiki etc. We bought a book called Energy Tapping by Fred P. Gallo, which outlines how to use emotions to do things like 'control fears and negative emotions' and techniques for 'weight control and overcoming overeating', 'lowering blood pressure', 'improving immunity and managing allergies', and 'recovering from addiction'. We hope to explore this later during our senior project time.

We also bought different herbs to help indigestion. Some of the herbs included cinnamon, ginger, and fennel, among others. The woman who worked there asked about Sarah's indigestion, and accordingly chose different herbs which she thought would help improve it. We both believed that these herbs have practical use and can actually make a difference in Sarah's indigestion. We are planning to brew the herbs into a tea. In total, the herbs weren't expensive at all--it was only about $5 for enough to make 10 cups of tea.

Emma bought an elixir called 'Star Fire'. It is a Sublingual Botanical Supplement, and is a non-alcoholic liquid that is supposed to drop under the tongue or added to a beverage. Elixirs are a blend of wholeplant extracts, herbs, and homeopathy. The specific bottle Emma bought is supposed to "heighten energy, stamina, and awareness, assist in healing wounds of the subtle body & boosts the body's immune system". When the woman working at the store was explaining elixirs to us, we eyed each other in a slight disbelief at the strangeness of her explanation. Unlike with the herbs, it seems a little unbelievable that the ingredients in this elixir, such as pineapple, ginger, juniper berry, citrine, blood-stone, and peppermint (and many more) can actually cause changes in behavior. Maybe we will notice a difference in Emma's behavior after taking the elixir for a period of time, but as of now, if we saw a change we think it would be due to the placebo effect.