Alignment

About The Healing Touch of Reflexology

The Healing Touch of Reflexology

Reflexology is the fifth pillar that supports good foot health. Reflexology is a natural, traditional healing practice that can increase your energy and boost immunity. It is a form of healing massage that focuses on the feet. When practiced correctly, it can help you:

Lift your mood
Lessen pain symptoms
Correct hormonal imbalances
Feel energized and rested
Experience overall wellbeing

Roots of Reflexology

Reflexology is a core part of traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for thousands of years. It rests on the belief known as qi (pronounced “chee”), which is a form of energy. This energy, which is essential to wellbeing, flows freely through the body. When it’s blocked, the body will feel fatigued, stressed out, and more prone to illness.

The best way to restore the free flow of qi is with a gentle, focused massage. This massage works best when it is used on distinct parts of the body. Done correctly, it releases qi to flow through the body again and restore its health. Most Chinese practitioners choose specific pressure points in the feet.

Zone Theory

Some health practitioners use zone theory to explain how reflexology works. They believe the body has 10 vertical zones. Every organ, blood vessel, or muscle that is in each zone can be reached through specific points on the toes or hands. For instance, massaging between the second and third toes can help heal your eyes. The pathways between pressure points and parts of the body are connected by the nervous system.

Complementary Therapy

Studies have found that reflexology works well as a complementary treatment. In one study, women who were being treated with chemotherapy reported that reflexology helped them reduce some of their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Other researchers have found that 30-minute foot reflexology treatments helped lower anxiety levels in people being treated for serious illnesses.

Healing Massage

Even if you can’t quite see how qi or zone theory work, there is no question that reflexology has the healing benefits of touch. Touch is a sure way to quiet the central nervous system. This type of holistic, healing touch can lessen anxiety, reduce pain, lift mood, and promote a calm sense of wellbeing.

Reflexology feels wonderful, and its benefits go beyond your feet. When you receive this treatment from an experienced practitioner, you will feel a renewed sense of vitality.

Get on the Path to Whole Foot Health

At The Organic Foot, we believe in healing from the inside out. When you feel energized and free from anxiety, your body can cope with almost anything. Healthy feet are the foundation of a healthy, happy life, and reflexology is a key element of that.

Image of barefoot person stretching feet

Improve Your Foot Alignment for a Balanced Body

Proper Foot Alignment Results in a Balanced Body

Foot alignment is something we don’t think about that often, but it’s integral to healthy feet and joints. Your foot alignment affects your posture, balance, functional strength, and gait. Misaligned feet can cause foot problems such as calluses, plantar fasciitis and bunions, and joint pain in the knees, hips, and back.

In her book, “Natural Solutions to Common Foot Problems,” Dr. Dawn Figlo cites foot alignment as a physical health pillar. Fortunately, there are ways to improve foot alignment and get your whole body in balance.

Are your feet in alignment?

Ask yourself these questions: Do you find yourself rolling your feet in or out while standing? Do you feel off-balance or experience falls?

When the foot is pronating and supinating, it is out of its neutral alignment. Pronation is when the foot rolls inward, and supination is when the foot rolls outward. Both indicated misalignment of the foot.

Here are some ways to check your alignment

1- Look at your footprint. Wet your feet and stand on a dry surface like cement to see what parts of your feet touch the ground.

2- Look at the wear patterns of your shoes. In pronation, you will see more wear on the inside and supination on the outside. Normal gait goes from heel strike (outer heel) and transfers to toe-off (the big toe joint).

3-perform this exercise:

Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Inhale, lift your heels until your toes are pointed on the floor.
Exhale, and lower your heels slowly.

While you’re doing this, check for the following:

When you lift your heels, do they stay hidden behind your toes?
Do your ankles line up over your toes or wobble?
Did your heels stay hidden when you lowered your feet?
Do your knees stay straight or wobble when you lift your feet up and down?

When you lift your heels up and down, they should stay in line with your foot.

Here are a few ways to improve your alignment.

Strengthen your feet with 3-Position heel Raise

This exercise stabilizes your ankle muscles, which regulate your leg bones. Keep looking at your feet to make sure they stay straight.

Stand with your feet placed together and your back straight.
Lift yourself on your toes ten times.
Stand in the same position, but point your toes outward, so your feet form a V-shape.
Lift yourself up 10 times.
Turn your toes away from your body and repeat the exercise 10 times.

Custom insoles (orthotics)

A podiatrist will make a mold of your foot while holding your foot in (subtalar joint) neutral to achieve your proper alignment. An insole created from the mold customizes your everyday shoes and keeps your foot aligned. Custom orthotics are also very beneficial for athletes while performing sports.

Static Back Stretch

This exercise lengthens your spine muscles and helps rotate your pelvic girdle into a straighter position. You will need a yoga block or a stack of pillows. It’s essential to do this on a firm surface.

Place the block or pillows on the floor.
Lie down in front of the block with your knees bent and your lower legs resting on the b block.
Your legs should feel comfortable.
Extend your arms to the side.
Hold this position for three minutes.

Some people find this very relaxing and enjoyable. You can do this exercise as part of your exercise routine, yoga routine, or meditation session.

A Balanced Being

Balance and alignment encompass so much more than structural health. Living a balanced lifestyle and aligning with our values paves the way to healthy living. The Organic Foot is the alignment of health and happiness.

Five Pillars of Foot Health Create Overall Wellbeing

The Organic Foot – Five Pillars

The foot is a conduit of overall wellbeing. Focus on the foot in these areas improves foot health, reduces pain, and positively impacts us from toe to head. Here is a closer look.

1. Strengthening

Strengthening your feet reduces pain and improves your balance and flexibility. It also reduces your chance of foot pathologies such as bunions and hammertoes. There are 29 muscles in the human foot. Strengthening them supports proper alignment creating a solid foundation. If you’re a runner, walker, or athlete, you’ll get enhanced speed and performance from strong feet. There are several ways to make your foot muscles stronger. Some of them only take a few minutes a day.

Walking Barefoot: When walking barefoot, you’re allowing the foot to move in all three planes of motion and engage all of its musculatures. Walking in the sand is a great workout.
Heel and toe raise: Try them with the feet parallel, with heels touching and toes apart and with toes together. Hold onto a piece of furniture if necessary.
Resistance bands: Use resistance bands to exercise your feet. Place each foot on the resistance band with some tension from a seated position on the floor—point and flex and repeat.

2. Alignment

Most foot problems arise from improper foot alignment—the arch height decreases when this happens. The foot begins to compensate, and the joints take the toll—especially the great toe joint. Bunions, hammertoes, neuromas, and plantar fasciitis can result from this. Knee hip and back problems can also occur as a result of malalignment. Stress is reduced in our knees, hips, and back when our foundation is aligned. Foot alignment is essential at any time, but it’s vital when you’re walking or exercising. At the Organic Foot, we focus on the alignment of the feet.

Two ways to improve your alignment

Strengthening the foot (see above)
Custom insoles (orthotics). A mold is taken of the foot while held in proper alignment. A custom insole is made from the mold to fit your shoes of choice, making every pair custom!

3. Earthing

We spend most of our lives disconnected from the earth’s surface. Earthing, also known as grounding, is the practice of connecting physically with the earth’s electrons through walking barefoot outside, spending time outdoors, working with dirt, and otherwise reclaiming that connection. These electrons dispel free radicals reducing inflammation. A 2012 research study concluded that earthing had potential as a global modality of significant clinical importance.

There are many ways to make this connection, and there are numerous benefits. They include improved sleep, lower inflammation, faster healing, and increased energy levels. The use of earthing/grounding products makes it possible to achieve results from the comfort of your home.

4. Plant Medicine

Let the old become new again! FYI most of our synthetic medications come from compounds in plants. Turning to a safer way to address non-emergent health issues should be our first line of defense. Essential oils are oils extracted from plants. They are the plant’s defense against viruses, bacteria, and fungus and have vital properties to sustain plants’ vitality. When used safely and correctly on us, they can provide many health benefits, locally and systemically (throughout the body). They are beneficial in treating many foot problems, including plantar fasciitis, athlete’s foot infection, and plantar warts. The application of essential oils to the bottom of the feet can enhance overall wellbeing. Combining reflexology and essential oils can maximize the benefits of both.

5. Reflexology

Reflexology is a therapeutic massage that involves placing pressure on specific reflex points corresponding to organs and other body parts. Foot reflexology promotes overall health by reducing stress, enhancing relaxation, and reducing pain in many chronic conditions. Reflexology also incorporates working with energy zones and stimulates the nervous system. This treatment is sure to have you running back for more!

At The Organic Foot, we focus on the foundation of good health. Strong, healthy feet will carry you for a lifetime, and we want to make that possible. Contact us today to get started.

Reference:

Journal of Environmental Medicine: Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth’s Surface Electrons.