“What drew me to reflexology is that it’s mobile,” said certified reflexologist Karyl Clark. “It provides an opportunity to fix a problem anywhere you are.”

Particular locations on the hands and feet correspond to every area of the body, she said. Applying pressure to these specific points can relieve pain.

“For example, the toes correspond to the head. If you have a headache you can work on the big toe,” Clark said. “Squeeze the toe until you find a sensitive area, then press and release that area for a few minutes.”

You can read the full article here. Don’t forget to book your May appointment with Exhale Reflexology, our mobile service for May appointments is at a special price of $40 per treatment.

Jackie Davies had lost her appetite and a stone in weight. Breast cancer was taking its toll, but the healing power of reflexology changed her life forever…

MUM-OF-THREE Jackie Davies was recovering from an operation to remove part of her breast when she first discovered the healing power of reflexology.

“It made me feel so fabulous,” explained the 58-year-old, who first discovered a cancerous lump in her left breast eight years ago.

Jackie, who lives in Cemetery Road, Porth, Rhondda, was recovering from her radiotherapy treatment at Velindre Hospital, Cardiff, when she was given the chance to take part in a scheme offering reflexology foot massage treatment to patients.

“I’d always been interested in complementary therapies, so I thought it would be worth a go.

“At the time I was feeling really low. I’d lost my appetite and had lost a stone in weight. I used to love hot-buttered crumpets and Indian takeaways, but I couldn’t eat them, they would make me feel sick.

“I was also having trouble sleeping. I would lie awake at night thinking about my illness and whether I was going to survive.

“But when I started the fortnightly treatment my appetite improved. I came home and enjoyed an Indian takeaway for the first time in ages. And I became more relaxed and found it easier to sleep at night.

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Maternity reflexology can be a little slice of pampering heaven — or so say expectant mothers-to-be.

What makes it even better is that this therapy is endorsed by maternity hospitals including the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin’s Holles St as the evidence mounts of its benefits, especially in labour.

It is said to encourage the body’s innate ability to restore a healthy balance during this challenging and changing time for your body.

For those unfamiliar with reflexology, it is an ancient treatment based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet, hands and ears corresponding to every organ and part of the body, and that by applying pressure to these reflexes, specific bodily functions and organs are stimulated.

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“Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies are about to change reflexology, providing illustration of some of reflexology’s basic tenets. In three separate studies, Hong Kong researchers explored with fMRI what happens in the brain when pressure or technique is applied to specifc reflex areas of the left foot. Their finding: the specific parts of the brain activated by such work correlates with reflexology’s theory and intended use.In one study, reflexology applied to a specific part of the foot activated the reflected area. Specifically technique stimulation applied to the inner lateral corner of the left great toe activated the right temporal lobe, the part of the brain related to the reflex area. of the brain inner lateral corner of the left great toe to see if this would activate the part of the brain reflected by this reflex area, the right temporal lobe.”