Sole to soul: a crash course in reflexology

The masseur moves his hands up your foot and leg. He then kneads it and presses certain points. Almost magically, you begin to feel the tension and stress drain away from your body. The pressure eases, you are relaxed and feel lighter than before. That's the magic of reflexology. This stress busting alternative therapy is a must-try if your want to give your sagging sprits a dose of energy.
Read on to find out the science behind the art and learn a few tricks of the trade...
WHY GO FOR IT?
Simply because apart from making you feel light and easy, reflexology is also useful to alleviate certain conditions. The basic funda of this therapy is to force the body to biologically correct itself and reduce the pressure from certain points.
    Believe it or not, there are 7000 nerve endings on each foot. And different parts of the body are mirrored on the foot. So a therapist massages the different parts (points) of the foot that correspond to the particular body part, which, in turn helps bring the body into its perfect natural balance (homeostatis).
Bascially, the masseur zeroes in on the presence of lumps or thickened areas, known as 'crystal deposits'. Using his thumb and knuckles, he then breaks down these lumps to restore the balance. As the therapist applies pressure on the foot, the signals are sent to the spine, from where they are redirected to the corresponding body part.
Generally no implements are used in reflexology, it's only the therapist's hands that do the trick. It is great to maintain good health. But remember, it is an alternative therapy and cannot be used as a primary form of treatment. During an illness, it is often used in conjunction with medicine. It has been found to be particularly useful in the case of:

• Stress related aches and pains (as it interrupts the stress signals )

• Depression

• Concentration problems

• Blood pressure

• Back pain

• Arthritis

• Migraine

• Infertility

• Sleep disorders

• Hormonal imbalances

• Digestive disorders

• Menstrual disorders
    In case of chronic conditions, an hour long session may be suggested everyday or every alternate day.
A DIY GUIDE
You can give yourself a reflexology massage too. Check out the chart given above. Depending on the ailment you are suffering from, simply concentrate on a particular part of the foot and massage it. Else, just massage each and every point till you feel the pain ease away.
    How you move your hands and knuckles is important. Here are a few tips to get it right:

• While massaging, use the caterpillar movement (move your thumb, pressing at every point). A 10-minute session on each foot will give you relief.

• Often you might feel intense pain as you press a point. Don't worry, it usually implies that a block is being released. However, if the pain is too intense or sharp, reduce the amount of pressure.

• Always massage the area of the foot which corresponds to the kidneys (see chart), at the end of the session. This is because the toxins that will be released as a result of reflexology, collect in the kidneys.
AVOID REFLEXOLOGY

• If you suffer from any form of foot injury or foot ulcers

• If you are pregnant, avoid it during your first trimester and even after that consult your physician before a session.

• If you suffer from blood clots, consult your doctor before a massage.
    (Devendra Upadhyay is a master therapist associated with Franck Provost salon in Juhu and Bandra)