Reflexology Explained
Reflexology is an ancient holistic therapy that focuses on working to stimulate reflex points of the feet. This therapy was practiced by the Egyptians and Chinese as early as 2300BC.

Each reflex point of the feet acts as a mirror that corresponds to a particular organ in the body. By stimulating these points the 7000 nerves and the 26 bones in the feet help release blockages and re-balance the energy flow in the body. This brings the body back into its natural equilibrium which promotes the body’s natural healing power.

    
        click to enlarge

Reflexology is ideal for benefiting body, mind and spirit especially in this modern age where we encounter high levels of stress. If stress is managed well, the body will remain working harmoniously. If not, our body’s natural defence mechanism will be out of balance, making us prone to illness.

Like our homes which require a regular clean, our bodies also deserve a good cleanse to rid themselves of clutter and toxins. Living in big cities and towns with constantly rising pollution and toxic chemicals, highly processed or fast food, depleting our energy, it is important to help the body evacuate accumulated toxins and replenish its energy thus, helping us to remain healthy.

A short history
This ancient therapy was re-discovered by Dr William Fitzgerald in the early 1900s. Dr Fitzgerald was a nose and throat specialist and headed the Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, and also worked in the Central London Nose and Throat Hospital. Dr Fitzgerald developed the theory of there being 10 zones of energy pathways within the body which influence the internal organs. He described this as Zone Therapy.

The work of Dr William Fitzgerald was expanded upon by a friend and colleague Dr Joseph Shelby Riley and his wife. They brought Zone Therapy, as a science, to the notice of the public. In 1919, they published a book called Zone Therapy Simplified in which they charted the first reflex zone map of the feet.

Working with Dr Riley in St Petersburg, was physiotherapist Eunice Ingham. Eunice Ingham extended the work of Dr Fitzgerald by developing the role of the feet in Zone Therapy. She completely mapped out the feet to the corresponding organs and glands in the body. From this, Eunice is known as “the pioneer of reflexology in modern form“.

Ingham spent forty years of her life developing a system of reflexology techniques (the Original Ingham Method), treating thousands of patients and promoting reflexology through seminars. Eunice Ingham authored 2 reference reflexology books (Stories the Feet Can Tell and Stories the Feet Have Told).

To take Eunice Ingham’s work a step further in today’s reflexology, world-renowned reflexologist Inge Dougans has combined the working of the Eastern and Western approaches to reflexology and health. Dougans has integrated the 12 meridians and the Chinese system of the 5 elements, enabling practitioners to treat a much wider range of ailments more effectively. Inge Dougan’s style of reflexology is now taught at the Oxford School of Reflexology, which is headed by Geraldine Giles.