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Have you ever wondered why you feel so relaxed when you remove your shoes and just stretch your feet? You may feel like your tiredness has reduced and you are more lively by the mere act of releasing your feet from constraints.
People in ancient civilizations such as Egypt, China etcetera also noticed the centrality of feet to wellness. They started massaging feet, a practice that is still with us and still as beneficial. The following of foot massage.
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Your body cells will be better supplied with oxygen
Oxygen is the mode through which energy is transported in the body cells. When we sit, inactive and wear tight shoes, circulation of oxygen in our feet becomes less and less.
This also affects the rest of the body since when certain muscles of the feet are tired, the whole leg gets tired and eventually the body. A good foot massage ensures that there is proper circulation and re-energization of cell and the entire body.
It relieves stress
The fact that massage relieves stress has been common knowledge to the human race for millennia. The more common form of massage today is the one done on the neck and shoulders. Foot massage, however has been found to be just as effective in relieving stress.
Research by Moyle et al found that care givers for patients with dementia experienced less stress and felt more relaxed after a foot massage.
Taking care of patients with dementia is not only demanding, but also stressful. This shows that people on jobs with lower stress levels would benefit more from the massages.
You will sleep better after a foot massage
A foot massage given before going to sleep helps to relax the feet, improve circulation and calm the nerves. All three effects conspire to ensure that you get a good night’s sleep.
There is a considerable number of acupuncture points on the feet that, when massaged serve to relax the entire body.
A good foot massage will help relieve your pain
Patients who undergo foot massage together with pain medication post operation experience less pain than those who only use drugs. This is according to research conducted by the University of Indiana School of Nursing.
These findings were corroborated by a journal article in the Applied Nursing Research journal. The research was conducted on women who went through C-section.
Those whose feet were massaged experienced less pain when compared to a placebo group in the same research.
It will bring you relief from symptoms of cancer and also from the side effects of chemotherapy
According to the findings of research conducted by the University of Canberra in 2000, foot massage provides the two benefits mentioned above. Relief on cancer patients is not only from pain, but also from nausea. Nausea is one of the symptoms of cancer.
Later, in 2012, breast cancer patients under treatment were studied by the University of Michigan. After undergoing foot massage, the patients, all of who were women said that they experienced relief from the side effects of chemotherapy.
They experienced better breathing instead of short breath and also had improved energy levels.
It reduces the fatigue that comes from multiple sclerosis
Patients suffering from multiple sclerosis usually suffer from debilitating fatigue. In extreme cases, the fatigue can render a patient immobile. Foot massage relieves this fatigue; it gives patients an opportunity for better quality of life.
These massages also relieve patients of the pain that comes from this condition. This information was from research conducted in Iran. The findings were published in the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery.
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Foot massage can help you have less complicated menstrual periods and easier pregnancy
Women the world over suffer from annoying PMS. Bloating, mood swings, cramps and so on. Findings by the California Graduate Institute showed that women who had their feet massaged experienced reduced intensity of the syndrome.
By providing relief for these symptoms foot massages will give you an opportunity to continue with your day to day activities during your period. Foot massage, therefore gives women an opportunity to compete on an equal footing on men.
When conducted regularly foot massage also brings relief for pregnancy onset enema. Pregnant women are, therefore more productive for longer.
In many work places, women are disadvantaged for being less productive during their period. This massage strikes a blow for equality.
Reflexology foot massage helps in the management of hypertension
Hypertension is one of the lifestyle diseases that we have to regularly grapple with. If you suffer from this condition, you have to manage it with medication which is determined by the severity of your case.
Drugs are themselves not innocent where your health is concerned. They have side effects.
Foot massage helps you reduce your blood pressure to such a significant degree that you can reduce the intake of your medication.
This position is according to the findings of Dr. Jesus Manzanares, a foot massage expert from Spain. He found that foot massage provided specifically to reduce hypertension is effective towards that end.
It keeps you from contracting plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of pain on the heel. Some of the causes of this condition include standing for long, wearing the wrong shoes and being overweight.
This pain occurs when the tissue at the bottom of the foot is inflamed.
This tissue passes across the foot to connect with the heel. It is due to this connection that plantar fasciitis causes pain on the heel. When massage is done professionally, it reduces the possibility of inflammation for those who are most at risk.
Those involved in rigorous sports such as running, the types of jumps that end with hard landings and so on should have this massage conducted on them. It ensures that they experience less downtime.
This, therefore, ensures that they remain active whether as professionals or as fitness enthusiasts.
Get relief from headaches and migraines
If you suffer from regular headaches or you are prone to migraines, you might want to give reflexology a try. According to research conducted by Launsø L, Brendstrup E and Arnberg S, after regular foot massages for a period of three months, 81% of participants in the research noticed a marked reduction in the intensity of their headaches.
In the same research, 19% of those who had been taking medicine as a palliative measure improved enough to stop taking the medication. The findings of this research were written in the Journal of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine.
By relieving the pain that comes from these headaches, reflexology gives the people who suffer from them an opportunity to improve their quality of life and reflexology. You are likely to enjoy life a lot more by getting these massages regularly.
For you to benefit from foot massage, you need to have it done regularly. They do not have to be complex, time consuming affairs. This means that you can do it yourself, this video is an important tutorial on how you can effectively massage your own feet.
Conclusion
The effects of feet reflexology are both physical and psychological. The seemingly simple undertaking helps you deal with some of the most serious health challenges facing us today.
From cancer, to hypertension to stress and migraines, multiple sclerosis and many others. In a nutshell, foot massage enables us to deal with the challenges that come with our sedentary lifestyles. It also helps us handle the situations that come when we exert ourselves too much.
An athlete suffering from plantar fasciitis due to over exertion benefits. A white-collar worker with no real interest for physical activity also benefits when they need to relax.
The fact that almost anyone can learn how to perform this massage to a considerable degree of success makes it even more attractive.