Reflexology: pain relief through the feet Improve your health with acupuncture

Reflexology is a therapeutic method that of the body where the most sensitive re- Do you know about qi, the vital energy and the recommendations of other health is similar to shiatsu and acupuncture. It flex points are concentrated. By stimula- that flows through the body’s meridians? professionals who have been consulted. consists of exerting sustained pressure ting the nervous system at specific places, If you don’t, it’s probably because you’ve with the fingers on zones or reflex points a reflexologist can relieve pain felt else- never tried acupuncture. This traditional Can acupuncture really help you feel bet- on the extremities that correspond to where, in corresponding zones. Chinese therapy acts on the qi to restore ter? The answer is a definite yes. Clinical organs or internal functions. It is based on balance, thus helping improve health and research has shown that acupuncture is an the principle that each organ, gland or Reflexology relieves various ailments by alleviate pain. effective treatment against ailments such body region has corresponding points in triggering the healing process of the as migraines, arthritis, diarrhea, tendoni- the hands, ears or feet. These are the areas body and by restoring the balance of the Acupuncture stimulates the body so that it tis, morning sickness, post-surgical pain vital energy of the glands and organs. can repair itself whenever possible. How? and sprains. It also helps to reduce stress People use this particular type of treat- By stimulating specific areas called acu- and treat depression. ment when they feel stressed or when puncture points, which are located suffering from headaches, backache, res- along the meridians. To do this, acu- piratory or digestive problems. Reflexo- puncturists use special needles that logy is also used to relieve PMS, me- they insert into the uppermost layer nopause problems and pain in palliative of skin. These needles are very fine, care patients. and when inserted the patient may find they feel like tiny mosquito bi- During the first visit, reflexologists ask tes. Acupuncturists may also use heat, many questions in order to establish the pressure, a light electrical current or patient’s general state of health. This laser light to stimulate these points. enables them to know whether certain reflex points should be avoided. Reflexo- During an initial encounter, acupunc- logy sessions last about an hour and are turists evaluate the patient’s energy very relaxing. They can sometimes cause balance in order to detect any imbal- side effects, such as headaches, nausea ances and to understand the causes. or a need to urinate more often, but these They then decide on a treatment usually disappear soon after the treatment. plan based on their observations and on the patient’s health. Above all, they will take into account family history Reflexology relieves various ailments, including digestive problems, Acupuncture relieves pain premenstrual syndrome by rebalancing your vital energy. PHOTO: CREATAS / THINKSTOCK PHOTO : BANANASTOCK / THINKSTOCK and back pain.

Some alternative medicines to discover Do you know what naturopathy is? Naturopathy is a comprehensive health As an example, if you suffer from chronic Numerous alternative therapies exist to ticularly effective in treating arthritis, asth- care approach that combines scientific headaches, your naturopath will attempt to help people find relief from various ail- ma, constipation, insomnia and anxiety. knowledge with traditional medicines and discover what is causing them before estab- ments and pain. Some are fairly well THEFELDENKRAISMETHOD that aims to stimulate the body’s self-healing lishing a treatment plan; he or she may look known, while others may still be a mystery process. It seeks primarily to activate, nur- at your nutrition problems, stress levels and to you. Here are a few discoveries you may The Feldenkrais Method is an approach to ture and enhance the natural mechanisms sleep patterns. In other words, this specia- enjoy trying. whole body health that involves low impact of the body. list relies on the patient and not the symp- exercises. It aims to improve the quality AYURVEDA toms. Naturopaths may choose to use herbal and efficiency of a person’s physical func- The individual is seen as a whole, with medicine, nutrition, hydrotherapy, home- Originating in India, Ayurveda is a com- tions through movement. It can be prac- psychological, physiological, social and opathy, acupuncture and osteopathic mo- plete, ancient medical system based on the ticed in a group or individually and consists spiritual aspects that can all affect health. vements to treat and prevent illness. They principle of balance between body and of using a variety of movements, which are Rather than trying to directly eliminate may also recommend a change in life- mind; illness occurs when this balance is unusual and sometimes incongruous, to the symptoms of the illness, naturopaths style habits. disrupted. So, it’s not the illness that is discover new or healthier ways of moving. seek to identify the cause. That is why treated, but the whole organism, so to One of the useful applications of this they always ask their patients about the Naturopaths are recognized as primary speak. Patients are able to heal when bal- method is for people who want to recover general state of their health, as well as care physicians in some Canadian pro- ance has been regained. Herbal medicine, their mobility after an accident. their lifestyle, work, diet, stress levels vinces and American states. That means aromatherapy, dietary changes, massage BIOFEEDBACK and sleep habits. they can make diagnoses or order labo- and yoga are some of the methods used to ratory tests. Where naturopathy is not rec- guide patients to recovery. Ayurveda is par- Biofeedback is a technique that patients can ognized, as is the case in Quebec, use to learn how to regain con- naturopaths are considered to be trol of their own body func- health counsellors who treat mostly tions and stress reactions. minor problems and chronic illnesses. Harmless electrical sensors al- low patients to see their heart rate and discover what kinds of actions or sensory input in- crease or lower their heart rate, breathing rate and brain activity. This knowledge allows them to gain better control over certain physical functions and emo-

tional reaction patterns. Bio- PHOTO: THINKSTOCK Find the material for this page feedback is mostly used to treat by typing WELLNESS in the incontinence and insomnia and special sections packages search option of our website. to alleviate the symptoms of attention deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity. The texts on these pages are perfect to use as fillers 34 / MARCH-APRIL 2015 / NEWSPAPER TOOLBOX or for any section you may want to sell on this subject.