A foot massage is great for so many things. You’ve probably experienced that it’s not only super relaxing, but it also helps ease your foot pain and it can rev up your sex life. But foot massages can do so much more than that!
Reflexology is an ancient healing practice based on the principle that there are reflex points on your feet that correspond to your body’s different organs and glands. Combined with a regular foot massage, reflexology has been shown to do surprising wonders for your psychological and physical health. Here are just a few:
1. It can help you detox.
Foot massage helps improve blood circulation, pushing the flow of nutrients to the tissues and stimulating the secretion of sweat glands, which helps push out both toxins and fat. Additionally, research shows that reflexology may play a role in regulating blood flow to inner organs such as the lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines.
2. It can help your headache.
A 3-month study that evaluated 32 patients with headaches after a daily prescription of reflexology showed that it was at least as effective as drug therapy. Pressing certain parts of the foot can not only ease the pain of headaches and migraines but can also help alleviate their frequency and duration.
3. It can help with your flat feet.
People with flat feet have something called excessive ligament laxity, which causes them to have an abnormal collapsed foot arch. Regular massage can help with the chronic muscular pain associated with flat feet and can also help heal the joint pain that goes along with it.
4. It can reduce high blood pressure and stress.
Research shows that a 10-minute foot massage performed three times a week results in less stress and anxiety and lower blood pressure. The findings have been so significant that reflexology is now being used as a form of presurgical care. Patients receiving reflexology before varicose vein surgery reported significantly lower intraoperative anxiety and shorter pain duration than participants receiving treatment as usual. This may have something to do with the solar plexus reflex that’s situated on both feet (the place where all of your stress is stored). Ancient reflexology techniques combine pressure and stroking on this point to release stress and renew the body.
5. It helps with PMS.
Pressure applied to certain areas of the foot up to 2 weeks before your period can help you fight against the most common symptoms of premenstrual syndrome—and even menopause—such as mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, bloating, and headaches.
6. It can get you in the mood.
The touching and massaging of your feet by your partner not only feels super sensual but can also boost [linkbuilder id=”6459″ text=”your sex drive”] more by bringing blood flow to your sexual organs.
7. It can help your sinuses.
A recent study of treatments for chronic sinusitis revealed that reflexology is as effective as nasal irrigation, the most commonly prescribed treatment. After 2 weeks of a daily regimen of each, results showed equal improvement in both participating groups.