Table Of Content

Simple routines for health and relaxation BARBARA KEVIN KU & hand reflexology imple routines for health and relaxation BARBARA & KEVIN KUNZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUTH JENKINSON LONDON, NEW YORK, MELBOURNE, MUNICH and DELHI Editor: Irene Lyford Art Editor: Toni Kay Senior Editor: Shannon Beatty Senior Art Editor: Peggy Sadler Manaaina Edilor: Penny Warren M•n•alna An Editor: M:irianne M:irlcham Publishing Operations Manager: Gillian Rob<rts cr. .t i.e Publisher: Mary-Oare jerram Art Director: Peter Luff Publishing Director: Corinne Roberts DTP Designer: Sonia Charbonnier Produaion Controller: Maria Elia Arst publitjied in Grear Britain in ?.006 by Dorling Klndersley limited, 80 Str>nd, London WC2R ORL A Penguin Company 2'1681097531 Copynght Q 2006 Do<tlng Kindersley Um11ed, London Text copyright C 2006 Barbar> and Kevin Kunz The ~ght of Kevm and Barbar> Kunz to be identified as Writers of the Work has been aswrtf..'d by thl'rn 111 .tc.c.ord.mc.c with the Copyrtght, Design!. and Patents Act 1988. All right\ ~-No p.1n of th~ pubhuuon nwy be reprodU<.:ed, ~ored in a rtni<'Val system, or tr.m110m1mid ~n Jny brm or by any means, dectronk, mteh.lnk:.at, photoccpying, recoo:lng or ot~1~, ""'1thout the prior writtm permission of the copyright owners. A CIP uldloguc nx:ord for thl5 book I!> avaiLlble trom the Britim Library. ISBN 10: l-405~1565-2 ISBN 13: 978-1-4053-1565-i Cok:>r 1 eproduced by Colourscan, Sing.tl)Ore ~n:n1 '"'I boond In ChiN by Sheck WJh Tong Discover more at www.dk.com CONTENTS 6 Introduction 8 Principles of reflexology The history of reHexology JO • How renexology works 12 Renexology and zones 14 • Hand renexology maps 16 20 Benefits of reflexology Why do people use hand renexology? 22 • Advantages of hand renexology 24 • Renexology for everyone 26 Renexology research 29 • Renexology in medical care 30 Success stories 32 •Visiting a reHexologist 34 36 Taking care of your hands Anatomy of the hand 38 • Ergonomics and the hands 40 Hands: an owner's manual 42 • Using self-help cools 44 Relaxation exercises 46 • 48 The hand-reflexology session Preparing for a renexology session SO • Techniques S4 Hand desserts 60 • The complece hand·renexology sequence 66 • Self-help hand desserts 82 •The complete self-help hand-renexology sequence 86 •The complete golf ball self-help hand-renexology sequence 102 • People wilh specific needs 110 • Renexology at che office 114 Renexology on the move 116 • Renexology on the road 118 120 Reflexology to target health concerns Using renexology for healch concerns 122 • Scress 124 Headaches 126 • Backache & neck pain 128 • Pain 130 Breasc cancer recovery 132 • Ocher healch concerns 134 Using renexology for hand concerns 140 • Keyboording 142 • Sporcing hands 144 •Tired & sore hands 146 • Carpal tunnel syndrome 148 • Arthritis ISO • Hand injury 1S2 IS4 Finding a renexologist • Conraets ISS Websices and further reading IS6 Index 160 Acknowledgments INTRODUCTION Hands occupy a very special place in our lives: every Hand-reflexology work provides a simple fonmula: just day, time and time again, we call upon them to perform as the bank takes our deposits and holds them ready tasks that range from the mundane to the intricate, for our use, hand-reflexology techniques contribute to from a gentle caress to exerting extreme force. Because our bank of "wellness standing" ready for the demands of their special relationship with the body, the hands of a stressful day. Effective "savers" deposit regularly, provide a unique opportunity for addressing health building up their balance for a rainy day. concerns. Hand reflexology seizes the chance of While initial technique applic.ation of reflexology enhancing not only your own life bur also that of addresses current strcssors, continued work triggers others. Its techniques can provide busy hands with the healing response for which reflexology is known. a respite from the demands of the day; but, more One client, for example, found that he could "tum off' importantly, reAexology can change lives. From the his seasonal hay-fever sniffles after two weeks of using worker whose livelihood is threatened by disability to a hand-reAexology technique. After this initial period, the senior citizen seeking to live independently, hand his sniffle management took less and less time each day. reflexology offers possibiliti~ of improvement and Hand reAexology offers a bite-sized approach to well offers a path to pursue in times of need. being: the hand is always conveniently available, within This point was driven home to us a number of years our reach when sitting at a red light or during ago during a demonstration at a rehabilitation center. a quiet moment at the end of the day. It is there when Following some hand-reflexology work, a stroke sufferer we seek to give someone the wanmth of touch or a pat stood up and turned his anm around, windmill-fashion. of reassurance. Who among us hasn't held a toddler's "What did you do to John?" asked an employee. In hand or reached out to comfort an ailing family response to our puzzlement, the therapist explained, member? With a little more focus, such touch can tum "He couldn"t do that with his par.llyzed anm before:· into the opportunity to trigger the body's own healing From a gentle press to a focused effort, every move powers through hand reflexology's techniques. you make as you apply reflexology techniques is a step The magic of reflexology lies in its empowerment, toward a happier, healthier, and more productive life. in the knowledge that by acquiring these skills, one Whether your Interest Is In helping yourself or another, can create change, with one hand helping another. As hand reflexology is a life-long skill that can help to you read through this book, experience at first hand maintain self-sufficiency Relief of common health the power of what you can do for yourself and others. concerns, improved flexibility of the hands, and overall relaxation ... all are possible with hand-reflexology work. The hands' unique relationship with our bodies links them into our stress mechanism. It is little wonder that wringing one's hands during times of stress is a natural and instinctive auempt to interrupt the tension of the moment. Hands are, after all, integral to our survival responses, ready to spring into action when needed. PRJNCIPLES OF R_EFLEXOLOGY In this ancient therapeutic practice, a variety of pressure techniques are applied to reflex areas of the hands and feet to stimulate responses in corresponding parts of the body. The resulting relaxation has a profoundly beneficial effect on health, preventing disease, reducing pain, and generally improving quality of life. In this chapter, we trace the history of reflexology and examine how and why it works. 10 PRINCIPLES OF REFLEXOLOGY THE HISTOR.Y OF R.EFLEXOLOGY From ancient times to the present day, reflexology has helped humans maintain health and well-being; its use as a medical practice throughout history is well documented. Although details of the early work are lost in time, archeological clues indicate that reflexology has been rediscovered and reinstated as a health practice time and time again by peoples around the globe seeking to deal with health concerns. From Egypt to Japan, in China and throughout Asia, marching to battle. Later, in ancient Egypt, around SO artefacts tracing the ancient history of reRexology have oo:, Roman emperor Octavian noted Mark Anthony's been discovered by archaeologists. Although details of "pathetic" enslavement to Oeopatra, commenting that the exact principles and techniques are lost to us, the he even massaged her feet at dinner parties - giving discoveries that have been made testify to the role her an early reflexology treatment. that this ancient therapy has long played in the health and well-being of people around the world. BUDDHISM A D ASIAi; CULTUR.ES References to the association of feet and hands with R.EFLEXOLOGY I ANCIENT EGYPT health and medicine is found throughout Asia. Some Among the oldest relics are pictographs of hand and 5,000 years ago in China, the medical text Hwang Tee foot reflexology dating from 2330 aa, which were fncemof Texc included The Method of Toe Observations. In discovered at the Tomb of the Physician In Saqqara, Nara, Japan, the Yokushiji (Medicine Teacher] Temple Egypt. Carved Imo stone, these pictographs are included includes a bronze statue of the "Healing Buddha" with with others showing medical practices of the time. depictions carved onto the feet and hands. Also on Temple grounds is the Bussokudo, a building housing The Egyptian pictographs the famous stone bearing the footprint of Buddha are among the oldest known (Bus-soku-sekl'). "Medicine Buddha" figures have been found across Asia as well as "Buddha's footprints" dating depictions of medical care. From 400 !CI. These include similar depictions carved onto the feet and hands. While much of the meaning When translated, the hieroglyphs' message resonates of these artefacts has been lost In history, their presence with today's renexologists: "Don't hurt me;' to which testifies to the importance of feet and hands in the physician replies, "I shall act so you praise me." Buddhism and in cultures across Asia. Further references to reflexology span later years in ancient Egyptian history. The victory of Ramses II at UNDERSTAND! G THE R.EFLEX Qadesh in 1276 BCI is commemorated with a carving in Why all this interest in reflexology? The answer lies an obelisk at the temple of Amon at Kamak. A worker perhaps in reRexology's more recent history. Discoveries is depicted tending to the feet of footsore soldiers made by researchers exploring the nervous system in THE HISTORY OF REFLEXOLOGY 11 One of the earl est depictions of foot and hand therapy as different organs and specific areas of the skin in a part of medical care is illustraled in this wall pa1nung from model known as "Head's Zones." Reflex zone massage an Egyptian tomb, dating from 2330 ecc. was launched in Germany and, In the United States, Dr. William Fingerald (1872-1942) developed his system the mid to late J800s showed the potential of the reflex as a health tool. As medical doctors in the United The reflex was seen as a Kingdom, Russia, and Germany sought to understand window of opportunity for the how the nervous S)'Slem woro, altemitive schools of thought, research efforts, and published a11icles were provision of health treatment. directed toward the reflex, which was seen to offer an oppo11unlty for the provision of health treatment. of "zone therapy," which he used in his eye, ear, nose, Physicians of the late nineteenth century and early and throat practice. His ideas were picked up and twentieth century began to utilize reflex treatment and, developed, most notably by physiotherapist Eunice in 1917, Russian physician V. M. Bekhterev (1857--1957] Ingham (1879-19741 who extended the original simple coined the term reflexolog)( British physician Sir Henry ten-zone concept, mapping the reflex areas of the hands Head (1861-1940) developed ideas for the therapeutlc and feet and their corresponding body parts. Her woric uses of reflex actions, mapping the connection between of 1938 marics the beginnings of today's reflexology. 1 l PRINCIPLES OF REFLEXOLOGY The h~nd is a sensory organ, capable of receiving and commumcatmg sensauons such as pressure. stretch. and movement Hand reflexology uses tlus ability to send a message of relaxation to the body, resulting m an improved re)pom<! to daily stresses. HOW REFLEXOLOGY WORKS I l HOW REFLEXOLOGY OR.KS Hands reach out to touch the world, befriending and defending as well as picking up the pieces when necessary, and helping us to survive. Pressure sensors in the hands give us the ability to communicate with others and to manipulate our surroundings, carrying out the daily tasks that make up our lives, and using the tools and equipment that we routinely employ in the performance of those tasks. At the most fundamental level, the hands are essential techniques, the worlc interrupts panems or stress and to our survival, creating shelter, providing food, and prompts a general, whole-body relaxation response. If nurturing our young. In times of danger, the hands practiced sufficiently often, reflexology worlc not only participate in the overall body reaction that ensures interrupts stress but also conditions an improved survival. This reaction is commonly known as the "fight response to it. or Right response" because it enables the body to gear its internal organs and muscles to respond to either Refl~ology works as a stress eventuality. The sudden adrenaline SU'ie that enables a reducer in the nervous system, person to lift a car following an ;iccident is an example promoting beneficial effects of this extraorolnary response to stress. on the whole body. I ER.R.UPTING STR.ESS PATIER. 15 The same stress mechanism is also at worlc as we Reflexology techniques provide stimulus to pressure respond to the demands or the day. When sustained, sensors or the hands, prompting a reflexive response however, such stress creates wear and tear on the body. throughout the body, including on its internal organs. Accoroing to researcher Hans Selye [1907-19821 75 A reflex effect occurs as the body automatically and percent of all Illnesses are stress-related. He argued that unconsciously resets its stress mechanism. When interrupting the panern of stress provides a break In reflexology techniques are applied to a specific part the routine, thereby resolving the wear..:ind-tear effect or of the hand, a specific relaxation response occurs in continuous stress. Hand-reflexology worlc taps Into this a corresponding body part reflexo!ogy maps or the relationship, Interrupting stress and helping to reset the hands show this relationship (stt pages 16-19). body's overall tension level. As the hand responds to Reflexology worlc affects the body in three ways: the new sensory expeliences of reflexology's pressure a general relaxation response, a specific reflex effect, and a rejuvenation of the hand itsel[ It also improves Continuing use of reflexology the flexibility or the hand and helps to develop hand results in improved response awareness, thus lessening the potential for injury. In sum, reflexology worl<s as a stress reducer in the nervous to the stresses of the day. system prompting an effect on the whole body.