Reflexology is a type of massage that involves applying different amounts of pressure to the feet (or the hands, or the ears). People who practice this technique are called reflexologists. A reflexologist’s touch may help to calm the central nervous system, promoting relaxation, and other benefits just like any form of massage. The theory behind reflexology is that areas of the foot correspond to organs and systems of the body. In the 1890s, British scientists found that nerves connect the skin and internal organs. They also found that the body’s entire nervous system tends to adjust to outside factors, including touch. Pressure applied to the foot is believed to bring relaxation and healing to the corresponding area of the body. Reflexologists use foot charts to guide them as they apply pressure. Several studies indicate that reflexology may reduce pain and psychological symptoms, such as stress and anxiety, and enhance relaxation and sleep. In traditional Chinese medicine Reflexology rests on the ancient Chinese belief in qi (pronounced “chee”), or “vital energy.” According to this belief, qi flows through each person. When a person feels stressed, their body blocks qi. This can cause an imbalance in the body that leads to illness. Reflexology aims to keep qi flowing through the body, keeping it balanced and disease free. In Chinese medicine, different body parts correspond with different pressure points on the body. Reflexologists use maps of these points in the feet, hands, and ears to determine where they should apply pressure. They believe their touch sends energy flowing through a person’s body until it reaches the area in need of healing.

Cupping Therapy, a form of ancient Chinese medicine purported to treat athletic aches and other pains. Remember when Michael Phelps made his debut at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, spectators noticed something unusual about the gold-medal-winning swimmer. His back and shoulders were covered in perfectly round purple bruises, a few inches in diameter? What are the Benefits of Cupping Therapy? Advocates of cupping say it’s this stretching and contraction of the skin that makes cupping effective, since it increases blood flow. “Blood flow is the body’s way of naturally healing,” says Houman Danesh, M.D., an assistant professor of anesthesiology and rehabilitation medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital who frequently combines cupping with mainstream pain therapy techniques. “Increased blood flow can be beneficial to jumpstart or restart a blunted healing response.” What is the explanation for the circular markings after a treatment of CuppingTherapy? You can also think of it as a “sterile inflammation,” says Reid Blackwelder, M.D., past president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. That’s because the cupping process draws blood from your vessels and into your tissue. Your body thinks it’s been injured, so it jumpstarts an inflammatory response, mobilizing antibodies to the area to try to heal it.