Depression affects the whole body, the nervous system, moods, thoughts, the way you feel about yourself and others, and the way you react to situations around you. Depression affects somewhere around 18 million Americans every year. In fact, it is one of the most common medical problems in the United States.
Even more disturbing is that anti-depressants are commonplace in today’s society. However, there are ways to treat depression without drug intervention. In a society where drugs seem to be the answer for everything, I believe it is imperative to find another way. Drugs are not the only answer to our problems. Moreover, they come with their own problems, which eventually show up elsewhere in the body.
Reflexology is one answer to this common problem. Not only is this form of self-help therapy relaxing and provides immediate relief in many cases, moreover it is free of charge and extremely convenient.
Reflexology, is simply the practice of strategically applying pressure to areas of the feet and hands as they correspond with specific body organs. Just like the teeth, the feet and hands are a map to the health of our entire body. By stimulating nerves in specific areas we can stimulate blood flow and eliminate toxin buildup in the corresponding areas of the body. Furthermore, reflexology stimulates the lymphatic system and encourages the release of endorphins, the natural feel good hormones that are well documented in relieving the effects of stress.
Reflexology is fairly simple to perform and even simpler to incorporate into your daily routine. This can be very important for people that suffer from long-lasting depression or frequent spouts of depression.
There are many online guides and diagrams that you can use. Or, if you prefer to have the information at your fingertips, there are many great books you can even get at your local library that will walk you through the process of reflexology treatment. If you are really serious about learning the techniques, there are numerous online reflexology schools where you can take classes and learn in-depth techniques for more specific sicknesses and diseases.
If you would like to read some of the success stories that have resulted from numerous studies, there is a report on reflexology research published at http://www.reflexology-research.com. This report demonstrates how reflexology treatment was able to alleviate the effects of severe stress in most cases.
In one such study, 20 patients were given reflexology treatments for a week. The treatments focused on areas of the feet relating to the adrenal glands, kidneys, bladder, sinus, brain and heart. These are common organs that get compromised by the effects of stress. The results were surprising. Forty percent experienced a complete cure, thirty five percent were greatly improved, fifteen percent mildly improved, and ten percent reported no change at all.
The bottom line is that reflexology has proved to be a therapy that is beneficial for everyone. It is the perfect complimentary medicine whether or not you must take prescription drugs. Once you try it you will understand why reflexology has found a permanent place in the health industry.
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