Reflexology and the power of touch
As a Massage therapist and reflexologist, I know a lot about the power of touch. The human touch plays a vital role in our health and well-being. So much so, that “the caress of another person releases hormones that can ease pain and clear the mind,” as stated by U.S. News & World Report. While a report released in 2024 showed that touch substantially improves both physical and mental wellbeing, for example via reduction of pain, anxiety, depression, and stress in adults. Why does touch play such a big role? Let’s take a look.
The Power of Touch for Alternative Healing
As we delve into the realm of alternative healing, it becomes increasingly clear how reflexology, massage therapy, and the healing power of touch stand out in their efficacy against chronic ailments. From the soothing relief for cancer patients to the alleviation of depression and improved circulation for those with circulatory disorders, the benefits of such therapies go beyond the skin-deep.
In stark contrast to Western medicine's fascination with high-tech equipment, these holistic practices are often sidelined, with insurance companies hesitating to endorse them and doctors reluctant to prescribe. Yet, the essence of healing may just lie in the simple, nurturing human contact—a notion somewhat lost in today's clinical healthcare settings.
Although conventional medicine has its merits, especially in acute care, when it comes to nurturing long-term wellbeing, the gentle art of massage can work wonders, underscoring the need to balance cutting-edge technology with the timeless touch of healing hands in our healthcare paradigms.
Reflexology and Massage Improves Health
Reflexology and massage should be a part of an overall plan to maintain good health!
As more and more people are discovering, massage therapy, reflexology and healing touch are proving to be extremely good medicine for treating those with chronic diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and even circulatory disorders.
There are several good reasons for this. One being the fact that massage therapy helps move lymph fluid around the body and oxygenate organs and tissues. Studies show that regular touch establishes your mind-body connection and has been proven to:
Decrease anxiety
Increase the number of white blood cells
Lower blood pressure
Increase endorphin levels (your feel-good hormones)
Help you sleep better
How Stress Affects Your Body
The body's response to stress involves several key hormones, including cortisol (the primary stress hormone!), catecholamines such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, vasopressin, and growth hormone. These hormones prepare the body to handle stressful situations by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels, mobilizing energy sources, and downregulating non-essential metabolic processes to promote survival.
Cortisol is often called the body's "alarm system" and is involved in the stress response. It is released by the adrenal glands during stress, plays a crucial role in the long-term stress response by boosting energy production while suppressing non-essential functions like digestion and immunity. Catecholamines, functioning as neurotransmitters, initiate the "fight or flight" response, increasing cardiovascular and metabolic activity. Vasopressin acts to maintain blood pressure and water metabolism under stress.
While the short-term activation of stress responses can enhance immune function, chronic stress and sustained high levels of these hormones can negatively impact health, affecting mood, sleep, metabolism, and immune response.
Regulation of these stress hormones is managed by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, ensuring the body maintains balance. This complex hormonal interplay highlights how our bodies physiologically adapt to stress, with both short-term benefits and potential long-term health risks.
Massage Can Reduce Your Stress Levels
A number of studies have also confirmed that being massaged dramatically reduces stress levels, both physically and psychologically. In fact, After massage, the body secretes lower levels of stress hormone cortisol, and norepinephrine. These hormones not only make you feel anxious, they can also cause stress related disease, especially heart attack. Reducing their presence through massage lowers the ill-effect of cortisol and other stress hormones.
Why Do I Feel Good After A Massage?
Massage and reflexology stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is associated with rest and relaxation. This activation helps counteract the effects of the sympathetic "fight or flight" stress response. Massage also increases your relaxation response and promotes the release of positive mood-enhancing hormones like endorphins and serotonin. Regular massage therapy is said to have a cumulative effect on reducing chronic stress levels and improving the body’s response to stress over time.
Sole Therapy offers therapeutic massage modalities and reflexology in Jacksonville. Schedule a massage today or take advantage of our package prices to make regular massage therapy a part of your health routine.