Many people go to great lengths in their quest for good health, while ignoring a simple and fast daily practice that can work wonders for the body and mind.
One surprising way to promote natural health and wellness across the life span is to take a few moments each day to perform a foot/body massage for the especially for the elderly.
Health Benefits of Foot and Body Massage
Foot/Body massage therapy techniques helps stimulate nerves, especially in the palm of your hand and bottom of your foot. Each of these nerves branches off to different organs and glands in your body.
There are various ways good body massage can help improve you overall health. They include alleviating headaches, cold symptoms, stress, reduce fat accumulation and many other daily inconveniences all through a simple massage, yet so many do not reckon with body massage as a healthy way.
1. Foot Massage Promotes Mental Health and Wellness
A daily foot massage can help keep the psychological aspects of your health in balance.
According to a 1999 study performed by a team of researchers from the University of Hertfordshire and published in the Intensive and Critical Care Nursing journal, a five-minute foot massage served to bring about relaxation to critical care patients, helping to reduce their general stress levels and measurably reducing blood pressure and heart rate.
Further research conducted in 2013 by Australian researchers from Griffith University found that participants with a high-stress, demanding job felt reduced anxiety levels and improvement in mood following a 10-minute foot massage.
2. Foot Massage Serves as a Natural Pain Relief
Foot massage can also provide relief from pain, and not only pain in the feet.
A 2004 study published in the Pain Management Nursing journal, performed by researchers from the Indiana University School of Nursing, found that post-operative patients reported a greater reduction in their pain symptoms following a massage of the feet or hands than those who used pain medication alone
3. Foot/ Massage can Reduce High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
High blood pressure is another common illness that science has shown to be improved by body massage
Further research conducted by Dr. Jesus Manzanares, a Spanish medical doctor and practitioner of reflexology, found that hypertensive patients receiving a massage protocol specifically targeted at reducing blood pressure (versus the placebo group) had symptom improvement that was significant enough.
4. Foot Massage for Relief of PMS symptoms
Many women across the world suffer from intolerable PMS symptoms each month, including bloating, mood changes and cramping.
Behavioral Medicine found that women who underwent reflexology—including foot massage—reported reduced PMS symptoms as compared with the other group.
5. Foot Massage for Swollen Legs
The term edema refers to the retention of fluids in the body. Sometimes it can be normal to have a bit of swelling in your legs, for example, after a day spent standing or sitting, or during pregnancy.
However, leg and ankle swelling, also known as peripheral edema, can also signal that there is an underlying issue that might need some attention and treatment.
Let us not always resort to medication when a simple foot or body massage with a good essential oil can do the job.
To be continued
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