How can Reflexology help with everyday stresses

mindhamok welcomes Maciej Sedlak to talk about the benefits of reflexology on mind, body and health. This episode goes into detail on what reflexology is, how it is performed, which areas of the body it is performed on, what benefits it offers and talks about the science behind the practice of reflexology.  The interview is very informative although in a conversational tone and pleasant to listen to. Don't miss it if you want to find out alternative ways to support your health in today's chaotic environment. 

Everything around us is constantly changing, evolving, and as a species we are constantly evolving too – looking only at the past 4000 years we can see many structural and functional adaptations in our bodies but mostly behavioural  changes. The same process applies to Plant and Animal world.  We are constantly adapting to the environment that we live in, food that we eat, and we develop resistance to the diseases threatening our lives – this ability allows us to survive and continue to procreate.  

The fight or flight response is the most basic survival instinct with a very long evolutionary history. This mechanism evolved as a way for animals to become aware of any immediate danger and to act in such a way that it will be most likely to ensure their survival and essentially provide continuation to its kind. 

What has changed is the way we express it today or rather the many ways we learn to repress it. 

So let’s think about all the situations in your life that can cause you stress or anxiety ?

The exams, deadlines, work projects, job interviews, lectures, becoming redundant, unpaid mortgage, going on a date, going to doctors – not going to doctors out of fear, giving lectures, wedding planning, traffic jam, lost house keys, late delivery, exam resit, meeting your ex with a new partner during your Sunday walk, dealing with student, falling ill, uncertainty of the future, parking ticket and so on ..

How many times a day does your body tell you to run!? With the current lifestyle in our society- almost constantly.

The stress response is a complex process that we won’t go into in much detail. The takeaway is that the stressor activates the hypothalamus which then activates the pituitary gland. Pituitary gland then releases ACTH which is a hormone that stimulates production of cortisol in the adrenal glands. Cortisol enables the body to maintain a steady supply of blood sugar. It is worth noting that when this happens our immune system is suppressed. 

So when we are in a situation of stress, even subconsciously, we may be not aware of it on a superficial level, the body “thinks” that it’s in danger and the adrenal keeps on producing Cortisol - in result we stay in a state of constant alert and our immune system in simple terms - weakens. 

Effectively you may find yourself trying to fall asleep while your body is telling you to escape!

Effectively your body tells you to fight for your life and you instead put a smile on your face during a job interview. 

Prolonged production of cortisol accounts for: high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, weight gain, fatigue, intestinal problems, anxiety, depression, low libido, headaches and so on..

Therefore, we experience emotional, physical, cognitive and behavioural changes. We often think that these are “normal” but it is not. We are made to believe that it’s a standard where in fact the lifestyle we are currently pursuing is fairly young and very different to what our ancestors experienced. 

Reflexology is one of the oldest practices on Earth. It dates b

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