How to find a qualified Reflexology practitioner wherever you go.

If you are reading this, I know you are serious about Reflexology. You know the difference between the foot rub and a real Reflexology session. Very often I am asked how to find a real Reflexologist in other parts of the country for your friends and family. Here is my advice:

1. First you ask around, as word-of-mouth is the best referral. Then you do your homework.

2. Check if the practitioner has a full listing here www.arcb.net - American Reflexology Certification Board,  an independent certification agency with strict adherence to the standards of the Reflexology profession.

3. Check for Continuing Education Units - CEUs, Experience and Membership in Professional Associations. The ARCB requires 12 CEUs every two years and it lists certificants in good standing on its site www.arcb.net

4. Another good resource for serious local reflexologists are national and state association. You will find the listing by State here www.reflexology-usa.org. Association members are concerned with the professionalism and advancement of reflexology, as well as protection of public health and safety.

5. You may see a current  professional liability insurance certificate in the office of a serious practitioner.

 If you are looking for a reflexologist in New Hampshire, North Dakota, Tennessee or Washington, then a person should have a current State License. Our Connecticut State does not have Reflexology State Licensure laws on the books.

Reflexology is a unique therapy that should be administered by a Certified Reflexologist, such person has completed unique Reflexology-specific training (typically 200-300 hours in the USA). According to the standards of most state and national reflexology associations along with the national certification board, this training must include classroom instruction on techniques for the feet, hands and ears, application of different protocols for particular body systems or particular pathologies. as well as learning anatomy, physiology, professional standards and ethics.

It also requires a completion of a minimum 100 documented practical sessions and it teaches how to keep session notes. The National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) defines reflexology as a separate therapy. True reflexology is performed only on the reflex maps of the body located on the feet, hands and outer ears and it is different than massage or acupressure techniques. Also be aware that there’s a recent trend offering online training in reflexology.

Learning to locate reflexes on different individuals and modulation of pressure, etc., cannot be taught online.

From time to time I hear the horror stories of feeling unwell from the so called “Reflexology” performed by an untrained person. Foot rubs at the strip malls/nail salons are not qualified to be called Reflexology, even if they advertised as such.

Expect the fee for your real Reflexology healing session to be higher than the price for a salon foot rub.  It may be between $60 and $150 per session, depending on area of the country and the length of the session. This difference reflects education, experience and proper certification of a qualified Reflexology practitioner.  So, my advice is: do not risk your health and waste your money on false ads and claims.

Be more concerned about your health than your wallet in such case! 

In my 17 plus years of actively practicing professional Reflexology, I have performed over 20,000 sessions. This number does not include countless sessions on friends and family outside of work.  So be bold, ask about the number of client sessions in the practitioner experience - not necessarily the number of years of work. This will insure you’re working with a truly experienced reflexologist.

If all these steps are too much for you, I am happy to do them for you. You know, where to find me. :)

Moving Announcement: New Greenwich Location

For all my Greenwich clients:

Starting March 7th my Greenwich practice will be in a new location: 7 Lincoln Ave, 2nd floor. I was invited to join Backcountry Wellness Center and accepted the offer with delight.  The new location is right in the center of Greenwich, between Milbank Avenue and Mason Street, with plenty of parking around the building, and free parking on the street after 2 pm. 

I trust you will like it. I look forward to meeting with the new health care practitioners there, and most importantly to being of continuing healing service to you in this new place. My phone number remains the same 203-968-6824.

I will continue to refer you to my colleagues at the Lotus Wellness Center on Pemberwick Rd, especially to Robin Spiegel, LMT.  Her therapeutic massages  and wonderful workshops offer tremendous value.

Easy + Nice Way to Clean the Air in Your Living/Sleeping Space

If you have been in my house, you've noticed, that I have plenty of houseplants. I love them. I share them with those of you, who cares to have their own. I receive them from some of you, as holiday gift. Best gift ever. Thank you!

 It is so easy to grow your houseplants. It is rewarding as well. The common houseplants absorb indoor toxins and add humidity to the air. This in turn may help you to save on HVAC bills. Also they really are best decorating touch, that keeps giving year after year. Here are some of the best plants to choose from, just for you:

• Boston Fern- Removes formaldehyde and components of car exhaust. Needs regular feeding and care. 
• Dwarf Date Palm- Very good at removing formaldehyde. Thrives in temperatures ranging from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Easy to care for. 
• Rubber Plant- Good at removing formaldehyde. Grows well in low light conditions.
• Peace Lily- Removes formaldehyde and VOCs from cleaning products. Prefers low light conditions. Humidifies the air.
• Snake Plant- Removes benzene, formaldehyde. Does not need friequent watering. 
• English Ivy- Removes formaldehyde. Does well in low light conditions. 
• Lady Palm- Targets ammonia. 
• Golden Pothos- Removes formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and benzene. 
• Spider Plant- Targets airborne formaldehyde and benzene, thrives in hang basket next to a sunlit window

Boston Fern

Dwarf Date Plant

Rubber Plant

Peace Lily

Spider Plant

English Ivy

Lady Palm

Golden Pothos

Spider Plant

Reflexology For Headaches

I rarely have headaches. That is my genetic luck and may I say so, my lifestyle choices.

The last two headaches I had were so terrible and memorable, they are worth sharing with you.

On August 2, 2014 my beloved cat Dr. Chipper passed on after being with us for almost 20 years. He took his last breath  while I was away from home for 40 minutes. The previous two weeks I  nursed him with  IV, wrapped him in far infrared blanket and enticed him to recover with  gentle whispers in his ears. I hardly left the house. He slipped away in Nicholas' presence, not giving me a chance to say my last “good byes”. I was totally devastated.

The left side of my head was throbbing with persistent cadence for 48 hours since I learned the news. It became so unbearable that my doctor friend  advised me to go the Emergency Room. Four hours and head MRI later, the nurse suggested that I take Extra Strength Tylenol.  Apparently, I was deficient ;) in it.  Headache was gone, the grief for Dr. Chipper is still with me, although I used my powerful Peppermint essential oil and self -help Reflexology.

The second memorable headache hit me this February, the 9th - first serious snow storm this year.  All day I had relentless pounding on the back of my head. This time I was not Tylenol deficient, I tried two pills - no relief. What helped me is a Reflexology session by my husband's  loving hands and a cold compress on the back of my head.

Here is how Nicholas worked on my feet:

With his thumbs he rubbed and probed and caressed the fleshy parts of my big toes. Starting with my right foot, then the left, then both big toes simultaneously, then each and every toe pad - all ten of them. No cream, just intuitive pushing, pulling, rolling, thumb walking - 15 minutes the most. He helped me to get to some senses. I touched the back of my less throbbing  head - it was warmer on a right side. I put the ice pack on it. Dr. Dexter planted his warm body by my belly and we went to a deep sleep. I woke up in 3 hours to my normal chirpy self.

The takeaway:

If the headache hits you, start with essential oils, Peppermint is best in my clinical opinion. Find the pair of loving hands, if I am not near you, let them work your toes and your fingers for this matter. Ask me the next time and I will demonstrate these techniques. They are easy to learn and perform,  I promise.

The Four Truths

The Four Truths

As many of you know, we were away for two weeks in Tucson,  Arizona at The Creative Health Solutions Clinic. It's run by anti-aging health coach and Jing Master Truth Calkins. He is a renowned health and wellness expert on the West Coast.  His successful practice developed while he was working at Erewhon Natural Foods Market, where he ran the Tonic Bar.

Truth's approach to health maintenance is rooted in four principles.

• Healthy Eating
• Exercises
• Supplements + Herbs
• Health Technologies

Truth Number 1: Healthy Eating

No brainer, right? But what is healthy eating? What diet do you follow?  I do not like the  word diet, btw.  Truth suggests a simple rule: 60% raw (which includes salads, vegetable  juices, blended soups), 40%  cooked (quality animal proteins and steamed veggies). The goal here is to get into KETOSIS. This fancy new word means abandon the sugars altogether and get your energy from  ketones produced in the liver from the fat, ether plant or animal based. Hello olives, avocados, sesame seed butter, pumpkin seed oil, organic chicken/beef, veal, soaked chia and golden flax seeds, fish oil, sardines and anchovies,  gee, highly worshipped coconut butter, bone broth to list a few here.  Good Bye fruits, all of them, starchy veggies, beans, legumes, good bye my beloved potatoes. Red skin potatoes are allowed occasionally, although in a very small doses. This ketogenic way of getting your energy from fat, not glucose will deliver you  into anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, colon healthy, lean muscled body we all dream of.  Truth  also teaches "Body Ecology Diet" way of eating.  So  adding raw cultured probiotic food to each meal is a must.  There are a few cultured  probiotic food you can buy at the stores, or online and certainly you can make your own. I can share the  recipe for home made raw sauerkraut,  just ask me.

My fave at The Whole Foods  is Inner Eco Coconut probiotic Kefir,  Veggie Delight Light Zing Salad from Rejuvenate Foods and Ozuke citrus & ginger kraut from Mrs. Green's Natural Market.  

Pure, structured - Vitalized water is a necessary  part of healthy eating.  See my previous blog on the  Vitalizer.  Since then I added  counter top Reverse Osmosis unit called  AquaTru™. I will be happy to show it to you, when you come next time.  Actually, you will be drinking the amazing water I make for you using all my water devices.

There are plenty books on the subject of healthy eating and benefits of cultured foods. Here are some links  below.  As soon as Truth Calkins website  is live, you will get his link.

Recommended Tools

Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates   Purchase here. 

KetoClarity by Jimmy Moore, Eric Westman, MD  Purchase here.

Vitalizer Plus Oxygen Water Maker  Purchase here. 

AquaTru™ Water Revolution  Purchase  http://www.aquatruwater.com/?aid=22427

http://www.rejuvenative.com

Truth Number 2: Exercises

Simple daily exercises include 30 to 60 minutes of rebounding and 15 minutes doing Five Tibetan Rites. Hiking, running or biking  will be a great benefit to  daily activity for many of you. We need to move more, sit less. You probably heard me saying: " Move your movables"

You have seen my living room sporting cool exercise equipment. Three times a week you will find me at The LifeCycle Studio riding Real Ryder bike. I also take three daily walks with Dr. Dexter adding up to my "Move the movables".  And after our trip to Truth's center  Rebounding and Tibetan Rites are new addition to the morning routine. Do as I say and do, right? 

Rebounding or exercising on mini-trampoline was endorsed by NASA as the best exercise invented by man. Truth recommends Bellicon brand,  44" frame with soft bands, instead of metal springs. You can burn 350 calories in 30 min., using all muscle groups, improve your balance and flexibility, even watch favorite show doing it. We are in the process of replacing our old metal spring rebounder with the Bellicon brand.

Five Tibetans are five yogic dynamic poses repeated 21 times each. The main documented benefits  are  improved energy and activation of anti-aging process.

Recommended Tools

"The Five Tibetans" by Christopher S. Kilham  Purchase here.

One of the many "Youtube" demos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVmhHjkHYjk

https://www.bellicon-usa.com

Truth Number 3: Supplements and Herbs

Big subject!   Do you supplement your food intake  with vitamins and minerals or not?  Do you add  herbs to the protocol, or not?

It is a personal decision for each one of you. I advocate using them wisely and consistently for the best results. I always suggest to consult with a professional on the need, brand, quantity and duration. Not all supplements/herbs created equal.  

And everyone's needs are  different. There are several supplements although, that proven to be of outmost benefit to everyone.  In my previous newsletter we discussed them and listed them for you in Fullscript- my virtual dispensary- under the tab "Minimum 4." 

Today I am introducing additional two natural compounds derived from food, that I take daily, to support my immune system and promote anti-aging, of course.

Modifilan -  dehydrated and powdered seaweed Laminaria. Read more about Modifilan here.  

AHCC (active hexose correlated  compound) superfood, produced from Shiitake mushroom, grown in rise bran extract. It is known as  Japanese Medicinal Mushroom Immune  Enhancer. This time-tested superfood became widely accepted treatment in Japan for autoimmune and life threatening diseases along with its noted  ability to relieve unpleasant side effects of many chemotherapy drugs ( not my case, hope not yours ether).  Since it is a natural compound, you can get it without prescription, yay! Here are some conditions,  that AHCC is proven to be very effective: chronic pain, diabetes, cardiovascular, stress, infections, inflammations due to acute injuries, exposure to toxic chemicals and cancer.

The book that I list for you below provides three pages of references to the studies. Good read, if you want to learn more on AHCC. 

Recommended tools:

AHCC - Active Hexose Correlated Compound by Dan Kenner: Purchase here.

You can purchase AHCC on  Fullscript here.

Truth Number 4: Health Technologies: Electromagnetic Medicine

My particular interest in these technologies may be explained by my first education with my MS in Engeneering -  Knowing,  that everything is energy and all energy is electromagnetic in nature.   Science has proven that all cells in our  our body actually project their own magnetic field and  all 70 trillion cells  communicate via electromagnetic frequencies.  Nothing happens in the body without an electromagnetic exchange. When the electromagnetic activity  ceases, life ceases.  So it is easy to understand the long history of electromagnetic medicine and its widely used  diagnostic machinery in addition to the invention of the  electromagnetic devices, that  help to promote  healing and longevity.

There are several such devices that I offer to you  along with hands-on Reflexology/Reiki healing: Far Infra Red compact mat, Far Infra Red SOQI bed, Bio-Medici Magnetic Pulser, Chi Machine, Zapper.

 After spending time with Truth in Arizona I added two new devices to this list.  All devices can be easily combined with hands-on treatment, or used on its own.  

First introductory session is FREE for you, after that it is billed at $60/hour.

Photon Genie

"Photon Genie is the result of decades of research and development,  innovating and advancing the concepts of Tesla, Rife, Abrams and Lakhovsky.  Ed Skilling  used   proprietary processing of full-spectrum energy and infinite harmonics with “Skilling Advanced Electronics” to promote restoration of cell functions and cell  regeneration.  Photon Genie application re-establish harmonic energy program of each cell, organ, system of the body. It devitalizes  pathogens, thus reducing infections, while slowing and reversing the disease process, breaking up mineral deposits thru repolorazing cells  and lastly detoxifying body by moving and balancing lymphatic and circulatory systems.

To read more click here

The SOTA Magnetic Pulser

This compact unit offers the benefits of 6,000 Gauss strong pulsed magnetic field to help balancing your body's natural electromagnetic field. Pulsed Electro Magnetic Fields influence cell behavior by inducing electrical changes around and within the cell. Improved blood supply increases the oxygen pressure, activating and regenerating cells. Improved calcium transport increases absorption of calcium in bones and improves the quality of cartilage in joints, decreasing pain dramatically.  Acute and even chronic pain, also caused by arthritis and osteoporosis, may disappear completely.

Here is the link to the demo on this unit. 

Necessary Disclaimer: The information provided  here is not medical advice and the products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Readers are encouraged to obtain the help, services and recommendations of doctors and other licensed medical practitioners.