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Archive for the ‘links’ Category

Learn Your Foot Type

Have you ever wondered if you have a low or normal arch? Here is a short video and easy to do at home test. Plus it can help you cool off on these warm days.

Runners World The Wet Test: Learn Your Foot Type

Don’t forget to take advantage of the good weather to get your feet some exercise barefoot in sand, water or grass.

Reflexology and Breast Cancer

Researchers at Michigan State University are finding that many women who are receiving chemotherapy while in the late stages of breast cancer are turning to a complementary therapy known as reflexology to help them cope.

In a pilot study, researchers from MSU’s College of Nursing tested three different complementary therapies – reflexology, guided imagery and reminiscence therapy, in which women recall times in their lives when they’ve met and overcome challenges. Of those three, reflexology proved to be the most effective.

here is more from that article about the benefits of reflexology to women suffering late stage breast cancer.

Women who are receiving chemotherapy for late-stage breast cancer face myriad physical and emotional issues. Reflexology – which is a specialized foot therapy that applies firm pressure to certain parts of the sole of the foot – helps women adjust better to their treatment. Reflexology can be used to support patients through treatment such as chemotherapy or for enhancing well-being for cancer-free individuals.

“We see things like a decrease in depression and anxiety, and improvements in spirituality and emotional quality of life,” Wyatt said. “Overall, they have an improved quality of life.”

We don’t really have a Western, scientific way of testing how this works. The mechanism is not clearly understood. But for us, we just measure the patient’s perception of change. Currently, there are no physiological measures,” she said.

Wyatt stressed the reflexology and other similar therapies are strictly complementary, to be used in conjunction with conventional health care.

“These supportive measures are intended to create a less stressful link for the patient to the treatment center,” Wyatt said. “Instead of dreading the next cancer treatment, patients are able to focus on the comfort measure that will be provided during treatment.”

Wyatt and colleagues are now embarking on a more detailed investigation into the value of reflexology in treating late-stage breast cancer patients. Using a National Institutes of Health grant of more than $3 million, they will more closely examine the benefits of reflexology in a controlled study.

original article here

Flat Feet

The controversy about flat feet continues. This article was brought to our attention by one of our members. It is a fascinating read about how we have conditioned ourselves that low or no arches is a bad thing, when in actuality it could be an advantage.

The Malinged Flat Foot: An Advantage-Source New York Times excerpts quoted from article

For years, the flat-footed have been warned that their lives would be plagued with pain and injury and doctors have tried using surgery and braces to correct the “deformity.” But after decades of derision, new research is showing that flat feet are perfectly functional and may even be an advantage in sports.

But doctors say that only a fraction of flat feet cause problems and that it is hard to predict which ones will be troublesome. For adults as well as children, most orthopedists now feel that flat-footed people should not limit their activities and do not need special treatment. They should seek medical assistance only if their feet are painful.