Considering the size of the foot in relationship to the body that it supports, the foot is nothing short of a miracle says Santa Cruz Reflexologist JoAnne Tennant.
Literally creating balance, the feet tell a very personal story of health and well-being.
Our feet are our contact with the earth and the energies that flow through it according to Native American tradition.
Reflexology is the study of the feet and their relationship to a person's health.
With over 7,200 nerve endings in each foot (and each hand), the feet connect us to every aspect of our physical self.
The art and science of reflexology traces back to Egypt.
One of the earliest books to be written on reflexology was published in 1582 by two eminent European physicians, Dr. Adamus and Dr. A'tatis.
The method she taught came from the Chinese division of the foot into 10 zones known as zone therapy.
Massaging the nerve endings in the foot Ingham writes "helps dissolve congestion and restore healthy circulation.
She along with Hanne Marguardt and Walter Froneberg in Germany are recognized for systemizing the European form of reflexology presently taught throughout the world.
More than just a relaxing foot massage, reflexology offers health benefits to the whole body Tennant explains.
"The reflex-zones show up as pain when there is strain, weakness, damage or disease in the body part that the zone corresponds with.
A massage therapist with a background in graphic arts, Tennant has taken a serious interest in producing her own charts.
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