Salonaz Sami discovers the magic touch Reflexology is an established practice falling under the umbrella of alternative medicine. Google affords much -- doubtful -- information on the subject, but on the Internet as elsewhere, sources agree that this method of healing, also referred to as zone therapy, involves applying pressure to particular points on the feet, hands or ears, thus resolving some of the most common medical complaints. The idea is that the feet, hands and ears are encoded with maps of the entire body -- including the seven chakras, which in turn control various organs and functions. A worldwide phenomenon, reflexology remains the subject of much scepticism in the Arab world. According to reflexologist and yoga instructor Wafaa Metwalli, 38, "some people find it ridiculous to relieve pain through touching particular parts of the body." A sad irony, she says, considering that a form of reflexology was practised in ancient Egypt -- evidenced by physician Ankhmahor tomb paintings at Saqqara dating back to 233 BC; and it survived into more recent history as a special treatment for the rich. Ear, nose and throat specialist William Fitzgerald introduced the practice to the modern world in 1902. Metwalli explains that Fitzgerald was the first to rediscover the connection between applying pressure and relieving pain, but it was his assistant, Eunice D Ingham who identified the feet and hands as effective pressure centres, mapping the entire body into reflexes on the feet -- the point at which zone therapy was first referred to as reflexology. Today such pressure has been refined, and is often applied with reference to the chakras to regulate vital energy, also known as chi (Chinese), ki (Japanese) and parna (Indian). This energy, Metwalli adds, is present in every single cell; in many cases, it is a block in its flow that causes disorder -- this can be the result of smoking, drinking, stress, pollution, unhealthy diet and a host of other problems; pressure relieves such blockage. "By applying pressure to different reflex zones," she goes on, "energy in the corresponding part of the body is stimulated and self-healing facilitated. Reflexology simply activates and harmonises the natural healing process." Disease, she explains, is defined in terms of dis-ease. A session helps restore the natural sense of ease to bodily processes. During a session, pain can be experienced in the site of the complaint: "say, someone has come to me with a backache. While I apply pressure to the reflex centres on his hands and feet, he is likely to feel a stinging sensation in his back." It doesn't happen often but on some occasions, in addition, the release of toxins brought about by the pressure can result in perspiration, headache, nausea or the need to urinate. "More likely, a person will feel a slight drop in body temperature and a tingling sensation -- part of the positive cleansing process. It is temporary, unlikely to last for very long." Of all the root causes of energy imbalance, Metwalli contends, stress is among the riskiest: it drains the immune system, giving way to tension which can stiffen the neck and shoulders and cause headaches: "reflexology boosts energy levels immediately after treatment and for several days afterwards, not only does it relieve symptoms, but it also acts to improve the body as a whole, reducing the effects of stress and boosting immunity." In a recent study, 46 Korean women suffering from depression and weak immunity, 40-46 years old, who practised self-reflexology daily for six weeks after a two-week course, registered significant improvement not only in mood but equally in systolic blood pressure, stress levels and number of white blood cells. Metwalli says that inexpensive how-to guides will enable most people to practise self-reflexology effectively; in the Far East, indeed, socks are available with zone maps to enable instant location of reflex centres. While it helps with a wide range of medical complaints -- from hormonal imbalance to digestive problems -- reflexology, Metwalli insists, is no replacement for conventional medicine; it cannot be used to diagnose or treat illness by itself. Still, as an aid it is so helpful it can even contribute to the diagnosis of latent symptoms that emerge during a session. Both a course of treatment and the duration of a session vary according to constitution and complaint. "Each person is different," Metwalli says. "Some need more time than others." In most cases, a session lasts for an hour: it begins with a general consultation, because "we treat the person as a whole", before progressing onto a specific complaint. Nor is reflexology to be confused with foot massage, a "totally different" practice which, rather than inducing pain or tingling sensations with a view to releasing trapped energy, as reflexology does, simply results in a state of calm. Only the feet need to be exposed to the reflexologist, and there are no side effects to a session, though in certain cases -- a pregnant woman or a person with a fracture, for example -- extra care is required. A reflexologist will start by sanitising the feet, followed by the application of oil and powder before going to work; a good one should generate a relaxing atmosphere to facilitate the flow of energy. Metwalli feels that reflexology is but one way of paying attention to the body, the importance of which she repeatedly stressed: "the slightest pain means something -- it's your body talking to you, drawing your attention to something that might be wrong with it. The sooner you respond, the better able to deal with it you will be. If you ignore it, the chances are it will lead to greater problems."
