Aging Implications

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Chinese studies
Several recent Chinese studies address health issues that have received attention in the American press recently. (Note, Chinese literature includes a number of terms interchangeably with reflexology.)

Free Radicals

A preliminary study of 56 individuals with various diseases and a control group 20 healthy adults showed that "foot reflexomassage" (FRZ) had an effect on free radicals. Blood for testing was drawn before and after sessions. Sessions took place for 30 to 45 minutes, ten days in a row. The control group received three or four "strokes per contact." The treated group received "five to ten strokes."

The study showed that free radicals (FRs) were decreased and anti-oxidive enzymes were increased for both the study group and control group.

"In generalization, FRZ can decrease FRs, a factor causing many diseases, restore balance between production and removal of FRs, effectively reverse the malfunction of organs and systems, activate the reticuloendothelial system, fortify the immune ability, benefit the self-repairment, curing, functional restoration and rehabilitation of the body, promote the development, increase the mental ability, and delay the aging process. We also proved the value of blood antioxidation assessment in the evaluation of foot reflexo-massage." (Shouqing, Gui and Changlong, Zhang, "A Preliminary Study on the Mechanism of Foot Reflexo-Massage &emdash; Its Effect on Free Radicals," 1996 China Reflexology China Symposium Report, October 1996, pp. 128-135)

Cholesterol

Researchers found that reflexo-massage had a marked statistical effect on reducing cholesterol and mono-glyceride in patients with hyperlipemia. Blood tests showed that forty-one study subjects who received reflexo-massage dramatically reduced lipids as opposed to thirty-one individuals in the control group.

The test group received foot reflexo-massage sessions every day but the Sundays for two weeks as one course of treatment. (It is unknown how many courses of treatment subjects received.) Study subjects were followed over a two and one-half year period. The total rate of "obvious effect" was of 78.45%. Symptoms disappeared, markedly improved or improved for all but 2% to 3% of those in the study. Symptoms included headache, insomnia, palpitation, poor memory, hypertension, hypo-tension.

The authors' theory is that "There are abundant nerve fibers and blood capillaries on the surface of the foot skin. With foot reflexology the function of the nerve endings, blood capillaries and immune system were all strengthened, elasticity of the blood tube wall was increased, blood velocity of flow accelerated, blood circulation of the heart and the brain improved thus cholesterol will be reduced in the artery, fat metabolism bettered, the balance of producing and clearing of free radicals regained.… "This article shows that foot reflexology plus rational diet and physical exercise would be of great importance for people to prevent and treat hyperlipemia, atherosclerosis, heart coronary disease and stroke."

Gui Shou-qing, Xiao Xian-qing, Li Yuan-zhong, Fu Wan-yan, "Impact of the Massotherapy Applied to Foot Reflexes on Blood Fat of Human Body,"1996 China Reflexology Symposium Report, October, 1996, pp. 21-23

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