Sole-ful healing

Are you willing to pay to experience pain? Before you start thinking naughty and kinky, we’re actually referring to people’s willingness to suffer some pain by going through a foot reflexology session.

"I don’t mind the pain because it relieves me of my ailments," says Fortunato Eusebio who, along with his wife Lucy and 11-year-old son Rowell, regularly visits Harmony Therapy Centre in Greenhills for his foot treatment. A diabetic, Eusebio has been a foot reflexology fan for 17 years and testifies to its effectiveness.

Foot reflexology is said to have been in existence for the last 3,000 years in China and Egypt. Simply put, its goal is to detoxify the body by increasing blood flow to different organs of the body. In other words, it improves blood circulation and allows nutrients to be dispersed all over the body efficiently. It also takes waste products or toxins to the kidneys and expels them from the body through the normal elimination process. According to Harmony Therapy Centre owner Jamby Madrigal, the feet are the map of the body in that the organs have corresponding pressure points in the feet and if manipulated or massaged could bring relief to the affected organ.

"It’s not miracle medicine. Foot reflexology only allows the body to do its natural work, which is to heal itself," says Jamby who stumbled upon the wonders of foot reflexology five years ago in Singapore where she was healed of her stomach ailment by popular policeman-turned-actor-turned-foot reflexologist Desmond Sim. Sim, along with his two other brothers, know only too well the benefits of the healing method. Twenty-two years ago, their mother was diagnosed with nose cancer and was given only a year to live. Daily foot reflexology treatments cured their mom of her ailment.

This kind of treatment, adds Jamby, is meant to complement western medicine so doctors need not react adversely to such healing techniques. "We are willing to work with open-minded doctors so we could improve the patients’ chances of getting healed," says Jamby, adding that they have had doctors certifying of patients’ myoma or cysts shrinking after undergoing foot reflexology treatments while not abandoning modern medicine altogether, but without undergoing invasive surgery either.

According to people having this particular "foot fetish", foot reflexology offers relief from various kinds of illnesses including, headaches, insomnia, skin problems, diabetes, respiratory ailments, weight and thyroid problems, heart diseases, backaches and rheumatism, arthritic pains, high or low blood pressure, prostate problems, strokes, liver disorders... the list goes on. There have been testimonials from several patients about the wonders of the treatment. Cherry T., for instance, was about to undergo surgery to remove her myoma measuring 3.5 mm. After getting a three times a week reflexology treatment for two months, doctors found out that her myoma had shrunk to 1.8 mm. She is continuing with her therapy and is convinced that she will be cured. Another patient, Trinity, wrote that the sessions helped ease her dysmenorrhea and irregular menstruation, as well as constipation. "After a few treatments, my monthly period has become regular and they are not painful anymore. My bowel movement is back to normal and I also sleep better and my headaches have lessened."

It seems that the treatment is also getting to be popular with men having decreased libido. "Yes, it seems they’ve seen some improvement in that aspect of their lives," she smiles. She adds that this treatment, coupled with a healthy diet and lifestyle, can effectively reduce the occurrence of diseases among Filipinos. "Most of us are leading stressful lifestyles and having preventive treatments could easily relieve us of our most common aches and pain," she says.

Harmony Therapy Centre manager Damien Maillard stresses that foot reflexology is not – and shouldn’t be compared to – ordinary foot massage or foot spas. Unlike the latter, a true-blue reflexology session doesn’t involve putting globs of fragrant cream on the feet and lightly – even superficially – rubbing the feet. "Such kinds of feet pampering are a dime a dozen. We go one step further than that. Foot reflexology is more than just a beauty treatment; it’s a healthier alternative," he says.

"We have good quality therapy and not just those run-of-the-mill massages. We won’t even dare describe in words what our clients feel while having the session. It’s something you can’t describe, but something you just have to feel," Madrigal says.

Upon entering the inner sanctum of the center located at the McKinley Arcade of the Greenhills Shopping Center (tel. nos. 705-1649 and 705-1215), one is taken to a room where one’s tired feet are cleaned with tea tree oil – a natural disinfectant says Maillard – and lightly rubbed in preparation for the real McCoy. Then one is guided to the main therapy room where male physical therapists (the center has 15 all-male therapists) are ready to clear out the so-called "crystals" – lumpy grains that are said to be the result of congestion and deposits in the body that haven’t been cleared away – found at the soles of the feet. Getting rid of these grains through rubbing and compression could be painful, which signifies that there’s something wrong with the body. Or the feet could feel tender or could have a different color. All this tells the therapist about a specific disorder of a corresponding organ. One is given a diagnostic card where the therapists could record their impressions and recommendations. After the one-hour session (with an extra back rub and head massage to boot), the patient is made to drink a glass of water. This is to facilitate the elimination of the toxins in the body.

According to Edwin Tamayo, a physical therapist graduate, it was difficult at first to learn about this healing method as it’s no joke massaging an average of eight sets of feet a day. This would often result in callouses on the therapists’ fingers. "But Desmond Sim taught us well. During our training, we would give him foot reflexology so he’d know if we’re doing it right," says Tamayo who adds that he is convinced that reflexology, if used side by side modern medicine, could help people a great deal.

The trick says Madrigal is, regularity. "Certainly, prevention is better than cure and this is what a lot of Filipinos ignore," she says. According to her, most clients after the first session don’t come back on a regular basis. At times, it takes them a long time to come back for their succeeding sessions and this defeats the purpose of the whole treatment. Ideally, a patient is requested to come two to three times a week until the ailment has improved, if not disappeared. For maintenance, once-a-week sessions are recommended.

"It’s probably the Filipinos’ ‘bahala na’ attitude that keeps them from seeing the importance of having regular treatments. They only seem to do something when they’re already sick. They want to live their lives to the ‘fullest’ and will face the problem later," she adds. Now, if only foot reflexology could remedy that..