The Barefoot Dragonfly

It's graduation day for @sarahehilbert 🥳 She's just sat for her written and practical examinations and is wrapping up her case studies up in Abilene. Can't wait to see where reflexology takes her! 👣🌎
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It's👂 and ✋ Reflexology Practicum time! We're on day three, translating the skills we have developed in foot reflexology to the reflex maps of the hands and ears. 😎
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Motherwort - tough love in times of need ❤ - Late Spring eNews - https://mailchi.mp/ef5ef77c1d7a/motherwort

Large genetic study confirms link between brisk walking and slower aging

The health benefits of walking have been shown in many studies over the years but this recent study suggests brisk walking paces can slow the aging process by sixteen years compared to slow paced walking. 👣

Large genetic study confirms link between brisk walking and slower aging Research continues to demonstrate the ways a more active lifestyle can combat some of the effects of aging, including the onset of heart damage, memory loss and cognitive impairment. Adding to this pool of knowledge is a new study detailing the relationship between walking pace and biological age,.....

Last year's yarrow harvest coming to the rescue for a hot, itchy, painful case of shingles. 🔥

Covid-19 vaccines don't affect success of fresh embryo transfer IVF

“Those facing infertility worry about taking any action that may negatively affect reproduction,” says Sigal Klipstein, a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Committee on Ethics. “Studies such as this one provide reassurance that vaccination has no detrimental effects on pregnancy outcomes in this group of people.”

Covid-19 vaccines don't affect success of fresh embryo transfer IVF Pregnancy rates were the same regardless of vaccination status for people undergoing fresh embryo transfer IVF treatment

39 Strawberry Recipe Ideas for a Sweet and Juicy Summer

Picked the first strawberries of the season from the garden yesterday! I've got my eye on the Peanut Butter & Warm Strawberry Jam Quinoa Bowl recipe. 😋🍓

39 Strawberry Recipe Ideas for a Sweet and Juicy Summer Strawberry recipes for when you have the patience to do something other than just bite right into them over the sink

Baby Dove | Under Pressure | Postpartum

Baby Dove | Under Pressure | Postpartum Postpartum pressures affect 7 out of 10 moms.*The emotional rollercoaster of motherhood puts incredible pressure on moms, and while awareness of issue is rel...

{Foot Health Friday} Do ionic foot baths "detox" the feet? Ontario researchers put the machines to the test and reported their findings in the November 2012 issue of the Journal of Environmental Public Health. Here's what they found:
"In this proof-of-principle study we found no evidence to suggest that ionic footbaths help promote the elimination of toxic elements from the body through the feet, urine, or hair. While unlikely to cause harm or result in any increased uptake, the use of ionic footbaths may release minute quantities of PTEs into the aqueous environment."
The PTEs, or Potentially Toxic Elements, that were released into the foot soaking water included:
*aluminum
*antimony
*arsenic
*barium
*cadmium
*lead
*silver
*uranium
Read the full study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3228292/
Image from ebay

TFW your friend the acupuncturist comes for a reflexology session and gives you a treatment too. Thank you, Phyllis! 🥰☺️

Hysterectomy surgery is part of next week's reproductive health lesson for the reflexology students in Unit Four.

I like to start the discussion with some of the more common reasons folks may seek, or be recommended for, a hysterectomy:
🩸 Heavy uterine bleeding;
⚡️ Painful uterine cramping;
🎗️ Cancer of the uterus and/or cervix;
🍊 Uterine fibroids that can grow to the size of an orange or larger;
🔬 Endometriosis, a painful condition in which uterine tissues start growing outside of the uterus;
🏳️‍⚧️ Gender affirming surgery.

Half a million Americans undergo this surgical procedure every year, and some may not be aware that there are more alternatives treatments for common uterine conditions now than ever before. I advocate that clients seek out a provider that is attentive to their needs, concerns, and risks.

Among those risks are the long-term health challenges that can crop up in the years following a hysterectomy. The uterus plays important functions in multiple body systems and when it is removed there's an increased risk of developing:
🧠 Depression, cognitive disease;
❤️ Cardiovascular disease - including hypertension, coronary artery disease, and congestive heart failure;
🦵 Osteoporosis;
🎗️ Thyroid and bladder cancers;
💧 Urinary complications ranging from an increase in frequency and urgency to pain with urination and incontinence.

As the Unit Four students wrap up their studies and prepare to set out on their own I want them to feel prepared to comfortably navigate this important topic with their future case studies and eventual clients in their own communities. Reflexologists customize treatments according to the client sitting in front of them. Students are practicing active listening skills, drawing on their anatomy and physiology lessons, and developing their hands to recognize reflex areas that need a little more TLC as they work on classmates and case studies. What does a uterus reflex feel like after a hysterectomy? How do fibroids show up in a reflex? Which techniques would we use for either scenario? What areas of emphasis would we want to include in a treatment plan to address long-term risk factors following this surgery? 🦶

Out with the old, in with the new! I can't believe it's been six months since I built this Corsi-Rosenthal box. 😮

Thought y'all would appreciate the visual of the brand new filters on the left with the old filters on the right. 😝

This is one of two CR boxes helping to capture:
🐈 Cat hair and dander
🤧 Dust, mold, and pollen
🦠 Virus particles
Making the air we breathe so much cleaner!👃

This box lives downstairs, just off the studio, the second one is upstairs near the HVAC intake. I'm so grateful for Richard Corsi and Jim Rosenthal for helping us all be DIY engineers and reduce our risk of contracting airborne viruses. 🧑‍🏭

Wanna make one of your own? You'll need 4 MERV-13 furnace filters and a box fan. I'm using 20x20x2" filters but you can make them taller using 24x20x2". Google the Corsi-Rosenthal box for detailed instructions and don't forget the shroud on top for better air flow! 💨

In today's unit three practicum we added some new tools to our reflexology toolbag for the nervous and endocrine systems. The weather cooperated beautifully - songbirds and sunshine galore! 🐦☀️
Tomorrow we'll practice our new techniques then jump into the respiratory and cardiovascular system reflexes. 🫁🫀

Eat the Rainbow! What colors are you enjoying today for a healthy cardiovascular system?

{Anatomy in Action} In next month's lesson on the digestive and immune systems we'll be exploring the Omentum - a unique organ made of specialized adipose tissue that drapes like an apron over the abdominal cavity. One of the cool things about the Omentum that recent researchers have discovered is how it moves around the abdominal cavity repairing tissue, dealing with inflammation, and helping to restore lost blood supply to areas in distress. In this image you'll notice the Omentum in it's usual position, and in the lower images you'll see how it comes to the rescue of an inflamed appendix or a stomach ulcer. 😎

When we get together for our Module Four practicum at the end of March we'll use thumb and knuckle techniques to "walk" the Omentum reflex areas following our techniques over the alimentary canal reflexes. 👍🤛🦶

What is Reflexology? (It’s Not the Same as Foot Massage)

One of the challenges reflexologists face is in educating the general public on the differences between reflexology and a foot massage. Thumb and finger walking will feel a lot different from effleurage massage strokes. We also don't pummel folks like those shopping mall massage boots. Ha!

What is Reflexology? (It’s Not the Same as Foot Massage) While a foot massage can be very enjoyable, foot massage and reflexology are vastly different in many aspects, including definition, scope of practice and purpose.

These won't be turning into Meyer lemons 🍋 because the plant has been treated with pesticides per state law. So we have to wait a year before harvesting so we don't poison ourselves. 🤢 But right now I'm going to enjoy this heady aroma in my den before I pluck the blossoms off. 👃 Next year's lemons are gonna be sooo good! 😋

Lemon neroli isn't as magical as bitter orange neroli but if this platform had smell-o-vision I'd love to share it with you! I might pop a little earthy aromatic like patchouli or frankincense in this room to balance out the super floral punch. 💐 Are you a neroli fan or not so much?

Sole Purpose

The feet always tell stories about how we use our bodies and what areas we're holding stress patterns in. 🦶

"Observation, I learned, is a key component of reflexology. Practitioners observe their clients’ feet for tension patterns, irregularities, and even skin texture—all are clues to the deeper workings of the body."

Sole Purpose Reflexology aims to heal the body's ills by putting pressure on the feet. And the aftereffects just might tickle you.

When you're a reflexologist, but you're also a gardener, the clinic sheets turn into plant blankets. 😆🤷🥶🌱
What are you doing to protect your plant babies?

Breast Augmentation and Plastic Surgery: Rise and Risks

Women's health continues to be a challenging area where being *heard* is different than being talked at. Glad to see more traction with The Breast Implant Working Group so folks considering breast augmentation plastic surgery are given a more comprehensive picture of the risks and benefits.

Breast Augmentation and Plastic Surgery: Rise and Risks Plastic surgeries like breast augmentation and the Brazilian butt lift are on the rise, and with the proper information, patients can leave safe and satisfied. Still, regulations may struggle to enforce informed consent for the many women going under the knife.