As funny as it sounds, every ache you have does not necessarily mean taking a pill to get rid of it. Sometimes it’s as easy as simply rubbing your foot. It’s called “reflexology”…and it works!
If you read here often enough you know I sometimes share things that relate to life outside of sports, even with matters relating to the body and how it works.
For instance, a couple of years ago when my cholesterol was high I went on an oatmeal eating binge. And guess what? It lowered my cholesterol, just like the commercials said. I’ve been eating it ever since.
I’ve also had sinus headaches for years. Like people with rheumatism, I can predict when crummy weather is on the way just by the way my head feels.
But several years ago I happened onto a chiropractor from Columbus who shared with me that a lot of daily aches and pains – like headaches – have a very natural outlet for relief without Advil…if you only know where to look.
He showed me the art of reflexology, and a chart – information about the body’s nervous system and the nerve endings for various organs that are located in where else…but your feet!
“You don’t need to take a pill,” said Dr. Howard Oakley. “Take your shoe off and I’ll show you. If you have a sinus headache rub this spot on your foot, and in fifteen minutes it’ll go away…if that’s what’s indeed wrong.”
I never forgot that, and from time to time over the years I’ve done exactly what he showed me. And more, I’ve shared it with many people, many who told me later that it helped with their issues. This weekend, with Saturday and Sunday’s weather, what Howard Oakley showed me back then brought me relief within minutes.
If you look at the pictured chart of pressure points in the body, you’ll see that the nerve endings from your sinueses are located in the the tips of your toes. An if you have a sinus headaches those points on your feet are going to be especially sensitive if you press on them. And Sunday, WOW!
What you do…is just press with your thumb and finger on those points, causing pressure, and yes, there’ll be some pain. But the longer your press the less the pain becomes, and son of a gun…in about ten minutes my headache was gone.
Likewise, if you look at the chart you’ll see points for other parts of the body. And here’s another trick. If you take an empty pop bottle and put on the floor, then put your foot on it (arch of your foot over the bottle), and roll it back and forth for fifteen minutes, you’ll be surprised at the results – for neck, brain, stomach, and other bodily organs that cause you stress without your knowing about it. It really works.
I know it sounds goofy, and I know you won’t find it on ESPN.com . But I’m telling you, from my own experience…if your head aches from sinus inflammation and stress, you may not want to take a pill.
Laugh all you want…but you might just want to rub your foot!
