IT SEEMS THAT every man, woman and child these days is jumping on the 'alternative' bandwagon, seeking natural therapies to treat ailments.
Hong Kong has seen a steady increase in the number of people turning to reflexology in the past few decades. Lin Zhixiu, assistant professor in Chinese medicine, School of Chinese Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, believes the healing art has gained much of its popularity from the publicity generated by celebrities favouring the therapy.
According to professionals, most people use reflexology as a form of health preservation and stress relief. Tina Thomas, a qualified reflexologist who teaches at Frederique Academy and Spa, says many clients who try it as a form of relaxation have found that other problems start to disappear.
'Seventy-five per cent of illnesses are stress-related,' Ms Thomas says. 'The body helps to heal itself once the energy blockage is taken care of.'
According to reflexology theory, the surface and internal parts of the body have sensitive sensor receptives. When a stimulus is applied to the body surface, the impulse travels via nerve pathways to reach respective internal organs and tissues, thus inducing physiological changes in the body.
Reflexology is gaining acceptance by practitioners of conventional medicine, although research into its positive or negative effects are still in the early stages.
