Reflexology and High Blood Pressure: The Research

- by Theresa Klepper

Reflexology and lowering your blood pressure...the two don't seem like they'd be related. I'm here to explain how they go hand-in-hand. There are so many factors affecting blood pressure - diet, stress levels, genetics etc. How can you help yourself out of a lifestyle that is overly dependant on medication?  How can you help your body regulate blood pressure? The answer is Reflexology.

Many people wonder what Reflexology is. For those who are curious, the next question is, how the does it work? Reflexology is specific and effective. Each condition has been divided up into “problem areas.” When working on the foot, we address the group of points that will help the specific condition. You can’t just press a point over here and expect it to affect something over there. It has to be the specific point that’s linked to a specific organ. Each ailment requires a distinct treatment plan and session.

Dr. Jesus Manzanares, MD from Spain, has performed several fascinating research projects on Reflexology. His main focus has been to demonstrate how touching a reflex on the foot communicates to a specific body system or organ. When this type of research was performed on High Blood Pressure patients, the results were absolutely astonishing.

There are several studies that illustrate how Reflexology affects HBP, however this specific one by Dr. Manzanares caught my eye. The study consisted of 54 people, 34 females and 20 males. The subjects were divided into four groups. The groups were formed based on their medications. Group 1 took Enalapril. Group 2 took Enalapril plus a diuretic. Group 3 took Propranolol and Group 4 took no medications, only dietary guidelines. Each of these groups was then divided into two subgroups, a and b.

Two protocols were created. The Placebo Protocol worked on areas that do not affect High Blood Pressure. In this case it was the lungs, lumbar spine, and stomach. The High Blood Pressure Protocol worked on areas that do affect High Blood Pressure. These reflexes are the diaphragm, solar plexus, pituitary, adrenals, and kidneys.

“Subgroup a” received HBP protocol and “Subgroup b” received the Placebo Protocol. Therefore, each main group was cut in half and one of these halves received a placebo while the other half received the real deal. All of the groups received Reflexology twice a week for 10 weeks, for a total of 20 sessions. Each session was 5-10 minutes long.

After the 20 sessions had been completed, the patient’s blood pressure was measured. Groups 1a, 2a, 3a, and 4a were able to lower their blood pressure while also cutting their medication intake in half. The groups that received the Placebo Protocol were able to lower their intake of medication by the following percentages. Group 1b: 5%, Group 2b: 0%, Group 3b: 0%, Group 4b: 16%.

The results of this study demonstrate that High Blood Pressure is significantly helped by routinely receiving Reflexology. The patients who received the HBP Protocol were able to lower their medication intake while also maintaining normal blood pressure. More than this, the results also demonstrate that the diagrams and foot maps are significant and the corresponding areas actually do correspond. When you press a reflex point you are directly communicating to that organ via the nervous system. We can also gather that there is a set of points that will most effectively work together to address any ailment in the body.

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