Healthy Energy

Good morning, beautiful souls. 🤎🍂

And just like that, we've arrived at the first day of October.

A new month.
A fresh page.
Another quiet reminder that life keeps changing, and somehow, so do we.

Maybe September taught you something.
Maybe it took something from you.
Maybe you laughed more than you expected or cried tears nobody knew about.
Maybe you spent the month simply trying to find your footing.

Whatever September was for you, you made it here.

So walk gently into October.

Let this be the month you stop rushing what needs time.
The month you protect your peace without explaining it.
The month you notice the little things—the cooler mornings, changing leaves, warm cups, long drives, unexpected laughter, and people who make ordinary days feel a little more special.

Make room for new memories while still honoring the ones your heart carries.

You don't need to have everything figured out on October 1st.

Just take the next day as it comes.

Thirty-one little opportunities to live, love, heal, grow, laugh, begin again... and maybe become a little more yourself along the way.

Good morning, October.

Please be gentle with us. 🍂🤎✨

— Thoughts That Linger 🤍

🌍👣 WORLD REFLEXOLOGY WEEK — CELEBRATING REFLEXOLOGY 👣🌍

To celebrate World Reflexology Week, here is a brief look at the history of this popular complementary therapy and how it has developed around the world.

👣 From ancient traditions to modern practice

Foot and hand massage have been used in many cultures for centuries. However, modern Western Reflexology began developing in the early 20th century.

American physician Dr William H. Fitzgerald introduced ZONE Therapy, based on ten longitudinal zones of the body. His work was later developed by Dr Joe Shelby Riley.

Physiotherapist Eunice Ingham then focused particularly on the feet. During the 1930s, she developed detailed foot maps and published Stories the Feet Can Tell in 1938. Her teaching helped shape the reflexology practised by many practitioners today.

🌎 A global complementary therapy

Through books, teaching and professional training, Reflexology spread internationally. Today, it is practised in private clinics, wellness centres and spas, and is also used in some supportive healthcare settings.

🔬 Research continues

Research has explored reflexology’s possible role in relaxation, stress, anxiety, pain, fatigue, sleep and quality of life.

Reflexology is a complementary therapy that supports relaxation and wellbeing and is not intended to diagnose or treat disease or replace medical care.

World Reflexology Week is an opportunity to celebrate the profession, share responsible information and recognise the importance of therapeutic touch, relaxation and wellbeing.

Happy World Reflexology Week! 🌍 👣 💙

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please note: Historical portraits in this graphic are AI-generated illustrations used for visual representation.

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😴👣 Better sleep may be just a reflexology session away.
A new randomized clinical trial found that foot reflexology was more effective than a mechanical foot massage at improving:
💚 Sleep quality
💚 Insomnia symptoms
💚 Mental and physical fatigue
💚 Heart rate variability (HRV), a measure associated with a healthy, balanced nervous system
Researchers also observed an increase in parasympathetic ("rest and repair") activity following manual reflexology (IYKYK 😁)
While more research is always welcome, these findings add to the growing body of evidence supporting reflexology as a complementary, non-pharmacological approach to promoting sleep and overall well-being.
Read abstract here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42537947/
🔎 Want to support your sleep? Find your Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist (RCRT™) today!
Visit ReflexologyCanada.org

A good message. Self care is so important!! Thanks to Kim Richards for my reflexology session this week❤️

Have you ever noticed yourself taking a long, deep breath during reflexology, even though you weren’t consciously trying to?

At the beginning of a session, your breathing may still be quite quick or shallow. As you become comfortable, feel less distracted and realise that nothing is expected of you for the next while, it may begin to soften naturally.

When we are busy, worried or rushing, the body can remain in a more alert state. As we begin to relax, the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system becomes more active. This is the part associated with rest, recovery and settling after stress.

Reflexology gives you a period of stillness, supportive touch and focused attention, away from phones, jobs and everyday demands. For some people, that environment makes it easier to unwind, and a change in breathing may simply be one of the ways that relaxation shows itself. Some studies have recorded changes in heart-rate variability following foot reflexology or foot massage, suggesting possible short-term changes in autonomic activity.

As reflexologists, we often notice the moment a client releases a long breath or lets out a little sigh. We don’t see it as something they need to make happen. It is simply a lovely sign that they may be feeling more comfortable and allowing themselves to settle.

Not everyone’s breathing changes, and there is no “correct” way to respond to a treatment. Some people become very still, some chat for a while, and others take most of the session to properly relax. All of that is completely normal.

You don’t need to concentrate on your breathing or try to switch off. Just get comfortable and let your body find its own pace. 💜