A woman’s health is the soil out of which all humanity grows. Enhancing a woman’s health fertilizes and replenishes this soil for everyone—men, women, children, plants, animals, and the planet itself.
– Dr. Christiane Northrup
As the bearers of life women are predisposed to give attention to that which nourishes the body. They are sensitive to Nature’s intelligence and drawn to non-chemical medicines because the mainstream Western approach provides painfully limited options for female related illnesses.
The widespread prescription of pain relief and birth control we see today is not a treatment for women’s problems but a means to control the body, to supress its symptoms. When we consider the body as an interconnected and inter-reliant ‘whole’ (rather than a machine composed of separate parts) the ingestion of chemicals on a regular basis may be detremental to the entire organism over time – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. The need for practical, affordable and powerful care is needed now more than ever.
Italian Facial Reflexology (Dien Chan Zone®) can help where allopathic medicine falls short at the level of recovery, maintenance and prevention of women’s health issues. I am constantly amazed by what it has to offer, particularly in the realm of hormone imbalance, and feel honoured to share instructions for women everywhere.
Amongst other benefits, with a little instruction anyone can learn how to:
1. Relieve and prevent menstrual pain
2. Treat hormonal skin conditions
3. Treat and prevent hormonal headaches
3. Regulate digestive imbalance
4. Support fertility rebalance
5. Recover from genital trauma and surgery
6. Treat menopausal symptoms
7. Regulate menstrual cycle
8. Recover from breast illness or surgery
An Opportunity to Listen
In this day and age, it is not unusual for women to feel disconnected from their bodies – either consciously or unconsciously. Yet sensitivity is a vital part of our femininity.
The 28 day cycle is our direct connection to the moon and our channel to the extensive creativity of the universe. How it suits our patriarchal society that as a result of embarrassment – adverts we would all rather ignore – and shame – for the patch of blood left on a public chair – we are left silenced on the phenomenon that ties us to nature and to other women.
The general agreement we have made that periods entail cramps, headaches, irregularity, abnormal bleeding, PMS, swollen breasts, rashes and acne – is a mental one which, rather than reflect a design flaw in our bodies, demonstrate the unsustainability of our lifestyles and expectations. What so many women are experiencing is in fact not ‘normal’ and nor should it continue to be suffered in silence.
When we ignore the significance of our menstruation we deny ourselves exploration of our deepest physical selves and a self-care which prepares us for motherhood and nurturing of all those around us.
What Causes Female Imbalance?
Whilst conventional medicine may have a technical explanation of what causes period pains, breast tumors, vaginal dryness and infertility… it doesn’t offer much advice about how to prevent such occurrences from unraveling in the first place. Some patterns such as irregular periods or PMS are instead utterly ‘mysterious’.
As a reflexologist I view any ‘out of the ordinary’ functioning in the body as a symptom – the body’s means of communicating with us and calling our attention to a certain part of our selves, requesting primarily our awareness and a change in our behaviour. As with all illness or dis-ease the causes are multiple and varied. Imagine an angel arrives at your door and announces they have an important message to share just with you… if you keep asking them where they came from and how they travelled you might never discover the message itself – you might just miss the whole point.
Any symptom may also be considered as the body’s request for energy – a need for improved circulation – and can be treated using Facial Reflexology to send a message to our interior organs from the outside of the body – using nothing more than our hands…
This practice brings our attention back to the body, to its patterns and its flows. In menstruating women this a particularly powerful exercise to reconnect, to witness with an altered perspective and to place our faith back in the body.
What Can Facial Reflexology Do?
Facial reflexology offers you the opportunity, through daily facial stimulation, to encourage the ‘correct’ circulation of blood, lymph, oxygen, minerals and energy to your interior organs. Stimulation of precise areas, according to maps projected onto the face, sends a signal to the brain which works with the peripheral nervous system to increase circulation at the chosen area in the body.
I recommend the map and instruction below to women suffering from absent periods, painful periods, irregular cycles, breast pain or tumors, vaginal infections or abnormal discharge, menopausal symptoms, hormonal acne, hormonal headaches, fertility issues or to aid recovery from genital trauma including abortion, prolapse, caesarian and miscarriage. The results are often incredible.
*Important: there is only one counter-indication to this Facial Reflexology – the area between the nose and upper lip should NOT be stimulated by or on pregnant women as it can induce labour. Please, if you are pregnant avoid stimulating this point. Do however remember its position for when the time comes as it can help to induce labour and ease/ regulate contractions – tell all the midwives you know to try this!
Instructions
- Find a comfortable position, sitting is recommended, legs and arms uncrossed.
- Warm your hands by rubbing together and then place them over the sockets of your eyes. Repeat three times to warm the area bringing circulation to your breasts and ovaries.
- Using your fingertips tap lightly around the sockets and over your closed eyelids with a light pressure.
- Using your index and middle fingers rub up and down the sides, front and underside of your nose.
- Then, using the length of your outstretched index finger rub back and forth across your top lip as if you were trying to erase a moustache drawn in pen on your face until you generate some heat – a few seconds should be enough. This area corresponds to the vagina.
- This massage can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 20 minutes depending upon the level of attention and tools you choose to apply (you may choose to take a slower approach by ‘colouring in’ the entire zone using fingertips or the end of a pen and spending longer on the micro-zones or points that feel tender or otherwise more responsive). You can never do too much! And even if you only manage a little, all of it counts. Please continue the work for 21 days, every day, if possible taking a note daily of how you feel and whether you are experiencing physical, mental or emotional shifts. At the end of the 21 days give yourself 7 days rest and, if all is going well, continue for another cycle.
How Long Will It Take?
The time it takes to rebalance your reproductive functions with the help of Facial Reflexology really depend upon how long held and deeply set your particular imbalance is. The same issue manifested in 100 people has causes which are entirely different from one case to the next. Some people may notice an improvement within a matter of days, whilst for others it may take weeks. If choosing to come off medication, remember that substances can remain in your system for several months affecting all organs and functions in your body.
Meanwhile, if still taking medication realise that the results from reflexology will be limited as there is a constant interference with the body’s functions and responses. Other lifestyle changes may be necessary, whether it is a decision to drink more water or get more exercise, or otherwise to take supplements and herbs – consider employing one measure at a time and separately – that way you will know what has had an effect and within what time period. When you apply a package all at once you will have trouble deciphering the basis of improvement.
Be patient with yourself. Remember that reflexology is always a work at the physical, emotional, spiritual and soul level. It is with great love and anticipation that I invite all women to try this exercise as a gift to themselves, to honour their connection to the earth and to uphold the creativity that resides within their bodies.
Sending light,
Helen
Bonus tip :: Period Pain in the Moment
To ease period pain in the moment outstretch your left arm and measure a distance of three finger widths from your elbow crease towards your wrist. Place your right hand thumb just above this measure on the vertical midline of your arm lengthwise and press using a firm pressure in circular motions. Without changing your position continue until you feel an improvement in your discomfort. Repeat as required.
Further Reading:
“Birth control pills are portrayed as being fun, something strong and independent women use, a way to freedom, and safer to use than being pregnant. These portrayals diminish the profound physiological effects that hormonal contraception has on a woman’s body. These portrayals also belie some of the emotional impact hormonal birth control has on women. We have found that women have been poorly educated about the full truth of how birth control pills work and what that means for them.” Information about coming of the pill: https://www.justisse.ca/index.php/pages/page/coming-off-the-pill
A detailed article to raise awareness of ALL that the pill does for you: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/09/google-autocomplete-how-does-pill-work
Educate yourself on feminine hygiene products: http://naturallysavvy.com/care/dioxins-the-facts-about-this-toxin-in-tampons-and-sanitary-pads
To learn more about the moon and your menstruation: http://www.menstruation.com.au/astrology/lunarphases.html
For all those interested in natural birthing, and the prospect of orgasmic labour – a must see is ‘The Business of Being Born’ documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCiQrcP0Qas