The word “wellness” can mean a number of different things to different people. Everyone has a different idea as to what wellness is to them. For me, I feel very passionate about wellness as a whole and how I have found my own way to take care of myself. This is a topic that I have pondered for a long time now. I believe it is very important to discuss our health care system because it can always be improved.  

All too often we get caught up in what we read on the internet or what we hear people say about wellness. Since everyone has a different idea of wellness, it is easy to get confused by the information available to us. How many times have we felt something “weird” in our bodies and then go and Google it? Instead of making us feel better it just causes our minds to rapidly process every bad thing it could be. 

I won’t pretend that that doesn’t happen to me because it does. However, I have found, over the years, that it is important to find a person you trust to help guide you, educate you, and validate what you are going through. It eliminates a lot of the stress brought about by Googling symptoms.  

My personal experience has been a rocky road with Western medicine. It felt like every time I had a question about my health I was never getting anywhere. For example, I had stomach issues and went to several doctors to try and figure out what was wrong with me. Everyone, it seemed, was saying the same things, but I was still in pain. As a result, I started to lose trust in these people that were supposed to help me. I know that I am not alone with regard to the mistrust toward the healthcare system. It was years of going to different doctors to be told the same thing and not feeling any better. Consequently, I decided to see a naturopathic doctor. I figured it was worth a try. 

Before my switch to a naturopathic doctor, I had a regular primary doctor. I thought she was a very kind, generous, and compassionate person. I really liked her as a healthcare professional, but what got me to change was one of my annual checkups. She had asked me if there were any concerns or questions that I had.  

“I’m still having this right-side pain, and it just won’t go away,” I said.  

“Well, that’s just something you’re going to have to live with,” she said.  

It was that comment that made me say to myself that I needed a change, that I didn’t have to live with this pain. I wanted some answers, and this comment was not a solution in any sense of the word. I wanted to know how to take care of myself, not how to give in to the pain. After that, I started to do research on naturopathic doctors.  

My digestive issues started in 2003. In 2010 I was diagnosed with IBS. My visit with my primary doctor happened around 2011/12. I had tried everything (diet, exercise, etc.) they had told me in that eight- to nine-year interval, but it wasn’t getting better. After doing my research into naturopathic doctors I found my current doctor, with whom I’ve been with for eight years now. I will say this: I am never looking back. It was a great decision, and I could not be happier with my decision.  

There’s been a long stigma of what naturopathic doctors are. At first, I didn’t know either. I had heard things such as: They aren’t real doctors, or What do they know? They are hippies! Etc. Etc.  

However, I was determined to find somebody that I trusted. Once I did my research and realized what they were all about, I was determined to break the stigma surrounding them. I wanted to find a solution so that, eventually, I could relay all I’d learned to others who felt they, too, had nowhere to turn.  

The doctor that I found is amazing. She has helped me in many ways. Just because she is an “ND” instead of an “MD” doesn’t mean she didn’t go to medical school (she did). Naturopathic Doctors still have to go through medical school (which is different than a Naturopath who does not). The path she chose to study is just different. It is a pathway that focuses on more natural ways of taking care of the body. It’s a pathway about not just taking your vitals but looking at your body as whole.  

She can prescribe medicine, she can take my vitals, etc. Her approach is to diagnose the problem and to treat that problem with natural supplements first. If some of these supplements aren’t working (for one reason or another) then she will look at conventional medicine to help treat the issue. She will then integrate the prescription into your daily routine. The important thing to remember is to follow the prescription. Taking something once does not cure or treat anything. The body needs time to adjust to something new. It takes time. It takes patience.  

During my journey, I went from going from modern medicine and listening to all these doctors to being very mistrustful about everything in the healthcare system. Once I switched to a naturopathic doctor, things began to change for me.  

The more I kept seeing her the more results I was seeing. She was giving me the guidance that I needed. The ratio I like to go by is this: 90% is me doing the work and 10% is her guiding me. (You can apply this to your own path with your own doctor.) In any case, the more I kept seeing things improve the more I liked her balance between having an understanding of Western medicine and Eastern philosophy and natural medicine.  

I admit that at one point I went too far with the natural medicine: I did not even like the thought of modern medicine around me. However, after going on an anti-depressant for the last two-and-a-half years my thoughts began to change.  

Why? My naturopathic doctor helped me in more ways than she may even think. When I was having panic attacks and some other health issues, she intervened and prescribed medication that helped me.  

That’s when I had my “aha” moment. If we can (modern and natural medicine) work together then the barrier can be brought down. Slowly, modern medicine is integrating natural medicine into their system. It’s about working together. There is a doctor in Waterbury that refers patients to me for reflexology, which is a great step forward in the integration process, and this is how I can help. I am doing my part to break down those barriers and help form a new balance between the old and the new.  

Originally published in March, 2019

In honor of Women’s History Month, celebrated each year in March, here are a few ways that reflexology has been shown to promote wellness through all stages of life. While this article is focused on Women’s health, MVL welcomes people of all genders and gender identities. Life is a complex series of triumphs and struggles, and it is our goal to help all those who come to us, regardless of who they are.  

Reflexology is the art and science of applying pressure to specific areas of the feet, hands, and ears to produce an effect in other connected parts of the body. It is a gentle, nurturing technique, creating an overall sense of ease so you can thrive regardless of life’s challenges. 

Spring– Many women are taught from the time they are teenagers to put up with cramps, back pain, headaches, nausea, etc., which come before and during their menstrual cycles. Reflexology is a powerful ally in healthy hormonal balance and pain relief. The first reflexology study ever published in a major US medical journal, “Randomized controlled study of premenstrual symptoms treated with ear, hand, and foot reflexology,” was published in Obstetrics and gynecology in 1993. The study involved a control group (those who did not receive reflexology), a group that received true reflexology, and a group that received placebo reflexology. Those who received true reflexology demonstrated a significantly greater decrease in premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms than the control or placebo groups, supporting the use of foot, hand, and ear reflexology as an effective method for dealing with PMS symptoms. 

I believe reflexology is a powerful tool that helps with PMS symptoms, and, after studying with one of the researchers who authored the previously mentioned study, I am looking forward to sharing these techniques with the local community.

Summer– In her book, Gentle Birth Method, obstetrician Dr. Gowri Motha makes the assertion, “Reflexology is very safe in pregnancy, and is instrumental in helping 45.5 percent of my mothers give birth at optimum gestation of 40 weeks” (40). She goes on to describe reflexology’s benefits during pregnancy and it is useful for normalizing blood pressure, reducing foot and ankle swelling, improving sleep quality, and helping the body ease into the birthing process. Reflexology can also be a valuable practice to incorporate into your postpartum routine as your body, mind, and lifestyle adjust to welcoming your newest family member(s). 

Autumn– At MVL, just as we recognize that there is another way to manage pain, there is also another way to age gracefully and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. Just as young women are told to “deal with it” when it comes to PMS, as women age they are told to “just deal” with changes that take place during menopause, or be treated with hormonal therapies that can be beneficial but may also have unintended side effects. Studies support reflexology as a means of helping regulate disordered sleeping and managing the hot flashes and psychological symptoms that accompany menopause for some women.

Far too often the stages in a woman’s life are treated as pathologies rather than rites of passage, or natural occurrences. While they can be uncomfortable or even painful, our bodies do know how to balance themselves. Reflexology is a non-invasive way to boost the body’s own capacity to thrive throughout:

• PMS
• Pregnancy
• Postpartum adjustments
• Life’s everyday aches and pains
• Chronic pain or illness
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Joyful aging with an active lifestyle
• Menopause

At MVL, we strive to find personalized solutions to ensure everyone receives the care that is best suited to their needs. While the concerns above are common, our approach is individualized. We listen and work with you to meet your goals of relaxation, rehabilitation, and relief. 

Work Cited: 

Motha, Gowri and Karen Swan MacLeod. “The Gentle Birth Method Treatments.” Gentle Birth Method.              Thorsons, 2004, pp. 40.