Sheela Szymkowiak Reflexologist, Pregnancy/Post Partum Doula

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Sheela Szymkowiak Reflexologist, Pregnancy/Post Partum Doula Sheela Szymkowiak - Certified Reflexologist since 1992 / Trained at the Pacific Institute of Reflexo

Reflexology assists the physical body in returning to a balanced healthy state through gentle stimulation of reflex areas on the hands and feet. Benefits: increased endorphin release leading to deeper states of relaxation, improved blood and lymph circulation throughout the whole body, reduced pain and symptoms of stress. Reiki is the universal life energy that flows through all living things. A Reiki treatment can quiet the chattering mind, decrease depression, ease physical and emotional pain. Acupressure realigns and balances the body’s vital energy or Chi, through gentle stimulation of acupoints along the meridian energy pathways of the human body. Bowen Therapy is a gentle and non-invasive therapy that allows the body to reset and heal itself. Through systematic and precise movements along the skin surface the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous systems regain their original sate of optimal health. Long lasting benefits: normal functioning of the body’s gland, organ and musculo-skeletal systems, pain and inflammation relief, reduction of both acute and chronic symptoms.

31/08/2025

We have to change our approach to cancer, and consider therapies like ketogenic nutrition, fasting strategies, hyperbaric oxygen, hyperthermia, and mitochondrial support, which can be paired with surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation—not in opposition, but in synergy, for better outcomes, as outlined in the article Metabolic Oncology: Rewriting Cancer’s Operating System.

09/06/2025

As you can imagine, people frequently tell me about their s*x life, not just in my therapy office, but on the street. Just as often, they tell me of their s*x-less life.

Time and time again, I’m told about unintentional celibacy—from the married couple in a rut to the young dater who, frustrated by bad s*x, has chosen to give it up altogether…for now.

I am often asked: is this normal? How often should we be having s*x? Will it ever change? Are we not right for each other? Am I doing it wrong? and more.

Contrary to popular belief, erotic practice doesn’t begin in the bedroom. Eroticism can come from the welcome touch of your lover or it can come from noticing how late summer rain feels on your skin and inviting your lover outside to experience it with you.

It’s a practice of exploration, curiosity, connection—not just physically, but energetically, emotionally, and psychologically. The more we engage in eroticism outside of the bedroom, the more the bedroom becomes simply another location for eroticism to take place. S*x isn’t just something we do; it’s a place we go—inside ourselves or with another.

Click here https://www.estherperel.com/course-bundles/the-desire-bundle if you're curious about my desire bundle: two back-to-back courses to help couples struggling to bridge their s*xual impasses and achieve greater satisfaction.

10/05/2025

👣 The Lymph in Your Feet: Why Your Toes Might Be More Important Than You Think
When we think about circulation and detox, most of us picture the heart, the liver, or the kidneys. But here’s an underrated truth: your feet are lymphatic powerhouses, silently working to detox your body, regulate inflammation, and support immune function—all while you walk, stand, or even wiggle your toes.
Yes, your feet do far more than take you places—they help keep you alive, clean, and balanced.

🧬 What Is the Lymphatic System?
The lymphatic system is your body’s second circulatory system, consisting of:
* Lymphatic vessels (similar to veins)
* Lymph nodes
* Lymph fluid
* Immune cells (lymphocytes)
Its key roles include:
* Clearing waste and cellular debris
* Transporting fats from the digestive system
* Regulating inflammation
* Carrying immune signals
Unlike the cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system doesn’t have a central pump (like the heart). It relies on muscle contractions, gravity, and movement to circulate lymph.

👣 The Lymphatic System in Your Feet
Your feet contain a dense network of superficial and deep lymphatic vessels, all designed to transport lymph upward against gravity. These vessels drain into larger lymphatic trunks in the ankles and calves, then continue their journey toward inguinal lymph nodes in the groin, iliac nodes in the pelvis, and ultimately into the thoracic duct, where lymph rejoins the bloodstream.
Key lymphatic components in the feet include:
* Dorsal digital lymphatics (between the toes)
* Plantar lymphatics (bottom of the foot)
* Posterior tibial lymphatics (deep inside the ankle)
* Superficial lymph capillaries (just under the skin)

🔄 How Lymph Moves Through Your Feet
Because gravity pulls lymph downward, the feet are particularly prone to lymphatic congestion. Movement is essential to drive fluid back up the body.
Lymphatic flow in the feet depends on:
* Walking or toe flexion (muscle pumps)
* Ankle movement (activates venous-lymphatic synergy)
* Proper footwear and posture (restrictive shoes may impede lymph flow)
* Manual stimulation or dry brushing (boosts superficial lymph movement)

🧪 What Happens When Lymph Doesn’t Flow?
When lymph becomes stagnant in the feet, you may experience:
* Pitting edema (swelling that leaves an indentation)
* Heavy, tired legs
* Cold toes or poor circulation
* Skin changes (hyperkeratosis, dryness, thickening)
* Increased susceptibility to infections (e.g. cellulitis)
Lymphatic stagnation in the lower extremities can result from:
* Sedentary lifestyle
* Prolonged standing or sitting
* Post-surgical trauma (especially orthopedic procedures)
* Venous insufficiency
* Chronic inflammation or autoimmune disease

💃 Fun Facts About Foot Lymphatics
* 🧦 Compression socks support both venous and lymphatic return—your lymph loves them!
* 🌙 Lymphatic drainage is slower at night, which is why many people wake with puffy feet or ankles.
* 🔄 The plantar fascia (thick tissue in the sole of your foot) influences lymphatic flow by stimulating movement when walking barefoot.
* 🌿 Foot reflexology points correlate with major lymphatic pathways in the body.

🌿 How to Support Lymph Flow in the Feet
1. Move often! Rebounding, walking, and calf raises are your lymph’s best friends.
2. Hydrate well. Lymph is 95% water—thicker lymph = slower drainage.
3. Use a massage ball. Rolling the soles stimulates deep plantar lymphatics.
4. Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD). Gentle hands-on therapy can mobilize stagnant fluid.
5. Elevate your feet. A few minutes of elevation each day helps reverse gravitational pull.
6. Reflexology Lymph Drainage (RLD)

🧠 Final Thought
Your feet might be the furthest thing from your head, but when it comes to immune function, inflammation regulation, and fluid balance, they’re front and center. A healthy lymphatic system starts from the ground up—and that includes your soles, toes, and ankles.
So next time you stretch your feet or walk barefoot in the grass, remember: you’re doing your whole lymphatic system a big favor. 👣💚

Disclaimer:�This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new wellness or therapeutic routine.

©️

07/05/2025

Why Choose Reflexology? To find out more visit www.aor.org.uk

21/01/2025

not to mention the bees adore it! 🐝

Perhaps this combination could also repel far-right wing, Conservative supporters and their abhorrent leaders such as Do...
21/01/2025

Perhaps this combination could also repel far-right wing, Conservative supporters and their abhorrent leaders such as Doug Ford (Premier of Ontario) and federal Tory leader, Pierre Poilievre!!!

not to mention the bees adore it! 🐝

21/12/2024

A study conducted by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf examined the effects of birdsong on mood, paranoia, and cognitive functioning.

The study suggests listening to just six minutes of birdsong can alleviate feelings of anxiety, depression, and paranoia in healthy individuals.

Incorporating birdsong into your daily routine may be a simple and natural way to support mental well-being.

03/12/2024

When music is medicine.

If you are not a bear-like human (someone who loves eating all kinds of wild berries!) you can get your Quercetin daily ...
02/12/2024

If you are not a bear-like human (someone who loves eating all kinds of wild berries!) you can get your Quercetin daily dose in an easy to swallow capsule form 😉 I take the Extra Strength (Naka Brand) 500 mg Quercetin capsules.

Six Plant-Based Compounds Show Neuroprotective Potential

A new study revealed how specific plant-based foods protect brain health through antioxidant and neuroprotective properties.

Foods like elderberry, sage, and lemon balm contain phenolics and terpenes, which reduce oxidative stress and combat neuroinflammation.

Quercetin, a compound abundant in plants like Queen Garnet plum and clove, helps prevent neuron-like cell damage and chelates harmful copper ions.

01/02/2024

Cleansing your home of negative energy can create a more peaceful and harmonious environment. Here are some methods you can use:

1. Declutter: Start by decluttering and removing any items that no longer serve a purpose or bring you joy. This helps to create a clean and clear space.

2. Open Windows: Open windows and let fresh air flow through your home. This helps to release stagnant energy and bring in positive vibes.

3. Smudging: Burn sage, palo santo, or other cleansing herbs and let the smoke fill each room of your home. As you do this, set an intention to release negative energy and invite positive energy in.

4. Salt: Sprinkle salt around the corners of each room or create a saltwater solution to cleanse the floors. Salt is believed to absorb negative energy.

5. Sound Healing: Use bells, chimes, or singing bowls to create sound vibrations that can help clear negative energy. Move through each room and focus on areas where negative energy may be trapped.

6. Crystals: Place crystals such as amethyst, clear quartz, or black tourmaline around your home. These crystals are believed to absorb negative energy and promote positive energy flow.

7. Essential Oils: Use essential oils like lavender, sage, or frankincense to cleanse the air and create a calming atmosphere. You can use a diffuser or mix the oils with water and spray the mixture around your home.

8. Positive Visualization: Close your eyes and visualize your home filled with bright, positive energy. Imagine any negative energy being released and replaced with positive vibrations.

Remember, cleansing your home of negative energy is a personal practice, and you can choose the methods that resonate with you the most. Regularly practicing these techniques can help maintain a positive and harmonious environment.

During the season of Imbolc (Goddess Brigid burns her Sacred flame to cleanse away the darkness of Winter and coax Sprin...
01/02/2024

During the season of Imbolc (Goddess Brigid burns her Sacred flame to cleanse away the darkness of Winter and coax Spring into Being) Blessings to Everyone as each day grows longer and the birds return to nest in budding trees once again! 🙌🪶🦜🌿🌞🌟🌎

Cleansing your home of negative energy can create a more peaceful and harmonious environment. Here are some methods you can use:

1. Declutter: Start by decluttering and removing any items that no longer serve a purpose or bring you joy. This helps to create a clean and clear space.

2. Open Windows: Open windows and let fresh air flow through your home. This helps to release stagnant energy and bring in positive vibes.

3. Smudging: Burn sage, palo santo, or other cleansing herbs and let the smoke fill each room of your home. As you do this, set an intention to release negative energy and invite positive energy in.

4. Salt: Sprinkle salt around the corners of each room or create a saltwater solution to cleanse the floors. Salt is believed to absorb negative energy.

5. Sound Healing: Use bells, chimes, or singing bowls to create sound vibrations that can help clear negative energy. Move through each room and focus on areas where negative energy may be trapped.

6. Crystals: Place crystals such as amethyst, clear quartz, or black tourmaline around your home. These crystals are believed to absorb negative energy and promote positive energy flow.

7. Essential Oils: Use essential oils like lavender, sage, or frankincense to cleanse the air and create a calming atmosphere. You can use a diffuser or mix the oils with water and spray the mixture around your home.

8. Positive Visualization: Close your eyes and visualize your home filled with bright, positive energy. Imagine any negative energy being released and replaced with positive vibrations.

Remember, cleansing your home of negative energy is a personal practice, and you can choose the methods that resonate with you the most. Regularly practicing these techniques can help maintain a positive and harmonious environment.

Being a science part-time nerd as well as a Therapeutic Reflexologist this read is very satisfying for moi . . .
04/11/2023

Being a science part-time nerd as well as a Therapeutic Reflexologist this read is very satisfying for moi . . .

As we start to consider the fascia, we naturally view this tissue as the ‘glue’ that holds the body together or the physical substance connecting and creating structure in the body.

But the more we study and understand the fascia, the more it challenges our preconceptions. Fascia is not simply an inert structure connecting the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones of the body – it plays a role in pain perception and creation.

‘When you deal with the fascia, you are doing business with the branch offices of the brain.’ (Andrew Taylor Still, the father of osteopathy).



Fascia has six to ten times the number of nerve endings or innervation than muscle tissue. It is our largest sensory and feedback organ involved in proprioception and nociception.

But it is certainly not simple – different kinds of fascia are innervated differently, depending on their density, structure and function.



Some nerve endings that have been identified in the fascia are:

Ruffinian bodies in the aponeurosis
Pacinian bodies, in the visceral fascia, especially
Golgi tendon organs in tendons and ligaments
Interstitial nerves (nociceptors)
Free nerve endings (nociceptors)
C-fibres (nociceptors)

The large number of pain receptors available in the fascia may have a role to play in developing chronic pain syndromes. Painful conditions may also be localized in many cases to the fascia rather than to the muscle tissues, as has been previously assumed.



Fascial pain

Pain in the fascial network is generally considered to have a delayed onset, to be spread over a large area, and to include more than one body segment. It may also occur in a different area or body segment to the original or primary injury.

Over time, fascial pain will spread locally and to more distant body areas within the same fascial chain.


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Reflexology assists the physical body in returning to a balanced healthy state through gentle stimulation of reflex areas on the hands and feet. Benefits: increased endorphin release leading to deeper states of relaxation, improved blood and lymph circulation throughout the whole body, reduced pain and symptoms of stress. Reiki is the universal life energy that flows through all living things. A Reiki treatment can quiet the chattering mind, decrease depression, ease physical and emotional pain. Acupressure realigns and balances the body’s vital energy or Chi, through gentle stimulation of acupoints along the meridian energy pathways of the human body. Bowen Therapy is a gentle and non-invasive therapy that allows the body to reset and heal itself. Through systematic and precise movements along the skin surface the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous systems regain their original sate of optimal health. Long lasting benefits: normal functioning of the body’s gland, organ and musculo-skeletal systems, pain and inflammation relief, reduction of both acute and chronic symptoms.