What Is Foot Zoning?
Are you tired, stressed, or dealing with chronic pain? Does your body feel sluggish or out of balance?
Perhaps you should give foot zoning a try! But what is foot zoning?
What Is Foot Zoning?
Foot zoning is a technique that triggers the body's innate ability to heal, by stimulating areas of the feet
that correspond to parts of the body. In foot zoning, there is a map on the feet called the
Perfect Blueprint, which is a map not only of your body as it currently is, but what it was created to be.
Triggering this map can help your body and mind reach their full potential.
On the surface, a foot zoning session can resemble a foot massage, but it is much more than that. A
trained practitioner is activating areas of the feet in a specific order to bring the body back into balance.
They use their hands to rub the areas of the feet in a circular manner, mimicking the way our DNA
rotates in our bodies. Some practitioners will use tools such as precious stones instead of their hands.
History of Foot Zoning
Using the map of signals on the feet to improve health is not a new technique. It has been a common
technique in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, and similar techniques can be
found in cultures across the globe. There are records of ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians and
Mayans, using similar maps.
Although the principles behind foot zoning can be traced far back into our history, the creation of
modern foot zoning is credited to Dr. Charles Ersdal, who mapped out the areas of the feet and
the methodology used by foot zoning practitioners. Dr. Erdsal began his journey into foot zoning as a
patient, being cured from his paralysis by reflexology.
Dr. Ersdal built off the work of Dr. William Fitzgerald, and ENT who discovered that the right pressure
applied to certain areas of the hands and feet can relieve pain throughout the body. Dr. Erdsal then
spent 26 years researching and charting the zones on the feet. The first official class on foot zoning was
taught in 1975, but many of the now numerous schools have developed their own unique techniques.
"But wait," you say. "Isn't that just reflexology? What is foot zoning then?"
What Is the Difference Between Foot Zoning and Reflexology?
It can be easy to confuse foot zoning with reflexology, as they operate using the same principles. But
the answer to "What is foot zoning?" is not "It's the same thing as reflexology." Yes, there are obvious
similarities, and foot zoning would not exist without the groundwork laid by reflexology. But foot zoning
is a modern technique based on modern research.
The most obvious difference between the two is the intended goal of the treatment. Reflexology uses
pressure points in the hands and feet to treat specific ailments the patient is currently dealing with. A
foot zoning treatment, on the other hand, uses the trigger points in the feet alone for full body healing.
You can receive and benefit from a foot zoning treatment without seeking treatment for a specific issue.
Benefits Of Foot Zoning
Relaxation and Stress Relief
The first thing you may notice after a foot zoning session is that you are more relaxed afterwards.
Chronic stress elevates the level of cortisol in our bodies, which can lead to health issues. In fact, many
of our physical ailments are stress-related at their core. Getting a foot zone treatment is a gift to your
body, allowing it to enter a state where it can relax and renew.
Improved Sleep
Lack of sleep can make us more susceptible to stress, it makes us more anxious and our bodies suffer
from it. One of the most common reported benefits to a foot zoning treatment is better sleep. Many
patients report that they fall asleep faster after treatment, and got deeper, more restful sleep. It can
be beneficial to those who have sleep disorders such as chronic insomnia.
More Energy
Another benefit of foot zoning is increased energy. Many report feeling more rejuvenated, creative,
and motivated, and find they are able to accomplish more. This is due in part to the improved sleep
triggered by foot zoning. But foot zoning also increases energy by bringing the adrenals and hormones
into balance.
Pain Relief and Faster Healing
One of the major benefits of foot zoning is that it enhances the body's natural ability to heal itself.
Stimulating certain areas of the foot can relieve pain in corresponding parts of the body. Foot zoning
also reminds our body of its Perfect Blueprint, and helps bring the body's systems back into alignment.
This can help ease acute or chronic pain, and speed up the healing process after injuries.
Improves Circulation and Digestion
Foot zoning can help clear blockages in the body, helping things move the way they were designed to.
It increases the flow of blood and oxygen to all parts of the body. It also helps get your colon moving so
your body is more easily able to rid itself of waste, and can help with constipation or other digestion
issues.
Clears Toxins
Improving the circulation in your body helps get your lymph node moving. The lymph node is in charge
of removing waste from your body, and improved lymph node functioning will help you release any
toxins that have built up.
Strengthens Immune System
Foot zoning helps keep the immune system balanced and functioning at its peak. Many who receive
regular treatments report getting sick less often, and their bodies being able to fight off infections more
quickly. Some even swear by getting a foot zoning treatment as soon as the first symptoms of a cold
appear to lessen its severity.
Improves Emotional Well Being
Not only does foot zoning clear physical blockages in the body, it clears emotional ones. It can help you
release negative emotions and move forward in your life without the emotional baggage. Having a way
to release these negative emotions leaves room for positive thinking and influences.
What Can Foot Zoning Tell You About Your Body?
While foot zoning sends signals to the body to clear out blockages, that is only half the story. To
understand the answer to the question, "What is foot zoning?" you have to understand that foot zoning
is a two-way street. It sends messages to the body, but it also allows the body to send messages to you.
Foot zoning is a feedback loop, which means it can tell the practitioner where those blockages in the
body are. A skilled practitioner will be able to use foot zoning to detect areas of stress, poor nutrition, a
buildup of chemicals in the body, or which organs and systems are not functioning at an optimal level.
Once the practitioner has identified these issues, they can suggest means to correct them. Foot zoning is
not a cure-all, and cannot remedy all ailments alone. Often the practitioner will use the information they
uncovered from a foot zoning session to identify the most pressing issues and prescribe lifestyle
changes. These can be dietary changes, supplements, increasing exercise, or decreasing stress.
Getting a Foot Zoning Treatment
Now that you've received your answer to the question, “What is foot zoning?” you may be eager to try it
out for yourself. It is important to receive foot zoning only from a trained practitioner. Although the
principles behind foot zoning seem simple, there is a lot of training involved to understand the
physiology of the body as a whole and how the zones function.
Know that every individual responds to foot zoning differently, and each treatment you receive may
have different effects as well. Some surface issues may need to be addressed first before deeper
issues manifest themselves. Our health is in a constant state of flux, and changes to it are not always
immediately obvious.
Most treatments are conducted sitting in a chair, and take from forty five minutes to an hour and a
half. The benefits of foot zoning are cumulative, so regular treatments are recommended rather than
just going in once. Most practitioners recommend monthly sessions, although if you are new to foot
zoning or have pressing issues that need to be addressed, more treatments may be required until
your body's restorative processes are reestablished. Your practitioner will help you work out a
schedule that fits your needs.
Make sure to eat a healthy meal before your session, to give your body the fuel it needs to heal. Be
sure to keep yourself well-hydrated as well, keeping your circulation flowing and flushing out toxins.
Also, be considerate of your practitioner, and come with clean feet!
Conclusion
Your body knows what needs to heal. Foot zoning is fundamentally a methodology for communicating
with the body, and addressing what it needs. It taps into your body's natural ability to heal itself,
reminding it of the Perfect Blueprint of optimal functioning.
Health is more than just physical. Your mental, emotional, and spiritual health are just as important,
and all are interconnected. The thoughts and feelings you have about your life and the world around
you, and how you process those thoughts and feelings, affect your physical health. Foot zoning is a
practice that balances all areas of health to promote overall well-being.