body is made up of 14 meridians, along which $ q i $ (pronounced "chi") flows. $ Q i $ is vital energy that is essential for living a healthy life. If there is pain or a blockage in the body, the $ q i $ flow is disrupted. Alternative medicine works to keep $ q i $ flowing freely along patients' meridians at all times.
"May I see your tongue?"
"You have a qi spleen deficiency," he said.
Dr. Khosh furrowed his brow as he stared at my mouth.
Kristie Martin can tell you if you're congested, if you're wearing the wrong size of shoe, or if you're having digestive problems just by glancing at the bottom of your foot.
He told me I had severe discolorations on the back of my tongue, which led him to say that the qi flowing through my spleen was blocked. Dr. Khosh explained to me that the human body is a huge jigsaw puzzle and all the pieces have to fit together perfectly in order for it to work to its full potential. If one piece is missing or broken, the puzzle isn't complete.
Martin is a licensed reflexologist and the owner of A Quiet Sole Reflexology in Overland Park. Reflexology is the practice of applying pressure to various parts of the feet or hands that stimulate correlating organs.She says reflexology shouldn't be confused with a simple foot or hand massage.The bottoms of the feet and palms of the hands act as roadmaps for the rest of the body, and by stimulating those areas of the feet and hands, energy can flow more easily to other parts of the body. While acupuncture clears $ q_{i} $ by stimulating meridians with needle pressure, reflexology clears $ q_{i} $ by stimulating pressure points on the feet and hands.
"As cliché as it sounds, the soles are the windows to the soul," she says. "If a client doesn't tell me something about their health, I'll find it on their feet."
Martin sees clients with a range of health concerns and oftentimes works with people undergoing cancer treatments. She currently has a client in the midst of chemotherapy for leukemia, and regular reflexology sessions help relieve pain from her patient's chemotherapy side effects, such as nausea, fatigue and muscle pain. In fact, the First International Symposium on Reflexology and Cancer was held last October, and reflexologists from around the world discussed reflexology's effect in aiding cancer treatment symptoms.
"I know I can't cure her with reflexology. But I'm helping her body heal itself," Martin says.
Photo illustration by Jerry Wang Even though acupuncture needles are approved by the FDA, many don't consider it a valid form of medicine.
Dara Sims, Olathe senior, notices immediate results after her regular reflexology treatments. She says that after looking at her feet, her reflexologist noticed she had sinus congestion. After the reflexologist stimulated the areas of her feet connected to her sinuses and lungs (usually the second toe and central area above the arch), she felt her congestion lift. Sims also noticed nausea during her reflexology treatments.
"If you sit up too fast you can end up throwing up. [Reflexology] stimulates all of your organs and bodily functions," Sims says.
A DIFFERENT APPROACH
When Dr. Khosh led me back to his office, I wasn't greeted with cold medical tools or lab coats, but rather a cozy, warmly lit room. I sat down on a cushy leather couch, and Dr. Khosh asked me about myself. He asked about my eating habits, my stress levels, my lifestyle. He asked how much time I spent on my feet and how many hours of sleep I was getting.
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