This winter make sure you don't become a statistic! Many will fall foul of the flu and colds, but it needn't be so. Aside from the usual tips which may include:
eating fresh, seasonal and brightly coloured fruit and vegetables,
drinking sufficient water,
getting enough sleep,
fresh air and sunshine,
exercise,
setting aside time for oneself,
and regular handwashing,
there's something quite simple you can do to boost your immune system. Spend a little time reflexing your hands.
But first a little background:
Your ability to resist bugs coming your way is a multi-pronged effort. Your lymphatic system consists of a large network of vessels whose job it is to transport substances via the lymphatic fluid to areas away from major organs - in other words out of harms way. These areas are the lymph nodes, they produce lymph cells that filter out harmful substances. Lymph nodes tend to group in areas such as the neck, breasts, groin and armpits.
Also involved in protecting you are the adenoids and tonsils - they are found at the back of your throat and help stop harmful bacteria from entering your digestive system and lungs. Your spleen, found on the left hand side of your body between your 7th and 9th rib (and as a reflex zone on your left foot), helps to filter out damaged cells and produces antibodies. Finally the thymus gland, which is larger in children than in adults is found behind the sternum, in between the lungs, and is largely responsible for helping the immune system develop in children. It continues to play a role in immunity throughout our lives but gradually shrinks down in size.
All the areas of the body mentioned above are easily accessed as reflex zones on both the hands and feet. However for self-care it may be easier to access the hands. Both hands can be reflexed, though the spleen is only found on the left hand. The picture above shows the areas to work. This is only a brief guideline though and your reflexologist can show you in more detail how and where to find these reflex zones. In any case I hope you enjoy seeing your hands from a different perspective now!
Have fun and I hope you are spared the bugs this winter.