Reflexology

*** This has been put in the section 'Posts I wish I could take back.' Reason below. ***

Reflexology's basic premise is that specific locations on the soles of our feet (can also apply to our hands or ears, but feet is the most common) correspond to specific parts of our body, like the heart or liver. Massaging or "manipulating" these areas is supposed to heal the associated body organs.

This concept dates back to ancient Egypt and has also been found in Native American cultures. It is so popular that in China, Denmark, and the UK, it is part of their mainstream health care.

Reflexology was introduced to the U.S. by Eunice Ingham, a physical therapist who published her findings in 1938 in Stories the Feet Can Tell.

Does it work? Unless you've tried it, one can only read from other people's experiences:
Proponent's view.
Opponent's view.



Update 05.16.10: This post came before the days when I fully understood the pseudosciences and their effects. In reality, reflexology is like any other massaging technique that claims to "cleanse your body of toxins." Instead, I gave it the kind of justice that CNN anchors would envy: I presented a false balance then linked to the views of a proponent and opponent without saying which is correct. What I should have done, if I had known more about the pseudosciences, was shit on the idea of reflexology.