Exercise / massage peanut

[Fiddleman 4,376]

I got this little spiky massage peanut a couple weeks ago for triggering pressure points on my feet, to increase mobility in my upper body and to massage my shoulders and neck. It is a great tool and so cheap (about 9 dollars on Amazon).

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Systems-75040-Massage-Peanut/dp/B0002U1U0M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368986907&sr=8-1&keywords=Massage+peanut

As a reflexology tool, a few minutes of rolling your feet over it increases circulation to your feet, ankles and legs. It also stimulates various internal anatomical systems like the lymphatic system, the renal system, the endocrine system and so on. It can be used on the hands too for the same purpose. It might take you a bit to get used to the spikes. It was ok for me on the first application of the exercises.

Here is some more information about how reflexology applies to weight loss:

http://m.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-With-Reflexology

To increase mobility in my upper body, I place the bean in between my shoulder blades while laying on the floor. I then stretch my arms to my belly button and raise them in an arc above and behind my head. The goal is to be able to easily lower your fingers to the floor in a Fluid motion without any feeling of tightness in your back. This mobility exercise can be repeated by moving the bean up your back a few times until it is under your neck. This simple exercise has helped my mobility a lot in term of being able to do Olympic lifts. Still a work in progress though.

[gmanbat 5,889]

I will check this out, Fiddleman!

I am wondering how the foot thing will affect me. The chemotherapy I had for prostate cancer left a numbness in my feet, mostly on the left side of my left foot and the big toe area of my right foot. I never could get a plausible explanation about why this happened from the docs. I think it is pretty obvious that the chemo, which attacts fast reproducing cells, damaged some nerves. I would love to find out that something could be done to make it better but it is nothing I can't live with.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

You may find it will help with your particular ailment. Not sure. I am not big into reflexology, but have noticed it to be really helpful in regulating the digestive system when ever there are issues with BM (before and after surgery). It really helps with circulation to the feet as well in much shorter time then, say, running.

My left foot had numbness for a different reason than you. I had reconstructive foot surgery after a bad car accident in 2010 (also the start of gaining 100 pounds) and it left my big toe and part of the top of my foot in a numb state. This peanut has all but eliminated this numbness. Running has helped (some) also over the months, but the peanut really completed the job.

My philosophy is to keep an open mind about different approaches and techniques. if something works, then accept and use it. If it does not work, then put it aside and better luck next time. I do think reflexology can yield very real measurable results. And it also just makes your body feel better. The more you know, the more wise you become in making decisions.

[aquitenonnymouse 206]

Thanks for the tip! I bet that will feel great on my feet.