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Anna Wintle-Pike is senior therapist at awardwinning salon Beauty Time in Bristol. Wintle-Pike has more than 15 years of experience in the industry and specialises in reflexology.

What are the health benefits of reflexology and how viable is it as a salon treatment menu offering?

The art of hand and foot therapy has been practised for thousands of years with the ancient Egyptians thought to have treated the feet daily for medicinal purposes. However, reflexology as we call it today only made its way to the UK in the 1960s. Physiotherapist Eunice Ingham was studying the work of Dr William Fitzgerald on ‘zone therapy’ – an early form of reflexology – when she began to mark body parts and organs on the feet in a technique she termed ‘foot mapping’, and thus, modern reflexology was born.

The treatment comprises of massage and stimulation of ‘reflex points’ found on the hands and feet, using special finger and thumb techniques, with the aim of relieving stress and promoting healing in the body. Although the treatment was met with some scepticism, Doreen Bayley, a student of Ingham’s, began practicing it in the UK. While we certainly know reflexology does work, there is still some uncertainty regarding exactly how it works. One theory explains that it works by clearing blockages found along the meridians (energy pathways) that run longitudinally throughout the body.

Blockages can feel spongy, poppy, gritty or crunchy on the feet and hands and are made up of calcium deposits. With each treatment, these deposits get broken down into smaller parts and eventually get swept away.

Clearing the blockages restores homeostasis (balance) in the body, giving the client more energy. I often use the analogy of servicing your car when explaining the protocol to clients – if you service your car regularly then it will perform better and be less likely to break down, and this is the same in terms of your body and reflexology.

After a reflexology treatment, clients often describe to me that they feel ‘cleansed’ and ‘lighter’. Aches and pains seem to ease and every client without exception feels a sense of calm.

Other physiological benefits include improved circulation, which in turn increases oxygen and promotes healing, as well as a more efficient elimination of toxins, reduction in stress and anxiety and improved sleep quality.

Under long-term stress we begin to live only in our heads and neglect our bodies. Reflexology brings about an awareness of our entire body and in a time of much needed self-love, it is the perfect treatment.

The treatment can be performed on the feet or hands if the client wishes, and each session lasts approximately one hour. Clients would certainly feel the benefit from a one-off session, but a course of treatments will offer the best results.

It doesn’t require equipment and minimal product is needed, making it a profitable treatment to add to your menu.

Photo by Tijana Drndarski from Pexels

How does sugar age the skin?

We are all well-versed in warning clients about the dangers of sun exposure and the way it can prematurely age the skin. As one of the worst offenders for ageing your face and body, we should also be discussing the effects of sugar.

Excess sugar in our bodies can cause irreversible ageing of our skin through a process called glycation. This takes place when the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins and produces harmful free radicals called advanced glycation end products (commonly shortened, appropriately, to AGEs). The more AGEs you

accumulate, the more they damage the proteins in your body.

Collagen and elastin, which are the building blocks for skin firmness and elasticity, are the most at risk of being damaged by AGEs, as they cause the collagen fibres to become stiff. Consequently, skin becomes dry and skin strength is reduced, which can threaten the youthful, plump and dewy look of your skin. A diet high in sugar can also affect the type of collagen in your skin; this causes the skin to lose stability and structural strength, increasing visible lines and wrinkles.

Unfortunately, AGEs are also responsible for deactivating your body’s natural antioxidant enzymes, which makes your skin more vulnerable to free radical damage from environmental factors, such as pollution, UV rays and blue light. This triggers oxidative stress on your skin, contributing even more to premature ageing. All fruits and vegetables, as well as things like dark chocolate and tea, have powerful antioxidants that help to protect cells from glycation. Foods such as blueberries, pomegranate and white tea are super antioxidants. Advising your clients to get a regular supply in their diet will help save their skin from the effects of AGEs.

Signs that sugar is ageing your client’s skin

The visible signs of glycation on the skin tend to start emerging around the age of 35, once the accumulation of oxidative stress, hormonal damage and AGE builds up. During this time, wear and tear will begin to start showing on the skin leading to:

• The surface of the skin looking hard or shiny;

• Deep crosshatch lines appearing along the upper lip and under the eyes; and

• Discolouration and hyperpigmentation marks on the skin.

Jennifer Irvine is a food entrepreneur, author, spokesperson and founder of The Pure Package, which she launched in 2003, having recognised that those leading a busy modern life in London often found it impossible to source and prepare the best, nutritionally balanced food. Her unique concept has developed into an award-winning business, and, in January 2013, she successfully launched The Pure Package’s sibling, Balance Box. Irvine is also the creator and chair of The Wellness Awards, which she established in 2016, designed to honour and celebrate the British health and wellness industry.