Reflexology For Kids

from September/October 2022

ABQ Open Space

By GWYNNE ANN UNRUH

Some days our children never seem happy or satisfied, which can be exhausting and frustrating. On days when kids are fussy, demanding and difficult, a Reflexology session can change the mood for you and them. Follow it with a spa oatmeal foot scrub and a little deep breathing, and your young child’s nasty day will melt away. After they have felt the relaxation a Reflexology session can give them, don’t be surprised if they want to grab your feet and work on you! Reflexology is an ancient healing technique based on the principle that the anatomy of the body is reflected in miniature on the feet and other areas of the body. The underlying theory behind Reflexology is that there are "reflex" areas on the feet and hands that correspond to specific organs, glands and other parts of the body. Reflexology is the application of pressure to areas on the feet (or the hands) to bring balance back to the body and mind. The therapy helps to clear away the stress and turmoil of everyday life, gradually increasing mental and physical clarity. Reflexology can help children relax and calm down after a day of playing or school. Actually, anyone of any age can enjoy the benefits of Reflexology, even babies. Reflexology helps to improve sleeping patterns by providing a natural way to balance and relax the body. A gentle pressing on a baby's foot using thumbs and fingertips can settle an irritable baby and relax them to help induce sleep. It can help with colic too. The feet have thousands of nerve endings, which explains why foot rubs feel so good. Our feet are complex anatomical structures that include 42 muscles, 26 bones, 33 joints, 250,000 sweat glands, 50 ligaments and tendons and 15,000 nerve endings. History of Reflexology Reflexology has ancient origins. On an Egyptian tomb of a medical doctor found in Saqqara, Egypt, a pictograph shows Reflexology being performed on the hands and feet. Knowledge of Reflexology traveled from Egypt to Greece and Arabia and then to Europe through the Roman Empire. The history of Reflexology in the East can be traced from India, China and Japan. In India, a painting of the God Vishnu's feet has Sanskrit that may actually show Reflexology points. Modern Reflexology is based on the work of two American physicians, Dr. William Fitzgerald and Dr. Joe Shelby Riley, of the 1920s. Physiotherapist Eunice D. Ingham developed Fitzgerald and Riley's knowledge into a usable therapy, calling it Foot Reflexology. She took it to the public by traveling around the country starting in the late 1930s, teaching groups of people her method. Research studies in Reflexology conducted around the world are validating the effectiveness of Reflexology on a wide variety of conditions. So how can you use Reflexology to support the health and well-being of your family? Many of our health problems can be linked to stress. Stress can be mentally, emotionally, physically or environmentally induced. Reflexology can help negate the effects of stress while it helps the body relax and balance. Reflexology Theory A foot Reflexology chart maps out various pressure points on the foot that are energetically connected to other areas in the body. There are several inexpensive ones available online. The very process of touching the feet sends messages to the rest of the body to relax. The basic belief is that applying pressure to these reflex areas can open energetic pathways to those areas of the body and bring them back into balance. The areas of the foot include the following: • the tips of the toes reflect the head • the heart and chest are around the ball of the foot • the liver, pancreas and kidney are in the arch of the foot • the lower back and intestines are towards the heel To start a foot Reflexology massage, hold your child’s heel in one hand and begin with the toes. Massage with a rotating thumb technique. Using your thumbs, press in, rotate, lift and then move, focusing on covering only small areas of the foot at a time. You also can perform thumb and finger walking on the tops and sides of the foot. Work with your child to find out what pressure feels good. Some like a feather touch until they get used to what you are doing, others like deeper pressure. The Reflexology youtube video, Positive Touch for Children with Mary Atkinson, shows the author demonstrating additional Reflexology techniques for you to enjoy with your child. Atkinson’s book “Healing Touch for Children” contains additional concepts.

Homemade Coconut Oatmeal Scrub

This is a fun Spa Scrub you and your kids can make for after their Reflexology. An oatmeal scrub is like having a spa day at home and can help your children feel relaxed and relieved from stress. The scrub helps exfoliate their feet and remove dead skin cells that are present. 1-1/2 cups Oatmeal 1/2 cup Organic Coconut Oil 1 tsp real vanilla extract 1 tsp honey or honey alternative 1 tsp brown sugar Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl. Using a back-and-forth light friction stroke, scrub the foot. Soak their feet in a plastic foot tub or bowl of warm water. Wipe dry and finish with the application of a moisturizer.

Deep Breathing Exercises Just Before Sleep

This breathing technique will help calm your child for bed. It works for grownups, too! lGet them comfortable. Have your child lie on their back in bed or on the floor with a pillow under their head and knees. lTell them to place one hand on their belly and as they breathe in, let their belly fill with air until they feel it rise like a balloon. lHave them inhale very slowly for 5 seconds (3 seconds for younger children): Count 1-2-3-4-5. Exhale very slowly through their nose or mouth for 5 seconds: 1-2-3-4-5. Wait for 5 seconds: 1-2-3-4-5. Repeat the process three more times (1 minute total). Have fun playing with these relaxation techniques with your children. You’ll be amazed how Reflexology, foot scrubs and deep breathing can calm you and your child at the end of the day. Encourage your children to work with each other and on you after they have received these natural therapies. Healthy touch builds a solid foundation for love, respect and health throughout their lives.

The Young Scientist

By AILEEN O’CATHERINE

New Mexico’s largest wildfire to date, the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire north and east of Santa Fe, made its mark on the state this year. New Mexico’s wildfire season always causes great concern, but in 2022, conditions had changed just enough to cause fire destruction of a degree not seen in the past. The Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire has burned (as of this writing) 341,736 acres, destroying in its blaze trees, houses, outbuildings and wildlife. The fire is being managed as one fire, although it is two. The Calf Canyon fire was caused by a pile burn holdover from January that remained dormant and reemerged in April. It began on April 6 during a prescribed burn on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District in the Santa Fe National Forest. It is reported that the weather forecast for the prescribed burn called for conditions that allowed for a fire to burn without problem. However, sudden, unexpected winds created multiple spot fires, which, coupled with years of drought, caused the fire to spread to the point where it was uncontained and unmanageable.

A good scientific question to ask might be: Were the burns being managed with the consideration of all the latest information on climate science, drought conditions and other factors? Most importantly, scientists might ask: How long has it been since our methods for executing prescribed burns have been updated to consider new and rapidly changing conditions?

What is a prescribed fire or burn? Prescribed burning is applying a controlled application of fire to natural areas to keep them healthy. Rangers and workers use fire management techniques to set fires to natural areas and then contain those fires so that old vegetation can be cleared. This helps to lessen the chances of larger, more destructive fires. In their natural state, forests burn from time to time when lightning strikes a tree and sets it aflame. Ecosystems rely on these periodic fires to remain healthy. The fire ignites and burns out the old wood and underbrush, allowing more sunlight to enter and hit the forest floor, encouraging growth. Seedlings appear, trees grow again and birds and wildlife repopulate the area. Ponderosa pines are particularly suited for these kinds of natural conditions, shedding their outer bark layers dur-

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ing a fire, then falling to the forest floor and creating a fertile bed where seedlings form. But even Ponderosa pines cannot withstand the temperatures of extreme fires.

For decades, fire suppression was the standard method for rangers to manage forests. Smokey Bear became a national symbol for the policy of fire suppression. “Only you can prevent forest fires,” said the bear

who pointed his finger at you from a poster. Years of aggressive levels of fire suppression have led to overgrown wilderness areas that are prone to burn. To counter the mindset of fire suppression, natural resource directors have begun in recent decades to push for the use of prescribed fires to manage areas through a more natural cycle of burn and regeneration. The result, it was reasoned, would be fewer wildfires, less destruction and less loss of life.

In New Mexico, prescribed burning has been in place for some years. In 2021, the New Mexico Legislature passed the Prescribed Burning Act, joining 21 other states in implementing prescribed burning as part of law and policy. In theory, prescribed burns cost less than other methods of reducing overgrowth, such as cutting trees. Because they are planned, prescribed burns can have less effect on air quality. Wildfires result in soot and ash in the air that lead to a decrease in air quality and an increase in illness.

Since the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire began when a prescribed burn took place, it is important to discover whether it should have gone forward given the conditions that day. It is important to make not only a comprehensively informed decision about burns, but also the right one given ongoing changes in conditions. It would be a mistake to say prescribed burns are of little use, but it would also be a mistake to say prescribed burns as they currently take place are the total answer. As with all science, data is key. Updating data in a constantly shifting world of climate change, a world where weather no longer holds to old norms, will take the work of many different scientists. Collaborations with communities and landowners become not just important when so much is at stake, but also vital in maintaining life for forests, the wildlife and the people around them.

To find out more about the prescribed burn policy of New Mexico: emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/prescribed-burning

New Mexico Prescribed Fire Council: nmrxfire.nmsu.edu

A prescribed burn in a Ponderosa forest. Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Guest Column: Visit Albuquerque Museum with your family and watch the magic happen! By DENISE CROUSE

“Our role is nurturing young people’s passion for art,” says Albuquerque Museum Curator of Education Elizabeth Becker. “If they have that passion, we want to give them tools to make art and learn about it. And when the family comes too, we are thrilled!”

Every year, thousands of children first learn about Albuquerque Museum because they come on a bus with their classmates. Teachers schedule their elementary classes to visit and have an in-person tour led by a docent, and the kids may work on an art activity in the museum inspired by what they see.

The museum calls the school program the “Magic Bus” and can schedule free bus transportation. Admission to the museum and the activity also are free, thanks to donations from community members through the Albuquerque Museum Foundation.

Today, the scope of the “Magic Bus” has broadened to be more than just the bus and tours. Today, the museum’s educational outreach program includes a library of pre-recorded videos on topics related to New Mexico art and history and live virtual programs that teachers can schedule for their classes. These resources are available to any school in New Mexico — and beyond.

Frequently, Mom or Dad or Grandma will call us because their child came to the museum with their class and wants to come back and bring the family. When that happens, Albuquerque Museum has ways to foster inspiration — at the museum and online — at a very low cost, and often for free.

If your family has never been to the museum, dropping in on a Saturday Family Art Workshop is an opportunity as a family — children, parent, grandparent — to create original works of art inspired by the museum’s exhibitions. Workshops are included with admission.

Visit the museum on a third Thursday, when the galleries stay open late with music, artmaking and special programs that are fun and free for the whole family. Or visit on the first Wednesday of the month or a Sunday morning when admission is free.

If your child is ready to learn new techniques and work with exciting art materials, the Museum School offers classes for children 3 to 14 years old.

If you can’t get to the museum, check out our online resources. Art Matters is geared to teens and includes video art lessons and creative zines. Or download a coloring page that features a work of art from the museum’s collection.

Albuquerque Museum strives to make programs available to as many people as possible. “Our goal is to have high quality programming accessible to everyone who wants it, says Becker. “Sharing and nurturing the passions our children have, those are truly powerful experiences.”

Albuquerque Museum is located in Old Town at 2000 Mountain Rd. NW. Parking is free if you are visiting the museum. For more information, visit our website at albuquerquemuseum.org or call 505-243-7255.

Albuquerque

Denise Crouse is the communications director for Albuquerque Museum.

“States” By MYLES MELLOR for ages 8-15

Across 1. State that is cold with a lot of snow 4. Salt Lake city is the capital of this state 7. Movie channel 8. Phoenix is the capital of this state 9. Short way of saying West Virginia 11. In tennis you hit the ball over it 12. State where Little Rock is the capital 16. Old west lady ____ Oakley 18. State known for its potatoes 19. There are 50 of them in the US 20. You tie it with a rope 22. Trendy 23. Book that shows the states and cities

Down 1. This state is next to Georgia 2. Great boxer from the 60s and 70s 3. Famous 4. __ 40 rock group 5. It's smaller than a city 6. Miami basketball team 7. State where the Pro Bowl is played 10. Doc for doggies 13. Topeka is its capital 14. State next to New Hampshire 15. ____ Dakota 17. Vote for 19. Go down a mountain in the snow 21. Short for the state famous for the Tea Party

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