The Energy Fix Episode 107 - FINAL.mp3
2025-04-01
Transcript
0:00:13 Tansy Rodgers: Welcome back to the Energy Fix, a.
0:00:16 Tansy Rodgers: Podcast dedicated to help you balance your energetic body by diving deep into the sweet world of all things health and spirituality. My name’s Tansy and I’m an intuitive crystal Reiki energy healer, energetic nutrition and holistic health practitioner, and a crystal jewelry designer. It’s time to talk all things energy.
0:00:38 Tansy Rodgers: Let’s dive in.
0:00:40 Tansy Rodgers: There’s something sacred about the power of touch. It reminds us that we’re not alone in our pain, that healing doesn’t have to come in a bottle or through endless searching. And sometimes it begins with just presence, with connection, with someone simply holding space. So in this episode, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with Dr. Njidika Ulatunde, a master reflexologist, educator and the visionary behind Focus on Healing Wellness Institute.
0:01:16 Tansy Rodgers: Her work is revolutionary, but is also ancient, bringing together the wisdom of touch therapy, reflexology and holistic healing. In a world that so desperately needs it. Especially right now, with all of the chaos and all of the craziness going on, we need this more than ever. In this episode, we’re going to talk about the mind, body, spirit connection, the way pain is often a messenger and not just a symptom, and how healing becomes possible when we stop numbing and start really tuning into what’s going on.
0:01:56 Tansy Rodgers: You’re going to walk away with this one feeling seen, inspired and deeply held. And while we’re talking about healing on a cellular and energetic level, there are two experiences coming up that are designed to help you drop into that space yourself. First, the Energy Alchemy Circle officially opens its doors on Tuesday, April 8th. And I am so excited. I have been wanting to create something that was very community based, that was bringing together my 20 plus years of skill and knowledge and work in the holistic wellness world, energy healing world, physical therapy and body movement world. Like, I wanted to bring together a comprehensive piece that was really going to help people on a foundational level to upgrade their health, their minds, their spirit, their energy body.
0:02:59 Tansy Rodgers: And that’s exactly what this is. This is going to be my sacred community and transformational membership for those who are really ready to reclaim their energy, realign their nervous system and receive the kind of intuitive, functional support that bridges body, soul, soul and spirit. So whether you feel like you’ve really been feeling stuck or sensitive or stretched thin, maybe you’re a creative, highly sensitive person, maybe you identify as a visionary, maybe you have a neurodivergent brain and you’re trying to navigate that. Like all of these places that we feel like we just need that sacred community and that space to grow in our most magnificent selves and brains.
0:03:52 Tansy Rodgers: That’s what this is. It was designed for your rhythm. And so inside we’re going to be exploring monthly healing sessions, coaching crystal education, holistic practices and community connection like you’ve never experienced before. This really is a comprehensive one stop shop. So I can’t wait to bring this to the world. It’s something that’s been on my heart for a really long time and is finally here. So keep your eyes open. Doors are opening on the 8th and there’s many ways that you can step into this container if it’s calling to you.
0:04:31 Tansy Rodgers: And so then just two days later, I have an in person opportunity as well. On Thursday, April 10, I’m going to be at Reiki by Ricky in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, leading the Crystal Reset workshop. So if crystals are feeling dusty energetically or literally, or you been curious about how to use them for energetic alignment, this is your workshop. We’re going to really be making this an interactive experience allowing you to step into learning how to use energy work, crystal work, behavioral shifting for stress anxiety, building that foundation, allowing you to really reset yourself and get you back to that, that leveled place so that you can start building up and moving forward again.
0:05:26 Tansy Rodgers: We’re going to be covering, clearing, charging, how to actually work with your stones to support your energy in this new season and in this new time of our lives as we’re moving forward, where we’re going to be demanded, literally demanded, to start healing on a deeper level. So if either of these are calling you, both links are going to be down in the show notes and I would love to see you there. Yeah, I’m so excited. This is going to be an amazing opening, that next reiteration, that next level.
0:06:09 Tansy Rodgers: Yeah.
0:06:09 Tansy Rodgers: So excited. So, all right, now let’s drop into the conversation with Dr. Njideka and explore what it truly means to heal through presence, intuition and the secret wisdom of touch. Let’s dive in.
0:06:30 Tansy Rodgers: Welcome to the Energy Fix podcast, Enjedika. I’m so excited to have you here and to have the conversation that we’re going to be having. So thank you.
0:06:41 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Thank you so much for having me. I’m looking forward to sharing with your listeners.
0:06:47 Tansy Rodgers: I love when the listener can get to know you and where you’re at in this season of your life and also what’s important to you personally, but also professionally if it goes there. So is there a word or a phrase that you’re really embodying right now and connecting to?
0:07:09 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: I would Say, harmony. Being in harmony.
0:07:20 Tansy Rodgers: And why is being in harmony so important for you right now?
0:07:25 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: I think in the midst of everything that’s going on all around us, it’s important to understand how to be able to be in harmony in the midst of confusion and chaos. And I think that’s very important right now as we move forward. I mean, this is just the second month of the new year. And what do we have, what, in 12, 10 more to go? And it’s. If we can stay in harmony with ourselves and with our environment, it should be a smooth transition as we move throughout 2025.
0:08:06 Tansy Rodgers: Yeah, well, you know, before we hit record, I asked you where you were calling in from, and you said the stress capital of United States, Washington, D.C. and so that leads me to really ask you, what are you doing to stay in harmony during or even being around a very stressful environment? What are you doing that’s helping you to get closer to.
0:08:34 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Everybody? Like, you know, kind of teases me. I really don’t connect with what’s going on. Like, you know, we are programmed 247 with all kind of information, and the information is usually very negative. And so I have chose for quite a while to disconnect myself when things happen. People have to call me and tell me, and I say, oh, wow, I didn’t know that was going on. And so by operating like that, I’m disconnected from all the stuff because I’ve come to learn that all that I see is not necessarily real.
0:09:15 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: All that we hear is not necessarily real. And so we have to be in a position to be able to understand for ourselves. Because one of the things that going through everything, I say there are two sides to everything. That’s called the yin and Yang principle. And when you only get one side of it, that causes for imbalance and to be in harmony is about being in balance.
0:09:46 Tansy Rodgers: You are speaking to my soul. Oh, my goodness. Yeah, I. You know, honestly, I’m the same way. I find that it is honoring myself, honoring my energy, honoring my soul by disconnecting and not being as involved. Now, it doesn’t mean that I hide my head in the sand, right? But in the same breath, I just. I can’t tune into everything because it knocks me off balance. So I appreciate what you’re saying.
0:10:18 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Exactly. That’s where we are. I mean, you know, I don’t think that we have to live in confusion and chaos. Once we understand who we are, we’re all connected with each other. And we, when we come to understand that, that’s how you’re able to maintain the balance in your life.
0:10:44 Tansy Rodgers: Yeah. Well, Njadika, I’m really curious about your journey. Your journey has uniquely bridged the gap between traditional, conventional medicine. Can you take us back to what inspired you to really explore and advocate for the power of touch and reflexology in healing?
0:11:06 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Okay, let me see. I can put that together in a short way. Okay. Originally, I grew up in an era known as home remedies. And growing up with home remedies, doctors back then used to come to your home and did home visits. So as a child, I said, oh, wow, that’s what I want to be when I grow up. I want to be a healer. Because as a child, I saw a doctor as a healer. And by the time I got to college, I got a rude awakening because that’s not how doctors were created.
0:11:47 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And so I said, okay, let me change my career so I won’t become a doctor, because I still see doctors as healers. So I went into the field of social work. So that became my career choice. And in my experience as a social worker, I covered the whole gamut from infants to seniors. Every phase of social service that exists that people are involved in, I did it. But one of the things that concerned me the most was the fact that everybody was going to the emergency room for their doctors. And I said, what’s wrong with this picture?
0:12:27 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And that brought the spark back up in me again to, oh, I want to be a doctor. But around that time, that’s when natural paths were coming into play. And so I went back to school and trained to become a naturopathic practitioner. And as a practitioner, I wanted to add a service, so that service became the reflexology. But I knew reflexology before coming into naturopathic healthcare. And so that’s how all of that kind of evolved.
0:12:58 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And that led for me, focusing specifically on reflexology from the standpoint of having a private practice, then moving into the education, the teaching component, and then from the teaching component into the research and the research into what I do today with reflexology. Relieving pain first before treatment.
0:13:27 Tansy Rodgers: First off, I can see you in sociology. I mean, your energy is so big. I can just feel your heart expansion. I can see see you in that field. But, you know, I love, too, that you came from a time where you connected doctors to home remedies, and that connection for you really opened up, I think inspired your natural healing capacity. But then I also find it really interesting that you listen to your intuition.
0:14:05 Tansy Rodgers: I will just call it intuition and say that that’s what Maybe guided that you didn’t want to go to conventional medicine, but yet you still wanted to help and heal in the way that resonated with you. So you can keep that whole concept of doctor as a healer.
0:14:23 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Yes, exactly. And I’m going to tell you, love, a little. A little. Little secret about this. When I started my practice, I initially started my practice with senior citizens. And if you know anything about working with seniors, you have to be on point. When you work with seniors, seniors are specific about what they want and how they want it and when they want it, and you have to be able to follow suit.
0:15:02 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: I say that to say, because I have to give homage to the seniors that I initially started with, because they are the ones that laid the foundation for what I do today. Because in working with the seniors, through them, I worked with them, and then I got to work with their family, and then their family opened me up to other people and. And it kind of evolved. But the one thing that the seniors did for me was they love the reflexology.
0:15:40 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And then they said, okay, I like this reflexology, but now can you start taking care of my feet and hands? Which opened up a whole nother arena for me because they were talking about manicures and pedicures. I knew nothing about the beauty industry. And so I went back and got training to do the manicures and the pedicures and integrate the reflexology. But during that particular time, there was a school on the west coast that had come to New York and they were doing a presentation of introducing reflexology in the beauty industry to manicures and pedicures. I said, okay, let me go up there and see what they’re doing and see how they put all this together.
0:16:25 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: When I got there and took the training program, they said, well, we’re here on the East Coast. We’ll come down to D.C. if you put together a training program for me. I’d never done anything like that before, called all of my colleagues and friends and put this little class together. And by me doing that, I wound up becoming the east coast and southeast instructor for this school, teaching reflexology in the beauty industry.
0:16:55 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And while in the beauty industry, because my background initially was always health, I learned reflexology from the health perspective. Then the healthcare practitioners start coming, well, can you teach us reflexology? That opened the door where I started, and I created a healthcare training program for healthcare practitioners and reflexology, which goes back to my seniors, who opened this door for me in terms of the teaching component.
0:17:27 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And then from the teaching component, it evolved into Me starting doing the research because of the fact that we were in an opiate epidemic. And so being in the opiate epidemic, I started researching and looking at the power of touch and pain in relieving medication associated problems of pain reduction. Because these were clients that had exhausted all of their pain medication resources, but they were still suffering from pain.
0:18:04 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And that’s when I started looking at how we can get back to integrating the power of touch to relieve pain. All of this came from my seniors whose feet I worked on in the initial, in the beginning. And they created this business that I do today in the health field.
0:18:23 Tansy Rodgers: Oh, I love that. And you know, we’re going to be talking all about touch therapy, reflexology, and some of the minute pieces about that. But I have to say, you know, it doesn’t surprise me that you got into the beauty side and that you expanded in that. Because if you think about it, even when you’re going to get pedicures and you’re getting your feet worked on or manicures and you’re getting your hands worked on, they are touching you, they are pressing on certain points in the body that can create healing. There is touch therapy, even if you’re going just to get a manicure or a pedicure.
0:19:04 Tansy Rodgers: So I feel like it goes so beautiful together.
0:19:09 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: You hit the nail on the head. That’s a part of the whole concept of touch. All of that is definitely interconnected. And what people don’t realize, probably the best healthcare practitioners are those in the beauty industry, because people spend a greater amount of time there and all kinds of healing can take place inside the beauty industry.
0:19:37 Tansy Rodgers: Yeah, well, you emphasize the mind, body, spirit connection. And you know, that phrase mind, body, spirit is becoming much more well known. It’s becoming a little bit of a buzz phrase to a certain degree, you know, in these spaces. But I’m really curious if you can take that concept, mind, body, spirit, and create a connection, tell us why this holistic approach is so vital in managing pain, fostering overall wellness, and why it’s really, really important that when it comes to overall wellness, that you’re addressing all of it or a person is addressing all of it.
0:20:21 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: That’s an excellent question. Because when you’re talking about pain, what happens is that most people don’t understand the pain, stress, connection because the two go hand in hand and you can’t, you don’t have one without the other. And that’s what connects mind, body and spirit. And I’ll show, I’ll share with you how when a person gets Pain, it’s not something that happens overnight. It’s something that comes. That may be minor, you know, oh, I can deal with that.
0:20:58 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And then it comes back again. Oh, it’s a little bit more intense, but I can handle that. And then the body sends it back in a full force. And you think, oh, this is like, really bad, unbearable. And that’s the body delivering a message to the brain, which is the mind connection. We got pain, we got trauma, we got to do something. And so that’s when you start looking at mind, body. The body was what, disturbed.
0:21:34 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And when it became disturbed, the message went to the brain, mind, body, that connection. And so with that mind body connection, when we talk about spirit, we’re also talking about the emotions. And your emotions play a big role because what people don’t realize is that the emotions is the stress factor. The stress is connected to the emotions. And I say this to say whatever that stress situation was that was happening is something that happened outside of the body that you brought inside and started internalizing.
0:22:18 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And when you internalized it, what happened was it started affecting whatever’s the weak area in your body that you’re beginning to start feeling pain and discomfort. And that ties it all into. Because of the pain stress connection, it connects the mind, body, spirit connection as it relates to what’s going to happen inside the body.
0:22:51 Tansy Rodgers: So it almost is like the weakest link gets affected.
0:22:55 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Yes, ma’am.
0:22:56 Tansy Rodgers: Yeah. Well, let’s talk about the pain, the pain, stress connection. But especially in pain management, touch therapy, this can really be super helpful and transform people’s lives. What happens in our bodies when touch is applied as a healing technique? How does that shift and alter this mind, body or this body, mind, spirit connection?
0:23:28 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Okay, let’s do an example. Let me give you an example. The power of touch is very important because touch, once you touch the area that’s in pain, it activates the brain to be able to say trauma is in an area. And when you act and then when you touch it, message then goes to the brain. We need to release and send pain relievers to the area that’s being touched because it’s in trauma. So what we’re talking about, using the touch to activate the body’s communication center, to start dealing with what it needs to do.
0:24:25 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: An example, you know the funny bone in your elbow, if you hit it and all of a sudden, what’s the first thing you’re going to do?
0:24:34 Tansy Rodgers: I was literally thinking about this as you were talking. Your hand goes there and you start rubbing.
0:24:40 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: What’s the first thing you do?
0:24:42 Tansy Rodgers: Oh, the first thing I.
0:24:44 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: As soon as you hit what’s the first thing?
0:24:46 Tansy Rodgers: I scream and curse.
0:24:48 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Exactly. You got a verbal command that goes first. Either it’s nice or not so nice. But the message goes to the brain. Tragedy, trauma, discomfort. And then because the message, because the brain got that message from the impact, what’s the next thing you do?
0:25:12 Tansy Rodgers: You put your hand on the area.
0:25:14 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: You put the hand on the area. Then the message goes to the brain. Send pain relievers to that area in the form of endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain relievers, which is your chemical free alternative to relieving pain. That’s all. Remember now, verbal is touch. Putting your hands is touch. Rubbing at area is touch. So you had three forms of touch that activated the pain relief system in your body to kick in and start doing what it’s supposed to do.
0:26:01 Tansy Rodgers: Oh, that’s fascinating. And so when it comes to touch therapy, do you feel that there are certain levels? I mean, I feel like so many people when they hear touch therapy, they think, well, somebody has to work on me. When in reality, you can be your greatest healer just by simply touching certain areas of your body or rubbing that area of the body that may be really painful.
0:26:28 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: We disconnect the power in our hands. Our hands are our healing tools. We were created, I mean, all of us know how to, let me say changes. All of us have the power in our hands to heal, but we just don’t know how to use it. That supersedes all of the pharmaceuticals that relate to relieving pain. Because now we’re going back to what? Mind, body, emotion, connection. Because see, when you start integrating the power of touch, you’re activating the mind, body and emotion connection as your tool for healing.
0:27:21 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And pharmaceuticals can’t bottle that that’s inside of you. That’s your makeup. And the way I can kind of explain that is I always talk to my clients and I use this analogy. Think of your automobile. Our automobiles are a carbon copy of our body. It’s designed, it functions the same way our body operates. And when you look at your automobile, you spend time taking care of that automobile. If when you buy the automobile and the salesperson say, well, you know, you got to have the maintenance done such and such a time.
0:28:14 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And we follow that your body operates the exact same way. And I’m going to throw something in here. You may get a physical checkup, but your mind needs a checkup too. We are in a stress factor now, which means that we’ve got to start looking at our mental health. Mental health needs. The mind needs a wellness checkup, just like the body needs a wellness checkup. All of that goes hand in hand. And when you come to understand that now you’ve given yourself the key to take back control of your healing process, that’s the key.
0:29:04 Tansy Rodgers: One of the most overlooked parts of healing, especially when it comes to pain and emotional stress, is the energetic layer. The subtle, quiet frequencies that speak louder than words, shaping how we feel, how we connect, how we move through this world. And that’s why I created Be you crystals. Not just as pretty, beautiful adornments onto your body, but as energetic tools to support your nervous system, your intuition, your physical health, and your journey in healing.
0:29:41 Tansy Rodgers: Every piece is handcrafted with intention, designed using crystal medicine, numerology, and sacred geometry to help you regulate, ground, protect, or amplify, depending on what your body and soul are asking for. And then all of it is finished off with a beautiful infusion of reiki energy into each piece. So whether you’re navigating chronic stress, moving through transformation information, have some physical ailments that you want support for, or simply want to feel more like you again, there’s a piece in each collection that energetically is coded just for that.
0:30:25 Tansy Rodgers: You don’t have to do this alone. So let your jewelry hold the frequency while you show up for your healing and for your everyday life life. Head to the show notes to grab the link to go over to beuchrystals.com to find the piece that’s really speaking to your soul. And if you’re not quite sure which piece it is that you need or what will help you the most, just reach on out to me and I will help guide you the best that I can.
0:30:58 Tansy Rodgers: Thinking about the maintenance. You said about the car needs to have regular maintenance and checkups. Thinking about that with the physical vessel. With your physical vessel, what are some of your maybe top suggestions? Important pieces of the maintenance that should be happening on a regular basis to keep your vessel tuned and humming.
0:31:26 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: The main one that most people don’t realize is the one organ in the body that’s the most important organ in the body. If I was to ask you, what do you think is the most important organ in the body, what would you think would be the most important one?
0:31:50 Tansy Rodgers: That’s so hard because it depends on what you’re talking about. I’m going to say. I’m going to say your brain.
0:31:59 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Okay, I’m gonna share something that’s gonna surprise you. Your most important organ is your colon. Your colon controls every organ in the body with one simple thing. If it’s not clean and it chooses to shut down, every organ is in trouble. So the first maintenance that you need to pay attention to is your colon. Because keeping your colon clean is extremely important for the function of every organ and every system in the body.
0:32:47 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: That’s your first major maintenance piece. The next one that you need to look at is what do you think is the most important system in the body? When you think we have 11 body systems, what do you think is the most important system?
0:33:08 Tansy Rodgers: Putting me on the spot, I’m going to say your nervous system.
0:33:13 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: The nervous system is the most important system in the body because that’s the one that delivers all the messages to the brain and carries it from the brain to all the other organs and systems in the body. So it’s important to pay attention to your colon, which is the organ and your body system, the nervous system, be about maintaining. With the nervous system, you need to be about making sure it gets the correct nutrients so that it will operate at its optimum.
0:33:50 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Make sure that it has rest time so that it will be able to function in its full capacity. Because when you get stressed out, your nervous system is put on overload and you don’t want that. So when you look at those two components, that’s what can help you maintain an optimum body so that all the other systems can operate effectively. Because the important thing about the colon specifically, if it stays in a cleansing state, it strengthens the immune system.
0:34:31 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: So that way it’s your immune system, which is your first line of defense, can fight off anything that’s foreign that’s coming inside your body. And that’s the most crucial thing that we need to remember. Specifically for those of us who live in the cold climates during theft, the immune system is crucial. It needs to be operating at optimum levels in order for us to be able to survive all of the strange energies, viruses, and everything that’s going on in our environment right now.
0:35:10 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: We need to maintain that we have a healthy immune system.
0:35:15 Tansy Rodgers: And Jadika, I’m curious, with the colon, outside of doing any detoxification or cleansing rituals, is there anything else that you would recommend to support the colon in the capacity of what you’re talking about in this part of the conversation?
0:35:39 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Exercise. People don’t believe it, but exercise is crucial. And one of the basic exercises that’s excellent for the colon, the good old trampoline, that, because that helps the whole all of the body systems, but it’s real important for the colon in terms of. And the thing about the trampoline, even if you can’t get on it to jump, sit on it and have a young person jump on, you’ll still get the same benefits.
0:36:13 Tansy Rodgers: Yeah, that’s really helpful.
0:36:16 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: The basic trampoline. And the next thing is walking, making sure that you get some walking in if you don’t do anything else. And by all means, drinking water throughout the day is so crucial and so important for the cold.
0:36:38 Tansy Rodgers: I think that so many people underestimate. I mean, you talk all the time in health fields. We talk all the time about the importance of hydration and water and why it’s important. But I think that so many people still underestimate how crucial being hydrated and having good, clean, filtered water on a regular basis is for their health. I mean, it is optimal, a foundation step.
0:37:09 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Most definitely. You can. And, and water is a healer. I mean, you know, in terms of, there’s a lot of power in water that, you know, we don’t really understand nor do we know how to use, but water is a excellent healing tool. And so you have everything in your hands. You, they always say like, you know, your medicine cabinet is really in your kitchen. That’s where all of your healing remedies are, in your kitchen cabinet. And you just don’t know it.
0:37:46 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And utilizing that is also another. It’s affordable for you. Not only that, it’s healthy and it’s not harmful. And the main thing, it is chemical free. And if you understand that and know how to go back, one of the things I suggest to people, if you have any older people in your lives, go spend some time talking and ask them about some of those old home remedies that they can remember. And you’ll be surprised with the wealth of information that you have and those, those healing suggestions, believe it or not, still can work today.
0:38:33 Tansy Rodgers: Yeah, I completely, completely agree with you. You talked about how the healing, how there’s so much power in your hands. And we talked about the beginnings of touch therapy and what that means and how simple it can be. But I’m curious, are there other ways that you can use your own power other than touch? Are there other things that you can do that maybe you prefer that are some favor of yours? Ways that are more than just you putting your hand onto an area that’s painful?
0:39:07 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: I like the way you ask that question. Because there’s a problem today in terms of our understanding of touch and because touch has a negative connotation, because you’re looking at it from the physical standpoint. But touch is a lot more than physical. And we’ve got to understand what that means. When I say the power of touch and healing, and let me give you some examples, there are two very powerful words that are touching words and they heal universally.
0:39:52 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And those two words are thank you. And by saying thank you, that’s a healing tool to do something, to make a gesture to somebody, or somebody does something for you and you respond back with a thank you, you’re going to get a smile. And that smile back at you is a touch. Because they’re saying, I acknowledge and I receive it. That’s a touch. Another form of touch is being able to smile. Somebody could be feeling down and you just give them a smile and all of a sudden that uplifts them because you just touch them by sending some calming energy to them through a smile.
0:40:52 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: That’s a form of touch. Another form of touch, when you can think about it, think about driving in your car and it’s bumper to bumper traffic and somebody opens up and lets you in and you just throw up your hand as a form of single thank you. And that touched that person because they probably nobody’s ever acknowledged them for letting them in. That made them feel good. The fact that somebody could be feeling down and you can go and say some kind of kind uplifting word to them, that’s a form of touch.
0:41:33 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: So when we think of touch, we’ve got to think of touch in terms of what we can do that uplifts someone. And when you’re uplifting using the power of touch, that’s healing because you don’t know what that person is going through. You don’t know just that little thing that seems so insignificant to you can do for that other person. You’ve touched them. And that’s what we talk about when we talk about the, the power of touch and healing.
0:42:06 Tansy Rodgers: I, I love that. I never thought or connected that together. I just had two big AHAs. Number one, you know, being in business, having my own business, and even when I worked for other people and other companies as well, we always talked about touch points. You know, sending somebody a card, connecting with them, having a coffee. But they are called touch points. And I realize now that that is a form of touch therapy, number one.
0:42:38 Tansy Rodgers: Number two, the other aha was as soon as you started talking about this, I realized how, how much that connects back into the five love languages. And depending on what somebody really connects with that touch therapy could come in the form of acts of service, physical touch, gifts, giving somebody something special. Wow. Yeah. That is a huge aha.
0:43:06 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Think about, like, you know, when somebody does something, although we don’t do this anymore. But if you ever write a check. Most people don’t do checks. But if you ever write. How many times you ever wrote thank you on a check?
0:43:19 Tansy Rodgers: I used to do that years ago, but I don’t have it in a long time.
0:43:23 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: No, just think what that would do if somebody got a check and then they saw, wow, thank you. You know, thank you on a check. You know, something as simple as that. You know, those are the kind of little, small things or you, you know, it’s. It’s just all kinds of ways that you can think of little, small. Little small insignificant things. That is the power touch. And I say this right now because one of the things that concerns me more than anything right now, we have a population of people that do not know anything about touch.
0:44:07 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Do you know who that population is?
0:44:12 Tansy Rodgers: I’m going to say that it’s probably some of the latest generations that are coming up.
0:44:18 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Our teens, our teams, and our teens are so stressed out and because, like, you know, we know how to go do things to alleviate our stress. But guess what we have not done. We have not taught that to our young people. The ways in which that they can relieve their stress using the power of touch. And that’s one of the things I do. I have a training program for young people, people where I teach young people how to do reflexology as a form of stress. Anyway, I teach young people from the ages of 10 to 18 how to use reflexology in relieving stress.
0:45:01 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: I say that because you can touch a young person and they will be totally petrified just for you. Even putting your. I mean, you could just touch the shoulder, they would almost jump out of their skin almost. Because they got. One thing I say is because of the pandemic and when we were on lockdown for two and a half years, that particular population became affected the most because we cut off all of their lines of connection with other people, their peers and everything.
0:45:42 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: School shut down on them. Everything just shut down. So they had no interaction outside of the electronics. So they don’t have any understanding of the power of touch. And I say that to say is we’ve got to get back to understanding how to bring touch back into our lives, which goes into. Even when I wrote my book reflexology today, A family Affair for the sole purpose of bringing families together again in terms of how do we touch and heal.
0:46:21 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And for Young people, I say, when you think about it, we get upset with them in terms of how they’re acting and all of that. But all that is is their way of saying, recognize me, touch me. And we don’t understand that that’s what they’re saying to us. Even in the form of the violence that you see to them, that’s a form of touch. But they don’t understand that it’s a negative form of touch. Even in the violent interactions that they’re having one with each other.
0:46:56 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: If they don’t know no other way, because no other way has been shown to them where we talk, we get back to the balance. You know, our young people are operating on an imbalanced scale right now because they only have one side and not the other. And the other for them right now, more than anything, is getting them to understand that they too are healers. They too have the same power inside their hands that we have to be able to heal themselves like we can heal ourselves.
0:47:34 Tansy Rodgers: And honestly, I feel like the children that are coming in, the teenagers that are here, I mean, they are. Man, I have met some really special kids that are. That are filled with so much healing capacities, that are tuned, that are tuned in, connected to spirit on a level that is so deep. Yet unfortunately, because of the way that maybe programming, conditioning narratives have been. They’re speaking one. They know how to speak one language, yet families, teachers, educators might be speaking another language. And it’s like two trains missing each other in the dark of night.
0:48:21 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Exactly. That is so true. And we’ve got to understand that because these are what our future leaders, teachers and healers. And if we’re not giving them the tools that they need, and I say this, I call this my passing the baton. If I’m not passing the baton to them, for them to be able to take it to the next level. I didn’t say stop it where I give it to you. I give it to you for you to take it to the next level.
0:48:58 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Because I’m giving you a foundation to build upon. And that’s the missing piece for us. We have not been very good stewards of passing the baton. That’s why we’re always floundering around instead of being able to build and then pass on. That’s what we’ve got to understand. That’s a form of touch. That’s another part of the touch therapy. Take the baton and pass it on and let them do with it however they want to do with it, because it’s their turn and we’ve got to learn to understand that it’s their time, not the way we want them to do it.
0:49:43 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: It’s the way that we can be there to support and encourage them as they do it.
0:49:51 Tansy Rodgers: So passing the baton makes me really question how if the gap is, if the gap is pretty large, depending on the family situation, the dynamic, the culture, what, whatever, whatever it is, if the gap is pretty large, how can people, parents, adults pass that baton better so that the child really hears it and can do something with it where they’re understanding and starting to learn?
0:50:27 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Another excellent question you have asked and that’s very easy. And you know what that, you know how you answer that question?
0:50:34 Tansy Rodgers: How?
0:50:35 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: The one thing that we do not know how to do very well is called listening. How much time do we spend with our young people just listening to what they say? Not just hearing them, actually listening to what they say. Because we have forgotten what it’s like to be a child. We’ve gotten so sterile in our journey to quote, unquote, become adults that we are so rigid. And in our rigidness we are stuck. And being stuck, we no longer are able to listen.
0:51:23 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: All we do is hear. You need to listen. And you’d be surprised at how aware these so called young people that we have just cast aside as being, oh, they’re troublemakers, they’re this, they’re that. But guess what? They’re looking at you. And as they look at you, they’re trying to decide do I want to model this or do I want to do what I’m feeling inside? And the only way you’ll know what they’re feeling inside is spending some time listening.
0:52:07 Tansy Rodgers: I have to share with you. So before I got into the work that I do now, I used to work in a couple different capacities in sociology as well. I used to do social work. I, I worked in foster and adoption care. I worked in juvenile detention. I worked with autistic kids. I was working with a couple different populations. But one thing that I noticed over and over and over, it didn’t matter who it was or why they were in the system that they were in, they just wanted attention.
0:52:42 Tansy Rodgers: And sometimes that attention came in negative forms. But sometimes it was just simply you sitting and listening to them. I will never forget. I will never forget. There were two boys that I used to, that were in the facility when I did, when I worked in juvenile detention, there were two boys in particular. And these two held secrets about growing up, about their identity. They held secrets that even the kids that were, that were in the facility with them did not know.
0:53:16 Tansy Rodgers: And I will never forget one time I was sitting in the hallway and each of them were sitting beside me, and we were just talking and having conversation, and each one of them said, can we tell you something but you can’t tell anybody. And I said, well, that depends. That depends what it is. But if it’s not hurting anybody, of course. And they just started telling me their worries and their concerns and things about themselves. And they said, we haven’t told anybody this. And I remember my heart almost breaking open because it. It just made me so sad that nobody took the time to really sit and listen or that they felt comfortable enough to sit and have that conversation.
0:54:02 Tansy Rodgers: So it is. It is amazing how transformative, just lending an ear five minutes of your time can completely transform somebody’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions about who they are.
0:54:17 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Yes. That it. You know, you and I have walked in the same shoes, so, like, you know, I could. I can. I understand that experience that you went through. And. And that’s a part of being able to be a healer. Because the first rule of healing begins with listening. And listening is the first form of touch. That’s why in my practice, I do pain relief first before treatment. And the reason it’s done that way is because from a business standpoint, when you go to buy something, you pretty much know what it is you want to buy when you go in the store to buy.
0:55:05 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: When a patient client comes to me, they’re coming to me in pain, and the one thing they want is pain relief. They don’t care about all the other stuff. All they want is pain relief. And so before I can even do pain relief, I have to listen to them tell me their story that’s connected to the pain. Because what I’m listening for, I’m looking for the stress pain connection, because as they’re talking to me, I’m understanding the stress that’s the contributor of why you’re in pain right now.
0:55:40 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: After we’ve gotten to that point and they shared all of that, now we can move to what we’re going to use as the therapy to relieve the pain, which is what. That’s how I integrate the reflexology in. And after we do the reflexology now, because they were able to get to know what it feels like to not be in pain now they are open. So let’s go to the treatment side now so that we now can go to what is the cause of the pain and work on the treatment that’s needed. Because when I say treatment, could that Be exercise?
0:56:25 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Could that be May mean depending on what it is, do you need to see a chiropractor? Do you need to go to acupuncture? Do we need to include massage therapy in the process, or is it physical therapy? Do you need to see a nutritionist? Are we looking at diet? All of these things need to be incorporated. So it’s a combination of things. And that’s what I call the integrative approach. Because there is no one therapy that can do it all.
0:56:57 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: It has to be an integrated approach from a therapeutic perspective in relieving the problem that starts with the pain. But the key is the area you’re feeling the pain is not the corporate for why you’re in pain, because that’s just the outlet and that’s why we’re looking at the whole body from head to toe.
0:57:21 Tansy Rodgers: And that makes complete sense. I love that you look at the pain, stress, connection to see what’s going on. You add in the touch, the physical touch, the reflexology, and then that helps to decompress the nervous system so that they open up and are willing, open, more receptive to bringing the other pieces in. That makes complete sense. And I love that you just said too, that where the pain is presenting isn’t necessarily the root cause or the point of the problem.
0:57:59 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Yes.
0:58:01 Tansy Rodgers: What have you. Oh, go ahead, go ahead.
0:58:03 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: No, go ahead, finish your question.
0:58:05 Tansy Rodgers: I was just gonna say, what have you seen? What have you seen is often that root cause? I mean, I know that it can depend on the person and the situation, but where is this pain typically coming in from?
0:58:24 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Okay, let me give you a little example. When you think of a headache, you automatically think of, okay, it’s pain in my head, something going on in my head. But a headache pain can also be connected to something going on in your stomach. It can also be connected to something going on in the gut area. But you’re feeling the pain in your head. And that’s what we talk about in terms of dealing with the whole body from head to toe, in terms of not just focusing on the area that you’re feeling the pain, because it’s connected to something someplace else in the body. And that’s what you have to look at in terms of when we talk about mind, body connection as it relates to healing from the physical standpoint.
0:59:17 Tansy Rodgers: Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get enough attention in the healing world, and that’s your environment. We’re having this powerful conversation about the healing power of touch. But what happens when your body is doing its Best to relax and regulate. And it’s surrounded by hidden toxins that constantly activate your nervous system. That’s exactly what mold and mycotoxins do. You might not see them, you might not smell them, but you’re, your body feels them.
0:59:48 Tansy Rodgers: Especially if you’re already dealing with fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, emotional reactivity or pain that just won’t quit. All of a sudden, mold and mycotoxins become this overwhelming force to your body and you still may be completely unaware. That’s why I recommend Superstratum. It doesn’t just just clean mold at the surface, it goes deep, breaking down the mycotoxins and preventing regrowth. It’s like an energetic clearing for your home, working hand in hand with the healing that you’re doing in your body.
1:00:27 Tansy Rodgers: And this product in particular. There’s nothing else out on the market like it. No other mold companies as of right now are dealing with the mycotoxins. And the mycotoxins are one of the biggest offenders. If we’re going to talk about touch and nervous system regulation, we just can’t ignore the energetic weight of your space. Head down to the show notes, check out the link and learn more and clear the space that’s quietly holding your body back.
1:01:01 Tansy Rodgers: Your body and your home and your environment will absolutely love you for it.
1:01:09 Tansy Rodgers: I want to talk a little bit about the healthcare system and these concepts and also talking about a huge crisis that we do have going on. Let’s talk about the healthcare system first. Listen, I’ve been in this work too and I know that sometimes it is really challenging to navigate the healthcare system in a medication free sort of way to influence that energy to come through. So how do you integrate and advocate for touch based medication free therapies with these kind of environments?
1:01:51 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Well, the first thing I have to say about when we talk about conventional and allopathy medicine, bar none, they are excellent in diagnosing. I mean they have that down. I mean like you can’t ask for anything more. That’s what they know how to do is diagnose. Treatment is a whole nother thing. That’s something they don’t know how to do is in terms of when we talk about treatment, they deal with what we call remedies, quick fixes.
1:02:27 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: That’s what they are good at. And when you deal with it from that perspective, you’re not focusing on the whole body. And when I deal with my clients in terms of dealing with the health care system, what I usually share with them is when you get a diagnosis what you need to focus on is what is the system that that particular area is in that I’m having a problem. And an example of this would be if I got a diagnosis that says I have hypertension.
1:03:13 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Okay. The first thing I’m going to think about what, okay, high blood pressure and anything that’s related to the circulatory system. Mainly, I’m going to be thinking about my heart as it relates to that. So if I put all that together, the doctor’s giving me a diagnosis saying I have hypertension, then what I need to do now is I know that hypertension is connected to the heart and the heart is in the circulatory system.
1:03:51 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: So I need to look at what’s going on in the system, what’s going on in the circulatory system, that my heart is having a problem that’s. That’s causing a diagnosis of hypertension. See, once you start thinking like that, now you are empowering yourself to be knowledgeable and in control of your body as you’re moving through the healthcare system. So when you talk to your doctor, get your doctor, start educating you about the circulatory system system, how it operates, how it functions, then you go back and do your research to see what is it I can do alternatively to the medication that’s being prescribed for my heart?
1:04:46 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: What do I need to do? When you look at the medication, especially when you talk about hypertension, the number one ingredient in hypertension medicine is cayenne pepper. That’s the foundation of hypertension medication is cayenne pepper. So if that’s the case, then do I need to add more cayenne into my diet? How can I take the cayenne to be about strengthening my heart if that’s what my heart is in need of?
1:05:23 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: So it’s little small things like that. But focus from the standpoint of education as you’re moving through the healthcare system, be an educated consumer of your body that’s given a diagnosis. That’s how you take back control.
1:05:44 Tansy Rodgers: Yeah. And I feel like more and more people are finally starting to do that, but it’s still. We need to talk about that more because there’s still too many people giving their power away. Listen, I believe that there is a place for Western medicine and Eastern philosophy and home remedies all to live in one beautiful arena. But when you start to give your power away to any of those without doing the education, the research, the due diligence that your body deserves, then we got a problem.
1:06:24 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Right, but see, you shared the Key. The reason why that happens. There’s only one reason why that’s happening. Remember I said the example about the automobile. And with the automobile, if your engine light comes on or you’re hearing some clanking somewhere, you go tell the mechanic, well, you know, my engine light is on and I’m hearing this clanking noise that, that’s disturbing. The mechanic will what, automatically know what it needs to start doing to find out what’s causing those problems.
1:06:58 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: You’ve got to stop taking your body to your doctor like your doctor is a body mechanic. That’s where the problem comes in. You go in there to your doctor, oh, I got a back pain. Okay, what’s the first thing a doctor’s going to say? We need to do some tests to find out what’s going on. But what do you want? Pain relief? Well, until we find out from the test here, you take this prescription to be about alleviating the pain problem.
1:07:31 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: But you don’t know if what’s being given to you for the pain problem is anything related to what you came in there for in pain. So see, that’s the reason why I say that you’ve got to pay attention to understanding how your body operates. Pay attention to your body. Stop giving your power away to the doctor as being the way where you’re supposed to know what it is. The doctor is not the car mechanic. The car mechanic has different tools that they can use. That’s the reason why they could do what they do.
1:08:10 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: A doctor doesn’t have. You have to understand the role of a doctor is only one thing and that’s to assist the body in the healing process. That’s what a doctor is supposed to do, nothing else. And when we understand that and remember now, it’s a two way street because you have to work with the doctor as well as the doctor works with you. It’s a reciprocal chain. It’s the mind, body, spirit, connection with doctor and patient working in oneness with each other, assisting the body in the healing process.
1:08:57 Tansy Rodgers: And I also think it’s really important to remember or drive home that doctors, traditional doctors are typically only trained in the modality of what they know. They’re not trained in nutrition, they’re not trained in stress management, holistic practices. They’re trained in the western medicine, conventional medicine perspective and that is absolutely fine. And there are doctors who are defy, who are defying that.
1:09:31 Tansy Rodgers: They’re getting more of a holistic approach. And that is amazing. But I think it’s important that as you as a patient going to whoever you choose as your doctor. You keep that into perspective, learn about what they do know and also do your research working in tandem.
1:09:50 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Exactly. And, and it’s got to be a two way street, you know, you just can’t go in there and the doctor’s supposed to come up with all the solutions. You have to be participatory in the solution solving of the problem that’s going on because it’s your body. And you’ve got to be able to not give your body to anybody that you don’t want to have your body. That’s just the bottom line. And no matter who it is, no matter who the practitioner is, understand that your body, you’ve got to start thinking of your body as being a temple and not a warehouse.
1:10:33 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Because if you understand and respect your body as a temple, it’s something sacred, it’s something valuable, it’s something you treasure. A warehouse. What do you do? You just store stuff, you just put stuff in. It doesn’t matter. It’s just a holding point. But that’s not what your body is. And when you understand that your body is something that’s very sacred and it belongs only to you, nobody else got it? It’s yours.
1:11:00 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: That’s what makes it special.
1:11:03 Tansy Rodgers: I love that. You know, I want to, in a moment here, I want to talk about your book and some of the nuances with reflexology. But before we get into that, I think it’s also important as we’re talking about this whole health care situation, I think it’s important to talk about an epidemic, a crisis that’s going on, and that’s the opioid crisis. I’d love to dive into that just a little bit. Your work is more relevant than ever right now. With that going on.
1:11:31 Tansy Rodgers: How does reflexology really serve as a safe alternative for those managing looking to manage pain without medication? And why do you feel that this has gotten so out of control?
1:11:48 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Okay, to answer the last question first. It’s gotten out of control because we have been programmed into believing that pain. And I’m going to say this, I never use the word painkillers. I don’t, I don’t. Because I don’t like killing them. That word is so negative. So I’ll say pain relieving relievers. But we’ve gotten so fixed on pain relievers that come in the form of pills, capsules, needles, whatever, however you receive it from, from the pharmaceutical.
1:12:32 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And we don’t understand, understand how it works. And by not understanding how it works is what has caused it to get out of control. Because what happens is it numbs the nervous system. It numbs the nerve endings inside the nervous system. So when this happens, you have cut off the pathway to healing. And so when you cut off your pathway to healing, now all you have is what a numb body. And when that wears off, you right back at what?
1:13:21 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Back in pain again. And so then we do it again. And by that time, the body’s defense mechanisms have been broken down because it’s constantly fighting off all these foreign invaders coming into your body’s territory that it does not recognize to the point that it has broken that down, just like the nervous system has broken down. And so when this happens, you’re in pain. You’re in constant pain. And so the only way, not the only, but one of the ways to be about rehabilitating the nervous system is through the power of touch.
1:14:13 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And that’s where the reflexology comes in in terms of rehabilitating the nervous system. Because in reflexology, we work nerve ending points on the feet, hands, and ears to relieve stress, pain, improve circulation, reduce toxins, and all of that inside the body. So the reflexology is what we call the rejuvenation or the rehabilitating of the nerve endings so they can get back to doing what they are supposed to do in terms of delivering messages to the brain.
1:14:54 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: You may need to send the body’s natural pain relievers to the areas that’s in distress.
1:15:01 Tansy Rodgers: And I feel like so many people forget how accessible reflexology is, especially for something like this, as a wonderful alternative, because it just sounds like it should be hard. But what’s so great is that you actually wrote a book, and the book is to make it accessible for everybody. It’s called Reflexology Today A Family affair. So let’s talk a little bit about your book and maybe some simple techniques that the listeners can tap into to be able to start some of the healing, some of the pain relief at home.
1:15:41 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Thank you. It would be my honor to be able to share one of the things I want to say about my book to let your listeners know about this. I wrote this book back in 1989. That was the first edition. And at that time, I was on my way to China to study reflexology. And when I got to China, what happened was this is how I got into what I do now called relieving pain. First, before treatment in China, a patient spends anywhere between an hour to an hour and a half with a doctor before they even get to the treatment.
1:16:22 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And the reason for that is because the doctor is trying to connect the particular pain, the particular health problem with the connection with the family. After they found that, then they bring all the family together and they talk about these are the things that you can start doing as a family so that you will be able to prevent getting this same problem that your family member now has. When I heard that and when I witnessed that, that it became a confirmation for me. Because when I wrote the book back then, I wrote it for the reason that I felt at least one member inside of the household should know some basic pain relief techniques that can be found in reflexology.
1:17:11 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: So that’s the origin of the book. The book that’s now out is in its second edition, which has been updated and it’s designed now with specific things as it relates to how to use reflexology as a family in terms of relieving pain. And before I share a technique, I want to let everybody know on this, the listening audience know that everybody has done reflexology and everybody has experienced reflexology. And you don’t know that you have.
1:17:48 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And let me share what that example is. If you as a parent have done this, or you as a child received this from your parent, it’s called this little piggy. And when you do this little piggy went to the market and your parents are circling and moving your toes backward and forward, all of the nerve endings to your head, in your toes and in your fingers. When they were doing the turning and the moving back and forth, they were stimulating the nerve endings in your head so that what happens, the baby even starts laughing or the baby will start calming down, or the baby may even go to sleep, all because of this little piggy. That was your first introduction to reflexology in terms of relieving pain and stress.
1:18:43 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: So now you know that you’ve done reflexology and you’ve received reflexology.
1:18:49 Tansy Rodgers: So is that your tip, to do more? This little piggy, is that especially for.
1:18:55 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Mothers, mothers dealing with, you know, newborn babies and your toddlers, go back to the little piggy. Trust me, it works. One of the things I will share a tip. This is a technique that everybody can do. If you can see my hands, hands with my thumb, so I can see with my thumb. We have what we call, which is known as the walking technique. You take your thumb and you bend it back and forth like this is a walking.
1:19:24 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: So with your hand, you’re going to put your thumb on the palm of your hand, and what you’re going to do is you’re going to walk it just Going to be walking it up and down, across and going across. This is a basic stress relief reflexology technique that you can do on the palm of your hands. And whenever you get stressed, say you’re real hyper and you need to calm down, just take your thumb on one hand and walk the palm of the other.
1:19:57 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Just get in the habit of walking it and that will calm you down. If your energy level is down and hit rock bottom and you needed to have it elevated, just walk the palm of the hand, just walk across and you can even do the same thing, walk your fingers because that’s the area of the head. Just do that little walking technique. Because that right there is what I call. That’s your minutes Reflexology, relaxation stress reliever.
1:20:30 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: That right there is just basic get in the habitat. When you start feeling that energy down, you don’t know what area you’re working on. But by doing that, you’re covering the whole body, stimulating those nerve endings in each of the systems of the body. And that’s a little tip in terms of how you can use reflexology in terms of when you have. Even if a headache comes on, just start doing that and calming along with deep breathing.
1:20:57 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Learn to breathe because as you inhale and as you exhale, you inhale to bring in the energy you exhale to release the negativity. And doing that by stimulating the nerve rings on the palm of your hand. That’s your reflexology session for what we call an emergency pain reliever.
1:21:21 Tansy Rodgers: And for those who are just listening, essentially she just took her thumb of one hand, put it onto the palm of the other hand, started down at the wrist and just started doing like little micro rubs, going all the way up the palm and, and then moving out to the side and going up the palm again and then even going up each finger. So if you don’t get to see the actual video, that’s what she’s doing is some micro rubs. And. And you know what’s funny is I feel like we just do that automatically. Like I will sit there and just rub my hand and not even think anything about it when I’m stressed out.
1:21:54 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: I tell you, you all have done reflexology and don’t know you’re doing it. That’s the basics. That, that is the. And teach your children. That’s a technique that you could start teaching your. And get your children to start doing it to your hand. You do it today. That right there is a bonding connection. That’s a family bonding and that will help them to now understand it’s all right. To touch in a healthy way.
1:22:27 Tansy Rodgers: This has been such a great conversation. I love how you just brought that all the way back to the beginning where we were talking about how to teach our kids to have more touch therapy in their life. That is so beautiful.
1:22:42 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Thank you.
1:22:43 Tansy Rodgers: For those who are interested in diving deeper into your teachings or maybe attending one of your workshops or learning more about you, where can they find you? Where are you hanging out? What are you excited about that you have going on in your work?
1:22:59 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: Okay, first of all, this is what I share with everybody. You can connect with me on my website, which is focusonhealing.com and I encourage you when you go on my website, go to my contact page and write down any question that you may have that you want to know about pain or something about reflexology and send it to me and I will get back to you with an answer because I want to make myself available to you in terms of taking back control of your life as it relates to having optimal health and wellness.
1:23:36 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: I’m also, I’m a big fan of LinkedIn, so you can find me on LinkedIn. I also spend time a little bit on Instagram, so I’m available on Instagram as well. And the other thing I want to share in terms of, I will be in terms of when you go to my page, I also have a podcast which is called the Touchology Wellness Experience. So you can contact me, connect with me on my podcast. But I will be coming up very soon. I’m putting together what I call educational piece called the Pain Relief. The five day pain relief challenge that we will be starting and probably for the spring, that’s going to be our spring cleaning. We’re going to do a challenge. So I’d like for you all to join and participate in that.
1:24:33 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: And the other thing I want to say is when you come to somebody’s house for the first time, it’s an African tradition, when you come to someone’s house for the first time, you bring a gift. And I have a gift for you and your listeners. It is a downloadable pain and stress relief poster on how to relieve pain and stress using particular power touch therapies. And all you do is you go to touchologyreflexology.com
1:25:12 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: and download that poster, which is my gift to you for spending time with me and hearing me talk about relieving pain and stress using the power of touch.
1:25:24 Tansy Rodgers: Thank you so much for that. That’s. That’s going to be super helpful. I will have all of the links down in the show notes. So make sure you jump on the down there. Definitely get your hands on that poster. That will be really invaluable. Thank you so much.
1:25:38 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: You’re more than welcome.
1:25:41 Tansy Rodgers: This conversation, this conversation was so good because, I mean, let’s be honest, this is basic stuff. This is basic healing. And I feel like we’ve gotten so far away from it and just having these conversations to bring us back is really, really important. So thank you so much for being here. Do you have any last words that you want to lay onto the hearts of the listeners?
1:26:10 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: I guess I’ll deal with my closing is always the first thing I say is start each day being thankful. Give yourself the touch of being thankful. That’s how to start your day. That sets the pace for your day. And then I leave you with this thought. Always remember, the power of touch heals all.
1:26:40 Tansy Rodgers: Thank you so much.
1:26:42 Dr. Njideka Olatunde: My pleasure.
1:26:44 Tansy Rodgers: This conversation with Dr. Njedika is such a potent reminder of something so simple, yet so often forgotten in our modern lives. You are wired to heal. Not just with medicine, not just with logic, but with connection, energy and presence. There is something ancient within you that knows how to soften when touched, how to trust again when listened to, how to open when held with care. Maybe today’s episode is a reminder that your pain isn’t weakness.
1:27:21 Tansy Rodgers: It’s a signal, a sacred messenger. And maybe the support you’ve been looking for isn’t outside of you. Maybe it’s in the way that you let yourself be supported. So here’s your invitation. Where can you offer yourself deeper presence this week? What part of you is asked to be touched, not just physically, but energetically and emotionally? And what if you’re healing really started by simply letting yourself feel again?
1:27:54 Tansy Rodgers: Take that into your breath, let it anchor into your body, let it move something. And if this episode moved you, please share it with someone else who’s walking this path of healing. Subscribe, leave a review, or just reach out and tell me what landed for you. I would greatly appreciate it. And until next time, keep spreading that beautiful energy you were born to share.
