(Natural News) Our lives certainly aren't getting any less stressful, and more and more people are stepping away from health damaging, addictive drugs like Xanax to calm their nerves, and are instead healing themselves through natural remedies.

Reflexology or "zone therapy" is a natural treatment that has successfully been used since ancient times to fight pain, relieve stress and rebalance the inner self. What's more, you don't need fancy equipment or an hour of expensive therapy to get the job done; it only takes five minutes of your time, and can be practiced anytime and anywhere.

Since as far back as 4000 B.C., Chinese and Egyptian healers used foot and hand massage therapies to improve conditions of the body and mind. While the technique flourished in ancient Japan, it took until the early 1900s before the method was introduced in the U.S. by an American doctor, William H. Fitzgerald. He discovered that zone therapy not only relieved pain, but also relieved its underlying cause. (RELATED: Stay informed about more natural remedies at Remedies.news)

Reflexology or 'zone therapy' to balance your inner self

While there aren't many scientific studies backing up this alternative way of healing, it has helped millions of people worldwide to cope with the stress modern life creates. Reflexologists attribute various illnesses to blocked forces of energy fields. Stimulating certain areas in the hands and feet allow vital energy to flow freely to initiate the healing process and balance the inner self.