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Reflexology is a 4000-year-old art of healing practiced in ancient India, China and Egypt. In the beginning of the 20th century, it spread to the Western world. Reflexologic clinics and massage centers can be found all around the world. In spite of the widespread popularity, to the best of our knowledge, no serious research work has been done in this area, although much scientific research work has been carried out in other Eastern techniques like meditation and yoga. This is why a humble attempt is done in this work to quantitatively assess the effect of reflexological stimulation from a systems point of view. In this work, nonlinear techniques have been used to assess the complexity of EEG with and without reflexological stimulation. We prefer the nonlinear approach, as we believe that the effects are taking place in a subtle way, since there is no direct correlation between reflexological points and modern neuroanatomy.

Now growing at a rate of over 5% per annum, the $3 billion ‘alternative health therapies’ business is now positioned in the top ten growth industries in Australia. With poor regulation of both therapeutic goods and the unregistered therapists who promote them, cancer patients may well be putting their health at risk when they place their faith in many so-called ‘natural’ or ‘traditional’ treatments. With a focus on what complementary therapists refer to as ‘energy medicine’ and ‘nutritional medicine’, this chapter explores the risks and benefits of some of the more popular alternative health-care choices. While investigating their histories, it outlines what influences cancer patients to try these unproven therapies, and the conflict and contrast in information relating to the claims made for them and the conclusions of evidence-based research. Although there are a number of complementary therapies that are of benefit to some patients, both during and after their cancer treatments, ‘natural’ does not always equal ‘safe’, may be expensive and may even compromise their health. More patients now want a greater say in their choices of treatment, and selecting complementary therapies that may help is another of the many challenges faced in trying to make informed choices, as we navigate along our individual roads on our journeys to recovery.