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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Israel is facing an interceptor missile shortage, sources told the Financial Times.</li><li>The head of an Israeli manufacturer of interceptor missiles said its production lines are working 24/7.</li></ul>Israel's supply of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-israel-defense-systems-weapons-in-action-2024-4">interceptor missiles</a>, crucial for defending against enemy missile attacks, is under pressure, while the threat of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-potential-counterattack-iran-options-assasinations-oil-nuclear-military-bases-2024-10">escalation with Iran</a> remains a major concern, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ft.com/content/5b884be4-c883-421b-89d6-32cf860e97df">according to a report in the Financial Times.</a>Dana Stroul, a former senior US defense official who oversaw policy for the Middle East, told the FT that "Israel's munitions issue is serious."She warned that any potential retaliation by Iran to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-not-worried-hezbollah-backlash-iran-counterattack-lebanon-strike-2024-10">an anticipated Israeli attack</a>, coupled with more rocket fire from Hezbollah, could stretch the stockpile to its limits.Stroul also noted that the US is reaching a "tipping point," and may struggle to keep <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-gets-another-patriot-system-germany-russia-air-defense-drones-2024-7">supplying Ukraine</a> and Israel with interceptor missiles at the current pace.Ehud Eilam, a former researcher at Israel's Ministry of Defence, told the FT that during an attack on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-used-one-of-most-advanced-missiles-massive-israel-attack-2024-10">October 1</a>, '"there was a sense the IDF reserved some Arrow interceptors in case Iran fired its next salvo at Tel Aviv."He added: "It's only a matter of time before Israel starts to run out of interceptors and has to prioritise how they are deployed."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-year-of-war-idf-data-shows-726-troops-killed-over-26000-rockets-fired-at-israel/">According to recent Israel Defense Forces data,</a> over 26,000 rockets, missiles, and drones were launched at Israel from multiple fronts between October 7, 2023, and last week.This included attacks from Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-intel-from-failed-revenge-missile-strike-on-israel-isw-2024-4">Iran's large-scale air assault on Israel</a> in April was successfully defended against, according to the IDF, which <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-99-of-the-300-or-so-projectiles-fired-by-iran-at-israel-overnight-were-intercepted/">claimed</a> that 99% of the projectiles were intercepted.But a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-attacks-israel-with-missiles-after-hezbollah-leader-killing-2024-10">second major barrage on October 1</a> was more damaging — satellite images showed several missiles hit areas around the Nevatim airbase and the IDF said there were a small number of hits in central and southern Israel.Zvika Haimovich, a retired brigadier general who oversaw Israel's air defenses from 2015 to 2018, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.npr.org/2024/06/27/g-s1-6384/israel-iron-dome-hezbollah-hamas-missile-defense-limits">told NPR</a> in June that Israel was expending missiles faster than they could be manufactured."After eight months of thousands of interceptions, it's a big challenge," he said.Israel's multi-layered air defense system includes the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-uk-israeli-style-iron-dome-air-defense-sec-analyst-2024-5">Iron Dome,</a> used to intercept short-range rockets, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-iron-dome-davids-sling-arrow-network-shield-israel-threats-2023-10">David's Sling</a>, designed to destroy longer-range missiles, and the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 systems, which can intercept long-range ballistic missiles.Boaz Levy, chief executive of Israel Aerospace Industries, the Israeli state-owned manufacturer of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-used-new-arrow-system-first-time-stop-enemy-missile-2023-11">Arrow anti-ballistic missiles,</a> told the FT: "It is no secret that we need to replenish stocks."Levy said that the company's production lines are working "24 hours, seven days a week" to meet its obligations, while emphasizing that the production of interceptor missiles takes time, "not a matter of days."But Ori Wertman, a research fellow at the University of South Wales, whose work focuses on Israeli national security, expressed caution about reading too much into the idea that Israel was running low on missiles.He told Business Insider that he doubts Israel would fully exhaust its interceptor missile supply, and to approach the narrative of an Israeli interceptor missile shortage with caution."Using psychological warfare is part of the battlefield. Especially in the Middle East," he said, hinting that Israel could be playing mind games with its enemies."When some publications in newspapers show a weakness of one side, maybe it happens to make the other side think it, and then they strike when the other side thinks they are weak," he said, pointing to Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-was-hassan-nasrallah-the-hezbollah-leader-killed-by-israel-2024-9">Hassan Nasrallah</a> last month."Several weeks ago, just before the assassination, there were talks about a cease-fire," he said.Wertman also said that the Iron Dome was already selective in what it intercepts, so some missiles do get through."If they see that the missile, in an accuracy of almost 100%, won't hit a civilian target or an army base, but it will fall in a vacant place, like a field, it won't intercept it," he told BI. "Why waste the money?"According to estimates, the Iron Dome's "Tamir" interceptor missiles <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20385306">cost about $50,000 each.</a>Meanwhile, amid the threat of a further escalation between Israel and Iran, the US announced this month that it would deploy a <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/thaad.html">Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense</a>, or THAAD, missile defense system to Israel.The THAAD battery, which will arrive with a crew of American military personnel to operate the system, will supplement Israel's air-defense network, the Pentagon press secretary, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, said in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/combat-testing-record-thaad-us-missile-defense-system-israel-iran-2024-10">statement</a>.The highly advanced air defense system is believed to cost between $1.96 and <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://static.rusi.org/201508_op_ballistic_missile_defence.pdf">$3.25 billion.</a>

Israel's interceptor missiles are under pressure as threats loom larger

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Saudi Arabia's Neom megacity is facing some big challenges.</li><li>The kingdom has struggled to attract the foreign investment needed for the project, experts say.</li></ul>Saudi Arabia's vision for its futuristic desert city, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-saudi-arabia-desert-megacity-plans-look-pictures-2024-4?mrfhud=true">Neom</a>, has always been the stuff of fantasy.Touted as one of the most ambitious projects in the world, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-saudi-arabia-quirky-features-swim-lanes-ai-robot-clerks-2024-5">megacity includes plans</a> that could have been lifted from a sci-fi film. It features a high-tech linear city that will house more robots than people, a year-round ski resort featuring artificial snow, and theme parks that combine virtual and physical worlds.When Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman first revealed the high-tech project in 2017, it was met with some skepticism. Since then, details about the project have been relatively scarce, with planners reportedly bound by strict non-disclosure agreements.<div type="image" title="Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman" height="683" width="1024" msid="110820906" hostid="261" sizebytes="68974"></div>But recently, a picture has emerged of a country beginning to feel the strain of its mighty ambitions."Neom was like was an imaginary city when it was announced," Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a fellow for the Middle East at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, told Business Insider. "Now, they're finding it much more difficult to turn that imaginary vision into some sort of reality on the ground."The main issue is the enormous cost of Neom. Saudi Arabia has struggled to attract the foreign investment needed for the megaproject, and experts say it's not likely to secure it anytime soon.<h2 id="ef44ed52-571e-43fc-b076-5efc40164751">Lack of foreign investment</h2>The kingdom was counting on foreign investment to fund a large part of Neom, but things have not gone entirely to plan."When Vision 2030 was announced back in 2017, the assumption had been a lot of the funding would come in from foreign investment — that didn't happen," Ulrichsen said.The drive for foreign cash hit an early stumbling block in 2017.Just 10 days after the megacity was announced, 400 of the most prominent and influential Saudis were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-saudi-arabia-ritz-carlton-five-star-prison-2017-11">rounded up and detained in Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton hotel</a>, which had just hosted the Neom launch event.The mass arrests spiraled into a full-blown purge and became the most contentious in the kingdom's modern history."The hotel basically became a detention recap of the Saudi business elites who might have been expected to be the ones partnering with foreign investors," Ulrichsen said. "Saudi foreign investment levels — they had been declining anyway — collapsed after this, and it's been very difficult for them to build back up."In 2018, Saudi faced further global isolation after the brutal murder and dismemberment of dissident Jamal Khashoggi, a crime the CIA said was likely committed on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's direct orders.<div type="image" title="jamal khashoggi" height="800" width="1200" msid="110820909" hostid="261" sizebytes="67554"></div>"Generally, no one in the West wanted anything to do with the Saudis at this time, and investors pulled out in large numbers," Andreas Krieg, a Gulf specialist at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at King's College London, said.<h2 id="b1f6641d-9059-46a2-8dea-e934d3014e43">Spiraling costs</h2>The Saudi Public Investment Fund has propped up the lion's share of the financial burden — but officials at the sovereign wealth fund are reportedly getting nervous about the spiraling costs.The official estimate for Neom is $500 billion, but planners have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-neom-line-construction-99b3f54f">dismissed the figure</a> as unrealistically low. Other estimates have put the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-17/saudi-s-neom-hunts-for-more-cash-plans-bond-sale-for-1-5-trillion-desert-city">projected costs</a> at as much as $1.5 trillion.In April, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-05/saudis-scale-back-ambition-for-1-5-trillion-desert-project-neom">Bloomberg reported</a> that the financial realities of the country's Vision 2030 plan, which includes Neom as its centerpiece, had started to cause concern within the government.<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-borrowing-help-fund-megaprojects-oil-prices-report-2024-2">In February, Saudi also started borrowing</a> to help fund some of the ambitious megaprojects.In public, the Saudis have been keen to insist <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-neom-megaproject-not-struggling-vision-2030-minister-2024-4">the project and funding are on track. </a>In private, though, recent reports suggest that<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-vision2030-saudi-arabia-mbs-crown-prince-tough-conversations-2024-5"> the Crown Prince is open</a> to having "tough conversations" about the Vision 2030 ambitions.Krieg said Saudi Arabia's public spending bill was "extremely high," raising questions about wasteful spending on megaprojects. "Vision 2030 consumes a lot of money, and there's a lot of inefficiencies, especially when it comes to Western consultancy firms."<h2 id="e1bcd847-cd47-4f7a-b60d-2cd832da2739">Renewed scrutiny</h2>In April, the kingdom once again became the subject of international scrutiny over alleged human rights abuses.An explosive BBC News report claimed Saudi Arabia had authorized the use of "lethal force" to clear the way for Neom. The area was mostly populated by the Huwaitat tribe, which traditionally dwelled on areas earmarked for the megacity.One of the villagers, Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, was<a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-saudi-arabia-forces-authorized-kill-villagers-the-line-colonel-2024-5"> later killed by Saudi authorities,</a> according to Saudi activists.In the wake of the report, human rights organizations began pressuring governments and businesses to act on the report — prompting at least one politician, UK deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden, to raise the allegations with the Saudi government.Lina al-Hathloul, a human rights activist and head of monitoring and advocacy at human rights organization ALQST, told BI that Neom was being "built on Saudi blood.""This project symbolizes the current state of the country: it was decided without the people's consent, and when they oppose it, they are sanctioned in courts that lack independence," she said.The country has long tried to silence those who speak out against the project. Last summer, a Saudi woman was jailed for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-woman-gets-30-years-prison-criticizing-neom-megacity-twitter-2023-6">30 years for criticizing Neom on Twitter</a>."The reality behind such futuristic projects is the brutal repression of citizens and residents," said Dana Ahmed, Amnesty International's Middle East researcher."Businesses have a responsibility to conduct a thorough human rights risk assessment before operating in an environment that poses credible human rights risks, such as in Saudi Arabia."At least one company has withdrawn from Neom over human rights concerns. Malcolm Aw, CEO of Solar Water, previously told BI that he had pulled out of a <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/malcolm-aw-canceled-100m-neom-contract-human-rights-abuse-saudi-2024-5">$100 million Neom contract</a> because of alleged Saudi human rights abuses.<h2 id="b87b68bd-af94-4143-a19c-8d2a847c5a1e">Drawing The Line</h2>There's no doubt Saudi Arabia is barrelling ahead with The Line — the most prominent aspect of Neom.According to executives, the number of people working on the project doubled in the past year. Satellite images provided to BI also show the extent of construction underway at the site.<div type="image" title="Satellite image of construction on The Line." height="5675" width="8819" msid="110820912" hostid="261" sizebytes="1354834"></div><div type="image" title="Construction on the western end of The Line." height="5638" width="9763" msid="110820902" hostid="261" sizebytes="1468716"></div>But many questions remain about the project. Saudi Arabia has already reduced estimates for the number of people set to live in Neom by 2030, per Bloomberg.According to Ulrichsen, many of the project's lofty goals have always been "moving targets," with several deadlines already pushed back.As the Saudi government nervously eyes the ever-growing bill, Neom needs to generate enough excitement to attract foreign funds.Despite the fresh scrutiny over human rights abuses, Krieg says that Saudi is now more palatable than ever on the international stage, and the outlook for the kingdom is positive.Krieg said Neom's very premise was built on levels of foreign investment that now seem unlikely to ever materialize. Meanwhile, competition from Saudi's regional rivals such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi is heating up."There's been some Chinese investments, but they are nowhere near where they need to be," he said. "There's always going to be a shortfall of foreign investment in Saudi to pay for all of these projects."Representatives for Neom did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

Saudi Arabia's Neom dreams are starting to crack under financial pressure

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A growing number of Russian oil ships are idling at sea with no apparent destination.</li><li>Four ships with at least 3 million barrels of Russian crude have been floating for at least a week, Bloomberg reported.</li></ul>A growing number of Russian oil ships have been drifting off at sea with seemingly no destination. Four Russian oil tankers were floating at sea near the Russian export hub Ust-Luga for at least a week at the end of last month, <a href="https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/oil-tankers-holding-russia-s-flagship-oil-sit-and-do-nothing-in-the-baltic-1.2027029">Bloomberg</a> reported in late January. The tankers are carrying at least 3 million barrels of Urals crude, Russia's flagship oil blend. The tanker that had been drifting for the longest amount of time, called the Naxos, had spent another two weeks with its cargo fully loaded at another Russian trading port.A fifth oil ship had also been floating around the Ust-Luga area for just shy of a week, the outlet reported at the time.None of those ships are individually sanctioned by the US. Still, the lack of movement could point to oil traders treading more carefully as the West looks to crack down on Russian oil trade via sanction after imposing a $60 price cap on Russian oil in late 2022.Late last year, the US sanctioned five oil ships that traded Russian oil above the price cap limit. One of those ships, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oil-tanker-india-crude-price-cap-sanctions-west-trade-2023-11?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets&amp;_gl=1*wfruzz*_ga*MjMxMzA1Mzg2LjE2NTY0NDQxNTU.*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcwNjg4Njc1MS44MDAuMS4xNzA2ODg3MDcxLjE5LjAuMA..">the NS Century</a>, was floating off the shores of India for over a month as Indian officials mulled whether to let the ship dock. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-oil-india-ships-moscow-us-sanctions-ukraine-war-revenue-2024-1">Five other ships</a> carrying Russian oil had also been floating close to India and Sri Lanka for a month, before they started turning eastward in January, Bloomberg reported. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russian-oil-million-barrels-sanctions-india-trade-payment-currency-issues-2024-1">Another 14 ships</a> have been idling near a South Korean port for weeks, holding around 10 million barrels of Russian oil Reuters reported. India, one of Russia's top oil customers, has pulled back on its Russian crude purchases significantly since the West resolved to enforce sanctions more tightly. The nation's <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/indias-oil-imports-russia-hit-12-month-low-jan-sanctions-bite-2024-02-01/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crude exports from Russia plunged to a 12-month-low</a> in January, according to ship-tracking data seen by Reuters. Meanwhile, it's ramped up its <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/saudi-arabia-oil-price-cuts-india-russia-opec-crude-supply-2024-1">purchases of Saudi Arabia crude</a>, citing better discounts with Saudi suppliers.Fleeing customers could spell trouble for Russia over the long run, with crude oil being one of the country's main sources of revenue. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/revenues-russias-top-oil-gas-producers-fall-41-first-9-months-2023-2023-11-30/">Profits among Russia's top oil and gas companies</a> plunged 41% over the first three quarters of 2023, according to data from Russia's central bank.

More Russian oil ships have been floating at sea with nowhere to go amid sanctions pressure

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Salaha Ashraf spent her last few years of medical school feeling stressed and anxious.</li><li>She said hospital wards were under-resourced and busy, and she knew she wanted to quit. </li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Salaha Ashraf, 28, from Bolton, a town in the northwest of England. Ashraf went to medical school in 2014 but pivoted into a corporate career after deciding she didn't want to be a doctor. The following has been edited for length and clarity.There wasn't a defining moment when I decided to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-parents-did-right-to-help-get-into-med-school-2021-1">go into medicine</a>. I sort of fell into it. In my South Asian culture, medical professions are highly regarded. Plus, my siblings worked in the medical field, and I could see them doing well.During my time working in hospitals for my medical degree, I experienced a lot of anxiety and stress. I was working long shifts and felt like I was being thrown into the deep end.I decided to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nurses-are-considering-leaving-the-profession-after-covid-19-pandemic-2021-5">leave the medical field</a> in 2020 after finishing my degree. I got on a corporate graduate scheme at 25 and now have a 9-to-5 in HR. I've never looked back.<h2>I struggled with the UK's understaffed hospital environment during my studies</h2>I started my five-year medical degree in 2014 at a university in northwest England.The first two years of my course were focused on learning theory about anatomy and physiology and the last few years were spent in hospitals, learning the skills and techniques I'd need to be a doctor.I enjoyed the first few years, but I began to struggle in my third year when it became more hospital-based. In a lecture theatre, I was shielded from the realities of being a doctor.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-uk-hospitals-nhs-collapsei-doctors-nurses-2021-1">The NHS</a> has been under increasing pressure. When I worked in hospitals, the wards were understaffed, under-resourced, and extremely busy because of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/funding/health-funding-data-analysis">lack of government funding</a>. It was a tough environment to learn and practice skills. Doctors were being pulled in all directions. Finding one with the time to watch me practice and teach me was hard.I also had reservations about junior doctors' salaries. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/junior-doctors-strike-reasons-and-interview-2016-1">Junior doctors</a> in the UK have been striking for years over low pay. My peers had such a passion for medicine that they were willing to be doctors no matter what. I didn't feel I had enough passion to compensate for the lack of fair pay.<h2>I found a new passion for business management but decided to finish my medical degree before switching career path</h2>I dreaded going into my fifth year of medicine and decided to take a year out and do a master's in business management. I wanted to explore areas outside the medical field.I felt more passionate about business management after one year compared to four years of medical school. I attended lectures because I wanted to, not because I had to.I knew I wanted to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/productivity-youtubers-creator-business-channel-hacks-tips-ali-abdaal-2021-11">quit medicine</a>, but I was so close to the finishing line after passing my fourth-year finals before taking a year out. Logically, it made sense to finish my medical degree. I was meant to graduate in the summer of 2020, but it was brought forward to April because the pandemic hit.<h2>In the UK, we have graduate schemes that help you get your foot in the door at an industry</h2>During my fifth year, I started applying to graduate schemes. I'd heard about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.top100graduateemployers.com/">The Times newspaper's</a> book of top 100 graduate employers. I looked through it and applied to a range of companies. My choices were mainly based on location, as I wanted to stay in the north of England, close to my parents.The application process was harder than I expected. I didn't realize there were various stages, like personality and situational judgment tests. I messed up the first video interview I did. But my technique improved after a few other interviews.I made it to a final interview with an aerospace company and got offered a remote job as a graduate commercial officer, managing contracts for the company. I started in January 2021.There was a cohort of around 30 of us on the grad scheme.I was 25 at the time, and many of the other grads were younger than me. I felt behind and like I should be further in my career at this stage, but I had to remind myself I had the maturity and professionalism that the 21-year-olds didn't have.I learned a lot about communication while training to speak with patients as a doctor.<h2>The perks of a 9-to-5 job are great</h2>The scheme officially ended after 18 months, and I was given a permanent role in contracts. The company let me pivot into HR six months later because I wanted to do something that would incorporate my people skills.I felt my medical background made me suitable for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-hr-performance-improvement-plans-pip-pivot-had-to-quit-2023-11">HR work</a>. Doctors improve patient's lives, and in HR, I'm improving employee's lives. I left that company in September 2023 and now work in HR at a pharmaceutical company.In a corporate role, I get my weekends off and have more control over my annual leave. I take an hour lunch break, whereas when I worked in a hospital, I would skip meals to keep up with the workload. I also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dream-job-in-office-work-full-time-flexibility-benefits-2024-3">work from home</a> at my current job, which allows me to spend time with my family.I feel I'm in the right career for me.<h2>I don't wish I was a doctor</h2>I try to look back at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/medical-school-cost">medical school</a> in a positive light. I'm glad I did it because it taught me useful skills, like how to communicate clearly.If I truly asked myself at 18, "What do I actually want to do?" I probably wouldn't have enrolled in medicine. If I felt empowered to follow my passion, maybe I would have studied psychology, which I found interesting at school. I'm glad I'm thinking about what I want now — better late than never.I don't for one-second wish I was a doctor. I greatly respect people who are, but I strongly believe it's the passion that drives them — and that's something I ultimately never had. In response to a request for comment from Business Insider, an NHS spokesperson said: "There are more doctors working in the NHS than ever before, with more than twice as many people joining the medical register as leavers, but we know there is more work to do to retain our hardworking staff. As part of delivering our NHS Long Term Workforce Plan we've taken action to improve working conditions and improve retention, including increasing choice and flexibility in rotas and reducing duplicative inductions and training so clinicians can spend less time on admin and more time treating patients. At the same we are continuing to expand education, training and recruitment, including a 25% increase in medical places and an expansion of specialty training places, to ensure we have the staff we need to meet the changing needs of the population."

I quit medicine for a corporate grad job. I felt behind but didn't have the passion to become a low-paid doctor. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mexico is now America's top trade partner thanks to US-China tensions and "nearshoring."</li><li>To benefit, Mexico needs to make critical changes to its infrastructure to meet increased demand.</li></ul>Mexico is America's new, old best friend in the world economy, but now its neighbor to the south needs to figure out how to take advantage of its status.According to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dallasfed.org/research/economics/2023/0711?stream=business">recent post from Luis Torres</a>, a senior business economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Mexico has once again cemented its place as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-mexico-china-trade-world-economy-changing-2023">America's top trading partner</a>.But now Mexico needs to show it can sustain the momentum that appears to be building from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-mexico-china-trade-world-economy-changing-2023">increased "nearshoring,</a>" a practice in which countries bring supply chains for crucial goods to countries that are close physically and politically.As the world moves forward from the height of the pandemic, Mexico's ability to take the top spot away from China is a clear sign of how the economic chaos of 2020 will continue to define the world economy for years to come.<h2>Mexico's infrastructure is not ready</h2>Being a more attractive trade partner to the US is one thing. Keeping that force going and riding the wave to improve Mexico's own economy is another beast.Mexico has seen some positives in its economy.Mexico has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberglinea.com/english/why-is-the-mexican-peso-getting-stronger-in-2023/#:~:text=Mexico%20City%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Mexican%20peso,nearshoring%20boom%20and%20soaring%20remittances.">the strongest currency in the world this year</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/12/mexico-stocks-are-surging-on-reshoring-bets-but-rally-faces-risks-.html">its stock market has performed well</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2023-mexico-china-us-trade-opportunity/#xj4y7vzkg">Foreign Direct Investment</a> — the amount of ownership in domestic companies being made by foreign companies or governments — is up 40%. In addition, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-06-28/supply-chain-latest-us-nearshoring-proof-grows-as-mexico-exports-jump?utm_medium=cpc_search&amp;utm_campaign=NB_ENG_DSAXX_DSAXXXXXXXXXX_EVG_XXXX_XXX_COUSA_EN_EN_X_BLOM_GO_SE_XXX_XXXXXXXXXX&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw3oqoBhAjEiwA_UaLtrju5nJKYWXBcTmf-GMyFhpYeU7hgizX8R9IKECA5Jo0LHQYkqi6QhoC4iIQAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">the US avoiding a recession</a> would be a welcome sign of relief for Mexico.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-06-28/supply-chain-latest-us-nearshoring-proof-grows-as-mexico-exports-jump?utm_medium=cpc_search&amp;utm_campaign=NB_ENG_DSAXX_DSAXXXXXXXXXX_EVG_XXXX_XXX_COUSA_EN_EN_X_BLOM_GO_SE_XXX_XXXXXXXXXX&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw3oqoBhAjEiwA_UaLtrju5nJKYWXBcTmf-GMyFhpYeU7hgizX8R9IKECA5Jo0LHQYkqi6QhoC4iIQAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">Rental prices in industrial areas are "soaring</a>" and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2023-mexico-china-us-trade-opportunity/#xj4y7vzkg">US investment in industrial real estate</a> is on the rise, Bloomberg reported.However, Mexico's energy availability and infrastructure are at the top of the list of the country's economic problems.Most of the natural gas used to fuel Mexico's industry <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/081723-nearshoring-an-opportunity-for-mexico-but-energy-to-power-it-could-be-a-challenge">is imported from the US,</a> and its availability is limited to the industrial corridors that are already developed. S&amp;P Global notes that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/081723-nearshoring-an-opportunity-for-mexico-but-energy-to-power-it-could-be-a-challenge">those areas are already saturated</a> and would need more infrastructure.Mexico also has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-10/mexico-s-industrial-parks-lobby-amlo-in-push-for-renewables#xj4y7vzkg">a strained and erratic electricity supply</a> that will be further tested as more companies move into the country. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-10/mexico-s-industrial-parks-lobby-amlo-in-push-for-renewables#xj4y7vzkg">Mexico's energy consumption has tripled over the past three decades</a> and will continue to grow, Bloomberg reported.<div type="image" title="A sign welcomes Tesla and their new factory to Monterrey, in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico." height="1692" width="2500" msid="103814806" hostid="261" sizebytes="191080"></div>And then there are things Americans often take for granted, like access to water. In Nuevo León, where Tesla is building its factory, <a target="_blank" href="https://dialogochino.net/en/climate-energy/60151-drought-mexico-water-shortage-social-unrest/">a drought in 2022 left thousands of residents without water</a>, causing social unrest.<h2>Mexico has benefited by being the middleman</h2>As tensions continue between the US and China, the latter has strengthened its trade relationship with Mexico. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202309/1298191.shtml">China is now Mexico's largest trading partner globally</a>, and Mexico is already China's second-largest trade partner in Latin America.China's Foreign Direct Investment in Mexico is still small (about 1% of Mexico's Foreign Direct Investment) but it is its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dallasfed.org/research/swe/2023/swe2303">fastest-growing source of outside investment</a>.<div type="image" title="China's President Xi Jinping" height="2000" width="3000" msid="103814808" hostid="261" sizebytes="138452"></div>While <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/us-china-trade-relations-american-consumers-goods-politics-economy-beijing-2023-7">direct trade between the US and China has declined</a>, Mexico appears to be taking advantage by acting as the middleman between the two powers. The difference is now the supplies are moving through Mexico first, thanks to the country's proximity to the US and its<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-09-14/supply-chain-latest-china-companies-bypass-us-duties-by-going-via-mexico"> ability to skip the higher tariffs placed on Chinese imports</a>.It also doesn't hurt that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dallasfed.org/research/swe/2022/swe2203/swe2203b">Mexico can offer plenty of low-cost labor</a> for Chinese companies to set up shop south of the US border."We're increasingly seeing Chinese companies manufacturing finished goods in Mexico to serve their US customers, immunizing themselves against further worsening of the US and China relations," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-supply-chains-moving-companies-outside-mainland-2023-4#mexico-is-a-key-manufacturing-base-in-the-north-american-market-4">the consulting firm Kearney wrote</a> in its <a target="_blank" class="notion-link-token notion-focusable-token notion-enable-hover" href="https://www.kearney.com/operations-performance-transformation/us-reshoring-index">2022 Reshoring Index report.</a>Of course, the downside to the US consumer is that <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/us-china-trade-relations-american-consumers-goods-politics-economy-beijing-2023-7">adding a go-between could mean higher prices</a>. The Fed reports that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascityfed.org/Jackson%20Hole/documents/9747/JH_Paper_Alfaro.pdf">prices of imports from Mexico</a> are already on the rise.<h2>Mexico is already angering its friends</h2>As trade ramps up between China and Mexico, tensions are also rising between the two countries due to<a target="_blank" href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202309/1298191.shtml"> Mexico's decision to raise tariff rates between 5% to 25%</a> for some goods coming from countries that don't have a free-trade agreement with the country.The move raised eyebrows in China."Despite the fact that the measures taken by the Mexican authorities were not targeted against specific countries, they will, to a certain extent, affect trade and economic exchange between China and Mexico," He Yadong, a commerce ministry spokesperson, said at a press conference after the move.<div type="image" title="A cargo ship loaded with Chinese-made trucks." height="1401" width="2500" msid="103814811" hostid="261" sizebytes="341224"></div>And then there is the US. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/biden-administration-moving-escalate-energy-trade-dispute-with-mexico-2023-09-06/">Some American companies have accused Mexico of limiting their ability to expand in the country</a> in favor of local companies. This has caught Washington's attention and there's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/biden-administration-moving-escalate-energy-trade-dispute-with-mexico-2023-09-06/">growing concern that this could lead to retaliatory tariffs</a>.This all could mean little to the Mexican economy if the government doesn't invest more to shore up the country's infrastructure.If Mexico's economy is going to surge, it needs to be more than just a middleman. The country will continue to be attractive to foreign governments and corporations, but without domestic investment, the Mexican economy won't benefit directly from importing goods, manufacturing products with them, and then turning around and exporting those products to another country."The reason they turn and look at Mexico, and that Mexico is attractive, is that it's already integrated into the United States," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2023-mexico-china-us-trade-opportunity/">Gerardo Esquivel, a former deputy chief of the country's central bank told Bloomber</a>g. "That's going to bring more investment flows even if Mexico doesn't do anything."

Mexico is trying to be best new trade buddies with both the US and China — but it might not be able to handle the pressure

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The CEO of Taco Bell's parent company said the chain was doing a "great job" of retaining low-income diners.</li><li>Demand for Taco Bell's revamped $3-and-under value menu is higher than expected, he said.</li></ul>Taco Bell says that it is still performing well among low-income customers even as other fast-food chains say they're struggling to keep hold of this demographic.David Gibbs, CEO of Taco Bell's parent company Yum! Brands, said that the taco and burrito chain's restaurants in low-income trade areas in the US had outperformed the rest of the business."So with the low-income consumer, I know there's been a lot of talk about, 'are they dropping out?'" Gibbs said. "It looks like we're doing a great job of holding onto them."Diners shouldn't expect Taco Bell to raise menu prices as much in 2024, he said. Yum! didn't say how much the brand put prices up by in 2023.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-adds-meal-sized-value-menu-items-removes-items-2024-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Taco Bell revamped its Cravings Value Menu</a> in January by adding six new items, including a chicken enchilada burrito and loaded beef nachos, and taking other items off."The value menu that we've recently tweaked in the US to be $3 and under is actually over-indexing a little bit with consumers versus test and expectations, which isn't a bad thing because it's a real competitive advantage for us and it's designed to maintain franchisee profitability," Gibbs said. "We just are slowly returning to a more normal operating environment where value is always important in the category, as is convenience."But the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-isnt-cheap-anymore-2023-11">price of fast food</a> across the US has soared in recent years and diners are complaining that it's no longer cheap. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-price-hikes-putting-off-low-income-customers-inflation-expensive-2024-2">McDonald's</a> said on Monday that it was seeing pressure among diners earning $45,000 and under."From an industry standpoint, we actually saw that cohort decrease in the most recent quarter, particularly I think as eating at home has become more affordable," McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski told investors.But the burger giant is continuing to gain share among middle- and high-income diners. "The battleground is certainly with that low-income consumer," he said.<h2>Record numbers of Taco Bell customers ordered digitally</h2>Though Yum! also owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Habitat Burger Grill, Gibbs said that Taco Bell made up the "vast majority" of the business' US sales and profits, contributing more than three-quarters of its US divisional operating profit.Taco Bell had more than 8,500 restaurants globally by the end of 2023. It's dwarfed in size by sister brands KFC, with about 30,000 locations, and Pizza Hut, with around 20,000 locations.Yum! <a target="_blank" href="https://s2.q4cdn.com/890585342/files/doc_financials/2023/q4/Q4-2023-Earnings-Release.pdf">said</a> that Taco Bell's US systemwide sales grew 6% in the fourth quarter year-over-year and 9% for the full year.Gibbs said that digital sales hit record levels, with 31% of all Taco Bell orders in the US placed digitally, including a big growth in the number of people ordering at its in-store kiosks.

Taco Bell says that low-income customers are still flocking to its restaurants even as other fast-food chains say they're struggling to hold on to them

<ul><li>The upcoming restart in student loan payments is set to weaken the US consumer, according to Morgan Stanley.</li><li>The bank conducted a survey of about 2,000 consumers and found some startling insights.</li><li>A whopping 34% of survey respondents said they will not be able to make the payments at all.</li></ul>The upcoming restart of student loan payments could begin to weigh down a US consumer that has been remarkably resilient over the past year and a half.According to a recent survey of about 2,000 consumers by <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ms-stock">Morgan Stanley</a>, concerns over upcoming debt and mortgage payments has soared to the highest level since the survey began.Part of that surge is due to this October's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-is-interest-coming-back-student-loan-debt-relief-biden-2023-6">restart of student loan payments</a>, which have been paused since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The average payment is between $300 and $400, based on various estimates."Only 29% of consumers who have federal student loans are confident they will have enough money to start making payments without adjusting spending in other areas," Morgan Stanley said.Meanwhile, 37% of respondents said they will need to cut their spending in other areas to make the student loan payments, while a whopping 34% of respondents said they will not be able to make the payments at all. In this case, the restart of payments will negatively impact low-income households the most, according to the survey.Consumers' concerns about the impact of the imminent restart of student loan payments spilled over into other their areas of their finances. Morgan Stanley said 31% of consumers were worried about their ability to repay debts and 27% to pay rent or mortgage, with both metrics hitting all time highs.As a segment of consumers start to feel increased pressures heading into the fall when student loan payments restart, discretionary spending categories could see the biggest decline if consumers need to tighten their belts, according to the note.The discretionary categories with the most strongly negative net spending intentions were consumer electronics, toys, home appliances, food away from home, and leisure/entertainment. "Overall, the majority of consumers surveyed (61%) continue to say they are likely to cut back on spending over the next six months," Morgan Stanley said.Such a decline in consumer spending could fuel recession fears that have been recently echoed by <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/jpm-stock">JPMorgan</a>, which <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/recession-outlook-economy-stock-market-to-drop-amid-unknown-risks-2023-6">expects an economic dip to materialize by the end of this year</a> or early next year.It could also fuel <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/target-stock-downgrade-millennials-exposure-student-loan-debt-repayments-resume-2023-6">concerns about a dip in Target's business</a>, as the retailer has high exposure to millennials that are most likely to have student loan debt.

The restart of student loan payments is going to pressure the strong US consumer, as 34% of borrowers say they'll be unable to make payments

New Delhi, Consumer demand is expected to stay low over the coming quarters, as inflation continues to rise, creating a further slowdown phase for the startups in the country, a new report has said. There is an ongoing risk of further escalation in the war on Ukraine and the current wheat crop being impacted by hot weather conditions, according to market research firm <keyword id="3359665" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="redseer" source="Orion">Redseer</keyword> <keyword id="9903214" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="strategy-consultants" source="Orion">Strategy Consultants</keyword>. Consumer perception of the general economic condition continues to be pessimistic as per the <keyword id="6354335" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="Orion">Reserve Bank of India</keyword>'s <keyword id="1961413" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="consumer-confidence-survey" source="Orion">Consumer Confidence Survey</keyword> of January 2023, where more than 50 per cent of consumers reported it to have worsened. This comes at a difficult time for startups. They currently have limited ability to drive growth through discounts and other levers, which worked well during an easier funding environment. "Therefore, startups must focus on efficient unit economics and improving profitability by sticking to their core offerings," the report said. One strategy that has worked for FMCG players in the face of shrinkflation has been the push towards smaller stock-keeping units (SKUs). "Bharat-focused startups, too, need to look at revamping their <keyword id="6625639" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="sku" source="Orion">SKU</keyword> strategy to fit the tighter wallets of the mass-market consumers. The second strategy is to double down on the premium categories, which have lower price elasticity and have performed well against market pressures across sectors," the findings showed. The market disruption by the Covid-19 pandemic created phases of growth and slowdowns for startups. As a result, most businesses experienced a net growth that spanned two pandemic waves. However, in 2022, global inflationary pressures severely impacted consumer demand. The revenue increase was driven by higher prices, as volumes remained low across the urban and rural sectors. "With the macroenvironment challenges expected to continue, consumer demand is likely to remain subdued for the foreseeable future," the report said. "We expect consumer demand over the near future to continue staying subdued, with high inflation, unemployment in the urban organised sector and falling real wages in the rural areas," it added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-13-pro-vs-oneplus-11-price-specs-and-features-compared/slidelist/98264176.cms">Xiaomi 13 Pro vs OnePlus 11 – price, specs and features compared</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/noise-and-fire-boltt-entered-in-top-five-in-global-smartwatch-shipments/articleshow/98171390.cms">These two Indian brands have together sold more smartwatches than Samsung in 2022</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/four-out-of-five-wireless-earbuds-sold-in-india-in-2022-were-from-an-indian-company/articleshow/98141414.cms">Four out of five wireless earbuds sold in India in 2022 were from an Indian company</a>

Tough times for Indian startups as consumer demand expected to stay low: Redseer

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Companies offering <keyword id="11905566" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="remote-work" source="Orion">remote work</keyword> may be treating it as a tradeoff for a bigger raise.</li><li>A new paper finds that 38% of firms see remote work as a way to moderate <keyword id="12137398" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wage-growth" source="Orion">wage growth</keyword>.</li></ul>If you're reading this from the comfort of your own home, you may be among the legions of office workers who no longer work in an office.For many so-called knowledge workers — who have always been able to do their work from the comfort of a laptop screen — the pandemic made remote work <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/remote-work-telecommuting-permanent-labor-market-recovery-coronavirus-economy-2022-1">the norm for many</a>. It's been a boon for some, and one way that workers have seen themselves <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-from-home-saved-me-return-to-office-i-quit-2022-1">gain some power over when and where they're working</a>.But some companies might have ulterior motives for letting you work in your pajamas — it's saving themselves some money in a still-hot labor market. A <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w30197?utm_source=npr_newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=20220708&amp;utm_term=6944840&amp;utm_campaign=money&amp;utm_id=33862828&amp;orgid=&amp;utm_att1=">new National Bureau of Economic Research working paper</a> from economists Jose Maria Barrero, Nicholas Bloom, Steven J. Davis, Brent H. Meyer, and Emil Mihaylov looks at wages and remote work, and how companies are approaching both.The research, which was <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2022/07/12/1110510488/lean-out-employees-are-accepting-lower-pay-in-order-to-work-remotely">first reported on</a> by NPR's Planet Money, is based on the <a href="https://www.atlantafed.org/research/surveys/business-uncertainty.aspx">Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Survey of Business Uncertainty</a>. That survey goes out to monthly to hundreds of executives, and the economists added new questions for April and May polling. They asked executives if their "firm expanded the opportunities to work from home (or other remote locations) as a way to keep employees happy and to moderate wage growth pressures." The answer: 38% of the firms surveyed were letting their workers stay at home — and using that as a tool to not raise wages as much.That was particularly concentrated among larger firms, where 52.4% said that they made remote work more available in an effort to offset potential wage growth. And some companies are planning on letting their employees stay remote, but with a wage tradeoff. The researchers asked if, over the next year, firms will let employees stay remote for at least one day a week "to restrain wage-growth pressures." Broadly, 41% of executives said yes, and about 55% of executives at firms with over 250 workers said they were planning on it. The study finds that this may be good news for inflation, since the remote work for less wages tradeoff means wages won't keep soaring and pushing businesses to pass those higher labor costs on to customers.Of course, a subset of <keyword id="11939555" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="remote-workers" source="Orion">remote workers</keyword> have left cities like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pandemic-tech-finance-migration-california-texas-florida-new-york-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New York and San Francisco</a> for locales with lower costs of living, and businesses with fully-remote job openings can hire from anywhere in the country. Switching to a remote landscape means that companies formerly recruiting for in-person roles in costly cities can hire in areas where wage expectations are different.Some remote workers have already seen their salaries <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/next-big-battle-over-work-from-home-remote-employees-salaries-pay-cut" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pared down</a> for their new home bases, as companies reason that a lower-cost area would traditionally have them compete against a different band of salaries.The research also offers a glimpse into how employers are balancing workers' desires in the labor market. Workers still want to work from home, and some will even quit if made to come back. An ADP survey of 32,000 workers <a href="https://mediacenter.adp.com/2022-04-25-ADP-Research-Institute-R-Reveals-Pandemic-Sparked-Shift-in-Workers-Priorities-and-Expectations-in-New-Global-Study">found</a> that 64% of respondents would start job hunting, or consider it, if their bosses asked them to return to working in-person full time.So allowing remote work is a good way to keep your employees, and keep them happy. The economists also noted that remote work can impact potential turnover, and cut down on hiring costs.But when companies do offer remote work, it also presents an opportunity to pay their workers less than they might have otherwise. Some workers are fine with this tradeoff. Owl Labs and Global Workplace Analytics polled 2,050 workers in September 2021 for their <a href="https://owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2021">State of Remote Work</a> survey, and found that 38% would take a 5% paycut if it meant they could work remotely at least part time after the pandemic.Alonso Morris, a 39-year-old who believes he could be earning more, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/remote-work-from-home-jobs-millennial-pay-cut-great-resignation-2022-6">told Insider's Jason Lalljee</a> that being able to work remotely is worth the salary tradeoff. "That kind of flexibility is honestly life-changing," Morris, who real name and company were kept private, told Insider.

Companies are letting you work from home so they can pay you less &mdash; and so you'll be happier

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Reflexology is a therapeutic technique involving massage on specific areas of the hands and feet. </li><li>Benefits of reflexology include easing back pain, menstrual cramps, and reducing anxiety. </li><li>Avoid reflexology if you are pregnant, have diabetes, epilepsy, or thyroid problems. </li></ul>Reflexology is an <keyword id="840407" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Alternative-medicine">alternative medicine</keyword> technique - related to massage - that has <a href="https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/history-reflexology#:~:text=Because%20reflexology%20is%20an%20ancient,along%20with%20other%20medical%20procedures." target="_blank" rel="noopener">roots</a> dating back to ancient Egypt and traditional Chinese medicine. It was popularized in the United States in the early 1900s after doctors saw it <a href="https://www.ocr.edu/history.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">practiced by Native American tribes.</a>Today, <a href="https://arcb.net/tag/american-reflexology-certification-board/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">certified reflexologists</a> will tell you the technique is effective for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4624523/#bib1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">treating</a> chronic disease, decreasing pain, reducing anxiety, and boosting <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4624523/#bib1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">general well-being</a>.Some of these benefits are backed by scientific research. But others are not. Here's what you can actually expect from reflexology, both the benefits and side effects.<h2>What is reflexology? </h2>Reflexology is a therapeutic <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/what-is-reflexology/faq-20058139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">technique</a> involving massaging and applying pressure to specific areas of the hands and feet. It's <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/what-is-reflexology/faq-20058139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">based on the theory</a> that charted pressure points correspond with different organs and body parts. Specifically, these points correspond to an increase in blood flow says <a href="https://www.zocdoc.com/doctor/dustin-martinez-dc-283979?insuranceCarrier=-1&amp;insurancePlan=-1n=-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dustin Martinez</a>, DC, owner of <a href="https://www.wholehealthla.com/staff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whole Health Chiropractic.</a><div type="image" title="foot pressure point" height="1341" width="1201" msid="81851710" hostid="261"></div><h2>Benefits of reflexology </h2><a href="https://arcb.net/tag/american-reflexology-certification-board/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Certified reflexologists</a> propose <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4624523/#bib1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reflexology is effective</a> for many ailments, but scientific studies show a lack of evidence to support the supposed benefits, which <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/reflexology#:~:text=Generally%2C%20reflexology%20appears%20to%20be,to%20pass%20urine%20more%20often." target="_blank" rel="noopener">include</a>: <ul><li>Relieving <a href="http://insider.com/home-remedies-for-migraines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">migraines</a> and <a href="http://insider.com/home-remedies-for-headaches" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headaches</a></li><li>Relieving arthritis pain</li><li>Improving <a href="http://insider.com/what-is-asthma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stroke</a> recovery</li><li>Relieving asthma symptoms</li><li>Boosting <a href="http://insider.com/how-to-increase-sperm-count" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fertility</a></li><li>Relieving peripheral neuropathy - weakness or numbness in extremities due to nerve damage. </li></ul>However, some small studies suggest reflexology <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4624523/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may help to</a> relieve: <h3>1. <a href="http://insider.com/stretches-for-lower-back-pain">Chronic back pain</a></h3>Back pain is the <a href="https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/What-is-Chiropractic/Back-Pain-Facts-and-Statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leading cause of disability in the world</a> and is notoriously difficult to treat. A<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5114793/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> small 2016 study</a> of nurses with chronic low back pain found that three, 40-minute reflexology sessions over the course of two weeks significantly reduced pain severity scores. "These studies are quite small, but the anecdotal support for reflexology can't be ignored," says <a href="https://www.optimale.co.uk/about-trt-doctors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Airey</a>, MD, a practicing physician and Medical Director at men's <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health">health</keyword> clinic <a href="https://www.optimale.co.uk/about-trt-doctors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Optimale.</a> "Pain is subjective, and if reflexology helps a patient cope with their symptoms I see no harm." <h3>2. <a href="http://insider.com/what-is-anxiety-disorder">Anxiety</a></h3>Reflexology could also help relieve <a href="http://insider.com/what-is-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">depression</a> and <a href="http://insider.com/what-is-anxiety-disorder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anxiety</a>, particularly for people who are hospitalized. What the research says: A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6715326/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small 2019 study</a> of hospitalized women with heart-attack-related issues found foot reflexology reduced both depression and anxiety scores relative to those who received routine care without a foot reflexology massage. "Reflexology helps by increasing blood flow through the body which really helps to decrease stress and anxiety and lower our blood pressure. When you feel less stressed and less anxious, it's easy to feel relaxed," says Martinez.<a href="https://www.wholehealthla.com/staff"> </a><h3>3. <a href="http://insider.com/home-remedies-for-period-cramps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Menstrual cramps</a></h3>If you're sick of popping NSAIDs to deal with menstrual cramps, reflexology could provide some relief. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3208937/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small 2010 study</a> in women with menstrual pain found reflexology reduced menstrual cramp intensity more than Ibuprofen. Patients who were subjected to ten, 40-minute reflexology sessions over two consecutive menstrual cycles experienced a significant reduction in pain intensity and duration compared to women who took 400 mg of Ibuprofen once every eight hours for three days. Martinez says reflexology is often used as a complementary therapy alongside other therapies and modern medical treatments. "I find the majority of patients notice the benefits after the first session, but everybody is unique and heals on their own time," Martinez says. <h2>Is reflexology harmful? </h2>Reflexology is safe for most and causes minimal side effects, but certain people should avoid reflexology, or check with their doctor before trying it out.You should <a href="https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/reflexology/are-there-times-when-i-shouldn-t-have-reflexology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">avoid reflexology</a> if you have:<ul><li>A foot injury</li><li>An open wound</li><li>A fungal condition, like <a href="http://insider.com/athletes-foot-home-remedy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">athlete's foot</a></li><li>Blood clotting issues </li></ul>You should <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/reflexology#:~:text=Generally%2C%20reflexology%20appears%20to%20be,to%20pass%20urine%20more%20often." target="_blank" rel="noopener">check with a doctor before</a> having reflexology if you have: <ul><li>Gout</li><li>Foot ulcers</li><li>Thyroid problems</li><li>Epilepsy</li><li><a href="http://insider.com/what-is-diabetes">Diabetes</a></li></ul>Important: People who are pregnant - take note. Certain <a href="https://www.insider.com/foot-massage-and-pressure-points-during-pregnancy-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressure points on the feet can induce uterine contractions</a>, so be sure to check with your doctor and alert your reflexologist if you're pregnant. You might experience <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/reflexology#:~:text=Generally%2C%20reflexology%20appears%20to%20be,to%20pass%20urine%20more%20often." target="_blank" rel="noopener">mild side effects</a> after reflexology, including: <ul><li>Tender feet or hands</li><li>Lightheadedness</li><li>Emotional sensitivity </li></ul>"Reflexology is not for everyone," Martinez says. "I recommend contacting your local natural doctor or someone trained in reflexology to discuss what's best". Some people will experience pain or soreness after a reflexology session, so Martinez recommends you find a practitioner who listens and communicates with you about pressure and massage intensity. <h2>Insider's takeaway </h2>Larger, more thorough studies are needed to determine just how effective and beneficial reflexology is for certain conditions. That said, it's a non-invasive therapy that can be used alongside other medical treatments and may even help you relax. If you want to try reflexology for yourself, look for a trained practitioner who is registered with the<a href="https://arcb.net/"> American Reflexology Certification Board </a>or an equivalent, reputable certification board.<a data-type="6054d0dbc47d9c375f164223">6 easy exercises to relieve low back pain and improve posture, according to a physical therapist</a><a data-type="5f80931d851d5a7584091b54">The 4 best home remedies for period cramps</a><a data-type="5fa2d36e1ad83a43d90fbf70">5 of the best stretches to relieve lower back pain - and how to do each correctly to prevent injury</a><a data-type="6054d7e450e31d39cd230625">Why cupping therapy is so popular among celebs and athletes - and whether it's right for you</a>

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