The left thumb is hooked into the ileocecal valve in a horizontal position. Turn the thumb up toward the waistline and begin to thumb walk up toward the waist guideline. Take small, slow bites as the thumb walks up, creating a line close to the edge of the foot. The thumb is on the bottom surface, but near the outside edge.

This is the ascending colon reflex. The colon is divided into four parts: the ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid areas. Waste is passed from the ileocecal up along the ascending colon. The colon begins to churn, contracting and expanding, pulling out all essential material and passing the waste farther along. The ascending colon terminates at the hepatic flexure just under the liver.

The right foot holds the reflexes for the ascending colon and half of the transverse colon. Bring the thumb back to the ileocecal reflex and thumb walk up the edge again. Feel how the foot responds. The more the reflex is worked, the softer the skin will feel. The more relaxed the receiver, the easier it is to work the reflex.