Massaging the abdominal area helps to increase intestinal motility, thereby reducing constipation. Belly breathing also has the effect of massaging internal organs, assisting in the improvement of this condition.
 |
(Image: seykota) |
Typically, the “intestinal age” of a healthy person is roughly equivalent to their physiological age, with little variation. However, due to unhealthy lifestyles, many people experience a premature decline in their “intestinal age” to varying degrees.
Civil servants often work continuously for 5-6 hours, facing mental stress, which significantly impacts the contraction, digestion, and absorption functions of the intestines; over time, this can lead to constipation and even hemorrhoids. Elderly individuals, on the other hand, suffer from organ function decline, inadequate vital energy, and dryness in the intestines, making constipation more likely.
Exercise can enhance intestinal motility, combined with regulated breathing, to reduce the occurrence of constipation. Those who sit for long periods should stand up and move for a few moments every 1-2 hours, and can also perform the following massage method:
Abdominal Massage
Place your left hand on your waist (with the thumb in front and the other four fingers at the back), and use your right hand to massage outwards from the navel in circular motions (with the upper limit being the stomach and the lower limit being the pubic bone). Start by massaging down the left side, across the lower abdomen, to the right side, and then back to the stomach, completing this cycle 36 times.
Then, switch to placing your right hand on your waist and use your left hand to massage 36 times in the opposite direction, moving in circular motions from the outside in, with the navel as the focal point. You can also perform this massage while lying on your back (with one hand no longer resting on your waist). When massaging, keep your body relaxed and apply moderate pressure. Avoid massaging when overly full, hungry, extremely tired, or emotionally unstable.
Consistently massaging the abdominal area over time can enhance stomach digestive function, promote intestinal motility, and prevent constipation and cancer. Placing both hands on top of each other for the massage may yield better results.
Belly Breathing
When inhaling, the lower abdomen should rise (the upper abdomen will also expand), and when exhaling, the lower abdomen should gradually flatten in this manner: massage up – inhale; massage down – exhale. This technique can be practiced while walking, standing, lying down, or sitting at any time and place.
This breathing technique helps to massage the internal organs, enhances intestinal motility, and prevents digestive disorders and constipation. The abdominal massage and breathing methods should be combined for optimal effect.
After eating, avoid exercising immediately; wait at least 1 hour. Exercising right after meals increases the burden on the stomach, making food harder to digest.
