Abdominal massage, deeply rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), offers a holistic approach to health, extending beyond mere relaxation to address weight management and overall well-being. This article explores the benefits, techniques, and scientific evidence behind Chinese stomach massage, also known as Tui Na, as a complementary therapy for weight loss and various health conditions.
The Essence of Chinese Abdominal Massage
Abdominal massage is healing, relaxing, and even life-changing. China has a long, long history (thousands of years of history) of focus on gut health. Tui Na, a manual therapy pronounced "twee nah," is a Chinese approach that involves specific techniques to stimulate the abdomen for therapeutic purposes. While not all Tui Na sessions are for pain or dysfunction, abdominal treatments are entirely worthy to get ab treatments for vanity’s sake. As Dr. Paula Bruno, Ph.D., L.Ac., a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, an AOBTA-CP traditional Chinese bodywork therapist, a health coach, and an author notes, it brings her great joy to work with any manifestation of midsection misfunction, including but not limited to gastroparesis (slow emptying), bloating, inflammation, and/or leaky gut syndrome.
Beyond Digestion: The Midsection's Multifaceted Role
Your mid-section is not just the place where you digest food. The abdomen is considered a key area for people with EDS and the common comorbidities. Cultural values surrounding health and the body provide a foundation for what your practitioner does during an abdominal treatment. The midsection plays a crucial role in overall health, going beyond mere digestion. It is often referred to as the "second brain," highlighting its connection to emotional and physical well-being.
Tui Na and Other Abdominal Massage Modalities
A Tui Na treatment for cosmetic purposes can also include gua sha and cupping. Besides Tui Na, other well-known and excellent schools of practice in the realm of abdominal treatment includes Mayan abdominal massage and Japanese hara massage, in Japan called Ampuku.
The Benefits of Chinese Stomach Massage
Traditional Chinese medicine is widely known for being one of the most practiced holistic health approaches in the world. In the United States, aspects of traditional medicine, such as massage therapy and yoga, are a part of mainstream health and wellness culture. Abdominal massage offers a range of benefits, including:
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- Improved Digestion and Relieved Bloating: Chi Nei Tsang helps improve digestion and relieves bloating. Abdominal massage can reduce digestive disorders like constipation and bloating.
- Stress Reduction: Abdominal massage techniques, such as Chi Nei Tsang, can reduce emotional stress, anxiety, and depression. It alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression by addressing the emotional center of the stomach.
- Enhanced Energy Flow: These treatments stimulate the body's natural energy flow, promoting harmony.
- Emotional Release: Abdominal massage targets physical and emotional tension trapped in the abdomen. By stimulating the organs and abdominal muscles, this massage helps relieve digestive issues while also releasing stored emotions, allowing the body to restore balance. Anyone with deeply held sorrow or fear or stuck emotions can find peace on my table.
- Weight Management: Supporting weight loss by improving metabolism and circulation.
- Detoxification: Abdominal cupping promotes detoxification by drawing out toxins and improving circulation.
Addressing Specific Conditions
In Dr. Paula Bruno's practice, she works with any manifestation of midsection misfunction, including but not limited to gastroparesis (slow emptying), bloating, inflammation, and/or leaky gut syndrome. If you are a person with groin discomfort or a guy with testicular pain, she can help you either via abdominal work or tui na for your feet. Back pain released via the abdomen is something she loves to deliver. Working with Ehlers Danlos syndrome patients is one of her super-powers.
Acupressure and Weight Loss
Acupressure, like acupuncture, is a type of complementary medicine that has long been a part of traditional Chinese medicine practice. While acupuncture uses needles to stimulate the various pressure points around the body, acupressure is done by stimulating these points through massage therapy. Acupressure can help reduce stress, improve digestion, and increase metabolism. Certain pressure points may also affect appetite and glucose levels, making the practice a useful tool for weight loss along with diet and exercise.
Key Acupressure Points for Weight Loss
In traditional Chinese medicine, each acupressure point on the body exists on an energy pathway called a “meridian.” These meridians are named according to the various organs in the body. Each acupressure point along a meridian is named using the letters corresponding to that meridian, followed by the location of the point on the pathway. These acupressure points also have corresponding traditional names.
Some acupressure points are believed to influence digestion, metabolism, and other factors related to weight loss. These include:
- Zusanli (ST36): Located along the stomach meridian, zusanli is believed to influence the organs of the upper abdomen, the parasympathetic nervous system (which controls digestion), and the overall energy of the body.
- Sanyinjiao (SP6): Located along the spleen meridian, sanyinjiao is thought to influence the organs of the lower abdomen and the parasympathetic nervous system.
- Zhongwan (CV12): This point is along the conception vessel meridian. Zhongwan is believed to influence the organs of the upper abdomen, as well as those related to digestion, such as the stomach and intestines.
- Renzhong (GV26): Located along the governing meridian, renzhong is thought to have an influence on weight, especially obesity.
- Xuehai (SP10): Located along the spleen meridian, xuehai is believed to have an impact on blood sugar levels, particularly in the context of diabetes.
Performing Acupressure Massage
To massage these points:
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- Place two fingers on one of the acupressure points.
- Apply gentle but firm pressure to the point with both fingers.
- Use a circular motion to massage the point for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Repeat on the other side, where applicable.
Scientific Evidence: Abdominal Massage and Weight Loss
Abdominal massage (AM), a traditional Chinese medicine-based treatment method, has received considerable attention in the recent years. The research on acupressure and weight loss is limited. However, the current literature suggests that acupressure may be effective in aiding weight loss for individuals with obesity.
Rat Model Studies
In a study, forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following four groups: standard chow diet (control group), high-fat diet (model group), HFD + abdominal massage (AM group), and HFD + resveratrol (RSV group). A rat model of IR was established by feeding HFD to rats for 8 weeks followed by treatment with AM or RSV for 4 weeks. Abdominal rubbing, massaging, and acupoint pressing (RN6 Qi Hai, RN4 Guan Yuan, RN12 Zhongwan, and ST25 Tianshu) of rats in AM group were performed for 15 min, once a day, for 4 weeks.
The results indicated that AM significantly improved glucose intolerance, hyperglycemia, obesity, and significantly reduced lipid accumulation [triglyceride (TC), total cholesterol (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)], adipocytokine [free fatty acids (FFA), adiponectin (ADPN)] and serum pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) secretion. In addition, AM activated the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway in rat skeletal muscle.
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
In a small systematic review from 2019, seven studies were analyzed to determine the potential impact of auricular acupressure on weight loss outcomes. Auricular acupressure is a specific type of acupressure that stimulates the pressure points of the ear. The studies included in the analysis compared the use of acupressure alone (or with other interventions) with other experimental treatments or no treatment. The authors found that auricular acupressure was effective in reducing both overall body weight (BW) and body mass index (BMI) in study participants. These results remained consistent whether the acupressure was administered alone or with diet and exercise. They also found that a longer acupressure treatment period was associated with a larger impact on reducing BW and BMI.
In a larger systematic review from 2018, the authors included 21 studies for analysis, with a total of 1,389 study participants. The studies in this analysis compared the use of acupuncture alone with other interventions, such as medications, diet, exercise, or placebo. Researchers investigated classical acupuncture, along with other variations, such as laser acupuncture and auricular acupressure. The authors found mixed results among the studies, with some studies demonstrating more effective weight loss from acupuncture and others demonstrating no discernible difference between interventions. However, the research suggests that acupuncture may have some effect on appetite and the metabolism of hunger-related hormones.
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Impact on Body Weight and Food Intake
In a study, healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly grouped into standard diet control (15% fat content) group and high-fat diet (HFD, 40% fat content) group. After 6 weeks of high-fat feeding, rats in the HFD group were successfully modeled, and then separated into the HFD group and HFD plus abdominal massage group. The researchers rubbed the abdomen in a clockwise manner for 12 min at a frequency of 20-30 cycles per minute. Next, the thumb of the operator was also put on the abdomen of rats. Next, the thumb of the operator depressed the subxiphoid skin and moved from the subxiphoid to the tail region of rats. In this process, the operator needed to apply a force slowly and steadily, and the massage direction was always from top (subxiphoid skin) to bottom (tail region). The frequency was 15-20 times per min, and the massage time for this part was 8 min.
Compared to the HFD group, abdominal massage could decrease body weight, food intake and abdominal fat index (AFI) of HFD-fed rats. Meanwhile, compared to the HFD group, abdominal massage obviously attenuated mucosal epithelial damage and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in colon mucosal tissues of HFD-fed rats.
During the treatment period, the body weight of rats in the standard diet control group gradually increased, while, there was no significant change in body weight in the HFD group. However, rats in the HFD + abdominal massage group experienced a gradual reduction in body weight following the massage intervention. Furthermore, compared to the rats fed standard feed in the standard diet control group, the average daily food intake of HFD-fed rats in the HFD group was remarkably elevated. However, compared to the HFD group, abdominal massage notably reduced the food intake of HFD-fed rats.
Impact on Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)
SCFAs (acetate, propionate and butyrate) could stimulate insulin secretion and increase insulin sensitivity through activating GPR41 and GPR43, thereby affecting the host metabolism and energy balance status. In the current research, HFD slightly elevated propionic acid production and significantly reduced butyric acid production, but did not affect acetic acid production in intra-abdominal fat of rats compared to the standard diet control group, suggesting that HFD may lead to the dysfunction of energy metabolism.
How to Incorporate Abdominal Massage for Weight Loss
When you’re on a weight loss journey, it can be helpful to have a handful of different tools and options at your disposal, such as:
- Dietary interventions. Fad diets can do more harm than good. A licensed nutritionist can help you explore dietary options that will help you stay physically and mentally healthy during your weight loss journey.
- Lifestyle interventions. Keeping active isn’t important just for weight loss. Exercise and other physical activities help keep both our bodies and minds strong. Consider exploring different physical activities until you find the ones you really enjoy.
- Holistic interventions. Holistic health approaches can be used in conjunction with western approaches when it comes to weight loss. While more research is still needed on the effectiveness of acupressure, it’s something to consider trying.
There’s no one-size-fits all approach to healthy weight loss, so it can be helpful to work with a doctor or other healthcare professional to find what works for you.
A Simple Abdominal Massage Technique
According to Dr. When it comes to the best stomach massage for weight loss, you can’t beat this ancient technique! The Chinese medicine abdominal massage technique can help speed up your digestive system and allows you to eliminate the sludge that builds up in your intestines, which can be pounds of uneliminated waste. The technique is not only physical but also energetic.
Here’s how to perform this amazing technique!
- Begin rubbing in small circles clockwise around your belly button, gradually widening the circles using firm pressure.
- Continue for two minutes, about 40 to 50 circles.
Consistency is key, my dear, as you integrate this practice into your daily routine. Embrace the transformative power of consistency, and watch as your digestion and fat-burning potential flourish.
Finding a Practitioner
If you want to jump to a resource for finding a practitioner in the United States, that would be the Find an AOBTA® Certified Practitioner page on the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia. When at all possible, it is best to work with a certified therapist, which-for tui na at least-is designated by the acronym AOBTA-CP.