Weight Loss and Belly Slimming: Methods to Unblock Spleen and Stomach Meridians and Regulate Intestinal Health for Fat Reduction

For those who can't handle overeating, try massaging the Stomach Meridian.

Being overweight and having a gluttonous appetite doesn't necessarily mean your stomach's digestive function is too good; it could actually be too poor.

When the stomach reaches a certain level, it sends a "phone call" to the brain: "Hello, I'm full, that's enough, stop eating, I can't digest it all!"

However, long-term overeating damages the stomach, breaking the "phone line" to its owner. The stomach then thinks it's still not full and continues to eat, leading to discomfort after every meal. Yes, that's when your belly starts to grow. Massaging the Stomach Meridian helps repair the "phone line," rebuilding the connection with its owner, which is beneficial for healthy weight loss.

Of course, because the Stomach Meridian runs along the entire front of the body, fully tracing, tapping, and massaging it is not very convenient. For those lacking knowledge of meridians, finding all 45 acupoints can be difficult. Therefore, abdominal massage can be done by quickly massaging the area. Since it's all on a single line, starting from the Quepen point, it connects to several acupoints including Qihu, Kufang, Wuyi, Yingchuang, and Ruzhong. These acupoints can be massaged by pushing downwards with your thumb. This has the effect of opening the chest and regulating Qi, and is also very effective in reducing belly fat.

Focus on massaging the thighs and calves, which are easier to access. How to do it? Simply tap them like you would the belt meridian. After tapping, you will find two obvious tender points on the outer side of the calf, especially noticeable for people with various stomach problems, frequent bloating, constipation, and poor sleep. These two tender points are Zusanli (ST36) and Fenglong (ST40).

Pressing the Zusanli and Fenglong acupoints can accelerate blood circulation in the legs, increase gastrointestinal motility, eliminate excess fat in the abdomen and legs, and relieve symptoms such as leg soreness and numbness in office workers and frequent drivers. Therefore, when massaging the Stomach Meridian, you should also focus on massaging these two acupoints.

The best way to massage is with the heel of your palm. The Fenglong acupoint may become more painful the more you massage it, but don't worry, this is a normal reaction when Qi and blood rush to the acupoint. Continue for a few days, and the pain will disappear.

For those who are obese due to gastrointestinal dysfunction, consistent tapping of the Stomach Meridian will result in bluish-purple marks of varying sizes appearing on the thighs, some even darker than blackish-purple, resembling a beating. This is the effect of massaging and unblocking the meridians. This tapping helps to remove and eliminate accumulated fat. Not only does it lead to weight loss, but it also improves various gastrointestinal problems and even symptoms of arthritis in the legs. Furthermore, it will give you a healthy, rosy complexion.

One student, 1.63 meters tall and weighing 91 kilograms, was overweight. Upon questioning, it was learned that she played computer games at night, slept during the day, and had irregular eating habits—almost skipping breakfast, eating very little lunch, and eating a large dinner. Further questioning revealed that she drooled excessively at night, a symptom of spleen deficiency according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. She was also prone to colds, averaging one cold per month, a symptom of stomach qi deficiency. The doctor instructed her to change her lifestyle habits and tap the Spleen and Stomach Meridians daily, specifically the inner and outer sides of the lower legs, particularly the Zusanli acupoint. After three months of treatment, his weight dropped to 60 kg, and he felt refreshed and energetic.

Tapping the Stomach Meridian is best done between 7 and 9 am, when the Stomach Meridian's Qi and blood are at their peak. Generally, sit upright. If you experience discomfort from sitting on a sofa for a long time,

you can make loose fists with both hands and tap with moderate force from the midline of the thigh slightly outward, along the outer edge of the calf near the tibia, all the way to above the outer ankle. Tap for 10 minutes on each side. Long-term tapping can reduce belly fat, help restore normal stomach function, and is simple and convenient. If you are troubled by abdominal obesity, you might want to give it a try.

Soothing the Spleen Meridian will help you overcome indigestion.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the spleen governs transformation and transportation, specifically the transport of fluids. When the spleen's function is insufficient, or what TCM calls "spleen deficiency," the body's ability to transport waste fluids is compromised. When the spleen's function is insufficient, bodily fluids flow poorly through the meridians, leading to fluid accumulation in the pericardium and weakening the heart. The heart is the body's blood pump; when its pumping capacity is insufficient, the body's overall vitality decreases, and waste products cannot be eliminated.

Why does the spleen become imbalanced? Irregular lifestyle is the most common culprit. While others have regular work schedules, you may overeat regardless of time or place, overloading your spleen and causing it to weaken. A weak spleen cannot properly break down the food you eat, turning it into phlegm that accumulates in the body. This results in a persistent phlegm in the throat, a white or yellow tongue coating, fatigue, constant sleepiness, a growing belly, and swelling. For those of you now regretting your actions, besides establishing healthy lifestyle habits, you should also take specific steps to improve your spleen and stomach. Here, we recommend regulating the spleen meridian.

Some people might ask, "How do I know if my obesity is caused by spleen dysfunction?" Spleen deficiency often causes abdominal bloating, meaning the stomach feels bloated after meals, and some people even experience bloating in the afternoon even without eating. Others experience excessive drooling in their sleep. These are all related to the spleen's function:

1. Chinese yam (財山) is very effective in strengthening the spleen and should be eaten regularly. You can buy dried Chinese yam from a Chinese medicine store, soak a handful in hot water the night before, and mash it the next morning. If you have a blender or soymilk maker, it's best to blend it into a paste, then cook it in a clay pot. Good quality Chinese yam should have a slightly sour taste, but not unpleasant. You can add sugar or milk, or even an egg, until it reaches a consistency like a paste or porridge. Eat it for breakfast.

2. Don't eat anything between meals. If you really crave something, eat some bananas (yellow belongs to the earth element, which nourishes the spleen). Additionally, pumpkin is a good medicine for nourishing the spleen; you can steam a few pieces while cooking rice.

Improper spleen function requires timely spleen strengthening to resolve these problems.

A 70-year-old woman, 1.5 meters tall but weighing 83 kilograms, was so obese that she had difficulty walking and suffered daily from abdominal bloating. The doctor advised her to consistently tap the Stomach and Gallbladder meridians and massage the Spleen meridian on her lower legs. After six months of this regimen, her weight dropped to 68 kilograms, her abdominal bloating resolved, and her bowel movements became regular. Her two daughters, also overweight, saw their mother's success and tried the method themselves. Being young and having more energy, they both lost several kilograms within three months.

The best time to massage the Spleen meridian is between 9 and 11 am, when the Spleen meridian's energy and blood are at their peak. Massaging the meridian helps the energy and blood circulate better. The specific method is as follows: Sit upright with legs crossed, make a loose fist, and use the knuckles to tap from the knee down along the inner side of the lower leg, close to the inner edge of the tibia, down to the ankle, using moderate force. Each side should be tapped for about 10 minutes. This can be repeated several times throughout a two-hour period. Many people experience two noticeable tender points on the inner side of their calves during their first few tapping sessions on the Spleen Meridian. This pain is particularly pronounced in individuals experiencing abdominal bloating, diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, weakened immunity, scanty or heavy menstrual flow, or who are underweight or overweight.

These tender points are acupoints. One is the Diji acupoint, located 3 cun (four finger widths) below the knee joint, and the other is the Sanyinjiao acupoint, located 3 cun above the tip of the medial malleolus, on the medial border of the tibia. The Diji acupoint is the Xi-cleft point of the Spleen Meridian, where Qi (vital energy) converges deeply, making it effective for treating acute conditions. Xi-cleft points of Yin meridians are good for treating blood disorders, while those of Yang meridians are good for treating acute pain. The Spleen belongs to the Earth element, and "Diji," as the name suggests, is the mechanism of the earth. Therefore, when the Qi and blood flow smoothly through the Diji acupoint, the Spleen's function will gradually return to normal.

The Sanyinjiao acupoint is where the Liver, Kidney, and Spleen meridians meet, hence its name. Many women with irregular menstruation or gynecological conditions will experience significant pain at this acupoint. Sanyinjiao (SP6) can both promote blood circulation and astringe, invigorate blood and stop bleeding, nourish yin and eliminate dampness. Stimulating this acupoint can regulate abnormal liver and kidney function, hence its alternative name, "Female Sanli."

When the pain at Diji (SP8) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) is significant, after tapping the meridians, you can use the heel of your palm to massage these two acupoints. While massaging the area locally, you can also massage upwards and downwards to shift the pain point. Generally, the pain in these areas will lessen after 3-5 days. Consequently, some symptoms related to the spleen meridian will lessen or disappear.