Featuring Digestion Ease Oil Blend
As the cooler months approach, so do the potlucks, parties, family dinners, and celebrations – which means eating a bit more than usual is easier than ever. Feeling a bit stuffed? Have you been indulging in all the wrong foods? Is your digestion feeling sluggish now? Abdominal massage might be the perfect trick to incorporate as Halloween nears – too many sweet treats, and you may need to try rubbing your stomach to help move things along.
However, it turns out abdominal massage is good for you in all sorts of ways – not just your tummy! Originally the technique was rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine around 3,000 years ago, in which Taoist Monks practicing Chi Jung used similar methods on the abdominals. Called Chi Nei Tsang, or literally “internal organs chi transformation,” the massage focuses as much on moving life force energy or Chi as it emphasizes moving lymph, blood, or loosening muscles. Chi Nei Tsang stems from the belief that unresolved emotional issues are stored in the digestive tract, where they can become blocked, ill, unbalanced, or diseased when left unchecked and so they naturally benefit from the detoxifying and relaxing process of massage.
What else can abdominal massage do for your body?
- Boosts Immunity. 70-80% of your immune cells reside in your gut, so if you are suffering from gastric distress or stomach cramps, your immune system is taking a hit too. Stomach massage can stimulate the lymphatic and circulatory systems, increasing the presence of white blood cells (the kind that is immunoprotective) which keep your natural defenses strong against harmful bacteria and viruses.
- Reduces PMS Symptoms. Those who experience PMS are no strangers to stomach-related issues including pain, cramping, bloating, gas, and indigestion – all which abdominal massage can address. Its circular motions reduce muscle spasms, relaxing the stomach and pelvic floor muscles, draining bloat. Massage may also help relieve menstrual pain and cramping as limited studies show, especially when incorporating essential oils such as Rose, which is a wonderful balancer of hormones related to menstruation.
- Supports Better Posture. If the muscles at your core are weak or tight, it can lead to bad form which promotes injury. Likewise, when gastric distress is reoccurring, it can have you literally doubled over in discomfort. Massaging the core muscles of your body and releasing any pain or tension housed there allows you to stand up straighter, with your spine aligned.
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Improves Digestion. Gentle pressure applied in clockwise circular motions helps get everything moving and studies show that it can relieve constipation and reduce bloating. Add Digestion Ease Oil Blend to your massage to further increase its carminative effects. It is a fresh and crisp aromatic blend of Ginger, Fennel, Peppermint, and Lavender essential oils that calms the muscles of the gastric tract while helping to break down gas and ease cramping. Lavender essential oil soothes, while Peppermint and Ginger reduce nausea.
How do you perform an abdominal massage on yourself?
Step 1: Lie flat on your back, exposing your stomach.
Step 2: Apply a little Digestion Ease Oil Blend to your hands and warm them up by rubbing them together for about ½ a minute. Focus on your breath while you do this and for another ½ a minute after.
Step 3: Applying more oil, use the palm of your hand to massage your entire stomach in a clockwise direction several times.
Step 4: Then massage the centerline of your abdomen, starting below your sternum and ending at your pubic bone.
Step 5: Massage three more lines an inch apart down the left side of the abdomen. Follow this by doing the same on the right side of the abdomen.
Step 6: Next press your fingers into your navel firmly.
Step 7: Finally, finish with quite a few gentle circles outward from your navel in a clockwise direction.
Do this for up to 20 minutes. Have plenty of water on hand and even if a heavy meal is what prompted you to want to do this massage in the first place, wait a few hours after you’ve eaten anything too heavy or spicy. Remember that a little extra pie during the holidays never hurt anyone but your digestive tract is connected to so much more than just what you eat, so be mindful as this time of year nears and perhaps Chi Nei Tsang will help you get through the frenetic holiday pace with peaceful digestion and a serene state of mind.