🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Abdominal massage contributes to health preservation. The classic text of Traditional Chinese Medicine, "The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon," records: “Abdominal massage is a secret for longevity.” Famous Tang Dynasty physician and centenarian Sun Simiao once wrote: “The abdomen should be frequently rubbed to prevent all diseases.” The renowned Song Dynasty scholar Su Dongpo was skilled in self-massaging the lower dantian and composed the verse: “One night I rub my dantian with my own hands.”
According to TCM, the abdomen is the “palace of five zang and six fu organs, the source of yin-yang and qi-blood.” The spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal constitution; the nutrients derived from ingested food sustain normal physiological functions. Moreover, the spleen and stomach serve as the pivot of qi movement—ascending clear and descending turbid substances—only through this process can qi transformation remain normal, enabling health, longevity, and happiness.
Abdominal massage harmonizes upper and lower regions, differentiates yin and yang, removes old and generates new, enriches the zang organs, expels external pathogens, and clears internal disorders. Modern medicine suggests abdominal massage increases blood flow to abdominal muscles and intestinal smooth muscle, enhances tone of gastrointestinal walls and lymphatic system function, activates secretory functions of digestive organs, improves digestion, absorption, and excretion of food, significantly enhancing intestinal motility, effectively relieving constipation—particularly beneficial for the elderly.
Regular and skillful abdominal massage stimulates the gastrointestinal mucosa to produce sufficient prostaglandins, effectively preventing excessive gastric acid secretion and reducing the risk of peptic ulcers. Abdominal massage also reduces fat accumulation in the abdomen. This occurs because massage stimulates peripheral nerves; varying pressure intensity (light, heavy, fast, slow) promotes unobstructed capillary circulation in the abdominal wall, facilitating fat absorption and transport, preventing abdominal obesity and achieving satisfactory weight-loss results.
Regular abdominal massage also contributes to mental well-being. Massaging the abdomen before sleep aids falling asleep and prevents insomnia. For patients with arteriosclerosis, hypertension, or cerebrovascular diseases, abdominal massage calms liver fire, promotes emotional stability, ensures smooth blood circulation, and serves as effective auxiliary therapy.
Specific procedure for abdominal massage: Perform generally before bedtime or upon waking. Empty the bladder, wash hands clean. Lie supine, knees bent, fully relaxed. Place left hand on abdomen, palm facing the navel, right hand stacked over the left. First massage clockwise around the navel 50 times, then counterclockwise 50 times. Apply moderate force, focus attention, breathe naturally. With persistence, significant health benefits will be achieved.
Note: Do not perform abdominal massage if there is purulent skin infection or acute abdominal inflammation (such as enteritis, dysentery, appendicitis), as it may cause inflammation spread. Avoid massage if there is abdominal cancer, to prevent cancer metastasis or bleeding. Normal reactions during massage may include warmth in the abdomen, hunger sensation, intestinal sounds, or gas release—these are harmless and need not cause concern.