Preventing postpartum obesity, yam and jujube porridge, strengthening the spleen, removing dampness and eliminating edema

Women are most afraid of losing their body shape after childbirth, especially getting rid of edema, which is even more difficult. Chinese medicine practitioners point out that although the three months after delivery is the golden period for weight loss, you cannot not eat anything during the confinement period, as this will damage your body. They suggest pressing the acupoints around the navel, drinking yam and jujube porridge, and doing simple exercises to lose weight and eliminate edema in a healthy way.

Female Chinese medicine practitioner Li Yujia pointed out that women who experience swelling of their lower limbs or the entire body during the postpartum period are called postpartum edema. According to traditional Chinese medicine, postpartum edema is caused by two reasons: one is due to weak spleen and stomach, which cannot transport and transform water; the other is due to weak kidney qi, which cannot evaporate water.

It is best not to lose weight within 6 weeks after giving birth

It should be noted that women need to stay in confinement and breastfeed after giving birth, and need to consume high-fat, high-protein foods. It is best not to lose weight within 6 weeks after giving birth. It is better to start losing weight after the confinement period. Also, do not try to lose weight quickly after giving birth. The focus should be on restoring physical strength. The best weight loss effect is in the 3rd to 4th month.

In particular, postpartum fat tends to accumulate in the lower abdomen and buttocks, causing local obesity. It is recommended to massage the acupoints around the navel, such as Tianshu, Qihai, and Shuifen, in a clockwise direction, or perform acupressure on the acupoints. Do it once every morning and evening, 1 hour after meals, for 10 to 20 minutes each time, to reduce the chance of local obesity.

Postpartum edema seizes the golden period for weight loss

Generally speaking, if you find that your weight has increased by more than 10% compared to before pregnancy, it is considered postpartum obesity. After giving birth, the metabolism will slow down due to endocrine changes, but the metabolic rate is still relatively high within 6 months after giving birth, and coupled with the need to take care of the baby, it is the golden period for losing weight.

Chinese medicine practitioner Li Yujia emphasized that many pregnant women eat more and exercise less during the confinement period, which greatly increases their calorie intake. Coupled with the endocrine changes after delivery, even if their weight is well controlled before delivery, they are prone to gain weight during the confinement period. It is recommended that you get out of bed and walk slowly during the confinement period to help sweat and eliminate edema.

In addition, postpartum food supplements do not necessarily require sesame oil chicken or four-ingredient chicken. Instead, you should pay attention to a balanced diet and adequate protein intake. You can drink fish soup or lean meat soup, and eat vegetables and fruits to reduce calorie intake. If you want to supplement protein, you can eat more milk-producing foods such as peanuts and pig's feet when breastfeeding your baby, or choose medicinal porridge that strengthens the spleen and eliminates dampness to reduce edema.

Chinese Yam and Jujube Porridge

Ingredients: 2 taels of yam, 10 jujubes, 2 taels of brown rice, and appropriate amount of white sugar.

Preparation: Soak yam and jujube in clean water; wash brown rice; put all the ingredients into a clay pot, add water and cook for about 1 hour, then add sugar and serve.

Dietary therapeutic effects: nourishes the lungs and kidneys, strengthens the spleen and eliminates dampness.

Longan, ginger and jujube porridge

Ingredients: 1 liang of longan meat, 10 dates, 3 slices of ginger, 2 liang of brown rice.

Method: After soaking and washing the ingredients, add water and brown rice and cook into porridge of appropriate thickness. Take twice a day for 7 consecutive days.

Dietary therapeutic effects: Strengthens the spleen and replenishes Qi, nourishes the heart and calms the mind, promotes the elimination of dampness and reduces swelling. Because red dates and longans are high-potassium foods, they have diuretic and anti-edema effects.

A little reminder: Eating too many red dates and longans can easily cause abdominal bloating. You can eat more cabbage and spinach to reduce edema and increase fiber intake.