KO ice cream type edema! Spleen meridian yoga exercises promote metabolism

The weather is so hot, can't help but want to eat some ice to cool down? Be careful! Frequent consumption of cold drinks and raw and cold foods will damage the spleen and stomach functions, easily form a spleen-damp constitution and lead to edema-type obesity, making people look fat and old. The health yoga teacher suggested that in addition to paying attention to diet, you should also develop the habit of doing more spleen meridian stretching exercises to promote lymphatic circulation and water metabolism, so as to get rid of edema faster.

Health yoga teacher Sisii recommends spending 20 to 30 minutes a day stretching the spleen meridian on the inside of the legs to help improve edema. (Photography by Hong Yuqi)

According to the TCM health-preserving perspective, "if the spleen fails to function properly, dampness will be generated from within." If a person prefers cold drinks or raw, cold foods in his daily diet, such as cold drinks, ice cream, lettuce salad, sashimi, watermelon, pears, oranges, and aloe vera, it can easily affect the spleen and stomach's function of transporting and transforming food and damage the yang energy of the internal organs, causing the body's metabolic function to decline. Excess water can easily be retained, leading to spleen dampness and edema-type obesity. In addition, the spleen also controls women's endocrine function, and when it is out of balance it can easily lead to menstrual disorders.

To get rid of edema-type obesity and improve female endocrine disorders, female friends should pay attention to their daily diet and eat less cold food. Health yoga teacher Sisii recommends spending 20 to 30 minutes a day stretching the spleen meridian on the inside of the leg. Combined with abdominal breathing, it helps to improve the circulation of qi and blood in the spleen meridian, activate the whole body's kinetic energy, eliminate edema, and reduce obesity.

Basic spleen meridian stretching exercise. (Photography by Hong Yuqi)

[Move 1/Basic Spleen Meridian Stretching Exercise]

★Action Description:

1. Sit on a yoga mat, open your legs about 120 degrees, bend your right knee, place your instep on the ground, and your toes facing your back.

2. Place your left hand on the bottom inner thigh of your right thigh.

3. Inhale, stretch your right hand toward the top of your head and place it next to your right ear; exhale, lean your body to the left, grab the toes of your left foot with your right hand, strengthen the side extension, relieve back pain, and massage the abdominal organs.

★Health perspective:

Teacher Sisii reminded that spleen meridian stretching exercises have a good effect in reducing edema, but during the stretching process, do not focus on speed. Instead, slowly stretch the neck, shoulders, back and legs, coordinate with breathing to relax tense muscles, let the brain consciously feel the operation of the body, regulate the body and mind, and activate healthy energy.

Single-leg pigeon pose variation. (Photography by Hong Yuqi)

[Move 2/Single-leg pigeon pose variation]

★Action Description:

1. Preparation for the downward dog pose is to simulate the movement of a dog lying on the ground and stretching. Kneel on the yoga mat with both knees, support your body with your hands on the ground as wide as your shoulders, and relax your shoulders.

2. Inhale, bend your right knee, move it forward towards your right wrist, keep your hip joint straight forward, and don't let your body's center of gravity lean to one side. Exhale, extend your left foot toward the back of the mat, press your toes into the ground, and lower your hips as close to the ground as possible.

3. Inhale, raise your arms above your head and hold for 5 to 8 breaths. Switch to the other side and practice.

★Health perspective:

Pigeon pose yoga can help stretch tight gluteus maximus and outer leg muscles. Especially for office workers who lack exercise and sit for long periods of time, it can promote blood circulation in the lower body, avoid waste accumulation and water retention in the lower body, prevent the accumulation of saddle fat on the outer thighs, and improve edema in the lower body.