Stress makes you fat by breathing! Get the autonomic nervous system in check first

Obesity is most likely caused by stress! Office workers are under great pressure from work, which can easily disrupt the balance of their autonomic nervous system in the long term, affecting their digestive and metabolic functions and leading to obesity. Even their breathing can cause obesity. Chinese medicine practitioners say that people with stress-induced obesity often have a constitution characterized by liver depression and qi stagnation. They recommend moderate acupoint massage to relieve stress, coordinate the autonomic nervous system, and help with weight management.

Patients with stress-induced obesity can moderately massage acupoints to relieve stress, coordinate the autonomic nervous system, and help lose weight.

Long-term high stress state leads to autonomic nervous system disorders and obesity

Zhou Zonghan, chief physician of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Ren'ai Branch of Taipei Municipal United Hospital, said that about 20% of obese patients suffer from stress-type obesity. If the human body is in a state of high stress for a long time, the sympathetic nerves will continue to be excited, and the digestive function of the parasympathetic nerves will be inhibited, causing the digestive function to deteriorate, lipid metabolism to decrease, and lead to fat accumulation.

The intestinal environment will also deteriorate due to indigestion, resulting in a decrease in the quality of blood flowing throughout the body, affecting the functioning of various organs in the body, indirectly affecting the autonomic nerves distributed in various organs, and aggravating the original problem of autonomic nerve disorder.

To control the autonomic nervous system, massage your scalp more often

If you want to get rid of stress-induced obesity, first of all, you need to control your autonomic nervous system. Chinese medicine practitioner Zhou Zonghan recommends that office workers or people who are under a lot of pressure should massage their scalp more often. The scalp is covered with autonomic nerves that have functions of regulating internal organs and blood vessels. Massaging the scalp can stimulate the sympathetic nerves that have the function of vasoconstriction and the parasympathetic nerves that have the function of vasorelaxation, thereby achieving good results such as strengthening the body and soothing emotions.

Chinese medicine practitioner Zhou Zonghan said that about 20% of obese patients suffer from stress-type obesity, and physical conditioning should be based on the principles of soothing the liver and regulating qi, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, calming the nerves and reducing blood lipids.

In addition, when you feel your neck is stiff or dizzy, press the Yifeng point below the ear with your thumb, and slowly press towards the center of the head 3 to 5 times, which can relax your shoulders and neck. For headaches caused by mental tension, you can use your thumb to massage your temples clockwise 3 to 5 times. Using the index fingers of both hands, gently rub the Jingming point in the depression just inside the eyes and around the eyes for about 3 to 5 circles. This will help reduce intraocular pressure and eliminate panda eyes.

Liver depression and qi stagnation! Traditional Chinese medicine has methods to improve stress-induced obesity

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, stress-induced obesity is mostly caused by liver depression and qi stagnation. Chinese medicine practitioner Zhou Zonghan said that the upper body of such patients usually appears overweight and thick, and most of them have a broad and sturdy physique. In addition, the shoulders and neck are often stiff and sore. In severe cases, there will be chest tightness, flank pain, or frequent breathing difficulties. I often have a bitter taste in my mouth when I wake up in the morning, and I am usually prone to anxiety and irritability. I often eat it to relieve stress.

Female patients often have premenstrual discomfort symptoms such as headache, nausea, breast tenderness, irregular menstrual cycle, heavy blood clots during menstruation, severe abdominal pain during menstruation, and worse pain when pressing the abdomen.

In addition to relieving the root causes of stress during treatment, physical conditioning should aim to soothe the liver and regulate qi, promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, calm the nerves and reduce blood lipids. Commonly used Chinese medicinal materials include bupleurum, turmeric, mint, curcuma, cyperus, corydalis, rose, roselle, tangerine peel, hawthorn, salvia miltiorrhiza, red peony root, moutan bark, peach kernel, polygala and calamus. However, before actually taking the medicine, you should consult a professional Chinese medicine practitioner to avoid accidental ingestion and potential harm to your body.