When people book massages, they’re planning on having their massage therapist here at OSR work on their neck, back and shoulders. However, there is a whole other side to the body to explore. We get so focused on the muscles on our back side that we forget about the muscles that are in the front. This includes our abdominals, and the organs working together under them. Abdominal massage is a great tool you can utilize for your body’s health, and the best part about it, is you it’s easy to learn at at home for yourself or a loved one.
Benefits
- Reduce bloating
- Aids in weight loss
- Relief from constipation
- Improves overall gastrointestinal health
- Improved menstrual symptoms
- Increased abdominal muscle tone
Who should avoid abdominal massage
- Pregnant Women
- People with gallstones
- People with Kidney stones
- People with Calcium deposits in the bladder
- People with hernias
- People with internal bleeding
How to perform abdominal massage
- Lie on your back on a flat surface
- Expose the belly so you can get skin-to-skin contact
- Place your fingers on the lower right side of your stomach
- Use a medium pressure and some lotion to help decrease drag
- Start to massage in a circular motion going Up the ascending colon
- Massage across the transverse colon
- Then down the descending colon.
When you perform abdominal massage, you are ridding the body of backed-up, compacted waste and helping eliminate constipation. You are also promoting proper metabolic and digestive functions by helping the body system run at a faster pace. You will see a reduction of bloat in the mid-region, and stimulate blood flow to the abdominal region. You can even try to use essential oils on the tummy while doing abdominal massage, a good example would be some clove, cinnamon, lavender and rose oil for a woman who is experiencing a heavy menstrual cycle.
Abdominal massage can be performed every day, I recommend either right when you wake up in the morning or in the evening at the end of your day. If you are someone who suffers from heavy menstrual cramps, bloating, gas, constipation, and slow metabolism then give abdominal massage a try.
