Bloating, stomach issues? How Chinese medicine can assist.
Bloating, stomach or digestion issues usually occurs when there is a disturbance to normal digestion process. In Chinese medicine, it is related to an imbalance of the organs of Stomach, Spleen (Earth organs), or the Liver qi. There are a range of questions we ask to make a proper diagnosis these include; how often do you have bloating, is it before, during, or after you eat, does your stomach feel cold to touch, do you experience any heartburn or reflux with your bloating, what are your bowel movements like?
Emotionally the earth energy becomes imbalanced when we over-worry, over-thinking, study, overworking, or feelings of excess anxiety, and this could be one of your reasons for bloating.
Tips to help with bloating are:
Eat breakfast between 7-9am when your digestion is at its peak
Mindful eating- sit down and eat without any electronic distractions, having emotional conversations with others, concentrate on chewing each mouthful
In Chinese medicine we prefer our patients to eat foods that are cooked and warm as this helps with breaking down the food easier. Therefore avoid raw, cold, greasy, dairy, and processed foods, these foods are harder for the digestion to process and break down, and the cold foods and drinks can be harsh on the digestion
Eat with the seasons, nature provides us with the right foods for our bodies. Avoid cold, icy drinks in the middle of winter
There is a quote in Chinese medicine that states you should eat only when you are 7/10thfull, meaning do not overeat at each meal time
Exercise- movement helps with stuck qi. Things like yoga, tai chi, walking, Pilates are all great ways to help with bloating
Massage your stomach in a clockwise motion (around your belly button) if you experience constipation, otherwise anti-clockwise for diarrhoea associated with bloating
