Improper weight loss can cause gastrointestinal problems by massaging the Zusanli acupoint

Daily bowel movements are good for your health, but improper weight loss may lead to constipation or diarrhea, and frequent close contact with the toilet can greatly affect your life. Chinese medicine practitioners remind us that eating too many fruits and vegetables or too little starch and protein can easily cause gastrointestinal discomfort. A balanced diet is the key to healthy weight loss. In addition, you can frequently press the Zusanli acupoint to regulate your stomach.

Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories, making them essential foods for weight loss. However, excessive intake can easily cause constipation or diarrhea.

Constipation is a stumbling block to weight loss

There are different dietary treatments for cold and hot constipation. 4 acupuncture points for defecation without stuck

Li Jiaying, attending physician of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Changhua Christian Hospital, said that when it comes to weight loss, many people instinctively think of reducing their food intake and try to avoid starch and animal protein foods, replacing them with oil-free and low-calorie fruits and vegetables. However, fruits and vegetables are cold in nature, and eating too much of them can easily reduce intestinal kinetic energy, making it impossible to move normally for bowel movements. In addition, the lack of food and nutrients other than fruits and vegetables in the intestines, insufficient stool volume, and insufficient fat lubrication in the intestines can also lead to constipation.

To get rid of constipation, a stumbling block to weight loss, the most important thing is to have a balanced intake of the six major food categories. If constipation is still a problem despite a balanced diet, different treatment methods should be adopted depending on whether it is "hot constipation" or "cold constipation".

People with heat constipation usually drink more water, yogurt or cassia seed tea which has a laxative effect, which will lead to significant improvement and smooth bowel movements. People with cold constipation usually eat too many cold vegetables, which make their intestines too cold to move. Therefore, it is recommended to eat some warming ingredients such as lamb, or add some ginger when cooking vegetables to help the intestines generate kinetic energy and restore their ability to move.

In addition, regularly massaging the Zusanli, Fenglong, Shangjuxu and Xiajuxu acupoints in the calf area can also help improve constipation.

When losing weight, whether you are constipated or having diarrhea, you can massage the Zusanli point, which has the dual function of regulating the stomach and intestines.

• Zusanli: Located on the anterior and lateral side of the lower leg, 3 inches below the outer kneecap, and 1 horizontal finger outside the anterior edge of the tibia.

• Fenglong point: the midpoint of the line connecting the outer knee pit and the outer ankle tip, 2 finger widths outward from the tibia.

• Shangjuxu: Located on the front edge of the tibia, 1 inch above and beside Fenglong point.

• Xia Juxu: Located on the front edge of the tibia of the lower leg, 1 inch below and next to Fenglong point.

Diarrhea is a stumbling block to weight loss

Overeating raw and cold laxative foods, Si Shen Soup + acupoint conditioning

When losing weight, some people have to sit on the toilet because of the difficulty in defecation, while others cannot hold their poop and suffer from diarrhea. Chinese medicine practitioner Li Jiaying said that eating too much cold fruits and vegetables or raw and cold foods can also cause diarrhea when losing weight. It may be effective in the early stages, but in the long run it will cause frequent diarrhea due to weak stomach and intestines and inability to absorb nutrients. However, the most common cause of diarrhea during weight loss is improper or excessive use of diet pills. Most diet pills on the market have cold properties, and even Cassia seed and rhubarb, which are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for weight loss and have a purgative effect, are no exception.

For mild diarrhea, you can rely on the spleen-strengthening food therapy such as Si Shen Soup and yam stewed chicken soup to regulate your physical condition. You can also massage the Zusanli and Hegu acupoints more often to strengthen the spleen and regulate the intestines. However, if the symptoms are severe, you should still seek medical attention and treatment as soon as possible. The Hegu point is located at the base of the thumb at the midpoint between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones on the dorsum of the hand.