After the recent "extended holiday," waistlines have grown faster than anything except age. Some people even gained weight only around their midsection, while their limbs remained slim. Obesity results from excessive fat accumulation in the body. It not only affects physical appearance but also causes inconvenience in daily life. More importantly, it increases the risk of various complications, accelerates aging, and leads to diseases.Compared to subcutaneous fat in the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and calves, excessive visceral fat poses a higher risk for chronic diseases. To date, central obesity remains a key indicator healthcare professionals use to assess chronic disease incidence. Men of all ages and postmenopausal women are more prone to developing central obesity, resulting in an apple-shaped physique.A cascade of health issues follows, with disease risks escalating. This implies that a small belly may conceal significant health concerns. Even a slight increase in waist circumference can heighten illness susceptibility.
Traditional Chinese medicine views obesity as a pattern of underlying deficiency with superficial excess, characterized by both deficiency and excess. The "excess" primarily involves internal retention of dampness and phlegm, intertwined with blood stasis; the "deficiency" mainly manifests as qi deficiency and yang deficiency.Both dampness and phlegm-stasis possess cold and yin properties. They require the warming transformation of yang and the propulsive force of qi to be expelled from the body. Qi deficiency leads to insufficient propulsion, while yang deficiency impairs warming transformation, causing dampness, phlegm, and stasis to accumulate internally and result in obesity. From a TCM perspective, abdominal obesity is also linked to spleen deficiency.The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon refers to such obese individuals as "greasy people," characterized by "a sagging abdomen, loose skin, and soft flesh." This describes a flaccid belly with drooping flesh and a lack of firmness in the abdominal tissue. Among the internal organs, the spleen primarily governs the transformation and transportation of fluids. When spleen qi is deficient, fluids cannot be properly processed and accumulate internally.This stagnant dampness is a diffuse pathogenic factor. Over time, it coagulates into a relatively viscous pathological pathogen known in Chinese medicine as phlegm. When phlegm and dampness accumulate within the body, they form a phlegm-dampness accumulation in the abdomen. This is why obese individuals often have phlegm-dampness.
The Shuowen Jiezi states: "The spleen governs trust and stores willpower; trust arises from earth.""The spleen governs trust" means its functions operate rhythmically. Regular exercise and dietary habits are the primary methods for strengthening the spleen and draining dampness.
Generally, the following exercises are effective for reducing belly fat.
First, maintain dietary moderation. Eat three meals daily at consistent times, consume food in moderation without overeating, and replace animal fats like lard or butter with nuts and seeds—a wise choice for reducing abdominal fat.Regularly drink this belly-reducing tea: 5g raw Atractylodes macrocephala, 5g dried tangerine peel, 5g Poria cocos, 5g Alisma orientale, 5g Areca catechu peel. Boil in water for 15–20 minutes and consume as tea. Second, "movement generates yang." Muscle activity generates significant heat, warming spleen yang. Thus, those with spleen yang deficiency should engage in appropriate exercise.Daily brisk walking: Alternate between brisk and moderate paces for 45–60 minutes daily. This reduces abdominal fat without causing overexertion. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise: While overexertion is discouraged, exercise requires sufficient intensity. Opt for activities like running, cycling, or swimming.
Another method involves tapping the Belt Meridian. The abdominal region is where the Belt Meridian intersects with the six foot meridians, akin to a major crossroads. If these meridian junctions become blocked, localized fluid retention and waste accumulation can lead to obesity. Tapping helps clear these blockages and flush out toxins.The technique involves tapping around the waist, starting from the front of the navel and extending to the middle of the lumbar spine. Apply firm pressure—a slight ache or fullness is ideal—for about 30 minutes each session. For those who aren't overweight but experience post-meal bloating or stomach distension, tapping the Dai Meridian half an hour after eating aids digestion and strengthens the stomach.