When we get a massage , it is mainly the back, neck, or shoulders that we refer to to relieve tension, more rarely the stomach. And yet, it is in this region of the body that 90% of serotonin, the hormone of well-being and happiness, is produced. A good reason to focus on your navel.
Ancestral therapies have known it for a long time: the stomach is a crucial area for health , considered today as the second brain. And massage is an excellent way to treat it.
4 good reasons to succumb to a stomach massage
1. Abdominal massage improves blood and lymphatic circulation
It is in this region of the abdomen that essential organs such as the liver, spleen, kidneys, uterus and bladder are housed. To ensure their respective functions, these organs must be well irrigated by blood and lymph. Massage ensures a good flow to nourish and oxygenate all these organs.
2. Abdominal massage strengthens immunity
This area is home to many lymph nodes that are drained by the lymphatic circulation. Unfortunately, the latter cannot circulate well because, unlike the heart, it does not have a pump. And massage can help it eliminate pathogens and strengthen immunity.
3. Abdominal massage speeds up intestinal transit
Specific, slow and deep movements on the abdomen can naturally relieve constipation but they are not a substitute for treatment if necessary and achange in diet .
4. Distressed belly massage
In fact, the stomach contains nerve endings connected to the brain, via the vagus nerve. Massage reduces tension and releases endorphins to reduce the perception of pain and tension. This explains the "knotted stomach" during times of stress.
Which belly massage should you choose?
Many therapies, all different, provide massages that are done on the stomach.
- Nei Zang (translate internal energy of the organs) of Chinese medicine, derived from Qi Gong, which restores the harmony of energy circulation by evacuating harmful emotional energies.
- Shiatsu, a Japanese massage therapy technique that uses finger pressure to restore balance to the body and help it achieve better health.
- Tui Na (translated as push and grab) is a branch of Chinese medicine to reharmonize vital energy through more than thirty fundamental manipulations.
- For Chantal Lehmann , an expert in holistic care, "stomach care is by far the most important of all." For over 25 years, she has learned these different techniques including the Ayurvedic Sarasvatî massage - named after the goddess Shakti who embodies the feminine dimension - and the Hawaiian iomi iomi massage. Over the course of the sessions, and more particularly after an internship in Korea, she discovered that beyond a simple massage, stomach massage can act on the central nervous system, the neurovegetative system. Hence a digestive system that functions better, better sleep, and even in some cases, relief from back pain and migraines. This extensive experience has allowed her to develop her own HoliBelly stomach massage, a real patchwork of all these techniques that lasts 2 hours. The first session also includes an assessment, with pulse taking and advice, to better identify problems and improve lifestyle. Very gentle, the maneuvers chase away tension from the different organs to rebalance energies.
Food tips for the belly

For Chantal Lehmann, "it is essential to make the body as alkaline as possible to increase its immunity. You have to drink your food and eat your liquids, the stomach has no teeth, so let's not exhaust it unnecessarily!"
When we eat animal proteins, we skip the starchy foods and focus on green vegetables. This specialist estimates that 25% of the plate at most should be acidic and 75% alkaline. Also essential for Chantal Lehmann, a green clay cure by ingestion to detoxify the body. Dilute a heaped teaspoon in 250 ml of water, stir well and let sit all day. Stir and drink in one go in the evening before going to bed. To be done for 21 days. If you are taking medication, drink the clay at least 2 hours after taking it.
What if you massaged your belly yourself?
Nothing prevents you from practicing self-massage of the belly. In the morning on an empty stomach to stimulate intestinal transit, in the evening to relax. To do this, place your hands one on top of the other below the navel. Rotate from the bottom to the top in a clockwise direction, going up to the plexus. Repeat about thirty times. Then massage the solar plexus with your fingertips for 5 minutes before applying intense pressure. Finish by massaging the area around the navel with small circular movements, insisting on the nodules.
Breathing also massages the stomach
Breathing deeply is another way to mobilize the organs located in the stomach. Lying on your back, inhale by inflating your stomach to cause the diaphragm to descend, which compresses the organs. When you exhale, the diaphragm rises, the lungs empty their air, which flattens the stomach. Do this about ten times. Finish by holding your breath by pulling in your stomach. Repeat 10 times.