The waist is the home of the kidneys, meaning that the waist is the home of the kidneys. Regularly massaging the waist can prevent and treat conditions such as slow muscle strain and lower back pain caused by kidney deficiency in middle-aged and elderly people. So how should we massage to tonify the kidneys and strengthen yang? Let me introduce you to some traditional Chinese medicine massage techniques for tonifying the kidneys and strengthening yang!
1. Foot Massage
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the Yongquan acupoint is directly connected to the kidney meridian, and the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of the foot is where turbid qi descends. Regularly massaging the Yongquan acupoint can nourish the essence, tonify the kidneys, strengthen the body, prevent premature aging, and also help soothe the liver, improve vision, promote sleep, and have a certain therapeutic effect on dizziness, insomnia, tinnitus, hemoptysis, nasal congestion, and headaches caused by kidney deficiency.
The method of foot massage is as follows: soak your feet in warm water before going to bed every day, rub your hands together to warm them up, use the palm of your left hand to massage the sole of your right foot, and use the palm of your right hand to massage the sole of your left foot. Do this for more than 100 times each time, until your feet feel warm. This method has the effect of tonifying the kidneys, nourishing yin, and reducing fire, and is very effective for common symptoms of heat in middle-aged and elderly people.
2. Kidney-Strengthening Exercises
1. Sit upright with your legs naturally apart, the same width as your shoulders. Bend your elbows and raise your hands to the sides, with your fingers pointing upwards and level with your ears. Then, raise your hands up until you feel a slight tension in your ribs, and then return to the starting position. Do this 3 to 5 times in a row, and repeat 3 to 5 times a day.
Before doing the exercise, relax your whole body. Inhale when raising your hands, and exhale when returning to the starting position. Avoid using excessive force. This exercise can move the tendons and bones, promote the flow of meridians, and also guide the qi to the lower dantian, providing relief for the elderly, the weak, and those with shortness of breath.
2. Sit upright, bend your left arm and place it on your legs, bend your right arm with your palm facing upwards, and perform a throwing motion 3 to 5 times. When throwing, inhale, and exhale when returning to the starting position. This motion has the same effect as the first motion.
3. Waist Massage Exercise
1. Rub your palms together until they are warm, then place them on your waist with your palms against your skin, and massage your waist up and down until you feel warmth. Do this once in the morning and once in the evening, about 200 times each time. This exercise can tonify the kidneys and gather qi.
2. Make fists with both hands, and use the protruding part of the metacarpophalangeal joint of your thumbs to naturally massage the waist area in a circular motion, gradually increasing the pressure until you feel a sore and swollen sensation. Continue massaging for about 10 minutes, once in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Regularly massaging the waist can prevent and treat conditions such as slow muscle strain and lower back pain caused by kidney deficiency in middle-aged and elderly people.
