Belly massage, the easy gesture that feels good

What belly massage against stress?

The Udarabhyanga Specific Belly Detox Massage Treatment at Cinq Mondes (from €90)

“The stomach is our second brain,” says Nathalie Bouchon-Poiroux, co-founder of Cinq Mondes treatments. Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine, gives an important place to this central area of ​​the body. The "digestive fire" (agni) is the sine qua non of good general health. No less than 100 million neurons are connected in the walls of our digestive tract. If our belly suffers, our body and our mind suffer. So we have to take care of it.”

During the Cinq Mondes belly massage, the practitioner alternates smoothing, heating, draining and vibrating maneuvers. The goal? Relax the tissues, promote the elimination of toxins, increase blood circulation and allow a nervous rebalancing of the central area of ​​the body.

In addition, the Indian belly massage incorporates several abdominal breathing exercises. It is about inflating the belly while inhaling and digging it while exhaling. “The belly and the brain constantly communicate through the vagus nerve. This vagus nerve can be relaxed through diaphragmatic breathing exercises. As soon as the respiratory state is fluid, the activity of the intestine is regulated, the stomach relaxes and the whole organism calms down”, specifies Nathalie Bouchon-Poiroux.

At home

A little bit of stress? Certain movements allow you to quickly relieve your stomach, whether you are in the office, at home or outside. “Hands in prayer, you press with your wrists on the plexus by making swinging movements from top to bottom. You can also massage your stomach by making circular movements with your palms, always turning clockwise,” explains Nathalie Bouchon-Poiroux.

List of Cinq Mondes spas on www.cinqmondes.com

What belly massage to lose weight?

The Palper Rouler cure at Olfa Perbal (€750 for the package of 11 sessions)

Following pregnancy, hormonal imbalance, high consumption of alcohol or sugars... Excess fat in the belly can be caused by different factors. To overcome it, there is nothing like the manual palpate-roll, this technique which consists in kneading the skin to dislodge and disintegrate the fatty deposits. “Belly fat is longer and more difficult to eliminate than thigh or arm fat,” explains Olfa Perbal, creator of the institute of the same name. This is an area that requires specific maneuvers. You have to pinch then take off the roll by rolling it with your fingers, and of course, with strong pressure. If the belly is swollen, because of constipation problems for example, you must relax the intestines by performing smoothing movements the palms of the hands."

Result: the waist is refined and the silhouette remodeled. "To obtain visible results, it takes two sessions a week for a minimum of a month and a half," explains our expert. The only problem with this technique? It hurts! But as Olfa Perbal reminds us: “You cannot destroy fatty deposits that have been there for years by simply touching your stomach for 5 minutes. Admittedly, it is painful, but the results are there”.

At home

Every evening, each love handle is massaged for about twenty minutes with a little sweet almond oil. "We pinch the bead between the index finger and the thumb, before rolling it from bottom to top then from top to bottom", recommends Olfa Perbal.

Olfa Perbal - 17, rue Fantin Latour - 75016 Paris - 01 73 77 37 10

What belly massageagainst bloating?

The tailor-made massage for the belly at Lanqi Spa (38 €)

Whether it's because of stress, menopause, poor digestion, a diet too rich in fruit or raw vegetables... Bloating problems are common among women.

“Many gestures of Chinese medicine can relieve digestive discomfort and swollen bellies. At Lanqi, we massage the meridian points of the belly (namely the stomach, the colon and the intestine) to restore and recirculate the energy. We perform clockwise movements to evacuate intestinal gas and then we pick up the belly on all the meridian points to facilitate digestion,” explains Lanqi, creator of the Spas of the same name. It takes an average of three sessions, once a week, to decongest the digestive tract. However, if the pain persists or causes real incapacity, a medical consultation is necessary.

At home

At home, you can self-massage your stomach by making circular movements around the navel, in a clockwise direction. We start with small circles, then we gradually enlarge the movements by massaging his belly with the palm of the hand. Ideally, the massage is performed on the back, with the knees bent. The right rhythm? Every day for at least 15 minutes, after meals or just before bedtime.

Lanqi spa - 48, avenue de sax – 75007 Paris. More information at lanqi-spa.com