While I understand the need to get the public interest, and with over 7 years of practice as a cupping therapist, I found a great deal between macrobiotic and cupping therapy. In which both contributes to a good blood quality formation and an optimum health and the vitality of the body.
According to macrobiotic, blood is the foundation of health, both physical and mental. For the blood quality to be good, the quality of the food must be good. Without changing your blood quality, it is probably not possible to have long-term health. All other changes, beneficial as they may seem, will be undermined if the blood quality is not healthy.
Blood quality is much more than having adequate volume of blood or enough production of red and white blood cells. Blood quality is determined by many factors in the blood, as follows: PH or acid-alkaline balance, Blood sugar, Fat and oil, Water ,Na/K (Sodium/Potassium) balance, Concentration of other minerals and Yin-yang balance
By improving blood quality and thus, improve both physical and mental health. Here comes another complementary method to the diet with little details.
What is cupping therapy?
Cupping is a method of relieving local congestion by applying a partial
vacuum that is created in a cup(s), either by heat or by suction. Cupping has been used for thousands of years. Traditionally, Cupping Therapy has been practiced in most cultures in one form or another. In the UK the practice of Cupping Therapy also dates back a long way with one of the leading medical journals ‘The Lancet’ being named after this practice. A lancet is a piece of surgical equipment that was traditionally utilized to release excess blood i.e. venesection and to prick boils. The Arabic name for Cupping Therapy is Al-Hejamah which means to reduce in size i.e. to return the body back to its natural state. The practice of Al-Hejamah has been part of Middle-Eastern cultural practice for thousands of years with citations dating back to the time of Hippocrates (400 BC). Of the western world, the first to embrace Cupping Therapy were the ancient Egyptians, and the oldest recorded medical textbook, Ebers Papyrus, written in approximately 1550 BC in Egypt mentions cupping (Curtis, 2005). Cupping Therapy can be divided into two broad categories: Dry Cupping and Wet Cupping. Dry Cupping Therapy tends to be practiced more commonly in the Far-East whereas Wet Cupping is favored in the Middle East and Eastern
Cupping therapy has been further developed as a means to open the ‘Meridians’ of the body. Meridians are the conduits in the body through which energy flows to every part of the body and through every organ and tissue. There are five meridians on the back that, when opened, allow invigorating energy to travel the whole length of the body. It has been found that cupping is probably the best way of opening those meridians.
Cupping has also been found to affect the body up to four inches into the tissues, causing tissues to release toxins, activate the lymphatic system, clear colon blockages, help activate and clear the veins, arteries and capillaries, activate the skin, clear stretch marks and improve varicose veins. Cupping is the best deep tissue massage available. Cupping, the technique, is very useful and very safe and can be easily learned and incorporated into your family health practices.
According to Hennawy (2004), Cupping Therapy is indicated for blood disorders, pain relief, inflammatory conditions, mental and physical relaxation, varicose veins and deep tissue massage and quotes up to 50% improvement in fertility levels.
The principles of Acupuncture and Acupressure are very similar to that of Wet Cupping Therapy, except for the fact that Wet Cupping involves the letting of blood whereas Acupuncture and Acupressure utilise suction and stimulation of points to attain the desired results. Letting out blood is in fact among the oldest of acupuncture techniques (Dharmananda, 2004). It is speculated that acupuncture started as a method of pricking boils of the skin, then expanded to letting out “bad blood” that was generated by injuries or fevers and finally allowing invisible evil spirits and perverse atmospheric qi (most notably “wind”) escape from the body (Unschuld, 1985).
Now plastic cups based on the traditional cups by applying the traditional cupping therapy together with the magnetic therapy. The new cups have done away with the traditional firing. This has made the application of the cups more easily and safely. It has a good penetrating effect and a big drawing strength. It has not only improved efficacy but also simplified the procedures of cupping therapy.
Precautions to the treatment:
Always take sensible precautions when using cupping or be sure that the
therapist you seek cupping treatment from follows these precautions.
* Sterilization: this is the main key to success.
* Use suitable cups for the area being treated.
* Take extra care with children and the elderly.
* Do not apply strong cupping to the face.
* Do not treat pregnant women.
* Do not use cupping on inflamed or cut skin.
* Take extra care when scraping the skin and do not cut a vein or artery.
* Do not treat people with a serious heart disease