More and more people are seeking natural healing alternatives to treating a myriad of our modern society ailments and illnesses. We see a resurgent interest in acupuncture and “Chinese Cupping Therapy” as treatment techniques and methods to address our health problems. These techniques obviously work very effectively based purely on the longevity of the practices. Cupping therapy is recorded as far back as 1500 years ago as a treatment for pain. Traditional Chinese medicine has the premise that blocked energy flows, referred to as Qi (Chi), along the body’s meridians cause stagnation and toxic build up which eventually causes dis-ease and illness.

Cupping therapy addresses these root cause problems by draining toxic fluids, oxygenating blood is drawn to stagnant muscles, tissue and skin through negative suction and pressure, literally sucking stored waste and toxins through the skin. The technique results in restoring free flow of energy through the body’s energy channels or meridians. Traditionally and still used today, cupping therapy cups are made of bamboo and glass and recently plastic was introduced as an alternative.

A South African based company has revolutionized cupping therapy by the introduction of their medical silicone massage cups. The silicone “cupping therapy massage” cup is easier to manipulate by treatment providers in that it is pliable, a simple squeeze of the cup on application to the skin results in the “suction” necessary to start the treatment. A trained therapist can then “massage” over an area as opposed to the cup staying in place on a specific area. For instance, this cupping therapy massage is very effective in treating cellulite.

Cellulite usually covers a large area on the thighs or buttocks; the cup is moved and manipulated over the whole area in up/down, zig-zag and circular motions. The results in cellulite reduction and elimination is great news to women that have all but resigned themselves to their ongoing “cellulite problems”.

The massage stimulates fibroblast cells to increase collagen and elastin production, and with improved blood circulation and lymphatic drainage the skin tone and texture is vastly improved. Another and very important difference to traditional cupping therapy is that the silicone cups do not leave the associated bruising blue and purple marks on the skin. Read the rest of this entry »