I think you’ll agree whenever you see…
…those round, dark red marks that cupping therapy leaves on your body are not entirely a good look.
I remember seeing those red marks the first time and wondering what kind of disease that was…
In recent years, health and wellness enthusiasts worldwide have been exploring non-invasive treatments to help accelerate weight loss.
The search for painless, natural techniques to slim down has led many people to cupping.
Despite the unattractive mark it leaves behind, cupping has been widely utilized to help people lose weight.
In this article, I will highlight how safe cupping is and its powerful benefits for weight loss.
What is Cupping?
Cupping is a traditional Chinese medicine practice of using suction cups to create a vacuum pressure effect on the surface of the skin of the treatment areas of the body. This effect helps open blood vessels, increase blood flow, loosen adhesions of connective tissue, provide relaxation of muscles, and help to decrease inflammation.
It has been used as an alternative healing technique for centuries and is an effective therapy for musculoskeletal conditions and part of an integrated approach to wellness.
Cupping was initially performed using metals, bamboo, or glass cups. But they were limited in their ability to completely treat larger areas or joints of the body, such as the knee joint. Therefore, flexible silicone cups have been developed to allow complete cupping of these larger joints.
For example, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson with cupping marks all over his back (below)
What Are The Benefits of Cupping?
Some of the known benefits of cupping include:
- Stimulates lymphatic drainage and clearance of excess fluids
- Promotes detoxification
- Triggers metabolic processes that support the immune system
- It has the powerful ability to break up stagnant cellular material in the body and restore balance
- Positive effect on mental health by facilitating renewed energy flow
- It helps with enhancing mood
What Are The Styles of Cupping?
There are around ten different styles of cupping, each having its own difference in cupping method, but we will look at the four styles commonly used: dry cupping, wet cupping, fire cupping, and flash cupping.
#1 – Dry Cupping
Dry cupping is one of the most common forms of cupping therapy, where a cup is placed on the treatment area, and a vacuum is created using a suction.
This vacuum helps draw blood and stagnant qi to the surface to improve circulation. This works for deep-seated pain relief and improving digestion or general overall health.
#2 – Wet Cupping
Wet cupping is similar to the mechanism of dry cupping, where a vacuum is created. However, shallow incisions are made in the skin prior to the suction.
This allows the toxins to be released into the cup along with some small amount of blood from broken capillaries or vein walls which can then be drawn out by additional applications of suction pressure.
#3 – Fire Cupping
To create suction, fire cupping utilizes a flame to heat up the air inside a cup before being placed onto any affected area.
Negative pressure is then created by burning oxygen and thus helping to open up clogged pores, encouraging sweating, and aiding muscle relaxation.
#4 – Flash Cupping
Flash Cupping is when multiple cups are applied over a larger area, using various techniques such as gliding or popping. This creates quick but powerful pulses of vacuum by rapidly removing each cup after briefly applying it.
This style helps to invigorate tissue but can create more discomfort than dry or wet-cupping techniques due to its intensity and loud ‘popping’ sound while releasing the held air within each cup.
Is Cupping for Weight Loss Safe?
Cupping for weight loss is a safe, low-risk, and effective way to help you achieve your weight loss goals. As the practice does not involve the use of drugs or invasive treatments, it is generally safe when performed by a trained and licensed practitioner or physical therapist.
This ensures that all safety protocols are followed and that any adverse effects, such as excessive skin bruising, are minimized.
Although it looks painful, correctly performed cupping should only cause mild discomfort and not any pain. However, redness may occur in the treated area due to increased blood flow to the region.
If you have any known skin conditions, it’s best to seek medical advice prior to your first session of cupping.
How Can Cupping Help With Weight Loss?
1. Enhances blood & Qi circulation
Firstly, one of the most important benefits of cupping that helps promote weight loss is the enhancement of ineffective blood circulation and Qi movement within the body.
Cupping helps support your circulatory system by strengthening weak or damaged blood vessels, reducing the pressure on the veins, and allowing them to be more effective.
Thus, enhanced circulation helps increase oxygenated blood flow throughout your body, helping it get rid of toxins and boost metabolism.
Additionally, enhanced circulation helps reduce inflammation, which is often associated with stubborn belly fat or cellulite. Cupping therapy can help reduce this inflammation and loss of body fat.
2. Improves metabolism
Secondly, cupping can help with weight loss through by restoring and improving sluggish metabolism.
By enhancing your circulation, cupping will also enhance your digestive system by allowing your body to transport nutrients in your body more efficiently, leading to better absorption and digestion. That means, your body will be better able to break down what you eat and turn it into energy instead of storing it as fat.
Additionally, the natural detoxification process associated with cupping can help clear away toxins that slow down your metabolism.
Improving your metabolic rate will not only help you with losing weight, but it will also help in lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, thus improving your overall health.
However, it’s important to note that cupping is not a miracle cure for obesity. It should only complement your weight loss efforts and should never replace regular exercise and healthy eating when trying to lose weight.
3. Loosens visceral fats
Thirdly, another benefit of cupping is that it can help loosen up visceral fats. Visceral fat are the fats that accumulate around your internal organs, which can affect your hormones and metabolism, and in turn, can affect weight gain or loss.
The belly often accumulates more viscous fat than other places on our body, so cupping helps break down those fat cells to make them more digestible for our bodies.
When those visceral fat cells are broken down enough, they will begin to soften and release toxins stored within them through sweat.
This releases pressure from surrounding organs, reducing inflammation and pain throughout your body as well as helping prevent further accumulation of this type of fat.
When done regularly, this repetitive process will assist in long-term weight management and improve your overall health and well-being.
4. Removes damp stagnation
Fourthly, cupping has proven to be a powerful way to help with weight loss through the removal of damp stagnation from the body.
Damp stagnation is the build-up of waste material, toxins, and excess fluid in the body’s tissues.
Cupping, when done correctly, can help break down this build-up, and aid your body in the removal of toxins and excess fluid more efficiently. This helps to reduce bloating and clear excess water retention while decreasing inflammation.
Removing damp stagnation can also lead to a deeper level of medical benefits, such as rebalancing out any hormonal imbalances that can affect your weight loss progress.
5. Activates the lymphatic system
Finally, cupping is an effective way to activate your body’s lymphatic system. By aiding in breaking up immobile sections of lymphatic lines throughout your body, it allows the toxins in you to be drained more efficiently.
This contributes to weight loss as less fluid is retained, making it easier for the body to shed stubborn fat cells.
Thus, the combination of stimulating the muscles and flushing away toxins helps keep your metabolism elevated and enhances your body’s weight loss ability.
Key Takeaways
It is worth remembering that cupping alone will not help your weight loss journey. It is not the be-all and end-all, and it should only be used to complement regular exercise and a healthy diet.
However, when used correctly and regularly, cupping has proven to be beneficial in aiding your weight loss goals.
Therefore, let’s recap the key takeaways:
- Cupping is a traditional Chinese medicine practice of using suction cups to create a vacuum pressure effect on the skin of the body.
- It benefits your health in various ways, from improving lymphatic drainage to enhancing your energy and Qi.
- There are four common styles: dry, wet, fire, and flash cupping.
- It helps with weight loss through five key benefits.