Moxibustion is a therapeutic method; selecting the appropriate technique can treat illnesses while also serving as a common wellness practice. Many people now prioritize wellness, often choosing traditional Chinese medicine approaches like moxibustion. However, moxibustion carries numerous contraindications, and neglecting them can harm the body. Therefore, certain precautions must be strictly observed during moxibustion. What key considerations are essential for moxibustion wellness? Those interested in this practice should take the time to review them.
What Should You Pay Attention to When Using Moxibustion for Wellness?
1. Pay Attention to Body Position
Proper moxibustion promotes blood and qi circulation. Maintaining a comfortable and correct body position during the process ensures optimal qi and blood flow. Additionally, the correct position facilitates accurate acupoint location. Therefore, before moxibustion, choose a suitable position. If you feel uncomfortable, inform your TCM practitioner immediately—never endure it.
2. Avoid exposed areas
It is advisable to avoid moxibustion on areas typically exposed to the air, such as the hands, feet, and neck. Moxibustion can easily cause scarring, and prominent scars may affect appearance when exposed, potentially lowering self-confidence.
3. Select appropriate treatment areas
Choose suitable body regions for moxibustion, avoiding areas with thin skin. Moxibustion can easily damage skin, and fragile skin is highly susceptible to thermal injury during treatment, significantly increasing the risk of skin infection.
Therefore, areas like the nipples and genital region must never be used for moxibustion therapy. Generally, the lower back and waist are the preferred sites.
4. Maintain body warmth
Ensure your body stays warm during moxibustion, especially in colder autumn and winter months. Exposing skin by lifting clothing during treatment allows cold air to penetrate, potentially invading the body. For health reasons, maintain a warm indoor environment and cover all exposed areas with blankets or thick clothing. Avoid prolonged exposure of the body.
5. Avoid bathing immediately after moxibustion
Do not bathe immediately after moxibustion; allow at least half an hour for rest. As moxibustion is a warming and tonifying therapy, sudden exposure to cold can diminish its health benefits and may irritate the treated skin, causing discomfort.
What to Eat After Moxibustion?
1. Job's Tears
This food excels at dispelling dampness. Consuming Job's Tears porridge after moxibustion aids the body in eliminating internal dampness. It can be cooked into porridge with red beans or prepared as tea by steeping roasted Job's Tears in hot water.
2. Winter Melon
After moxibustion, consuming winter melon is beneficial. It clears heat, detoxifies, promotes urination, and reduces swelling, aiding in fat reduction and dampness elimination. It can be peeled and stir-fried as a side dish or stewed with pork ribs for soup.
3. Red Beans
Regular consumption of red beans helps reduce bodily edema while effectively detoxifying and expelling dampness. If you feel excess dampness and choose moxibustion for dampness removal, drinking red bean soup afterward enhances the dampness-expelling effect and alleviates bodily burden.
4. Celery
Many dislike celery due to its strong flavor, but those who regularly practice moxibustion for wellness should incorporate it into their diet. Celery effectively removes dampness and toxins while being rich in nutrients, aiding weight loss and reducing dampness accumulation.We recommend blending celery into juice for daily consumption, or washing the stalks, cutting them into small pieces, and stir-frying them as a side dish—it tastes surprisingly good.