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Celebrities’ go-to Chinese health practices to restore body balance

Published Feb 04, 2025 5:00 am

Since Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is founded on the belief that illness is caused by an imbalance in the body’s energy flow, the remedy focuses on restoring that balance. To continue last week’s discussion on favorite Chinese health practices (with five Chinoy CEOs), let’s now focus on celebrities.

Acupuncture uses fine needles that are inserted into specific areas of the body to adjust the flow of energy. Mostly used to relieve pain throughout the body, it is recommended for chronic pain, migraines, neck and back pain, tendonitis, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia and arthritis. If you have a treatment for sports injury or acute pain, you may feel instant relief after a single treatment. For chronic pain though, it might take two to three sessions before the pain subsides.

American singer, actress, and fashion designer Jessica Simpson has always valued balance in her life. She has been papped numerous times near her favorite acupuncture clinic. She is also a fan of cupping. 

Actress Natalie Portman’s use of acupuncture has been featured in interviews as well as those of Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Jessica Simpson, Sigourney Weaver, Lucy Liu, Mickey Rourke, Sandra Bullock, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cher, Jennifer Aniston, and Robert Downey Jr. 

Moxibustion therapy entails the burning of dried mugwort or moxa on affected body parts. Often used together with acupuncture, it uses heat to treat pain, headaches, and chronic fatigue. The heat of the burning moxa over or near the acupuncture points stimulates the flow of qi or life force. Mugwort or artemisia vulgaris is known locally as damong maria. 

Chinese cupping, or baguan, is a traditional therapy that uses suction cups. The cups can be made of glass, bamboo, or ceramic. The therapist applies a flame to the cup to create suction. Cups are placed on the back, neck, shoulder, arms and legs. The main benefit is increased circulation as the suction encourages blood flow. The benefits include reduced pain and inflammation, decreased muscle tightness, improved blood flow, and increased range of motion.

His 294 million IG followers know that he goes about many activities shirtless. That’s exactly how the public found out that pop icon Justin Bieber advocates cupping therapy. 

Justin Bieber, Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham, and Jennifer Aniston, among many others, are cupping fans. Gwyneth has been vocal about the mental health benefits of cupping as well. She shared in an interview that she felt “energized and happy” after cupping.

Superstar Olympian Michael Phelps showed millions of viewers that he was a cupping fan when he appeared at the 2016 Olympics with cupping suction marks all over his back.

Chinese massage or “tui na” aims to improve the flow of qi in the body. Tui na involves an alternate pulling and pushing while Zhi Ya involves pinching and pressing like reflexology. While body relaxation and stress relief can be derived from it, the main focus is really to heal the body.

AITREAT Robotics’ webstie features EMMA or Expert Manipulative Massage Automation at work. Combining Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and robotics, EMMA provides both scientific TCM assessment and professional therapeutic massage. 

In Singapore, a robot dubbed Expert Manipulative Massage Automation or EMMA uses sensors and 3D vision technology to check muscle stiffness and determine the optimal course of treatment. After a consultation with a TCM specialist, tui na is performed by EMMA and its silicone thumb.

In tai chi and qi gong, movement, meditation, and breathing techniques combine for a low-impact, mind-body routine to improve balance, circulation, and alignment. While performed slowly, the core muscles are worked out as you need to balance the body. The legs and arms are also used in gentle movements.

Brazilian model Gisele Bündchen posted this after a vacation in a national park in northeastern Brazil. 

Many celebrities have admitted in interviews, or shown in their socials, that they are practitioners. Actors Mel Gibson, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Paul Adrian, and Terance Stamp all practice tai chi, joined by the late musician Lou Reed, athlete Tiger Woods, and model Gisele Bündchen. Celebrities who practice both tai chi and qi gong include Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Duvall, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Ken Watanabe.

As for herbal medicine, nothing can be more popular to celebrities than Pei Pa Koa right now. Since last year, the herbal syrup has gone viral because of superlative reviews from celebrities.

British singer Zayn Malik posted this on his Instagram recently. The former One Direction member is on tour in the US and mentioned how Pei Pa Koa is like an elixir that is “ridiculously good for your vocal cords.” 

The cast of Wicked—Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, and Jeff Goldblum—have all tried the syrup and they sang high praises for it.

In an interview with British Vogue, singer Zayn Malik says he always carries a bottle of Pei Pa Koa with him. Zayn mixes water with the syrup which he calls “a honey from China that is ridiculously good for your vocal cords.” Singer Jason Mraz also mixes the syrup with his mint tea before a show.