Qigong as Medicine

[GeneChing]

This is a long overdue thread that I hope will grow akin to the Tai Chi as Medicine (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50553) thread.


Some studies show practising qigong helps to fight against cancer (http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/health/view/1010774/1/.html)
By Channel NewsAsia's China Correspondent Glenda Chong | Posted: 12 October 2009 1519 hrs

SHANGHAI: The stress of modern living had prompted many around the world to learn qigong. Recent joint studies from China and the United States also show that qigong can help cancer patients live longer.

One community club in Shanghai is practising a form of qigong that has helped members recover from life-threatening illnesses over the past 20 years.

Cancer survivor Qiu Jia Ming, 65, who suffered from pancreatic cancer years ago, said: "I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when I was 50 years old and the doctor told me I only had three months to live. But I've survived 14 years now."

Another cancer survivor, Yin Xiao Ling, suffered from nasal malignant granulomatosis 22 years ago.

"I'm 57 and have been practising qigong for 22 years. I was diagnosed with nasal malignant granulomatosis, a very rare cancer, and doctors said I only had six months to a year to live at the most.

"So when I was discharged from hospital, I didn't go home. I went to join the Guolin Qigong Club. Doctors said it was a miracle that I survived beyond a year," said Yin.

Even the head of the cancer rehabilitation club is convinced of the benefits of qigong against cancer. Yuan Zheng Ping was diagnosed with malignant lymphoma 28 years ago and after studying Guolin qigong in Beijing, he started the Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club in 1989 to teach others like him.

"It's not only a physical exercise, it is also a psychological practice of breathing using rhythmic exercises, thereby taking in a lot of oxygen. This is beneficial because it increases immunity and help fight the cancer.

"We did a survey in 1993 with 1,500 cancer patients and discovered that after five years of practising Goulin qigong, there was about 85 per cent recovery rate. In 2003, we did another comprehensive study and found that out of 7,000 cancer sufferers, more than 60 per cent of them survived for more than five years," said Yuan.

With such high success rate, there is now more attention paid to this form of exercise. Initial results from studies conducted by the University of Illinois and Shanghai University of Sports show that practising Cailin qigong can help cancer patients live longer and give them a better quality of life.

Wang Changwei is the researcher behind a new study programme sponsored by the US-based National Cancer Institute. Her first phase of research centred on those who regularly practise qigong and it showed that this group of practitioners have a lower rate of cancer reoccurrence than others.

She said: "From our current study, regardless of quality of life, exercise ability or health conditions, those who practised Guolin qigong are far better off than those who don't exercise qigong.

"We did an 11-month observation and found that oxygen intake of those who practise Guolin qigong was higher and when they are at rest, the oxygen level is the same. This means that they inhale more oxygen during their practice. Their breathing method of inhaling twice and exhaling once helped to improve their oxygen intake."

Even doctors who specialise in Western medicine believe there are benefits to practising qigong. But they said there may be other causes that are helping cancer patients recover from their illnesses.

Gao Yong, a doctor at Shanghai East Hospital, said: "Qigong can help patients forget the pain of the disease. Also, the exercise is a team activity. Practitioners encourage and support each other. There is more confidence when they see others recover. I think this is the real benefit of qigong.

"The study has only just started about two or three years ago. A large scale study is needed and should take about three to five years, or even longer, for a more detailed observation of the benefits."

China sees about 2.2 million cancer cases yearly, with one in five dying from the disease.

[mawali]

Great article!

My only concern is that the layperson reading this will make the assumption that all they have to do is practice qigong and they will get better.
No doubt qigong is excellent adjunct therapy but the article fails to mention the procedures previous to qigong therapy, whether it be excision, chemotherapy, medication in conjunction with additonal therapies.
The degree/stage of cancer also figures prominently in the matter!

[GeneChing]

FYI, Tiger Claw is supporting Breast Cancer Awareness month (http://www.martialartsmart.com/breastcancerawareness.html)this October too.

Breast cancer survivor credits holistic practice (http://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyle/pink/breast-cancer-survivor-credits-holistic-practice-361347.html)
By Terry Morris, Staff Writer Updated 6:52 PM Thursday, October 22, 2009

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This article is part of our month-long focus on breast cancer. To learn more or find ways to help, go to our Pink Edition Page.

KETTERING — Jan Lively went from being “one of the lucky ones” to someone facing probable death.

“The doctor said there was no cure. I was going to die,” she said.

She “refused to accept that,” a response to crisis she believes would be far more likely now than it was then, based on her mindset.

“I felt that 42 was too young. I also felt I had not lived a truly memorable life. I hadn’t lived my life’s purpose,” she said.

Aware that cancer could recur, she has discovered her purpose and is convinced it helped save her.

It is Qigong (pronounced chee-gung or chee-gong), a holistic exercise that originated thousands of years ago in China. She’s a trained instructor and practices up to three hours a day.

The Kettering resident and former executive director of major gifts in the department of development at the University of Dayton is also a founder of the Noble Circle Project, “a community of women thriving beyond cancer" (www.noblecircle.org).

She was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in 1998, just 18 months after a previous checkup found nothing.

Treatment including chemotherapy brought a remission that proved to be short-lived. The disease reappeared with Stage 4 virulence in her liver and spine just 18 months later, in January of 2001.

Metastatic cancer is often incurable.

“I thought I had months,” said Lively, 57, who had recently returned from a hiking and climbing expedition in Colorado when she sat down to share her experiences.

The Iowa native “was scared out of my mind” following her original diagnosis. “I couldn’t sleep. I was terrified about the possibility of death, losing a breast, or both,” she said.

She was angry at her nurses and doctors, humiliated by what was being done to her body and she was lonely. She was a divorced parent without a significant other.

“Medicine treats your body. But what about you?” she said.

She had always been active. She was a runner. There was no history of breast cancer in her family. After the cancer returned, in her internal organs, she couldn’t even bend over and touch her toes while sitting. She felt helpless.

A friend who had taken a class passed on a book about qigong, believed to combine the power of the mind with postures and movements of the body to create an internal energy known as Qi. She decided to try it.

Sessions need to be daily, but require only 20 minutes, no financial commitment, specialized clothing or equipment.

“I thought if once was good, twice would be better. I did it twice a day,” Lively said.

Coincidence or not, she quickly started feeling better. Eight weeks after she started, her tumors had shrunk by half. She was eating regularly and her strength was returning. “By the end of April, I was jogging again,” she said.

“I am sure the chemo helped, but it was clear to me the Qigong was working well with the medical treatment. I kept doing it. I wanted to learn more. I wanted to teach others.”

She had tried counseling and said "the therapist was helpful." She attended a breast cancer support group, but only for two meetings. “I didn’t want to keep talking to other people about cancer.”

She improved her diet, changed positions at UD to reduce stress and even tried internet dating. She left UD in 2002.

Nothing clicked the way qigong did.

Lively is convinced that its power “is truly in the mind. You heal yourself. Qigong is about strengthening the mind and heart through focus of intention. You tell yourself to believe it. Our thoughts, minds, emotions and bodies are all energy systems,” she said.

“I believe in science, too, but I don’t think I would be alive today if I hadn’t found qigong,” she said. “It’s a blueprint for the body.”

She has traveled to China five times to study with the masters. She has taught for seven years and worked with 500 students.

She has met just as many skeptics.

“My own son (who works in the pharmaceutical industry) doesn’t believe it. He says, ‘Show me the science,’ ” Lively said. But her doctor often recommends her classes to other cancer patients.

“When it comes to cancer, fear is the biggest killer,” she said. “The mind and body are very powerful. I try to be a positive thinker. But it’s one thing to put on a happy face and another to truly believe something. I believe this."

[uki]

better to trust in the wavelengths from the stars and sun rather than those simulated in a hospital building... mind is the path.

[Nexus]

better to trust in the wavelengths from the stars and sun rather than those simulated in a hospital building... mind is the path.

No path, no mind, only Is.

[Skip J.]

No path, no mind, only Is.
or.... one track mind??????

[Nexus]

or.... one track mind??????


Yes, that's right :)

[Scott R. Brown]

No path, no mind, only Is.

No mind, no path, no IS!;)

[Hendrik]

No mind, no path, no IS!;)


Dead as a ROCK or Dry Wood. How can that be the way?

[Hendrik]

No path, no mind, only Is.


Dead water cant have any dragon.

[Hendrik]

or.... one track mind??????



mind and thoughts got nothing wrong as soon as one is not unknowingly trap by them.

[Hendrik]

just listen and not making any differentiation mind action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ahvSxpIh0M&feature=related

what is that "suchness, wonderful existance within the emptiness" which is supporting the listening if that is not your Original face? But you must not search for it for you will not find it if you search for it. It is just there when you are not searching and making differentiation or discrimination mind action. when you search for "it' , "it" becomes the Mind and like a person cannot see one own face one will not see the Original face while searching. But, Let go and the orginal face is there.

and

Can you always protect this suchness effortlessly with ease under all dynamic condition at every instant ;

so that "it " doesnt become the slave of the thoughts and emotions
or even ignore behind the scene due to falling into attachement of externally scenery or internal thoughts ( Analogy to your own face, it is always there, not aware of it, use it every instant but a slave of the emotion.)?

If you can protect it then you to the minimum you have rest the mind/thoughts and make whole the shen. When Shen is whole, Qi will be adequately filled and Blood will be adequate and lively.



The core of Qigong for health doesnt go beyond the above. From Zen to Dao, it never go beyond the above. The practice of Shen, Qi, Blood, Jing are based on such.

[Scott R. Brown]

Dead as a ROCK or Dry Wood. How can that be the way?

No one said anything about being dead as a rock or dry wood, that is your fantasy!

[Hendrik]

No one said anything about being dead as a rock or dry wood, that is your fantasy!



hahaha, ofcorse,

You like to be one dead rock? go a head,

My post is for those who truely cultivate Zen and Dao to not get stuck into this misleading" No mind, no path, no IS!" path which turn one into dry dead wood and rock.

[taai gihk yahn]

Dead as a ROCK or Dry Wood. How can that be the way?


Dead water cant have any dragon.


mind and thoughts got nothing wrong as soon as one is not unknowingly trap by them.


hahaha, ofcorse,

You like to be one dead rock? go a head,

My post is for those who truely cultivate Zen and Dao to not get stuck into this misleading" No mind, no path, no IS!" path which turn one into dry dead wood and rock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXhnzIO5N30&feature=related

[taai gihk yahn]

just listen and not making any differentiation mind action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ahvSxpIh0M&feature=related

what is that "suchness, wonderful existance within the emptiness" which is supporting the listening if that is not your Original face? But you must not search for it for you will not find it if you search for it. It is just there when you are not searching and making differentiation or discrimination mind action. when you search for "it' , "it" becomes the Mind and like a person cannot see one own face one will not see the Original face while searching. But, Let go and the orginal face is there.

and

Can you always protect this suchness effortlessly with ease under all dynamic condition at every instant ;

so that "it " doesnt become the slave of the thoughts and emotions
or even ignore behind the scene due to falling into attachement of externally scenery or internal thoughts ( Analogy to your own face, it is always there, not aware of it, use it every instant but a slave of the emotion.)?

If you can protect it then you to the minimum you have rest the mind/thoughts and make whole the shen. When Shen is whole, Qi will be adequately filled and Blood will be adequate and lively.



The core of Qigong for health doesnt go beyond the above. From Zen to Dao, it never go beyond the above. The practice of Shen, Qi, Blood, Jing are based on such.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRKYsao2ciY&NR=1

[taai gihk yahn]

you are getting sleepy, very sleeeepy (http://web.mit.edu/qigong/global.htm)...

[Hendrik]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXhnzIO5N30&feature=related


What is this mean?

[Scott R. Brown]

hahaha, ofcorse,

You like to be one dead rock? go a head,

My post is for those who truely cultivate Zen and Dao to not get stuck into this misleading" No mind, no path, no IS!" path which turn one into dry dead wood and rock.

Hi Hendrik,

You have a distinct pattern of imposing your own conceptual fantasies onto others. Rather than misinterpret what others say and seek to criticize what you clearly do not understand.....how about explain what you consider to be dead wood and rock Zen?

Once you have done so, use that explanation to recognize your own false conceptualizations and assumptions. Then you can work on them to your own benefit rather than worrying so much about what you incorrectly assume to be the confusion of others.

By the way, I do not think you understand what it means to be dead wood or as a rock, since to be dead as wood and as a rock are one of the most ancient teachings of Zen found within the Tun-huang Ch'an texts:

"Mind is [unconscious] like tree or stone....

....Realize that whatever mind discriminates is merely forms. If you awaken to the fact that mind from the outset has been void-quiescent and know that mind is not itself a form, then mind is unconnected [like dead wood and stone]. Forms are not forms. They are constructed in the manner of an illusion by your own mind. If you merely realize they are not real, then you will attain liberation."

"IS" and "IS-NOT" are conceptions that are constructions of the mind, just as your incorrect assumptions about what others are talking about are conceptions that are constructions of your own mind!

Following are some further quotes that use wood and stone differently than you presume:

“However, if you have no discrimination, do not grasp thought and abandon all views, then the mind, as firm and hard as a piece of wood or stone, will have a chance to realize the Tao." - Huang-Po

The substance of the Absolute is inwardly like wood or stone, in that it is motionless, and outwardly like the void, in that it is without bounds or obstructions...”- Huang-po

“Return to the state of plain wood….”-Lao-Tzu

Your misunderstanding apparently arises from your misapplication of quotes such as the following one from Huang-po:

"So we must not shut anything out, but try to reach the point where all distinctions are seen to be void, where nothing is seen as desirable or undesirable, existing or not existing. Yet this does not mean that we should make our minds blank, for then we should be no better than blocks of wood or lumps of stone; moreover, if we remained in this state, we should not be able to deal with the circumstances of daily life or be capable of observing the Zen precept" - Huang-po

No one in this conversation mentioned, “that we should make our minds blank”. "No mind, no path, no IS" is a statement about making distinctions and nothing in it can even remotely be confused to be directing anyone to "shut anything out"! The fact you found such a meaning within this statement is a clear demonstration of your misunderstanding and your ego-centric need to appear wiser than everyone else!

This is why I have characterized your comment as "your own fantasy", because, once again, you have imposed your own ego into a conversation you do not understand.

You see, you apparently do not recognize that there is a difference between "making no distinctions" and "blanking the mind"!

When one correctly understands the phrase, "No mind, no path, no IS!" he understands, "the point where all distinctions are seen to be void, where nothing is seen as desirable or undesirable, existing or not existing," this is NOT the same thing as making, "our minds blank"!

If you seek to assist others in understanding and practicing Ch’an principles, perhaps your time would be better spent correctly understanding and living them first. It would also benefit you to practice understanding and using the principles of English grammar. This will help you keep from embarrassing yourself when you misunderstand the conversation of others and will help you make more meaningful contributions in the future.

:)

[taai gihk yahn]

What is this mean?

:rolleyes:

[Scott R. Brown]

:rolleyes:

What does :rolleyes: mean? :p

[taai gihk yahn]

What does :rolleyes: mean? :p

:)+:eek:-:o/(:mad:*:D)=:rolleyes:

[Hendrik]

I sincerely pray for you to see the path of cultivation clearly.




Hi Hendrik,

You have a distinct pattern of imposing your own conceptual fantasies onto others. Rather than misinterpret what others say and seek to criticize what you clearly do not understand...

:)

[Scott R. Brown]

I sincerely pray for you to see the path of cultivation clearly.

I thank you for your consideration, but pray first for your own clear sight and leave others to be responsible for themselves!:)

[Scott R. Brown]

:)+:eek:-:o/(:mad:*:D)=:rolleyes:

OOOOOoooooohhhhhhh! NOW it makes sense....thank you!:)

[taai gihk yahn]

I thank you for your consideration, but pray first for your own clear sight and leave others to be responsible for themselves!:)

that's the fact, Jack

(someone here seems to have forgotten that even the Buddha wouldn't offer teaching until 3 AM after most everyone had left and then only when asked 3 times...)

it's not that what Hendrik says is necessarily is bad or wrong, and indeed from a classical perspective it is correct, it's just that he comes across as a pompous asz by virtue of the fact that he seems to hod the opinion that this way is the only way, and that NO ONE in his estimation has got it right; now, if anyone of us had come to Hendrik for instruction, then that would be fine; but what he fails to understand is that this is a discussion board; meaning that no one is here to get instruction, but rather to engage in lively discourse as suits each person's wont; meaning that to some degree this is entertainment! but Hendrik appears to think that his utterances ought be met with all the seriousness he thinks that they deserve; and apart from this being somewhat untoward, it's really just dull...

[taai gihk yahn]

OOOOOoooooohhhhhhh! NOW it makes sense....thank you!:)

I pray daily for your enightenmentalism to reach its ultimatimonumentality

[Hendrik]

he seems to hod the opinion that this way is the only way,




if you have different way then share it.

[Hendrik]

that NO ONE in his estimation has got it right;.


This is the biggest misleading.



The proper direction is clear in Shurangama sutra.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shurangama_Sutra


There are lots of cultivator in this world who get it right.
the only different between all these people is the level of the depth.

[Hendrik]

I thank you for your consideration, but pray first for your own clear sight and leave others to be responsible for themselves!:)


You are clueless when it comes to real swimming even though you might read lots and lots of books.



Why settle for less and trap yourself in the books?
'I deeply respect all of you and dare not slight you. Why? You are all practicing the Bodhisattva Path and shall attain Buddhahood.'


http://yzzj.fodian.net/World/0262_20.html

[Scott R. Brown]

that's the fact, Jack

(someone here seems to have forgotten that even the Buddha wouldn't offer teaching until 3 AM after most everyone had left and then only when asked 3 times...)

it's not that what Hendrik says is necessarily is bad or wrong, and indeed from a classical perspective it is correct, it's just that he comes across as a pompous asz by virtue of the fact that he seems to hod the opinion that this way is the only way, and that NO ONE in his estimation has got it right; now, if anyone of us had come to Hendrik for instruction, then that would be fine; but what he fails to understand is that this is a discussion board; meaning that no one is here to get instruction, but rather to engage in lively discourse as suits each person's wont; meaning that to some degree this is entertainment! but Hendrik appears to think that his utterances ought be met with all the seriousness he thinks that they deserve; and apart from this being somewhat untoward, it's really just dull...

1) Not everything he says is foolishness, just most of it, like 99%!

2) He continually imposes his own limited and erroneous views onto to others and cannot seem to recognize he is doing so! As in the example I outlined above, he misapplied a principle, taught by Ch'an teachers, to a topic which was not addressing that principle, and when it was pointed out to him he ignores his own misunderstanding and accuses others of cluelessness!

3) He cannot explain anything for himself! Anyone can say, "You are wrong!", "You are foolish!", "You are clueless!", "You don't know how to swim!", but these comments are useless without ACCURATE commentary on why this is so!

One must address the errors of others with clear explanations of why they are in error lest the comments made give the appearance of an ego investment in "believing" you are right, rather than actually being correct!


You are clueless when it comes to real swimming even though you might read lots and lots of books.

Please explain how this comment does NOT pertain you! I know you won't, because every time I have asked you do so in the past you have evaded the request with further empty insults and criticism!

When you are done not explaining the above question, please explain how many, if not all, Ch'an masters make references to the comments of those who went before yet apparently, according to you, no one else is permitted to do so but you?

Then, when you are done NOT responding to that question, please explain how ANY of my comments demonstrate I do not understand the principles I am discussing? I am interested to know how you know what is in my mind and what experiences I have had when you do not know me at all? Just where does this extraordinary insight come from when I am able to clearly provide independent commentary on Ch'an principles and list support for my comments by referring to the masters who teach the same principles, yet you cannot do the same for yourself?

While you provide some sources you misapply them to the principles under discussion and cannot provide independent commentary, other than insults!

All you can do is criticize what you don't understand. You are unable to explain what you do understand because you don't actually understand the topic very well!

Once again, you have made an empty criticism showing your ego investment in your own fantasy of being right! You have made no clear explanation of how I am "clueless"! Stating it is so is meaningless unless you can demonstrate it to be so!

When you tried to do so above you botched it royally and put your foot in your mouth! You misapplied a Ch'an principle to a topic you didn't didn't understand!

Show us how mature you are by simply admitting to it!

And ONCE AGAIN, rather than making comments that serve no other benefit than stroking your own ego, try to write a meaningful response explaining how someone else's comments reflect their misunderstanding by applying your criticism to the actual principle under discussion.


Why settle for less and trap yourself in the books?

Who is trapped in books? I see you are providing links to the thoughts of others to make your point, but others are not permitted this same privilege?

Your hypocrisy is showing again!


'I deeply respect all of you and dare not slight you. Why? You are all practicing the Bodhisattva Path and shall attain Buddhahood.'

If you deeply respect all of us and dare not slight us then why do you repeatedly slight others? How does calling someone clueless without an accurate explanation of how this is so demonstrate your respect?

If you wish your statement that "you respect others and dare not slight them" to be taken seriously then try demonstrating it:

1) by being more gracious and accurate with your criticisms.

2) by providing criticism that actually applies to the principle under discussion.

3) by providing meaningful evidence for your view.

4) by not insulting those who respond accurately to your inaccurate criticism!

[taai gihk yahn]

if you have different way then share it.

http://bernie.cncfamily.com/k_pathless.htm

[taai gihk yahn]

NO ONE in his estimation has got it right;


This is the biggest misleading.

let me rephrase, for the sake of clarity: in his estimation, no one with whom he interacts on the forum has got it right; and I warrant that it is much the same in regards to those with whom he interacts in his off-line existence as well;

and BTW Hendrik, talking about those who haven't yet "got it right" in your estimation, since you were so compassionate with your suggesting to me that I tell my my sifu that he needs to "take it to the next level" after reading his views on Taoist practice, have you contacted him directly as I suggested, to express this sincere critique to him yet? and if you have not, then why not?

[Hendrik]

let me rephrase, for the sake of clarity: in his estimation, no one with whom he interacts on the forum has got it right; and I warrant that it is much the same in regards to those with whom he interacts in his off-line existence as well;

and BTW Hendrik, talking about those who haven't yet "got it right" in your estimation, since you were so compassionate with your suggesting to me that I tell my my sifu that he needs to "take it to the next level" after reading his views on Taoist practice, have you contacted him directly as I suggested, to express this sincere critique to him yet? and if you have not, then why not?


When the time is right I will.

[Hendrik]

http://bernie.cncfamily.com/k_pathless.htm

That is his and not your's isnt it?

Not to mention his path is still within the Shurangama's map. Check it out for yourself.

[taai gihk yahn]

When the time is right I will.

Bwahahahahahahaaaa

<sniff, sniff>

that has got to be the funniest thing I have heard in a long time...

[taai gihk yahn]

That is his and not your's isnt it?

Not to mention his path is still within the Shurangama's map. Check it out for yourself.
I do believe that you have missed the point entirely...

[Scott R. Brown]

I do believe that you have missed the point entirely...

Don't you know, in his own mind the only points that matter are his own!

He has got to be one of the most ego-centric personalities I have come across in a long time. The only ones I have known that come close are all sociopaths!

[Hendrik]

To all,




I decide to post here because the Thread says " Qigong as Medicine". There are people dying ; There are people who needs help with their health.

What I post is to share to those who like to know qigong and medicine a direction and a bottom line of what is going on.


I careless for those who likes to be expert and likes to argue for nonsense or philosophical.


If fact, most are clueless when it comes to differentiate between a wholisitic qigion System Thinking or a philosophy.




a wholistic qigong System Thinking cover major key area of the practice so result can be attainted. Philosophical ideas are just ideas which is good if one have time to burn. and certainly not for those who is sick and needs help and be able to deliver result.


Sure, philosophical ideas is great if you have time and money and spend time in the spar and get away from the reality for a week for vacation. and get some nice New age talk entertainment.


System Thinking provide the practice that can be applied every instant in one's life.




I post what I post because there is a clear path in Chinese Daoism and Buddhism cultivation.

It is not a man made philosphical, you think I think, you scratch my back I flatten you so we both give a title to each other to become masters type path of path where two becomes masters but non know a thing.

It is a nature law of Living System where all living beings subject to.



As I pointed out in the previous post, The buddha nature, the Shen, the Qi, the Blood got to be within the wholistic system thinking. However, even if one got the complete practice, still the result is subject to the depth of the cultivation; not to mention If it is an incomplete practice the result is very shaky most of the time or lips service most of the time without true result.


Again, too many people are suffering, too many people needs help, one doesnt have to wait for 20 years or might not even have 2 years to find out the facts on what is going on.
I dont force anyone to take my view, examine the path for yourself and decide for yourself.





In case, if you need help but doesnt have any good master, Go into prayer, deep prayer which could bring you silence and peace. do it everyday, and that is the best you can get compare with spinning the mind will all the energy channel....etc. In my humble opinion.

As this one,
http://www.learnoutloud.com/Catalog/Self-Development/Healing/Healing-Prayers/17473


A good prayer practice in Buddhism, Christian, Catholic involve the Buddha nature, Shen, Qi, and Blood, disregard of how the terms in different religions used.

If you can get into the silence from the prayer, then you have enter into the first state of Qigong --- enter into the silence -- where you mind/thoughts quiet down and the Qi/ Body set free to do its work.



In additional,
Some time, we are so worry that we cant quiet our mind, in that situation, even the Shao Lin got to evoke the name of Amitaba buddha or mantra, the Daoist evoke the Kwan Yin Boddhisatva, That is similar to doing the Prayer to Christ or Mary before they can start their Qigong practice.

One needs to rest this worry and restless and fearfull mind and thus one needs the help or Grace from Amitaba Buddha or Christ or God ..etc based on everyone's own comfort, to get to the state of Let go the worry and then one can enter into the silence and so the body can repair itself. Again, any one is serious about the cultivation of the Chinese Buddhism Daoism, one must know the Shurangama sutra for there is a "map" within the Shurangama sutra.



Just to share some thoughts on this thread.

Best wishes

[Hendrik]

Bwahahahahahahaaaa

<sniff, sniff>

that has got to be the funniest thing I have heard in a long time...


Knowing the student knowing the Sifu's teaching. isnt it?

[Hendrik]

Don't you know, in his own mind the only points that matter are his own!

He has got to be one of the most ego-centric personalities I have come across in a long time. The only ones I have known that come close are all sociopaths!



Sure, dont we all complain about Bill Gate on how ego centric is him ? hahahaha,

Human ignorance.

[Scott R. Brown]

What I post will give those who really needs help a direction and a bottom line of what is going on.

You must first presume yourself to be an expert yourself Hendrik, but all you do is come across like an egotist!


I careless for those who likes to be expert and likes to argue for nonsense or philosophical.

You don't like to argue because you cannot express yourself well enough to do so, so instead you use insults and belittling comments while pretending to respect all people!


If fact, most are clueless when it comes to differentiate between a wholisitic System Thinking or a philosophy.

System Thinking cover major key area of the practice so result can be attainted. Philosophical ideas are just ideas which is good if one have time to burn. and certainly not for those who is sick and needs help and be able to deliver result.

No one is more clueless than you Hendrik. I am trying to figure out whether you are uneducated or just stupid!

Part of your foolishness is your narcissistic belief that no one understands any of this, but you!

It is not your place to decide for others whether they should take a philosophical path or your idea of a System Thinking path!

Have you no understanding of "expedient means"! Clearly you do not since all you want to do is impose your artificial construct of the path onto everyone else!


Sure, philosophical ideas is great if you have time and money and spend time in the spar and get away from the reality for a week for vacation.

System Thinking provide the practice that can be applied every instant in one's life.

I still can't decide if you are uneducated or just stupid! You do not understand philosophical ideas at all. Your System Thinking IS a philosophical construct!

Not to mention there was no philosophical discussion taking place here. It is called Dharma play, are you ignorant of Dharma play as well?


I post what I post because there is a clear path in Chinese Daoism and Buddhism cultivation.

We understand the path is clear, what we disagree with is your imposing your own misunderstanding of the path on to others!


It is a nature law of Living System where all living beings subject to.

Well Duh!! Thank you for stating the obvious!

The problem here is you cannot see that your own ego-centrism has confused your understanding. It is clear to everyone but you!


As I pointed out in the previous post, The buddha nature, the Shen, the Qi, the Blood. However, even if one got the complete practice, still the result is subject to the depth of the cultivation; not to mention If it is an incomplete practice the result is very shaky most of the time or lips service most of the time without true result.

It is clear to everyone but you that your practice is incomplete!

There is no practice, there is no result, there is no Dharma, there is no Buddha! You are bound by your own fantasy!


Again, too many people are suffering, too many people needs help, one doesnt have to wait for 20 years or might not even have 2 years to find out the truth.

So part of your fantasy is to save the world?

People are suffering because they are trapped in confusion and ignorance. That is the way the system is set up from the start. There is nothing wrong with it the way it is!

It is irrelevant whether it takes 2 years, 20 years, or 20 eons, time is a form that is inherently an illusion so all these time periods are equal in length, in that none of them truly exist!

All Dharmas are equal, ignorant beings are the same as Buddha's and inherently both are artificial constructs of confused minds!


I dont force anyone to go this way, examine the path for yourself and decide for yourself.

Then why do you insist that everyone else is confused, yet you cannot recognize your own confusion?


However, if you need help but doesnt have any good master, Go into prayer, deep prayer which could bring you silence and peace. do it everyday, and that is the best you can get.

Insistence on prayer binds one to an artificial construct, a fantasy of the mind! Prayer is an artificial construct of a mind bound by confusion! But if it makes you feel better go ahead, it can"t hurt other than reinforcing the binding of the mind to confusion! Since 2 years, 20 years and 20 eons are all equal inherently it does not matter. Everyone has their own "expedient means" which they will eventually realize was created by their own confusion of mind!

[Scott R. Brown]

Knowing the student knowing the Sifu's teaching. isnt it?

Back at cha!!

[Hendrik]

Insistence on prayer binds one to an artificial construct, a fantasy of the mind! Prayer is an artificial construct of a mind bound by confusion! But if it makes you feel better go ahead, it can"t hurt other than reinforcing the binding of the mind to confusion! Since 2 years, 20 years and 20 eons are all equal inherently it does not matter. Everyone has their own "expedient means" which they will eventually realize was created by their own confusion of mind!


This is the best evidence on your experience isnt it?

hahaha, human.

[taai gihk yahn]

Knowing the student knowing the Sifu's teaching. isnt it?

what a load of crap that statement is

[taai gihk yahn]

To all, I decide to post here because the Thread says " Qigong as Medicine". There are people dying ; There are people who needs help with their health.
What I post is to share to those who like to know qigong and medicine a direction and a bottom line of what is going on.
LOL, bullsh*t! you are so full of bullsh*t it is coming out of your ears - you are such a dolt, it is laughable! you cloak yourself in some sort of altruistic "I am just here to help" guise, but look at your first three posts on this thread:


No mind, no path, no IS!;)

Dead as a ROCK or Dry Wood. How can that be the way?


No path, no mind, only Is.

Dead water cant have any dragon.


or.... one track mind??????

mind and thoughts got nothing wrong as soon as one is not unknowingly trap by them.
I'm sorry - please explain what ANY of these statements, all clearly intended to correct what you believe to misguided perspectives of the posters in question, please explain what ANY of them have to do specifically with helping people with their health via the practice of qigong?


I careless for those who likes to be expert and likes to argue for nonsense or philosophical.
unbelievable! that is EXACTLY what your initial three posts on this thread do! you present yourself as an "expert" who comes on to argue someone else's belief system (a.k.a. philosophy; and you can nit pick and split hairs and try to propose how system thinking is different from a philosophy all you want, but sorry to say, it's essentially the same thing)
nope, sorry, no one here is buying it, because it's not about helping others, it's about Hendrik being right, being the expert, and demonstrating everyone else's lack of proper perspective - AND YET NEVER BEING ASKED TO DO SO - don't you get it?!? you think you are being so beneficent, but the reality is that no one has asked you to come here and "teach"; but you just can't seem to help yourself, LOL - you don't come here to discuss, you come to preach! and what's more you typically do so in such a cryptic not to mention grammatically obtuse manner that even when you have something of benefit to share, it gets lost in the process;
you might want to take a moment and reflect on the way in which people like Krisnamurti, Chogyam Trungpa, Ticht Naht Han and my teacher Sat Hon manage to convey their message to thousands of people from disparate cultures, communicating the same message you are trying to convey, and yet do not engender the same sort of response that you consistently get from pretty much everyone on here; at what point are you going to take a step back and realize that when you consistently receive a certain type of response it might actually have something to do with you, not everyone else?
regardless of what your intentions may be, you come across as a know-it-all who presumes to instruct and does so in a rather condescending way; and you still don't get it that no one is here to receive instruction or to give it, but to simply engage in discourse in an open-ended manner - meaning that we come with our particular perspectives, yet without any particular attachment to them, "testing" them out against other ones, having some fun in the process; you, OTOH, jump in every time essentially indicating how these perspectives we hold are incorrect; and often the only rationale you give is because you say so! which basically makes you not much fun to play with at all, really;

you may want to consider finding an alternate venue in which to help others

[Scott R. Brown]

This is the best evidence on your experience isnt it?

hahaha, human.

As your comments reflect your experience too then huh?

Is this the manner in which you present your respect for all people?

I thought you didn't come here to argue, but to bless all mankind with your beneficence?

Once again instead of condescending to others, how about demonstrating your own "evidence of experience"?

AND once again, instead of making an asinine statement that says nothing at all about what I have posted, please demonstrate where I am in error so that I may benefit from your "respectful" comments!

[Hendrik]

Classical case of No mind, no path, no IS! Dead as a ROCK or Dry Wood by Wo Lun.




One Bhikshu was reciting Dhyana Master Wo Lun verse:


Wo Lun has the talent
To stop the hundred thoughts:
Facing situations his mind won’t move;
Bodhi grows day by day.


When the Master Hui Neng heard it he said, “This verse no understanding of the mind-ground, and to cultivate
according to it will increase one’s bondage. Then spoke this verse:


Hui Neng has no talent
To stop the hundred thoughts.
Facing situations his mind often moves;
How can Bodhi grow? ---------------six patriach sutra

[Scott R. Brown]

Classical case of No mind, no path, no IS! Dead as a ROCK or Dry Wood by Wo Lun.

One Bhikshu was reciting Dhyana Master Wo Lun verse:

Wo Lun has the talent
To stop the hundred thoughts:
Facing situations his mind won’t move;
Bodhi grows day by day.

When the Master Hui Neng heard it he said, “This verse no understanding of the mind-ground, and to cultivate
according to it will increase one’s bondage. Then spoke this verse:

Hui Neng has no talent
To stop the hundred thoughts.
Facing situations his mind often moves;
How can Bodhi grow? ---------------six patriach sutra

You are clueless when it comes to real swimming even though you might read lots and lots of books.

Why settle for less and trap yourself in the books?

[taai gihk yahn]

You are clueless when it comes to real swimming even though you might read lots and lots of books.

Why settle for less and trap yourself in the books?

The silence is deafening...

[Scott R. Brown]

The silence is deafening...

What??:eek:

:D

[taai gihk yahn]

what??:eek:

:d
pay attention!!!

[Scott R. Brown]

pay attention!!!

I couldn't hear you because "The silence is deafening.....!"

[GeneChing]

The full article is online - follow the link

Impact of Medical Qigong on quality of life, fatigue, mood and inflammation in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial (http://lungcancer.about.com/b/2009/11/06/medical-qigong-improves-quality-of-life-with-cancer.htm)
B. Oh1,2,3,*, P. Butow2, B. Mullan2, S. Clarke1,3, P. Beale1,3, N. Pavlakis1,4, E. Kothe5, L. Lam6 and D. Rosenthal7

1 Department of Medicine, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, University of Sydney, Concord
2 Center for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-making, School of Psychology, University of Sydney
3 Sydney Cancer Center, Concord Repatriation General Hospital
4 Department of Medical Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital
5 School of Psychology, University of Sydney
6 School of Medical Sydney, Notre Dame University, NSW, Australia
7 Dana-Faber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

* Correspondence to: Dr B. Oh, Department of Medicine, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, University of Sydney, Concord, New South Wales 2139, Australia. Tel: +61-2-90-36-78-26; Fax: +61-2-93-51-54-88; E-mail: bsoh@med.usyd.edu.au



Background: Substantial numbers of cancer patients use complementary medicine therapies, even without a supportive evidence base. This study aimed to evaluate in a randomized controlled trial, the use of Medical Qigong (MQ) compared with usual care to improve the quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients.

Patients and methods: One hundred and sixty-two patients with a range of cancers were recruited. QOL and fatigue were measured by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—General and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Fatigue, respectively, and mood status by Profile of Mood State. The inflammatory marker serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was monitored serially.

Results: Regression analysis indicated that the MQ group significantly improved overall QOL (t144 = –5.761, P < 0.001), fatigue (t153 = –5.621, P < 0.001), mood disturbance (t122 =2.346, P = 0.021) and inflammation (CRP) (t99 = 2.042, P < 0.044) compared with usual care after controlling for baseline variables.

Conclusions: This study indicates that MQ can improve cancer patients’ overall QOL and mood status and reduce specific side-effects of treatment. It may also produce physical benefits in the long term through reduced inflammation.

cancer, fatigue, inflammation, mood, quality of life

[taai gihk yahn]

The full article is online - follow the link

doesn't seem to have compared the MQ group to a control group doing exercise of a non-MQ qigong nature...so all we can really say is that when you have cancer doing MQ is better than doing nothing...and since the MQ was being assessed in terms of its impact on mood and an inflammatory marker, we can't even say anything about its impact on cancer per se, we just see the types of changes that have been well-documented in people who engage in pretty much any sort of exercise program, qigong or otherwise;

[TaichiMantis]

Hmmm...someone should do a study on Dr. Nan Lu

http://breastcancer.com/self-care/qigong/ :confused:

[GeneChing]

More results coming?

Pain study targets fibromyalgia (http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/learn/article/364764--pain-study-targets-fibromyalgia)
RICHARD WOODBURY FOR METRO HALIFAX
November 09, 2009 11:13 p.m.

A study at Dalhousie University is looking at the effect practising a traditional Chinese meditative practice has on fibromyalgia sufferers.

“Our patients are learning how to do qigong and then we’re asking them to practice qigong for 45 minutes to 60 minutes a day,” says Dr. Mary Lynch, the director of research at the Pain Management Clinic at Dalhousie. “And we’re going to measure their pain and how they manage with their fibromyalgia.”

Qigong (pronounced chi-gong) involves using body movements and controlled breathing techniques.

“(Fibromyalgia) causes a tremendous amount of suffering and there are really no good treatments for fibromyalgia right now,” says Lynch.

“We’re always looking for new treatments that patients can do themselves that are not harmful,” she says.

The pilot trial at Dalhousie was in 2007 and the results have since been published. Twelve of the 25 patients who continued practising qigong for six months after the trial had positive results.

“Their pain almost came down, their fibromyalgia impact questionnaire measures improved, and their physical health related quality of life improved,” says Lynch.

Wanting to study it in more detail, the clinic has one trial on now and is looking to recruit another 100 people for a trial in the spring.

Another pain study at the university is looking at the impact art and creative pursuits have on chronic pain. Lynch hopes to have the results published by late summer 2010.

“The data has not been analyzed,” says Lynch, “but I can tell you that my clinical impression, just from what my patients who are artists tell me, is that art and pain can interact in two ways.”

[Sal Canzonieri]

The big hospital near me has a huge new cancer ward. They now have qigong classes for their patients that want it.

From what I gather from talking to people, it is a case of doing something is better than doing nothing. Taking your mind off your troubles and doing something physical but not stressful or strenuous seems to help some patients get better.
I guess meditation would do the same thing, but moving qigongs allow one to feel like they are "doing something" to help themselves.

If it works, it works. It was a means to open the door and start self healing, a trigger for the body.

[GeneChing]

Excellent point about herbal supplements. It reminds me of the issues of massage and cancer.


Mix but don't mismatch: cancer treatments (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/mix-but-dont-mismatch-cancer-treatments/story-e6frg8y6-1225809224407)
* Helen Francombe
* From: The Australian
* December 11, 2009 12:00AM

STEPHEN Clarke confesses to being sceptical at the outset of a scientific trial of qigong, a Chinese mind-body practice involving gentle movements, meditation and breathing exercises.

But by the trial's end he couldn't deny there was something real, and good, happening to the cancer patients in the qigong classes led by Byeongsong Oh.

Oh, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, is lead author of the study, published in the journal Annals of Oncology.

"Patients kept telling us `I really feel better' and they had less fatigue and better mood," says professor Clarke, paper co-author and oncologist at the Sydney Cancer Centre and head of the Concord Hospital clinical school.

But even more surprising were the reductions in patients' blood levels of CRP, or C-reactive protein, compared with the patients who did not do qigong. The protein is a measure of inflammation in the body, which can be related to cancer activity.

The patients doing qigong also had better cognitive function, less pain and less nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy, Oh says.

"They were really quite exciting results," says Clarke, who was so impressed that qigong classes are now offered to patients at the Sydney Cancer Centre. Oh will also run classes at Sydney Adventist Hospital, Concord Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital in the new year.

In the traditional Chinese medicine model, qigong is described as increasing the flow of energy throughout the body. But in Western medicine the effect could be explained in terms of the "relaxation response", where reducing emotional and physical tension leads to better immune function, Clarke says.

While this trial is a story of harmonious Western medicine and complementary therapy, that's not always the case. As Clarke notes, almost every second patient coming in for chemotherapy is taking some kind of complementary medicine or supplement that could interfere with treatment by making it less effective or more toxic. The problem is that often their doctors don't know.

"Complementary medicine is a $2 billion industry in Australia, so there are a lot of people using it, but a fair percentage of those are not telling their doctors," says Clarke, who spoke about complementary medicines at the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia's recent conference on the Queensland Gold Coast.

Many patients feel uncomfortable talking about their complementary medicines with their doctors because they sense a dismissive attitude and this can lead to a dangerous breakdown in communication, he says. "Cancer clinicians need to take their patients' interest in alternative therapies seriously, while patients need to understand that mixing conventional and unconventional therapies can reduce the efficacy of prescription medicines and increase overall drug toxicity."

For example, some herbal supplements can change the way patients' bodies absorb or excrete their chemotherapy drugs. If excretion is slowed down, they could get much more toxicity from the drug, and if excretion is sped up, the drug could be out of their system too fast to do its job properly.

Geeta Sandhu is a cancer pharmacist and safe medicines specialist at Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital, where all patients attend an information session before they have chemotherapy. Patients are asked to bring in absolutely everything they are taking, including vitamins, supplements and herbs, to head off any potential interactions.

This has proved worthwhile. A one-month survey of cancer patients by Sandhu and her colleagues Trang Le and Janet Weir showed more than half take some kind of complementary medicine, and 84 per cent of these have the potential to cause problems with their cancer treatment. Sandhu says: "When we find patients are taking something with the potential for interaction, we talk it over with them and they usually decide to stop taking the supplement once they have the information."

Antioxidants are a prime example of a popular but problematic supplement, as they can cancel some of the effect of chemotherapy,Sandhu explains. "Chemotherapy drugs work by free radical oxygenation to kill cancer cells and antioxidant supplements mop up these free radicals that chemotherapy tries to create, so they are potentially reducing the efficacy of treatment."

In some cases patients unwittingly take supplements that could stimulate their cancer. For instance, some women with breast cancer take herbal supplements with oestrogen-like effects to help with symptoms of early menopause. Sandhu warns that's dangerous for those who have the kind of breast cancer that's sensitive to oestrogen as the supplement could stimulate their cancer to grow.

Black cohosh, a component of some herbal remedies for menopause symptoms, is one such oestrogenic supplement Sandhu watches out for with women who have breast cancer. She says black cohosh can also cause serious liver problems in some people. "But black cohosh may not be as problematic for women who don't have an oestrogen-sensitive tumour and don't have any risk factors for liver problems, so we have to look at it on a case-by-case basis."

Other supplements that can cause toxicity include apricot kernel extracts (laetrile/amygdalin), which contain small amounts of cyanide and in significant doses could lead to cyanide poisoning.

While there's reasonable evidence about the safety and efficacy of complementary medicines, more is definitely needed, Sandhu says. "The level of evidence is not as solid as we would like; there aren't the big trials we get with drug companies."

"We need more information" is the message COSA gets from its members, says Kathy Ansell, a COSA project co-ordinator who helps facilitate the complementary therapies interest group. "They want their patients to get the best treatment and are keen to see the evidence about what works and what doesn't. It also upsets them to see patients wasting money on things that don't work and, in some cases, using therapies that can be harmful," she says.

Ansell, a former oncology nurse, is working on a website with reliable information about complementary medicines for COSA members, who include oncologists, pharmacists and nurses.

And as reported in Weekend Health last week, University of Sydney pharmacology professors Basil Roufogalis and Andrew McLachlan have teamed up with medical information provider Unity Health to launch an internet database that allows subscribers to search for drug and herb interactions.

Still, for many complementary therapies, the trials simply have not been done, Clarke says.

He argues rigorous trials of complementary therapies offer two benefits: reliable information on efficacy and safety, and more willingness from patients to tell doctors about their complementary therapies. "When patients see that doctors are taking complementary therapies seriously by studying them, they feel they are less likely to get a negative reaction about their own complementary therapies," he says, adding that it's likely that trials of complementary therapies would identify some that are truly effective.

"Many of our conventional cancer drugs are derived from herbs or are based on old remedies, so it is only logical that some other herbal supplements may be of real value," he says.

Cancer Council Australia chief executive Ian Olver would also like to see many more complementary therapies subjected to scientific trials. "We want patients to know about interactions between complementary therapies and medical treatment, and also what they can realistically expect from a therapy because there are some pretty extravagant claims made for some of them."

Apart from potential physical harm, patients can also be hurt in the hip pocket, Olver says, as many complementary therapies aren't cheap.

Self-empowerment is one of the reasons many people with cancer use complementary therapies, but it also has to do with pursuing every last possibility. "We are absolutely not critical of patients exploring these, but we want to make sure they have information about what is useful and what is potentially harmful. Just because it is natural doesn't mean it is safe."

Cancer Council NSW's booklet can be obtained at www.cancercouncil.com.au or by calling 13 11 20.

[GeneChing]

As always, I'm curious to the specific form of qigong, but it's a promising study.

Medical Qigong May Improve Quality of Life of Cancer Patients (http://professional.cancerconsultants.com/oncology_main_news.aspx?id=44694)

Researchers from Australia have reported that medical Qigong (MQ) can improve quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients compared with standard care. The details of this study were published in the March 2010 issue of Annals of Oncology.[1]

Medical Qigong is an ancient Chinese medical practice that uses physical activity and meditation “to harmonize the body, mind and spirit.” Qi in Chinese means breath, and gong means work. Qigong is described as “working with ones life force.” Qigong is generally practiced in groups guided by a leader.

The current study included 162 patients with a variety of cancers who were randomly allocated to usual care or to participate in MQ.

Patients in the MQ group received a two 90-minute supervised MQ sessions per week for 10 weeks. MQ sessions were “modified from traditional Quigong practice by the instructor to specifically target the needs of cancer patients to control emotions and stress as well as to improve physical function.” Session are described as follows: “Each session consisted of 15-min discussion of health issues, 30-min gentle stretching and body movement in standing postures to stimulate the body along energy channels, 15-min movements in seated posture, and 30-min meditation including breathing exercises…”

Twenty-five patients in the MQ group and 29 in the control group dropped out of the study. Fifty-four remained in each group for analysis. These authors reported that patients in the MQ group had significant improvement in overall QoL measurements, fatigue, mood disturbance, and inflammation compared with usual care. They concluded: “This study indicates that MQ can improve cancer patients’ overall QOL and mood status and reduce specific side-effects of treatment. It may also produce physical benefits in the long term through reduced inflammation.”

Comments: This study is provocative and indicates that MQ could be of benefit to cancer patients. This program was led by an expert in Chinese medicine; such leadership may be necessary for good results. However, there are several Web sites devoted to Qigong that can be accessed through a Google search for “medical Qigong.” CDs are available to describe the technique.

Reference:

[1] Oh B, Butow P, Mullan B, et al. Impact of medical Quigong on quality of life, fatigue, mood and inflammation in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial. Annals of Oncology. 2010;21:608-614.

[Hendrik]

As always, I'm curious to the specific form of qigong, but it's a promising study.


In my opinion

Since the world is a causal system running with the law of cause and effect.
Qigong practice if it is the proper type will certainly deliver the result, there is no question on it.


One of the biggest issue on Qigong is most have never really cultivate it. IE just mimic the taiji chuan posture in the morning or standing post or talking Zen or Talking Dao doesnt do it.

However, There are so much ego in the western world
IE in this forum that everyone wants to be the "Master" or even Grand Master and preaching and arguing with tons of ridiculous ideas which is a totally nonsense which any real cultivator will spot out.



After Decades of study with different sifus, my bottom line is if one cant enter into the silence and evoke the Zhen Qi. Forget about it. disregards who one claim he is or his sifu is.....name droping or smart talking. They dont have it. and the best those stuff can work is work as a light excersice or entertainment talk show.

Sure, saying this is open a can and open for attack by some self proclaim Gurus in this forum. I careless because these people in one way they think they know it all, but even if they have a small sickness, they will certainly go to western medicine and totally drop the Qigong or Zen they makes so much claim that they are the master; instead of capable of using the Zhen Qi and Silence to heal the issue.

Let's face it. Do one really has it or not? as basic as Zhen Qi and as basic as enter into the Silence. Without these, the rest is garbage theory and fantasy.

Without the Zhen Qi and silence, one couldnt even heal a common cold, not to mention other sickness.


There is a standard in Qigong training, in generally for 100 days or longer one must enter into the silence and build up the Zhen Qi. Thus, no sex is a must for the sick in these 100 days or more (untill the Zhen Qi accumulate and later sex needs to be limited.)

Without attaining the basic how can one get the benifit? simply cant because it is a causal world where one needs to generate enough energy to change the couse of a certain manifestation. talking big surely wont get one those energy needed. not to mention even with the energy needed still there are different condition needs to be met to solve the manifestation....etc. IE if the mind subsconciously hold on it then the body will proceed as the mind command, thus, one needs to enter into silence to drop that subsconcious thought/program to take the root cause out. Yes, it can be done however human in general cant do these because there are only a few who have the condition and willing to do so.

IMHO,
Thus, before turn oneself to any scientific research or healing, first ask oneself what kung fu attainment one has ? doesnt one has the basic such as enter into silence, and further into growing of Zhen Qi, and further into balancing the internal organs.......etc without having those attainment, one knows the outcomes because it is a causal world. Do one willing to drop sex, drop smoking, drop getting angry...sleeping before 11PM.for at least 100 days? if not then there will be not much benifit.


With the Zhen Qi and silence capability, it certainly aid the healing even if one decide to combine the western medicine for the healing. Every aid is a good aid.

Finally, Qigong is not totally magic either IE it cannot replace food no matter how much one practice it.

And also, if one doesnt want to be heal or suspecious one can heal, one cant be heal no matter what Qigong one practice.

[taai gihk yahn]

More results coming?

re: qigong for fibromyalgia (FM);

in my personal, subjective clinical experience, I completely agree that qigong is an ideal practice for FM, for a number of reasons: first and foremost, qigong practice (for health) is about what I like to call "diffusion"; what this means is that, typically, when we move, we do so in fits and starts - meaning that, if you examine the way people in general use their muscular systems and the way the tension is distributed throughout their connective tissue (CT) systems, there is a lack of continuity; this can manifest as hypertonicity in a given muscle, as fibrosis in an area of CT and, in the case of FM, mutiple areas of myofascial tripper points (MFTP); I won't go into the definition of a MFTP, but it's essentially a "dry" area that is locally tender and also refers pain along a given distribution; with FM, pt's are loaded with active MFTPs, and this is a major component of their dysfunction;
so, with qigong practice, the idea is to manage the tension in the system "internally"; this is a tricky, qualitative experiential process, but the idea is to teach people to "float" in / on their CT structure - it's almost like "activating" the fluid in the tissues as a way of creating a diffusion between cells - (of course, this is rather metaphorical language mixed in with standard biology terms, but it's a useful way to encompass the idea);
for many patients, a lot of this has to do with generalized systemic congestion / lymphatic return: FM pt's are often very sluggish in their constitutions, somewhat "hypo active" (not always - others can be "hyper" types, the engine's burning too hot, but that's less common - and harder to work with, IMPE); qigong is very effective in regards to encouraging lymphatic return and decreasing generalized chronic inflammation;

incidentally, there is no need to talk about esoteric terms such as "zhen qi" and it is certainly not necessary to be celibate, in order to derive significant benefit from qigong practice: I have worked with numerous patients who have done very well without any of that; what is important is one's ability to "listen" to their body / movements in a way that they typically are not used to doing, and to feel what it's like to be "filled up" during practice; what I do believe though, is that if the teacher has not experienced this themselves, then there is really no possibility of engendering it in others; and without this quality, then qigong is really no different than most other range of motion exercises, which can still have benefit, but does not engage the organism in the same way (also, I would not say qigong is exclusive in getting this effect - other practices have that potential as well, such as yoga, which in some ways blows a lot of qigong practice out of the water in terms of efficacy); so again, there is something qualitative that I believe qigong potentiates that is "unique", but it's not as mysterious and difficult to achieve as many people seem to like to think it is;

[Scott R. Brown]

There are so much ego in the western world

IE in this forum that everyone wants to be the "Master" or even Grand Master and preaching and arguing with tons of ridiculous ideas which is a totally nonsense which any real cultivator will spot out.

LOL!!! Ri-i-i-i-i-i-i-ght!!!!! Asians are the most humble people in the world Hendrik! Especially the Chinese, home of the center of the world!!!

Why do you never include yourself in your rants against the egos of others Henrik? Who arrogantly “argues with tons of ridiculous ideas” more than you? Who thinks or presents himself as a “Master” or even Grand Master” more than you? You comment upon the "nonsense" of others, but never recognize your own! You comment upon the ego of others, but never recognize your own! You comment upon the robotic spinning mind rainbow dream fantasies of others, but never recognize your own!


After Decades of study with different sifus, my bottom line is if one cant enter into the silence and evoke the Zhen Qi. Forget about it. disregards who one claim he is or his sifu is.....name droping or smart talking. They dont have it. and the best those stuff can work is work as a light excersice or entertainment talk show.

There is nothing wrong with “light exercise or entertainment talk” Henrik! It is your own ego attachments to how you “think” things should be that confuses your understanding. All “your decades of study with different sifus” has done is increase your own ego and diminished your understanding. Your ideas are fix and demonstrate little flexibility or depth of understanding.


Sure, saying this is open a can and open for attack by some self proclaim Gurus in this forum. I careless because these people in one way they think they know it all, but even if they have a small sickness, they will certainly go to western medicine and totally drop the Qigong or Zen they makes so much claim that they are the master; instead of capable of using the Zhen Qi and Silence to heal the issue.

Self proclaimed “Gurus” like yourself? A person who cannot even communicate a thought independent of what he “thinks” he has learned from his “decades of study with different sifus”! One of the characteristics of maturity and true insight Hendrik is independence of thought. I understand it may be difficult coming from a Chinese culture where getting along and conforming is encouraged, however even the greatest Chinese thinkers were independent thinkers, as they are in every other culture in the history of man!

You will never be as clever or smart or insightful as you pretend you are until you are able to apply your criticisms of others to yourself and until you are able to think independently of your “Master”!


Let's face it. Do one really has it or not? as basic as Zhen Qi and as basic as enter into the Silence. Without these, the rest is garbage theory and fantasy.

Without the Zhen Qi and silence, one couldnt even heal a common cold, not to mention other sickness.

Come On Henrik, do you take ignorance pills???? If this was true then we would all have colds, even YOU, and they would never go away! The body heals itself naturally and has done so from the start without your precious “Silence” and “Zhen Qi”!

And you have the arrogance to criticize others for pretending they are “Masters” when it is you who display your ignorance with nearly every post!


There is a standard in Qigong training, in generally for 100 days or longer one must enter into the silence and build up the Zhen Qi. Thus, no sex is a must for the sick in these 100 days or more (untill the Zhen Qi accumulate and later sex needs to be limited.)
Once again,

Come On Henrik, do you take ignorance pills???? If this was true then no one would EVER get well! The body heals itself naturally and has done so from the start without your precious “Silence” and “Zhen Qi”!

You clearly have NO medical training and have no business making these FOOLISH, STUPID, IDIOTIC, IGNORANT, claims!

And you have the arrogance to criticize others for pretending they are “Masters” when it is you who display your ignorance with nearly every post!

And your sexual abstinence comment has been proven to be false in numerous scientific studies. In fact, sex has been shown to stimulate the immune system!

Do you know what that means? It means it will HELP the body heal!

Who is it that has dream fantasies of grandeur here? Look in the mirror to find out!


Without attaining the basic how can one get the benifit? simply cant because it is a causal world where one needs to generate enough energy to change the couse of a certain manifestation. talking big surely wont get one those energy needed. not to mention even with the energy needed still there are different condition needs to be met to solve the manifestation....etc. IE if the mind subsconciously hold on it then the body will proceed as the mind command, thus, one needs to enter into silence to drop that subsconcious thought/program to take the root cause out. Yes, it can be done however human in general cant do these because there are only a few who have the condition and willing to do so.

Which is probably why people go to doctors, receive therapies and take antibiotics! Because they work better than your “dream fantasy” method!


Thus, before turn oneself to any scientific research or healing, first ask oneself what kung fu attainment one has ? doesnt one has the basic such as enter into silence, and further into growing of Zhen Qi, and further into balancing the internal organs.......etc without having those attainment, one knows the outcomes because it is a causal world. Do one willing to drop sex, drop smoking, drop getting angry...sleeping before 11PM.for at least 100 days? if not then there will be not much benifit.

Before one follows your advice one should first exhaust all scientifically proven methods and turn to your “magical” means as a last resort!

You see Hendrik, the scientific method has its basis in the causal word, THAT is why it is called “The Scientific Method” as opposed to magic!

Before one drops “sex, smoking, getting angry and sleep before 11PM for at least 100 days” they should drop their stupidity and ignorance and go see a Doctor!


With the Zhen Qi and silence capability, it certainly aid the healing even if one decide to combine the western medicine for the healing. Every aid is a good aid.

Almost every post you make has at least one nugget of meaningful information! ALMOST!!! So don’t let your already outsized EGO get any bigger just because you accidently say something meaningful on occasion!


And also, if one doesnt want to be heal or suspecious one can heal, one cant be heal no matter what Qigong one practice.

But one can with modern medicine!

[Hendrik]

Before one drops “sex, smoking, getting angry and sleep before 11PM for at least 100 days” they should drop their stupidity and ignorance and go see a Doctor!





Based on this above, a solid evidence.

Where is your Zen, Dao, Qi..ect which you keep posting like a guru?

You are not a cultivator on Qi, Dao, and meditation;

keep playing guru on the subject you are clueless, word it such that you seems like a guru,
that is fine with me.

[Scott R. Brown]

Based on this above, a solid evidence.

Where is your Zen, Dao, Qi..ect which you keep posting like a guru?

You are not a cultivator on Qi, Dao, and meditation;

keep playing guru on the subject you are clueless, word it such that you seems like a guru,
that is fine with me.

That is EXACTLY what I have been trying to tell YOU Hendrik! :)

Look in a mirror and face your own ignorance and robotic, dream fantasy, rainbow, spinning mind before you criticize what you project on to others!:)

[taai gihk yahn]

Based on this above, a solid evidence.

Where is your Zen, Dao, Qi..ect which you keep posting like a guru?

You are not a cultivator on Qi, Dao, and meditation;

keep playing guru on the subject you are clueless, word it such that you seems like a guru,
that is fine with me.
you are an idiot; unfortunately, you have your head shoved so far up ur asz that u will never realize it; if u weren't so irritating u might be funny; but u r just a pompous tool, that is all; and ur standing gung is abyssmal;

[Hendrik]

you are an idiot; unfortunately, you have your head shoved so far up ur asz that u will never realize it; if u weren't so irritating u might be funny; but u r just a pompous tool, that is all; and ur standing gung is abyssmal;

hahahaha,


Your reaction is expected what can you say beside launching personal attack?

seriously, you raise my compassionate because what can I expect from someone like you?

[Scott R. Brown]

hahahaha,

Your reaction is expected what can you say beside launching personal attack?

seriously, you raise my compassionate because what can I expect from someone like you?

You mean like your post that you told me I don't know Sh!t before you edited it? That kind of compassion?

And what about your own personal attacks Hendrik? I wouldn't have a problem with the ideas you post if you weren't so condescending to everyone else. You ARE a tool, and an A$$ Hole, and immature, and ignorant, and a know-it-all and everything else you think everyone else is!

You criticize everyone else without recognizing your own foolishness and ignorance!

[taai gihk yahn]

hahahaha,
dude, are you like, Dr. Doom, or something? everytime you post, you throw in this diabolical laughter thing; let me ask you - does it come out in some sort of high-pitched whine because of your testicles having shrivled away to nothing from your lifetime of celibacy?


Your reaction is expected what can you say beside launching personal attack?
so what your saying is that you actually are aware of your own aszhattery, and anticipate that people will have a negative response to you? ok, well, I guess that makes sense...:confused::confused::confused:
BTW, in all seriousness, are you really such a moron that you don't realize that you constantly launch personal attacks on people? the difference is that whereas you think that you are making some sort of compassionate comments, I am just delighting in making sport of you because ur a schmuk!


seriously, you raise my compassionate because what can I expect from someone like you?
hey, dude, I don't know what got rewired in your brain during your 100 days of celibacy (thank goodness I came out of mine still interested in women!), but just because I "raise your compassionate" (:eek::eek::eek:), doesn't mean that you can expect anything from me!

[uki]

i think hendrik has lost it...

[Scott R. Brown]

i think hendrik has lost it...

He never HAD it in the first place.....he is still looking for it!:eek:

[taai gihk yahn]

i think hendrik has lost it...

Assuming he ever had it...

[Scott R. Brown]

Assuming he ever had it...

Beat you to it!!! :p

[taai gihk yahn]

all hail! Master beater, lord of the sword, god of the rod, thane of the membrane!

[Scott R. Brown]

all hail! Master beater, lord of the sword, god of the rod, thane of the membrane!

I accept your accolades with all the awesome humility of the master of the universe that I am!:D

[taai gihk yahn]

I accept your accolades with all the awesome humility of the master of the universe that I am!:D

Just as long as u don't tell me that I "raise ur compassionate" u freak

[Scott R. Brown]

Just as long as u don't tell me that I "raise ur compassionate" u freak

You are the one with your hand on Bodhidharma's what?????:eek:

[taai gihk yahn]

You are the one with your hand on Bodhidharma's what?????:eek:

his Da Mo...

[Scott R. Brown]

his Da Mo...

Ahhhh Yessss!!! THAT is very compassionate of you!

[GeneChing]

Research finds Qigong and Tai Chi offer multiple health benefits (http://www.drcutler.com/general-health/research-finds-qigong-and-tai-chi-offer-multiple-health-benefits-19876652/)
By Health News Team • Jul 7th, 2010

Research supports the use of tai chi as a beneficial alternative medical practice A new review has found the practices of Qigong and Tai Chi are beneficial for the heart, immune system and overall quality of life.

The review, appearing in the American Journal of Health Promotion, included 77 randomized controlled trials on both interventions published in peer-reviewed journals between 1993 and 2007. There was a total of 6,410 participants in the studies.

The authors say they found quite consistent evidence of several benefits from this particular category of exercise, including better bone health, cardio-respiratory fitness, physical function, balance, quality of life, fall prevention and psychological benefits.

"We see this as moving the understanding of the potential of Qigong and Tai Chi forward, with an emphasis on combining the evidence across these practices," said co-author Linda Larkey, Ph.D.

Shin Lin, a professor at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, Irvine explained that Qigong is a very general term to describe exercises that enhance flow of energy or balance.

Tai Chi, on the other hand, is a much more specific exercise program that focuses on a series of 24 to 108 movements to achieve a state of relaxation of both body and mind.


Here's the article for purchase including abstract and authors

A Comprehensive Review of Health Benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi (http://healthpromotionjournal.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AJHP&Product_Code=JV24I6e1&Category_Code=)

Quantity in Basket: None
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Title: A Comprehensive Review of Health Benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi
Author(s): Roger Jahnke, Linda Larkey, Carol Rogers, Jennifer Etnier, Fang Lin
Publication: American Journal of Health Promotion, July/August 2010, V24, I6, e1-25
Keyword(s): Tai Chi, Taiji, Meditation, Qigong
This review examined the evidence for achieving outcomes from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Qigong and Tai Chi. RCTs reporting on the results of Qigong or Tai Chi interventions and published in peer-reviewed journals from 1993 to 2007 were identified. Seventy-seven articles met the inclusion criteria. The nine outcome category groupings that emerged were: bone density (n = 4), cardiopulmonary effects (n = 19), physical function (n = 16), falls and related risk factors (n = 23), quality of life (n = 17), self-efficacy (n = 8), patient-reported outcomes (n = 13), psychological symptoms (n = 27), and immune function (n = 6). Research has demonstrated consistent, significant results for a number of health benefits in RCTs, evidencing progress toward recognizing the similarity and equivalence of Qigong and Tai C

[Dale Dugas]

good to see it getting the exposure it deserves.

[Sal Canzonieri]

that's a great article, it is appearing all over the place on the internet, even on medical journal sites.

I'm doing Qigong healing sessions since March and its been quadrupling each month!
People on the east coast are just getting into Qigong finally.
I've been have very dramatic results from it, I mean, my clients have been.

[Sal Canzonieri]

http://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20100715/buddhist-meditation-boosts-concentration-skills?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Buddhist Meditation Boosts Concentration Skills
Study Shows Meditation Sharpens Attention and Improves Focus
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

July 15, 2010 -- People who learn how to meditate using Buddhist techniques not only may find a bit of peace in life, but also can improve their attention and focus a new study shows.

Psychologist Katherine A. MacLean, PhD, and other researchers, signed up 30 people with an average age of 49 to go on a three-month meditation retreat in Colorado. Another 30 people in a comparison group went on a similar retreat.

The participants studied meditation techniques, such as concentrating on breathing, with Buddhist scholar and co-researcher B. Alan Wallace, PhD, of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies.

All participants were aficionados of meditation and had been on retreats before, but this time they were taught how to concentrate and asked to complete various tests. Also, volunteers attended group sessions twice daily and engaged in individual meditative practice for about six hours.

At three points during the retreat, the volunteers took a 30-minute computer test, during which they watched the screen as lines of various lengths flashed randomly in front of them. Most lines were the same length, but sometimes a shorter one would appear.

Volunteers were instructed to respond by clicking the computer mouse when a shorter line appeared in a test to measure their visual attention span and their ability to make distinctions.

Researchers say that as meditation training progressed, the volunteers who received meditation training got better at spotting the short lines compared to those who didn't receive the training, suggesting it became easier to sustain attention.

The comparison group of volunteers went through identical training later and also improved concentration skills and the ability to differentiate the size of lines.
Lasting Improvements in Concentration

The improvement lasted for five months after the end of the retreat. Follow-up assessments were conducted five months after each retreat using laptop computers sent to the homes of participants.

"People may think meditation is something that makes you feel good and going on a meditation retreat is like going on vacation and you get to be at peace with yourself," MacLean says in a news release. "That's what people think until they try it. Then you realize how challenging it is to just sit and observe something without being distracted."

The tasks the volunteers performed lasted 30 minutes and were very demanding, according to MacLean, who worked on the study as a graduate student at the University of California, Davis.

"Because the task is so boring and yet is also very neutral, it's kind of a perfect index of meditation training," says MacLean, now of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

The study is published in the July 2010 issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

[GeneChing]

Qigong is the cheapest way to stay healthy: doctor (http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201101050045)
2011/01/05 21:33:46
http://focustaiwan.tw/WebEngPhotos/CEP/20110105/2011010500451.jpg
Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) Qigong is one of the oldest and most economical ways of maintaining good health, a doctor said Wednesday at a press conference held to promote Chinese medicine.

The practice of qigong, which dates back to the rule of the legendary Chinese Emperor Yao in 2356 B.C., is not as difficult as most people might think, said Lin Kung-yi, a physician from Taipei City Hospital's Department of Chinese Medicine.

"People associate martial arts sects with exaggerated movements, which is not all correct, " said Lin, adding that the fundamentals of qigong are easy to grasp and learn.

Abdominal breathing, for example, is one of the three fundamentals of qigong and keeps the internal organs in good condition, he said.

Although qigong is classified as alternative medicine, its healing effects have been documented in many historical manuscripts and modern scientific journals, Lin said.

He urged the Committee on Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy to include Chinese medicine in textbooks so as to popularize the qigong practice, which he said is cost effective.
It's especially good for you if you wear white pants.

[David Jamieson]

It's especially good for you if you wear white pants.

Is that specifically a middle aged Chinese guy thing to do that?

Tucking a golf shirt into a pair of sweat pants.

I never see it except with Chinese dudes around 50 yrs old. lol

[Scott R. Brown]

http://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20100715/buddhist-meditation-boosts-concentration-skills?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Buddhist Meditation Boosts Concentration Skills
Study Shows Meditation Sharpens Attention and Improves Focus
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

July 15, 2010 -- People who learn how to meditate using Buddhist techniques not only may find a bit of peace in life, but also can improve their attention and focus a new study shows.

Psychologist Katherine A. MacLean, PhD, and other researchers, signed up 30 people with an average age of 49 to go on a three-month meditation retreat in Colorado. Another 30 people in a comparison group went on a similar retreat.

The participants studied meditation techniques, such as concentrating on breathing, with Buddhist scholar and co-researcher B. Alan Wallace, PhD, of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies.

All participants were aficionados of meditation and had been on retreats before, but this time they were taught how to concentrate and asked to complete various tests. Also, volunteers attended group sessions twice daily and engaged in individual meditative practice for about six hours.

At three points during the retreat, the volunteers took a 30-minute computer test, during which they watched the screen as lines of various lengths flashed randomly in front of them. Most lines were the same length, but sometimes a shorter one would appear.

Volunteers were instructed to respond by clicking the computer mouse when a shorter line appeared in a test to measure their visual attention span and their ability to make distinctions.

Researchers say that as meditation training progressed, the volunteers who received meditation training got better at spotting the short lines compared to those who didn't receive the training, suggesting it became easier to sustain attention.

The comparison group of volunteers went through identical training later and also improved concentration skills and the ability to differentiate the size of lines.
Lasting Improvements in Concentration

The improvement lasted for five months after the end of the retreat. Follow-up assessments were conducted five months after each retreat using laptop computers sent to the homes of participants.

"People may think meditation is something that makes you feel good and going on a meditation retreat is like going on vacation and you get to be at peace with yourself," MacLean says in a news release. "That's what people think until they try it. Then you realize how challenging it is to just sit and observe something without being distracted."

The tasks the volunteers performed lasted 30 minutes and were very demanding, according to MacLean, who worked on the study as a graduate student at the University of California, Davis.

"Because the task is so boring and yet is also very neutral, it's kind of a perfect index of meditation training," says MacLean, now of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

The study is published in the July 2010 issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Wait.....Wait.....Wait.......... let me get this straight! These people were taught how to practice concentrating and the news is, their concentration improved?

So......what we have really learned is NOT that Buddhist Meditation improves concentration, but that PRACTICING CONCENTRATION improves concentration!

Oh yeah....and we have learned that, there are plenty of idiots out there who will fund an idiotic study in order for idiots to study other idiots and prove that other idiots will believe the idiotic study is not idiotic!

And these people call themselves scientists?

So let me figure this one out! If I teach someone how to do pushups and then have them practice doing pushups, they'll be able to do more pushups? Is that right?

Do you think I could get an idiot to give me a grant for a study too?

[taai gihk yahn]

Wait.....Wait.....Wait.......... let me get this straight! These people were taught how to practice concentrating and the news is, their concentration improved?

So......what we have really learned is NOT that Buddhist Meditation improves concentration, but that PRACTICING CONCENTRATION improves concentration!

Oh yeah....and we have learned that, there are plenty of idiots out there who will fund an idiotic study in order for idiots to study other idiots and prove that other idiots will believe the idiotic study is not idiotic!

And these people call themselves scientists?

So let me figure this one out! If I teach someone how to do pushups and then have them practice doing pushups, they'll be able to do more pushups? Is that right?

Do you think I could get an idiot to give me a grant for a study too?
quiet you; don't you know that when it comes to studies involving qigong or meditation that subjecting them to rational analysis is to simply underscore your failure to understand the truth about these sorts of things? which is that, when studies show that these things "work", then it's just scientists regurgitating what Ancient Taoists already knew billions of years ago, and when the studies don't show that they "work", it's because these sorts of things can't be adequately measured by scientific studies...

[Scott R. Brown]

quiet you; don't you know that when it comes to studies involving qigong or meditation that subjecting them to rational analysis is to simply underscore your failure to understand the truth about these sorts of things? which is that, when studies show that these things "work", then it's just scientists regurgitating what Ancient Taoists already knew billions of years ago, and when the studies don't show that they "work", it's because these sorts of things can't be adequately measured by scientific studies...

Yeah? Well I got something RIGHT HERE that can't be adequately measured, Buddy!

Maybe I can get a grant THAT!

[GeneChing]

Other people are getting them. Why not you? ;)

This isn't quite scholarly...it's Reuters.

Qigong: mindful movement made in China (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/07/us-fitness-qigong-idUSTRE7161PI20110207)
By Dorene Internicola
NEW YORK | Mon Feb 7, 2011 10:43am EST
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - If yoga is all the rage, can Qigong be far behind?

Sometimes called Chinese yoga, Qigong is a mind-body practice that melds slow graceful movements, mental focus and deep abdominal breathing to boost and balance a person's vital energy, or "qi".

As China's star rises in the west, devotees believe this 5,000-year-old energy cultivation system is poised to become the new kid on the block among rat racers hungry for a more serene form of fitness.

"As China becomes more of a player in the world, Chinese practice is becoming more mainstream," said Matthew Cohen, creator of the Tai Chi & Qi Gong Basics DVD, "just as yoga became popular when the Beatles went to India."

Cohen, an instructor at Sacred Energy Arts in Santa Monica, California, said unlike in India, yoga in the west has come to favor the athletic at the expense of the meditative.

"The world is getting more crowded, cars and computers getting faster," he said. "Qigong is about going slower, so internally you create space."

Tom Rogers, president of the Qigong Institute, a nonprofit educational organization, said Qigong is the precursor to all Chinese energy practices.

"Tai Chi is the most well known moving form of Qigong. Kung Fu is also a form of Qigong," Rogers said from his home in Los Altos, California

Rogers added that the idea of energy cultivation is foreign to westerners but common to other cultures.

"Look at e=mc2," Rogers said of Einstein's insight that matter and energy are different forms of the same thing.

"In the west we look at mass," he said. "Western physics made weapons. The east looks at energy."

The slow, spiral exercises of Qigong, such as Rolling the Ball or Wave Hands in the Cloud, require no equipment, can be done anywhere, and are easy to learn.

"I call it getting an MBA: Movement, Breathing and Awareness," Rogers said. "One is adjusting your posture so energy flow is better; two is slow, deep, abdominal breathing; three is awareness, or trying to get thoughts out of your head."

Balance, posture, breath control and relaxation are among the benefits of Qigong, according to Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise.

She said some research trials have also reported statistically significant decreases in the incidence of stroke, decreased blood pressure, and increases in bone mineral density and improved effectiveness of cancer therapy among practitioners.

"Exercise is not just about going on the treadmill or lifting weights," Matthews explained.

Rogers said as you become more adept, the benefits increase.

"Like an onion you peel the layers back and there's more and more to it: movements are more fluid, posture is better, energy is flowing, breathing is more efficient with movement," he said. "As your awareness deepens you're distracted by less and less."

He added that every chronic illness on the planet is affected by stress.

"Connect with that healer within. Turn that on," Rogers added.

[GeneChing]

There are several spelling errors in this article, but we have spelling errors all the time, so who am I to talk?


Third-Grader Heals Friends with Qigong (http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/health/third-grader-heals-friends-with-qigong-mar-1-2011)
Leif Reffsgaard uses millennia-old Chinese therapy
Updated: Wednesday, 02 Mar 2011, 8:53 AM CST
Published : Tuesday, 01 Mar 2011, 11:40 PM CST
by Scott Wasserman / FOX 9 News

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. - Some call a Chinese healing tool called Quigong “needle-less acupuncture,” but to one St. Louis Park third-grader using the practice to heal his friends, it’s magic.

Getting lost in a different world isn’t hard for 8-year-old Leif Reffsgaard and Paul Krenik, who both love Harry Potter.

“I just think magic is really cool,” Reffsgaard said.

Magic is usually saved for the imagination, but in his life, Reffsgaard is using an ancient Chinese teaching that he said often makes him feel like Harry.

“I feel like I'm a wizard using the healing spell,” Reffsgaard said.

Reffsgaard said he has used Qigong many tomes to help heal injured friends, including Krenik, who recently fell and hurt his leg in gym class.

“At first, I was like, ‘How on earth is he going to heal me?’ when it was hurting,” Krenik recalled. “When he used it, I was like, ‘Woah, what just happened?’”

Krenik described the feeling of the treatment as being everything he liked, a soft blanket hitting the pain. For Reffsgaard, there’s more in it for him than just the satisfaction of a job well done.

“When I help others, it makes me feel happy,” Reffsgaard said.

To understand Qigong, FOX 9 News spoke with Reffsgaard’s teacher, Master Chunyi Lin. Lin has studied the art for more than 30 years.

“QI means energy, gong means work,” Lin explained. “Working with the body’s energy -- that's what Qigong is all about.”

There are two types Qigong. First, the external type where a master helps to improve another person’s flow of energy.

“A person sends out energy through the heart to help others to clear the energy blockages -- clear the aches and pains,” Lin said.

Deanne Kroll said she came to Lin more than a decade ago with headaches that wouldn’t go away, and he demonstrated how he helped her feel.

“I’m going to send out energy from my heart to help you unplug those energy blockages,” Lin explained. “You might feel a tingly sensation here or there.”

Lin said he knows that just by looking at it, Qigong can appear to be hokey, but a recent study at the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic found that people suffering from chronic pain felt significantly better after weeks of external Qigong treatments.

According to Lin, the extra energy provided via Qigong can help provide protection to prevent illnesses in the body.

Now, what was once an ancient Chinese secret only known by Qigong masters, Lin has developed Spring Forest Qigong so that people can help heal themselves with internal Qigong.

“Everybody was born with this gift,” Lin said. “So, you can help yourself and others to heal.”

Lin said that is the unique aspect of his internal art, and said practicing Qigong for just 10 minutes each day can improve a person’s quality of life and give practitioners more energy.

As for believing in the process, Lin said children like Reffsgaard are quick learners because they are often more open to what appears impossible.

“The most powerful healing energy in the universe is love, unconditional love. His love is so pure,” said Lin of Reffsgaard . “He wants to help others. He used the techniques, and it works.”

At 8 years old, Reffsgaard has now practiced Qigong for four years and said he intends to keep using his wizardry to help himself and his friends.

[Eric Hunstad]

This is a new study published in the medical journal "Spine"

Qigong vs Exercise vs No Therapy for Patients with Chronic Neck Pain

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/739028?src=nl_topic

Eric Hunstad
www.OldSchoolKungFuNow.com

[Foiling Fist]

Here in the West, we seem to feel that disease begins with symptoms. Physicians will tell you that the disease process begins much earlier, at a cellular level, which is only logical. To the Chinese, disease begins with a disruption in energy flow (qi) through the meridian system. Qigong is designed to make that energy flow return to normal.
…
Scientific investigation has discovered four types of energy emitted from the hands of a Qigong master: infra-red, magnetic, electrical, and acoustical. The Infratronic CGM machine, said to be a Qigong acoustical energy emitter, came out in the early nineties and sells for around $500.

From Immune Perspectives, Spring, 1994, in an article entitled "Qigong And Cancer," by Dr. Feng Lida, one of China’s most famous cancer researchers, she tells of a study involving 123 patients with advanced cancer. Except for one group who practiced Qigong exercises for two hours daily, all the factors were the same: same food, same drugs, same nurses and doctors. At the end of three months, here were the results:

Experimental Group Control
Group
Regain strength 81.7% 10%
Improved appetite 63% 10%
Free of diarrhea or irregular defecation. 33.3% 6%
Body weight increase more than 3 kg. 50.54% 13.3%
Body weight decrease more than 3 kg. 5.4% 30%
Phagocytic rate of macrophages. Increased
12.31% Decreased 7.87%

Additionally, Dr Lida states, "It has been observed that in the [experimental] group, the erythrocyte sedimentation of 23 [patients] and the hepatic [liver] function of 20 of the 93 patients returned to normal. . . . In the control group, there were only three patients with normalized erythrocyte sedimentation, and two patients with normalized hepatic function out of the 30 . . . cases."

Normalized erythrocyte sedimentation means that there is no sign of the inflammatory process in the body. The liver is one of the most important organs in battling cancer.

One important note about Qigong exercises, beyond the overall improvement in cancer patients performing them, is that there are no side effects whatsoever.

http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/qigong/qigong2.htm

[GeneChing]

New Research Shows Qi-Gong Helps Control Diabetes (http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=11667&catid=new-research-shows-qi-gong-helps-control-diabetes&title=)
posted:10/23/2011

In news that can apply to both massage therapist self-care and better health for the general population, a recent study indicates that practicing qi-gong helps control diabetes symptoms.

The study showed that people with elevated blood glucose levels who participated in 12 weeks of qi-gong mind-body therapy experienced a significant decrease in insulin resistance, along with reductions in weight and waist circumference, as well as improved leg strength.

The November issue of MASSAGE Magazine will feature a full report on the study, "Qi-Gong Mind-Body Therapy and Diabetes Control: A Randomized Controlled Trial." Interesting teaser. We should do that with our magazine. Unfortunately we aren't research based in the same way.

[mawali]

There are far too many problems within the research community to actively consider the role of qigong in cancer amelioration. As a start here are some problems:
a. Patients are usually not stratified per their disease condition. They lump everyone together and then give minimum details.
b. They leave out the allopathic intervention, or the TCM combined western medicine portion, etc and this gives the impression that qigong cured the 'problem'.
c. Timing of tests are suspect to the extent that the x interval in the studies are left out. As an example, when you have cancers, laboratory tests tend to be done more frequently with a research environment when compared to trials with rheumatoid arthritis.

I realize that qigong can be an excellent complementary method but as of now, too many experts not documenting the actual effect taking place and this tends to make the qigongologists (teachers of qigong technology) something of a laughing stock because of lack of documentation

[mawali]

Here in the West, we seem to feel that disease begins with symptoms. Physicians will tell you that the disease process begins much earlier, at a cellular level, which is only logical. To the Chinese, disease begins with a disruption in energy flow (qi) through the meridian system. Qigong is designed to make that energy flow return to normal.

From Immune Perspectives, Spring, 1994, in an article entitled "Qigong And Cancer," by Dr. Feng Lida, one of China’s most famous cancer researchers, she tells of a study involving 123 patients with advanced cancer. Except for one group who practiced Qigong exercises for two hours daily, all the factors were the same: same food, same drugs, same nurses and doctors. At the end of three months, here were the results:

Experimental Group Control
Group
Regain strength 81.7% 10%
Improved appetite 63% 10%
Free of diarrhea or irregular defecation. 33.3% 6%
Body weight increase more than 3 kg. 50.54% 13.3%
Body weight decrease more than 3 kg. 5.4% 30%

One important note about Qigong exercises, beyond the overall improvement in cancer patients performing them, is that there are no side effects whatsoever.

http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/qigong/qigong2.htm

My analyses of some of the above
...disease begins with a disruption of energy flow....
I would instead note that a root level of modern diseases begins in the mouth and made so by uninformed eating habits, decreased nutritional value of foods and marketing of aforementioned foods. This disrupts circadian patterns, which in turn will affect 'energy''. Excess is the main problem!


...qigong will make the energy flow normal.....
OK. Changing eating patterns involves more than qigong. There has to be a learning process to choose the necessary types of food, with the how and why associated with choice(s) to make all this relevant. Obesity----NIDDM---hypertension---all of these involve retraining ourselves as opposed to infec tious diseases, which is pandemic in parts of the undeveloped world, which is actually disease (life threatening) as opposed to our chronic condition, though not serious, can cut short quality of life.

...who practiced qigong exercises...
The main points here are as follows:
a. What were the exercise?
b. What was the name of the system practiced?
c. Practice duration and time!

...what does it mean .. one group regained strength.....
What were the measures

If there is an increased appetitie, then this is good, which would explain the weight increase.. Weight decrease can mean 2 additional things i.e. patient's conditioning is worsening, or they werre in the high range of excessive weight and said weight decreased!

These type of studies usually utilize SF36 that address most components of physical and mental doamins plus the mapping of changes to ascertain quality of life.

[David Jamieson]

Qigong can assist in healing and definitely produces a sense of well being in the practitioner.

I believe disease starts when a foreign invader enters the body (virus/bacteria) or when a set of genes turns on or off that cause repercussions in the system.

It is quite therapeutic in practice and is like giving yourself an internal massage.

there are intangibles to practice as well that don't apply to everyone.

results are not quick, don't expect that.

[GeneChing]

This article, which is mostly another PRC web he-said-she-said piece, will sit well here on our forum, yes?

'Official' panacea cure under fire (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-05/25/content_15390450.htm)
Updated:2012-05-25 17:10
(chinadaily.com.cn / Xinhua)

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/images/attachement/jpg/site1/20120525/f04da2db1484112991772a.jpg

Editor's note:
Finding an economical and effective way to help combat disease is a challenge for every society. China is no exception and is sparing no effort to step up medical reform.

However, one case has sparked a fierce debate online. Liu Weizhong, director of the Gansu Health Department and known for actively promoting traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), promoted qigong as an affordable way to help people in the relatively underdeveloped areas keep fit.

Invincible kung fu?

'Official' panacea cure under fire

Myth: The Health Department of Gansu Province organized a nine-day qigong course for health officials and medical workers this month. "After the qigong training, 41 of the 47 practitioners have successfully opened up Conception Vessel (ren mai) and Governor Vessel (du mai)," said a statement posted on the department's official website on Tuesday.

"They feel vigorous after the accomplishment. Their old diseases are now relieved or cured, and their diet, sleep, and bowel movement are back to normal," it said.

Popular kung fu fictions mention that martial arts masters -- often practitioners of qigong -- become undefeatable after opening up the two vessels. But it requires years or even decades to accomplish this.

'Official' panacea cure under fireOnline response: Chinese netizens fought back with negative comments.

One writer going by the name "Da Xia" asked whether Liu was a kung fu master or a health official.

Others wondered why medical workers would be practicing kung fu instead of practicing medicine.

"If they're capable of doing that, I really hope these health officials can teach everyone in this country this skill so no one will get sick again," said a netizen screenamed Huluyao Lulu.

'Official' panacea cure under fireExperts view: Li Yingcong, a professor at the Gansu Institute of TCM, said qigong is not as magical as described in kung fu novels.

"As an important stage in qigong exercises, opening up the Conception Vessel and the Governor Vessel means letting the 'qi' inside one's body flow freely to coordinate Yin and Yang, but there is no way of telling whether one's two vessels are opened up or not because it's just a feeling of the practitioner, " Li said.

'Official' panacea cure under fireSelf-defense: Liu Weizhong, director of the Gansu Health Department and the man behind the nine-day qigong course, said the practice is not as mysterious as it sounds.

"We've all been reading kung fu novels and watching kung fu movies since we were kids. Because of the misleading information in those novels, many of us think that opening up the two vessels is a very difficult thing to do, but I want to tell you . . . it is not supernatural kung fu," Liu said in a weibo post.

The Gansu health department said that misunderstanding over the qigong claim was a result of insufficient work to introduce TCM theories among the public.

Pig foot soup?

'Official' panacea cure under fireMyth: Liu Weizhong, 54, was given the nickname "pig foot director" by netizens after advocating the medical benefits of pig feet on his microblog account.

Liu has more than one million microblog followers.
"We had 340 patients here after the fatal landslide in Zhouqu (in Gansu province) and the fatal earthquake in Yushu (in Qinghai province). All of them had my pig foot soup and recovered soon," said Liu, who has a medical license and studied medicine at the Lanzhou Medicine College in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu, from 1978 to 1982.

"Patients with serious ailments need nutritious food like pig feet soup. I never said that the soup was a type of medicine, only that it enhanced the effect of medicine," Liu said.

'Official' panacea cure under fireExperts view: "It is dangerous to feed pig foot soup to patients. The soup can easily cause stress ulcers in their digestive systems," according to Xiao Ji, a postgraduate student of clinical medicine at Shanghai Communication University's School of Medicine.

Zhu Lijia, a professor from the Chinese Academy of Governance, said government officials should be careful on the Internet due to their special positions.

"Their words could have unexpected consequences," he said.

His blogs might possibly mislead the public, as they may believe that the Gansu provincial government is supporting Liu's recommendations, according to Wang Yukai, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance.

'Official' panacea cure under fireSelf-defense: Liu was quick to apologize after the incident of pig feet.

"I lack experience. Netizens are welcome to raise suggestions regarding the local health department's work, as well as questions about the development of traditional Chinese medicine," he wrote.

Liu said in his micro blog that all his attempts were intended to find a simple and affordable way to help people in the relatively underdeveloped areas keep fit.

"I am already in my 50s and willing to sacrifice my political career for the development of traditional Chinese medicine and the benefits of the patients,” Liu wrote.

[GeneChing]

UT MD Anderson study finds qigong improves quality of life for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy (http://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/news-releases/2013/ut-md-anderson-study-finds-qigong-improves-quality-of-life-for-breast-cancer-patients-undergoing-radiation-therapy.html)

Results underscore growing benefits of mind body practices in oncology

MD Anderson News Release 01/25/13
Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D.

Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have found qigong, an ancient mind-body practice, reduces depressive symptoms and improves quality of life in women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer.

The study, published in the journal Cancer, is the first to examine qigong in patients actively receiving radiation therapy and include a follow-up period to assess benefits over time. Even though individual mind-body practices such as meditation and guided imagery appear to reduce aspects of distress and improve quality of life, questions remain about their effectiveness when conducted in conjunction with radiation therapy.

"We were also particularly interested to see if qigong would benefit patients experiencing depressive symptoms at the start of treatment," said Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., professor in MD Anderson's Departments of General Oncology and Behavioral Science and director of the Integrative Medicine Program. "It is important for cancer patients to manage stress because it can have a profoundly negative effect on biological systems and inflammatory profiles."

For the trial, Cohen, the corresponding author, and his colleagues enrolled 96 women with stage 1-3 breast cancer from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center in Shanghai, China. Forty-nine patients were randomized to a qigong group consisting of five 40-minute classes each week during their five-to-six week course of radiation therapy, while 47 women comprised a waitlist control group receiving the standard of care.

The program incorporated a modified version of Chinese medical qigong consisting of synchronizing one's breath with various exercises. As a practice, qigong dates back more than 4,000 years when it was used across Asia to support spiritual health and prevent disease.

Participants in both groups completed assessments at the beginning, middle and end of radiation therapy and then one and three months later. Different aspects of quality of life were measured including depressive symptoms, fatigue, sleep disturbances and overall quality of life.

Results show benefits emerged over time
Patients in the qigong group reported a steady decline in depressive symptom scores beginning at the end of radiation therapy with a mean score of 12.3, through the three month post-radiation follow-up with a score of 9.5. No changes were noted in the control group over time.

The study also found qigong was especially helpful for women reporting high baseline depressive symptoms, Cohen said.

"We examined women's depressive symptoms at the start of the study to see if women with higher levels would benefit more," Cohen said. "In fact, women with low levels of depressive symptoms at the start of radiotherapy had good quality of life throughout treatment and three months later regardless of whether they were in the qigong or control group. However, women with high depressive symptoms in the control group reported the worst levels of depressive symptoms, fatigue, and overall quality of life that were significantly improved for the women in the qigong group."

As the benefits of qigong were largely observed after treatment concluded, researchers suggest qigong may prevent a delayed symptom burden, or expedite the recovery process especially for women with elevated depressive symptoms at the start of radiotherapy.

Cohen notes the delayed effect could be explained by the cumulative nature of these modalities, as the benefits often take time to be realized.

Future research needed
The authors note several limitations to the study, including the absence of an active control group making it difficult to rule out whether or not the effects of qigong were influenced by a patient's expectations or simply being a light exercise. Additionally, the ****geneity of the group, Chinese women at a single site, limits the ability of applying the results to other populations.

According to the authors, the findings support other previously reported trials examining qigong benefits, but are too preliminary to offer clinical recommendations. Additional work is needed to understand the possible biological mechanisms involved and further explore the use of qigong in ethnically diverse populations with different forms of disease.

This work was supported through National Cancer Institute grants R21CA108084, U19CA121503 and CA016672. The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

In addition to Cohen, MD Anderson authors on the paper include: Zhongxing Liao, M.D., Department of Radiation Oncology; Qi Wei, Integrative Medicine Program and Kathrin Milbury, Ph.D., Department of Behavioral Science. Other authors include Zhen Chen, M.D., Jiayi Chen, M.D., Zhiqiang Meng, M.D., Ph.D., Wenying Bei, M.D., Ying Zhang, Xiaoma Guo, Luming Liu, M.D., Ph.D., all of Fudan University Cancer Hospital; Jennifer McQuade, M.D., Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Clemens Kirschbaum, Ph.D., Dresden University of Technology; and Bob Thornton, Merck & Co., Inc (on MD Anderson staff when research was conducted).
Being a qigong practitioner myself, I wish they were a little more specific in defining a modified version of Chinese medical qigong. We published the The Shanghai Medical Qigong Exercises (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=457) by Shaun McCorkell (in two (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=458) parts). I wonder if this is the same system.

[mawali]

Being a qigong practitioner myself, I wish they were a little more specific in defining a modified version of Chinese medical qigong. We published the The Shanghai Medical Qigong Exercises (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=457) by Shaun McCorkell (in two (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=458) parts). I wonder if this is the same system.

Gene,
There are quite a few 'qigong' routines that help with subjective quality of life (QOL) in all disease states. They dont all work for the same person but if one show a propensity for it and they enjoy the specific routine, then it is great.
1. waitankung
2. baduanjin
3. wuqinxi
4. 8 shi taijiquan
5. yoga
6. pilates

[GeneChing]

But this is claiming to be scientifical so specifics count. There is such a wide range of qigong (there's a wide range of yoga for that matter) that it's sloppy science if the specific routine within the study isn't specified.

[David Jamieson]

But this is claiming to be scientifical so specifics count. There is such a wide range of qigong (there's a wide range of yoga for that matter) that it's sloppy science if the specific routine within the study isn't specified.

I agree with this observation. I have a book by Iyengar which details exactly these "targeted" yogic routines. There's more along those lines as well than just my one book. :)

[GeneChing]

Follow the link for the entire article. EQT is mentioned, but I don't know much about that curriculum aside from that it is commonly used for studies. Anyone familiar with EQT?

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

A Pilot Study of Qigong for Reducing Cocaine Craving Early in Recovery (http://www.liebertpub.com/acm)

To cite this article:
David Smelson, Kevin W. Chen, Douglas Ziedonis, Ken Andes, Amanda Lennox, Lanora Callahan, Stephanie Rodrigues, and David Eisenberg. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. February 2013, 19(2): 97-101. doi:10.1089/acm.2012.0052.
Published in Volume: 19 Issue 2: February 14, 2013
Online Ahead of Print: July 3, 2012

Author information
David Smelson, PsyD,1,2 Kevin W. Chen, PhD, MPH,3 Douglas Ziedonis, MD, MPH,2 Ken Andes, MS, LAc,4 Amanda Lennox, BA,1,2 Lanora Callahan, MS,5 Stephanie Rodrigues, PhD,1,2 and David Eisenberg, MD6
1Center for Health, Quality, Outcomes & Economic Research, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA.
2Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA.
3Center for Integrative Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
4Private Traditional Chinese Medicine Practice, Ramsey, NJ.
5Veterans Healthcare Administration, Lyons, NJ.
6Harvard Medical School, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.
Address correspondence to:
David Smelson, PsyD
Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital
200 Springs Road (152)
Bedford, MA 01730
E-mail: david.smelson@va.gov

ABSTRACT

Objectives: This pilot study examined the feasibility, preliminary efficacy, and determined the effect sizes of external qigong therapy (EQT) in reducing cue-elicited cocaine craving and associated symptoms among recently abstinent cocaine-dependent (CD) individuals.

Methods: This study randomized 101 CD subjects to either a real EQT (n=51) or sham EQT control (n=50) group. Subjects underwent a baseline assessment and a weekly cue-exposure session for 2 weeks. Total EQT or sham treatments ranged from 4 to 6 sessions in 2 weeks.

Results: EQT-treated subjects displayed a greater reduction in cue-elicited craving (p=0.06) and symptoms of depression (p<0.05) with medium effect sizes.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility of delivering EQT among CD individuals early in residential treatment. Future research should include a larger sample and examine the mechanisms and potential longitudinal benefits of EQT.

[SoCo KungFu]

But this is claiming to be scientifical so specifics count. There is such a wide range of qigong (there's a wide range of yoga for that matter) that it's sloppy science if the specific routine within the study isn't specified.

Not necessarily. There does seem to be a link between stress and cancer, mainly in hormone levels such as cortisol. Really cortisol is only good for a couple things, which modern life rarely finds us in. For anything else, glucocorticoids usually cause more problems than good.

So in that, ANYTHING that can reduce stress can potentially aid in cancer treatment. Given that there's no confirmed link between qigong and aiding in cancer treatment other than improved quality of life, it really might not matter what qigong they are doing. It might not even matter that they're doing qigong at all vs. some other form of exercise/stress relief.

Accuracy is great and all, but before that can be addressed the qigong researchers/proponents need to take a few more steps back and validate the basic fundamentals of qigong before we can start worrying about which one they're doing.

[SoCo KungFu]

Follow the link for the entire article. EQT is mentioned, but I don't know much about that curriculum aside from that it is commonly used for studies. Anyone familiar with EQT?

There are some very major problems with this. First off, all their metrics used are subjective questionnaire or interview. And while 2 of the questionnaires are used in typical psychiatric research with addiction, there is absolutely no objective measure to go along side in this case.

Furthermore, their sample size is nonexistent. They've made a very basic design error. They claim to have a sample of n=101. But in actuality, its only 5. This is because while they are trying to measure the subjective response of the cocaine addict, the actual variable at play is the "healer." Of which there are 2 "healers" and 3 "shams." This is because the patient does nothing, takes no medication, etc. The design has the "healer" doing the treatment, energy manipulation. It would be like having 2 physical therapists and 3 phonies treating patients. What is at play isn't so much the injury of the patient (although their circumstances are important) but rather the skill of the therapist and the efficiency of that therapist's technique/treatments. When you're working with a drug for example, you can accurately standardize the active ingredient concentration across the board, removing that variable. Here, you can't. And they've mistaken what they're actual predictor variable really is. They're pseudo-replicating their experiment.

And it only gets worse when you look at what the actual treatment was...

http://online.liebertpub.com/action/showPopup?citid=citart1&id=T1&doi=10.1089%2Facm.2012.0052

Sorry, but that's just nonsense. They need to go back and find out if voodoo hand waving does anything at all before they can make claims about specific treatment uses. Beyond this point, I didn't bother to read much further.

There may be some use in qigong in treating craving, but its not going to be this chi ball nonsense and its likely going to have to be the patient participating oneself. Addiction is a medical matter related to biochemical changes from drug use. Craving is a matter of habit.

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/05/147192599/habits-how-they-form-and-how-to-break-them

Exercise, in general, is one of those good "super habits."

[Syn7]

I think they are using the term to try to make "qi projection" sound more "standardized" (as opposed to the older distinction of 'bat sh1t crazy')

Funny how they have to redefine terms to stay relevant. People can benefit from all sorts of things. Just because some of the methods are in some way legit doesn't mean you should be excused for having the wrong explanation as to why and how it works.

We all remember Aether from like 8th grade. Just because the basic principle turned out to be somewhat correct when put into a certain context does not excuse the fact that it was basically wrong in so so so many ways.

[GeneChing]

Whatever works. :)

Qigong Lowers Depression Symptoms In Breast Cancer Patients (http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/15915/20130526/qigong-meditation-qi-gong-depression-breast-cancer.htm)
Meditating with Qigong has been shown to lower symptoms of depression in women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer.
By Anthony Rivas | May 26, 2013 04:14 PM EDT

Qigong, a Chinese meditation technique that combines fluid movements and breathing, has long been valued for its calming, balance-restoring effect on the body. Recently published in the journal Cancer, a study has found that practicing qigong may reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life of women who are receiving radiotherapy to treat their breast cancer.

Qigong involves coordinating slow, dance-like movements with breathing in order to achieve a healthy flow of energy, or qi, throughout the body. It is focused more on longevity, stress reduction, and improved health through mind and body, according to The New York Times.

Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center followed 96 Chinese women in Shanghai over the course of five to six weeks of radiotherapy. Half of the women were assigned to a qigong group, while the other half received standard treatment. Women in the qigong group reported less symptoms of depression at the end of radiotherapy than the women who received standard care. Furthermore, women who reported being the most depressed at the beginning of the study showed the steepest decline in depressive symptoms, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"It is important for cancer patients to manage stress because it can have a profoundly negative effect on biological systems and inflammatory profiles," said Dr. Lorenzo Cohen, professor in MD Anderson's Departments of General Oncology and Behavioral Science.

According to the American Cancer Society, up to one in four people with cancer develop clinical depression.

Cohen directs the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson. Integrative medicine is distinct from alternative medicine, which he says consists of unproven treatments in place of traditional care, and complementary medicine, which consists of unprove treatments in addition to traditional care. He says that integrative medicine is more of a philosophy of care, a way for the doctor to focus on the person as a whole.

"We focus on the relation between the practitioner and the patients, and we are informed by evidence — we don't want to be prescribing things to our patients for which there is no evidence of safety or of benefit," he said. "Also, in integrative medicine we seek to make use of all possible avenues for healing that may work."

Cohen believes that one day qigong and other mind-body practices will be integrated to the point that they are just another part of standard care.

"Ideally, we would work at the whole level," he said. "We would work to get that person's body that has become hospitable to cancer to be as inhospitable as possible going forward."

Source: Chen Z, Meng Z, Milbury K, Bei W, Zhang Y, Thornton B, Liao Z, Wei Q, Chen J, Guo X, Liu L, McQuade J, Kirschbaum C, Cohen L. Qigong improves quality of life in women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Cancer. May 2013.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Qigong lowers blood pressure:

http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/792-qigongbp

[Neeros]

Amazing how much benefit just the external qigong forms can give people. Add in the skills to boot and its truly breathtaking the results that can be gained.

[GeneChing]

Follow the link to find the complete study. They implemented Wu Xing Ping Heng Gong 五行平衡功 for this.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:485341. doi: 10.1155/2013/485341. Epub 2013 Jul 31. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23983785)
Effects of qigong exercise on fatigue, anxiety, and depressive symptoms of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness: a randomized controlled trial.
Chan JS, Ho RT, Wang CW, Yuen LP, Sham JS, Chan CL.
Source

Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Abstract

Background. Anxiety/depressive symptoms are common in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome- (CFS-) like illness. Qigong as a modality of complementary and alternative therapy has been increasingly applied by patients with chronic illnesses, but little is known about the effect of Qigong on anxiety/depressive symptoms of the patients with CFS-like illness. Purpose. To investigate the effects of Qigong on fatigue, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in patients with CFS-illness. Methods. One hundred and thirty-seven participants who met the diagnostic criteria for CFS-like illness were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a waitlist control group. Participants in the intervention group received 10 sessions of Qigong training twice a week for 5 consecutive weeks, followed by home-based practice for 12 weeks. Fatigue, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and postintervention. Results. Total fatigue score [F(1,135) = 13.888, P < 0.001], physical fatigue score [F(1,135) = 20.852, P < 0.001] and depression score [F(1,135) = 9.918, P = 0.002] were significantly improved and mental fatigue score [F(1,135) = 3.902, P = 0.050] was marginally significantly improved in the Qigong group compared to controls. The anxiety score was not significantly improved in the Qigong group. Conclusion. Qigong may not only reduce the fatigue symptoms, but also has antidepressive effect for patients with CFS-like illness. Trial registration HKCTR-1200.

[Sal Canzonieri]

here's an interesting research paper about Qigong and cancer therapy:
http://www.qigonginstitute.org/html/papers/ReviewQG4Cancer.pdf

[mawali]

here's an interesting research paper about Qigong and cancer therapy:
http://www.qigonginstitute.org/html/...wQG4Cancer.pdf

The studies shows promise but what impacted me negatively in the "Problems and Limitations" section was the commentary that "Qigong may be an alternative for Western medicin"e and this is blatently false in all regards. Qigong is positively part of complementary strategy and adjunct therapy but can never be called alternative since the latter implies in place of, which is nonsensical.

Even Guo Lin went through the allopathic phase since she was diagnosed by an MD and had numerous surgeries. All of her students went through the same stage of fact finding and soul searching and they realized that they had to make a lifelong change, whatever that may have entailed. Qigong is definitely positive but it cannot be used instead of, or cannot replace allopathic medicine.

I guess one can call qigong yin and allopathic medicine yang, part of a total care paradigm!

[marklee]

I am a believer of qigong, and have been practicing it for years. I've also seen how the exercise has helped people with serious illness like cancer. It is, however, a supplement so you should not expect to see miracles. The better way is to do the exercise and seek medical advice as and when necessary. If you are patience and allow it time, it works.

[marklee]

Great article!

My only concern is that the layperson reading this will make the assumption that all they have to do is practice qigong and they will get better.
No doubt qigong is excellent adjunct therapy but the article fails to mention the procedures previous to qigong therapy, whether it be excision, chemotherapy, medication in conjunction with additonal therapies.
The degree/stage of cancer also figures prominently in the matter!

I do echo your concerns. Qigong is not a cure for cancer, it is a way to make your body stronger to help you fight the medical conditions. If you start doing it too late - say at the advance stage of cancer, it may not be as effective. Even then, I have seen people healed with the use of qigong. In these cases, the healing results not only from the control of chi, that also the mental strengths brought forth by the focus of mind and the determination to overcome the medical conditions.

[GeneChing]

October 2013
Levels of fatigue and distress in senior prostate cancer survivors enrolled in a 12-week randomized controlled trial of Qigong (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11764-013-0315-5)

Rebecca A. Campo,
Neeraj Agarwal,
Paul C. LaStayo,
Kathleen O’Connor,
Lisa Pappas,
Kenneth M. Boucher,
Jerry Gardner,
Sierra Smith,
Kathleen C. Light,
Anita Y. Kinney

Abstract

Purpose

Fatigue is a commonly reported symptom by prostate cancer survivors and is associated with significant distress and declines in quality of life. Qigong is a mind–body activity that consists of both physical activity and meditative aspects. This 12-week randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility and efficacy of a Qigong intervention for improving older prostate cancer survivors' levels of fatigue and distress.

Methods

Forty older (median age = 72, range = 58–93), fatigued (cut-off value of ≥1 on the CTCAEv4.0, >20 on a fatigue grading scale), and sedentary (<150 min of moderate exercise/week) prostate cancer survivors were randomized to 12 weeks of Qigong or stretching classes. Primary outcomes were feasibility (i.e., retention and class attendance rates) and fatigue [Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy—Fatigue (FACIT-Fatigue)], and secondary outcome was distress [Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18)].

Results

Study retention rates did not significantly differ between study groups (Qigong = 80 %, stretching = 65 %, p = 0.48). The Qigong group had significantly higher class attendance than the stretching group (p = 0.04). The Qigong group had significantly greater improvements in the FACIT-Fatigue (p = 0.02) and distress (i.e., BSI-18 Somatization, Anxiety, & Global Severity Index, p's < 0.05), than the Stretching group.

Conclusions

This 12-week Qigong intervention was feasible and potentially efficacious in improving senior prostate cancer survivors' levels of fatigue and distress levels. Future, larger definitive randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these benefits in older prostate cancer survivors and in racially and ethnically diverse populations.

Implications for cancer survivors

Qigong may be an effective nonpharmacological intervention for the management of senior prostate cancer survivors' fatigue and distress.

As always, I'm curious what form of qigong, but this is just the abstract so that detail might be within the full report.

[rett]

As always, I'm curious what form of qigong, but this is just the abstract so that detail might be within the full report.

That study looks interesting!

E-mail address to the corresponding author is at the bottom left of the document here

http://link.springer.com/static-content/lookinside/652/art%253A10.1007%252Fs11764-013-0315-5/000.png

It's likely she'd fill you in on the qigong method used if you email her. I'd be interested in the answer as well.

[SoCo KungFu]

So, I for some reason this sub-forum is some kind of botched with threads appearing in one screen and not in another. But I'll be ****ed if my long ass response goes un-completed because of something with a thread disappearing.

So if that thread gets recovered, or uncovered, or discovered, or whatever, please merge this with that thread. In the meantime...

Gene posted this article.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11764-013-0315-5

And my response, with his quote, to discuss said article.


As always, I'm curious what form of qigong, but this is just the abstract so that detail might be within the full report.

There are a lot of red flags with this study.
For starters, its strange that I can't access it. Well not that in of itself. But I can access this journal through my university account, and its not listed in the journal that its supposed to be in. Not necessarily anything, just weird.

1) No blinding was used at all (and for the record, I don't think they could in this study), at least not for the patients. Patients doing qigong knew they were doing qigong and patients doing regular stretching knew they were doing regular stretching. For some reason they blinded the statisticians. Not sure why that is, I've never seen that in any of the other literature I've read. I don't particularly see what point it would accomplish if you aren't blinding the test subjects. The statisticians are just crunching numbers for people who can't do it themselves.
2) Statistics are a mess. They report p-values, which is nice, but they don't tell me what test they performed. I'm assuming a t-test because they are comparing treatments which should give them sample means and deviations. However, since they don't actually provide the test statistic, nor the degree of freedom, I can't actually say. What they do provide is a confidence interval, which could come from any number of tests. Which also tells me they have a freggin test stat of some sort but fail to provide for whatever reason. More on this later.
3) I see no control. They say its a parallel group randomized control trial. Nice, but what is the control? I'm assuming that its a paired test, meaning the subject is its own control via a before/after paired assessment. But since that would also require a paired statistical test, which as I mention isn't divulged, I can't say for certain. Or the control for the qigong group could be the stretching group. This isn't uncommon if you are trying to say that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment. But you still need to test against placebo. And you still need to control for individual variation (ie. a paired test).

About the stats; so the author gives a p-value for a test comparing feasibility and a test comparing fatigue levels reported. Its important to note exactly what it is they are trying to analyze. Only one part actually pertains to the qigong (the fatigue test). This is based on some clinical guideline I'm not familiar with. Feasibility, as the author describes it, is simply class attendance and retention rate. So, class retention/attendance and change in fatigue/distress.

The author reports p-values for retention (p=0.48), attendance (0.04), and improvement in reported fatigue (p=0.02) and distress (p<0.05). Here's the problem. The trial is on 40 patients. Their power analysis said they need at least 24 to determine a difference of 7.5. So they're good there. But, retention did not significantly differ. That is technically what you'd want if you were testing efficacy (ie a better improvement in fatigue and distress). But, they list that the qigong group had 80% retention while the stretching group 65% retention. So, if a 15% difference in retention is not statistically significant, now I'm questioning balance in their design. How do I know that say, 20 were in each group? That's important because one, it may screw the whole element of detection, but at very least balance dictates what statistics they will use. Which again, isn't outlined in the 2 pages we can view. That of itself makes me question all the other results. But moving on..

So attendance is determined to be significantly different, favoring the qigong group. Cool, that would be a good finding. Patient participation is important in a beneficial outcome. BUT, it wasn't blinded. We see infinite examples of the mentality in this country with people having unrealistic bias in favor of TCM simply because they feel western med has failed them. In a subjective study, this kills it all. But even more than that. The study says that friends and family were encouraged to participate with the patient in the classes. Ok, so now you've just confounded your study. Its no longer just about the patient, it may say nothing any longer about whether people like qigong more. It may simply be a matter of which group on average had a more willing support structure. You just killed your feasibility measure. So the tests of retention and attendance are garbage.

If the attendance is shown to be less in the stretching group, which it was, you can now also say nothing of efficacy. Her stats say that qigong improved reported fatigue and distress to a better degree that stretching (I say that loosely not knowing what tests she did). But my response, no ****. You had a 15% loss in retention and a statistically significant difference in attendance rate. Of course the one that gets attended to will produce better results. This is why in proper research programs, you are required to consult a statistician as part of your thesis defense. I have a freggin statistician on my committee, and I can do stats, for this very reason. To cover my ass. Ultimately, I find it interesting that the researcher would create a study with two conflicting measures. If attendance and retention are not the same, you can't say that qigong has efficacy in this design. If attendance and retention are the same, you can't make say that qigong is more feasible than standard protocols already in place. Maybe that wasn't the point, but typically if you are going to do a study, you are trying to show something of value. That seemed to be the point in her statement of significance, that she thought we could do better.

Now, I realize this is a pilot study. Even more, I realize this is a study by a graduate student in a non research based program. So this is some canned trial she had to do as part of her social psychology degree, which may be a M.A. I doubt its a MS without thesis research. But given that I'm also a grad student, I have no sympathy in ripping apart her design, especially when mine are held to a much higher standard. It aggravates me that this is even published.

This is an exact example of why TCM researchers need to start taking legitimate degrees before going into integrative med. Or at the very least, these schools of integrated med need to start adjuncting legitimate statisticians and have them teach a course, or three. I have yet to see a one that held to proper research design. I mean, I took classes on research design as an undergrad, I expect a graduate student to do better than this.

Anyways, this is what I got from just 2 pages of the paper. At this point, I don't see what difference knowing which qigong she used in the study will make.

And now I'm admittedly being nit-picky, by why the f did she have faculty from the dept of theater on her list of co-authors? And that's actually kind of important. Because the only thing I can think that an actor/actress would add to this study is if that person were one of the treatment administrators. And since I'm guessing they tested against a standard stretch protocol, and there is a physical therapist also listed, I'm going to assume that the theater person was doing the qigong. Yeah...that's interesting...

Did you know that a study by a Harvard professor was recently published in a major journal with no less than 9 fatal experimental flaws in his design? I say this as to not come off as bashing a TCM publication. I wish they would do a decent trial. I want to see true, well thought design with some interesting results. I really do. But from this, the most we can say is that some sort of exercise aids fatigue and lowers stress. Awesome, now tell me something new.

[Orion Paximus]

So, I for some reason this sub-forum is some kind of botched with threads appearing in one screen and not in another. But I'll be ****ed if my long ass response goes un-completed because of something with a thread disappearing.

So if that thread gets recovered, or uncovered, or discovered, or whatever, please merge this with that thread. In the meantime...

It's still here

http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine

you have to adjust your settings too see topics from "the beginning" instead of "this month" which is the default.

[mawali]

The same thing happens in allopathic oriented clinical research. Some statisticians (they do the actual analyses) become creative with the real data and make assumptions (unrelated to the actual analysis) and some do seem to get away with it.
A better way to get around this is to have another person do the re-analyses and see if they come up with the same results. Cochrane did a review of taijiquan studies and they showed their process as a tool for further study and information. One can google the information. If I find it,I will post

[SoCo KungFu]

The same thing happens in allopathic oriented clinical research. Some statisticians (they do the actual analyses) become creative with the real data and make assumptions (unrelated to the actual analysis) and some do seem to get away with it.
A better way to get around this is to have another person do the re-analyses and see if they come up with the same results. Cochrane did a review of taijiquan studies and they showed their process as a tool for further study and information. One can google the information. If I find it,I will post

What do you mean by, "they do the actual analyses?" I have a response, but I'm not sure what you mean by that. At any rate, all research makes assumptions. Some assumptions are based on previous experimentation, some assumptions are mathematical. But they are there. Its whether you can justify them that counts.

[mawali]

What do you mean by, "they do the actual analyses?" I have a response, but I'm not sure what you mean by that. At any rate, all research makes assumptions. Some assumptions are based on previous experimentation, some assumptions are mathematical. But they are there. Its whether you can justify them that counts.

In clinical research (big pharma) it is the statistician who does final analyses. Despite the often rigorous attention to detail, statistical 'sleight; of hand' sometimes allows for creative use of data, which allows for bad drugs to reach the market. It is obvious that all research makes assumptions but the extent of it (clinical and statistical significance) can and is obscured by the profit and unholy alliances that exist despite the Hippocratic oath or the objectivity of data. I recall in a recent study I participated in there were a bunch of people (small sample, that is???) who were experiencing some adverse events and it was significant as they were serious adverse events but I, the lowly Data Analyst was called out for not minding my own beezness. At that point, the statistician did take a look at my finding but according to his observations, these were not statistically significant ENOUGH. Fast forward to a few years later, the class of drugs that cause COX 2 inhibition were deemed dangerous and labelling information had to be updated to conform to new updated requirements. The bottom line seems to be that profit is the only motive (and that is not representative of the Hippocratic oath) while negating the safety of those who would otherwise benefit from it.

Qigong tends to get away with basic concepts and methodology (name of system is not mentioned, days to some effect to be shown, etc) or the beneficial results tends to be extrapolated to ALL Qigong, which is a serious mistake. There is no doubt that the "teacher effect" accounts for a benefit or just the social component of someone caring the indivudal in question. Actually much criteria is lacking in qigong research though a recent study with falungong (yes, of all methods out there) does show that qigong has the potential to change DNA expression but that extent was not conclusively shown but the findings are exemplary since the modern tools of research (HPLA and opther chromatograpic tools) were part of the modern scientific community.
You can check out the Cochrane review pertaining to taijiquan and qigong to see what I am implying! They do have pdf files for download and give a far more wider and systematic exposition of faults within complementary methods of health!

[SoCo KungFu]

In clinical research (big pharma) it is the statistician who does final analyses. Despite the often rigorous attention to detail, statistical 'sleight; of hand' sometimes allows for creative use of data, which allows for bad drugs to reach the market. It is obvious that all research makes assumptions but the extent of it (clinical and statistical significance) can and is obscured by the profit and unholy alliances that exist despite the Hippocratic oath or the objectivity of data. I recall in a recent study I participated in there were a bunch of people (small sample, that is???) who were experiencing some adverse events and it was significant as they were serious adverse events but I, the lowly Data Analyst was called out for not minding my own beezness. At that point, the statistician did take a look at my finding but according to his observations, these were not statistically significant ENOUGH. Fast forward to a few years later, the class of drugs that cause COX 2 inhibition were deemed dangerous and labelling information had to be updated to conform to new updated requirements. The bottom line seems to be that profit is the only motive (and that is not representative of the Hippocratic oath) while negating the safety of those who would otherwise benefit from it.

Qigong tends to get away with basic concepts and methodology (name of system is not mentioned, days to some effect to be shown, etc) or the beneficial results tends to be extrapolated to ALL Qigong, which is a serious mistake. There is no doubt that the "teacher effect" accounts for a benefit or just the social component of someone caring the indivudal in question. Actually much criteria is lacking in qigong research though a recent study with falungong (yes, of all methods out there) does show that qigong has the potential to change DNA expression but that extent was not conclusively shown but the findings are exemplary since the modern tools of research (HPLA and opther chromatograpic tools) were part of the modern scientific community.
You can check out the Cochrane review pertaining to taijiquan and qigong to see what I am implying! They do have pdf files for download and give a far more wider and systematic exposition of faults within complementary methods of health!

Statisticians don't do the analyses. They do the stats. There is far more to interpretation than simply running numbers. No one is saying you can't lie with stats. Although I'd say a great majority of what people call that "sleight of hand" is really people just not understanding statistical procedure. Do you know how many different forms of a t-test there are and that each one is robust in different ways? That's rhetorical, I'm assuming you do if you were/are a data analyst. But its outside of your specialty to determine if those numbers are meaningful.

Beyond the rest of your 1st paragraph, tu quoque. Arguing that pharmaceuticals are interested in profit doesn't excuse the shoddy research that is going on in alt med (which is every bit as much a profit seeking industry, mind you). As for the study you were part of, practical significance vs statistical significance. If your sample was too small, the statistician was right to say it wasn't significant enough. He/she was following the parameters of their tools. Its up to the clinicians to determine if that statistical significance is or isn't practically significant. Which goes back to my first statement, statisticians don't do the analyses. They do the stats. The researcher has to determine what that means in the context of biological function. And this doesn't end at the point of sale. Everyone down the line makes a decision based on what evidence is available, right down to the consumer (if they are intelligent enough).

There's a difference in a p-value of 0.05 (although we'd be hoping they would be using a bit more stringent of a mark, but just for sake of example) when looking at increased incidence of say, headache vs MI (since I'm assuming by your mention of COX 2 that you are talking about cardiac function and stroke risk). Neither of those examples in this case would be statistically significant, they're teetering either way. But that would be quite practically significant in case of MI. That's where the clinicians have to be involved, statisticians don't make that decision, its not their science.

As for qigong, you are jumping too far ahead. If the data being presented is legitimate, then it doesn't matter what qigong you are using. In fact, it doesn't matter that they are doing qigong at all. The only significant finding is that people will stick with qigong classes longer and attend more frequently than standard phys therapy, probably due to novelty. You know what that tells me? That it doesn't matter what they are doing, so long as they are doing something to be active and decrease stress. And I'm not even going to bother going into figuring out how someone can separate falun gong with epigenetic effects, which are not very well understood in humans.

[SoCo KungFu]

The bottom line seems to be that profit is the only motive (and that is not representative of the Hippocratic oath) while negating the safety of those who would otherwise benefit from it.

I'm addressing this separately because its off topic. This fear mongering is getting out of hand. Are profits important? Yeah of course. Look this is capitalism. But these notions of evil alliances and conspiracies are getting ridiculous. Nothing is covert, corporations seek profit. But that doesn't mean everyone checks their ethics at the door. Most people are like you and I. They just want to do a good job and create something to help people. People don't spend a decade learning pharmaceuticals so they can make bank, there's no bank to be made for the researcher. Most are struggling with job security while trying to maintain their ethical integrity. Many are there because they had some personal motivator to drive them that far. Say what you want about corporations, but the people within that corporation are far more important to what goes on than some simple notion of profit margin. And its only slightly hypocritical when the alt med industry is stoking up these flames because this paranoia is what feeds their profit margin.

[Syn7]

The individuals ethics may not be checked at the door, but when you look at the whole spectrum of the corporate world, you do see a detachment of sorts. They trend. And people who live in certain bubbles lose sight of the greater impact of their social and economic policies. That isn't just pharma, that goes for all of these massive entities. They aren't all the same, but if we laid it out bare, it wouldn't be equal to something like a smaller tight knit group who goes out of their way to help people while still making profit. The further removed from the consequences, the less likely they are to deal with the negative impacts. A lot of these people with actual power are just carpet baggers, for sure, but many are just small cogs in a giant machine. They don't feel as if their morality is relevant in the larger context. And to a large extent, they're right. It can be quite apathetic.

[GeneChing]

Hypertension Treated With Qigong (http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/hypertension-treated-with-qigong/)
Added by Nick Ng on March 30, 2014.

http://guardianlv.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/qigong1-650x465.jpg

Hypertension can be treated with an ancient Chinese meditative exercise called qigong (pronounced “chi-gong” without the lips puckered up in “chi), which involves a series of slow and repetitive movements and breathing awareness. This bodes good news for those who cannot physically withstand regular exercise, such as walking or running, because of joint, muscle, or neural problems. According to the National Qigong Association in St. Paul, Minnesota, qigong — meaning “breath work” literally — involves specific breathing techniques, mental focus, and moving or stationary posture. It is an umbrella term for other styles of Chinese martial arts, such as tai chi and vigorous styles of kung fu. Thus, anyone practicing these subcategories of martial arts can be considered as qigong practitioners. Although it is not a cure-all for diseases and disorders, qigong complements existing Western and Chinese medicine practices to improve cardiovascular, respiratory, and mental functions and to reduce hypertension-related symptoms, such as anxiety and stress.

A recent Chinese study showed the benefits of tai chi in reducing anxiety that can raise blood pressure was published in the March 2014 issue of International Journal of Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. Thirty-two elderly patients who were suffering from anxiety disorder were randomly placed into an experimental group that received tai chi exercise with drug therapy and a control group that only had drug therapy. After 45 days of treatment, the cured patients stopped the drug therapy yet those who were in the experimental group continued to do tai chi. Two months later, researchers evaluated both groups to determine if the disease came back. What they discovered was somewhat surprising.

The control group had a near-43 percent recurrence rate while the experimental group had a recurrence rate of slightly over nine percent. Although a larger sample population may be needed to confirm this finding, tai chi — and maybe — classical qigong could treat anxiety and decrease hypertension levels with some drug therapy. However, the study did not measure blood pressure. Had it done so, the data could be compared with other past studies that used blood pressure readings to make better conclusions about the effects of qigong exercises and hypertension.

On a larger scale, however, the results may be a little different from the Chinese study. A meta-analysis of nine studies of qigong and hypertension from Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China showed that the average decrease in systolic blood pressure in those who practiced qigong was 17.03 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) lower than the control group that did not receive any hypertensive interventions. However, the reduction rate wasn’t better than those in drug controls or conventional exercise controls. Likewise, the average diastolic blood pressure decrease was almost 10 mm Hg, which was better than the control group but not so much compared to the drug and conventional exercise groups. Overall, the researchers concluded that practicing qigong for less than one year is better in decreasing blood pressure than with no practice at all.

Physicians and other Western medical professionals may eventually be more likely to recommend their patients to practice qigong to treat hypertension and related illnesses. Given the rising popularity and awareness of its benefits, qigong may be more prevalent in mainstream health care systems across the United States. Qigong requires just the body and no equipment, and it can be done anywhere in a group setting or privately at home. Those who have been practicing qigong for a year or more may say to themselves, “I know kung fu.”

By Nick Ng
My qigong has done nothing to lower my blood pressure. Nothing at all. :(

[mawali]

Statisticians don't do the analyses. They do the stats. There is far more to interpretation than simply running numbers. No one is saying you can't lie with stats. Although I'd say a great majority of what people call that "sleight of hand" is really people just not understanding. Do you know how many different forms of a t-test there are and that each one is robust in different ways? That's rhetorical, I'm assuming you do if you were/are a data analyst. But its outside of your specialty to determine if those numbers are meaningful.

Beyond the rest of your 1st paragraph, tu quoque. Arguing that pharmaceuticals are interested in profit doesn't excuse the shoddy research that is going on in alt med (which is every bit as much a profit seeking industry, mind you). As for the study you were part of, practical significance vs statistical significance. If your sample was too small, the statistician was right to say it wasn't significant enough. He/she was following the parameters of their tools. Its up to the clinicians to determine if that statistical significance is or isn't practically significant. Which goes back to my first statement, statisticians don't do the analyses. They do the stats. The researcher has to determine what that means in the context of biological function. And this doesn't end at the point of sale. Everyone down the line makes a decision based on what evidence is available, right down to the consumer (if they are intelligent enough).

There's a difference in a p-value of 0.05 (although we'd be hoping they would be using a bit more stringent of a mark, but just for sake of example) when looking at increased incidence of say, headache vs MI (since I'm assuming by your mention of COX 2 that you are talking about cardiac function and stroke risk). Neither of those examples in this case would be statistically significant, they're teetering either way. But that would be quite practically significant in case of MI. That's where the clinicians have to be involved, statisticians don't make that decision, its not their science..

Q. What do I mean by "sleight of hand"
When I use the term, I am aware that there are some in clinical statistics groups get away with substituting certain tests when other statistical test are far fore important in determining efficacy, significance or both. Clinical significance vs statistical significance is under the purview of the statistician but it is a joint effort when adverse events categorization (frequency and severity) since the MD sponsor has to be the main point of selling the good numbers to the development team. The consumer can only rely on what is told to him (truth in advertising) through this process. As you ar aware, recent trials found to be misleading involved a concerted attempt (on the part of the pharmaceutical company) to prevent the consumer from accessing or evwn being aware of malfeasance. In my local area, there is even a site or a group of lawyers capitalizing on this; sound familiar 1.800 BAD-DRUG. Statisticians provide the background on which clinicians are supposed to shpw a coprresponding beneficial effect!, generally as it is rare to find an MD, who has a statistical background. They do exist, though.

Per COX-2, the primary indication was relief of pain but as you know when you have the adverse events exceeding the beneficial effects of a specific compound, then you have a problem. As I noted, there is nothing wrong with profits but when you deceive and hide elements of drug labeling thinking no one will find out, then that is always bad. Isn't the goal of ethical conduct more important than deceit, which appears to sell if you can confuse stuff.

In Alt. Med, things are worse because there is less of a scientific knowledge based and most tend to say their system of Chee Gung is the BEst in the Universe, while lacking the tools in explaining why and under what conditions. I reference Falun Gong because of its "Evil Association" whereby despite one's feeling about it, the scientific process as explained can be duplicated (the knowledge base) thougj it would be expensive based on the equipment used. Obviously, more simpler strategies and monitoring equipment can make qigong and taijiquan more adaptable under all conditions.

[GeneChing]

This is obvious really. I'm ttt-ing it because our qigong forum needs a little luv. ;)

Bee Healthy: Qi Gong shown to benefit COPD patients (http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/14/3438970/bee-healthy-qi-gong-shown-to-benefit.html)
BY JESSICA JACKSON
July 14, 2014

According to the National Qi Gong Association, Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese health care system that reestablishes the body/mind/soul connection. It has numerous health benefits and is practiced for spiritual enhancement, medical purposes, and even self-defense.

Qi (pronounced chee) is the Chinese word for energy or life force. Gong (pronounced gung) means skill obtained through constant practice. Qi Gong is essentially the practice of cultivating life energy through breathing techniques, postures, mental focus and movement.

There are many styles of Qi Gong and when practiced regularly the body’s stress levels decrease, endurance and energy increase and the immune system is enhanced. It also can improve functions of major organs, like the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. Several scientific studies have shown Qi Gong’s particular impact on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

One study by Chun, Lee, Suen and Tam found that Qi Gong improves lung function and actually slows the progression of COPD. Participants in this study engaged in 60-minute Qi Gong sessions twice a week for several months. They were taught various breathing techniques and slow, gentle movements and after six months demonstrated a marked improvement in lung function, endurance and activity levels.

A different study by Leung, Alison, McKeough and Petus boasted similar findings. They found that participants in their study developed increased exercise capacity, improved balance and muscle strength, and enhanced quality of life.

Qi Gong is an effective, inexpensive, highly accessible and adaptable form of physical, mental and spiritual exercise. No special equipment is needed, so it can be practiced anywhere.

People of all fitness and skill levels can participate and benefit from practicing this art. It is especially beneficial for those who have chronic lung disease. It relieves anxiety/stress, increases energy levels, helps slow the progression of COPD and improves overall quality of life. There are a number of Qi Gong instructional books and DVDs available for purchase at bookstores and on the Internet. Many health and wellness centers offer classes, as well.

[Lee Chiang Po]

At great risk of being rediculed, I will tell you a true story about my experiences with qiigong. In late 2011 I was diagnosed as having very late stage abdominal cancer. I was told it was terminal, and that I didn't have a lot of time left. Such is life. Then an old doctor came to me and asked if I would let him try some new chemo and treatments on me since I really had no hope of survival anyway. I went along with it, but had no idea what I was getting myself into. The chemo started in early 2012, but it was extremely difficult. The very first treatment caused a heart attack. My 10th. On and off I was doing chemo treatments until early 2013, at which time they hollowed me out. The chemo had given them clearly defined lines for surgically removing the cancer. Something went terribly wrong, and I spent almost the entire year of 2013 in 4 different intensive care units. My family was again told I would soon die. Months went by, I was in and out of consciousness. Eventually, they sent me to a place where they care for you until you die. There was nothing more they could do for me.
I had been cut from my pelvic to my navel, and my bladder and a bunch of other stuff had been removed. I was cut right through my center of equalibriam, and I simply could not generate or focus my qi. I started by having an aid set me up in a chair. I started doing qigong exercises. It was difficult at first, and it caused pain in my belly, and I could not focus. Eventually, I was able to stand. I was generating qi and was starting to be able to focus it. I even started doing sil lim along with qigong. Then chum kil. All the doctors that worked with me were stricken with amazement that I not only survived, but I am doing very well. I am cancer free at the moment. I do qigong and my wing chun forms every day now. I can never be like I was, but I will be as good as I can be.
I can't tell you that qigong saved me from death, but it would seem that I had no other prospects at the time.

[Vajramusti]

At great risk of being rediculed, I will tell you a true story about my experiences with qiigong. In late 2011 I was diagnosed as having very late stage abdominal cancer. I was told it was terminal, and that I didn't have a lot of time left. Such is life. Then an old doctor came to me and asked if I would let him try some new chemo and treatments on me since I really had no hope of survival anyway. I went along with it, but had no idea what I was getting myself into. The chemo started in early 2012, but it was extremely difficult. The very first treatment caused a heart attack. My 10th. On and off I was doing chemo treatments until early 2013, at which time they hollowed me out. The chemo had given them clearly defined lines for surgically removing the cancer. Something went terribly wrong, and I spent almost the entire year of 2013 in 4 different intensive care units. My family was again told I would soon die. Months went by, I was in and out of consciousness. Eventually, they sent me to a place where they care for you until you die. There was nothing more they could do for me.
I had been cut from my pelvic to my navel, and my bladder and a bunch of other stuff had been removed. I was cut right through my center of equalibriam, and I simply could not generate or focus my qi. I started by having an aid set me up in a chair. I started doing qigong exercises. It was difficult at first, and it caused pain in my belly, and I could not focus. Eventually, I was able to stand. I was generating qi and was starting to be able to focus it. I even started doing sil lim along with qigong. Then chum kil. All the doctors that worked with me were stricken with amazement that I not only survived, but I am doing very well. I am cancer free at the moment. I do qigong and my wing chun forms every day now. I can never be like I was, but I will be as good as I can be.
I can't tell you that qigong saved me from death, but it would seem that I had no other prospects at the time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for sharing your story. What kind of qigong did you do?

[Lee Chiang Po]

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for sharing your story. What kind of qigong did you do?

I cannot give you a name for it, but I can attempt to explain it. I have several different exercises. Some are purely physical, others mostly meditation, and a couple that are both.
For healing in my abdomen I did a breathing exercise that entailed humming with a deep gutteral tone in an effort to vibrate the wounded area. I would imagine the generation of chi and mentally try to channel it upward. At first it made me feel ill and nausia. Eventually, I felt something that felt very strange, as it seemed like waves of sensation moving upward in my belly. By then I was standing. No strength, but able to stand for the first time in many months. I would place my palms over my wound as I hummed deeply, and then slowly brought my hands up my center line as high as I could reach, then brought my hands out to a 45 angle over my head and held that until I had expended all the air in my lungs. Then as I inhaled deeply and slowly I would bring my hands down and place them over the wound again. I was told that imagination was a great healer, so I would imagine pure energy flowing again from my center core. I would also sit for hours doing sil lim in my mind. I would not move except in my mind and thoughts. I would do it very slowly at first, then faster with time. This was a form of meditation, and my body responded by flowing energy through my body. This was my intention, whether or not it really happened.
If the mind can heal, this could be an example of it. I had been given up to the grim reaper, and it was said that nothing else could be done for me. I gain strength daily I feel, but due to the loss of heart I am now severely limited. But, I am also still alive for now.

[Hendrik]

Appreciate for your sharing!


I cannot give you a name for it, but I can attempt to explain it. I have several different exercises. Some are purely physical, others mostly meditation, and a couple that are both.
For healing in my abdomen I did a breathing exercise that entailed humming with a deep gutteral tone in an effort to vibrate the wounded area. I would imagine the generation of chi and mentally try to channel it upward. At first it made me feel ill and nausia. Eventually, I felt something that felt very strange, as it seemed like waves of sensation moving upward in my belly. By then I was standing. No strength, but able to stand for the first time in many months. I would place my palms over my wound as I hummed deeply, and then slowly brought my hands up my center line as high as I could reach, then brought my hands out to a 45 angle over my head and held that until I had expended all the air in my lungs. Then as I inhaled deeply and slowly I would bring my hands down and place them over the wound again. I was told that imagination was a great healer, so I would imagine pure energy flowing again from my center core. I would also sit for hours doing sil lim in my mind. I would not move except in my mind and thoughts. I would do it very slowly at first, then faster with time. This was a form of meditation, and my body responded by flowing energy through my body. This was my intention, whether or not it really happened.
If the mind can heal, this could be an example of it. I had been given up to the grim reaper, and it was said that nothing else could be done for me. I gain strength daily I feel, but due to the loss of heart I am now severely limited. But, I am also still alive for now.

[David Jamieson]

The Qigongs I practice do appear to be preventative measures against the ill effects of a sedate lifestyle, aging, etc.

My limbs are to that end limber, my joints are supple and do not crack or pop when bent in full range of motion. my breathing remains steady, deep and unfaltering an my ability to regulate force output is always gaining as I seek to use the least amount of force to get to the desired outcome.

Breathing in tandem with motion and related to output of energies and cultivation of good mind an body. This is what Qi Gong is and if that isn't preventative medicine through work, then I don't know what is.

[Syn7]

Would you agree that the specific movements are not as important as the fact that you are just moving? If you did full ranges of motion while breathing in a disciplined manner, does it really matter if your arm goes 'this way' before it goes 'that way'?

[David Jamieson]

Would you agree that the specific movements are not as important as the fact that you are just moving? If you did full ranges of motion while breathing in a disciplined manner, does it really matter if your arm goes 'this way' before it goes 'that way'?

Yes, I would agree.

I think the mystification of it is its greatest bane. There are a lot of people who really can't describe what it is and what it does.
You know what they say about an expert that can't explain something in laymens terms. They say s/he's no expert.

To that end, anything that has you using your limbs and using your breath on a regular basis will put you ahead of the person who doesn't.

In the west (North America primarily some European countries and of course, Koala bear land all tucked away down there with the kiwis.), daily exercise is getting more important, but for the longest time and even today, there are a great many people who do not exercises whatsoever and then they wonder why their body is getting fat, breaking down, aching etc.

Like any machine, if you don't use it, you will lose it. An idle engine rusts a lot faster than a used one.

As for all the reiki type stuff, I do believe that is essentially and physically nonsense. But I also believe that if it helps someone get over the psychosomatic response to their ailment, then it's ok in that instance. I also understand that there are outliers. There are some people who will claim all sorts of wondrous things to attribute to some practice or another. miracle cures and all that. But if it were a science, it would be repeatable, it's not repeatable and therefore, such claims of the purpose of the art are dubious at best and cast it into the realm of pseudo science which in turn leads others to completely trash it and lose out on the actual benefits.

In other words, don't let fake ass wannabe wizards near your health arts! they'll screw it up for sure. lol :D

[rett2]

Would you agree that the specific movements are not as important as the fact that you are just moving? If you did full ranges of motion while breathing in a disciplined manner, does it really matter if your arm goes 'this way' before it goes 'that way'?

I appreciate your healthy skepticism but I think you're simplifying a bit. It's not just about waving your arms around and breathing in relation to that. Just as you coordinate movement with breath, you also coordinate different parts of your body together, hips knees and arms being perhaps the most well-known example. So yeah if you reverse which hand goes which way you can really change the whole body meaning of the movement. And even an isolated movement can be done well or less well.

Someone for example whose shoulder tends to dislocate needs to pay very close attention to the shoulder-joint range of motion when moving the arms in exercise. But we actually all should have that level of attention, at least sometimes, whenever we're doing qigong. It's much better I believe to learn that from someone teaching a routine that has been thoughtfully put together than just randomly combining movements with the breath.

Another aspect is that movements can be aids for directing the attention. Our hands are very sensitive, for example, and this means it can be easier to direct caring attention to parts of the body if our hands are near that part of the body. That can be part of the meaning of certain movments. There's no hocus pocus to this. It's just how we're put together, embodied, and relate to our environment.

These kind of aspects are I believe part of the "package" of qigong routines and aren't easy to just make up or rediscover on one's own. And of course at times it can also be beneficial to forget all control and discipline and just let things go naturally.

Apologies if I've misrepresented what you meant or put words in your mouth.

[rett2]

As for all the reiki type stuff, I do believe that is essentially and physically nonsense. But I also believe that if it helps someone get over the psychosomatic response to their ailment, then it's ok in that instance.

I'm not sure how dismissive you mean to be here, but as I'm sure you know there are dozens (maybe hundreds) of muscles in our faces that are hooked up to the limbic system so that we can convey all kinds of subtle and not so subtle emotions through our faces. This is part of how we communicate as social animals. And actually the whole body is like a face, even if it's not so easy to see. Why is dance such an expressive art, and able to trigger a sympathetic emotional reaction in a viewer? We are incredibly sensitive beings and we are very embodied.

So yeah, we pretty much all are carrying things in our bodies in the forms of tensions in places like chest, throat, belly, shoulderblades and these tensions change our bodily perception. There's nothing hocus pocus about sensations and emotions arising from working with caring attention, stretching and movement with different parts of the body. And there's no point dismissing it as psychosomatic when this is the common situation most modern people find themselves in. These aspects I believe are very much a part of the meaning of qigong routines, the reiki type stuff and all that. Apart from things like buried wounds maybe it's possible also to find neglected abilities and possibilities.

[rett2]

I cannot give you a name for it, but I can attempt to explain it. I have several different exercises. Some are purely physical, others mostly meditation, and a couple that are both.
For healing in my abdomen I did a breathing exercise that entailed humming with a deep gutteral tone in an effort to vibrate the wounded area. I would imagine the generation of chi and mentally try to channel it upward. At first it made me feel ill and nausia. Eventually, I felt something that felt very strange, as it seemed like waves of sensation moving upward in my belly. By then I was standing. No strength, but able to stand for the first time in many months. I would place my palms over my wound as I hummed deeply, and then slowly brought my hands up my center line as high as I could reach, then brought my hands out to a 45 angle over my head and held that until I had expended all the air in my lungs. Then as I inhaled deeply and slowly I would bring my hands down and place them over the wound again. I was told that imagination was a great healer, so I would imagine pure energy flowing again from my center core. I would also sit for hours doing sil lim in my mind. I would not move except in my mind and thoughts. I would do it very slowly at first, then faster with time. This was a form of meditation, and my body responded by flowing energy through my body. This was my intention, whether or not it really happened.
If the mind can heal, this could be an example of it. I had been given up to the grim reaper, and it was said that nothing else could be done for me. I gain strength daily I feel, but due to the loss of heart I am now severely limited. But, I am also still alive for now.

Thank you for your generosity in sharing this.

[GeneChing]

If qigong could market itself as good for weight loss alone, it would take off in America.


Qigong Helps Weight Loss For Diabetics - New Research (http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1350-qigong-helps-weight-loss-for-diabetics-new-research)
on 08 August 2014.

Qigong helps diabetics lose weight. New research conducted at the Bastyr University Research Institute (Kenmore, Washington) concludes that qigong “has a positive impact on body weight in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).” The Yin Yang symbol, shown here, depicts balance and harmony. Measurements of body weight, body mass index (BMI), insulin resistance and fasting glucose confirm that medical qigong exercises benefit patients with diabetes.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) includes several methods for the purposes of improving health including herbal medicine, acupuncture, Tui-Na massage, Qigong and Tai Chi (Taijichuan). Qigong is the art of movement exercises combined with breathing control. In this most recent study, the style of Yi Ren medical qigong was used. Participants practiced in a group setting for 60 minutes per week with instructors and practiced at home at a rate of twice per week for 30 minutes per session.

The study team notes a very interesting phenomena. Qigong reduced the BMI (body mass index) for patients with high BMIs and raised the BMI for patients with abnormally low BMIs. This suggests a natural homeostatic response to Qigong in human subjects. Beneficial effects on weight loss for overweight subjects were measured and decreases in insulin resistance were significant. As a results, the researchers conclude that medical qigong provides important benefits for weight loss, BMI control and improvements in insulin resistance.


Below is an image from a scroll dating back to the Han Dynasty. It depicts several Qigong exercises.

http://www.healthcmi.com/images/91news/Qigong_han.jpg

This Han Dynasty scroll image depicts Qigong movements and positions.

Reference:
Sun, G. C., X. Ding, X. H. Zhou, A. Putiri, and R. Bradley. "Effects of Yi Ren Medical Qigong on Body Weight in People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study." J Integrative Med Ther 1, no. 1 (2014): 5.
Author Affiliations:
1 Institute of Qigong and Integrative Medicine, Bothell, Washington.
2 Bastyr University Research Institute, Kenmore, Washington.
3 University of Washington, Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, and HSR&D VA Pudget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington.
4 Bastyr University Research Institute, San Diego, California.
- See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1350-qigong-helps-weight-loss-for-diabetics-new-research#sthash.9jMzWHw2.dpuf

[GeneChing]

Qigong gaining popularity as healing tool in the West (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/features/article/qigong-gaining-popularity-as-healing-tool-in-the-west)
Published: 1 June 2015 7:22 AM

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/assets/uploads/articles/qigong-afprelax.jpg
Qigong: a thousand-year-old discipline that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention to heal the body and mind. – AFP/Relaxnews pic, June 1, 2015.Qigong: a thousand-year-old discipline that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention to heal the body and mind. – AFP/Relaxnews pic, June 1, 2015.

Qigong is a thousand-year-old discipline that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention to heal the body and mind. Some of its therapeutic benefits, scientifically proven in China, are now being studied and promoted in the West.

Qigong is accessible to all: young and old, from the sporty to the less inclined, can participate in the ancient art, whose name signifies the mastery of energy and which is based on breathing exercises in conjunction with slow, non-violent movements that aim to reconcile the body with the mind and restore vitality.

In China, where it has been practised for centuries, qigong is said to aid the circulation of energy and help release tension as well as relax the body. There, and more recently in the United States, doctors have applied qigong in hospitals and clinics to treat individuals suffering from a variety of ailments, though in countries such as France, the practice is reserved for practitioners with a medical degree who have completed a five-year curriculum in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), of which qigong is one of the four main branches, along with acupuncture, herbal medicine and medical massage.

The discipline is thus utilised there as adjuvant to treatments for cardiovascular, rheumatic and neurological problems, while in Germany and Switzerland, qigong is actually reimbursed by social security within the framework of preventative medicine.

In the United States, the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is continuing its research into unconventional approaches for health such as tai chi and qigong, which, according to Gary Jiang, president of the American Tai Chi & Qigong Association, “is a formal recognition by the Congress and American people that the effectiveness and the safety of the unconventional approaches like tai chi and qigong have been proven by reliable evidences”.

Known for preventing disease thanks to better oxygenation and nutritional intake by the organs, the practice can heal different illnesses such as nervousness, insomnia and constipation. It also can put an end to back pains and weight issues.

Numerous therapeutic applications

Most of the current research on qigong being conducted and published in Asia indicates that there are benefits across multiple medical sectors.

In 2007, a journal published a series of 12 randomised clinical trials in which almost 1,000 people participated. The results indicated that the regular practice of qigong could have positive effects on lowering blood pressure but that they would need more rigorously designed trials to ascertain for sure.

Another study relating to qigong practiced alone and a second to qigong practiced with a teacher reveal that the discipline could prove efficient in relieving chronic pain. In 2010, further research corroborated this fact and indicated that the participants of a qigong group experienced a reduction in pain intensity after four weeks of treatment.

Scientific literature has also shown the benefits of qigong in improving the quality of life after cancer by playing notably on things like mood, fatigue and inflammation and reducing the undesirable side-effects of chemotherapy.

Other studies with limited clinical scope have revealed that qigong could improve the quality of life for older people or those suffering from cardiac problems and that it could have positive influences on the immune system. – AFP/Relaxnews, June 1, 2015.
This is somewhat of a cursory overview (I hate articles that mention 'studies' but don't actually cite the source). I'm just trying to feed this subforum here.

[GeneChing]

This article looks interesting but you have to be a member to access it and there's no abstract.


Effect of Health Qigong Baduanjin on Fall Prevention in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.14438/full)
Authors
Chunmei Xiao MEd,
Yongchang Zhuang MEd,
Yong Kang MEd
First published: 14 September 2016Full publication history
DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14438

[GeneChing]

This is a significant beneficial aspect of Tai Chi & Qigong now with the ever expanding elderly community.

This is just the abstract. Follow the link for the full article.


Effects of tai chi qigong on psychosocial well-being among hidden elderly, using elderly neighborhood volunteer approach: a pilot randomized controlled trial (https://www.dovepress.com/effects-of-tai-chi-qigong-on-psychosocial-well-being-among-hidden-elde-peer-reviewed-article-CIA)

Authors Chan AW, Yu DS, Choi KC

Received 13 October 2016

Accepted for publication 29 November 2016

Published 5 January 2017 Volume 2017:12 Pages 85—96

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S124604

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single-blind

Peer reviewers approved by Dr Lucy Goodman

Peer reviewer comments 3

Editor who approved publication: Professor Zhi-Ying Wu

Aileen WK Chan, Doris SF Yu, KC Choi

The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR

Purpose: To test the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a tai chi qigong program with the assistance of elderly neighborhood volunteers in strengthening social networks and enhancing the psychosocial well-being of hidden elderly.
Patients and methods: “Hidden elderly” is a term used to describe older adults who are socially isolated and refuse social participation. This pilot randomized controlled trial recruited 48 older adults aged 60 or above who did not engage in any social activity. They were randomized into tai chi qigong (n=24) and standard care control (n=24) groups. The former group underwent a three-month program of two 60-minute sessions each week, with the socially active volunteers paired up with them during practice. Standard care included regular home visits by social workers. Primary outcomes were assessed by means of the Lubben social network and De Jong Gieveld loneliness scales, and by a revised social support questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were covered by a mental health inventory and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and quality of life by using the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey. Data was collected at baseline, and at three and six months thereafter.
Results: The generalized estimating equations model revealed general improvement in outcomes among participants on the tai chi qigong program. In particular, participants reported a significantly greater improvement on the loneliness scale (B=-1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.54 to -0.11, P=0.033) and the satisfaction component of the social support questionnaire (B=3.43, 95% CI 0.10–6.76, P=0.044) than the control group.

Conclusion: The pilot study confirmed that tai chi qigong with elderly neighborhood volunteers is a safe and feasible social intervention for hidden elderly. Its potential benefits in improving social and psychological health suggest the need for a full-scale randomized controlled trial to reveal its empirical effects.

[GeneChing]

Qigong boosts cancer patients' survival chances by factor of 18 (http://ergo-log.com/qigong-boosts-cancer-patients-survival-chances-by-factor-of-18.html)
Cancer patients can improve their prospects by doing an hour of qigong exercises every morning, write Chinese researchers from Guilin Medical University in Medicine. In the group of patients that the Chinese studied, practising qigong increased their survival chances by a factor of 18.

Study
The Chinese studied 122 patients with cancer in the respiratory system for a period of 10 years. Most had lung cancer, but some also had nasopharyngeal cancer. Out of the group 76 patients chose voluntarily to do an hour of qigong almost every morning; the other 46 could not be persuaded.

Qigong consists of gentle movement with static postures in which breathing exercises are done. The participants in the qigong groups practised on average 279 times a year.

Results
Qigong increased the survival chances of the cancer patients. After ten years, of the patients who had not done qigong [Non-MBE], 2.2 percent were still alive. Of the patients who had done qigong [MBE], 39.5 percent were still alive after 10 years. So qigong increased the 10-year survival chance of this group by a factor of 18.

Click on the figure below for a larger version.
http://ergo-log.com/plaatjes/qigonglungcancersurvival2.gif
http://ergo-log.com/plaatjes/qigonglungcancersurvival.gif

The breathing of the survivors in the qigong group changed. The participants were able to suspend their breath for longer after exhaling. In technical terms, their end-tidal breath holding time increased gradually over the 10-year period from 17.5 to 21.3 seconds.

http://ergo-log.com/plaatjes/qigonglungcancersurvival3.gif

At the same time, the number of times per minute that the survivors in the qigong group inhaled and exhaled went down from 24.2 to 18.6.

Mechanism
In the 10-year period the researchers observed that the people in the qigong group gradually started to exhale a little more carbon dioxide and a little less oxygen. The Chinese believe that this explains how qigong increases the survival chances of these cancer patients: qigong inhibits cancer by making more oxygen available to the body's tissues.

http://ergo-log.com/plaatjes/qigong2.gif

"Oxygen-carbon dioxide homeostasis via normal breathing is crucial for health while disturbance of the homeostasis may cause many disorders, especially cancers," the Chinese speculate.

"Kunz and Ibrahim [Mol Cancer. 2003 Apr 17;2:23.] have proposed that tissue hypoxia may serve as a central factor for carcinogenesis, invasion, aggressiveness, and metastasis. Distant metastases in human soft tissue sarcoma can be predicted by tumor oxygenation. [Cancer Res. 1996 Mar 1;56(5):941-3.] Generally, the difficulty in one's breathing is parallel to the cancer invasion."

"Moreover, hypoxia can compromise the function of macrophages, enzymes and other cytokines and lymphocytes of the immune system. [Oncol Res. 1997;9(6-7):383-90.]"

http://ergo-log.com/plaatjes/qigong.gif

"In addition, hypoxic conditions modulate biological responses including activation of signaling pathways that regulate proliferation, angiogenesis, and death. [Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1986 Aug;12(8):1279-82.] [Mol Cell Biol. 1998 May;18(5):2845-54.]"

Conclusion
"An individualized exercise program such as morning breathing exercises may be essential in cancer management," the researchers wrote. "Collectively, morning breathing exercises might be beneficial for long-term survival of lung cancer patients and nasopharyngeal cancer patients."

"Given the fact that each and every day, thousands of people are diagnosed with cancers, morning breathing exercises may offer a cost-effective approach to people living with cancer."

Source:
Medicine (Baltimore). 2017 Jan;96(2):e5838.

The form shown in the diagram is a baduanjin (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56712-Baduanjin-(8-section-brocade)) with variations.

[GeneChing]

Military Researchers Collaborate With University on Opioid Crisis (https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1289925/military-researchers-collaborate-with-university-on-opioid-crisis/)
By Sarah Marshall Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 25, 2017 — Opioids are the main driver of drug overdose deaths across the United States, and West Virginia has been among the hardest hit by the crisis, experiencing the highest overdose death rates in the country.

https://media.defense.gov/2017/Aug/25/2001798237/400/400/0/170825-D-ZZ999-0825.JPG
With the military, West Virginia and the nation experiencing over-reliance on opioids for pain management, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and West Virginia University have established an official collaboration to pool their resources to help in solving the problem. Graphic courtesy of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

With a shared vision of combating this growing epidemic, health care providers and researchers from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences here and West Virginia University have established an official collaboration to pool their resources.

In 2015, the overdose death rate in West Virginia was an estimated 41.5 per 100,000 people, an increase of about 17 percent from the year prior, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cabell County in southern West Virginia has a population of 96,000, and an estimated 10,000 of those residents are addicted to opioids.

Additionally, the state's indigent burial fund, which helps families pay for a funeral when they can't afford one, reportedly ran out of money this year for the sixth consecutive year, largely due to the high number of overdose deaths.

As the opioid epidemic continues to have a substantial impact on the state, leaders from WVU reached out to USU's Defense and Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management, aware of their efforts to successfully combat opioid misuse in the military over the last several years with the idea that lessons learned in the military would be applicable to their state's current crisis. Earlier this year, leaders from both universities developed a cooperative research and development agreement allowing them to formally share pain management resources developed by DVCIPM.

Adding Value to Civilian, Military Medicine

The agreement also allows the DVCIPM an opportunity to measure the efficacy of the tools they've developed in a new environment – a collaboration that these leaders believe already is adding value to both civilian and military medicine.

Nearly a decade ago, at the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, physicians were seeking to help troops get their chronic pain levels to zero as they survived combat injuries in record numbers. This was often achieved by using opioids – and using opioids as a single modality – which the military quickly realized was not effective, because this approach was affecting many service members and their relationships with loved ones, work, and daily living.

In 2009, then-Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Eric Schoomaker chartered the Army Pain Management Task Force, which sought to make recommendations for a comprehensive pain management strategy, ensuring an optimal quality of life for service members and other patients dealing with pain. It became clear to the military that pain should be viewed as more than just a number, and over the last several years, the military has been dedicated to researching and developing more effective tools for pain management, ultimately reducing the number of those potentially exposed to opioid addiction.

The task force's efforts led to the development of DVCIPM, which was designated as a Defense Department Center of Excellence last year.

Schoomaker, now retired, continues to lead these efforts, serving as vice chair for leadership, centers and programs for USU's department of military and emergency medicine, which oversees DVCIPM.

"We now have good evidence for the use of non-pharmacologic, non-opioid treatments, such as yoga, guided imagery, medical massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, Tai Chi, as well as a closely related movement therapy called Qigong, and music therapy," he said. "We have pretty good research to endorse their use."

Because these practices might not work the same for each person, he added, it's important to use a variety of these modalities as part of a comprehensive program, tailored to the needs of an individual with chronic pain. Now, thanks to the official collaboration between USU and WVU, DVCIPM will have the opportunity to continue researching the efficacy of various integrative modalities and the pain management tools and resources they've developed.

"We owe it to our patients, and we owe it to practitioners, to only use tools that have good evidence for their use," Schoomaker said.

Gathering, Measuring Data

DVCIPM Director Dr. Chester "Trip" Buckenmaier said the center's tools and resources have mainly been used in a fairly selective population within the military. Studying their efficacy in a smaller system within a state's civilian infrastructure will allow them to gather and measure data on how successful they can be in a broader population, which will continue to help illustrate the potential these tools have.

https://media.defense.gov/2017/Aug/25/2001798247/400/400/0/170825-D-ZZ999-2508.JPG
Battlefield acupuncture is a unique auricular (ear) acupuncture procedure providing an integrative modality to help treat chronic pain. It’s being taught to qualified providers in the military. Now, thanks to a new collaboration between Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and West Virginia University, it’s also being employed in a new pain management center in West Virginia to help combat the opioid crisis. Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences photo by Sarah Marshall

"It's important to have relationships like we have with West Virginia. … They pay off in so many different ways that you can never anticipate," Schoomaker said.

Dr. Mike Brumage, WVU's assistant dean for Public Health Practice and Service, initiated the collaborative effort by reaching out to USU about two years ago, wanting to do something about the issue affecting his native West Virginia. At the time, he had just retired after a 25-year career in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, and was able to connect with former military health colleagues, including Schoomaker and then-Army Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Richard Thomas, who was serving as the Defense Health Agency's chief medical officer. Thomas is an alumnus of WVU's undergraduate, dental and medical programs, and is now USU's president.

This quickly led to several more meetings and discussions, led by Dr. Clay Marsh, vice president and executive dean of WVU's Health Sciences Center, and Dr. Bill Ramsey, assistant vice president of coordination and logistics for the center. Ultimately, they arrived at a CRADA, signed off by Thomas and Marsh, and have since continued looking for ways to make the most out of their collaboration.

The hope is that this joint effort will galvanize further interest from other entities, Schoomaker said, leading to other similar collaborations, ultimately continuing the fight against a crisis that's impacting the entire nation.

Medicinal Qigong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine) & Tai Chi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?50553-Tai-Chi-as-medicine) may ultimately be their greatest gifts (Acupuncture (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?27878-Acupuncture-Study) is intrinsically medicinal).

[GeneChing]

Tai Chi and Qigong for cancer-related symptoms and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
December 12, 2017
This study aims to summarize and critically evaluate the effects of Tai Chi and Qigong (TCQ) mind-body exercises on symptoms and quality of life (QOL) in cancer survivors.

A systematic search in four electronic databases targeted randomized and non-randomized clinical studies evaluating TCQ for fatigue, sleep difficulty, depression, pain, and QOL in cancer patients, published through August 2016. Meta-analysis was used to estimate effect sizes (ES, Hedges' g) and publication bias for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methodological bias in RCTs was assessed.

Our search identified 22 studies, including 15 RCTs that evaluated 1283 participants in total, 75% women. RCTs evaluated breast (n = 7), prostate (n = 2), lymphoma (n = 1), lung (n = 1), or combined (n = 4) cancers. RCT comparison groups included active intervention (n = 7), usual care (n = 5), or both (n = 3). Duration of TCQ training ranged from 3 to 12 weeks. Methodological bias was low in 12 studies and high in 3 studies. TCQ was associated with significant improvement in fatigue (ES = - 0.53, p < 0.001), sleep difficulty (ES = - 0.49, p = 0.018), depression (ES = - 0.27, p = 0.001), and overall QOL (ES = 0.33, p = 0.004); a statistically non-significant trend was observed for pain (ES = - 0.38, p = 0.136). Random effects models were used for meta-analysis based on Q test and I 2 criteria. Funnel plots suggest some degree of publication bias. Findings in non-randomized studies largely paralleled meta-analysis results.

Larger and methodologically sound trials with longer follow-up periods and appropriate comparison groups are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn, and cancer- and symptom-specific recommendations can be made.

TCQ shows promise in addressing cancer-related symptoms and QOL in cancer survivors.

Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice. 2017 Dec 08 [Epub ahead of print]

Peter M Wayne, M S Lee, J Novakowski, K Osypiuk, J Ligibel, L E Carlson, R Song

Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, 900 Commonwealth Avenue, 3rd floor, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. pwayne@partners.org., Clinical Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea., Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, 900 Commonwealth Avenue, 3rd floor, Boston, MA, 02215, USA., Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA., Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada., College of Nursing, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.

PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29222705

More medicinal Qigong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine) & Tai Chi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?50553-Tai-Chi-as-medicine)

[GeneChing]

Qigong gets popular in Bay Area (http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201805/29/WS5b0d68e3a31001b82571cfed.html)
By Lia Zhu in San Francisco | China Daily USA | Updated: 2018-05-29 22:51
With a badge reading "I'm Cancer Free" on his chest, Ken Adler headed to the middle of the room with six other elderly people.

They moved through a series of slow-motion exercises as mood music played in the background.

"Feet on the ground, look forward, unlock your knees," Edith Chiang, the instructor of the qigong class said as she demonstrated the movements.

The qigong program was being offered by the oncology department of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation free of charge to the public. Most of the participants were patients receiving treatment and not capable of much movement.

"Qigong is an ancient Chinese form of exercise, which enhances the circulation of qi, or life energy. In traditional Chinese medicine, when qi flows freely in a balanced fashion, health is restored and disease is prevented," said Chiang.

She has been teaching qigong in the Bay Area for more than 10 years at major hospitals, including Keiser Permanente, Palo Alto Medical Foundation and El Camino Hospital. More than 500 people have attended her classes.

Many of the participants turn to qigong as an alternative recovery therapy when conventional medicine fails to produce satisfying results, said Chiang.

"For someone who's going to cancer treatment, the treatments are harsh, to say the least. And it just wreaks havoc on a person's body. This is a way of exploring your body's sensations in a more pleasant and affirming way," said Adler, a trainer in Live Strong Live Well, a strength and fitness training program for cancer survivors.

He introduced qigong to his program and the participants "love" it. It provides a different way of thinking about strength training, he said.

"It's a proactive engagement with oneself," said Adler. "Keeping people motivated, encouraging them to stay the course even when they feel the awful effects of the treatment - these are important elements of emotional and psychological endurance training for our participants."

Though little understood in the Western world, qigong is becoming popular in the Bay Area.

"Qigong is being increasingly accepted by the mainstream, as its benefits are being recognized," said Jean Yu, manager of the Chinese Health Initiative at El Camino Hospital. Her program plans to offer its first English-language qigong class this summer.

A study by the National Institutes of Health showed that qigong can help reduce stress and pain, improve balance and prevent falls, said Yu.

The form of qigong practiced by Chiang is called Dayan qigong, based on the movements of the dayan, or wild goose. There are movements representing the animal, like touching toes and flapping "wings".

Unlike other forms of qigong, Dayan qigong requires no special breathing techniques or mental images to facilitate the circulation of qi, so it's easy and safe for beginners, said Chiang.

"You definitely can (feel the energy). I get a lot of warmth in the palm of my hands," said Karen Michael, who has just finished five years of cancer treatments. "When you are doing this stuff, you are bringing the energy to different parts of your body. It's all about energy.

"I'll call it a healing practice. It's really taking your body's energy and deploying it to help yourself," she said.

For Adler, who has been learning with Chiang for four years, the next level of challenge is to learn the entire repertoire of the Dayan qigong set.

"One of these days, I'm going to surprise Edith with all the 64 movements," he said.

Contact the writher at liazhu@chinadailyusa.com

THREADS
Wild Goose Qigong aka Dayan Qigong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?66802-Wild-Goose-Qigong-aka-Dayan-Qigong)
Qigong as Medicine (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine)

[boxerbilly]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htd_DLRZDCs

[GeneChing]

Lawmaker proposes regulation of ancient Chinese practice (https://okcfox.com/news/fox-25-investigates/lawmaker-proposes-regulation-of-ancient-chinese-practice)
by Phil Cross Monday, January 21st 2019
The Oklahoma Capitol, in the early morning, on the last day of the regular legislative session on May 26, 2017 (Phil Cross KOKH)

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — The state would be tasked with regulating the practice of something that is may not be measurable under a proposed bill in the state senate. The bill seeks to create a regulator and licensing board for the practice of Qigong, a Chinese practice of physical exercises and breathing.

Senate Bill 190 (http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2019-20%20int/SB/SB190%20int.pdf), introduced by Tulsa Republican Senator Dave Rader, would create a board that would issue licenses to anyone who is offering Qigong as a cure for medical conditions. The bill said the licensing would not apply to those practicing Qigong for personal benefits.

“It is a medical system that works on just about every disease known to man,” said Tom Bowman who operates a Qigong practice in Tulsa. He is both a teacher and student of the ancient practice and told FOX 25 it is vital to be properly trained before treating anyone.

“You can't just start transferring energy to that person without having the knowledge as to why and where that disease started,” Bowman said.

Qigong is a growing practice in Oklahoma and it focuses on a person’s Qi, which can be described as their life force. The Qi, Bowman explained, runs along the “meridians” referenced in the practice of acupuncture.

Bowman said the practice of Qigong is largely misunderstood and sometimes dismissed because people are confused by the language involved. He said what the practice defines as Qi, actually represents the bioelectricity that scientists can measure in human cells.

“It is the flow of and the quality of the bioelectricity in your body that determines your health,” Bowman said.

He believes clinical practice of Qigong would add legitimacy to those who have truly studied the practice and potentially open the door to insurance coverage of Qigong.

The feeling is not universal among Qigong practitioners.

Tirk Wilder is one of those who believes legislation is unnecessary. He has practiced Eastern Martial Arts for more than five decades and has incorporated Qigong into his personal practices.

“Qigong is a mind body skill is the way I would put it,” Wilder told FOX 25, “It is supposed to create harmony with the universe and I believe it does when it is practiced properly.

Wilder said while the legislation would not directly impact his practice of Qigong, he sees it as a “slippery slope” which could entangle anyone who suggests the health benefits of many of the martial arts that incorporate Qi.

“We don't regulate karate instructors we don't regulate any martial arts instruction, yoga instructors and that's why I’m saying ‘Why is this necessary,’” Wilder said.

“Why do we need this?” Wilder asked “Is somebody being hurt by improper Qigong practice? I'm really hard pressed to believing that.”

There is little scientific evidence to back up many of the claims of Qigong proponents. Bowman said proof comes from practice and that non-believers may never experience the benefits because they have closed their minds to the possibility it could work.

Senator Rader told FOX 25 he supports the idea of a board because of the requests from his constituents like Bowman.

In recent years Oklahoma has sought to identify unnecessary occupational licensing. However, Senator Rader said he does not believe his legislation will create an unnecessary barrier to entering the practice of Qigong.

I'm copying this to Qigong as Medicine (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine) and launching an indie Qigong Regulation thread (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71174-Qigong-Regulation), but I imagine this will only be regarding medical qigong.

[GeneChing]

Nice story.



Cork Lives
10.01.2020 09:48

https://www.echolive.ie/portalsuite/image//fe030fff-0cd2-437c-9a68-af1c84e399ca/mainMediaSize=537x291_type=image_publish=true_x0=0 _y0=5.71_x1=100_y1=70.48_format=1.7777777777777777 __image.jpg
Sheena Crowley. Picture: Michael Keenan

'He told me in six months I wasn't going to be able to move... so I took up kung fu,' says Cork fitness instructor (https://www.echolive.ie/corklives/He-told-me-in-six-months-I-wasnt-going-to-be-able-to-move-so-I-took-up-kung-fu-says-Cork-fitness-instructor-16b2b502-44c0-4dfd-b481-3c9cdcd56932-ds)
By Ellie O'Byrne

AT just 18, Sheena Crowley was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Throughout her twenties, she battled the agonising condition. By the time she was 30, her doctor was telling her to prepare for her future by installing wheelchair ramps at her home and modifying her kitchen.

“He said that in six months’ time I wasn’t going to be able to move, and scheduled me a meeting with someone to arrange a wheelchair and give me advice on the house,” Sheena says. “He told me that the less I moved the better.”

“So I took up kung fu.” She smiles.

Now, 23 years later, Sheena is far from immobile. In fact, she runs her own business, Gingko Mind & Body Wellness, and teaches Slow Motion Fitness classes, based on the ancient Chinese discipline of Qi Gong.

Her journey into Qi Gong practice started with those weekly Wing Chun Kung Fu classes with instructor John O’Riordan.

“I don’t know what made me think of starting Kung Fu, but I did,” Sheena recalls.

“I trained with John once a week, and it took over my life. It still hurt me, and even now it still does; walking can be painful. But you come to realise that pain is just there to give you a message. The more I did, the more the peripheral pain lessened.

“You balance the external work of kung fu, that’s very demanding on the body, with the soft, internal work of Qi Gong.

“For a long time, to me it was just like the pleasure at the end of your training session, but then I became sick, so I turned to Qi Gong fully.”

https://www.echolive.ie/portalsuite/image//65a657b4-d9ac-41c4-bbf5-9c3d171a4e4c/mainMediaSize=MEDIUM_type=image_x0=0_y0=0_x1=100_y 1=100__image.jpg
Sheena Crowley. Picture: Michael Keenan

Sheena’s father, Michael, was a well-known figure in Cork as proprietor of Crowley’s Music Store on McCurtain Street. The much-loved iconic store had catered for generations of Cork musicians. One of its numerous claims to fame was that Rory Gallagher bought his first guitar there.

Following Michael’s death in 2010, Sheena found herself trying to rescue the floundering business.

In 2013, it was a sad moment for the city when she finally conceded and shut the doors on Crowley’s. But the personal toll was devastating; stress had a profound impact on her health.

“It took nearly three years to close the business and I was hanging on for dear life,” Sheena says.

“I was trying to save it because I loved it. I worked from early in the morning until late at night.

“My kidneys were shutting down, my blood pressure was going through the roof. When I went to the doctor, I was just offered medication.

“My kung fu instructor came to my house every day for a month, and we did Qi Gong, and I started to feel a difference.”

While Sheena, who went on to study as a Qi Gong instructor in the Philippines, isn’t “anti- medication,” she sees our current over-burdened healthcare system as symptomatic of the blind eye our fast-paced lives make us turn to our health.

The benefits of knowing our bodies and caring for them are, she says, preventative: “I think we need a system of therapies that people can turn to before they get to the stage of going to the doctor.”

Qi Gong, she says, is all about slowing back down and restoring the connection between mind and body.

Your Qi (pronounced ‘chee’) is your life-force energy, Sheena explains. By learning about balancing Yin and Yang, practitioners learn to cultivate their Qi, which exercises impact on different bodily organs, the foods to support your body type, and the interactions between different emotional states and the healthy balance of different organs’ energy.

https://www.echolive.ie/portalsuite/image//1e48f163-a756-45c3-8905-652a0045cf27/mainMediaSize=MEDIUM_type=image_x0=0_y0=0_x1=100_y 1=100__image.jpg
Sheena Crowley.
Picture: Michael Keenan

“These were exercises designed by Chinese philosophers and monks 5,000 years ago, and that turned into kung fu, and then tai chi came from that,” she says.

“The exercises are designed to maintain your health and to give you responsibility for your body.

“In Qi Gong, we believe that stress and emotions make up 90% of why you’re sick.

“Your spleen is affected by worry, the liver is anger; our emotions are much bigger than we understand, and we invest in them so much and we keep going back to them.”

It seems that in recent years there’s been a backlash against alternative therapies; we’re in an era when science and rationality, however dogmatically they’re asserted, are prized above all else.

Sheena knows that for many Irish people, talk of the body’s flow of energy and of balancing the elements and Yin and Yang can be off-putting.

“I’m reluctant to talk about moving energy around the body, because people are very resistant to things like that in the West, but it’s scientifically proven that the body has an electromagnetic field,” she says.

“The heart has an electromagnetic pulse.”

“The people who are cynical about what I do tend to be the ones who don’t know anything about it.

“How can you dismiss something when you don’t even understand how it works? I think it’s sad that there’s so many naysayers.”

In China, there are 38,000 Qi Gong styles, people can be seen practicing it in parks and public spaces, and the traditional system of medicine is based on the same concepts of Yin and Yang and the elements. But in Ireland, these are new ideas to many.

“I call my classes Slow Motion Fitness because a lot of people haven’t heard of Qi Gong and I thought ‘slow motion fitness’ would give them a sense of what it is,” Sheena says.

“But also, I’m not a purist. I also trained as a personal trainer and so I use some western methodologies mixed in.”

Gingko Mind & Body Wellness classes run in Douglas Community Centre, Ballinlough Youth Centre and Ardfallen Methodist Church Hall, as well as one-on-one sessions, begin in early January. Info: www.facebook.com/GingkoMindBodyWellness/



THREADS
Wing Chun Qi Gong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?3486-Wing-Chun-Qi-Gong)
Qigong as Medicine (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine)

[GeneChing]

Indoor exercise boom among Chinese amid efforts to curb novel coronavirus epidemic (http://www.china.org.cn/china/Off_the_Wire/2020-01/31/content_75661741.htm)
Xinhua, January 31, 2020

JINAN, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Fan Dongquan, a fitness coach with Jinan Hot Blood Fitness Studio in east China's Shandong Province, on Thursday conducted a 90-minute fitness course on-line for free.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has kept millions of Chinese like Fan from outdoors activities since late January, so indoors exercise has become an important way to keep healthy.

The Chinese sports community, from individuals like Fan to the sports authorities at all levels, stood forward to actively promote indoors exercises to fight against the epidemic.

China's State General Administration of Sport has called upon sports departments at all levels to promote simple and scientific exercises at home and further fitness knowledge, and advocate a healthy lifestyle via various media during the epidemic.

"I believe that regular physical exercise can protect against illness, especially in a time of the novel coronavirus epidemic," said Fan, adding that the number of participants increased from 243, the first time, to more than 300.

In fact, sports departments around the country have already released a series of indoors exercise programs with accompanying text, pictures and videos.

For example, the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau released a complete set of workouts at home, including stretching and strength training, on Wednesday.

Rizhao Municipal Sports Bureau of Shandong Province has also released some instructions of Taichi, Yoga and 'Five Animals Play.' Meanwhile, they invited local social sports instructors to demonstrate the methods in videos, so that citizens can follow experts to learn how to work out at home.

Sports Bureaus of Qingdao and Yantai also released on their Wechat platforms, the health-promoting ancient Chinese exercises-Baduanjin with detailed instructions. Beijing Sports University on Wednesday issued a video of Baduanjin via their Wechat account and had more than 100,000 comments.

Chinese Health Qigong Association released on Wechat a combination of Chinese therapeutic exercise; Qigong, which was closely related to Chinese martial arts in the past is free of restrictions like venues and equipments.

The State Council, China's cabinet, issued a new Healthy China guideline in July 2019, which promised support for fitness programs with Chinese characteristics, including Tai Chi and Qigong, which channels the body's inner energy to achieve physical and mental harmony.

Cui Yongsheng, staff with Health Qigong Management Center of State General Administration of Sport, noted that practicing Qigong will play a positive role in the fight against the epidemic.

"In the future, we will make more efforts to promote Qigong, so that more people can benefit from it," said Cui. Enditem

THREADS
Coronavirus (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71666-Coronavirus-Wuhan-Pneumonia)
Qigong as Medicine (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine)

[GeneChing]

Whenever the Tai Chi & Qigong newsfeeds have several articles on the same topic, it's the result of a recently published study. I always search for the original source to post here. This is the back pain study that's getting a lot of play right now.


Holistic Nursing Practice. 34(1):3–23, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020
DOI: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000360,
PMID: 31725096
Issn Print: 0887-9311
Publication Date: January/February 2020
A Narrative Review of Movement-Based Mind-Body Interventions: Effects of Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong for Back Pain Patients (https://insights.ovid.com/crossref?an=00004650-202001000-00002)
Juyoung Park;Cheryl Krause-Parello;Chrisanne Barnes;

Abstract
This narrative literature review evaluated the effects of movement-based mind-body interventions (MMBIs; yoga, tai chi, and qigong) on low back pain. A search of databases was conducted to identify relevant studies. Thirty-two articles met inclusion criteria and were included for this narrative review. Of the reviewed studies, the highest number focused on yoga intervention (n = 25), 4 focused on qigong, and 3 focused on tai chi in managing back pain. The selected articles showed MMBI to be effective for treatment of low back pain, reporting positive outcomes such as reduction in pain or psychological distress (eg, depression and anxiety), and improved functional ability. However, little is known about the effects of MMBI, in particular qigong and tai chi. More clinical trials are needed to determine how to reduce back pain, improve physical function, and minimize behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with low back pain. Nurse practitioners may introduce such mind-body interventions for managing pain, especially for patients at high risk for adverse effects from pharmacological treatment, and refer them to a yoga therapist, tai-chi instructor, or qigong instructor.

THREADS
Qigong as Medicine (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine)
Tai Chi as Medicine (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?50553-Tai-Chi-as-medicine)
Yoga (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?22367-Yoga)

[GeneChing]

Got the pandemic blues? READ How to Boost Your Immune System (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1555) by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

http://www.kungfumagazine.com//admin/site_images/KungfuMagazine/images/ezine/1376_Photos_5.jpg

[GeneChing]

Baduanjin Used as a Therapeutic Activity Within a Youth Detention Facility (https://kogenbudo.org/baduanjin-used-as-a-therapeutic-activity-within-a-youth-detention-facility/)
BY ELLIS AMDUR ON FEBRUARY 14, 2021 IN UNCATEGORIZED
Foreword
BaduanJin 八段錦 (‘eight brocade exercise’) is a classic system of Chinese physical culture. Such systems are generically called qigong. There are an almost innumerable number of qigong sets that integrate, in different proportions, breathwork, stretching, physical exercise and meditative practices. Some are crafted to enhance health; others are for the purpose of developing power or martial arts abilities. Each set can have quite different effects on body and mind. Baduanjin is known to enhance skeletal-muscular fitness and vascular health, as well as enabling practitioners to modulate and control their emotions. [1] The term ‘brocade’ can be interpreted in a variety of ways. One that the author finds most useful is that brocade refers to the body’s web of connective tissue (fascia, ligaments and tendons). These are stretched and strengthened through the integration of specific physical movements with certain breathing techniques. A useful image for this is a Chinese finger trap, a tube of woven bamboo strips, that is inserted on the ends of two fingers, and locks (becomes rigid) when pulled, thereby tightening the weave of the bamboo strips.

There are a number of variations of baduanjin, both standing and sitting. The set that I use in my clinical practice is a standing set, that has the following exercises:

Two Hands Hold up the Heavens
Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Eagle
Separate Heaven and Earth
Owl Gazes Backwards or Look Back
Sway the Head and Shake the Tail
Two Hands Hold the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys and Waist
Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely
Bouncing on the Toes
A comprehensive discussion about baduanjin would require a book. To do justice to the topic, such a work would include a full discussion of the history of physical culture in China, as well as a discussion of the proto-scientific theories that underpin these exercises. Furthermore, it would also be necessary to discuss the physical and psychological effects that the performance of baduanjin, and whether any of these claims are research-based. Such a study would be further complicated by the variety of exercises, both sitting or standing, that can comprise a baduanjin set, as well as the different ways that the practitioner is taught to execute that set.

Instead, I will be quite specific here. I am going to discuss one extended case where I used baduanjin as a mode of ‘stealth psychological intervention’ among incarcerated American youth. It is, in essence, a phenomenological case-report. Phenomenological accounts can be of considerable value, because they often bring new, unexpected information. All too often, researchers search for confirmation for what they already expect to be true. Phenomenology introduces us to the unexpected, offering new directions for research on areas of human existence that have not been thought of before.

Were one to carry out further research on using baduanjin in circumstances much like the following case-account, one would need:

‘Differential sorting.’ so that the researcher is sure that she or he has a cohort of incarcerated youth who are detained for similar reasons, coming from similar socio-economic circumstances, etc.
Several research cohorts. One would need to standardize the practice of a specific set of baduanjin for the study. Or, one could choosing two or more different baduanjin methodologies to compare. Finally, one could add a different type of exercise, anything from yoga to such things as body-weight calisthenics to compare rates of improvement.
A consideration of teachers. Will differences in teacher personality or style of teaching effect rates of improvements. In other words, is it the messenger or the message?
In Lock Up: Baduanjin as a Vehicle Towards Personal Integrity
Approximately thirty years ago, I worked at a community mental health agency, specializing in crisis intervention. The local youth detention facility contacted my supervisor, and outlined the following problem: The facility functioned as a jail for youth under the age of eighteen. They had forty single bed cells, holding young people as young as twelve, detained for misdemeanors like truancy, vandalism and petty theft, as well as holding those either awaiting trial or after- conviction placement in a long-term facility for serious drug dealing, rape, assault and murder. They were approximately ninety percent male, and a number of them were gang affiliated, divided among Crips and Bloods (which were, perhaps surprising to some of my readers, multi-racial) and various Hispanic gangs.

The detention facility generally had between seventy and eighty young people incarcerated at any time. “Wait a moment,” the reader might ask, having read the number of ‘forty single-bed cells.’ The overflow slept on mattresses in the hallways. The director described the facility as ‘hot,’ meaning that there were frequent conflicts between inmates and staff (called ‘counselors’ rather than ‘correctional officers,’ as is customary in youth facilities) as well as fights among the youths themselves. The director requested that mental health specialists be dispatched to the facility to conduct twice a week group therapy sessions to lower the ‘heat.’

Another therapist, Carola Schmid and myself, were each dispatched to separately conduct such therapy sessions. They were a disaster. No one talked. What would they talk about anyway? Their crimes? Other people’s crimes? Their gang affiliation or their conflict with other gangs? Each of these would have put them at either legal or physical risk. How about talking about their insecurities, their fears, their loneliness, or their traumas? What do you, the reader, think would happen to any youth who exposed his or her vulnerability within a group where some were predators, and others willingly lent themselves to pack and mob aggression? Any jail or prison community is a dominance hierarchy, and self-disclosure would be the same as painting a bright blue spot on a magpie’s neck—all the other birds in the flock would peck at it, until the bird was killed.

There were other problems. The population was not stable. Some youth were quickly released—their minor misdemeanors attended to by family, attorneys or probation officers. Others were hospitalized due to complications from drug abuse or mental illness. Others had their crimes adjudicated and they were transferred to other facilities. There was stress among different ethnic groups, different gang affiliations, and the rare girl in the group would, just by her presence, precipitate macho posturing, roughhousing, clowning around or sexual harassment.

Ms. Schmid and I came up with a plan that we proposed to the facility director and our supervisor. She is an expert at Astanga Yoga, a very powerful, dynamic form, sometimes referred to as ‘power yoga,’ and I am an expert instructor of traditional martial arts. We would go there, alternating on a weekly basis, and she would teach yoga and I would teach baduanjin. [2]

As I did not attend Ms. Schmid’s classes, I cannot report in detail on her success, but in our regular conversations, she clearly had much the same effect on her classes as I did. (In some respects, Ashtanga Yoga works the body in the same way as baduanjin, but in a much more intense and extreme fashion).

Ms. Schmid writes of her own classes:

On one occasion, I wanted to teach them handstands without the wall, so I asked them to get in groups of three, so two people could help/spot the person going in the handstand. There was some reluctant movement and then one kid said, “No f**king way,” which seemed to be what all the other kids were thinking. I asked why, to which he replied “I don’t f**king trust anyone in here.” They agreed that they would all try if I was one of the two people helping/spotting, and we worked our way through the group.
continued next post

[GeneChing]

As to my work, please remember that each class would have about 70% new members. Those who were there on a regular basis were awaiting trial on felony charges. Each session, therefore, required an introduction. We would meet in an open space, much like a volleyball court, myself and about fifteen to twenty youth. After a brief introduction, invariably, one young man would ask, “So, you are going to teach us to kick ass?”

My reply, “You don’t know how to do that? You need some old man to teach you?” I would say this with a smile, so the youth was teased by his comrades, not shamed. I would then continue: “You really think I would teach you anything that would make you a better fighter? I am doing this for a living. This is my job. I don’t even know you guys. If I teach you something that makes you a better fighter and you get out and use it, then what’s the paper going to say? ‘Youth taught martial arts at Thomas Abernathy Youth Center, arrested in assault.’ I’d lose my job. I’m not going to lose my job over you guys!”

This would break the ice. Some kids would laugh. Most would smile. Then, “So let me ask you a question. Don’t you hate it when someone makes you mad? There you were, minding your own business, having a good day, and someone makes you mad, you lose your temper, and maybe you end up doing something you didn’t plan to do, maybe not even want to do. Maybe that’s why you ended up here. Well, I’m going to teach you some exercises that have the possibility of altering your mind, so that other people won’t be able to make you mad. You’ll only get mad when you want to be mad.” And then we would begin.

Perhaps the reader might ask why I didn’t explain the negative consequences of anger in one’s life, or how these techniques would help one control one’s temper and not get angry at all. This would be naïve. These youth lived in a world of power, obsessively focused on dominance hierarchies within their own small societies, both out of the detention facility and within it as well. Any admission that they needed help being less angry would appear to others as weakness. As one young man said to a therapist-associate of mine, “Ma’am, that sounds really nice, what you are saying about anger. But if I tried what you are saying—and it worked—I wouldn’t last a week in my neighborhood.”

Every once in a while, a young man would test me. He would start clowning around, bothering other youth, maybe posturing up to me. I’d send him away from the group, calmly, without rancor, saying something like, “We’re here to work. You aren’t working here. You have to go back to your cell. Tell the counselor over there.” This was very important for all the young people in the group. That youth was the emissary of all the kids, whether he knew it or not, because everyone there had a question: “Could we make you mad?” If they could, then nothing I presented offered them a thing—they would see me as just another version of them—a full-grown wolf lying to a pack of wolf-cubs. I wanted to show them something else, that a fully developed human possesses his or her emotions, rather than emotions possessing him or her.

The results of this training were clear. Ms. Schmid and I were told that after a year of the program, critical incidents were down fifty percent, even though no other changes had been made within the facility. Was it the baduanjin? Or the yoga? Or both? Or was it something else as well—Ms. Schmid and I embodying, literally, calm and dignity in the context of powerful trained movement. This combination was something that the young people could attach to as a exemplar of something they wished to become. It is my best guess that Ms. Schmid and I had a synergistic effect, at least with the inmates who attended both of our classes. She is a powerful but kind woman, and treats people in a very similar way as my own: frank and direct, never ingratiating herself to be liked. I think that, for the youth, getting the same ‘model of adulthood’ from a powerful man and a powerful woman was very positive.

However, beyond modeling, what specifically did baduanjin offer these young people? There are many ways to execute these exercises—I deliberately taught them in a way that required the practitioner to tense to the degree that they were ‘intolerable.’ Then, they would continue the movement progressively relaxing. Then, when relaxation became ‘intolerable,’ the practitioner continues the cycle of the movements, incrementally increasing the tension.

My intention was that these youth would have the experience of managing tension and release within their bodies, according to their will. Theoretically, the mind and body being intertwined in an inextricable braid of experience, this would reverberate into ‘tension’ and ‘release’ within their thinking processes and emotional reactions. For example, if, in the middle of an exercise, a young person had a troubling thought, giving rise to a troubling emotion, he or she could change his or her somatic state, at will, and notice the ebb and flow of his or her cognitive and emotional processes. By doing this by himself or herself, the young person was not dependent on another person for his or her sense of well-being or threat. Finally, because these exercises were associated with martial arts practice, these young people, obsessed with power, were able to separate this from other activities that might offer the same benefits, but were unacceptable due to their culture (that of youth who saw themselves as outlaws).

Let me conclude this section with one poignant story which illustrate the effective of baduanjin as a vehicle to perceive another way of being. [3]

Angel
There was a young man who attended my classes for a span of some months. He was golden-skinned, tall and lean, with long raven-black hair. His name was Angel. He never spoke to any of the other boys, walking through them like a panther through a mob of yard dogs. He always took a position at the periphery of the group, as far away from me as he could be—but he never took his eyes off of me, and he did the exercises meticulously. After some weeks, I asked staff about him. “He beat a man nearly to death—he was in a coma for months—and Angel was tried as an adult. He got twenty-five years. They are just waiting for a bed to open in the youth offender wing of the prison where he’ll be kept until he is eighteen—then he’ll be transferred to general population. Be careful of him—he’s the most dangerous kid in here.”

One day I arrived and one of the staff told me, “Angel is going up today.” I nodded and went to class. Angel was there, silent, doing the exercises, meticulous as always. When the class ended, contrary to his habit, he lingered until everyone else had left. Then he walked towards me, slowly, his eyes fixed on mine. It looked like he was preparing to confront me physically, but at the proper distance, he veered off at an angle and paused, still looking me in the eyes. I said to him, “Where you are going, control of your emotions is the only thing that will save your life. Do your time and get home.” He walked past me, and over his shoulder, he whispered, “I wish you were my dad.”

Footnotes
[1] Cheng, Fung Kei, PhD, (2015) Effects of Baduanjin on Mental Health: A Comprehensive Review, Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies 19, 138-149

[2] It is obvious that Ms. Schmid’s involvement complicates this account, in terms of making definitive pronouncements as to baduanjin’s effectiveness alone (or Astanga Yoga, for that matter). Hence the need for more research.

[3] A more extensive version of this paper, with a second story/case account, will be a contribution to the forthcoming Open Access Online Anthology about (Asian) Martial (and Movement) Arts and (Psycho-)therapy. The anthology will be published and hosted by the European Academy of Biopsychosocial Health (Germany), a state recognized professional training academy for psychosocial professionals and psychotherapists in Germany under the lead of Prof. em. (VU Amsterdam) Dr. Dr. Dr. Hilarion G. Petzold. The main focus of the anthology will be Martial Arts and Clinical Therapy/Psychotherapy and Martial Arts, Pedagogics and Personal Development. In addition, there will also be articles on Martial Arts History, Philosophy and Culture. More than 100 academic or clinical experts and martial arts practitioners from around the world will contribute to this project. The anthology will be published in 2022.

Reference
Cheng, Fung Kei, PhD, (2015) Effects of Baduanjin on Mental Health: A Comprehensive Review, Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies 19, 138-149

Threads
Baduanjin-(8-section-brocade) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56712-Baduanjin-(8-section-brocade))
Qigong-as-Medicine (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine)

[GeneChing]

Effects of Health Qigong Exercises on Physical Function on Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
(https://www.dovepress.com/effects-of-health-qigong-exercises-on-physical-function-on-patients-wi-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JMDH)

Authors Wan Z, Liu X, Yang H, Li F, Yu L, Li L, Wang Y, Jiang H, Zou J, Du J
Received 28 January 2021
Accepted for publication 25 March 2021
Published 28 April 2021 Volume 2021:14 Pages 941—950
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S303945
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 3
Editor who approved publication: Dr Scott Fraser


Zhirong Wan,1 Xiaolei Liu,2 Hui Yang,3 Fang Li,2 Lingling Yu,4 Lei Li,5 Yulin Wang,6 Hao Jiang,7 Junjie Zou,8 Jichen Du1

1Department of Neurology, Aerospace Central Hospital, Beijing, 100049, People’s Republic of China; 2Chinese Traditional Regimen Exercise Intervention Research Center, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, 100084, People’s Republic of China; 3China Wushu Academy, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, 100084, People’s Republic of China; 4Physical Education School of Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People’s Republic of China; 5School of Physical Education, Lu Dong University, Shandong, 264011, People’s Republic of China; 6Division of Sports Science and Physical Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, People’s Republic of China; 7School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, People’s Republic of China; 8Neurology Department, Yantai Penglai People’s Hospital, Yantai, 265600, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Jichen Du
Department of Neurology, Aerospace Central Hospital, No.15, Yuquan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100049, People’s Republic of China
Tel +86-13801015089
Email djc721@163.com

Purpose: To measure motor function improvements in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) using Health Qigong exercises.
Patients and Methods: Fifty-two PD patients (Hoehn and Yahr stages I to IV) were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Twenty-six PD patients in the experimental group were intervened with routine medicine and fitness Qigong exercise. The other 26 PD patients as the control group were treated only with regular medication. Twelve-week intervention had been conducted for the study, and participants completed the scheduled exercises 4 times per week for 60 minutes each time. Data which included the one-legged blind balance, physical coordination, and gait was collected before, during, and after the intervention. Comparisons were made between the experimental and control groups through the repeated measures analysis of variance.
Results: A total of 40 participants (77% response rate) completed the study. There was no significant difference in baseline data. After 12 weeks of Health Qigong therapy, the length of time the one-legged blind balance test had increased (P < 0.01), and the time it took to TUG test was reduced (P < 0.01). Joint range of motion and gait significantly improved. The control group’s there were no significant differences in the above variables, except for joint range of motion, which decreased.
Conclusion: Health Qigong exercises can significantly improve physical functions in patients with PD, especially for the balance ability, gait, joint range of motion in patients with PD. It can reduce their activity risk factor and improve their quality of life.
Follow the link to download the article.

[rett2]

Follow the link to download the article.

Big problem with the study is that the control group only received regular medication. To be able to draw any conclusions about the Qigong regimen they'd need a control group doing some other kind of physical exercises. Otherwise all the study says is that practising movements helps. Which every doctor tells every patient already (as far as I know).

[highlypotion]

Qigong is an ancient Chinese exercise and healing technique that involves meditation, controlled breathing, and movement exercises if it's done accordingly, I believe it can be a great help.

[GeneChing]

‘A massive spiritual shift’: how the mindful movement of qigong can treat addiction (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/mar/26/a-massive-spiritual-shift-how-the-mindful-movement-of-qigong-can-treat-addiction)
The gentle motion, breathing and meditation stop the mind ‘wandering to negative thoughts’, says a recovering Victorian addict
Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email and listen to our podcast
https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/077e3ef86ffaee198d07bcb55f0e0410deaed811/0_0_3000_2000/master/3000.jpg
Adrian Miller uses qigong, an ancient Chinese meditation, which involves gentle movements, controlled breathing and even slapping. Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/The Guardian
Emilio Lanera
Fri 25 Mar 2022 15.47 EDT

Adrian Miller tried many times to kick his addiction to drugs and alcohol.

He read books, spoke to doctors, tried cognitive behavioural therapy, changed partners, went travelling, and more.

While in south-east Asia, he had the idea of going to live with the monks in Cambodia.

“I thought if I stayed with the monks maybe they’d have some answers, but to be honest I only lasted one night because they didn’t have air conditioning,” he recounts.

“I was just looking for a quick fix.”

Miller, now 48, says he discovered drugs and alcohol at 15 and “had a lot of fun for 10 years, but the next 10 years were horrible”.

“I became unhappy and stressed, even though I had a successful corporate job and a business degree. But it was like I was leading a double life and after a few years I started having really bad panic attacks and had a long battle with depression and anxiety.”

Miller’s attempts to extricate himself from addiction gained momentum when he checked himself into Refocus Rehab Melbourne.

https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/82cfba1a3064b1311f82d1c2278c9d3c0f7361ec/0_0_3000_2000/master/3000.jpg?width=620&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&
Adrian Miller uses Qigong, an ancient Chinese meditation to help his emotional well-being and mental health. It is integral to his recovery from addiction. Photograph by Christopher Hopkins for The Guardian Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/The Guardian
But it was a fateful meeting with a friend of a friend in a cafe that introduced him to an ancient Chinese art form that proved to be the emotional breakthrough he needed.

“She had this nice aura about her. I asked what she did, because I was still in a pretty dark depression.

“She said she did this qigong meditation. I had no idea what qigong was, but … she was looking a bit happier than I was, so I thought why not give it a go?

“I went to Warrandyte and did a weekend of qigong, and I just had this massive spiritual shift.

“It was like real heaviness and depression had been lifted. I felt lighter, happier, more optimistic and just generally brighter. I wasn’t as closed off any more.”

Since attending that workshop, as well as enrolling in Alcoholics Anonymous, Adrian, from Balaclava, has remained sober for 11 years and now relies on qigong instead of substances to calm himself during difficult times. He also runs qigong classes for people needing to unload their own emotional baggage.

An ancient Chinese meditation, qigong involves gentle movements, controlled breathing and even slapping. The aim is to move energy, referred to as chi, throughout your body and remove any physical, mental, emotional or spiritual blocks an individual may be facing.

https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6107036c8000e76f7970cb58606cd0f681266403/0_0_3000_2000/master/3000.jpg?width=620&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&
Adrian Miller uses Qigong, an ancient Chinese meditation to help his emotional well-being and mental health. It is integral to his recovery from addiction. Photograph by Christopher Hopkins for The Guardian Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/The Guardian
Attending one of Miller’s virtual classes during lockdown, it was easy to see that participants’ stress and anxiety was high. At first the screen was filled with scrunched up faces and tense shoulders. When Miller asked how everyone was feeling, there was dead silence. But as he guided the class through their gentle movements, bodies began to loosen and during breaks people talked more openly about how lockdown was affecting them.

“The movements of qigong help because they provide the mind with a job and stop it from wandering to those negative thoughts,” Miller says.

Dr Shalini Arunogiri is an addiction psychiatrist and deputy clinical director at Turning Point, a national addiction treatment and research centre that started in Victoria in 1994. Arunogiri says clinical trials have shown different types of mindful meditation to be effective when practised alongside counselling or psychological treatment.

“Meditation and mindful movement can have a role to play for many people in their recovery,” she says.

“Aspects of these types of approaches help people reconnect and become more in tune with their bodies, or support better management of emotions.”

https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/b54dbd6667a8dab0c28d14ea94e62158d48a1677/0_0_3000_2000/master/3000.jpg?width=620&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&
Adrian Miller uses Qigong, an ancient Chinese meditation to help his emotional well-being and mental health. It is integral to his recovery from addiction. Photograph by Christopher Hopkins for The Guardian Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/The Guardian
Mindful movement coach Paul Daniele, from Preston, also uses qigong techniques, as well as practices from yoga and Pilates, to help people dealing with addiction.

“I found when I was working with people with addictions, a lot of people were at rock bottom, but there was a real openness to mindful movement,” he says.

Daniele says mindful movement helped him overcome his own dependency on marijuana, which started with smoking a joint to relax.

“My reliance on marijuana started as a teenager but at the time I didn’t have the skills or coping mechanisms to be aware of my emotions and thought patterns. I wasn’t realising how much I was relying on weed to calm my social anxiety,” he says.

“The whole point of mindful movement is to calm our mind and stabilise our body without resorting to substances.”

He found the more he practised mindful movement techniques, the less he relied on marijuana.

“Also, the more I have practised things like meditation and yoga, the less I am using it as a first-aid kit and more as a preventative measure. So instead of waiting until I feel anxious to practise mindful movement, I instead practise it pretty much every day as a way to keep those anxious feelings away.”

Miller, who also works as a personal trainer, was last year offered a job at the rehab centre he used to attend as a patient. This full circle moment was not lost on him and whenever he incorporates qigong into his sessions and sees a client have an emotional breakthrough, he can’t help but feel overjoyed.

“I hate to give you the impression you do qigong a few times and it’s smooth sailing. Life still happens … but qigong just helps you navigate those moments when **** hits the fan,” he says.

“I know how much it hurts to be in that dark space and how scary it can be at times. So when I do it and there are one or two people in class that respond, it’s priceless.”
Glad it's working for him.

[GeneChing]

Mind- and Body-Based Interventions Improve Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jicm.2022.0586)
Fatimata Sanogo, Keren Xu, Victoria K. Cortessis, Marc J. Weigensberg, and Richard M. Watanabe
Published Online:7 Sep 2022https://doi.org/10.1089/jicm.2022.0586

Aims/Hypothesis: Only 51% of patients with type 2 diabetes achieve the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) <7% target. Mind and body practices have been increasingly used to improve glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes, but studies show inconsistent efficacy. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between mind and body practices, and mean change in HbA1c and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: The authors conducted a literature search of Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov seeking through June 10, 2022, published articles on mind and body practices and type 2 diabetes. Two reviewers independently appraised full text of articles. Only intervention studies were included. Reviewers extracted data for meta-analysis. Restricted maximum likelihood random-effects modeling was used to calculate the mean differences and summary effect sizes. The authors assessed heterogeneity using Cochran's Q and I2 statistics. Funnel plots were generated for each outcome to gauge publication bias. Weighted linear models were used to conduct study-level meta-regression analyses of practice frequency.

Results: The authors identified 587 articles with 28 meeting the inclusion criteria. A statistically significant and clinically relevant mean reduction in HbA1c of −0.84% (95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.10% to −0.58%; p < 0.0001) was estimated. Reduction was observed in all intervention subgroups: mindfulness-based stress reduction: −0.48% (95% CI: −0.72% to −0.23%; p = 0.03), qigong: −0.66% (95% CI: −1.18% to −0.14%; p = 0.01), and yoga: −1.00% (95% CI: −1.38% to −0.63%; p < 0.0001). Meta-regression revealed that for every additional day of yoga practice per week, the raw mean HbA1c differed by −0.22% (95% CI: −0.44% to −0.003%; p = 0.046) over the study period. FBG significantly improved following mind and body practices, with overall mean difference of −22.81 mg/dL (95% CI: −33.07 to −12.55 mg/dL; p < 0.0001). However, no significant association was found between the frequency of weekly yoga practice and change in FBG over the study period.

Conclusions/Interpretation: Mind and body practices are strongly associated with improvement in glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. The overall mean reduction in HbA1c and FBG was clinically significant, suggesting that mind and body practices may be an effective, complementary nonpharmacological intervention for type 2 diabetes. Additional analyses revealed that the mean decrease in HbA1c was greater in studies requiring larger number of yoga practice sessions each week.


Qigong-as-Medicine (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine)
Yoga (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?22367-Yoga)

[GeneChing]

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial Comparing Effects of Qigong and Exercise/Nutrition Training on Fatigue and Other Outcomes in Female Cancer Survivors (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15347354231162584)

Chloe S. Zimmerman https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0532-0903 chloe_zimmerman@brown.edu, Simona Temereanca, […], and Catherine Kerr+4View all authors and affiliations
All Articles
https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354231162584

Abstract
Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common and burdensome, often long-term side effect of cancer and its treatment. Many non-pharmacological treatments have been investigated as possible CRF therapies, including exercise, nutrition, health/psycho-education, and mind-body therapies. However, studies directly comparing the efficacy of these treatments in randomized controlled trials are lacking. To fill this gap, we conducted a parallel single blind randomized controlled pilot efficacy trial with women with CRF to directly compare the effects of Qigong (a form of mind-body intervention) (n = 11) to an intervention that combined strength and aerobic exercise, plant-based nutrition and health/psycho-education (n = 13) in a per protocol analysis. This design was chosen to determine the comparative efficacy of 2 non-pharmacologic interventions, with different physical demand intensities, in reducing the primary outcome measure of self-reported fatigue (FACIT “Additional Concerns” subscale). Both interventions showed a mean fatigue improvement of more than double the pre-established minimal clinically important difference of 3 (qigong: 7.068 ± 10.30, exercise/nutrition: 8.846 ± 12.001). Mixed effects ANOVA analysis of group × time interactions revealed a significant main effect of time, such that both groups significantly improved fatigue from pre- to post-treatment (F(1,22) = 11.898, P = .002, generalized eta squared effect size = 0.116) There was no significant difference between fatigue improvement between groups (independent samples t-test: P = .70 ), suggesting a potential equivalence or non-inferiority of interventions, which we could not definitively establish due to our small sample size. This study provides evidence from a small sample of n = 24 women with CRF that qigong improves fatigue similarly to exercise-nutrition courses. Qigong additionally significantly improved secondary measures of mood, emotion regulation, and stress, while exercise/nutrition significantly improved secondary measures of sleep/fatigue. These findings provide preliminary evidence for divergent mechanisms of fatigue improvement across interventions, with qigong providing a gentler and lower-intensity alternative to exercise/nutrition.
“Nourishing Life” (Yang Sheng) from the Hun Yun system of qigong

[GeneChing]

Yoga-based interventions may reduce anxiety symptoms in anxiety disorders and depression symptoms in depressive disorders: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression (https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/22/1442)
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1332-4544Javier Martínez-Calderon1,2, María Jesús Casuso-Holgado1,2, Maria Jesus Muñoz-Fernandez2,3, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2621-2098Cristina Garcia-Muñoz2,4, Alberto Marcos Heredia-Rizo1,2
Correspondence to Dr Cristina Garcia-Muñoz, Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Faculty ofNursing and Physiotherapy, University of Cadiz, Cadiz, CP 11009, Spain; cristina.garciamunoz@uca.es
BMJ Learning - Take the Test

Abstract
Objective To summarise the effect of mind–body exercises on anxiety and depression symptoms in adults with anxiety or depressive disorders.

Design Systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Data sources Five electronic databases were searched from inception to July 2022. Manual searches were conducted to explore clinical trial protocols, secondary analyses of clinical trials and related systematic reviews.

Eligibility criteria Randomised clinical trials evaluating qigong, tai chi or yoga styles with anxiety or depression symptoms as the outcomes were included. No intervention, waitlist or active controls were considered as control groups. The risk of bias and the certainty of the evidence were assessed. Meta-analyses, meta-regressions and sensitivity analyses were performed.

Results 23 studies, comprising 22 different samples (n=1420), were included. Overall, meta-analyses showed yoga interventions were superior to controls in reducing anxiety symptoms in anxiety disorders. Furthermore, yoga-based interventions decreased depression symptoms in depressive disorders after conducting sensitivity analyses. No differences between groups were found in the rest of the comparisons. However, the certainty of the evidence was judged as very low for all outcomes due to concerns of high risk of bias, indirectness of the evidence, inconsistency and imprecision of the results. In addition, there was marked heterogeneity among yoga-based interventions and self-reported tools used to evaluate the outcomes of interest.

Conclusion Although yoga-based interventions may help to improve mental health in adults diagnosed with anxiety or depressive disorders, methodological improvements are needed to advance the quality of clinical trials in this field.

PROSPERO registration number CRD42022347673.

Yoga (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?22367-Yoga)
Tai-Chi-as-medicine (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?50553-Tai-Chi-as-medicine)
Qigong-as-Medicine (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55537-Qigong-as-Medicine)