Qigong Institute - What's New

May 30, 2020: World Tai Chi and Qigong Day. World-wide

April 28 - May 1 2020: International Congress on Integrative Medicine & Health. Cleveland, OH

July 24 -26 2020: National Qigong Association Annual Conference, Albany NY

YouTube video (4:40)

A Spoonful of Mind–Body Medicine: If a Little Is Good, Is More Better? Greater mindfulness practice time was significantly associated with reduced inflammation. The results suggest that the level of engagement in mindfulness training may predict changes in inflammatory pathophysiology. Further research found Tai Chi to be as effective as regular physical therapy for patients with osteoarthritis, and it includes suggested "dosages" of Tai Chi.
The 24-Form Tai Chi Improves Anxiety and Depression and Upregulates miR-17-92 in Coronary Heart Disease Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
From Thoughtless Awareness to Effortful Cognition: Alpha - Theta Cross-Frequency Dynamics in Experienced Meditators During Meditation, Rest and Arithmetic
What and How Can Physical Activity Prevention Function on Parkinson's Disease? Physical activity has a positive impact on the prevention and treatment of PD.
Differential Effects of Tai Chi Chuan (Motor-Cognitive Training) and Walking on Brain Networks: A Resting-State fMRI Study in Chinese Women Aged 60.
Effects of Interoceptive Training on Decision Making, Anxiety, and Somatic Symptoms. Interoception is the perception of afferent (signals from body to brain) information that arises from any point within the body. Individual differences in interoception have been associated with affective processing and decision-making processing. This Japanese study found that Interoceptive training resulted in significant enhancement of interoceptive accuracy scores and significant reductions in somatic symptom and state anxiety scores. It also improved decision making. Qigong is an interoceptive training practice.
A Home-Based Exercise Program Focused on Proprioception to Reduce Falls in Frail and Pre-Frail Community-Dwelling Older Adults. Spanish study finds that home proprioception programs are a viable alternative to complex multicomponent exercise programs in settings where these are not feasible, since home proprioception can reach a larger population at a lower cost, and it affords clear benefits. Tai Chi is an excellent proprioceptive exercise.
Deep Breathing Increases Heart Rate Variability in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systematic Lupus Erythematosus. Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been associated with an impaired function of the autonomic nervous system and reduced vagus nerve (VN) tone measured through lower heart rate variability (HRV). This study found that HRV can be modulated via deep breathing in patients with RA and SLE. This is more evidence for how Qigong helps with autoimmune disorders via toning of the vagus nerve (as measured by HRV) through deep breathing.
Tai Chi Training Evokes Significant Changes in Brain White Matter Network in Older Women. Regular Tai Chi training contributes to optimizing brain functioning and networking of the elderly.
A Multi-Centre, Parallel-Group, Randomised Controlled Trial to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Eurythmy Therapy and Tai Chi in Comparison With Standard Care in Chronically Ill Elderly Patients With Increased Risk of Falling (ENTAiER): A Trial Protocol. Although this is just a trial protocol and not finished research, it's instructive to see which measurement protocols that they are going to use to evaluate the treatments. They have some very good data and references, such as "Regular Tai Chi, a mind–body intervention, can reduce falls by 19%". Eurythmy Therapy has a lot in common with Qigong.
Tai Chi Is an Effective Form of Exercise to Reduce Markers of Frailty in Older Age
The Impact of Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Pain and Life Quality in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS). Recent preclinical research has shown that stimulating the auricular branch of the vagus nerve effectively modulates pain and helps in the treatment of major depression disorder. This study points out that there is no standard location or parameters for auricular vagus nerve stimulation to treat diseases that manifest through Autonomic Nervous System dysfunctions, such as FMS. Despite the lack of standards, vagus nerve stimulation improved the efficiency of the FMS treatment in this study. Note that Qigong auricular self-massage and healing sounds affect the auricular branch of the vagus nerve.
Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Quality of Life in Adults With Essential Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis. "Tai Chi lowers blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, and blood glucose and significantly increases the quality of life in adults with EH. There is strong evidence for the short-term efficacy of Tai Chi exercises."
Practitioner Review: Effective Management of Functional Difficulties Associated With Sensory Symptoms in Children and Adolescents. Intervention protocols for sensory symptoms should be informed by current best evidence which is strongest for several treatments including Qigong massage.
Effect of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Interventions on Cancer Related Pain Among Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review. Iranian review finds acupuncture/acupressure, tai chi/qi gong, meditation, yoga, and Reiki improve cancer-related pain in breast cancer patients
Online Mindfulness Training Increases Well-Being, Trait Emotional Intelligence, and Workplace Competency Ratings: A Randomized Waitlist-Controlled Trial. Online teaching of mindfulness (a fundamental component of Qigong) proves effective. So online delivery of Qigong is an option for hard to reach or widely-dispersed audiences, or even local audiences in the age of a pandemic.
Non-pharmacological Depression Therapies for Older Chinese Adults: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis. "Qigong was the only therapy having a significant effect on depression. This therapy may be useful to alleviate depression due to the group and social interaction."
Effectiveness of Tai Chi on Balance Improvement in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. "The results support the benefits of Tai Chi intervention to improve balance in patients with type 2 diabetes."
Tai Chi for Essential Hypertension: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. "Tai Chi could be recommended as an adjuvant treatment for hypertension, especially for patients less than 50 years old."
Older and More Mindful? Age Differences in Mindfulness Components and Well-Being. "The findings suggest that the tendency to focus on the present-moment and adopt a nonjudgmental orientation may become especially important for well-being with advancing age, and the ability to appreciate the transitory nature of personal experiences may be particularly important for flexible employment of both goal disengagement and reengagement strategies across the second half of life."
Balance Impairment and Effectiveness of Exercise Intervention in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-a Systematic Review. Tai Chi exercise showed significant improvement in balance in people with COPD.
Study Finds Tai Chi Exercises May Prove Effective for Patients With Parkinson Disease
Mindful Opportunity to Reflect on Experience: Interdisciplinary Mind-Body Medicine Skills Training for Health-care Professionals.
Evidence for Vagal-Immune Dysregulation in Bipolar Disorder.
Tai Chi for Fibromyalgia
Brain Functional Specialization Is Enhanced Among Tai Chi Chuan Practitioners.
Exercise for Parkinson's Disease (PD). Sustained Tai Chi for 6 months alleviates the PD motor symptoms, suggesting it can slow down PD progression. In addition, balance training improves both balance and function and reduces fall rate, and these effects carry over to at least 12 months after training ended.
Effectiveness of Movement and Body Awareness Therapies in Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Another study showing that movement and body awareness therapies such as tai chi can help patients who suffer from fibromyalgia. Note that "movement and body awareness" is also intrinsic to qigong.
Non-pharmacological Interventions for Fatigue in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Non-pharmacological interventions, including mindfulness and Tai Chi, alleviate fatigue in community-dwelling older adults.
Health Behavior Change and Complementary Medicine Use: National Health Interview Survey 2012. A sizeable proportion of respondents were motivated by their CAM use, which includes Qigong, Tai Chi, and meditation, to undertake health behavior changes.
Lower Percentage of Fat Mass Among Tai Chi Chuan Practitioners. "Tai Chi middle-aged and elderly practitioners appear to be less affected by the process of physiological aging and the associated fat mass changes, compared to sedentary people."
Effectiveness of Tai Chi for Health Promotion for Adults With Health Conditions: A Scoping Review of Meta-analyses. "Tai Chi is a form of safe, enjoyable, light-to-moderate aerobic physical activity for adults that is inexpensive to implement in diverse community settings. Adults with health conditions require physical activity for prevention of secondary impairments and over-all health promotion.This scoping review of meta-analyses elucidates "high" and "moderate" quality evidence of the effectiveness of Tai Chi in improving important outcomes for people with numerous health conditions.This information can be useful for healthcare providers who wish to recommend effective community-based physical activity to clients they are serving."
Body Weight support-Tai Chi Footwork for Balance of Stroke Survivors With Fear of Falling: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Tai Chi helps stroke survivors with fear of falling.
Ageing of the Diaphragm Muscle. The article reviews the adaptations of the diaphragm muscle with respect to ageing, and it brings to light the importance of respiratory function to healthy ageing. Altered contractile function of the diaphragm can lead to accidental trauma, such as falls, and contributes to many diseases and conditions such as depression, fear of falling, anxiety, emotional alterations, memory issues, motor incoordination, and cognitive disorders. Ageing also affects posture, which in turn affects the diaphragm. This research makes clear how the practice of Qigong with it's emphasis on proper posture and exercising the diaphragm through purposeful, controlled diaphragmatic breathing contributes to health and active aging.
The Effect of Exercise on Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment and Applications for Physical Therapy: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Trials included Qigong.
Meditation is proven to reduce stress. “This work shows that meditation influences the regulation of the HPA axis, which may reduce stress levels. “Although the scope of research is currently limited, it seems that meditation may also influence the RAA system, corresponding with improved well-being and changes in hormonal stress.” “The RAA (Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone (RAA) system.”) system regulates blood pressure, electrolytes and fluid balance. Meditation is becoming increasingly popular, with over a quarter of British adults practising meditation as a therapy. “Another key finding was linked with the HPT axis, which determines and regulates thyroid hormone production and is particularly associated with depression and anxiety.
The Effectiveness of Tai Chi in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
The Effects of Tai Chi Chuan Exercise Training on Countermovement Jump Performance in the Elderly. Frequent practice of Tai Chi Chuan may slow the rate of knee degeneration.
Physical Activity Interventions for Adults Who Are Visually Impaired: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Physical activity interventions in individuals with visual impairment incorporating activities such as Tai Chi, Yoga and dance can have positive results, particularly in physical measures such as mobility and balance.
Nonpharmaceutical Interventions Aid Low Back Pain. Tai Chi reduced acute lower back pain in men in their 20s. Compared with stretching, tai chi also was more effective for lower back pain in young men. Tai chi showed greater reductions in pain intensity, bothersomeness of pain symptoms, and pain-related disability than the control intervention in the general population. Tai chi and qigong for lower back pain are still underinvestigated compared with yoga interventions.
Tai Chi Versus Routine Exercise in Patients With Early- Or Mild-Stage Parkinson's Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis. Tai Chi slows down the progression of Parkinson's disease symptoms and delays the need for pharmacological support.
Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on Inhibitory Control in Elderly Women: An fNIRS Study. Declines in inhibitory control during aging significantly impair the quality of life of elderly people. Investigating methods to delay the decline of inhibitory control has become a focal point in current research. Tai Chi significantly improved inhibitory control in older adults and is an effective, suitable exercise for improving executive function and neurological health in elderly people.
Body-Centered Interventions for Psychopathological Conditions: A Review. This article reviews the psychological effects of body-centered interventions on emotional well-being, including both self and other-administered (receptive) therapies. Theory behind body-centered interventions rely upon the bidirectional communication pathway between the brain and body. Tai Chi, movement therapy, functional relaxation alleviate stress, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and facilitate pain reduction.
Natural ELF Fields in the Atmosphere and in Living Organisms
Respiratory Regulation & Interactions With Neuro-Cognitive Circuitry. Active control of breathing entrains respiration and brain activity which affects both mood and cognition.
Effects of Physical Activity Programs on Sleep Outcomes in Older Adults: A Systematic Review. The moderate intensity exercises of Qigong and Tai Chi, with a frequency of three times per week and a duration of 12 weeks up to 6 months, showed the most significant effects upon sleep outcomes.
T'ai Chi for Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults: A Feasibility Trial
Qigong Mind-Body Exercise as a Biopsychosocial Therapy for Persistent Post-Surgical Pain in Breast Cancer: A Pilot Study. Harvard Medical School study finds that Qigong "is a safe and gentle multimodal intervention that shows promise in conferring a broad range of psychosocial and physical benefits for breast cancer survivors." Note that they clearly state that Qigong provides psychosocial and not just physical benefits. This is a very important result that confirms Qigong's effect upon non-physical conditions. This, in turn, is important because there is a strong relationship between the mind (biopsychosocial) and body (physical) in healing. More information on the biopsychosocial model and Qigong can be found on the Qigong Institute website https://qigonginstitute.org/category/17/integrative-medicine-and-medical-qigong-therapy#Biopsychosocial
Let It Be: Mindful-acceptance Down-Regulates Pain and Negative Emotion. The researchers found that "momentary mindful-acceptance regulates emotional intensity by changing initial appraisals of the affective significance of stimuli, which has consequences for clinical treatment of pain and emotion." This result is another confirmation of how Qigong (through mindfulness) can affect emotions and thus have an effect upon the treatment of pain and emotion-related illness. Another way of saying this is that Qigong is an interoceptive practice. Qigong trains interoception, and mindfulness is part of that training. Interoception is involved in emotional regulation. More information on interoception and the role of Qigong in emotional regulation can be found on the Qigong Institute website at https://qigonginstitute.org/category/29/what-is-tai-chi#InteroceptionProprioception
Can Qigong Improve Attention in Adolescents? A Prospective Randomised Controlled Trial. Qigong improved attention in adolescents after 4 weeks of practice and should be integrated into physical education classes.
The Effects of Baduanjin Qigong on Postural Stability, Proprioception, and Symptoms of Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. "Regular Baduanjin Qigong practice helped the improvement of knee joint proprioception and postural stability, and reduction of pain, stiffness, and functional impairments of old adults with knee osteoarthritis."
Tai Chi for improving balance and reducing falls: an overview of 14 systematic reviews. Systematic review finds Tai Chi may helps improving balance and reducing falls in older people and those with Parkinson disease.
Can slow deep breathing reduce pain? An experimental study exploring mechanisms. The researchers confirmed that slow deep breathing, especially the exhale, can help manage pain. They also found that the cardiovascular system did not mediate these changes. Apparently they missed the memo on the autonomic nervous system and vagus nerve which are affected by the slow deep breathing in Qigong practice.
Mindfulness interventions for rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Mindfulness interventions can significantly improve pain intensity, depression, and symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared with conventional therapy.
Impact of Tai Chi Yuttari-exercise on arteriosclerosis and physical function in older people. This Japanese study found that "The practice of Tai Chi Yuttari-exercise is effective in maintaining and improving arteriosclerosis status and physical function in older people. However, it may be performed at least thrice a week for maintaining or improving arteriosclerosis status." "Yuttari" in Japanese means "in a relaxed manner".
Tai Chi and Workplace Wellness for Health Care Workers: A Systematic Review. Tai Chi is a tool for reducing work-related stress among healthcare professionals.
Efficacy of yoga, tai chi and qi gong on the main symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review. Systematic review finds Qigong, Tai Chi, and Yoga benefit lung function and functional exercise capacity.
A usability study of a multicomponent video game-based training for older adults. Tai Chi-inspired exercises positively influence physical and cognitive functions in a small sample of healthy older adults.
Concerning Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation: Occult Neural Networks. What is one of the main reasons why auricular (ear) self-massage in Qigong can be so effective for many conditions? The authors explain that "auricular vagal nerve stimulation (AVNS) is an evolving neuromodulation technology that has a wide range of therapeutic applications across multiple disciplines of medical science." They also argue that vagus nerve stimulation alone does not tell the entire story. There are other structures and mechanisms of action that are involved, namely, occult neural networks. "Occult" is a medical term meaning not readily discernible. So their paper is an argument for their fellow researchers to structure their research such that the vagus nerve per se is not all that they investigate. But bottom line, this research is another validation of auricular self-massage/acupressure.
Does Instructor Experience Impact Balance and Health-Related Quality of Life in Healthy Older Adult Participants following a Tai Chi for Arthritis Program? The authors conclude that "participants taught by experienced instructors had greater balance gains; the experience of instructors should be considered in future studies and community referrals." True enough, but note that even lesser experienced instructors provided benefits. This finding is in line with the recommendations in the Consensus Report of the National Expert Meeting on Qi Gong and Tai Chi.
2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee. American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation strongly recommends Tai Chi.
Exercise for falls prevention in community-dwelling older adults: trial and participant characteristics, interventions and bias in clinical trials from a systematic review. Exercise, especially Tai Chi, "prevents falls in community-dwelling older people."
The efficacy of mind-body (Baduanjin) exercise on self-reported sleep quality and quality of life in elderly subjects with sleep disturbances: a randomized controlled trial. Qigong (Baduanjin) improves sleep quality of life.
Yoga and Tai Chi: a mind-body approach in managing respiratory symptoms in obstructive lung diseases. Yoga and Tai Chi have been found to be more effective than usual care in COPD. These practices provide community-based options for patients with COPD to improve their physical activity, quality of life, and pulmonary function.
Mind-Body Exercise for Anxiety and Depression in COPD Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga had significant benefits on COPD patients with anxiety and depression. For depression, 2-3 times a week, 30-60 min each time of Qigong had a significant effect on patients with COPD patients who are more than 70 years old.
The Impact of Mind-body Exercises on Motor Function, Depressive Symptoms, and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Qigong, Tai Chi, and Yoga exercises were found to have significant improvements in motor function, depressive symptoms, and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease, and can be used as an effective method for clinical exercise intervention in PD patients.
2020
Effects of a short-term Cardio Tai Chi program on cardiorespiratory fitness and hemodynamic parameters in sedentary adults: A pilot study. A short-term Cardio Tai Chi program can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and hemodynamic parameters in sedentary adults.
The Effect of 20-Minute Mindful Breathing on the Perception of Suffering and Changes in Bispectral Index Score (BIS) in Palliative Care Informal Caregivers: A Randomized Controlled Study. 20-minute mindful breathing reduces suffering in palliative care informal caregivers.
Breathing Signature as Vitality Score Index Created by Exercises of Qigong: Implications of Artificial Intelligence Tools Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Using AI to associate breathing patterns (Qigong) with diseases to create personalized non-pharmacological approaches to guide interventions and improve human healthcare.
Qigong Reduces Depressive Symptoms of Taiwanese Elderly with Chronic Physical Illness: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Different brain networks mediate the effects of social and conditioned expectations on pain.
Interoception and Social Connection. Meditation practices that include mindfulness (e.g. Qigong) are important for alleviating loneliness and improving social connection.
16 Reasons Qigong Will Be Bigger Than Yoga in 16 Years.
The Neurophysiological and Psychological Mechanisms of Qigong as a Treatment for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. These researchers confirm what we already know: One of the main reasons why Qigong is good for so many conditions, including depression, is due to its beneficial affect upon the parasympathetic nervous system.
A Pilot Study of an In-Home Multicomponent Exergame Training for Older Adults: Feasibility, Usability and Pre-Post Evaluation. The multicomponent exergame included Tai Chi-inspired exercises, dance movements and step-based cognitive games to train strength, balance and cognition. In the Active@Home exergame, four to five Tai Chi levels were implemented in each city with increasing difficulty. In each Tai Chi level, the participant performed three series of about 10 exercise repetitions, with a rest of 20 s between series. This resulted in a duration of 2–3 min for each Tai Chi level. Progression was reached through more complex movements in the Tai Chi-inspired exercises (e.g., additional arm movements, upper body rotations, increased range of motion, longer time in unstable position) and through additional weights (e.g., filled water bottles). The exergame is generally feasible and usable for healthy older adults applied in an in-home setting and provides an overall positive emotional game experience.
Randomised Controlled Trial Of The Effect Of Tai Chi On Postural Balance Of People With Dementia. Tai Chi helps reduce the incidence of falls and improve quality of life among community-dwelling people with dementia.
Increasing the availability of Tai Chi to veterans through a training of trainers course. VA 32-hour Tai Chi teacher training course.
Exploring the effects of expert-led qigong and self-practice qigong on blood pressure. This paper based on a small sample size reports that qigong exercise program is a safe and effective intervention in patients with prehypertension and stage I hypertension. This is yet another confirmation of Qigong Institute founder Dr. Ken Sancier's conclusion that Qigong helps people with managing blood pressure as he reported in 'Anti-Aging Benefits of Qigong' in 1996.
Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: an abridged Cochrane systematic Review. Tai Chi reduces the rate of falls.
Dao Yin (a.k.a. Qigong): Origin, Development, Potential Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Dao Yin is a form of exercise combining physical movements, mental focus, and breathing originated in ancient China. In this review, we introduce the history in the development and the scope of Dao Yin, the relationship between Dao Yin with Taoist culture and Qigong, and the potential mechanisms of how Dao Yin promotes health and alleviate illnesses. Empirical research studies using Dao Yin for treatment of lumbar spondylosis, peripheral musculoskeletal diseases, cervical spondylosis, heart diseases, central nervous system disorders, immunological dysfunction, and psychological disorders are detailed.
Tai Chi exercise and functional electrical stimulation of lower limb muscles for rehabilitation in older adults with chronic systolic heart failure: a non-randomized clinical trial. Tai Chi exercise can recover the quality of life and cardiorespiratory functions of older chronic heart failure adults.
An exploratory randomized sub-study of light-to-moderate intensity exercise on cognitive function, depression symptoms and inflammation in older adults with heart failure. Tai Chi improves cognitive function.
The Importance and Role of Proprioception in the Elderly: a Short Review.
Tai Chi Chuan vs General Aerobic Exercise in Brain Plasticity: A Multimodal MRI Study. Compared with general aerobic exercise, eight weeks of Tai Chi Chuan exercise has a stronger effect on brain plasticity.
Tai Chi Is Safe and Effective for the Hip Joint: A Biomechanical Perspective. Tai Chi is better than walking for improvement in the range of motion of the hip joint and the coordination of the neuromuscular system.
Effects of a Modified Tai Chi Program on Older People with Mild Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Tai Chi improves cognitive function and mental well-being for older adults with mild dementia.
Tantra and Modern Neurosciences: Is there any Correlation? This paper is essentially about interoception which involves a greater awareness of the autonomic nervous system. Interoception is a fundamental component of Qigong meditation.
The mindful attention and awareness scale is associated with lower levels of high-frequency heart rate variability in a laboratory context. Greater mindful attention and awareness is associated with a greater stress response as measured by MAAS and HRV.
Changes of skin electrical potential in acupoints from Ren Mai and Du Mai conduits during Qigong practice: Documentation of a clinical phenomenon.
Qigong and Musculoskeletal Pain. Qigong practice reduces pain in varying degrees among adults with different forms of chronic pain with few side-effects.
ACR, Arthritis Foundation guidelines favor nondrug therapy over TENS, stem cells for OA. Health care providers should avoid prescribing transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation or stem cell injections in favor of more comprehensive management — including nonpharmacological interventions such as tai chi — for hip, knee and hand osteoarthritis, according to draft guidelines presented at ACR/ARP 2019.
Influence of Tai Chi on Self-Efficacy, Quality of Life, and Fatigue Among Patients with Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy. Tai Chi is an effective and feasible exercise for individuals with cancer receiving chemotherapy. This mind-body exercise appears to provide benefits beyond improved physical functioning.
A Narrative Review of Movement-Based Mind-Body Interventions: Effects of Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong for Back Pain Patients. Qigong and Tai Chi effectively reduce low back pain and psychological distress (e.g. depression and anxiety), and improve functional ability.
The effectiveness, suitability, and sustainability of non-pharmacological methods of managing pain in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review. Qigong and Tai Chi were effective non-pharmacological methods in lowering pain levels in community-dwelling older adults, and can be promoted widely in the community.
Effect of Meditative Movement on Affect and Flow in Qigong Practitioners. Qigong puts practitioners into the flow state. "traditional emotion theories may need to be extended to incorporate new types of affect, or to describe the interplay of controlled body movement, somatic sensations and conscious attention in the generation of feelings and regulation of emotional state. Concerning this last point, “embodied mind” exercises also speak to a wider shift in cognitive science from paradigms that analyze cognitive processes and their sensory “inputs” and motor “outputs” separately, toward models of active perception and embodied cognition."
Exercise Training Modalities for People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Tai Chi is beneficial for people with COPD.
The Pain and Movement Reasoning Model: Introduction to a simple tool for integrated pain assessment
Effect of simplified Tai Chi exercise on relieving symptoms of patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's Disease (PD). Tai Chi training plus routine exercise is an ideal alternative non-pharmacological approach for the motor and non-motor symptoms of PD patients, and especially be more useful for the improvement of sleep quality and cognitive function in Parkinson's disease compared with routine exercise regimen alone.
Self-reported sleep disturbances are associated with poorer cognitive performance in older adults with hypertension: a multi-parameter risk factor investigation.
Tai Chi can prevent cardiovascular disease and improve cardiopulmonary function of adults with obesity aged 50 years and older: A long-term follow-up study. Tai Chi is not only a suitable exercise for elderly people with obesity, but it can also help to regulate blood pressure, improve heart and lung function in these individuals, as well as reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases, helping to improve their quality of life.
Respiratory training interventions improve health status of heart failure patients: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Breathing training interventions, including inspiratory muscle training, tai chi, yoga, and breathing exercises, are effective strategies for improving cardiac function, exercise capacity, and quality of life in heart failure patients. In home settings, non-machine-assisted respiratory training such as tai chi, yoga, and breathing exercise effectively reduces (improves) heart rate in heart failure patients.
Exercise for Parkinson's disease. Tai Chi alleviates Parkinson's motor symptoms and could slow Parkinson's progression.
Social Networks, Community Engagement, and Cognitive Impairment among Community-Dwelling Chinese Older Adults. Tai Chi improves cognitive function in older adults.
The beneficial effects of Qigong on elderly depression. The antidepressive effects of Qigong occur through psychosocial, physiological, and neurobiological mechanisms.
Qigong exercise for chronic fatigue syndrome. Qigong exercise should be recognized as a standalone therapy and self-management skill in CFS. Qigong reduced fatigue and depressive symptoms and improved telomerase activity and sleep quality in a dose-response relationship.
Mindfulness, Interoception, and the Body: A Contemporary Perspective. The purposes of this article are to (1) highlight that it may be more accurate to link many of the identified benefits in the mindfulness literature to interoception and its neurological correlates and (2) propose attentional style as a means to clarify some of the confusion surrounding mindfulness, interoception, and meditation.
Integrative Approaches for Sleep Health in Cancer Survivors. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia, mindfulness-based therapies, qigong/tai chi, and acupuncture have the most evidence for improving sleep and insomnia.
Body weight support-Tai Chi footwork for balance of stroke survivors with fear of falling: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Tai Chi enhances dynamic control and sensory integration of balance and reduce the risk of fall in stroke survivors with fear of falling.
Qigong Exercise and Tai Chi in Cancer Care.
The Effect of Traditional Chinese Mind-Body Exercise (Baduanjin) and Brisk Walking on the Dorsal Attention Network in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Qigong is a beneficial intervention to improve the attention of the elderly with MCI.
Walking meditation (e.g. Qigong walking) promotes ankle proprioception and balance performance among elderly women.
Healthy Lifestyle and Cardiac Vagal Modulation Over 10 Years: Whitehall II Cohort Study. Vagus nerve stimulation through practices such as Qigong can have a profound positive effect upon health and can reduce chronic inflammation which is associated with a host of diseases. This research reports that maintaining healthy lifestyles is positively associated with cardiac vagal functioning, and these beneficial adaptations may be lost if not sustained. Another very good reason to "cultivate" Qigong (i.e. incorporate Qigong into one's lifestyle).
Tai Chi and whole-body vibrating therapy in sarcopenic men in advanced old age: a clinical randomized controlled trial. Tai Chi and Whole Body Vibration are effective treatments for improving muscle strength and physical performance in sarcopenic men in advanced old age. Note that whole body vibration is a form of spontaneous Qigong.
Effect of Acceptance versus Attention on Pain Tolerance: Dissecting Two Components of Mindfulness. These results suggest that acceptance of pain is more important than attention to pain.
Qigong: Benefits for Survivors Coping With Cancer-Related Fatigue .
Move-It: A Cluster-Randomised Digital Worksite Exercise Intervention in China: Outcome and Process Evaluation. Qigong worksite exercise intervention can be successfully delivered to sedentary office workers in China using video and web-based platforms. It may increase physical activity and does not adversely affect perceived work performance.
Effects of Taichi exercise on knee and ankle proprioception among individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Twenty-four weeks Taichi exercise may improve the ankle and knee proprioception of patients with KOA.
Tai Chi Chuan exercise related change in brain function as assessed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Tai Chi training improved the brain connections in myogenic activity, the sympathetic nervous system, and endothelial cell metabolic activities; enhanced brain functional connections and relayed the ability of Tai Chi to improve cognition and the anti-memory decline potential.
Benefits of physical activity (PA) not affected by air pollution: a prospective cohort study. Tai Chi decreases risk of mortality in older Chinese adults. The beneficial mortality effects of habitual PA outweighed the detrimental effects of long-term exposure to air pollution in Hong Kong.
Effect of Tai Chi alone or as additional therapy on low back pain (LBP): Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Tai Chi alone or as additional therapy with routine physical therapy may decrease pain and improve function disability for patients with LBP
Effectiveness of Tai Chi on fibromyalgia patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Tai Chi exerts significantly greater effects on patients with FM than standard care; therefore, we suggest that Tai Chi can be used as an alternative treatment.
Tai chi for enhanced inpatient mobilization: A feasibility study. Video-guided tai chi and qigong classes are feasible and well-received.
Tai Chi and Parkinson's disease (PD): A systematic overview of the scientific quality of the past systematic reviews. Tai Chi is a promising complementary treatment for PD.
Tai Chi in Chinese adults with metabolic syndrome: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Some positive changes were observed in some cardiometabolic risk factors and quality of life.
Tai Chi Chuan exercise related change in brain function as assessed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Tai Chi improves brain function.
Effects of Computerized Cognitive Training and Tai Chi on Cognitive Performance in Older Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury. Tai Chi improves Cognitive Performance in Older Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury and may last an additional six months.
The therapeutic effects of qigong in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the stable stage: a meta-analysis. "In this meta-analysis of RCTs between ten included studies, we found that Qigong can improve COPD patients in lung function, exercise capacity and quality of life who were in the stable stage"
Mindfulness Training for Chronic Non-malignant Pain Management: A Review of the Clinical Effectiveness, Cost-effectiveness and Guidelines [Internet].
Effectiveness of internal Qigong on quality of life, depressive symptoms and self-efficacy among community-dwelling older adults with chronic disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Internal Qigong appears to have potential benefits on overall quality of life among community-dwelling older adults with chronic disease. The findings of this study suggest potential use of internal Qigong as an adjunct activity for chronic disease management.
The Effect of t'ai chi on Quality of Life in Centrally Obese Adults with Depression. T'ai chi exercise improved indicators of health related quality of life including physical functioning, role physical, and role emotional in centrally obese adults with depression.
Effects of Tai Chi (TC) on partial anterior cruciate ligament injury: A single-blind, randomized-controlled trial. TC exercises can yield positive outcomes on the knee extensor muscle strength, pain, proprioception and knee function in patients with partial ACL injuries. Hence, TC exercises can be used as a novel method by researchers and clinicians in the treatment of partial ACL injuries.
Effects of individualized Tai-Chi on balance and lower-limb strength in older adults. Personalized Tai-Chi training designed based on an objective measurement and conducted according to graded intensity and complexity benefitted practitioners after a short period. Personalized Tai-Chi training designed based on an objective measurement and conducted according to graded intensity and complexity benefitted practitioners after a short period.
Effects of Tai Chi therapy on body mass index and physical index of intellectual disability. Tai Chi therapy was an effective intervention for decreasing fasting blood glucose and for increasing high-density lipoprotein in those with intellectual disabilities. Tai Chi therapy can be implied as a nursing intervention for intellectual disabilities in nursing practice.
The Use of Tai-Chi to Reduce Anxiety Among Nursing Students Undergoing Simulation. Tai-chi can be an effective technique to reduce anxiety and improve self-efficacy and performance among nursing students in patient care simulations.
The Effect of Tai Chi Chuan on Negative Emotions in Non-Clinical Populations: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review. Tai Chi practice has a positive effect upon emotions, especially in older adults.
Long-term home and community-based exercise programs improve function in community-dwelling older people with cognitive impairment: a systematic review. Long-term home and community-based exercise programs improve function in older adults living in the community with cognitive impairment.
Efficacy of complementary and integrative medicine on health-related quality of life in cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The authors found that Qigong plus mindfulness (which is Qigong) was the most effective treatment for health related quality of life in cancer patients.
Modulatory effects of different exercise modalities on the functional connectivity of the periaqueductal grey and ventral tegmental area in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomised multimodal magnetic resonance imaging study. Tai Chi and Qigong (Baduanjin) reduced pain and inflammation in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
Influence of Tai Chi on Self-Efficacy, Quality of Life, and Fatigue Among Patients With Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy: A Pilot Study Brief. Texas researchers find Tai Chi helps cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Proprioceptive Training and Outcomes of Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. The study found proprioceptive training effectively promoted pain relief and completion of functional daily activity among patients with knee osteoarthritis and should be included in rehabilitation programs. Qigong and Tai Chi train proprioception.
Factors Associated with the Use of Meditation, U.S. Adults 2017. Meditation is one of the most common forms of complementary and alternative medicine in the United States today. While its health benefits are still emerging, public health practitioners and clinicians should be aware of the increasing use of these therapies to treat common health problems, their relatively low prevalence among some groups that might benefit from them (such as older people, those with less healthy lifestyles, and men), and their higher use among those who face barriers to obtaining conventional care.
Analysis of State Insurance Coverage for Nonpharmacologic Treatment of Low Back Pain as Recommended by the American College of Physicians Guidelines. Other than spinal manipulation, evidence-based, nonpharmacological therapies recommended by the 2017 ACP guidelines (which included meditation and Tai Chi) were routinely excluded from state health benefits plans. Insurance coverage discourages multidisciplinary rehabilitation for chronic pain management by providing ambiguous guidelines, restricting ongoing treatments, and excluding behavioral or complementary therapy despite a cohesive evidence base. Better plan coverage of nondrug therapies may be a strategy to mitigate the opioid crisis.
A 12-week Baduanjin Qigong exercise improves symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis: A randomized controlled trial.
Long-term Tai Chi Training Is Associated With Better Dual-task Postural Control and Cognition in Aging Adults.
Self-control is linked to interoceptive inference: Craving regulation and the prediction of aversive interoceptive states induced with inspiratory breathing load. The interoceptive inference framework suggests that our brain continuously anticipates future states of our body and aims to avoid events that might counteract homeostasis by minimizing prediction errors through active inference; e.g. appropriate actions. If predicted interoceptive models are inaccurate, behavior inconsistent with our long-term homeostatic goals may result; e.g. in failures in self-control and emotional regulation. Qigong and Tai Chi train interoception.
Creative challenge: Regular exercising moderates the association between task-related heart rate variability changes and individual differences in originality. Results suggest that individuals with a higher amount of regular exercise achieve higher originality probably via the engagement in more spontaneous modes of thinking, while more sedentary people may primarily benefit from increased mental effort. This supports the conclusion that higher creativity can be achieved by different strategies. Regular Qigong practice leads to higher creativity.
A randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of tai chi alongside usual care with usual care alone on the postural balance of community-dwelling people with dementia: protocol for the TACIT trial (TAi ChI for people with demenTia)
The Effects of Tai Chi Mind-Body Approach on the Mechanisms of Gulf War Illness (GWI): an Umbrella Review. Tai Chi helps veterans with the major prevalent symptoms of GWI.
The Taiji Model of Self
Effects of Tai Chi versus Taekkyon on balance, lower-extremity strength, and gait ability in community-dwelling older women: A single-blinded randomized clinical trial. Tai Chi improves balance, lower-extremity strength, and gait ability in community-dwelling older women.
Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Relapse Prevention on Quality of Life and Craving in Methadone-treated Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Mindfulness (included in the practice of Qigong) improves quality of life and reduces craving.
Effect of Baduanjin Qigong Exercise on Cancer-Related Fatigue in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Baduanjin qigong exercise can relieve CRF in patients with colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy and can improve their physical activity level and their quality of sleep.
A Randomized Controlled Trial to Investigate the Impact of Tango Argentino versus Tai Chi on Quality of Life in Patients with Parkinson Disease: A Short Report.
Exploring the Adaptability of Tai Chi to Stroke Rehabilitation. An adapted Tai Chi program was safe, feasible, well received, and improved function and balance outcomes related to fall prevention in stroke survivors.
Motivational Non-directive Resonance Breathing as a Treatment for Chronic Widespread Pain. This paper provides excellent background on the physiology and neurobiology of the combined effect of meditation, interoception, and intentful diaphragmatic breathing (in other words, Qigong) upon chronic pain. Based upon preliminary findings within the fields of motivational psychology, integrative neuroscience, diaphragmatic breathing, and vagal nerve stimulation, the authors propose a new treatment intervention for chronic widespread pain which includes key fundamentals of Qigong practice.
Efficacy of yoga, tai chi and qi gong on the main symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review. Systematic review finds Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga help COPD patients.
The effects of Tai Chi on quality of life of cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Tai Chi improves physical and mental dimensions of Quality of Life and sleep, reduces levels of cortisol and cancer-related fatigue, and improves limb function.
Mind-body interactive qigong improves physical and mental aspects of quality of life in inpatients with stroke: A randomized control study. 10-day Qigong intervention aids subacute stroke inpatients.
The safety of tai chi: A meta-analysis of adverse events in randomized controlled trials. Findings indicate that Tai Chi does not result in more adverse events (AEs) than active and inactive control conditions, and produces fewer AEs than inactive control conditions for heart failure patients.
The effect of physical activity interventions on occupational stress for health personnel: A systematic review. Qigong and Yoga can reduce occupational stress and could be incorporated into health promotion in the healthcare sector.
Qigong and Tai Chi as Therapeutic Exercise: Survey of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Addressing Physical Health Conditions. This review finds Qigong and Tai Chi performed as Qigong are valid complementary and alternative therapeutic exercises.
The Neuroscience of Nonpharmacological Traditional Chinese Therapy (NTCT) for Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Qigong and Tai Chi were found to possibly improve brain metabolites, brain activity, and immune and endocrine systems in patients with major depressive disorder.
A Bridge of Light: Toward Chinese and Western Medicine Perspectives Through Ultraweak Photon Emissions. The paper discusses (1) the ultraweak photon emission in relation to Qi energy, meridians and acupuncture points in Chinese Medicine, (2) the biochemical explanation of photon emission of living systems in Western biomedicine, and (3) the progress in research on the large-scale organization and dynamics of the metabolic network including photon metabolism. Findings include: Human photon emission increases with age as well as with disease. It depends on gender and it is reduced by acupuncture; many regulatory key transcription factors undergo continual, repetitive pulses of activation even when cells are maintained in constant conditions; metabolism of cells is regulated by the pulsations of metabolic networks including photon metabolism.
Postural instability and the condition of physical frailty in the elderly. Postural instability leads to a greater chance of elderly being frail or pre-frail. A good reason to practice Tai Chi and Qigong.
Chen-Style Tai Chi for Individuals (Aged 50 Years Old or Above) with Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Tai Chi reduces non-specific low back pain.
The effect of a falls prevention program in elderly people in primary health care. What does Tai Chi practice provide? Tai Chi reduces anxiety, depression, and use of technical walking aids.
Evaluation of quality of life and static balance in postmenopausal osteoporosis women after Tai Chi Chuan practice: an observational randomized case control study. 6-month Tai Chi program improves physical aspects of quality of life, including an increase in standing balance, in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
Comment on Accreditation Standard Guideline Initiative for Qigong Instructors and Training Institutions
Walking is more effective than yoga at reducing sleep disturbance in cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Unlike Tai Chi and Qigong, most forms of yoga do not incorporate movement.
The effectiveness of Tai Chi for short-term cognitive function improvement in the early stages of dementia in the elderly: a systematic literature review. Systematic review finds Tai Chi improves short-term cognitive function in the elderly at the onset of dementia.
Tai Chi Ameliorates Coronary Heart Disease by Affecting Serum Levels of miR-24 and miR-155
Dual-Task Walking Capacity Mediates Tai Ji Impact on Physical and Cognitive Function. This is the latest Tai Chi research from Fuzhong Li and colleagues at the Oregon Research Institute with their Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance which has been used in a number of clinical trials. Enhanced dual-task walking capacity as a result of Tai Ji Quan training mediated improvements in physical and cognitive outcomes in older adults at high risk of falling.
Evaluation of quality of life and static balance in postmenopausal osteoporosis women after Tai Chi Chuan practice: an observational randomized case control study. Tai chi improved physical aspects of quality of life in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
A Cluster Randomized Trial of Tai Chi vs Health Education in Subsidized Housing: The MI-WiSH Study.
Effect of Qigong on self-rating depression and anxiety scale scores of COPD patients: A meta-analysis. Qigong improves depression and anxiety in patients with COPD.
Art activities and qigong exercise for the well-being of older adults in nursing homes in Indonesia: a randomized controlled trial.
The role of inflammation and the gut microbiome in depression and anxiety.
Tai Chi, Wii Fit and rope skipping exercise interventions are particularly effective in improving balance for young people with intellectual disabilities.
Why mind-body medicine is poised to set a new standard for clinical research.
Comparing the benefits of Tai Chi and meditation on multiple sclerosis symptoms. Kinesiology researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have received funding to compare the effects of tai chi and mindfulness meditation on both the physical balance and psychosocial well-being of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). April 17, 2019.
Harvard Medical School: Even brief periods of movement can reverse the harmful effects of sitting. Even brief periods of Qigong (movement) are good for you.
The effect of Tai Chi and Qigong on health-related quality of life in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of systematic reviews.
A Cluster Randomized Trial of Tai Chi vs Health Education in Subsidized Housing: The MI-WiSH Study.
The effect of six weeks of Tai Chi Chuan training on the motor skills of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Iranian study finds Tai Chi helps children with autism.
Effects of Qigong practice in office workers with chronic non-specific low back pain: A randomized control trial. Qigong exercise significantly improved pain intensity, back functional impairment, range of motion, core muscle strength, heart rate, respiratory rate, and mental status in office workers with chronic non-specific low back pain.
Complexity-Based Measures of Heart Rate Dynamics in Older Adults Following Long- and Short-Term Tai Chi Training: Cross-sectional and Randomized Trial Studies.
Physical and Psychological Health Outcomes of Qigong Exercise in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Qigong exercise provides an option for older adults to improve physical ability, functional ability, balance and to lessen depression and anxiety.
Are Mindful Exercises Safe and Beneficial for Treating Chronic Lower Back Pain? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Mindful exercises (Tai Chi and Qigong) help with chronic low back pain symptom management. In particular, Tai Chi appears to have a superior effect in reducing pain intensity irrespective of non-control comparison or active control comparison (conventional exercises, core training, and physical therapy programs). Importantly, training in these mindful exercises should be implemented with certified instructors to ensure quality of movement and injury prevention.
Impact of diaphragm function parameters on balance maintenance. Deterioration of diaphragm function was closely related with deterioration of balance maintenance. Impairment of diaphragm function manifested by decrease of muscle thickness and movement restriction is strongly associated with balance disorders in a clinical sample and among healthy subjects. Diaphragmatic breathing is one way that Qigong and Tai Chi aid balance and mobility.
Meditation-Induced States, Vagal Tone, and Breathing Activity Are Related to Changes in Auditory Temporal Integration. This study is based on the relationship between meditation, the present moment, and psychophysiology. The metronome task was used to operationalize the extension of the present moment. These findings add evidence to meditation-induced changes on the TI of metronome beats and the concept of the embodiment of mental functioning.
Synthesizing the Strength of the Evidence of Complementary and Integrative Health Therapies for Pain. Mindfulness, massage, and Tai Chi have statistically significant positive effects on multiple types of pain.
Unpleasant meditation-related experiences in regular meditators: Prevalence, predictors, and conceptual considerations. This article does not take into account polyvagal theory, vagus nerve stimuation, and ANS activitation in order to explain why people can have "negative or adverse" experiences during meditation. A certain mental state of mind, what Deb Dana calls "ventral vagal", is required in order not to slip into a non-positive state while meditation. However, "adverse" experiences can actually be an aid to healing when they are understood and safely utilized.
Health Neuroscience: Defining a New Field. Health neuroscience is a new field that is at the interface of health psychology and neuroscience. It is concerned with the interplay between the brain and physical health over the lifespan. This review provides a conceptual introduction to health neuroscience. Qigong and Tai Chi incorporated into one's lifestyle are examples of health neuroscience practices. What this article lacks is an articulation of the fact that interoception, a key component of Qigong, is integral to health neuroscience. More information on interoception can be found on the Qigong Institute What is Tai Chi page.
Default Mode Network, Meditation, and Age-Associated Brain Changes: What Can We Learn from the Impact of Mental Training on Well-Being as a Psychotherapeutic Approach? Regulation of the Default Mode Network via meditation slows cognitive decline and promotes a healthy lifestyle, improving the quality of life in the elderly.
Taking aim at interoception’s role in mental health. By emphasizing the importance of an integrated mapping of interoceptive inputs, and further, by anatomically localizing this mapping to discrete sectors within the central nervous system, a theoretical underpinning for how the brain senses and responds to threats to bodily homeostasis began to emerge around the turn of the millenium, catalyzing a burgeoning movement of research focused around the theme of interoception. The authors ask the question: But can we harness the excitement of recent progress in interoceptive science and translate it into meaningful mental health interventions? The answer is that it's already happening, and the profound health intervention is called Qigong (and Tai Chi). Both Qigong and Tai Chi exercise and inform interoceptive awareness.
Superior Effects of Modified Chen-Style Tai Chi versus 24-Style Tai Chi on Cognitive Function, Fitness, and Balance Performance in Adults over 55. Tai Chi enhances global cognitive function, balance, and fitness.
Qigong in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Qigong decreases severity of individual sensory, behavioural, and language components of autism, and improves self-control, sociability, sensory and cognitive awareness as well as healthy-physical behaviour. Besides having apositive effect on children and adolescents, benefits seem to extend to parents and caregivers as well.
Cognitive and Mind-Body Therapies for Chronic Low Back Pain and Neck Pain: Effectiveness and Value. American College of Physicians (ACP) and American Pain Society (APS) 2017 updated clinical guidelines: “Non-pharmacologic treatments including but not limited to acupuncture, CBT, MBSR, yoga, and tai chi are recommended as first-line treatments for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain” Full Draft Report.
Impact of Tai Chi Exercise on Balance Disorders: A Systematic Review. Tai Chi is a useful therapy as for vestibular rehabilitation as it improves dynamic balance control and flexibility of individuals with balance and vestibular disorders.
The Beneficial Effects of Traditional Chinese Exercises for Adults with Low Back Pain: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Meta-analysis finds Tai Chi and Qigong reduce pain intensity for individuals with lower back pain.
Trait Mindfulness and Functional Connectivity in Cognitive and Attentional Resting State Networks. Mindfulness showed increased functional connectivity with neural regions related to attentional control, interoception, and executive function; and showed decreased functional connectivity with neural regions related to self-referential processing and mind wandering. These patterns of functional connectivity are consistent with some of the benefits of mindfulness-enhanced attention, self-regulation, and focus on present experience. This study provides support for the notion that non-judgmental attention to the present moment facilitates the integration of regions in neural networks that are related to cognition, attention, and sensation.
Effect of Auricular Acupuncture on Propofol Induction Dose: Could Vagus Nerve and Parasympathetic Stimulation Replace Intravenous Co-Induction Agents? Auricular acupuncture is a method for stimulating the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system. Preoperative auricular acupuncture enabled reductions of drugs for general anesthesia without any clinically important side-effects.
Treating Depression With Tai Chi: State of the Art and Future Perspectives. “Accumulating evidence suggests that Tai Chi, a popular mind–body intervention that originated as a martial art, can significantly regulate emotion and relieve the symptoms of mood disorders. In addition, the availability of instructional videos and the development of more simplified and less structured Tai Chi has made it a promising low-intensity mind-body exercise.” The authors also propose “developing a simplified and tailored Tai Chi protocol for patients with depression, comparatively investigating Tai Chi with other mind–body interventions such as yoga and Baduanjin [a classic form of Qigong], and developing new mind–body interventions that merge the advantages of multiple mind–body exercises.”
The Immediate and Sustained Positive Effects of Meditation on Resilience Are Mediated by Changes in the Resting Brain. Meditation causes an immediate enhancement in resilience that is sustained. Since resilience is known to be associated with the preventative effect of various psychiatric disorders, the improvement in stress-related neural mechanisms may be beneficial to individuals at high clinical risk.
A Positive Emotional-Based Meditation but Not Mindfulness-Based Meditation Improves Emotion Regulation. This research confirms a fundamental feature of Qigong practice. Qigong meditation begins with mindfulness to focus on present awareness, but what happens next is more important. Unlike mindfulness alone, Qigong practice trains interoception which is intricately related to emotional processing. More information on interoception and emotional processing can be found on the What is Tai Chi page on the Qigong Institute website. Of particular interest is the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness Version (MAIA). Qigong and Tai Chi practice increase interoceptive awareness which in turn contributes to enhanced health and wellness.
Effectiveness of music therapy with relaxation technique on stress management as measured by perceived stress scale.
Breath Qigong Improves Recognition in Seniors With Vascular Cognitive Impairment.
Is There a Preferred Mode of Exercise for Cognition Enhancement in Older Age?-A Narrative Review. Selected studies examining the effect of various modes of exercise on cognition contend that both training categories (i.e. physical training-aerobic and strength, and motor training-balance, coordination, and flexibility) affect neuroplasticity, and consequently cognitive functioning. However, there are two main differences between them: (1) Physical training affects cognition via improvement in cardiovascular fitness, whereas motor training (e.g. via Tai Chi) affects cognition directly; (2) Physical training affects neuroplasticity and cognition in a global manner, while motor training is task-specific in increasing brain neuroplasticity and in affecting cognition. Examining the underpinnings of these pathways reveals that there is a difference in the underlying forces behind the two training categories. In the physical training category, it is the intensity of training that enhances neuroplasticity and consequently improves cognition, while in the motor activities it is the task complexity that increases neuroplasticity, which improves cognition. Dual-task training, which includes cognitive demands in addition to physical or motor activity, has proven more effective in improving cognitive functioning than a single task. The implications are that if all training components traditionally recommended by official bodies-physical as well as motor training-are efficient in enhancing cognition, then we merely have to emphasize the inclusion of all exercise modes in our routine exercise regimen for physical as well as cognitive health in advanced age.
The Beneficial Effects of Mind-body Exercises for People with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Systematic Review finds Qigong, Tai Chi, and Yoga have the potential to improve various cognitive functions in people with mild cognitive impairment.
Muscular tension significantly affects stability in standing posture. Research confirms the beneficial effects of purposeful relaxation (sung, "soong", or intentful relaxation is fundamental to the practice of Qigong and Tai Chi). The authors also conclude that "breathing has direct effect over the management of pain and stress, and the results reported here point out the need to explicitly explore the troubling fact that a large portion of population might not be able to properly breath."
The Health Promoting Mindfulness or Qigong Educational Programs for Beneficial Lifestyle Changes of Cancer Survivors. Conclusion: healthcare professionals should incorporate mindfulness and Qigong in cancer survivors' daily life as means to encourage lifestyle changes for improving their health.
Wuqinxi Qigong as an Alternative Exercise for Improving Risk Factors Associated with Metabolic Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Wuqinxi (Five Animal Frolics Qigong) may be an effective intervention to alleviate the cardiovascular disease risk factors of metabolic syndrome.
Tai chi chuan exercises improve functional outcomes and quality of life in patients with primary total knee arthroplasty due to knee osteoarthritis.
Qigong or Tai Chi in Cancer Care: an Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. "Qigong/Tai Chi in cancer care shows great promise with short-term effects in treating many cancer-related symptoms."
Effects of physical and mind-body exercise on sleep problems during and after breast cancer treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-analysis finds Tai Chi and Qigong help breast cancer patients with sleep problems.
Tai Chi for heart attack survivors: qualitative insights.
Tai Chi as an Alternative Exercise to Improve Physical Fitness for Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability.
Nonpharmacological Interventions for Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis. Systematic analysis concludes that qigong is an optimal evidence-based intervention for healthcare workers and patients to manage cancer-related fatigue.
Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on Reducing Falls and Improving Balance Performance in Parkinson's Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Meta-analysis finds that Tai Chi is a good physical training strategy for preventing falls and improving balance and functional mobility in people with Parkinson's Disease.
Liuzijue Qigong: A Voice Training Method For Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis Patients.
The Effect of Mind-Body Therapies on Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. We analyzed the effects of tai chi and qigong separately as two different MBTs for the first time and found that qigong had a slight advantage over tai chi in the improvement of sleep quality. Subgroup analyses revealed that the effect of MBTs on sleep quality in healthy individuals was larger than clinical populations. The effect of MBTs might be influenced by the intervention duration but not the frequency.
Explaining Homeopathy with Quantum Electrodynamics.
Trends in Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong Use Among US Adults, 2002-2017. Acute and chronic pain, arthritis, and depression were the top 3 medical conditions for which people used YTQ the most.
The emotional stability of elders with tai chi experience in the sequential risk-taking task.
Different training durations and styles of tai chi for glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. The authors conclude that Tai Chi is effective in treating type 2 diabetes.
Alternative Medicine
Biomechanical analysis of the meniscus and cartilage of the knee during a typical Tai Chi movement-brush-knee and twist-step. Tai Chi movement produced a gentler stress state on the meniscus and cartilage than walking or jogging, while also requiring a greater knee range of motion. The authors conclude that practicing Tai Chi may have a lower risk of knee joint injury compared to walking and jogging.
The Effects of Tai Chi on Markers of Atherosclerosis, Lower-limb Physical Function, and Cognitive Ability in Adults Aged Over 60: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Tai Chi aids lower limb physical function and cognitive ability in older adults.
The Effects of Tai Chi Chuan Versus Core Stability Training on Lower-Limb Neuromuscular Function in Aging Individuals with Non-Specific Chronic Lower Back Pain. Tai Chi benefits neuromuscular function in aging individuals with non-specific lower back pain, while alleviating non-specific chronic pain.
Energy Medicine: Current Status and Future Perspectives. Current practices in allopathic medicine measure different types of energy in the human body by using quantum field dynamics involved in nuclear medicine, radiology, and imaging diagnostics. Once diagnosed, current treatments revert to biochemistry instead of using biophysics therapies to treat the disturbances in subtle energies detected and used for diagnostics. Quantum physics teaches us there is no difference between energy and matter. All systems in the human being, from the atomic to the molecular level, are constantly in motion-creating resonance. This resonance is important to understanding how subtle energy directs and maintains health and wellness in the human being. Energy medicine (EM), whether human touch or device-based, is the use of known subtle energy fields to therapeutically assess and treat energetic imbalances, bringing the body’s systems back to homeostasis (balance). The future of EM depends on the ability of allopathic medicine to merge physics with biochemistry. Biophoton emissions as well as signal transduction and cell signaling communication systems are widely accepted in today’s medicine. This technology needs to be expanded to include the existence of the human biofield (or human energy field) to better understand that disturbances in the coherence of energy patterns are indications of disease and aging. Future perspectives include understanding cellular voltage potentials and how they relate to health and wellness, understanding the overlap between the endocrine and chakra systems, and understanding how EM therapeutically enhances psychoneuroimmunology (mind–body) medicine.
NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research Workshop: The Science of Interoception and Its Roles in Nervous System Disorders. One of the reasons why Qigong can have such a profound positive effect upon health is due to the fact that the practice of it trains interoception. Interoception has been referred to as our "sixth sense", or in more colloquial terms, what our body is trying to tell us. The processes of interoception include awareness of body sensations, emotional reaction and attentional response to sensations, capacity to regulate attention, trusting body sensations and beliefs about importance of sensations, and mind-body integration. The NCCIH workshop will focus on how interoception is related to nervous system health. More information on interoception can be found on the What is Tai Chi page on the Qigong Institute website.
Physical and Psychological Health Outcomes of Qigong Exercise in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. The meta-analysis showed that Qigong exercise resulted in significantly improved physical ability compared with active control or usual care.
How breathing can help you make better decisions: Two studies on the effects of breathing patterns on heart rate variability and decision-making in business cases. Deep slow breathing (e.g. during the practice of Qigong) can increase vagal nerve activity, indexed by heart rate variability (HRV). These studies show that brief vagal breathing patterns reliably increase HRV and improve decision-making.
Disseminating Tai Chi in the Community: Promoting Home Practice and Improving Balance. Falls among older adults is a pressing public health challenge. Considerable research documents that longer tai chi courses can reduce falls and improve balance. However, longer courses can be challenging to implement. This 6-week modified Tai Chi short course resulted in substantial Tai Chi practice by older adults outside of class as well as better physical and executive function.
Default Mode Network as a Neural Substrate of Acupuncture: Evidence, Challenges and Strategy.
Feasibility and outcome of an individualized Tai Chi program for improving balance and strength in the elderly: A pilot study. Tai Chi improves balance function and knee extensor strength of the elderly.
Effects of Meditation and Mind-Body Exercises on Older Adults' Cognitive Performance: A Meta-analysis. This study found that meditation and mind-body exercises including Qigong and Tai Chi are effective to improve cognition of older adults aged 60 years or above, and exercise parameters should be considered for intervention planning.
Effects of a Nintendo Wii exercise program versus Tai Chi Chuan on standing balance in older adults: a preliminary study. Tai Chi improves standing balance in older adults.
A walk on water: comparing the influence of Ai Chi and Tai Chi on fall risk and verbal working memory in ageing people with intellectual disabilities - a randomised controlled trial.
Reduction of PTSD in South African University Students Using Transcendental Meditation Practice. Results were significantly associated with regularity of practice.
Complementary and Integrative Medicine for Episodic Migraine: an Update of Evidence from the Last 3 Years. Review finds that tai chi, mindfulness, and yoga are currently the most most promising for the mind/body treatment options of episodic migraine. Mindfulness meditation may be as effective as pharmacological treatment for medication-overuse headache after the offending medication is withdrawn.
Concentrative (Sahaj Samadhi) meditation expands subjective time. The findings suggest that subjective expansion of time is most likely a general effect of attentional enhancement irrespective of the type of meditation practice.
Yoga as Antihypertensive Lifestyle Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Mayo Clinic review finds that yoga is a viable antihypertensive lifestyle therapy that produces the greatest BP benefits when breathing techniques and meditation/mental relaxation (i.e. Qigong) are included.
Effectiveness of Tai Ji Quan vs Multimodal and Stretching Exercise Interventions for Reducing Injurious Falls in Older Adults at High Risk of Falling: Follow-up Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. For preventing injurious falls, including those that resulted in medical treatment, the Taiji intervention was found to be superior to multimodal and stretching exercises for older adults at high risk of falling. The findings appear to strengthen the clinical use of Taiji as a single exercise intervention to prevent injurious falls in this population. This is another great research result led by Fuzhong Li of the Oregon Research Institute. HIs clinical protocol Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance consists of a simplified Tai Chi of 8 forms and community-instructors can be trained to deliver it in a 2-day class.
Could Activity Modifications Indicate Physical Decline Among Adults With Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis? One result of this research directly concerns the safety of teaching and practicing Tai Chi because it involves the knees. The hypothesis of this research is that "mobility activity modifications indicate early functional losses that act as precursors to future declines among community-dwelling older adults." The conclusion is that "activity modifications may signal early impairments in physical health" and that "patient-reported activity modifications may enhance symptom evaluation". Teachers can ask students if they have made mobility activity modifications as just one more way to determine whether fthe student has special conditions and to ensure their safe practice.
Comparing the Changes in Blood Pressure After Acute Exposure to Tai Chi and Walking. Tai Chi found as effective as walking for lowering blood pressure in hypertensive individuals.
Self-Regulation of Breathing as an Adjunctive Treatment of Insomnia. "In this article we present a viewpoint on the treatment of insomnia that techniques of slow, deep breathing [i.e. Qigong breathing] in adjunct to sleep hygiene and relaxation therapies may be highly effective in initiating sleep as well as facilitating falling back asleep."
Long-Term Tai Chi Experience Promotes Emotional Stability and Slows Gray Matter Atrophy for Elders. Chinese study finds Tai Chi exercise slows gray matter atrophy, improving the emotional stability and achieving successful aging for elders.
Chen-Style Tai Chi for Individuals (Aged 50 Years Old or Above) with Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Tai Chi was found to reduce pain.
Capturing the complexity of mental disorders in the medically ill: the network approach on behavioral medicine. Since Descartes introduced dualism, body and mind have been seen as separate entities. The latent disease model, the view that symptoms are caused by an underlying disease, was possible within the dualistic paradigm. This paradigm, although successful in some aspects of medicine, is also assumed to underlie psychiatric disorders. As an alternative to the latent disease model, the network approach conceptualizes disorders as complex networks of causally connected symptoms. It offers a new way of understanding psychiatric disorders by directing attention away from the underlying cause and towards the symptoms and their functional interconnectedness, making the distinction between mental and physical symptoms obsolete.
Effects of Tai Chi on Cerebral Haemodynamics and Health-related Outcomes in Older Community Adults at Risk of Ischaemic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial. 12-week Tai Chi exercise has beneficial effects on cerebral haemodynamics, plasma risk factors and balance ability in older community adults at risk of ischaemic stroke.
Effects of a Twelve-Week Tai Chi intervention in Patients With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Tai Chi improves postural control and balance in patients with chronic ankle instability.
Effect of Tai Chi Exercise on Balance Function of Stroke Patients: A Meta-Analysis. Tai Chi improves balance and reduces fall rates in stroke patients.
Toward a brain theory of meditation. Interesting overview of issues involved in understanding the neurobiology of meditation including how meditation relates to brain networks and states. "The rapidly progressing science of meditation has led to insights about the neural correlates of focused attention meditation (FAM), open monitoring meditation (OMM), compassion meditation (CM) and loving kindness meditation (LKM), in terms of states and traits. However, a unified theoretical understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in meditation-related functions, including mindfulness, is lacking."
Meditation induces physical relaxation and enhances cognition: A perplexing paradox.
The effects of qigong on neck pain: A systematic review. Qigong found as effective as therapeutic exercise for individuals with neck pain.
Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Tai Chi reduces the rate of falls in older people living in the community.
Different Modulation Effects of Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin on Resting State Functional Connectivity of the Default Mode Network in Older Adults. Both Tai Chi and Qigong (Baduanjin) modulate the Default Mode Network, but through different pathways.
Effects of Online Yoga and Tai Chi on Physical Health Outcome Measures of Adult Informal Caregivers. Yoga and Tai Chi are effective for improving muscle strength and endurance, tasks of functionality, and flexibility in informal caregivers.
Effect of Low-Intensity, Kinect™-Based Kaimai-Style Qigong Exercise in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes. Qigong was effective in improving balance and cognitive function in older adults with Type 2 Diabetes.
Effects of taijiquan and qigong practice over behavioural disorders in school-age children: A pilot study. Tai Chi and Qiong help children with behavioral disorders.
Detraining effects of regular Tai Chi exercise on postural control ability in older women: A randomized controlled trial. Tai Chi was effective in improving postural control ability and maintaining intervention gains, and was recommended as an appropriate exercise to prevent falls in the older adults.
Tai Chi practice on prefrontal oxygenation levels in older adults: A pilot study.
Exploring Emptiness and its Effects on Non-Attachment, Mystical Experiences, and Psycho-spiritual Wellbeing: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study of Advanced Meditators. Compared to the mindfulness control condition, emptiness meditation resulted in significantly greater improvements in non-attachment to self and environment, mystical experiences, compassion, positive affect, and negative affect. No significant relationship was observed between duration of emptiness meditation and any of the aforementioned outcome measures. Qualitative outcomes demonstrated that participants (i) combined concentrative and investigative meditation techniques to induce emptiness, (ii) elicited spiritually meaningful insights both during and following the meditation on emptiness, and (iii) retained volitional control over the content and duration of the emptiness meditation. Cultivating emptiness appears to be a means of reconnecting advanced Buddhist meditators to what they deem to be the innermost nature of their minds and phenomena.
Association of mindfulness and stress with menopausal symptoms in midlife women. Mayo Clinic study finds mindfulness may mitigate menopausal symptoms among midlife women.
Tai chi for treating osteopenia and primary osteoporosis: a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis. Tai Chi may be beneficial for patients in improving BMD values, level of bone gla protein, and relieving osteoporotic pain
Tai Chi Chuan can improve balance and reduce fear of falling in community dwelling older adults: a randomized control trial. Tai Chi Chuan effectively improves the balance and fear of falling and could be considered as a practical and useful method for fall prevention in community-dwelling older adults.
Perceived Exertion and Affect From Tai Chi, Yoga, and Stretching Classes for Elderly Women.
Mindfulness, acceptance, and emotion regulation: perspectives from Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT). "Removing acceptance training from mindfulness interventions reduces their efficacy for improving stress, positive emotion, and social relationship outcomes. Overall, converging evidence demonstrates that acceptance is a critical emotion regulation mechanism of mindfulness interventions."
Therapeutic Presence: Its Contribution to the Doctor-Patient Encounter. We conclude that TP emerges as a transtheoretical concept that can be integrated into our understanding of the doctor-patient encounter to improve both doctor-patient communication and the doctor-patient relationship.
Mindfulness is associated with psychological health and moderates the impact of fibromyalgia. Higher mindfulness is associated with less pain interference, lower impact of fibromyalgia, and better psychological health and quality of life in people with fibromyalgia. Mindfulness moderates the influence of fibromyalgia impact on anxiety, suggesting mindfulness may alter how patients cope with fibromyalgia.
Effect of a Qigong Intervention on Telomerase Activity and Mental Health in Chinese Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Cost-effectiveness of a therapeutic Tai Ji Quan fall prevention intervention for older adults at high risk of falling. Among community-dwelling older adults at high risk for falls, Tai Chi is a more cost-effective means of reducing falls compared to conventional exercise approaches.
The effect of Tai Chi on balance and functional mobility in children with congenital sensorineural hearing loss. Turkish study finds Tai Chi as effective as conventional exercise programs for improving balance and functional mobility in children with congenital sensorineural hearing loss.
Vagal Interoceptive Modulation of Motivated Behavior. In addition to regulating the ingestion and digestion of food, sensory feedback from gut to brain modifies emotional state and motivated behavior by subconsciously shaping cognitive and affective responses to events that bias behavioral choice. This focused review highlights evidence that gut-derived signals impact motivated behavior by engaging vagal afferents and central neural circuits that generally serve to limit or terminate goal-directed approach behaviors, and to initiate or maintain behavioral avoidance.
Effects of Mind⁻Body Movements on Balance Function in Stroke Survivors: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. The study found that Qigong, Tai Chi and Yoga had significantly positive effects on balance function.
Exercise, Telomeres, and Cancer: “The Exercise-Telomere Hypothesis”. "In this review we discuss the possible role of exercise in the relationship between shorter telomeres, telomerase activity, and cancer. In summary, there is evidence that exercise leads to less telomere attrition and exercise also may diminish the risk of cancer, these two outcomes are possible intermediated by a reduction in oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation."
Somatosensory Training Improves Proprioception and Untrained Motor Function in Parkinson's Disease. Proprioceptive function in mild to moderate PD is trainable and improves with a somatosensory-focused motor training. Tai Chi and Qigong are proprioceptive function exercises.
How Mindfulness Can Help Engineers Solve Problems. While many studies focus on the attention aspect of mindfulness, our work suggests that the more essential component is the attitude with which you pay attention – or whether you have an open, curious, and kind attitude. Having an open and curious attitude is referred to as “beginner’s mind” — the capacity to bring fresh eyes to a problem and engage in new perspectives for how to solve it. By remaining open to experiences, we are more likely to make connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, which is crucial to generating original ideas.
Tai chi for treating osteopenia and primary osteoporosis: a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis
Mind-Body Exercise (Wuqinxi) for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Systematic review finds Animal Frolics Qigong is a safe and effective addition to clinical rehabilitation for COPD patients.
The efficacy of a brief app-based mindfulness intervention on psychosocial outcomes in healthy adults: A pilot randomised controlled trial.
The effect of a six-week focused meditation training on depression and anxiety symptoms in Brazilian university students with 6 and 12 months of follow-up. The meditation training was effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms, but the maintanance of these reductions only occurred for those who continued meditating. Permanent meditation programs may be an alternative for promoting mental health for university students.
=== END 2018 ===
Tai Chi: a promising adjunct nursing intervention to reduce risks of cardiovascular disease and improve psychosocial well-being in adults with hypertension
Dance training is superior to repetitive physical exercise in inducing brain plasticity in the elderly. The research shows that a challenging dance program as an effective measure to counteract detrimental effects of aging on the brain. Dancing compared to conventional fitness activity led to larger volume increases in more brain areas. These results provide a very good incentive to learn new Tai Chi and Qigong forms.
How Exercise May Make Us Healthier. People who exercise have different proteins moving through their bloodstreams than those who are generally sedentary.
The effect of Baduanjin qigong combined with CBT on physical fitness and psychological health of elderly housebound. Physical and psychological statuses of elderly housebound were significantly improved by Baduanjin training combined with CBT. The effect of the combined intervention exceeded that of CBT or Baduanjin alone.
Impact of Tai Chi on Peripheral Neuropathy Revisited: A Mixed-Methods Study. Results from this study support psychosocial and physical benefits of TC to older persons.
Study Shows Tai Chi and Dance Benefit the Brain in Older Adults
Effects of Tai Chi Yunshou exercise on community-based stroke patients: a cluster randomized controlled trial. This research found that a 12-week Tai Chi Yunshou intervention was more effective in motor function, fear of falling and depression than balance rehabilitation training.
Effects of Mind-Body Exercises on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis. Mind-body exercises, especially tai chi and dance mind-body exercise, are beneficial for improving global cognition, cognitive flexibility, working memory, verbal fluency, and learning in cognitively intact or impaired older adults. Moderate intensity is recommended as the optimal dose for older adults.
Children and Adults Tai Chi Study (CF-CATS2): a randomised controlled feasibility study comparing internet-delivered with face-to-face Tai Chi lessons in cystic fibrosis. Tai Chi was safe and well tolerated; it was feasible to deliver individual lessons via the internet, reducing concerns regarding cross-infection, and appeared to improve self-reported symptoms.
The effect of wheelchair Tai Chi on balance control and quality of life among survivors of spinal cord injuries (SCI): A randomized controlled trial. Six weeks' wheelchair Tai Chi training improved static sitting balance and quality of life in survivors with SCI. It may be a feasible, safe, and effective exercise for SCI survivors.
Relevance of Whole-Body Vibration Exercises on Muscle Strength/Power and Bone of Elderly Individuals. Beneficial effects are associated with whole-body vibration exercises (WBVEs). Increases in muscular strength/power, flexibility, and gait speed; improvements in bone mineral density, balance, and the quality of life; and decreased pain and risk of falls are reported. It is concluded that WBVE is effective for counteracting the loss of muscle strength associated with sarcopenia in elderly individuals. Balance and leg and plantar flexor strength improvements due to WBV indicate benefit to reduce risk and incidence of falls, frailty, and fracture risks. WBV is a form of spontaneous Qigong.
How meditation impacts the way we learn. "meditators tend to learn from positive outcomes, while non-meditators most likely learn from negative outcomes."
In adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, is conservative management more effective than intra-articular corticosteroid injections in relieving pain? Conservative management methods such as Tai Chi are more effective than injections, especially when considering long-term pain relief and functionality.
Gender Differences in Prevalence, Patterns, Purposes, and Perceived Benefits of Meditation Practices in the United States
Delivery of Fall Prevention Interventions for At-Risk Older Adults in Rural Areas: Findings from a National Dissemination. Findings highlight the need to diversify the delivery infrastructure for fall prevention programs to adequately serve older adults in rural areas. Ongoing efforts are needed to offer sustainable technical assistance and to develop scalable clinical-community referral systems to increase fall prevention program participation among rural-dwelling older adults.
In the Eyes of Those Who Were Randomized: Perceptions of Disadvantaged Older Adults in a Tai Chi Trial. Perceived physical, psychological, social benefits, and self-efficacy likely enhance adherence and retention to research-based Tai Chi interventions for older adults. Delivering an on-site, no cost, and supportive program appears critical to overcoming financial and environmental barriers to participation for those living within subsidized housing.
The Effects of Tai Chi on Heart Rate Variability in Older Chinese Individuals with Depression. This study adds to a growing body of research showing that TC may be effective in treating depression of the elderly. Tai Chi as a mild to moderate mind-body exercise is suitable for older individuals who suffer from depression.
The Effects of Mind-Body Exercise on Cognitive Performance in Elderly: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Mind-body exercise may be a safe and effective intervention for enhancing cognitive function among people aged 60 years or older.
Divergent effects of brief contemplative practices in response to an acute stressor: A randomized controlled trial of brief breath awareness, loving-kindness, gratitude or an attention control practice. Different styles of contemplative practice may produce different effects in the context of brief, introductory practice and these differences may be heightened by stress.
Mind-Body Interventions in Late-Life Mental Illnesses and Cognitive Disorders: A Narrative Review. There is increasing evidence that mind-body interventions including Tai Chi are potentially useful in the treatment or prevention of geriatric mental illnesses and cognitive disorders.
Tai Chi Combined With Resistance Training for Adults Aged 50 Years and Older: A Systematic Review. The review supports that Tai Chi in combination with resistance training improves physical function and muscle strength in adults aged 50 years and older.
The Effectiveness of a Virtual Reality-Based Tai Chi Exercise on Cognitive and Physical Function in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment.
Mindfulness Training Enhances Self-Regulation and Facilitates Health Behavior Change for Primary Care Patients: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Mindfulness Training for Primary Care (MTPC) is an 8-week, referral-based, insurance-reimbursable program integrated into safety-net health system patient-centered medical homes. An 8-week dose of mindfulness training is more effective than a low-dose mindfulness comparator in facilitating chronic disease self-management behavior change among primary care patients.
Modeling the Impact of Transcendental Meditation on Stroke Incidence and Mortality. Clemson University researchers urge policymakers to prioritize funding to the programs that encourage older individuals to practice meditation.
[Effect on fear of falling and functionality of three intervention programs. A randomised clinical trial]. Tai Chi helps elderly reduce their fear of falling.
Multicomponent intervention combining a cognitive stimulation group and tai chi to reduce cognitive decline among community-dwelling older adults with probable dementia: A multi-center, randomized controlled trial.
The Effects of Mindfulness on Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). CONCLUSION: Long-term mindfulness practice may be associated with cognitive and functional improvements for older adults with MCI. Mindfulness training could be a potential efficacious non-pharmacological therapeutic intervention for MCI.
Mindfulness and the contemplative life: pathways to connection, insight, and purpose. An interesting take away from this abstract is: "Mindfulness plays an important role as a foundation for other contemplative practices." Mindfulness also plays a foundational role in the practice and cultivation of Qigong.
Beneficial Effects of Qigong Wuqinxi in the Improvement of Health Condition, Prevention, and Treatment of Chronic Diseases: Evidence from a Systematic Review.
NCCIH discovers that contact with nature is good for you. No surprise here. Many Qigong forms were created by observing nature and animals. Qigong practice and cultivation are enhanced through connection with nature. Daoism is a philosphy and practice built upon a foundation of observing and interacting with nature.
The Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA). Qigong and Tai Chi practice increase interoceptive awareness which in turn contributes to enhanced health and wellness. This paper gives an excellent background on the processes of interoception which include awareness of body sensations, emotional reaction and attentional response to sensations, capacity to regulate attention, trusting body sensations and beliefs about importance of sensations, and mind-body integration
Association of traditional Chinese exercises with glycemic responses in people with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Meta-analysis of systematic reviews finds Tai Ji Quan, Qigong, and Ba Duan Jin help patients with type 2 diabetes.
Tai chi, the winner at warding off falls. Harvard Medical School.
Assessment of hormonal parameters and psychological well-being in healthy subjects after a Taoist qigong program: An exploratory study. Qigong modulates blood levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).
The Effect of T'ai Chi and Qigong Training on Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Controlled Study. Tai Chi and Qigong help peple with sleep disorders.
Digital Delivery of Meditative Movement Training Improved Health of Cigarette-Smoke-Exposed Subjects. This randomized controlled study found that digitally delivered meditative movement (Qigong) training improves chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-related symptoms in flight attendants who were exposed to second-hand cigarette smoke while flying.
The psychological wellbeing outcomes of nonpharmacological interventions for older persons with insomnia symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Mindfulness-based inteventions in particular can reduce depression, anxiety, and fatigue in older persons with insomnia symptoms.
More Americans are meditating than ever before, as mindfulness goes mainstream
National Health Interview Survey 2017. Yoga and mindfulness being practiced by more people.
Connection between Systemic Inflammation and Neuroinflammation Underlies Neuroprotective Mechanism of Several Phytochemicals in Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Feasibility and outcome of an individualized Tai Chi program for improving balance and strength in the elderly: A pilot study. Traditional Tai Chi is too complex for most elderly individuals. There have been few reports regarding the development of simplified Tai Chi programs to suit the physical needs of elderly adults. However, these programs were not individualized according to the participants' balance control abilities. This preliminary result suggests that the individualized Tai Chi program is potentially effective to improve balance function and knee extensor strength of the elderly.
The effect of Tai Chi on quality of life in male older people: A randomized controlled clinical trial. 8-week Tai Chi intervention has a positive effect on quality of life in older men.
The effect of wheelchair Tai Chi on balance control and quality of life among survivors of spinal cord injuries: A randomized controlled trial. Six weeks' of Tai Chi training improved static sitting balance and quality of life in survivors with spinal cord injuries.
Why therapists should walk the talk: The theoretical and empirical case for personal practice in therapist training and professional development. The key proposition of this paper is that personal practice, coupled with self-reflection, is central to the development of the most effective therapists.
Effects of long-term home-based Liuzijue exercise combined with clinical guidance in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Long-term home-based Qigong combined with clinical guidance can effectively improve the pulmonary function, exercise capacity, and quality of life of elderly patients with moderate to severe COPD.
Effects of Mind⁻Body Exercises (Tai Chi/Yoga) on Heart Rate Variability Parameters and Perceived Stress: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Systematic review finds Tai Chi and Yoga reduce stress for people who live under high stess or negative emotions through modulating sympathetic-vagal balance.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease: An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline. Qigong and Tai Chi recommended for patients with Parkinson's Disease.
The association between Tai Chi exercise and safe driving performance among older adults: An observational study. Age-related cognitive and physical decline can impair safe driving performance. Tai Chi exercise benefits cognitive and physical function and may influence safe driving performance in older adults.
Breath of Life: The Respiratory Vagal Stimulation Model of Contemplative Activity. Two more researchers discover that breathing discipline (e.g. slow, deep diaphragmatic breathing during Qigong practice) positively affects the vagus nerve and beneficially modulates the parasympathetic nervous system.
Promoting Physical and Psychological Rehabilitation Activities and Evaluating Potential Links Among Cancer-Related Fatigue, Fear of Recurrence, Quality of Life, and Physiological Indicators in Cancer Survivors. Qigong strengthens physical and psychological rehabilitation in cancer survivors.
The Vagus Nerve Can Predict and Possibly Modulate Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases: Introducing a Neuroimmunological Paradigm to Public Health. "This article wishes to introduce to medicine and public health a new paradigm to predict, understand, prevent and possibly treat such diseases based on the science of neuro-immunology and specifically by focusing on vagal neuro-modulation. Vagal nerve activity is related to frontal brain activity which regulates unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Epidemiologically, high vagal activity, indexed by greater heart rate variability (HRV), independently predicts reduced risk of GBD and better prognosis in GBD. Biologically, the vagus nerve inhibits oxidative stress, inflammation and sympathetic activity (and associated hypoxia). Finally, current non-invasive methods exist [notably, the practice of Qigong] to activate this nerve for neuro-modulation, and have promising clinical effects."
Processing of Emotion in Functional Neurological Disorder. The authors report that functional neurological disorder can be caused by at least autonomic dysregulation and abnormal bodily awareness. Practicing Qigong modulates the autonomic nervous system through the vagus nerve and promotes bodily awareness over time through interoception.
Epigenetic ageing is distinct from senescence-mediated ageing and is not prevented by telomerase expression. This research indicates that there is part of the cell that is subject to epigenetic ageing or subject to the wisdom (or lack there of) of the organism's life choices/chances and what environments and experiences are chosen to exist and live in, which trigger certain gene expression or not. This implies that long life requires cultivation of wisdom as well as vitality, both of which can result through the practice of Qigong.
Meta-analysis of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia and anxiety or depression. Tai Chi is effective at reducing symptoms of depression or anxiety in people with dementia experiencing these symptoms.
Do workplace-based mindfulness meditation programs improve physiological indices of stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis. The authors conclude that mindfulness-based interventions are a promising avenue for intervention for improving physiological indices of stress
Is less more? A randomized comparison of home practice time in a mind-body program. Prescribing a flexible home practice schedule did not increase compliance. Results suggest that prescribing higher practice doses may maximize practice time and symptom reduction despite lower compliance.
New Study Links Mindfulness, Brain Changes, and Pain Sensitivity. People who are naturally more mindful report less pain and show lower activation of a specific region of the brain in response to an unpleasant heat stimulus, according to a new study supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). The study, conducted by researchers from Wake Forest University and collaborating institutions, was published in the journal Pain.
International Medical Tai Chi and Qigong Association Inaugural Meeting
Mindfulness for Healthcare Providers: The Role of Non-Reactivity in Reducing Stress. Non-reactivity to inner experience is a key aspect of MBSR that is independently associated with a change in perceived stress in health care providers.
Endocannabinoids, exercise, pain, and a path to health with aging.
Acupuncture for Cancer Pain and Symptom Management in a Palliative Medicine Clinic. Acupuncture improved cancer-related pain and other symptoms.
Qigong Improves Exercise Capacity, Depression, and Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure.
Live Be Yoga: How a Yoga Teacher Training in This Women's Prison Is Transforming Inmates' Lives
Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: an umbrella review. Review finds Qigong is a non-phramacological intervention which provides a statistically significant reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease events or overall mortality.
A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based Tai Chi Chuan for subthreshold depression adolescents. Tai Chi decreases depression level in adolescents.
UMONS-TAICHI: A multimodal motion capture dataset of expertise in Taijiquan gestures.
Effectiveness of a Therapeutic Tai Ji Quan Intervention vs a Multimodal Exercise Intervention to Prevent Falls Among Older Adults at High Risk of Falling: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of the American Medical Association: Among community-dwelling older adults at high risk for falls, a therapeutically tailored tai ji quan balance training intervention was more effective than conventional exercise approaches for reducing the incidence of falls.
Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review [Internet]. Tai Chi and Qigong were associated with slight improvements in function in fibromyalgia patients compared with an attention control, sham, no treatment, or usual care. As exercise Tai Chi and Qigong improved pain moderately in the short term.
Effects of Tai Chi on Self-Efficacy: A Systematic Review. Tai Chi appears to be associated with improvements in self-efficacy.
Tai Chi exercise is more effective than brisk walking in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors among adults with hypertension: A randomised controlled trial. Tai Chi is better than brisk walking in reducing several cardiovascular disease risk factors and improving psychosocial well-being, and can be recommended as a viable exercise for building a healthy life free of cardiovascular disease.
5 ways tai chi benefits seniors
Mobility, balance and balance confidence - correlations with daily living of individuals with and without mild proprioception deficits post-stroke. Qigong and Tai Chi exercise and maintain proprioception. As this research points out, even mild deficits in proprioception affect mobility, balance, balance confidence, and independence in basic daily living.
The vagus afferent network: emerging role in translational connectomics. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is increasingly considered for the treatment of intractable epilepsy and holds potential for the management of a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions. The emergence of the field of connectomics and the introduction of large-scale modeling of neural networks has helped elucidate the underlying neurobiology of VNS, which may be variably expressed in patient populations and related to responsiveness to stimulation.
Tai Chi with music improves quality of life among community-dwelling older persons with mild to moderate depressive symptoms: A cluster randomized controlled trial. This intervention represents an economically viable solution to better QOL and healthy aging in a highly populous developing nation.
Fibromyalgia and Tai Chi: Getting Mindful and Physical. Let's get physical? Bringing in mindfulness alongside may increase its impact.
Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.
Mind⁻Body (Baduanjin [i.e. Qigong]) Exercise Prescription for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. "Baduanjin [Qigong] exercise as an adjunctive treatment may potentially improve exercise capability and pulmonary function of COPD patients as well as quality of life. Baduanjin exercise could be tentatively prescribed for COPD in combination with the conventional rehabilitation program to quicken the process of recovery."
Modeling of inhomogeneous electromagnetic fields in the nervous system: a novel paradigm in understanding cell interactions, disease etiology and therapy. "Electromagnetic fields around neurons play a role in physiological and pathological processes, including cell-to-neuron and cell-to-cell communication, their improved understanding opens up new therapeutic strategies based on electromagnetic field modulation or cell's surface charge alteration." This is a step on the way to a better understanding of bioenergy and its relationship to function.
The Health Benefits of Tai Chi. The University of Kansas Health System.
Accreditation Standard Guideline Initiative for Tai Chi and Qigong Instructors and Training Institutions
International Medical Tai Chi and Qigong Association. This is a brand new organization backed by the Benson and Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine and Harvard Medical School's Teaching Hospital that is planning to establish standards and certification for Medical Tai Chi and Qigong instructors. They aim to be the main accreditation organization acting as an advocacy and representative body for qualified Medical Tai Chi and Qigong instructors in their dealings with government agencies, the general public and the medical community. The inaugural conference will be October 5 - 6, 2018 in Boston, a date which conflicts with the National Qigong Association West Conference in Portland, Oregon on October 6 and 7. Anyone who offers their Tai Chi and/or Qigong as "Medical" may be affected by this new organization.
Minding the Mind-Body Literature: Aging and Cognitive Decline. The latest from Peter Wayne at Harvard. He makes the point that postural control, motor processes, and cognition are interrelated. Balance and gait are also related to higher order cognitive function.
Effect of t'ai chi Exercise on Hypertension in Young and Middle-Aged In-Service Staff. "T'ai chi exercise can reduce the level of blood pressure in young and middle-aged in-service staff with grade 1 hypertension, control weight, slow down the HR, improve metabolism, and improve quality of life."
Brief Mindfulness Meditation Improves Attention in Novices: Evidence From ERPs and Moderation by Neuroticism. "Even brief meditation improves allocation of attentional resources in some novices."
Qigong intervention for breast cancer survivors with complaints of decreased cognitive function. "The study results suggest that mindfulness-based exercise [i.e. Qigong] may be superior to gentle exercise alone or survivorship support for improving self-report of cognitive function and distress after treatment for breast cancer. The mindfulness component may enhance the positive impact of exercise on cognitive function."
Effectiveness of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review of Literature. "The MBSR program is a promising behavioral complementary therapy to help people with hypertension lower their blood pressure through modifications in their lifestyle." Note the emphasis on lifestyle change for improved health which is one of the profound benefits of Qigong. There are many research papers on the benefits of Qigong for hypertension, starting with The Anti-Aging Benefits of Qigong in 1996.
The Potential to Reduce Falls and Avert Costs by Clinically Managing Fall Risk. "This report is the first to estimate the number of medically treated falls that could be prevented and the direct medical costs that could be adverted. Preventing falls can benefit older adults substantially by improving their health, independence, and quality of life."
Cognition and brain function in elderly Tai Chi practitioners: A case-control study.
The Effects of Tai Chi on Lower Limb Proprioception in Adults Aged Over 55: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Tai Chi is an effective intervention to maintain and improve lower limb proprioception in adults aged over 55. More information on Tai Chi and proprioception can be found on the What is Tai Chi page.
The Effects of Tai Chi on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis. Tai Chi helps patients with Type 2 Diabetes.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Changing the Paradigm for Chronic Severe Depression? Note that Qigong practice stimulates the vagus nerve and thus has the potential for non-pharmacologically helping to treat depression.
Making Sense of… the Microbiome in Psychiatry. "The human gut microbiome has been shown to influence many aspects of host health including more recently the brain.Several modes of interaction between the gut and the brain have been discovered, including via the synthesis of metabolites and neurotransmitters, activation of the vagus nerve and activation of the immune system. A growing body of work is implicating the microbiome in a variety of psychological processes and neuropsychiatric disorders. These include mood and anxiety disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, and even neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease. Moreover, it is probable that most psychotropic medications have an impact on the microbiome." Note that the vagus nerve is affected by both the microbiome and the practice of Qigong. More on Qigong and the vagus nerve can be found on the Integrative Medicine and Medical Qigong Therapy page on the Qigong Institute website.
The effect of movement-focused and breath-focused yoga practice on stress parameters and sustained attention: A randomized controlled pilot study. "Yoga-based practices (YBP) typically involve a combination of movement sequences, conscious regulation of the breath, and techniques to engage attention. However, little is known about whether effects of YBP result from the synergistic combination of these components, or whether a subset may yield similar effects. In this study we compared the effect of a movement-focused practice and a breath-focused practice on stress parameters (perceived stress and salivary cortisol) and sustained attention (response inhibition) in yoga naïve university students. While participants of both programs showed a reduction in perceived stress and salivary cortisol, only the breath-focused group showed improvements in sustained attention." This research is another confirmation of the benefits of Qigong (lowering stress and improving attention span) through movement and breathing practices.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Meditation on Empathy, Compassion, and Prosocial Behaviors. Harvard study urges clinicians and meditation teachers to be aware that meditation can improve positive pro-social emotions and behaviors.
Which Facets of Mindfulness Protect Individuals from the Negative Experiences of Obsessive Intrusive Thoughts (OIT)? Individuals who are high in nonjudgment, nonreactivity and act with awareness facets of mindfulness experience fewer OITs. The attentional component of mindfulness (act with awareness) reflects an ability to focus on the task at hand, which would suggest that individuals who score high on acting with awareness may be less prone to intrusions, such as OITs. The authors also make the interesting finding that the observe facet (e.g. ‘I intentionally stay aware of my feelings’) of mindfulness appears to be related to more negative experiences of OITs. This tendency to observe experiences is also related to how individuals respond to their OITs, with a tendency toward negative reactions and appraisals and ineffective strategies. Teaching people how to be more aware of their thoughts and feelings and yet letting them go and changing their habitual reactions to them are a part of the interoceptive component of Qigong practice.
Efficacy of rhythmic exercise and walking exercise in older adults' exercise participation rates and physical function outcomes. Korean study finds rhythmic exercise designed from music and dance more effective than walking exercise in retaining exercise participation and improving physical function in older adults.
Tai Chi for Stroke Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Tai Chi has an overall beneficial effect on activities of daily living, balance, limb motor function, and walking ability among stroke survivors, and may also improve sleep quality, mood, mental health, and other motor function.
The Effects of Movement-to-Music (M2M) and Adapted Yoga on Physical and Psychosocial Outcomes in People with Multiple Sclerosis. Movement-to-music is a useful and enjoyable exercise form for people with MS in improving mobility and walking endurance.
The Influence of Breathing on the Central Nervous System. The authors present some detailed information about the diaphragm and breathing in relation to body functions such as movement of the brain mass, oscillation of the neural network, motor coordination, and blood circulation. They note that the movement of the diaphragm affects posture and emotional states. The vagus nerve is one of the main nerves which innervates the diaphragm. "The breath modulates the limbic (the brain's emotional system) oscillations, the cognitive and motor functions of the cortex. This process occurs with greater force when inhalation takes place through the nose; on the other hand, the effect is less forceful if the breath is carried out with an open mouth". "The same respiratory rhythm is recorded differently from specific brain areas, from which the neural oscillations, which allow communication between them, start. The greater the oscillations are coordinated, the greater the function expressed by the different cerebral areas involved." The movement of the diaphragm transmits interoceptive and proprioceptive information that influences neural oscillations and cognitive activity.
Acupuncture (PDQ®): Health Professional Version. This PDQ cancer information summary for health professionals provides comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based information about the use of acupuncture in the treatment of people with cancer. It is intended as a resource to inform and assist clinicians who care for cancer patients. It does not provide formal guidelines or recommendations for making health care decisions. This summary is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary by the PDQ Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board, which is editorially independent of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The summary reflects an independent review of the literature and does not represent a policy statement of NCI or the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
A Large Randomized Trial: Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Breast Cancer (BC) Survivors on Salivary Cortisol and IL-6. MBSR aids breast cancer survivors.
Long-term Tai Chi exercise increases body stability of the elderly during stair ascent under high and low illumination
Association between Physical Exercise and Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress among Middle-Aged and Elderly Community Residents with Essential Hypertension in China. Frequent Tai Chi effectively decreases hypertension-related oxidative stress biomarker levels.
Effects of Meditative Movements on Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Meditative movement interventions, i.e. Qigong and Tai Chi, showed significantly improved treatment remission rate and response rate over passive controls. "Emphasizing the therapeutic effects of meditative movements [e.g. Qigong and Tai Chi] for treating major depressive disorder (MDD) is critical because it may provide a useful alternative to existing mainstream treatments (drug therapy and psychotherapy) for MDD. Given the fact that meditative movements are safe and easily accessible, clinicians may consider recommending meditative movements for symptomatic management in this population.
The Gut-Brain Axis, the Human Gut Microbiota and Their Integration in the Development of Obesity.
Investigating the Effect of Mindfulness-Based Training on Psychological Status and Quality of Life in Patients with Breast Cancer. Mindfulness-based training improves psychological status and Quality of Life of patients with breast cancer.
Effect of Tai Chi Synergy T1 Exercise on Autonomic Function, Metabolism, and Physical Fitness of Healthy Individuals.
The effect of Tai Chi practice on brain white matter structure: a diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging study. Long-term Tai Chi practice benefits brain white matter, and these impacts were correlated with exercise duration and skill level.
Falls prevention in community care: 10 years on. Australian study recommends referral to fall prevention programs such as tai chi for at-risk individuals.
Meditation affects brain networks differently in long-term meditators and novices
Does tai chi improve brain and muscle function in the elderly? Tai chi training leads to increased levels of neuronal and muscle markers. Tai chi training may promote neuroplasticity and increased recovery in muscles.
Meditation helps veterans with PTSD.
How meditation helps with depression. A regular practice can help your brain better manage stress and anxiety that can trigger depression.
Stress Management. Some individuals have a greater innate, or trait, capacity for mindfulness. These individuals, who have not participated in mindfulness-training interventions, tend to experience better physical health, report fewer physiological symptoms such as pain, and utilize fewer healthcare resources. Trait mindfulness has been associated with lower ratings of anxiety and depression in a variety of medical and non-medical populations. Trait mindfulness may emerge from a genetic predisposition. A recent epidemiological study of adolescent twins revealed that trait mindfulness was 32% heritable. The same study also revealed that 66% of the variance in trait mindfulness was due to environmental factors, suggesting that is also a skill that can be learned.
A modified 6-form Tai Chi for patients with COPD. Another study confirming the health benefits of simplified forms of Tai Chi.
Differences in Brain Structure and Function Among Yoga Practitioners and Controls. "Our results suggest an association between regular long-term yoga practice and differential structure and function of specific brain regions involved in executive function, specifically working memory, which has previously shown to improve with yoga practice."
Short- and long-term mindfulness meditation training positively affect emotional regulation ability.
The neurobiology of interoception in health and disease. Interoception is a key component of the practice of Qigong. This research explains how "Interoceptive mechanisms ensure physiological health through the cerebral coordination of homeostatic reflexes and allostatic responses that include motivational behaviors and associated affective and emotional feelings...interoceptive processing can contribute to the mechanistic understanding of physical and psychological disorders. We present a neurobiological overview of interoception and describe how interoceptive impairments at different levels relate to specific physical and mental health conditions, including sickness behaviors and fatigue, depression, eating disorders, autism, and anxiety."
Use of Mind-Body Therapies Among Young Adults Aged 18-24 Years: Findings From the 2012 National Health Interview Survey . UCLA Department of Community Health Sciences recommends mind-body practices for young adults: "Young adulthood is a critical period in the life course when individuals are establishing lifestyle and health behaviors that can be enduring. Because stress is a persistent problem, and many MBTs can be helpful with management of stress and anxiety, young adult may be underutilizing these modalities. Public health and educational strategies for greater engagement in MBT among young adults are warranted."
Open monitoring meditation reduces the involvement of brain regions related to memory function. Open Monitoring Meditation (OMM) reduces intentional focused attention and increases detachment from autobiographical memory. This detachment may play an important role in non-judgmental and non-reactive attitude during OMM. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the contribution of OMM to well-being and happiness.
Tai Chi provides appropriate physical exercise and opportunities for older persons to enhance their quality of life through interaction of physical, emotional and intellectual wellness.
Consciousness as an Inhibited Manifestation and Quantum Physics.
Immediate Effects of Interoceptive Awareness Training through Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT) for Women in Substance Use Disorder Treatment. Interoceptive training (e.g. practicing Qigong) improves emotional regulation and related health outcomes and helps treat substance abuse.
Anti-inflammatory effect on genes expression after four days of Qigong training in peripheral mononuclear blood cells in healthy women. Polish study finds Qigong training decreases inflammatory and increases anti-inflammatory gene expression.
The Effect of Exercise on Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: What the Lymphatic Surgeon Needs to Know. For many years, it was considered best practice for patients with breast cancer to avoid exercise; however, in recent years, research has begun to challenge this belief. Several forms of exercise including Qigong appear to be safe interventions for clinicians to use when treating this population and offer benefits such as improved quality of life, strength, body mass index, and mental health and decreased pain and lymphatic swelling.
Biopsychosocial benefits of movement-based complementary and integrative health therapies for patients with chronic conditions. Movement-based therapies including Qigong improved physical and mental health, reduced opiate and psychotropic use, enhanced emotional well-being, and improved social relationships. Changes were attributed to physical improvements, development of coping skills, and increased self-awareness. This VA medical center study also recommends that providers treating patients with complex comorbidities may consider referrals to movement-based therapy programs to address multiple concerns simultaneously, particularly among patients seeking alternatives to medication or adjunctive to an opiate reduction strategy.
Review finds Tai Chi reduces fear of falling and improves balance confidence in older adults with type 2 diabetes.
Proprioceptive Training for the Prevention of Ankle Sprains: An Evidence-Based Review. Proprioception is awareness of spatial orientation, sense of balance, center of balance, alignment and posture. This research found that proprioceptive training is effective in reducing the incidence rates of ankle injuries in athletes. Proprioception is enhanced through the practice of Qigong.
Mindfulness meditation and relaxation response affect brain differently. The Harvard Gazette: A study shows that both mindful meditation and the relaxation response provide benefits, however, the mindfulness program resulted in further improvements in measures such as self-compassion and rumination.
Study quantifies changes in stress after meditation. "Through a new method of processing HRV [Heart Rate Variability] time series data, the researchers developed a way to measure the change in the level of stress provided by meditation. This measure assigns a number to the level of variability of heartbeat interval time series before and during meditation. This number indicates precisely how much stress is alleviated by control of the heart-brain coupling through meditation...Historically, one purpose of meditation has been to reduce stress, however, the Army's long-term goal is to use it to mitigate the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. West said the potential for this to succeed has been dramatically increased with the new ability to quantify the degree of effectiveness in stress reduction using different meditation techniques."
Your Strength Routine's Most Important 15 Minutes. Although there are as many recovery techniques on the market as there are exercises, qigong (chee-gong) presents a unique and previously unexplored method to eliminate the negative effects of stress and give you a 25% increase in strength in 8 weeks.
Interoceptive Awareness Skills for Emotion Regulation: Theory and Approach of Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy (MABT). Interoception is a key component of Qigong practice. This article explains how interoceptive awareness is connected to emotional regulation, an integrated sense of self, health, and well-being.
PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet]. This PDQ cancer information summary for health professionals provides comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based information about the use of acupuncture in the treatment of people with cancer. It is intended as a resource to inform and assist clinicians who care for cancer patients.
Systematic review finds Tai Chi produces positive effects on limb motor function, balance function, daily living activity ability and neurological impairment among stroke patients.
Five-year traumatic spinal cord injury rehabilitation study finds therapies including tai chi and relaxation techniques reduce pain severity.
Cholinergic modulation of the immune system presents new approaches for treating inflammation. Over the past two decades, there has been explosive growth in the scientific understanding of neuroanatomical, cellular, and molecular mechanisms that affect immune functions through the autonomic nervous system. A major catalyst for growth in this field was the discovery that vagal nerve causes a prominent attenuation of the systemic inflammatory response. Qigong practice beneficially affects the immune system through stimulating the vagus nerve which in turn causes the cholinergic modulation of the autonomic nervous system. This paper presents details on the cholinergic anti-inflammatory response.
Systematic review finds Tai Chi improves cardiovascular function and flexibility in people living with HIV.
A review of vagus nerve stimulation as a therapeutic intervention. Qigong practice stimulates the vagus nerve through diaphragmatic breathing, healing sounds, and self-applied massage. As this review explains, vagus nerve stimulation lowers inflammation and helps treat chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis as well as fibromyalgia and migraines. Stimulation of the vagus nerve is a major reason why Qigong is being revealed to be so beneficial for so many chronic conditions.
Acute Physiological and Psychological Effects of Qigong Exercise in Older Practitioners.
Journal of the American Medical Association: "Tai chi is equally or more beneficial than aerobic exercise for people with fibromyalgia"
NCCIH recommends Tai Chi for Parkinson's
Mindfulness Trends in The Workplace. The article discusses the adoption of mindfulness practices by business and the fact that there are more than 1000 mindfulness apps and 30,000 books on mindfulness at Amazon. It also says: 'While there is nothing wrong with using brain "hacks" to enhance human potential, the absence of training in insight and skillful actions in commercial mindfulness compromises the efficacy and integrity of the programs. This trend will continue to grow till it is replaced by the next lucrative management fad.' Clearly, the next "fad" is already here, and it's called Qigong -- the ultimate App-less Mindfulness App.
Mindfulness training induces structural connectome changes in insula networks. Mindfulness stregthens interoception. Both mindfulness and interoception are fundamental to the practice of Qigong and Tai Chi.
The effects of mindfulness and relaxation training for insomnia (MRTI) on postmenopausal women: a pilot study. Eight weeks mindfulness meditation training improved sleep quality, quality of life, attention levels, and reduced vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women with insomnia.
Broke Your Right Arm? Exercise Your Left. It May Help, Really. Working out the muscles on one side of our bodies can keep the muscles on the other side fit, even if we do not move them at all.
Mindful meditation may have health benefits.
Group based Tai Chi improves health of older Chinese with hypertension.
Can Tai Chi and Qigong Postures Shape Our Mood? Toward an Embodied Cognition Framework for Mind-Body Research.
Why Companies Are Embracing Corporate Mindfulness
Bibliometric Analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine Scientific Production between 1982 and 2016 Indexed in PubMed. The increasing demand for TCM seems to be due to factors such as lower side effects and greater efficacy in some patients not responding well to conventional therapy. As a result, a considerable amount of TCM science-based literature has been produced, supporting the rational integration of these practices in Western healthcare systems and research. Our results show that the quality of TCM research and inherent publications have been increasing over the last decades, with a higher incidence of studies published in well-ranked journals.
The Yogi masters were right -- meditation and breathing exercises can sharpen your mind. New research explains link between breath-focused meditation and attention and brain health. "...this means that our attention is influenced by our breath and that it rises and falls with the cycle of respiration. It is possible that by focusing on and regulating your breathing you can optimise your attention level and likewise, by focusing on your attention level, your breathing becomes more synchronised."
Systematic review finds Tai Chi is effective in reducing falls incidence in Parkinson's disease and stroke.
Schools turn to mindfulness to tackle student anxiety
Systematic review finds Tai Chi enhances neural plasticity in healthy adults.
Effectiveness of meditative movement on COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic review recommends Qigong (meditative movement) for COPD.
Six-year positive effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on mindfulness, coping and well-being in medical and psychology students; Results from a randomized controlled trial.
Neuroembryology of the Acupuncture Principal Meridians: Part 3. The Head and Neck. Accumulating evidence from anatomical, physiologic, and neuroimaging research shows that Classical acupuncture points stimulate nerve trunks or their branches in the head, trunk, and extremities. The first part of this series revealed that phenomenon in the extremities. Principal meridian distributions mirror those of major peripheral nerves there and Classical acupuncture points are proximate to peripheral nerves there. Overall, the acupuncture Principal meridians can be conceptualized to have a neuroanatomical substrate that is corroborated by developmental neuroembryology. Note that one of the authors is from the Mayo Clinic.
Ready, set, focus: Finding calm in a storm through the power of breathing. The military is discovering QIgong.
To treat pain, PTSD and other illnesses, Tennessee vets try tai chi
Tai Chi Improves Brain Metabolism and Muscle Energetics in Older Adults.
Neural Mechanisms of Qigong Sensory Training Massage for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Feasibility Study. Qigong Sensory Training (QST) is a nonverbal, parent-delivered intervention recently shown to be effective at reducing these everyday challenges in children with ASD. This study proved its feasibility for larger trials.
Hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect of Tai chi exercise training in older adults with metabolic syndrome. Tai Chi has an antioxidative and hypoglycemic effect in the elderly with metabolic syndrome.
The effect of Chinese martial arts Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) on prevention of osteoporosis: A systematic review. TCC is beneficial to BMD and may be a cost-effective and preventive measure of osteoporosis. This beneficial effect is better observed in long-term TCC practice.
Review of the Neural Oscillations Underlying Meditation. The most commonly studied specific meditation practices are focused attention (FA), open-monitoring (OM), as well as transcendental meditation (TM), and loving-kindness (LK) meditation. Meditation is one type of mental training that has been shown to produce many cognitive benefits. Meditation practice is associated with improvement in concentration and reduction of stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, different forms of meditation training are now being used as interventions for a variety of psychological and somatic illnesses. The current literature suggests distinct differences in neural oscillatory activity among FA, OM, TM, and LK meditation practices.
'Mindfulness' meditation technique finding new fans in Triangle and beyond. "The formal practice of mindfulness meditation is like going to the gym," she said. "You are training your brain toward focus, toward being able to marshal your own attention." Researchers from Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh showed why this works by looking at MRI images of study subjects who had been practicing mindfulness meditation for eight weeks. The images showed a decrease in the size of the amygdala, which is the "fight or flight" center of the brain.
A Randomized Trial Evaluating School-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Ethnic Minority Youth: Exploring Mediators and Moderators of Intervention Effects. The study provided evidence that mindfulness intervention was beneficial for low-income ethnic minority youth in reducing perceived stress and internalizing problems, and improving emotion regulation outcomes. Furthermore, mindfulness training was associated with reduced mental health symptoms via improvements in emotion regulation.
The neurobiology of focus and distraction: The case for incorporating mindfulness into leadership. Two main neural circuits are contrasted: the mind-wandering default mode circuit and the attentional central executive system. These two systems act in an antagonistic pairing, where the degree of toggling between systems is associated with the degree a person can sustain focus and filter out unwarranted distractions. Excessive multitasking appears to compromise the neural switch of these two systems, thereby diminishing our focus and concentration. In contrast, mindfulness practice is shown to have the opposite effect by enhancing the neural switch, thereby enhancing leadership focus that can lead to greater flexibility, foresight, regulation, and creativity. To conclude, leaders who are excessively distracted, such as with multitasking, may be compromising cognitive brain functioning, while engaging in mindfulness may replenish the brain and thereby enhance leaders' ability to sustain focus and tap into higher cognitive functioning.
Tai Chi and the Musician: How This Martial Art Could Help Your Career
Bioelectric signaling in regeneration: Mechanisms of ionic controls of growth and form (morphology). Levin at the Department of Biology, Tufts University is at the forefront of researching the relationship between physiology and bioenergy. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine the Eight Extraordinary vessels or meridians are the energy template of the body. This energy template or field is affected by the environment and is the fundamental pattern that provides the basis for human growth and morphology. Levin's work expands our basic understanding of morphogenetic processes responsible for the generation and repair of complex anatomy through researching and understanding our endogenous voltage gradients, ion flows, and electric fields.
Qigong dance helps Parkinson's patients.
Cognitive Gains From Meditation May Endure Up to 7 Years
10-minute Tai Chi practice improves attention and decreases stress.
Review finds mind-body practices improve depression, activities of daily living, and mobility of post-stroke patients.
Tai Chi found as effective as normal pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with COPD but does not require specific facilities.
Postural awareness and its relation to pain: validation of an innovative instrument measuring awareness of body posture in patients with chronic pain. Postural awareness and adjustment are fundamental to the practice of Qigong. This research confirms the importance of postural awareness for reducing pain over time.
There’s new evidence that Silicon Valley's favorite mindfulness habit may help defeat a key problem of aging
Study suggests Tai Chi as low-cost alternative to pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD patients
Practicing Tai Chi helps improve respiratory function in patients with COPD Tai Chi offers a low-cost, easily accessible alternative to pulmonary rehabilitation, study finds.
This Harvard Medical School transcriptome research is the first to show at the molecular level how Qigong (which elicits the relaxation response) lowers blood pressure. Qigong Institute founder Dr. Ken Sancier showed that Qigong reduces blood pressure in hypertensive patients in his ground-breaking 1996 paper 'Anti-Aging Benefits of Qigong'. Note that one of the authors of this current paper is Dr. Herbert Benson who wrote the book on the Relaxation Response.
7-Year Follow-up Shows Lasting Cognitive Gains From Meditation
Movement therapies such as Tai Chi more beneficial than manual therapy for adults with arthritis.
Integrative Health & Wellness Caucus Focuses on Putting Health Back in Healthcare. “This caucus is the start of an important conversation to shift our healthcare paradigm from a reactive model to whole-person preventive outcomes,” said Len Wisneski, M.D., Chair Integrative Health Policy Consortium. “American’s have spent billions of dollars out-of-pocket on complementary and integrative care. It is time that Congress and healthcare payers and systems respond by including all credentialed and licensed providers and evidence-based care approaches into the choices available to all Americans.”
The effectiveness of mindfulness meditation for nurses and nursing students: An integrated literature review. This review concludes that mindfulness meditation is an effective strategy for preventing and managing the workplace stress and burnout.
Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Qigong practice stimulates the vagus nerve, mainly through diaphragmatic breathing. This review article reports that vagus nerve stimulation is a promising add-on treatment for treatment-refractory depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and inflammatory bowel disease. Treatments that target the vagus nerve increase the vagal tone and inhibit cytokine production. Both are important mechanism of resiliency.
Qigong (Baduanjin) helps stroke patients achieve the best possible short-term outcome and should be integrated with mainstream rehabilitation programs.
WHAT IS THE INTERSTITIUM? SCIENTISTS 'DISCOVER NEW ORGAN'
Newfound 'organ' had been missed by standard method for visualizing anatomy
The Relationship between Heart Rate Variability, Psychological Flexibility, and Pain in Neurofibromatosis Type 1. Psychological flexiblity is related to pain.
Tai Chi more beneficial than aerobic exercise for fibromyalgia.
Tai Chi found superior to physical exercise and psychological support for cancer-related fatigue.
Mindfulness is associated with psychological health and moderates pain in knee osteoarthritis.
The Bioelectric Code: Reprogramming Cancer and Aging From the Interface of Mechanical and Chemical Microenvironments. Cellular membrane voltage (Vm), has been documented to exert control over cellular behavior both in culture and in vivo. Manipulating this fundamental cellular property influences a remarkable array of organism-wide patterning events, producing striking outcomes in both tumorigenesis as well as regeneration. These studies suggest that Vm is not only a key intrinsic cellular property, but also an integral part of the microenvironment that acts in both space and time to guide cellular behavior. As a result, there is considerable interest in manipulating Vm both to treat cancer as well as to regenerate organs damaged or deteriorated during aging.
Tai chi recommended to fight fibromyalgia
American College of Physicians strongly recommends non-pharmacological treatment including meditation, tai chi, and yoga for low back pain.
Korean study highlights importance of proper posture while doing Spontaneous Qigong (whole body vibration).
Spiritual Fitness: An Essential Component of Human Performance Optimization.
Yoga Therapy and Polyvagal Theory: The Convergence of Traditional Wisdom and Contemporary Neuroscience for Self-Regulation and Resilience. It's interesting that the authors of this paper associate yoga with eudaimonic well-being. Yoga thereby gains approval as a mind-body therapy that can be studied and utilized in western medical research and clinical contexts because it can be treated as a practice distinct from its historical origin and framework.
On happiness and human potentials: a review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Qigong is a eudaimonic approach to well-being.
Revealing the Neural Mechanisms Underlying the Beneficial Effects of Tai Chi: A Neuroimaging Perspective. This review identifies possible links between the alterations in the brain and beneficial effects of Tai Chi, such as improved motor functions, pain perception, metabolic profile, cognitive functions, mental health and sleep quality.
Brainless Embryos Suggest Bioelectricity Guides Growth. Researchers are building a case that long before the nervous system works, the brain sends crucial bioelectric signals to guide the growth of embryonic tissues. Levin at Tufts is the main researcher.
Daily mood and chronic caregiving stress are associated with mitochondrial functional capacity. Mitochondrial health may represent a nexus between psychological stress and health. This research suggests how stress directly affects the body's production of energy.
Mindfulness training benefits high school students.
fMRI during Transcendental Meditation practice. The study found a pattern of heightened blood flow in attentional areas and decreased blood flow in arousal areas.
Mindfulness helps MS patients.
Systematic review finds that Qigong helps Type 2 Diabetes patients.
Inflammatory biomarkers responses after acute whole body vibration in fibromyalgia. A single acute session of mild and short whole body vibration (one form of Spontanous Qigong) can improve the inflammatory status in patients with fibromyalgia, reaching values close to those of matched healthy adults at their basal status. The neuroendocrine mechanism seems to be an exercise-induced modulation towards greater adaptation to stress response in these patients.
Tai Chi for older adults with chronic multisite pain: a randomized controlled pilot study. Tai Chi significantly lowered pain severity and pain interference, reduced fear of falling, and improved several single-task and dual-task gait variables, while light physical exercise in the control group did not change these measures.
Insight Meditation and Telomere Biology: The Effects of Intensive Retreat and the Moderating Role of Personality. UC Davis study finds that meditation training in a retreat setting has positive effects on telomere regulation, which is moderated by individual differences in personality and meditation experience. Perhaps more interesting, multilevel analyses revealed an apparent telomere length increase in the retreat group, compared to a group of experienced meditators, similarly comprised in age and gender, who were not on retreat.
Harvard Medical School recommends Tai Chi in another new book.
Proper posture the tai chi way. Harvard Medical School recommends Tai Chi (again).
Fibromyalgia Related Chronic Pain Reduced with Meditation Therapy
Physical Therapy vs Tai Chi for Knee Osteoarthritis: Dose-Response Effects of Interventions. Tai Chi as effective as physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis.
Prescription for mindfulness: Non-profits and hospitals use new practices for healing
Study Shows Efficacy of Mindfulness Meditation in Treating Adults With ADHD
Mindfulness Is Going Mainstream Because of Science
Mindfulness decreases emotional reactivity and improves well-being of older adults in long-term care.
NIH recommends Qigong for hypertension.
More researchers discover Walking Qigong.
Acupuncture 'dose' (number of treatments) and insurance benefits in the USA. An adequate treatment dose, including a sufficient number of acupuncture treatments, is important for the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for common conditions. Nationally, most people who use acupuncture do not receive a full treatment course. Considering evidence of effectiveness, low risk and relatively low cost of delivery, acupuncture could play a larger role in non-pharmaceutical treatment of common conditions such as pain. Policymakers should consider that, without insurance benefits for acupuncture, people are less likely to complete a full treatment course, which may contribute to disparities in use and health outcomes.
VA Promotes Tai Chi as a part of its new Whole Health initiative. The VA describes Whole Health as providing a personalized health plan for veterans, encouraging them to practice "self-care," and providing a comprehensive care that "considers the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and environmental elements that work together to provide the best quality of life."
Systematic review finds Tai Chi and Qigong (Ba Duan Jin) helpful for people with type 2 diabetes.
Another study showing the physical performance benefits of whole-body vibration (a form of Spontaneous Qigong) for older people.
Everybody was Kung-Fu fighting-The beneficial effects of Tai Chi Qigong and self-defense Kung-Fu training on psychological and endocrine health in middle aged and older men. Tai Chi Qigong training provides a promising prevention strategy against age-related physical and mental deterioration in aging men.
Building Sangha in the American Healthcare Setting for Persons With Chronic Disease. This research shows how self-led groups can be so beneficial for people with chronic diseases. Guo Lin Qigong is an example of the benefits of self-led group practice for people with cancer.
Auricular Vagus Nerve stimulation helps treat depression. This research explains why techniques like Qigong self-massage of the ear are so beneficial and how they work.
Effect of Meridian Acupressure on Aerobic Performance of Healthy Young Population: A Randomized Controlled Study. Turkish study finds that finger-tip acupressure increases aerobic performance of young healthy males more than 10%.
Spontaneous Qigong (whole body vibration) as effective as Pilates on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
Systematic review finds Qigong reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety in people with physical or mental Illnesses. Baduanjin is one of the older forms of Qigong.
The Impact of Combined Music and Tai Chi on Depressive Symptoms Among Community-Dwelling Older Persons: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.
Yoga in Print Media: Missing the Heart of the Practice. Representation of yoga in articles contained in the most popular yoga magazine is heavily biased in favor of physical practices. Recommendations are offered about how to shift media representation of yoga to make the heart of the practice more accessible to individuals who could experience health benefits but currently feel excluded from the practice.
Non-Pharmacological healing with Mind-Body practice. Dr. Roger Jahnke. video. 1:03:01.
Teach Kids About Mindfulness With These Everyday Objects
Yoga found effective for veterans with PTSD symptoms.
Physical activity and disability outcomes in multiple sclerosis: A systematic review (2011-2016). Physical activity including tai chi was associated with measurable benefits on ability outcomes, but continuation is likely required to maintain benefits. This research confirms what the Qigong community knows so well: you have to keep practicing to maintain the benefits.
Systematic review finds acupuncture affects brain networks and connectivity.
Major Medical School Announces First Dedicated Mindfulness Division. The Division of Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School aims to introduce mindfulness into medical care.
Tai Chi enhances cognitive health and function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
12-week Tai Chi program as effective as physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis.
Systematic review finds mindfulness-based interventions improve quality of life, acceptance of situation, and reduction in depression and anxiety in adults with advanced cancer. Mindfulness is fundamental to Qigong. The authors also recommend simplified and briefer mindfulness sessions which is exactly what Qigong has to offer.
Substituting Meditation for Detention Apparently Works Wonders For Kids. For years a Baltimore school has sent more difficult students to their "Mindful Moment Room" instead of detention. The result has been zero suspensions.
7 Myths About Meditation Preventing You From Grasping The Amazing Benefits of Mindfulness. If you're focused on the wrong things, you won't get the true benefits. The number one way to get the benefits of mindfulness is to practice Qigong.
UCLA Medical School study finds mindful movement therapies including tai chi are effective therapies for management of common older adult mood, sleep, and cognition disorders.
An Introduction to Tai Chi. A new special health report from Harvard Medical School. Mind-body exercises, such as tai chi and yoga, have been gaining popularity over the past few decades. This is not surprising, given the increasing number of studies on the positive effects of these gentler forms of exercise—everything from lowering blood pressure and managing depression to building strength and improving balance. There is even evidence that tai chi may help you live a longer, more vital life.
Teaching meditation and yoga in high school.
Affective Responses to Acute Bouts of Aerobic Exercise, Mindfulness Meditation, and Combinations of Exercise and Meditation: A Randomized Controlled Intervention. A single bout of brisk walking or meditation, as well as a combination of walking and meditation, may positively influence affect. There is some evidence to suggest that affective benefits may be greater following meditation or a combination of meditation and walking, when compared with walking alone
Yoga as effective as physical exercise for cardio-respiratory fitness.
Qigong alleviates musculoskeletal pain and improves overall sleep quality in people with chronic illness. Unfortunately, in the abstract and title they call Baduanjin "mindfulness", and do not mention that Baduanjin (8 pieces of Brocade) is Qigong. Fortunately, Qigong is mentioned multiple times in the article text. "Contemporary concept Qigong practices like Baduanjin enhance physiological proprioception by combining a special state of awareness with posture, movement, and breathe control, and thereby improve and strengthen the overall state of vegetative regulation (homeostasis) [66]. Compared to first line treatments (drugs, cognitive behavioral therapy) and other effective treatment alternatives (e.g., aerobic exercise for insomnia), there are a lot of advantage to use Baduanjin exercise as an adjunctive treatment for patients suffering from pain and from insomnia. It is accessible to people of all ages and physical strength, easy to learn, and has few known side effects."
Registration is now open for the next National Qigong Association Conference. Friday–Sunday, April 27–29, 2018 DoubleTree by Hilton, Asheville-Biltmore, NC. Three days of workshops, lectures, seminars, and demonstrations presented by over 20 leaders in the fields of Qigong, Taijiquan, and the Energetic Arts, plus networking with friends in the Qigong community, distinctive vendors & products, and a silent auction.
Tai Chi and Qigong May Improve Motor Function, Depression and Other Symptoms in Lyme-Related Parkinson's Disease
Qigong practice affects brain alpha and theta activity.
Tai Chi improves memory and cognition in older adults.
Tai Chi improves cardiorespiratory fitness for coronary disease patients.
The acute Effect of “White Ball” Qigong in Perceptual auditory Attention. The correlation between body-mind techniques, practice, and better cognitive performances is a current topic of public interest. Benefits in attention, multi-task management, stress- coping, well-being and general health improvements are documented. Qigong is a therapeutic technique from TCM with great clinical success on cognitive and emotional management. One of the problems with Qigong research is the lack of adequate controls. We recently developed a placebo Qigong and adopted this methodology to the current research study. We were interested whether a single five minutes practice of the White Ball Qi Gong exercise improved the Perceptual Auditory Attention or if a minimum of training is necessary to obtain potential effects.
Self-healing Retreat for Cancer Patients. May 13-19, 2018. Baltimore, Maryland.
Move Your Way to a Mindful Meditation Practice. Another yoga teacher discovers Qigong.
Tai Chi Chuan as Physical Therapy for Knee Pain.
Easing Ills through Tai Chi. Harvard Magazine. Researchers study the benefits of this mind-body exercise.
Fundamentals and Benefits of Qigong. Discover the power of this ancient health care practice, and its variety of movement exercises.
Planning a World Tai Chi and Qigong Day Event for 4/28/18? Here is some helpful information from founder Bill Douglas on how to gain support and sponsorship for your event.
Defeating Diseases with Energy. Healing with qi. A change in body energy can have a profound effect upon function. “My belief is that mitochondrial dysfunction underlies the etiology of most common complex diseases, as well as aging,” the author says. He explains that a person suffering from chronic headaches might see a neurologist, but there’s also the possibility that “there’s a systemic energy defect causing the headache. There’s nothing wrong anatomically with the brain.” Wallace believes the same can be said for problems with the heart, muscles, renal and endocrine systems. "We've completely ignored energy in Western medical philosophy," the author says.
Rheumatoid arthritis pain? Tai Chi could improve symptoms in the knee, hip and hands. RHEUMATOID arthritis pain is a condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints - the knees, hips and hands are the most common effected areas. While there is no cure, there are a number of remedies which have been found to ease the pain, including Tai Chi.
Breathing to Relax and Release Deeply Bound Tension.
Study finds tai chi significantly reduces depression symptoms in Chinese-Americans. A 12-week program of instruction and practice of the Chinese martial art tai chi led to significantly reduced symptoms of depression in Chinese Americans not receiving any other treatments. The pilot study conducted by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry enrolled members of Boston's Chinese community who had mild to moderate depression.
Exercise Alters Our Microbiome. Is That One Reason It’s So Good for Us? Researchers found increases in certain microbes due to exercise that help to produce substances called short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids are believed to aid in reducing inflammation in the gut and the rest of the body. They also work to fight insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes, and otherwise bolster our metabolisms. Almost all of the changes in people’s guts dissipated after six weeks of not exercising. By and large, their microbiomes reverted to what they had been at the study’s start. These results indicate that exercise must be part of one's lifestyle in order for the benefits to last as they do in the life-long practice of Qigong.
The Effects of Stress and Meditation on the Immune System, Human Microbiota, and Epigenetics. Psychological stress typically triggers a fight-or-flight response, prompting corticotropin-releasing hormone and catecholamine production in various parts of the body, which ultimately disturbs the microbiota. In the absence of stress, a healthy microbiota produces short-chain fatty acids that exert anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects. During stress, an altered gut microbial population affects the regulation of neurotransmitters mediated by the microbiome and gut barrier function. Meditation helps regulate the stress response, thereby suppressing chronic inflammation states and maintaining a healthy gut-barrier function. The current research team recommends the integration of meditation into conventional health care and wellness models. More information on Qigong and the Microbiome: Food Is Medicine.
Overview of Systematic Reviews of Mindfulness Meditation-based Interventions (MMI's) for People With Long-term Conditions. Pain acceptance and coping were improved. MMIs are potentially beneficial to people with depression and a range of long-term physical conditions, particularly in improving psychological well-being.
Want a Better Workout? Just Breathe. Breath work, fundamental to Qigong, is being rediscovered as a way to enhance health, athletic performance, and speed muscular recovery after a workout.
When You Meditate, You Might Also Be Regulating Your Genes. The article should state that you are definitely regulating your gene expression when meditating (e.g. while doing Qigong). For more information see https://qigonginstitute.org/category/15/epigenetics-and-psychoneuroimmunology#QigongGeneExpression.
Brief 60-second mindfulness practice aids people with musculoskeletal pain.
Effects of mindfulness exercises as stand-alone intervention on symptoms of anxiety and depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis. This is the first meta-analysis to show that the mere, regular performance of mindfulness exercises (e.g. Qigong) is beneficial, even without being integrated in larger therapeutic frameworks.
China reconnects with the religion of Daoism, under the watchful eye of the Communist Party
Daisy Lee - FREE National Qigong Association Qi Talk. "To start the year off right, we [the NQA] would like to share with you a free link to our recent one-hour Qi Talks interview with Daisy Lee with Vicki Dello Joio. The Qi Talks archive is an exclusive member benefit, but we are sharing this audio recording for all to enjoy."
Tai Chi for the homeless.

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May 30, 2020: World Tai Chi and Qigong Day. World-wide

April 28 - May 1 2020: International Congress on Integrative Medicine & Health. Cleveland, OH

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