Chinese Qigong Essentials
Qigong is a formidable art, part of Chinese medicine and Western
cognitive neurology (cognitive neuroscience), to prevent and treat
diseases, improve health, delay aging and enhance latent potential
of human beings. It is focused on the Chi movement. The term Qi
(Chi) takes on at least three different meanings, the first referred to
the air inspired and exhaled by humans, it is found in the universe
and has direct influence on human physiology. It is also the means
of connection and interrelation of the different parts of the body,
organs and tissues included, and finally the Chi is a kind of
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substance present in the human body, unlike the other parts like
skin or bones, it is invisible to the sight, but constitutes the real
essence of the human beings. Witnesses of Qigong long history,
are numerous: the classic "the way of the power", a milstone which
deeply portrays theory and the practice of the Qigong, appeared in
the IV century b.c., going back "I Ching" fundamental base for the
Qigong is dated 11 century 771 b.c., therefore, Qigong origins
date back to at least 3000 years ago. Qigong practice contributes to
the growth of the Qi (Chi) essential substance, increasing human
body energy and delaying aging, because Qi (Chi) is the
connections between human body to the everything in the
Universe. Yin and Yang theory is the backbone of Chinese
medicine, base of all the ancient healing methods that were born in
China Qigong included. Everything in the Universe can be divided
into two categories: Yin and Yang, including the human body,
body heat is Yang, cold is Yin, the lack of harmony between these
two elements causes illnesses, in the body / environment
relationship Yang Qi exists outside the body, Yin Qi circulates
inside it through a series of focal points that allow its passage
towards all the organs. The most important areas where Qi
presence is concentrated, are indicated with the name of dantian.
This name means "field of the elixir", and it derives from an
ancient alchemic practice that tried to discover the elixir of eternal
life via the fusion of some minerals, so, when in ancient times
during the practice of Qigong, they tried to obtain a state of
relaxation and concentration mentally focused on the lower part of
the abdomen, they felt a sensation of warmth just in that area, and
without scientific methods to better understand this event, they
attributed to that area the name Dantian, thinking to identify it with
that warmth and with the discovery of the elixir (dan) of eternal
life.
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Into human body there are three points aligned and called dantian.
The "high" one located between the eyes in the forehead center,
the middle one placed in the median position of the chest, and the
lower one, positioned five centimeters below the belly button, in
the lower abdomen. Lower Dantian, is the most important,and, it is
the center where the Qi (Chi) is concentrated and can be increased
with Qigong and Tai Chi Chuan.
Qigong
practicing
methods highlight the necessity to came in in a "state of quiet",
interconnected to its three fundamental aspects: regulating the
mind, regulating the breath and adjusting the position of the body.
Some experiments have elicited that during the practice the width
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of the brain waves is from one hundred and fifty to one hundred
and eighty micro-volts, moreover the brain waves of all the brain
areas became synchronic, the cerebral consumption of oxygen and
the metabolic level of noradrenaline are respectively 16% and 60%
lower than in the normal physiological state. Regards to the
effectiveness of Qigong in medical practice there are vast scientific
evidence that this practice has influence on the nervous system, the
respiratory system, the circulatory system ,the digestive system ,
the endocrine system, and on the immune system, contributing to
improve the life quality and delaying aging. In the early sixties,
Shanghai researchers showed that during Qigong in some
practitioners it was evident the heart and respiratory rate decrease
integrated by a marked decrease of oxygen consumption and
physiological changes, all considered as signs of energy storage in
human body. Moreover, further scientific tests, at the institute for
atomic research of the Chinese academy (1977), showed the
emission of a low-frequency infrared modulated radiation, detected
in the (Wagi) flow of vital energy emitted by a practitioner's hands
Qigong expert. Further later confirmations from Beijing
researchers (traditional medicine academy), showed an increase in
micro-circulation equal to 20% in the moments of emission of
fingertip energy during practice. Last but not least, on subsequent
experiments, it was discovered that the Wagi varied according to
the type of style used by practitioners, and, besides the infrared
radiation, was recorded the presence of static electricity, microparticles currents, thermodynamic processes and low frequency
magnetic currents. Meta-analysis of the literature on the effects
related to Qigong concerning physiological processes variability,
suggested that the practice of Qigong brings significant changes on
parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate variability, decrease
in plasma triglycerides, cholesterol (total), LDL cholesterol, an
increase in HDL cholesterol, skin temperature modulation, in
addition to immunological and neurormonal improvements. It is
evident that the bio-physiological effects of Qigong can be used by
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people of all ages, from primary school children, university
students to middle-aged adults or the elderly. Finally, it has been
shown that most of the procedures tested on Qigong effects
regarding physiological, biological and related processes have been
applied in various chronic disease prevention or clinical
interventions studies (Dong, Chang, Chen). A study (institute of
sport science Mainz, Germany and replicated by Henz et al.,
2013,2014,2015;Henz and Schöllhorn, 2015)) has demonstrated an
increasing of both midline fronto-central theta and posterior
alpha-1 and alpha-2 activity after the practice of dynamic Qigong
(Wu Qin Xi) . Results indicate that dynamic Qigong (technique
Wu Qin Xi) induces a centered state of mind that has to be
distinguished from mind-wandering. Empirical evidence has
shown that frontal EEG theta activity is activated in attentional
processes and correlates negatively with the default mode network
in resting state (Scheeringa et al., 2008), highlightening that mental
practice of dynamic Qigong (Wu Qin Xi) leads significant
modulations of EEG brain activity. Dynamic Qigong practice (Wu
Qin Xi) induces increased fronto-central midline theta activity and
increases in alpha-1power of the same intensity as physical training
in open eyes conditions. Klein (2017) demonstrated which there is
sufficient evidence supporting the belief that Qigong exercise has a
complementary role in supportive cancer care. There are
established benefits validating the potential of Qigong practice to
improve cancer-related QOL without serious side effects. Qigong
practice is directely correlated to prevention and decresed cancercorrispondent mortality rates. In a Met-analysis Jahnke et all
(2010) finded that 163 different physiological and psychological
health outcomes were identified. Many of the studies assessed
outcomes across more than one category (e.g., physical function as
well as a variety of psychosocial and fitness outcomes).Immunerelated responses have also been reported in response to Qigong
and Tai Chi studies. Manzaneque et al. reported improvements in
a number of immune-related blood markers, including the total
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number of leukocytes, the number of eosinphils, and the number
and percentage of monocytes.
Antibody levels in response to flu vaccinations were significantly
increased among a Qigong group compared to usual care. Earlier
studies conducted by Irwin and colleagues, showed an increase in
varicella zoster virus specific cell-mediated immunity among those
Tai Chi practitioners compared to wait-list controls. Immune
function and inflammation are closely related, and are often
assessed using a variety of blood markers, particularly certain
cytokines and C-reactive protein. Interleukin-6, an important
marker of inflammation, was found to be significantly modulated
in response to practicing Qigong, compared to a no-exercise
control group. Qigong practice is also significant in aging
retardment. The level of sexual hormone is an important index of
aging. As people grow older they have gradually increasing
estradiol (E2) levels and decreasing testosterone (T) levels.
However after several months of Qigong, praticants have
decreased the value of E2 and also the ratio E2/T, demonstrating
the anti aging propeties of Qigong. The first study that investigate
the effects of qigong on gene expression associated with cellular
stress response in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PMBC) in
healthy women (P. Półrola et al. 2018) ,showed that 4 days of
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qigong training has resulted in a significant decrease in NF-kB
and CCL2 mRNA, as well as a significant increase in IL10 mRNA.
A slight upregulation of HSF1 and HSPA1A mRNA was also
detected.All the indicated changes consisting in the reduction of
inflammation due modulation of gene expression associated with
apoptosis were noticeable in the PMBC collected from the healthy
women.
Chinese Qigong Essentials, Cen Yuefang (New World Press)1996 China
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