There are several techniques that have existed for thousands of years that have been used to treat aspects of ill-health such as heart-disease, long before the era of contemporary medicine. It is thought that the ancient Chinese practice of Qi Gong, dates back at-least 4000 years, and is still used in the region as a means of strengthening the heart.
Like many other forms of Chinese Medicine, the discipline is in essence, a system that combines therapeutic health-care, with physical-therapy and philosophy. The term Qi , is translated as, “breath of life”, and, Gong, means self-discipline, achievement and work. If it is regularly practiced it can provide solutions to a variety of physical and mental health problems, including: cancer, chronic pain, osteoporosis, depression and stress. Like yoga and meditation, it encourages the participant to take an inward-journey in order to work with internal energy systems.
Whilst there are thousands of variations, the discipline principally focuses on stimulating and un-leashing life-energy in a therapeutic manner, through a series of breathing-exercises and meditations that can control energy within the body and influence what it does. Once the Qi Gong, meditative-state has been reached, stresses, anxieties and worries will be expelled from the body and mind in a manner that facilitates profound relaxation, resulting in the more efficient circulation of blood throughout the body’s systems. This has proven to be a highly beneficial technique for older-people, when combined with Tai Chi, and can help to improve physical-performance and cognitive- function.
Although it originates in China, studies have been conducted relating to it all around the world. Recently, a study in Italy, demonstrated how it can be used to reduce high-blood pressure and subsequent, hypertension. This is achieved by its ability to reduce pulse-rate, metabolic-rates and oxygen demand, which enhances blood-circulation and helps to balance the body’s life-energies.