RECOVER YOUR HEALTH WITH QIGONG

Madam Tan is a 42 year old mother of 3 who was troubled by severe backache for over a year. It was so severe that she could not sit or stand for long, so she would always be alternately standing or sitting to relieve the pain. Even sleep was difficult, as the pain persisted throughout the day and night. Several months ago she also developed severe headaches, especially when it was hot or when she was stressed. Inactivity also caused her to gain weight.

Painkillers could not solve her problem. Diagnostic tests, including MRI, showed degeneration of her spinal inter-vertebral discs. She opted to look for non-surgical options and was introduced to qigong. Because of her determination to avoid surgery, she learned and practised qigong everyday diligently with a group in a qigong centre. She enjoyed doing the Slimming Dragon Qigong that improved her spinal health while also helping her lose weight. She even managed to convince her husband to join her group.

Soon she noticed that her headaches disappeared, even when she was stressed. Now, two months later, her spinal pain is significantly reduced and she can now sit and stand comfortably like every one else. She can also enjoy her sleep and lead a normal life. And she has slimmed down a lot. She believes that qigong enabled her body to heal itself.

REGULAR QIGONG PRACTICE IS IMPORTANT

Madam Tan’s story is among many who have benefited from regular qigong practice. I must stress that it must be regular practice. Many others have learned, but hardly practise and get disappointed when they don’t get the expected results. An hour of daily qigong practice means the healing qi works continuously for 24 hours. That is why I have said that those who practise qigong for at least one hour a day should not get any of the major diseases. Those with diseases can expect to recover, as proven in this case and many others.

Those with cancers must do even more – starting with 4 hours a day ( spread throughout the day ) if that is possible, and after the cancer has been cured, gradually decreasing to 1 hour a day for the rest of the life as insurance against recurrence. This is of course difficult to comply, but when even modern medicine does not have sure answers, qigong can offer hope and many have recovered. Since this is so important, I have written many articles on fighting cancer with qigong ( see www.superqigong.com for previous articles ).

Mr Lee, a 48 year old avid jogger, stopped getting the “flu” after practising qigong. Even though he jogs at least 3 times a week for many years, he cannot kick his bad habit of smoking, which he started over 20 years ago. As a result, he had chronic “smoker’s” cough and was prone to getting colds and was frequently on medical leave. In the one year since he started regular qigong practice, he has not been sick even once, and the smoker’s cough is markedly reduced. He also had backache which disappeared soon after starting qigong. He is convinced that qigong has empowered his body to recover his health. Let us hope that he quits smoking so that he can stop the coughs for good and become fully healthy again.

Mr Lee’s case illustrates that qigong can help improve health problems even while the damage is going on. I know many qigong practitioners who smoke, yet they are healthier than many others who don’t smoke and don’t practice qigong. In some cities in China, over 70% of adult men smoke, and even qigong masters get caught in this bad habit. It would be better if they don’t smoke, and they would certainly be much healthier. If Mr Lee stops smoking, he can expect full recovery from the coughs, and a rapid return to good health.

REGULAR EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT

Recent health surveys have shown that people are getting less healthy, with pandemics of hypertension, obesity, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. The good news is that medical advances have made it possible for these people to continue “normal” lives, albeit gobbling a handful of prescription drugs every morning, or twice or more every day to control their physiological wellbeing. Many diabetics have to inject themselves daily. And if they develop serious complications like heart attacks or stroke, the doctors are more likely to be able to save them compared to a decade ago.

Much of the poor health can be blamed on the lack of exercise and poor diet. A decade ago there was an exercise craze and even Malaysians followed the trend. However that seems to have mellowed down. Even though our Health Ministry has been pro-active in trying to inculcate healthy a lifestyle and dietary habits in us, the results of recent surveys have shown that we Malaysians are a stubborn lot when it comes to adopting healthy practices. Although many parks are filled with joggers and walkers on weekends, the percentage of Malaysians who exercise regularly is small. The young urban executives are divided into those who don’t bother about their health and also smoke, and those who are health-conscious and are particular about their diets, and go to gyms or health studios which provide Pilates, qigong, Taibo, yoga and other exercises.

Whatever exercise you choose is better than being inactive and putting your body on the road to sickness. Once you become inactive, you will lose about 1% of your muscle mass per year. That’s 10% per decade. Thus if you stopped exercising after your school days, you would have lost over 30% of your muscle mass by the age of 50.

For men, the actual loss is more because the testosterone levels, which help maintain muscle mass, would have also declined significantly by then. Thus the average 50 year old man is flabby, with loss of muscle bulk and tone. If he is fat, muscle loss is camouflaged by the fatty tissue. The fat gain is also likely to be in the abdomen, signifying an added risk for cardiovascular disease. He is also likely to have sexual problems. If he diets to lose weight, but does not exercise, he will lose both fat and muscle. If he exercises, with or without dieting, he is more likely to lose the “central” or abdominal fat. It is best for him to exercise and watch his weight.

The change in physique in pre-menopausal women is more determined by fat gain rather than muscle loss, and the fat usually goes to the buttocks and hips. Most women put on weight ( read fat ) after marriage, and definitely, after the first childbirth. Those who give birth and don’t diet and exercise to regain their pre-pregnancy weight and shape retain an average of 5 kg after each pregnancy. You can easily picture in your mind the shape of the typical 20 year old woman and that of a 40 year old mother of 5. Again, it is best to diet and exercise to maintain a healthy weight and a sexy shape.

QIGONG FOR ALL

Qigong can also be fun if you choose the right exercise. It can be practised in groups and even in the studio, since most people find it boring to exercise alone. The Slimming Dragon Qigong and my SuperQigong set can be done indoors, although qigong is always best done in the freshness of nature. The Amazing Qigong Walk is most enjoyable when done in a park with beautiful sceneries. Walking by the lake while you are in a meditative mode is mesmerizing. It is suitable for every one as it is not exhausting. On the contrary, you get charged up with qi the longer you walk.

The Slimming Dragon Qigong is perfect for those who want better health through qi, and better shape through slimming. If done faster, and for many repetitions, it can also be an aerobic exercise, as you start breathing more oxygen and burning more calories. The exercises will ensure that most fat loss will be in the waist, buttocks and hips. It involves stretching, turning and bending, and is good for the spine, bones and joints. It is suitable for both men and women.

If you have not been exercising and are looking for a low-impact, enjoyable and effective exercise, you should try qigong. If you exercise regularly, but have not tried qigong, you will find it different from the rest. You will not regret it!