Chiropractic medicine is believed to have been around since 1895. Chiropractors believe that joint mobility and anatomical alignment of the spine can exert inconceivable effects on your nervous system. Since the spinal column is so much a part of the nervous system, chiropractors think that manual adjustments can promote and improve the overall health of a person. Such treatment can reduce whatever is exerting pressure on the spinal cord, the chief neurological tissue.

When misalignment or fracture is found on any of the vertebrae, this is normally attributed to either an accident, a fall or even body tension. Whatever the cause may be, when your spinal nerve root is irritated, you will experience the reflexes of pinched nerves, usually resulting in severe back pain. That’s one reason for you to visit a chiropractor.

When examining a patient most chiropractors use the same approach as that of medical doctors. First is the consultation. Next is the discussion of your case history. Then this should lead to a physical examination. Further tests may then be needed such as laboratory analysis and x-ray studies.

Chiropractic care engages a drug-free and non-surgical methodology in treating the patients. It involves manually manipulating your body joints and adjusting your spinal column to bring a sense of balance back to your body. Thus restoring your health. This process is even believed to have disease prevention effects. When all is done, your joints should be able to have normal motion back again. Not only that, your body will have diminished nerve interferences, resulting in removal of stressful attacks, rejuvenating your whole body back into its healthful state.

The following will give a brief idea of how spinal joint mobility can actually be restored by chiropractic practice. Through using a highly trained manual sequence called chiropractic spinal manipulation, pressure is applied or forced to the joints that have been limited by muscle strain, inflammation and/or pain. This form of manipulation will relieve tightness and pain of muscles, and also promote general health. It also is found to be especially helpful in reducing back pain and in treating sciatica with disc protrusions.

As stated above, these types of manual adjustments can be very helpful in treating sciatica. They can help ease the irritations in the root nerves that are causing all the sharp pains, inflammation and muscle spasms usually associated with sciatica. Alignment adjustments and mobility manipulations are both safe and should be pain free. If there are discomforts during or after treatments, make sure to let your chiropractor know immediately.

The sounds you hear when a chiropractor makes adjustments to your joints are not the sounds of bones cracking. These are sounds of gases being released from your joints, incredible as this may sound. But they are actually the release of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide which have built up in your joints, causing them pressure. You should begin to feel wonderfully good after the chiropractor is done with this. There should be no discomfort unless your muscles are in spasm or you get overly tensed about the whole procedure. It’s quite important that you are able to relax in an adjustment session. Tensing up your body works against you and defeats what the chiropractor is trying to do for you.

Chiropractic care can be an incredible aid for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. From controlling nausea all the way to having a full term delivery. It could even help in shortening the time of labor and delivery! Most of the professionals have been trained to work with pregnant patients and so it is very safe for both the mother and the baby.

When modern medicine cannot offer any genuine relief for those with chronic back pain, it’s time for you to definitely check out chiropractic care. Instead of taking more pain-killers, and facing the possibility of surgery, you have a truly viable alternative here.

Many people who began visiting a chiropractor found out it made them feel much better than they had in years. When you keep your body in alignment, it returns back the favor by keeping you in better overall health. Taking constant medications does no good to your health in the long run. And nobody likes going for surgery either. So it should only be the last resort, after you’ve exhausted all other means.

Chiropractic care is now a century old practice and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Real world results are confirming that these manual adjustments are bringing surprisingly good health benefits to patients. There are other issues of health where positive results are even surfacing because of this treatment. In areas such as allergies, headaches, adult and child ADHD, they can be either relieved or diminished by going to the chiropractor. As time progresses, it looks promising that many more areas of common health issues will likely be uncovered, which could responsively benefit from the chiropractic care approach.

About the author:
Pete Wyatt is a chronic pain sufferer. His wife has a neuro-stimulator implanted in her back and does not have any painfree moments. Their quest for information to deal with their pain resulted in the creation of their site at http://pain.3trends.com/

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/jrparis/86509233/

A video primer on reflexology.

“When at a loss to explain my new malaise, I visited my naturopath. It may sound unorthodox, but if it works, who cares?

She insisted that my exhaustion was caused by electromagnetic “smog” in my flat. The problem, she explained, is that our dependence on office and communications equipment (especially mobile phones and the masts needed to power them, as well as microwaves, computers and electrical equipment), exposes us to frequencies that can have a detrimental effect on our wellbeing, especially if we are run-down, or if our immune system is compromised in some way.

This made sense, as my symptoms had begun soon after installing wireless technology in my sitting room. Wireless (Wi-Fi) technology allows you to access emails and the internet anywhere in your living space. It’s convenient but I could live without it if meant having more physical energy. So I immediately turned off my wireless network and replaced it with broadband.”

Click here to read the full article at www.independent.co.uk

The topic of electromagnetic pollution is highly charged with many people clinging desperately to the outdated notion that what you can’t see, can’t hurt you, especially when comforted by early reports of safety from our own government. Many people do not need a scientific study to know that they feel dramatically different when far removed from power lines, mobile towers and home wiring. More importantly when it comes to the safety of yourself and your family is it really so ridiculous to err on the side of caution?

According to Mike Adams of NewsTarget.com,

“the human body is really a magnificent quantum physics machine. We are made up of literally nothing more than vibrating energy. Humans are made of cells, which are made of atoms, which are made of particles, and those so-called particles are actually just vibrating energy. Every atom is just a probability wave, and most of the stuff we call physical matter is really made up of completely empty space. We are more empty space than physical stuff; more vibration than mass. Thus, we can be strongly impacted — either positively or negatively — by vibrational energy.”

The precending quote came from an article in which Mike was reviewing a machine (VRCR) that changes the vibrational energy in your home.

Learn more about EMF & EMR:
Mike Adams review of the Violet Ray
5 steps to protect yourself from EMR
www.pillaroflight.net

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/leecullivan/122271605/

This method of self-hypnosis is a perfect marriage between the Eastern and Western concepts of health management and overall well-being.” NaturalHealthBlog
Try the Seishindo meditation out for yourself at NaturalHealthWeb.com and learn more about Seishindo at seishindo.org

By: mcomo

Many of us wake up in the morning being attacked by electromagnetic frequencies
(EMFs) from our clock radio which is usually a short distance from our head. If it’s a real cold night, some may even curl up with their electric blanket for another dose of EMFs. Before leaving the house in the morning we are exposed to more EMFs from blow dryers, electric shavers, electric tooth brushes, coffee makers and microwaves. On our way to work, we might make a few calls on our cell phone. Once we arrive at the office, we flip on the overhead florescent lights, power up the copier, fax machine, computer and talk on the phone throughout the day. When we go back home, we turn on the TV or stereo, stand in the kitchen and cook dinner while surrounded by all electrical appliances and repeat the same thing all over again the next day.

We are constantly being bombarded with electromagnetic frequencies. All electrical devices emit these frequencies. Some experts believe that EMFs are a real threat and can cause or contribute to cancer, brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, poor immunity, heart problems and stress, as well as zap your overall energy.

Dr. David Carpenter, Dean at the School of Public Health, State University of New York believes it is likely that up to 30% of childhood cancers come from exposure to EMF. Some scientists believe that over exposure to EMFs are responsible for a high rate of suicide among electric utility workers. Researchers at the University of North Carolina believe that EMFs contribute to the decrease in melatonin levels which in turn can cause sleeplessness, depression and suicide.

Advanced technology is wonderful and most people are not willing to give up modern day conveniences, but there are things that you can do to reduce EMF exposure. You can purchase a devise called a gauss meter and it will help you measure the amount of EMFs being emitted from appliances, electronics, power outlets, etc. When the meter measures something high in EMFs, the gauge will register in the red zone and beep.

“In addition to the long-term health concerns, buying a house with high fields will be an economic disaster. In a few years, when power line radiation is as well known as asbestos and radon, a house with high fields will be practically impossible to sell. Already there are hundreds of lawsuits regarding EMFs and property devaluation.” Mercola.com

I took a gauss meter through my whole house and office and did a lot of rearranging to minimize exposure. The most amazing thing I found was that my alarm clock emitted EMFs 5 feet in every direction. I moved it across the room, then I noticed one of my cats was sleeping next to it so I got rid of it altogether and purchased a little battery operated one. It’s the digital display LED type that is high in EMFs. The TV, which I thought would be the worst, only emitted harmful EMFs 3 feet out from the front and 5 feet out from the sides. TV Manufacturers have really improved on this. The refrigerator was another shocker. It was in the (high) red zone 3 feet out from the front and sides. The oven also measured high. I don’t have a microwave, so I went to a friend’s house and my meter measured EMF 5 to 6 feet in every direction when running and 3-4 feet when it was not. All I could think of was all the children standing in front of the microwave oven waiting for their food; day after day. That’s scary. I also wonder what it does to the food. Please keep this in mind when storing nutritional supplements. Keep them away from EMF, for it will reduce their potency. My computer also measured very high for a good 3 feet.

There are many things that can be done to minimize exposure. Try not to stay in the kitchen when appliances are in use, especially the microwave. Keep phones and alarm clocks away from your body while sleeping. Avoid sleeping with an electric blanket. Turn it on to warm the bed and then unplug it. Waterbeds that heat the water with electricity are bad news. Position your computer as far away as possible from where you sit. A flat screen monitor reduces EMF exposure. Change all fluorescent lights to incandescent ones. If using a cell phone, try to keep it as far away from your body as possible. Consider an ear piece to use with your cell phone; otherwise the transmitter is only a few inches from your brain.

There are also a variety of products on the market to help reduce the harmful effects of EMF such as diodes, special crystals, magnets and pendants. Some are placed directly on the electrical device and others are worn on the body. Of these devices, the Q link pendant is my personal favorite and has undergone many studies and has numerous testimonials on its effectiveness in counteracting the ill effects of harmful EMFs.

Have a safe and happy spring and summer…and not to worry, for your gas grill is totally free from EMFs.

“We are not trying to sensationalize this health problem, we are trying desperately to wake people up to how big this problem is and what these radiations are doing to all of us, especially our children, grandchildren, and future generations.” Electropollution.org

Buy the E.L.F. Zone Gaussmeter

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

This Article provided by Michael Comeau is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always consult your doctor when seeking medical advice. Michael Comeau has been owner of many successful businesses over the years including his current online business which can be viewed at www.workfromhome4dollars.com/ Keep up to date on all of my articles with my FREE NewsLetter at www.workfromhome4dollars.com/NewsLetter.php

By: Oliver Turner

Acupuncture is an ancient practice of wellness and healthcare that originated in China over 5,000 years ago. It is a holistic practice that is based on the belief of releasing blocked energy or “chi” in living beings. These energy lines circulate through twelve invisible energy lines known as meridians of the body. Each meridian is associated with a different organ system in your body so the needle insertions in each of these meridians reduce the respective disease associated with that meridian point.

How Does Acupuncture Work?
Acupuncturists believe that people suffer from diseases when energy gets blocked in the meridians. When the needles are inserted into the specific points along the meridian lines, the balanced flow of energy is restored. Acupuncture works effectively because the needles stimulate the release of pain-relieving endorphins into the body, influences the release of neurotransmitters and also enhances the working of autonomic nervous systems. By influencing the electrical currents in the body, acupuncture also improves blood circulation throughout the body.

“The earliest written account of acupuncture is found in the Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine). This document is believed to be from around 200 BC and is one of the oldest comprehensive medical text book. Pien Chueh, a famous physician of the fourth century BC, used stone acupuncture needles, moxibustion and herbs to bring a prince out of a coma. The Chinese still celebrate his birthday every year on April 28th.” Holisticonline.com

Acupuncture training
Acupuncture schools provides acupuncture-training courses to all potential practitioners. These courses help them to perform various acupuncture treatments to reduce diseases in human beings. The acupuncture therapy school teaches the acupuncturists to perform a number of treatments like acupuncture both with and without needles.

Acupuncture with needles include curing disorders like head and neck pains, migraines, cervical spondylitis, Azoospermia, genitor-urinary systems like bed-wetting in children, laryngitis, earache, depression, arthritis, deafness, schizophrenia and skin disorders like acne, psoriasis, and hair loss. Sometimes the needles are electrified to produce better results. This also helps in curing smoking, alcoholism and drug addictions.

Needle-free acupuncture treatments
Needle-less acupuncture includes techniques like Moxibustion, Soft Laser Therapy, Cupping Therapy, and Ultrasonopuncture.

1. Sujok Acupuncture – the acupuncture schools offers this unique technique where the expert uses only his hands and legs. He inserts microscopic needles into the points or even a sesame seed and small magnets that relieve the patients instantly.

2. Acutron Mentor Acupuncture – this is one of the most advanced techniques that use electro curative apparatus that offers micro current therapies and interferential current through the needles. It is advantageous because it can be used for pain management and treating all types of diseases.

Special training methods of acupuncture NYC

Other significant acupuncture treatments are offered by acupuncture centers. The main advantage of these techniques is confirmed remedy and with no side effects. They heal severe cases of menstrual disorders, PMS, endometriosis, cysts and fibroids, hot flashes, arthritis, infertility problems in men and women, pregnancy problems, circulation problems, digestive disorders, ulcerative colitis, diarrhea and constipation. The ancient method of acupuncture truly helps in stress management strategies and rebalances the body’s energetic forces to achieve harmony and sense of well being.

“Acupuncture may not be safe if you have a bleeding disorder or if you’re taking blood thinners. The most common side effects of acupuncture are soreness, bleeding or bruising at the needle sites. Rarely, a needle may break or an internal organ might be injured. If needles are reused, infectious diseases may be accidentally transmitted. However, these risks are low in the hands of a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner.” Mayoclinic.com

Buy the DVD: Alternative Medicine, An Introduction to Holistic and Integrative Therapies

We have made the most comprehensive research on acupuncture. Find it only on acupuncture for sinus headache migrains and more. All about acupuncture on LeanderNet - http://www.leandernet.com

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

Meditation is healthy, safe and affordable. In fact it’s free. The only expense you’ll have is a meditation mat, which isn’t even necessary-at least from my experience. Meditation has been around for 5,000 years, and was originally a spiritual component of yoga. Through the years non-yogis adopted it, intuitively sensing and connecting the practice with greater peace of mind. Personally, I can’t say enough good things about meditation. Its use has rewarded me with less worry and much more energy. But I’ve never been one for anecdotal evidence. Let’s get to the science…

Transcendental Meditation
Recently, there’s an incredible amount of science tied into the benefits of meditation. The studies are endless and cover a variety of meditative practices. On Transcendental Meditation alone (mantra repetition) there are over 500 studies. Some are more noteworthy that others. A study in the Japanese Journal of Public Health found that through Transcendental Meditation, industrial workers sleep improved and their smoking decreased. Another study conducted at the MERU Research Institute, in Buckinghamshire, England found that the length of time practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program correlated with younger biological age and younger functional age.

Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation, which asks us to focus on our breath to facilitate awareness of the present moment, is another widely studied meditation technique. After studying the effects of 8-weeks of mindfulness meditation on participants, a 2003 report in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine concluded: “A short program in mindfulness meditation produces demonstrable effects on brain and immune function.” Impressive, but fairly vague. To get a more committed response to the benefits of meditation we have to turn to Taiwan. In 2002 their journal Chang Gung Medicine reported that “training in MM may be a medically superior and cost-effective alternative to pain medication for the control of headaches with no underlying organic causes in highly motivated patients.”

Stress Reduction and Meditation
What causes these positive physical changes? To answer this, other research has looked at the specifics of what happens in the body during meditation. . Researchers at the Maharishi School of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, found that meditation has an enormous impact on stress reduction. When they examined a group who had meditated for four months they saw that they produced less of the stress hormone cortisol. They were therefore better able to adapt to stress in their lives, no matter what their circumstances were.

Having balanced cortisol levels is essential to mental and emotional health. Notice I say balanced rather than none. We don’t want to completely eliminate cortisol. If we did we’d be dead. Even low cortisol levels can be dangerous. Not enough cortisol is the identifying trait of Addison’s disease. John F. Kennedy had this condition, which he denied passionately during his presidency. Yet during his term he regulated his levels through hydrocortisone (synthetic cortisol). The reverse of JFK’s condition is called Cushings Syndrome.

The five most common and noticeable changes of this condition include; red face and puffy cheeks; excess fat surrounding the collar bones, muscle weakness, and hypertension. But we don’t have to have Cushing’s Syndrome to be damaged by extra cortisol. The changes we experience may be subtle variations of these. Plus, the changes caused by excess cortisol are age dependent. Young people may stop growing and teenagers can develop acne. The mature among us aren’t safe either. Since excess cortisol damages bone-tissue those over age 60 may develop fractures related to osteoporosis. So it’s evident that if we can regulate cortisol, especially through a natural process, we owe it to ourselves to try.

“The brain waves of meditators show why they’re healthier. Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex—brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. In other words, they were calmer and happier than before.” Psychologytoday.com

Other Benefits of Meditation
Regina Drueding, MD, is a meditation instructor at Life Circles in Utah, USA. She quotes the benefits of meditation as follows: “more energy, improved quality of sleep, decreased anxiety, lessened chronological aging, improved concentration, improved visual acuity, increased alertness and heightened immunity.” She writes: “Besides the benefits mentioned earlier, meditation results in improvement of hypertension, sleep disorders, headaches, heartrhythm disturbances, chronic pain – pain due to cancer, infertility and irritable bowel syndrome. Following meditation, mental and physical refreshment result – and benefits are cumulative with regular practice.”

How to Meditate

Meditation is both simple and complex. It’s like defining the color orange: When you see it you know it. Similarly, the experience of meditation is best, well…experienced. In an article in New View magazine, Shippensburg University’s Dr. C. George Boeree describes the basics of Buddhist meditation. In summary, the beginner’s technique is as follows:

1. Sit or kneel comfortably.

2. The hands are loose and open with the palms up, one atop the other and thumbs lightly touching.

3. Head is upright. Eyes may be closed or open. If open they should focus on your hands or a spot nearby.

4. Beginning meditators should count upwards to ten on each exhale. Breathe in a relaxed and natural way. Then begin again at one and repeat. Continue to breathe naturally.

5. Continue for 15 minutes.

In my personal experience, I don’t find that the specific length of time is as important as repetition and persistence. To paraphrase, 10 minutes daily beats 15 minutes once a week. This brings me to another point: We all have different personalities and as such, different meditation approaches suit some more than others. Thankfully there are many varieties of meditation. Some varieties have sub-varieties.

Mindfulness meditation is one of these versatile practices. Perhaps it’s because its essence-awareness of the present moment-is so versatile. Mindfulness in our daily life can be practiced by slowing down and attending to our surroundings. What are our 5 senses telling us? We can use mindfulness in the middle of a hectic day, such as paying attention to our breathing when stopped at a traffic light. We can also use other everyday events as triggers for mindfulness. Buckling your seatbelt? Make this a reminder to return to the present. Really think about what you’re doing and the details of the experience.

The more traditional may benefit from a more formal mindfulness practice. You may sit in the identical form as in traditional Buddhist meditation- on a chair or kneeling. However, you may also sit with your legs crossed. Your eyes are closed and your posture is both straight and relaxed while your head remains upright. Focus on your breath and allow mental chatter to float by without regard. Thoughts, emotions and sensations will come, but don’t be influenced by them. Keep focused on your breath. If you are getting involved with your thoughts don’t worry-your efforts aren’t destroyed. The key thing is to bring your attention back to breathing and continue. This can go on for 5 minutes to 5 hours. It’s up to you.

Transcendental Meditation is another popular form of meditation. Generally, this type is practiced twice daily for a period of 15-20 minutes. Again, this technique involves sitting comfortably. Yet in contrast to basic Buddhist the eyes stay closed. Each student is given a mantra and is instructed to induce relaxation through use of this mantra. Since many of either can’t or won’t go to a formal TM class, a no-fail mantra I recommend is the classic OM. In The Heart of Yoga, T.K.V Desikachar writes that repetition of “OM” enables us to maintain mental and emotional calmness, overcome obstacles and enable understanding. It is the shortest of the mantras, and is said to be suggestive of God. If you’re uncomfortable with the religious aspects of OM I suggest a word that has positive meaning for you, such as love, calm or peace. Calm is an ideal substitute, since vocally it resembles OM.

Final Word
You may never, ever choose to meditate. Yet if this is your choice it may be valuable to question why. For a long time I was reluctant because of images of the dropout hippie 60’s. Yet when I tried it the experience overcame my reservations. If you try it the same may happen to you. If it doesn’t you haven’t lost any money, and you’ve gained a new experience.

“If you practice regularly, the benefits of meditation will promote a sense of calm and control, you’ll feel far more relaxed and happy. Your ability to concentrate will be greater. You won’t become stressed about things and you’ll feel more peaceful and relaxed about everything. One of the greatest benefits of meditation is learning to go with the flow and things that used to irritate you before simply become insignificant.” Project-meditation.org

Buy the: Folding Travel Zabuton Set

Resources:
Getting in the Gap: Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation (Hay House Inc., 2003)

The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh (Beacon Press, 1975)

Galina Pembroke

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

It is such a sad tribute to modern medicine that we are so disconnected from our whole selves that we fail to think of our bodies, minds and souls as one. The medical system is so dehumanizing and objectifying that doctors have unfortunately succeeded in separating our bodies from our real selves for treatment.

While modern medical practitioners may believe themselves to be healers, only the human body is capable of healing itself. Likewise, a person cannot heal from emotional or psychological trauma if they are not willing to heal.
Medical doctors place bandaids over our injuries and can mend broken pieces and can even drug away the symptoms and pain, but true healing always takes place internally.

Rather than a single minded focus on healing itself, perhaps it is better to let it go and find patience and acceptance to achieve the deepest healing, as Heart of Healing suggests:

“An intensive focus on healing can result in the kind of goal orientation that makes it impossible to relax and enjoy what you have right now. I haven’t in any way abandoned my focus on health and healing — it’s a way of life for me, but I have been learning to let go of the outcome of my efforts. This kind of acceptance, for me, has become the ultimate meaning of healing.” Heart of Healing

There is a reason why music and art aid the physical healing process. People with pets heal faster. Laughter is truly the best medicine. Your mental state can drag your physical health up or down like a hot air balloon.

Purchase Music for Healing

Standing meditation has a number of advantages over traditional meditation including a lower likelihood of falling asleep as well as the ability to connect with the earth if you practice outdoors because many people are not willing to sit directly on the grass for moisture, insect or weather reasons.

Standing meditation requires a great deal of physical and mental exertion and is surprisingly demanding. Your standing meditation should be done daily at the beginning of your QiGong practice if you want to achieve the maximum benefit. Aim for a minimum of 20 minutes to a maximum of two hours. Any more than that is quite difficult unless you are very young or seriously studying martial arts.

The Basics:

“To begin with, it requires standing with feet in a parallel position and about shoulder width distant from each other. Next, you can take a long and deep breath and say the word ‘aaaah’ each time you exhale. The next thing you need to do when practicing standing meditation is, while exhaling, to release the tension from your neck and shoulders as well as face in manner that will help melt away whatever was causing tension in those places.

You need to also concentrate on feeling the energy that is within you and as it settles into your legs and feet as well as hips and belly, it will help makes a strong connection between you and the earth. You can then bend your knees (only slightly) which will enable you to feel the softest of feelings at the back of the knees.” - Natural Health Blog

It is very easy to go through the motions of standing meditation without achieving any of the real benefits. Like any skill, it requires an open mind, willingness to learn, patience and decent instruction.

There are a number of levels to standing meditation, the art of “sinking”, principles (relax, center, ground, calm, whole) and postures. It is essential to keep practicing and become dedicated to changing oneself to fully experience this life and body altering form of meditation. An well written, humorous and informative resource on standing meditation (without having to reading a book) is “13 Questions About Standing Meditation.”

Taken from the 13 Questions, are the following true paraphrased quotes from sprititual people when asked about the right point of contemplation:

“Since ZhanZhang is on the border between ‘physical’ art and spiritual ['pure' meditation], the following (paraphrased) quotes are highly appropriate.
Krishnamurti: ‘It doesn’t matter what you chant. If ‘Peace’ helps you, use that. I use ‘Coca-cola’.
Seung Sahn: ‘It only matters (a) if you believe in the practice, and (b) you don’t stop practicing. The practice can be completely ‘wrong’, and it will still work’. -” Practicalmysticproductions.com

Buy the Books: Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body or Warriors of Stillness
(both books have explanations and diagrams & all necessary info for a standing meditation practice.)

Author: Spence Pentland

Qigong is most often referred to as any set of breathing and Qi circulation techniques that are capable of improving health, preventing illness, and strengthening the body. Qigong is slow meditative exercise for the body, the breath, and the mind.

‘Qi’ is the vital force behind everything, everything is ‘Qi’ at differing densities; quoting Einstein, “matter = energy times the speed of light squared”. ‘Gong’ is cultivation, effect, attainment. Qigong can be translated as ‘cultivation of vital force’. It regulates the balance of Yin Yang energy returning the body to a balanced, normal physiological state.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the human body is treated as an integral system of interrelated networks with different physiological functions. This integral system uses the energy pathways to link the organs and other human systems into a unified whole, making the communication and interaction between parts of the body possible. The energy that flows in the energy pathways is called Qi. It extends internally to the organs and externally throughout the body, completing and interrelated system of networks.

Traditional Chinese Medical Qigong is a compilation of effective preventative, healing, and strengthening exercises derived from a long history of the Chinese people’s experience with nature and living in harmony with it.

Qigong is studied not merely for the health and strength of the body, but as an attempt to understand human nature and its interactions with the environment and the universe as a whole. Realizing that humans are part of nature, any attempt to understand human physiology inevitably involves the study of wholism.

From commoners to scientists, martial artists to government officials. Qigong studies span the masses of the Chinese population.

“Qigong practices can be classified as martial, medical, or spiritual. All styles have three things in common: they all involve a posture, (whether moving or stationary), breathing techniques, and mental focus. Some practices increase the Qi; others circulate it, use it to cleanse and heal the body, store it, or emit Qi to help heal others. Practices vary from the soft internal styles such as Tai Chi; to the external, vigorous styles such as Kung Fu.” - National QiGong Association

Supporting Research into the Health Benefits of Qigong
Qi Gong is a practice which combines relaxing movement, breathing and visualization. It is a tool to make Qi circulate in order to preserve one’s health, cure diseases and prolong life. The consistent practice has been shown to foster development of a profound inner calmness and non-reactivity of the mind, allowing individuals to face, and even embrace, all aspects of daily life, regardless of circumstances.

Science has proven the complementary healing effects of Qigong in medical science. Qigong can relieve chronic pain (including low back (6)), reduce tension, increase activities of our immune system (even at the genetic level (2)), improve heart health, mediates neuroendocrine responses (10), improve eyesight, and influence blood flow & biochemistry (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10).
There is also proof of its positive effects on depression (4), and stabilization of the autonomic nervous system and the emotional state (5). It induces a state of relaxation via the induction of alpha brain waves and the release of serotonin (8). Jang & Lee randomized study put forth Qigong as an effective complementary therapy for managing the symptoms of PMS (9). It has also been concluded that visualization was an effective intervention for long-term smoking cessation and abstinence in adult smokers (3). The Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School, study of the ‘Use of mind-body medical therapies’ stated that ‘much opportunity exists to increase use of mind-body therapies for indications with demonstrated efficacy’ (11).

The cultivation or preservation of ones health through the complimentary practice of Qigong plays an integral part in any persons path to wellness and the accomplishment of their goals. Join a class, read a book, buy a video.

Buy: The Essential Qigong Training Course: 100 Days to Increase Energy, Physical Health & Spiritual Well-Being

Qigong is catching on in the United States but is still relatively new to most people. If you are interested in pursuing Qigong you can search for a teacher at the National QiGong Association or start out with a Tai Chi class which you can find at many health clubs. There are many Qigong books and videos available if you want to see how great it makes you feel in the privacy of your own living room.

References:

1. The application of qi-gong therapy to health care, Li TY, Yeh ML, Tri-Service General Hospital.

2. Genomic profiling of neutrophil transcripts in Asian Qigong practitioners: a pilot study in gene regulation by mind-body interaction. Li QZ, Li P, Garcia GE, Johnson RJ, Feng L, Microarray Core, Center for Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.

3. Guided health imagery for smoking cessation and long-term abstinence, Wynd CA, Nursing Program, University of Akron College of Nursing, Akron, OH 44325-3701, USA.

4. Qigong exercise for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease: A randomized, controlled pilot study, Schmitz-Hubsch T, Pyfer D, Kielwein K, Fimmers R, Klockgether T, Wullner U, Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.

5. Nonlinear analysis of heart rate variability during Qigong, Lee MS, Rim YH, Jeong DM, Kim MK, Joo MC, Shin SH, Center for Integrative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, College of Oriental Medicine, Wonkwang University, Korea.

6. Randomized, controlled trial of breath therapy for patients with chronic low-back pain, Mehling WE, Hamel KA, Acree M, Byl N, Hecht FM, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA.

7. Qi-training (qigong) enhanced immune functions: what is the underlying mechanism? Lee MS, Kim MK, Ryu H, Center for Integrative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Republic of Korea

8. Appearance of high-frequency alpha band with disappearance of low-frequency alpha band in EEG is produced during voluntary abdominal breathing in an eyes-closed condition, Fumoto M, Sato-Suzuki I, Seki Y, Mohri Y, Arita H, Department of Physiology, Toho University School of Medicine, 5-21-16, Omori-nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo 143-8540, Japan. 9. Effects of qigong on premenstrual syndrome: a randomized placebo-controlled study, Jang HS, Lee MS, Department of Nursing, Wonkwang Health Science College, Iksan, Korea.

10. Endocrine and immune effects of Qi-training, Lee MS, Kang CW, Ryu H, Moon SR, Professional Graduate School of Oriental Medicine and Center for Integrative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Republic of Korea.

11. Use of mind-body medical therapies, Wolsko PM, Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Spence Pentland of Vancouver BC Canada received his five year Doctor of TCM education from the International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Vancouver. To complete his studies he spent 500 hours at Anhui Hospital of TCM Hefei City, in the Peoples Republic of China. He is a licensed and registered member of the Canadian Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, and practices at Acubalance Wellness Centre (Acubalance Wellness Centre Vancouver BC) where he treats only Men’s reproductive health (Mens Reproductive Health Information) and Women’s fertility issues (Infertility Information).

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