Scientific Basis of Qigong

There are internal and external causes of disease. Examples of external causes are infection through bacteria and social pressures, while internal causes are either physiological or psychological. For example, eating or drinking too much may cause bacteria to come in through the mouth and can cause intestines and stomach problems (external), but nervousness and fear can cause intestines and stomach problems too (internal).

There are many ways of treating a disease. The common way is taking medicine or having surgery. However, most of the drugs have side effects, and surgery will inevitably result in pain and damage.

As a matter of fact, any effective treatment can do no more than providing favorable conditions for healing. The cure of a disease eventually depends on the self-healing ability of the human body itself, through the prevention, restoration, changing rate of the metabolism and adaptation of the body. For example, treating pneumonia with penicillin is generally effective, but the pathological changes still exist if there are no phagocyte, absorption and restoration of pathological tissue -- although the pathogenic bacteria have all been killed.

Fifty to 80 percent of all diseases are caused by nervousness. Such diseases are called Social Diseases, or diseases of metropolitan civilization. Even advanced modern medicine finds it tough to treat such diseases.

Qigong is a form of exercise which "rests in motion" and "moves in rest". There are three essentials of Qigong : mind-mediating (sitting still), body-regulating (relaxation), and breath-modulating (long breathing). The three essentials can effectively treat the above-mentioned Social Disease or Disease of Metropolitan Civilization.

Mind-Mediating (sitting still): Qigong exercise requires that the exerciser enter a state of tranquillity. When sitting still, one's brain wave is different from when he/she closes his/her eyes to rest or sleep. The brain wave has these special features:

1. The cycle of d wave extends, the frequency decreases, and the amplitude increases.
2. The q wave appears and expands.

The electroencephalogram shows that the amplitude of inhibitory d wave rises, and the rhythm and pace slows down. With this inhibition, the cerebral cortex cells which have caused functional disorder due to overexcitement are restored, and most of the central nervous system takes an active rest. With an active rest, the central nervous system enhances the harmonizing function between the sympathetic nerve and parasympathetic nerve, hence serving the purpose of preventing and curing diseases. As well, the tranquillity of the brain and the decreases of energy consumption reduce the consumption of nerve cells. Therefore, when one practices qigong, he/she is increasing his/her energy instead of consuming it. It is the opposite with other exercises.

Body-Regulating (relaxation): The study of modern biochemical science proves that when one is in a state of complete relaxation, the arousal level of the cerebral cortex lowers; the relative function of the sympathetic nervous system lowers; the relative function of the parasympathetic nervous system rises; the breathing cycle extends, and the respiratory centre has an effect on the cardiac vagus. Here are the manifestations: slowing down of the heart rate, reduction of energy consumption, rise of haemoglobin and its function, a significant reduction of cholesterol, and the improvement of coronary circulation and myocardial metabolism. Therefore, it creates conditions for curing various chronic diseases in the heart, intestines and stomach.

Breath-Modulating (Long breathing): qigong exercise requires deep, long, light, slow and even breathing. Normally exhaling takes longer than inhaling. Experiments prove that on exhalation the excitement from the respiratory centre can widely spread to the parasympathetic nervous system; while on inhalation the excitement from the respiratory centre changes and becomes widely spread to the sympathetic nervous system. Most of the internal organs are commonly controlled by a pair of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, whose functions are contrary to each other, to keep the balance between the organ's excitement and inhibition.

Qigong places special stress on directing breathing with consciousness. Breathing consciously can distinctly effect functions of the internal organs controlled by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Long exhalation with consciousness can slow down the heartbeat, lower blood pressure, and stimulate secretion of digestive juices, as a result of the effects on the parasympathetic nervous system. Contrarily, long inhalation can make the heart beat faster and the blood pressure rise by effecting the sympathetic nervous system. Generally qigong requires longer time in exhalation than in inhalation, and is capable of curing diseases caused by functional disorders of the autonomic nervous system, such as high blood pressure, gastric ulcer and neurasthenia.

In short, practicing qigong can reduce the energy-consuming rate by 16 percent (it reduces only by 10 percent when one sleeps), raise the metabolic level two to three times higher than normal, while the metabolic level of the adrenal gland is only 60 percent of that of normal. The secretion of cortex hormones and growth hormones decreases, lowering the regenerating rate of protein, and relatively prolongs the life of nerve cells. In other words, it prolongs human life and restores youthful vigor. As for the powerful physiological disease-resistant material resulting from qigong practicing -- interferon -- that is a special function from qigong exercise.

We will end this article by asking:
Which exercise conforms to the three essentials of mind-mediating, body-regulating and breath-modulating?
Which exercise does better than qigong in prolonging life and prevention and cure of diseases?