Improve Cardiorespiratory Fitness with Tai Chi

February 1, 2018 psyjdc Leave a comment

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“practicing Tai Chi Chuan regularly may delay the decline of cardiorespiratory function in older individuals. In addition, TCC may be prescribed as a suitable aerobic exercise for older adults.” – J.S. Lai

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths. Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack.” (Centers for Disease Control). A myriad of treatments has been developed for heart disease including a variety of surgical procedures and medications. In addition, lifestyle changes have proved to be effective including quitting smoking, weight reduction, improved diet, physical activity, and reducing stresses. Cardiac rehabilitation programs for patients recovering from a heart attack, emphasize these lifestyle changes. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, 60% of cardiac patients decline participation, making these patients at high risk for another attack.

Contemplative practices, such as meditation, tai chi, and yoga, have also been shown to be helpful for heart health. In addition, mindfulness practices have also been shown to be helpful for producing the kinds of other lifestyle changes needed such as smoking cessation, weight reduction and stress reduction. Tai Chi and Qigong are ancient mindfulness practices involving slow prescribed movements. They are gentle and completely safe, can be used with the elderly and sickly, is inexpensive to administer, can be performed in groups or alone, at home or in a facility or even public park, and can be quickly learned. In addition, they can also be practiced in social groups without professional supervision. This can make it fun, improving the likelihood of long-term engagement in the practice. Since Tai Chi is both a mindfulness practice and an exercise, it may be an acceptable and effective treatment for cardiac patients.

In today’s Research News article “The Effect of Tai Chi on Cardiorespiratory Fitness for Coronary Disease Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5758591/ ), Yang and colleagues review, summarize and perform a meta-analysis of 5 published studies involving the application of Tai Chi practice for cardiac patients. Two studies were randomized controlled trials while 2 did not have a comparison (control) condition.

They report that the published studies found that Tai Chi practice produced significant improvement in the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood (VO₂max) and was superior to light or moderate exercise but not different from intense exercise. Tai Chi practice also produced a significant improvement in peak heart rate in comparison to baseline and no exercise, but was inferior to intense exercise in this regard. Hence, there is evidence that Tai Chi practice can be of benefit to cardiac patients improving cardiorespiratory function.

The studies reviewed tended to have small samples or had week or nonexistent control conditions. So, conclusions must be tempered. The present summary, however, suggest that larger randomized controlled trials are justified. Tai Chi was not found to be as beneficial as intense exercise. But, intense exercise may be dangerous for cardiac patients. The attractiveness of the low intensity, low cost, convenient, and socially fun nature of Tai Chi practice makes it a good choice for cardiac patients.

So, improve cardiorespiratory fitness with Tai Chi.

“The slow and gentle movements of Tai Chi hold promise as an alternative exercise option for patients who decline traditional cardiac rehabilitation.” – Science Daily

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Yang YL, Wang YH, Wang SR, Shi PS, Wang C. The Effect of Tai Chi on Cardiorespiratory Fitness for Coronary Disease Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 2018 Jan 4;8:1091. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.01091. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Background: Tai Chi that originated in China as a martial art is an aerobic exercise with low-to-moderate intensity and may play a role in cardiac rehabilitation. Aim: To systematically review the effect of Tai Chi on cardiorespiratory fitness for coronary disease rehabilitation. Methods: We performed a search for Chinese and English studies in the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Wanfang Data, and China Science and Technology Journal Database. The search strategy included terms relating to or describing Tai Chi and coronary disease, and there were no exclusion criteria for other types of diseases or disorders. Further, bibliographies of the related published systematic reviews were also reviewed. The searches, data extraction, and risk of bias (ROB) assessments were conducted by two independent investigators. Differences were resolved by consensus. RevMan 5.3.0 was used to analyze the study results. We used quantitative synthesis if the included studies were sufficiently homogeneous and performed subgroup analyses for studies with different control groups. To minimize bias in our findings, we used GRADEpro to grade the available evidence. Results: Five studies were enrolled-two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and three nonrandomized controlled trials (N-RCTs)-that included 291 patients. All patients had coronary disease. ROB assessments showed a relatively high selection and detection bias. Meta-analyses showed that compared to other types of low- or moderate-intensity exercise, Tai Chi could significantly improve VO2max [MD = 4.71, 95% CI (3.58, 5.84), P < 0.00001], but it seemed less effective at improving VO2max as compared to high-intensity exercise. This difference, however, was not statistically significant [MD = -1.10, 95% CI (-2.46, 0.26), P = 0.11]. The GRADEpro showed a low level of the available evidence. Conclusion: Compared to no exercise or other types of exercise with low-to-moderate intensity, Tai Chi seems a good choice for coronary disease rehabilitation in improving cardiorespiratory fitness. However, owing to the poor methodology quality, more clinical trials with large sample size, strict randomization, and clear description about detection and reporting processes are needed to further verify the evidence.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5758591/

Improve Activity and Quality of Life in High Risk Cardiac Patients with Tai Chi

January 24, 2018September 24, 2019 psyjdc Leave a comment

Improve Activity and Quality of Life in High Risk Cardiac Patients with Tai Chi

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“We thought that Tai Chi might be a good option for these people because you can start very slowly and simply and, as their confidence increases, the pace and movements can be modified to increase intensity.” – Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher

In today’s Research News article “Tai Chi Is a Promising Exercise Option for Patients with Coronary Heart Disease Declining Cardiac Rehabilitation.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5721863/ ), Salmoirago‐Blotcher and colleagues recruited cardiac patients who were physically inactive and offered them participation in group Tai Chi practices for 30 minutes per session. The participants were randomly assigned to one of two levels of practice, Lite and Plus. In the Lite condition practice occurred 2 times per week for 12 weeks. In the Plus condition practice occurred 3 times per week for 12 weeks followed by 4 weeks of twice a week practices and 8 weeks of once a week practice. Patients were measured before treatment and at 3, 6, and 9 months later. They were measured for acceptability and participation rates in the clinic and at home. They were also measured for physical activity and aerobic fitness with stress test, body size, anxiety, and depression.

Retention rates in the program were excellent with 90% of the Lite group and 84% of the Plus group still participating at the 9-month follow-up. There were no cardiac related adverse events during the study and most participants indicated that the program was acceptable and enjoyable. The Plus condition resulted in significant increases in the patients’ levels of physical activity and self-reported quality of life and decreases in body weight, but not improvement in aerobic fitness. Hence, the 6-month Plus Tai Chi program was safe and acceptable and produced measurable improvements in the patients activity levels and quality of life.

The high acceptability and retention rates are particularly important as these patients had declined participation in more traditional cardiac rehabilitation programs. They stated that they feared that the traditional programs would be too stressful and potentially harmful. But, Tai Ch practice was perceived as acceptable and not dangerous. Hence, the program was successful in getting these reluctant patients more physically active. The hope is that this would overcome their reluctance to engage in more strenuous programs and eventually lead to participation and improvement in aerobic fitness levels. This would be a breakthrough in the treatment of these very high-risk patients.

So, improve activity and quality of life in high risk cardiac patients with Tai Chi.

“Tai chi may be a useful form of exercise for cardiac rehab programs, as it’s safe for high-risk patients. Findings also suggest that tai chi alone may be beneficial for patients who are unwilling to participate in a rehab program.” – CardioSmart

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Elena Salmoirago‐Blotcher, Peter M. Wayne, Shira Dunsiger, Julie Krol, Christopher Breault, Beth C. Bock, Wen‐Chih Wu, Gloria Y. Yeh, Tai Chi Is a Promising Exercise Option for Patients With Coronary Heart Disease Declining Cardiac Rehabilitation. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 Oct; 6(10): e006603. Published online 2017 Oct 11. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.117.006603

Clinical Perspective

What Is New?

Compared with a shorter intervention, a 6‐month tai chi exercise intervention was safe, feasible, and enjoyable and increased moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity among deconditioned patients with coronary heart disease who had declined enrollment in cardiac rehabilitation.

Other benefits included weight loss and improvements in quality of life.

This is the first study showing that tai chi may improve exercise behaviors in this high‐risk population.

What Are the Clinical Implications?

Tai chi is a promising and safe exercise alternative for patients with coronary heart disease who are unable or unwilling to attend traditional cardiac rehabilitation.

If proved effective in larger studies, tai chi could be offered as an alternative exercise option within existing cardiac rehabilitation programs or within the context of community‐based rehabilitation programs.

Abstract

Background

More than 60% of patients decline participation in cardiac rehabilitation after a myocardial infarction. Options to improve physical activity (PA) and other risk factors in these high‐risk individuals are limited. We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled trial to determine feasibility, safety, acceptability, and estimates of effect of tai chi on PA, fitness, weight, and quality of life.

Methods and Results

Patients with coronary heart disease declining cardiac rehabilitation enrollment were randomized to a “LITE” (2 sessions/week for 12 weeks) or to a “PLUS” (3 sessions/week for 12 weeks, then maintenance classes for 12 additional weeks) condition. PA (accelerometry), weight, and quality of life (Health Survey Short Form) were measured at baseline and 3, 6, and 9 months after baseline; aerobic fitness (stress test) was measured at 3 months. Twenty‐nine participants (13 PLUS and 16 LITE) were enrolled. Retention at 9 months was 90% (LITE) and 88% (PLUS). No serious tai chi–related adverse events occurred. Significant mean between group differences in favor of the PLUS group were observed at 3 and 6 months for moderate‐to‐vigorous PA (100.33 min/week [95% confidence interval, 15.70–184.95 min/week] and 111.62 min/week; [95% confidence interval, 26.17–197.07 min/week], respectively, with a trend toward significance at 9 months), percentage change in weight, and quality of life. No changes in aerobic fitness were observed within and between groups.

Conclusions

In this community sample of patients with coronary heart disease declining enrollment in cardiac rehabilitation, a 6‐month tai chi program was safe and improved PA, weight, and quality of life compared with a 3‐month intervention. Tai chi could be an effective option to improve PA in this high‐risk population.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5721863/

Decrease Stroke Risk with Tai Chi or Qigong

January 19, 2018 psyjdc Leave a comment

Decrease Stroke Risk with Tai Chi or Qigong

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“One of the main issues that a stroke survivor experiences is a problem with balance. . .This is where tai chi can make a huge difference. With a complete focus on slow, controlled, and repetitive movements, tai chi is effective in improving one’s balance through dynamic motion and coordination”. Saebo

Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke and it is the third leading cause of death, killing around 140,000 Americans each year. A stroke results from an interruption of the blood supply to the brain, depriving it of needed oxygen and nutrients. This can result in the death of brain cells and depending on the extent of the damage produce profound loss of function. Strokes come in two varieties. The most common (87%) is ischemic stroke resulting from a blocked artery. But strokes can also occur due to leaking or rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, known as hemorrhagic stroke.

There are a number of risk factors for stroke that are unchangeable, such as family history, age, and genes. But there are a very large number of factors that are under our control including high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, poor diet, sedentariness, and obesity. Given this list it is clear that basic physical fitness and exercise would be excellent for stroke prevention. The ancient mindful movement technique Tai Chi is a very safe form of gentle exercise that appears to be beneficial for stroke victims.

In today’s Research News article “Efficacy of Tai Chi and qigong for the prevention of stroke and stroke risk factors: A systematic review with meta-analysis.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5690748/ ),

Lauche and colleagues review, summarize, and perform a meta-analysis of the effects of Tai Chi or Qigong practice on risk factors for Stroke. They did not find any trials that reported actual incidence of stroke, but found 21 research controlled trials that reported on risk factors for stroke, including hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, overweight or obesity, or metabolic syndrome.

They found that the published research reported that Tai Chi or Qigong practice produced significant improvement in hypertension including reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The studies also reported significant improvements in hyperlipidaemia, including lower levels of triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol, and higher levels of HDL cholesterol and in diabetes including fasting blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity. Tai Chi or Qigong practice was also found to improve the body weight index in overweight and obese individuals. No adverse events were reported in any of the trials.

These results are remarkable in the breadth and extent of the effects of Tai Chi or Qigong practice on risk factors for stroke. Although there were no direct measures of stroke incidence the reductions in risk factors would predict a reduction, over the long-term of the likelihood and incidence of stroke. Lauche and colleagues, however, caution that the trials tended to be of low quality with considerable risk of bias. Hence, conclusions need to be tempered and the results needs to be confirmed with more highly controlled trials.

The review found evidence that Tai Chi or Qigong practices are safe, with no negative effects or adverse reactions. In addition, they can be implemented to large numbers of individuals at relatively low cost, can be conveniently practiced at home or in a clinic, and can be practiced alone or in groups. Also, since the practice is gentle and safe it can be used with frail, sickly or elderly individuals. Hence, Tai Chi or Qigong practice appears to be an excellent treatment for the reduction of the risk for stroke in vulnerable individuals.

So, decrease stroke risk with Tai Chi or Qigong.

“The main physical benefits of Tai Chi are better balance, improved strength, flexibility and aerobic endurance. Psycho-social benefits include less depression, anxiety and stress, and better quality of life.” – Ruth E. Taylor-Piliae

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Lauche, R., Peng, W., Ferguson, C., Cramer, H., Frawley, J., Adams, J., & Sibbritt, D. (2017). Efficacy of Tai Chi and qigong for the prevention of stroke and stroke risk factors: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Medicine, 96(45), e8517. http://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000008517

Abstract

Background:

This review aims to summarize the evidence of Tai Chi and qigong interventions for the primary prevention of stroke, including the effects on populations with major stroke risk factors.

Methods:

A systematic literature search was conducted on January 16, 2017 using the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases. Randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of Tai Chi or qigong for stroke prevention and stroke risk factors were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.

Results:

Twenty-one trials with n = 1604 patients with hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, overweight or obesity, or metabolic syndrome were included. No trials were found that examined the effects of Tai Chi/qigong on stroke incidence. Meta-analyses revealed significant, but not robust, benefits of Tai Chi/qigong over no interventions for hypertension (systolic blood pressure: −15.55 mm Hg (95% CI: −21.16; −9.95); diastolic blood pressure: −10.66 mm Hg (95% CI: −14.90, −6.43); the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index (−2.86%; 95% CI: −5.35, −0.38) and fasting blood glucose (−9.6 mg/dL; 95% CI: −17.28, −1.91), and for the body mass index compared with exercise controls (−1.65 kg/m2; 95% CI: −3.11, −0.20). Risk of bias was unclear or high for the majority of trials and domains, and heterogeneity between trials was high. Only 6 trials adequately reported safety. No recommendation for the use of Tai Chi/qigong for the prevention of stroke can be given.

Conclusion:

Although Tai Chi and qigong show some potential more robust studies are required to provide conclusive evidence on the efficacy and safety of Tai Chi and qigong for reducing major stroke risk factors.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5690748/

Improve Cardiovascular Health in Postmenopausal Women with Yoga

January 11, 2018 psyjdc 2 Comments

Improve Cardiovascular Health in Postmenopausal Women with Yoga

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“Yoga is designed to bring about increased physical, mental and emotional well-being. Hand in hand with leading a heart-healthy lifestyle, it really is possible for a yoga-based model to help prevent or reverse heart disease. It may not completely reverse it, but you will definitely see benefits.” –M. Mala Cunningham

Yoga practice has been shown to have a large number of beneficial effects on the psychological, emotional, and physical health of the individual and is helpful in the treatment of mental and physical illness, including cardiovascular disease and metabolic problems. This is important as cardiovascular disease is the number one killer, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined. There are a large number of risk factors that increase the likelihood of heart disease. Menopause and the consequent drop in Estrogen levels is just such a risk factor that greatly increases the likelihood of heart disease in postmenopausal women.

The safest effective preventative techniques for heart disease are lifestyle changes. These include quitting smoking, weight reduction, improved diet, physical activity, and reducing stresses. Other safe and effective treatments are contemplative practices, such as meditation, tai chi, and yoga, have also been shown to be helpful for heart health. These practices have also been shown to be helpful for producing the kinds of lifestyle changes needed to prevent heart disease such as smoking cessation, weight reduction, and stress reduction. Since, yoga is a mindfulness practice and an exercise it would seem to be ideally suited for the prevention of cardiovascular problems.

In today’s Research News article “Yoga offers cardiovascular protection in early postmenopausal women.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2018;volume=11;issue=1;spage=37;epage=43;aulast=Praveena ), Praveena and colleagues examine the ability of yoga practice to improve cardiovascular function in postmenopausal women. They recruited women between 45 and 60 years of age who were within 5 years of menopause and assigned them to treatment as usual or to practice yoga for 12 weeks, 1-hour per day, 6 days per week. They were trained for a week and then assigned to practice at home. Yoga practice included poses, breathing practices, chanting, and relaxation. They were measured before and after the 12-week practice for body size and cardiac function, as measured with electrocardiogram (ECG).

They found that the treatment as usual group had significant increases in electrocardiogram (ECG) low frequency signal that reflect increased sympathetic nervous system activity while having decreased high frequency ECG activity that reflect decreased parasympathetic nervous system activity. This signifies that the control group had significantly increased cardiovascular activation. On the other hand, the yoga group had significant decreases in electrocardiogram (ECG) low frequency signal that reflect decreased sympathetic nervous system activity while having increased high frequency ECG activity that reflect increased parasympathetic nervous system activity. This signifies that yoga practice significantly decreased cardiovascular activation.

The results suggest that yoga practice relaxes the cardiovascular system in postmenopausal women. This is a positive sign for these women who have increased risk of cardiovascular disease and may suggest that if they continue yoga practice in the future they will have improved cardiovascular health. Yoga practice is “a safe, natural, nonpharmacological technique with low implementation cost, ease of adoption by a broad range of population, high perceived satisfaction quotient, psychological benefits, and good compliance.” This suggests that yoga practice may be an almost ideal treatment for improving cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women.

So, improve cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women with Yoga.

“Over all, people who took yoga classes saw improvements in a number of factors that affect heart disease risk. They lost an average of five pounds, shaved five points off their blood pressure, and lowered their levels of harmful LDL cholesterol by 12 points.” – Judy Corliss

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Praveena SM, Asha G, Sunita M, Anju J, Ratna B. Yoga offers cardiovascular protection in early postmenopausal women. Int J Yoga 2018;11:37-43

Abstract

Context: Postmenopause, an estrogen deficient state comes with increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Yoga has been described as having a beneficial effect on heart rate variability (HRV), a marker for cardiac autonomic activity which can assess cardiovascular risk, in various populations. Aim: the aim of the study was to study the effect of 3-month long Yoga practice on HRV in early postmenopausal women. Settings and Design: A prospective longitudinal study of 67 women within 5 years of menopause between 45 and 60 years of age attending menopause clinic of Department of Gynaecology, Sucheta Kriplani Hospital fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria and consenting were enrolled for the study. Subjects and Methods: HRV of 37 cases (Yoga group) and 30 controls (non-Yoga group) was recorded pre and 3-month postintervention. Statistical Analysis Used: GraphPad Prism Version 5 software was used. Values are a mean and standard error of mean. Statistical significance was set up at P < 0.05.
Results: In HRV, frequency domain analysis showed a significant fall in low frequency (LF) in normalized units (nu) and LF: high frequency (HF) ratio and significant rise in HF in nu in the Yoga group (depicting parasympathetic dominance) against a significant rise in LF (nu) and LF: HF ratio and significant fall in HF (nu) in non-Yoga group (indicating sympathetic dominance). Time domain analysis showed a significant decrease in Standard Deviation of NN intervals in Non-Yoga group against nonsignificant changes in Yoga group indicating deterioration in parasympathetic activity in non-Yoga group. Conclusions: Three-month long Yoga practice improved HRV in early postmenopausal women significantly and has the potential to attenuate the CVD risk in postmenopausal women.

http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2018;volume=11;issue=1;spage=37;epage=43;aulast=Praveena

Improve Long-Term Postoperative Cardiac Health with Yoga

January 8, 2018 psyjdc Leave a comment

Improve Long-Term Postoperative Cardiac Health with Yoga

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“If you are suffering from a heart problem and coronary artery bypass graft is the only surgical solution to the disease, yoga may heal you faster post the operation.” – Sameer Kumar Sharma

The safest effective treatments for people recovering from heart disease are lifestyle changes. These include quitting smoking, weight reduction, improved diet, physical activity, and reducing stresses. Contemplative practices, such as meditation, tai chi, and yoga, have also been shown to be helpful for heart health and for producing the kinds of lifestyle changes needed to promote recovery from heart disease such as smoking cessation, weight reduction, and stress reduction. Since, yoga is a mindfulness practice and an exercise it would seem to be ideally suited to promote recovery.

In today’s Research News article “Yoga-based postoperative cardiac rehabilitation program for improving quality of life and stress levels: Fifth-year follow-up through a randomized controlled trial.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2018;volume=11;issue=1;spage=44;epage=52;aulast=Amaravathi ),

Amaravathi and colleagues recruited patients recovering from coronary bypass surgery were receiving treatment as usual including pharmacotherapy and physiotherapy-based exercises. They were randomly assigned to receive either no further treatment or yoga training. Yoga was taught in the hospital and the patients were encouraged to continue practice at home following release. The patients were measured before and after treatment and periodically thereafter for perceived stress, positive and negative emotions, anxiety and depression, and quality of life. The current study reports the 5-year follow-up measurements.

At the 5-year follow-up, the yoga group, but not the control group had significant improvements in their overall quality of life including the physical, mental, environmental, and social dimensions. There were also significant reductions in perceived stress and negative emptions with the yoga group but not the control group. The reduction in stress is particularly important as stress is known to have negative consequences for cardiac patients. Hence, the addition of home yoga practice to the usual cardiac rehabilitation treatment resulted in significant improvements in the psychological states and quality of life that were still present 5 years later.

These results are remarkable, not in the effects of yoga practice, as these are well established, but in the duration of the effects. They were still present after 5 years. Such long-term follow-up is rare in research and is very important. A treatment is not useful if it is only effective for a brief time. Producing lasting improvements is the goal of all treatments and the present findings suggest that yoga practice produces such lasting effects.

Yoga practice is safe treatment that is very inexpensive to teach and maintain. It appears to be acceptable and satisfactory to a broad range of people, and has very good compliance. This suggests that yoga practice may be an almost ideal treatment for improving mental health and quality of life in patients recovering from coronary bypass surgery.

So, improve long-term postoperative cardiac health with yoga.

“After a heart surgery, life never remains the same. You could either look at it as an unfortunate incident or as a new lease of life, in which you’ve come out of the darkness and are privileged to be alive. The wisdom of yoga can help you transition through this phase of your life and speed recovery.” – Ramanjit Garewal

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Amaravathi E, Ramarao NH, Raghuram N, Pradhan B. Yoga-based postoperative cardiac rehabilitation program for improving quality of life and stress levels: Fifth-year follow-up through a randomized controlled trial. Int J Yoga 2018;11:44-52

Abstract

Objectives: This study was aimed to assess the efficacy of yoga-based lifestyle program (YLSP) in improving quality of life (QOL) and stress levels in patients after 5 years of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Methodology: Three hundred patients posted for elective CABG in Narayana Hrudayalaya Super Speciality Hospital, Bengaluru, were randomized into two groups: YLSP and conventional lifestyle program (CLSP), and follow-up was done for 5 years. Intervention: In YLSP group, all practices of integrative approach of yoga therapy such as yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, and meditation were used as an add-on to conventional cardiac rehabilitation. The control group (CLSP) continued conventional cardiac rehabilitation only. Outcome Measures: World Health Organization (WHO)-QOL BREF Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were assessed before surgery and at the end of the 5th year after CABG. As data were not normally distributed, Mann–Whitney U-test was used for between-group comparisons and Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test was used for within-group comparisons. Results: At the end of 5 years, mental health (P = 0.05), perceived stress (P = 0.01), and negative affect (NA) (P = 0.05) have shown significant improvements. WHO-QOL BREF score has shown improvements in physical health (P = 0.046), environmental health (P = 0.04), perceived stress (P = 0.001), and NA (P = 0.02) in YLSP than CLSP. Positive affect has significantly improved in CLSP than YLSP. Other domains of WHO-QOL-BREF, PANAS, and HADS did not reveal any significant between-group differences. Conclusion: Addition of long-term YLSP to conventional cardiac rehabilitation brings better improvements in QOL and reduction in stress levels at the end of 5 years after CABG.

http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2018;volume=11;issue=1;spage=44;epage=52;aulast=Amaravathi

Improve Cardiopulmonary and Metabolic Condition and Body Weight with Yoga

October 14, 2017June 24, 2020 psyjdc Leave a comment

Improve Cardiopulmonary and Metabolic Condition and Body Weight with Yoga

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“Every time you practice yoga, you have the chance to reclaim part of yourself that you don’t always have easy access to. It might be physical, mental, or emotional, but the process of integration is quickened by yoga practice.” – Dinabandhu Sarley

Yoga practice has been shown to have a large number of beneficial effects on the psychological, emotional, and physical health of the individual and is helpful in the treatment of mental and physical illness, including cardiovascular disease and metabolic problems. This is important as cardiovascular disease is the number one killer, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined. In addition, Metabolic Syndrome is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It generally results from overweight and abdominal obesity and includes high blood pressure, insulin resistance and elevation of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. It is an important risk factor as it increases the risk of developing type-2 diabetes five-fold and heart attack or stroke three-fold.

A myriad of treatments has been developed for heart disease including a variety of surgical procedures and medications. But the safest effective treatments are lifestyle changes. These include quitting smoking, weight reduction, improved diet, physical activity, and reducing stresses. Other safe and effective treatments are contemplative practices, such as meditation, tai chi, and yoga, have also been shown to be helpful for heart health. These practices have also been shown to be helpful for producing the kinds of lifestyle changes needed to prevent heart disease such as smoking cessation, weight reduction, and stress reduction. Metabolic Syndrome can also be prevented or reverse the risk with exercise and weight loss.

Since, yoga is a mindfulness practice and an exercise it would seem to be ideally suited for the prevention of cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic problems. In today’s Research News article “Cardiopulmonary and metabolic effects of yoga in healthy volunteers.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at: http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2017;volume=10;issue=3;spage=115;epage=120;aulast=Divya, Divya and colleagues examine the effectiveness of yoga practice in improving cardiovascular and metabolic health in healthy adults. They recruited participants in a 41-day yoga training occurring 75 min/day, 6 days/week. Practice included meditation, breathing practice, mudras, postures, and relaxation. Before and after training they were measured for their lipid profile, thyroid function, cardiac and pulmonary function, and autonomic function.

They found that following the treatment there were significant improvements in cardiovascular function, including decreases resting heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood pressure response to standing, improvements in metabolic function, including decreases in body mass index, blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood fat, and increases in pulmonary function, including increases in lung size, expiratory volume, and peak expiratory flow rate. Hence, participation in the yoga training produced significant improvements in cardiopulmonary and metabolic health.

It should be noted that there wasn’t a control or comparison condition included in the study. The participants physical state prior to training was simply compared to that after training. But, the improvements were of such a magnitude that it would be unlikely to be produced by confounding factors, such as expectancy effects or the passage of time. Since the participants were healthy adults at the start of training, the improvements are even more striking. This suggests that participation in yoga practice promotes health and may delay or prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

So, improve cardiopulmonary and metabolic condition and body weight with yoga.

“Yoga burns calories, tones your body and gives you a challenging routine to perform. Further, yoga increases flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. Physiologically, yoga has been shown to decrease resting heart rate, respiration and blood pressure and improve metabolic rate.” – Nikki Prosch

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Divya T S, Vijayalakshmi M T, Mini K, Asish K, Pushpalatha M, Suresh V. Cardiopulmonary and metabolic effects of yoga in healthy volunteers. Int J Yoga 2017;10:115-20

Abstract

Background: Yoga the spiritual union of mind with the divine intelligence of the universe aims to liberate a human being from conflicts of body–mind duality. Beneficial cardiovascular and pulmonary effects of yoga are in par with aerobic exercise, even amounting to replace the exercise model. We conducted an interventional study in healthy volunteers, to analyze the impact of short-term yoga training on cardiovascular, pulmonary, autonomic function tests, lipid profile, and thyroid function tests. Materials and Methods: A sample of fifty new recruits attending the district yoga center was subject to 75 min yoga practice a day for 41 days. Basal values of cardiovascular, pulmonary, autonomic function tests, lipid profile, and thyroid function tests were recorded before yoga training and were reassessed for postyoga changes after 41 days. Results: After yoga practice there was a significant reduction in the resting heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean blood pressure of the participants. Effects on autonomic function tests were variable and inconclusive. There was a significant increase in forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, and peak expiratory flow rate after yoga. A significant reduction in body mass index was observed. Effects on metabolic parameters were promising with a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar level, serum total cholesterol, serum triglycerides serum low-density lipoprotein levels, and significant increase in high-density lipoprotein. There was no significant change in thyroid function tests after yoga. Conclusion: Short-term yoga practice has no effect on thyroid functions. Yoga practice was found beneficial in maintaining physiological milieu pertaining to cardiovascular and other metabolic parameters.

http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2017;volume=10;issue=3;spage=115;epage=120;aulast=Divya

Improve Body Mass and Blood Pressure with Yoga

September 15, 2017 psyjdc Leave a comment

Improve Body Mass and Blood Pressure with Yoga

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“Those practicing yoga who were overweight to start with lost about five pounds during the same time period those not practicing yoga gained 14 pounds.” – Alan Kristol

Obesity has become an epidemic in the industrialized world. In the U.S. the incidence of obesity, defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or above has more than doubled over the last 35 years to currently around 35% of the population, while two thirds of the population are considered overweight or obese (BMI > 25). Although the incidence rates have appeared to stabilize, the fact that over a third of the population is considered obese is very troubling because of the health consequences of obesity. Obesity has been found to shorten life expectancy by eight years and extreme obesity by 14 years. This occurs because obesity is associated with cardiovascular problems such as coronary heart disease and hypertension, stroke, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and others.

Obviously, there is a need for effective treatments to prevent or treat obesity. But, despite copious research and a myriad of dietary and exercise programs, there still is no safe and effective treatment. Mindfulness is known to be associated with lower risk for obesity. Mindfulness has also been shown to make people more aware of eating and reduce intake. This suggests that mindfulness training may be an effective treatment for overeating and obesity. Yoga training involves both mindfulness and exercise. So, yoga training might be very effective in reducing body weight and improving cardiovascular health.

In today’s Research News article “Yoga Practice Improves the Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5433109/, Chauhan and colleagues recruited healthy adults who participated in a 1-month yoga camp, with 1 hour of yoga practice each day, and a no-treatment control group. Before and after the 1-month treatment period the participants were measured for body size and blood pressure.

They found that in comparison to baseline and the no-treatment control group, the yoga participants had a significant decrease in their Body Mass Index (BMI, weight divided by height squared, a standard measure of body size and overweight), and significant decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Hence yoga practice resulted in improvements in body size and cardiovascular health.

These results suggest that yoga practice may be helpful in treating overweight and preventing obesity and the resultant cardiovascular problems. The study, however, compared a yoga group to a no-treatment group. So, potential confounding variables such as expectancy and attentional effects cannot be excluded as explanations. Future research studies should compare yoga practice to other exercise programs to establish if it’s the exercise contained in the yoga practice that is responsible for the benefits or something specific to yoga practice.

So, improve body mass and blood pressure with yoga.

“Yoga can control daily behaviors, produce self-awareness, boost personal growth and bring self-realization. This can help to improve eating patterns and promote self-control. Yoga has a promising effect in addressing a wide range of health conditions by stabilizing BMI.” – Minakshi Welukar

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Chauhan, A., Semwal, D. K., Mishra, S. P., & Semwal, R. B. (2017). Yoga Practice Improves the Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure: A Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Yoga, 10(2), 103–106. http://doi.org/10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_46_16

Abstract

Background:

Yoga, an ancient Indian system of exercise and therapy is an art of good living or an integrated system for the benefit of the body, mind, and inner spirit. Regular practice of yoga can help to increase blood flow to the brain, reduce stress, have a calming effect on the nervous system, and greatly help in reducing hypertension.

Aim:

Aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of 1-month yoga practice on body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure (BP).

Materials and Methods:

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of yoga practice on 64 participants (age 53.6 ± 13.1 years) (experimental group) whereas the results were compared with 26 healthy volunteers (control group). We examined the effects of yoga on physiological parameters in a 1-month pilot study. Most of the participants were learner and practiced yoga for 1 h daily in the morning for 1 month. BMI and BP (systolic and diastolic) were studied before and after 1 month of yoga practice.

Results:

Yoga practice causes decreased BMI (26.4 ± 2.5–25.22 ± 2.4), systolic BP (136.9 ± 22.18 mmHg to 133 ± 21.38 mmHg), and diastolic BP (84.7 ± 6.5 mmHg to 82.34 ± 7.6 mmHg). On the other hand, no significant changes were observed in BMI and BP of control group.

Conclusion:

This study concludes that yoga practice has potential to control BMI and BP without taking any medication.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5433109/

Improve Exercise Capacity in Heart Disease with Mindfulness

June 23, 2017June 23, 2017 psyjdc 2 Comments

Improve Exercise Capacity in Heart Disease with Mindfulness

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“Why bother to do a mindfulness practice in addition to regular workouts?” You know that exercise can clear your head and turn around a bad mood. But when you add mindfulness in to the mix, you add rocket fuel to these already valuable benefits.” – Belief net
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths. Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack.” – Centers for Disease Control. A myriad of treatments has been developed for heart disease including a variety of surgical procedures and medications. But, these treatments can be costly, invasive, have major side effects, and often don’t address the root causes of the disease. On the other hand, the safest effective treatments for heart disease are lifestyle changes.

It has been demonstrated that lifestyle is a major contributor to the development of heart disease. quitting smoking, weight reduction, improved diet, physical activity, and reducing stresses have shown to be effective in treating heart disease. Contemplative practices such as meditation, tai chi, and yoga, have also been shown to be helpful for heart health have also been shown to be safe and effective treatments. In addition, mindfulness practices have also been shown to be helpful for producing the kinds of lifestyle changes needed such as smoking cessation, weight reduction, and stress reduction.

One problem with the employment of mindfulness treatment programs to treat disease is that they require patients to meet frequently with professional therapists in either individual or group settings. This can be inconvenient, costly, and time consuming and for many people who live in remote areas, unavailable. So, to overcome these problems, mindfulness based techniques have been successfully developed and delivered over the internet. In a study by Younge et al. it was demonstrated that a 12-week mindfulness intervention significantly improved exercise capacity and decreased heart rate and blood pressure. The study, however, did not include a long-term follow-up. So, it is unknown how long-lasting the effects of the mindfulness treatment may be. In today’s Research News article “Online mindfulness as a promising method to improve exercise capacity in heart disease: 12-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5423609/, Gotink and colleagues perform a 12-month follow-up of the patients included in the study by Younge et al.

They recruited adult patients with existing, diagnosed heart disease and randomly assigned to a 12-week on-line mindfulness training or a usual medical care condition. The mindfulness training program included different meditations, self-reflection, yoga, and practical assignments and suggestions for using mindfulness in day-to-day life. After completion of the program the participants continued to receive biweekly reminders to continue practice. The patients were measured before and after training and 9-months later for exercise capacity measured with the 6-minute walk test, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and cortisol levels, mental and physical functioning, anxiety and depression, perceived stress, and social support.

They found that similar to the benefits of mindfulness training documented at the end of training, 9-months later there were still small but significant improvements in the mindfulness group in exercise capacity, systolic blood pressure, mental functioning, and depression. These results are important in that they demonstrate that on-line mindfulness training can have lasting benefits for patients with heart disease. On-line training is inexpensive, convenient, and available to everyone with internet connections. It is effective for producing long-term improvements in exercise capacity in patients with heart disease allowing the patients to safely engage in beneficial exercise programs to strengthen the cardiovascular system. In addition, mindfulness training has been shown to help with producing other lifestyle changes that are beneficial for heart disease, Hence, it would be reasonable to suggest that on-line mindfulness training should be incorporated into standard heart disease treatment programs.

So, improve exercise capacity in heart disease with mindfulness.

“There are well documented studies that show meditation reverses the physiologic manifestations of stress such as elevated blood pressure and heart rate.” – Joon Lee

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are

Improve Exercise Capacity in Heart Disease with Mindfulness

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

So, improve exercise capacity in heart disease with mindfulness.

“There are well documented studies that show meditation reverses the physiologic manifestations of stress such as elevated blood pressure and heart rate.” – Joon Lee

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Gotink, R. A., Younge, J. O., Wery, M. F., Utens, E. M. W. J., Michels, M., Rizopoulos, D., … Hunink, M. M. G. (2017). Online mindfulness as a promising method to improve exercise capacity in heart disease: 12-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. PLoS ONE, 12(5), e0175923. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175923

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that mindfulness can reduce stress, and thereby affect other psychological and physiological outcomes as well. Earlier, we reported the direct 3-month results of an online modified mindfulness-based stress reduction training in patients with heart disease, and now we evaluate the effect at 12-month follow-up. 324 patients (mean age 43.2 years, 53.7% male) were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to additional 3-month online mindfulness training or to usual care alone. The primary outcome was exercise capacity measured with the 6 minute walk test (6MWT). Secondary outcomes were blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, NT-proBNP, cortisol levels (scalp hair sample), mental and physical functioning (SF-36), anxiety and depression (HADS), perceived stress (PSS), and social support (PSSS12). Differences between groups on the repeated outcome measures were analyzed with linear mixed models. At 12-months follow-up, participants showed a trend significant improvement exercise capacity (6MWT: 17.9 meters, p = 0.055) compared to UC. Cohen’s D showed significant but small improvement on exercise capacity (d = 0.22; 95%CI 0.05 to 0.39), systolic blood pressure (d = 0.19; 95%CI 0.03 to 0.36), mental functioning (d = 0.22; 95%CI 0.05 to 0.38) and depressive symptomatology (d = 0.18; 95%CI 0.02 to 0.35). All other outcome measures did not change statistically significantly. In the as-treated analysis, systolic blood pressure decreased significantly with 5.5 mmHg (p = 0.045; d = 0.23 (95%CI 0.05–0.41)). Online mindfulness training shows favorable albeit small long-term effects on exercise capacity, systolic blood pressure, mental functioning, and depressive symptomatology in patients with heart disease and might therefore be a beneficial addition to current clinical care.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5423609/

also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Abstract

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5423609/

Reduce Weight and Cardiovascular Disease Risk with Mindfulness

May 24, 2017May 24, 2017 psyjdc Leave a comment

Reduce Weight and Cardiovascular Disease Risk with Mindfulness

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“since stress is often at the root of overeating, mindfulness seems to make us eat better meals, which means it’s likely possible to lose weight without dieting.” – Mandy Oaklander

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths. Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack.” (Centers for Disease Control). A myriad of treatments has been developed for heart disease including a variety of surgical procedures and medications. In addition, lifestyle changes have proved to be effective including quitting smoking, weight reduction, improved diet, physical activity, and reducing stresses. Stress reduction is a key lifestyle change in treating heart conditions as stress can lead to increased physiological arousal including increased blood pressure that can exacerbate the patient’s condition

Contemplative practices, such as meditation, tai chi, and yoga, have also been shown to be helpful for heart health. In addition, mindfulness practices have also been shown to be helpful for producing the kinds of other lifestyle changes needed such as smoking cessation and weight reduction. They are particularly helpful for stress reduction, decreasing the psychological and physiological responses to stress. So, it would make sense to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness practices in the treatment of cardiac patients. In today’s Research News article “Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Weight Loss and CVD Risk Management.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5386400/

Fulwiler and colleagues review and summarize the published research literature on the effects of mindfulness training on cardiovascular disease risk.

One way to reduce cardiovascular disease risk is weight reduction. They report that the literature does not find mindfulness training by itself to be effective in reducing weight. But, when mindfulness training involves development of specific skills such as mindful eating skills or in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) then it produces significant weight reduction. Another risk factor is cigarette smoking and they find that the literature reports that mindfulness training is effective for quitting and remaining abstinent. Another way to reduce cardiovascular disease risk is blood pressure reduction and increasing physical activity. They report that the published studies find that mindfulness training is effective in reducing blood pressure and increasing in physical activity.

Hence, the published studies find that mindfulness training is effective in reducing cardiovascular disease risk by reducing body weight, smoking, blood pressure, and increasing physical activity. These are important findings that suggest that mindfulness training reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease and as a result increase longevity. Mindfulness training probably has these effects primarily by reducing the physiological and psychological responses to stress and by encouraging present moment awareness of the physical state and sensations such as taste and smell.

So, reduce weight and cardiovascular disease risk with mindfulness.

“Applied to eating, mindfulness includes noticing the colors, smells, flavors, and textures of your food; chewing slowly; getting rid of distractions like TV or reading; and learning to cope with guilt and anxiety about food.” – Harvard Health

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Fulwiler, C., Brewer, J. A., Sinnott, S., & Loucks, E. B. (2015). Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Weight Loss and CVD Risk Management. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports, 9(10), 46. http://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-015-0474-1

Abstract

Obesity affects more than one-third of U.S. adults and is a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality, primarily from cardiovascular disease. Traditional behavioral interventions for weight loss typically focus on diet and exercise habits and often give little attention to the role of stress and emotions in the initiation and maintenance of unhealthy behaviors, which may account for their modest results and considerable variability in outcomes. Stress eating and emotional eating are increasingly recognized as important targets of weight loss interventions. Mindfulness-based interventions were specifically developed to promote greater self-efficacy in coping with stress and negative emotions, and appear to be effective for a variety of conditions. In recent years researchers have begun to study mindfulness interventions for weight loss and CVD risk management. This review describes the rationale for the use of mindfulness in interventions for weight loss and CVD risk management, summarizes the research to date, and suggests priorities for future research.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5386400/

Improve Health with Qigong

May 15, 2017 psyjdc Leave a comment

Improve Health with Qigong

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

“Qigong is an ancient Chinese system of exercise and meditation that makes the mind and spirit tranquil, improves performance in sports, and cultivates health, well-being, and long life.” – Annie Bond

Qigong and Tai Chi have been practiced for thousands of years with benefits for health and longevity. Qigong and Tai Chi trainings are designed to enhance function and regulate the activities of the body through controlled breathing, mindful concentration, and gentle movements. Only recently though have the effects of these practices been scrutinized with empirical research. This research has found that they are effective for an array of physical and psychological issues. They appear to strengthen the immune system, reduce inflammation and increase the number of cancer killing cells in the bloodstream, improve cardiovascular health, reduce arthritis pain, improve balance and reduce falls. They also appear to improve attentional ability and relieve depression.

In today’s Research News article “A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Baduanjin Qigong for Health Benefits: Randomized Controlled Trials.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5359459/

Zou and colleagues review the published research literature on the effects of one particular Qigong practice, Baduanjin Qigong, on health. Baduanjin Qigong involves only 8 simple movements and “is characterized by interplay between symmetrical physical postures and movements, mind, and breathing exercise in a harmonious manner.” They discovered 19 published randomized controlled trials employing adults. About 1/3 of the participants were healthy and 2/3 were ill with a variety of diseases including “type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, hypertension, knee osteoarthritis, and chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness.”

The published research revealed that Baduanjin Qigong produced significant improvements in quality of life (6 studies), sleep quality (6 studies), balance (6 studies), handgrip strength (5 studies), trunk and hip flexibility (4 studies), leg power (2 studies), walking performance (2 studies), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (9 studies), respiratory efficiency (6 studies), and cardiorespiratory endurance (4 studies). The small number of studies (2) that measured leg power and walking performance makes conclusions about these improvements tentative. But, the rest of the improvements would appear to be solid findings of a magnitude to be considered of clinical significance.

These are exciting results. The range of different areas of physical improvement produced by Baduanjin Qigong and the range of illnesses improved are impressive. Since, this ancient gentle practice is completely safe, can be used with the elderly and sickly, is inexpensive to administer, can be performed in groups or alone, at home or in a facility or even public park, and can be quickly learned as only 8 movements are involved, it would appear to be an excellent treatment for sickly individuals, especially the elderly. It remains to be seen how effective Baduanjin Qigong might be for mental and emotional problems.

So, improve health with qigong.

“Sometimes Qigong and Tai Chi are called a moving meditation in which the mind and body are led to a state of balance and equilibrium also known as homeostasis. A Harvard medical publication said it should also be called “moving medication.” The advantages of improving strength, flexibility and balance are pretty obvious but the advantages of peace that comes from the moving flowing meditative aspect of Qigong and Tai Chi are equally important.” – Denise Nagel

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

Study Summary

Zou, L., SasaKi, J. E., Wang, H., Xiao, Z., Fang, Q., & Zhang, M. (2017). A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Baduanjin Qigong for Health Benefits: Randomized Controlled Trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM, 2017, 4548706. http://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4548706

Abstract

Objective. To investigate the effects of practicing Baduanjin Qigong on different health outcomes. Methods. Six electronic databases were used for literature search through entering the following key words: Baduanjin Qigong, quality of life, sleep quality, and health-related outcomes. Results. Nineteen randomized controlled trials were used for meta-analysis. The aggregated results from this systematic review have shown significant benefits in favour of Baduanjin Qigong on quality of life (SMD, −0.75; 95% CI −1.26 to −0.24; P = 0.004), sleep quality (SMD, −0.55; 95% CI −0.97 to −0.12; P = 0.01), balance (SMD, −0.94; 95% CI −1.59 to 0.30; P = 0.004), handgrip strength (SMD, −0.69; 95% CI −1.2 to −0.19; P = 0.007), trunk flexibility (SMD, −0.66; 95% CI −1.13 to −0.19; P = 0.006), systolic (SMD, −0.60; 95% CI −0.94 to −0.27; P = 0.0004) and diastolic blood pressure (SMD, −0.46; 95% CI −0.73 to −0.20; P = 0.0005), and resting heart rate (SMD, −0.87; 95% CI −1.47 to −0.27; P = 0.005). The aggregated results of meta-analyses examining the effect of Baduanjin Qigong on leg power, cardiopulmonary endurance, and pulmonary function remain unclear because of a small number of studies. Conclusions. The aggregated results from this systematic review show that Baduanjin Qigong practice is beneficial for quality of life, sleep quality, balance, handgrip strength, trunk flexibility, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and resting heart rate. Further studies are necessary to confirm the effects of Baduanjin Qigong on leg power, cardiopulmonary endurance, and pulmonary function (e.g., vital capacity), while considering a long-term follow-up.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5359459/