Anti-Aging: Exercise - The Asian Way

Abstract

Regular physical exercise is a cornerstone in the anti-aging game. In contrast to Western Exercise practice, the philosophy behind Eastern exercise practice teaches harmony of body, mind and spirit. The Eastern way of exercise practice takes into account the flow of energy to the body’s meridian points and vital organs, whereas Western approach to exercise – in athletics, for instance – often creates injury, sometimes to a chronic degree.

Qigong and Yoga play a key role in the Eastern way of exercise practice. Most of the Asian exercises practices have its origin in Qigong or Yoga: Meditation, Ayurveda, but especially T’ai-chi, the martial art of Qigong. Today Qigong, T’ai-chi, and Yoga are the most disseminated type of physical exercise in Asia, practiced by hundreds of millions of people every day, and are becoming more and more popular in western countries.

In the past twenty years, many studies have been conducted to investigate the scientific basis of Qigong and T’ai-chi to document its medical benefits and longevity effects. Unfortunately most of the studies have been generated in China and published in Chinese. Nevertheless a few selected scientific reports have been published or presented at international conferences since the 1990’s, documenting clearly the medical benefits, longevity promoting benefits of physical exercises derived from Qigong. Many studies have shown that Qigong, T’ai-chi or even Yoga may not only cure disease, but literally reverse the aging process, especially by improving the self-regulation and relaxation of the multiple cerebro-cardiovascular risk factors like changes in blood chemistry, as well as promoting regenerative function of the lymph system, increasing anti-tumorigenic function or changing the biochemistry associated with the immune system. A significant increase in T-cells and a statistically significant decrease in anxiety and depression were also found. The main conclusion is that Qigong, T’ai-chi and Yoga enable the body not only to heal itself, but to prevent age-related diseases.