“Can I say for sure that it has worked for me? Not with a double blind study, but I do believe that my investigations have led me to a plan which has helped me and maybe could help you, too.” Dr. Denise Nagel.
An article written in “LIFE,” a subset of the Huffington Post, follows the incredible journey of Dr. Denise Nagel. Dr. Nagel is a physician, trained in both pediatrics and psychiatry at Dartmoth, Duke and Mass General. Dr. Nagel was raising teenage twins when she received a diagnoses the began her personal medical journey of mind and body.
Nagel was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease and multiple myeloma. “I have learned some things through this journey that I never learned in medical school. I learned to trust my instincts and listen to what my body was telling me,” says Nagal. Both of her diagnosis require her to utilize her scientific brain in collaboration with her “mind-body” connection.
This is how Nagel began to practice Tai Chi and Qigong, as a means to improve her overall health. “Calming the mind and calming the body allows healing. Strengthening the muscles through simple postures and movements prevents falls. Moving with flow and gentle weight bearing helps balance and can positively impact bone density. Achieving a relaxed state of the mind reduces stress. These are some of the simple premises that underlie the health benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi.”
Tai Chi and Qigong are often referred to as “moving meditation” because they require a balance from both the body and mind a benefit that is similar to homeostasis. Although the physical benefits of the movements are obvious, the meditative aspect also has many health benefits.
“But in our stressed out world many of us are living in a continuous state of stress without even being aware of it. Without practice the relaxation response doesn’t always occur. Qigong and Tai Chi can help us return to homeostasis and the relaxation response.”
Qigonog and Tai Chi help promote a balance of body and mind. This “balance” fosters healing, if we can allow our body to relax, the body can restore.
To learn more – “Health Benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong” by LIFE, Huffington Post