A stroke occurs when a blood vessel, which is carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain, bursts or is blocked by a clot. This causes an interruption of the blood supply to part of the brain. This can damage or destroy brain cells which will affect body functions. For example, if a stroke damages the part of your brain that controls limb movement, your ability to move an arm or leg may be affected. A stroke can also affect mental processes such as how people feel, think, communicate, or learn. In the video on this page you’ll learn some methods of Qigong for stroke recovery. These exercises can speed up the recovery process, regardless of how long ago the stroke occurred.
Please head over to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
5 Reasons Why – Qigong For Stroke Recovery?
As I explained above, if you have a stroke, your brain is affected. Qigong helps you to form new connections in your brain as the movements involved are ones which your body isn’t used to carrying out. These new movements promote new brain connections.
Qigong involves repetitive movements which help you to reinforce the new neurological connections in your brain. Repetition is the key here. The more repetition, the more stable these new connections become.
Qigong is free and easily accessible. Unlike attending the gym, physiotherapist or swimming to help with recovery from stroke, Qigong methods, once you have learned them, can be performed in the comfort of your home for no cost. Other methods to help recovery may incur a cost or visit to a special facility which is not always practical. You can also practice Qigong from a standing, sitting or lying down position. Because of this you can easily adapt Qigong methods to suit your individual range of movement following a stroke.
Qigong exercises can easily be integrated into your daily activities. This makes the repetition aspect easy to carry out as you can practice Qigong when you are standing in a queue, walking, driving, standing, reaching for things, etc.
Qigong helps balance the whole body. Working from a whole body perspective is very important subsequent to a stroke as this means that the parts of your body which may have been weakened by the stroke can be assisted by the stronger parts.
Where Can I Learn Qigong for Stroke Recovery?
If you would like to learn some Qigong for stroke recovery then there are a number of things you can do:
Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Next you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods, all which can be adapted for stroke recovery.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you learned from this video.
Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
In our busy world we might often find it difficult to find the time to eat. However, statistics show that people in the Western world are increasingly getting bigger. Obesity is on the rise. In Ireland, where I live, the percentage of people who were classified as overweight or obese in 2015 was 60%. This has risen to 62% in 2017 (Central Statistics Office – “The Wellbeing of the Nation 2017“). We all know that the healthiest way to shed pounds is to combine healthy eating with exercise. Fad diets rarely work and the weight often piles back on again afterwards. In the video on this page I’ll be showing you how you can use Qigong for weight loss. I’ll give you a few tips to get you started and let you know how you can progress and take things further if you really want to explore how you can use Qigong for weight loss that lasts!
Please head over to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
Qigong for Weight Loss
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers an alternative method to help those who are trying to slim down. Qigong, as a branch of TCM focuses on bringing back balance to the body and treating the root cause of a problem by promoting the smooth flow of Qi (energy) throughout the body. Combining Qigong with other exercise and healthy eating can have tremendous results in your effort to lose weight.
Below are some of my recommendations of methods of Qigong for weight loss. There are lots more in the Space To Relax Online Programme but what is important is that you practice regularly, exercise regularly and eat healthily. CONSISTENCY is the key!
1. Develop a Morning Routine
This is the best way, I find, to be consistent. Set yourself up for the day with 5-10 minutes of Qigong. If you don’t have time, get up 10 minutes earlier! :-). Following along with my Qigong Morning Routine here.
2. Get Rid Of Toxic Build Up In Your Body
Often we put on weight because toxins accumulate in our bodies which make us feel sluggish and less likely to exercise. Before we know it our weight has increased. Also, excess weight can be a result of excess fluid accumulating in the body if the lymphatic system is not draining and moving fluids around in a healthy way. Below are two previous videos for you to watch if you want to use Qigong for weight loss:
To cleanse or detox your body use this Qigong cleansing method daily (click here to watch). It only takes 2 minutes to practice once you have memorised the movements.
As many of you may know emotions can play a significant role in weight gain because we can resort to “emotional eating” in response to stresses from family and work. The stress hormone cortisol can upset the body’s metabolism too, causing an increase in weight or failure to lose weight even when you are not overeating. Refer to my previous videos if you feel that emotional factors contribute to your situation.
Acupuncture helps a person lose body fat by reducing appetite and thus reducing the calorie consumption by the body. On the other hand, it increases the metabolic rate of the body and aids in burning more calories. Acupuncture also stimulates the release of endorphins that help to reduce the body fat and insulin levels. Seek out a practitioner in your area if you need some help and don’t want to tackle losing weight on your own.
Consult a Health Coach. If you want to find someone to help keep you motivated and on track the you may want to consider seeking out a health coach who can help you with dietary and exercise advice. They know all the pitfalls on your journey to slimming down and getting healthier so can help you to overcome them, should they arise. Take a look here for a good example from Dr Ailis Brosnan, who works here in Ireland and runs online programmes available to people worldwide.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you would like to learn even more methods of Qigong for weight loss then:
Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods, all which can be used for helping with weight loss.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you learned from this video.
Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
Are you are exhausted in the mornings? Do you have to take a nap in the afternoon to recharge your batteries? Do you want to sleep all the time? Are you listless and lacking in energy? Do you crave carbohydrates and sweet foods? Do you find that you just don’t have the energy to carry out your usual daily tasks? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes” then you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue. In the video on this page I’ll be showing you some methods of Qigong for adrenal fatigue along with a few other Chinese medicine tips to help you on the road back to feeling revitalised, re-energised and healthy.
Please go to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel and click the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will also help you prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
What is Adrenal Fatigue
In terms of conventional Western medicine, adrenal fatigue occurs when you are excessively stressed at home or at work to the extent that your adrenal glands go into overdrive and produce too much of the stress hormone cortisol as a result of the body’s fight or flight response. This then prevents your adrenal glands from secreting the other hormones that your body needs and results in the symptoms I listed at the beginning of this article.
In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) adrenal fatigue is due to a kidney system deficiency. From a TCM and Qigong perspective we can address adrenal fatigue by “tonifying” or building up the kidneys.
Methods of Qigong for Adrenal Fatigue
Simple Abdominal Breathing. Focus the mind on the kidney area as you inhale and exhale. In your mind’s eye see the kidneys. Feel them pulsating or vibrating like the beating of your heart but less pronounced. Feel the Qi (energy) entering and energising the kidney area as you inhale. Relax as you exhale. If you’re not sure how to perform abdominal breathing refer to a previous video I made by clicking here.
Kidney Massage. This is a very quick and easy method of Qigong for adrenal fatigue. Place your hands on your kidneys and rub vigorously up and down feeling the heat generated by your hands moving deep into the kidney area. This method is part of one of the exercises in my Space To Relax Online Programme of Qigong video lessons.
To strengthen the Kidney system follow along with the Looking Back Over Shoulder method in my previous video about Qigong For Back Pain.
Dietary Tips
You can make a significant impact on reducing the symptoms of adrenal fatigue by making changes to your diet. Instead of eating three big meals per day, eat small meals spaced out more frequently. Also you can include foods which benefit kidney in your diet. These include pork, sprouts, eggs, beans, barley, sardines, cheese and blueberries, kidney beans, black sesame seeds, walnuts, asparagus, sweet potato, string beans, celery, parsley, grapes and plums.
In terms of what to avoid, you will be best to cut out heavily sugared soft drinks, alcohol, and highly salted foods. Smokers should try to stop or at least cut down on their intake of tobacco.
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs
It is worth seeking the help of a TCM practitioner as acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can also help you if you have adrenal fatigue. TCM practitioners will stimulate key points associated with the kidney. In some cases, you can use acupressure just inside the ankle between the medial malleolus (ankle bone on the inside of the foot) and the Achilles tendon. Massage the area in a clockwise motion for five minutes on each side of the foot and repeat daily for best results.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you would like to learn even more benefits of Qigong for adrenal fatigue then:
Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective methods of Qigong for adrenal fatigue.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you learned from this video.
Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
For any of you who have ever suffered with an asthma attack, bronchitis or shortness of breath you will understand how these conditions can very quickly create a sense of panic, anxiety and fear. When we can’t breathe properly this is scary! Once we have experienced that fear inducing feeling then we may mistrust the breath and worry about when the next “attack” will happen. I think you’ll agree that this is not a situation anyone should have to tolerate. That’s why I created the video on this page for you today; to help you learn some simple methods of Qigong for asthma and breathing difficulties.
Please head over to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
The Negative Consequences of Breathing Difficulties
In Traditional Chinese Medicine the Lung and the Kidney system govern the mechanism of breathing. When these systems are compromised a range of breathing difficulties may develop such as asthma, bronchitis or simply shortness of breath. Obviously when we can’t catch our breath this can generate a sense of fear, anxiety and panic, leading to more shallow breathing and even more fear, anxiety and panic! Methods of Qigong for asthma and breathing difficulties not only help to physically strengthen your lung and kidney systems but also to mentally focus your mind, not on the blockage or the problem, but on the FREE FLOW OF BREATH into the lower abdomen. The 4 tips below will help you address both the physical and mental aspects to overcoming asthma and breathing difficulties.
My 4 Top Methods of Qigong for Asthma and Bronchitis
1. Abdominal Breathing. By meditating on the breath you will find that your breathing becomes more open, free flowing and easy. Focus on the positive, i.e. unobstructed, open, free flowing breath in and out of the body, NOT on the negative obstructed air flow. The more you focus on the negative, the more it will be manifest! Practice abdominal breathing as shown in a previous video I made. Click here to watch it.
2. Posture. Think of the top of your head being suspended from the sky or ceiling. There is length in the back of your neck, achieved by tucking the chin back towards the throat. Sit or stand up straight to create length in the sides of the body and lower back area. This creates more space for the lungs. See my previous video on Qigong Stance.
3. One of the Six Healing Sounds for ridding the Lung system of waste Qi and strengthening immunity. This method can be found in my previous video on Qigong for Immunity.
If you would like to learn even more benefits of Qigong for asthma and breathing difficulties then:
1. Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods, all which will help if you have breathing difficulties because all Qigong methods involve mindful, regulated breathing.
2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you learned from this video.
3. Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
Knee pain is a relatively common condition which I see in my Chinese medicine and acupuncture clinic. Whether caused by arthritis, wear and tear of cartilage or an injury of some kind, I’ll show you in this video how to use Qigong for knee pain so that you can relieve the pain and improve flexibility in your knees.
Please head over to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
The Consequences of Living With Knee Pain
Any of you who have ever suffered with pain in your knees will know that it can be miserable. Not only does the physical pain itself cause you to suffer, but it also stops you from doing the things you love which can negatively impact upon your emotional state of health. For example, you may not be able to go for your daily walk with friends, play with your children or grandchildren or carry out your job (if it is one of a physical nature).
Knee pain may also prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep because you can’t find a comfortable position in bed. You then wake up exhausted.
The fact that you can’t go about your daily business as usual or sleep properly can leave you feeling low, depressed and irritable. You may also feel fearful or anxious about how long you are going to have to endure this situation.
1. Bend your knees. Place your hands on your knees above the kneecaps with fingers facing inwards.
2. Rotate knees right. Rotate knees left.
3. Open and close knees back to front. Open and close knees front to back.
4. Bend knees and squat down (keep heels on ground)
5. Come up to standing by pushing the feet firmly into the ground.
Cautions:
Don’t let the knees fall in towards each other.
Only move the knees as far as is comfortable for you.
Keep movements slow and deliberate. It is sudden movement that can cause injury.
Qigong Stance
A previous video which I made on how to stand correctly for Qigong practice is in itself a perfect method of Qigong for knee pain relief. Once you adopt the correct posture this takes any pressure or strain away from your knees. The Qigong stance also promotes the free flow of blood, fluid and Qi through the knee joint so that it is nourished and energised. Click here to watch the video.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you would like to learn even more benefits of Qigong for knee pain then:
1. Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons and then have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods, all which can be adapted and used for the condition of knee pain, regardless of where in the knee you feel it.
2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you learned from this video.
3. Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there where I’ll be happy to answer them. You’ll also receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health in this group.
Hip pain can take many forms. You may feel it in the front of the hip, the back (in the buttocks), on the side (femoral head) of the hip, travelling into the groin, close to the skin surface of deep within the joint. Wherever it is, and whatever the cause, it is generally a good idea to keep the area mobile in order to promote circulation to the area and speed healing (unless your pain restricts your movement completely). In this article you’ll learn some Qigong for hip pain and how to promote the flow of Qi through the hip area so that the pain is reduced.
Please head over to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
Use a horse stance, standing with feet about 3 feet apart, knees flexed and pushed outwards over the toes (do not let the knees drop inwards). Place palms on knees. Incline trunk of body to left (men) or the right (women) with head slightly lowered and look at the foot. Raise body up, twisting into hips. Lower body back down and sweep whole of trunk across to the other side (think of top of head as a lighthouse beacon). Look at foot then raise body up, twisting into hips. Lower body back down and sweep across to the other side once more. Weight changes from one side to the other and hips are relaxed, following the movement. Knees are bent all the time – do not lock the knee. Maintain strength in legs but be relaxed in waist and trunk.
Finish the exercise by stepping together as palms turn to face the ground then placing one hand (right for women, left for men) flat over Dan Tian with the other hand on top. Circle a few times in one direction and then the other to seal in the Qi. Allow the hands to drop down by the sides of the body and observe any sensations or changes.
Take care if you suffer with high blood pressure or dizziness not to lower the head below waist level.
Exhale as you look at foot. Inhale as body is raised slightly. Exhale as you look at foot again. Inhale as body sweeps across to the other side.
2. Using the Breath to Release Negative Emotions
Use Abdominal Breathing to exhale the pain out through your nostrils. Visualise it as a balloon that you are letting go and see it floating up and away into the sky. You can learn this method from a previous video I made. It is a very useful method of Qigong for hip pain or any other type of pain. Click here to watch it.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you would like to learn even more benefits of Qigong for hip pain then:
Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods. You can adapt all of these methods for the condition of hip pain, regardless of where you feel it.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you thought of the exercise in the video.
Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
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