This is a replay of a live session showing you some beginner Qigong exercises for high blood pressure, taught by myself, Dr. Janice Tucker. I have been teaching Qigong for two decades and am the founder of the Space To Relax Programme of Qigong video lessons. I’m also a practitioner of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. You can join my live classes on Zoom every Thursday at 4 pm Irish time. Click here to join us (lesson replays sent out by email in case you can’t make it).
These classes are free and everyone is welcome. However, if you’d like to contribute as a thank you for the class click here. 50% of donations will go to the ICU staff in my local hospital in Co. Kerry. The other 50% goes towards the upkeep of this website.
Beginner Qigong Exercises For High Blood Pressure – Introduction
High blood pressure can affect up to 30% of adults and is a significant medical issue that can lead to heart disease and stroke. Low blood pressure is also an issue for many people so the tips in this video will help to stabilise your blood pressure, whether it is too high or too low.
In conventional medicine high blood pressure can be caused by poor diet, being overweight, other underlying health conditions, e.g. diabetes and stress. In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there is usually a Liver or Kidney imbalance. However, self-diagnosis is not recommended.
Although there is no substitute for the correct medical advice, there are also many things you can do to help yourself and manage this condition, based on diet and lifestyle. You can:
- Eat a healthy diet that is high in green vegetables and low in sodium;
- If you are overweight then manage your diet so as to lose some excess weight;
- Take the appropriate exercise to increase your circulation such as walking, swimming or cycling.
- Supplement with essential fatty acids, garlic capsules, Coenzyme Q10 and potassium (check with your doctor before doing this, especially if you are taking blood pressure medication).
- Attend a TCM/Acupuncture practitioner who will be able to help you manage your condition.
- Lower your stress levels by relaxing more and rushing less. Practice meditation, listen to relaxing music and perform Qigong daily.
- Massage some acupressure points known to help stabilise blood pressure imbalances.
This video focuses on three areas:
- CIRCULATION – Qigong exercises to create conditions to improve the circulation of Qi and blood.
- RELAXATION – to lower stress levels and promote the free flow of Qi and blood.
- ACUPRESSURE – three useful acupressure points which you can massage in order to help stabilise blood pressure (high or low).
Beginner Qigong Exercises For High Blood Pressure – Method
- Sitting or standing, begin with abdominal breathing to bring yourself into the Qigong state.
- Open and close the fists, extending the fingers.
- Wrist circles.
- Shoulder shrugs.
- Arm circles.
- Lift legs up and down, alternating.
- Circle hips out and in by lifting legs.
- Exhale through the soles of your feet, using your mind
- Relax, Expand and Nourish the Heart exercise (full audio of this is available to download here).
- Locate and massage acupressure points Neiguan (Pericardium 6), Zusanli (Stomach 36) and Taichong (Liver 3).
Click the word below for futher location notes on the acupressure points:
Additional Video Resources
You’ll find a few other video class replays which also relate to lowering your stress levels and more uses of the acupressure points mentioned here:
- Qigong for Anxiety and Overthinking (use of Neiguan point)
- Qigong for Digestion and Energy (use of Zusanli point)
Many other live lesson replays can be found on my blog page. I’d encourage you to take a look at some of them and find methods which you can easily combine with this one.
What Can I Do Next?
To sign up and attend the live online sessions please click here. Classes are free of charge and suitable if you’re a beginner or have more Qigong experience. Once you sign up I’ll send details to your email with links to the Zoom classes (check your junk/spam folders for notifications). Please share this information with your family and friends as everyone is more than welcome.
If you’d like to take your practice to the next level with my structured, step-by-step Space To Relax Qigong programme of 50 video lessons accompanied by audio and PDF files with support from me every step of the way then click here.
To get my free part video series of 3 Qigong lessons which will be delivered to you by email over the course of one week please click here. In these lessons you’ll learn more about abdominal breathing, Qi movement and how to rid waste Qi. This will help you to feel more relaxed and energised.
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