This is an interesting article concerning research carried out by the Department of Psychiatry at the Saga Medical School in Japan. It looks at the causes and effects of stress in relation to our chi (qi).
In the west chi is not a popular concept, however Japan and China especially, the impact of chi on general well-being is common knowledge. Doctors often prescribe qigong (breathing exercises to improve the flow of chi) to patients as part of their recovery programs after operations and ill-health.
What is Chi?
Chi is a life force in Eastern health. However, there is no scientific basis for chi as such. In western terms, the development of chi is the result of healthy breathing and meditative exercises which expand the lungs and relax the body. Lung health and reduce stress are healthy and chi, the Eastern sense, is most probably a simple combination of healthy lungs and a relaxed mind.
The research
Researchers at the Department of Psychiatry, Saga Medical School, Japan investigated the psychosomatic function in medical students over 1.7 years whose ill-health was considered to be related to unbalanced qi, blood, and body fluid. The researchers hoped that this would help enable them create a diagnosis and treatment method for this type of condition.
The research revealed that characteristics such as stress-related emotional problems – specifically anxiety, insomnia and the lowering of social function – were most affected on a psychological level. The researchers observed that these characteristics were associated with the eye and respiratory movements.
The report concluded that, of those students who had unbalanced qi, blood, and body fluid, symptoms related mainly to an anxious constitutional type. This indicated that constitutional treatment to re-balance a patient’s qi could help in both preventing and treating stress-related illnesses.
This study showed the effect of having unbalanced qi and body fluids to be directly related to the anxiety profile in the students and recommends it as a useful future diagnostic and treatment method for persons suffering from anxiety.
Reference
“Studies on the Psychosomatic Functioning of Ill-Health According to Eastern and Western Medicine 2. Anxiety-Affinitive Constitution Associated with Qi, Blood, and Body Fluid — Diagnostic and Therapeutic Methods” by Masashi Takeichi. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine (AJCM) Volume: 27, Issue: 2(1999) pp. 177-190 DOI: 10.1142/S0192415X99000227 Source