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However, the process through which damaged cells are
renewed and macrophages are transformed in the body
are still largely unknown. Regular exercise reduces the
risk of chronic metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Very interestingly, recent research data reveals that
regular exercise training inhibits inflammation in the fat
via both suppressing the bad macrophage infiltration and
also helping and facilitating bad macrophage
“transformation” into good, anti-inflammatory
macrophages in obese state (3). Postulated mechanisms
of how regular exercise exerts its anti-inflammatory
effects via both a reduction in fat mass (with a subsequent
decreased release of adipokines) and the induction of an
anti-inflammatory environment have been elegantly
reviewed in Nature Review Immunology recently (4).
Tai Chi and Qigong have been shown to be beneficial in
the treatment of many chronic conditions, including type
2 diabetes (5, 6). It will be intriguing to examine the
effects of Tai Chi and/or Qigong on these two different
macrophage functions in obesity, diabetes or other
chronic diseases, to uncover the secrets of the inner “Yin-
Yang” system in our body modulated by Tai Chi and
Qigong, the ancient pathway to health transformation and
the process of healing.
Reference:
(1) Hedley AA, Ogden CL, Johnson CL, Carroll MD,
Curtin LR & Flegal KM: Prevalence of
overweight and obesity among US children, adolescents,
and adults, 1999-2002. JAMA 291:
2847-2850, 2004.
(2) Lumeng CN, Bodzin JL, Saltiel AR. Obesity induces
a phenotypic switch in adipose tissue macrophage
polarization. J Clin Invest 117(1):175-184, 2007
(3) Kawanishi N, Yano H, Yokogawa Y, Suzuki K.
Exercise training inhibits inflammation in adipose tissue
via both suppression of macrophage infiltration and
acceleration of phenotypic switching from M1 to M2
macrophages in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice. Exerc
I m m u n o l R e v : 1 6 : 1 0 5 - 1 8 , 2 0 1 0
(4) Michael Gleeson, Nicolette C. Bishop, David J.
Stensel, Martin R. Lindley, Sarabjit S. Mastana & Myra
A. Nimmo. The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise:
mechanisms and implications for the prevention and
treatment of disease. Nat Rev Immuno 11: 607, 2011
(5) Yeh SH, Chuang H, Lin LW, Hsiao CY, Wang PW,
Liu RT, Yang KD. Regular Tai Chi Chuan exercise
improves T cell helper function of patients with type 2
diabetes mellitus with an increase in T-bet transcription
factor and IL-12 production. Br J Sports Med 43(11):845
-850, 2009
(6) Chen KW, Liu T, Zhang H, Lin Z. An analytical
review of the Chinese literature on Qigong therapy for
diabetes mellitus. Am J Chin Med 37(3):439-547, 2009
Li-Jun Ma, M.D. was a
nephrologist in China before
coming to America in 1995. Dr.
Ma is a Research Associate
Professor in the Department of
Pathology, Microbiology and
Immunology at Vanderbilt
University Medical Center. Dr.
Ma’s researches are focused on
studying the profibrotic and
proinflammatory mechanisms of renal fibrosis and kidney
complications caused by diabetes and obesity. In 1971, Li-Jun
Ma started studying Tai Chi Chuan at the age of seven with
Master XiFang Chen (who was from Chen village) in Luohe,
Henan province of China. In 1999, Dr. Ma won one gold
medal and one silver medal for his competition performance of
24-form Tai Chi Chuan and 32-form Tai Chi Sword in
Chicago Wushu Tournament. Since 1999, Dr. Ma has been
actively teaching and promoting Tai Chi in the Nashville area
(including The Nashville Chinese School, YMCA, MTSU, and
at Fannie Mae Dees Park). From 2009 to present, due to his
medical background and extensive Tai Chi experience, he is
selected as an instructor for teaching “Therapeutic Tai Chi”
classes at Vanderbilt Center for Integrative Health (VCIH).
The overall goals of the Tai Chi classes Dr. Ma is teaching at
VCIH are these: (1) Teach people to learn this ancient Chinese
approach to achieve mind and body relaxation and to reduce
stress. (2) Instruct patients who have chronic medical
conditions how to use Tai Chi and Qigong, mind-body
exercise tools of complementary and alternative medicine, to
facilitate the healing process of their chronic illnesses and
diseases. The class schedule can be found in the website of
VCIH at Vanderbilt (http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/
integrativehealth/).
38 Yang-Sheng (Nurturing Life) Volume 2, Issue No. 1