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Mechanisms of yogic practices in health, aging, and
disease. Mt Sinai J Med. 2010 Sep-Oct;77(5):559-69.
By Kuntsevich V, Bushell WC, Theise ND. From Beth
Israel Medical Center of Albert Einstein College of
Medicine, New York, NY 10003, USA.
vkuntsev@chpnet.org
Abstract: Mechanisms underlying the
modulating effects of yogic cognitive-behavioral
practices (eg, meditation, yoga asanas, pranayama
breathing, caloric restriction) on human physiology can
be classified into 4 transduction pathways: humoral
factors, nervous system activity, cell trafficking, and
bioelectromagnetism. Here we give examples of these
transduction pathways and how, through them, yogic
practices might optimize health, delay aging, and
ameliorate chronic illness and stress from disability.
We also recognize that most studies of these
mechanisms remain embedded in a reductionist
paradigm, investigating small numbers of elements of
only 1 or 2 pathways. Moreover, often, subjects are not
long-term practitioners, but recently trained. The
models generated from such data are, in turn, often
limited, top-down, without the explanatory power to
describe beneficial effects of long-term practice or to
provide foundations for comparing one practice to
another. More flexible and useful models require a
systems-biology approach to gathering and analysis of
data. Such a paradigm is needed to fully appreciate the
deeper mechanisms underlying the ability of yogic
practice to optimize health, delay aging, and speed
efficient recovery from injury or disease. In this regard,
3 different, not necessarily competing, hypotheses are
presented to guide design of future investigations,
namely, that yogic practices may: (1) promote
restoration of physiologic setpoints to normal after
derangements secondary to disease or injury, (2)
promote homeostatic negative feedback loops over
nonhomeostatic positive feedback loops in molecular
and cellular interactions, and (3) quench abnormal
"noise" in cellular and molecular signaling networks
arising from environmental or internal stresses.
A Critical Review of the Effects of Medical Qigong
on Quality of Life, Immune Function, and Survival
in Cancer Patients. Integr Cancer Ther. 2011 Jun 28.
by Oh B, Butow P, Mullan B, Hale A, Lee MS, Guo X,
Clarke S. from University of Sydney, Sydney, New
South Wales, Australia.
Background. Due to the limitations and side
effects of conventional cancer treatment, especially in
relation to quality of life (QOL), patients are
increasingly utilizing complementary and alternative
medicine (CAM) to supplement health-related
outcomes. However, evidence for the safety and
efficacy of such treatments is lacking.The purpose of the
current review was to investigate evidence for the role
of one CAM, medical Qigong (MQ), in supportive care.
METHODS: The literature was searched for reported
effects of MQ in improving QOL, immune function, and
survival in cancer patients. RESULTS: Although many
studies possessed methodological limitations and small
sample sizes, encouraging evidence was found for the
effects of MQ on these health-related outcomes. More
robust evidence in the form of randomized controlled
trials with larger sample sizes also reflected positive
results for the role of MQ in improving QOL, mood and
fatigue parameters, and reducing inflammation.
CONCLUSION: Given such encouraging results,
further research is recommended in methodologically
sound approaches to further delineate the action of MQ.
These findings support the utilization of MQ by cancer
patients and the place for such programs in
comprehensive cancer care.
September, 2011 Yang-Sheng (Nurturing Life) 21