Utilizing the Innate Self-regulatory and Self-healing Capacity on Weight Management

By: Dr. Qizhi Gao, D.O.M., Dipl. Ac & CH (NCCAOM)

Purpose: Utilizing the innate self-regulatory and self-healing capacity on weight management.

"Overweight and obesity, a growing public health problem, affects 97 million American adults -- 55 percent of the population. These individuals are at increased risk of illness from hypertension, lipid disorders, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, and certain cancers. The total costs attributable to obesity-related disease approaches $100 billion annually."

The conventional method (the most successful strategies) for weight loss includes calorie reduction, increased physical activity, and behavior therapy designed to improve eating and physical activity habits.

Do our bodies have any ability to help weight management? Through nearly 30 years of Qigong practice and research, the author believes that Bigu Qigong is one of the most effective ways to utilize the innate self-regulatory and self-healing capacity of the human body to control body weight.

Based on the above understanding, Bigu Qigong demonstrates its big advantage on weight loss. Bigu translates literally as "avoid (bi) the grain (gu)". In practice it reflects the ability to live solely on qi without food. Bigu is a period during which the qigong practitioner’s vital energy transitions from the air one breathes and the essence of food and water to drawing one’s sustenance strictly from the qi in the air. For the experienced qigong practitioner, this is a natural process that occurs when the accumulation of qi reaches a certain level. The ability to sustain normal body functions from qi only is possible, with no change in one’s daily routine and there are no side effects. Some qigong practitioners can live on the qi, without food, for a long period of time oftentimes achieving and sustaining a much higher energy level through the physical and mental discipline of the bigu exercise. For weight loss, it combines reducing caloric intake, exercise, and behavior modification

The number and selection of subjects: 74

In 1996 the author began a personal and small group experiment. Results were presented at the Third World Conference on Medical Qigong, Beijing, China, 1996. In June 1999, a local newspaper reported that one of my weight management class participants had lost over 30 pounds over a six-month period following her attendance in the class. After receiving a number of public requests, the author conducted this experiment with 74 participants over a two-week trial during the period of July 6, 1999 and August 31, 1999. The group’s ages ranged from 21 to 81. There were 7 Males and 67 females in the study. According to the Federal Obesity Clinical Guideline by NHLBI, NIDDK, individuals were grouped into three categories: Seven subjects were in the normal weight range (BMI <25),thirty-six subjects were in the overweight range (25<BMI<30) and thirty-one subjects were in the obesity range (BMI>30). None of the subjects had previous qigong experience.

Research method: Using the Bigu Qigong exercise to utilize the body’s self-regulatory and self-healing function.

During the two-week trial, subjects were taught two different Qigong exercises: one to control appetite, one to increase energy levels. Both exercises were experienced in a sitting or lying down position, using gentle breaths with mind concentration. Additionally, it was recommended to the exercises be accomplished in 15 minute intervals prior to the subjects three daily meals. Two rules were set: 1. Eat only when you are hungry. 2. Drink only when you are thirty. There were no food limitations. Class met one hour a day to do the exercise and discuss each subjects’ concerns.

The exercises facilitated in switching the body’s primary nutrient source from food to Qi. Special emphasis was placed on advising subjects this was not a deprivation study but rather a study to demonstrate the body’s ability to derive sustenance from sources other than food and in the process promote weight reduction.

Results/finding: At the conclusion of the two-week study, 58 of 74 attended more than 10 classes. There was a significant mean weight loss of 5.7, 5.69 and 7.66 pounds for 5 subjects from the normal weight group, 31 from the overweight group and 22 from the obesity group respectively. Even 16 of the 74 who attended only 6 of the classes on the average still lost 2.5, 2.6 and 3.44 pounds, 2 in the normal weight group, 5 in the overweight group and 9 from the obesity group respectively.

The subjects each reported a significant increase in energy levels post exercise for nine of the thirteen days. Hunger levels were significantly reduced ten of thirteen days. Blood pressure did not significantly change between pre and post measures.

Discussion: "From the broadest viewpoint, everything is a form of energy. Body energy has an anatomy and physiology uniquely its own separate from the physical body. Despite the basic difference of air and food, the two necessities in life, in terms of vibratory function and complexity, there is a homeostatic relationship between them in which one acts as a back-up system for the other."

Can we find the relationship to utilize the self-regulatory and self-healing capacity on weight management? The success of Bigu Qigong Exercise on weight management may provide a good example.

Compared with conventional methods, Bigu Qigong offers more advantages for weight management. The exercise controls hunger utilizing the innate self-regulatory and self-healing capacity from the body itself instead of seeking numerous drugs to limit calorie intake, forcing the body to change its own law unwillingly and causing side effects. Additionally, the exercise uses body fat as a source of energy rather than requiring subjects to do different physical exercises to burn up the fat. Many exercises are not fit for all ages and body weight is regained when physical exercise is stopped. As a behavior therapy designed to improve eating and physical activity habits, the exercise offered a solid base to ensure subjects were not hungry and were full of energy, thus, assisting them in following the two rules, eat and drink only when needed.

Mind concentration in conjunction with the special breath patterns used in Bigu Qigong played an important role in achieving study results, i.e., digestive function stimulation, heart and lung circulation, and increased circulation to the head and face all of which are key in achieving optimum self-regulation and self-healing.

During the first five days of the study, one subject was unable to concentrate due to family issues. The subject lost no weight. Once the author consulted with the subject her concentration improved and she lost six pounds during the remaining nine days of the study.Attendance was also a key in achieving the subjects’ weight loss goals.

Summary: Bigu Qigong is a safe and effective method for weight loss, which uses the exercise to reduce caloric intake under self-control; however, for the lay qigong practitioner it is necessary to have an experienced teacher to guide them. Bigu is a viable protocol for long-term, sustained weight loss.

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The following paper was Presented in the Second World Congress on Qigong, San Francisco, CA November 1997 and Published by Kung Fu/Qigong Magazine, November 1998

BIGU AND WEIGHT LOSS: QI AS A FOOD SOURCE

By: Dr. Qizhi Gao, D.O.M., Dipl. Ac & CH (NCCAOM)

In the medical literature, obesity is referred to as a "multifactorial disorder". Defined (by the NIH) as a body weight 20% or more above "desirable" weight. Over one third of adult Americans are overweight. Perched at the center of chronic disease risk and psychosocial disability for millions of Americans, successful management of obesity offers unique patient care and public health opportunities. If all Americans were to achieve a normal body weight, it has been estimated that there would be a 3-year increase in life expectancy, 25% less coronary heart disease, and 35% less congestive heart failure and stroke.

Unfortunately, obesity is also one of the most difficult and frustrating disorders to manage successfully. Primary care providers and patients expend significant effort on this issue obtaining little benefit. Using standard treatments in university settings, only 20% of patients lose 20 pounds at two year follow-up while only 5% of patients lose 40 pounds. This lack of clinical success has created a never-ending demand for new weight loss treatments.

A truly comprehensive program for weight loss mainly includes three parts: reducing caloric intake, exercise, and behavior modification. The key point is reducing caloric intake. output According to the first law of thermodynamics, change in weight equals caloric intake, minus caloric output. Normally the purpose of exercise is to increase the caloric output and the purpose of behavior modification is to limit the caloric intake with self-control.

Based on the above understanding, Bigu Qigong demonstrates its big advantage on weight loss. Bigu translates literally as "avoid (bi) the grain (gu)". In practice it reflects the ability to live solely on Qi without food. Bigu is a period during which the Qigong practitioner’s vital energy transitions from the air one breaths and the essence of food and water to drawing one’s sustenance strictly from the Qi in the air. For the experienced Qigong practitioner, this is a natural process that occurs when the accumulation of Qi reaches a certain level. The ability to sustain normal body functions from Qi only is possible, with no change in one’s daily routine and there are no side effects. Some Qigong practitioners can live on the Qi, without food, for a long period of time oftentimes achieving and sustaining a much higher energy level through the physical and mental discipline of the bigu exercise. For weight loss, it combines reducing caloric intake, exercise, and behavior modification.

One of the most elusive principles of Qigong is quantifying Qi as a vital force. Scientific methods are just beginning to define its nature objectively, thus, supporting what has been experienced very profoundly on a more personal, subjective level. From the broadest viewpoint, everything is a form of energy. Body energy has an anatomy and physiology uniquely its own separate from the physical body. Despite the basic difference of air and food in terms of vibratory function and complexity, there is a homeostatic relationship between them in which one acts as a back-up system for the other.

Bigu can be found in many ancient Chinese texts, in individual legend and exercise methods to experience. Here are a few examples.

A story from Bao Puzi’s Inner Treaties said that: A man name Jian was hunting in the field when he fell into a deep tomb in his early age. He was so hungry. Then he saw a big turtle, its head moved up and down to swallow the air. Jian was told that a turtle is good at Daoyin – Conducting Qi, he imitated the turtle’s movement. He did not feel hungry any more until someone saved him one hundred days later. After that he had the Bigu ability – living on the air without food. The emperor Wei did not believe this and placed Jian in a room without food. One year later, Jian was still full of energy and his face had a normal healthy color.

Wang Chong Lun Heng –Dao Xue Pian from the Eastern Han dynasty, stated: "The people who live on Qi have longevity, although they do not eat enough grain they are still full of energy."

Among the historical relics unearthed from the Han Tomb No. 3 at Mawangdui, Changsha, Hunan Province, there was a silk book On Abandoning Food and Living on Qi and a silk painting Daoyin Illustrations of the early Western Han Dynasty period (3rd century B. C.). The former is a method of "inducing, promoting and conducting Qi"; the latter displays 44 colored "Daoyin Illustrations in which training exercises are painted.

As a Qigong practitioner, I have personally experience Bigu twice. From July 20, 1993 until August 3, 1993, my daily diet consisted of a cup of juice or an orange. The first three days were the most difficult as I continued to feel hungry. After the three-day adjustment period, I was able to control my appetite and hunger with the Qigong exercise and gradually increased my energy level as well.

During the two-week period I continued my normal work routine and required less sleep than normal; physically and mentally I felt very comfortable and relaxed. I lost a total of ten pounds in two weeks and have never gained the weight back. I repeated the same process for a two-week period in 1996 with similar results.

In June of 1996 I conducted a two-week weight loss experiment with twelve subjects most of whom had no previous Qigong experience. Subjects were initially taught two different Qigong exercises: one to control appetite, one to increase energy level. These exercises facilitated the body switching its primary nutrient source from food to Qi. Each subject was encouraged to eat and drink only what the body required. Emphasis was placed on the fact that this was not a deprivation study but rather a study to demonstrate the body’s ability to derive sustenance from sources other than food and in the process promote weight reduction.

At the conclusion of the two-week study, there was a significant mean weight loss of 11.2 pounds (5.06 kg) (p<. 0001); mean weight loss per day was 0.9 pounds (0.41 kg). Energy levels gradually increased over the two-week period with a concomitant reduction of hunger. Food consumption was rated on a six-point scale with a six representing three complete meals. Mean food consumption was rated fewer than two for all days except Day 3 and Day 11. (See Table I).

There was a significant increase in energy levels post exercise for nine of the 13 days (67%). Hunger levels were significantly reduced ten of thirteen days (77%). Blood pressure did not significantly change between pre and post measures.

Ten of the twelve subjects lost a minimum of nine pounds during the fourteen day experiment; the two subjects who lost less than nine pounds (3 and 4 respectively), both performed the exercises less frequently and had a higher food consumption. All subjects returned to normal eating habits within three days of terminating the exercise. The results were presented at the Third World Conference on Medical Qigong.

Bigu Qigong is a safe and effective method for weight loss, which uses the exercise to reduce caloric intake under self-control; however, for the lay Qigong practitioner it is necessary to have an experienced teacher to guide them. Bigu is a viable protocol for long-term, sustained weight loss.

TABLE I: Hunger and Fatigue levels evaluated before and after Qigong exercises and significance of change.

Legend:

SIG=Significance
FATIG=Fatigue
CONS=Consumption
INC=Increase

* = Significant at p<. 05
** = Significant at p<. 01
*** = Significant at p<. 001
NS = Non-significant
INCREASE = Hunger or fatigue level increased post exercise

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