Trích từ The Healing Art Of Qi Gong
Tac giả Master Hong Liu.
Hy vọng nó sẽ giup anh Thành hồi phuc.
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THE HEALING ART OF QI GONG
Stroke
A number of medical studies have shown Qi Gong to be an extremely effective method of preventing strokes. One such study was even able to compare its effectiveness to that of a typical Western treatment. In that study, 242 patients with high blood pressure (a common cause of stroke) were divided into two groups. Both groups were given a small dosage of anti-hypertensive drugs. Only one group was treated with Qi Gong. The physicians doing the study then kept track of these patients for thirty years.
By the end of the study, the death rate in the group receiving regular Western treatment was twice that of the Qi Gong group. The group receiving only Western treatment was twice as likely to have high blood pressure as the group receiving Qi Gong and Western treatment.
That Qi Gong can prevent stroke is no surprise to me. Neither is the evidence that it can reverse the effects of a stroke, After all, Qi Gong restores both blood and energy flow, the two vital factors that have been disrupted by a stroke.
There are essentially two types of strokes. In the hemorrhage variety, an artery has ruptured in the brain, letting the blood spill out into the surrounding tissue. The other type of stroke involves some kind of narrowing of an artery (called thrombosis) or a full blockage of blood (called embolism). This variety takes place when the arteries become narrow from atherosclerosis or when a blood clot breaks loose from another part of the body and travels to the brain.
Western treatment typically prescribes antihypertensive drugs to reduce blood pressure, and anticoagulant drugs to reduce the risk of a stroke caused by a blood clot.
Treatment in China is somewhat different. We combine internal and external Qi Gong with herbal medicines to fight this frightening disease on all fronts. Research has shown that patients who practice Qi Gong exercises respond better to hypertensive drugs, have more efficient heart function, and have blood that is less “sticky” and less likely to clot and cause a blockage.
Let me tell you about one of my case studies.
One day I received a frantic telephone call from one of my apprentices, a man I’ll call Tom. He was weeping as he told me about his mother, Nancy. He had found her unconscious on the floor of her home and rushed her to the hospital. Tests revealed that she had fallen victim to a stroke and that her situation was extremely severe. A large portion of her brain was not functional due to the stroke. A type of surgery was suggested to stop the bleeding in her brain, but the doctors gave her only a ten percent chance of pulling through the operation alive. Whether surgery was performed or not, the doctors gave her no chance of living as anything but a vegetable.
With little hope offered from Western doctors, Tom decided that his mother should not have the surgery. Instead, he called me. From that day on, I administered external Qi Gong treatments daily.
Within two weeks, Nancy awoke from her coma but was only able to move her fingers. I continued to administer external Qi Gong treatments and added massage, especially of her hands and arms, to help stimulate the nerves that were obviously working. Massage is a simple but powerful tool in fighting many diseases. This is especially true of hand massage. The theory in Chinese medicine it that all of the organs have meridian channels that are connected to the hands and fingers. Therefore, hand massage is like massaging the organs of the entire body.
A good way to massage the hand is to hold the patient’s open hand in yours and then run the thumb of your free hand down the entire length of each finger. Do this by pressing your thumb into the base of the palm and then pushing it all the way to the top of each finger. When you reach the end, bend the finger back slightly to allow for a full stretch. Repeat this with each finger of each hand. It is tremendously relaxing and stimulating at the same time.
I also had her perform some of the exercises listed below, especially those that helped her direct her internal Qi, as she gradually regained mobility during her hospital stay. Exercises like these are important. Not only do they help direct a patient’s Qi to an area that needs healing, they also give the patient a sense of control over her disease. This is especially important in stroke victims, who are often left feeling helpless because of their disease. In Chinese medicine, the patient is taught that the cure for an illness will not be accomplished entirely by medicine. The patient can have a great effect upon her illness, too. No matter how grave the situation, I always include the patient in her own treatment.
Tom’s mother continued to improve. A month later, she left the hospital. Now she can talk, eat by herself, and even walk with the help of a walker. She is a good patient and regularly performs Qi Gong exercises. She also takes the daily herbal tea remedy that I prescribed for her. Because of this, she is recovering from stroke that was supposed to have completely impaired her.
EXERCISE FOR DIRECTING ENERGY
Loss of muscle control is perhaps the most common effect of a stroke. In China, Qi Gong is a common form of therapy for regaining the use of the body Here is a commonly prescribed set of Qi Gong face and head exercises.
Facial Strength Exercises (Figure 16-1)
Hold your eyes open wide and rotate them clockwise and then counterclockwise, thirty—six times each way Since the eyes are the gateway to the liver, this will stimulate that organ.
Place the palms of your hands over your ears and spread your fingers horizontally across the back of your head. Now take the index finger of your right hand and place it over the middle finger of your left hand. Push hard on the middle finger until the index finger slides off and “snaps” down on the base of your skull. Repeat this thirty-six times. Since all of the nerves of the body join the brain at that point, this stimulates the entire nervous system.
Smile widely showing all of your teeth. Tense the neck area at the same time by raising your left shoulder to your ear for a few seconds and then your right shoulder. Now bounce your teeth lightly together thirty-six times. This exercise affects the kidney meridian by improving the flow of good Qi to the kidneys.
Consciously swallow three times to stimulate the production of saliva. Saliva contains important immunoglobin enzymes that combat disease in your body
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Since most strokes involve the loss of the body’s large movements, Chinese medicine focuses on the small movements, primarily of the face. This is done because all meridian channels travel through the face and head. By performing face and head exercises, you can stimulate all of the meridians and affect all of the internal organs.
Meridian Massage (Figure 16-2)
Since the fingertips are the beginning of the meridians, finger exercises like these can stimulate and even open blocked meridians.
Hold your hand straight out with your palms facing the ground. Raise one digit at a time, beginning with the thumb, up to the upper limit and then down to the lower limit (a,b). Each finger should take about one minute.
Perform this movement with each finger of each hand.
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Strokes often result in a loss of muscle control. By performing these exercises and putting the fingers through a range of motion one at a time, you will gain a greater level of hand control. These movements also correspond to meridian points that are connected to the internal organs. Stimulating these points can help clear the meridian blockage caused by strokes, providing improved muscle control.
Figure 16-2
HERBS FOR STROKE PREVENTION AND RECOVERY
In Chinese medicine, there are many herbal formulas for the prevention of and recovery from strokes, This one is formulated specifically for the prevention of strokes, but I have found it effective in recovery as well.
Astragalus Circulation Enhancer
120 grams Astragalus root (Huang Qi)
6 grams Cynomorium (Suo Yang)
6 grams Angelica root (Dang Gui)
6 grams Pink peony
3 grams Cnidium (Chaun Xiang)
3 grams Achyranthes root (Niu Xi)
3 grams Persica seed (Tao Ken)
3 grams Carthamus (Hong Hua)
3 grams Gastrodia tuber (Tian Ma)
3 grams Chaenomeles fruit (Mu Gua)
3 grams Earthworms (Di Long)
Preparation and prescription: Combine the herbs and add five cups of water. Boil this mixture for ten minutes and then strain off one cup of liquid. Save this cup for later.
To the original mixture of herbs, add another three cups of water and boil until there is only about one cup of liquid remaining. Strain the herbs from this thick tea and add the first cup of tea. Separate this mixture into two cups.
For stroke prevention, you should take one dose of this formula per month. Take the first cup at approximately nine in the morning and the second cup at four in the afternoon.
Do not drink these on an empty stomach, To recover from a stroke, take one dose every three days.
CAUTION: This is for strokes caused by blockages like blood clots. Do not take this medication if your stroke is caused by a hemorrhage, like a broken blood vessel.
How it works: This decoction dissolves clots and improves circulation while stimulating the central nervous system, which provides overall energy. The main clot-buster in this formula is the achyranthes. Frequently used as an herbal method of clearing bruises of pooled blood, this plant has long been used as a means of dissolving clots and improving circulation. This herb and pink peony combine to stimulate liver function and improve circulation.
In Chinese medicine, astragalus is almost always combined with angelica when poor circulation is involved. The main effect of astragalus is to enhance the immune system, but angelica has the greatest effect upon blood circulation. Angelica is widely known as the tonic for female disorders. Because it contains estrogen compounds, it is an effective way of regulating menstrual periods and dealing with premenstrual syndrome. It is also given as a cure for vaginal yeast infections and as a means of controlling some fungal infections.
Angelica’s anti—cancer properties fall into ‘the realm of immunity enhancers. Medical tests in China and Japan have shown that this herb stimulates the production of white blood cells as well as the production of interferon. In animal studies, it has been shown to inhibit the formation of skin tumors. Angelica is readily available in a capsule formula called Dang Gui. It is more effective, however, if taken in decoction form.
Angelica is effective in use with strokes because of its vasodilator effects, probably due to a class of chemicals it contains called coumarins. Not only do these chemicals relax arteries, they are also used as antispasmodics, which means they can keep arteries from cramping and causing what is known as transient ischemic attacks, or “little” strokes. The chemicals in angelica (Dang Gui) also make it a stimulant to the central nervous system, which is part of the beautiful myth about the origin of this herb.
According to this myth, a young man was bow hunting when he noticed a beautiful falcon resting on a huge chesnut tree. As he took aim at the bird, it began to speak to him in human language, begging him not to fire the arrow “My mother is blind and needs me to provide food,” said the falcon. “If you let me go, I will provide you with some seeds of a medicinal herb.”
The young man was touched and he lowered his bow. As promised, the bird spat a drop of blood containing seeds of a medicinal herb and then flew away.
The man planted the seeds, and three days later, a plant began to grow with sturdy stems and blood-red flowers. When the young man ate the plant, he felt invigorated and robust. He gave portions of the plant to other villagers. Those who were sick became well, and those who were not sick felt energized, as the young man had.
All the while, small birds flew around his hut screeching, “Dang gui, dang gui!” From that day forward, the plant was referred to by the name the tiny screeching birds had given it.
STROKE—FIGHTING FOODS
Since it is poor diet that leads to many cases of hypertension and strokes, it makes sense that good diet can improve the conditions that lead to these problems.
Doctors in the West are encouraged by organizations like the American Heart Association to make dietary change a form of treatment for vascular diseases. In China, where food is an effective form of medicine, we have already done this for more than three thousand year.
There are many recipes for the treatment of strokes and hypertension in the Chinese kitchen, so I will not attempt to cover them all. Here are two recipes that are aimed at the treatment and prevention of strokes.
Beef with Herbs
10 grams Polygonatum Cirrhifolium (Huang Jing)
10 grams Astragalus (Huang Qi)
1/2 teaspoon Ginger (sliced)
3 cups Water
i’~ pound Lean beef (sliced)
3 pieces Scallions
Preparation and prescription: Simmer the Huang Jing, astragalus, and ginger in the water for thirty minutes in a covered pan. Pour through a strainer and save the juice.
In a separate pan, combine the juice with the beef and the scallions. Simmer over a slow heat for thirty minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and a dash of cooking wine.
How it works: This dish is good for restoring general strength to the body. Astragalus also has properties that improve blood circulation in a number of areas of the body, including the brain. In addition to adding a sweet flavor to this dish, polygonatum has the reputation in China of being an herb for longevity. In some of the lore of the Orient, it is written that eating the root of this plant allowed an old man to father five children. In one of China’s early medical texts, it is written that “If one uses Golden Essence[polygonatum] for only one year, the old will become young again.”
Corn Silk Bean Curd Soup
4 ounces Corn silk (available at Chinese markets)
5 cups Water
1/2 pound Bean curd (diced)
1 cup Shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
1 tablespoon Sesame oil
1 Scallion (chopped)
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
Preparation and prescription: Boil corn silk for fifteen minutes. Strain and save the juice. Put the juice in a pot and add all the ingredients except the cornstarch. Mix the cornstarch in cold water and stir into the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste, heat and serve.
How it works: Corn silk’s main medicinal strength is its ability to cleanse the blood of cholesterol. Add to that its cleansing effects on the liver and you have a food that can both rejuvenate and strengthen the vascular system.
Strokes require more perseverance than most other diseases, mainly because of the loss of motor and mental skills. This can lead to a great amount of frustration on the part of both patient and caretaker. When I deal with stroke victims and their families, I remind them of the need to be patient and uplifting, and frequently read them these words from the Yellow Emperor about the need for spirit: “Nowadays vitality and energy are considered the foundation of life.... How can a disease be cured when there is no spiritual energy within the body?”
, mong huynh nhờ Hoàng Dung cô nương chửa hộ cho 