DiGESTION and Tai Chi, qigong medical research
SCROLL DOWN FOR YOGA, MEDITATION, MINDFULNESS

DIGESTION, improving. T'ai Chi's gentle massage of internal organs and stimulation of blood circulation and Qi promote healthy digestion.
Some diaticians recommend doing Tai Chi or Qigong before each meal. For several reasons.
1) It relaxes the body, improving microcirculation, which can enhance the body's ability to absorb nutrients when digesting. Throughout the body capilaries, carrying food nutrients to the cells, are no more than a millimeter away from each cell.
2) When more relaxed, we tend to savor and taste what we are eating more, chew slower, and digest better.
3) When stressed we are drawn to greasy, sugary, salty foods that distract us from our stress. When calm our palete is more subtle and can relish the simpler flavors of fruits and vegetables.
MINDFUL EATING RESEARCH COMPLIMENTS TAI CHI & QIGONG, YOGA, AND MEDITATION RESEARCH on aiding digestion, and treating digestive issues.



Managing IBS: Ways to Lower Stress and Anxiety ...
May 5, 2021 — Stress and anxiety are major triggers for some people with IBS. ... Research shows that tending to your mental health may help improve your symptoms. ... Meditation, relaxation breathing, yoga, tai chi, and Qi Gong can all ...
-- WEBMD.com


Mind-Body Interventions for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients in the Chinese Population: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis ...
Conclusion: Mind-body interventions may have the potential to improve GI symptoms in Chinese patients with IBS. The improvement of GI symptoms was also accompanied with the improvement of various outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and quality of life, just to mention a few ...
-- NIH (National Institutes of Health)


Effect of Tai Chi exercise on intestine microbiology count in practitioners ...
Abstract
Tai Chi exercise has been proven to be beneficial among practicers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Tai Chi exercise on useful intestine microbiology (enterobacteriaceae, enterococcus, lactobacillus and bifidobacterium) in Tai Chi practitioners. Results showed that long-term Tai Chi practitioners exhibit larger increases in intestine microbiology count (enterobacteriaceae, enterococcus, lactobacillus and bifidobacterium). In conclusion, Tai Chi may be an effective and safe form of exercise for some individuals with stomach or intestinal trouble.
-- RESEARCHGATE.net


Best Exercises to Aid in Digestion ...
Qigong (pronounced chee-gung) is an ancient Chinese healing technique that combines movement, breathing exercises and meditation. Like tai chi, it focuses on exercises that stimulate blood flow and reduce stress, two factors that are known to improve digestion.
-- THE GLOBE AND MAIL



Subjective perceived impact of Tai Chi training on physical and mental health among community older adults ...
All participants agreed that Tai Chi training could relax their body and make them comfortable. Most of them thought Tai Chi training could promote physical health, including relieving pain, enhancing digestion, strengthening immunity, enhancing energy and improving sleep quality, enhancing their mental and emotional state (e.g. improving mood and reducing anxiety, improving concentration and promoting interpersonal relationship). Most of participants also agreed that Tai Chi exercise was appropriate for community older people. Three primary themes emerged from content analysis: Improving physical health; Enhancing mental and emotional state; Conforming with the request of the elderly.
-- NIH (National Institutes of Health)



A Randomized, Double-Blind, Technology-Enabled Trial to Evaluate the Impact of a Multi-Strain Synbiotic (DS-01) on Metagenomic Stability and Metabolic Output of the Gut Microbiota ...
Purpose of Study: This study aims to assess the impact of multi-strain consortia of 24 commensal organisms across 12 species with extensive strain-specific in vivo data, assessing a range of gastrointestinal symptoms without negatively altering the naive gut microbiota.
-- AboutIBS.org

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YOGA
A randomized trial of yoga for adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome
RESULTS:
Adolescents in the yoga group reported lower levels of functional disability, less use of emotion-focused avoidance and lower anxiety following the intervention than adolescents in the control group. When the pre- and postintervention data for the two groups were combined, adolescents had significantly lower scores for gastrointestinal symptoms and emotion-focused avoidance following the yoga intervention. Adolescents found the yoga to be helpful and indicated they would continue to use it to manage their IBS.
-- NIH (National Institutes of Health)


Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Yoga as Remedial Therapy ...
... Several research studies have emphasized that Yoga makes one feel “more connected” to their bodies (internal and external organs) and promotes a positive body experience and a sense of well-being [30, 31]. Ducrotté [32] suggested that Yoga postures targeting the lower abdomen would help in relieving the symptoms of IBS by enhancing bioenergy circulation in and around the intestines ...
-- NIH (National Institutes of Health)


Yoga – Benefits Beyond the Mat
Practicing yoga has been shown to increase mindfulness not just in class, but in other areas of a person's life ...
The researchers found that people who practiced yoga were more mindful eaters according to their scores. Both years of yoga practice and number of minutes of practice per week were associated with better mindful eating scores. Practicing yoga helps you be more aware how your body feels. This heightened awareness can carry over to mealtime as you savor each bite or sip, and note how food smells, tastes and feels in you mouth ...
-- HARVARD HEALTH PUBLISHING


Remedial yoga module remarkably improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome patients: A 12-week randomized controlled trial ...
Our study concurs with the conclusion of a review by Ross and Thomas, that Yoga may be as effective as or better than exercise in improving a variety of health related outcome measures [45] ...
Results of our study were significantly higher (120 point reduction in IBS-SSS; a 23% increase in IBS-QOL) in all of the above assessments, except for BMI which was not impacted by 12 weeks of RYM. In the present study, about 60% of the patients in both Yoga and Combination groups have reported of either no headaches (part of autonomic symptom score) or less frequent and less severe episodes which are in line with the observation by John et al. [46]. The results of lowered/cessation of Medication and Supplement Use by Yoga and Combination groups, are in concurrence with a report of Yoga for treatment of low back pain [36] ...
-- SCIENCE DIRECT





MINDFULNESS / MEDITATION
Can meditation heal the gut? ...
The Effects of Stress and Meditation on the Immune System, Human Microbiota, and Epigenetics
During stress, an altered gut microbial population affects the regulation of neurotransmitters mediated by the microbiome and gut barrier function. Meditation helps regulate the stress response, thereby suppressing chronic inflammation states and maintaining a healthy gut-barrier function.
-- NIH (National Institutes of Health)


Mindful Eating: A Review Of How The Stress-Digestion-Mindfulness Triad May Modulate And Improve Gastrointestinal And Digestive Function ...
CONCLUSION ...
Central to mindful-eating practices for improved digestion is the attenuated stress response, encouraging nervous-system regulation to promote homeostasis needed for the rest-and-digest mode. Gastrointestinal and neuro-endocrine-immune signaling, and internal and external inputs comprise a complex psychosocial-physiological network that modulates optimal health. Within the context of that complex network, mindful eating offers a scientifically-proven, effective way to help regulate the stress response for optimal digestive function, which is the cornerstone of wellness and survival.
-- NIH (National Institutes of Health)


Meditation may relieve IBS and IBD ...
-- THE HARVARD GAZETTE



Buddha Belly: Meditation May Ease Gut Ailments ...
A new study shows that meditation may actually alleviate the symptoms of two gut disorders by altering certain genetic signals. The study looked at people who had either irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or irritable bowel disease (IBD).
-- LIVESCIENCE.com





* NOTE: World Tai Chi & Qigong Day advises consulting your physician before beginning any new exercise, herbal, diet, or health program. The research listed here is meant to stimulate a discussion between you and your physician, health insurance carrier, etc., not as medical advise. Research and comments provided here are hoped to stimulate a more robust discussion of powerful natural mind/body health tools. Popular media, health media, and government must increase attention to stunning emerging research, including the UCLA study indicating Tai Chi participants enjoyed a 50% increase in immune system resistance to viral infection.

To learn more about tai chi & qigong medical research, see the below book,
"the complete idiot's guide to tai chi & qigong,", and also
"Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi," and
"The way of qigong: the art and science of chinese energy healing."