Editor’s Note: The qigong exercises presented are easy to do and can help boost your immune system.  I know because I’ve tried them and practice them every day. —BKL

Living with chaotic fear of viral infections carries constant tension and worry.  We watch the daily news about these infections, stocks crashing, deaths of elderly or sick people, and we cancel trips, cancel visiting friends or participating in programs.  These all add fear to our life.

With these fears, we forget something else we should be doing—we forget to take care of our body, mind and emotions.

We need to be mindful of developing healthy habits such as washing out hands after touching things outside of the house, drinking more water, keeping distance from people, and wearing a proper mask when necessary. These are all very important actions and should be done routinely during these difficult times.

Build Your Immune System

We all should consider how we can naturally build and strengthen our immune system.  A balanced immune system stands a better chance of fighting illness for us.

For many centuries in the East, people practiced qigong for health and healing. The most valuable part of qigong is the daily practice which helps us maintain a balanced immune system and balanced organ functions.

With a strong and balance immune system your body fights bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

Each of us has a choice about how we live.  If you choose to live in a peaceful environment and minimize stress, you will need to find a way to create your own internal peace, and a way to let go of stress, anxiety and fear.

Following are some simple qigong exercises that you can do to help reduce stress, create an internal calmness, and help your immune system be stronger and better balanced.

1. Open to see the sky

Take a deep, slow breath and raise your arms in front of your body above your head.

Exhale, separate your arms and move your arms down to the side of your body until your hands touch your hips.

Repeat this movement for eight times.

2. Receive energy from heaven

Inhale, raise your hands and push up above your head.  Try to push as high as you can, hold this position count to five. Then exhale, move your arms and hands down to the side of your body.

Repeat this movement for eight times.

3. Open and close

Place your arms and hands in front of your body so it looks like you are holding a basketball with both hands.

Slowly inhale, move arms and hands to the side of the shoulder.

Exhale, move arms and hands to the front of the body like holding a basketball, be sure to relax arms, shoulders, and hands.

Alternate right and left shoulders.

Repeat this movement for eight times.

4. Push up and down

Inhale, push the left palm up as high as you can.  At the same time, push the right hand down as low as you can.

Exhale, move the left arm and hand down.

Inhale, push the right palm up as high as you can.  At the same time, push left hand down as low as you can.

Exhale, move the right arm and hand down.

Repeat this movement for eight times.

5. Bending forward downward relax

Feet are apart. Interlock your fingers, inhale and raise arms above the head.

Exhale slowly bending your upper body forward downward and moving your arms downward.

Stay in this position and relax your upper body for three deep breaths.

Slowly roll up your body and relax.

Repeat this movement for four times

6. Bending backward

Feet are at shoulder width.  Put your hands on back to support the back.

Inhale bending backward of upper body hold breath count to two; exhale return to the original position.

Repeat this for four times.

7. Knocking the body ending

With your right palm or light fist gently hitting your left shoulder, arm.

Change side, use left palm or fist gently hitting your right shoulder, arm.

Use both hands or fist knocking on the lower back, hip, lateral legs moving downward; then knocking inner part legs moving upward.

Repeat for one or two minutes.

8. Ending

Take a slow deep breath while raising arms from the side of the body above the head, exhale and move arms down in the front of the body, palm slowly press down.

Repeat this three times.

When you complete this short qigong form, your body will feel relaxed, your mind will be clearer, and your energy level increased.

The above is based on an article by Aihan Kuhn, CMD, OBT which appeared in her March 2020 Newsletter.  She is also co-author with Catherine Kurosu, MD, L.Ac., of the True Wellness series with the newest book in this series available in April 2020, True Wellness for Your Heart: Combine the best of Western and Eastern medicine for optimal heart health.