At 73 years-old, Ron took steps to adapt his diet, detox from toxins, supplement with appropriate vitamins and hormones, support his adrenals, and commit to both physical and mental exercises to improve his condition. Through these measures, he was able to regain both his memory and his driver’s license!

Read more about his inspiring story here: After Alzheimer’s Diagnosis, Man Regains His Memory – and His Driver’s License.

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It can be very helpful to people with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and insomnia, as well as cognitive impairment. It can also be helpful to those who struggle with sitting meditation, using the practice of qigong movement to help them attain a meditative state.

One of qigong’s foundational theories is the 5 Regulations, which are inextricably connected and mutually supportive.

The Five Regulations/Cultivations of Qigong (Wu Tiao)

The 5 regulations, or cultivations, are based in traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy, and are talked about in the classic of Chinese literature the Dao De Jing written by Lao Tzu between the late 6th and the late 4th Century BC. 

They were taught to me by, Dr. Yang Jwing Ming. They represent a map, not just for the practice of qigong and Chinese Gongfu (Kungfu), but more importantly, for the practice of life. 

We use the analogy of a battle to describe them.  The battle we are fighting is against ill health, ageing and mortality, as well as against emotional, mental and spiritual dis-ease. 

In our modern societies, this battle is exacerbated by our exposure to chronic stress, toxic load through chemical and electromagnetic pollution, poor nutrition, etc. Qigong is one of the weapons in our arsenal to defend us against the daily attacks to our immune and nervous systems, and against the depletion of our energy, vitality and wellbeing.

1. Body => Battlefield

The first regulation is the body. We are human beings inhabiting a body, and we enter the emotional, mental and spiritual planes through the body. 

In a battle, the first thing we have to do is to survey the battlefield. The body is the battlefield, so we have to first regulate the body. 

From a qigong perspective, this means we must regulate and cultivate the body’s movement to efficiently switch from relaxation to tension as required by the circumstances, in order to root and centre the body, and in order to strengthen and build the healthy structure of the body.

Studies have shown that practicing qigong over a period of at least 6 weeks induces significant physiological changes (decreases cortisol levels, decreases blood pressure) that helps reduce tension and stress in the body. Griffith, M.l., Hasley, J.P.,  Liu, H., Severn, D.G., Conner, L.H. and Adler, L.E. (2008). Qigong Stress Reduction in Hospital Staff. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, [online], 14(8), pp. 939-945. Available at: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/acm.2007.0814?casa_token=B4k48_a6Ix8AAAAA:7EJDD1h5rqltcmhaRGj7vQgaU-KFI54WPPOyJMfOsrep6CCEXDtnEy8L4BfSs5_kdkBuFH8vf9aWjQ   Terjestam, Y., Jouper, J. and Johansson, C. (2010). Effects of Scheduled Qigong Exercise on Pupils’ Well-Being, Self-Image, Distress and Stress. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, [online], 16(9), pp. 939-944. Available at: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/acm.2009.0405  Wang, C., Chan, C.H.Y., Ho, R., Chan, J., Ng, S. and Chan, C.L.W. (2014). Managing stress and anxiety through qigong exercise in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, [online], 14(8). Available at: https://bmccomplementalternmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6882-14-8 

We must also regulate and cultivate the internal movement: the breath.

2. Breath => Strategy

The second regulation is the breath. Using the war analogy, our breathing is the strategy we use to fight the battle. 

Breathing changes throughout the day, depending on our state of mind, the conditions we encounter, and our activities.

Just as the Commander must change the strategy depending on what conditions he/she encounters on the battlefield, so qigong teaches us to regulate the breathing by making the automatic action of breathing conscious, and improving it until better breathing becomes natural and automatic.  

Conscious breathing techniques (of which there are many in qigong practice) can change the conditions of the body and mind, and help open up areas of the body where the qi has become stagnant, increasing the flow of qi through relaxation.

Mental health illnesses such as anxiety are often associated with rapid and shallow breathing Chow, Y. and Tsang, H. (2007). Bipsychosocial Effects of Qigong as a Mindful Exercise for People with Anxiety Disorders: A Speculative Review. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, [online], 13(8), pp. 831-839. Available at: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/acm.2007.7166?casa_token=ZAe98YyouuMAAAAA:95pqV7motr5mN-8myfhAftrl-xA6T26NnYix4J2qPlaSJ0Ytbxj41S854RHfJ8uGVY-NUf36Xzf3zQ, Masaoka, Y. and Homma, I. (2001). The effect of anticipatory anxiety on breathing and metabolism of humans. Respiration Physiology, [online], 128(2), pp. 171-177. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003456870100278X?via%3Dihubwhich keeps the body in a constant state of tension and activates our sympathetic nervous system (the system that is known for the “fight” or “flight” response). By working on regulating our breathing, we get our body back into a restful state, which in turn allows our mental health to become more stable and regulated.

3. Mind => Commander

The third regulation is the mind. Many people ask why the mind is not number one? 

This is because in the beginning of the practice, the mind is passively controlling the body and the breathing. Only when the first two regulations (body and breath) begin to harmonise and improve, can we start to fully use the power of the mind. 

In the analogy of a war, the mind is the Commander. The one who surveys the battle field (body), and decides on the strategy (breath). The mind is the God of the body.

In qigong practice, we learn to  efficiently regulate our bodies and our breathing using the power of our minds, so that we can lead the qi (energy) to where we want it to go, and take control of the daily battle we are fighting against illness, ageing, and adverse circumstances. 

There are no boundaries to the power of our minds, only those we place there. As Master Yang used to say “The mind is powerful beyond our wildest imagination. In our minds, we can travel to other galaxies, explore our past, walk on the surface of the moon, and look into the future” 

We have only tapped into a tiny portion of this power; part of qigong practice is to remove these boundaries and tap into the limitless power of our minds.

A randomized controlled study examined the effect Qigong has on anxiety and depression. Chow, Y., Dorcas, A., and Siu A. (2012). The Effects of Qigong on Reducing Stress and Anxiety and Enhancing Body-Mind Well-being. Mindfulness, [online], 3, pp. 51-59. Available at: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12671-011-0080-3.pdf The Qigong group showed significant physiological changes (reduced levels of the stress hormone and blood pressure) after 8 weeks of Qigong practice and after 12 weeks of practice they had significant positive changes in anxiety and depression compared to the control group.

4. Qi => Soldiers

The fourth regulation is the qi – the Chinese word for qi is made up of two characters, one for rice and one for air, illustrating that energy is produced via chemical reaction from the food we eat and the oxygen we breath. Qi refers mainly to the bioelectricity in the human body. There is nothing magical about qi, rather it is very scientific – we know that the human body creates measurable energy, which the Chinese tradition calls qi and the Indian tradition calls Prana. 

The two main purposes of qigong training are to maintain smooth circulation of qi, and to build up the amount of qi the body can store.

In the analogy of a battle, the qi is the soldiers, the ones who are going to fight the battle.

In the beginning of qigong practice, we don’t need to focus on the qi. Instead, we focus on the mind, as wherever the mind goes, the qi follows. The mind leads the qi, like the Commander leads his/her soldiers.  The first 3 regulations (body, breath and mind) need to be improved in order to then direct and regulate the qi.

Any action – from something as simple as picking up a glass of water, to more complex actions that will manifest our most ambitious dreams, is initiated by the mind’s intention and focus, which then sends electrical signals to the nerves, which make the blood and the qi move to the area to make the action happen. The practice of qigong aims to take control of, and improve this natural process.

If our mind is powerful and our spirit is high, then when the mind moves in a particular direction, so does the energy. This is the power of manifestation, and eventually, this energy will become action and lead to the fulfilment of the mind’s intentions.

Equally, our mind can take us to the wrong places, and act as a destructive force, causing negative things to manifest in our lives. 

Every cell in the human body is a small battery. Due to chronic stress, poor nutrition, electromagnetic and chemical pollutants, our energetic systems are being disrupted. Qigong helps us to replenish lost qi.

Qigong practice often starts with teaching us how to relax and reduce unnecessary tension in our body, to eliminate resistance in the paths of circulation of qi. Only when we are relaxed, can the qi flow. The qi then fills the vessels which act like reservoirs supplying and spreading out through the 12 primary qi channels, and increases the charge in our main battery — the lower Dantian. The lower Dantian (meaning Elixir Field — the field where we grow the Elixir of life which will provide us with longevity, youth and health), is in the gut, also known as the second brain in western science.

Ultimately qigong is about leading the qi to the lower Dantian, and building such a large store of qi in the Dantian that it can be used for higher purposes, to reach our goals, ensure health and longevity, and ultimately, to help us on our path towards spiritual enlightenment.

5. Spirit => Morale

The fifth regulation is the spirit/Shen. The raising of the spirit is a natural result of correct practice. 

If we start using our bodies, it doesn’t matter what kind of physical activity it is, the spirit naturally raises.

“Worms will not eat living wood, where the vital sap is flowing. Rust will not hinder the opening of a gate when the hinges are used each day. Movement gives health and life. Stagnation brings disease and death”.  Chinese proverb

Going back to the analogy of war, the spirit is the morale of the army. We just have to look at history to understand how important morale is in warfare. The Mongolian general Genghis Khan was expert at destroying the morale of his enemies and keeping up the morale of his own armies. He was able to win battles against insurmountable odds.

The average qigong practitioner is mainly looking to reconnect with their energy body to increase concentration, health and vitality and to slow ageing. By doing this, their spirit naturally raises. Buddhist and Daoist priests, however, seek to build their qi in the lower dantian to such a degree that they can lead it up to raise the spirit, nourish the brain and achieve enlightenment.

Conclusion

 The 5 regulations can be applied to many aspects of life – personal development, any physical activity (tennis, running, swimming, etc.), seated meditation, music, etc.  It can also be applied to the family, community, country — anything we do can be improved through the theory of the 5 regulations.

It is especially helpful to remember these 5 regulations when it comes to mental health — that all our systems are connected, and that we cannot heal the mind without regulating the body, the breath, the energy and the spirit. They must all be consciously regulated and cultivated on a daily basis. 

This theory of the 5 regulations has been absolutely instrumental in my own life, and my understanding and application continue to deepen. My deepest gratitude to Master Yang for introducing me to this simple yet beautiful universal theory.

Dr. Yang Jing Ming has recently released one of the first translations of the Dao De Jing from a qigong perspective. Lao Tzu was a qigong master. For a deeper understanding of the five regulations I highly recommend this book. 

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We need large amounts of energy not just to pursue our projects, goals and dreams, and build the life we want, but also to cope with the curve balls that life will inevitably throw our way. This is even more true as we age and our lives get more complicated, while in parallel, our energy reserves and health often dwindle.

I feel this in myself — the days I wake up full of energy, both physical, and mental, and get a lot done, are good days. However the days when I wake up exhausted and feeling foggy and unmotivated, are not nearly as productive or happy.

And on those less good days, I feel fragile, vulnerable to whatever piece of bad news or altercation comes my way. I feel that my margins and reserves are thin, and that I have just enough to get through my daily life, without any unpleasant surprises. The dissolution of my 20 year marriage was one of those unexpected, unpleasant events which knocked me off balance and taxed my already taxed reserves.

As I learn, post-separation, to look after myself and through therapy to engage in radical self care, I understand how important it is to build up stores of vital energy which can carry us through life, give us the steam we need to accomplish our goals, and the resilience we need to withstand the storms. These storms can be minor, such as a run-in with someone on the road, or they can be major, like illness, death, divorce, etc…

Energy is important not just to give us the physical and mental resilience to move forward, but if we take into account that our thoughts and feelings are themselves energetic phenomena, then the quality of our energy will influence the quality of our thoughts and feelings, and vice versa.

Energy management therefore is fundamental, and must be applied to all aspects of our lives — the biochemical, psycho-spiritual, and lifestyle behavioural.

In mainstream medicine, “energy medicine” tends to be overlooked, or dismissed as too “alternative” or “pseudo-scientific”.  And yet, in traditional medicine — whether Chinese Traditional Medicine or Ayurvedic, having sufficient stores and circulation of energy (qi or prana in the respective Chinese and Indian traditions) is seen as fundamental to wellbeing, and a focus of treatment to restore health.

Despite the “pseudo-science” claims around traditional energy medicine and healing modalities, mainstream Western science and medicine has its own “energy medicine” in the form of mitochondrial function.

Each one of our cells contains thousands of organelles called “mitochondria” Pizzorno, J. (2014). Mitochondria-Fundamental to Life and Health. Integrative Medicine, [online], 13(2), pp.8-15. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684129/, often known as the powerhouses, or batteries of the cells. Mitochondria process the foods (fats, sugars, proteins) that are then turned into the chemical energy (in the form of ATP –Adenosine Triphosphate — the energy currency of the cell Staughton, J. (2018). What is ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)?, viewed 1st of May, 2019, <https://www.scienceabc.com/pure-sciences/what-is-atp-adenosine-triphosphate.html> that each cell needs to function. They produce about 90% of the energy cells needed to survive. Mitochondria also keep cells healthy by processing waste products, or pruning them (causing apoptosis), when they are not functioning properly.

Mitochondria need oxygen to function properly. Cambridge University MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit. What are Mitochondria?, viewed on 1st of May, 2019, <http://www.mrc-mbu.cam.ac.uk/what-are-mitochondria>  as well as good nutrition. Interestingly, as we learned in Eddie Lin’s article on Qigong, the Chinese symbol for qi is made of rice and air. In the same way, the mitochondria need nutrients and oxygen to function properly.

There is plenty of scientific evidence to show that mitochondrial dysfunction can contribute to disease and mental health issues, such as depression, dementia, schizophrenia, etc…Scaglia, F. (2010). The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in psychiatric disease. Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, [online], 16(2), pp. 136-43. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20818728 Anglin, R. (2016). Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Psychiatric Illness. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, [online], 61(8), pp. 444-445. Available at: http://europepmc.org/articles/pmc4959647 Allen, J., Romay-Tallon, R., Brymer, K.J., Caruncho, H.J., and Kalynchuk, L.E. (2018). Mitochondria and Mood: Mitochondrial Dysfunction as a Key Player in the Manifestation of Depression. Frontier Neuroscience, [online], 12(386), pp. 1-13. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5997778/pdf/fnins-12-00386.pdf

So on a microscopic cellular level, dysfunctional mitochondrial energy production can correlate with mental and physical illness, and this is an exciting area of exploration in functional medicine. Given that the brain consumes a disproportionate amount of the energy our body needs to function (gobbling up 70% of our ATP production Pizzorno, J. (2014). Mitochondria-Fundamental to Life and Health. Integrative Medicine, [online], 13(2), pp.8-15. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684129/, it makes sense that cellular energy production is especially important for our brains to function optimally, and that mitochondrial dysfunction is heavily implicated in neurodegeneration and mental health issues.

In Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, disease — whether of the body or the mind —  is an energetic dysfunction. In Western medicine, mitochondrial dysfunction and dysfunctions in energy metabolism are also energetic dysfunctions, and have been shown to link to mental health issues Zuccoli, G.S., Saia-Cereda, V., Nascimento, J.M., and Martins-de-Souza, D. (2017). The Energy Metabolism Dysfunction in Psychiatric Disorders Postmortem Brains: Focus on Proteomic Evidence. Frontier Neuroscience, [online], 11(493), pp. 1-14. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5594406/pdf/fnins-11-00493.pdf

Whether we look at energy as qi, prana, or ATP, we all feel better when we have more energy, and know that our bodies and minds work better when our energy metabolism is optimal. So how do we build, manage and store this energy so that we can fulfil our goals and dreams, and become more resilient to adversity, ageing, stress and illness?

Here is a non-exhaustive list of ways I boost and manage my energy, and when I don’t engage in these practices on a regular basis, my energy reserves — and therefore my health, vitality and happiness — dwindle, leaving me less resilient to stress and adverse circumstances.

• Get enough sleep 
• Get the right nutrition 
• Get the appropriate exercise
• Meditate
• Breathe correctly (remember sufficient oxygen is a vital component of mitochondrial energy production)
• Practise mind-body therapies such as yoga and qigong (both of which are explicit in their aims to manage energy — prana for yoga, qi for qigong).
• Right-size the amount of time spent alone vs with others (we all have different set points of how much time we need alone versus in company)
• Spend time in nature  
• Infrared sauna (which reduces toxins and improves mitochondrial function) Whitten, A. The Top 22 Science-backed Benefits of Saunas, viewed on 1st of May 2019, <https://www.theenergyblueprint.com/benefits-of-saunas/>  Nothing shifts the needle on my mental health and energy levels more than a session in the infrared sauna
• Near and medium infrared light therapy (which boost cellular energy by increasing levels of ATP Whitten, A. The Ultimate Guide to Red Light Therapy and Near-infrared Light Therapy, viewed on 1st of May 2019, <https://www.theenergyblueprint.com/red-light-therapy-ultimate-guide/>
• Nutritional supplements such as Pizzorno, J. (2014). Mitochondria-Fundamental to Life and Health. Integrative Medicine, [online], 13(2), pp.8-15. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684129/
  • NAD, which as Dr. Olds showed in his expose on NAD, is a key building block for cellular energy
  • Magnesium
  • CoQ10
  • Carnitine
  • Riboflavin
  • Iron
  • Manganese
  • B1, B2, B3
  • Cysteine (glutathione)

Regardless of the scientific tradition and the controversy around the “pseudo-science” of energy medicine (of which there are many different kinds), we could all do with being aware of the importance of managing our energy (both physical and mental) carefully and deliberately in order to build, store and use it to accomplish our goals and dreams, resist life’s curve balls, and nurture good mental health.

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