High blood pressure, often asymptomatic, is a dangerous disease affecting millions worldwide. It’s linked to serious health issues like stroke, heart attack, and various other diseases. Although medication can help control high blood pressure, it often comes with side effects like joint pain, headaches, weakness, dizziness, heart palpitations, coughing, asthma, constipation, diarrhea, insomnia, depression, and erectile dysfunction. This article introduces a tapping method, part of an ancient Chinese practice called Qigong, that can naturally help lower blood pressure.
Qigong and Blood Pressure
Qigong involves simple movements, including tapping on the body’s meridians, or highways of energy movement. These meridians are the same ones used in acupressure or acupuncture. According to a review of nine studies published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Qigong reduced systolic blood pressure (the top number) by up to 17 points and diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by up to 10 points.
Qigong Tapping Exercises
These three Qigong tapping exercises, which you should do for three minutes each, can potentially help lower your blood pressure.
- Toe Tapping: Tap the outside of your toes together in a windshield wiper motion, approximately one to two taps per second. Do this gently to avoid causing any discomfort.
- Belly Tapping: Close your fingers to make a fist in both hands. Tap the area below your belly button and above your pubic bone, synchronizing your taps with knee bends. You can move around the area as you tap.
- Chest Tapping: Tap different areas around your chest using either the open side of your hands, a fist, or your fingertips. You can also tap under your armpits.
By doing these exercises daily, you may start to see positive changes within weeks. If you are pregnant or have knee or hip problems that prevent you from doing the stomach or feet exercises, focus on the other exercises. This promising alternative therapy is risk-free and costs nothing.
References:
Effectiveness of Qigong Exercise in Elderly Blood Pressure
Tai Chi, Qigong, and the Treatment of Hypertension
The Effect of Dongeui Qigong for Prehypertension and Mild Essential Hypertension