(left to right:) Corey Mackey, Marissa Harkey, Dr. Guan-Cheng Sun, Mary Anchondo, Lauri Amidon take part in a qigong class at Bastyr University.

Though right in our backyard, Bastyr University often goes unnoticed by many local residents, who will freely admit they’re just not quite sure what goes on at this school. To those with an interest in natural medicine, however, the university is a treasured gem. Internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of natural health arts and sciences, the institution prides itself on combining a multidisciplinary curriculum with leading-edge research and clinical training. it offers a range of undergrad and graduate programs including naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, midwifery, nutrition, exercise science, healthy psychology and herbal sciences.

The school’s research program focuses on evaluating natural medicine practices and it has played a key role in the growth of complementary and alternative medicine research in the U.S. since 1986. To date, over eighty studies and clinical trials have been done or are underway in a range of areas involving botanical and homeopathic medicine. This past year, the university completed the nation’s first randomized, controlled clinical trial research study of qigong as a treatment for type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Guan-Cheng Sun Qigong, a subtle, energy-based system that involves breathing exercises, relaxation, slow movement and meditation, has been practiced in China for almost 5,000 years with the goal of improving health and physical strength, while increasing longevity. it was introduced to the U.S. as energy medicine more than two decades ago and is gaining popularity in the West as its potential for improving health becomes more widely recognized and accepted.

“Qi is the energy within the body,” explains Dr. Guan-Cheng Sun, assistant research scientist at Bastyr, and the diabetes study’s principal investigator.

“It’s the life force or internal power that exists in us. and it is a bridge or interface between the mind and the consciousness of the body. Each person has qi, but the practice of qigong helps to bring this natural energy out. once it’s activated, we can use it to work on the internal communications and help heal the body.” He adds, “These internal communications deal with such things as our thoughts and memories, the conscious and the subconscious. This is like the software of a computer.”

Dr. Sun was first exposed to qigong when he was a child. He had asthma and a type of eating disorder, which was making him sick.

The family was poor and Western medicine was not available at the time.

Dr. Sun’s uncle, secretly known in some circles as a healer, was brought in to treat him.

“He tied me upside down to a tree and then proceeded to do various motions around my body without touching me,” explains Dr. Sun. “This went on every week for several months and slowly, I began to get better. I stopped coughing and I began to eat more. and eventually, all the symptoms went away.” He adds, “My uncle taught me some of the traditional healing techniques he used because he wanted me to know how to heal myself. and later in college, I studied and did research into the practice, realizing that what my uncle had taught me was one style of qigong.”

Dr. Sun is a recognized traditionally trained qigong master, who served as the executive director of the Institute of Qigong & Internal Alternative Medicine in Seattle from 1997 to 2007. He teaches a system of qigong he developed called “Yi Ren Qigong,” which he says is “designed to support an individual in the exploration and expression of the intelligence and wisdom already within the body, ultimately leading to self-knowledge, self-healing, self-reverence, self-mastery and self-actualization.”

Dr. Sun’s students provided the impetus for the clinical trial to research the use of qigong as a treatment for individuals with type 2 diabetes.

“I had students with this disease who came up to me and told me how much better they felt after practicing qigong,” explains Dr. Sun. “It intrigued me and I wanted to study the situation further.”

There were three groups involved in the trial: a qigong group, progressive resistance training group, and control group. Participants assigned to the qigong group engaged in the practice for 30 minutes, two times a week for 12 weeks. in addition, they met with a certified instructor for one hour once a week to ensure the exercises were being done correctly.

Those in the resistance training group used resistance exercises for the same amount of time as those in the qigong group. the control group followed their usual care as recommended by their primary physician. Researchers measured fasting blood glucose levels before, during and at the end of the study, while various hormone levels and perceived stress and depression were measured pre and post intervention. the results showed the qigong group had significantly lower levels of fasting blood glucose and stress, as well as improved ability to use insulin. they also lost weight. Those doing resistance training reduced body weight slightly, but had higher blood glucose levels. and those in the control group gained weight and their insulin resistance worsened.

“The results really surprised me,” comments Dr. Sun. “I didn’t expect the qigong group would be different than the resistance exercise group. and what was really amazing was that each individual in the qigong group saw their glucose levels go down. it wasn’t just one or two or three people, but every single person.”

In explaining the results, he adds, “It is thought that the meditation, slowed movement and breathing exercises associated with qigong promote relaxation and reduce stress, which may improve how the body functions. Qigong may also play a role in restoring the mind-body connection and the harmony between the pancreas and the liver.”

Dr. Sun notes that although these findings are significant and were published in “Diabetes Care,” the official American Diabetes Association journal, further studies need to be conducted. He says that the medical community wants to see larger clinical trials done before they will accept the findings as conclusive.

“For many people, qigong is a mystery,” he comments. “The typical person views it as ‘woo woo’ because they can’t see how it works. they don’t understand until they do it themselves and actually feel it. the approach is totally experience-based.”

Over the years, Dr. Sun has encountered many individuals who have been affected by qigong. He has countless stories of people with various injuries and conditions that have had great success with the practice in alleviating pain and other symptoms, as well as dealing with such issues as insomnia, lethargy and depression, and even in decreasing the size of their tumors. He views pain in an unusual manner, explaining that it is akin to love or compassion.

“Often times the pain one feels relates to someone else’s problems,” he says. “When you take on or assume the pain of someone else that you know, that pain is then transferred to your own body. in trying to help another, you sacrifice yourself in the process. That’s why I call pain, a kind of love.”

Dr. Sun sees two paths for the future of qigong in the U.S. He believes both are necessary for the eventual acceptance of this practice in society.

“We need to do high quality education through classes and workshops in order to give people experiences and knowledge. When the brain and body work together in an integrated manner, that’s when the ‘aha moment’ occurs.” He adds, “And the other path is scientific and research based. We need solid research in order to get scientific approval.”