Si Fu of Eldertopia: Bill Thomas, MD

It is a new year: Time for a new vision of the future -- one that includes Aging Well.

Many people fear that aging well is an impossible fantasy.

Not in China. Staying healthy well into old age is a reality not an empty promise.

Energy exercises such as chi gung and tai chi have worked to benefit older people for thousands of years to keep themselves young in body and mind.

These practices could be called 'proven technology' for youthful aging. As people age, they need to adopt a health maintenance program. They need to train to retain their youthfulness.

Energy exercises are often referred to as longevity exercises because they are so effective at restoring the flexibility, sexual vitality and stamina of youth.

In the early 1980's, scientists in China began to study the medical benefits claimed for qigong. Since then, research on hundreds of medical applications of qigong has been reported in the Chinese literature. Clinical studies and observations have shown that almost everyone, including and especially elders can learn qigong exercises for maintaining well-being, for self-healing and health promotion

Clinical studies of effects of qigong on hypertensive patients
Several groups in China have demonstrated the positive effects of qigong practice on hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure).

The research of Wang, Xu and coworkers of the Shanghai Institute of Hypertension provides evidence of the many different beneficial effects that qigong may have on organs and functions of the body. For these studies, the patients practiced qigong exercises for 30 minutes twice a day consisting of a combination of sitting meditation and gentle physical movements that emphasize a calm mind, relaxed body, and regular respiration.

Reversing symptoms of senility
To study the mechanism of keeping fit by qigong, a controlled study was made of 100 subjects classified either as presenile or with senile impaired cerebral function. The subjects were divided into two groups of 50 people each with a mean age of 63 years and with a similar distribution of age and sex. The qigong group practiced a combination of static and moving qigong. The control group exercised by walking, walking fast, or running slowly. According to TCM method of classifying the vital energy, more than 80% of the patients in each group were initially classified as deficient in vital function and vital essence of the Kidney. Criteria for judging outcome were based on measuring clinical signs and symptoms including cerebral function, sexual function, serum lipid levels, and function of endocrine glands.

After six months, 8 of the 14 main clinical signs and symptoms in the qigong group were improved above 80%, whereas none of the symptoms in the control group were improved above 45%. These results suggest that qigong can reverse some symptoms of aging and senility. In this regard, qigong exercise is superior to walking or running exercises.

Dr. Thomas, Master of Elder Philosophy

Dr. William Thomas, founder and president of the Eden Alternative, notes that our current focus is on the threat of aging. He argues for a different conception of elders, one that “places them within rather than outside of the central purposes of our society. We need a holistic perspective that appreciates and respects the contributions that people of all ages have made and are now making to the pursuit of happiness and our collective well-being…The wisdom of living in a multi-generational social structure is ancient and undeniable, deserving of a word of its own.”

The word he has created is “Eldertopia: a community that improves the quality of life for people of all ages by strengthening and improving the means by which (1) the community protects, sustains, and nurtures its elders, and (2) the leaders contribute to the well-being and foresight of the community.” A community with many elders is seen as fortunate and puts these resources to good use for the benefit of the whole community. Our planet very much needs the peacemaking and wisdom-giving that elders will be cultivating. “The revolution is going to come from people who are thinking at the margins,” says Thomas.

Both Thomas’ programs and Qigong practice can work to reshape our experience of aging.