Bastyr Research Study Indicates Qigong May Help People with Type 2 Diabetes

A team of scientists from the Research Institute at Bastyr University has completed the first three-armed randomized, controlled clinical trial research study examining the impact of qigong therapy on type 2 diabetes. The findings — which show qigong may help lower some of the markers associated with type 2 diabetes — are published in the January 2010 issue of Diabetes Care, the official American Diabetes Association journal.

Bastyr University is an international leader in natural health arts and science education, research and clinical service.

Qigong, a subtle, energy-based system of stationary and moving meditation, has been practiced in China for almost 5,000 years. It was introduced to the United States as energy medicine by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and National Institute of Health (NIH) more than two decades ago. It is quickly gaining popularity in the West as its potential for improving health becomes more widely recognized.

To examine the effectiveness and feasibility of qigong therapy as a treatment, Bastyr scientists first identified biological and psychological markers associated with adults with type 2 diabetes. The study compared the effects of qigong with those of progressive resistance (resistance exercise) training or usual care in people with type 2 diabetes. Participants assigned to the qigong group practiced for 30 minutes, two times a week for 12 weeks. In addition, participants met with a certified instructor for one hour once a week to ensure the exercises were being done correctly. Those in the progressive 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 care physician. The 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 therapy group had significantly lower levels of fasting blood glucose and stress, as well as improved ability to use insulin (less insulin resistance). They also lost weight. Participants in the progressive resistance training group reduced body weight slightly, but were found to have higher blood glucose levels. These findings indicate qigong therapy affects glucose levels and insulin resistance independent of changes in body weight and works on different mechanisms than exercise.

"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," said Guan-Cheng Sun, PhD, assistant research scientist at Bastyr University and the study's principal investigator. "Qigong may also play a role in restoring the mind-body connection and the harmony between the pancreas and the liver. The conclusions of this study promote qigong therapy as a significant treatment method for type 2 diabetes. These findings have the potential to change and improve the lives of millions who live with this disease everyday."

Bastyr University Alumna Leads Haitian Relief Effort

Sabine Thomas, ND, a Haitian-American naturopathic physician, Bastyr University alumna and post doctoral fellow at the Bastyr University Research Institute, is coordinating an effort among the naturopathic medicine community to respond to the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. These efforts include the collection of funds, medical supplies and a future trip to Haiti to provide medical care to those affected by the disaster. Dr. Thomas is working in collaboration with Natural Doctors International (NDI), Bastyr University and other organizations.
Her desire to reach out comes from a personal and professional commitment to her family’s roots and her belief in the power of natural medicine:

1) Describe your personal connection to Haiti.
My parents are both from Haiti. My father passed away in Haiti in 1998 and my mother lives with me in Washington state. We have been devastated by watching the media coverage. My mom frequently recognizes a beloved destroyed location or sees the name of a missing friend. She had just returned from visiting family there in November 2009. During my last visit to Haiti, my grandmother had a chance to teach me about various medicinal plants in our family’s garden. It is a trip that I will never forget. Since the earthquake, and through choppy phone communications with our family, we learned we have lost two family members. We have been mourning our losses, but also rejoicing for the lives that have been spared.
2) How can holistic medicine help out the disaster relief efforts?
Holistic medicine has its place in disaster relief efforts. Our training provides us with amazing tools to alleviate shock and trauma, while at the same time providing adjunctive naturopathic care. Furthermore, several practitioners who expressed interest in helping have additional training in disaster management and emergency medicine. Haitian people are very familiar with natural medicine, and I cannot think of a better team of practitioners to sustain and carry on the current medical disaster relief effort. Several teams of holistic practitioners helped in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and were able to meet diverse medical needs through herbalism, homeopathy, massage therapy, acupuncture and naturopathic medicine.
3) How will you organize this future trip?
The best way to organize our trips is to have a well-prepared cadre of volunteers who have medical skills, understand French and/or Creole and are prepared to face the social, economic, medical and environmental disaster that exists in Haiti right now. Health care practitioners with a holistic perspective can offer services with long-term benefits for the Haitian people. Hence, the most important aspect of organizing our trip is planning and strategizing for long-term collaboration. The first trip will lay the foundation for many more ahead. The logistical situation in Haiti at the moment makes it nearly impossible to successfully carry out an independent relief effort. But, my hope is to head to Haiti as soon as possible and set up some basic logistics.
4) Will you be affiliating with any organization while you are there?
It has been a blessing to have found potential partners here in the United States, including NDI and several naturopathic medical schools such as Bastyr University and the National College of Natural Medicine. I am also establishing relationships with organizations already on the ground in Haiti. We want to provide long-term support and sustainable care to the people who have been displaced and directly affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Several organizations have contacted me to inquire about the best way to donate and collaborate. They are encouraged by the fact that this effort would directly impact Haitians in need. This need will increase exponentially when the initial response to the disaster secedes and the foreign disaster relief teams depart. Through this amazing experience, I have been able to meet and collaborate with several other Haitians and Haitian-Americans in Seattle, as well as with Haitian-American naturopathic physicians who are affiliated with medical clinics, orphanages and educational organizations in Haiti.
5) What supplies will you need and what care do you hope to provide while you are there?
We will need all of the standard medical supplies including gloves, first-aid kits, surgical supplies, gauze and stethoscopes. We are also contacting nutraceutical and pharmaceutical companies for donations. All donations must be unused and unexpired. We will be in the second and third wave of medical teams coming in to provide relief efforts. Naturopathic medicine excels in preventive measures. Our goal will be to prevent further infections from occurring and provide proper wound care, physical medicine, nutritional advice, care for those with existing chronic diseases and support to those victims who may suffer from post-traumatic stress. We will also provide some basic public health education.
6) How are you raising funds for this trip?
Natural Doctors International has provided us with a platform to receive online, tax-deductible donations at http://www.ndimed.org/. Bastyr University is also accepting in-kind and financial donations, which are not tax deductible. Checks can be made payable to Bastyr University, with a notation for "Bastyr University Haitian Relief Effort," and mailed to Bastyr University, Haitian Relief Effort, 14500 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore, WA 98028. A list of in-kind donations that can be sent to Bastyr University will be posted on NDI’s Web site.
7) What impact will these relief efforts have on the future of natural medicine in Haiti?
Given the climate and economic conditions of the country, natural medicine has the potential to be a long term, sustainable health care resource for Haiti. The impact of our relief efforts, including the replanting of many medicinal herbs, will provide Haitians the ability to use and sustain their own natural medical resources.
8) In addition to this trip, are you planning to organize any long-term relief projects there?
Yes, I personally hope to do so and will welcome help from any organizations. For many years, relief efforts to Haiti have been short-changed, short-termed or funds have fallen into the wrong hands. I am hoping to organize for the long run, building relationships with established organizations in Haiti that will enable us to provide holistic medical care.

Bastyr awarded green-building grant for new student housing

(Picture shows construction progress as of Dec. 18) Bastyr University is pleased to announce it is one of five recipients of green-building grants recently awarded by the King County Solid Waste Division GreenTools Program. The $25,000 grant will help the university further minimize the environmental impacts of its new student housing project, which is currently under construction and will be ready for occupancy in summer 2010.
Planned as a "student village" and designed to fit into the Bastyr campus' natural setting, the new housing has already achieved a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. The university is using the King County grant to enhance energy efficiency and possibly attain the highest (Platinum) LEED certification. If the project does attain a Platinum rating, King County will award Bastyr another $10,000 in grant money.
The grants were awarded competitively to projects within King County for commercial, institutional and multi-family building projects seeking LEED certification of Gold or Platinum, the two highest certifications in the popular standard. Bastyr was one of five local organizations to receive grant funding ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 per project. According to King County, the grant projects serve as demonstrations of high performance, replicable green buildings for the region.
"Part of Bastyr University’s role as a leader in natural health arts and sciences education is to encourage and enable our students to live sustainably," said Bastyr University President Daniel K. Church, PhD. "This grant not only will help us provide students with eco-friendly on-campus housing, but it highlights the University as an institution that is making significant contributions to the community and the environment."
Bastyr's student village is located on the northern edge of campus along the tree line and have the capacity to house a total of 132 students — 12 individual rooms in each of 11 cottage-style buildings. The three-story cottages will be connected by a series of garden paths, courtyards and outdoor living spaces carefully designed to be energy efficient and mitigate impact to the local environment. Planned enhancements include the planting of native species to provide greater wildlife habitat.
The on-campus housing is intended to help reduce pollution and traffic on local roads, create a greater sense of community at Bastyr, and further enable students to become active members of the Kenmore community.

Bastyr hosting discussion series on spirituality and health

The Bastyr University Center for Spirituality, Science and Medicine is pleased to present "Body, Mind, Spirit, Nature and Medicine: A Series of Conversations." This innovative series brings together Bastyr experts and leading local authorities on physical, mental and spiritual health to discuss how each focus area is vital to whole-person health and health care. Presented in early 2010, the three talks will focus on "body," "mind" and "spirit" respectively. They will be moderated by Warren Etheredge, founder of The Warren Report.
The Jan. 11 talk will focus on "Body" and include the perspectives of Seattle physicians Christine Adams, MD; Cathy Rogers, ND; and internationally recognized mind/body expert Joel Levey, PhD. The Feb. 1 event will cover "Mind" and feature Bastyr University faculty member Brad Lichtenstein, ND; Seattle naturopathic physician Sheila Dunn-Merritt; and Robert V. Taylor, author of I’m Spiritual Not Religious: Making Sense of Finding Meaning. The discussion on Feb. 8 will revolve around "Spirit" and include Rabbi Ted Falcon, PhD, co-founder of Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue in Seattle; Terrill L. Gibson, PhD, pastoral psychotherapist; and Leanna Standish, ND, PhD, LAc, FABNO, medical director of the Bastyr Integrative Oncology Research Center (BIORC).
"Our community has expressed a strong interest in exploring these intersections of science, spirituality and medicine," said Timothy Callahan, PhD, senior vice president and provost at Bastyr University. "The Center represents our intention to not only prompt open dialogue and conversations in these areas, but to also shed new light on important contemporary issues in health care."
All three events in the series will be moderated by Warren Etheredge, a well-known cultural conversationalist, interviewer, film analyst and writer who counts among his previous interviews author Sir Salman Rushdie, film director Oliver Stone and author Calvin Trillin.
Each event in the series will include a "musical conversation" segment that focuses on the power of music through discussion and demonstration. Guests for this segment include Gina Salá, Stephen Merritt and Thomas Arthur.
For reservations and information on this event, visit cssm.bastyr.edu or call (425) 602-3452. Tickets for the events are $15 ($40 for series) if bought in advance, $20 at the door and $10 ($25 for the series) with a valid student ID.