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In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports emerged of a novel method for managing mild cases of the disease. In field hospitals in Wuhan, patients were encouraged to practise Qigong — an ancient Chinese form of exercise incorporating focused breathing and gentle movement. But while eyebrows may have been raised among some Westerners, Albert Yeung, an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School with a major in epidemiology, said Qigong was a helpful recovery tool for a range of diseases. "First, to put this in context, Qigong wasn't the sole treatment for people with COVID-19," Yeung said. "As a complementary treatment, Qigong is one form of mind-body exercise that helps to decrease your stress reaction, become more relaxed and produce more healthy hormones like endorphins. "When you practise Qigong you undertake slow, deep breathing which helps to regulate the autonomic nervous system ... so this helps a lot with our recuperation and self-healing." Qigong is related to the more well-known Tai Chi.(Supplied) Qigong is related to, but distinct from, the more well-known Tai Chi (Taijiquan), a martial art that has been practised in China for self-defence and health benefits since the 16th century. Byeongsang Oh, an Associate Professor at the Sydney Medical School and chief executive of the International Medical Tai Chi and Qigong Association, had studied the impact of both Tai Chi and Qigong on quality of life in cancer patients, and said they had similar health and wellbeing impacts. "My previous research shows that the practice of Qigong and Tai Chi can reduce inflammation in cancer patients and improve their overall quality of life," Dr Oh said. "After 10 weeks, in addition to standard cancer treatment, the Qigong intervention group showed improvements in fatigue, mood (anxiety and depression) and levels of inflammation biomarkers." Mental 'game-changer' Tara Brayshaw went from a high stress advertising job to starting her own Qigong and Tai Chi school.(Supplied) Tara Brayshaw is the principal of JinLi Wushu-Tai Chi, a Qigong and Tai Chi school in Melbourne. She was drawn to Qigong 28 years ago after her own cancer scare. At the time, Brayshaw worked in a high-stress advertising job with "crazy hours" and said she knew she needed to do something physical, as well as something that would help her "de-stress". "Mentally, it was an absolute game-changer for me," Brayshaw said. "It was the only thing I'd ever done in my life where I could only focus on it and nothing else. "I got out of my first class and thought, 'I haven't thought about work for an hour'. I was completely hooked." Under the tutelage of her master, Brayshaw went on to become the first woman in Australia to hold an executive role on a number of boards, including the peak body for Chinese Martial Arts in Australia, the Australian Kung Fu Wushu Federation. Citing an additional range of physical benefits, such as increased flexibility and motion through her joints, Brayshaw said finding Qigong and Tai Chi was "the greatest gift I've ever been given". Having established JinLi five years ago, she was now passionate about passing on her knowledge of the arts to her 250 students, many of whom arrived at the school looking for similar kinds of respite. A 'sense of peace' Paralympian Hannah Macdougall tried Qigong and Tai Chi after a string of unfortunate events in her life left her "flat as a tack".(ABC News: Jane Cowan) One of those students is Hannah Macdougall, a dual Paralympian and bronze medallist who has represented Australia in swimming and cycling. Macdougall, who was aiming to qualify for the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, credited Tai Chi and Qigong as one factor in producing some career-best performances over the past two years. "I took it up several years ago, after I got back from a [cycling] World Championships where I'd had a crash," Macdougall, who was born without her right foot, said. "I was injured and working through that. I put my body into a state of starvation and then put on 8 kilos, broke up with my boyfriend and found out mum had cancer." Macdougall said she heard about the benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong through a podcast, from an elite runner talking about how helpful it had been for her energy levels. "I was flat as a tack, so I googled it and found JinLi. I went along and felt so welcome in the class, it was just beautiful," she said. "I really loved how it was so different to everything I've done before in elite sport; it's slow and I'm really bad at it. "I had to put my competitive hat aside - I'm not going to be a Tai Chi or Qigong Master any time soon — but it really gave me a sense of peace." Medication through movement It's a sentiment shared by many more of Brayshaw's students. Pauline Farrell says Tai Chi and Qigong not only helps her physically, but mentally, too.(Supplied) Pauline Farrell, 71, took up Tai Chi and Qigong 14 years ago after spending a decade caring for her husband with cerebral palsy. She said she was initially interested in Tai Chi because she thought it may help with a prolapsed disc that forced her to give up tennis. "My husband also really encouraged me to do it, to get out of the house. And I felt better, I had more confidence, was fitter, stronger, my back was getting so much better, I was socialising and meeting new and lovely people," she said. "But it also helped me be a better carer for my husband: I was excited to go home after I did it, because I'd had that little break in the normality of my daily routine." Farrell's husband died seven years ago, but she continued with her Tai Chi and Qigong practice because of other benefits she had noticed, like improvements in her memory. "As I get older I need to learn to remember things. I had no idea Tai Chi and Qigong had lots of different forms," she said. "It's so hard to remember everything, [but] it's one of the reasons I keep going, because it's good for my brain." No-one can better attest to this than 35-year-old Loretta Bozelle, who sustained an acquired brain injury in a head-on car collision when she was 19. Loretta Bozelle (front) acquired a brain injury and her occupational therapist recommended Qigong and Tai Chi.(Supplied) After the accident, Bozelle had to re-learn to walk, and was heavily reliant on opioids for pain relief. She lived with a permanent weakness down the right side of her body, and said her occupational therapist recommended Tai Chi or Qigong because of its "neuroplastic" benefits. "I notice I have better awareness now, clarity and mobility," she said. I'm on pretty much the lowest dose of opioids that I have been in a fair while, and I know Tai Chi and Qigong has been a big part of that. For me, it is medication through movement." Bozelle has now commenced training to become a Tai Chi and Qigong instructor, and wants to educate others with disability or brain injury about "just how much it can offer them". "I don't think I would be here without Tai Chi or Qigong. I have seen it change my life and the lives of a lot of other people. I want to be able to give other people who are in similar situations the same opportunity as me." This is so good for putting yourself in a peaceful place ... Seek it out on You Tube ....

Since the Lido Deck has not been used is a while ...it needs a little work . I've called upon a mate of mine to help out .... Self distancing of course ... It needs to be ready for our Angeleek .....

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High Five Batman .... On your Fabulous 7 Years Smoke Free...Hope you can find a way of Celebrating.!!!!

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Stay in your seat ...Both feet in and firmly on the ground ....and .. Buckle up ....there are bends along the track ....hold on tight .... All the way to Freedom ..

You passed your first test ...With Flying colours ... You get stronger each test you pass....and the monster gets weaker ...Your the Boss !!!! Hey !!!!.. Good to see you here ...Look at the impressive Quit .. Congratulations...

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For our newbies !!!!

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It wasn't until I quit ...I realized you carnt hide that smell... No matter what steps we took to hide it ....we didn't ..... I can smell that horrible smell a mile away.... When I worked ,it took me all my break time to walk to a smoking area...have a fix ,then walk all the way back Most times standing in the pouring rain and wind ... While others sat in the warm and had a nice calming cup of tea...... Crazy ....

It's amazing how much of our time and energy being a smoker was... Always thinking and planning when the next fix is coming .... Well done @Dogbelly.....you recognize this waste of time ...

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Soon the new routine Jun the mornings will become your new normal... Your brain has to rewire itself ...try and keep busy in the mornings Maybe make that your time for some excersise.... Your doing great.....keep telling yourself how amazing you are ....your achieving something wonderful And life saving ....

3 Morning ..

Great to see you M.... Congratulations in your wonderful Quit ..

^^^^ This ^^^^ Welcome aboard you Wonderful quitters .... Feel very proud you are here !!!

Great post Lust..... I still now and again have a thought of the dreaded smoke.... It's what you do with those thoughts that matter.....because we know they won't last long ... When I lost Hubby ...of course a cigerette came to mind ....it was a very stressful time .... But I knew deep down ..it would have solved and changed nothing ....only ... How much I would have hated myself ...and been disappointed ..... JAC...is a amazing tool... Keeping that wonderful quit is the main thing .... Stay strong ...

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Welcome aboard Judi.... Congratulations on your two week quit ....brilliant ... I was a 52 years smoker ...I carnt tell you enough how wonderful it feels to be free.. Read all you can ,start on the main Discussion Board ...all the post you need to get going are pinned with a green square ... You can do it !!!

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Hi and welcome aboard .... As addicts there is no such thing as !! Just One !!!!..... It's a addiction..one always leads to more .... My junkie brain took on board a slogan here....Take Smoking Off The Table...No matter what ... This helped me alot ... You can do it ....