Whenever we surf the internet or the TV channels for health advice, we’re showered with advertisements for miracle breakthroughs that claim to deliver instant cures. Juices, supplements, oils, creams, lubricants, laxatives, sprays, patches—all claiming to solve your health problems and perfect your body. So, how to we decipher between pseudoscience and true medicine?
Given the “magic” of television and movies, believing what we see requires a careful, analytical eye. With alternative medicine or miracles of health, we may reject a true and natural practice in favor of a pill since pills are familiar.
The power of chi gong masters, like John Chang, seems surreal. But the demonstrations of chi masters lack special effects, stunt doubles, and slow play-by-plays. They’re the real result of naturally learning to control the powers of our personal energy. When we stretch farther or learn to balance, our body remembers what we’ve accomplished so that next time we attempt to perform that stretch or balance, we can. We improve our athletic performance through memory.
Consider that chi is not something you add to or take away from the body. Concentrating chi requires no props or special diets, just practice. Similarly, following a healthy diet and exercising regularly requires practice.
So, seeing the chi machine featured on a popular TV show, I had to ask myself ‘is this real?’ The Doctors delivers health advice and inside knowledge about medical breakthroughs. During a recent segment they showed a few people demoing the chi machine. They showed no before and after shots. They weren’t trying to push some new product. And, Doctor Michael Yang, who discussed the surprising benefits to the lymph system, would answer questions directly and fully. He explained the way that the gentle rocking of the chi machine, designed after the movement of goldfish, works to relieve pain and reduce swelling.
The show lacked bright lights, loud obnoxious hosts, and special one-time-only deals for which I am thankful. As the chi machine gains exposure in popular media, more and more people will start using the machines and receiving benefits.
