Qi Gong For Weight Loss To Premiere In June On New York Area Public Television Stations

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Jun 04, 2012, 01:07 ET

NEW YORK, June 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- New York-area residents will soon find out that Chinese medicine and exercise practices offer hope for those struggling to lose weight. The television program Qi Gong for Weight Loss™ uses the ancient mind-body exercise of Qi Gong, or what some call "Chinese yoga," and will be coming this month to public television stations in the New York metro area.

Qi Gong for Weight Loss will premiere Tuesday, June 5 on THIRTEEN, and will continue to air throughout the month of June (check local listings for THIRTEEN, WLIW21 and NJTV).

Qi Gong is a gentle form of exercise consisting of slow, fluid movements, deep breathing, and a meditative state of mind. Qi Gong delivers a complete workout for the body, mind, and spirit.

"While I don't know if banning sugary sodas in New York City will help people achieve their ideal weight, I do know that a healthy, gentle form of exercise that is safe for all is one way to help get there," says Lesley Workman, executive producer and founder of Exercise To Heal, the producer of the programs. "Many people need help taking that first step toward exercise, and we've found that Qi Gong offers a perfect first step."

"The 'yoga boom' of the last ten years has opened the eyes of Americans to the idea of mind-body exercise," says Lee Holden, Qi Gong master and the host of this Exercise To Heal television program. "With its gentle, flowing movements, Qi Gong offers a nice alternative to yoga, with similar benefits."

Holden began studying Qi Gong over 25 years ago as a student athlete in college, traveling to China to become a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, studying with self-improvement leader Deepak Chopra, and even teaching Qi Gong to Hollywood celebrities. Through his television programs airing on public television stations nationwide, he has been instrumental in introducing Americans to the practice of Qi Gong.

According to a joint survey by the Center for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health, in 2007 there were 625,000 Americans regularly practicing Qi Gong. That is a 16% increase from just six years earlier.

The National Institute of Health recommends Qi Gong as a safe way to exercise and enhance wellness, and various recent medical studies have confirmed Qi Gong's effectiveness in managing various medical conditions, including arthritis, diabetes, and depression.

Exercise To Heal, the producer and distributor of Lee Holden's Qi Gong DVDs, offers 19 Qi Gong and related DVDs, many of which offer specific medical benefits, such as help with sleep, digestive aid, and relief from back and neck pain. All of these titles can be purchased directly from Exercise To Heal's website, http://www.ExerciseToHeal.com.

About Exercise to Heal, LLC

Exercise To Heal produces exercise and wellness programming and products, including instructional Qi Gong videos featuring Lee Holden and programs for seniors hosted by Karen Holden. The company sells its DVDs direct-to-consumer through www.ExerciseToHeal.com, and through PBS stations throughout the country, as well as to corporate human resources departments to improve employee wellness.

About Lee Holden

Lee Holden is an internationally known instructor in meditation, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, lecturing and teaching workshops in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Holden also works as a stress management consultant to many corporations in Silicon Valley, including Apple, 3COM and Cisco. Holden's videos have aired on at least 105 PBS stations nationwide, reaching more than 50 million households. He appears in more than 15 Exercise To Heal DVDs. Holden is a graduate of U.C., Berkeley, with a BA in Psychology. A "Doctor of Chinese Medicine," Holden is also a graduate of Five Branches Institute in Santa Cruz, widely considered the leading acupuncture college in the U.S.

About WNET

New York's WNET is America's flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online.

http://www.exercisetoheal.com

SOURCE Exercise to Heal, LLC