Walnuts Rotating in Hand can be a Precious Lifestyle Medicine for Chronic Conditions

Walnuts (Figure 1) rotating in hand is an idle way of exercise descending from ancient times in China, which has always been believed beneficial for health and prevention & management of chronic diseases [1-2]. Recently, it was documented to be effective in controlling diabetes [3]. In this mini-paper, a case of dyslipidemia is presented to be influenced by 2-years’ walnut rotating (Table 1), providing further evidence for this leisure-time sport as a lifestyle medicine.

Figure 1:A pair of walnuts for playing.

Table 1:Triglyceride level change (TG,mmol/L).

*Source: Data were provided by Yifu affiliated hospital of Nanjing Medical University. A woman of 56 with 10+year’s dyslipidemia (without drug interfering) began walnuts rotating in Sep. 2020. With one year past, the symptoms of limb numbness improved. And after less than 2 years, the hyperlipidemia (high triglyceride) disappeared.

Physical inactivity is the leading cause of chronic disease outcomes and increase in physical activity is an effective way for fighting against chronic diseases [4,5]. However, lack of perseverance is the main reason for physical inactivity. Walnuts rotating, with two walnuts rotating in hand, could keep the body in constant status of physical activity, which makes fun and demands little endeavor. More importantly, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, walnuts rotating enhances body fitness mainly by dredging the 12 meridians (6 in each hand) and stimulating the acupoints whereon, suggesting that walnuts rotating may function with similarity to acupuncture [6].

A. Walnuts rotating makes persistence in exercise easy, contributing to its health building effects: Playing the walnuts in hand is an easy and interesting physical activity, making persistence in exercise very light and hence effectively fighting against the leading cause of chronic conditions, physical inactivity [4,5], consistent with the recent report by a Korean group that walnut rolling training significantly improved hand function and facilitated the contralateral corticospinal tract [7]. This activity is convenient and home-based, which can be performed without limitations and especially suitable under Covid-19 pandemic [8].
B. More importantly, walnuts playing can dredge the 12 meridians & collaterals and stimulate the acupoints whereon in hand according to TCM theory, nursing the health and preventing the development of chronic diseases. The bulges of the walnuts can get well-touched to the meridians and acupoints in the palm and fingers while moving and hence exert dredging & stimulating effects [1,2], similar to the working ways of acupuncture [9,10], whose therapeutic effects are confirmed worldwide [11].
C. Walnuts rotating may help in controlling diabetes: In the 80’s of the twentieth century, a man at his 30’s with severe diabetes suffered a lot. His doctor tried everything but in vain. One day, a senior doctor of TCM made a suggestion to the patient that he may play the walnuts while receiving medical treatment. The man accepted the advice and resolved to give it a try. After three months’ playing, he found himself in a much better state with sound sleep and no anxiety. Only a year later, the blood glucose level got under control, and less than 2 years later, the hyperglycemia was gone [3].
D. Walnuts rotating may help in controlling dyslipidemia (Table 1).
E. Walnuts rotating is a precious lifestyle medicine: Taken together, walnuts rotating is very helpful for people to get enough amount of physical activity. More importantly, walnuts rotating may exert a similar influence, as acupuncture does, on body functions by dredging meridians and stimulating acupoints in hand. Therefore, walnuts rotating is worth the title of a healthy lifestyle medicine for body fitness and chronic conditions’ prevention & management.

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