Health Benefits of Tai Chi
Berkeley Wellness Alerts
August 10, 2012
Tai
chi, which consists of slow, balanced, low-impact movements, is not only good
for your body, it's good for your brain, new research shows.
Tai
chi originated in China centuries ago as one of the martial arts; it was an
outgrowth of the ancient Taoist philosophy, which values tranquility and
reflection. The martial side is no longer central to most practitioners.
Instead, tai chi combines elements of a workout, meditation, and dance. It
involves dozens of postures and gestures, performed in sequences known as
"sets" or "forms," derived from animal movements. It's a
bit like slow-motion karate or "moving meditation."
To
do the sets correctly, you must learn controlled breathing, concentration, how
to shift your body weight, and how to relax your muscles. Great claims are made
for the benefits of tai chi--that it provides an "inner massage for your
organs," for instance, and that it benefits your heart as much as aerobic
exercise. This is not totally farfetched. Studies have long shown that tai chi
offers physical and mental benefits for young and old, healthy and less so. It
is especially beneficial and safe for older people, even the very old. It's a
good complement to aerobic exercise and weight training.
The
new study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, included 120
healthy older people in China. Those who practiced tai chi three times a week
for 40 weeks showed increases in brain volume, as seen on MRI, as well as
improvements on several tests of memory and learning, compared to those not
doing the exercise who had normal age-related brain shrinkage. Previous
research has shown that aerobic activity is good for the brain, but this study
suggests that a more gentle form of exercise is also beneficial.
What
else tai chi is good for:
Balance,
coordination, and reduction in falls. Guidelines about fall prevention in older
people from the American Geriatrics Society recommend tai chi because it
targets strength, gait, and balance. Research has shown that tai chi can
improve balance and coordination, as well as reduce the risk of falls.
Arthritis
relief. In a study from Tufts University, people over 65 with knee
osteoarthritis who took tai chi classes twice weekly for 12 weeks experienced
less pain and had improved physical function, compared to a group that did
stretching and received counseling.
Physical
therapy and rehabilitation. As a highly adaptable adjunct to other kinds of
physical therapy, tai chi can aid in recovery from injuries and after a heart
attack or surgery. The exercises take your joints through their full range of
motion, and can thus restore lost flexibility. Physical therapists can
individualize tai chi programs for various problems.
Relaxation
and sleep. Tai chi promotes relaxation and can relieve tension and anxiety. In
a UCLA study, older people with moderate sleep complaints who took up tai chi
reported better sleep and daytime functioning after 25 weeks.
Overall
fitness. Studies have shown that older people who start doing tai chi can
improve their ability to walk, lift weights, run, and do daily activities.
Diabetes
control. A study from the University of Florida focused on people with type 2
diabetes who took tai chi classes (twice a week, with three days of home
practice a week) for six months. Those who adhered to the program lowered their
blood sugar and also managed the disease better than those who did not stick
with it. Tai chi's effect on diabetes control is similar to that of aerobic exercise,
the researchers concluded.
