| Way back in 2003, the Journal of Alternative and | | | | reduction in the thickness of one of the arteries |
| Complimentary Medicine's Oct. 9th issue reported | | | | that supplied blood to the brain. Which indicates |
| a study finding that Tai Chi "could decrease blood | | | | that blood flow is increasing. The group only using |
| pressure and results in favorable lipid profile | | | | diet and exercise saw their artery walls getting |
| changes and improve subjects' anxiety status. | | | | thicker, which indicated that less blood was flowing |
| Therefore, Tai Chi could be used as an alternative | | | | through to the brain. This finding led Dr. |
| modality in treating patients with mild | | | | Castillo-Richmond to make the profoundly exciting |
| hypertension, with a promising economic effect." | | | | assertion, "It's possible to reverse heart disease |
| This study laid out a way to save our society, | | | | through meditation." |
| perhaps billions of dollars annually, and possibly | | | | In fact, not only hypertension, but up to 90% of |
| save some patients with mild chronic hypertension | | | | other illnesses sending us to the doctor are being |
| the potential negative side effects of chronic | | | | caused by stress, according to Dr. Herbert |
| lifelong medication. However, this largely hasn't | | | | Benson. Which makes Dr. Benson's and Dr. |
| occurred. | | | | Castillo-Richmond's findings that meditative |
| I caught a glimpse why when I was staying in the | | | | techniques can so dramatically alter our stress |
| beautiful mountain town of Otavala, Ecuador, with | | | | producing "fight or flight" response in healthy ways |
| a woman known for her knowledge of traditional | | | | even more wonderful. |
| Indian medicines. A tour of young American | | | | Dr. Benson explains, that the relaxation response |
| medical students stopped here to listen and learn | | | | triggered by repetitive forms [like tai chi, yoga, |
| from the Indian woman's tour of her herbal | | | | etc.] can result in decreased metabolism, heart |
| gardens. As I followed them, I asked a group of | | | | rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and also |
| young bright medical students if they were aware | | | | slower brain waves." Benson asserts that it is the |
| that Tai Chi was found to reduce high blood | | | | repetitive nature of acts like praying the rosary, |
| pressure. One lovely young woman replied, "Oh, | | | | yoga, or tai chi's physical repetitive muscular |
| yes, I've heard that, but I would never prescribe | | | | actions that provides the profound hope for |
| it." | | | | reducing anxiety, mild and moderate depression, |
| I asked why, and she responded that she couldn't | | | | anger and hostility, hypertension, cardiac |
| because she didn't know if it would work. | | | | irregularities, and all forms of pain, which are made |
| Although Tai Chi studies do show that Tai Chi | | | | worse by stress. |
| indeed helps lower high blood pressure, it is true | | | | This concept of Tai Chi being an effective tool for |
| that it does not reduce it in every person. | | | | reducing or even avoiding incidence of high blood |
| However, it is also true that every drug | | | | pressure or other illnesses all together, is echoed |
| prescription does not work on every person | | | | elsewhere. also recommends Tai Chi for relaxation |
| either. I suggested to the young medical student | | | | training in an article entitled, "Relax: Techniques to |
| that she consider that many times I've been to | | | | help you achieve tranquility" which also explains |
| the doctor, and he's pulled out a prescription pad | | | | why relaxation is important and what you might |
| and explained, "Let's give this a try, and see how | | | | experience by practicing tools that will help you |
| it works for you, and if it doesn't do the job, we'll | | | | relax. |
| try something else." Most of us are familiar with | | | | They detail how you can improve body responses |
| this, and by the confused look on the student's | | | | to stress, such as: Slowing your heart rate; |
| face, I'm assuming her memory banks were | | | | Reducing blood pressure; Slowing your breathing |
| bringing up similar images. | | | | rate; Reducing the need for oxygen; Increasing |
| So, why are our medical universities giving | | | | blood flow to the major muscles; Lessening |
| students the impression that they should not be | | | | muscle tension. |
| prescribing Tai Chi, since we know it can help | | | | They go on to explain that practicing relaxation |
| lower high blood pressure for many, who if it is | | | | techniques may help you experience: Fewer |
| successful with them, can enjoy a lifetime free of | | | | symptoms of illness, such as headaches, nausea, |
| chronic and costly medications? And not only do | | | | diarrhea and pain; Few emotional responses such |
| that, but offer a plethora of GOOD SIDE | | | | as anger, crying, anxiety, apprehension and |
| EFFECTS including a stronger immune system and | | | | frustration; More energy; Improved concentration; |
| healthier respiratory system. This is a deep and | | | | Greater ability to handle problems; More efficiency |
| important question we need to be asking as | | | | in daily activities. |
| patients and consumers, and health professionals | | | | So, time and time again as we begin to examine |
| must begin asking this question regularly in order | | | | one particular benefit of Tai Chi, such as lowering |
| to fulfill the duties of their Hippocratic oath. For, | | | | high blood pressure, we see a whole universe of |
| today we have even a much better | | | | potential opening up before us. |
| understanding of Tai Chi's potential than we did a | | | | An article from Archives of Internal Medicine, as |
| few years ago, so ignorance or inconclusive data | | | | reported on NBC's local WCAU Health ( explained |
| is not an acceptable explanation from our medical | | | | a Tai Chi research program at Tufts-New England |
| universities that train our future doctors, without | | | | Medical Center in Boston revealed a great deal. |
| teaching them about Tai Chi research, and what it | | | | The article authors wrote, "Overall, these studies |
| portends for their future patients. | | | | reported that long-term Tai Chi practice had |
| Today, we are clearer on exactly why Tai Chi is | | | | favorable effects on the promotion of balance |
| such a powerful therapy for high blood pressure | | | | control, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness and |
| sufferers. In a March 17, 2005, article by the | | | | reduced the risk of falls in elders . . . |
| Mayo Clinic staff posted at they lay out what a | | | | Cardiovascular and respiratory function |
| "stress response" is, and the effects it has on the | | | | improvements were noted in healthy people and |
| body. This is at the core of high blood pressure | | | | those who had undergone coronary artery |
| problems and the physical changes chronic stress | | | | bypass surgery as well as people with heart |
| responses illicite that creates or aggravates | | | | failure, hypertension, acute myocardial infarction, |
| hypertensive conditions. | | | | arthritis and multiple sclerosis . . . Benefit was also |
| In their article, they explain that a stress | | | | found for balance, strength, and flexibility in older |
| response, or "fight or flight" reaction involves our | | | | subjects; falls in frail elderly subjects; and pain, |
| pituitary gland releasing adrenocorticotropic | | | | stress and anxiety in healthy subjects." They add |
| hormone (ACTH), which sets a domino effect | | | | the actual ways that Tai Chi provides these |
| signaling other glands to produce additional | | | | benefits are not well known. |
| hormones, such as adrenal glands which flood the | | | | The fact is that less than .5% of the National |
| blood stream with stress hormones, such as | | | | Institute of Health's budget goes to research |
| "cortisol" and "adrenaline." | | | | alternative therapies, leaving yoga, meditation, tai |
| When ordinary life's daily frustrations trigger this | | | | chi, massage, herbal therapy, aroma therapy, and |
| effect over and over again, the results can be | | | | the entire massive field of alternative health |
| damaging to the mind and body. Many of us | | | | systems to struggle over .5%, or a little over |
| experience this domino effect of triggers and | | | | $100 million of the $28 billion (approx.) annual |
| hormones daily, which is why about 1/3 of | | | | budget. Given the above studies, it boggles the |
| Americans, or over 90 million Americans, suffer | | | | mind that such a small portion of the health |
| from high blood pressure. | | | | research dollars are going to Tai Chi. |
| Cutting edge scientists like Dr. Herbert Benson, | | | | To recap, about 1/3 of the American population |
| President of the Mind/Body Institute at Beth | | | | suffers high blood pressure. Tai Chi is proven to |
| Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, are | | | | be a beneficial therapy that not only has no bad |
| discovering a stunning reality through their | | | | side effects, but dramatically improves immune |
| research. In a wonderful article by Jeanie Lerche | | | | function, respiratory function, lowers the incidence |
| Davis at WebMD Medical News entitled The | | | | of anxiety and depression, and profoundly |
| Mysterious 'Medication' of Meditation ( | | | | improves the balance of practitioners. Tai Chi does |
| 57992.htm), she writes of how such researchers | | | | more, but for our purposes here these profound |
| are discovering that "meditation can indeed be | | | | realities are enough to show exactly why it is |
| medication - creating long lasting physiciolgical | | | | truly unbelievable that Tai Chi is getting so little |
| effects that reduce high blood pressure and even | | | | scrutiny in medical research dollars, when it can |
| help unclog arteries to reverse heart disease." | | | | save so many from chronic suffering and perhaps |
| Dr. Benson, who is also associate professor of | | | | some from a lifetime of chronic costly |
| medicine at Harvard Medical School, sought to | | | | medications. |
| prove how this effect could be shown objectively, | | | | It is time we all began to ask the question that all |
| and had five long-time meditation practitioners | | | | good consumers should ask, "What is the best |
| take MRI brain scans while meditating. Dr. Benson | | | | way/product for my health?" If Tai Chi is that |
| informed WebMD in the aforementioned article by | | | | product, the next question is, "Why isn't every |
| Davis, "There was a striking quietude across the | | | | physician offering it as an option to their patients |
| entire brain which was documented through MRI . | | | | with hypertension, as a prescription?" "Why aren't |
| . . The areas of the brain that became active | | | | all insurance policies covering such prescriptions for |
| from that quietude were those that control | | | | Tai Chi?" Ask and ye shall receive. We must |
| metabolism, heart rate, etc., . . . We knew | | | | become informed and demanding health |
| meditation caused a relaxation response, but we | | | | consumers, in order to get the best health options |
| couldn't prove it. We knew that if you thought in | | | | available. |
| a certain way, with repetition, that physiologic | | | | This article does not advocate self-treatment, and |
| changes would occur in the body. Here now is | | | | encourages all to make health choices in |
| proof that mind, in the form of repetition, is | | | | conjunction with their physician. However, if your |
| affecting the brain, which affects the body . . . " | | | | physician is close-minded to anything but a certain |
| Stroke Magazine reported on a study funded by | | | | group of health options, even when research |
| the National Institutes of Health, conducted by Dr. | | | | indicates your choices may be wider, than it is |
| Amparo Castillo-Richmond, from the Maharishi | | | | time to have a good talk with your physician |
| University, more specifically on high blood pressure | | | | about possibly widening your options. |
| afflicting black people. The meditating group saw a | | | | |