| We've written before about the benefits of Tai | | | | First, Tai Chi involves slow and deliberate |
| Chi for your brain fitness and your immune | | | | movements that help regulate breathing and |
| system. Now a new study shows some striking | | | | focus, which contributes to better stress |
| effects of a year-long Tai Chi program at | | | | management. A plethora of studies have shown |
| dramatically reducing cardiovascular disease risk | | | | the health boosting benefits of reducing stress, so |
| factors. | | | | this alone is a major plus. |
| The new paper published by Chin Lang et al. in the | | | | Second, Tai Chi provides moderate levels of |
| Journal of Complementary and Alternative | | | | exercise that mixes cardiovascular with strength |
| Medicine details the evaluation of 53 patients with | | | | training - holding those poses ain't easy. Even |
| clinically problematic high cholesterol or | | | | though the movements are slow, practitioners |
| triglycerides. About half of the patients in this | | | | experience a sustained elevation of heart rate. |
| study participated in a 12-month Tai Chi program | | | | Maybe not as much as shakin' your booty in a |
| while the other half continued their typical | | | | jazzercise class, but elevated all the same. |
| sedentary lifestyle. Since all of the patients were | | | | Third, Tai Chi helps improve balance and |
| classified as high risk for cardiovascular illness, | | | | coordination. This is a huge benefit for older folks, |
| they remained on cholesterol reducing medication | | | | since falling is the number one cause of injury in |
| in both groups. | | | | this age group. Younger folks glean benefit from |
| The group that received Tai Chi saw a significant | | | | this aspect as well, especially anyone engaged in |
| improvement on many fronts. Their blood | | | | athletics. Balance control is central to performance |
| pressure dropped, their total cholesterol and 'bad' | | | | in many sports. |
| cholesterol (LDL) went down, their insulin levels | | | | Fourth, often times, folks perform Tai Chi in a |
| decreased and markers of excess inflammation | | | | group setting, involving the social support aspect. |
| fell as well. The sedentary control group saw a | | | | We have written about the huge benefits of |
| slight reduction in blood pressure but their | | | | social support in the past. In fact, a couple other |
| cholesterol and triglyceride levels actually got | | | | recent studies found that social support |
| worse - even though they remained on | | | | significantly helps recovery from a stroke or |
| cholesterol reducing medication (chalk up another | | | | heart attack while social isolation makes it worse. |
| point for exercise). | | | | Tai Chi, considered a 'soft martial art', has been |
| Beyond these blood markers, the Tai Chi group | | | | around in Chinese culture for a couple hundred |
| also experienced improvements on measure of | | | | years and is now making its way to the rest of |
| physical fitness. They significantly improved their | | | | the world. It shouldn't be that difficult anymore to |
| exercising heart rate, oxygen uptake and | | | | find a Tai Chi class in a community near you. |
| ventilation. The sedentary group saw no such | | | | Whether you're a busy professional needing to |
| benefits, and, in fact, saw a decline in several | | | | reduce some stress, a retired individual needing to |
| fitness markers. | | | | keep your brain and body fit or a patient fighting |
| This study provides more positive data for the | | | | an illness, Tai Chi seems to have a little something |
| health benefits of Tai Chi. Why is it so good for | | | | for everyone. |
| you? No one really knows the definitive answer to | | | | Reference: Journal of Complementary and |
| that, but there are likely many factors. | | | | Alternative Medicine (2008) 14:7, 813-819. |