Tai chi is a mind-body practice that originated as a martial art in China and combines meditation with slow, gentle movements, weight shifting, breathing exercises, and relaxation. As a Chinese wellness practices, Tai Chi is associated with a variety of physical and mental health benefits, most notably:

Boosts physical & psychological health: Arizona State University (Arizona, USA) researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 77 peer-reviewed journal articles that reported on the results of Tai Chi, involving data on 6,410 men and women. The team found that study subjects were significantly improved on the health parameters of cardiopulmonary fitness, immune function, bone density, and quality of life, as compared to sedentary counterparts. Prevents falls, improves mental well-being: A joint Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (South Korea) and University of Exeter (United Kingdom) study that reviewed 35 published studies suggests that the deep breathing and relaxation with slow and gentle movements characteristic of tai chi may exert exercise-based general benefits for fall prevention and improvement of balance in older people as well as some meditative effects for improving psychological health. Yields cardiovascular, muscle strength benefits: Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong) studied 29 older Tai Chi practitioners, average age 73.7 years, who engaged in the activity for at least 1.5 hours a week for three years, comparing them to 36 healthy control subjects, average age 71.4 years, with no Tai Chi experience. The subjects who practiced Tai Chi showed healthier blood pressure, vascular resistance, and pulse pressure, as well as greater arterial compliance and average muscle strength in knee joints. Lessens arthritis pain: A team from the University of North Carolina (North Carolina, USA) studied 354 men and women, ages 18 years and over, with any type of self-reported, doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: the intervention group received the 8-week, twice-weekly Tai Chi course immediately, whereas the other group was a delayed control group (received the Tai Chi course after 8 weeks). At the end of eight week study period, those men and women who had received the immediate intervention showed moderate improvements in pain, fatigue and stiffness. They also had an increased sense of well being, as measured by the psychosocial variables, and they had improved reach or balance. Alleviates fibromyalgia: Researchers from Tufts Medical Center (Massachusetts, USA) enrolled 66 patients with fibromyalgia, average age 50 years, in a 12-week long study in which each subject participated in either tai chi or a wellness education/stretching program (control intervention); each intervention was held as an hour-long session taking place twice a week. While both groups showed improvements in scores on the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the tai chi participants had an 18.4-point greater reduction in severe symptoms after 12 weeks, with the difference sustained at 24 weeks. There were also significantly greater improvements in sleep quality, depression, and both physical and mental components of quality of life at 12 and 24 weeks, among the tai chi group. Improves depression: A team from the University of California/Los Angeles (UCLA; California, USA) combined a weekly tai chi exercise class with a standard depression treatment for a group of depressed elderly adults, finding a greater improvement in the level of depression along with improved quality of life, better memory and cognition, and more overall energy than that achieved by a different group in which the standard treatment was paired with a weekly health education class.

Taking place regularly in open spaces large and small, people of all ages take part in the time-tested practice of tai chi. Schedules may be readily found for your town or nearby city via the Internet.

Read more from the original source:
Worldhealth.net: Anti-Aging Medicine and Advanced Preventative Health