Tai chi practice
The ancient chinese martial art known as Tai chi chuan, or tai chi, has been studied and proven to relieve stress. This increasingly popular form of exercise has other health benefits as well. According to the Taiwan News, nationally renowned author and tai chi instructor Bill Douglas will soon be giving a presentation to the National Institutes of Healthabout using tai chi as a solution to modern health care reform issues. Douglas says that since many illnesses are caused by stress, addressing stress management could save “trillions of U.S. dollars”. The article cites a 2009 Harvard Health Publication. “Tai chi, often described as moving meditation, should more aptly be called moving medication.”
The benefits of tai chi include:
- increased relaxation
- improved balance and stability
- lower blood pressure
- increased range-of-motion in the joints
- improved posture
- enhanced immune system
- quiet and focused mind
Check out the video below to see a basic demonstration of tai chi. For more information about tai chi and it’s increasing use in both traditional and alternative medicine environments visit the National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary Medicine.
To learn more about using exercise to reduce stress, read these articles:
The health benefits of mind/body exercise
Exercise and stress: when does a workout become a bad idea?