Tai Chi is a valuable exercise for older adults, as it reduces fall risk by improving balance and physical stability, which is a critical factor in preventing falls and related injuries.

The practice of Tai Chi also alleviates degenerative arthritis symptoms, improves lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, and benefits patients with Parkinson's disease by improving balance and mobility.

Additionally, Tai Chi improves cognitive brain function in dementia patients, has a relaxing and meditative effect on mental state, and stimulates muscles, tendons, joints, and bones gently.

Tai Chi relieves pressure on intervertebral discs through upright posture and positively affects the nervous system, making it a comprehensive approach to health and wellness.

The evidence suggests that Tai Chi can be an effective method for reducing falls and improving physical stability in older adults, with studies showing that it reduces fall risk by improving balance.

Tai Chi classes for older adults are led by instructors with significant experience, and the program can be tailored to individual fitness levels, making it a suitable exercise program for older adults with varying health conditions.

The YMCA offers Tai Chi programs for seniors, which can improve overall health and strength, and enable daily activity performance.

Regular physical activity, such as Tai Chi, reduces blood pressure and anxiety, and Tai Chi lowers blood pressure more than aerobic exercise, improving balance and flexibility in seniors.

Tai Chi has 24 standard movements or forms, and its practice includes weight shifting and walking, which can help improve overall health in older adults.

To promote long-term adherence to Tai Chi practice among older adults, strategies such as starting with light exercise and gradually increasing intensity can be used.

Choosing a favorite sport like Tai Chi to begin exercising can also increase motivation, and inviting friends to join a class can provide social support and encouragement.

Using mobile apps to monitor exercise progress can help track adherence, and varying exercises to reduce dullness and injury risk can also promote long-term adherence.

Finding enjoyable exercises, such as Tai Chi, increases long-term adherence, and incorporating mobility work into routines, like Tai Chi, helps older adults.

Consistency is key to exercise for older adults, and regular practice of Tai Chi can lead to long-term benefits.

Tai Chi can help relieve chronic pain, which is a common barrier to exercise among older adults, and breathing techniques, such as those used in Tai Chi, can activate the safety system and reduce stress.

Focused flow, which is a key component of Tai Chi, can relax the nervous system and promote relaxation, and mindfulness-based stress reduction, which is similar to Tai Chi, can manage chronic pain and promote adherence.

Regular practice of Tai Chi can lead to long-term pain relief, which can increase motivation and adherence, and Tai Chi helps with balance and mind-body connection, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability.

Tailored exercises, such as Tai Chi, improve health for seniors, and regular practice of Tai Chi increases physical strength, which can reduce fall risk and promote independence.

Tai Chi enables daily activity performance, which can increase motivation and adherence, and cognitively enhanced Tai Chi improves global cognition scores, which can promote long-term adherence.

Combined physical and mental challenges, such as Tai Chi, are more effective than alone in promoting cognitive function and adherence, and Tai Chi stimulates neuroplasticity, which can promote long-term benefits and adherence.

Tai Chi improves balance and mobility in older adults, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability, and it reduces stress and anxiety in older adults, which can increase motivation and adherence.

Tai Chi lowers blood pressure in older adults, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability, and it improves focus and energy in older adults, which can increase motivation and adherence.

Tai Chi reduces risk of depression in older adults, which can increase motivation and adherence, and it improves overall wellbeing in older adults, which can promote long-term adherence.

Tai Chi teaches habits to improve mental health, which can increase motivation and adherence, and it provides physical benefits through exercise, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability.

Tai Chi promotes better mental health in older adults, which can increase motivation and adherence, and it is recommended for older adults to improve mobility, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability.

Regular exercise, such as Tai Chi, is essential to maintain mobility in older age, and healthcare staff can assess mobility to promote health and wellbeing, and recommend Tai Chi as an effective intervention.

Simple tests can alert staff to mobility problems in older people, and Tai Chi can be prescribed as a preventative measure, and assistance is available for elderly individuals with physical inconvenience, and medical services are available for low-income elderly individuals with a white card.

Tai Chi helps reduce stress and improve focus, balance, mobility, and stability, which can contribute to a reduced risk of falls, and the practice of Tai Chi also lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of anxiety and depression, and improves mental health and wellbeing.

Proper posture and breathing are essential for circulating Chi energy and achieving optimal health benefits from Tai Chi practice, and mindfulness and relaxation are also key components of Tai Chi practice, promoting emotional balance and overall wellbeing.

Tai Chi practice requires attention to magnifying and moving Chi, and caregivers should ensure that older adults understand the importance of proper technique, and Tai Chi has been shown to lower blood pressure more effectively than aerobic exercise and reduces sympathetic excitability in prehypertensive individuals.

The practice of Tai Chi also enhances flexibility and balance in older adults, improves cardiovascular health, and promotes overall well-being, and caregivers can promote safe and effective Tai Chi practice by encouraging slow and methodical movements, weight shifting, and walking for balance.

Tai Chi may be a primary treatment for prehypertensive individuals, and its benefits can be achieved through regular practice and proper instruction, and Tai Chi practice is beneficial for senior citizens to improve stability, and it enhances balance and coordination through weight shifting.

The combination of slow and methodical movements for balance, along with meditation and physical movement, in Tai Chi makes it a beneficial practice for senior citizens aiming to improve stability and reduce fall risk, and overall, the evidence suggests that Tai Chi can be an effective method for improving physical stability and reducing fall risk factors in older adults.

Tai Chi is a valuable exercise for older adults, as it reduces fall risk by improving balance and physical stability, which is a critical factor in preventing falls and related injuries.

Title:

Content: Learn about the sport of Tai Chi
The German health centre says Tai Chi is a centuries-old Chinese martial art, also known as shadow boxing.
It combines physical training, self-defense and meditation.
The focus of Tai Chi is on body tightening, mental alertness and breathing, the center explained, noting that motor training consists of a series of traditional Chinese physical exercises that flow smoothly with each other in order to achieve harmony between body and soul.
Muscle and Joint Stimulation
In this way all the muscles, tendons, joints and bones are stimulated and stretched in a gentle way.
The upright position of the back during exercise creates a stretching effect in the spine, relieving pressure on the intervertebral discs.
The nervous system is also positively affected by the gentle posture of the back.
Studies have suggested that tai chi reduces the risk of falls in older adults thanks to its ability to improve their balance.
The sport also has a positive effect on degenerative arthritis, the symptoms of which are knee stiffness, pain and swelling.
Improve lung function
Tai chi is also beneficial for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as it improves lung function.
It is also useful for patients with Parkinson ’ s, which affects the nervous system and its symptoms are disorders of movement, tremor of the hands, stiffness and instability of the body position, where sports contribute to improving balance and mobility.
In addition, tai chi improves the cognitive functioning of the brain, making it also useful for dementia patients.
On the other hand, slow flowing movements have a relaxing and meditative effect, helping to feel relaxed, calm and psychologically comfortable.
Source: German

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

The practice of Tai Chi also alleviates degenerative arthritis symptoms, improves lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, and benefits patients with Parkinson's disease by improving balance and mobility.

How does Tai Chi help people with Parkinson's disease?

It can effectively improve the movement symptoms that may cause falls of elderly patients.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

What have studies shown about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It can effectively improve the movement symptoms of Parkinson's disease that may cause falls of elderly patients.

Additionally, Tai Chi improves cognitive brain function in dementia patients, has a relaxing and meditative effect on mental state, and stimulates muscles, tendons, joints, and bones gently.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

Promoting relaxation
Increased flexibility

What does Ruth Taylor-Piliae of University of Arizona's College of Nursin say about Tai Chi?

She tells NPR that Tai Chi's gentle, slow movements and controlled breathing tend to activate what's known as the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes the body during times of stress.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Higher mental clarity.
An overall sense of well-being.

What study was included in trials combining excercise with a cognitive compoent?

Cognitively enhanced tai chi in older adults at risk for dementia.

Tai Chi relieves pressure on intervertebral discs through upright posture and positively affects the nervous system, making it a comprehensive approach to health and wellness.

What does Ruth Taylor-Piliae of University of Arizona's College of Nursin say about Tai Chi?

She tells NPR that Tai Chi's gentle, slow movements and controlled breathing tend to activate what's known as the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes the body during times of stress.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

The evidence suggests that Tai Chi can be an effective method for reducing falls and improving physical stability in older adults, with studies showing that it reduces fall risk by improving balance.

Title:

Content: Exercise programs meant to prevent falls in seniors may also help prevent injuries caused by falls, according to a new review.

Fall-related injuries are common among seniors and a major cause of long-term pain and disability. They also increase the risk of having to go to a nursing home and have a high economic cost.

The new findings, published online Oct. 29 in the journal bmj.com, suggest that "reducing the risk of falling and improving protective responses during a fall may be an important and feasible means of preventing fractures and other serious injuries in the elderly," the study authors wrote in a journal news release.

Well-designed exercise programs can prevent falls in seniors living at home, but there is a lack of evidence on whether such programs can help prevent fall-related injuries, said French researchers Fabienne El-Khoury and colleagues.

In this review, they analyzed 17 studies that looked at whether fall-prevention exercises lowered seniors' risk of fractures and other injuries caused by falls. More than 4,000 participants were involved in all.

Tai Chi was the exercise in two of the studies, but most of them used gait, balance, strength and functional training, which involves workouts that help people do normal daily activities.

Most of the programs reduced fall-related injuries and appeared to significantly curb falls that lead to fractures, serious injuries and medical care.

Balance training was emphasized in all of the exercises that were effective in preventing falls, the researchers noted.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about older adults and falls.

Latest videos

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Tai Chi classes for older adults are led by instructors with significant experience, and the program can be tailored to individual fitness levels, making it a suitable exercise program for older adults with varying health conditions.

Title:

Content: Seniors exercise at YMCA to improve health

Published: May. 31, 2023 at 2:08 PM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - One of the keys to living a long life is having a healthy lifestyle.

Seniors at the YMCA did exercises tailored to their fitness levels Wednesday, May 31. This included tai chi, an exercise that focuses on mind and body, as well as helps with balance.

“It has completely changed my life. It has made me stronger in my body: I’m straighter, stronger, I can do all of my daily activities like laundry and dishwashing, and everything else that I have to do,” volunteer Palmer Gard said.

The YMCA offers programs and classes for all ages.

Do you have a story idea? Send us your news tip here.

The YMCA offers Tai Chi programs for seniors, which can improve overall health and strength, and enable daily activity performance.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Regular physical activity, such as Tai Chi, reduces blood pressure and anxiety, and Tai Chi lowers blood pressure more than aerobic exercise, improving balance and flexibility in seniors.

Title:

Content: Study suggests tai chi is better than aerobic exercise at lowering blood pressure

According to a recent study, Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, lowers blood pressure more effectively than other types of exercise such as stair climbing or brisk walking. Over a year, Chinese researchers examined two groups of high blood pressure participants—one performing the Chinese martial arts and the other with aerobic exercise.

The study's authors argue that their findings, which were published in the JAMA Network Open Journal, should persuade medical professionals to advocate for moderate martial arts as a means of preventing heart disease in those with high blood pressure.

How was the study conducted?

The study included 349 individuals, 51.5% of whom were women, who had been diagnosed with prehypertension and were randomized to either the aerobic exercise or tai chi group. During a 12-month period, both groups engaged in four weekly 60-minute supervised sessions.

The aerobic exercise interventions comprised jogging, cycling, brisk walking, and climbing stairs. The tai chi group practiced Yang-style tai chi, which consists of 24 standard movements or forms. At baseline, six, and twelve months, blood pressure was measured. The mean change in SBP from baseline to 12 months, as measured while walking and in an office setting, was the main endpoint.

At the end of the research, blood pressure was within normal range in 21.8% of the tai chi group and 15.6% of the aerobic exercise group without medication. In the tai chi group, fewer patients had advanced hypertension (12.0% vs. 17.7%) than in the aerobic exercise group.

What is tai chi?

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that has gained popularity as a kind of meditation and mind-body workout. Its roots are in traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist philosophy, which date back to ancient China.

Key features

This practice is known for its slow, methodical movements that seamlessly transition from one stance to the next. These motions, which are frequently continuous and circular, encourage balance, flexibility, and calmness.

This practice places a strong emphasis on the relationship that exists between the mind and the body. Practitioners emphasize developing an internal awareness, living in the now, and synchronizing their movements with their breath.

This practice includes aspects of meditation that promote a relaxed and concentrated state of mind. People who participate in the technique, which is sometimes referred to as "moving meditation," perform a series of flowing motions while paying close attention.

This practice incorporates a lot of weight shifting and deliberate walking into its routines, which can enhance balance and coordination. Because of this, this Chinese practice is very helpful for senior citizens and anyone looking to improve their stability.

Regular practice has been linked to many health advantages, such as higher mental clarity, lower stress levels, enhanced flexibility, improved cardiovascular health, and an overall sense of well-being.

These results clearly show that this Chinese practice can be very helpful in lowering sympathetic excitability and offering prehypertensive people primary treatment. This practice may be a more beneficial option for controlling high blood pressure than standard aerobic activities, especially for people with prehypertension, according to new research.

Future research is necessary to fully investigate the possible advantages and long-term impacts of this Chinese practice in the management of hypertension.

Edited by Divya Singh

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

Increased flexibility
Promoting relaxation
Enhance balance

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Enhanced flexibility.
Improved cardiovascular health.

Tai Chi has 24 standard movements or forms, and its practice includes weight shifting and walking, which can help improve overall health in older adults.

How does Tai Chi enhance balance and body coordination?

It incorporates a lot of weight shifting and deliberate walking into its routines.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

To promote long-term adherence to Tai Chi practice among older adults, strategies such as starting with light exercise and gradually increasing intensity can be used.

Title:

Content: What should the elderly movement pay attention to?
Font Size:
We all know the importance of exercise in maintaining good health.
Some elderly people who do not exercise habits may want to start exercising, but worry that "so old to exercise, too late", Li Yongjian, senior physiotherapist at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, said in an interview with Live Well, exercise is always better than not doing it at all, but pay attention to some details before starting.
If you want to start exercising, Senior Physiotherapist Mr Lai Wing-kin recommends that the elderly should take a gradual approach based on their physical condition and ability to move.
This means that the elderly can start with light exercise and gradually increase the number, intensity and duration of exercise according to the situation.
"We understand that getting started can be challenging for some older people.
Older people are advised to start with one of their favorite sports, such as brisk walking, swimming, dancing, qigong, tai chi, yoga, etc.
You can also invite friends and relatives to join a class or group to take care of the sport.
Now that technology is developed, you can download the right mobile application to monitor your own exercise, but also provide the power to continue to exercise.
When exercise has become a part of life, Mr Lai recommends different exercises to reduce dullness and to help reduce the risk of injury caused by excessive use of certain body parts.
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Choosing a favorite sport like Tai Chi to begin exercising can also increase motivation, and inviting friends to join a class can provide social support and encouragement.

Using mobile apps to monitor exercise progress can help track adherence, and varying exercises to reduce dullness and injury risk can also promote long-term adherence.

Finding enjoyable exercises, such as Tai Chi, increases long-term adherence, and incorporating mobility work into routines, like Tai Chi, helps older adults.

Title:

Content: HOMEPAGE

A personal trainer shares 1 simple longevity exercise you can do anywhere

  • A trainer who works with people in their 60s to 90s said stability is key to a long, healthy life.
  • She said balance exercises go a long way to help you age gracefully.
  • Every bit of exercise adds up, and you can start working out now for a long, healthy life.
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No matter your age, the best time to start exercising to age gracefully is right now, and you don't need a gym to do it, according to a trainer who specializes in fitness for a long, healthy life.

Andi Kwapien has spent more than two decades as an instructor for SilverSneakers, an exercise program for adults aged 65 and older (available at no cost with eligible Medicare plans).

Kwapien told Business Insider that she sees firsthand the benefits of exercise for people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, even if they've just started a fitness routine.

"It is never too late," she said. "Even people in their much later years see improvements in muscular endurance, muscular strength, even some muscle mass building back up to help with frailty."

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One of the most important exercises for longevity is one you can start doing right now without going to a gym or class.

Kwapien said stability exercise can help anyone move and feel better in everyday activities, and fortifies your body against the natural wear and tear of aging.

Try movements like quick-step knee raises, single-leg balance drills, and core exercises to help you stay fit for years to come.

Stability training can help you stay strong and prevent injury as you age

Research shows that having good balance is linked to a longer life, based on a simple one-leg balance test.

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But Kwapien goes even further and teaches people how to apply balance in everyday activities to feel and move better.

"We speak in real-life terms so that our members know why we're doing what we're doing," Kwapien said. "You're not standing on one leg in your kitchen, you're moving around and putting stuff on high shelves and tripping over your cat. Those kinds of things."

One of Kwapien's go-to exercise routines trains balance, reaction time, and stability all at once with a series of quick steps into a knee raise hold. To do it, take a few quick shuffle steps forward and lift one knee, holding your balance in that position. You can also move side to side or add a quarter turn to make it more challenging.

Kwaipen said she's seen clients experience major health benefits from the exercise — one woman said doing the drill helped her avoid serious injury when her dog pulled her off balance to chase after a rabbit.

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"One of my members emailed me and she says, 'Andi, I just have to let you know I hate that step, quick hold. But let me tell you saved me. I didn't fall over because I had that ability,'" Kwapien said. "Not that I hope that you ever have that situation, but my hope is that the training is real life to what you need."

Stability training is also great for building muscle and protecting your joints with functional movements like step-ups and other single-leg exercises.

Other trainers also recommend the Pallof press and plank variations for a strong core.

Stability can give you a challenging work out, too. More intense versions of stability exercises include movements like single-leg squats that can work your hip and mobility as well as strengthen your legs.

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Even a few minutes of exercise a day can help you live longer and be healthier

Whether you're new to fitness or an experienced athlete, consistency is key to exercise, so the best strategy is to find something you can do long-term, according to Kwapien.

"Start now and have fun with it. If exercise isn't fun, you're not going to do it," she said. "If you have the best program in the world and you do it one time, it does not give you the benefits. Just keep going regularly every week."

Research suggests that every minute of exercise (even walking) adds up to help stave off chronic illnesses like cancer and heart disease.

Aim to fit all kinds of movement into your life, and incorporate stability and other longevity exercises such as mobility work into a routine you enjoy.

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"If you like yoga, that's great, and if you like dance, that's wonderful. And if tai chi's your thing, fantastic. And if you like to run great, if you like to lift hefty heavy things, great, want to go a little lighter, fine. It's all good and it's all going to provide a benefit," Kwapien said.

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What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Consistency is key to exercise for older adults, and regular practice of Tai Chi can lead to long-term benefits.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Tai Chi can help relieve chronic pain, which is a common barrier to exercise among older adults, and breathing techniques, such as those used in Tai Chi, can activate the safety system and reduce stress.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
5 exercises to relieve discomfort
Dr. Deepak Ravindran, head of pain medicine at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, has spent more than two decades specializing in the management of acute and chronic pain.
In specific cases such as chronic pain, the research actually proves that mental body techniques can be effective compared to traditional techniques such as medications and surgery.
These mental practices may not fully cure the individual ’ s pain but they can certainly help.
In some cases it is more effective than traditional medical interventions.
"We now understand neuroplasticity, which is the ability of the brain and nerves to be plastic and rewire themselves in a way that can overcome pain."
"Alongside this, we recognise the role and contribution of lifestyle and personality driven by genes, and may indeed combine with environmental factors that can stimulate a particular gene in undesirable ways."
The doctor shared 5 practical tips on how you can begin to control pain:
• Activate your internal security system by breathing 3-4-5
Breathing is one of the most reliable and easily controlled ways to activate the safety system (parasympathetic apparatus).
When we can breathe longer than we breathe, the safety system can activate more predictably and provide the mind with reassurance that everything is safe.
A simple way to incorporate the breathing technique is the 3-4-5 method where you can breathe for three seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, and then exhale for five seconds.
Even practicing this for two to five minutes will help you take 10 to 20 breaths which can often help calm the nervous system considerably.
Another method that is easy to start with is the 5-5-5 method which requires 5 seconds of breathing, five seconds of waiting, and then five seconds of exhalation.
• Focus on a word, phrase or thing
One approach to trying to relax is to focus on a word, stage, or thing — a response that Howard ’ s cardiologist and professor of the mental body Herbert Benson wrote about.
This aims to achieve a state of focused flow or awareness of ourselves using a repetitive word, phrase, or action.
The use of Christian swimming pools or Hindu "jap mala" are examples of object focus.
This allows the nerves of our brain to move from the so-called virtual network to a different set of neural circuits called flow circuits.
This can then help relax the nervous system and thus reduce physical pain.
• Try yoga or tai chi
Both yoga and tai chi, also known as mind-body techniques, are becoming increasingly popular now, exercises are already in the mainstream with general practitioners and hospital doctors recommending tasks for different situations and age groups.
There are also studies that suggest that yoga and tai chi can benefit and cause pain relief.
Both exercises embrace the concept that pain can be present in both mind and body and relieve slow rhythmic movements, and yoga and tai chi can help control breathing as well as tighten and improve unconditioned muscles.
There are many videos and apps that can help you get started, while gyms and local health care centers may also have classes available.
• Exercise vigilance
Try to adopt a negative, non-judgmental, empathic attitude toward your thoughts as this is the essence of mindfulness-based stress reduction.
This technique has a very good evidence base for managing chronic pain using mind / body methods.
There is now good scientific evidence to suggest that when people are well-awakened meditators, there are positive changes in their nerves, the practice based on mindfulness shouldn ’ t be just about meditation.
It can be any physical activity that patients feel safe and like doing – be it eating, running, running, or going to the gym.
Be selective in the language you use.
Even when thinking.
Evidence has shown that the type of language we use can be very powerful in shaping our thoughts, and therefore our behaviors and actions, this is important because the language we use and the stories we tell can cause unsafe thoughts and actions, which can trigger activation of our immune system.
Writing down your positive thoughts at the beginning of the day with some points you are grateful for are also examples of positive thinking that can change the way you think and reduce pain.
Ultimately, many mental body techniques are used to relieve pain and all of them now benefit from the principle of neuroplasticity.
The growing success of these techniques shows that these can be safe and sustainable long-term strategies to overcome pain and in some cases become pain-free.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What does Ruth Taylor-Piliae of University of Arizona's College of Nursin say about Tai Chi?

She tells NPR that Tai Chi's gentle, slow movements and controlled breathing tend to activate what's known as the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes the body during times of stress.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Focused flow, which is a key component of Tai Chi, can relax the nervous system and promote relaxation, and mindfulness-based stress reduction, which is similar to Tai Chi, can manage chronic pain and promote adherence.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What does Ruth Taylor-Piliae of University of Arizona's College of Nursin say about Tai Chi?

She tells NPR that Tai Chi's gentle, slow movements and controlled breathing tend to activate what's known as the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes the body during times of stress.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Lower stress levels.
An overall sense of well-being.

Regular practice of Tai Chi can lead to long-term pain relief, which can increase motivation and adherence, and Tai Chi helps with balance and mind-body connection, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability.

How does Tai Chi help people with Parkinson's disease?

It can effectively improve the movement symptoms that may cause falls of elderly patients.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Tailored exercises, such as Tai Chi, improve health for seniors, and regular practice of Tai Chi increases physical strength, which can reduce fall risk and promote independence.

How does Tai Chi help people with Parkinson's disease?

It can effectively improve the movement symptoms that may cause falls of elderly patients.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Tai Chi enables daily activity performance, which can increase motivation and adherence, and cognitively enhanced Tai Chi improves global cognition scores, which can promote long-term adherence.

Title:

Content: Lifestyle Interventions and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's and Dementia

— "Without any change, the number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease could more than double"

MedpageToday

Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's and other dementias may be delayed for some at-risk older adults, recent clinical trials have suggested.

The ACHIEVE study, for example, reported that hearing aids cut the rate of cognitive decline by 48% over 3 years in older adults who had a high risk of dementia. And in a randomized controlled trial of people with mild cognitive impairment or self-reported memory concerns, cognitively enhanced tai-chi led to improved global cognition scores.

"Currently, two-thirds of Americans have at least one major risk factor for dementia," said Heather Snyder, PhD, of the Alzheimer's Association in Chicago.

"The need for effective risk reduction strategies to help all communities grows larger by the day," Snyder stated. "Without any change, the number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease could more than double by mid-century."

In 2015, the FINGER study in Finland was the first randomized controlled trial to show it was possible to delay cognitive decline using a multidomain lifestyle intervention.

In the U.S., the POINTER study is evaluating multiple ways to protect cognition in 2,000 at-risk older adults. "Recruiting for the clinical trial was successfully completed in March 2023," Snyder said. "The study is expected to begin reporting results in summer 2025."

"U.S. POINTER community-based teams recruited nearly 30% of participants from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in research, including racially and ethnically minoritized individuals and those from rural areas," she added.

New Clinical Trial Data

About 40% of dementia cases may be prevented or delayed by modifying 12 risk factors, according to a 2020 report from the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care.

In the past year, several trials have shown that lifestyle interventions -- notably ones involving physical exercise or hearing aids -- could delay dementia onset. Two trials have combined exercise with a cognitive component, including a study of cognitively enhanced tai chi in older adults at risk for dementia, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

"Research has shown that both physical and mental activity may attenuate age-related declines in cognitive function and dual task activities, but combined physical and mental challenges may be more effective than either alone," said study co-author Peter Harmer, PhD, MPH, of the Oregon Research Institute in Eugene.

Cognitively enhanced tai chi was designed to synergistically stimulate neuroplasticity, Harmer noted. The regimen included an emphasis on performing properly despite an interfering mental or motor task, following instructions that required recalling names and detailed steps, and distinguishing correct from miscued instructions.

The study randomized older adults with mild cognitive impairment or self-reported memory concerns to stretching, standard tai chi, or cognitively enhanced tai chi for 1 hour semi-weekly for 24 weeks. The cognitively enhanced tai chi group outperformed other groups on improvements in both global cognition scores and dual-task performance while walking, with effects persisting at 48 weeks.

The SYNERGIC trial, published in JAMA Network Open, took a different approach to combining physical exercise and cognitive training. SYNERGIC randomized older adults with mild cognitive impairment to physical exercise with or without cognitive training and vitamin D supplementation for 20 weeks.

Overall, those who received aerobic-resistance exercises with sequential computerized cognitive training had improved cognition, but some results were inconsistent.

The multidomain intervention effect was larger than the improvement from exercise alone, reported Manuel Montero-Odasso, MD, PhD, of the Parkwood Institute in London, Ontario, and co-authors, and vitamin D supplementation showed no significant benefit. In several arms of the trial, cognitive improvements diminished slightly at 12 months, but did not revert to baseline levels.

Another intervention that showed promise was the use of hearing aids. Hearing loss is treatable in later life, which makes it an important public health target to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, noted Frank Lin, MD, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and colleagues who reported the findings of the ACHIEVE trial in The Lancet.

ACHIEVE assigned participants to one of two interventions -- either hearing aids or a health education program. Both groups received follow-up visits every 6 months, and cognitive tests were conducted every year for 3 years.

The trial's main analysis showed no difference in the rate of change in cognitive functioning between the hearing aid group and the education group. In a pre-specified analysis of participants with high risk for future dementia, however, cognitive decline was reduced over 3 years in those assigned to wear hearing aids compared with those who received health education.

Policies to Help Reduce Cognitive Decline

Research about Alzheimer's and dementia risk factors is evolving, and Lancet Commission researcher Gill Livingston, MD, of the University College London in England, is optimistic that policymakers will continue to use new insights to help reduce global cognitive decline.

Since 2020, several countries have taken steps to address modifiable risk factors, Livingston noted. "U.S. policy has changed, and many countries and the World Health Organization have issued new policy documents," she said.

In the U.S., the 2023 update to the National Alzheimer's Project Act included new risk reduction strategies, Livingston pointed out. The CDC also extended its Healthy Brain Initiative program with state and local health officials.

An updated Lancet Commission report about dementia is under review and should be published this year, Livingston said.

Disclosures

Snyder had no conflicts of interest.

Harmer reported no conflicts of interest.

Livingston had no conflicts of interest.

What has a study that includes the cognitively enhanced Tai Chi found out?

The cognitively enhanced Tai Chi group outperformed other groups on improvements in global cognition scores.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

What study was included in trials combining excercise with a cognitive compoent?

Cognitively enhanced tai chi in older adults at risk for dementia.

Combined physical and mental challenges, such as Tai Chi, are more effective than alone in promoting cognitive function and adherence, and Tai Chi stimulates neuroplasticity, which can promote long-term benefits and adherence.

What has a study that includes the cognitively enhanced Tai Chi found out?

The cognitively enhanced Tai Chi group outperformed other groups on improvements in global cognition scores.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

What study was included in trials combining excercise with a cognitive compoent?

Cognitively enhanced tai chi in older adults at risk for dementia.

What was cognitively enhanced tai chi designed for?

To synergistically stimulate neuroplasticity.

Tai Chi improves balance and mobility in older adults, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability, and it reduces stress and anxiety in older adults, which can increase motivation and adherence.

Title:

Content: Homepage

A financial analyst explains how tai chi 'stress bending' helped her avoid burnout in her high-stakes career

  • Former financial analyst Shirley Chock said tai chi helped her thrive in a career prone to burnout.
  • She now teaches tai chi full-time to help others boost their focus and energy while reducing stress.
  • Tai chi has been linked to a longer life, lower risk of illness, and better mental health, research suggests.
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Former Yale financial analyst Shirley Chock is no stranger to stress.

Throughout her career, she saw her peers crumbling from the pressure of juggling a heavy workload and high-stakes assignments while trying to keep their health and their personal lives afloat.

In contrast, Chock found herself much better off, working her way up through the ranks to a manager position and even netting a Working Mother of the Year award, with energy to spare.

Her "secret" to success? Tai chi, a traditional Chinese martial art known for slow, gentle movements, which she said helped her stress-proof her routine.

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"I realized I was applying what I was learning in the martial art to my career and my life," she told Business Insider. "It was like I discovered a secret scroll because no one talked about tai chi in this way."

Tai chi was the key to staying healthy, focused, and energized in a career that left colleagues burned out, according to Chock.

"They just seemed like they were beaten down and facing obstacles all the time. And it was a much easier road for me to navigate the career," she said. "I had energy at the end of the day."

The experience was so profound that Chock left her finance career to teach the art full time with Aiping Tai Chi, a Connecticut-based school with a growing social media presence.

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Now her goal is to create an "army of stress-benders," demonstrating how to use tai chi to reduce stress, improve focus, and boost physical and mental health even (or especially) in a fast-paced, ambitious lifestyle.

"It helps you to stay centered so that you don't get distracted by all of these things that are trying to pull you away from your focus," Chock said.

How tai chi can make you mentally and physically stronger as you age

Chock found tai chi by accident. She initially used the deliberate, graceful movements of the practice to recover from an injury while training and competing in mixed martial arts and kung fu.

"I thought it would just be a recovery thing for me because I really wanted to do the cool acrobatic moves," Chock said. "I had this misconception that had was for old people like everybody else."

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It's true that tai chi has some serious benefits for healthy aging, helping to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability. Evidence also suggests it can help lower blood pressure, even in younger people. Practicing tai chi has been linked to better wellbeing, lower risk of anxiety, and fewer symptoms of depression in some studies.

But Chock was most excited about how learning tai chi was teaching her about habits to improve focus and energy in the rest of her life, and became hooked on the challenge of mastering the subtly of the art.

For instance, the tai chi concept of allowing your body to flow with gravity instead of resisting it beautifully illustrates how you can choose to respond to life challenges too, prioritizing what matters instead of becoming distracted by conflicts that ultimately aren't worth your energy.

Practicing stress management and focus through movement not only gives you the physical benefits of the exercise, but a deeper understanding of what it means than you might get from picking up a self-help book.

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"You might learn it in theory, but then when you need to apply it, you don't actually have it," Chock said. "Tai chi is a way for you to understand these philosophies in life by learning them through your body. In that moment where you're overloaded, the body just knows what to do."

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How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Lower stress levels.
An overall sense of well-being.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Tai Chi lowers blood pressure in older adults, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability, and it improves focus and energy in older adults, which can increase motivation and adherence.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Tai Chi reduces risk of depression in older adults, which can increase motivation and adherence, and it improves overall wellbeing in older adults, which can promote long-term adherence.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Tai Chi teaches habits to improve mental health, which can increase motivation and adherence, and it provides physical benefits through exercise, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability.

How does Tai Chi help people with Parkinson's disease?

It can effectively improve the movement symptoms that may cause falls of elderly patients.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

What study was included in trials combining excercise with a cognitive compoent?

Cognitively enhanced tai chi in older adults at risk for dementia.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Tai Chi promotes better mental health in older adults, which can increase motivation and adherence, and it is recommended for older adults to improve mobility, which can reduce fall risk and promote physical stability.

Title:

Content: Many older people are suffering long-term physical effects from cocooning over the last 18 months, a leading geriatrician has warned.

Kirstyn James, who worked in Cork University Hospital (CUH) during the pandemic, said it is “very worrying” that some older people have not yet resumed their normal lives.

“We are seeing more frail older adults during our assessments,” she said.

“We are meeting people who have reported a big change in their mobility. A lot of that is to do with the huge lifestyle changes they have had to make since the pandemic started.”

Dr James said it is apparent that some older people have not resumed any normal activities and continue to lead sheltered lives.

In her experience, older people struggle with getting out of bed or crossing a room, while others have said the walks they can manage outside of the house are shorter than pre-Covid.

A big challenge in older adults is that when you stop exercising or don’t use your muscles, you can have a big difference in your mobility.

"It can be much harder to get back to where you were. It can take a lot longer to recover than the time it took to lose the mobility.”

Many HSE-provided exercises classes for older people have not yet reopened nor have specialist classes in some private gyms, she said.

“It really is a case of use it or lose it when it comes to your mobility.”

There has been a dedicated geriatric team in CUH emergency department during the pandemic, with staff from different areas working together.

“We, as geriatricians, know it is very important to look not just at medical conditions that are important in older age but to try and promote health and wellbeing in older adults,” she said.

“Assessing mobility is one of the ways that we do that.”

The team was the first in Europe to be recognised as having an ‘age-friendly system’ by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Dr James has now published a mobility assessment video in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine

Mobility tests

It includes mobility tests for older people which can alert healthcare staff to problems.

The video, available through the journal’s website and developed at CUH, is also suitable for older people or family members to learn from, said Dr James.

She said that geriatricians can then advise on maybe changing footwear or assessing if medication might be affecting balance.

She recommended that older people consider tai chi or chair-based exercises, even done at home.

“We would like to see a return to those sorts of [group] activities but only when it is safe to do so.”

She urged older people to do as much exercise and socialising as they are comfortable with.

“I think it is difficult to balance trying to protect people from a public health point of view. And then, as geriatricians, we are very concerned about older adults having declining mobility.”

More in this section

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

What study was included in trials combining excercise with a cognitive compoent?

Cognitively enhanced tai chi in older adults at risk for dementia.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Regular exercise, such as Tai Chi, is essential to maintain mobility in older age, and healthcare staff can assess mobility to promote health and wellbeing, and recommend Tai Chi as an effective intervention.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Enhanced flexibility.
An overall sense of well-being.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Simple tests can alert staff to mobility problems in older people, and Tai Chi can be prescribed as a preventative measure, and assistance is available for elderly individuals with physical inconvenience, and medical services are available for low-income elderly individuals with a white card.

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Tai Chi helps reduce stress and improve focus, balance, mobility, and stability, which can contribute to a reduced risk of falls, and the practice of Tai Chi also lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of anxiety and depression, and improves mental health and wellbeing.

How does Tai Chi help people with Parkinson's disease?

It can effectively improve the movement symptoms that may cause falls of elderly patients.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Improved cardiovascular health.
An overall sense of well-being.
Lower stress levels.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Proper posture and breathing are essential for circulating Chi energy and achieving optimal health benefits from Tai Chi practice, and mindfulness and relaxation are also key components of Tai Chi practice, promoting emotional balance and overall wellbeing.

Title:

Content:
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Chi is the key

Inglis Carré

Special to the Village News

What is Chi? It is a special type of energy. Every living thing has Chi. Inanimate objects have it also. Chi flows in our bodies through pathways called meridians and it can be enhanced by special exercises, massage, and meditation. Chi also surrounds us. It is in the very air we breathe.

The Chinese character for Chi represents steam, vapor, or mist rising upward from a pot of rice, which is connected to the concept of nourishment. The vapor or mist calls to mind breathing, which can be controlled to facilitate the flow of Chi in the body. The word "Chi" or "Qi" can be translated as air, energy, or spirit, and the word "Gong" or "kung" means achievement, skill, or work.

Recommendations about cultivating and managing Chi can be found in several cultures. The concept of Chi dates from the ancient Chinese Book of Changes from about 2000 B.C. and has come down to the present day to become "The Force" in "Star Wars." It has been preserved, honored, and known by many names as it has traveled through time.

When we practice the gentle arts of Tai Chi and Chi Gong with attention to magnifying and moving the Chi, we enjoy many health benefits. Among these benefits are enhanced flexibility, balance, strength, cardiovascular health, increase bone density, relaxation of the mind and emotional balance. According to Eastern wisdom, our health improves when we have more energy circulating in our bodies and our ability to handle stress increases.

Whether we are learning Tai Chi or Chi Gong, there are guidelines involving posture, breathing, and mindfulness that help us to circulate the Chi energy. Blockages of the Chi flow can be caused by straining too much in our exercises, being under stress, or holding on to negative emotions. But being totally relaxed and in the present moment, we encourage a connection with the Chi energy which is the key to optimal physical and emotional health.

What does Chi feel like? It manifests in many ways. There could be tingling in your hands or feet. For some people, it is an inner feeling of wellness, wholeness, and calm. There can be a sense of aliveness and awareness that travels out into our surroundings, enriching our interactions with others, and our creative endeavors. Think of Chi as a key to the door between the world of the senses and the world of the spirit.

May the force be with you!

Inglis Carré is a Tai Chi practitioner certified by the American Tai Chi and Qigong Association. She has been teaching Tai Chi and Qigong since 2020. She also has a background in Kenpo Karate and Hung Gar style Kung Fu.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What does Ruth Taylor-Piliae of University of Arizona's College of Nursin say about Tai Chi?

She tells NPR that Tai Chi's gentle, slow movements and controlled breathing tend to activate what's known as the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes the body during times of stress.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Lower stress levels.
An overall sense of well-being.

Tai Chi practice requires attention to magnifying and moving Chi, and caregivers should ensure that older adults understand the importance of proper technique, and Tai Chi has been shown to lower blood pressure more effectively than aerobic exercise and reduces sympathetic excitability in prehypertensive individuals.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

The practice of Tai Chi also enhances flexibility and balance in older adults, improves cardiovascular health, and promotes overall well-being, and caregivers can promote safe and effective Tai Chi practice by encouraging slow and methodical movements, weight shifting, and walking for balance.

How does Tai Chi enhance balance and body coordination?

It incorporates a lot of weight shifting and deliberate walking into its routines.

How does Tai Chi help people with Parkinson's disease?

It can effectively improve the movement symptoms that may cause falls of elderly patients.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

What health advantages have been linked to regular practice of Tai Chi?

Enhanced flexibility.
Improved cardiovascular health.
An overall sense of well-being.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

Tai Chi may be a primary treatment for prehypertensive individuals, and its benefits can be achieved through regular practice and proper instruction, and Tai Chi practice is beneficial for senior citizens to improve stability, and it enhances balance and coordination through weight shifting.

How does Tai Chi enhance balance and body coordination?

It incorporates a lot of weight shifting and deliberate walking into its routines.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

The combination of slow and methodical movements for balance, along with meditation and physical movement, in Tai Chi makes it a beneficial practice for senior citizens aiming to improve stability and reduce fall risk, and overall, the evidence suggests that Tai Chi can be an effective method for improving physical stability and reducing fall risk factors in older adults.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.

How doesTai Chi help prevent falls for older people?

It improves the balance of older people.

What are some of the benefits of practicing Tai Chi regularly?

What benefits does Tai Chi haves for healthy aging?

It helps to improve factors linked to a longer life like balance, mobility, and stability.

What did studies show about Tai Chi's health benefit?

It limits the danger of falls among the elderly.

It improves the balance of older people.

What do orthopedic specialists say about the benefits of learning Tai Chi?

Excercises like the horse stance in Tai Chi that can help prevent falls.

Why did the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised elderly people to practice Tai Chi?

Because it can prevent falls that may result in fracture.