Tai Chi – What’s the deal?

Author: Shannon Miller

Woman Doing Tai Chi

What is Tai Chi and why do so many people love it?  We have answers for you!

First, Tai Chi is a mind-body practice in complementary and alternative medicine, as many people use it as a means to improve their health and well being.  Practitioners of Tai Chi slowly and gently move their bodies with awareness while breathing deeply.

People in the United States practice Tai Chi for a variety of reasons:

  • Benefits associated with low-impact, weight-bearing, and aerobic exercise
  • To improve physical condition, muscle strength, coordination, and flexibility
  • To improve balance and lower the risk of falls
  • To help with pain and stiffness
  • To improve sleep

Scientific research is being conducted in order to gain more insight on the possible everyday health effects it may have, as well as the positive effects it may have on chronic diseases and conditions.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine supports studies of Tai Chi’s positive effects on the following:

  • Bone loss in postmenopausal women
  • Cancer survivors
  • Depression in elderly patients
  • Fibromyalgia symptoms, such as muscle pain, fatigue, and insomnia
  • Osteoarthritis of the knee
  • Patients with chronic heart failure
  • Rheumatoid arthritis

TIP:  So, that’s the deal!  Tai Chi is a versatile practice worth trying at any age.  

Source: “Tai Chi: An Introduction.”  National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

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