HEALTH COACH - Why should you try tai chi: TreeHugger

HEALTH COACH -

 Why should you try tai chi: TreeHugger   
 


  Some doctors prefer to call the "medicine in motion" because of its many benefits to the mind and body.  
 
 Head to a large urban park on the morning of spring and you, I will probably meet a group of people who practice tai chi. This is a beautiful and soothing thing to look at. Participants seem to be concentrated on the sequence of movements, which are always slow, stable and circular, without any constraint on the connective tissue of the body. 
 
 Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice that has been martial art and has gained popularity in North America. It combines low impact exercise with meditation in a way that is very effective in improving mental and physical health. Medical experts can not say enough when it comes to singing the praises of tai chi. Here are some reasons why you should try: 
 
 This puts people in shape. 
Tai Chi may not recall you when you first think of a "good" workout, but Dr. Michael Irwin, a Behavioral Science Professor and Director of the Center for Mental Awareness UCLA states, "People who have a tai chi attain similar levels of fitness as those who walk or do other forms of physical therapy. "A study suggests that tai chi is tied with walking and jogging when it is lengthening his life. 
 It is accessible to all. 
Regardless of whether you are in a wheelchair, recovering from surgery or unable to participate in any arduous activity of any kind, it is possible to adapt the tai chi movements to physical limits. Harvard Health says this is something you can start doing even if you are not in good health or fit. 
 This is a "meditation in motion". 
Meditation is renowned for its ability to create mental clarity and attention while reducing stress, but some people find it difficult to sit for an extended period of time. Tai Chi has similar results to sitting meditation while allowing it to move throughout the practice. 
 An article by HEURE suggests that this is "thoughtful and meditative quality" that makes tai chi so effective. Unlike other forms of exercise, you can not let your mind wander elsewhere by practicing tai chi. You must remain conscious and present. 
 
 Fortunately, you do not need a degree in Chinese philosophy to get the benefits, but it is useful to understand the basics of tai-chi approach: [Itisbelievedto"unblockandencouragethecorrectflowofqianenergeticforcethoughttocirculateinthebodyanditpromotestheequilibriumofyinandyang"opposingelementsthatthinkconstitutethe"Whichmustbemaintainedinharmony"(viaHarvardHealth)