There is evidence to suggest that practicing Tai Chi has benefits for patients who are undergoing the treatment cancer or who are recovering from such treatment. This is an area with tremendous promise and much more research need to be done.

Patients during cancer treatment

Research already conducted into the effects of Tai Chi used alongside cancer treatment or during recovery has shown that it can help to improve the patient’s quality of life and to aid in recovery.

The radiation treatments and chemotherapy that are used to treat cancer can result in serious side-effects including fatigue, pain and neuropathy, which affects sensation in the extremities and can therefore disrupt balance. These effects can persist long after the treatment itself has ended, having a significant effect on the quality of life of patients who are undergoing these types of therapy. Patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer can also experience stress, worry and difficulty sleeping, and they can also lose strength and physical condition. Tai Chi can help counteract some of these side-effects, both during treatment and recovery.

Practicing Tai Chi has been shown to have some important benefits for patients during cancer treatment and recovery. The benefits of Tai Chi for stress management and improving the quality of sleep are well established and they are likely to be particularly important for people who are experiencing the stress associated with disease and cancer treatments. Tai Chi has also been shown to provide pain relief for a number of chronic conditions, which could be an important benefit for cancer patients.

Tai Chi can help with relaxation and stress management. It can improve the quality of sleep and help to relieve pain. Tai Chi can also improve balance and help patients to maintain their strength and physical ability. (MSKCC)

Studies of the effects of Tai Chi on cancer patients have focused on the ways in which it can improve quality of life during and after treatment. Research has shown that Tai Chi has been able to improve the self-esteem and quality of life of breast cancer survivors. Practicing Tai Chi for an hour three times a week over 12 weeks was able to improve self-esteem and health related quality of life in a group of people who had completed breast cancer treatment in comparison to a control group that did not take part in the Tai Chi sessions. The control group actually showed a decline in these measures. (Mustian 2004) Studies have also shown that practicing Tai Chi can help people to recover their functional capacity following breast cancer treatment. This refers to measures such as flexibility and strength, which can diminish a great deal during cancer treatment. Practicing Tai Chi for 12 weeks enabled breast cancer survivors to increase their functional capacity significantly more than a control group that did not participate in Tai Chi. (Mustian 2006)

Tai Chi can help improve the general health

Tai Chi can help improve the general health of cancer patients. It can help to reduce many of the side-effects of cancer treatment, including depression, insomnia and physical weakness. It can also improve quality of life. Studies have shown that support programs can have a significant impact on the quality of life of cancer patients and that classes in exercises such as qigong enjoyed the best participation rates in these programs. (Emory Cancerquest)

Although it has also been suggested that practicing Tai Chi may also help reduce cancer risks or to promote survival, there is as yet no definitive scientific evidence to support such claims. However, evidence is building that suggests that regular exercise can help prevent cancer, so Tai Chi may be able to contribute to the reduction of cancer risks. Even though the evidence on the effects of Tai Chi on cancer is limited, there is already plenty of scientific evidence to suggest that Tai Chi can play a role as a means of stress relief and exercise during and after cancer treatment.

Tai Chi offers an excellent form of exercise for people who are affected by cancer or other serious diseases since there are some gentle forms that can be used even by those whose mobility may be limited. Individuals can choose the forms of Tai Chi that are suitable for their own physical abilities. The techniques of Tai Chi can even be adapted for use by people who need to perform them while seated or in bed. (MSKCC)

There are a number of ongoing research projects and clinical trials currently pursuing further research into the benefits of Tai Chi for cancer patients and survivors.

Resources:

• Emory Cancerquest CAM: Yoga, Tai Chi http://www.cancerquest.org/complementary-alternative-medicine-yoga-tai-chi
• MSKCC: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69395.cfm
• Mustian, KM. Katula, JA. Gill, DL. Roscoe, JA. Lang, D. Murphy, K. (2004) Tai Chi Chuan, health-related quality of life and self-esteem: a randomized trial with breast cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer. Dec 12(12):871-6 Available online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15599776
• Mustian, KM. Katula, JA. Zhao, H. (2006) A Pilot Study to Assess the Influence of Tai Chi Chuan on Functional Capacity Among Breast Cancer Survivors. Supportive Oncology 4(3):139-145. Available online at http://www.supportiveoncology.net/journal/articles/0403139.pdf

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• Tai Chi for Stress
• Tai Chi for Weight Loss

Teenagers with ADHD

A study of thirteen teenagers who had been diagnosed with ADHD showed that practicing Tai Chi twice a week for five weeks produced significant improvements in behavior, as assessed by teachers using the Conners Scale. At the end of the study, the adolescents had experienced improvements in their anxiety levels and they were also less likely to show inappropriate emotions or to spend as much time daydreaming. They were also showed a measurable reduction in hyperactivity. These improvements were maintained when the teenagers were assessed two weeks after the end of the Tai Chi sessions indicating the potential for long term changes.

Another study which was conducted during a six week summer camp program for teenagers diagnosed with mental conditions such as ADHD also found a significant improvement in the behavior of the participants. This study involved adolescents who had been diagnosed with a number of different mental conditions, approximately half of whom had a diagnosis of ADHD. The camp participants were split into two groups, one of which participated in the tai chi sessions and the other which did not and therefore acted as a control group. The tai chi group practiced tai chi for 45 minutes twice a week over a six week period. At the end of the six weeks, the teenagers who had been assigned to the tai chi group showed some significant improvements compared to their assessments at the beginning of the study. No such improvements were seen in the control group.

Those teenagers who had been practicing tai chi showed a significant improvement in terms of hyperactivity and their ADHD index subscores at the end of the study. However, when the participants were assessed at 12 weeks, six weeks after the end of the tai chi sessions, these improvements had been lost. This implies that the hold over benefits from the above study are limited, and that it is important for people to continue practicing tai chi in order to continue enjoying the benefits. This aligns with the recommendations of experienced practitioners who believe that a daily or at least every other day practice is necessary for optimal benefit.

The researchers found that practicing tai chi helped to reduce hyperactivity in the whole group, and that those teenagers who had been diagnosed with ADHD also showed improved cognitive skills. The study demonstrated that tai chi was able to increase self-control and improve mood. It was an effective treatment for managing ADHD.

ADD and ADHD symptoms management

Finding a way of managing the symptoms of ADD and ADHD for complementary use alongside the more conventional treatments is very important for everyone afflicted with this problem. ADD and ADHD can leave people feeling as if they are not in control of their own lives. It can create stress and anxiety, and it can make people feel as if they are less capable than those around them.

Tai chi can provide a means for people to take control of their own lives and to feel empowered. It can help to improve concentration and relieve the stress that is often associated with ADD and ADHD, particularly in adults who are affected by these conditions. It can also help to boost confidence and helps people to find ways of controlling their own attention so that they an achieve more.

Resources:

• Hernandez-Reif, M. Field, TM. Thimas, E. (2001) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Benefits from Tai Chi. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. 5(2):120-3 Available online at http://www.bodyworkmovementtherapies.com/article/S1360-8592(00)90219-5/abstract
• Tai Chi May Improve Some ADHD Symptoms Available online at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/722490
• Self-Help for Adult ADD/ADHD at http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_strategies.html

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Benefits of tai chi

Tai Chi can produce a wide range of benefits for its practitioners, from improving their balance and overall fitness to offering a form of relaxation and stress management. Tai Chi has also been shown to have beneficial effects on people who are affected by conditions such as high blood pressure. These physiological and health benefits, many of which are supported by extensive scientific evidence, are impressive, but they are not the only advantages of practicing this form of exercise. Perhaps the most interesting effects of Tai Chi are those that extend beyond mere physical health and which affect areas of life that one would have thought were completely separate from simple exercise.

Tai Chi differs from other forms of exercise in many respects. It combines physical activity with mindfulness to offer benefits for both the mind and body. Tai Chi involves circular movements that are never forced. The muscles remain relaxed and the joints are neither never fully extended nor fully bent and the connective tissues are gently enhanced by the movement. Anybody can practice Tai Chi, whether in its gentler or its more vigorous forms, and there are a range of different styles and exercises to perform.

The psychological benefits

Tai Chi can also change the way people look at the world emotionally. The psychological benefits of Tai Chi can include mood enhancement, improved concentration and increased self-esteem. The people who practice Tai Chi bring these benefits into their social and professional lives. Tai Chi can be far more than just an exercise program. It can aid in the alignment of one’s life.

Tai Chi offers a form of exercise that can train both the mind and the body. These dual benefits can make the effects of taking up Tai Chi very surprising for the beginner. Those who have been attracted to Tai Chi by the physical benefits and the idea that it will be just like any other exercise class can be surprised by the effects that it can have on their mind. Meanwhile, those beginners who have come to Tai Chi in search of a form of relaxation or meditation can be surprised by the physical benefits that they experienced as their balance, coordination and physical fitness improves.

Tai chi for Sleep

Practitioners of Tai Chi have reported a wide range of benefits which they relate to their performance of this form of exercise. Practicing Tai Chi can generate feelings of well-being and improved quality of life. It can help people to enjoy a better quality of sleep and it can help reduce stress and generate feelings of calm. Practicing Tai Chi can help to increase awareness, improve energy levels and build stamina. (Web MD)

Tai Chi helps people become more focused and alert. This can benefit all parts of their lives, including their careers, their academic achievement and their relationships. Regular practitioner report being much happier and calmer. Tai Chi can be fitted into any lifestyle or schedule. Some practitioners have even incorporated subtle forms of Tai Chi into their professional life in order to keep calm and in control during work meetings. (Harvard Magazine).

Tai Chi for anxiety and depression

A systematic review of the research into the benefits of Tai Chi found that there was evidence of a wide range of different benefits, many of which were psychological. It can relieve anxiety and depression, enhance mood. It can build confidence and increase self-esteem. (Wang 2010)The practice of Tai Chi can also offer social benefits. Joining a Tai Chi class can be a great way of meeting people and socializing, but practicing Tai Chi as a couple or a family can also help to make existing relationships stronger.

The benefits that are experienced by people who take up the regular practice of Tai Chi can have far reaching consequences. People who have taken up this form of exercise have found that the effects reach out into their everyday life, quite unlike other types of exercise that start and end with the gym.

It is little wonder that Tai Chi has been considered for use as an exercise or relaxation program for use in diverse settings, including workplaces and schools.

The wide range of benefits that are experienced, the adaptability of Tai Chi for different environments and needs, and the very real impact that this type of exercise can have on all aspects of its practitioners lives make Tai Chi an interesting choice for anyone who is looking for a way in which to improve either their mind or their body. Tai Chi cannot only be a way of achieving calm or a form of physical activity to improve fitness. It can also help people to achieve success in their everyday lives, at work or in their personal relationships.

Resources:

• Harvard Health Publications: The health benefits of tai chi Available online at http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Womens_Health_Watch/2009/May/The-health-benefits-of-tai-chi
• Harvard Magazine: Easing Ills through Tai Chi Available online at http://harvardmagazine.com/2010/01/researchers-study-tai-chi-benefits
• Wang, C. Bannuru, R. Ramel, J. Kupelnick, B. Scott, T. Schmid, CH. (2010) Tai Chi on psychological well-being: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 10:23 Available online at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/
• Web MD: Health Benfits of Tai Chi and Qigong Available online at http://www.webmd.com/balance/health-benefits-tai-chi-qigong

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Tai Chi is proven to be beneficial in many ways. But weight loss? Interestingly Tai Chi works for weight loss. It offers an enjoyable and accessible way for people of all sizes and levels of fitness to begin a weight loss journey. It takes time and commitment but it works.

• Tai Chi for Stress Reduction & Anxiety

Research has been conducted into the potential for programs of Tai Chi to be used to help tackle obesity, including in people who have been affected by related conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. These studies have suggested that Tai Chi can be an effective form of exercise for people at all levels of fitness. It can enable people who have led sedentary lifestyles to start exercising again. It can also offer a new and interesting challenge for those who are used to exercising regularly. Tai Chi can be very easy in the beginning, but it is quite possible to work up to an athletically challenging level.

The effects of practicing Tai Chi on the body have been assessed scientifically. A review of 31 scientific studies of research involving Tai Chi found that this form of exercise can be classified as moderate and that it offers some important benefits for cardio-respiratory function and muscle strength. (Li 2001) This means that can be used as a form of moderate aerobic exercise to lose weight.

Reviews About Tai Chi for Weight Lose

Another review of the research compared the effects of the use of Tai Chi as a form of aerobic exercise in different studies. This review found that the most significant benefits in terms of aerobic capacity were experienced by those people who spent a year practicing Yang style Tai Chi after leading a sedentary lifestyle that involved little physical activity. (Taylor-Piliae 2004) This suggests that Tai Chi can be a particularly effective form of exercise for weight loss for those people who need it most.

A program of Tai Chi has been shown to produce significant decreases in the BMIs and waist measurements of overweight participants. The program involved sessions of between 1 and 1.5 hours of Tai Chi or Qigong, three times a week for twelve weeks. In this study, participation in the Tai Chi program was able to generate reductions in BMI of 4 percent and reductions in waist circumference of 3 percent. This study focused on people who had been diagnosed with diabetes and in whom weight loss was, therefore, particularly important. As well as helping with weight loss, the program of Tai Chi that the participants underwent was able to assist with the reduction of certain symptoms of diabetes and to help prevent depression among the participants, who also enjoyed improved energy levels and self-esteem. (Liu 2010)

The immediate effects of the practice of Tai Chi on the body have also been assessed scientifically. One study examined the effects of a session of Tai Chi on people who had been practicing the Yang style for at least three months. The study participants took part in a one hour session of Tai Chi followed by half an hour of rest, with measurements taken both before and after the session. As a control, the same measurements were taken one week later before and after a period of rest of the same length.

A significant difference was found in the levels of adiponectin in the blood before and after the Tai Chi session and the change was significantly different from the control measurements. Adiponectin is a hormone that plays a role in the control of the metabolic rate. Its levels are related to obesity and body fat. There were also significant changes in the levels of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and glycerol in the blood before and after the Tai Chi session when compared with the control. (Chang 2011) This study demonstrated the positive effects that practicing Tai Chi can have on the body, which may help to contribute towards weight loss.

Tai Chi is a good choose

Tai Chi can be a particularly good choice for anyone who wants to lose weight, especially if they are not keen on other forms of exercise. Also Tai Chi can be both varied and interesting. It can be practiced alone or in a more social setting such as a class, so it is possible to choose the environment that is most comfortable for the individual.

Many people who want to lose weight find it difficult to make the time to exercise or feel bored with the conventional options such as jogging or going to the gym. Tai Chi is easy to fit into any schedule since it is possible to practice a few movements anywhere at any time, even if you are unable to make it to a regular class.

• Chang, RY. Koo, M. Ho, MY. Lin, ZZ. Yu, ZR. Lin, YF. Wang, BJ. (2011) Effects of Tai Chi on adiponectin and glucose homeostasis in individuals with cardiovascular risk factors. Eur J Appl Physiol Jan 111(1):57-66 Available online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20809228
• Li, JX. Hong, Y. Chan, KM. (2001) Tai chi: physiological characteristics and beneficial effects on health. Br J Sports M?ed 35:148-156 Available online at http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/35/3/148.abstract
• Liu, X. Miller, YD. Burton, NW. Brown, WJ. A preliminary study of the effects of Tai Chi and Qigong medical exercise on indicators of metabolic syndrome, glycaemic control, health-related quality of life, and psychological health in adults with elevated blood glucose. Br J Sports Med 44:704-9 Available online at http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/44/10/704.abstract
• Taylor-Piliae, RE. Froelicher, ES. (2004) Effectiveness of Tai Chi exercise in improving aerobic capacity: a meta-analysis. Jan-Feb 19(1):48-57 Available online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14994782

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Stress is a reaction of the body towards activities that place some strain on it or which demand a significant effort. When this effort involves working towards a positive end or when it is an effort that is seen as a challenge rather than a problem, it can be beneficial. Eustress can provide motivation, ambition and a competitive spirit. It can spur us on to greater things and it can help to make us more successful. Eustress can be something that people seek out in order to enjoy the challenge.

Often the activities that people enjoy most are those that produce eustress, since they offer a sense of accomplishment that comes from working hard to achieve a goal. However, there is a dark side to stress, and this tends to be the more familiar form of the word. Stress, in its negative form as distress, is an effort that produces concern or anxiety, which reduces rather than enhances performance, or which seems to be beyond one’s coping abilities.

Separating eustress from distress is not an objective matter. What seems like an exciting challenge for one person may be a grueling and unpleasant experience for another. It is the way that the individual is affected by a stressor and the approach that they take to cope with it that determines whether something causes eustress or distress.

Tai Chi can provide a form of eustress that many people enjoy. Working to perfect the practice of Tai Chi or taking on new and more challenging forms of the exercise can provide an interesting and exciting challenge for anyone. Those who are physically fit can enjoy the more active and challenging forms of Tai Chi, while people who are less fit, or even those who have been affected by illness, can take on the gentler forms in order to enjoy a level of eustress that is suitable for them.

Release and Relaxation

As well as providing a form of eustress that can offer release and relaxation, Tai Chi can also be used to reduce harmful forms of stress. It can provide a means for people to relax and deal with the negative stresses in their lives. Both exercise and relaxation techniques can help with stress management. Tai Chi can be thought of as a form of moving meditation, offering mental relaxation alongside physical exercise. It can relieve distress through relaxation as well as providing a form of eustress that can help people to manage their stress levels.

Tai Chi is not just about movement

Tai Chi combines physical activity, breathing and mindfulness to create a sense of relaxation and calm as it is practiced. As it helps improve physical balance, it can also work to produce an inner sense of calm, peace and balance. Tai Chi is not just about movement, it is also about focusing on the moment. It can provide a challenging form of eustress that requires concentration, focus and physical action. However, it can also help to reduce and manage distress by preventing fixation on anything outside the present moment and by providing a period of calm relaxation as a relief from the rest of the day. The stress management effects of Tai Chi may even provide long-term benefits. (Mayo)

Tai Chi to reduce negative stress

Research into the ability of Tai Chi to reduce negative stress has found significant changes in both the physical factors linked with stress, such as levels of cortisol in the body, and in mental measures of stress in beginners who had been practicing Tai Chi for 18 weeks. People were feeling less distress at the end of the study as well as appearing physically more relaxed. (Esch 2007)

Tai Chi has also proven to be an effective means of stress reduction for patients who are coping with difficult health problems and treatments. Studies have shown beneficial effects on stress levels in patients recovering from cancer (Speca 2000) and people undergoing treatment for HIV (Robins 2006) Practicing Tai Chi was able to help people in these studies to enjoy a better quality of life and to cope better with very difficult situations.

Tai Chi was able to help with the reduction and management of distress in real people dealing with real problems, not just in a controlled setting such as in the Esch study, in which the distress was created by showing a film. The impact of stress reduction on patients coping with disease could be particularly important for improving quality of life and helping to make treatments, particularly long-term treatments, more successful.

As well as proving effective for stress reduction in patients undergoing medical treatment, Tai Chi has also been shown to be able to reduce negative stress in other real life situations. A workplace study of nurses found that Tai Chi was an effective way of helping people to cope with a stressful job. (Palumbo 2010)

Tai Chi has been shown in numerous scientific studies to generate various improvements in physical and mental well-being. It can help to manage high blood pressure, to improve quality of life and quality of sleep, and to reduce negative stress. (Kuromoto 2006) Practicing Tai Chi has helped people to manage stressful jobs and situations of many different types. (Wang 2010)

The effects of Tai Chi may derive from the meditative and relaxing aspects of the practice, but it has also been suggested that they could occur as a result of participating in an enjoyable and satisfying activity. (Kuromoto 2006) Tai Chi could help to reduce distress by providing a form of eustress.

• Mayo Clinic: Tai Chi Discover the many possible health benefits. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tai-chi/SA00087
• Robins, JLW. McCain, NL. Gray, DP. Elswick, RK. Walter, JM. McDade, E. (2006) Research on psychoneuroimmunology: tai chi as a stress management approach for individuals with HIV disease Appl Nurs Res February 19(1):2-9 Available online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2211366/
• Speca, M. Carlson, LE. Goodey, E. Angen, M. (2000) A Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Clinical Trial: The Effect of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Stress Reduction Program on Mood and Symptoms of Stress in Cancer Outpatients. Psychosomatic Medicine 62:613-622 Available online at http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/62/5/613
• Wang, C. Bannuru, R. Ramel, J. Kupelnick, B. Scott, T. Schmid, CH. (2010) BMC Comlementary and Alternative Medicine 10:23 Available online at http://ukpmc.ac.uk/backend/ptpmcrender.cgi?accid=PMC2893078&blobtype=pdf

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