Tai Chi May Be Calling You
By Sandy Schroeder If exercise just slips away while pressures continue to build in your daily life, it may be time to discover what tai chi can do to tone your muscles, calm your mind, and improve your health. I discovered tai chi a few years ago and wound up doing tai chi classes in the park near my house. It was an hour of magic every week, filled with people of all ages, finding health and wellness. The slow swaying movements flowed together to keep us moving and focused. If you check, there may be a tai chi class happening in your community, or you can find one online and practice at home. According to Harvard Health, this ancient practice can help you become "strong as an oak, flexible as a willow and mentally clear as still water." When you make it a regular habit it may become a meditation in motion and a natural medication. Here are some of the things it may do for you. Ease your pain - Wherever it hurts, in your back, neck or other joints with arthritis, task overloads or fibromyalgia, tai chi can bring relief. Clear your head - Help yourself to a sharper mind as you plow through daily tasks, or worry about lapses of memory. Tai chi also reduces age-related cognitive decline. Improve your balance - Whenever you need good balance, tai chi can help. Tai chi gives you better balance on the court, at home working or out for a walk or a bike ride. Studies show adults who did tai chi were less likely to fall and greatly reduced their risk of injuries. Protect your heart - Researchers believe tai chi may reduce your risk for heart disease even if you have risk factors. Make your stress go away - As you sway through the tai chi poses matching your breath to your movements, you may find anxiety and depression lifting. I always left class feeling much calmer than when I arrived. Spark your spirit - Harvard tai chi researchers found mood was improved and anxiety lowered in 82 percent of their studies. When I looked around in my tai chi class, everybody was smiling. Tone your whole body - In tai chi all of the parts of the body work together to achieve each pose and exercise the whole body. You will see and feel the difference. Provide exercise for everyone - You could easily draw in a senior member of your household, or an interested teen. Tai chi is a graceful, calming practice that may become addictive at your house. Make it a tai chi hour and enjoy. To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Upland, Calif. |