The health benefits of tai chi are many and varied helping to treat diseases from digestive disorders to fatique and arthritis. The practice of tai chi is an excellent means of preventing health problems and also providing a balanced treatment for illness. Tai chi and chi kung have proven to be so beneficial to health that it's role as a martial art has been overshadowed.
Tai chi chuan, tai means ultimate or supreme while chi (which in this content has a different tone to the word energy) means polarity as in extremes of north and south, ying and yang, dark and light. Chuan lterally means fist thus tai chi chuan means supreme ultimate pugilism.
Chi kung, literally means energy work or internal kung fu. The simplest aim of chi kung is to train the breath in order to promote each person's own healing process.
How chi kung works
Using gentle stretching exercises combined with breathing techniques and visualisation, chi kung balances the flow of chi energy through the body. Chi kung is commonly practiced in chinese hospitals as a form of treating many chronic diseases and also for lowering blood pressure, improving circulation, building the immune system and treating asthma and arthritis. With tai chi, chi kung is primarily used in the prevention of disease so with regular practice you can improve your quality of life and help keep you free from illness.
Tai chi and chi kung require no equipment or training partner just air to breath and room to move.
How tai chi and chi kung help relaxation
The autonomic nervous system is composed of two parts, the sympathetic and parasympathetic, that act together. The sympathetic nervous system deals with involuntary body functions such as the heart beat, breathing and for activating the adrenal glands in times of stress. The parasympathetic system is most active in a relaxed state and helps calm the body after an emergency, helping regulate the blood pressure, sugar levels, and normalising the circulatory system.
Both these systems need to be balanced. If the sympathetic system is overused and constantly switched on, as our modern living entails, then it can make this balance unstable and release harmful hormones into the body.
Doing tai chi in a slow and even pace will calm the disposition, improve circulation, make one alert and help the body move without using awkward strength. This is important in utilising the parasympathetic system so our bodies can rest and repair themselves.
Ideally tai chi and chi kung are best practised in the mornings, practised preferably outdoors and played under or around trees. Also wearing loose comfortable clothing will allow free movement of the body.
Arthritis and chi
Arthritis is defined as inflamation of the tissues of the joints. The two most common kinds are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In traditional chinese medicine arthritis comes under one category, the blockage syndrome. this means that at some point your energy and blood have become blocked. This can be caused by a number of sources for example old injuries that have never healed correctly, overuse of a particular joint or limb, or incorrect diet. This is why tai chi is ideal for people suffering with arthritis. When people suffer from pain and stiffness in the joints they don't want to exercise and so the condition may become worse.Tai chi encourages movement in the joints increasing strength in the muscles and tissues therefore increasing blood circulation where it will help healing and the removal of harmful toxins. However it is important that if you do suffer from arthritis that you should take care and not overstrain. We encourage people to only play tai chi to what they feel is comfortable for them.
Osteoporosis
After age 35 the body creates less new bone and also becomes less efficient at storing calcium. Osteoporosis can affect men but it is primarily associated with women because women have approximately 30 per cent less bone mass than men. With Osteoporosis the bones lose density becoming fragile and brittle resulting in easy breakages in falls or strenuous activity.
How Tai Chi and Chi Kung help
Because Tai Chi and chi kung are played at a slow and even pace and the limbs bear the whole body weight it strengthens the tendons, ligaments and muscles. Helping to prevent falls is achieved by learning one's centre of gravity. Tai Chi and chi kung are also weight bearing exercises and as well as walking help the calcium uptake into the bones.
