Tai Chi in the news

Tai Chi could beat obesity, diabetes and depression

University of Queensland (UQ) researchers say an ancient Chinese form of meditation could be the key to tackling some illnesses reaching epidemic proportions in Western society.

UQ scientist Liu Xin says he has developed a form of Tai Chi that targets obesity, depression and diabetes.

He has just completed a three-month trial of the program and has found a major fall in levels of clinical depression among participants, as well as significant weight loss and improved blood sugar control.

Study participant David Burch says he became involved because he was unfit and pre-diabetic and noticed an immediate improvement to his health.

"I actually saw a great improvement in my health," he said.

"I lost quite a lot of weight - probably about 14 kilos. I was exercising a lot more and coping much better with that.

"I had much higher energy levels - I was feeling fitter and healthier and very positive in my outlook."

Another study participant, Shirley Fraser, says while she expected to see some physical benefits, she was astounded by the changes to her mental health.

"Your blood starts to flow, " she said. "More spark in your face, more energy - just a general demeanour of happiness and having life back in you.

"More energy - energy I think is the secret."

- Kirrin McKechnie, Tue Feb 9, 2010
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/09/2814727.htm

Tai Chi Moves May Benefit Those With Type 2 Diabetes

An ancient form of Chinese exercise may hold hope for staving off a modern illness - type 2 diabetes, according to a university researcher.

People with - or at risk of developing - diabetes who took part in preliminary studies of a tai chi-based program recorded falls in blood pressure, weight and blood sugar levels.
Many reported decreases in depressive symptoms after their involvement in the classes, designed by University of Queensland researcher Liu Xin.

Dr Liu said the program had been tailored to benefit people with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes and included movements to specifically exercise the pancreas, which is involved in digestion and in the regulation of blood sugar levels.
"Like in designing or producing medication, we need to target the disease specifically," Dr Liu said. "Different movements target different internal organs."

Shirley Fraser said she signed up to a trial of Dr Liu's program after watching her father struggle with the effects of type 2 diabetes towards the end of his life.

She attended the tai chi classes for up to 90 minutes a day, three days a week, for three months and also performed the exercises at home. Although the program did not involve a change of diet, she lost 10kg. She said her blood pressure and blood sugar levels had also improved.

Thursday, February 11, 2010 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,585483,00.html

Tai chi can cheer you up

BRAMPTON - Tai chi can help mitigate musculoskeletal disorders caused by extended computer use and provide a lift in mood, says a study led by York University researchers.

The study looked at female computer users at the university, measuring levels of physical fitness and psychological well-being in more than 50 staff members who participated in a twice-weekly lunch-hour tai chi program.

Researchers found that participants improved their musculoskeletal and back fitness, achieved lower resting heart rates and smaller waist circumference, and experienced an emotional boost.

“Overall, the program was effective in improving both musculoskeletal fitness and psychological well-being,” says study lead author Hala Tamim, Associate Professor in York’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health.

“We’re excited about these results, especially given the difficulty in treating musculoskeletal disorders using traditional methods,” she says.

Musculoskeletal disorders, such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, are painful disorders of muscles, nerves and tendons, often caused by work activities that are repetitive or involve awkward postures. Women suffer from these complications at a higher rate than men, which makes early intervention for women particularly important, according to Tamim.

The exercise program consisted of two 50-minute classes per week for 12 consecutive weeks from May to August 2007. Classes were conducted by a professional tai chi practitioner, using fitness facilities at the university.

Study participants averaged 5.8 hours a day on computers at work. The majority (79 per cent) perceived their physical fitness as average or above, yet 34.6 per cent reported that they rarely or never engaged in weekly physical activity. Of the 52 participants, 42 had never formally practiced tai chi prior to the study.

Pre-and post-program assessments included resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, anthropometric measures (height, weight, waist circumference), and musculoskeletal and back fitness (including grip strength, sit and reach, and vertical jump tests), employing the Canadian Physical Activity Fitness and Lifestyle Approach.

Psychological well-being of study participants was also assessed pre-and post-program, using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). They reported feeling less stress, and more control over their lives and personal problems.

Tamim says the simplicity of tai chi makes it especially beneficial for office workers.

“It’s something that can easily fit into a working day. You don’t need any specialized equipment, and you’re not perspiring heavily, so there’s no need to shower before going back to work,” she says.

The study, “Tai chi workplace program for improving musculoskeletal fitness among female computer users,” is published in the Dec. 23 issue of the journal, WORK.

It is co-authored by Kinesiology & Health Science graduate student Evan S. Castel, York professors Veronica Jamnik, Sherry L. Grace, Norman Gledhill, and Alison K. Macpherson, and McMaster University professor Peter J. Keir. 

Source: The Brampton Guardian -- Friday January 8, 2010
www.thebramptonguardian.com/lifestyle/article/84254

Tai Chi May Dispel Dizziness, Boost Balance

New research shows that tai chi may benefit people with vestibular disorders, a class of conditions that can cause dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and problems with hearing, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and concentration. A gentle Chinese martial art, tai chi combines slow, graceful movement with meditation and deep breathing.

For the study, researchers focused on 21 people from an outpatient rehabilitation program. After an eight-week course in tai chi, patients reported improvements in their vestibular symptoms. The study's authors suggest that tai chi may enhance coordination by promoting relaxation, and that the exercise may be useful to patients whose symptoms fail to improve with conventional therapy.

Past studies indicate that tai chi may also be helpful for people dealing with diabetes and arthritis pain, as well as for elderly people seeking to reduce their risk of falling.

Tai Chi May Help People With Mobility Problems

If you'd rather meditate than exercise, but know you need to add some form of physical activity to your routine, tai chi might be a good choice.

Done correctly, the different movements - or postures - which are performed in a specific, ordered routine seem to flow easily from one to the next. Tai chi emphasizes specific, proper body positions, balance and deep breathing.

Because tai chi involves slow, steady, deliberate movement, it is noted for having few side effects for practitioners. Consequently, it can be done by people at many levels of physical condition and ability...

Performing the routines can build muscle strength, increase range of motion, improve coordination and enhance relaxation. Performing the repetitive routines can build confidence in one's ability to move and to maintain balance.

The movements also can improve breathing and circulation, potentially improving overall health. In addition to improving physical health, tai chi has been credited with reducing stress, anxiety and depression, as well as enhancing one's outlook on life.

The Web site of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability lists several benefits of tai chi, including promoting relaxation, improving lung capacity and cardiovascular and respiratory function, improving balance and posture, increasing flexibility and reducing pain.

Source: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/07/tai-chi-may-help-people-with-mobility-problems/

Brain power - use it or lose it, a new study shows.
SMH July 14, 2008

Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have found those who don't engage in complex mental activity during their lifetime have twice the shrinkage in a key part of the brain once they hit old age.

Examining more than 50 people aged 60 for three years, the university's School of Psychiatry study discovered that those who were more mentally active over their lives had a larger hippocampus - the part of the brain that relates to memory. It also showed that, in active people, the hippocampus shrinks at half the rate of those who have lower mental activity.

The findings are believed to add weight to previous studies that showed complex mental activity helps prevent dementia.

"This is a significant finding because a small hippocampus is a specific risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease," lead author Dr Michael Valenzuela said.

"It is vital that everyone is involved in cognitive, social and physical activities in late life such as dancing, tai chi, sailing, travelling and learning a new language, for example."

Dr Valenzuela and researchers from UNSW, the University of Sydney and James Cook University are now working on a clinical trial to assess whether short-term cognitive and physical exercise can reduce the severity of cognitive decline amongst at-risk older people.

This is an excerpt. See the full story at: www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/07/14/1215887511223.html

Half of Aussies strung out and stressed - survey

4/7/08:
A new stress survey paints a grim picture of a strung-out nation, with one in two Australians very strained by at least one aspect of life, according to the Newspoll survey of 1200 people.

Work, money and thoughts of the future are the most likely triggers of that stressed-out state, with health and relationship troubles not far behind. The survey found that 91 per cent had some level of stress, and 47 per cent admitted being extremely affected.

Dawn O'Neil from Lifeline Australia, which conducted the study, said current levels of stress were abnormally high and alarming.

"We need to look at ways we can take responsibility for our stress levels before prolonged stress causes harm to our physical and mental health."

The survey showed work and finances were the biggest stress triggers, with almost one in four people affected "a lot" by each. Thoughts of the future gave 20 per cent heightened stress levels, while health and relationships heavily affected 12 and eight per cent, respectively. Health concerns were most elevated among the elderly.

Professor Ian Hickie, executive director of the Brain & Mind Research Institute at the University of Sydney, said Australians needed to urgently address the toll that stress was taking on physical and emotional wellbeing.

"Prolonged exposure to chronic, unrelenting stress is a killer," Prof Hickie said. "We just cannot function under this sort of pressure."

He called for the development of practical stress-reducing strategies that could be as simple as talking about stress and admitting when you feel it.

"We need to opt in to do things to take control, rather than opt out because we are too stressed."


Excerpt from medicalsearch.com.au -
www.medicalsearch.com.au/News/viewrecord.aspx?id=33160