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The Healing Powers of Tai Chi
Moving Meditations.
Alternative therapy has over the
years been steadily regaining
its lost grounds to orthodox medicine. Asia has been in the forefront
of this herbal resurgence. But the latest marvel is the Tai Chi
meditation which even renowned physicians like Dr. Herbert Benson of
the Boston Beth Israel Hospital are now extolling its efficacy for
treating several health problems, including symptoms of menopause such
as hot flashes, insomnia, PMS, infertility etc. Now this can only be a
surprise for those who have not experienced the health rejuvenating
qualities of Tai Chi moving meditation. Bone
Loss, Osteoporosis, Depression, Menopause & Tai Chi Tip!
The treatment for
depression and menopause can follow a two pronged approach. It is
important to treat not only the depression with antidepressant
medications and counseling but also to treat the symptoms of menopause
as well. Emerging medical research
indicates that an ancient health
therapy may be the prescription for the future. Increasingly the
menopausal problems of hormonal imbalance, often resulting in bone
loss, are also affected by depression and stress. Change is stressful
for all of us, even good changes, like changes of life. Maturity is a
good thing, yet the stress of major life changes can result in stress
and depression, which according to emerging research may further
aggravate the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause. Is there any escape
from this catch-22? Yes, although this may seem overwhelming in its
scope, there may be great news. An ancient Chinese natural health
therapy, known as Tai Chi, may help alleviate many of the aggravating
symptoms of menopause in profoundly healthful ways. Of
course only your physician can help you decide what is
right for your personal therapy as you enter the menopausal transition.
However, you may find that you need to educate your physician regarding
the benefits Tai Chi may offer you at this important time in your life.
Or, perhaps if you ask around you may find a physician who has already
educated himself or herself about the benefits Tai Chi may offer all
women, but definitely has much to offer women entering menopause.
Emerging research indicates that Tai Chi can
help reduce the
incidence of depression, anxiety, and mood disturbance in regular
practitioners. In a Prevention Magazine report entitled, "Tai Chi May
Relieve Anxiety and Depression," Donal P. O'Mathuna, Ph.D., a lecturer
in Health Care Ethics at the School of Nursing in Dublin City
University, Ireland says that, ". . . . evidence there is suggests that
the benefits of tai chi extend beyond those of simply exercising. The
combination of exercise, meditation, and breathing all may help relieve
anxiety and depression. . ." In its article entitled, "Tai chi," the
Mayo Clinic staff at MayoClinic.com stated that preliminary research
shows that practicing Tai Chi regularly may not only reduce anxiety and
depression, but also increase bone mineral density after menopause.
This was echoed by a report in http://www.intelihealth.com by Natural
Standard and the Faculty of Harvard Medical School. This
is a very important finding, and begins to make even more
sense, when you consider the National Institutes of Mental Health
reports that the stress hormones found in depressed women caused bone
loss that gave them bones of women nearly twice their age. Exactly why
Tai Chi offers such benefit may be explained by a study from
Australia's La Trobe University that found that Tai Chi reduced levels
of stress hormones more effectively than some other forms of activity.
(Details at: www.seniornet.org/php/default.php?PageID=6055). Tip!
Most women going
through menopause feel that they are loosing control of their bodies
when in fact it is just their natural reaction to the aging process.
This feeling of loss of control can lead to symptoms of depression.
But, no matter how you slice it, research is
indicating that
Tai Chi may be a "very" effective multi-level beneficial therapy for
women. A Chinese study reported in the December 2004 "Physician and
Sportsmedicine" found that tai chi could retard bone loss among
postmenopausal women significantly. Bone mineral density was measured
before and after the study period. Both groups experienced general bone
loss, but the rate of bone loss for the Tai Chi group was less than in
the control group. In fact, the Tai Chi practicing group of women
slowed bone loss by 2.6 to 3.6 times more. The study reported, "Bone
loss was 2.6 to 3.6 times slower (p<.01) in the distal tibia in
the
[Tai Chi] exercise group compared with bone loss in the control group."
Back in 1999,
before these studies began showing that Tai Chi
may actually improve bone density, or at the least dramatically slow
bone loss, the "Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic
Surgery's" 1999; 7:19-31, reported that "…Coupled with drug
therapy
should be a comprehensive approach to exercise and fall prevention.
Stretching, strengthening, impact, and balance exercises are effective.
Of the balance exercises, tai chi chuan has proved to be the most
successful in decreasing falls.." This was because falling injuries are
a grave health risk for all aging Americans, but given the dangers of
osteoporosis for women, an especially important concern. In fact the
sixty leading cause of death for aging Americans is complication from
falling injuries. However, research has shown time and time again in
major medical studies, such as John's Hopkins, that Tai Chi can reduce
the incidence of falling injuries by 50% in those who practice Tai Chi.
So, even before emerging research began to show that Tai Chi may
contribute to stronger bones in menopausal women perhaps by reducing
stress hormone levels and providing a gentle weight bearing exercise,
it was know that Tai Chi was a powerful therapy to reduce falling
injury. Tip!
It was only after
visiting my Doctor to talk about these frequent, unexpected hypos I
discovered I was starting the menopause (I was in my late 40s, so it
was rather unexpected, normally it doesn't occur until early-to-mid
50s). Now, there may be even more
benefit ancient Chinese health
therapies can offer to relieve the discomfort of life changes. Tai Chi
is known as a general therapeutic form of "Qigong" (pronounced chee
gung) exercise. Qigong means "energy exercise" or "breathing exercise"
in Chinese. This indicates that Qigong combines gentle motion, or
physical stimulation, with breathing techniques, and
visualization/relaxation techniques to achieve substantial health
benefits. There are over 7,000 Qigong therapies in the Chinese Medica
(the Traditional Chinese Book of Medicine). Tai Chi, again, is a highly
sophisticated general health Qigong practice, therefore this Qigong
research may be relevant to the Tai Chi's applications for those in
menopause. An interesting study at healthy.net, revealed that sex
hormone levels may be balanced by the practice of Qigong exercises
(http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?id=382). The report stated,
"…female sex hormone (estrogen) levels tend to increase in
men and
decrease in women. Three studies indicate that qigong exercise can
reverse this trend. The effect of qigong exercise on plasma sex hormone
levels was determined for hypertensive men and women. The sex hormones
levels were measured before and after qigong practice for one
year…"
Results showed that high estrodiol levels in men lowered to near
normal, and low estrodial levels in women raised to near normal after
qigong practice. Medline
Plus, a service of the National Instututes of Health's
March 3, 2004 update discussed the problems with hormone replacement
therapy (HRT), which had been the main treatment for menopausal
symptoms. But in the update, Medline Plus, explains, "…the
results of a
major study -- called the Women's Health Initiative -- has led
physicians to revise their recommendations. In fact, this important
study was stopped early because the health risks outweighed the health
benefits. Women taking the hormones did see some benefits. But they
greatly increased their risk for breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes,
and blood clots." The Medline article goes on to offer non-drug
alternatives to reduce menopausal symptoms that included "yoga, tai
chi, or meditation." (See entire article at:
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000894.htm) In
a great article at webmd.com, Dr. Herbert Benson, head of
hypertension studies at Boston's Beth Israel Hospital and author of
"The Relaxation Response," goes further to suggest that Tai Chi's
moving meditation is "…vitally important in PMS,
infertility, hot
flashes, insomnia,…" (Read the entire article at:
my.webmd.com/content/article/25/1728_57992.htm). Dr. Benson's comments
illustrate the vast multi-dimensional possibilities that Tai Chi offers
everyone's health on so many levels. The purpose of this article is not
to prescribe treatments for you, but to help you expand your dialogue
with your health professional to explore more possibilities for your
health. However, the purpose here is also to encourage physicians to
begin demanding more focused medical research on what Tai Chi may offer
their patients on many levels. Tip!
During this period
of life, menopause vitamins help with stress control by offering higher
levels of the B Complex vitamin family. Vitamin A is also increased as
hormones during this time wreck havoc with both skin and hair.
Currently all alternative therapies research is only about one
half of only one-percent of the National Institutes of Health's budget,
meaning that Tai Chi research is only a tiny fraction of that tiny
fraction. Given the emerging possibilities of benefit Tai Chi is
showing already with such limited research, this is inexcusable.
Massive resources should be used to fully explore what Tai Chi offers,
so that all hospitals can not only offer classes, but prescribe them.
Tai Chi should be covered by medical insurance and national health
insurance programs. The future is ours, by beginning to demand of our
health system a natural and cost effective approach to our health and
well-being. Share this article widely with everyone you know, but
especially your health professionals, and your local media's health
reporters. Tip!
Every woman, to some
extent, will experience what you are going through. True, not everyone
has the same level of severity when it comes to menopause and there are
a variety of symptoms involved. Copyright
2005 Bill Douglas Bill Douglas is the Tai Chi
Expert at DrWeil.com, Founder of
World T'ai Chi & Qigong Day (held in 50 nations each year), and
has
authored and co-authored several books including a #1 best selling Tai
Chi book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi & Qigong."
Bill's
been a Tai Chi source for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc.
You can learn more about Tai Chi & Qigong, and also contact
Bill
Douglas at http://www.worldtaichiday.org.
Get Free
Web Content From ArticleBuilder.net The benefits of Tai Chi is, as of
now, very little known. But sure is the
anticipation that a
lot more health benefits are stored in the Tai Chi moving meditation.
Avail yourself the wonderful rejuvenating qualities of Tai Chi today.
Don't wait till you break down before you try Tai Chi.
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