By Bruce Frantzis

Most of the estimated seven million Americans who practice the ancient art of tai chi do so not for self-defense, but for health reasons. Now, Western medical research studies are beginning to confirm what hundreds of millions of practitioners of tai chi have experienced for themselves: tai chi helped them improve their health, reduce their stress and combat the negative effects of aging. Tai chi is often called the elixir of life because it helps the body and mind to regain its youthfulness and positive, life affirming vigor. Time magazine has called it “the Perfect Exercise.”

Tai chi is the opposite of aerobics: rather than asking us to rev up, tai chi teaches us to rev down. Although its slow moving, graceful movements look more like meditation, tai chi is a potent self-healing practice.

This is good news for people who need a low impact exercise that is easy on the joints, can be done by those with low back or other chronic pain, and does not challenge their balance. People who suffer from disabilities and impaired lung function that preclude strenuous exercise love tai chi’s gentle movements. According to the Mayo Clinic, tai chi is generally safe for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

Tai chi is also perfect for people who are clinically obese or challenged by other physical impediments and do not want to feel embarrassed in exercise classes filled with fit and beautiful bodies.

Chi Energy is Life Energy

Tai chi is based on a 3000-year-old system that works with the invisible forces of chi or life energy within our body.

If chi is flowing freely, in a balanced manner throughout the body, we will have good health. If our chi becomes blocked stagnant or unbalanced in some manner, tension, discomfort and illness will follow.

This principle is the foundation of Chinese medicine, which includes acupuncture. Tai chi, like acupuncture, balances the invisible forces of chi or life energy within our body.

Western Health Studies Show Tai Chi Has Many Beneficial Health Effects

Researchers from Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA, found 47 formal studies presenting the beneficial health effects of tai chi.

Some studies showed that tai chi improved functioning in the heart, blood vessels and lungs among healthy people as well as those with heart conditions, including patients who have had coronary artery bypass surgery.

Other studies showed that tai chi helped reduce pain, stress and anxiety and improve memory, concentration and digestion.

Still others demonstrated that tai chi helped seniors improve balance and functioning for normal daily activities.

Relief from Arthritis

“Oh, my aching joints,” is a common sigh among arthritis sufferers. By 2020, an estimated 60 million Americans will be afflicted by arthritis and more than 11 million disabled. But statistics do little to mitigate the large amount of suffering.

Two significant medical studies have been undertaken, one in the United States, one in Australia, showing that practicing tai chi provides relief from arthritis. These studies were widely publicized by the Arthritis Foundation of Australia, which now officially recommends tai chi as an effective alternative therapy.

Tai chi’s movements increase the range of motion and improve the flexibility of the joints, strengthen the flow of fluid inside the joints and strengthen the muscles surrounding arthritic joints and improving flexibility.

Help for Cancer Patients

Two studies help confirm what tai chi practitioners already experience: tai chi boosts their immune systems and helps them resist illness. And, if an illness like cancer does strike, tai chi helps mitigate the effects of chemotherapy and radiation and calms their fears. The most interesting one was a study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles found that people who practiced tai chi for 45 minutes a day experienced up to a 50% increase in their immune system memory T-cells, which boost immunity to many diseases, including cancer. The study also found that tai chi helped reduce the chronic stress and anxiety that accompanies cancer.

Tai Chi Lowers Blood Pressure

A Western clinical study, done by the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, showed that tai chi lowers blood pressure in seniors. The study conclusively demonstrated that tai chi’s gentle movements were as effective in significantly lowering blood pressure as the higher intensity activity of aerobic exercise.

Tai Chi Improves Balance and Reduces Falls in the Elderly

A leading cause of death and disability in the elderly is falling down. Two studies initiated by the National Institute of Health (NIH) showed that tai chi improves balance, decreases risk of falls and dramatically decreases the fear of falling. In addition, seniors participating in the study improved their grip strength, had better range of motion and an easier time falling asleep.

Tai Chi Busts Stress

The least studied beneficial health effect of tai chi is that it is a powerful stress buster.

The ability to let go and relax in all ways—physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, is at the philosophical center of all tai chi and other energy (chi) practices. Relaxation allows happiness to flourish; tension diminishes this possibility.

One formal study exists that shows that the practice of tai chi produced less tension, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion and anxiety. Test subjects felt more vigorous, and in general, had less total mood disturbance.

Tai Chi Moves Us Closer to Feeling Truly Alive

After my 20+ years of training in energy arts in the Orient and teaching tai chi, qigong (chi gung) and meditation to more than 10,000 Westerners, I know first-hand that these are miraculous health practices.

Tai chi helps people take control and responsibility for their health so that life is a joy to live and not a burden to carry into old age. It helps our bodies and minds calm down and cease churning. It disposes us to look for ways to positively engage in life. Most importantly, tai chi gives us the ability to realize the great human potential in ourselves and to have genuine compassion for others. Tai chi, with its gentle strength, moves us closer to feeling truly alive. Isn’t that what good health is all about?