Health benefits of Tai Chi

For the Chinese New Year, Dementia Support South Lincs kindly invited our Tai Chi group to provide a demonstration for their Square Hole Club at the Deeping Sports and Social Club.

I led a team of five people and we demonstrated the traditional Yang style sword routine. Some members of the group had a go whilst others enjoyed watching the performance.

I have been doing similar work for Dementia Support South Lincs with great success since 2011. I have also used Tai Chi to help improve the fitness of those who are already fit to those on palliative care. There are not many conditions that I have not helped!

So what is going on? Why is Tai Chi such a successful intervention in so many cases? I could certainly write a book on the subject but, more succinctly, Dr. Michael Mosley recently did a 15-minute programme on Radio 4 all about Tai Chi and its health benefits. Here are some of the findings of the programme.

Tai Chi may lengthen your life

The ancient practice of Tai Chi is particularly popular in Hong Kong, where residents have one of the highest life expectancies in the world. Those who practise Tai Chi regularly live significantly longer than those who don’t, according to a 2022 Shanghai study which followed 60,000 men for five years.

It’s good for your heart

In a recent study, comparing Tai Chi to brisk walking, the martial art was found to be significantly better at reducing blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease, like blood sugar levels and cholesterol.

It can

boost your immunity

Tai Chi could also benefit your immune system. In a Californian study where half the participants were told to take Tai Chi classes, half took health education classes, and everyone received a shingles vaccine. It was the Tai Chi trainees whose immunity was measuring twice as high as those in the other group nine weeks later.

The Tai Chi group also showed greater improvements in physical functioning, vitality, mental health, and reductions in bodily pain.

Tai Chi improves brain function

Tai Chi has been found to improve brain function (like memory and mental flexibility) faster than other exercise. It actually changes your brain

It seems to train up your brain as well. There has been evidence from brain imaging studies that suggests that Tai Chi training causes changes at both the structural and functional level. Conventional exercise changes the brain a little bit but not to the extent seen from Tai Chi training.

It burns the same number of calories as conventional exercise

It looks like very gentle, slow, smooth movement. However, someone practising Tai Chi burns a similar number of calories to someone who appears to be working out a lot harder.

Tai Chi can help you lose fat as quickly as the gym

Tai Chi is about as effective as conventional exercise, including aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities, for reducing the waist circumference in the individual with central obesity. Central obesity is a sign of visceral, internal fat surrounding our organs.

Don’t just take my word for it – have a listen yourself. All of the health claims made here are backed by proper research: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/ articles/18gmYMx2ntW6Sdyl3fTH0Gw/the-surprisinghealth-benefits-of-tai-chi

If you would like to learn more about Tai Chi, holistic health meditation or any forms of stress reduction, please contact me via email ray@ki-ways.co.uk or give me a ring on 07413 620344 or look up the website www.ki-ways.com