There was a study that was recently published that there was a way to possibly slow down the progress of Parkinson’s Disease through Tai Chi. Although, it doesn’t necessarily promise a one-of-a-kind treatment to the disease, basically because Parkinson’s disease is incurable, it is very effective and is recommended by neurologists after diagnosis.

Facts About Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, neurodegenerative disorder that is progressive. It is also called as “Shaking Palsy” or “Paralysis Agitans”. Primary signs and symptoms of the disease would include rigidity, tremors, poor balance, bradykinesia or slow movement, and difficulty in gaiting. Parkinson’s, in general, has no traced cause, in other words, unknown. Some says that it is caused by trauma or genetic factor but aside from that, there is still no known basis.

What happens in Parkinson’s is that there is a certain degeneration of the dopamine receptors inside the brain. These nerve cells, which are responsible for producing dopamine, are affected thus resulting to the minimal or probably no production of dopamine. Dopamine is the one that sends signals to the muscles for proper movement and coordination. Without enough amount of dopamine inside the body, there will be no proper coordination of the different muscles in the body thus, different symptoms occur.

Because Parkinson’s is a disease that can only be prevented, it will prevalent that, as the disease progresses, the person may experience trouble in talking, walking, and doing tasks that are simple. They may also have emotional problems like depression, anxiety, etc. Sleeping problems may also occur. These are some of the signs that the person’s situation is getting worse.

One of the widely known risk factor of Parkinson’s is old age. It begins at an age on or before the age of 60. Parkinson’s is also a disease that is more common in men but there are also few incidences in women. It is also said that Parkinson’s is hereditary.

Bad news is, since Parkinson’s is a disease that affects the neurons of the brain, and neurons are cells that don’t regenerate, there is no cure for the disease itself. Good new is, medicines can help lessen dramatic effects of the disease’s symptoms.

Tai Chi and Parkinson’s

Although Parkinson’s disease is degenerative, it is surprisingly a slow progressive event in the life of old people. And because it will take years before the disease can overcome a person’s entire system, there are several interventions that may help slow the progress of Parkinson’s. That is why, Tai Chi can be very effective in slowing it even more.

With Tai Chi’s elaborate movements in which 95{451cb9bdd6b9e2862e15979076b10dd5b792f4772bfb4b679a32dd47787626d3} in the body works in connection with every system, it can enhance a person’s well-being who is suffering from the disease. Tai Chi’s movements can reduce a patient’s gradual lose of coordination. It is said that Tai Chi is far more effective than any kind of sport or exercise that most medical experts suggest in battling Parkinson’s.

Obviously, Tai Chi can be a very good reason to regain coordination and balance. Major universities have indicated that Tai Chi is twice as effective as other balance enhancing exercises in reducing falls. Upon the early diagnosis of Parkinson’s, it is a must to be informed with the major benefits of Tai Chi.

It is effective enough to save the balance of someone before it gets wobbly or physically gets lost.

According to researches, Tai Chi, a Chinese exercise that uses both mind and body, can aid in preventing the shingles virus by increasing the body’s immunity against the VZV or varicella-zoster virus. Aside from preventing it, Tai Chi can also boost the body’s response to the vaccine for old adults. VZV is the virus that is responsible for diseases like shingles and chickenpox.

Understanding Shingles

Shingles is a kind of viral infection that causes debilitating rashes that are quite painful. It appears as blisters that can be seen at the middle of the person’s back turning to one side of his chest and overwhelming the breastbone. Parts of your body like the scalp, neck and face are also affected. Shingles can be excruciatingly painful.

One way to identify the disease is to pinpoint where it all started because shingles usually originates at one side of the body. Shingles is a sort of long term “side-effect” of chickenpox. It is because after having chickenpox, the virus within the body becomes inactive. After years, it gets to be reactivated as shingles.

Shingles is not a life-threatening situation but can be severely painful and can lead to a complication in which the skin remains painful and is very sensitive to even to the softest touch. It remains at that state until all blisters are gone. This kind of condition lasts for months or worse, years.

Shingles is the common for adults over 50 that is why it is important the old people be protected from the virus or have in them the prescribed tool to fight the virus out of their lives. For those who have not been affected with the virus, but is susceptible to, better be more cautious and maintain the immune system on a healthy level.

What the public needs to know

Although vaccination can be an effective method to prevent acquiring shingles, it can only last long. But if the vaccination for shingles is combined with Tai Chi, the results are promising. Good news is, out of 5 persons who have undergone chickenpox, only one person will get shingles sometime in their 50s. Shingles will be very dangerous for older people.

Researchers and doctors said that, although more studies should be further enhanced, it is proven that Tai Chi combined with immunization was made effective as an intervention to prevent the increase of the painful condition. The positive effects of Tai Chi helped researchers determine that the height of response by the human body is incredible.

Study has it that Tai Chi alone can increase the patient’s immunity to the virus same with the outcome of ordinary vaccine. The moment Tai Chi is combined with the vaccine itself, it produced a significant result with a high level of immunity amounting to over 40{451cb9bdd6b9e2862e15979076b10dd5b792f4772bfb4b679a32dd47787626d3}. Studies also show that compared to those that only acquired the vaccine, Tai Chi’s effects are doubled in the increase.

Aside from the increased level of immunity, Tai Chi also manifested remarkable outcome that include decrease in body pain, improved physical functioning, mental health and vitality. Groups who engaged in Tai Chi showed a decline in the symptoms of the disease’s severity.

Therefore, for those who are experiencing or knows someone who is at their golden years, it is better to advise them to engage in Tai Chi.

There are things that you ought to do before, during and after every Tai Chi session. They are called precautions. Well, this won’t be new to you because almost all exercises have certain precautions that every practitioner must observe and follow.

Below are some pointers to ponder on (for beginners and those who have medical problems):

Precaution #1

Never attempt to learn Tai Chi through instruction manuals and online videos. The book can only tell you what to do and what are the basic principles behind every move but it will not actually exhibit the right or wrong positions. Trying to imitate the Tai Chi DVDs can be quite a hag.

They will make you want to try and learn but will be very hard for you to keep on pushing the stop-rewind-play-stop-rewind-play-fast forward buttons just to catch up on their instructions. Things like this will never tell you if you have made a mistake in your performance. They will just go on and on. Besides, if you have a particular question in mind, your manuals and videos will not make the slightest effort to answer you.

It is always safe to learn from someone who is experienced enoughed to teach you, PERSONALLY, the basics. Once you have learned the difference between the right and wrong technique, that’s the right time to practice with your manual or video. Beginners should take note of this very seriously.

Precaution #2

Upon entering a Tai Chi program, you should choose the teacher who will instruct you. You have to make sure that he or she is experienced enough to entertain any of your needs or questions regarding Tai Chi. This is very important especially for those who are currently experiencing arthritis or heart problems because there are certain movements that can be straining and may contribute more to the pain.

In cases of joint pains and flares, always consult your doctor about it. Ask him what are the appropriate movements that can’t produce further pain. Tell your instructor about your condition so that he may have an idea on what would be more appropriate for your condition.

Precaution #3

You should always warm up before and then cool down and take a quick rest after. You may not think Tai Chi as a vigorous and strenuous kind of exercise but mind you, it keeps the muscles and joints working overtime.

Precaution #4

If there is a need to modify, then do it for as long as it is necessary. Because there are many Tai Chi movements that are in need of your whole to produce a perfect position. But if you have some unseen involvement that may cause your performance to become blur, then drop the original movements then modify it.

Precaution #5

If you can’t do it, don’t push it. Exerting yourself just to let everyone see is like stressing yourself in the most painful manner. Tai chi is a process in which it is meditative and not stressful so don’t push yourself to movements that aren’t possible for you to perform.

Practice. This won’t harm you. And it will only take you at least half an hour to complete an hour’s program. Tai Chi is indeed a perfect exercise for meditative purposes. But don’t mistake it with other vigorous exercises that promise weight loss or weight gain, nice abs, etc.

Gone are the days wherein Tai Chi is only recognized within the homes of those who made it. Tai Chi have become very popular to people nowadays. It is not recognized as a way of exercising but of treating and preventing certain ailments that can’t be done through ordinary medications alone. With all of its proven advantages and outcomes, Tai Chi was recognized as an exercise that doesn’t merely involve physical strength and outcome but also inner strength. Not only have Tai Chi become famous in the treatment industry but also in sports and tournaments.

Tai Chi in the Medical Aspect

Tai Chi grew as one of the most effective exercise to treat, prevent and boost certain systems in the human’s body. Classes were included in hospital programs that involve arthritis problems as their main course. It is also popular in clinics, senior and community centers and as well as those places wherein stress management is applied.

Stress, one of the leading causes of many ailments today is present almost everywhere. It can be a pinch or a bundle of stress. It is common in workplaces wherein you meet deadlines every waking day. It has been concluded that, with the help of the principles of Tai Chi and what it is doing to the body, stress can be reduced or better yet, eliminated and prevented. Some of these workplaces include Tai Chi as one of their programs for their beloved employees.

Self-defense, Aesthetic or Physical and Mental Benefits?

Tai Chi is both. Although, the result of its popularity in the modern world made people’s opinion has broken into three dividing beliefs. This is true especially to those who are already applying and practicing it. But however the opinions may pave its way, it always depends on how it is done. If you are practicing Tai Chi because you wanted peace of mind, body and soul, then be it. If you are using it for aesthetic (wushu) purposes, then let it be done that way. But if you enrolled in a Tai Chi class because you believe in the power of Tai Chi to help you get through defending yourself, then, for you, Tai Chi is for self-defense.

Thing is, wushu is made only for show. The forms that were done and taught are all designed to amass points in a competition. Wushu techniques are really not concerned with any of the physical, mental and martial art aspect of Tai Chi. Instead, it is done to impress judges of certain tournaments.

But traditional stylists has this belief that martial arts and health are strictly necessary in the convergence of Tai Chi. Elements of the yin and yang must be there. Tai Chi schools still include their teachings in a martial art concept whatever their students’ intentions may be.

Tai Chi, like Yoga, is one of the fastest and most famous growing health maintenance and fitness program in the U.S.

Tournaments

A standardized form of Tai Chi competition, wushu had made it big as a Chinese sport. Rules for the competition were made to be succeeded within six minutes. It was formed by the Chinese Sports Committee and made many different forms of the competition.

Modern versions have become a very integral part of the international tournament. Tai Chi has also been included in movies and in very important competitions like the Asian Games.

Tai Chi, also known as Tai Chi Chuan, was handed down from different generations since its creation by Chang San-Feng. It was during the Sung Dynasty that this was introduced and from that moment on, there were numerous accounts of the form.

The form, or kung chia in Chinese language, are the different movements made through Tai Chi. One of the most common and famous form is the manipulation of the snake and the crane fighting. Master Chang, one of the advocates, copied this kind of fighting style and transformed it into a softer version of their coiling movements. The form that was developed had 13 postures that correspond with the trigrams and the Five Elements.

Master Chang’s lineage was not clear but what historians know is that he is a certain Chiang Fah. Chiang’s form was taught to a young man named as Chen Wang Ting. Chen was known to practice the art of Tai Chi in 1644. Descendants of Chen Wang Ting practiced their family form. Some of the characteristics of their form is done with emphasis on low stances, a silk-reeling move, and fast movements and were practiced periodically.

Tai Chi that was formed by the Chen family was secretly practiced and no one was allowed to use it outside of their home. But during the time of Chen Chang Hsin, which was in the year 1800, the tradition broke. He taught all of his family Tai Chi secrets and styles to his student, Yang Lu Chan.

The modern-day Yang style came from the grandson of Yang Lu Chan named Yang Cheng Fu. This paved the way to introducing one of the longest accounts in the history of Tai Chi. Its form consists of 128 postures. It is characterized by the warding off of energy using leaning movements with slow motion techniques.

The generation of the Yang family taught their students the techniques on Tai Chi. The masters chose their earnest students and made a lineage that gave birth to other styles namely Sun, Wu, and Hao. These styles may differ in the way they are portrayed and the performance differs as well but the principles that were observed by Chang San Feng remains the same.

There was this one student of Yang Cheng Fu named Cheng Man Ching. Cheng became the master of his own generation because of the revisions that he made with Tai Chi Chuan. One of the most famous changes that he made was shortening the form to a 37-posture Tai Chi. This is change made by Cheng is now the most famous form of Tai Chi that is practiced till this day.

When Cheng came to the U.S., he tried to teach and took on the interest of some students in all aspects of life. By doing so, he made the form popular to every men and women. This new form introduced by Cheng is originally known as the Yang Style in the shorter form. It become widespread, today, it is more popular with the name Cheng Style of Tai Chi.

The form of Cheng’s Tai Chi is characterized by an upright spine position, rolling back of energy and a softness that has its powerful attitude.

Taoism is the main contributor of the idea why, in the first place, Tai Chi was formed. This is because Taoism reflects teachings that fundamentally contribute to the reflective, mystic and serene view of the world and the nature we live in.