Tai chi offers more than just exercise

#Middlebury #Seniors

The best thing about tai chi (pronounced tie-chee) is that it’s good exercise without being strenuous. With its slow, gentle movements, we can get our stretching and muscle building without overdoing it. But what else can tai chi do for us?

For some of us, improved balance is what we need the most. A few years ago, a study that analyzed previous research concluded that tai chi improved single-leg standing and overall balance. Tai chi helps strengthen leg muscles and increase range of motion, but most of all it can help us avoid dangerous falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four of us will fall each year, and falls are the leading cause of death in Americans 65 and over.

Increased flexibility doesn’t sound that earthshaking – until you consider that it also might affect the flexibility of our arteries. In one study of all age groups doing tai chi, participants were asked to sit and reach for their toes. It was the seniors group where poor trunk flexibility equated to stiffened arteries.

Another study concluded that combining tai chi with an annual flu shot boosts our protection against the flu. Most of us already get the higher dosage over-65 shot. When combined with the immune system protections of tai chi, we’re even more likely to be able to avoid the flu. Other important benefits are stress relief, lower blood pressure and alleviating pain from arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Ask about tai chi classes at your local senior center. If it offers classes, watch one to see how you like it. If they’re not offered, go online to YouTube and sample some of the videos you can do at home. Also look for qi gong, a form of tai chi.

(c) 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.