Although developed as a martial art, tai chi the past several decades has seen Western nations develop it as a form of physical fitness and exercise. The meditative, overall health benefits that tai chi offers have been focused in many cases to treat certain debilitating conditions, both mental and physical. The following ailments, issues and diseases can be minimized and treated by effective tai chi practice:
Aging
Heart disease
Digestive problems
Loss of balance
Cancer
Skin diseases
Depression and anxiety
Inability to focus and concentrate
Lack of flexibility
Week tendons and muscles
High blood pressure
Arthritis
Addiction
The practice of tai chi is so effective at positively treating so many different physical and mental conditions because of the way it was created. Considered an offshoot of the ancient Chinese practice of Qigong, tai chi was first developed as a martial art system of attack and self-defense. However, Qigong was developed as a healing art, to promote wellness, improve overall health, and delay aging.
It is those benefits which carried over to tai chi, which incorporates slow, deliberate movements and actions, as well as relaxed breathing. It is the Chinese belief that the correct mental thoughts, coupled with proper breathing and certain specific movements, can contribute to health and wellness. At first debunked by Western medicine, tai chi is now widely used by doctors and caregivers as a prescription for muscle pain, weakness, a lack of flexibility, arthritis pain and mental stress.
This mind and body exercise seems mystical in its healing powers. But when viewed from a physiological standpoint, the wide-reaching abilities of tai chi to positively affect so many different bodily functions makes perfect medical sense.
When you have poor posture, you limit the proper functioning of your respiratory and circulatory systems. The same thing happens when you breathe incorrectly, and not deeply enough. By focusing on specific physical movements, while engaging in healthy breathing, tai chi strictly dictates perfect form to deliver excellent circulation of oxygen and blood flow throughout your body.
When oxygenated blood circulates properly to your feet, legs, hands, arms, brain, torso and organs, every human physiological process benefits immediately. As a side benefit, tai chi is a form of exercise. When your body exercises, keeps moving and exerting itself, the pleasure center in your brain is rewarded with dopamine and other feel good chemicals.
This causes you to enjoy practicing this healthy Far East art of health and wellness. The more you practice it, the more your circulatory and respiratory systems continue to do their job properly. As a result, the many physical and mental ailments and diseases listed above are positively treated, or even kept entirely at bay.