Occasionally, a health-related article draws my attention. The latest one to do that is “Tai Chi and Your Lungs: The Benefits of Low Impact, Deep-Breathing Exercise.” It is on the American Lung Association website.
According to the article,
“there are safe exercise options that people living with a chronic lung disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma or lung cancer should consider. One that has been found to have health benefits is tai chi. Rooted in Asian martial arts and traditional Chinese medicine, tai chi focuses on slow, gentle, repetitive movements. This allows you to focus on integrating your breath, having bodily awareness and increasing mental focus through visualization.”
The article relates to what is in my blog post titled “Standing in the Tai Chi Preparation Posture.” That post also contains content about breathing, body awareness, and visualization.
In another part of the ALA article, it is asserted that “Particularly for patients with COPD, a 2021 review of 23 studies by The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health concluded that tai chi may help improve lung function, and in turn exercise capacity and quality of life.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, causing 3.5 million deaths in 2021, approximately 5% of all global deaths.”
Tai chi has also been shown to help children with asthma.
While the Yang style tai chi we do may not offer the same aerobic benefits as walking, which seniors should also do, it is a positive to know that it’s even recommended for people with asthma and COPD.
👩⚕️ More information on tai chi’s health connection
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