Tai Chi as medicine

[Scott R. Brown]

Hendrick: it appears that I now undertand the reason for your various affectations; having reviewd the website of Dr. Ma, I came across the following "research"

oh, and Scott - as an RN, you may want to consider the "nursing" recommendation for your own patients...

At least he doesn't have Type I DM anymore!

I know a guy who tried that treatment once......he'll get out of prison in another 18 years!

[taai gihk yahn]

At least he doesn't have Type I DM anymore!

I know a guy who tried that treatment once......he'll get out of prison in another 18 years!

if you want a really good laugh, go read the various research studies on her website...

anyone who posts stuff like that as supporting their claims should be avoided at all costs...

[Skip J.]

ok, fine, but now we are onto a somewhat different topic, which is the way in which culture influences what someone might want to do activity-wise and their ability to engage in it over the long-term; it has nothing to do with whether or not taiji is intrinsicaly more beneficial than yoga or line-dancing (I would argue that, when self-selection of the sort you mention is involved, it is not, since we tend to select what we enjoy doing, and that will have a positive impact on outcomes)

Mercy taai! I never said that it was better "intrinsically", I said it was more effective because it wasn't boring; so that folks folks would come and take it - that would not take other activities, because they are so boring....

You see the taijiquan glass as half empty, I see it as 1/2 full - it's the same glass....

Don't make this more complicated than it is... it doesn't matter if other activities are as effective medically.... if folks do not get their lazy butts up off of the couch and go. Especially men...... Maybe you're not 50 yet and go down to the senior center and watch these guys sit around and shoot the bull all day??? You can see'em just melt away day after day when they retire.... If you haven't spent a couple of years in the senior centers yet, then you need to walk a mile in my moccasins my man....

[Scott R. Brown]

Ill be 51 in two months and you couldn't pay me to spend time at a senior center, EVER!!!!!

[taai gihk yahn]

Mercy taai! I never said that it was better "intrinsically", I said it was more effective because it wasn't boring; so that folks folks would come and take it - that would not take other activities, because they are so boring....

again, that has nothing to do with the activity itself - you may think taiji is less boring, someone else might think it's more boring than yoga, line dancing, etc.; when you factor out self-selection though, then you get down to the specifics of the given activity, which you then have to break down into component pieces to be able to analyze in terms of what impact they have on the organism

You see the taijiquan glass as half empty, I see it as 1/2 full - it's the same glass....

really? how exactly do you come to that conclusion? I've been studying taiji for over 15 years and teaching it for about 1/2 that time; if I thought it was half-empty, I can't imagine having stuck with it that long...

Don't make this more complicated than it is...

it's as complicated as it is, which is that as soon as you want to start making medical claims for a given activity, you need to back those claims up in a very specific way; you teach taiji recreationally, whereas I teach it to a clinical population, so the bar is a little higher in that regard

it doesn't matter if other activities are as effective medically.... if folks do not get their lazy butts up off of the couch and go. Especially men...... Maybe you're not 50 yet and go down to the senior center and watch these guys sit around and shoot the bull all day??? You can see'em just melt away day after day when they retire....

everyone makes their own choices; some people choose to die more concertedly than others; for those that choose to live, you provide a means that can help them do so;

If you haven't spent a couple of years in the senior centers yet, then you need to walk a mile in my moccasins my man....

I've worked as a PT in nursing homes; I think that qualifies...

[Skip J.]

Ill be 51 in two months and you couldn't pay me to spend time at a senior center, EVER!!!!!

Ahhh, you youngsters.... under 60.... There will come a time..... trust me on this...

[Scott R. Brown]

Ahhh, you youngsters.... under 60.... There will come a time..... trust me on this...

LOL!!! I've heard that my WHOLE life, Skip! The ole, "Wait til it happens to you." comment, and it has yet to be proven true even ONCE!

The only senior center I'll EVER be entering is the one I am running......or going into looking for my kids!

[Skip J.]

LOL!!! I've heard that my WHOLE life, Skip! The ole, "Wait til it happens to you." comment, and it has yet to be proven true even ONCE!

The only senior center I'll EVER be entering is the one I am running......or going into looking for my kids!

Ah yes, I was full of life and energy in my 50's too... I look back fondly on such a happy time.... Frankly, my 50's were some of the best years of my life. I am happy to be amongst this august group of folks who enjoy considerably better health as we get older. I know I get kinda wound up about it at times, but I watched my Dad just slowwww down when he retired, and then one day he was gone. If I can help just one guy stretch that out awhile longer, I'm a happy camper.

It's kinda funny talking about not going into a senior center - I'm self-employed and may never be able to afford to retire.... I will agree, if you can stay busy at that age without need for an external supply of motivation - that is the best way.

Still, watching my Dad just sit in a chair and do nothing for nearly a decade was really tough - it shaped my perception about the way I would approach retirement completely.

Never say never tho, about anything ....

[Scott R. Brown]

Ah yes, I was full of life and energy in my 50's too... I look back fondly on such a happy time.... Frankly, my 50's were some of the best years of my life. I am happy to be amongst this august group of folks who enjoy considerably better health as we get older. I know I get kinda wound up about it at times, but I watched my Dad just slowwww down when he retired, and then one day he was gone. If I can help just one guy stretch that out awhile longer, I'm a happy camper.

It's kinda funny talking about not going into a senior center - I'm self-employed and may never be able to afford to retire.... I will agree, if you can stay busy at that age without need for an external supply of motivation - that is the best way.

Still, watching my Dad just sit in a chair and do nothing for nearly a decade was really tough - it shaped my perception about the way I would approach retirement completely.

Never say never tho, about anything ....

I've worked amongst geriatrics for years. I have see first hand the penalty paid for inactivity, improper diet, lack of mental stimulation, etc.

One of the things I have noticed amongst people in general in my life is they make it easier for themselves to live with their own limitations by projecting them onto to others by saying, "This will happen to you too!"

So far it never has for me because I don't accept other peoples limitations for me!

The truth is limitations are self imposed. It won't happen to me because I won't allow it to happen to me.

[taai gihk yahn]

I've worked amongst geriatrics for years. I have see first hand the penalty paid for inactivity, improper diet, lack of mental stimulation, etc.

One of the things I have noticed amongst people in general in my life is they make it easier for themselves to live with their own limitations by projecting them onto to others by saying, "This will happen to you too!"

So far it never has for me because I don't accept other peoples limitations for me!

The truth is limitations are self imposed. It won't happen to me because I won't allow it to happen to me.

exactly; my parents are both in their 70's - they certainly have had their share of injuries / health related issues / surgeries, they both are war-zone survivors as children and came to the US as refugees at various points, got themselves educated to master's degrees and worked for decades as teachers, they have varied interests: my dad, 78, and former Hungarian Olympic basketball player, still teaches tennis and coaches team handball; my mom, 72, gives tours at the Met opera in NYC and frequents museums; both read extensively, they exercise 2-3x/week, get massages 1x/week, enjoy what they eat without stressing too much about diet, they have many friends all over the world and they travel internationally at least once if not twice a year, and they spend at least a day / week with my 5 y/o son who they adore;

while I don't know how much longer they have, I am pretty sure (as much as one can be), that they are not just going to dwindle away, at least not anytime soon, because their underlying perspective is that life is for living fully; and FWIW, neither of them have any interest in taiji / qigong - they think pretty much all of what I do is really weird, in fact!

[Scott R. Brown]

exactly; my parents are both in their 70's - they certainly have had their share of injuries / health related issues / surgeries, they both are war-zone survivors as children and came to the US as refugees at various points, got themselves educated to master's degrees and worked for decades as teachers, they have varied interests: my dad, 78, and former Hungarian Olympic basketball player, still teaches tennis and coaches team handball; my mom, 72, gives tours at the Met opera in NYC and frequents museums; both read extensively, they exercise 2-3x/week, get massages 1x/week, enjoy what they eat without stressing too much about diet, they have many friends all over the world and they travel internationally at least once if not twice a year, and they spend at least a day / week with my 5 y/o son who they adore;

while I don't know how much longer they have, I am pretty sure (as much as one can be), that they are not just going to dwindle away, at least not anytime soon, because their underlying perspective is that life is for living fully; and FWIW, neither of them have any interest in taiji / qigong - they think pretty much all of what I do is really weird, in fact!

Totally cool Chris....

so.......

you must be hungary!

[taai gihk yahn]

Totally cool Chris....

so.......

you must be hungary!

i just put some chile on some turkey and eat it

[bawang]

ur parents r awesom
can i borrow them

[Skip J.]

I've worked amongst geriatrics for years. I have see first hand the penalty paid for inactivity, improper diet, lack of mental stimulation, etc.

One of the things I have noticed amongst people in general in my life is they make it easier for themselves to live with their own limitations by projecting them onto to others by saying, "This will happen to you too!"

So far it never has for me because I don't accept other peoples limitations for me!

The truth is limitations are self imposed. It won't happen to me because I won't allow it to happen to me.

Hello Scott;

I don't have many words at the moment, all I can say is I felt exactly the same way you describe at your age. Enjoy it, and I hope you get to continue to enjoy it!

[Skip J.]

again, that has nothing to do with the activity itself - you may think taiji is less boring, someone else might think it's more boring than yoga, line dancing, etc.; when you factor out self-selection though, then you get down to the specifics of the given activity, which you then have to break down into component pieces to be able to analyze in terms of what impact they have on the organism


really? how exactly do you come to that conclusion? I've been studying taiji for over 15 years and teaching it for about 1/2 that time; if I thought it was half-empty, I can't imagine having stuck with it that long...


it's as complicated as it is, which is that as soon as you want to start making medical claims for a given activity, you need to back those claims up in a very specific way; you teach taiji recreationally, whereas I teach it to a clinical population, so the bar is a little higher in that regard


everyone makes their own choices; some people choose to die more concertedly than others; for those that choose to live, you provide a means that can help them do so;


I've worked as a PT in nursing homes; I think that qualifies...

Hello taai....

I don't have any adrenaline left anymore to discuss these serious issues "properly", I may never get it back.

If you wish to delude yourself that the students you treat for pay are not the same exact students (as in the "same glass of water") that come to us recreational instructors the week after your clinical employer cuts them off for their insurance running out...... then go right on ahead....

You know, I really find ironic in the extreme that you value the health benefits of your parents participating in recreational activities, any recreational activities.... and blow all the rest of us recreational instructors off as of no benefit to students...