Tai Chi as medicine

[KungFubar]

actually, what I think really happens is that the feet (more specificaly, the proprioceptors in the ankles), have been gone for a while, and the person has been compensating with vision; but then the eyesight goes, and that's it (basically, balance is mediated by stretch-recpetors in the ankles first, then vision a few milliseconds later, and then the inner ear after a longer lag, I forget how much - so if u loose ur balance, visually u can compensate quick enough to stay upright, the vestibular system takes too long though; so if u loose ankle prope and vision, u r basically screwed)

I think taiji (or other slow moving work) works on both ankle prope and the overall postural system via visual capacity (looking in very specific places while doing the form, which activiates the postural system via the occulo-gyro-cephalic reflex, meaning that the visual system cues the postural muscles to orient the body in reference to the direction in which one is looking); the slowness of the movement gives u time to "feel" where u r, and the full weight shifting and sustained unilateral weightbearing "stresses" the ankles through a full range and sustained loading phase, which helps w deep prope receptors;

very interesting thanks.

[KungFubar]

The worst kind of stroke is the one that hits your cognitive center. As long as you have some cognitive function you can improve over time with the proper guidance and determination.

Most people give up trying. But I had one patient that the Doctors wanted to pull the plug on 3 times and her husband said no.

Then they put in a stomach tube. He stayed with her 20 hrs a day for 5 or 6 months until I started to care for her. Then he was comfortable enough to go home at night.

She improved dramatically until last Thanksgiving and then went down hill almost over night. She was walking, swallowing and saying words, then she withdrew and couldn't function.

The P.T., S.T. and Doctor gave up on her again. But he insisted on finding out what was wrong. He finally harassed the Doctor into sending her to the Emergency room.

There they couldn't find specifically what was wrong, but they put her on a series of Antibiotics and within a week she was back to talking, walking with assistance and reading words, recognizing family members, etc.

If her husband hadn't bullied the Doctor she probably would be dead now, because everyone wanted to give up on her but her husband.

outstanding effort. always question "experts"

[TaichiMantis]

Who knew "repulse the monkey" was good for your immune system?

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/tai-chi-immune-system

[GeneChing]

This is trending today. Usually I chase down the source, but I'm going to leave that to someone else for this one.

Tai Chi exercises offer anti-aging benefits at cellular level, study suggests, including pain and stress reduction
Jason Rehel | May 28, 2014 12:47 PM ET
More from Jason Rehel | @culturejunky


Steve Bosch/Postmedia News files
Tai Chi, the ancient Chinese martial art, may offer anti-aging benefits for people of all ages, encouraging the rise in cells that help rejuvenate and restore the body, reducing stress and improving balance and blood flow.

A literal fountain of youth may be the stuff of fantasy, but a virtual one, activated by Tai Chi, the traditional Chinese martial art and sport, may exist, a new study on stem cells and the exercise regimen suggests.

Study authors in Taiwan examined three groups of individuals under the age of 25 who participated either in Tai Chi regularly, brisk walking, or no exercise regimen at all. Among the Tai Chi group, the researchers observed that a stem cell important to a number of the body’s functions and structures saw a rise in its levels in the body.

Tai Chi “has been confirmed to benefit” patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease and fibromyalgia, the study authors wrote.

The stem cells, known as CD 34+, are “markers for hematopoietic stem cells (blood stem cells) involved in cell self-renewal, differentiation and proliferation.”

“Compared with the [no exercise] group, the Tai Chi group had a significantly higher number of CD 34+ cells,” researchers wrote.

In addition to its anti-aging effects, Tai Chi may also help increase blood flow in the body, and aid in pain reduction, fall prevention and balance improvement, aerobic capacity, blood pressure, quality of life and stress reduction.

But the study authors also acknowledged that this study provides only preliminary evidence of the benefits of the Chinese exercise regimen, saying more work is needed to isolate the causes of its positive effects, and how best to replicate them in varied populations.

“This study provides the first step into providing scientific evidence for the possible health benefits of Tai Chi.” said Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, distinguished professor at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Fla.

“Further study of how Tai Chi can elicit benefit in different populations and on different parameters of aging are necessary to determine its full impact.”

[GeneChing]

I'm with Kaiser. They have flyers for their Tai Chi & Qigong programs but I've never really looked into it. I think they were promoting Tai Chi Chih for a while.

Kaiser Permanente brings Tai Chi to UGA for community health


Tai Chi classes provide various health benefits

? Participants in Athens Regional’s Tai Chi Chih classes work through the 19 movements said to lower blood pressure and decrease tension.

Posted: Monday, October 6, 2014 2:00 pm
Shelby Eggers @shelbyeggers

Kaiser Permanente in conjunction with UGA College of Public Health will offer free Tai Chi classes to UGA students, faculty and the local community. After opening a new health facility at UGA, the classes began last September as a part of a health promotion initiative.

“Kaiser wanted to improve the health of our community and our college responded,” Dr. Koichiro Otani, Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at the UGA College of Public Health. “We invite all people, faculty and staff members, but also people of the community. Everyone is welcome. “

Kaiser Permanente hired Michael Issa, a Tai Chi instructor from Atlanta, to teach the classes. Classes are every Wednesday and Friday from 9-10 a.m. for beginners and upper level classes from 10-10:45 a.m.

“I have my own studio for Tai Chi and Martial Arts,” Issa said. “We do classes in Dunwoody and Atlanta. Kaiser hired me to come and teach Tai Chi classes here at UGA. I drive up from Atlanta every Wednesday and Friday. This is the first time we started a level 2 class, so the group is growing and picking up steam.”

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese calesthenic that is a combination of Martial Arts and ancient Chinese medical practices. In the United States, Tai Chi has been marketed towards the elderly because of the benefits for joint health and flexibility.

“Tai Chi is for all age groups,” Issa said. “For young people who are interested in expanding in their expertise in martial arts, Tai Chi serves as an advanced practice to help master the hard style. Considered a soft style, it’s able to use muscles in the body that the hard style neglects. By taking incremental steps slowly, you’re able to work finer muscles that generate greater power when you move faster in a martial arts application.”

Recognized by many health organizations including the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Tai Chi is considered to have many health benefits including benefits for tendon and legement health and chronic disease prevention by reducing stress and lowering inflammation in the body.

“College and high pressure jobs cause inflammation in the body and it can cause a lot of health problems down the road. Tai Chi is becoming a health management, to prevent disease down the road and in the interim helping to improve the quality of mental health,” Issa said.

Located in George Hall on the Health Science Campus, this semester’s classes began September 17. There is no class limitation size, but registration closes October 10.

[GeneChing]

Tai Chi Practice Has an Anti-Aging Effect and Can Help Fibromyalgia Patients Cope with the Disease
May 28th, 2015 Patricia Silva, PhD Patricia Silva, PhD

A study published in the journal Cell Transplantation demonstrated the benefits of Tai Chi in terms of aging and in fibromyalgia patients. The study is entitled “Tai Chi Intervention Increases Progenitor CD34+ Cells in Young Adults” and was conducted by a collaborative team of researchers at different universities and hospitals in Taiwan.

Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese martial art that offers defense training but also health benefits. It is sometimes referred to as “moving meditation” because practitioners move their bodies slowly, gently, while breathing deeply. Although Tai Chi is considered a healthy practice worldwide, few efforts have been made to exploit the impact of Tai Chi on lifespan.

Researchers have now conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study with the goal of comparing the anti-aging effects of different practices in 32 participants divided into three groups: a group that practiced Tai Chi (10 participants), a group that practiced brisk walking (10 participants), and a group with no exercise habit (12 participants).

“To evaluate the potential life-lengthening effect of Tai Chi, we conducted a year-long, retrospective cross-sectional study comparing the rejuvenating and anti-aging effects among three groups of volunteers under the age of 25 who engaged in either Tai Chi (TCC), brisk walking (BW), or no exercise habit (NEH),” explained in a news release one of the study’s senior authors, Dr. Shinn-Zong Lin from China Medical University Hospital. “We used young volunteers because they have better cell-renewing abilities than the old population and we also wanted to avoid having chronic diseases and medications as interfering factors.”

The team assessed the CD34+ cell counts in peripheral blood of the participants. CD34+ cells correspond to an important cell type related to hematopoietic stem cells (blood stem cells), which are involved in cell self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation.

Researchers found that participants in the TCC group had a higher number of CD34+ progenitor cells in comparison to participants in the NEH group, while they had no significant difference when compared to the BW group.

The research team concluded that Tai Chi practice has an anti-aging effect due to the improvement it induces in CD34+ cell numbers. The authors also suggest that Tai Chi can offer a beneficial effect on patients with fibromyalgia, a medical disorder that can compromise the patient’s quality of life as they experience widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain, incapacitating fatigue, stiffness and numbness in certain parts of the body, painful response to pressure, headaches, poor sleep quality, anxiety and depression. The team suggests that Tai Chi may be valuable in reducing pain and stress, prevent falls and improve balance, blood pressure, aerobic capacity and quality of life.

“It is possible that Tai Chi may prompt vasodilation and increase blood flow,” said Dr. Lin. “Considering that BW may require a larger space or more equipment, Tai Chi seems to be an easier and more convenient choice of anti-aging exercise.”

“This study provides the first step into providing scientific evidence for the possible health benefits of Tai Chi,” concluded Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, a distinguished professor at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida. “Further study of how Tai Chi can elicit benefit in different populations and on different parameters of aging are necessary to determine its full impact.”

Here's the original study

Home / Cell Transplantation, Volume 23, Numbers 4-5



Open Access Tai Chi Intervention Increases Progenitor CD34+ Cells in Young Adults

Authors: Ho, Tsung-Jung; Ho, Li-Ing; Hsueh, Kuo-Wei; Chan, Tzu-Min; Huang, Shih-Li; Lin, Jaung-Geng; Liang, Wen-Miin; Hsu, Wei-Hung; Harn, Horng-Jyh; Lin, Shinn-Zong

Source: Cell Transplantation, Volume 23, Numbers 4-5, 2014, pp. 613-620(8)

Publisher: Cognizant Communication Corporation

Abstract:
Tai Chi has been shown to have many great health benefits. However, few research attempts have been made to explore the effects of practicing TCC on life span. This study provides direct evidence of Tai Chi’s antiaging effects. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study to compare the rejuvenating and antiaging effects among Tai Chi group (TCC) and brisk walking group (BW) and no exercise habit group (NEH). Thirty-two participants were selected out of a possible 60 based on a survey, and they were separated into three groups: the TCC group (practicing for more than 1 year), the BW group (practicing for more than 1 year), and the NEH group. The CD34+ cell counts in peripheral blood of the participants was determined, and the Kruskal‐Wallis test was used to evaluate and compare the antiaging effects of the three groups. Of the 32 participants in this study, the participants in the TCC group (N = 10) outperformed the NEH group (N = 12) with respect to the number of CD34+ progenitor cells. No significant difference was found between the TCC group and the BW group. TCC practice sustained for more than 1 year may be an intervention against aging as effective as BW in terms of its benefits on the improvement of CD34+ number.

Articles that cite this article?

Keywords: Antiaging; CD34+ stem cell; Longevity; Tai Chi

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3727/096368914X678355

Affiliations: School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

Publication date: April 9, 2014

[GeneChing]

Tai Chi Chuan-based cardiac rehabilitation program benefits patients with MI
Nery RM, et al. Am Heart J. 2015;doi:10.1016/j.ahj.2015.01.017.
June 2, 2015

A Tai Chi Chuan-based cardiac rehabilitation program was associated with an increase in peak oxygen consumption, a marker of functional capacity, in patients with recent MI.

Researchers conducted a single blind randomized clinical trial of patients with recent MI. After being out of the hospital for 14 to 21 days, all patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing and laboratory blood analysis. They were then assigned to three weekly sessions of Tai Chi Chuan Beijin style for 12 weeks (n = 31; mean age, 56 years; 80% men) or to three weekly sessions of full-body stretching exercise (n = 30; mean age, 60 years; 63% men).

The primary outcome was change in peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2) at 12 weeks.

Mean attendance rates were 95% in the Tai Chi Chuan group and 97% in the control group, according to the researchers.

At 12 weeks, the Tai Chi Chuan group had a 14% increase in peak VO2 compared with baseline (21.6 mL/kg/min to 24.6 mL/kg/min), whereas the control group had a 5% decline in peak VO2 compared with baseline (20.4 mL/kg/min to 19.4 mL/kg/minute; difference; P < .0001 for interaction), Rosane Maria Nery, PhD, of the exercise cardiology research group at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil, and colleagues found.

The results did not change after adjustment for baseline measurements, age, sex, diabetes and smoking (difference, 4.1 mL/kg/min; 95% CI, 2.6-5.6).

“This suggests that [Tai Chi Chuan] may improve aerobic capacity in the post-MI setting and can do so safely, at least in the short term, as there were no adverse effects attributable to the study intervention,” Nery and colleagues wrote. “The mechanisms underlying this improvement have yet to be fully elucidated, involving both central and peripheral effects of [Tai Chi Chuan].” – by Erik Swain

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.

This makes a lot of sense to me.

[GeneChing]

New Study Links Long-Term Tai Chi Mind-Body Exercise to Improved Cognitive Function in Older Adults

Published: July 10, 2015 9:10 a.m. ET

Study Published in the July 2015 Issue of Global Advances in Health and Medicine

BOSTON, MA, Jul 10, 2015 (Marketwired via COMTEX) -- A recent study has found a link between long-term tai chi (TC) mind-body exercise practice and preserved cognitive function in healthy adults. This is an important finding as cognitive decline among older adults is a significant and growing public health concern.

The study's researchers used a hybrid design that included a 2-arm randomized clinical trial along with an additional observational comparison group. Long-term tai chi training effects on cognitive outcomes were assessed through comparisons of tai chi-naïve healthy adults vs an age-matched sample of "expert" tai chi practitioners. Sixty tai chi-naïve healthy adults, aged 50 years to 79 years, were randomized to receive 6 months of tai chi training or to usual healthcare alone. Randomization was stratified by age using a permuted-blocks randomization scheme with randomly varying block sizes. All outcomes were assessed at baseline and six months.

Tai chi-naïve study participants were asked to attend two classes per week on average and to practice a minimum of 30 minutes on two additional days per week over the 6-month intervention. Attendance at tai chi classes was recorded by instructors, and home practice was tracked by participants using a weekly practice log. Participants attending at least 70% of all classes and completing 70% or more of prescribed home practice were considered compliant or "per protocol."

In the other arm of the study, 27 healthy adults (aged 50 y-79 y) currently engaged in an active tai chi training regimen, each with an average of 25 years of tai chi practice ("tai chi experts"), were recruited for a single observational visit.

A battery of validated tests were used to evaluate visuomotor processing speed, visual attention, rapid set-shifting, verbal attention, verbal working memory, and activation retrieval.

The study found that tai chi experts exhibited trends toward better scores on all cognitive measures, significantly so for category fluency, as well as a composite z score summarizing all six cognitive assessments.

"To our knowledge, this study is the first to compare the potential long-term and short-term effects of tai chi on cognitive function in healthy active adults using common screening and outcome assessment protocols," said one of the study's authors, Peter Wayne, M.D., of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. "We found in our cross-sectional analysis that experienced tai chi practitioners displayed a higher level of cognitive function compared to age-matched and gender-matched tai chi-naïve adults. The tai chi experts outperformed the tai chi-naïve group in nearly all measures of cognitive function with statistically significant differences in one measure as well as an overall composite z score, indicating that tai chi could have the potential to preserve cognitive function with aging. In contrast, short-term exposure to tai chi training in active and very healthy tai chi-naïve adults did not significantly improve cognitive function."

For details about this study, access to other articles from the July issue, and an audio overview of the issue by co--Editor-in-Chief Robert Saper, M.D., MPH, visit www.gahmj.com.

About Global Advances in Health and Medicine

Global Advances in Health and Medicine (GAHMJ) is a global multimedia communication forum that combines original research with breakthrough thinking and analysis of policy initiatives to catalyze global conversations, collaboration, and the building of communities to advance whole-person and whole-systems approaches to care and healing. GAHMJ's platform includes an online and printed peer-reviewed, indexed, medical journal published six times per year with abstracts in three languages and an interactive website that reaches readers in more than 40 countries.

The study is here, but this journal only provides an abstract for free.

Impact of Short- and Long-term Tai Chi Mind-Body Exercise Training on Cognitive Function in Healthy Adults: Results From a Hybrid Observational Study and Randomized Trial
短期和长期太极身心训练对健康成人认知功能的影响：从混合观察性研究与随机试验 中得出的结果
Impacto del entrenamiento con ejercicios mente-cuerpo de taichí a corto y largo plazo en la función cognitiva en adultos sanos: Resultados de un estudio observacional híbrido y ensayo aleatorizado
Jacquelyn N. Walsh, Brad Manor, Jeffrey Hausdorff, Vera Novak, Lewis Lipsitz, Brian Gow, Eric A. Macklin, Chung-Kang Peng, Peter M. Wayne
Global Adv Health Med. 2015;4:38-48. 10.7453/gahmj.2015.058
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (831 KB) | PDF Plus(773 KB) | References
XABSTRACT Background: Cognitive decline amongst older adults is a significant public health concern. There is growing interest in behavioral interventions, including exercise, for improving cognition. Studies to date suggest tai chi (TC) may be a safe and potentially effective exercise for preserving cognitive function with aging; however, its short-term and potential long-term impact on physically active, healthy adults is unclear. Objective: To compare differences in cognitive function among long-term TC expert practitioners and age-matched and gender-matched TC-naïve adults and to determine the effects of short-term TC training on measures of cognitive function in healthy, nonsedentary adults. Design: A hybrid design including an observational comparison and a 2-arm randomized clinical trial (RCT) Participants: Healthy, nonsedentary, TC-naive adults (50 y-79 y) and age-matched and gender-matched long-term TC experts Methods: A cross-sectional comparison of cognitive function in healthy TC-naïve (n=60) and TC expert (24.5 y ÷ 12 y experience; n=27) adults: TC-naïve adults then completed a 6-month, 2-arm, ...

[GeneChing]

The effect of Tai Chi on four chronic conditions—cancer, osteoarthritis, heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analyses

Yi-Wen Chen1, Michael A Hunt1, Kristin L Campbell1, Kortni Peill2, W Darlene Reid3
+ Author Affiliations

1Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
3Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Correspondence to
Yi-Wen Chen, Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, 2177 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3; yiwenchen@alumni.ubc.ca
Accepted 12 August 2015
Published Online First 17 September 2015

Abstract
Background Many middle-aged and older persons have more than one chronic condition. Thus, it is important to synthesise the effectiveness of interventions across several comorbidities. The aim of this systematic review was to summarise current evidence regarding the effectiveness of Tai Chi in individuals with four common chronic conditions—cancer, osteoarthritis (OA), heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods 4 databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus) were searched for original articles. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts and then conducted full-text reviews, quality assessment and finally data abstraction. 33 studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were performed on disease-specific symptoms, physiological outcomes and physical performance of each chronic condition. Subgroup analyses on disease-specific symptoms were conducted by categorising studies into subsets based on the type of comparison groups.

Results Meta-analyses showed that Tai Chi improved or showed a tendency to improve physical performance outcomes, including 6-min walking distance (6MWD) and knee extensor strength, in most or all four chronic conditions. Tai Chi also improved disease-specific symptoms of pain and stiffness in OA.

Conclusions The results demonstrated a favourable effect or tendency of Tai Chi to improve physical performance and showed that this type of exercise could be performed by individuals with different chronic conditions, including COPD, HF and OA.

The entire article is online if you follow the link.

[GeneChing]

This is an intriguing notion. It is offered by many health care providers, but it's more like a supplementary offer, akin to the farmer's market at some hospitals. If it were prescribe-able, like acupuncture, that opens up insurance co-pays and certification because if a doctor is going to prescribe something, it must meet some standard.

Tai Chi 'could be prescribed' for illnesses
18 September 2015
From the section Health


SPL
Tai Chi: Gentle flowing movements boost balance, posture and muscle power

Tai Chi is a suitable exercise for older people with conditions like arthritis, a study has found.

The ancient Chinese art improves physical performance and enhances quality of life, say researchers.

Tai Chi combines deep breathing and relaxation with slow and gentle movements.

The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, suggests the exercise helps with pain and stiffness in arthritis.

It can also help improve quality of life in the lung condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

And it may have some physical benefits for people with breast cancer or heart failure, according to researchers from the University of British Colombia, Vancouver.

In the future, it might even be possible to consider prescribing Tai Chi for patients with several illnesses, they said.

"Our findings support the results of a previous systematic review that showed the effectiveness of Tai Chi on health outcomes in older patients with chronic conditions," Dr Yi-Wen Chen and colleagues wrote in their research paper.

"Tai Chi can improve some physical performance outcomes in four chronic conditions (cancer, osteoarthritis, heart failure and COPD) but not at the expense of worsening pain or dyspnoea (breathlessness)."

The data comes from a review of more than 30 studies looking at the health benefits of the exercise.

Past research has found that Tai Chi may reduce the risk of falls among older adults who are at increased risk.

[GeneChing]

Biological Psychiatry

November 15, 2015Volume 78, Issue 10, Pages 721–729
To read this article in full, please review your options for gaining access at the bottom of the page.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Tai Chi Reverse Cellular and Genomic Markers of Inflammation in Late-Life Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Michael R. Irwin, Richard Olmstead, Elizabeth C. Breen, Tuff Witarama, Carmen Carrillo, Nina Sadeghi, Jesusa M.G. Arevalo, Jeffrey Ma, Perry Nicassio, Richard Bootzin, Steve Cole

Abstract
Background

Sleep disturbance is associated with activation of systemic and cellular inflammation, as well as proinflammatory transcriptional profiles in circulating leukocytes. Whether treatments that target insomnia-related complaints might reverse these markers of inflammation in older adults with insomnia is not known.
Methods

In this randomized trial, 123 older adults with insomnia were randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), tai chi chih (TCC), or sleep seminar education active control condition for 2-hour sessions weekly over 4 months with follow-up at 7 and 16 months. We measured C-reactive protein (CRP) at baseline and months 4 and 16; toll-like receptor-4 activated monocyte production of proinflammatory cytokines at baseline and months 2, 4, 7, and 16; and genome-wide transcriptional profiling at baseline and month 4.
Results

As compared with sleep seminar education active control condition, CBT-I reduced levels of CRP (months 4 and 16, ps < .05), monocyte production of proinflammatory cytokines (month 2 only, p < .05), and proinflammatory gene expression (month 4, p < .01). TCC marginally reduced CRP (month 4, p = .06) and significantly reduced monocyte production of proinflammatory cytokines (months 2, 4, 7, and 16; all ps < .05) and proinflammatory gene expression (month 4, p < .001). In CBT-I and TCC, TELiS promoter-based bioinformatics analyses indicated reduced activity of nuclear factor-κB and AP-1.
Conclusions

Among older adults with insomnia, CBT-I reduced systemic inflammation, TCC reduced cellular inflammatory responses, and both treatments reduced expression of genes encoding proinflammatory mediators. The findings provide an evidence-based molecular framework to understand the potential salutary effects of insomnia treatment on inflammation, with implications for inflammatory disease risk.

If Tai Chi Chih can achieve an effect...

[GeneChing]

Researcher to launch project to teach Tai Chi to people with dementia
November 11, 2015
A Bournemouth University researcher has been awarded a prestigious fellowship to launch a health and wellbeing project for people with dementia.

Dr Samuel Nyman, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, has been awarded a Career Development Fellowship by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
The three-year fully-funded post, starting in January 2016, provides funding for Dr Nyman and a team of colleagues to conduct a research project where Tai Chi will be taught to people with dementia in a bid to improve their health.
People with dementia and their carers in Bournemouth and Southampton will be offered Tai Chi to see if it leads to improvements in health and wellbeing including balance and reducing the risk of falls.
Dr Nyman said, "I am delighted to have been awarded this fellowship. It will give me three years to concentrate on this exciting project that we hope will bring real benefit to people with dementia and their carers. It will also allow me to learn a lot from experienced colleagues so I can do more of this type of work when the fellowship comes to an end".
"It is really important that we continue to look at health and wellbeing for people with dementia, to improve quality of life and continue to show the world that many people with the condition can still live active lives and contribute to society."
Dr Nyman will be working alongside a team based at Bournemouth University, the Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit at Plymouth University, and the University of Southampton, to conduct the project, which has been called the TACIT trial: TAi ChI for people with demenTia.
The team will be supported by Elemental Tai Chi to deliver the Tai Chi classes and three NHS Foundation Trusts for inviting people into the study: Southern Health, Dorset HealthCare University, and The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals.
Two PhD students (one funded by the Faculty of Science and Technology, BU) will be working on the project.
As well as a research project, Dr Nyman will be funded to undertake a training and development programme over the three years. This will mainly entail the completion of an MSc in Clinical Trials and secondments to three UK universities with expertise in conducting similar clinical trials.

Provided by: Bournemouth University

That's an odd anagram...doesn't quite work.

[GeneChing]

This new study is getting good publicity for Tai Chi because the AHA is well respected in the medical community.

Chinese exercises may improve cardiovascular health
American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report
March 09, 2016 Categories: Heart News
Study Highlight

Traditional Chinese exercises such as Tai Chi may lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and quality of life and depression in patients living with heart disease and stroke.
Embargoed until 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, March 9, 2016

DALLAS, March 9, 2016 —Traditional Chinese exercises such as Tai Chi may improve the health and well-being of those living with heart disease, high blood pressure or stroke, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

“Traditional Chinese exercises are a low-risk, promising intervention that could be helpful in improving quality of life in patients with cardiovascular diseases — the leading cause of disability and death in the world,” said Yu Liu, Ph.D., study co-author, and dean of the School of Kinesiology, at Shanghai University of Sport in China. “But the physical and psychological benefits to these patients of this increasingly popular form of exercise must be determined based on scientific evidence.”

Chen Pei-Jie, Ph.D., the study’s lead author and president of Shanghai University of Sport in China and his team reviewed 35 studies, including 2,249 participants from 10 countries.

They found, among participants with cardiovascular disease, Chinese exercises helped reduce systolic blood pressure (the top number) by more than 9.12 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by more than 5 mm Hg on average.

They also found small, but statistically significant drops in the levels of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) and triglycerides. Chinese exercises also seemed to improve quality of life and reduce depression in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, traditional Chinese exercises did not significantly improve participant’s heart rate, aerobic fitness level or scores on a general health questionnaire.

The review only analyzed studies which randomly assigned participants to groups performing traditional Chinese exercises (most commonly Tai Chi, Qigong and Baduanjin), engaging in another form of exercise or making no change in activity level.

note that although their review provided a good overview of the impact of traditional Chinese exercises on cardiovascular risk factors, several limitations: inclusion criteria varied across studies; participants were followed for a year or less; traditional Chinese exercises take many different forms and most results were evaluated by study leaders who knew which group participants had been assigned to, potentially biasing results.
Liu and his team have been studying the benefits of traditional Chinese exercises on a range of diseases for more than 5 years. They plan to conduct new randomized controlled trials to confirm the effect of different types of traditional Chinese exercises on chronic diseases.

Other co-authors are Xue-Qiang Wang, Ph.D.; Xin Li, M.Sc.; Bing-Lin Chen,M.Sc.; Yi Zhu, Ph.D.; Yu-Jie Yang, M.Sc.; and Zhan-Bin Niu, M.Sc. Author disclosures and funding information are on the manuscript.

Additional Resources:

Heart graphic, blood pressure cuff image, and cholesterol image are located in the right column of this release link http://newsroom.heart.org/news/chine...b0e162da9db3f6
After March 9 view the manuscript online.
What is Cardiovascular Disease?
American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults
Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews.
For updates and new science from JAHA, follow @JAHA_AHA.
###

Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association’s policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at www.heart.org/corporatefunding.

For Media Inquiries and AHA/ASA Spokesperson Perspective: (214) 706-1173

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Life is why, science is how . . . we help people live longer, healthier lives.

[mawali]

I worked with an investigator with setting up a few trials (IRB process, Informed Consent criteria and wording, Ethics Committee content, etc) and we touched on taijiquan and dementia and the discussion was spirited, to say the least. People who have problems with memory and decreased locomotion are more at risk based on those same criteria. Risk of falls is increased considerably and that combination is potentially life threatening. Perhaps those with "mild" dementia and who have more control of their movements may be good subjects for the trial but that is courting disaster. The concept is great and by the time the exact elements are decided upon, taijiquan (the form) may just be limited to specific postures as the end result like the Emory University study on risk reduction pertaining to tai chi chuan.

Gene,
Standardization is an excellent strategy because everyone uses the same template to achieve the outcome and measurable endpoints so easier to track!

[GeneChing]

This new study is getting some traction in Tai Chi news.

Effects of Home-Based Tai Chi and Lower Extremity Training and Self-Practice on Falls and Functional Outcomes in Older Fallers from the Emergency Department—A Randomized Controlled Trial

Hei-Fen Hwang RN, MS1,2, Sy-Jou Chen MD2,3, Jane Lee-Hsieh RN, MSN4, Ding-Kuo Chien MD5, Chih-Yi Chen MS2 andMau-Roung Lin PhD2,6,*
Article first published online: 11 FEB 2016

Issue Cover image for Vol. 64 Issue 2
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Objectives
To compare the effects of guided home-based tai chi chuan (TCC) and lower extremity training (LET) and of levels of self-practice on falls and functional outcomes in older fallers.

Design
Randomized controlled trial.

Setting
Taipei, Taiwan.

Participants
Individuals aged 60 and older who had fall-related emergency department visits at least 6 months before participating in the study and ambulated independently at baseline (N = 456).

Intervention
Six months of TCC or LET.

Measurements
Four types of fall measures (falls, time to first fall, fallers, recurrent fallers) and six functional measures (handgrip strength, balance, mobility, fear of falling, depression, cognitive function).

Results
The TCC group was significantly less likely than the LET group to experience any falls during the 6-month intervention (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.15–0.60), and the effects remained significant after 12 months of follow-up (IRR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.14–0.71). These effects remained significant for injurious falls during the 6-month intervention (IRR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.16–0.68) and the entire 18-month study (IRR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.18–0.83). Similar results were obtained when another two fall measures (time to first fall, number of fallers) were used. Moreover, participants who independently practiced TCC or LET seven times per week or more were significantly less likely to experience injurious falls during the 6-month intervention (IRR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.20–0.83) and the 18-month study (IRR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.21–0.87) than their counterparts, had a significantly longer time to first injurious fall, and were significantly less likely to have an injurious fall during the 6-month intervention. Cognitive function improved to a greater extent in the TCC group than in the LET group over the 18-month study.

Conclusion
Home-based TCC may reduce the incidence of falls and injurious falls more than conventional LET in older fallers, and the effects may last for at least 1 year.