Health Benefits of Chi Exercise
Stress Induced Illness:
Approximately 80% of the illnesses that send us to the doctor are due to stress. The six leading causes of death are stress related. Our health care crisis is literally due to stress. Stress can be managed, and there is perhaps no more effective stress management tool than daily Chi Exercise exercises.
Aging:
Free radicals are atoms with an extra electron that bounce around wreaking havoc throughout the body. We see this with our eyes as aging. The claiming effects of Chi Exercise not only affect the mind, but can also reduce the damage done by free radicals, thereby slowing the aging process.
Free radicals (one is called a ?super oxide?) causes wrinkles and age spots, but it can also weaken cartilage and joints. In fact, this super oxide may even induce cancer or other immune system disorders. However, regular Chi Exercise practice can protect your body from these free radicals by activating an enzyme called superoxide dismutase (or SOD). SOD defends our cells from the super oxides that break down our health systems. A study of those who practiced Chi Exercise for a half-hour a day for one year showed that their levels of SOD increased dramatically compared to people not doing Chi Exercise. Another study showed a large increase in SOD after only two months of Chi Exercise practice.
Bones:
The National Institute of Mental Health released a study showing that women under chronic stress with depression had weaker tones than those in normal emotional states. In fact, the stressed/depressed women had the bones of 70-year-old women; even through they were only 40 years old. Chi Exercise lessens the incidence of depression and the body?s stress responses, and is a gentle weight bearing exercise. These abilities make Chi Exercise the best thing you can do to keep your bones healthy, even into old age.
Balance:
The sixth largest cause of death for older American is complications from falling injuries. Chi Exercise was part of a balance study by Harvard, Yale , the Center for Disease Control, Washington University School of Medicine, and Emory University. Chi Exercise practitioners fell and injured themselves only half as much as those practicing other balance training. This is an amazing finding that can change the lives of older Americans. Although many of us are not in the age group that is likely to suffer serious injury from falling, we can all benefit greatly by having better balance. Better balance puts much less stress on the body throughout the workday, and you will find that you have much more energy as Chi Exercise practice improves your balance.
Pregnancy:
Chi Exercise has much to offer a pregnant woman, if practiced very gently and with care. It is a slow and gentle exercise that can be performed by most pregnant women. Its gentleness and relaxed motion promotes the circulation of energy and blood throughout the body, while its smooth abdominal breathing fully oxygenates the body of both the mother and child. However, only practice when it feels good and never strain yourself. Rest whenever you need to and modify or forego any movement or exercise that doesn?t feel right. Chi Exercise breathing is a wonderful way to prepare for delivery. The famous Lamaze technique is based on Chi Exercise breathing techniques and pain management tools. This aspect of Chi Exercise makes it perhaps the most effective exercise to prepare you for a save natural childbirth. Remember to breathe.
Emotional Impact:
As Chi Exercise helps us ?feel good? on a regular basis, we want more of that feeling. You may find yourself spending more time with people who nurture you and less time with those who put you down. This is a powerfully healthful transformative part of doing Chi Exercise. As the movements in Chi Exercise teach you to ease around areas of discomfort in the body so as to expand mobility without injury, this echoes out into our lives. You begin to find nurturing ways to move and live socially.
Eating Disorders:
Women suffer from eating disorders ten times as often as men. Although often thought of as an adult problem, anorexia and bulimia most often start in the teenage years while the sufferer is still at home. It is recommended that anorexia or bulimia sufferers strengthen their inner core of self and self-worth. The self-esteem that Chi Exercise practice builds and encourages can be a highly effective way to discover the power within one?s self. The need for a restoration of biochemical and hormonal balance may be facilitated with Chi Exercise?s ability to create a homeostatic effect throughout the body, not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Chi Exercise addresses the need to balance internal rhythms and needs with life?s demands by those who practice it so they can become quietly mindful of subtle feelings and needs before they become a crisis born out in acute stress or panic, manifesting in maladies such as eating disorders.
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