Heart disease patients benefit from performing tai chi exercises as reported by a new study. The study reviewed 35 previous studies, which included over 2,200 individuals from 10 different countries. The researchers found that those with heart disease benefitted from tai chi, as their blood pressure lowered along with their cholesterol and other heart-related factors.
Tai chi, along with other traditional Chinese exercises, was also associated with higher quality of life and a reduction in depression.
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Unfortunately, this style of exercise did not improve heart rate, aerobic fitness levels, or general health scores.
Coauthor Yu Liu said, “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. But the physical and psychological benefits to these patients of this increasingly popular form of exercise must be determined based on scientific evidence.”
The researcher’s next step is to perform clinical trials to review the effectiveness of Chinese exercise and chronic illness.
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
