Try Tai Chi I work two blocks from a tai chi studio, and last week I stopped in to watch a class. Somebody said it was a good way to relieve stress, but it looked kind of weird. Does it really do anything? By James Dillard Question: Can tai chi really reduce stress? Answer: Tai chi is not part of Western culture, so of course it can look odd, but it's also pretty interesting from a health perspective. Tens of millions of people practice tai chi every day in China because it's actually a great way to relax. There's a lot of talk about the benefits of meditation for fighting stress, but meditation is not for everyone: It's just too much pressure, sitting there trying to think about nothing or focus on your breathing. But there are plenty of other things you can do that may work just as well. One of them is tai chi, which, like yoga, allows you to move and meditate at the same time. Tai chi chuan (or just tai chi for short) is a series of slow, dance-like movements based on the Chinese martial arts. Once you have learned the pattern of movements, you can do the routine anytime you want without any equipment or special surface. There is something about the grace and precision of the movements and the relaxation of your breathing that can really chill you out. In traditional Chinese medicine, it's believed there is a kind of body energy, or vital force, called qi (pronounced "chi") that nourishes and sustains all of our tissues and organs. The theory goes that imbalances in the qi, like local excesses or deficiencies, can cause or contribute to health problems and symptoms. The dominant personal practice for balancing your own qi in China is through tai chi. While nobody's been able to prove the existence of qi, there's a fair amount of good research on tai chi, which shows that regular practice can produce a sense of calmness and peace. It also can lower blood pressure and heart rate and improve reaction time, cardiovascular fitness, and breathing, as well as balance and flexibility. This can be particularly important for the elderly, for whom falls are the No. 1 cause of accidental death. In a 1996 article in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, researchers at Emory University in Atlanta found that tai chi could reduce the number of falls beyond the effect of standard exercise. And a review article appeared in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, confirming the positive effects of tai chi and recommending that it be taught to older adults as a way of keeping them safer and healthier. Tai chi seems to help with stress at any age, and many younger people practice it as well -- though I would not recommend it as the sole form of exercise for healthy people under 65. But, as an adjunct to regular aerobic workouts, tai chi seems to be a great help for managing stress. I suggest you try it. All you have to lose is a couple of bucks and some of that tension that you're carrying around. James Dillard is a board-certified medical doctor, doctor of chiropractic and acupuncturist, and co-author of the book Alternative Medicine for Dummies. Medically reviewed November 2001 by Gary D. Vogin, MD Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.