Tai Chi Moves for Beginners: Harvard Scientists Now Back This Ancient Exercise

2 May 2018

 - Eastern medicine practices have always placed a strong emphasis on prevention and treating diseases naturally whenever possible. Now, in many ways, Western medicine is catching up, particularly when it comes to utilizing tai chi moves to improve the mind, body and heart. A growing number of people around the world are now interested in traditional Eastern systems of healing — including Tai chi, yoga, acupuncture and meditation — due to mounting evidence that they can help prevent and treat many health problems such as arthritis, anxiety and chronic pain.

Harvard Medical School reports that although tai chi is a slow and gentle practice, it effectively addresses several core benefits of exercise: boosting muscle strength, maintaining flexibility, increasing and sustaining balance and sometimes even providing an aerobic workout that’s important for your heart. Harvard researchers even recently published a guide to tai chi, stating that a regular practice for as little as 12 weeks could help give you a “healthy body, strong heart and sharp mind.”