Scientist have been able to discover why this ancient but simple set of exercises provides such healing benefits to the body. Traditional exercise helps us to loose weight and build muscle. Whenever we exercise, our bodies produces chemicals that are not produced when we are still. Most exercise causes the body to damage some muscle. When this is repaired the muscle grows back stronger. The chemicals produced by the body is the medicine that allows the muscle to heal.
When Tai Chi is practiced, the movements are so gentle that muscle isn’t damaged. However, the body still produces the same chemicals as it does during normal exercise. Since there is no damaged muscle that needs healing, the healing chemicals can be utilized by the other parts of the body.
Our bodies produce the very medicine needed to heal itself. Normal exercise produces them and uses them up. Tai Chi releases the healing chemicals but doesn’t use them up.
Another important ingredient in Tai Chi is the utilization of oxygen’s ability to heal. During normal exercise we breathe hard and increase our intake of oxygen. The hard work causes cells in the muscles to become oxygen starved. The deep breathing provides the needed healing oxygen. Part of Tai Chi practice is to breathe deeply and slowly while performing the gentle movements. The same principle again applies. The deep breathing provides more oxygen than the muscles need. The extra oxygen is available to the other cells. This also helps the heart, brain and other organs to receive a double dose of oxygen and the healing chemicals, increasing the healing power of both.
What most people in the western culture understand about wellness can be broken down to three simple but universally agreed upon steps to good health. They are: