Related Links
	Aloha Tai Chi Tai Chi Chuan means "The Art of Peaceful Energy". This moving meditation, gentle exercise and non-violent martial art is a very dynamic "energy dance" that can serve to bring balance, harmony and integrity into the spiritual, intellectual/emotional and ph Dong Tai Chi Chuan School - Oahu Classes Public and Private lessons are available

Tai Chi is a slow form of a popular Chinese martial art practiced by millions of seniors in the predawn hours in China. Recent studies show this ancient series of movements now appears to protect seniors against shingles as efficiently as a vaccine against varicella zoster.

In addition, the Tai Chi group reported significant improvements in physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality and mental health. Both groups showed significant declines in the severity of depressive symptoms.

Recent research reported in April issue of The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society "demonstrated that a centuries-old behavioral intervention, tai chi, resulted in a level of immune response similar to that of a modern biological intervention, the varicella vaccine, and that tai chi boosted the positive effects of the vaccine," said Andrew Monjan, Ph.D., chief of the National Institute on Aging's Neurobiology of Aging Branch, which co-funded the study.

Older adults have less robust immune responses to the varicella zoster virus, making them more susceptible to a painful re-activation of latent infection, resulting in shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia. The results weren't surprising to Hawaii's Tai Chi community of instructors.

Aloha Tai Chi instrutor Si Gung Tiru Sadasivam who has been teaching for more then 30 and is a board certified instructor of Tai Chi, on Kauai stated" In this fast paced world we live in today the age old practice of Tai Chi Chuan can literally be a lifesaver! Firstly, this practice requires that you slow down and pay close attention to how you move (use) your Chi or Life Energy. You must slow down your breathing, thinking and movements. "

Tiru continues by saying "Everything about Tai Chi is relaxed, deliberate and focused in the moment. The simple truth is, when you engage in Tai Chi you are temporarily disconnecting your awareness from your present life situations---be it family, work, friends etc. Think of it as a momentary retreat from life to regroup your energies. If properly learned and practiced, the resulting benefits of bringing your life energy into a balanced, harmonized and integrated state can serve to increase your vitality, reduce stress, better control your emotions, modify your habits and much, much more! "

Of course a lot depends upon what you are looking for and the kind of teacher you find. Tiru teaches private classes on Kauai.

This recent study suggests that tai chi can boost immunity to varicella zoster infections, and appears to boost vaccine-stimulated immunity even further. And even before they were vaccinated, tai chi alone helped those who practiced it to mount an immune response to varicella zoster virus comparable to that of patients half their age, the investigators reported in the April issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

"Tai chi alone induced an increase in varicella zoster virus -cell-media that was comparable in magnitude with that induced by varicella vaccine, and the two were additive," they wrote. But they pointed out that they could not determine whether tai chi could reduce the occurrence of herpes zoster.

Tiru encourages people to try Tai Chi "As a non-aggressive martial art the focus is on the chi of the mind and body and it's self-defense applications".

"As a moving meditation the focus is on the chi of spirit or conscious awareness, a completely internalized practice.

Fortunately, for those who have very busy schedules, all aspects of both the external and internal practices can be done at the same time. Just think, exercising the chi of spirit, mind and body, through a very dynamic 20 to 30 minute daily practice, does indeed fit well into this fast paced world.

Grand Master Dong of Oahu says that Tai Chi is"good for people of all ages from five to one hundred and five"

He grew up in the province of Hebei, near Beijing, the heart of martial arts in China: his grandfather was the legendary Tung Ying Chieh (Dong Ying Jie) and began his formal practice at the age of 8. Grand Master Dong established classes in Singapore, Malaysia, Hawaii, Israel and Great Britain. HIs son now teaches in New York.

What is Shingles? Shingles is another name for a form of a medical condition called "herpes zoster." It causes a painful rash. You can only get shingles if you had chickenpox in the past or if you have had the chickenpox vaccine ("shot").

After you have chickenpox (usually as a child), the virus that causes it stays in your body in certain nerve cells. Most of the time your immune system keeps the chickenpox virus in these cells. As you get older, or if your immune system gets weak, the chickenpox virus may escape from the nerve cells and cause shingles.

Most people who get shingles are more than 50 years old or have a weak immune system. People with cancer, take medicines that weaken their immune system or have the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) are more likely to show the symptoms of shingels.

What are the symptoms of shingles?

Shingles causes a painful, blistering rash. Sometimes the pain starts a few days before the rash appears.

The rash begins with reddish bumps. In a few days, these bumps turn into blisters. You might feel a stinging or burning pain. The rash may wrap around your back and chest, or it may be on one side of your face.

The blisters usually crust over and fall off after 7 to 10 days. You may see changes in the color of your skin when the scabs fall off. In bad cases of shingles, these color changes last forever.

Even though the rash gets better or goes away in a few weeks, the pain may last longer. In most people, the pain goes away in 1 to 3 months.

Shingles can also affect your eyes, causing swollen eyelids, redness and pain. Shingles of the eye can cause scars that affect your vision. It can also lead to glaucoma later in life. Glaucoma is an eye disease that can cause blindness. People who have shingles of the eye should see an eye doctor right away.

Prevention is the key to many diseases and a life long approach to good health can be the key to enjoying longevity. Regular excercise, learning from an experienced teacher, enjoying early morning gentle movement that facilitates good digestion habits and getting together with friends can all be part of the benefits of joining a tai chi class in your area.

Look for Tai Chi classes and instructors on Hawaii Health Guide or on the links above or search your island's events calendar under Classes.