Boston, MA (PRWEB) January 26, 2013
Doctors Health Press, a division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation and publisher of various natural health newsletters, books, and reports, including the popular online Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin, is reporting on a new study out of the University of Hong Kong, finding that tai chi can be an effective alternative method to treat symptoms of schizophrenia, including the loss of coordination and social functioning.
As Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin (http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/brain-function-articles/try-this-ancient-art-for-a-healthy-brain) notes, while many would rather not take medication to treat depression and anxiety, it can be difficult to find effective alternative treatments. But according to a new study, tai chi may be just that.
As the article ?Try This Ancient ?Art? for a Healthy Brain? reports, researchers at the University of Hong Kong tested the therapeutic martial art tai chi on patients suffering from schizophrenia. The researchers noted that patients with schizophrenia residing at institutions often suffer from negative symptoms in excess of what those who live at home do. In particular, they have trouble with movement coordination and social interaction.
The Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin article explains that the researchers found 30 Chinese patients with schizophrenia who were residing in a rehab residency. Each was assigned to receive either a six-week tai chi program and standard residential care, or only the latter. The researchers assessed movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functional disabilities at baseline, following intervention, and six weeks after intervention.
The article notes that according to the research team, the tai chi group was buffered from deteriorations in movement coordination and interpersonal functioning for six weeks after the intervention. In contrast, the controls showed marked deteriorations in those areas. The tai chi group also experienced fewer disruptions to life activities at the six-week mark.
As Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin concludes, tai chi has been proven to help with the challenging symptoms of schizophrenia. But for those who are suffering from much milder symptoms of depression or anxiety, tai chi may just be their ticket to improved mental health and soothing stress relief.
(SOURCE: Lo, P.H., et al., ?Tai-chi for residential patients with schizophrenia on movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functioning: a pilot randomized controlled trial,? Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012; 2012: 923925.)
Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin is a daily e-letter providing natural health news with a focus on natural healing through foods, herbs, and other breakthrough health alternative treatments. For more information on Doctors Health Press, visit http://www.doctorshealthpress.com.
Doctors Health Press believes in the healing properties of various alternative remedies, including Traditional Chinese Medicine. To see a video outlining the Doctors Health Press? views on Traditional Chinese Medicine, visit http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/chinesemedicine.
