Copyright 2005
Bill Douglas
In a special to CNN, the Mayo Clinic’s mayoclinic.com
reported that, “Parkinson's disease is progressive, meaning the
signs and symptoms become worse over time. But although Parkinson's
may eventually be disabling, the disease often progresses gradually,
and most people have many years of productive living after a diagnosis.”
This would indicate that there may be effective interventions
that could perhaps slow the progress of the disease. When we get
such a diagnosis, our first reaction might be to withdraw and
give up. However, the old adage “use it or lose it” tells us that
just the opposite is true. If you have Parkinson’s, you’d likely
be best off to use everything your body is, every which way, on
a regular basis.
Tai Chi movement’s gentle balance enhancing motions can obviously
help the Parkinson’s patient by helping to reduce the gradual
loss of balance that Parkinson’s sufferers often experience. However,
there may be much more it offers. For example, Tai Chi movements
rotate the human body in about 95% of the ways the body can move,
when a long form is practiced. This is far beyond what other exercise
offers, and in fact the closest would be several swimming strokes,
which together would only rotate the body in about 65% of the
ways it can move. For Parkinson’s sufferers, or anyone for that
matter, this would indicate that by “using” 95% of the body’s
possible motion several times a week, the possibility of “losing”
the ability to do so diminishes accordingly. This isn’t rocket
science, but simple common sense.
Yet, perhaps Parkinson’s patients have even more to gain from
Tai Chi. A few years ago I taught several classes at local medical
centers. I was continually frustrated because although I’d seen
emerging reports that Tai Chi was beneficial to people with Parkinson’s
Disease, or arthritis, or chronic hypertension, etc., even though
the departments that specialized in those conditions were often
just down the hall from my Tai Chi class . . . they might as well
have been a million miles away. Because the physicians who ran
those departments were either ignorant of or unwilling to refer
their patients to the possibilities that Tai Chi offered their
lives.
I remember though, that at one medical center a visionary neurologist
began to refer patients with balance disorders to my Tai Chi classes
and the result was very beneficial for his patients. Another physician
actually wrote prescriptions for my Tai Chi classes to treat the
chronic hypertension of his patients, who’d seen a significant
drop in their blood pressure since beginning the classes weeks
before. A clinical psychologist brought me in to teach Qigong
(Chi Kung) meditation and Tai Chi to her patient group to enhance
their sense of well being and provide effective stress management
training. So, even back then some physicians were seeing the potential
Tai Chi offered their clients, and even more are now, but the
number of physicians who are still not informing their patients
of Tai Chi’s direct therapeutic or at the least adjunct therapy
benefits to their patient’s efforts to deal with their conditions
and life, is increasingly indefensible in this day and age. Given
the research that has exposed the many physical, mental, and emotional
benefits Tai Chi offers, for physicians to not educate themselves
on this and share their knowledge with each and every patient
is tantamount to mal-practice. Health educators should likewise
be making such therapies part of their medical student education
programs as well.
Tai Chi for Parkinson’s is being recommended
increasingly by support groups and some progressive medical centers,
but until everyone that has Parkinson’s knows about it, then our
work at World Tai Chi & Qigong Day is not done, nor is the medical
community’s. There are many obvious reasons everyone with Parkinson’s
should be doing Tai Chi, but it’s the ones that are not yet obvious
that may be the most intriguing. One obvious reason is that Tai
Chi is the most powerful balance and coordination enhancing exercise
known. In many studies at major universities Tai Chi was found
to be TWICE as effective in reducing falls as the other balance
enhancing exercises being studied. For people with Parkinson’s,
who often see their balance deteriorate as their condition progresses,
it is unforgivable for them to not be informed of Tai Chi’s potential
benefits at the earliest stage possible while their balance is
still good.
Now, regarding the less obvious reasons Tai Chi may benefit Parkinson’s
patients. Both my wife and daughter, who co-taught a Tai Chi class
together noticed that a young man with severe Parkinson’s tremors
. . . completely lost his tremors once he joined the class in
flowing through the Tai Chi movements in class. In another class
I was teaching an older man with advanced Parkinson’s attended
my classes for many months, and he always came in very slow with
his walker. Once we began the Tai Chi movements he no longer used
his walker, and had learned the entire long form of Tai Chi I
taught, which was over 15 minutes of continuous changing forms.
His form was unique and tailored for his limitations, but nonetheless
a challenging set of exercises he was able to accomplish without
the use of his walker. What do these anecdotal experiences portend
for others with Parkinson’s? I don’t know, but there should be
massive research dollars coming from the National Institutes of
Health to find out. Given the promise Tai Chi seems to offer people
on so many profound physical, emotional, and mental fronts from
preliminary research, the current total research money earmarked
for complimentary and alternative medicine’s (CAM) is a mere pittance.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(NCCAM), now in its sixth year, supports more than 300 research
projects and has an estimated budget of over $120 million for
2005 (up from $50 million in 1999). Total spending on CAM by all
NIH institutes and centers is expanding as well, and is expected
to reach $315 million by 2005.
Sounds like a lot? However, $120 million is less than “one half
of one percent” of the total NIH FY2005 budget. According to the
Association of American Medical Colleges the NIH’s total annual
budget for FY 2005 is $28.8 billion (http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/05pch8.htm).
Remember, we are talking about only spending much much less than
one half of one percent to study an exercise that preliminary
research has shown to: n Lower High Blood Pressure (about 1/3
of Americans have hypertension – roughly over 90 million Americans)
n Boost Immune Function profoundly (a study sited at drkoop.com
indicates that a Tai Chi practicing group was TWICE as resistant
to the shingles virus, and researchers believed this would carry
over to other viral resistance as well.) n Dramatically reduce
falling injuries by about half (complications from falling injuries
in older Americans is the 6th leading cause of death for seniors
in America)
If Tai Chi only addressed this chronic condition affecting 1/3
of Americans, while boosting the immune system of all practitioners
profoundly, and cutting in half the sixth leading cause of death
for seniors, without any negative side effects, that would seem
to be, for the rational person a reason for pouring massive resources
into researching it further. However, Tai Chi’s benefits only
begin with the above preliminary findings. We also know that it
may very well relieve depression, anxiety, and mood disturbance,
as well as reduce ADHD symptoms in teenagers diagnosed with Attention
Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. There are indications that
Tai Chi may greatly reduce or even eliminate chronic pain conditions,
and lessen allergic and asthmatic reactions, and improve overall
respiratory function.
My point is, “where is the massive attention this would garner
on talk shows, and in health newspaper sections, if this were
a drug or surgery that could provide such a seemingly massive
breakthrough in health treatment?” Peter Chowka, in a brilliant
two part series for Natural Health Line, entitled “Complementary
& Alternative Medicine in 2000,” wrote, “Conflicts of interest
are not uncommon in most aspects of life. But in medicine, the
biggest business in the U.S. (over $1.5 trillion a year constituting
over 14 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, according to the
National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine report issued
January 10, 2001), serious conflicts are particularly well entrenched.”
Mr. Chowka wrote of physicians like Dr. Marcia Angell voicing
concerns of the “troubling” result massive research money from
drug and medical-equipment companies was having on the scientific
process. In the New England Journal of Medicine’s May 18, 2000
issue, Dr. Angel wrote an editorial entitled, “Is Academic Medicine
for Sale?” She wrote, "As we spoke with research psychiatrists
about writing an editorial on the treatment of depression . .
. we found very few who did not have financial ties to drug companies
that make antidepressants. . .The problem is by no means unique
to psychiatry. We routinely encounter similar difficulties in
finding editorialists in other specialties, particularly those
that involve the heavy use of expensive drugs and devices."
So, who can make a multi-billion dollar fortune teaching Tai Chi
to people? No one can. Tai Chi cannot be bottled, or mass marketed.
It is a decentralized labor intensive industry that employees
many people, but keeps the profits small and local. Yes, there
are videos and DVDs that teach Tai Chi effectively, but ultimately
even those who utilize videos are drawn to live class like structures.
As I mentioned before with the “anecdotal” experiences of my students
with Parkinson’s, Tai Chi seems to offer something profoundly
beneficial to the quality of life of Parkinson’s sufferers. It
needs further study. We are in a catch 22, where many health professionals
feel they cannot recommend Tai Chi because too much of the preliminary
research is anecdotal. However, when Tai Chi is jockeying for
position to get a crumb of the .5% of total NIH money going to
ALL complimentary and alternative medical therapies . . . the
result will be many long years of millions of people suffering
needlessly from conditions or symptoms of those conditions that
Tai Chi could likely safely lessen or even eliminate.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT TAI CHI AND PARKINSONS?
Tai Chi is being recommended by some forward thinking medical
institutions already. The Cleveland Clinic of Neuroscience Center
encourages Parkinson's Disease patients to seek out a hobby or
activity they can enjoy and stick with such as “Tai Chi” and other
activities. The Alexian Neurosciences Institute in Illinois offers
a course in their The Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders
Center. Also, the American Parkinson’s Disease Association at
Stanford University Medical Center, in it’s “Beyond Pills....
Alternative Approaches to Coping with Parkinson's Disease” program,
offered “Tai Chi, The Art for Living with Parkinson's” by Mwezo
& Jane of Kujiweza Healing Arts. (Learn more at: http://parkinsons.stanford.edu/symposium.html).
The Parkinson’s Society of Canada recommends Tai Chi for Parkinson’s
patients, suggesting “Tai Chi may prevent or at least slow down
the onset of degenerative diseases; in the long run, it can reduce
need for rehabilitative care.” (http://www.parkinsons.ca/managing.html#taichi)
In the United Kingdom a Parkinson’s Tai Chi study was conducted
at Camborne Redruth Community Hospital, Cornwall. Their conclusion
of the study was such, “Tai Chi training was well tolerated by
PD patients in this study, but had no measurable effect on motor
performance using UPDRS score or GAG time. There was a non-significant
improvement in quality of life scores (PDQ 39). Larger studies
would be needed fully to evaluate the value and efficacy of Tai
Chi. However our results are encouraging, and provide evidence
for its safety and tolerability and would support the feasibility
of further study.” (http://www.pdcornwall.org.uk/showarticle.pl?n=30&id=81)
WCHS TV during a news report focusing on Tai Chi’s ability to
boost immune system function, also reported that “Tai Chi has
also been shown to help illnesses such as Parkinson's disease,
multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia and arthritis.” (http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/healthyforlife/2177.shtml)
The Neurology Channel reported, “The slow flowing movements of
Tai Chi help maintain flexibility, balance, and relaxation. The
Struthers Parkinson’s Center in Minneapolis, which teaches a modified
form of Tai Chi, consistently reports benefits achieved by patients
in all stages of Parkinson’s.” (http://www.neurologychannel.com/parkinsonsdisease/surgery.shtml)
Physicians at the Mayo Clinic recommend Tai Chi for Parkinson’s
therapy, under their Parkinson’s “self-care” section for avoiding
falls, where they suggest you “Ask your doctor or physical therapist
about exercises that improve balance, especially tai chi. Originally
developed in China more than 1,000 years ago, tai chi uses slow,
graceful movements to relax and strengthen muscles and joints.
“
At a popular health website called “RemedyFind.com” viewers can
vote on therapies they’ve found benefited their condition, or
didn’t benefit it. The rating there for Tai Chi as a Parkinson’s
therapy received a rating of 9.8 out of a possible 10. (http://remedyfind.com/rem.asp?ID=13945)
A Study at the University of Florida in Jacksonville found that
patients who attended Tai Chi classes for one hour each week for
12-weeks were less likely than a group of control patients to
experience an increase in the severity of their condition and
a decrease in motor function. . . .[of alternative therapies]
the most popular therapies being Tai Chi, yoga, and acupuncture.
(http://www.worldhealth.net/p/275,1526.html), (SOURCE/REFERENCE:
Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 13th November 2002)
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported, “Parkinson’s Meets
It’s Match in Tai Chi.” In this article they write that Dr. Mark
Guttman, director of the Centre for Movement Disorders in Markham,
Ontario, recommends people with Parkinson's do exercises that
involve a lot of stretching, similar to the movements of tai chi.
"Tai chi is wonderful; it can help people with disabilities as
well as people with Parkinson's," he says. He added that studies
on animals show exercise induces a change in the brain that prevents
the symptom’s of Parkinson’s from emerging.
The Tai Chi teacher for this program, Ms. Embree, spoke of how
people with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis,
and Parkinson’s often attend her classes . . . “Doctors are now
sending people here," adds Ms Embree. (for the entire article,
go to: PARKINSON’S MEETING IT’S MATCH IN TAI CHI, April, 13, 2005,
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/health/0304/lvtaichi7.html)
At the National Parkinson’s Foundation site, Melanie M. Brandabur,
MD NPF Center of Excellence, University of Illinois at Chicago
and Jill Marjama-Lyons, MD NPF Center of Excellence, Shands Jacksonville,
wrote, “Most patients derive a great deal of benefit from today's
medications and surgical therapies for Parkinson's Disease . .
. However, benefits of these therapies can be limited. As time
goes by, the medications may not seem as effective as they once
were. Side effects or unpredictable response may develop. Surgical
therapies are not curative and often treat only selected aspects
of Parkinson's Disease. For these reasons, patients may decide
to explore other modalities, such as massage therapy, Tai Chi,
yoga, or herbal preparations to augment their Parkinson's medication
. . . Many patients with Parkinson's Disease have become interested
in complementary therapies to supplement medications and other
traditional PD treatments. These physicians also suggest that
as Tai Chi and other modalities benefits are exposed by clinical
research, physicians will advocate their use more widely. (http://www.parkinson.org/site/pp.asp?c=9dJFJLPwB&b=238635)
World Tai Chi & Qigong Day joins a growing number of health professionals
specializing in fields like Parkinson’s who believe that much
more research needs to be done to illuminate the full spectrum
of benefits Tai Chi offers all people as well as those specifically
with chronic conditions. This will enable more physicians to make
Tai Chi a regular prescription written as therapy or adjunct therapy
for a host of maladies many are already enjoying the benefits
of for their condition, but paying out of pocket for. Ultimately
more and more health insurance plans should and will make Tai
Chi classes a deductible medical expense for their clients. The
end result of this shift may portend the savings of hundreds of
billions of dollars annually in saved health care costs as patients
are better trained in self care techniques, training the great
visionary Thomas Edison referred to as “the care and maintenance
of the human frame,” which Edison envisioned would more and more
reduce the need for expensive surgeries and life long dependence
on medications as human beings maximized their own self healing
abilities. Traditional Chinese Medicine has spent centuries developing
and evolving self healing technologies like Tai Chi. Now the west
can learn about their results, and physicians can prescribe them
to their patients and our entire society will be healthier and
more abundant for it.
About the author:
Bill Douglas is the Tai Chi Expert at DrWeil.com, Founder of World
T'ai Chi & Qigong Day (held in 50 nations each year), and has
authored and co-authored several books including a ##1 best selling
Tai Chi book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to T’ai Chi & Qigong.”
Bill’s been a Tai Chi source for The Wall Street Journal, New
York Times, etc. You can learn more about Tai Chi & Qigong, and
also contact Bill Douglas at http://www.worldtaichiday.org
Circulated by Article
Emporium
|
Health, Wealth, Travel and Technology Magazine