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tai chi health, tai chi immune system, tai chi shingles

Tai Chi and “The Shingles”.

Here’s the story about how practicing tai chi, along with getting vaccinated for “shingles” boosts immune system response to defend against vaicella zoster virus.  Tai Chi is reported to boost the immune system in general (reducing the effects of stress).

Augmenting Immune Responses to Varicella Zoster Virus in Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Tai Chi.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 55(4):511-517, April 2007.

Irwin, Michael R. MD *; Olmstead, Richard PhD *; Oxman, Michael N. MD

Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of a behavioral intervention, Tai Chi, on resting and vaccine-stimulated levels of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) to varicella zoster virus (VZV) and on health functioning in older adults.

DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, controlled trial with allocation to two arms (Tai Chi and health education) for 25 weeks. After 16 weeks of intervention, subjects were vaccinated with VARIVAX, the live attenuated Oka/Merck VZV vaccine licensed to prevent varicella.

SETTING: Two urban U.S. communities between 2001 and 2005.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 112 healthy older adults aged 59 to 86.

MEASUREMENTS: The primary endpoint was a quantitative measure of VZV-CMI. Secondary outcomes were scores on the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36).

RESULTS: The Tai Chi group showed higher levels of VZV-CMI than the health education group (P<.05), with a significant rate of increase (P<.001) that was nearly twice that found in the health education group. Tai Chi alone induced an increase in VZV-CMI that was comparable in magnitude with that induced by varicella vaccine, and the two were additive; Tai Chi, together with vaccine, produced a substantially higher level of VZV-CMI than vaccine alone. The Tai Chi group also showed significant improvements in SF-36 scores for physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality, and mental health (P<.05).

CONCLUSION: Tai Chi augments resting levels of VZV-specific CMI and boosts VZV-CMI of the varicella vaccine.

(C) 2007 by the American Geriatrics Society

via Journal of the American Geriatrics Society – Abstract: Volume 55(4) April 2007 p 511-517 Augmenting Immune Responses to Varicella Zoster Virus in Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Tai Chi..

tai chi, tai chi for seniors, tai chi headache, tai chi health

Tai Chi for Tension Headache…YES!

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Tai Chi for Tension Headaches.

Abbott RB, Hui KK, Hays RD, Li MD, Pan T.

Center for East West Medicine, Department of Medicine and Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA and RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA 90407, USA.

This study examined whether a traditional low-impact mind-body exercise, Tai Chi, affects health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) and headache impact in an adult population suffering from tension-type headaches. Forty-seven participants were randomly assigned to either a 15 week intervention program of Tai Chi instruction or a wait-list control group. HRQOL (SF-36v2) and headache status (HIT-6trade mark) were obtained at baseline and at 5, 10 and 15 weeks post-baseline during the intervention period. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) improvements in favor of the intervention were present for the HIT score and the SF-36 pain, energy/fatigue, social functioning, emotional well-being and mental health summary scores. A 15 week intervention of  Tai Chi practice was effective in reducing headache impact and also effective in improving perceptions of some aspects of physical and mental health.

via A Randomized Controlled Trial of Tai Chi for Tensi…[Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2007] – PubMed Result.