If you’re wondering what the best exercise for adrenal fatigue is, you’re definitely going to want to add Tai Chi to the list! This ancient exercise is perfect for people with autoimmune conditions, adrenal fatigue, or other stress-related conditions.
We know that exercise offers many health benefits, right?. This is especially true when we are dealing with an autoimmune disease, adrenal fatigue, or another health issue. But if you have chronic pain and unending fatigue (along with any number of other symptoms that go along with these health issues) exercise may seem like an impossibility.
A solution to this may be found in Tai Chi.
This gentle exercise offers many benefits for people of all ages, abilities, and fitness levels and is perfect for both mind and body.
In this post, we’ll talk about the origins of Tai Chi, the benefits of this healing exercise, how to get started, and FAQs. So, if you’re ready, let’s get started!
What Is Tai Chi?
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice with origins dating back centuries. Today, the slow, graceful movements are used by many as a form of exercise and are known as “meditation in motion”.
Tai chi (also called Tai Chi Chuan) uses gentle, flowing postures and deep breathing that encourage stretching and keep the body in slow, constant motion.
There are actually four main types of Tai Chi (Chen, Sun, Wang, and Wu), named after the families where the form originated. While all are Tai Chi, they have subtle differences and variations.
There is even a variation that can be done while seated, which shows just how versatile, customizable, and gentle this form of exercise can be!
Tai Chi Benefits: A Healing Exercise For Adrenal Fatigue, Autoimmune Conditions, And More!
After looking at the benefits of Tai Chi, I think you’ll agree that this exercise isn’t just “meditation in motion”, it’s also “medication in motion”!
The health benefits of this practice are nothing short of amazing, and much like meditation or yoga, the benefits seem to be cumulative, meaning the longer you do it, the more results you’ll see. 😉
So, without further ado, let’s get to those benefits!
Stress Relief
Movement, deep breathing, and focus can aid in relieving and reducing stress and when practicing the postures of Tai Chi, you incorporate all of those aspects. Which makes this one of the best exercises for adrenal fatigue and other health issues.
Pain Reduction
Clinical trials have found that regularly practicing Tai Chi can help maintain mobility and reduce pain and stiffness. So if you have a condition that made it difficult to add exercise to your day (or you were just so tired that you couldn’t!), consider this gentle exercise!
Mental Clarity
Tai Chi has been shown to improve brain function and even slow dementia! Having a foggy brain day or having trouble focusing? A few minutes of this exercise each day and you could have a sharper, clearer mind.
Better Mental Health
Regular practice of Tai Chi isn’t just a great idea for the physical benefits, there are mental and emotional benefits too. Just a few minutes a day can help improve mood, decrease anxiety and depression, and increase overall well-being. If you deal with autoimmune conditions or adrenal fatigue you know just how wonderful that would be since many of us have times of low mood, anxiety, and depression.
Better Balance And Flexibility
The slow and steady movements of Tai Chi can help improve balance and stability, as well as maintain or improve mobility in joints and flexibility of muscles. You don’t have to do hard, fast workouts to see improvement in health and well-being! (And you really shouldn’t be doing that kind of workout if you have certain health issues!)
Increased Muscle Strength
Weight lifting isn’t the only way to gain muscle strength! In fact, research has shown that those who engage in this type of activity can see an increase in both upper and lower body strength that can be comparable to resistance training and brisk walking!
Less Inflammation
Stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, chemicals in our environment, and many other factors can cause or contribute to inflammation. If you have an autoimmune disease, adrenal fatigue, or other health issues, you’re no stranger to inflammation. But, Tai Chi has been shown to reduce inflammation. Just one more reason to consider Tai Chi if you have an autoimmune disease 😉
Increased Oxygen And Energy
While doing the postures of Tai Chi, you are also taking slow, deep breaths. This helps to oxygenate the body, decrease stress, and increase energy. While many other forms of exercise may be too vigorous (and inappropriate) for those dealing with a health issue, Tai Chi is one of the few that many find very gentle and can actually leave you feeling more energized.
Better Sleep
If you’re looking for natural insomnia remedies be sure to add Tai Chi to your list! The combination of deep breathing and “moving meditation” has been found to be a great help to people in reducing insomnia or poor sleep.
Immune System Improvement
Tai Chi has been scientifically proven to have a great effect on the immune system. By lessening stress and reducing the “fight or flight” response, the body is able to increase T-cell function and activity. T-cells are an important part of the adaptive immune system and are responsible for regulating immune response, killing infected cells, and telling other immune cells it’s time to work. So reducing stress and increasing T-cell activity is an important benefit not for those of us with autoimmune conditions.
In addition to increasing T-cell activity, Tai Chi has also been shown to stimulate the lymphatic system and increase lymph drainage (which is important because the lymph system doesn’t have a pump like the circulatory system, so massage, exercise, and deep breathing are great for this!), and people have also shown increases in white blood cells meaning that their immune system can fight off illness or infection better.
Isn’t it amazing how a regular practice of Tai Chi can offer so many mental and physical benefits?!
How To Get Started With Tai Chi
Getting started with Tai Chi is really easy and has minimal (if any) cost.
*Disclaimer*
Tai Chi is considered safe for most people but don’t take my word for it! I am not your health care provider and do not play one on the internet. Please check with your health care provider before starting any exercise program.
Ok, now that I’ve mentioned that, let’s get to those tips on how to get started 🙂
- Wear baggy, comfortable clothes (no need for fitted or tight clothing with this exercise!)
- Ask around and find a class with a trained, experienced teacher
- Consider observing a class and talking with the instructor if you feel hesitant or have questions
- Go slow and steady- start with one class a week ( or even half a class if you can’t quite make it through a whole class) and increase as able
- Give it time- it can take weeks to see real improvement, many suggest giving it at least 12 weeks so don’t get discouraged if you don’t notice improvement right away
Frequently Asked Questions
Whenever you start a new activity you’re bound to have a few questions, right?
So I’ve tried to answer a few in hopes that it will help you get off to a great start!
- How many times per week do you need to practice Tai Chi to see the benefits?
Many resources I came across suggested doing Tai Chi at least 2-3 times each week to see full benefits. I think that really depends on your health, ability, and commitment. If you aren’t able to go to an hour of class three times each week, then do what you can. Consistency is just as important as duration!
2. Is Tai Chi better than yoga?
I don’t think that one is better than the other. I see them as different tools in your toolbox of health. One of the main differences though is that yoga poses may be held for a longer amount of time and there are some people who find it difficult or are unable to do that. Also, certain yoga poses can be problematic for some, although there are usually alternatives.
If you’re a beginner and trying to decide between yoga and Tai Chi, why not give them both a try and see which one works better for you right now?
3. Is Tai Chi at home as effective as going to a class?
I think that depends. If you are brand new to Tai Chi it would definitely be helpful to join a class and learn from an instructor. But, in my opinion, if you can’t join a class (for whatever reason) at home Tai Chi exercises can still be very helpful!
A Few Last Words About Tai Chi As A Healing Exercise For Adrenal Fatigue
If you’re dealing with an autoimmune condition, adrenal fatigue, fibromyalgia, or any other health issue and have been thinking of adding movement and exercise to your treatment or daily routine, you should absolutely look into Tai Chi!
This ancient form of exercise offers benefits for both mind and body, is appropriate for almost any person at any fitness level, and if done often Tai Chi has clinically proven health benefits such as:
- stress reduction
- pain reduction
- better mental clarity
- improvement in mental health
- better balance and flexibility
- increase in muscles strength
- reduction in inflammation
- increase in oxygen and energy
- better sleep
- immune system improvement
And more!
Tai Chi truly is one of the best exercises for adrenal fatigue!
Have you tried Tai Chi? If you have, leave a comment below or send me a message and share your experience. I would love to hear your thoughts 🙂
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