9 Reasons Tai Chi Reduces Pain and Promotes Health

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The ancient Chinese dance-like practice of tai chi is a meditative movement form that provides many health benefits, and there is evidence that it helps people living with chronic pain conditions.

“Tai chi should be called "medication in motion.”

Harvard Health Publishing

BENEFITS OF TAI CHI

Bill Douglas, author of the best-selling tai chi book, “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tai Chi and Qigong”, developer of the Kansas University “Stress Reduction Program,” and founder of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day is considered a Tai Chi and Qigong expert. In an interview, Bill tells Dr. Andrew Weil—on benefits— “students often comment about feeling a great sense of well-being, a sense of 'being here and now' rather than scattered and anxious. I’ve heard students say after a class that they feel like they just had a day at the spa.” He also tells Dr. Weil, "Many students also talk about relief from chronic pain."

         

Tai Chi:

1.     relieves stress

2.     promotes muscle health

3.     promotes flexibility

4.     gently stretches tender, contracted muscles

5.     promotes strength and improves joint function

6.     circulates lymph fluid important to boosting immune function

7.     improves balance

8.     provides positive feedback to our brain

9.     moves our focus away from pain

A 2016 meta analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials found tai chi is a viable complementary and alternative medicine for chronic pain conditions. And, a recent study (March 21, 2018) suggests tai chi is at least as beneficial for fibromyalgia as aerobic exercise, possibly more. 

TYPES OF TAI CHI

The several styles of tai chi are named after the surname of their founder. The oldest style is Chen. Tai Chi Chen consists of low stances and powerful movements. The Yang family first became involved in the study of Tai Chi Chuan, which is the most common form of tai chi practiced in the west. Other forms include Wu, Hoa, and Sun style, though the Hoa style is seldom practiced today. You may also find combination styles of tai chi, which incorporate movements from more than one approach.  

chi= qi = ki = prana: Traditional Chinese medicine refers to our vital energy force as chi or qi. Japanese call it ki, and it is known as prana in the ayurvedic medical tradition of India.

Each tai chi style has something different to offer based on the teacher’s approach. 

TAI CHI FOR YOU

It's important that we know what type of tai chi is right for us. Our choice should align with our physical abilities and goals and never feel stressful, quite the opposite. 

Each tai chi movement has purpose and a symbolic meaning. For instance, as we sink into our body we are opening our joints and relieving stress while building strength. The slow purposeful and graceful movements of tai chi give us the opportunity to make a mental and spiritual connection with our body and let the healing energy of chi heal our body, mind, and spirit. 

Easy Tai Chi Lesson from Bill Douglas

It’s important to experience movement and meditation for our health and practicing Tai Chi is a great way to do both. It is less likely to trigger a flare and it helps those of us with physical limitations stay as active and healthy as possible. Tai chi is one of my personal tools to combat physical and mental stress.

See what I have to say about tai chi in an interview I did for US News and World Report in "9 Strategies for Coping with Fibromyalgia."

AFTER WORDS

Bill Douglas, wrote the foreword to our book (co-author Jeff Miller, PhD) Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Winter Devotions and he had this to say  inside the cover of our book Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection:

“This integrative holistic approach to these conditions is what is needed throughout medicine today. Empowering us to become part of our own health and healing process is such a powerful approach to these conditions or any others. I applaud the authors, and hope they inspire others to follow their lead.

Additional Reading

Can Aerobic Exercise Reduce Fibromyalgia Symptoms?

Pained Ink Slayer Series: Mindfulness and Chronic Pain

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

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Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others. 

Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the SeeSaw of Chronic Pain, SUMMER DEVOTIONS

Summer is just around the corner, and with it comes challenges for the person living with chronic pain and illness. Being prepared to face each day, sometimes each moment, is important for maximizing the many aspects that confront the person living in pain. Following is information on SUMMER DEVOTIONS in the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the SeeSaw of Chronic Pain series.

About the Book 

By focusing on each summer day, the authors send their readers on a personal journey that allows them to restructure their personal experience with pain. In the foreword, Erica Verillo says “...Organized into a “book of days” each chapter offers a combination of practical coping advice – how to manage the sleep disorder that often comes with chronic pain, dietary considerations, and how to review the effectiveness of treatments – information (what do all those medical acronyms mean?), and guidance through the emotional turmoil of chronic illness...”

Finding physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual balance can be challenging for the person living with chronic pain. There is a primal need to provide physical comfort and positive interactions with others. Though this is something everyone faces, those who live with chronic pain are confronted with these challenges, and more, every day. Summer Devotions strives to help readers reclaim control over their lives by interacting with daily prompts for inward reflection. Everyone's experience with pain is unique and so should be their strategies for coping.

"Broken Body, Wounded Spirit takes those who suffer from chronic pain and illness on a magical ride to a place where all patients need to go: a place of relaxation, solace, and perspective. Woven in a rich pattern of interrelated tips, stories, and lovely truisms, we learn that we control our journey, and that being mindful of the realities of dealing with a chronic disease puts us in charge. I highly recommend this soulful little book."
 ~Richard Carson, Health advocate and Founder of ProHealth.com
From Summer Devotions Inside the Cover

“A must have for anyone suffering from the frustration of chronic pain. Best part about this book is you don't have to read it in order... I've skimmed through several times and each time there is another inspiration just waiting!”  Amazon Reviewer

 “I am only about halfway through this book, but have found it thought-provoking, insightful and uplifting. I don't read a lot, and this is broken down into daily readings which is helpful, yet I often find myself wanting to read more than one days worth at a time. I would highly recommend this book and the fact that it is available on Kindle on my phone and I can take it with me and read it anywhere is an added bonus! “Hannah, AmazonReviewer 

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Celeste  is an advanced trained RN who was forced into early retirement because of chronic pain. Her experience as an educator, an advocate, and a person living with chronic pain gives her a unique perspective. Her motivation for writing self-help books is to fulfill her personal purpose of helping others. Celeste believes it is up to each individual to explore ways to improve their life and encourages her readers through the exercises included in her works. She also believes every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and understands first-hand that is something each person must learn to demand in a kind and meaningful way, despite judgment imposed by others. For that reasons she advocates and educates.

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Jeff  Miller, PhD is a clinical psychologist with several specialties, including management of chronic pain disorders.  His goal is to help patients learn to cope with the psychological and spiritual aspects of pain and provide easy to use tools for maintaining forward momentum in their life.

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Available:

Amazon (Also available in Kindle) 

Barnes and Noble 

Amazon UK 

Amazon Canada 

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

Did you know that April is "Qi Gong Awareness" month? by Celeste Cooper

The deep meditative breathing practice, Qigong, is shown in the research as a valuable tool for helping us cope with chronic pain. That is because there is a biological effect of this ancient practice. From a scientific approach, we know oxygen is needed in the Krebs cycle for cellular metabolism and without oxygen, cellular damage will occur. We know from the research that oxidative stress is prevalent in both FM and ME/CFS, and has been identified in other chronic pain conditions.  This is why such a gentle approach to movement also has a beneficial physical effect on both the body and the mind.

Read more about Qigong and Tai Chi in an Interview with Bill Douglas by Dr. Andrew Weil, What benefits can Tai chi and Qigong bring to others?, here.

We are privileged that Bill Douglas, author of "TheComplete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi and Qigong and inductee to the Internal Arts Hall of Fame in New York, and Founder of World Tai Chi and Qigong Day has written an endorsement of "Spring Devotions"  in the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain Series.

Here is what Bill Douglas had to say:

"Broken Body, Wounded Spirit Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain" one of four seasonal daybooks' holistic approach to chronic pain challenges is a powerful tool to everyone dealing with these issues. It is a self-empowerment tool, making you the cartographer in the adventure of your evolving future.

My 20 years of working with people challenged by chronic pain issues have revealed to me just how deeply the mind, heart (emotions), and body are intertwined and how a holistic approach is a powerful one. Often our mind drives us to push, push, push because of old programming in our lives. This habit overrides the body's requirements, and needs to be untangled. This book will support and help you get back in touch with your body', so you can become an 'ally' rather than a brutal taskmaster. You can re-learn how to 'play' with your body, rather than dictating to it. This book's advocacy of Tai Chi is just one of the many insightful and valuable gems it has to offer everyone dealing with chronic pain."

More information on Qigong can be found in Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, and the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain Series by Celeste Cooper, RN and Jeff Miller, PhD available at all major online retailers in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

For "How To" instructions, pick up a copy of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi and Qigong by Bill Douglas and Angela Wong Douglas, here, and learn more about Bill Douglas and the benefits of Qigong, here.

Available here

Breathe
Relax
Grow
Let Go and Let it Flow

~ Celeste

Don't Snooze? You Lose - Sleep Deprivation in Pain Disorders

Sleep is a really big deal, especially for those of us who don't get it, or get it but never feel rested. What better time to talk about sleep, or lack of it, than March—"Sleep Awareness Month."

What Came First—The Seed or the Tree?

Many things can lead to sleep deprivation according to those who study it; anxiety or depression, airway obstruction (sleep apnea), narcolepsy (falling asleep without reason), pain, disordered sleep patterns   (prevalent in fibromyalgia), and inspiratory airflow dynamics also seen in fibromyalgia.  

We know primary sleep disorders affected by a disruption in the central nervous system (also is in charge of hormones that regulate sleep), sleep starts, and delayed sleep phase (inability to fall or maintain sleep) and all the other things from the first paragraph, interfere with our sleep quality. However, other disorders can plague our sleep too; including, teeth grinding (bruxism), periodic limb movement, PLM, (the vampire of restless leg syndrome), migraine, nocturia (nighttime urination, caused by bladder dysfunction, or certain other diseases), irritable bowel syndrome,  contributing symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and more. Wouldn't it be nice to get some sleep?

Promoting Your Circadian Rhythm

Our circadian rhythm, a physiological cycle of all living things thought to repeat about every 24 hours, is orchestrated by two markers, melatonin concentration, and core body temperature. So how can we affect these things and contribute to restfulness?

Here is a helpful acronym for sleep hygiene:

S - Schedule bedtime and stick to it
L - Limit physical activity before bedtime
U - Use comfort measures
M - Meditate (count those lambs)
B - Breathe
E - Eliminate stress and food (including caffeine 2-3 hours prior to bedtime)
R - Remember nothing—clear your mind (journal your to-do list so you can let go)
(Cooper and Miller, 2010, pg 167) 

Here are some tips that might keep your internal DVR from repeating the same episodes over-and-over again.:

• Limit caffeine intake to mornings.
• Avoid alcohol in the evening.
• Limit activity two hours before bedtime.
• Don’t eat right before going to bed.
• See if your medications cause insomnia.
• Practice relaxation techniques.
• If deprivation is significant, see your doctor.

(Cooper and Miller,2013, Are You Missing Your Favorite Episode? The Soap Opera of Pain and Sleep.

Disorder in Bed Court!

Sleep deprivation can impede healing, foster agitation, and when severe, cause psychosis. This might explain why so many of us have difficulty fighting off viruses and recovering from injury, the things normally repaired during sleep. When our cells are deprived of oxygen, cellular metabolism and energy is affected.

All the things discussed here—can and do—play a role in sleep quality. I advocate for my fellow sleep deprived cohorts. If anyone reading this article suspects sleep problems can be contributing to your symptoms, please report it to your doctor so he or she can get a sleep study, because many times despite doing everything right, a road block occurs and we literally lose our map to life. Not having enough or the right kind of sleep can be a major contributor. Effective sleep is important to our overall health. 

There are  integrative therapies that can be implemented, medications that can help, and specific treatments for specific sleep disorders, but you will not know without a sleep study where your problem lies (pardon the pun).

Other blogs on sleep:

• What’s the Big Deal about Sleep?
• Is sleep keeping you awake at night? Poor sleep in people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome
• The Mystery of Sleep in Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Sleep oh sleep, where art thou? Could your fibromyalgia medications be causing insomnia?
• Snooze News - The conundrum of sleep deprivation
• “Wake Up Sleepy Head” - Non-Restorative Sleep in FM and CFS

 

(Signature line appended, April 2018)

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

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Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others. 

WINTER DEVOTIONS edition of Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain by Celeste Cooper, RN and Jeff Miller, PhD

Cooper, C and Miller, J. Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain, WINTER DEVOTIONS. Blue Springs, MO: Impress Media, 2013.

Available in paperback ~240 pages, 6” x 9.” here.

eBook in Kindle format available here.

(Don’t have a Kindle? Get the Kindle app for your PC,  here.

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There is nothing charismatic about chronic pain regardless of its source. Pain is greedy and demanding. It consumes our time, our relationships, and our function, and it threatens everything that is important in our lives, our character and our dignity... Come with us as we walk the barren winter land appreciating that it is necessary to rid ourselves of previous conceptions in preparation for the spring season of rebirth...

Read more here.

Published by ImPress Media, December, 2013.

ISBN:  13: 978-0615924052

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Inside the cover:

“This lovely book of devotions is rich with insight and practical suggestions for any one with chronic pain. It is filled witch inspirational and healing words dealing with topics from nutrition, exercise and sleep to relating successfully to your doctor.”

~Susan E. Opper, MD, Medical Director of Saint Luke’s Pain Management Services, Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City.

“I love the very idea of “Winter Devotions”.   The struggle of living with chronic pain is compounded for many by the winter months when it is cold, damp, and often gloomy.  Bones ache, joints hurts, and the spirit sometimes become depressed. This wonderful book provides a tool to help with those issues.  The quotes, photography and motivation of authors Celeste Cooper and Jeff Miller all bring much needed hope and relief.”

~Myra J. Christopher, Kathleen M. Foley Chair in Pain and Palliative Care at the Center for Practical Bioethics and Principal Investigator of the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy.

Don’t miss the forward too, read more from inside the cover here.

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The books in this series are filled with famous quotes, affirmations and pleasing photos that the authors hope you will find motivating and rewarding as you pursue your journey in learning to live with chronic pain. There are helpful tools for finding answers to questions such as:

• How can I find balance in my strengths and weakness?
• How can I change my word energy?
• What do those pain terms mean?
• On the pain scale, what is my ten?
• What can I do to maintain and build healthy relationships?
• Have I thought about my choices? 
• How can I redirect pain when it gets bossy?

...and much more.

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Sneak Peek

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Day Fifteen

Role Modeling for Universal Love

“A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him, I may think aloud.  I am arrived at last in the presence of a man so real and equal, that I may drop even those undermost garments of dissimulation, courtesy, and second thought, which men never put off, and may deal with him with the simplicity and wholeness with which one chemical atom meets another.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803 – 1882

When Emerson’s friend Henry David Thoreau was jailed for not paying taxes (as a conscientious objector to the unjust Mexican War), he was looking out of his jail cell on Concord’s main street.  Emerson saw him in passing and exclaimed, “David, what are you doing in THERE?” Thoreau responded, “Ralph, what are you doing out THERE?” The honesty and focus of their shared love of nature, literature, liberty, and spiritual growth cultivated some of the most influential thinking in our recent history.  The courage it takes to be a true friend cannot be over emphasized.

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Read more about Celeste and other books here.

Or on her website here by clicking on the “About the Books” tab.

Did you know? – Smoothies, health, and you by Celeste Cooper

When dealing with chronic pain issues, it is sometimes difficult to prepare meals, but here is a healthy breakfast or snack solution if you have a blender.

Ingredients:

Use fresh and/or frozen fruits and vegetables on hand. Keep in mind that for some an anti-inflammatory choice is a smart selection, particularly if you are subject to irritable bladder, GERD or other digestion problems, immune deficiencies or conditions that create inflammation.

Keep it balanced:

Protein powder (or if you are gluten intolerant, use the protein substitute of your choice.

Special considerations:

Apples are considered to be a low acidic fruit in their raw form. They are abundant in pectin, a natural substance that soothes the stomach and absorbs acid, so they are actually creating an alkaline environment when digested.  They are a great source of vitamin C, and have phosphorous, iron, antioxidants and flavanoids, and they are high in fiber. 

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Because apples are high in fiber, they are also a good choice for those of us who take medications that cause constipation or experience alternating constipative/diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome.

Tip! The peeling of an apple is important too, but it is also a great source of accumulated pesticides. Therefore, wash your apple (or other fruits and vegetables with edible peelings) by sprinkling on some baking soda, wet your hands and massage the apple, then rinse thoroughly.

Want to know more about flavanoids?  They are discussed in “Summer Devotions” and nutrition tracking is discussed in the “Fall Devotions” of Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain. Many tracking tools are included in Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: the Mind-Body Connection. You can read more “About the Books” at http://TheseThree.com

Did you know?

Did you know that you can freeze a whole banana and use it later? Yes, it is true, and you can cut off what you need and easily remove the peeling. Not only do they add flavor, a banana also adds fiber, protein, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, magnesium, folate, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A, and iron. There is a reason they are considered as a baby’s first food.

Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, kale, red (my personal favorite) and green romaine lettuce, are packed with fiber and are a great source of vitamins and minerals.

The more colorful the better, because bright colors mean they are loaded with antioxidants, which fight cellular oxidative stress apparent in both fibromyalgia and CFS/ME.

Carrots are known as the eye health veggie. Raw carrots are loaded with fiber and a great source of thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, Folate, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium.

Tip! Cleaning vegetables with a weak vinegar solution will help fight any lingering bacteria.

If you have left over colorful bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, etc., throw those in too. Any colorful fruit or vegetable that your body tolerates is a good choice.

*If you are sticking to a low acid forming diet, check to see if ingredients are “acid forming” foods. They can be acidic, but that does not mean they create an acidic environment in your body.  This topic is outside the source of this particular blog. 

I have found by using fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables it makes the smoothie like drinking a nutritious shake. Add water, milk, almond milk, soy milk, whichever you prefer, for the consistency you like and enjoy vitamins the old fashion way with a modern twist!

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All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com