DEPRESSION:
Tai Chi May Relieve Anxiety and Depression
The healing power of this martial art may lie in combining movement, meditation and breathing exercises.
While there are few studies on the effects of tai chi (t'ai chi ch'uan) on reducing anxiety and depression, those there are suggest that it could be beneficial, especially among the elderly.
What evidence there is suggests that the benefits of tai chi extend beyond those of simply exercising. The combination of exercise, meditation, and breathing all may help relieve anxiety and depression, according to this Donal P. O'Mathuna, Ph.D., a lecturer in Health Care Ethics at the School of Nursing in Dublin City University, Ireland.
http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/tai-chi-may-relieve-anxiety-and-depression/915d72e50d803110VgnVCM10000013281eac____
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Alternative Therapies Can Be Safe, Effective For Children
By: PR Newswire
Apr. 6, 2009 08:10 AM"There is a huge place for complementary and alternative medicine in pediatrics," says Dolores Mendelow, M.D., clinical assistant professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Complementary and alternative therapies are becoming a more prevalent treatment for children. If individuals follow the directions of their physicians, these treatments are a safe and effective way to get and stay healthy, Mendelow says.
Tai chi. Research shows teenagers encounter a lot of stress, which puts them at risk for depression. Mind and body therapies, such as tai chi, help reduce the risk of depression and anxiety. Tai chi and yoga help to decrease blood pressure and sympathetic activity in children. This allows for a sense of relaxation and calmness.
Read more at:
http://au.sys-con.com/node/908648
DEPRESSION & MOOD DISTURBANCE. Regular (daily) T'ai Chi practitioners usually find less incidence of depression and overall mood disturbance.
Relative to measurement beforehand, practice of Tai Chi raised heart rate, increased nonadrenaline excretion in urine, and decreased salivary cortisol concentration. Relative to baseline levels, [Test Subjects] reported less tension, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion and state-anxiety; they felt more vigorous, and in general they had less total mood disturbance.
(American Psychological Association) Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1989 Vol 33 (2) 197-206
