How tai chi chuan can help you quit smoking - Essay Example

“Originally developed as martial art, Tai Chi looks like a slow graceful dance, but behind the deceptively simple movements is a wealth of Philosophy, Medicine and Science. Tai Chi is about balance and harmony”(About Tai Chi). Tai chi can help a person to refresh his mind and develop a sound personality. Some of the proven benefits of Tai chi are “Stress reduction, Improving balance, flexibility and muscle strength; Improving sleep quality; Lowering blood pressure; Increasing energy, endurance and agility and Improving overall feelings of well-being etc” (Mayo Clinic Staff).

Tai chi training involves elements such as; drills, self defense techniques, weapon use etc. Tai chi training helps to bring a state of mental calm and clarity apart from providing health benefits and stress management abilities to the people who practice it. “Tai chi is often described as "meditation in motion," but it might well be called "medication in motion." There is growing evidence that this mind-body practice . has value in treating or preventing many health problems” (World Tai Chi & Qigong Day).

Tai chi chuan is gaining popularity in the world not only as a self defense technique, but also as a method to get rid of some bad habits. Since practicing Tai chi chuan can help a person to gain better control over his emotions, it is possible to use it for avoiding some bad habits like smoking, alcohol addiction, drug addiction etc. This paper briefly analyses how Tai chi chuan can help a person in quit smoking habit. Even though everybody knows about the possible health consequences of smoking, for some of the people, it is difficult to refrain from the smoking habits.

It is believed that cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, which can cause severe diseases like cancer, obstructive pulmonary disease, heart diseases, stroke and adverse reproductive outcomes. Still many people are addicted to smoking because of different reasons.    Smoking definitely creates lot of problems not only to the smoker but also to others who forced to breathe the smoke produced by the smoker. “Low self esteem and low self confidence are the major reasons for smoking” (Brizer, 2003, p.27). Tai chi chuan can help the smokers to improve their self esteem and self confidence and hence the smokers can manage their emotions more effectively or positively.

“To do tai chi, you perform a series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion” (Mayo Clinic Staff). Smokers usually smoke only when they feel physical or mental fatigue. Practicing Tai chi chuan exercises will help the smokers to improve their physical and mental health and hence they will improve their stamina reduce fatigue. There are many scientific studies which revealed the effectiveness of practicing Tai Chi to avoid smoking habits.

According to a study conducted by The University of Miami Division of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in conjunction with the Medical Wellness Centre, “Tai Chi may provide the ideal mind-body awareness to help you put out that last cigarette” (Tai Chi & Smoking Cessation). Deep breathing is one of the major exercises associated with Tai chi. It helps to reduce the stress normally a smoker experience prior to smoking. Smokers usually experience some kind of stresses before they think of smoking.

Smokers have the illusion that smoking may help them in getting rid of their