By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Tai Chi Chuan, the great ultimate, strengthens the weak, raises the sick, invigorates the debilitated, and encourages the timid.” –Cheng Man-ch’ing The aging process involves a systematic progressive decline in every system in the body, the brain included. The elderly frequently have problems with attention, thinking, and […]
Relieve Cancer-Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients with Mind-Body Exercise By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “mindfulness has both direct and indirect effects on the fatigue of breast cancer survivors and that mindfulness can be used to more effectively reduce their fatigue.” – Kaori Ikeuchi Receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer has […]
Improve Chronic Fatigue with Mind-Body Practices By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Mindfulness can be a powerful tool for overcoming fatigue. It allows you to recognize when fatigue is the cause of a current problem, and it offers you an intuition-based problem-solving ability. Furthermore, regular mindfulness practice is itself a source of energy.” […]
Relieve Insomnia in Older Adults with Tai Chi or Exercise By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Tai Chi significantly improved sleep quality in both healthy adults and patients with chronic health conditions, which suggests that Tai Chi may be considered as an alternative behavioral therapy in the treatment of insomnia.” – Gown Raman Modern […]
Tai Chi Practice Improves the Symptoms of Multiple Diseases By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “In addition to easing balance problems, and possibly other symptoms, tai chi can help ease stress and anxiety and strengthen all parts of the body, with few if any harmful side effects.” Peter Wayne Tai Chi is an […]
Improve Balance and Exercise Capacity in Stroke Patients with Tai Chi By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “With a complete focus on slow, controlled, and repetitive movements, tai chi is effective in improving one’s balance through dynamic motion and coordination, which is crucial to prevent falls. What many people may not know is that stroke […]
Improve Physical Fitness and Quality of Life of Substance Abusers with Mind-Body Practices. By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Available data suggest that mindfulness-based interventions may help significantly reduce the consumption of several substances including alcohol, cigarettes, opiates, and others.” – NCCIH Clinical Digest Substance abuse is a major health and social […]
Movement-Based Therapies are Affective for Rehabilitation from Disease By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “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, which originated in China as a martial art, has value in treating or preventing […]
Change the Brain to Improve Fibromyalgia with Tai Chi By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “tai chi appears to be as effective or better for managing fibromyalgia . . . and patients are more likely to attend tai chi classes than aerobic exercise sessions.” – NCCIH Fibromyalgia is a mysterious disorder whose […]
Mind-Body Skills Training Improves College Student Mental Health and Well-Being By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “By focusing on and controlling our breath, we can change how we think and feel. We can use the breath as a means of changing our emotional state and managing stress.” —Tommy Rosen There is an […]