It is without a doubt that taking a pill is easier than committing time to a regular health practice. But often pills come with a high price, both in cost and in side effects. And then there are some conditions which no medicine can cure. It is at this point that many people turn to complementary practices such as Tai Chi. The Metarobic benefits of Tai Chi boosts the ability of the body to heal itself. Tai Chi has been used by people suffering from a variety of conditions, including cancer, heart, lung and kidney disease, arthritis, and more (see “Tai Chi Therapy: The Science of Metarobics” for research underlying the unique physiological effects of Tai Chi on the body).
A large number of Tai Chi teachers became teachers due to the effects of Tai Chi on their condition. Many of these had been told they had incurable conditions, and some had been given only weeks to live (See the month of January on the Metarobics Facebook Page, for case stories of various teachers). A recent experience is confirming for me just how important Tai Chi can be, for people which conventional medicine offers no current hope. I suffer from celiac neuropathy which has grown progressively worse over the years. It got to the point that I could not feel my arms and legs, up to my shoulders and hips. Doctors ran a large variety of tests, but could find no underlying reason. This is often the case with celiac neuropathy, which can develop later in life in those with celiac sprue. The reason why is unknown, and there does not seem to be a cure.
Some research is beginning to link this to the large amount of rice celiacs eat in replacement of wheat, due to possible high arsenic content in rice, from being grown in fields formerly dedicate to cotton. Arsenic was a common poison used to control boll weevils. More research is needed, but no matter what the cause, my condition was deteriorating to the point that I was worried I would lose the use of my arms and legs.
This was particularly disappointing, because I was already a regular Tai Chi practitioner, and was a Tai Chi teacher and researcher. My work with Metarobic theory explained why Tai Chi helped so many conditions. So why was it not helping me? It then struck me that many of those with life threatening chronic conditions did Tai Chi multiple times each day. So I upped my practice to 30-45 minutes of practice three times a day. I also began using vitamins and supplements which were reputed to help with neuropathy (Magnesium, sublingual B12, stabilized R-lipoic acid, calcium, D3, Biosil and PectaClear). And the neuropathy cleared up, surprisingly rapidly (feeling returned to my arms and legs within a few weeks, and to my hands, feet and toes over the next three months or so).
But I had to consider – was it the Tai Chi, the supplements, or a combination? I suspected the latter, since there were times when life got particularly busy, and I missed a Tai Chi session, but not the supplements, or visa versa, and the numbness would begin to come back. I was able to cut down Tai Chi practice to 30 minutes or so twice a day. But if I only did it once, the next day I would feel some numbness return. But this week was so busy and demanding, that it finally answered the question of just how important the Tai Chi practice was, compared to the supplements. I did not miss any supplements, but I began missing Tai Chi.
For almost a week I was able to squeeze in a morning or evening practice, but not both. And some numbness began returning. And then I missed two complete days. Last night my legs were numb up to the middle of my calves, and my nerves were twanging like plucked guitar strings. Finally, at 4:00 in the morning, I got up and did 40 minutes of Tai Chi. The twanging nerves calmed, and feeling returned to my legs, except the balls of my feet and my toes. When I woke later that morning, I did 30 minutes of Tai Chi, 15 minutes of a Qigong exercise later that day, and 20 minutes of the Tai Chi sword form before dinner. And the numbness cleared up, except for my toes, and the occasional nerve twang. The rapidity with which the peripheral neuropathy returned, and how quickly it is clearing up now that I am back to Tai Chi, really drove home two points. One, that it was the Tai Chi which was making the greatest difference in bodily functions, to be able to counter whatever is causing the neuropathy. And two, that if I wanted to remain free from the neuropathy, that I had to adhere strictly to at least twice daily practice.
As much as it might be nicer and more convenient to take a pill, over all, it forced me to make a choice for health which I am not regretting. Daily practice morning and evening has brought me fantastic health, peace, and tranquility. And since celiacs are at greater risk for a number of serious conditions, in addition to peripheral neuropathy, it is my hope that regular Tai Chi practice will help me avoid such complications. Busy or not, after midnight or not, I remind myself that the discipline I have learned from daily practice is there, and will see me through (not however, discounting the importance of a good night's sleep). And not that there are days I curse the discipline this art has instilled in me. But I also thank it, for whether I want to or not, my condition is a constant reminder – Health can be a choice.
A large number of Tai Chi teachers became teachers due to the effects of Tai Chi on their condition. Many of these had been told they had incurable conditions, and some had been given only weeks to live (See the month of January on the Metarobics Facebook Page, for case stories of various teachers). A recent experience is confirming for me just how important Tai Chi can be, for people which conventional medicine offers no current hope. I suffer from celiac neuropathy which has grown progressively worse over the years. It got to the point that I could not feel my arms and legs, up to my shoulders and hips. Doctors ran a large variety of tests, but could find no underlying reason. This is often the case with celiac neuropathy, which can develop later in life in those with celiac sprue. The reason why is unknown, and there does not seem to be a cure.
Some research is beginning to link this to the large amount of rice celiacs eat in replacement of wheat, due to possible high arsenic content in rice, from being grown in fields formerly dedicate to cotton. Arsenic was a common poison used to control boll weevils. More research is needed, but no matter what the cause, my condition was deteriorating to the point that I was worried I would lose the use of my arms and legs.
This was particularly disappointing, because I was already a regular Tai Chi practitioner, and was a Tai Chi teacher and researcher. My work with Metarobic theory explained why Tai Chi helped so many conditions. So why was it not helping me? It then struck me that many of those with life threatening chronic conditions did Tai Chi multiple times each day. So I upped my practice to 30-45 minutes of practice three times a day. I also began using vitamins and supplements which were reputed to help with neuropathy (Magnesium, sublingual B12, stabilized R-lipoic acid, calcium, D3, Biosil and PectaClear). And the neuropathy cleared up, surprisingly rapidly (feeling returned to my arms and legs within a few weeks, and to my hands, feet and toes over the next three months or so).
But I had to consider – was it the Tai Chi, the supplements, or a combination? I suspected the latter, since there were times when life got particularly busy, and I missed a Tai Chi session, but not the supplements, or visa versa, and the numbness would begin to come back. I was able to cut down Tai Chi practice to 30 minutes or so twice a day. But if I only did it once, the next day I would feel some numbness return. But this week was so busy and demanding, that it finally answered the question of just how important the Tai Chi practice was, compared to the supplements. I did not miss any supplements, but I began missing Tai Chi.
For almost a week I was able to squeeze in a morning or evening practice, but not both. And some numbness began returning. And then I missed two complete days. Last night my legs were numb up to the middle of my calves, and my nerves were twanging like plucked guitar strings. Finally, at 4:00 in the morning, I got up and did 40 minutes of Tai Chi. The twanging nerves calmed, and feeling returned to my legs, except the balls of my feet and my toes. When I woke later that morning, I did 30 minutes of Tai Chi, 15 minutes of a Qigong exercise later that day, and 20 minutes of the Tai Chi sword form before dinner. And the numbness cleared up, except for my toes, and the occasional nerve twang. The rapidity with which the peripheral neuropathy returned, and how quickly it is clearing up now that I am back to Tai Chi, really drove home two points. One, that it was the Tai Chi which was making the greatest difference in bodily functions, to be able to counter whatever is causing the neuropathy. And two, that if I wanted to remain free from the neuropathy, that I had to adhere strictly to at least twice daily practice.
As much as it might be nicer and more convenient to take a pill, over all, it forced me to make a choice for health which I am not regretting. Daily practice morning and evening has brought me fantastic health, peace, and tranquility. And since celiacs are at greater risk for a number of serious conditions, in addition to peripheral neuropathy, it is my hope that regular Tai Chi practice will help me avoid such complications. Busy or not, after midnight or not, I remind myself that the discipline I have learned from daily practice is there, and will see me through (not however, discounting the importance of a good night's sleep). And not that there are days I curse the discipline this art has instilled in me. But I also thank it, for whether I want to or not, my condition is a constant reminder – Health can be a choice.
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