Living Fit, Healthy and Happy

CDC Reports Decline In Eye Problems Among Diabetics In America

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The percentage of diabetics who also suffer visual impairment declined according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. The results, published in the agency's November 18 2011 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, show that less Americans with diabetes are suffering from visual problems. 

The report provides useful information on the condition of diabetic people in the US, and is particularly important for diagnosing problems in that population. Scientists obtained their information from National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data for 1997 - 2010. For the survey, people age 18 years and older were asked the following series of questions:

1. Respondents were asked if a physician informed them that they had diabetes.
2. If the response to the first question was'yes', the people were then asked if they had difficulty seeing even with the use of glasses and contacts. People who answered 'yes' to this question were considered to have a visual impairment.
3. If the answer to the second question was 'yes', respondents were asked if they had sought help from a health care professional regarding their health during the past twelve months. 

Based on the reponses, CDC officials obtained two important, albeit seemingly contradictory pieces of information:

1. The number of adults diagnosed with diabetes and self-reported eye problems increased from 1997 - 2010.
2. Age-adjusted percentage of diabetic adults who self-reported visual impairment actually declined from 23.7 % in 1997 to 16.7% in 2010.  

Why such a disparity? Likely it was due to how the data was obtained. People whom completed the government survey were supplying their own answers i.e. they may or may not have clearly understood or truthfully answered the questions. In other words, the accuracy of the data is somewhat questionable because responses from health care professionals weren't included.

Nonetheless, a decline in visual impairment among persons with diabetes would be welcome news. A study recently published in PLoS ONE found that patient risk for diabetic retinopathy might be lower at family health care practices with high quality of care targets for glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). In other words, medical pratices that targeted diabetes (and in this case, a molecule associated with damage to the retina) were more likely to find and treat the illness in their patients thereby reducing risk of diabetes related complications.

Therefore the take home message from the findings of the CDC report would be that people diagnosed with diabetes should make regular appointments with their doctor. By doing so, they can receive treatment for the diabetes and hopefully prevent development of future problems associated with the disease.

As part of American Diabetes Month and Diabetic Eye Disease Month, we're posting this article to keep you informed about steps you can take to improve your health and cope with diabetes.

For more visit these websites:

Prevent Blindness America

American Diabetes Association

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Article Sources

Burrows,N.R., Hora, I.A., Li, Y. et al. Self-Reported Visual Impairment Among Persons with Diagnosed Diabetes -- United States, 1997 -2010. CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6045a2.htm?s_cid=mm6045a2_w

Gulliford MC, Dodhia H, Sivaprasad S, Ashworth M, 2010 Family Practices' Achievement of Diabetes Quality of Care Targets and Risk of Screen-Detected Diabetic Retinopathy. PLoS ONE 5(4): e10424. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010424

"CDC Reports Decline In Eye Problems Among Diabetics In America" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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Many Visually Impaired Americans Do Not Seek Eye Care Treatment

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A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that a large number of visually impaired Americans do not seek eye care. According to the findings of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys of 21 states conducted between 2006 - 2009, and reported in the May 20, 2011 issue of the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), a significant number of moderate to severe visually impaired Americans aged 40 and older did not seek treatment for eye problems.

Health officials conducted a random telephone survey of 11,500 moderate to severe visually impaired residing in 21 states. They analyzed the data from the BRFSS Vision Impaired and Access to Eye Care Module which provided interesting information about the thousands of older Americans who suffer from eye problems. What they found may shock you.

 

Lack of Insurance or Cost of Care Affects People's Decision to Get Eye Care Treatment

Although regular check ups are important for maintaining good eye health, it turns out that many people aged 40 and over don't seek help for moderate to severe eye problems because they don't have the money to pay for treatment. This could have serious implications on a national level considering an aging population and rising health care costs. People are putting their vision at risk if they don't get their eyes checked, eye disease can worsen without treatment.

 

Many People Don't Feel Any Need To Seek Eye Care Treatment

Many visually impaired people over age 65 (43.8% of respondents) simply don't feel that they need to get their eyes checked. CDC officials speculate that people of that age group believe that it is normal to develop eye problems with age. This response is troubling to health experts because there are more cases of visual problems in the elderly than other populations. They also noted that men were more likely than women to believe that there wasn't any need to get treatment for eye problems.

 

What This Means To You 

May is Healthy Vision Month. Millions of Americans across all racial and ethnic groups suffer from eye disease. As a matter of fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that the number of people who suffer from nearsightedness has grown substantially over the past thirty years. In light of the fact that nearsightedness is often a correctible problem that often affects children and teens, more severe problems such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (diabetes-related vision loss) and cataracts - all of which are associated with older persons- will become a serious national health crisis as our nation continues to age.

Your eyesight is nothing to play around with. It's important to get regular check ups because only an eye care professional can diagnose any changes in the condition of your eyes.

In an imperfect world people are often faced with very tough decisions, weighing the importance of one thing over another. But blindness is no laughing matter. Medical check ups often make the difference between sight and blindess.

If you hesitate to visit an eye care professional because you lack funds or erroneously believe that nothing is wrong with your eyes it could be too late. Your eyesight might be gone forever. Is that a risk that you are willing to take?

 

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Article Sources

Reasons for Not Seeking Eye Care Among Adults Aged ≥40 Years with Moderate-to-Severe Visual Impairment --- 21 States, 2006--2009. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6019a3.htm?s_cid=mm6019a3_w

NIH News http://www.nih.gov/news/health/may2011/nei-12.htm

Dirani, M. et al. Adult-Onset Myopia: The Genes in Myopia (GEM) Twin Study. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. August 2008. vol 49, no. 8. 3324-3327.

 

"Many Visually Impaired Americans Do Not Seek Eye Care Treatment" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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Relieve Computer Vision Syndrome!

Relieve Computer Vision Syndrome!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Mark_Rosenberg,_M.D.]Mark Rosenberg, M.D.

If you're like many of my patients, perhaps your job requires you to spend a great deal of time in front of a computer every day. If so, you've likely experienced a form of eyestrain associated with prolonged computer use called computer vision syndrome. I'd like to talk to you about some ways you can reduce, or even eliminate, the symptoms of this common condition.

Facts About Computer Vision Syndrome

The American Optometric Association reports that 70-75% of Americans who spend a lot of time in front of a computer have computer vision syndrome! That's right. Most people, however, do not attribute the symptoms of this condition to computer use. They include:

•Headaches
•Eye strain
•Blurred vision
•Shoulder and neck pain
•Dry, scratchy red eyes

Your eyes do not respond to reading print on a computer screen the same way they do reading printed material from, say, a newspaper or magazine. That's because words in printed material stand out from their background much more distinctly than words that appear on a lighted computer screen. With the glare that comes from the lighted computer monitor screen, your eyes constantly have to focus thousands of times trying to read computer screen text.

Also, you blink less often reading computer text than regular text, in fact 5 times less, and this causes the eye to become dry and irritated. In addition, the eye muscles become overworked and that's where all the strain, headaches, and neck pain comes from. Standard vision tests fail to properly diagnose computer vision syndrome because they only show how well characters are seen up close and far away. Computer vision syndrome falls somewhere in the middle.

Can You Remedy Computer Vision Syndrome?

The question most frequently asked by my patients when we discuss their eyestrain is, "how can I avoid this condition if I have to work all day on a computer?" Unfortunately, you can't completely avoid the eyestrain symptoms of working on a computer all day. However, you can do several things to prevent, or ease, some of the symptoms.

•Adjust room lighting/screen lighting: Room lighting should be about the same or slightly darker/dimmer than your computer screen. Working in an overhead-lit room with fluorescent lighting will aggravate symptoms significantly. If possible, try to reduce the brightness of overhead lighting.
•Computer ergonomics: Position your screen so it is at or slightly below eye level. Position the screen so that it does not reflect outside light or overhead light. Position monitor close enough so you can read text without having to lean forward into it.
•Blink frequently: You will likely have to remember to blink more often while working on your computer. Some eye lubricant like Artificial Tears can help alleviate irritation.
•Eye Exam: It can help to get a complete eye exam, and if necessary, a prescription for computer glasses than are specifically designed to prevent computer vision syndrome.
•Replace your monitor: Old, CRT (cathode ray terminal) monitors give off a lot of glare. Get a new, LCD (liquid crystal display) to help avoid eyestrain.
•Exercise your eyes: To reduce "focus fatigue", these simple and quick exercises can help reduce spasms of the muscles around the eyes. A. 20-20-20. Look away from your computer every 20 minutes at something about 20 feet away, for 20 seconds. B. 10-10's. Alternative looking at something distant, and something close up for 10 seconds each, repeated 10 times. Blink frequently during the exercises to lubricate the eye.
•Take a Break: Take more frequent mini breaks throughout the day where you get up and move away from the computer screen. Walk to the restroom, break room, or get some water.
•Hydrate: As always, drink adequate amounts of water, at least one gallon a day, more if you are sweating a lot. Eye tissues are predominantly water. If you become dehydrated so do your eyes.
•Supplements: Be sure you are getting enough eye healthy vitamins like beta-carotene, antioxidants C, E, selenium, bilberry, lutein and zeaxanthin either from the food you eat or additional supplements.

In these days of computer-dominated workdays, social media and the Internet, many of us spend an inordinate amount of time in front of a computer screen. Our eyes may be paying the ultimate price for all our computer savvy technologies, however.
 
To minimize and/or alleviate the symptoms of computer vision syndrome, give your eyes a break from your computer at regular intervals. As I tell my patients, try to use weekends as computer rest time and go without any computer screen usage to rest your eyes completely. Follow at least some of the recommendations above so that your eyes will stay healthy and your vision good long into your golden years!
 
Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Institute For Healthy Aging

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The Truth About Astigmatism

The Truth About Astigmatism
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dr._Charles_Simon]Dr. Charles Simon

Astigmatism is a condition of the eye where light rays are not focused equally on the back (retina) of the eye. It is usually associated with either myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness). The eye has two basic components, the optical and the sensory. It is very much like a camera. In a camera there are lenses that focus the light rays onto the film which then converts light energy into chemical energy. Same for the eye except the film is replaced by the retina.

Nearsightedness is when the optical elements of the eye are too strong and light rays are focused in front of the retina. You can see at near clearly but not far. Farsightedness is the opposite, the optics of the eye are too weak and the eye must use additional focusing power to see clearly. This causes eye fatigue especially when reading.

Most people have some amount of astigmatism. It comes either from the front part of the eye, the cornea, not being perfectly round but slightly oval in shape and/or the lens inside the eye being slightly oval as well. You can not see this oval shape with the naked eye as it is very slight. Imagine taking plastic lens out of a pair of glasses and squeezing it until the shape changed, you would be creating an astigmatic condition. The result would be that some of the light rays would elongate and others might shrink.

The treatment for astigmatism is either glasses or contacts. LASIK can also correct astigmatism. Uncorrected, astigmatism can cause eyestrain which may manifest itself in headaches or discomfort while reading or driving. The effects are not harmful nor permanent, just annoying.

Astigmatism can be detected and corrected with a routine eye exam from your optometrist.

For more information on eyeglasses and vision please visit our website: [http://www.simoneye.com]Simon Eye Associates

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Truth-About-Astigmatism&id=5898497] The Truth About Astigmatism

Meta-Analysis: Smoking,Cataract Surgery Increase Risk For Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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In a report published in the December 2010 issue of BMC Ophthalmology, scientists have found that smoking, previous cataract surgery, and family history of age-related macular degeneration  put people at risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Scientists performed a systematic review and meta-analyses of forty-five articles containing risk factors for age-related macular degeneration. The analysis pooled samples from more than 94,000 patients and included cross-sectional and case studies, that looked at sixteen risk factors for the disease.

What they found was that personal habits and family history greatly influence whether or not a person may develop age-related macular degeneration.

AMD is a form of blindness that tends to affect senior citizens. It is an incurable condition in which irreversible damage to the retina leads to partial vision loss. Ironically, cataract surgery (a procedure to prevent blindness) actually increased a person's risk for age-related macular degeneration. Experts believe that age is a factor in both dieases. When a person undergoes surgery to remove cataracts, the surgery may predispose the aging eye to retinal damage.

Other significant risk factors include:

• BMI - persons whom are overweight or obese are at greater risk for AMD
• high blood pressure
• history of cardiovascular disease
• smoking

Scientists hope that the results of the meta-analysis may help physicians to better assist patients who are at risk for age-related macular degeneration.

 

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Article Source

 

Chakravarthy et al: Clinical risk fators for age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Ophtalmology 2010 10:31.

 

"Smoking, Cataract Surgey Increase Risk Of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Meta-Analysis" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

Acute and Chronic Glaucoma

Acute and Chronic Glaucoma
By Brenda Williams

There is a common medical myth that glaucoma always causes
blindness. This is not true. If caught early, and treated
promptly sight can be saved. However, if not treated early,
blindness will occur.

The ciliary body of the eye produces a liquid known as the
aqueous humor. This fluid circulates through the pupil from the
back of the iris into a chamber between the iris and the cornea.
There is a network of tissue located between the iris and the
cornea called the drainage angle. The aqueous humor flows out of
the eye through this network and into a channel that leads to
another network of small veins on the outside of the eye. This
flow of liquid is an ongoing process. However, if the drainage
angle doesn't function, as it should, the flow either moves more
slowly or fails to move at all. This causes pressure to build up
in the eye. As a result of this pressure, the blood vessels that
bring nutrients and oxygen to the fibers of the optic nerve and
light-sensitive cells of the retina collapse. Without the
nutrients and oxygen they need, these cells and fibers begin to
die. As a result, vision deteriorates. When the drainage angle
is blocked suddenly the result is acute glaucoma. When an attack
of acute glaucoma occurs, vision is blurry, the person may
notice halos around light and there may be pain or redness in
the eye. However, at this time there is not yet any permanent
damage to vision. This is an emergency situation and the person
should see a physician immediately. If an attack occurs at night
or on a weekend, go to the emergency room of a hospital. Prompt
action will save your sight.

Acute glaucoma affects mostly elderly people who are
farsighted. It is not a common condition however it does run in
families. So people over forty with relatives who have had the
condition should be aware of the symptoms and seek early
attention. Both men and women are vulnerable.

Chronic glaucoma is more insidious as it does not provide any
clear, dramatic warning symptoms as acute glaucoma does. The
blockage occurs gradually over a period of time and the person
will not notice any outward symptoms. And, unfortunately,
chronic glaucoma is far more common than acute glaucoma. It also
runs in families and affects people over age forty. The only way
to detect chronic glaucoma is through an examination by an
ophthalmologist. This is why people over age 40 are advised to
have a thorough eye examination every two years. The physician
employs a process known as tonometry to measure the pressure in
both eyeballs.

Although it is impossible to regain any vision that has already
been lost, there are treatments available to prevent further
loss of vision.

These treatments involve both medications and if the
medications are not effective, then surgery. If medication is
successful it has to be taken for life. The surgery that may be
involved has a very high rate of success.

About the Author:
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Preventative Maintenance: The Importance of Annual Eye Exams

Preventative Maintenance: The Importance of Annual Eye Exams
By Adriana N.

Perhaps one of the most overlooked preventive health techniques
is eye exams. These health checkups can provide your doctor with
the information they need to help you have clear vision and
diagnose potential eye problems at early in stages that they can
be treated easily. But most people fail to have these eye
examinations done frequently enough. In fact, many people wait
until they have noticed problems with their eyes before they see
a doctor, and a lot of times it is already too late.

It is recommended that you have your eyes checked at least once
every year. At the least, they should be examined biannually. It
is important that they are done at regular intervals and not
when you notice changes in your vision. Almost all of the
problems related to the eye can be treated fairly easily if
detected early stages. In fact, most eye diseases develop over
several years without the affected person noticing until it is
too late.

Most people associate eye examinations with having their vision
to a near perfect state if it needs correcting. Whether you have
a prescription for corrected vision for you have perfect vision
already, it is still imperative that you see your eye doctor for
routine checks. This is especially important if you do have
prescription lenses because your doctor will be held to detect
any deterioration of your eyes and provide corrective action.

More important than this, is that routine eye examinations give
your doctor the information that they need to detect any eye
problems early enough that they can treat it with little or no
impact to your vision. Eye diseases and other conditions may be
inconvenient to treat at early stages, but if they are allowed
to progress, the treatment will be exponentially worse.

There are many common eye conditions. Some of the more
frequently diagnosed problems include nearsightedness,
farsightedness, astigmatism, and some other eye conditions that
can be easily treated through the use of prescription glasses.
On the other hand, there are some significant eye diseases like
glaucoma and macular degeneration that require more extensive
treatment. However, if these conditions are detected in their
early stages, it is most likely that the doctor can treated with
minimal effort.

There is an eye condition that has been increasingly diagnosed
over the last few years. This condition is known as computer
vision syndrome and it affects many people who deal with
computers and technology throughout their daily lives. For this
reason, many people are being diagnosed with it because they
have symptoms that are associated with it. These symptoms can
include frequent blurred vision, intense headaches, and itchy or
dry eyes. If your doctor diagnoses the problem, they can provide
you with suggestions and guidance to help ease and alleviate
these symptoms and this condition.

Is significantly more important that children receive eye exams
annually. A child should receive their first eye exam between
the ages of 3 to 5 years old. From then on, they should receive
an exam at least once a year because their eyes are changing and
growing at a rapid rate. For most people, their eyes will mature
at around 21 years old.

It is critical that you have seen an eye doctor to have an eye
exam annually. If this cannot be done, at least see a doctor
every other year. By getting eye exams annually, you will be
guaranteed to have good vision and good eye health. If any eye
health problems are detected, it is better to have them detected
at an early stage so that they can be treated. Remember, that if
you have noticed any problems with your vision, you have waited
far too long to see an eye doctor.

About the Author: Looking for Acuvue Oasys for astigmastism
contacts? Then shop online for massive savings on acuvue
astigmatism contact lenses and other types of contacts when
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Lasik FAQ: Answers To Common Questions About Lasik Eye Surgery

Lasik FAQ: Answers To Common Questions About Lasik Eye Surgery

By Lanny Frankel

* What is lasik surgery?



LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. This is a refractive surgical procedure which is performed by an ophthalmologist. This surgical procedure is done in order to correct the vision of the patient, thus lessening his or her dependence on any corrective devices such as contact lenses or eyeglasses.



* How risky is lasik eye surgery and what exactly are the risks?



Some patients are happy with the result of LASIK surgery. But, like other surgical procedures, risks are inevitable. This is why it is necessary that you know your limitations and the possible complications of the surgery.



The risks of LASIK eye surgery include:



Patients might lose their vision.



Patients may develop unbearable visual symptoms.



The surgery may either be undertreated or overtreated.



Patients might develop serious dry eye conditions.



* How much does lasik eye surgery cost?



If you opt for the traditional LASIK, the surgery can cost from 1,600 to 2,000 dollars per eye, but if it is customized LASIK that you want, it will cost you around 2,000 to 2,500 dollars per eye. The prices for LASIK surgery differ depending on your chosen LASIK surgeon.



* Does insurance cover Lasik surgery?



Although LASIK surgery is not a cosmetic surgical procedure, it is still considered elective surgery. Such surgeries are covered mostly in Asian and European countries, but most insurance policies in the United States, Canada and Latin America do not cover it. Furthermore, not even Medicare will cover it.



However, it is probable that the rate for LASIK is deductible on U.S. federal taxes. Therefore, before having the surgery, check to see if it can be considered a deductible health care expense.



* Is the Lasik procedure painful?



Patients do not experience any discomfort during the LASIK procedure itself, because the eye is given an eye drop anesthetic before the procedure takes place. If the patient suffers much discomfort after the procedure, he or she can take Ibuprofen or Tylenol during the first two days after surgery.



* How long has Lasik technology been around?



LASIK technology has been around for more than 10 years now. The first time it was performed in some clinics in the U.S was during the early 1990s. From that time, more than a million procedures of LASIK were performed. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has endorsed it as the newest eye remedy technology.



* What procedures can a laser perform?



There are three types of procedures that a laser can perform. The most popular of the three is the LASIK. In this procedure, a thin coating of the cornea is removed to make a flap. This allows the laser to take tissue from underneath the flap. After the flap is replaced, eyesight is restored in an instant.



Another procedure is the LASEK or EPIFLAP surgery. This includes the incomplete removal of the outer layer of eye cells and the epithelium, which show the cornea. The cornea is flattened or otherwise reshaped using a laser, then the outer cells are repositioned and after several days, the eye will heal.



The third one is the PRK. This procedure includes the full removal of the epithelium or outer cells of the eye.



About the Author: Lanny Frankel is editor of Lasik FAQ, the online Lasik guide. He also writes Lasik FAQ's for PrettyGreatAnswers.com.



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Dangers Of Glaucoma

Dangers Of Glaucoma
By Camry James

What Are Eye Styes?

Styes are bacterial infections that lead to the obstruction of
oil producing glands around the eyelashes or eyelids. Styes are
seen as small bumps on the eyelids. Styes (also called "sty")
are usually harmless and will go away after several days on
their own as your body fights the infection. There are some
cases where surgical draining of the stye or the application of
antibiotic drops may be required.

Diabetes can play havoc with your eyes, and sometimes there are
no early sumptoms. So you may have no idea anything is wrong
until your eyesight is in danger.

Here are the main eye problems that can be caused, or made
worse, by diabetes.

Dangers of Cataracts

If the whites of one or both of your toddler's eyes and the
lower rim of his eyelids are red, chances are he has an
infection called conjunctivitis, also known as pinkeye or
red-eye. The infection occurs when a virus, some bacteria, an
allergen, or some other substance inflames the transparent
membrane covering the white of the eyes and the inside of the
eyelids (the conjunctiva). As your toddler's system tries to
fight the infection, his eyes may tear or become crusty. It's
important that you treat the infection promptly, so call your
child's doctor as soon as you notice these symptoms. These are
often described as a clouding of the lens of the eye. They are
treatable by surgery in most cases.

Dangers of Glaucoma

Our eyes are largely made up of fluid, and when the pressure of
that fluid builds up too much inside the eye, you have glaucoma.
Left untreated, it can damage the optic nerves, and even lead to
blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy

Lining the back of our eyes is light-sensitive tissue known as
the retina. The retina contains very small blood vessels that
can be damaged by diabetic retinopathy. Sometimes there are
symptoms such as blurred vision, but often you won't even know
anything is wrong until the condition is well advanced. In the
worse case, it leads to blindness.

Early detection is the key to battling all of these conditions,
and the best diagnostic tool available is the dilated eye
examination. This is a test in which special eye drops
temporarily enlarge your pupils, allowing the doctor to see the
back of your eyes. This test (which is painless) can detect
cataracts, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy in their early,
treatable stages.

Eyesight is precious, so if you have diabetes do yourself a
favor and make an appointment for your dilated eye examination.
And then do it again every year from now on.

What is Pink Eye?

Pink eye results in redness, irritation, or inflammation of the
conjunctiva. The conjunctiva usually reacts to bacteria,
viruses, allergy causing agents, irritants, or diseases of other
parts of the body. Viral Conjunctivitis or contagious pink eye
is usually caused by viruses that spread from other different
ailments like colds, sore throats, respiratory infections and
others.

About the Author: Can http://www.eyeinfections.info/ cost you
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Exercise Through Tai Chi For The Elderly

Exercise Through Tai Chi For The Elderly
By Sheila Dickinson

Tai Chi has traditionally been thought of as an exercise for
the elderly and although this is not entirely true because Tai
Chi is suitable for all age groups.

Tai Chi is certainly beneficial for the elderly for many
reasons, the most obvious one is that the movements are soft and
gentle and they may be practised without placing a strain on the
body.

In the West we are experiencing an aging population, with
people living longer than ever before. Science has made
remarkable leaps forward and Western medicine is able to prolong
life. The question must be asked of the quality of the life the
elderly are experiencing.

It appears that as we grow older we are taught to expect the
onslaught of aches and pains, because the body is wearing out
and therefore we can expect to have to wear glasses, or
experience impaired hearing.

My question is why? Why must we accept this? Tai Chi's gentle
movements keep all of the joints mobile without strain. It is
important to keep the body moving and not allow the joints to
cease up.

However there is so much more going on in the inside and a lot
of this is affected by the fuel that we take into our body.

For example people suffering from arthritis have found that
when they eliminate potatoes and tomatoes from their diet they
have found great improvement in their condition. This
information is given to people attending Tai Chi classes or
visiting our website.

Another consideration for people suffering from joint problems
is the intake of tropical fruit. Fruit is very yin containing a
lot of acid, and although it contains important vitamins and
minerals, the acid contained in the fruits can have a harmful
effect on your joints.

Dried fruit contains the same vitamins and minerals without the
harmful effect of the acid. All of this valuable information is
available in our Chang Ming Long Life Diet and Recipe Book.

In our Tai Chi classes we work on developing the individual's
internal energy. The greater your body's natural internal
energy; the better the quality of the individuals health.

Tai Chi is like every thing else, the more you put into it the
more you will get out of it. A person attending a weekly class;
without practising inbetween classes will gain from the
movements.

A person who also practises a little every day will gain on a
daily basis. This is because the person who practises every day
is continually working on developing their body's internal Chi
energy. If you are unable to attend weekly classes, we have easy
to follow videos and books so that you can practise in the
comfort of your own home.

I am often asked how long or how often you should practise Tai
Chi, if you think you have to practise for an hour each day; a
lot of people will not have the time.

If however when you put the kettle on to make a drink of tea
you can practise some of the movements you have learnt. You will
gain without having to make major adjustments to your life
style.

Tai Chi is also excellent for improving your balance, a lot of
scientific research has taken place in the United States
regarding the positive affect that practising Tai Chi has on
improving the balance of the elderly.

It was found that people who practised Tai Chi were less likely
to fall and Tai Chi students experienced less broken bones.

Tai Chi helps to improve the mind, again the expression ‘ if
you don't use it you lose it' is very apt.

Tai Chi works every part of the mind and body, using both the
inside and the out. We have people studying Tai Chi well over
eighty years young.

Start practising Tai Chi today and discover great quality of
life, every day of your life.

About the Author: Sheila Dickinson has produced 8 books and 5
videos on Tai Chi our website address is
http://www.lfataichi.com To find out more click on the link
below . http://www.lfataichi.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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(The photo "Early Morning Tai Chi Fan Exercise" is used with the permission of buddhadog a Flickr.com member.)