The stress-busting benefits of tai chi
May 11, 2016
IN THE NEWS: As a tai chi practitioner for many years, Shin Lin, PhD, believes the ancient exercise is the key to his good health. Lin, a professor of developmental & cell biology at UC Irvine, tells CBS2 news that he can’t remember the last time he had a cold.
But as a scientist, he needs proof of tai chi's benefits.
In his lab, Shin uses biomedical technology to try to understand the physiological benefits of tai chi. The brain waves, heart rate, blood flow and temperature of students are measured as they go through tai chi moves.
“Our research shows that when you move in this repetitive way, you actually generate more neurons in the part of the brain called the hippocampus, and some of these neurons suppress the stress response,” he says.
The interview is part of the CBS2 news special series on defeating stress. On Monday, Dr. Shaista Malik, director of the UCI Health Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine, discussed how alternative treatments such as meditation, yoga and acupuncture can also help relieve stress.
See the CBS2 story ›
Learn more about UCI Health Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine ›