There are a number of alternate healing modalities that have popped up in the market today. All kinds of different methods of medicine and treatment are available as alternatives to the western formal alopathic medicine system. Some have been practiced in indigenous cultures for centuries, while others have emerged much more recently.

The question is, do these so called alternative, holistic healing techniques actually work? Since there is very little data available through scientific research about many of these modalities, it is difficult to say for sure. Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers have tried to do something about the lack of research into one such technique known as Tai Chi.

6 elderly people underwent magnetic resonance spectroscopy over a period of 12 weeks as they practiced Tai Chi. The idea was to check how their health changed during this 12 week Tai Chi program by monitoring neuronal health in the brain and the recovery rates of a metabolite involved in energy production in leg muscles.

Much to the delight of the researchers is was found that Tai Chi helped these six volunteers with both physical and psychological benefits. The research supported the anecdotal evidence that had been found earlier with a proper scientific study.