Tai Chi helps people to keep their hearts healthy and their knees strong and offsetting the effects of ageing.
A study of older people who practised Tai Chi for an hour and a half a week over a period of three years showed these people had better blood pressure, pulse rates and better arteries than those in a control group who did not practise.
Healthcare workers are more likely to use alternative therapies than the general public.
A festival to promote Tai Chi and Qigong in Ireland is being held in Co Clare in September.
The event is open to everyone and is being run by top instructors from the Ireland Tai Chi and Qigong Association.
A martial art can help cancer patients overcome some of the negative side effects of chemotherapy.
A significant number of patients who undergo the cancer treatment experience declines in memory and verbal fluency.
Rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis sufferers can ease their pain with T’ai Chi exercises, even while remaining seated in a chair.