Exercise by Pill Proxy

Researchers report that they've developed pills that mimic the effects of exercise. Tested on mice, the pills "reproduce many of the biological benefits of exercise, helping cells burn fat better and boosting endurance, said Ronald Evans, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute researcher at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California. One of the pills may some day help people enhance their exercise or training, while the other might be more suited for couch potatoes who need to kick-start themselves, Evans and colleagues reported on Thursday in the journal Cell."
Of course, they've already developed a way to test athletes for the presence of the drug. Read the whole article in Reuters 7/31/08.

Wheelchair Tai Chi Olympic Hopeful

"More than 1,000 Chinese people in wheelchairs hope to demonstrate a new activity at the summer Olympic or Paralympic Games in Beijing this summer: wheelchair tai chi. Led by University of Tennessee at Chattanooga anthropology professor Zibin Guo, the demonstration is designed to show the world that wheelchair tai chi can boost strength, relaxation, flexibility and confidence for people with physical disabilities."

Free wheelchair tai chi classes as part of a research project will be offered at Siskin Hospital, and co-sponsored by UTC, and will "measure the effects of tai chi on participants’ breathing, heart condition, psychological functioning, and ability to cope."

“People in wheelchairs often feel confined. Tai chi, with its circular movements, creates a sense of infinite space. And the gentle movements improve circulation and mobility,” Dr. Guo said." Read the complete article at the Chattanooga Times Free Press (6/26/08)

Books and Media Received

Chen Style Tai Chi Progressive Silk Reeling Series, with Jose Figueroa (Dragon Door, 2008)
1--Qi Cultivation and the Secrets of Minipulating Energy
2--The Deeper Secrets of Moving with Strength and Energy
3--Fa Jing and the Secrets of Explosive Power

The Ninja Handbook, by Doug Sarine and Kent Nichols (Three Rivers Press, 2008)
Tai Chi Dynamics: Principles of Natural Movement, Health, & Self-Development, by Robert Chuckrow (YMAA, 2008)
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