I've always wanted to try Tai Chi, so a new Reuters headline about the ancient and beautiful Chinese practice caught my eye. According to a new study published in Diabetes Care (September 2006), Tai Chi is an excellent hobby for older people with Type 2 diabetes who are also struggling with weight problems. Basically, it's a wonderful way to restore muscles that have become weakened through lack of use. Improving muscle strength also leads to further health gains: better mobility and balance. The experts behind the study say it could be a good form of exercise for older, very sedentary and overweight folks with Type 2 diabetes. These people are particularly hard to motivate when it comes to getting the kind of exercise that could slow or reverse declined physical function.

There's more: while Tai Chi is good, combining Tai Chi with other low-intensity (but regular) stretching and calisthenics will bring you maximum improvement. The study took a bunch of men and women, all of whom were around sixty-five years old. They all participated in fifty-five minute exercise classes twice a week for a period of sixteen weeks. Some were given Tai Chi to do, while others were assigned to a calisthenics and stretching class. The finding? Everyone's balance and walking speed improved, however the Tai Chi group also experienced better muscle control.