In this article, I’m going to teach you how to use tai chi for cold sore prevention. But first, I need to lead up to how I discovered this extraordinary and life-changing ancient form of Chinese exercise. A little over six years ago, I decided to become extremely healthy and fit.
I had been fit as a teenager and again in my 20’s, but now I was 32, a single dad, and totally out of shape.
I quit partying and even quit smoking. Then I began eating lots of organic whole foods and cut out most of the junk. Soon, I started working out, and quickly became healthy and fit and felt GREAT.
My forms of exercise were:
- Weight-training
- Jogging
- Swimming
- Circuit-training
- Bodysurfing
- Surfing
Things were going very well for about a year. Then, one evening at the gym, I was pressing a little more weight than I should’ve, and I both heard and felt a “snap.” I hurt my shoulder pretty bad and thus wasn’t able to do my normal forms of exercise for several months.
Discovering Qigong
During this time, I started seeing a massage therapist who helped work on my shoulder as well as my overall posture and health. I told him how much I was missing working out, and he recommended that I start doing something called qigong.
I had never heard of qigong before this, but my massage therapist likened it to tai chi and demonstrated a few qigong moves. The moves were beautiful, graceful, slow, and aligned in synch with slow breathing patterns and mindfulness.
It looked cool!
I went home and purchased a few qigong DVDs online, and when they arrived a few days later, I began a daily practice of qigong.
I was instantly hooked!!! After not being able to exercise for a few weeks, I was becoming anxious, depressed, restless, and my once strong mindset was weakening by the day.
But from my first 20-minute beginning qigong routine, I felt more:
- Relaxed
- Centered
- Balanced
- Energized
- Positive
Qigong was absolutely amazing at reducing stress, enhancing my immune system, and helping me feel centered throughout the day. And since I wasn’t able to weight train or surf or swim, I relied upon it heavily for feelings of mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
I loved qigong so much that I ended up becoming a Certified Level 2 Qigong Instructor. Now I’m Cold Sore Specialist and the founder of this website, HowToGetRidOfAColdSore.com, and I frequently recommend qigong to my clients as a highly-effective method of preventing cold sores.
Tai Chi Overview
Qigong (chi kung) is an ancient form of exercise that originated in China thousands of years ago. This name literally translates to “Life Energy Cultivation.”
Qigong is a moving meditation that focuses on breathing and slow, deliberate movements as a way to cultivate and balance qi (chi). In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), qi is described as “life energy.”
Tai chi is another form of exercise that has the same benefits as qigong. The two overlap and the main difference is that tai chi is more difficult with more moves to remember, while qigong is easier and focuses on “repetitions” of simpler movements.
In Chinese medicine, there is a belief that many of the physical and psychological health issues stem from issues with qi, such as too little qi or blockages (stuck qi) where this life energy cannot move freely throughout the body in the way it naturally does.
Tai chi and qigong are practices that can help these issues, and they are very powerful forms of exercise for anyone that wants to prevent cold sores.
How Tai Chi Can Help With Cold Sore Prevention
Tai chi is able to effectively boost your immune system and reduce stress, which is arguably the top two cold sore triggers. In a study from 2013, tai chi was found to be effective in the treatment and prevention of mental disorders, and these mental disorders can easily lead to recurring cold sores.
In the study, tai chi was found to be helpful for the following:
- Psychological Well-Being
- Stress Management
- Sleep Disturbance
- Substance Abuse
- Cognitive Functioning
- Mood, Anxiety, and Depression
How To Use Tai Chi For Cold Sore Prevention
If you like what you’ve read so far, let me just say that I didn’t even scratch the surface of how many benefits you can experience from the regular practice of tai chi. If you want to give it a try, simply go to YouTube and type “tai chi” in the search bar and you’ll find a superabundance of free tai chi moves and routines.
Additionally, you can also find some great tai chi DVDs for beginners on Amazon.com.
Tai Chi For Cold Sore Prevention – Final Thoughts
I simply cannot recommend tai chi enough as a natural way to increase mental and physical health, and thus prevent cold sores. I wouldn’t recommend tai chi as a stand-alone form of cold sore prevention treatment, however, when added to a holistic treatment plan, tai chi can improve your life in many extraordinary ways.
If you have any comments or questions on using tai chi for cold sore prevention, please post them in the comment box below.
Adrianne DeLashmit says
Matt:
Your posts have given me such inspiration and have made perfect sense to me. I have attempted so many times to live a healthier lifestyle and found many of my seemingly beneficial approaches to actually be counterproductive. I ceased many of the health-boosting methods I was undertaking due to the negative side-effects I was experiencing. I ultimately felt defeated and without options. Your posts have given me a new vigor and desire to try again with a new regime. I have felt motivated to go back to college and obtain knowledge/skill in the areas of fitness/health, diet, nutrition; with specific interest in immunity and viral infections. I applaud your determination and fortitude to search out what would help your personal circumstances and not allow them to defeat you. I truly appreciate your willingness and desire to help your fellow human being in their quests for better health and wellness. I would absolutely be blessed by conversing with you in some way. You have given me a new focus and direction. For that I am beyond grateful. You will have my email upon me submitting this comment. Please, I implore you to reach out to me and inform me of any potential phone consultations and/or direct communication methods you feel are appropriate and you are comfortable with me utilizing. I wonder if you currently or have in the past lived in Hawaii. You mentioned surfing, body boarding, & qigong/tai chi. These are all activities I have personally experienced and enjoyed while living in Oahu. You also mentioned having been, at one point, a single parent. I am all too familiar with the intricacies a such a role. It can be a struggle, but also a rewarding experience. Being 38, at the moment, I am compelled to better my life and have an innate inclination to assist others in need, as you have chosen to do. Please, inform me of the educational plan I should consider striving for in order to make health & wellness something I can do professionally. This is an area of focus I would love to make my life’s work and mission. I look forward to hearing back from you, as I believe I can learn quite a bit from your expertise and personal experiences. Thank you so much for all you do.