Taichi Chuan

Something every health enthusiast needs to know is that you can be fit, but NOT healthy.

In other words, being fit does not necessarily mean being healthy.

Of course, if you're fit, chances are that you are healthy as well. The two statuses, nevertheless, are not equivalent.

You can be a weight lifter who boast muscular physiques, or marathon runners with excellent stamina, and yet, at the same time, suffer from heart problems, joint damage, sexual dysfunction, or inability to handle stress. For the same token, a healthy person may not be fit -- he may not have the muscular strength, and can even look frail -- but enjoys a clean bill of health and is emotionally balanced.

While being fit is not necessary being healthy, it of course does not mean you cannot stay fit and healthy all at the same time.

You can be fit and also healthy.

The question is: which comes first? Health or fitness?

Many people tend to work on the fitness first, giving little thoughts to the importance of health. They do push-ups, jog and swim; but eat unhealthily, slouch in sofa, and do nothing to control their emotions.

In the Chinese health systems like tai chi and chi kung (qigong), nevertheless, the body is built in a reverse order.

They make you cultivate a healthy body first. Only then that you would work on the physique if you choose to. The process can be insipid. You stand motionless and perform slow-moving movements. When you massage your internal organs from the intestines to the kidneys by visualizing your chi, people may not know that you are performing an exercise at all.

The system, nevertheless, ensure that you are healthy, before you add fitness as a bonus. The fitness, when you work on later, is always a happy complement to good health.

This explains why embedding in tai chi chuan and qigong are secrets of happiness and longevity.

Even if you're not practicing taiji and qigong, I'm sure you will benefit from this approach to health and fitness.