How tai chi chuan can help you quit smoking Essay

How tai chi chuan can help you quit smoking - Essay Example â€Å"Originally developed as martial art, Tai Chi looks like a slow graceful dance, but behind the deceptively simple movements is a wealth of Philosophy, Medicine and Science. Tai Chi is about balance and harmony†(About Tai Chi). Tai chi can help a person to refresh his mind and develop a sound personality. Some of the proven benefits of Tai chi are â€Å"Stress reduction, Improving balance, flexibility and muscle strength; Improving sleep quality; Lowering blood pressure; Increasing energy, endurance and agility and Improving overall feelings of well-being etc† (Mayo Clinic Staff). Tai chi training involves elements such as; drills, self defense techniques, weapon use etc. Tai chi training helps to bring a state of mental calm and clarity apart from providing health benefits and stress management abilities to the people who practice it. â€Å"Tai chi is often described as "meditation in motion," but it might well be called "medication in motion." There is growing ev idence that this mind-body practice ... has value in treating or preventing many health problems† (World Tai Chi & Qigong Day). Tai chi chuan is gaining popularity in the world not only as a self defense technique, but also as a method to get rid of some bad habits. Since practicing Tai chi chuan can help a person to gain better control over his emotions, it is possible to use it for avoiding some bad habits like smoking, alcohol addiction, drug addiction etc. This paper briefly analyses how Tai chi chuan can help a person in quit smoking habit. Even though everybody knows about the possible health consequences of smoking, for some of the people, it is difficult to refrain from the smoking habits. It is believed that cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, which can cause severe diseases like cancer, obstructive pulmonary disease, heart diseases, stroke and adverse reproductive outcomes. Still many people are addicted to smoking because of different reasons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Smoking definitely creates lot of problems not only to the smoker but also to others who forced to breathe the smoke produced by the smoker. â€Å"Low self esteem and low self confidence are the major reasons for smoking† (Brizer, 2003, p.27). Tai chi chuan can help the smokers to improve their self esteem and self confidence and hence the smokers can manage their emotions more effectively or positively. â€Å"To do tai chi, you perform a series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion† (Mayo Clinic Staff). Smokers usually smoke only when they feel physical or mental fatigue. Practicing Tai chi chuan exercises will help the smokers to improve their physical and mental health and hence they will improve their stamina reduce fatigue. There are many scientific studies which revealed the effectiveness of practicing Tai Chi to avoid smoking habits. According to a study conducted by The University of Miami Division of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in conjunction with the Medical Wellness Centre, â€Å"Tai Chi may provide the ideal mind-body awareness to help you put out that last cigarette†Ã‚  (Tai Chi & Smoking Cessation). Deep breathing is one of the major exercises associated with Tai chi. It helps to reduce the stress normally a smoker experience prior to smoking. Smokers usually experience some kind of stresses before they think of smoking. Smokers have the illusion that smoking may help them in getting rid of their

Is there a 'universal human right to health' Assignment

Is there a 'universal human right to health' - Assignment Example Right to health refers to the economic, cultural and social right to the highest achievable standard of health. Right to health is under recognition of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on Rights of people with disabilities, and the social and cultural rights.1 Universality of Human Rights Universality principle of human rights acts as the foundation for the law on international human rights. This principle was emphasized for the first time in 1948 in Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and it has been reiterated during various conventions, resolutions and declarations on human rights. For instance, during the Vienna conference in 1993, there were highlights on the duty of the state in promoting and protecting all the fundamental freedoms and human rights regardless of the differences in cultural, economic and political systems.1 Every state has ratified multiple treaties on human rights reflecting the consent of the states that create the legal obligations as well as giving some concrete expression to the universality. Some norms of the fundamental human rights enjoy the universal protection by international customary law across all civilizations and boundaries. Universality of human rights entails any right2 applicable to all people, and it is influenced by other characteristics of human rights. The rights tend to be categorical, egalitarian, individual, fundamental and indivisible. Human Right to Health Good health is considered as the most essential and basic asset of every human being. Right to health is a fundamental part of the human rights. Internationally, the constitution on World Health Organization has articulated the right to health. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 mentioned that health is fundamental towards adequate living. In 1966, the international Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights recognized right to health as a human right. Since then, various international treaties on human rights have recognized right to health. Right to health is fundamental in every state. States should be committed in protecting the right to health through domestic policies and legislation, and international declarations and conferences.2 There has been  an emphasis on the highest attainable health standards through treaty monitoring bodies and human rights commission. Normally, right to health is an exclusive right. It is associated with access to and building of health facilities. Right to health has freedom like freedom from non-consensual medical treatment. Also, right to health contains entitlements like provision of equal opportunity for every person to enjoy right to health, and the right to treatment, control and prevention of diseases.2 Human rights are interrelated, indivisible and interdependent. A violation of the right to health impairs enjoyment of the other rights. Right to Health in International Law on Human Rights Right to the highest standard of health is a component of hu man right recognised in the international law on human right. International covenant on social, economic and cultural rights acts as a major instrument in protection of right to health by recognising the right to the enjoyment of mental and physical health. Right to health is recognized in various regional instruments such as African Charter on