The current issue of "Prevention Magazine" has an article of Heart healthy alternative practices. Toward the end of the article it talks about Tai Chi...
"...Tai chi (a Chinese martial art) combined with qigong (called the Chinese yoga) is more than just a gentle way to work out. Practicing these ancient disciplines can reduce stress and have a powerful effect on metabolic syndrome-a cluster of five conditions that ups your risk of heart disease-reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure and trimming waist size by at least an inch, according to the study published by the British British Journal of sports medicine. According to a study published in the British Journal of sports medicine. One reason? These slow-mo sports can burn as many calories as moderate-intensity activities, such as walking-but the mind-calming benefits of Tai chi and qigong increase its heart –healthy cred. Tai chi is sometimes described as "meditation in motion," and research shows that because people find the meditative component relaxing and enjoyable, they tend to stick with it-which is important for any heart disease-prevention strategy. "Sustainability is very important if you want to see ongoing effects of the practice," Xin Liu, PhD, a senior research fellow at the University of Queensland's school of medicine in Australia."
This is from Prevention Magazine; February 2012 issue; page 66 article on minding your heart.