the benefits of yoga shown to help those with cancer
Yoga has long been regarded as a practice that supports overall health and wellness for anyone who commits to the practice. Many who have suffered a traumatic injury find yoga to be a rewarding practice that helps them rebuild mental and physical strength. Yoga is defined by Google as a “Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.”
but how can yoga help those with cancer?
From reducing stress, to serving as a method to help alleviate symptoms of patients with cancer, it’s hard to argue against yoga’s benefits. One example of how yoga helps cancer patients is through reduction of fatigue and improving the patient’s ability to sleep. In 2010, medicalnewstoday.com reported on the results of their four-week study on cancer survivors and how incorporating the practice of yoga affected a group of recovering cancer patients. The study utilized a control group, which received standard methods of post treatment care, and the other group who participated in a specialty, 75-minute yoga class, twice per week.
After the study was concluded, researchers found that 22 percent of the patients in the yoga group reported “greater improvement” in their sleep patterns as opposed to 12 percent in the control group. The yoga group, in the same study, also reported a 42 percent reduction in fatigue, while only 12 percent of the control group reported improvement in fatigue.
Huffingtonpost’s article 4 Ways Cancer Patients Can Benefit From Yoga dated Nov. 4, 2014 by Lorna Borenstein reported the practice of yoga helped patients manage fear and anxiety, therefore contributing to improving their mental health, boosting their mood, helping to manage pain, and patients also reported support from members of the yoga community was also an asset to them.
yoga in addition….
Yoga is not a substitute for traditional medicine, and patients should always consult their physicians before beginning their practice. A Canadian study’s preliminary study concluded, “In their consideration of the whole patient, family physicians might find that yoga is a safe tool and an alternative to standard pharmacologic treatment, which is sometimes limited in its ability to relieve the symptoms caused by cancer.”
As yoga’s popularity continues to grow, there has never been a better time to find a studio and get started with your practice. For those who need more information, or have questions about which type of yoga is best for you, heading over to our studios location page could be a good start to a healthier life.
Heather Randall
Heather Randall is a Southern California native, world traveler, writer and photographer. Heather has been published in several publications including San Diego Magazine, The Union Tribune and the Upper Valley Standard Journal. In her free time, Randall enjoys hiking, cooking and spending time with friends.