How Yoga can Help People with Cancer

Yoga is a Sanskrit word that has a wide range of different meanings. Common meanings include joining or uniting. Another conceptual definition is that of mode, manner, means or expedient. In philosophical terms, yoga refers to the union of the individual self with the universal self. It is one of six branches of classical Indian philosophy and has been practiced for thousands of years. References to yoga are made throughout the Vedas, ancient Indian scriptures that are among the oldest texts in existence. The practice of yoga is outlined in eight disciplines:

1. Yamas (ethical disciplines),
2. Niyamas (individual observances),
3. Asana (postures),
4. Pranayama (breath control),
5. Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses),
6. Dharana (concentration),
7. Dhyana (meditation) and
8. Samadhi (selfrealization, enlightenment)

In the western world, the term yoga usually refers to the third and fourth limbs, asana and pranayama, although traditionally the limbs are viewed as interrelated.

Now, let us come to the main point: How can yoga help people with cancer?

Yoga is a holistic healing system for creating harmony and balance on all levels: body, mind, emotions and spirit. When this balance has been disturbed by serious illness, practicing yoga can help in a number of ways to restore it. Yoga encourages the development of the inner resources that help in dealing with a life-changing illness, the unfolding of the qualities of self-awareness, resilience, stability, faith and trust that enable us to meet all of life's challenges and to use them as opportunities for growth and change.

Yoga is traditionally believed to have beneficial effects on physical and emotional health. Over the last several decades, investigators have begun to subject these beliefs to practical analysis. Most of the published studies on yoga were conducted in India, although a growing number of trials have been conducted in western countries as well. In recent years, investigators have begun to examine the effects of yoga among cancer patients and survivors. The results support the feasibility and potential efficacy of yoga in cancer patient. The little data available from various studies reveals that 63% of yoga participants reported that they found the yoga program useful, and over 70% reported that they practiced at least once a week. Compared to controls, the yoga group reported fewer cancer-related symptoms at the 1-week follow-up and lower cancer-related distress at the 3-month follow-up.

The results from various emerging literatures suggest that yoga is a feasible intervention for a wide range of cancer patients and survivors. The studies have included patients with variety of diagnoses like lymphoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, stages of disease, and treatment status (eg, on vs off treatment). Despite this heterogeneity, the interventions appear to have been well tolerated by participants, and adherence has generally been good. Of note, most of the trials utilized “gentle” poses and stretching that could be performed even by patients with functional limitations. It is likely that this careful approach minimized adverse consequences of treatment and improved compliance. Studies conducted with non-cancer populations further demonstrate the feasibility and adaptability of yoga interventions for individuals with chronic medical conditions.

Positive effects have been seen on a variety of outcomes, including sleep quality, mood, stress, cancer-related distress, cancer related symptoms, and overall quality of life, as well as functional and physiological measures. These effects were evident across a number of different therapeutic approaches, some of which incorporated both postures and seated mindfulness / meditation practice and others that emphasized yoga postures and relaxation.

It is important to note that the studies reviewed here represent only some of the possible benefits of yoga. A growing body of research has shown positive effects of yoga on outcomes ranging from cardiopulmonary function5 to perceptual and motor skills, which may also be relevant for cancer patients and survivors. Yoga trials conducted with cancer patients have yielded different results depending on the type of cancer, stage of disease, and point in the treatment trajectory. Some of the variability in study outcomes may be explained by the “all-purpose” nature of these interventions, which focused more on general stress reduction than on improving specific areas of functioning.


Conclusion

After all the research we found that yoga may not be a total cure for cancer, but it enhances physical and emotional wellness and brings a peace many patients had thought they had lost forever.

The most compelling reason for cancer patients to turn to yoga is: It shows you how a person stricken with a serious illness, instead of "running away" from their threatened body, can connect more strongly to that body and begin to experience self-empowerment and well-being. As you engage your physical selves in the precise body gestures of yoga, your minds come along, growing accustomed to focusing on the affairs of this moment and leaving worries and future thinking behind.

Yoga can help people with cancer and other serious illness in three levels:
On the physical level: Yoga gives increased energy and strength to immune system;
On the psychological level: Yoga let you feel acknowledged and
Spiritually: Yoga gives a time to go and look inside your body.

We are compiling a series on Yoga as an alternative medicine. It would focus on various methods of Yoga as an alternative medicine. Keep comming...

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