Benifits of Yoga
Yoga Detoxifies the Body
Detoxification is the vital metabolic process by which dead cells and toxins (the flu virus, a rogue cancer cell, or another pathogen) are excreted from the body.
Way in which yoga detoxifies the body is through compression. The “squeeze and soak” process, which cleans internal
organs in the same way that a sponge discharges dirty water when squeezed. For example, abdominal twists activate internal organs and guide the release of toxins into the lymphatic system.
Yoga detoxifies the mind as well. A survivor lives with the fear of cancer returning, and this daily anxiety is a mental toxin. We can detoxify the mind by using the
movement of the breath, by relaxing into gravity in a restorative pose, and by quietly watching our thoughts in meditation.
Yoga Strengthens the Immune System
The goal of strengthening the immune system is to keep all of the body’s systems working together. It takes a village:
Failure of any one system threatens the health of the whole community. Cancer therapies that seek to strengthen the immune
are increasingly proving to be helpful in fighting a wide variety of cancers.
Research shows that yoga boosts immunity. A 2013 study in Norway found that regular practice of gentle yoga and meditation had
rapid effect at the genetic level in circulating cancer-fighting immune cells. Mindfulness meditation also appears to change the brain and immune function in positive ways.
Yoga Builds Bones
How are strong bones linked to cancer prevention? Our bones house bone marrow, where new red and white blood cells are constantly being produced.
White blood cells are needed to form leukocytes, our natural cancer-fighting immune cells. If our bones are compromised from a break or from osteoporosis
(a side effect of chemotherapy), so too is the production of a nourishing blood supply and immune protection.
A pilot study by Kripalu presenter Loren Fishman, MD, applied yoga practice to sufferers of osteoporosis (decrease in bone mass) and osteopenia (reduction in bone volume).
The results showed that 85 percent of the yoga practitioners gained bone in both the spine and hip, while nearly every member of the control group maintained or lost bone mass.
I believe yoga is safer for strong bone building than many gym routines, because it puts weight on the bones in a precise, deliberate way.
Yoga Reduces Stress
Cancer patients and survivors experience stress similar to that endured by military veterans. They are bombarded by frightening information,
subjected to invasive procedures, and must endure cold clinics and blank stares.
Yoga can enhance that positivity. The results of a study on the effects of yoga on emotions found an increase in positive emotions such as calmness and a
sense of purpose in more than 50 percent of subjects. Women participating in a 10-week program of restorative yoga classes gained positive differences in aspects
of mental health such as depression, positive emotions, and spirituality (feeling calm and peaceful), as compared to the control group.
Yoga Aids Weight Management
Obesity is a key indicator of both cancer incidence and recurrence. In the United States, excess body weight is thought to contribute to as
many as one out of five cancer-related deaths, and being overweight or obese is clearly linked with an increased risk of several types of cancer.
The American Cancer Society recommends that obese individuals increase weekly exercise to 300 minutes per week to reduce the chances of cancer or recurrence.
Research on the impact of yoga on weight gain is still in the early stages. One study showed that yoga had a more positive impact on obesity and depression than aerobic exercise.
Yoga can help cancer survivors manage weight gain, which improves self-esteem and
the ability to function normally.
The benefits of yoga for cancer prevention are profound and well substantiated.
Prevention........
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