CONQUER
- 1. HEALTHY LIVING, SURVIVORSHIP FEBRUARY 17, 2015
Yoga and Cancer: The Healing Power of Yoga
Pat Krueger, RPH, RYT200
Yoga supports the body, mind, and spirit of patients with cancer and their caregivers during
and beyond treatment. The practice of yoga cultivates physical, psychological, and spiritual
offerings to enhance recovery and wellbeing, helping patients to feel whole again.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a method of stretching and positional exercises that involves controlled breathing,
specific body positions, and meditation to promote good health, fitness, and selfcontrol of the
mind.
Yoga detoxifies the body. Whether these toxins are from chemotherapy or other types
of treatment, environmental or lifestylerelated toxins, yoga stimulates the immune
system through the use of breathing movement. There is a powerful union of breath
and movement. Breathing with each yoga posture will maximize the effect on the muscles.
Therefore, opening, lifting, and extending movements are typically with inhalation, whereas
- 2. bending, compressing, and twisting movements are typically done with exhalation. Breathing
guides and surrounds movement, like a blanket that wraps your body on a chilly winter night.
If you focus on each breath mindfully, this will guide the movement and strengthen the body
and soul with natural resistance.
Improved range of motion. Many cancerrelated surgical procedures leave lifelong scar
tissue and limit the body’s range of motion. Yoga is wellknown to be a gentle and safe way to
enhance the range of motion and flexibility.
Promoting relaxation. A cancer diagnosis causes stress. Yoga promotes relaxation and
uses relaxation responses to shift the body and mind into deep relaxation, thereby reducing
anxiety and improving sleep.
Bone strength. Chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy can cause bone loss. Yoga
can build strength and bone density, and can combat bone pain associated with bone
metastases. Exercise using resistance and weights has been shown to slow the rate of bone
loss, but patients with cancer and bone metastases need to be careful about the amount of
stress they put on their bones. Because tumor metastases can cause bones to become
brittle and prone to breakage, patients with cancer need to be cautious in selecting
lowimpact exercises that are safe for them.
Activities such as daily yoga can accentuate flexibility, breathing, and relaxation. It can
stimulate bone growth, alleviate pain, and provide an overall feeling of wellbeing. Bone pain
does not have to stop you from being active, and taking a yoga class is a great and healthy
way to spend time with friends and family.
Anchor of calm. Yoga provides an internal anchor of calm for cancer survivors, for those
undergoing treatment, and for caregivers. Many people practicing yoga therapy have
discovered the subtle benefit of an increased awareness of an internal stillness, a sense of
unity, and a sense of true health and vitality that spills over into many other aspects of life.
Patient Resources
The following websites offer additional information on yoga and its unique benefits for people
coping with cancer:
● American Cancer Society www.cancer.org/treatment/
treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/
mindbodyandspirit/yoga
● Breastcancer.org www.breastcancer.org/treatment/comp_med/types/yoga
