Yoga and Cancer: Access the Benefits
Receiving a cancer diagnosis isn't easy. As the CEO of a national breast cancer nonprofit organization, hundreds of women have shared with me the anxiety, fear, depression and even anger that followed the news. At Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC), one of our most popular programs to help ease the emotional burden of breast cancer is yoga. Studies indicate that yoga can provide great benefits to people diagnosed with cancer.
In 2014, research at MD Anderson Cancer Center linked the practice of yoga to improvements in self-reported quality of life, mood, pain and fatigue by 191 breast cancer patients. Other studies indicate that women using yoga as a complementary therapy during cancer treatment experienced greater flexibility, fewer hot flashes, improved strength, better sleep and a more positive body image.
Yet while more and more people are incorporating yoga into their overall wellness plan, there remain many misconceptions about its practice.
Simply put, yoga is a combination of exercises for your physical and mental well-being that combine breathing with movement. I like to tell those that are intimated by yoga, "if you can breathe you can do it."
If you're new to yoga, it can be hard to know where to start. There are a number of options, including practices specifically targeted to people with cancer. LBBC medical advisory board member Virginia Borges, MD, recommends you look for a practice based on input from your health care team. They can give guidance that will help determine your physical ability, the types of yoga and poses best-suited to your situation, lymphedema risk and what to consider if you're living with metastatic cancer.
Once you get started, there are a few additional things to remember. I've borrowed a some helpful suggestions from Ayanna Kalasunas, a young woman living with breast cancer. They include:
There's no right way to do this
Look to others as a support but only hold yourself to your standard
You're human – perfection is not and will never be the name of the game
There are a lot of tools out there to help you, so check out what's going on [with yoga] in your city
Finally, here are a few other tips to help those with cancer get the most from their yoga practice:
Meet with your instructor before beginning a practice so that they are aware of your situation and what you hope to accomplish with your yoga practice
Remind your teachers about your health status over time, and make sure they will accept advice from your healthcare team
Check local hospitals, treatment facilities and rehab centers to see if they conduct yoga classes for people affected by cancer
If you'd like to learn more about yoga, on May 15th, Living Beyond Breast Cancer's Reach & Raise, will be held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. What makes this event so unique is that instead of a walk or run, a basic yoga class serves as its centerpiece. So, regardless of whether you've never done yoga and want to learn more or you're an experienced yogi, I extend a personal invitation to you to join us. You can learn more at LBBC.ORG.
Jean Sachs, MSS, MLSP is CEO of Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Bala Cynwyd. In 2014, LBBC published Yoga and Breast Cancer, a free publication that explains the health benefits of incorporating yoga into an overall wellness plan following a diagnosis.
Read more Diagnosis: Cancer here »