Value of Yoga
Posted 5/21/2010
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Although I am not currently a yoga practitioner, I am a real advocate of its value for women with breast cancer. For about a year after my second cancer, I regularly went to yoga and found it very helpful in re-establishing a positive relationship with and trust in my body. I know many women who find it especially helpful in soothing the aches and pains that so often accompany chemo or hormonal therapy. There are many kinds of yoga, so there is an opportunity to find what most suits and comforts you. In the Boston area, I can especially recommend Camille Kittrell at Exclusive Yoga in Waltham. She is wonderful. http://www.exclusiveyoga.com/MeetCamille.html
This is a good article from ASCO's Patient Site that especially recommends the value of yoga for improving sleep:
Yoga Improves Sleep and Reduces Fatigue for Cancer Survivors Last Updated: May 20, 2010
Cancer survivors who participated in a yoga program slept better, had less fatigue, and were less likely to need medication for sleeping problems and fatigue than survivors who did not participate in yoga. Sleeping problems and fatigue are the most common side effects of cancer treatment. In fact, most patients report that they have sleep problems during treatment, and more than half continue to have problems after treatment ends. In this study, cancer survivors participated in a four-week, twice-weekly yoga program called YOCAS® (Yoga for Cancer Survivors) developed by the University of Rochester Cancer Center Community Clinical Oncology Program. What This Means for Patients "Very few, if any, treatments for the sleep problems and fatigue that cancer survivors experience work well for very long, if at all," said lead author Karen Mustian, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and Community and Preventive Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. "The study results point to a simple method that doctors can recommend to help patients with several very common cancer-related problems." This study looked at a specific yoga program that included mindfulness exercises such as breathing, meditation, visualization, and various poses. A different yoga program may not have the same effect on sleep or fatigue problems. Questions to Ask Your Doctor What are my treatment options for fatigue and sleeping problems? What treatment do you recommend? Why? Could you recommend a yoga program for people with cancer or cancer survivors? For More Information About Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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