Benefits of Yoga and Cancer

In a study out this month, sixty-one women with breast cancer who were undergoing radiation treatment participated in a study. Half of the women took an hour-long hatha yoga class twice a week.

Hatha yoga combines specific moves and stretches with controlled breathing and mindfullness. One week after their radiation treatment ended, the women who practiced yoga had much better physical and general health and felt less sleepy during the day compared to the women who didn't do yoga.

One doctor who headed the study said, "People with cancer are going through a traumatic life-threatening experience, and yoga is particularly useful because it incorporates both physical and psychological components that help patients to feel better, cope better, and know themselves better."

As more and more people turn to holistic treatments for their health and well-being, the medical community is going to be forced to carry out more studies like these.

Acupuncture and hypnosis are starting to be used more often in clinical settings. It seems likely that yoga will follow.

Could holistic therapies start becoming the norm in health care in the near future? One thing's for sure. It would certainly cut down on prescription costs!