Benefits of a Restorative Yoga Practice For Breast Cancer

Restorative Yoga Pose

Let’s look at the benefits of a yoga practice for breast cancer recovery. Notice I said practice. Just remember “one must practice to master”, so daily practice is key. Practice movements to facilitate renew or restored strength, and flexibility. Builds and develops a supple spine and a strong nervous system. The nervous system has been known to some as the second heart.  When the nervous systems in balanced the parasympathetic and sympathetic system works together creating great calm. When flowing in the practice the poses encourage digestion, assimilation and elimination. The body’s immune system is stimulated to maintain health. One of my favorite things that restorative yoga does is awakens positive emotions, self-confidence and eliminates depression. When this happens we are open to a higher realization of every thing, every body around us. Our world expands.

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Founder: Breast Cancer Yoga

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Yoga Poses With Props For Breast Cancer

Supported and Safe Poses

Using yoga props can make all the difference in the world for a person to feel safe, supported and nurtured. Props create a perception that the Earth is rising up to provide support, and create a feeling of being safe. Using blocks, blankets and bolsters decreases muscular tension and anxiety about letting go or falling in a pose. Yoga props also provide the opportunity to surrender deeper into a pose, without the distraction of strain or pain. After surgeries or treatments it is common to feel tight, inflexible and weakened. It is here where yoga props can facilitate great physical and emotional change.  

Yoga Pose Without Discomfort

Yogis of the past used props, such as ropes, stones and wooden logs to help support a yoga pose. These props served great purpose when an aspiring student lacked yoga experience, had not stretched their muscles enough, or could hold a pose without discomfort for any significant time. Here to they offered great support for the body.

Relieve Pain With Yoga Props

A restorative yoga therapy such as Breast Cancer Yoga, which uses many yoga props, serve a valuable function of support before and after surgery, especially when there is ongoing stress or limited ROM (Range of Motion) in the arms, back and chest. Poses that are properly supported with props can help in breast cancer recovery by relieving associated pain and discomfort. By taking pressure off the joints and muscles of the body, a person may be able to relax more and focus better on the breath, and to then hold the pose longer. Being able to let go and surrender in a pose comfortably allows the mind and body to feel safe and nurtured. 

Most importantly, when props are used correctly, they allow the body to come into a natural and balanced state of alignment.  When the body is aligned, the mind feels balanced as well. Once the body and the mind unite, the breath too becomes aligned and brings a deeper, internal state of peace.

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Founder: Breast Cancer Yoga

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Triggers of Unhealthy Breathing

Influences

There are certain influences on breathing that trigger unhealthy breathing, and pain is just one. The breath will register pain with sudden piercing inhalations and fierce exhalations, and the breath stays affected the entire time that the pain persists or until the pain crisis passes. Emotions also trigger enormous changes in breathing; just by witnessing a scary picture, fear will be triggered. Or the breath can become relaxed and take on a completely different point of reference if we see a beautiful sunrise or sunset. Stress too has an affect on the breath.  The breath is hard wired into your nervous system and if you become tense, hurried or overwhelmed the stress may linger on well past the event. 

Conscious Change

Training the breath can help bring these various influences on breathing to conscious place for change. And it makes the breathing a stronger tool to resist the disruption of all these harmful influences: stress, pain, fear and becoming overwhelmed.  A trained breath can also help defuse these powerful and disruptive emotional reactions and keep them at bay. Through practice, the breath can become a powerful instrument in managing stress, restoring energy and calming the mind.

Manage Anxiety

Diaphragmatic breathing “belly breathing” will help manage anxiety when levels of stress are difficult to manage. Pain can be a signal for you, and an opportunity to transform the situational influences in a positive way. These influences need to be managed instead of being a crippling. It is here where developing a daily breathing practice can become the foundation of managing upsets.  I know that anxiety, stress, fear and any other type of tension will appear here and there. However, there is no reason not to have the tools to manage or decrease their effects and provide you with the ability of feeling in control. 

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Founder: Breast Cancer Yoga

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Why Do We Take The Breath For Granted?

Breathing Is Automatic

We take the breath for granted; that it is automatic and will always persist, uninterrupted day and night. But precisely because breathing does not require our attention it can be hard to understand “why”.  

Yoga And Breathing

Yoga instructs us to learn to breathe with greater awareness.  When the breath is properly trained it becomes an effective therapeutic tool; always present, effective in prevention of emotional stressors and restorative. First the need to consciously learn to regulate and develop a rhythmical breath for a maximum outcome is required. All it takes is the merest voluntary effort and a conscious change in the way we breathe. 

Breathing Is A Gift

Breathing normally without conscious awareness occurs outside our mind’s awareness. The breathe is governed by certain cells that measures blood gas levels, which create a crude rhythm of respiration that coordinates the activity of the respiratory muscles. All of which makes breathing smoother and effective.  Just imagine all the inhalations and exhalations passing some 21,600 times in just one day; and that is with out any breaks. Pretty amazing. We ask “Why not take the breath for granted?” This is why not. It is a gift that keeps giving and most of the time we do not acknowledge it.

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Founder: Breast Cancer Yoga

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Breathing for Anxiety

Anxiety Triggers

For many depression sufferers, anxiety can be quite formidable. Anticipation of having breast cancer, potentially having to do chemotherapy or radiation treatments can trigger great anxiety. This anxiety can then disrupt any normal physical or emotional functioning. Besides when anxiety is great enough it can bring on fatigue, sleeplessness, the jitters, irritability and painful headaches.  Not very good for recovery.

Remedy to Reduce Anxiety

Anxious people tend to take short, shallow breaths which create an erratic heartbeat, dizziness and even lightheadedness. Fear may play a hugh role in these physical changes. It is not unusual to treat these symptoms with medication. These medications run the possibility of becoming addictive. Instead of taking something that could become a problem, why not turn to your own breathe as a possible solution to anxiety. One simple remedy to reduce anxiety is to learn how to breathe slowly and deeply. Slow inhales and exhales with your complete attention can be quite amazing.

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Founder: Breast Cancer Yoga

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Laughter as Medicine For Breast Cancer Recovery

Laughter as Medicine 

For Breast Cancer Recovery

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Founder: Breast Cancer Yoga

Physical & Emotional Health 

I want to share my feelings on laughter and joy as part of the healing cycle of breast cancer recovery, and for that fact many other conditions. I know that laughter has a real beneficial effect on our physical, and emotional health. Laughter will literally melts stress away, so why aren’t we laughing more to relieve all the stress and improve our health? It may be a bit of a challenge to get out of our own way. To often we take life, and our circumstances to seriously and it really doesn’t serve us to do so.  I know for myself when I stop and watch anything funny I focus only on “funny”.  

Medical Research on Laughter 

Studies at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, March 7, 2005 has one of the most ground breaking results in terms of laughter’s role in the health of the mind and body.  There is a strong connection between blood vessel expansion (vasodilation) through laughter. Improvement to the blood flow after laughter is equal to a 15-30 minute workout. Researchers believe laughing causes the body to release beneficial chemicals called endorphins, or “natural pain killers.” The release of endorphins contribute to a sense of well-being and will counter act the effects of stress hormones, and cause the dilation of the blood vessels. Even anticipating laughter can increase endorphin levels, and help boost the immune system. All which will reduce inflammation in the body. 

Laughter for Chemotherapy & Radiation Therapy

When going through chemotherapy or radiation laughing can only help. The best part of laughing is that it puts us in a positive state of mind, and that is exactly what’s needed to bring us through the physical and emotional roller coaster ride of breast cancer. Another key feature of laughter is that it moves lymph fluid around the body at a biophysical level.  Just by “over laughing”; that robust, gut explosive laughter is healing. Our immune system function is stimulated by laughter, it literally clears out old, dead waste and toxins from our organs and muscle tissue. It is important that we understand that our lymph system doesn’t have it’s own pump; we need to move around (and breath deeply) in order to properly circulate lymph. Laughter supports this function.

Important to Stay Positive and Laugh

The more we laugh the happy we will become and through the laughter we will develop a positive attitude towards everything. Even if there are times where we don’t feel it, we need to fake it. It has been shown that even when manipulated to smile people in truth feel happier. Laughter stops depression right in its tracks and boosts our immunity.

Use Laughter as Our Medicine?

We know now is the time to pull out all the stops and help ourselves get better. We need to reduce our levels of chronic stress (our journey with cancer may have just begun), we need to boost our immune system function, protect our nervous system, and my God our sanity. Well, “Laughter is the Best Medicine.” 

I cannot say enough about laughing, right down to the fact that the people around us will enjoy our company which will support our well being.  Go check out funny videos; YouTube is full of funny.  Rent funny movies. I guarantee a lot of laughter.

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Breast Cancer Yoga Pose "Reclined Arm Lifts"

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BENEFITS OF FLOWING YOGA POSES 

* Facilitates lymphatic drainage of breasts 

* Promotes deep breathing by widening the chest

VISIT our family website for more information on a complementary holistic approach to breast health and breast cancer recovery. Breast Cancer Yoga includes specific restorative yoga poses, supportive yoga props, a blend of aromatherapy oils, healing herbal teas and medicinal massage oils.

Aromatherapy for Breast Cancer Recovery

Aromatherapy has been shown to be an effective complementary treatment for breast cancer, and can relieve many of the side effects of chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Aromatherapy can help you navigate the terrain of your healing journey from surviving to thriving. Learn about the essential oils to use and why.

• Control nausea

• Easing anxiety and depression

• Lowers blood pressure in patients going through chemotherapy

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Benefits of Balanced Breathing

Breast Cancer Yoga

Learn How to Breathe With Purpose CD

Balanced Breathing

Breathing Exercise CD
By Breast Cancer Yoga

Using a balancing breath, a pranayama breath will serve to maintain and equalize the complete breath cycle. The goal of the inhalation and exhalation is to be identical in volume and duration thus creating the natural flow of the breath such as Natural, Complete and Sun Moon Breath.  This also brings the quiet mind with it. Concentration will be higher during this equalized state.  Therefore an equalized airflow through both nostrils should be strived for. Habitually we resort to unconscious shallow breathing and clearly do not use our true lung capacity creating uneven inhalations and exhalations. In the beginning if the airflow is unequal, do not be concerned. It is a natural phenomenon, and you need not to resort to any other method, just continue to practice. Also in the beginning the effects of the pranayama practice may not be felt right away, but after a few sessions the results will show themselves. It is only through practice that we begin to master so don’t get discouraged.

By Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Breast Cancer Yoga

FREE Preview "Twisting Yoga Poses for Breast Cancer Recovery and Lymphedema Management" E-book

TWISTING YOGA POSES

Breast Cancer Yoga has just released Twisting Yoga Poses E-book as apart of our "Healthy & Hopeful Lifestyle" E-book Series. You can preview Twisting Yoga Poses E-books on our home page. We would love your feed back on the E-books.
Twisting Yoga Poses E-book Contains
“Healthy & Hopeful Lifestyle” E-book Series contain specific restorative yoga poses that assist in breast cancer post - surgical recovery, fatigue and lymphedema management. Also included is a breathing exercise which is an essential tool for reduction of stress, anxiety and depression. Complementary Therapies are suggested to further enhance healing FREE PREVIEW.
Purpose of Twists
Twists can boost energy when feeling tired or fatigued. When we twist, we literally squeeze tension and toxins out from the body. In twisting poses, our muscles have an opportunity to squeeze and relax, and once finished, the area that released will then experience a rush of blood and nutrients TAKE A LOOK.
Twists Yoga Poses for Recovery
Twists are valuable for supporting breast cancer recovery and for the repairing of breast tissue. Lateral movements that are inherent with twists encourage the lymph fluid away from the tissues toward lymph nodes which then circulate the fluid to functioning lymph vessels. If the lymph system cannot effectively drain, lymphedema may result SNEAK PREVIEW.

Do You Believe That The Mind Can Help In Healing?

Mind-Body Medicines

There is a belief that the mind has great healing capabilities that can help heal the body.  One complementary therapy that is highly effective is Meditation. Meditation is where one focuses on the breath or using Mantra which is a repetition of words or phrases to quiet the mind. Another therapy is Yoga. 

Restorative Yoga Therapy

Here I would like to mention Breast Cancer Yoga as a well defined restorative yoga therapy practice that supports healing. Stretching, strengthening all the while consciously using the breath in synch with the movements make the yoga very meditative. Other therapies offered as a CAM are guided visualization, biofeedback, massage, chiropractic care along with vitamins and herbs. A healthy diet is imperative for wellness for our energy levels and proper nutrition. 

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

August, 2011

Breast Cancer Yoga Props

For Relaxation and Stress Reduction

A Breast Cancer Yoga practice commonly uses props in many innovative ways. The props allow for the main movements of the pose and the subtle adjustments of the body to assist in improving blood flow. The breath expands to open the chest, benefiting oxygen exchange and ridding the lungs of their residual stale air volume. The deepened breath physically brings increased circulation and lymphatic drainage; moreover it also has mental and emotional benefits such as decreasing anxiety, fear, and depression. The parasympathetic “rest and digest” functions are activated, down-regulating the habitual responses of the sympathetic nervous system which flood the body with stress hormones and create emotional states of panic and fear.

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Diana Ross Welcomes You to Breast Cancer Yoga

Welcome to Breast Cancer Yoga
Diana Ross
Founder of Breast Cancer Yoga
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