Yoga for Sleep During Cancer Recovery

Yoga For Sleep

 

Gentle Yoga DVD

Practicing restorative yoga has shown to improve sleep and overall quality of life in cancer survivors. Along with improved sleep it appears to also improve fatigue, which along with impaired sleep quality are the most prevalent and troublesome adverse effects experienced by cancer survivors. Both can significantly affect quality of life.  All this creates greater consistent energy in the body and a mental balance in the mind. 

Breathe With Purpose CD

The breath will maintain balance in every activity you perform or need to perform. The breath dictates performance, and the performance dictates the breath. When you are tiring you will notice your breath becoming shallow and even labored. This shallow breathing boost the sympathetic nervous system, which in turns makes you nervous, thus zapping you of the much required energy. This energy is needed to perform the most simplest tasks when we are not feeling up for doing anything; yet we do need to move forward.  

Deep full breathing, like a COMPLETE BREATH will stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and form inner calm for the brain. Maintaining the awareness of the breath when we need this energy will support us.  

Learn more about breathing for Breast Cancer Recovery at Breast Cancer Yoga

 

How Does Yoga Help Those Undergoing Treatment For (Breast) Cancer?

Yoga For Breast Cancer
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Yoga addresses the side effect distresses of (breast) cancer. These side effects can include lymphedema (swelling), cancer-related fatigue, nausea, pain, weight loss, sleep disorders, stress, fear, anxiety, depression and restlessness. In current studies of women managing these symptoms of distress the following was reported: those doing yoga therapy showed a significant reduction in side effect and symptom distresses. Their (QOL) Quality of Life was shown to be significantly higher when practicing yoga.  Anxiety, emotional stress, fear and negative moods are common causes of poor (QOL). The entire recovery process can disrupt routines, relationships, careers and other aspects of life. 

Yoga offers the opportunity to alleviate these obstacles and decrease there interference with recovery. Yoga assists in diminishing suffering from common chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Depression is also important to address with (breast) cancer patients. The uncertainty about prognosis and treatment, concerns of pain or even death, lack of physical and functional abilities and social changes contribute to depression. Patients who practice yoga appear to cope better with symptoms of illness, and the side effects and distresses of treatments. It is sited that the physical poses, breathing exercises, meditation techniques are especially helpful components of a yoga practice. 

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Yoga Decreases Stress Hormones For Breast Cancer Patients

Diana Ross, E-RYT 500
Founder of Breast Cancer Yoga

It is well documented that yoga decreases stress hormones, like cortisol and increases GABA (gamma-Aminonbutyric acid) levels. GABA is an important calming chemical produced by the brain that counteracts anxiety and stress. 

• GABA is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter chemical in the brain. 
• GABA is responsible for balancing mood levels. It is believed that certain physical reaction disorders are due to the failure to produce adequate levels of GABA.
• Through brain imaging it has been shown that a restorative yoga practice increases GABA levels markedly.  
• When GABA levels are maintained with breast cancer patients, physical stamina increases. Daily activities like climbing stairs, walking and doing the laundry become easier compared with those that don’t engage in a yoga practice or exercise.  

GABA is very important for sustained recovery and optimal health.  

Stress reduces the levels of GABA in our brains. The primary stress hormones, which inhibits GABA levels are cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is manufactured in the adrenal glands and synthesized from cholesterol.  They are small glands alongside to the kidneys. The hormone cortisol is released into the body during stress; hence it is called the "stress hormone." However cortisol is necessary for the overall function of the entire body.  It is when there is an excess of cortisol that there is excess stress so when cortisol is secreted and remains in the bloodstream over prolonged periods of time, one may lose bone mass, or experience increased blood pressure, suppressed thyroid function, and weakened cognitive performance. The consequences of sustained cortisol levels include a compromised immune response as well as increased inflammation in the muscle tissue, hyperglycemia, and increased abdominal fat. The proper balancing of the physical, and then emotional body are key to recovery, and good health. We need both but they need to be in balance, and yoga works directly at balancing them.

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Yoga Retreats Have Great Benefits

Everyone, at some point may feel the stress and strain of everyday life, either with work or in personal relationships. Yoga retreats can be perfect opportunity in relieving theses pressures, and providing time off and away to rejuvenate. 

Taking an opportunity, like going on a yoga retreat to recharge our emotional and physical batteries may change our entire outlook on life, and how we deal with others. It may be the place that stimulate positive change in our eating habits, physical workouts or personal interests.

Yoga retreats provide an opportunity to do lots of yoga and to get personal attention from your yoga teacher, meet new like-minded people and/or relax. 

Yoga retreats take place at special sanctuaries, or havens usually out in nature where you can relax your mind, and let go of daily tasks and routines.You can expect to eat delicious healthy foods and catch up with  rest or maybe read a good book. Either way home coming will be most pleasant after feeling quite satisfied. 

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Prevent Breast Cancer with Healthy Lifestyle Choices for 2012

Necessary Lifestyle Choices for Optimum Health

An anti-cancer lifestyle will include a variety of exercise, organic foods, clean pure water and air. There are a few easy steps to keep the body safe and healthy. It is important to cultivate an awareness of what feels and taste right going into your body. It is equally important to stop and take notice of bad choices. Ask yourself “Is this good or bad for me? “Will it make me feel better or worse?”  We all want to feel alive and vital.

Exercise – Yoga
Practicing restorative yoga has shown through studies to encourage and improve sleep and to enhance overall quality of life. (Reuters Health) – About one third of breast cancer survivors experience fatigue that affects their quality of life. A new study found that doing yoga might help restore some lost vitality. There are some simple suggestions to start exploring a change in vitality.

• Find a restorative yoga class  
• Buy a therapeutic yoga DVD
• Watch Breast Cancer Yoga on YouTube

Cancer Prevention Foods – Vegetarian/Vegan Diet
It is suggested to eat a plant base diet of fruits and vegetables: make your diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables that are full of micronutrients and bioflavonoids which are duly noted to help prevent breast cancer or other cancers. Here are some simple choices to select from to start improving your health.

• Order a vegetarian/vegan starter kit
• Start by adding healthy food choices to diet

Water Therapy – Alkaline Water
Alkaline water (referred to as ionized water) can neutralize or decrease the acidity of the body’s pH caused by stress, modern diet, and air pollution. We suggest trying this water and feeling the possible positive effects.

• Find a water store and get alkaline water by the gallon (it usually stays charged with negative ions for up to 48 hours)
• Purchase if possible a home alkaline water system that filters pollutants as well as charging the water with negative ions and anti oxidants
• Benefit from the many ways to use alkaline water like necessary hydration for the body’s cells

Manage Stress – Learn to Breathe
Deep breathing is vital in that it encourages the release of body toxins, rebuild healthy tissue which consequently increases overall energy. This true oxygen exchange stimulates digestion, assimilation and elimination. A very important function of breathing fully and slowly is that the body’s natural relaxation response is prompted. This relaxation response results in decreased tension, anxiety and fatigue. A great place to start is with our single down-loadable breathing exercises or you could do the following.

• Purchase a therapeutic breathing CD
• Read books on how to breathe correctly
• Explore breathing exercise e-books

Laugh Often – Emotional Balancing
It has been shown that even when manipulated to smile people in truth feel happier and joyful. Laughter can stop depression right in its tracks and boosts our immunity. We suggest the following to bring on happiness.

• Have a daily joke sent to your e-mail
• Watch funny YouTube videos
• Listen to the comedy channel on the radio
• Download comedians from iTunes

By : Diana Ross, E-RYT 500
Founder & Survivor: 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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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

Yoga Breathing to Raise Energy Levels for Breast Cancer Patients

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Today the typical way of raising our energy level is through caffeinated drinks and sugary foods. It has been proven that using these products to remedy our energy lows are an obvious health detriment. And, ultimately after the temporary high or boost is over we are left even more drained. Now let’s add on the fact that when you have an illness like breast cancer these ways of raising our energy is truly unproductive.

Let’s look at how we can get a natural boost of energy that supports health: one that instantly provides a renewed vitality and clarity of mind. It is as simple as learning to breath properly and consciously.

Our breath is our key to life. It is known that a person can live days without water, and longer without food. However, the moment we become oxygen deprived, our bodies immediately begin to die. Stating the obvious, breathing is by far the most immediate and important essential element to life.

“Take a deep breath” is a statement that is often heard when someone becomes upset or over excited. Heart palpitations, and high blood pressure are the symptoms of this agitation. Combating the treatments that come with strains, stresses and discomfort; one can learn how to breath to reduce theses problems and replace them with renewed energy. Now THIS would be productive. When we consciously approach this stress and strain with our breath it allows us to refocus and quiet down. All that is needed is the understanding and development of simple breathing techniques. Breathing techniques are highly sought after and recommended for just these reasons alone. The overall effect of many breathing practices help the body and mind create a calming down effect called a “relaxation response”. This again will allow for the mind to become clearer, and more reflective. When recovering from cancer breathing is instrumental to support our health and well-being. Breath in, breath out and rest is the goal.
By Diana Ross, E-RYT 500
June 5, 2011