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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How Can Women Use Yoga to Prevent Breast Cancer?

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How does yoga help breast cancer recovery in particular? Yoga does three things, it creates lymph to move throughout the channels, encourages deep breathing, and fosters relaxation. All this helps to decrease cortisol and increases GABA levels so that a feeling of harmony can occur.

How can women use yoga to prevent breast cancer? There are many things women can do to help prevent breast cancer. First is to move your arms to help stimulate lymph flow, become a conscious breather. The breath is instrumental in also moving lymph. Eating right, getting lots of good sleep, drinking good quality water, and surrounding yourself with those that love you all play a part in good heal and cancer prevention. 

In your experience how does the holistic approach to treating breast cancer differ from the generic western approach? There are three approaches, alternative, complementary and allopathic. Currently allopathic medicine has been introducing more and more complementary therapies in their bag of wellness tricks, and yoga is one of them. You will see more and more merging together when someone is diagnosis with breast cancer. Studies are supporting the benefits of yoga and recovery.
What is Asana and what is its connection to Breast cancer? A yoga pose is called an asana.

These questions will be answered by Diana Ross- Experienced-Registered Yoga Teacher, breast cancer survivor and the founder of Breast Cancer Yoga.

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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Breast Cancer Yoga Pose For Range Of Motion

Breast Cancer Yoga

Pose of the Month - October 2012

Arm Under Chest 

A really great way to relieve your shoulder tension and increase Range of Motion for shoulder joints (frozen shoulder) associated with breast cancer recovery is with a chest extension inflection or better known in the yoga world as a heart opening flowing restorative yoga pose. With this wonderful yoga pose you will open up the heart,  fill the lungs from the bottom up, and relieve shoulder tension.

Arm Under Chest Yoga Pose

Benefits

Promote lymph circulation around axilla

Helps heal scarring muscles and added tightness

Increases internal rotation and shoulder mobility

Strengthens scapula stabilizing muscle

Opens and lift chest

Increases ROM of shoulder joints - frozen shoulder

Increases internal rotation and shoulder mobility.

Releases shoulder tension that rounds your shoulders and binds your upper arm

Begin In A Partial Recline

                                           _____________________________________________________________

Instructions

1. Begin on your back with knees bent in PARTIAL RECLINE. A neck roll or pillow can be used for added comfort.
2. Lift hips up, slide right arm, palm down underneath lower back so you can see finger tips on left side. STOP IF YOU FEEL PAIN. Lower hips down and extend legs.
3. Relax - breathe into the right side of upper chest until you feel a release in shoulder muscles.  Once the shoulder relaxes experiment sliding hand up your back towards shoulder blades.
4. INHALE, left arm up and overhead for bigger additional stretch to breast region.
5. Flow arm back up and down. When ready hold pose for 3/5 breaths.
6. EXHALE lower arm back down, lift hips up and release arm from underneath.
7. Repeat on other arm.

Breast Cancer Yoga offers healthy lifestyle tools for breast cancer prevention and recovery with therapeutic yoga poses, breathing exercises that bringing together the mind, body, and spirit.

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

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Burn Calories With Yoga For Breast Cancer

 

When yoga is used as your form of exercise during your breast cancer recovery, you may be asking yourself if the calories burned during a restorative yoga session are enough to guarantee weight loss. Restorative yoga classes offer benefits, such as muscle tone, core stability improvement, strength building and stress reduction.


Calories Burned During Yoga Varies

The amount of calories you burn in a typical yoga session can vary widely, depending upon what form of yoga you choose to practice. Most gyms offer yoga classes that will improve your fitness and add variety to your routine however they do not focus on breast cancer recovery. Here we have included an average restorative flowing yoga session with an average amount of calories you may burn during a 60-minute class.

Breast Cancer Yoga 

Breast Cancer Yoga poses are combined with the breath to form a dynamic restorative yoga session. Breast Cancer Yoga poses emphasis is placed on flowing movements during a pose as well as from one pose to the next. A Breast Cancer Yoga session includes a breath to center and focus the mind then five supported flowing yoga poses with a relaxing savasana pose to end the session

Breast Cancer Yoga DVD 

We have developed a yoga session just for breast cancer recovery. This DVD contains 13 poses that will enable you to burn calories!

For more information about yoga for Breast Cancer visit:
www.breastcanceryoga.com

By: Dawn Bradford

Yoga: Energy & Core Stability For Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Yoga Core Pose

As I prepare for this weekend’s Master Yoga Class on CORE Stability and its affect on recovery wellness I can’t help but think about it’s true relevance. Core stability is a misunderstood term. When we think of CORE we usually identify it with the abdominal muscles groups, and stability as a form of resistance exercise.  Although in actuality CORE consists of much more, (transverse abdominis, internal obliques, external obliques, rectus abdominis), hip abductors/ adductors, hip flexors, and lumbar spine. In addition, the lumbar spine is primarily responsible for posture and stability. Strengthening our lumbar spine calls upon strengthen of our abdominals. Here we can  provide the strength needed for stability, especially when rebuilding our recovery. 

CORE is the foundation upon which the rest of our functional strength is built. Strengthening the body’s ability to hold poses in a controlled and safe manner calls upon more. It calls upon our breath. How important is our breath to CORE stability? Well, our breath is key to regaining energy and building CORE strength. When exploring yoga poses we want to combine proper breathing to exercise. The diaphragm muscles when activated help to train an effective yoga pose, which both make better use of the body's energy. The breath is pure energy when drawn in. It fills us wide and full. It becomes the pose. Increased awareness and efficiency of breathing is one of the most unexpected benefits of a yoga practice.We use only a fraction of their lung capacity when breathing. This is an untrained, unconscious breath. Usually we only use the upper lungs instead of engaging the diaphragm and drawing air into the lower lungs. This results in inefficient oxygen exchange and premature exhaustion. University of California research and elsewhere studied the effects of yoga on athletic capability. The studies show that as little as 8 weeks of yoga can lead to significant increases in flexibility and strength. What was surprising, however, was that there were relatively large increases in lung capacity and VO2 (volume of oxygen) max. This means that yoga has been shown to increase endurance! Learn to use the capacity of your entire lungs and watch your endurance increase. Now I know that it isn’t just the pose alone; it is the pose and the breath that brings back energy and stability.

Diana Ross, E-RYT500
www.breastcanceryoga.comhttp://www.breastcanceryoga.com

Yoga Restores Physical Movement For Breast Cancer Recovery

Breast Cancer Yoga offers a Restorative Yoga therapy that can effectively help restore physical movement and aide in post surgical recovery. One of the essential tools for recovery is effectively dealing with stress and depression. Pain and worry affects the body, creating stress hormone release. When the body becomes stressed, the breath becomes shallow, which in turn tenses the muscles. Some may even find themselves unconsciously holding the breath. Breast Cancer Yoga's Restorative Yoga therapy addresses the emotional and physical causes of stress, fear, anxiety and depression. This marks the beginning of recovery and allows a state of clarity and relaxation to be experienced. These states of calmness produce their own associated neurohormones which promote the healing process to begin. 

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Founder: Breast Cancer Yoga

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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 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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Yoga Helps Breast Cancer Recovery

Yoga creates harmony of mind and body. It has become center stage in the offerings of complementary therapies for breast cancer recovery. Yoga is now offered in conjunction with other standards of medical care.

Physically yoga can be an extremely important part of recovery wellness. It helps remove unwanted debris and toxins from the lungs, skin and colon.  By moving the body, stretching muscles and breathing deeply the toxins are physically released. This undoubtably helps cleanse the body. Yoga will eliminate ama (toxic residue) from the cells, move the lymph through the lymphatic system, and bring the mind into clarity. This clarity of mind encourages good decisions which then encourages more good decisions.

Emotionally yoga will remove anger, sadness and fear. It will give you a sense of inner strength, balance and mental flexibility. The Autonomic Nervous System becomes balanced especially when synchronizing with the breath and the movement. Resulting in the mind settling down and the body feeling energized.

Make sure you begin with your  physicians approval. Find a well qualified yoga teacher.  Do what you can; maybe starting with a gentle or restorative yoga practice first.

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Founder: Breast Cancer Yoga

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Maximize Health And Recovery Through The Breath

Maximize Health and Recovery 

The diaphragmatic breath is the most calming and therapeutic breath. When constant stress leads to restriction of connective and muscular tissue in the chest area; a decrease in ROM (Range of Motion) is experienced. This decrease is due in part to unconscious shallow breathing. The chest does not expand as much as it would with slower and deeper breaths. Deeper diaphragmatic breathing is efficient because of the greater amounts of oxygen being drawn in the blood which then flows in the lower lobes of the lungs. Breathe Consciously. “It is as simple as oxygen helping to nourish the body, the muscles, and organs which then provides relief from stress, fear and anxiety. Slow, deep, and relaxed breaths calm the autonomic nervous system, producing balanced stable energy.  Conscious breathing does improve the body’s immune function, and lower blood pressure. Make a conscious decision to start with 5 to 10 minutes a day of deep breathing. 

To learn yoga breathing techniques visit Breast Cancer Yoga and download our “Breast Cancer Yoga Breathing Techniques” E-book

Author & Founder: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

January 26, 2012

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Boost Energy With Twisting Yoga Poses

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.

Standing Wide Angle Twist

  

Benefits

Stretches pectoralis muscle

Post surgical benefits of reducing fibrous adhesions and scar tissue 

Opens shoulder joint and improves flexibility

Increases circulation and blood flow in chest

Strong hip opener and deep twist in inner core.

Lengthen and  strengthen side body and increases vitality

Massages lower abdominal organs and glands

Expands ribs for deeper breathing

Contraindications

Lumbar or sacral injuries

Shoulder and rotator cuff injuries

Instructions____________________________________________________________Instructions

1. Begin in a  wide stance about 3 feet apart with feet parallel  (make sure the leg remains anchored).
2. EXHALE, and bring arms forward, placing hands directly underneath shoulders with head in its natural alignment )use a bolster or yoga blocks so there isn’t a collapse in the front of the body).
3. INHALE, extend right arm out and then overhead (follow arm with eyes).
4. EXHALE, lower arm and head back to center.
5. INHALE, and repeat left side(make sure your head doesn’t collapse).
6. EXHALE, return to neutral.
7. Let your legs and arms support the extension of the spine.
8. Continue for 5 or more twist, then sustain into the pose on left and right side t on left side.

Twisting Yoga Poses E-book 

Breast Cancer Yoga  released a “Healthy & Hopeful Lifestyle” E-book Series that 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. 

Preview Twisting Yoga Poses E-book

Watch Twisting Yoga Poses E-book Trailer

By Diana Ross E-RYT 500

Breast Cancer Yoga "Twisting Yoga Poses" E-book Trailer

Diana Ross on Women Radio

Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Diana Ross on Women Radio

Excited to have Diana Ross, a Teacher of Restorative Yoga from Breast Cancer Yoga with Tips on Conscious Breathing and Restorative Yoga for Healing tomorrow. If you have a question, just post it on our Feel and Look Fabulous Wall.

Restorative Yoga for Healing: Conscious Breathing | Women Radio

www.holistichealthtalkradioforwomen.com

Restorative yoga and conscious breathing for calming mind body spirit and faster healing. Tips on relaxed deep breathing to get rid of fear, anxiety and tension.

Breast Cancer Yoga's Happy & Healthy Holiday Greetings

Diana Ross and Dawn Bradford

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 Breast Cancer Yoga 

are wishing everyone a

 happy & healthy holiday!

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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Reduce Stress and Induce Relaxation with Yoga Props

Yoga Pose With Props

For relaxation and stress reduction, a restorative practice is commonly recommended in which props are used in many innovative ways. The props allow the main components of the pose and the subtle adjustments of the body to  encourage relaxation and to assist in improving blood and lymph flow. Using props can open the chest, and expand the breath. This benefits oxygen exchange and rid the lungs of residual stale air volume. The deepened breath brought about by using the right props will physically bring increased lymphatic circulation and drainage. Moreover when props are used to support both the mind and the body they also offer mental and emotional benefits, which help decrease anxiety, fear, and depression. 

When emotional fears and anxieties are reduced, the Autonmic Nervous System which consist of the parasympathetic system “rest and digest” functions are made active, down-regulating the habitual responses of the sympathetic nervous system “fright or fear” which floods the body with stress hormones and creates emotional states of panic and fear.

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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