Yoga has been found to be capable of re-energising women battling breast cancer. By just practicing the postures, breathing and meditation over a period of three months, yoga has the ability to cut fatigue in cancer survivors by more than half. Aside from that, yoga aids in reducing inflammation, which is often linked to health problems such as heart disease as well as frailty and also increases the chances of cancer coming back.
According to a study by the Ohio State University, it recognised that yoga could be of huge benefit to breast cancer patients. In Britain, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer, amounting to approximately 50,000 cases a year. Although the survival rates are gradually improving, the treatments still leave the patients feeling extremely worn out for months and sometimes even years after they stopped.
The Ohio State University recruited a total of two hundred participants who had survived cancer of varying degrees of severity to partake in the study. Half of the participants were asked to attend 90-minute yoga classes twice a week and to continue the practice when they are at home. The other half were asked to continue their daily lifestyle as per normal. However, they were promised yoga classes once the study has been concluded. The women, who had undergone surgery and powerful treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, were also asked about their energy levels and were subjected to blood tests. All of the two hundred participants have never done yoga before the start of the study.
Based on the Journal of Clinical Oncology reports, three months after the yoga classes were over, fatigue was an average of 57 per cent lower in participants. This is essential as persistent tiredness can result in individuals becoming weaker due to a reduction in the amount of exercise that they are able to partake in. Eventually, even the day-to-day chores become more challenging. The research also indicated that the more yoga a participant did, the greater the boost in energy levels. The blood tests also proved a reduction in levels of compounds linked to the inflammation. For the rest of the story, you can read it from here.
At OMG Yoga, we provide yoga classes in Singapore for various individuals. We have private classes that can be tailored to each individual’s needs, health conditions and/or injuries. As all of our instructors are certified by recognised Yoga Alliance schools, you can be sure that you will have fulfilling sessions.