Surely, everyone can benefit in some way from yoga. Women with breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast, however, may benefit greatly from a tailored program featuring gentle yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation.The great benefits: less pain and fatigue and more vigor, relaxation, and acceptance," says Dr. James W. Carson from Duke University Medical Center and lead of a study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.
Carson says women with advanced breast cancer need effective methods for curbing cancer-related symptoms.
The pilot study included 13 women who attended yoga classes once per week for eight weeks. The women, with an average age of 59 and with diagnoses occurring an average of seven years earlier, were helped significantly. They felt more invigorated and gained a greater sense of acceptance. They also found they felt better not only on the day they practiced yoga but the next day too.
This study offers the first, small-scale evidence for yoga's potential benefits for women with limited life expectancy.
