CELEBRITY STYLE SPY: See all the latest celeb photos

Yoga helps breast cancer sufferers

By Ellie O'Mahoney on Tuesday 7 April 2009

Print
Share
Comment

Yoga

Yoga can halve symptoms of depression in women with breast cancer a study has found.

Women doing yoga classes experienced a 50 per cent reduction in depression and a 12 per cent increase in feelings of peace.

The new report published in the medical journal Psycho-Oncology investigated the effect of yoga in 50 women with breast cancer. Half the women were given a ten-week programme of classes in Restorative Yoga, while the remaining women were put on a waiting list and then all the participants were asked to complete questionnaires to evaluate their quality of life.

‘Evidence is quite strong that mind-body therapies improve mood, quality of life and treatment-related symptoms in people with cancer,’ said researcher Suzanne Danhauer from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in the U.S.

The report comes as no surprise to certified yoga teachers such as Chris James who runs chrisjamesyoga.com.

‘While it is not a cure for cancer, yoga enhances physical and emotional wellness and brings a peace many patients had thought they'd lost forever. It's in moments of silence or relaxation that healing occurs – yoga and meditation are ways to quiet our minds.’

FOR MORE HEALTH NEWS CLICK HERE