Yoga for Cancer- The ancient art of yoga includes breathing exercises, meditation, and asanas to help you form a deep mind-body connection. Regular yoga practice provides not just excellent physical health, it also helps you experience inner tranquility and peace. The sacred art of yoga provides you relief from symptoms of medical issues like heart disease, high blood pressure, and addiction among others.
Do you know that yoga can also help you prevent life-threatening health conditions like cancer? Cancer is a deadly health condition which impacts your entire body. However, regular practice of yoga for cancer helps you build physical and mental resistance against this life-threatening health problem.
With that said, let us find out how yoga helps you prevent cancer in the first place.
How Yoga Helps Prevent Cancer
Although medical professionals administer various therapies and treatments to take care of cancer. However, including yoga in your treatment plan heals your body, mind, and spirit.
Given below are four ways how yoga for cancer helps you.
1. Reduces Stress
A life-threatening disease like cancer takes a toll on your physical and mental health. Numerous studies have shown how regular yoga practice minimizes the risk of you developing mood disturbance by a whopping 65%.
Moreover, yoga also improves your appetite which helps you go through medical treatment for this life-threatening disease without much discomfort.
2. Improves Physical Functioning
Apart from affecting you mentally, cancer also limits your body’s ability to move without pain. Spending more time in a bed at the hospital makes your body stiff which limits movement. Yoga helps you stay active and move from one place to another without any issue.
3. Minimizes Risk of Recurrence
Regular practice of yoga for cancer reduces your body’s fat density, which is a contributing factor to the onset of cancer. In short, the daily practice of yoga is an effective strategy in keeping this problem at bay.
However, there are specific yoga-related activities you need to perform to develop mental and physical resilience to prevent cancer.
Yoga Activities to Prevent Cancer
Given below are five yoga for cancer activities that will help you develop the strength to keep cancer at bay.
1. Yoga Mudra
According to the yogic philosophy, there are five types of vital energies namely Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, and Samana. All these energies are closely linked to your mental and physical energy. Creating a synergy between these pranic forces is important to align all your body cells. It ensures an uninterrupted flow of energy to heal your body.
2. Pranayama
Pranayama techniques like Ujjayi Pranayama and Kapalabhati are quite effective when it comes to improving your quality of sleep and mental health. These techniques allow you to access the sacred Prana and control its flow throughout your body.
These Pranayama techniques improve blood circulation, oxygen supply, and other metabolic functions. In short, it helps you develop the physical and mental toughness required to prevent cancer.
3. Sun Salutations
A high-calorie intake is one of the reasons behind cancer. Sun Salutation is the best yoga for cancer practice to help you lose excess weight and visceral fat. This yoga pose helps you keep a higher metabolism rate.
4. Corpse Pose
Although practiced at the end of the yoga session, the Corpse Pose relaxes your body and mind which improves your thought process. In other words, it rejuvenates your entire being by ridding the body and mind of all stress.
5. Meditation
Although there are many traditional medicines that can help you prevent cancer. However, there is nothing better than including meditation in your daily routine to dive deeper into your true self. Moreover, regular practice of meditation also keeps your mind stress-free and your body relaxed.
However, that is not all you can do to prevent and fight cancer. There are specific yoga poses to help you prevent this problem in the first place.
Also read: Why Should You Prefer Yoga Over Gym?
Yoga Poses To Prevent Cancer
Given below are two yoga poses to help you fight cancer.
1. Supta Bandha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose)
This yoga asana improves your breathing, gives the inner thighs a good stretch, and relaxes your lower back.
Steps To Practice Supta Bandha Konasana
Lie down straight on the yoga mat. Gently bend your knees.
Keep your feet together with the outer edges of your feet on the mat. Keep your heels closer to the groin area.
Keep your palms next to your hips and press forward.
Exhale and make sure your abdominal muscles contract while moving close to your tailbone to the pubic bone.
You will feel a slight stretch and stability in your lower back while tilting your pelvis. Hold this position for some time.
Inhale and exhale quickly. Open your knees to feel a slight stretch in your groin and inner thighs.
Do not forcefully arch your lower spine. Your shoulders have to be relaxed and away from your neck.
Stay in this position for a minute and breath deeply.
2. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
Cobra Pose is a part of the sun salutations. It is an excellent alternative to the Upward Facing Dog. This yoga pose increases your spine’s mobility, strengthens your spinal muscles, and relieves you of back pain.
Steps To Practice Cobra Pose
Keep your palms flat on the yoga mat and directly under your shoulders.
Bend your elbows straight back and hug them into your sides.
Look straight down on the yoga mat. Keep your neck in a neutral position.
Bring your pubic bone closer to the yoga mat.
Inhale and lift your chest off the mat. Roll your shoulders back and keep your lower ribs on the yoga mat.
Your elbows have to be on your sides.
Keep your neck in a neutral position. Your gaze has to be directed towards the mat.
These two are the most beneficial yoga poses to help you prevent cancer.
Conclusion
Cancer is a deadly disease that wreaks havoc on your physical and mental health. The regular practice of yoga for cancer helps you develop the mental resilience to prevent this life-threatening problem in the first place.