Yoga for Cancer: Exploring Self-Care Tools and Healing Pathways

Take a Sneak Peek! Q&A with Baxter: The Benefits of Yoga During the Cancer Journey - What People Say

Cancer is one of the most feared diseases, and with the average annual number of new cases surpassing a million in the US alone, it is surprisingly common. It has a devastating impact on quality of life, from the emotional and mental anxiety of being diagnosed, to the physical struggle of treatment, and even the aftermath of surviving it.

It’s easy to feel like there’s little you can do to relieve pain and tension throughout your cancer journey. Patients are increasingly looking to take an active role in their own recovery, which has led to a sharp increase in the adoption of integrative approaches to long-term symptom management. 

Yoga, with numerous evidence-based studies to support its benefits, is at the forefront of that space.

The evidence from these studies has shown that yoga intervention is able to reduce fatigue, aid in destressing, and even improve sleep. These all directly affect the strength of your immune system, which struggles after the effects of treatments like chemotherapy. 

Additionally, because of the physical toll of treatments, it’s not uncommon to feel depressed and sluggish. yoga’s emphasis on strengthening the mind-body relationship can aid in increasing your energy levels and your overall wellness.

Because of its benefits, high safety profile, and relatively accessible cost, many cancer centers now offer guidance on approaching yoga for symptom treatment. Some even offer programs!

While few adverse effects were reported in these studies, it’s integral that you, as someone who practices yoga, knows which protocols maximize efficacy and safety for cancer patients and survivors. Every protocol in the yoga toolbox is made with a distinct goal in mind, and using the wrong ones can lead to poor results.

This course is designed to educate you about the role of yoga in cancer symptom treatment, the empirical evidence that supports its benefits, and the proper safety measures for cancer patients and survivors.

What You Will Learn:

• The prevalence of cancer and the most common cancers that people are diagnosed with.
• What the conventional medicine approaches to treatment are.
• The common side effects and toxicity of conventional treatments.
• Evaluate compelling research studies on yoga in relationship to cancer care.
• Review the yoga protocols used in those studies.
• Examine how yoga can:
  • reframe our relationship to our diagnosis,
  • address the anxiety that comes from life with cancer,
  • help improve sleep for more effective healing,
  • and more.
• The proper safety precautions for practicing Yoga as part of an integrative approach to long-term symptom management.