| Pranayama, or yoga breathing, focuses on specific | | | | not push past the point of pain. The important thing for |
| breathing exercises that invoke relaxation and | | | | anyone to remember, who has been through a serious |
| enhance optimum recovery. Yoga instruction often | | | | medical procedure, is to begin slowly. Perform the |
| employs guided relaxation, meditation, breath | | | | yoga poses in a way that is comfortably challenging. |
| awareness, visualization techniques, and guided | | | | There will be some discomfort on the road to |
| breathing exercises. | | | | recovery. Steadily press forward, and find the internal |
| Students are guided to find a peaceful place, where | | | | limits, but avoid approaching the pain threshold. |
| they release their anxiety and pain. Pranayama | | | | Yoga instructors need to remember that yoga therapy |
| techniques also have an extremely beneficial impact | | | | requires adapting yoga practice to individual needs. |
| on the nervous system. Focused breathing brings calm | | | | Each student's case will be different. Each class period |
| to the mind and body, allowing for healing. Stress is the | | | | will be different. Teachers must also learn to be |
| number one enemy to effective healing. | | | | healers and "go the extra mile" for any student |
| As with many ailments, yoga students, recovering | | | | recovering from cancer. |
| from cancer, often suffer from decreased range of | | | | Those recovering from cancer, who choose yoga |
| movement. Along with increasing muscle strength, | | | | practice to assist their healing, will benefit greatly |
| yoga postures improve range of movement and | | | | across the board. In addition to regular yoga practice, |
| flexibility. Posture is also improved, allowing proper body | | | | pay close attention to diet and nutrition. Yoga nutrition |
| alignment and balance. With freer movement and | | | | focuses on natural, whole foods that support the |
| mobility, cancer survivors will begin to grow lighter in | | | | body's functions. Support your body in every possible |
| spirit and feel more independent. | | | | way to make a complete recovery when healing from |
| Yoga for cancer recovery should focus on providing | | | | cancer. |
| the most benefit possible. This means patients should | | | | |