June 4, 2003 – Yoga is believed to help relieve some of the more unwanted effects of chemotherapy in women with breast cancer.
Yoga would notably make these women feel less nervous and tired, and breathing exercises would be particularly effective in reducing the intensity of nausea.
Women say in particular that the most beneficial impact of yoga is the feeling of inner peace it provides. In fact, those of the 126 participants who were assigned to a yoga group experienced a 12% improvement in their quality of life, compared to those assigned to the control group. Members of the latter group, for their part, said they felt ever-increasing social and emotional distress.
Yoga was found to be just as effective for women who were told they would participate in a “gentle movement and stretching program” as it was for those who had been enrolled in a clearly identified yoga class, in a top-of-the-range fitness center.
Despite these positive results, researchers estimate that less than 10% of women in chemotherapy practice yoga.
The results of this study were presented at a meeting of oncologists, but have not been published.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to WebMD; June 3, 2003.
