A new study shows that regularly practicing yoga could help breast cancer survivors reduce levels of inflammation and fatigue that follow breast cancer treatments. The study, published in the most recent edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, examined the long-term benefits of yoga on the health of women who were survivors of breast cancer.
Fatigue Fairly Common in Survivors
Study author and professor of psychology and psychiatry at Ohio State University, Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, wanted to see if the common cycle after breast cancer treatment of fatigue and thus lessened activity could be stopped through a regular yoga practice.
In an interview about the study with HealthDay News, Kiecolt-Glaser noted that up to 30 to 40 percent of women report high levels of fatigue even several years after breast cancer treatment. This fatigue is thought to be an affect of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.
Study Findings
200 breast cancer survivors age 27 to 76 were recruited for the study. The women had to be at least two months and no more than three years from finishing their last cancer treatment. Women were divided into two groups. One group of women practiced a 90-minute hatha yoga flow twice a week for 12 weeks, while the control group of women was placed on a waiting list.
Blood tests taken six months after the study found that women who practiced yoga had inflammation levels 13 to 20 percent lower than the women in the control group. Furthermore, the women who practiced yoga also reported 60% less fatigue than the women on the waiting list. Kielcot-Glaser noted that the longer the women practiced yoga, the greater their improvements in energy levels and inflammation levels.
The study supports a growing body of research showing that yoga can lower fatigue levels and lessened sleep disturbances in cancer survivors.
About Yoga and Exercise for Cancer Patients and Survivors
Hatha yoga is a gentle form of yoga that focuses on moving the body through a series of poses, or postures, with particular focus on proper alignment and on the breath. One aspect the new study didn’t focus on was if another type of exercise would have prompted similar results as yoga for cancer survivors.
Exercise in general is thought to help cancer patients even during treatment. The American Cancer Society notes that exercise during treatment may:
- Lower depression and anxiety risk
- Reduce symptoms of fatigue
- Lessen Nausea
- Maintain or improve physical abilities.
It’s not surprising that these benefits might also continue after cancer treatment with any kind of regular exercise.
Dedicated to Preventative Health Care for Women
The dedicated staff and doctors at Northern Florida’s All About Women are committed to helping women detect breast cancer early. You can learn more about breast health by reading more on our blog or visiting our Knowledge Center.
If your looking for preventive action you can take in managing your breast health and your health overall, a yearly well woman visit (https://www.allaboutwomenmd.com/well-women-care.html) can be a good place to start. Contact our Lake City or Gainesville office today to schedule an appointment.
