If you are coping with a cancer diagnosis, remember that you are not alone! Unfortunately, the incidence of cancer has risen dramatically over the last fifty years. By some estimates, one in two people will be affected by cancer at some point in their lives, as opposed to one in twenty people fifty years ago.
This increase in the incidence of cancer is quite daunting. So, if you are a Yoga practitioner and you are facing a cancer diagnosis, you are clearly not the only one.
Taking in an adequate amount of vitamin D is another critical element of supporting your immunity. Spending time outside in the sunshine for twenty to thirty minutes a day will help to boost you immune system. By combining moderate physical exercise, such as Yoga, with being outside in the sun, you will further support your immune system. If it is too cold to spend time outside, or it is cloudy or rainy much of the time to receive your vitamin D from the sun’s rays, you may want to take a vitamin D supplement. If you are fighting cancer, maintaining an adequate level of vitamin D is critical to winning the war against cancer.
Another critical element to winning the war against cancer is to maintain strong connections with your loved ones and your community at large. By taking Yoga classes at a studio or health club, you will easily maintain your connection with others and also help to support your health through a balanced practice of Yoga postures and breathing exercises. In order to increase the level of oxygen in your body, practicing gentle Yogic breathing exercises will flood your tissues with more oxygen. By saturating your tissues with oxygen, you will create an internal environment that is inhospitable to the growth of cancer cells.
Including pranayama exercises into your Yoga practice will also nurture your body’s ability to relax, which will boost your immune system, as the adrenalin-fueled release of cortisol is turned off for a period of time each day. As you consciously practice Yogic breathing exercises, you may discover that you have been unconsciously holding your breath or breathing in a shallow manner most of the time, especially if you have been dealing with a life-threatening illness such as cancer. Consciously practicing Yogic breathing exercises will help to retrain your body to relax and take in the life giving energy of fresh oxygen on a daily basis.
Virginia Iversen, M.Ed, has been practicing and studying the art of Yoga for over twenty years. She lives in Woodstock, New York, where she works as a writer and an academic support specialist. She is currently accepting Yoga and health-related writing orders and may be contacted at: [email protected]
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