Yoga: Alternative Therapy for Mesothelioma Patients

Yoga is more about bringing together the mind and body. It is an ancient practice that derived from the Sanskrit word "Yuji", which means yoke or union.


It includes breathing exercises, meditation and poses for relaxation and stress reduction.


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The practice of yoga has a lot of benefits for the health of mental and physic, although all benefits have not been supported by science.


1. It can reduce stress


It has been known that Yoga has the ability to reduce stress and promote relaxation.


The truth is several studies have proved that it can reduce the secretion of cortisol, the hormone that produces stress.


One study showed the strong effect of yoga on stress by observing 24 women identifying themselves feeling emotionally depressed.


Women had really lower cortisol levels after a three-month yoga program. They also showed less stress, depression, anxiety, and fatigue.


Another study in 131 people showed similar findings, which prove that 10 weeks of yoga helped in reducing stress and anxiety. Also, it has also contributed to the improvement of the quality of life and mental health.


Yoga can be an effective way to control stress when it is used alone or together with different methods of stress management like meditation.


2. Improvement of flexibility


Doing the moving as well as stretching in new techniques will help you become more flexible and provide more freedom of movement for restricted areas. After some time, you can anticipate flexibility in your tendons, shoulders, back as well as hips. Commonly, our flexibility decreases when we get older, particularly if you spend a lot of time sitting down, causing pain and immobility. Yoga can help to change this process.


3. Increase strength


Most yoga poses demand that you have the ability to carry your body weight in a new way like balancing a leg (as in a tree position) or leaning with your arms (as in the dog pointing down). Hold these positions for several breaths to build muscle power.


4. Yoga for cancer patients


It was estimated that more than 1.6 million people in the US alone have cancer in 2015. You will experience painful treatment plans, stress and emotional trauma as well.


Therapeutic activities such as yoga can complete the medical treatment of cancer to cure the body, mind and soul in the fight against cancer, such as lung cancer, breast cancer or mesothelioma which is known as rare cancer that is almost exclusively caused by asbestos. It is estimated that 3,000 cases are diagnosed annually in the United States, and most are attributed to occupational exposure.


Dr Maggie DiNome of the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California said that some studies have shown that yoga can fight fatigue and increase the strength and range of motion of patients who undergo cancer treatment.


Yoga can help to lower the frequency and intensity of common mesothelioma symptoms which include:



  • Anxiety

  • pain

  • mild depression

  • fatigue

  • Nausea or constipation induced by chemotherapy


5. Live Longer


People have recognised the advantage of yoga. Daily yoga helps you improve your fitness, improve your heart rate, decrease your stress and become a happier person. All of these can bring precious years into your life. It is also known that yoga reduces the risk of heart disease and slows down breathing, which is directly related to longer life. Current studies have revealed that the yoga meditation element can slow down the aging process by providing protection for the telomeres (plugs) at the end of our chromosomes as well.


6. Help with heart disease


19 patients with heart failure were observed in one study. The addition of eight weeks of yoga to treat nine patients increased their physical performance, improved their heart health, and improved their life quality. According to Bethany Grace Shaw, founder and president of YogaFit, Inc, yoga plays a significant role in reducing the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, the cardiovascular benefits of yoga also help reduce plaque.