Get to Know Yoga Therapy’s Supportive Effects During Cancer Care
Navigating cancer treatment can be physically and emotionally challenging. Integrating complementary practices, such as yoga therapy, for cancer care offers holistic support for the body's vital systems.
In this blog, we'll explore the impact of yoga therapy on the body's different systems. Understanding how yoga therapy for cancer care can help ease both the patients' and their families' journey through treatment and recovery.
Musculoskeletal System
The musculoskeletal system is composed of 206 bones and over 600 muscles, with bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and connective tissue. This system provides a sturdy framework for muscles and soft tissues, supporting weight, maintaining posture, and enabling movement. Its five key functions include movement, support, protection, heat generation, and blood circulation.
Impact of Cancer on the Musculoskeletal System
Cancer can lead to sarcomas growing in the bone or connective tissues. It also can lead to the following:
Muscle weakness resulting in loss of balance
Fatigue
Loss of mobility
Arthritis - joint inflammation
Arthralgia - joint pain
Bone fractures
Osteoporosis / Osteopenia - bones become porous and brittle
How Yoga can Support the Musculoskeletal System
Studies have found that yoga can help support bone health and joint health. Yoga therapy for cancer care can also help provide the following benefits:
Improved balance
Improved posture and alignment through Asana
Improved strength through postures that use body weight for resistance
Increased mobility and flexibility by improving range of motion
Lowered muscle tension through mindfulness and breathing practices
Digestive System
The digestive system, composed of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder, processes food for energy, growth, and cell repair. The GI tract connects the mouth to the anus through organs like the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. The bacteria within the GI tract help maintain digestive health.
Impact of Cancer on the Digestive System
Cancer cells can grow near this system's organs and spread out. Some of the common cancers that affect the digestive system are colorectal, esophageal, gastric, liver, and pancreatic cancer. While there are treatments for GI-related cancers, they can disrupt the gut biome, leading to GERD, diarrhea, and constipation, among others.
How Yoga can Support the Digestive System
Yoga therapy for cancer can include a variety of positions that can help the digestive system. For instance, Asana can aid in peristalsis. Twists and turns with pressure along the abdomen can help relieve constipation. For heartburn-related concerns, keeping head above heart can be beneficial.
Endocrine System
The endocrine system consists of glands that produce and secrete hormones into the bloodstream. These include the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pineal, pancreas, ovaries, and testes. The hormones regulate reproduction, metabolism, energy balance, growth, body defenses, sleep, and blood pressure, all while maintaining homeostasis—a state of dynamic equilibrium in the body.
Impact of Cancer on the Endocrine System
Cancer can increase cortisol, leading to high stress, which activates the body's fight or flight response. It also disrupts the production and release of hormones or even produce their own homes which affect the natural homeostasis of the body. When cancer exists, the body cannot repair tissues and produce reproductive and growth hormones, as well.
How Yoga can Support the Endocrine System
Yoga therapy for cancer care can help reduce stress as it can regulate cortisol levels and improve hormone balance. Yoga can support the reduction of allostatic load and bring balance to the seven yoga chakras associated with glands. Postures can also help increase blood flow to the endocrine glands to promote production and regulation of hormones in the body.
Respiratory System
The respiratory system includes the lungs, airways, and blood vessels. Air travels through the mouth, nose, sinuses, trachea, pharynx, and bronchial tubes to reach the lungs. The diaphragm and ribs protect the lungs, while blood vessels transport oxygen to and from the lungs.
Impact of Cancer on the Respiratory System
Cancer, or its treatment, can diminish lung capacity as well as possibly damage the organs and tissues. A weakened respiratory system due to treatment is also at high risk of getting infected, which can lead to flu, pneumonia, and bronchitis, among others.
How Yoga can Support the Respiratory System
Yoga therapy for cancer care can help strengthen the muscles of the lungs and keep them strong and flexible. It can also help move fluid, such as mucus, out of the body. Through pranayama, yoga can help increase the efficiency of the lungs.
Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system, a network of tissues, vessels, and organs, moves lymph fluid throughout the body. With 600-700 lymph nodes filtering and cleansing lymph, this system is vital to the body’s immune response, producing white blood cells to combat foreign invaders. It also absorbs and transports fats from the small intestine to the bloodstream for energy.
Impact of Cancer on the Lymphatic System
Cancer cells can develop in the lymph nodes and vessels, which can spread to other parts of the body. It can cause lymphedema, which is a buildup of lymph fluid that can cause swelling. This can affect how the body gets rid of toxins and waste.
Common cancer for this system include lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and lymph node cancer.
How Yoga can Support the Lymphatic System
The following yoga therapy for cancer care practices can help support this system:
Asana can help stimulate the lymphatic system, thereby moving lymph and waste.
Breathing practices can help promote drainage.
Twisting postures can help compress and release the organs and muscles, which also help move lymph fluids.
Urinary / Excretory System
The urinary/excretory system filters 120-140 liters of blood daily, creating urine as a waste product. Urine travels through the ureters to the bladder, where it's stored until excretion. Composed of the kidneys, renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, and urethra, it filters the blood, removes toxins, and regulates salt and water balance.
Impact of Cancer on the Urinary/Excretory System
Cancer can cause pelvic and back pain. It can also cause frequent urination and discomfort. Having cancer can cause blood in the urine, and pain or burning when urinating.
Common cancers for this system include kidney and bladder cancer. Treatments, though, may cause urinary and bladder problems, including constipation and diarrhea, as well as nausea, vomiting, and weight loss/gain.
How Yoga can Support the Urinary/Excretory System
Yoga therapy for cancer can help support this system in the following ways:
Postures can help strengthen the urinary tract's and the pelvic region's muscles. This helps prevent bladder control issues and urinary incontinence.
Postures can support blood circulation and help the body remove waste.
Yoga practice can help reduce stress.
Conclusion
The body's different systems each have their own importance functions, which means cancer treatment should always focus on holistic care. Yoga therapy for cancer care can support these systems and lead to overall wellbeing.
Are you a yoga teacher or healthcare practitioner looking to incorporate yoga and mindfulness into your practice? Are you interested in learning more about Yoga and Cancer Care? Please check out our annual Yoga and Cancer Care Training - as well as our comprehensive yoga therapy certification at Prema Yoga Institute.
