Yoga for Cancer Recovery
My Personal Journey and the Evidence
By Sara, Founder of Shine Yoga
When I was diagnosed with cancer, my entire world shifted. Beyond the physical battle, I faced emotional upheaval, uncertainty, and a profound disconnection from my body. What began as simple movement to maintain flexibility during treatment evolved into something much deeper – yoga became my medicine, reshaping not just my physical recovery but my entire approach to healing.
The Research Behind Yoga for Cancer Recovery
My personal experience isn't unique. Research increasingly supports yoga as a complementary therapy for cancer patients and survivors. A comprehensive review published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology examined 29 randomized controlled trials with over 1,800 participants. The results showed that yoga significantly improved quality of life, fatigue, stress, anxiety, and depression in cancer patients during and after treatment (Danhauer et al., 2019).
The mechanisms behind these benefits are multifaceted. Yoga practice has been shown to:
Reduce inflammation markers such as IL-6 and TNF-alpha, which are often elevated in cancer patients (Bower et al., 2014)
Regulate cortisol levels, helping to normalize stress response systems disrupted by cancer treatment (Banasik et al., 2011)
Improve physical functioning including strength, flexibility, and balance, which are often compromised during cancer treatment (Sprod et al., 2015)
Enhance parasympathetic nervous system activity, promoting the "rest and digest" state that supports healing (Bower & Irwin, 2016)
Beyond Physical Recovery: The Mind-Body Connection
What makes yoga uniquely beneficial for cancer recovery is its integrated approach to healing. Unlike conventional exercise that focuses primarily on physical movement, yoga addresses the mind-body connection that's so often damaged during cancer treatment.
Dr. Lorenzo Cohen, Director of the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center, explains: "We've found that yoga practice helps patients reconnect with their bodies in a gentle, non-threatening way, which is particularly important after the physical trauma of cancer treatment" (Cohen & Markman, 2018).
This mind-body reconnection was essential in my own healing journey. Cancer treatment can leave you feeling betrayed by your body, disconnected from physical sensations, and fearful of movement. Yoga provided a safe space to slowly rebuild trust with my body, to feel sensation without judgment, and to experience movement as healing rather than threatening.
The "Shine Approach" to Cancer Recovery
Based on both research and my personal experience, we've developed specific classes at Shine Yoga that focus on recovery after cancer treatment. Our approach includes:
Gentle somatic exploration - Reestablishing neural connections through slow, mindful movement
Therapeutic breathing techniques - Utilizing pranayama practices shown to reduce anxiety and support immune function
Restorative postures - Facilitating deep relaxation to counteract the physical stress of treatment
Community support - Creating space for shared healing experiences
These elements work together to address the whole person, not just the physical body recovering from cancer.
Starting Your Healing Practice
If you're in cancer treatment or recovery, here's a simple practice to begin with:
Breath-Centered Body Scan (5 minutes)
Lie comfortably on your back with support as needed
Place one hand on your heart, one on your belly
Take slow, gentle breaths, feeling the rise and fall beneath your hands
With each exhale, mentally scan your body from head to toe
Notice areas of tension without judgment
Simply observe sensations with curiosity and compassion
This practice helps reestablish body awareness and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which supports healing and recovery (Dusek & Benson, 2009).
Conclusion
Cancer changed my relationship with yoga, transforming it from a physical practice to a healing modality that addresses body, mind, and spirit. The research continues to validate what many cancer survivors have discovered through experience: yoga offers a unique pathway to recovery that honors the complex nature of healing after cancer.
At Shine Yoga, we're committed to sharing these evidence-based practices in a way that meets each person exactly where they are in their healing journey. Whether you're currently in treatment, newly in remission, or years into survivorship, yoga offers tools to support your ongoing healing and wellbeing.
References:
Banasik, J., Williams, H., Haberman, M., Blank, S. E., & Bendel, R. (2011). Effect of Iyengar yoga practice on fatigue and diurnal salivary cortisol concentration in breast cancer survivors. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 23(3), 135-142.
Bower, J. E., & Irwin, M. R. (2016). Mind–body therapies and control of inflammatory biology: A descriptive review. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 51, 1-11.
Bower, J. E., Greendale, G., Crosswell, A. D., Garet, D., Sternlieb, B., Ganz, P. A., ... & Cole, S. W. (2014). Yoga reduces inflammatory signaling in fatigued breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 43, 20-29.
Cohen, L., & Markman, M. (2018). Integrative Oncology: Principles and Practice. CRC Press.
Danhauer, S. C., Addington, E. L., Cohen, L., Sohl, S. J., Van Puymbroeck, M., Albinati, N. K., & Culos-Reed, S. N. (2019). Yoga for symptom management in oncology: A review of the evidence base and future directions for research. Cancer, 125(12), 1979-1989.
Dusek, J. A., & Benson, H. (2009). Mind-body medicine: a model of the comparative clinical impact of the acute stress and relaxation responses. Minnesota medicine, 92(5), 47-50.
Sprod, L. K., Fernandez, I. D., Janelsins, M. C., Peppone, L. J., Atkins, J. N., Giguere, J., ... & Mustian, K. M. (2015). Effects of yoga on cancer-related fatigue and global side-effect burden in older cancer survivors. Journal of Geriatric Oncology, 6(1), 8-14.
