Yoga As A Complementary Therapy For Breast Cancer

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Diana Ross, E-RYT 500

Yoga Has Stepped Into Center Stage As An Integrated Complementary Therapy

Yoga for balancing the mind, body and spirit.  Integrated yoga therapy includes postures, breathing exercises, meditations, chanting, a healthy lifestyle and most importantly relaxation techniques. There are numerous studies worldwide providing scientific evidence of yoga’s therapeutic potential. It is now known that when the nervous system is balanced, the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems function correctly and the brain works together to create a balance of both action and calmness. The body’s immune system is revitalized to create dynamic responses that maintain health. When the body experiences this balance, the mind also experiences it and a higher knowledge or spirit prevails. Yoga is that vehicle to bring the mind, body and spirit together as one. 

Yoga Can Be a Lot Of Fun 

Enjoy every deep, slow breath while moving your arms, legs and torso. It is so important to evenly pace the movement with the breath. The breath is key to your wellness. It too balances the mind, body and spirit. It is the cosmic gas station.  “If the mind wanders the breath will follow.” Take it slow, take a big conscious breath, come into the present moment and just Be. 

Diana Ross, E-RYT500, CYT, Certified TriYoga



Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Cancer Therapies Conference, 2013

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Thursday, February 28th through Saturday, March 2nd 2013 in West Palm Beach, FL

This event is being hosted by the Annie Appleseed Project. The 6th meeting in Florida (and 7th conference) takes place at the Embassy Suites hotel right near the Palm Beach International Airport (this is the same space as in the last few years).  Free Shuttle from Palm Beach International Airport (aka West Palm Beach). 

Registration is now open. Registration price rises after January 28th, 2013.

For event information and registration, please visit: Annie Appleseed Project: Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Cancer Therapies Conference, 2013

Breast Cancer - Singing Snake Yoga Breath

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Breathing For Breast Cancer Yoga Exercise




A very important function of breathing fully and slowly is that the body's natural relaxation response is prompted. This relaxation response results in decreased tension, anxiety and fatigue.

The overall effect of many breathing practices help the body and mind create a calming down effect called a “relaxation response”. This will allow for the mind to become clearer, and more reflective. When recovering from cancer breathing is instrumental to support our health and well-being. 

Benefits
*Releases tension in front of chest, neck and upper shoulders
*Relieves jaw clenching
*Stretches neck flexors
*Lengthens platysma muscle
*Allows for profound relaxation


Experience Therapeutic Breathing
With our breathing exercise CD you will receive 6 breathing exercises for breast cancer recovery, stress management and cancer related fatigue. Each CD is 60 minutes with an introduction, benefits and 6 breathing exercises. This collection of therapeutic breathing exercises was created specifically for breast cancer recovery management.

Breathe With Purpose CD
For Breast Cancer & Lymphedema


Breast Cancer Yoga Founder & Survivor

Monday, October 22, 2012

Diana Ross, E-RYT 500
Why I Created and Founded Breast Cancer Yoga
Breast cancer has touch my life in so many ways. First my own direct experience with the disease; then my sister, two sister-in-laws and finally my favorite first cousin. Not to mention friends and students. It seemed so natural that after teaching TriYoga for 17 years I would evolved to teaching a more restorative yoga flow like Breast Cancer Yoga.  I felt it was time my practice became more about serving or SEVA. 




Lymphedema & Cancer Related Fatigue
There is a real need for a gentle flowing yoga practice to help support women in breast cancer recovery. Not only recovery but lymphedema management and cancer-related fatigue. Two major concerns that are not focused on.  I wanted this yoga to be specific, doable and as healing as possible.

Breast Cancer Yoga is Healing
Breast Cancer Yoga's use of props are paramount to feeling grounded, secure and nurtured.  There is deep focus on moving in and out of the pose while using the breath as a guide to do so and listening to soothing music which add so much value to recovery. I feel satisfied when someone says to me that they feel better, stronger and optimistic.  I want to make a difference in someone’s recovery and this is how I do it.
Diana Ross, E-RYT500, CYT, Certified TriYoga
www.breastcanceryoga.com

Watch FREE Breast Cancer Yoga Videos
Receive a FREE Yoga E-book

Learn About Breast Cancer Yoga

Friday, October 19, 2012

Diana Ross, E-RYT 500
Founder & Survivor

A Bit About Breast Cancer Yoga
Breast Cancer Yoga’s founder, contributors, students, yoga studio, and future yoga teachers, are committed to physical, spiritual and environmental well-being. They offer safe and supportive therapeutic restorative yoga, mindfulness meditation, breathing exercises developed for women in breast cancer recovery, lymphedema management, while maintaining a minimal environmental impact. In addition, Breast Cancer Yoga offers therapeutic yoga to adults with special need such as knee or hip replacements, surgical recovery and many other conditions. Breast Cancer Yoga is listed on many green websites as an environmentally green small business.
How Breast Cancer Yoga is Green
Breast Cancer Yoga is commitment to green. BCY is an online educational yoga site specific for breast cancer recovery. Our visitors don’t have to come to us, we come to them via the internet. Offering downloadable products such as e-books, CDs and DVD's eliminate the need to use paper. We are a family based company that uses a sustainable green work place, select environmental products that support the earth and support good health. 
Breast Cancer Yoga Events
With Diana Ross, E-RYT 500
Why We Think Breast Cancer Yoga is Great
Breast Cancer Yoga makes their services accessible to the community by providing events, workshops and yoga retreats. Furthermore, our yoga for Cancer Recovery services are tailored for women undergoing and recovering from cancer and its treatment, which are offered to local breast cancer support communities. Plus, our yoga workshops and retreats are holistic and include Mindful Eating, Yoga for Chronic Pain, breathing for stress-reduction while creating an inner peace for all of us.
By; Dawn Bradford



Breast Cancer Yoga Pose For Range Of Motion

Thursday, October 18, 2012


Breast Cancer Yoga
Pose of the Month - October 2012

Arm Under Chest 
A really great way to relieve your shoulder tension and increase Range of Motion for shoulder joints (frozen shoulder) associated with breast cancer recovery is with a chest extension inflection or better known in the yoga world as a heart opening flowing restorative yoga pose. With this wonderful yoga pose you will open up the heart,  fill the lungs from the bottom up, and relieve shoulder tension.

Arm Under Chest Yoga Pose

Benefits
Promote lymph circulation around axilla
Helps heal scarring muscles and added tightness
Increases internal rotation and shoulder mobility
Strengthens scapula stabilizing muscle
Opens and lift chest
Increases ROM of shoulder joints - frozen shoulder
Increases internal rotation and shoulder mobility.
Releases shoulder tension that rounds your shoulders and binds your upper arm

Begin In A Partial Recline

                                           _____________________________________________________________

Instructions
  1. Begin on your back with knees bent in PARTIAL RECLINE. A neck roll or pillow can be used for added comfort.
  2. Lift hips up, slide right arm, palm down underneath lower back so you can see finger tips on left side. STOP IF YOU FEEL PAIN. Lower hips down and extend legs.
  3. Relax - breathe into the right side of upper chest until you feel a release in shoulder muscles.  Once the shoulder relaxes experiment sliding hand up your back towards shoulder blades.
  4. INHALE, left arm up and overhead for bigger additional stretch to breast region.
  5. Flow arm back up and down. When ready hold pose for 3/5 breaths.
  6. EXHALE lower arm back down, lift hips up and release arm from underneath.
  7. Repeat on other arm.


Breast Cancer Yoga offers healthy lifestyle tools for breast cancer prevention and recovery with therapeutic yoga poses, breathing exercises that bringing together the mind, body, and spirit.

By: Diana Ross, E-RYT 500


Cancer Connections October 31st

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Please join us for a special presentation on breast cancer by radiation oncologist Dr. Judith Lightsey of Shands. "Innovations in Breast Cancer Care" will begin at noon at the Hope Lodge. Please RSVP by Monday, October 29th if you wish to be counted for lunch. A $3 donation is requested. RSVP to Barb Thomas: bnbarb@aol.com.

Last minute attendees are also welcome, but bring you own lunch as food is prepared based on prior notice.

Please share this invitation.

The Importance of Mesothelioma Awareness and Research

Ask one of your friends what mesothelioma is. If you friend has even heard of it at all, their reply will most likely sound something like, “Is that the thing they talk about on the late-night lawyer commercials?”

Sadly, most people have no idea what mesothelioma actually is, what causes it or who is most at risk to develop it. This asbestos-related cancer is only diagnosed in about 2,000 to 3,000 people each year in the United States. Because it is so rare, awareness about mesothelioma is relatively low, and few organizations dedicate their time and resources to researching the disease. Because mesothelioma diagnoses are expected to peak between 2015 and 2030, it is more crucial now than it ever has been to focus on mesothelioma awareness and research. However, the only way to amp up the scientific study of mesothelioma is to amp up the amount of funding poured into the projects.

Mesothelioma Research Organizations

Several organizations across the United States dedicate all of their time and money to testing cutting-edge treatments for mesothelioma. Research organizations like the Mesothelioma Applied Research Fund and the Pacific Mesothelioma Center improve the outlook for current and future patients by creating and testing new therapies that may yield more promising prognosis. However, these nonprofits still struggle to raise enough funding to adequately research all of the potentially lifesaving mesothelioma treatments. The NCI estimates that mesothelioma receives as little as seven times the amount of funding that other cancers receive.

Since 2000, the leading mesothelioma research organization – the Mesothelioma Foundation – has received only $7.6 million for peer-reviewed mesothelioma research. To help increase the amount of funding designated for mesothelioma research, many organizations are turning to awareness events and fundraisers to benefit mesothelioma charities.

Helping Mesothelioma Awareness Organizations Raise Funds for Research

In 2003, the cost of bringing a new drug to the market cost more than $802 million. That price has shot to over $1.7 billion today, including all of the costs involved with research and development.

The National Cancer Institute currently operates 68 clinical trials related to mesothelioma. However, considering the unsatisfactory state of mesothelioma treatment (the average prognosis for a mesothelioma patient comes in at under a year), there is plenty room for improvement – and for more clinical trials.

But where will the funding come from?


Miles for Meso is one of the major fundraisers for mesothelioma, currently heading into its fourth year. The 5K is held in multiple cities around the globe and raises funds for the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. The benefits have donated more than $160,000 of race proceeds to the organization. Several other smaller, local fundraisers are held on September 26th, the official Mesothelioma Awareness Day. However, with little time to waste, advocacy and awareness events are popping up year-round on calendars. Proceeds from these events are typically funneled into clinical trials, including recent projects that include research on a new mesothelioma chemotherapy drug called Axitinib and a study of a novel gene transfer for the treatment of mesothelioma.

Results from these mesothelioma clinical trials are often presented at large mesothelioma conferences, such as the Abramson Cancer Center’s Focus on Mesothelioma Conference. At these awareness events, researchers, doctors, patients and caregivers come together to share their knowledge and experiences and learn more about the cancer. To get involved with mesothelioma awareness events near you, ask your oncologist for a list of events in your area or check out the websites of the research organizations listed above.

Mesothelioma Awareness Events


Bio: Faith Franz is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She combines her interests in whole-body health and medical research to educate the mesothelioma community about the newest developments in cancer care.