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Undergoing treatment for cancer is scary and brings about its own set of struggles and side effects. But while we often think of the physical effects of cancer, the emotional toll can often be overlooked. Integrative oncology works to treat not only the cancer, but all aspects of a patient’s treatment – from recovery to survivorship.
Here you’ll learn:
- What is Integrative Oncology?
- Benefits of Yoga and Meditation
- How Aromatherapy Helps Cancer Patients
- Benefits of Acupuncture
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The ancient art of yoga has numerous health benefits to people at all stages of life — including when people are battling a disease such as cancer.
This relaxing form of exercise helps individuals get in touch with their bodies. It relies on deep breathing and gentle movements to increase strength and flexibility and promote relaxation.
Under doctor's supervision, cancer patients may be able to look to yoga as a way to incorporate physical activity and low-impact exercise into their treatment regimen.
Yoga for Cancer Patients Q and A
What Symptoms Can Yoga Help Reduce?
Studies have shown that yoga can improve quality of life, fatigue, anxiety, and pain. In addition, aspects of yoga such as meditation, camaraderie, breath work, and improved posture can help with improved attention and breathing.
How Soon into Treatment Can I Start Practicing Yoga?
Yoga teaches us to listen to our bodies, which is one of its major benefits. That being said, you could practice breathing and gentle stretching during your treatments. There may be times to avoid certain aspects of any exercise program during treatment, for example, if you feel unwell, have a fever or have been told that you are neutropenic. These are things to discuss with your doctor or an integrative oncologist.
Are There Any Risks Involved?
A gentle yoga program started with a certified instructor with the support of your doctor should pose no risks.
Would Yoga be Helpful for Individuals Suffering from a Mild Case of Lymphedema?
Absolutely. Finding gentle poses that would help mobilize and strengthen the body would be helpful in this case. Always take care to avoid any trauma, in yoga or in any other setting, to the affected area to reduce the risk of infection.
Can Anyone Teach Yoga to Cancer Patients? How Do I Find a Yoga Teacher That Is Familiar with the Needs of Cancer Patients?
Cancer patients are a varied group so it is best to find direction from a person who knows about the yoga community. Working privately with an instructor would be ideal in this setting. Our program's participating providers all have an understanding of working with cancer patients. We have a certified yoga therapist onsite at Hillman Cancer Center.
If I Haven't Exercised Before, Is It OK to Start Now?
A gentle yoga program is an excellent way to start to exercise. Just make sure to listen to your body and take it slow and always tell the instructor you are just beginning an exercise plan. A private instructor is a very good way to start if you are new to yoga.
Are There Any Easy Poses I Could Do at Home that Would be Helpful?
Yes, after checking in with your doctor about considering any physical restrictions you may have, the yoga instructor could suggest starting movement with all the major joints to warm the body up. These movements could be performed lying down in a bed, face up, or sitting in a chair.
Suggested Beginner Yoga Routine
- Breathe deeply throughout the routine
- Smile and frown for simple face scrunches
- Small neck movements such as ears to shoulders, or chin to chest
- Shoulder hunches
- Elbows and wrist circles
- Gently curl the back into a forward bend
- Open the chest by lifting the chest and bringing shoulders together in the back
- Knee and leg lifts
- Ankle circles
What Can I Expect from a Yoga Class?
If it is your first yoga class, it is strongly suggested that you contact the teacher prior to the first class and ask them. Attending a gentle, basics or restorative yoga class would include slow movements with an emphasis on modifications to fit various students' needs in class.
How Do You Prepare for a Yoga Class? What Should I Bring?
If possible, find out who is teaching the class and ask them how to prepare for their class.
In general:
- Drink water before, during and after class
- Wear a more fitted short-sleeved top under a long sleeved top, sweater or jacket
- Pants could be made of stretch material or loose fitting
- Be prepared to take off your shoes and possibly your socks if you are comfortable
- Don't wear perfume
- Eat a small meal at least one hour before class
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients?
Check out our Medical Mondays segment focused on integrative oncology.
Do you, or someone you love with cancer, feel you could benefit from yoga? To learn more, visit the
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center online or call
412-623-7753 to schedule an appointment.
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string(297) "By relying on breathing and gentle movements, yoga can provide many health benefits – especially to those coping with cancer. It has been shown to improve quality of life, fatigue, anxiety, and even pain. Read more to listen to the Q&A session hosted by the UPMC Center for Integrative Oncology."
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By relying on breathing and gentle movements, yoga can provide many health benefits – especially to those coping with cancer. It has been shown to improve quality of life, fatigue, anxiety, and even pain. Read more to listen to the Q&A session hosted by the UPMC Center for Integrative Oncology.Watch Now
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string(3835) "For a cancer patient who is struggling through treatment and trying to manage chronic pain, the storm of stress can be overwhelming. In addition to traditional treatments, some patients and family members are interested in exploring services that address the mind, body, and spirit to help them manage side effects and stress.
At the Wellness and Integrative Oncology Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, modalities of movement, touch, nutrition, and mindfulness are used within conventional cancer care to address and improve symptoms and quality-of-life.
One example of integrative oncology is the practice of yoga. While yoga and meditation don't offer a cure, they have been proven to reduce stress and improve quality of life for people with cancer.
Joni Sturgill, a registered yoga teacher and wellness coach of Healthy Body Peaceful Soul and onsite yoga provider at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, shared some information about the meditation aspect of yoga and how it can help.
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is simply a practice and discipline to focus the wandering thoughts of the mind, with the intention of relaxing the body and calming the nerves.
There are many techniques of meditation, which include:
- Focusing on the breath/deep breathing
- Using imagery to relax and let go of troubling thoughts
- Repeating a comforting phrase
- Using body movements in yoga-based meditation.
Meditation can fall under the umbrella of yoga and other eastern philosophical practices, but it can be found in all cultures in some form.
How Can Meditation Help?
According to the American Cancer Society, meditation can be a supportive adjunct to cancer treatment. With regular practice, it has been shown to reduce:
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety
- High blood pressure
- PTSD symptoms
- Blood cortisol levels
Meditation and mindfulness have been studied more and more over the last 20 years and are becoming an important component to healing the mind and emotions while the body heals. Through meditation, some practitioners say they experience improved mood, greater self-awareness, and an increased ability to relax. The
American Cancer Society cites a controlled study of ninety cancer patients who practiced mindfulness meditation for about two months. Other studies have suggested that meditation improves the chance of a positive outcome because of its effect on mood and mental processes.
You can try different practices like yoga and the various techniques of meditation to see what works for each individual. There is no one size fits all solution, and these practices allow for customization.
Before beginning any new regimen, you should always clear it with your doctors.
An experienced teacher can offer these options to help people fighting cancer, to help them settle the storm in their minds and their emotions, so that the treatment can do its work and the individual as a whole, can begin to heal, from the inside out.
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients?
Check out our Medical Mondays segment focused on integrative oncology.
For more information about the
Wellness and Integrative Oncology Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, visit the center's website or call
412-623-7753.
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string(307) "Meditation has been gaining visibility lately due to its ability to reduce stress and improve quality of life for those who practice. Because of these benefits, it can be a supportive adjunct to cancer treatment by connecting the mind, body, and spirit. Read more to discover how meditation can benefit you."
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Meditation has been gaining visibility lately due to its ability to reduce stress and improve quality of life for those who practice. Because of these benefits, it can be a supportive adjunct to cancer treatment by connecting the mind, body, and spirit. Read more to discover how meditation can benefit you.Read More
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string(1715) "Meditation, especially mindfulness meditation, has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety and often the pain that accompanies cancer and other chronic illnesses. People who practice meditation techniques regularly report feeling calmer and more positive. Here is a simple routine you can do anywhere, even at your desk!
Try out a guided practice in the video above or simply follow the instructions below:
- Sit in a comfortable position with both feet flat on the floor.
- Bring your hands to rest comfortably on your legs or in your lap, palms down, and sit up tall.
- Close your eyes or simply gaze downward.
- Bring your awareness and your attention to feel the contact:
- Between your feet and the floor
- Between your body and the chair
- Between your hands and your legs
- Return your awareness to the contact between your feet, body, chair, and floor when your mind wanders.
- Slow your breath.
- Open your eyes whenever you feel ready.
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients? Check out our Medical Mondays segment focused on integrative oncology.
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To reduce the stress, anxiety and often the pain that accompanies cancer and other chronic illnesses, more and more people are turning to mindfulness meditation. Those who practice regularly report feeling calmer and more positive. Read more to discover a simple guided meditation practice you can do anywhere.Watch Now
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string(2402) "Yoga is a great way to integrate the body, mind and spirit. It's an opportunity to focus inward through deep breathing and stretching. Using a combination of postures (asanas), breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditative techniques, yoga promotes overall health and well-being, especially:
- Strength
- Flexibility
- Agility
- Posture
- Energy
- Heart health
- Mental health
Try the easy sequence in the video above or follow the steps below to help relieve some stress at your desk!
- Sit on the edge of your seat with your feet flat on the floor and your spine tall.
- Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
- Drop your right ear towards your right shoulder, let your left shoulder soften away from your left ear and still sit really tall. Take two more breaths here.
- Repeat with the opposite side.
- Inhale, lift your hands out to the sides and all the way up overhead. Exhale and draw the hands down to your sides. As you inhale draw your right arm out in front of you, and as you exhale draw that hand across the body. Take two breaths and repeat with the opposite side.
- As you inhale lift your shoulders up towards your ear and as you exhale draw the shoulders back.
- Keeping your hands on your thighs or at your knees with your next exhale draw your belly in, round your back, create lots of space between your shoulder blades. As you inhale draw your heart through your arms and do a little backbend.
- Extend your legs out in front of you and then flex into your feet so that your toes draw back towards your face. Sit really tall and draw your hands to the edge of your chair, inhale, lift so that you get lots of length in your spine and as you exhale fold forward. Take a few breaths.
- Lift back up and as you exhale you can bend back into your knees and draw your hands to your lap.
Namaste!
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients?
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string(295) "Through deep breathing and stretching, yoga connects the body, mind, and spirit and can promote overall health and well-being. While often practiced at a dedicated studio, yoga can be done anywhere – even at your desk! Read more to experience a short guided yoga practice you can try anywhere."
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Through deep breathing and stretching, yoga connects the body, mind, and spirit and can promote overall health and well-being. While often practiced at a dedicated studio, yoga can be done anywhere – even at your desk! Read more to experience a short guided yoga practice you can try anywhere.Watch Now
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Cancer can affect your entire mind and body. Although we typically associate cancer with one area of the body, the disease can affect far more than a single organ or region of our bodies.
Integrative oncology takes a holistic approach to managing side effects that come with cancer treatment, recovery, and survivorship. Combining integrative therapies with conventional medicine (chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery), integrative oncology creates a cohesive approach to your care.
With an integrative oncology team, your care plan goes beyond your diagnosis and symptoms to look at your support system, cultural and spiritual beliefs, and your goals.
What Treatments and Therapies Are Used?
Integrative oncology combines a range of therapies and general lifestyle practices to help you heal, manage side effects of treatment, and improve your overall quality of life before, during, and after "cancer" became a part of your life.
Therapies incorporated into your care plan roughly fall under the categories of movement, touch, nutrition, and mindfulness. Examples include:
-
- Music, arts, and expressive therapy
- Meditation
- Yoga and other forms of physical exercise
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Aromatherapy
- Lifestyle Nutrition
What Are the Benefits of Integrative Oncology?
Therapies chosen within an integrative oncology program are those that have been shown most effective in helping patients with the most common side effects associated with cancer and its treatment. Conventional medicine like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy have side effects that are tough to handle despite our best efforts and all of the progress in the field.
Such cancer side effects include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Anxiety or depression
- Pain
- Mind-body
- Energy therapies and body work (Reiki, Shiatsu)
Using integrative oncology to lessen cancer symptoms
An integrative approach can decrease symptoms and improve quality of life.
When you feel bad, it's harder to recover and to remain positive to continue treatment. You have a lot of options to help you. For example, if you are struggling with pain, you may want to consider
acupuncture instead of or along with pain medications.
Fatigue is also a common side effect of cancer itself and many treatments. Your body has a lot to overcome. Physical activity and yoga, to the extent you're able, can help you regain some strength and energy.
It's important to make sure that any integrative therapies, especially supplements, considered during cancer therapy are discussed with your oncologist. Cancer is a complicated disease and is best managed by your oncology doctor and your care team.
By receiving care at a cancer center with a
dedicated integrative oncology program, you can be sure you'll receive the safest and most comprehensive advice and guidance.
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients?
Check out our Medical Mondays segment focused on integrative oncology."
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We know cancer affects the body, but what we don’t always think about is the emotional toll of the disease. Integrative oncology takes a holistic approach to not only treating cancer, but also caring for all aspects of treatment, recovery, and survivorship. Read more to discover the treatment and therapy methods, as well as the benefits of integrative oncology.Watch Now
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string(3464) "Undergoing treatment for cancer is scary and brings about its own set of struggles and side effects. You'll work with your doctor to find the right balance of treatment procedures and medications to help you feel the best you can.
Acupuncture, a method used in traditional Chinese medicine, is growing as a tool for people with cancer.
What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture stimulates different areas of the body, usually by inserting thin needles into the skin. The idea is that energy flows through your body in specific patterns. By stimulating certain areas along these patterns, acupuncture may improve symptoms and quality of life.
What to expect during acupuncture treatment
When you receive acupuncture, a practitioner will gently insert the needles into specific points on your body. Depending on the type of acupuncture you receive, he or she may apply heat or little electrical pulses to the needles. You lie on a table and relax for about 20 minutes before the needles are removed.
How Can Acupuncture be Included in My Cancer Treatment?
Acupuncture has been shown to help with a range of side effects people experience during cancer treatment. It is not used as a curative measure, but rather to improve how you feel.
Pain management for cancer itself, chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation is the most common use of acupuncture. It has also been shown to help with nausea and vomiting, particularly if other options aren't working for you.
Other side effects people receive acupuncture to treat include:
- Fatigue
- Hot flashes
- Anxiety
- Neuropathy
- Insomnia
Should I be Worried About Side Effects of Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is generally safe and often effective. You may feel some soreness after treatment, but that goes away shortly.
Chemotherapy can weaken your immune system. You want to make sure the practitioner uses clean, single-use needles to prevent infection and be certain your oncologist is aware of the timing of acupuncture in the context of your cancer treatment or history.
Talk with your oncologist about adding acupuncture in to your treatment or survivorship regimen. He or she may be able to recommend a licensed practitioner and ensure effective communication.
Acupuncture may be included as part of an
integrative oncology program, which aims to treat the whole person — mind, body, and spirit while ensuring safety and supervision above all.
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients?
Check out our Medical Mondays segment focused on integrative oncology.In addition, we have a licensed acupuncturist onsite at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. To schedule, call 412-623-7753.
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While many are anxious to try acupuncture, the traditional Chinese medicine has been growing as a treatment tool for those battling cancer. Pain management and help with nausea, vomiting, and fatigue are listed among its benefits, which can be incredibly helpful when dealing with chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation. Read more to discover how to incorporate acupuncture into your treatment plan.Read More
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When battling the stress, fatigue, and emotional turmoil of living with cancer, some people find relief through aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy uses essential oils to help your mind and body relax.
How Does Aromatherapy Work?
Research suggests that different scents can send signals to our brains that change our mood, alertness, and stress levels. Some oils also have antibacterial or antifungal properties when used on the skin.
These can be effective in helping you combat the fatigue and depression that often come along with a cancer diagnosis.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in plants, and have been used throughout history for health and well-being. They may be used in a variety of ways to affect mood and emotional states, and support body systems.
Common essential oils that can target cancer side effects include:
- Lavender: Widely used for its calming and relaxing qualities, helping to ease feelings of tension.
- Peppermint: May be diffused when feeling fatigued, and helps respiratory function and clear breathing.
- Citrus oils (lemon, lime, and grapefruit): Help cleanse and purify the air and surfaces. They may also be diffused to promote a positive mood.
- Ginger: May help reduce occasional nausea, and the aroma provides a boost of energy and antioxidant protection.
Frankincense: Supports healthy cellular function, and can be applied to the bottoms of the feet or diffused to promote feelings of relaxation and to balance mood.
How Do I Use Essential Oils?
Most essential oils are inhaled or applied to the skin. You may try a couple different methods of using the oils:
- Place a couple drops in a diffuser nearby
- Place a couple drops on a tissue or wash cloth near your face
- Place a drop or two in a cup of steaming water or in a bath and inhale the steam
- Dilute a drop or two in a carrier oil (such as coconut or jojoba) and apply to points on the skin
- Use oil diluted in a carrier oil during a massage
Although few research studies have been done to see how effective aromatherapy is for people with cancer, there are few side effects such that potential benefits outweigh risks for most patients. The most common negative effect is an allergic skin reaction where the oil is applied. Typically, oils should not be ingested. Use caution with inhaling oils if you have lung disease, asthma, or a condition that causes trouble breathing.
Aromatherapy may be a supportive therapy you can incorporate into your care plan if you're struggling with emotional, mental, or physical problems. It may also be a distraction technique for stressful situations and a way to control your environment during difficult times. Be sure to talk with your oncologist about using essential oils safely during or after cancer treatment.
As a part of the
Wellness and Integrative Oncology Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, an oncologist can recommend a professional with experience in aromatherapy to give you direction on what oils to use and how to shop for them.
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients?
Check out our Medical Mondays segment focused on integrative oncology.
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string(318) "Aromatherapy uses essential oils, like lavender, peppermint, ginger, and citrus, to help your mind and body relax. Many people find relief through this method while battling the stress, fatigue, and emotional turmoil of cancer. Read more to discover how aromatherapy can impact your mood and even support body systems."
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Aromatherapy uses essential oils, like lavender, peppermint, ginger, and citrus, to help your mind and body relax. Many people find relief through this method while battling the stress, fatigue, and emotional turmoil of cancer. Read more to discover how aromatherapy can impact your mood and even support body systems.Read More
